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Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Celtics, Anderson

October 24th, 2013 at 10:27pm CST by Ryan Raroque

According to Zach Braziller of the New York Post, Knicks coach Mike Woodson plans to meet with GM Steve Mills and team brass either tonight or tomorrow to determine the five cuts he has to make before Monday’s deadline. In another piece, Braziller writes about how Carmelo Anthony took it upon himself to have a heart-to-heart talk with J.R. Smith about the importance of staying focused and keeping out of trouble moving forward.

You can find more of tonight’s links out of the Atlantic Division below:

Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston notes that Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is “very proud” of Rajon Rondo‘s progress in rehab: “I think he’s working as hard as he can. I’ve been very proud of him of how he really wants to get out there and I think he wants to get out there, not for his own benefit, but he wants to really help the team. He sees how he’s missed and he just loves to play. He wants to get back for all the right reasons.”
Ainge also elaborated on why he wants to keep the team under the luxury tax: “Right now we’re barely under the luxury tax, so we really have no choice…If there are deals made later in the year, that would open up roster spots and open up to keep us under the tax. But we will stay under the tax this year. We have to. As we’re rebuilding, not just from a standpoint of the financial budget, but as a competitive advantage.”
Yesterday, we heard that James Anderson was one player who had “all but wrapped up” a spot on the 76ers’ roster. Today, Tom Moore of The Intelligencer discusses how Anderson secured a spot in Philadelphia after establishing himself as a starter and the team’s top perimeter threat.
Former NBA executive and current NBA analyst Steve Kerr explains why he thinks the Knicks are the fifth-best team in the East (Justin Terranova of the New York Post).
Clippers coach Doc Rivers took time to defend current Nets Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce from the criticism hurled at them by LeBron James last week, who insinuated that they had abandoned Boston: “Paul and Kevin were traded…They were traded. Paul was traded whether he wanted to be or not. Kevin was the only one who had to agree to be traded even though he had already been traded. He had to agree to the trade. That’s completely different…You could make more of a case for me leaving than Paul and Kevin” (Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News [hat tip to ESPN Radio in Miami]).

Atlantic Links: Sixers, ‘Melo, Green, Lopez

October 12th, 2013 at 10:17pm CST by Spencer Lund

Through his first three preseason games, Sixers rookie Michael Carter Williams has 16 assists and just 1 turnover. In Orlando, during summer league action, MCW averaged 4.8 turnovers a game, which was the highest in Orlando.

But Sixers coach Brett Brown wants Carter-Williams to play faster and even more uptempo, he tells the Intelligencer’s Tom Moore: “I actually think we can play faster and he can play faster,” Brown said. “I think we can get it out of the net on makes better. I really feel that’s where we want to place a lot of our focus.”

The risk is MCW’s turnover issues from the summer return if he plays out of control trying to match the uptempo pace Brown is favoring with his young team.

Here are some more links from around the Atlantic division on this Saturday night:

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony told Marc Berman of the New York Post that he took a “huge risk” this season by not having surgery on his left shoulder.
Anthony actually had a torn rotator cuff to go along with a partially torn labrum, but elected not to have the surgery because doctors told him it would be a 4-5 month recovery because of the severity of the tear and he would have missed the beginning of the season.
But now, ‘Melo says he “feels nothing,” as the twin tears healed themselves.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson says he needs to see more toughness from Cole Aldrich, and that he needs to do the “dirty work,” tweets Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
Jeff Green has shot just 28.6% from the field (8-for-28) through the Celtics‘ first three preseason games, but coach Brad Stevens says it’s too small a sample size to accurately judge, reports the Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy.
Stevens thinks Green needs more paint points for the C’s, and tells Murphy, “Getting an and-one, an offensive rebound – something that’s a more difficult thing to do but with an easier finish. That can open the floodgates.”
Brook Lopez came to camp this year at 290 pounds, tweets Pistons.com’s Keith Langlois. That’s 15 pounds heavier than last year’s playing weight for the Nets center, and Langlois says Lopez “looks massive now.”

Atlantic Notes: Bargnani, Novak, Knicks, Turner

October 11th, 2013 at 10:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks and Raptors hooked up on a significant trade this past summer, with Andrea Bargnani heading to New York. Bargnani and the Knicks visited Toronto this evening for a preseason game, allowing fans and media to revisit the swap. Bargnani called himself “lucky” to have played for the Raptors, as the Toronto Sun’s Ryan Wolstat tweets, though I’m not sure whether the team or the Toronto faithful consider themselves so fortunate, considering their return on the investment in the former No. 1 overall pick. Here’s more fallout from that deal and other news from the Atlantic Division:

While Bargnani’s departure from the Raptors was long-rumored, Steve Novak didn’t think he’d be leaving the Knicks, Newsday’s Al Iannazzone notes. “I didn’t expect it,” the sharpshooter said. “You understand this is the business we’re in. New York felt like home. It was a place I love to play and I miss. I miss those guys. It’s not easy being traded. But there’s no doubt Toronto is a great city and good place to be.”
New Knicks GM Steve Mills is concerned about the team’s backup centers, but in talking with reporters today, he gave the thumbs-up to Bargnani and fellow offseason addition Beno Udrih, and declared his firm belief in coach Mike Woodson. Iannazzone and Marc Berman of the New York Post and provide details.
If the Sixers don’t extend Evan Turner‘s contract before the October 31st deadline, a strong performance from him this season would boost his trade value and his worth on the free agent market, benefiting both team and player, writes Michael Kaskey-Blomain of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Odds & Ends: Adelman, Lakers, Knicks, Stevens

October 5th, 2013 at 10:55pm CST by Spencer Lund

Here are a few links from around the NBA on a slow Saturday night that also saw a lot of interesting preseason action…

Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman told Jerry Zgoda of the Minnesota Star Tribune, via Twitter, that he’s not too happy about playing 4 preseason games in 6 days, but Zgoda tweets that Adelman will play a lot of young guys on Monday against CSKA Moscow.
Adelman would rather play an NBA team, Zgoda rehashes on Twitter, but he’s anxious to play a game because “I think we need one. You really don’t get a good feel for where you are until you play another team” (Twitter).
The Wolves' coach also called Robbie Hummel a “ tough kid,” who he could see being a lottery selection if not for the knee injuries (Twitter).
Lakers assistant coach and "de facto defensive coach" Kurt Rambis tells Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times that defense is a team effort. "Everybody's got to be connected. Everybody's got responsibilities and duties and they have to adhere to those."
Defense was also the theme on the other coast as Knicks coach Mike Woodson tried to familiarize the Knicks youngsters on Saturday with the proper defensive technique for various offensive looks, writes George Willis of the New York Post.
Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com spoke with Celtics coach Brad Stevens about his team and getting enough sleep during a hectic NBA schedule Stevens has yet to experience.

Knicks Links: Carmelo, Mills, Woodson, Smith

October 1st, 2013 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

There was no shortage of Knicks-related headlines yesterday, as the team officially announced multiple camp invitees and exercised Mike Woodson's 2014/15 option. We also rounded up a few notable quotes from new GM Steve Mills, and heard that Kobe Bryant may play a role in Carmelo Anthony's free agency. This morning, we have a few more tidbits left over from Media Day in New York, so let's check out those links….

Anthony's teammates may believe he's not going anywhere next summer, and Carmelo himself hasn't suggested he's looking to bolt in free agency, but the Knicks can't take any chances, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com, suggesting that the team needs to position itself to add more complementary pieces around its star.
With the Knicks selling their front office shake-up as a change in direction, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com came away from yesterday's presser wondering if (and how) Mills is more capable of keeping Anthony happy than Glen Grunwald would have been.
Mills suggested that his use of analytics was part of the reason he was hired by James Dolan to replace the more old-school Grunwald. Given the restrictive nature of the new CBA for taxpaying teams, it's crucial for the team to find value wherever it can, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post (via Sulia).
The decision to pick up Woodson's option will ensure that it's not a lame-duck season for the Knicks head coach, but it doesn't necessarily guarantee he'll remain with the team for that 2014/15 season, as Berman writes in a piece for the Post.
J.R. Smith explained to reporters, including Al Iannazzone of Newsday, that putting off knee surgeries until after he had signed a new contract was a "family decision."

Knicks Pick Up 2014/15 Option On Mike Woodson

September 30th, 2013 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks have officially exercised their 2014/15 option on Mike Woodson, the team announced today (Twitter link). The move ensures that Woodson will remain under contract for the next two years, and will no longer be on an expiring deal this season.

Woodson, who replaced Mike D'Antoni as the Knicks' head coach in 2011/12, has compiled a 72-34 (.679) record with the team so far, though New York hasn't made it past the second round of the playoffs in either of his two seasons.

There had been some speculation that Woodson could be on the hot seat for the coming year, given his contract status, the high expectations for the Knicks, and the fact that Steve Mills recently replaced Glen Grunwald as the club's general manager. Grunwald and Woodson have a long history, dating back to their days as college teammates at Indiana.

Atlantic Notes: Woodson, Kidd, Sixers, Knicks

September 28th, 2013 at 8:50pm CST by Spencer Lund

Despite the Knicks having their best year since the 1990s, their coach, Mike Woodson, is on the hot seat, writes ESPN Insider Amin Elhassan [subscription only]. Elhassan goes through five coaches entering the 2013/14 campaign on the hot seat, where their team's success could determine whether they're brought back for the 2014/15 season.

The other four coaches mentioned include Mike D'Antoni of the Lakers, Monty Williams of the Pelicans, Tyrone Corbin of the Jazz, and Randy Wittman of the Wizards.

Conversely, when Roderick Boone of Newsday spoke with new Nets coach Jason Kidd, the new face in Brooklyn told him there was "exciting nervousness" as the team entered training camp. It will be the first training camp for Kidd as a head coach and the first training camp he hasn't begun as a player since the summer before he entered the league in 1994.

Kidd went on to explain to Roderick why he's lucky to start as the coach with the veteran-laden Nets:

"The nice thing about this opportunity with this team is guys being able to sacrifice," Kidd told Boone, "and that's another thing with these guys. Maybe sacrifice a shot or two. Maybe even some of the younger guys will say, 'Yeah, I don't mind not playing the fourth quarter,' and that's sacrifice. It's less minutes and less shots and it gets us a win."

Here's more from around the top-heavy Atlantic division…

Woodson's challenge with the Knicks this season could be even harder if they don't get healthy as Al Iannazzone writes about for Newsday on the eve of training camp.
ESPN New York's Ian Begley has a power forward preview for the Knicks. Though Carmelo Anthony played a lot at the 4 last season when the Knicks went small, all their offseason moves — acquiring Andrea Bargnani in a trade with the Raptors, picking up Metta World Peace after he cleared amnesty waivers and signing Kenyon Martin as a free agent – mean the Knicks will have a lot of depth to spell Anthony while also avoiding injuries for their reserves.
Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal has more on the Knicks' decision to promote Steve Mills to GM while demoting Glen Grunwald.
The Sixers had a low-key first day of practice as they opened training camp today, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Tom Moore of the Intelligencer agrees that new Sixers coach Brett Brown was smart to start things slow in his first official practice as coach.
The Sixers aren't expected to compete for anything but a lottery pick this season after trading Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans on draft day, but at least they have a plan opines Pompey.

Eastern Notes: Wade, George, 76ers

August 15th, 2013 at 10:05pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Heat superstar Dwyane Wade, like teammate LeBron James, can potentially opt out next summer and become a free agent, but told reporters on Thursday that there really isn't much to make of it right now and made it clear about where he stood: "Everyone knows where I want to be…That's what it's all about to me, is making sure we focus on this season, winning this championship…I want to be in Miami and I have nothing else to talk about. So there won't be (any) exciting news over here" (Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel). Wade also touches upon his health and is excited about the addition of center Greg Oden. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

Pacers' swingman Paul George is ready to lead Indiana as the team's "No. 1 guy" (Michael Pointer of the Indianapolis Star).
Despite the thought that the 76ers could trade Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner, or Spencer Hawes if the right deal presents itself, newly hired head coach Brett Brown raved about what each of them can bring to the court for him (Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer).
Knicks head coach Mike Woodson specifically mentioned Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler, and Carmelo Anthony when asked about his starting five for next season, but was non-committal when asked if third-year guard Iman Shumpert would be included in that group at shooting guard, notes ESPN New York's Ian Begley. With that being said, Begley suggests that Woodson may look to continue starting Pablo Prigioni alongside Felton while sliding Shumpert to small forward and offers more thoughts on the rest of the team's rotation.
ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg rounds up a few predictions from the Celtics blogging community on how the 2013-14 season will play out, and the majority appears to imagine a finish anywhere in or between the ninth and twelfth seeds in the Eastern Conference.
John Schuhmann of NBA.com thinks the Wizards are primed for a playoff run this year.

Pacific Notes: World Peace, Odom, Kings

July 13th, 2013 at 6:02pm CST by Spencer Lund

Metta World Peace was officially amnestied by the Lakers on Thursday, and remains on amnesty waivers, rather than regular waivers–instead of claiming his entire salary, teams can now place partial bids for his services, with the highest bid winning out. Here's the full explanation of the amnesty provision, and this year's amnesty primer.

Doug Davis, one of a pair of agents for the former Ron Artest, suggested that his client's assertion that he may leave the NBA should be taken with a grain of salt, notes Marc Berman of the New York Post. World Peace doesn't want to uproot his family, so the Clippers appear to be his first choice among NBA teams, but Knicks coach Mike Woodson said the team is "on alert" in case World Peace clears amnesty waivers.

"There’s a number of definitely positive things about New York," Davis said. "Hopefully we’ll have the opportunity to assess them [Sunday] after he clears waivers. It’s a very tense time, this 48-hour period. We want him to be in control of his own destiny."

Here's what else is happening around the Pacific Division on this Saturday in the midst of amnesty week:

The Clippers continue to eye free agent big men Lamar Odom and Antawn Jamison, but sources tell Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that the team is taking it slow as it determines the best fit (Twitter link).
Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times examines whether the Lakers should attempt to avoid paying the luxury tax this season.
The Kings have renounced their rights to Toney Douglas, who already has an agreement in place with the Warriors, according to the RealGM transactions log. The Kings also renounced their rights to Cole Aldrich.
And the Kings officially announced in a press release that rookie Ben McLemore had been signed: "The Sacramento Kings today signed first-round draft pick Ben McLemore to a contract, according to Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro. Sacramento selected McLemore with the seventh-overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed."

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Eastern Notes: Ujiri, Frank, Woodson, Wizards

May 30th, 2013 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Heat and Pacers prepare for a crucial Game Five tonight in Miami, let's round up a few notes from around the Eastern Conference:

As Masai Ujiri attempts to determine whether he'll join the Raptors or return to the Nuggets, all involved parties recognize that it's a big decision and aren't aggressively pushing for resolution, says Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.
After having been let go by the Pistons at the end of the regular season, Lawrence Frank would like to coach in the NBA again, according to David Mayo of MLive.com. However, Mayo reports that Frank may not coach in 2013/14, opting instead to explore media opportunities that allow him to spend more time at home.
Although Mike Woodson signed a three-year contract with the Knicks a year ago, the final season of the pact is non-guaranteed, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Knicks could guarantee that final year at any time, but for now only the 2013/14 season is fully guaranteed for the team's head coach.
Several writers at HoopsWorld explore what the Wizards should do with the No. 3 pick in the draft next month.
Rasheed Wallace appears unlikely to play in the NBA again, but it's possible he'll remain with the Knicks next year as a player adviser, writes Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.