Eastern Notes: Blatche, Magic, Heat, Green
We rounded up a few items out of the Western Conference earlier this morning, so let's head east and check in on the Nets, Magic, Heat, and a few other teams in the Eastern Conference….
- So far in Brooklyn, Andray Blatche is enjoying being under less pressure than he was with the Wizards, as he tells Zach Braziller of the New York Post. "I have a new beginning, not as much stuff hanging over my head," Blatche said. "I can go out and play, I don’t have to think. It’s just fun."
- Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com looks into the Magic's $17.8MM trade exception, pointing out that the team could use it to take on a bad contract (along with draft picks) or to land a free agent in a sign-and-trade deal next summer.
- While Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel acknowledges that there may be better candidates for a roster spot than James Jones, he finds it unlikely the Heat will keep Rodney Carney or another player over Jones, given the financial implications. In a separate piece for the Sun-Sentinel, Winderman notes that comments by coach Erik Spoelstra suggest there are two roster spots up for grabs in Miami.
- Gerald Green, who signed a three-year deal with the Pacers this summer, appreciates the opportunity he has to play in the "best league in the world" again after a few years away from the NBA. Conrad Brunner has the story and quotes from Green at ESPN 1070 The Fan.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com poses the question of who the Knicks' 15th man should be.
Odds & Ends: Spurs, Perkins, Fields
Mike Miller To Decide On Future Soon
Heat guard Mike Miller will meet with doctors soon to determine if his injured back needs surgery that includes a lengthy rehabilitation process, according to the Associated Press. Miller has dealt with a slew of injuries in recent years, including a foot problem that he played through this season.
Latest On Derek Fisher, NBPA
The NBA Players' Association is beginning the process of conducting an independent review of the union, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. The NBPA is hoping Derek Fisher will voluntarily step down as union president now that the business review process is underway.
A group of player representatives headed by James Jones will begin the process of selecting a management consulting firm to conduct the review, potentially with input from the MLB or NHL players unions, according to Berger. Part of the reason the executive committe was initially upset with Fisher's call for a review was Fisher's decision to use the law firm Patton Boggs without consulting all the executives, says TNT's David Aldridge.
It's unclear what Fisher expects the business review to uncover. Aldridge hears that Fisher claimed to have sources inside the union that said things weren't right and a review concerning the appropriation of funds was needed. According to Berger, the NBPA's business relationships and "hiring the right people for the right jobs" are a pair of issues that concern Fisher. A report over the weekend suggested that Billy Hunter had multiple family members working for the NBPA, but Aldridge's source says "nepotism is not the issue [Fisher]'s calling for a review of."
Both Berger and Aldridge conclude that things may get messier before they get better. One of Aldridge's sources said Hunter and Fisher were "both guilty of not communicating better, making sure that everybody is on the same page." You can catch up on the discord in the players' union with our posts on the subject here and here.