Positional Notes: Davis, Acy, Sixers
With the season right around the corner, tons of speculation surrounds positional rotations on several teams. Here are a few recent articles that shine a little light on where certain players currently stand on their team's respective depth charts.
- Terry Pluto from The Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that Samardo Samuels will be fighting for a spot in the Cavaliers front court next season, but with the addition of Tyler Zeller and the return of Anderson Varejao from injury, it'll be difficult.
- The Toronto Star's Doug Smith believes that with six players in front of him, rookie Quincy Acy will have a very difficult time cracking the Raptors front court rotation.
- With the Sixers offseason addition of Andrew Bynum at center, former center Spencer Hawes will be forced into a role as the team's power forward, writes the Philadelphia Inquirer's John Mitchell.
- Kent Williams of SheridanHoops.com has a few notes worth discussing, including Glen Davis' status as the Magic's starting power forward and J.J. Barea's rapidly decreasing role with the Timberwolves.
Odds & Ends: Camby, Wallace, Barnes, Cavs
If you were looking forward to watching Kobe Bryant try to drop 38 points on Sacramento tonight to win the scoring title, you may want to make alternate plans. According to Sam Amick of SI.com (via Twitter), Lakers coach Mike Brown says Bryant won't play in tonight's game, meaning Kevin Durant will finish as the NBA's leading scorer for the third straight season. While it would've been fun to see Kobe gun for 38, we have to give props to Durant — at just 23 years old, he's the youngest player ever to win three scoring titles.
Here are a few more Thursday afternoon odds and ends from around the Association:
- Marcus Camby reiterates to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle that the Rockets will be his first choice in free agency this summer: "A lot of suitors are going to be trying to reach out. This is where I want to be. So hopefully, we can make something work."
- Ben Wallace has appeared headed toward retirement all season, but wants to make sure it's the right decision, as Vince Goodwill of the Detroit News writes. Wallace will sit down with Pistons management and his family and won't rush his final decision.
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld believes Harrison Barnes could be the ideal fit for the Raptors in the draft.
- Samardo Samuels and Manny Harris will head into the summer looking to earn themselves a spot on next year's Cavaliers' roster, says Joe Gabriele of Cavs.com. Both players are on non-guaranteed contracts for 2012/13.
- If the Magic let Stan Van Gundy go at season's end, the veteran coach will have no shortage of options, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
Finnan On Samuels, Varejao, Jamison
The Cavs take on the Spurs as they head to San Antonio today in a battle between youth and experience. Winners of their last six games, the Western Conference-leading Spurs have won by an average of 19.1 points over the course of the streak. Let's check in with Bob Finnan of The News-Herald to get the latest scoop on what's happening with the Cavs.
- In a lengthy conversation with Samardo Samuels, Finnan and the former Louisville star discuss Samuels' expectations heading into the current season, how he fell short of his goals and how the forward plans on getting into the best shape of his life this summer. For Samuels, the key is starting off the season at the right weight as he entered camp at a hefty 265 pounds and became much more comfortable on the court once he got down to 253. "It's tricky," he said. "Being a guy that's undrafted, there's much you have to deal with. I've been trying to deal with it and grow from it.
- Blame six weeks of inactivity for why Anderson Varejao is experiencing soreness in his wrist during workouts after breaking a now-healed bone earlier this season, writes Finnan. The Cavs don't mind that Varejao plans to play for Brazil during the Olympics this summer, but Finnan says that the team doesn't have the power to keep him from heading to London if they were opposed to his decision. Cavs head coach Byron Scott supports Varejao's desire to help bolster his country's chances of winning a medal but wants to ensure that his starting center's wrist is given the opportunity to properly heal.
- Expect Antawn Jamison to have a bevy of suitors this offseason says Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy, a fan of the former UNC star's style of play. Van Gundy expects contending teams to come calling this summer with hopes of Jamison being the missing piece to completing a championship puzzle. "…He never complains. You never read a quote. He just comes and plays. As a coach, someone from the outside, you have to have great appreciation for that."
Central Notes: Cavs, Bucks, Stuckey
The Bulls, with a five game lead over the Pacers, are the class of the Central Division, and tonight they're challenging their mettle against the red-hot Spurs. Here's a look at what's going on with some of the teams trying to chase down Chicago:
- The contract of Cavs big man Samardo Samuels is not guaranteed past this season, and coach Byron Scott says he'll have to step up his effort and energy to remain with the team, tweet Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Samuels, who played 11 minutes last night against Boston but has otherwise fallen out of the Cavs rotation, seems at a loss, telling the Plain Dealer, "It's hard to determine where I'm at and what I need to do to get on the court. I don't know what I did to get off (the court)."
- Bucks swingman Stephen Jackson, a subject of trade rumors, has indicated before that he has a rocky relationship with coach Scott Skiles, but a frustrated Skiles is unwilling to go back and forth with him on the issue, tweets Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
- Deveney says Australian Andrew Bogut may not be healthy in time for the Olympics, but Adam Zagoria of SNY writes that Kyrie Irving, who was born in Melbourne before moving to the U.S. at age 2, is considering suiting up for Australia instead.
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld takes a look at Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey, whom he calls the team's best trade asset.
Decisions On Non-Guaranteed Contracts
February 10th marks the day that all players on non-guaranteed contracts will have their deals guaranteed for the remainder of the season. However, if a team wants to meet that Friday deadline, it will need to make its decisions today, allowing its player(s) to pass through waivers in time.
Some non-guaranteed players, such as DeJuan Blair and Jeremy Lin, are in no danger of being waived. However, with a few dozen players on non-guaranteed deals across the league, there will be plenty of cuts before the day is out. Some of those players will sign 10-day contracts shortly after being cut, while others could join the D-League or find a place on our list of current unrestricted free agents.
We'll track all the day's decisions on non-guaranteed contracts right here, with the latest news up top:
- Other players who will have their contracts guaranteed for the remainder of the year: Ivan Johnson, Jannero Pargo, Jerry Stackhouse (Hawks), Cory Higgins (Bobcats), Brian Scalabrine, John Lucas (Bulls), Samardo Samuels, Alonzo Gee (Cavaliers), Sean Williams (Mavericks), Julyan Stone (Nuggets), Vernon Macklin, Damien Wilkins (Pistons), Dominic McGuire, Chris Wright (Warriors), Sundiata Gaines, Keith Bogans (Nets), Steve Novak, Jerome Jordan (Knicks), Ryan Reid (Thunder), DeAndre Liggins (Magic), Lavoy Allen, Francisco Elson (Sixers), Danny Green, Gary Neal (Spurs), Jeremy Evans (Jazz).
- The Jazz will guarantee Jamaal Tinsley's contract, according to Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter).
- The Pistons are keeping guard Walker Russell, agent Giovanni Funicello told HoopsHype (via Twitter).
- The Hornets have waived DaJuan Summers and Carldell Johnson, league sources tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- The Rockets waived Jeff Adrien, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The move clears a roster spot for Greg Smith.
- The Wizards have waived Hamady N'Diaye, according to a team release.
- Chris Johnson received a call from Trail Blazers GM Chad Buchanan this morning saying his contract would be guaranteed, tweets Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
- The Celtics will hang on to Greg Stiemsma and guarantee his deal, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- The Lakers have waived Derrick Caracter. Caracter broke the news himself, tweeting "It's over before it begun!!! …. On to the next chapter of my life" (Twitter links). The Lakers will hang on to Devin Ebanks, Andrew Goudelock, and Darius Morris, tweets Mike Breshnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
- The Clippers have cut Solomon Jones, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
- The Heat have waived Mickell Gladness, the team announced (Twitter link). Miami's other two players on non-guaranteed deals, Eddy Curry and Terrel Harris, look safe, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- The Grizzlies have waived Josh Davis, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- The Spurs announced they've waived Malcolm Thomas, who was assigned to the team's D-League affiliate last week.
Zach Links contributed to this post.