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Latest On Pau Gasol

December 5th, 2012 at 2:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Despite building chatter that the Lakers will trade forward Pau Gasol, the club may opt to keep him to satisfy guard Steve Nash. The club landed Nash this summer by promising him that he would get to play with the Spaniard, a source tells Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (via Twitter).

Nash, the source says, turned down offers from the Knicks and passed on the opportunity to return to Canada with the Raptors because he was promised that Gasol would stay. It’s possible, of course, that Nash re-thinks his position if the team continues to struggle upon his return.

Agreements such as this aren’t unheard of in the league as Chris Paul made similar personnel demands as part of his agreement to be dealt to the Clippers. Paul demanded that the Clippers would do whatever was necessary to retain restricted free agent DeAndre Jordan.

Yesterday we learned that General Manager Mitch Kupchak recently spoke with Gasol’s representatives and explained that the team will have to explore trade possibilities if his play doesn’t improve. The forward missed last night’s game against the Rockets due to tendinitis in both knees but benching had nothing to do with an impending deal.

Latest On Pau Gasol

December 4th, 2012 at 2:17pm CST by Zachary Links

2:17pm: League executives believe that Los Angeles won't have any real discussions for Gasol until Steve Nash returns, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated tweets. They also believe that they Lakers will hold off until after December 15th, when players who signed contracts over the summer can be traded.

1:32pm: Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak recently spoke with Gasol's representatives and explained that the team will have no choice but to explore trade possibilities if Gasol is unable to adjust to Mike D'Antoni's system, multiple league sources tell ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin. Gasol, who has been the subject of heavy trade speculation for weeks, will miss tonight's game due to tendinitis in both knees. However, the resting has to do specifically with the big man's injury and isn't being prompted by a forthcoming trade

The former four-time All-Star has career low numbers so far in 2012/13, averaging 12.6 PPG and 8.8 RPG in 34.8 minutes per contest. From a team standpoint, the Spaniard doesn't seem to mesh well in the club's offensive system or make a strong complement to center Dwight Howard. Gasol's mental lapses on the court have also been well documented and have been a recurring problem for the club over the last couple of years.

Odds & Ends: Saric, Draft, Murphy, Collins, Lakers

November 26th, 2012 at 4:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's check out a few items from around the Association as we prepare for an eight-game evening slate….

Although we heard on Friday that Dario Saric's contract in Croatia wouldn't have an NBA out until 2014, Saric confirmed today that his new deal will include an NBA out after every season. Saric, who ranks 16th on DraftExpress.com's big board for 2013, indicated that he'd declare for the draft next season if he receives a top-10 guarantee, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando writes.
NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper notes (on Twitter) that one NBA executive has Saric in his current top 10, but that he's hardly a lock, and plenty can change between now and next June.
In an Insider piece at ESPN.com, Jay Bilas and Chad Ford debate which college prospect is the early favorite to be picked first overall next June, and discuss a few more draft topics.
Kevin Murphy, who was assigned to the D-League today, will be with the Reno Bighorns for at least five games, according to Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey (Twitter link via Jody Genessy of the Deseret News).
Chris Bernucca of Sheridan Hoops fills out a hypothetical roster made up of the NBA's worst contracts.
Mardy Collins, who played in parts of four seasons for the Knicks and Clippers after being drafted 29th overall in 2006, has reached an agreement to play for Israel's Maccabi Ashdod, reports David Pick of Sportando.
Lakers offseason acquisitions Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison have begun to thrive under new coach Mike D'Antoni, says Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Medina adds that there's still no set timetable for Steve Nash's return.

Odds & Ends: Bobcats, Nash, Beal, Lakers

November 17th, 2012 at 10:27pm CST by Michael Pina

Here's a look around the NBA this Saturday evening.

The Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell wonders if the Bobcats can get anything of value for DeSagana Diop's expiring contract.
Steve Nash and Dwight Howard are teammates with the Lakers, but both of them could easily have ended up in New York with separate teams, writes Howard Beck of the New York Times.
NBA.com's Jeff Caplan has a piece on Wizards rookie shooting guard Bradley Beal, who currently leads his struggling team in scoring.
A quick recap of the Bernie Bickerstaff era as head coach of the Lakers, from ESPNLA.com's Dave McMenamin.
With James Harden flourishing as a starter with the Rockets, the Oklahoman's John Rohde wonders who will win the Sixth Man of the Year award this season.

Injury Updates: Shumpert, Nash, Griffin

November 6th, 2012 at 9:08am CST by Luke Adams

We don't focus a whole lot on covering day-to-day injuries at Hoops Rumors, but we do keep tabs on the more serious injuries or issues affecting star players. In those cases, a team is more likely to explore a roster move to bring in a replacement player. Here's the latest on a handful of injuries from around the league:

Iman Shumpert tells Marc Berman of the New York Post that he's aiming for a return sometime in 2013, rather than next month. "It could be as easy as December, but I’m not aiming at December," Shumpert said. "When I feel my knee’s right, that’s when I’m going to come back. January, February, that’s the target. If you can talk to my knee, I’d love you to write what it says." While Shumpert and Amare Stoudemire are out, offseason additions Jason Kidd and Ronnie Brewer will continue to start for the Knicks.
Although coach Mike Brown believes Steve Nash may only miss a week with the small fracture in his left leg, the Lakers aren't putting any pressure on Nash to return quickly, writes Dave McMenamin of the Los Angeles Times. Even if Nash misses a few weeks, the Lakers don't appear interested in adding another point guard, as we heard yesterday.
Blake Griffin is playing with a burst burca sac in his right elbow, according to Dan Woike of the Orange County Register. Griffin has experienced the issue before and expects to play through it, though he concedes it's "never this bad." If Griffin were forced to miss time, the Clippers do have a spare roster spot, and a certain ex-Clipper power forward is looking for work.

Lakers Don’t Intend To Add Point Guard

November 5th, 2012 at 10:07am CST by Luke Adams

Last night, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times tweeted that Steve Nash could miss up to four weeks with the fracture in his left leg, rather than the one or two weeks initially reported. While that's not good news for the Lakers, the team doesn't intend to add a point guard for depth purposes, according to Bresnahan.

Considering the depth the Lakers already have at the position, the club's stance makes sense. Steve Blake and Darius Morris have been earning most of the minutes at the point in Nash's absence, while Chris Duhon has seen limited playing time as well. Los Angeles is also carrying a fourth point guard in Darius Johnson-Odom, who has been inactive for each of the Lakers' first four games.

Although the Lakers plan to wait out Nash's recovery with their current group of point guards, there are a number of options available on the free agent market if the team changes its mind. Former Laker Derek Fisher is perhaps the most obvious candidate, while Delonte West and Anthony Carter are among the other unsigned veterans.

Western Notes: Morris, Murphy, Thunder, Thabeet

November 3rd, 2012 at 5:40pm CST by Ryan Raroque

With news of Steve Nash's leg fracture keeping him out for another week, Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles thinks that this will be a good opportunity for Darius Morris to prove himself, noting that that his potential is what helped the Lakers decide to keep him over recently-cut guard Andrew Goudelock. McMenamin also cited Mike Brown's postgame comments last night about Morris, who also appeared to be encouraged about the second year point guard's ability to change the tempo of the game and apply good defensive pressure (Sulia link). Here are more of this evening's links out of the Western Conference:

Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram writes that Troy Murphy's familiarity with Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle's system made the 6'11 forward an ideal fit with the team. Although Murphy is not yet in 'great' shape, Price says that he will be expected to help stretch the floor with his shooting ability.
Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK shared a handful of notes from Thunder practice today, mentioning that Kendrick Perkins should be ready to play the Hawks on Sunday after spraining his ankle last night, discussing the growing confidence of Hasheem Thabeet amidst concerns about the team's depth at center, Serge Ibaka's early shooting struggles, and coach Scott Brooks' effort to get minutes for Jeremy Lamb, among other topics.
Nick Gallo of NBA.com looks at the Thunder's emphasis on protecting the paint this season and how center Hasheem Thabeet can be used effectively in that role against bigger lineups.
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweeted that Hornets coach Monty Williams credits Knicks center Tyson Chandler for Anthony Davis' development during the London Olympics this past summer. Williams also weighed in on the league's concussion policy, addressing the notion that Davis could miss several games because of league protocol after suffering a mild concussion yesterday: "It's just that now you treat everybody like they have on white gloves and pink draws. It's just getting old, but it's just the way the league is now…I'm not saying I don't like it; we've got to protect our players…but as a coach I’m a baby about it. I want my guys ready to play.'' (John Reid of NOLA.com reports).

Mark Cuban Talks Lakers, CBA, Steve Nash

October 31st, 2012 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Without Dirk Nowitzki, the new-look Mavericks caught the NBA world off-guard last night, with a 99-91 upset victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles. From Darren Collison to Eddy Curry, the Mavs' offseason additions looked far more in sync than the Lakers' high-profile acquisitions, something that had to please owner Mark Cuban. Before the game got underway, Cuban spoke to reporters about a number of topics related to his team, the Lakers, and Steve Nash. Let's check out the highlights:

Joking that he just hopes the Lakers "suck" this year, Cuban questioned whether L.A.'s so-called superteam would be able to live up to the expectations, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. "Obviously, Nash is great. He's phenomenal, Dwight [Howard]'s phenomenal, Kobe [Bryant]," Cuban said. "But it takes a team. They've got to come together and play as a team."
Cuban added that he isn't bothered by the fact that the Lakers were able to add two significant pieces under a CBA that was supposed to limit major market teams.
More Cuban on the Lakers: "I don't have a problem with it, because until guys start playing until they're 50 (years old), it always comes to an end at some point. Houston went for it when they got (Charles) Barkley and it didn't happen. Guys have shelf lives. They don't play forever, so at some point, you have to re-formulate your team. Everybody's got to go through it."
The Mavs owner admitted he was wrong about Nash back in 2004 when he let the point guard leave Dallas. The decision to let Nash go "was all based on what we thought physically would end up happening, and it didn’t work out that way," Cuban said, according to Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star Telegram.
Cuban also said he considered trying to bring Nash back to Dallas this past summer, but wasn't interested in committing to a three-year deal, tweets Price.

Steve Nash Talks Free Agency, Raptors, Knicks

October 26th, 2012 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

Since he agreed to a three-year deal with the Lakers and was signed-and-traded to a division rival by the Suns earlier this summer, Steve Nash has discussed the move with a handful of reporters, explaining his motives for choosing Los Angeles. In a lengthy interview with Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, Nash expanded a bit on his free agent experience, among many other topics. The interview is worth a read in its entirety, but here are the key quotes from Nash on his free agency:

On whether there's been a backlash since he decided to sign with the Lakers:

"From Phoenix? Yeah, a little bit. But I’ve felt some backlash but I’ve also felt an overwhelming amount of support. There are people that are pissed off that I came here to the enemy but, to me, this opportunity ticked all the boxes after Phoenix didn’t want me to come back. That’s the thing that I think some fans don’t realize or don’t understand, an offer was never made…. So am I supposed to pass up an opportunity to play on a great team, be in a great city and be an hour from the kids just because? For me, my kids trump everything."

On having had the chance to sign with the Raptors:

"Toronto was a very special opportunity to me because, I mean, when they came to recruit me, it’s Bryan [Colangelo] who I’ve known my whole career; Jay Triano, recruited me in high school and who is a very close friend and our national team coach; Marc Eversley, who was my Nike rep way back and now an executive for the Raptors and very close friend of mine; Johnny Lee, who is a very close friend of mine, manager on the Olympic team. It’s hard when it’s a room full of people you care about to say no to that…. Let alone the fact I love Toronto as a city, it’s home in many ways and I would have been proud to play for the Raptors and in front of those fans and to try to move the ball forward a little bit with that franchise; that was exciting."

On weighing the Knicks' offer against the Lakers' and Raptors':

"The Knicks opportunity was exciting; I’ve been in New York for 10 summers, always wanted to play in the Garden for the Knicks in some way and I have so many friends in the city now living there. Just the challenge of playing the Garden even though it’s been such a tumultuous environment recently, it still was an exciting proposition just to experience it. They have a lot of talent, too…. I would have been happy to go to either and I would have been thrilled to play in Toronto."

On whether his decision was made when the Lakers began to show serious interest:

"It wasn’t over because there were factors. We started talking to the Lakers, had to get them to sign off on a third year (of a contract) and the Suns had to sign off on a sign-and-trade, which was very difficult and took almost two days."

On why the Lakers loading up on stars didn't inspire as strong a backlash as when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh teamed up in Miami:

"I think it’s a different situation. I think the way that it was handled was different, I think always the first time is the hardest when something like that happens and people get over it. I think it’s slightly different."

Mitch Kupchak On Howard, 2014, Nash

October 23rd, 2012 at 7:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

The acquisition of Dwight Howard may have received more fanfare, but Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak believes the sign-and-trade that brought Steve Nash aboard was the linchpin to the team's ballyhooed offseason, citing the enthusiasm others have for playing with a distributor like Nash, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reports. The Nash deal wouldn't have been possible without last year's Lamar Odom trade, but Kupchak said he wasn't envisioning a summer like the team just had when he let Odom go last year. Kupchak shared plenty more with Medina, as we highlight here.

On whether Dwight Howard has told him he'll re-sign next year:

"I have not asked that question nor do I intend to ask the question. I hear he's embraced the city. Certainly, everything he says publicly is positive. But there really is nothing to pursue there from that point of view. It doesn't make any sense for him to do anything other than wait for this summer."

On what the Lakers must do to convince Howard to come back:

"Winning a championship wouldn't hurt. If we didn't win it this year, would that factor into his decision? I don't know. I would think that if he has a great year and there's great chemistry and the city embraces him like I think we do and will, I'm not sure it would be a factor. But that's something that he'll have to decide. He doesn't have to decide that now."

On 2014, when executive Jim Buss says the team plans to "make a big splash":

"Even if we sign back Dwight, we'll have cap flexibility. But I don't know who's going to be available two years down the road. I don't know what will happen in the next year or two. There may be a trade that comes along. Right now, we do have financial flexibility."

On the team's pursuit of Nash this past summer:

"When we were talking about it in the office, we said, 'Steve is on our list.' but I said, 'It's unlikely.' Jimmy said, 'Well, make the call.' I said, 'we'll make the call anyway, but don't get your hopes up.' He took the optimistic approach to it. Lo and behold, the unlikely took place."