Metta World Peace Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: World Peace, Eyenga, MKG

April 24th, 2012 at 6:51pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com tweeted that Metta World Peace will be suspended for seven games as punishment for elbowing James Harden during Sunday's game in Los Angeles. One interesting thing to note is that the suspension could potentially carry over into the second round of the playoffs depending on if and how the Lakers advance past the first round. Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes that Harden remains day-to-day and will continue to undergo evaluation and testing. You can find the rest of this evening’s news here:

Even with the suspension of World Peace and Matt Barnes ailing from a sprained right ankle, Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times tweeted earlier that Christian Eyenga isn't considered to be an option for the team. Andy Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles delves into the ripple effect of World Peace's suspension as it affects the Lakers, saying that it makes them a vulnerable first-round matchup and that it may have an impact on his future with the team.
Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress provides a breakdown of how Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's game could translate onto the NBA level and views him as the type of prospect who will maximize his potential.
While Dwight Howard is expected to miss the Olympics this summer, his surgeon is optimistic that Howard will be able to return for the 2012-13 season (Ric Bucher of ESPN.com reports).
Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman had no problem with J.J. Barea's postgame comments after a loss to the Warriors on Sunday (according to an ESPN.com report via the Associated Press). Barea had indirectly called out his teammates, claiming that "there are a lot of guys that don't care."
Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer writes that Antawn Jamison and Anthony Parker are likely making their final farewell to Cleveland fans after the conclusion of Wednesday's game at home against the Wizards.
The Nuggets' underdog mentality heading into the playoffs isn't a feeling that's anything new to them, says Aaron J. Lopex of Nuggets.com.
Shaun Powell of NBA.com lists his second-half All-Stars.

Pacific Notes: Warriors, World Peace, Nash, Kings

April 23rd, 2012 at 11:49am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacific Division hasn't been decided yet, but the magic number is down to one. If the Lakers win the final game of their season in Sacramento, or the Clippers lose in either Atlanta or New York, the Lakers will clinch the division. The consolation for the Clips? A win against either the Hawks or Knicks would at least earn them first-round homecourt advantage. Either way, the Staples Centre will be hosting of plenty of postseason contests starting next weekend.

Here's the latest out of the Pacific:

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News put the Warriors' odds of retaining their first-round pick at about 20-25% after they beat the Timberwolves yesterday. Golden State's pick is top-seven protected, and as our tentative draft order shows, the team is currently the league's eighth-worst.
Warriors fans shouldn't sweat it if the team loses its first-rounder, says Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com.
J.A. Adande of ESPN.com argues that Metta World Peace should be suspended for two games more than James Harden misses. World Peace's elbow during yesterday's game resulted in a concussion for Harden, and will certainly mean a suspension for the Lakers forward — Las Vegas has set the over/under at 7.5 games (Twitter link). In a poll yesterday, 58% of respondents said the Lakers would still win at least one playoff series without the man formerly known as Ron Artest.
With Steve Nash facing free agency, Eric Koreen of the National Post examines the pros and cons of a few potential destinations for the Suns star.
Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty ponders whether the Tyreke Evans era could be nearing an end for the Kings.
Sacramento officials will return a portion of the $200K the NBA sent the city for pre-development work on the Kings' arena, reports Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee.

Lakers Notes: Playoffs, Hill, World Peace

April 22nd, 2012 at 8:26pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Lakers came back from down 18 points to beat the Thunder in double overtime by the score of 114-106 on Sunday afternoon. Led by the mental toughness of Kobe Bryant and the strong play of Pau Gasol, who provided 20 points and 14 rebounds, the Lakers proved they could compete with the top teams in the league with the thrilling victory. Let's head to Los Angeles to check in on the latest news and headlines at the Staples Center.

The Lakers solidified their standing as the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs with their victory over the Thunder, writes Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register. The team will officially be able to claim the Pacific Division title with a victory over the Kings on Thursday or a Clippers loss. If the Lakers finish third, they will most likely play the Mavericks or the Nuggets in the first round with a matchup against the Thunder seemingly to follow.
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times says Jordan Hill was a pleasant surprise for the Lakers on Sunday as he provided a spark off the bench for the squad along with an impressive stat line. Prior to Sunday, Hill had only received garbage minutes with the Lakers before scoring 14 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in an effort that will lead to more playing time for the former Arizona star. Acquired from the Rockets at the trade deadline in the deal that temporarily sent Derek Fisher to Houston, Hill was originally a lottery pick by the Knicks in the 2009 NBA Draft.
Metta World Peace issued an apology to James Harden and the Thunder during a short statement to the media after the game, writes Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com. While World Peace seemed genuinely contrite for what he described as an accident in which he was caught up in the moment, the Lakers forward wil likely be suspended for his actions. We asked earlier this evening if the Lakers will face an early exit from the playoffs if World Peace faces a lengthy suspension.

Poll: How Would A Suspension Impact Lakers?

April 22nd, 2012 at 5:43pm CST by Daniel Seco

Metta World Peace attacked Thunder guard James Harden on Sunday afternoon with a vicious elbow to the side of the head after World Peace scored on a dunk near the end of the second quarter. The blow caused Harden to collapse on the ground, writhing in pain. World Peace unsuccessfully attempted to convince officials that he was merely celebrating his thunderous two-handed slam with the raucous Lakers crowd.

As a result of his actions, World Peace was ejected from the game for a Flagrant 2 while Harden was treated for concussion-like symptoms and did not return in second half. Given World Peace's notorious history involving violence, many talking heads including Magic Johnson and Jon Barry concluded it would be appropriate for the former St. John's star to receive a suspension for his actions. With the Lakers set to conclude their regular season on Thursday against the Kings, it would not be unlikely for a potential suspension of World Peace to extend into the playoffs.

Metta World Peace Considered Retirement

April 12th, 2012 at 8:16am CST by Luke Adams

A month ago, it was reported that Metta World Peace was looking into retirement. At the time, it sounded like World Peace, who was an amnesty candidate for the Lakers, would merely use the threat of retirement as leverage in case he was amnestied and was claimed by a team he didn't want to join. However, last night, the man formerly known as Ron Artest told reporters (including Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com) that he seriously considered retiring last year, due to a lumbar disorder in his lower back.

"I just thought my body was maybe messed up," World Peace said. "I was like, 'Yeah, 15 years is a lot of years. I got two more years on my contract and I could potentially be done.'"

The pain in his L4 and L5 vertebrae was affecting World Peace's jumping ability and range of motion in his legs and feet. Although the problem was identified last May, the 32-year-old forward was unable to participate in a rehab program with the Lakers' training staff for most of the year, since contact between team employees and players was banned during the lockout. World Peace came into camp overweight and with work to be done on his back, but says he's "getting in more shape every day."

While World Peace could still be amnestied by the Lakers later this year, his improved health has significantly reduced the likelihood of retirement.

"They set me up with a great program and I've been jumping, rebounding and, wow," World Peace said. "Now that I'm taking care of my body, I don't know. I don't know what could happen now. But, I'll just keep working hard and see where it takes me."

Pacific Notes: Ebanks, Lakers, Clippers, Hill

March 21st, 2012 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacific Division was turned upside down last night, as the division's three playoff contenders all lost, while the last-place Kings topped Memphis behind 31 points from Marcus Thornton and Jason Thompson's fourth consecutive double-double. As the Lakers, Clippers, and Suns look to get back in the win column tonight, let's round up the latest updates on the Pacific's top three squads….

Devin Ebanks' agent David Bauman told the Los Angeles Times that his client likely won't return to the Lakers next season if Matt Barnes and Metta World Peace are still on the team and receiving most of the small forward minutes: "He'll find an opportunity where he'll have a better chance to break into a rotation." Ebanks, 22, will be eligible for restricted free agency if the Lakers extend him a qualifying offer worth $1.03MM, in which case L.A. would be able to match any offer sheet he received. Barnes' contract expires at season's end, while World Peace is an amnesty candidate.
The ongoing changes to the Clippers' roster and rotation have affected the team's offensive output, says Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Suns forward Grant Hill wants to keep playing until he "can't go or it's not fun anymore," he tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. The 39-year-old, who's on a one-year, $6.5MM contract, thinks he can play for at least another season or two.

Odds & Ends: Cavs, Chandler, World Peace, Ellis

March 13th, 2012 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

No trades have been agreed upon yet, but with less than 48 hours remaining until Thursday's trade deadline, it shouldn't be long before we see our first deadline deal of 2012. In the meantime, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the NBA:

The Cavaliers have expressed interest in former Blazers guard Armon Johnson, tweets Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge. Johnson was waived by Portland to make room for Joel Przybilla.
Wilson Chandler and agent Chris Luchey are meeting with Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri and team president Josh Kroenke today to discuss a contract for Chandler, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Chandler's self-imposed deadline to work out a deal is Friday.
Metta World Peace is researching retirement, according to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld. Pincus clarifies that World Peace would be using the threat of retirement as leverage if the Lakers amnesty him next season, so he wouldn't be claimed by a team he didn't want to join.
It doesn't look like a deal will happen, but Zach Lowe of SI.com explains why acquiring Monta Ellis could have been a good basketball move for the Magic.
ESPN.com's John Hollinger (Insider link) and NBA.com's Shaun Powell provide buyer's guides for the trade deadline.

Modest Proposal: Nash To Lakers

February 6th, 2012 at 7:30pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Lakers must acquire a high-energy player to help complement Kobe Bryant and strengthen the middling point guard position in order to make a run in the playoffs this season. With Steve Blake's health still an uncertainty and Derek Fisher managing a paltry 5.3 PPG, the Lakers have put out feelers across the league in hopes of finding the right piece to help bolster their 14-10 squad. Earlier this evening, ESPN NBA Insider Chris Palmer suggested a trade (via Twitter) that would send Suns point guard Steve Nash in exchange for Fisher and Metta World Peace.

Let's take a look at what ESPN's Trade Machine has to say about this prospective deal:

In trading Fisher, 37, and World Peace, 32, to the Suns, the Lakers would project to improve by 10 wins, a hefty boost that would seemingly vault them to the top of the Western Conference. While the Trade Machine's prediction for a Steve Nash-led Lakers team sounds a bit optimistic, one must look to the success Nash, 38 on Tuesday, is currently enjoying in his 16th NBA season. Nash's minutes are slightly down (31.1 MPG) while his FG% would mark a career-high (.545), which along with his 14.5 PPG and 9.9 APG point to an overall strong season for the former first-round pick out of Santa Clara.

Among the many differences between Nash and Fisher running the point would be Nash's ability to distribute the ball while also being able to knock down a shot at a high frequency especially when a play does not materialize. Kobe's chase toward matching Michael Jordan's six championship rings would become more of a realistic goal this season upon the arrival of Nash as Bryant could decrease his minutes (38 MPG) to a more manageable level. Needless to say, Nash's overall impact may be felt most in the continued development of rising star Andrew Bynum, who was recently named an All-Star starter thanks to his 17 PPG and 12 RPG.

So far the trade looks great, but let's be honest, we've yet to consider how the Suns would fare in giving up a former two-time league MVP in Nash. The Suns front office has conceded that they are willing to deal Nash to a contender if he approached them with such a request. At 9-14, the Suns are clearly heading toward a rebuilding phase in the post-Nash era, which would become muddled with the addition of the aging Fisher and World Peace (4.9 PPG). While Fisher may serve as a strong locker room presence, World Peace's role would be a bit unclear given the roster's current glut of small forwards.

With the Trade Machine's prediction of the Suns losing an additional seven games upon trading Nash for Fisher and World Peace, Chris Palmer's trade may only come to fruition if driven solely out of respect for the future Hall of Famer Nash.