Western Notes: Leonard, Hamilton, Blazers, Favors
With Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili all carrying a lot of mileage on their legs after multiple years of long playoff runs, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has taken to resting his old stars during back-to-backs while also limiting their game-to-game regular season minutes.
After the excellent play of Kawhi Leonard in last season’s NBA Finals, it might mean an increased role for the “3 & D” wing entering his third year. The San Antonio Express-News’ Jeff MacDonald shares, in a couple different tweets, that Popovich will be increasing Leonard’s responsibility on offense. McDonald thinks his scoring should jump significantly as a result.
Here’s more from around the Western Conference tonight:
- The Timberwolves have expressed interest in unsigned free agent Richard Hamilton, but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that there has been no further movement from GM Flip Saunders.
- As noted earlier, the Blazers‘ starting five have yet to appear on the court together this preseason due to multiple injury issues. The lack of time playing together means they haven’t gotten a chance to “gel” as a team, writes the Oregonian’s Mike Tokito.
- Grantland’s Zach Lowe spoke with Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey about the Derrick Favors extension, and mentions in a tweet that Lindsey repeatedly mentioned the Bulls as a model for the Jazz franchise.
- After the Jazz officially confirmed the four-year, $49MM+ extension this morning, everyone’s pretty happy writes the Deseret News’ Mike Sorenson.
- Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune says Favors earned his extension with his defensive prowess for the Jazz.
Western Notes: Leonard, Bogut, Holiday
A few note from around the Western Conference.
- After waiving small forwards Corey Maggette and Sam Young earlier this week, the Spurs will enter the season with no legitimate backup for Kawhi Leonard, writes MySanAntonio.com’s Jeff McDonald.
- MercuryNews.com’s Tim Kawakami opines on the Warriors and Andrew Bogut, and what’s a fair extension for the former number one overall pick.
- Coming off a breakout season as an All-Star with the Sixers, Jrue Holiday heads into 2014 as the franchise point guard for the Pelicans. Hoopsworld.com’s Yannis Koutroupis takes a look at what Holiday needs to do to settle in to his new environment.
Spurs Notes: Leonard, Carter, 15th Man
As Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and the Spurs prepare to begin defending their Western Conference title, let's round up a few items out of San Antonio….
- The Spurs were "scared to death" when they traded George Hill for Kawhi Leonard in 2011, head coach Gregg Popovich tells Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld. However, Leonard has developed exactly as the team hoped, and Popovich expects the young forward to "take over as the star of the show as time goes on." As I noted earlier today, Leonard will be eligible for a rookie-scale extension a year from now, and a big season could push him into the max-contract conversation.
- Veteran point guard Anthony Carter, who was with the Nuggets in camp a year ago, has been hired as an assistant coach by the Spurs' D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros, the team announced in a press release.
- Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News takes a look at the players vying for the Spurs' final roster spot this month. With 14 players on guaranteed contracts, one of the other six camp invitees – Marcus Cousin, Courtney Fells, Myck Kabongo, Corey Maggette, Daniel Nwaelele, or Sam Young – should end up being the 15th man.
Kyler On Grizzlies, Magic, Redick, Leonard
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.com answered some questions from followers on his Twitter account Saturday morning, addressing a variety of trade rumors and speculation.
- Kyler doesn't think the Grizzlies will trade Rudy Gay unless it makes them better in the short term. He notes that the recent trade of Marreese Speights, Josh Selby, and Wayne Ellington to the Cavs was their method of getting under the luxury tax, which will make them more hesitant to trade Gay.
- Similarly, Kyler doesn't think Memphis will move Zach Randolph this season, although he points out that it could happen this summer as Randolph gets older.
- Kyler doesn't see any way that Gay ends up with the Lakers.
- The Magic are not interested in trading for Danny Granger, due to the potential of his health and contract to impact their rebuilding timeline.
- While Kyler thinks J.J. Redick would be a good fit for the Spurs, he says they are not willing to part with Kawhi Leonard, whom they see as a building block for the future.
Southwest Notes: Dirk, White, Hornets, Leonard
The latest news and notes from around the Southwest Division on New Year's Day:
- Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com thinks the Mavericks should start Dirk Nowitzki. They had previously been bringing him off the bench to ease his integration back into the rotation.
- Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes that the Rockets are considering suspending suspending Royce White for his recent refusal of their D-League assignment.
- Hornets coach Monty Williams understands that the development of his young players is more important that making the playoffs in the short term.
- Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News praises Kawhi Leonard's recent defensive impact for the Spurs.
Spurs To Activate Leonard, Release Anderson
The San Antonio Spurs plan to activate forward Kawhi Leonard, who missed the past five weeks of action, Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). In order to clear a roster spot for Leonard, the team has waived forward James Anderson, reports Wojnarowski. Leonard is expected to play for the Spurs on Friday against the Hornets.
Leonard missed five weeks with tightness in his left knee and quadriceps. His return appeared to be getting closer when he was recently sent down to the team's D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros, for a rehab assignment. He will be called up from the D-League and rejoin the Spurs on Friday.
D-League Moves: Perry Jones III, Liggins, Knicks
We'll be keeping track of all of today's D-League comings and goings in this post. To keep up with the latest assignments and recalls, check out Hoops Rumors' 2012/13 list right here.
- The Thunder announced they've assigned Perry Jones III and DeAndre Liggins to the Tulsa 66ers. It's the second time they've each been sent down. Liggins has averaged 11.7 points and 8.0 rebounds in three games for Tulsa, while Jones has put up a total of 23 points and seven rebounds in his two D-League contests.
- Forwards Chris Copeland and James White have returned to the Knicks after being assigned yesterday to the D-League's Erie BayHawks, the BayHawks announced via Twitter (hat tip to Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside). Their return was expected when they were sent down, along with Amare Stoudemire, to practice with the BayHawks. Erie is in the midst of a four-day layoff, so none of the Knicks assignees saw game action.
- The Pistons have brought back Khris Middleton and Kim English from the D-League, according to James Jahnke of the Detroit Free Press. Both rookies were sent down to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants a week ago. They were in the starting lineup for three games with Fort Wayne, with English putting up 18.0 points, 5.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds per contest, while Middleton posted averages of 11.0 points and 7.7 boards. Neither of them, both second-round picks this past June, have seen significant minutes for the big club in Detroit.
- The Spurs announced that they have assigned Kawhi Leonard to the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League for a medical rehab assignment. Leonard has been sidelined with quadriceps tendinitis in his left knee since November 17th. Prior to the injury, Leonard appeared in nine games for the Spurs, averaging 10.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 2.0 SPG in 28.9 minutes. Team doctors will determine a timeline for Leonard's return after he practices with the Toros.
Southwest Notes: Howard, Jackson, Sampson
Over the summer, the Rockets were aggressive in trying to facilitate a trade for then Magic center Dwight Howard. Multiple reports at the time said Howard was reluctant to play in Houston, and that if a trade were to occur he wouldn't be happy. Earlier today, Howard told the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen that he "didn't have a problem" with the Rockets heavy pursuit, but his two most desired teams were still the Lakers and Nets.
- With Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard out 10-14 days with tendinitis in his left quadriceps, veteran swingman Stephen Jackson has been selected as his replacement in the starting lineup, writes San Antonio Express-News reporter Dan McCarney.
- With Kevin McHale on indefinite leave from the Rockets as he tends to a family emergency, Kelvin Sampson has been thrust into the role of head coach, writes Feigen.
Kawhi Leonard Out 10-14 Days
Kawhi Leonard is expected to be out 10 to 14 days with left knee tendinitis, the Spurs announced in a press release Friday. San Antonio's starting small forward underwent an MRI and the diagnosis was confirmed.
The Spurs will begin a six-game road trip Wednesday, and the second-year forward will not travel with the team. It is expected that Stephen Jackson will start in Leonard's place.
Odds & Ends: Warriors, Spurs, Allen, Flynn
At 2-1, the Warriors have started off what many believe to be a promising season on the right foot, despite losing Brandon Rush to a torn ACL on Friday night. Because it is so early in the season, the Warriors have the good fortune of having some options if they want to replace him, writes Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area.
One reason they may not need personnel reinforcements has the been the surprising play of Carl Landry, who has provided scoring (20 points per game) and toughness off the bench in the team’s first three games, writes Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group.
Let’s take a look at what else is going on in the NBA on the first Sunday night of November:
- As the veteran core of the Spurs ages, the roles of Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard will continue to grow. Mike Monroe of Spurs Nation writes that right now, Gregg Popovich has told the two youngsters to “bring the energy.”
- Couper Moorhead of Heat.com provides a detailed analysis of the developing offensive dynamic between Ray Allen and LeBron James. Between James’ ability to score efficiently at the hoops and Allen’s lethal stroke from the corner, defenses are forced to make an impossible decision against the Heat, Moorhead says.
- The staff of writers at HoopsWorld goes around the horn to discuss which player was the most underrated offseason acquisition. The results: Jamal Crawford, Jason Terry, Carl Landry, Antawn Jamison, Andrei Kirilenko, O.J. Mayo, Gerald Green and Nikola Vucevic.
- Jonny Flynn, waived by Pistons in October, has agreed to sign with the Melbourne Tigers, an Australian team, says Daniel Eade of the Back Page Lead. The contract with the Tigers is reported to have an out clause should Flynn get an NBA offer.