Pacific Notes: Scola, Suns, Odom, Clippers, Bogut
Let's round up the latest notes out of the Pacific Division, where the preseason standings, which feature the Warriors at the top and the Lakers at the bottom, are nearly an inverse of last year's regular-season standings….
- While many players weren't happy on the Rockets last season, Suns forward Luis Scola wasn't one of them, says Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld (via Sulia). According to Ingram, Scola had been hoping to finish his career in Houston.
- Michael Beasley and Wesley Johnson feel as if they've been cast off by their previous teams and are hoping to prove themselves with the Suns, according to Ingram (Sulia link). Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry still believes both players can live up to their draft slots (No. 2 for Beasley, No. 4 for Johnson).
- Lamar Odom, acquired by the Clippers in the offseason, was held out of the team's game last night, and coach Vinny Del Negro attributed it in part to conditioning issues. "He's got to work through some conditioning things and some health things right now, which he's doing," Del Negro said, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. "Yeah, I wish he was in a little bit better conditioning, and he wishes he was. But he's just got to continue to work every day and I'm sure he'll get there eventually."
- On the other hand, Chauncey Billups, who was re-signed by the Clippers this summer, is ahead of schedule in his rehab from an achilles injury, and Del Negro believes he could return in late November, according to Turner.
- After having been traded by the Clippers to the Jazz this offseason, Mo Williams told Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com he holds no ill will toward the Clips.
- Andrew Bogut will have his left ankle, which continues to keep him out of action, examined on Monday in Los Angeles, as Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group writes. Bogut hopes to be ready to play in the Warriors' regular-season opener, but he's "still a ways away," according to coach Mark Jackson.
Odds & Ends: Christmas, Dumars, Knicks, Green
A quick look around the league at some interesting notes on this Monday evening.
- CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely reports that Celtics guard Dionte Christmas is on the "inside track" for a roster spot with the team.
- Yahoo! NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski has a feature on Hall of Fame Pistons general manager Joe Dumars, and how his rebuilding of a franchise he once led to a title is closer to being completed than most people think.
- Lamar Odom has been the definition of a x-factor these last few years. ESPNLA.com's Arash Markazi asks which player the Clippers will be getting.
- After signing Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis in the offseason, the Heat have stockpiled on three-point shooters, writes FoxSports.com's Chris Tomasson.
- KnicksNow.com's Jonah Bellow writes about the Knicks new backcourt trio of Jason Kidd, Pablo Prigioni, and Raymond Felton.
- It took longer to establish himself than most lottery picks, but now that Gerald Green has finally locked down a long-term contract, he wants to prove he's more than just a dunker, writes the Indianapolis Star's Mike Wells.
Amico On Mavs, Clippers, Hornets, Bobcats
Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio has posted some thoughts from the weekend's preseason action, including impressions of players that have changed teams this offseason:
- Amico was impressed with the Dallas debuts of Chris Kaman and O.J. Mayo, both of whom signed with the Mavs this summer.
- Out of the several veterans the Clippers signed this offseason, Amico says that Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes made positive first impressions, while Lamar Odom looked considerably less impressive.
- Amico writes that Hornets rookies Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers had good performances in their preseason debuts.
- Second overall pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and third overall pick Bradley Beal had strong showings in the Bobcats' victory over the Wizards, Amico writes.
- New Bobcats acquisitions Ben Gordon and Ramon Sessions also had strong performances off the bench, writes Amico.
Ingram On Billups, Clippers, Warriors, Hibbert
HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram has a new column that touches on several topics from around the league, including the rivalry in Los Angeles and the Warriors' expectations.
- Ingram talks to Clippers guard Chauncey Billups, who says he is taking his time getting healthy after tearing his left Achilles' tendon last season.
- Billups also praises the Clippers' depth, citing the additions of Lamar Odom and Jamal Crawford as moves that will improve the team.
- Warriors coach Mark Jackson is optimistic Andrew Bogut, acquired last season at the trade deadline, will be ready on opening night. He also thinks the team's three rookies, including lottery pick Harrison Barnes, will be valuable contributors this season.
- Despite coming close to signing with the Trail Blazers in July, Pacers center Roy Hibbert says he never wanted to leave Indiana and that money was not a factor in his decision. Hibbert signed a four-year, $58MM deal with the Pacers this summer.
Odds & Ends: Roy, Pekovic, Hibbert, Bynum
Brandon Roy decided to sign with the Timberwolves because of former teammate Will Conroy, who has a relationship with Minnesota general manager David Kahn, writes the associated press.
Here's some more notes from around the league.
- The Timberwolves are expecting more minutes from Nikola Pekovic this season, writes TwinCities.com's Ray Richardson.
- Roy Hibbert is heading into this season with a new maximum contract, but he's convinced the large pay day isn't going to change him in any way, writes NBA.com's Mark Montieth.
- Sixers head coach Doug Collins says even though Andrew Bynum will be sitting out the next three weeks resting his knees, the new franchise center is progressing nicely, writes PhillyBurbs.com's Tom Moore.
- NBC ProBasketballTalk's Kurt Helin gives a season preview for the Bobcats.
- CBSSports.com's Ken Berger wrote a column about Lamar Odom's return to Los Angeles with the Clippers, and why that should mean great things for the team.
- TheStar.com's Doug Smith believes a healthy Andrea Bargnani should do great things for DeMar DeRozan's confidence.
Pacific Notes: Dwight, Blake, Clippers, Bogut
Dwight Howard engaged in a post-practice interview with the local media, admitting that he's "still trying to get his legs up and get in some shape" and also elaborating about the different options on offense that he has with his new Lakers teammates. In response to recent comments made by Shaq about being subordinate to Andrew Bynum and Brook Lopez, Dwight replied, "I don't care what (he) says…He's done. He's gone. It's time to move on." (Dave McMenamin of ESPN reports). Ken Berger of CBS Sports further discussed the chance for Howard to put his recent past in Orlando behind him through his new challenge in Los Angeles. Here's what else is brewing out of the Pacific Division tonight…
- Lakers guard Steve Blake returned from injury and practiced today, says McMenamin. The back up point guard was originally projected to have a three week recovery after puncturing his foot, but was given full clearance to play just ten days after his injury.
- Clippers forward Blake Griffin appears to have fully healed from his knee surgery in July, reportedly moving well during scrimmages and connecting on some signature dunks (according to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld). Pincus also gives his impressions from DeAndre Jordan, Jamal Crawford, Matt Barnes, and Lamar Odom from scrimmages and also mentions that while Chauncey Billups isn't ready to play yet, the activity level and mobility that he displayed is a good indication that he is progressing along nicely with his rehab.
- Tim Kawakami of Mercury News tweets that Warriors center Andrew Bogut looked good during his individual workout today, going through a 40-45 minute session with the team trainer after practice.
- In this report from CSNBayArea.com, Klay Thompson talked about his goal to improve his efficiency this season as he embarks on his sophomore year in the league. Coach Mark Jackson also spoke confidently about the young shooting guard, saying that Thompson is "going to get his shots." In the miscellaneous section, Jackson seemed non-committal on who the Warriors' starting small forward will be at this point.
- Newly acquired Wesley Johnson has shined during Suns team scrimmages, writes Paul Coro of AZCentral.com. Aside from more observations from practices, Coro also says that Goran Dragic may continue to do more work during the team's two-a-day session on Friday, and that Jermaine O'Neal will withdraw from tomorrow's practice because of soreness.
Odds & Ends: James, Pacers, Odom, Evans
Here's some general news and notes from around the league.
- Despite switching to an agent who holds an office in Cleveland, LeBron James recently told the media that the move does not mean anything significant regarding his opt-out clause after the 2014 season, writes the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman.
- IndyStar.com's Bob Kravitz writes that Pacers head coach Frank Vogel has already established himself as one of the most respected coaches in the league.
- The Kings are now saying they never placed Tyreke Evans on the trading block, writes the Sacramento Bee's Jason Jones.
- Hoopsworld.com's Alex Kennedy wonders if Lamar Odom can revitalize his career now that he's with the Clippers.
- SherdianHoops.com's Tommy Dee takes a look at some training camp invites who could realistically make their respective teams.
- Gordon Monson of the Salt Lake Tribune believes that young players on the Jazz have taken care of their respective weaknesses in the offseason, and that the team's core should be greatly improved heading into the months ahead.
- Blake Griffin is using last season's playoff loss as extra motivation, writes Hoopsworld.com's Lang Greene.
- David Mayo of MLive.com writes that the Pistons are hoping their young pieces can soon grow together into a special unit.
Page On Mavs, Lakers, Bulls
Derek Page of HoopsWorld conducted his weekly NBA chat Saturday, where he touched on several relevant topics, including the offseason moves and futures of the Mavs, Bulls, and Lakers, among other teams. Here are the highlights:
- Page thinks it is unlikely that the Mavericks will keep O.J. Mayo beyond this season, because if he plays well, he will command a higher salary than the Mavs would like to give him.
- He believes Antawn Jamison will be a better acquisition for the Lakers than Lamar Odom will be for the Clippers.
- Page doesn't foresee any more moves for the Lakers, who appear to have a set roster.
- It will be difficult for the Thunder to keep James Harden if he hits restricted free agency, writes Page.
- Page is surprised Leandro Barbosa has not been signed yet, pointing to the 29-year-old as a possible value signing.
- Page would like to see the present Bulls roster with a healthy Derrick Rose before weighing in on moves they should make.
Poll: Clippers Offseason Acquisitions
Earlier today, Earl Bloom of the Orange County Register touched on several aspects of the Clippers' offseason. While their summer has certainly been dwarfed by that of their Staples Center co-tenants, the Lakers, who added Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, the Clips have certainly made some significant moves. Which of the Clippers' new acquisitions do you think will have the biggest impact? Vote in the poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments.
Which New Acquisition Will Make The Biggest Impact For The Clippers?
Jamal Crawford
40.82%
(320 votes)
Lamar Odom
36.35%
(285 votes)
Grant Hill
17.09%
(134 votes)
Ronny Turiaf
2.42%
(19 votes)
Ryan Hollins
2.17%
(17 votes)
Willie Green
1.15%
(9 votes)
Total Votes: 784
Bloom On Clippers, Olshey, Del Negro
Earl Bloom of the Orange County Register has a new column that touches on the Clippers' offseason following the departure of GM Neil Olshey.
- Bloom believes the loss of Olshey isn't as big a blow for the future of the Clippers as it had been made out to be, praising the job Vinny Del Negro, Andy Roeser, and Gary Sacks have done in his place.
- The veteran pieces the Clippers have brought in this offseason, including Jamal Crawford, Willie Green, Grant Hill, Lamar Odom, Ryan Hollins, and Ronny Turiaf, could prove to be very valuable, writes Bloom.
- Bloom would not be surprised if one of Del Negro, Roeser, or Sacks succeeds Olshey as general manager, pointing to the fact that Mike Dunleavy previously pulled coach/GM double duty for the Clippers.