Tony Parker is seeking $20MM in a lawsuit against the New York nightclub where he sustained an eye injury during a fight involving singer Chris Brown and members of hip-hop star Drake's entourage, the Associated Press reports (via the New York Daily News). Parker isn't expected to miss any time for the Spurs because of the incident. There's plenty of other off-the-court news happening with Southwest Division teams that figures to have a greater on-court impact, as we detail here.
Bulls.com scribe Sam Smith has a new column up today, which includes plenty of news, notes, and rumors from around the NBA. Let's dive in….
- Brooklyn is still considered the likeliest destination for Dwight Howard, though teams like the Rockets, Trail Blazers, and Warriors may be willing to risk renting D12 for a year. The Magic are expected to make another run at retaining Howard once the team has a new GM in place.
- Smith hears from "Lakers insiders" that Pau Gasol would be interested in playing for the Bulls. He adds that Gasol and Kobe Bryant were "constantly at odds" in Los Angeles this season.
- If the Bulls and Lakers were to discuss a Gasol deal, Luol Deng would have to be the centerpiece rather than Carlos Boozer, says Smith.
- NBA general managers previously rejected a rule that would allow players to touch the ball on the rim, but that idea could be revisited now that the league has introduced a new competition comittee.
- Kyle Lowry appears on his way out of Houston, according to Smith, who says the Rockets were "quietly shopping" the point guard before his injury this season. The Rockets would like to re-sign Goran Dragic, who isn't interested in returning as a backup.
MONDAY, 10:15am: Sources close to Lowry tell Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (Twitter link) that the point guard hasn't officially asked for a trade, but that he's frustarted with the direction of the Rockets. Kyler adds that Lowry doesn't want to be a distraction or a source of negativity, and would like to win in Houston if possible (Twitter link).
SATURDAY, 8:37am: Point guard Kyle Lowry has soured on the Rockets organization and told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle that he doesn't believe that both he and Goran Dragic will return to the roster next season. Lowry also doesn't seem to think that he could get along with coach Kevin McHale.
“I don’t think so,” the 26-year-old said. “I honestly think it would be tough. Things have to be addressed. The situation would have to be addressed. If things aren’t addressed coaching-wise, I guess I have to be moved.”
For his part, McHale told Feigen that he doesn't feel that there was a significant rift between him and Lowry this season. The two clashed during a late-season game against the Nuggets when Lowry reacted angrily on the court and McHale pulled him back toward the huddle during a timeout.
The Villanova product doesn't believe that he and Dragic can remain in Houston as both players badly want to start. McHale, meanwhile, says that the two can play well together in the same lineup.
Lowry, who recently underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn abductor muscles, is set to earn $5.75MM next season and $6.2MM in 2013/14.
Here are more of tonight's miscellaneous links:
- HoopsWorld conducted interviews with draft prospects Kyle O'Quinn and Ashton Gibbs at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas. O'Quinn says that he'd like to immediately model his game after Kenneth Faried and Serge Ibaka and eventually develop into a LaMarcus Aldridge type of player. Gibbs talked about what he's currently trying to improve and how not being invited to the NBA Draft combine will motivate him to work harder and prove himself.
- Andy Kamenetzky of ESPN LA explains the C+ he gave Josh McRoberts for his 2011/12 report card.
- Jerome Solomon of UltimateRockets elaborates on the tough task that Rockets GM Daryl Morey has for this upcoming offseason, including the need to address Kyle Lowry's unhappiness with head coach Kevin McHale and the impending free agency of Goran Dragic.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel reviews the draft record of Bucks GM John Hammond. Although Joe Alexander was not a successful pick, Hammond was able to come away with Brandon Jennings, Luc Mbah a Moute, and Larry Sanders to name a few.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer provides an explanation of the Bobcats' position heading into Wednesday's draft lottery. Because Charlotte finished with the league's worst record, they have the best chance at the number one pick and will not fall lower than the fourth pick.
- Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News writes that Rodney Stuckey and Greg Monroe's development could hold the keys in eventually elevating the Pistons into contender status.
- Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer writes that the Cavaliers must try to follow the Spurs and Thunder's blueprint of success.
John Havlicek's famous steal in the 1965 Eastern Division finals might be the most storied of many Game 7 moments between the Celtics and Sixers, who look to add another chapter in tonight's Game 7. Still, many Boston fans have another theft on their minds as they file into the Garden this evening, since it's the 25th anniversary of Larry Bird's game-saving steal against the Pistons in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals. Here's the rest of what's going on around the Association today:
- Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun believes Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo and Daryl Morey, his Rockets counterpart, are likely to discuss a trade for point guard Kyle Lowry. Earlier today, we passed along a report from Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle about Lowry's dissatisfaction in Houston.
- Feigen disagrees with Kyle Lowry's conclusion that he can't flourish under Rockets coach Kevin McHale, pointing to Lowry's early-season play as evidence.
- Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier, who both signed multiyear deals when the lockout ended in December, are two of the role players who paid dividends for the Heat in this week's elimination of the Pacers, writes Steve Aschburner of NBA.com.
- Brandon Jennings isn't worried about whether the Bucks will offer him an extension this summer, as Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel reports. "I will let (agent) Bill Duffy handle that," Jennings said. "That's what he does. I will leave it up to Bill Duffy and (Bucks general manager) John Hammond. It's really not my department." Earlier this month Duffy said he was surprised by Hammond's comment than a Jennings extension "is not something we have to do."
- Howard Beck of The New York Times looks at what James Harden brings to the Thunder as the decision of whether to extend his rookie contract looms for GM Sam Presti this summer.
Rockets point guard Kyle Lowry has decided to end his season due to a sports hernia and groin injury, according to the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen. The 26-year-old has had a difficult time assimilating himself with the team since returning from a bacterial infection that kept him out a month after the All-Star break. He will have surgery once the regular season has ended.
Lowry was considered an All-Star snub by many for his stellar all around play early in the season, but he hasn't been the same player since the infection sent him to the hospital in early March. With his backup Goran Dragic, who played unbelievably well after being thrust into the starting lineup, set to hit free agency this offseason, it will be interesting to see which point guard the Rockets front office prefers heading into next year. Lowry ends his sixth season averaging a career best 14.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 1.6 SPG.
Earlier today, the Rockets signed Earl Boykins to a second 10-day contract, and saw Kyle Lowry return to practice in hopes of playing again this season. What else is going on in the Southwest Division? Let's check out a few links….
- The Hornets are expected to retain Gustavo Ayon for 2012/13, reports USA Today's J. Michael Falgoust. Ayon will have two more seasons ($1.5MM) left on his three-year deal at season's end, but neither is guaranteed yet. You can find our full list of 2012/13 non-guaranteed contracts here.
- Spurs veteran Tim Duncan doesn't have a contract for next year, guaranteed or otherwise, but he's not thinking about his future until after the season, as he tells Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News.
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has a number of ideas about how the NBA draft and eligibility rules should be changed, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Cuban would like to see players not become draft-eligible until three years after they've graduated high school, and would like to expand the draft from two rounds to four.
In his NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler reported that Dwight Howard is highly unlikely to change his mind again, but that the Magic seem to have a deal they'd do with the Nets if Howard waffles once more. You can follow all of today's Howard updates here, and check out the rest of Kyler's morning notes below:
- The Rockets are discussing more than half their roster in trades, having offered around Terrence Williams, Jonny Flynn, Jordan Hill, Chase Budinger, Patrick Patterson, Luis Scola, Hasheem Thabeet and Courtney Lee. According to Kyler, Houston would trade any combination of those players to acquire Chris Kaman.
- The Bulls want Lee, but aren't likely to meet the Rockets' asking price, which would mean parting with Taj Gibson or Omer Asik. The Pacers and Timberwolves are also eyeing Lee.
- Houston has a standing offer out to the Lakers for Pau Gasol, but it doesn't include Kyle Lowry, so nothing is expected to happen there.
- If the Blazers' three-team deal with the Timberwolves and Lakers involving Jamal Crawford falls through, Portland may have a backup trade in place with the Pacers.
- The Magic won't be able to make a move for Josh Smith, which isn't a surprise. One league source tells Kyler the Hawks want an All-Star frontcourt player in exchange for Smith, so a deal is very unlikely.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle shares a few pre-deadline updates on the Rockets in his latest column. Let's check out the highlights:
- The Rockets have been aggressive about trying to engage Orlando in Dwight Howard talks, but the Magic aren't very interested in Houston's assets.
- One front office executive believes Houston will end up offering Kyle Lowry for Pau Gasol before Thursday's deadline, though the Rockets continue to insist that won't happen.
- The Rockets still hope to either make it work with Kevin Martin, or pursue a deal down the road when Martin's value is a little higher than it is now.
- Houston "went hard" after Andrew Bogut before the big man was traded to Golden State.
- Terrence Williams likely could be had for a second-round draft pick.
- Feigen considers Goran Dragic the Rocket most likely to be moved in a deal like last year's Aaron Brooks and Shane Battier trades.
The Houston Rockets suffered a blow to their playoff hopes with news that point guard Kyle Lowry will miss the next two to four weeks with a bacterial infection (hat tip to Ben Golliver of CBS Sports).
Houston currently holds the no. 8 seed in the Western Conference. So far as player movement is concerned, Goran Dragic is a nice trade chip for the Rockets and if they have any hopes of playoff contention it probably moves him off the table unless the right deal (Pau Gasol) comes along. But the Rockets will remain, as always, looking for that one elite or near elite player to tie their assortment of parts together.
Where Lowry's absence could make things interesting is for teams sitting just outside of the playoffs that might see this as an opportunity to secure a playoff seed. Any such team sitting on the fence about making a move might be compelled to pull the trigger, even if just for a rental, with Houston likely to fade.