Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Leslie, T’Wolves, Mayo
Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW writes that the Mavericks are now in the market for adding a player after severing ties with guard Dominique Jones. Sefko comprises a list including Mike Bibby, Michael Redd, Earl Boykins, and Gilbert Arenas as available veterans who could be worth a look. Among the D-League hopefuls who could warrant an opportunity, Justin Dentmon, Chris Wright, or Sean Singletary come to mind. Sefko rules out the chances of Delonte West making a return to Dallas, citing that the team wouldn't want to reconnect after how badly things ended with him last year. You can find more of tonight's miscellaneous news and notes below:
- Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer thinks Tristan Thompson should be a candidate for the NBA's Most Improved award.
- Alex Kramers of The Kings Blog recognizes how Tyreke Evans has improved his perimter accuracy with daily extra work.
- Jody Genessy of the Deseret News says that the Jazz haven't and won't make a roster move today, and the Salt Lake Tribune's Bill Oram echoes that those expecting Utah to sign Travis Leslie will have to wait (Twitter links).
- Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune introduces his list of college guards who would be ready to help the Timberwolves immediately with their size and skilled-shooting abilities.
- MLive's David Mayo and Brendan Savage argued yesterday that the Pistons should take a look at O.J. Mayo this summer if he opts out of his deal with the Mavs, and Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News joins the chorus, believing the 25-year-old shooting guard would fill the team's need for perimeter scoring.
- Considering the need for a small forward, the health of Anderson Varejao, and the possibility that Marreese Speights leaves for free agency, Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer discusses the Cavaliers' pressing issues heading into the offseason.
Central Notes: Rose, Calderon, Mayo, Bucks, Bulls
Derrick Rose's return to the Bulls may be just around the corner, as Rose's doctor has cleared him to play, according to Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com. The Bulls guard still isn't entirely comfortable dunking off his left foot, and isn't 100% ready mentally to make his 2012/13 debut, so the club isn't pressuring him, writes Isaacson. But it sounds as if Rose will return well in advance of the postseason, perhaps within the next week or two. As we look forward to seeing the former MVP back on the court, let's round up a few more items out of the Central Division….
- Jose Calderon tells David Mayo of MLive.com that he's taking a wait-and-see approach with free agency, but appreciates the fact that the Pistons had genuine interest in him rather than simply acquiring him for his expiring contract.
- If Calderon doesn't re-sign with the Pistons, expect O.J. Mayo to be one of the team's top targets, Mayo (David, not O.J.) writes in a separate piece.
- Shaun Powell of Sports on Earth examines the big offseason approaching for the Bucks, as Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, and J.J. Redick prepare to hit free agency.
- As he does every Friday, Sam Smith of Bulls.com opens up his mailbag and addresses a number of Bulls-related questions and comments from readers.
Western Notes: Spurs, Marion, Mayo, Collison
Stephen Curry absolutely went off at the Garden on Wednesday night, dropping 54 points via 11 treys on the Knicks in the game of the night. Despite Curry's efforts, the Warriors still came up short, losing by four. Here are some other notes from around the Western Conference:
- Gregg Popovich says that the Spurs, as always, will do their due diligence in scouring the post-March 1st buyout market, but with their roster already 15 deep, he doesn't expect anything to come of it, tweets Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News answered a few questions about the Mavericks roster in a chat on Tuesday. Sefko doesn't see the Mavs dealing Shawn Marion next season just to free up cap space, opining that Marion is still a starting caliber player that warrants something worthwhile in return.
- Sefko also considers re-signing O.J. Mayo and Darren Collison critical to the team's chances of luring whatever big name free agents they'll set their sights on, largely due to their youth. Keeping both players, who have had nice seasons in Dallas, will be difficult without overpaying, Sefko says.
- Pau Gasol, likely still a month from returning, has been cleared to work out on an elliptical machine, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Gasol tore his plantar fascia three weeks ago and the Lakers are sticking to their original timetable of six-to-eight weeks for his return.
Wolves Rumors: Kirilenko, Mayo, Mozgov, Redick
Here's the latest on the Timberwolves from Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities….
- General manager David Kahn isn't convinced he'll be able to make a deal by tomorrow's deadline, but it won't be from lack of trying, says Wolfson. The T-Wolves have made Luke Ridnour, J.J. Barea, Derrick Williams, and Brandon Roy available as they explore trade options.
- The Wolves have received more calls about Andrei Kirilenko than anyone else, but the club won't move the Russian forward, barring a "too-good-to-be-true offer."
- Minnesota's top priority is a wing player with size. The team reached out to the Mavericks about O.J. Mayo, but was rebuffed, according to Wolfson.
- The Wolves like Timofey Mozgov and view him as a good value in free agency this summer, but are unlikely to reach a compromise on a trade with the Nuggets.
- To acquire J.J. Redick or Avery Bradley, the Wolves would have to give up Williams and a first-round pick, according to Wolfson. That's not happening for Bradley and is very unlikely for Redick.
- Rick Adelman and the Wolves like Courtney Lee and are keeping an eye on him, but they didn't want to offer four years in free agency last summer, so the contract could bother them.
- Adelman told season ticket holders that the Wolves' goal is to re-sign Nikola Pekovic this summer. However, some team sources aren't sure Pekovic is worth $11MM annually, and question his ability to stay healthy, says Wolfson.
Kyler’s Latest: Knicks, Mavs, Kings, Granger
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld shares a number of trade rumors and updates in his latest NBA AM piece, so let's dive right in and round up the highlights….
- The Knicks likely won't make a deal in the next week, but if they do, it will probably involve Iman Shumpert being moved for a more proven veteran. Jared Dudley's camp claims there's nothing to reports of the Knicks' interest, but according to Kyler, sources in New York say Dudley is exactly the sort of veteran the Knicks are considering.
- Sources say the Mavericks have assured Darren Collison he's not going anywhere, but Kyler says that may be simply to boost Collison's confidence rather than a set-in-stone stance. O.J. Mayo and Chris Kaman also have trade value, though the Mavs may prefer to keep Mayo.
- Until the Kings are officially sold, the Maloofs and Geoff Petrie aren't prevented from making roster moves, but the team still isn't expected to do a whole lot at the deadline. One rival club that expressed interest in Tyreke Evans wasn't able to make much progress, says Kyler.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford suggested yesterday that Danny Granger might make more sense as a trade candidate this summer, a point Kyler echoes. Paul George will be extension-eligible starting in July, and Granger will be entering the final year of his contract, making a possible deal more logical for the Pacers.
Sefko On Dwight, Marion, Kaman
Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW, who believes that the Mavericks will have at least one new player after the trade deadline, engaged in a chat with his readers today and answered a number of questions about the team. Here are some of the highlights:
- Any possible deal for Dwight Howard would have to hinge on the inclusion of Shawn Marion, and adding O.J. Mayo to the discussion could give the deal some legs. Since the Nets still possess the more attractive players, Dallas would have to get a third team into the mix in order to sweeten their offer to the Lakers.
- Chris Kaman could be of worth to a team looking to shed a large contract within the next coming weeks. One hypothetical scenario would include Kaman being packaged with younger assets to the Celtics in exchange for Paul Pierce (with a third team involved). Although the Mavericks would have to bear Pierce's contract in 2013/14, they would subsequently have a good amount of cap room that summer. Sefko makes it clear that while he isn't necessarily promoting a Kaman-for-Pierce swap, he suggests that those type of deals may be available.
- Free agency remains the team's best avenue toward rebuilding, especially since they don't currently possess enough trade assets to pull off a major deal or can acquire anything that would be considered long-term help via trade. He also notes that other than Marion, the only enticing pieces on the Mavericks are the one-year contracts that might interest teams looking for financial relief.
- Sefko wonders if Rodrigue Beaubois' recent increase in playing time is meant to to boost his trade market value, or if it's because Rick Carlisle thinks he can be a viable contributor down the stretch.
- With better financial opportunities possibly waiting in the wings this summer, Elton Brand could be tough to retain once his contract expires at the end of the year.
Western Notes: Nolan Smith, Royce White, Mavs
You could make a convincing case that the biggest NBA news out of the Western Conference so far today has been Kobe Bryant's arrival on Twitter. With just a single tweet to his name, Kobe has already racked up over 200,000 followers, a figure that continues to grow exponentially. There's plenty going on around the rest of the conference too though, so let's check out a few links….
- Trail Blazers point guard Nolan Smith, a former 21st overall pick, is on a mission to prove that he's not a bust, and feels good about his impending free agency, as he tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- Royce White appeared on SiriusXM radio to discuss his refusal of a D-League assignment, and both Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle and Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside have passed along a few of White's more interesting comments. Among them: White suggested the chances that he never plays in the NBA are "very high" and said that playing for a team besides the Rockets wouldn't be a solution.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News expects O.J. Mayo to score a big contract next summer, but isn't sure it'll come from the Mavericks. The Mavs figure to be targeting the top free agents of the class before circling back to Mayo, according to Sefko.
- Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News is critical of the make-up of the Mavericks' roster, opining that with so many players on expiring deals, they're playing for contracts rather than wins.
- The Jazz announced today that Mo Williams underwent successful surgery on his injured right thumb, as Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune writes.
- Roster construction has been a bigger problem than DeMarcus Cousins for the Kings, according to Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com.
Sefko On Mavs, Mayo, Cuban, Deron
Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW.com answered some questions from readers on Wednesday in a live chat, and touched on a number of Mavericks topics including the team's free agency plans and possible trades. Here are the highlights:
- Sefko expects the Mavericks to be in the hunt for big-name free agents such as Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and Andrew Bynum in the summer of 2013, and the pursuit of a big name will take precedence for the front office over retaining O.J. Mayo.
- Sefko trusts Mark Cuban's long-term vision for the Mavs, citing his track record of turning the team into a championship organization.
- Sefko thinks the Mavericks may search for point guard help at the deadline, naming Jose Calderon, Luke Ridnour, and Rodney Stuckey as possible targets.
- Sefko does not believe Rick Carlisle is on the hot seat in spite of the Mavs' recent struggles.
- Losing out on Deron Williams may have been a blessing in disguise for the Mavs given Williams' struggles with the Nets this season, writes Sefko.
Odds & Ends: Raptors, Jamison, Wolves, Bennett
It's a busy 48 hours on the court, with a dozen games last night and another 11 games on tap this evening. There's plenty of news off the court as well, and we'll round it up here.
- Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears that Andrea Bargnani is "a lock to be moved," and wonders whether the Raptors might try to package him with Kyle Lowry instead of Jose Calderon. The other Raptors appear to prefer playing alongside Calderon, Stein observes, and the team's defense has improved since Bargnani went down with torn ligaments in his right elbow.
- Antawn Jamison expressed confusion about his diminished role with the Lakers 10 days ago, and now he doesn't appear pleased as he continues to stay chained to the bench, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reports. "It doesn't make sense at all," the power forward said. "They're pretty much telling me my services are no longer needed."
- Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN believes the Wolves may wait to sign a replacement for Josh Howard until January 5th, when teams can begin handing out 10-day contracts. He also thinks Minnesota is high on Mickael Gelabale, whose agent has reportedly been in touch with all 30 teams (Twitter link).
- The Wolves made a half-hearted effort to sign O.J. Mayo over the offseason, making just one phone call, according to Wolfson (Twitter link).
- UNLV power forward Anthony Bennett is gaining momentum with scouts as he contends for No. 1 overall spot in June's draft, tweets Aran Smith of NBADraft.net.
Odds & Ends: Varejao, Bargnani, Mayo
A night after the first-place Thunder lost to tighten up the Western Conference race, the idle Heat slipped into the top spot in the East by percentage points on Friday when the Knicks fell at home to the Bulls. There's still plenty left to be resolved this season, and with the trade deadline now less than two months away, the level of intrigue is on the way up. Here's more from the Association.
- In a HoopsWorld video, Alex Kennedy says consensus around the league is that the Cavs will trade Anderson Varejao this season, and with some executives still high on Andrea Bargnani, Kennedy wouldn't be surprised to see a team take a risk to bring him on board.
- O.J. Mayo wasn't caught off guard when the Grizzlies let him walk in free agency, and the two sides didn't have talks about bringing him back this summer, notes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. "Once you see the writing on the wall, you can’t be dumb to the fact," Mayo said. “I didn’t even go to the exit meeting. I pretty much knew what it was.”
- Lou Williams had hoped he wouldn't have to come back to Philadelphia with an opposing team, as he did tonight, and wanted to work out a return to the Sixers in free agency last summer, Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com has the details. "I think Philly did a good job of making my decision easy for me," the Hawks guard said. "They made it clear they were going in a different direction and at that time I had to find somewhere else to go, and luckily for me I landed on my feet in my hometown. Both sides moved on. It is what it is, and I am sure they are happy with what they got out of the deal and I am happy to be at home."
- Andrei Kirilenko fit the profile of what the Wolves front office identified as the team's most pressing need this past offseason, but Minnesota still had questions about him, writes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. Kirilenko is answering those doubts, and coach Rick Adelman has been surprised at just how much the 31-year-old defensive ace has helped the team.
- The Suns recalled Kendall Marshall from the D-League today, but the rookie doesn't appear to be any better from the experience, observes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.