Pacific Notes: Lakers, Curry, Evans
The Lakers and Clippers both lost on Tuesday, meaning the always-fascinating Pacific Division has been thrust back into the spotllight. Here are the latest rumblings and links from around the division:
- Kobe Bryant tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com that the Lakers' age is partially to blame for their recent lack of energy.
- Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News has quotes from Stephen Curry, who likes the Warriors' direction this season and praises the play of David Lee.
- Kings guard Tyreke Evans may return to action in a week, the Associated Press reports (via ESPN.com)
Pacific Notes: Gasol, Kobe, Lakers, Warriors, Curry
Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio spent the first quarter of the season on the sidelines, giving him plenty of time to keep up on the latest from around the league. On a conference call yesterday, Rubio said that he took special notice of Pau Gasol‘s situation in Los Angeles, according to HoopsHype (on Sulia). “Gasol has given the Lakers a lot and I don’t feel he’s getting enough in return, especially as far as confidence,” Rubio said of his fellow Spaniard. “But he’s a pro. If he goes to another team, I think he would make a contender out of that team. Wherever he goes, he’s going to be fighting for the title.” More on the Lakers and other items out of the Pacific..
- Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) spoke with a GM, assistant coach, and two scouts who blame Kobe Bryant‘s shooting output for the Lakers‘ woes. The Lakers are just 4-11 when Bryant takes 20 or more shots in a game but are 8-3 when he shoots less than 20 times. It’s a surprising statistic when you consider that Bryant is leading the league in scoring with 29.5 PPG clip while shooting a career-high 47.7 percent from the floor.
- Warriors owner Joe Lacob sat down with Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group to discuss a number of topics, including Stephen Curry‘s four-year, $44MM extension. Lacob explained that there was risk in giving Curry the deal given his ankle problems heading into this season, but the two parties were able to agree on a number that accounted for that risk.
- In part two of his sit down with Kawakami, Lacob explained that even though the club would like to get under the luxury tax threshold this summer, they’re not under any sort of mandate to do so. The Warriors would be willing to pay the penalty if there was an opportunity “to improve the team and to take [it] to a higher level.”
- The Lakers probably wouldn’t have been able to land Steve Nash this summer if Ramon Sessions hadn’t opted out of his $4.55MM player option, GM Mitch Kupchak told Mark Medina of the Press-Telegram. Sessions went on to sign a two-year deal with the Bobcats and says that he’s happy to have a sense of job security with his new team.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Harden, Terry, Draft
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Wednesday night:
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday.com writes that Mike Woodson has been more successful at coaching Carmelo Anthony than Mike D'Antoni was.
- James Harden was indifferent in his reaction to reports that the Wizards had rejected an offer from the Thunder to send him to Washington.
- Jason Terry did not rule out a return to the Mavericks later in his career, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford took a variety of questions from fans relating to the 2013 NBA Draft in a live chat.
- SNY.com's Adam Zagoria reports that Jabari Parker, the second-rated prospect of the 2014 Draft, is down to Duke and Michigan State in his choice of colleges.
- Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports that John Wall will have his knee re-examined on Friday.
- Sam Amico of FoxSportsOhio.com writes that youth is not an excuse for the Cavs' poor play.
- D.J. Augustin has been a disappointment since signing with the Pacers this summer.
- Sean Michael Meager of the Oregonian has an interview with Trail Blazers rookie Will Barton about his recent D-League assignment and the adjustment from college to the NBA.
- Brandon Jennings was perhaps the best player up for a rookie-scale extension who didn't get one, but he's drawing comparisons to Chris Paul and Mike Conley from Bucks coach Scott Skiles for his play this season, as Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel documents.
- Stephen Curry is feeling happy with his level of play this season and is not disappointed with his contract extension, he tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Pacific Notes: Gortat, Curry, Gasol, Jamison
According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, Suns starting center Marcin Gortat might be becoming "restless" in Phoenix, noting that he has tallied a total of just 50 minutes over the last two games despite not being in foul trouble. While Robbins references a "Polish-language publication" that suggested Gortat would welcome a trade to the Celtics, Bulls, Mavericks, or even back to the Magic, he also mentions that Phoenix hasn't given the impression that they're willing to deal him at this point. With that aside, here's the rest of tonight's tidbits coming from the Pacific Division:
- Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles looks at the success and production of the Clippers' second unit, which has started to gain some popularity with the nickname "A Tribe Called Bench."
- Warriors coach Mark Jackson firmly believes that Stephen Curry is an All-Star based on his performance after 20 games this season. It's hard to disagree, as the 24-year-old Davidson product is averaging 19.7 PPG, 6.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, and nearly 4 RPG for the fifth-seeded team in the Western Conference. Jeff Zillgit of USA Today also mentions that Curry has been worry-free about the ankle problems that had sidelined him for all but 16 games last year.
- Mike D'Antoni hints that Pau Gasol could play on Tuesday if his pain has lessened enough (Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer tweets).
- Compared to his experiences in Cleveland and Washington, 15-year-veteran Antawn Jamison isn't rattled by the Lakers' slow start. As of late, he has been one of the team's most consistent performers, hitting double figure scoring in six of the last eight games: "I'm comfortable, not thinking at all, having fun, competing and doing the things I normally do. So it's a lot easier. I was getting frustrated, but now I'm just out there playing" (Schmitt Boyer reports).
- Mike Monroe of Spurs Nation revisits the 1996 trade that sent then Charlotte-draft pick Kobe Bryant to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac.
- In addition to the Rockets and Nuggets, the Lakers cracked HoopsWorld's list of most surprising teams this season from the Western Conference.
Pacific Notes: Gasol, Howard, Curry
The latest news and notes around the Pacific Division on Sunday evening:
- Eddie Johnson of HoopsHype writes that the Lakers are beginning to accept the reality that Pau Gasol is not a long-term fit for Mike D'Antoni's system. However, Johnson notes that Gasol's age and contract make it difficult to move him.
- As pleased as Dwight Howard seems to be as a member of the Lakers, he refuses to talk about whether he'll remain in L.A. when his contract is up next summer, notes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
- Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News writes that a newly healthy Stephen Curry is seeing a spike in his production this season.
Pacific Links: Bledsoe, Kupchak, West
Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times focuses on Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe's efforts to develop into a true NBA point guard. With the help of assistant coach Robert Pack and the mentorship of both NBA veterans Chauncey Billups and Chris Paul, the third-year reserve has a prime opportunity to redefine his game as he continues to adjust to the position after being drafted as a two-guard from Kentucky in 2010. Nonetheless, Bledsoe has been playing well to start this season, producing 10.6 PPG, 1.5 steals per game, and shooting 49% from the field, compared to his career averages of 5.9 PPG, 1.0 SPG, and 42.4% overall. Interestingly enough, he is only averaging 18.7 MPG this year with increased production, which is nearly 4 minutes less than what he averaged as a rookie in 2010-11. There have been several links to arrive out of the Pacific Division tonight, and you can find a roundup of them here:
- Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak admits that there was a "real good chance statistically" of Phil Jackson returning as head coach at one point, but also became wary of complying with the daunting public support as opposed to making a decision that felt right for the team. Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times discusses how team brass did not want to let outside pressure dictate their decision-making during their head coaching search.
- NBA legend Jerry West offered his thoughts on the team, saying that he sees some flaws and isn't sure yet if Mike D'Antoni is the right coach to lead them to a championship (Adi Joseph of USA Today reports).
- Warriors coach Mark Jackson isn't concerned about the early shooting woes of Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry at this point during the season, according to Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group.
- The full transcript of D'Antoni's press conference from this afternoon, courtesy of Trevor Wong from Lakers.com.
Warriors Notes: Curry, Cap, Jefferson, Biedrins
It was a big day for the Warriors on Wednesday, as the team locked up point guard Stephen Curry to a four-year, $44MM extension, then went out and beat the Suns in a nailbiter in Phoenix, despite a rough outing from Curry. As the Warriors prepare for tomorrow's home opener against the Grizzlies, let's round up a few notes on the team, courtesy of Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News (all links go to Twitter):
- Curry's $44MM deal is fully guaranteed and doesn't contain any injury clauses, according to Kawakami. It'll start at just over $10MM next season.
- Kawakami estimates that Curry's extension means Golden State will have about $73.6MM committed to nine players for 2013/14. I'm not sure the team salary heading into the summer will be quite that high — by my count, the Warriors' nine players will cost between $65MM and $66MM, though Kawakami's figure would be within reach if Carl Landry and Brandon Rush each exercised their $4MM player options. Either way, the luxury tax looks like a real possibility.
- Despite the Warriors' significant 2013/14 salary commitments, Kawakami doesn't expect big contracts like Richard Jefferson's and Andris Biedrins' to be moved. As he points out, it's hard to move that sort of salary without either taking on longer-term money or giving up draft picks.
Extension Fallout: Gibson, Curry, DeRozan, Evans
Five players signed contract extensions on Wednesday's deadline day, and that doesn't even include Ty Lawson's new deal, which was completed on Tuesday. With this year's October 31st deadline behind us, let's round up some of the links relating to this year's class of extended players….
- Taj Gibson's deal with the Bulls is worth roughly $34MM in guaranteed salary, plus up to $38-39MM with incentives, which are both individual- and team-based, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com (Twitter links).
- Gibson probably could have earned a larger contract on the open market next summer, but wanted to stay with the Bulls because he's happy in Chicago, says Sam Smith of Bulls.com.
- Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group spoke to Stephen Curry about the process of negotiating a new deal with the Warriors. The piece also includes conversations with team owner Joe Lacob and GM Bob Myers.
- DeMar DeRozan was prepared to play out the season with or without a contract extension, but he's happy to have it out of the way, writes Stephen Brotherson of HoopsWorld.
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star feels that the Raptors, in locking up DeRozan, bid against themselves when it wasn't necessary.
- Sean Deveney of The Sporting News examines the consequences of a wild week for the Rockets and James Harden, who finalized a five-year maximum-salary extension yesterday.
- Having not received an extension from the Kings, Tyreke Evans tells Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee that he's fine with just focusing on his play on the court for the rest of the season.
Bob Myers Addresses Extension For Stephen Curry
The Warriors caught many observers off guard when they decided to extend Stephen Curry's contract for four years and $44MM today, not long after the guard suffered yet another ankle injury in the preseason. Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported earlier that the team never had any inclination to part ways with Curry, whether they reached an extension agreement or not, and he speculates that the Warriors were motivated by the notion that Curry's hometown Bobcats could make a lucrative offer to him as a restricted free agent next summer (Twitter link). GM Bob Myers explained his decision to reporters, including Brett Pollakoff of ProBasketballTalk.com.
On the role Curry's health played in the decision:
"It’s a big belief in his health; you can bet against it or you can bet on it, and we decided to bet on it. We looked at all the information, we watched him play in the preseason, we watched him practice the last four or five days. I’m well-acquainted with his surgeon, I’ve known him for probably 10 years. With all the information we had, we felt like it was a prudent decision — not knowing what he would have commanded (on the free agent market), and that was certainly part of the process, as in, what would he have gotten if he would have played out this season? And even in some respects, whether he was healthy or not. We’ve seen some players in free agency get some pretty big numbers."
On the consequences of not extending Curry:
He could become a restricted free agent, and get offered a contract of similar or higher value. He could become a restricted free agent, and we’d choose to go in another direction. We’d have to replace the position, and that’s a hard thing to do with what amount of money we would have had. If you look at it on a global level, our options, it wasn’t like if we didn’t do this we’d have the max space to go out and get another guy. We’re thrilled we got the deal done, because we really like him. We really believe in him, and what this does is give us cost certainty in a league that is very uncertain.”
On the pitfalls of restricted free agency:
“The thing to understand about restricted free agency is, when a player enters restricted free agency and receives an offer sheet — and we’ll never know, thankfully, whether (Curry) would have or wouldn’t have — but when a team makes an offer, they have to pay a premium,” Myers said. “They pay beyond market value, and the reason being is, they have to set a bar they think that the team with the right to match won’t commit to. So even if you value a player at $12MM, you’re not going to offer 12 — you’re going to offer 13 or 14. And you saw that in restricted free agency. So to protect against that, to commit to a player we really like for this organization, we made the deal we did and we’re happy with it.”
Extension Rumors: Gibson, Casspi, Curry
This year's deadline for extension-eligible fourth-year players to sign new deals is just hours away, arriving at 11:00pm CT today. Blake Griffin, Serge Ibaka, and Ty Lawson came into the day as the only players with new contracts, while Stephen Curry reached an unexpected agreement with the Warriors this morning and James Harden agreed to a maximum deal with the Rockets this afternoon. Will we see any other extensions signed before the night is out? We'll track today's extension-related rumors and rumblings right here:
- Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago reports Taj Gibson is seeking a four-year extension worth $40MM while the Bulls are offering $32MM. Sam notes a $36MM figure in the middle would be equal to what fellow forwards Ryan Anderson and Jeff Green got over the summer, and less than the $10MM or more Sam believes Gibson could command as a restricted free agent next summer (All Twitter links).
Earlier updates: