Western Notes: Curry, Jackson, Green
Stephen Curry is a legit contender to win the 2014/15 most valuable player award, opines Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. The Warriors have the league’s best record at 29-5 and Curry’s player efficiency rating is 27.13, which ranks fourth best in the league. With those numbers, Curry belongs in the conversation for this season’s MVP award, along with James Harden, Anthony Davis and LeBron James, whose candidacy I briefly wrote about on Sunday.
Here’s more from the Warriors as well as another contender in the Western Conference:
- The arrival of Dion Waiters might mean a further diminished role for Reggie Jackson, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. Jackson will be a restricted free agent in the offseason and Mayberry speculates that Jackson will garner a contract worth upwards of $12MM annually. For that price, the Thunder might be interested to see if they can get similar production off their bench from Waiters for a fraction of the cost.
- The Warriors are constructed to contend for a championship this season, opines Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group. Golden State is the top ranked team in defensive efficiency this season. However, the window for the team to contend as currently constructed might be closing as key piece Draymond Green is set to become a restricted free agent. The team already has $82.6MM in salary commitments for next season and it will likely be forced to make a move if it wants to re-sign Green.
- Warriors center Andrew Bogut says he has no relationship with former coach Mark Jackson, as Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group writes. “I haven’t heard from him since [his firing]. I know he keeps in touch with some guys on the team, but I’m kind of in a different crowd I think.” The Australian big man has played well this season under new coach Steve Kerr. He is averaging 2.0 blocks per game and sports a player efficiency rating of 16.87.
Western Notes: Suns, Mekel, Curry
The Suns have assigned Tyler Ennis, Archie Goodwin, and T.J. Warren to the Bakersfield Jam, their D-League affiliate, the Associated Press reports. Ennis and Warren each appeared in two games during their one previous assignment to Bakersfield this season. Warren is averaging 36 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Jam, and Ennis has averaged 22 points and 7.5 assists per contest. This will be Goodwin’s first trip of the season to the D-League.
Here’s the latest from the Western Conference:
- With the Warriors‘ fast start to the season, Stephen Curry‘s stature around the league and his value is rising right along with the franchise’s, Antonio Gonzalez of The Associated Press writes.
- Gal Mekel said that he has passed on numerous overseas offers, and that he “wouldn’t have been able to live with himself” if he had missed out on any NBA offers because of accepting an overseas deal, David Pick of Eurobasket reports (Twitter links). Mekel was recently waived by the Pelicans, though New Orleans coach Monty Williams has indicated that the team will consider re-signing the player.
- Kevin Durant‘s recent ankle injury has shown just how fragile the Thunder‘s playoff hopes are, Royce Young of ESPN.com writes. “You can’t take winning for granted,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. “Winning a game is hard. My first-year coach, Jimmy Lynam, used to always say that. Winning a game in this league is tough. And number one is health. Having your full roster to work with gives you the best chance to win.”
Atlantic Notes: Aldemir, Curry, Davies, Knicks
Furkan Aldemir received his visa and will officially make his transfer to the Sixers, according to David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter Link). The deal was first reported back on November 24th but numerous issues have caused delays in bringing Aldemir to Philly. The team currently does not have an open roster spot with the signing of Ronald Roberts Jr. on Friday so another move for the Sixers in the future is likely.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Leading up to the 2009 draft, Stephen Curry told the Warriors to stay away because he wanted to play for the Knicks, writes Harvey Araton of the New York Times. “The Warriors had some questionable characters on their team, the Knicks really needed a point guard, and we felt that Stephen would fit perfectly with a coach like Mike D’Antoni, playing that fast, up-and-down style. He loved the idea of playing at Madison Square Garden,” said Dell Curry, Stephen’s father. Curry ended up being drafted by the Warriors with the seventh overall pick of the 2009 draft, one pick ahead of the Knicks, who ended up drafting Jordan Hill.
- Although coach Brett Brown was disappointed with the decision to trade Brandon Davies, the Sixers made the right move, opines Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Moore acknowledges that Davies has improved his game through hard work but argues that Davies isn’t a player whom the Sixers can build around once they have a contending team. Moore likens the situation to Philadelphia’s choice not to bring back James Anderson last offseason. Anderson could certainly help the team improve today but he didn’t show enough to indicate that he could contribute on a winning team.
- The Knicks are off to a horrible start at 5-20 but optimism is starting to surround the team, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Head coach Derek Fisher noted that New York is starting to look like “a team” after Friday’s win over the Celtics. Carmelo Anthony, who played a key role in the win, knows success will quiet the rumors surrounding him on the team. “If we were winning, we wouldn’t be sitting here talking about a story out there that says I want a trade,” Anthony said in reference to a report that claimed he was open to waiving his no-trade clause to a winning team.
Western Notes: Curry, Meeks, D-League
Stephen Curry is now in the second season of the four-year, $44MM deal that he inked with the Warriors, and he has become one of the most blatantly underpaid players in the game, DeAntae Price of The Sporting News writes. Part of the reason that Curry signed that deal was because he missed 40 games the prior season with an ankle injury, prompting him to become concerned about his ability to bounce back, notes Price. But Curry has no regrets about signing the contract, saying, “Yeah, you expect to continue to get better. Obviously, I was in a unique situation, one that I was very comfortable with the decision I made coming off the ankle surgeries. I was confident I’d be able to get back, but I didn’t know how long the road was going to be to get back to 100% and take my game to the next level. But four years is a long time and you hope you can prove that you’re that max type of player and talent.”
Here’s more from out west:
- The Jazz have recalled Toure’ Murry from the D-League, the team announced. The offseason signee was on assignment with the Idaho Stampede for nearly three weeks, putting up 14.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.3 steals in 31.5 minutes per game across six appearances.
- The Thunder have recalled both Mitch McGary and Grant Jerrett from the Oklahoma City Blue, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This was Jerrett’s third D-League assignment of the season and McGary’s first.
- The Lakers didn’t make an offer to Jodie Meeks when he became a free agent last summer because they wanted to maintain flexibility in case LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony decided to come to Los Angeles, Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News writes. So Meeks took the sure thing and inked a deal with the Pistons instead, though he still has nothing but warm feelings for the Lakers, Medina adds. “I was getting some interest with the Lakers, but obviously they were waiting on Carmelo and LeBron,” Meeks said. “Who knows what would’ve happened had I waited, but I feel like this [Detroit] is the best place for me.”
Southeast Notes: Curry, Hornets, Heat, Hawks
Three Southeast Division teams have winning records, the most of any Eastern Conference division, but there are no powerhouses, allowing Western Conference heavies like the Warriors to record two wins of 15 points or more in consecutive nights on the road in Florida. Golden State heads to Charlotte tonight after turning the Florida double play earlier this week, and there’s a heavy Warriors influence on the latest news out of the Southeast:
- Charlotte native Stephen Curry spoke this past summer about the idea of someday playing for the Hornets, but this week he sought to downplay the notion, even though he admits he’s always thought about it, as Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group details. “That’s hard to get out of your head, but obviously, it has no bearing on decisions that I make down the road,” Curry said. “It’s just a fun thought to have. The Hornets name does mean a lot to my family, and obviously I’m starting a new thing with the Warriors. I definitely feel right at home here [with Golden State].”
- Warriors coach Steve Kerr is confident that Heat first-round pick Shabazz Napier will become a starting-level NBA point guard, and fellow Heat rookie James Ennis is drawing widespread praise as well, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
- The Hawks have officially assigned Adreian Payne and John Jenkins to the D-League, the team announced via press release. Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Thursday that the team intended to make the moves.
And-Ones: Moon, Griffin, Jazz, Kerr
Former NBA player and Harlem Globetrotter Jamario Moon returns to the D-League this season and is confident in his ability to play in the NBA again, writes Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. “I’m at the point now where I want to show people that I can still play the game, even at 34 years old. I’m a freak of nature, and I’m a better player now. I’ve always kept myself in good physical condition, but I hit the weights harder than I ever have before this last summer. I’m ready.” Moon said.
Here’s more from around the Association:
- Shooters might be valued more now by NBA teams than ever, argues Bruce Ely of The Oregonian. Ely identifies those who can connect from beyond the three-point line as the most valued player assets and notes that more than 86% of those who played in the league attempted at least one three-pointer last season.
- Blake Griffin chronicles his time playing for Donald Sterling and shares his thoughts on playing for new Clippers owner Steve Ballmer in a piece for The Players’ Tribune. Griffin applauds the new owner’s management style, “Ballmer wants to win no matter the cost. Donald Sterling didn’t care if we won — at least if it meant he had to spend money.”
- Jazz players and coaches believe the team’s chemistry has improved, writes Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News. Guard Trey Burke sees the teams chemistry as a foundation. “We’ve got a lot of guys on this team who are easy to get along with and hold each other accountable, so we’ll just continue to build from here,’’ said Burke.
- New Warriors coach Steve Kerr badly wanted to draft Stephen Curry when he was the GM of the Suns back in 2009, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Cooper adds that the Suns had internal conversations about trading Amar’e Stoudemire for the point guard but without Stoudemire showing a strong likelihood of re-signing with the Warriors, Golden State was not going to pull the trigger on the trade.
Western Notes: Marion, Barbosa, Curry
Team USA defeated Brazil 95-78 in an exhibition game at the United Center last night. The game not only featured Derrick Rose returning to action on his home court, but also strong performances from the Pelicans‘ Anthony Davis and the Rockets‘ James Harden. Davis recorded 20 points, nine rebounds and five blocks, while Harden scored 18, along with five rebounds and five assists.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Clippers are now showing interest in Shawn Marion, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Spears adds that the Cavs, Pacers, and Heat remain interested in the small forward as well.
- Leandro Barbosa has had discussions with a few NBA teams about a possible free agent deal, and is hoping to use the upcoming FIBA World Cup to further prove his health, writes Shams Charania of RealGM. Barbosa said, “I don’t know what owners think about the World Cup, but hopefully I do a great job over there and a team sees. I feel healthy and my body is feeling healthy. If I have free agency in my mind, I won’t be able to be myself on the court. Hopefully, I sign a contract and I’ll be happy.” Barbosa appeared in 20 games with the Suns last season, averaging 7.5 PPG, 1.9 PPG, and 1.6 APG, while playing 18.4 minutes a night.
- In an interview with Beckley Mason of the New York Times, Warriors star Stephen Curry was asked about playing for yet another new head coach in Steve Kerr. Curry responded by saying, “This is one that I haven’t gone through before. This is my fourth coach going into my sixth year. Last three coaching changes, we were a bad team trying to become competitive. Now we have a lot of talent. Pretty much the same team back, with some additions, but a new coach. It’s a different experience. The expectations are already high, and we have to deal with that. Thinking about it, it will kind of be similar to last year. People thought we were a 50-win team, and we accomplished that, but it still didn’t feel like we accomplished as much as we should have. That’s basically the theme I have in my head thinking about what’s going to happen next year. Just in training camp, in that locker room, that adjustment with Coach Kerr and setting his system up. I think we’re going to be able to adjust well.”
Charlie Adams contributed to this post.
Pacific Rumors: Bledsoe, Tucker, Curry, Ballmer
Although Steph Curry is heading into just the second season of a four-year, $44MM contract he signed with the Warriors, the All-star guard wouldn’t totally rule out making a jump to play for the Hornets one day when he spoke on The Dan Patrick Show, as Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group transcribes.
“I’ve always had thoughts about playing at home, what it would be like,” said Curry, who was raised in Charlotte. “My dad played there for 10 years… I love the Bay Area and where we are as a team trying to win a championship, and that’s what it’s all about. Of course everybody dreams about or thinks about what it’s going to be like to play at home. Obviously if that opportunity comes along it’s a different discussion.”
Here’s more insight from Curry, as well as a look at the latest from out west in tonight’s roundup of the NBA’s Pacific Division:
- The Warriors refused to include Klay Thompson in negotiations for Kevin Love, and Curry doesn’t doubt the team’s judgement, as Leung details in a separate piece. “I think they made the right choice,” said Curry of the team’s decision to retain his fellow Splash Brother, “Me and him in the backcourt and core that we have, we’ve got a legit shot at winning the championship next year, and I’m ready to take that on.”
- Eric Bledsoe is strongly considering taking the Suns‘ qualifying offer so he can enter unrestricted free agency next summer, hears Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, echoing a report from Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. Greg Monroe is set to sign the Pistons’ qualifying offer, and Zillgitt explains why it might be wise for Bledsoe to follow suit.
- P.J. Tucker‘s three-game NBA suspension for a DUI he got in May will cost the big man $155,455 in salary, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Tucker re-signed with the Suns on a three year deal worth $16.5MM in July.
- It’s too early to discount the Suns’ playoff chances, says Greg Esposito of Suns.com, who looks over Phoenix’s roster and concludes that offseason acquisitions Isaiah Thomas and Anthony Tolliver will help further improve a Suns team that surprised pundits around the league last season with a 48-34 campaign.
- Sam Amick of USA Today examines the path that led Steve Ballmer to become the new Clippers owner. Ballmer, a lifelong basketball fan, has drawn positive feedback from Los Angeles players and coaches, as Amick passes along.
And-Ones: Williams, Curry, Tucker
Lou Williams believes he fits in better with the Raptors than he did with the Hawks and head coach Mike Budenholzer, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Williams expanded on his feelings, saying, “I am excited to a part of a young core, I am excited be on a team that wants me, that has a high expectation level for me. My time here in Atlanta, I realized that they were going in a direction that probably didn’t fit my style of play and I probably didn’t fit Coach Bud’s style of play. I’m a guy that needs the ball to be effective and they really didn’t need that from me. They were building a different core of a basketball team. I felt like it worked out for both sides, they got some talented guys in making moves this offseason and I feel great about the fit that I’m in.”
Here’s more from around the league:
- The NBA has suspended Suns small forward P.J. Tucker three games without pay for pleading guilty to a DUI charge, the league announced (Twitter link; hat tip to USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt).
- Stephen Curry believes the Warriors chose wisely when they declined to part with Klay Thompson in exchange for Kevin Love, as he said Tuesday in an appearance on WFAN Radio in New York. Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group provides a transcription.
- Curry was also asked on The Dan Patrick Show if LeBron James‘ decision to return home to Cleveland made him consider returning to his own hometown of Charlotte one day, notes Leung in a separate article. Curry’s response was, “I’ve always had thoughts about playing at home, what it would be like. My dad played there for 10 years, and people around the Greater Charlotte area in North Carolina have done a lot for my family growing up, so you always think about it. Right now I feel like I’ve got three years left on my deal, so this isn’t going to be an issue for me for a while. I love the Bay Area and where we are as a team trying to win a championship, and that’s what it’s all about. Of course everybody dreams about or thinks about what it’s going to be like to play at home. Obviously if that opportunity comes along it’s a different discussion.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Western Notes: Rubio, Nash, Thompson
The Wolves are willing to give Ricky Rubio an extension similar to the four-year, $44MM extension Stephen Curry signed with the Warriors two years ago, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. Rubio and agent Dan Fegan are asking for the max over five seasons. We took a look at Rubio and other extension candidates earlier today.
More from out west:
- Steve Nash isn’t under any illusions that his career will last much longer, saying in a Sport TV video that he thinks this coming season with the Lakers will be his last, notes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
- Klay Thompson was hoping that he would have worked out a contract extension with the Warriors prior to beginning this summer’s Team USA camp, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. He and the Warriors have until October 31st to strike a deal, or he’ll hit restricted free agency in 2015.
- The Spurs have sent Manu Ginobili a letter denying him permission to participate in the FIBA Basketball World Cup later this summer, reports Dan McCarney of Spurs Nation (hat tip to Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News). San Antonio GM R.C. Buford cited the eight-week recovery span required for the stress fracture in Ginobili’s right leg as the reason. The injury was first discovered during the team’s exit physicals after winning the NBA Championship this year.
- The Rockets signing of free agent Jeremy Lin back in 2012 was a solid one, opines Randy Harvey of the Houston Chronicle (Video link), who takes a look back at Lin’s time in Houston. Lin was recently traded to the Lakers in a move to clear cap space for the potential signing of Chris Bosh before he decided to return to the Heat.
Zach Links contributed to this post.