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Western Notes: Ridnour, Blazers, Jazz, Mavs

October 12th, 2013 at 12:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

HoopsWorld’s Jabari Davis looks at how five of the most compelling additions to Western Conference teams are already influencing their new franchises just a couple weeks into the preseason. One of them is Eric Bledsoe, who faces extra pressure with a Halloween deadline to work out an extension with the Suns. Phoenix’s front office already has plenty on its hands, needing to get rid of at least one fully guaranteed contract within the next two weeks. Point guard Ish Smith leads a tight race among voters in our poll on which of the 16 Suns with guaranteed deals is most likely to be waived. Here’s more news related to Western Conference teams:

Luke Ridnour is with the Bucks this season, a fact his former coach with the Wolves regrets, notes Charles F. Garnder of the Journal Sentinel. “We didn’t really want to get rid of Luke,” Rick Adelman said. “We had to make some moves, and he was the one that everybody wanted, and I know why.”
New Blazers point guards Mo Williams and Earl Watson both spent last season with the Jazz, but neither begrudges the team’s decision not to sign any of its free agents and instead focus on its youth, observes Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Brandan Wright‘s shoulder injury creates opportunities for others on the Mavericks, including Fab Melo and Renaldo Balkman, who are on non-guaranteed deals, as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News examines.

Traded 2014 First Round Picks To Watch

October 9th, 2013 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

As we saw in 2011 when the draft pick acquired from the Clippers by the Cavaliers ended up landing first overall, trading unprotected first-round picks is a risky proposition for NBA teams. That would explain why, heading into the 2013/14 season, only three ’14 first-round picks have been traded without protection, all by veteran teams expected to have strong years.

The Knicks’ first-round pick will be sent to the Nuggets, as part of New York’s debt from the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster. However, if the Knicks’ pick is less favorable than Denver’s own pick, the Nuggets will pass it along to Orlando, as part of last summer’s four-team Dwight Howard trade. Otherwise, the Magic will receive Denver’s pick.

The Warriors’ first-round pick will head to Utah, one of several picks Golden State sent to the Jazz in the cap-clearing summer deal that saw Andre Iguodala land with the Warriors.

The other unprotected first-rounder will come from the Nets, who agreed to send their pick to Boston in this offseason’s acquisition of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. As part of 2012’s Joe Johnson swap though, the Hawks have the opportunity to swap their own first-round pick with the Nets’ pick, leaving the Celtics with the lesser pick of the two. So if the Nets disappoint this season, it will be the Hawks, rather than the C’s, who benefit most.

Nine other teams have agreed to give up their respective 2014 first-round picks in certain scenarios, but given the protection on these picks, only a handful will actually change hands next summer. We’ll be keeping an eye on the standings all season to monitor whether or not these traded picks will fall under protection, but here’s an early look at the situations to watch this season:

Team: Charlotte Bobcats
Will be sent to: Chicago Bulls
Protection: 1-10
Forecast: Despite the addition of Al Jefferson, the Bobcats still likely project as a lottery team, meaning this pick has a good chance to stay put. That could be good news for the Bulls, since we continue to inch closer to 2016, when this pick will become unprotected.

Team: Dallas Mavericks
Will be sent to: Oklahoma City Thunder
Protection: 1-20
Forecast: Mark Cuban and the Mavs are optimistic about the new-look roster, but I’m skeptical that Dallas is a top-ten team. This pick will probably stay with Dallas.

Team: Detroit Pistons
Will be sent to: Charlotte Bobcats
Protection: 1-8
Forecast: If the Pistons were to finish as a bottom-eight team, I expect there’d be some jobs opening up in Detroit in 2014, given the expectations for the club. I have the Pistons penciled in as a low playoff seed in the East, so this pick should be ticketed for Charlotte.

Team: Indiana Pacers
Will be sent to: Phoenix Suns
Protection: 1-14
Forecast: While the Heat may be the No. 1 seed in the East again, the Pacers shouldn’t be too far behind them. As such, this pick will likely land in the mid-20s and be shipped to Phoenix.

Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Will be sent to: Phoenix Suns
Protection: 1-13
Forecast: If the T-Wolves can avoid the injury problems that plagued them last season, they should be a playoff contender. The West will be competitive though, so there are no guarantees either way on this one.

Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Will be sent to: Philadelphia 76ers
Protection: 1-5
Forecast: I’m not bullish on the Pelicans’ postseason chances for 2013/14, but the offseason upgrades, along with continued development from Anthony Davis, should ensure that New Orleans isn’t a bottom-five team. The result could be a pair of lottery picks for the Sixers.

Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Will be sent to: Miami Heat
Protection: 1-14
Forecast: Speaking of those Sixers, it would be truly be a shocker if their own first-rounder changed hands next summer. Many pundits don’t expect the Sixers to win 20 games, let alone earn a playoff spot.

Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Will be sent to: Charlotte Bobcats
Protection: 1-12
Forecast: Like the Wolves, the Blazers expect to be in contention for the postseason, but again, it won’t be easy in the West. This is another pick I could see going either way.

Team: Sacramento Kings
Will be sent to: Cleveland Cavaliers
Protection: 1-12
Forecast: The Kings are entering the season with playoff aspirations as well, but their odds are significantly lower, in my view, than the Wolves’ or Blazers’. I expect we’ll see Sacramento keep this pick.

RealGM.com was used in the creation of this post.

Northwest Notes: Gobert, Jazz, Blazers, Lopez

October 7th, 2013 at 6:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Lester Hudson was the last man to enter Jazz training camp, but it sounds like he’s got a pretty solid chance of sticking with the team. Utah would like a third point guard to help shore up their depth chart and right now it appears to be a two-horse race between Hudson and fellow one-guard Scott Machado. Here’s more out of the Northwest Division..

Rookie Rudy Gobert is impressing coaches in practice and he could be a contributor for them sooner rather than later, writes Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune. “It depends on where his development is,” coach Tyrone Corbin said. “If he can help us in games, we’ll have him in games.”If he continues to grow like he has this first week, man, he’s been pretty good. Now we’ve got to get him against other competition — in game situations — and see how it transfers.” When Utah tabbed Gobert with the 27th pick, they viewed him as a long-term project, but he could be ready to make a difference this season.
If the Blazers can get some tough play out of offseason acquisition Robin Lopez and others, they’ll have a chance at making the playoffs in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, writes Sam Amico of FOXSports.com. Earlier today, Amico reported that Portland will consider Daniel Gibson after losing C.J. McCollum to injury.
Jazz rookie Trey Burke is looking to be a vocal leader for the team this year, writes Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune.

Daniel Gibson On Blazers’ Radar?

October 7th, 2013 at 9:55am CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers suffered a significant blow over the weekend, when word broke that C.J. McCollum required foot surgery that could keep him out of action for the next two months. It’s not clear yet whether Portland will pursue another guard to fill in while McCollum recovers, but Daniel Gibson will be a player the team considers if an addition is necessary, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter).

As our list of roster counts shows, the Blazers already have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, plus two more players reportedly on partially guaranteed deals. As such, it’d be a little surprising if the team continued to commit money to new guys, since it would mean releasing at least one player with a guaranteed deal. As I noted last month, Will Barton may represent the most likely candidate to be waived, if the team does need a roster spot.

The Blazers are the second Northwest team that has been linked to Gibson by Amico within the last few days. The FOX Sports scribe wrote on Friday that the former Cavalier was on Denver’s radar as well.

Gibson, 27, had a down year in 2012/13 in Cleveland, setting career-lows in FG% (.340), 3PT% (.344), and PER (7.7), among other categories.

C.J. McCollum Fractures Left Foot

October 5th, 2013 at 7:27pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Blazers report, via Twitter, that X-Rays confirmed rookie C.J. McCollum fractured his 5th metatarsal bone in his left foot during practice on Saturday. Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com tweets that McCollum will need surgery, but a date for the surgery has not been provided.

The Blazers say that McCollum's recovery timetable will not be available until after surgery (Twitter). McCollum broke the same foot in January last year playing for Lehigh University, ESPN Insider Jeff Goodman tweets. Haynes adds, via Twitter, that the 5th metatarsal bone in his left foot is the same one he broke in January.

CSNNW.com tweets that several media outlets believe the 5th metatarsal fracture will require extensive rehab and the recovery period is expected to be 8-10 weeks. Mike Tokito of the Oregonian writes that it took 8-10 weeks for McCollum to recover from the injury in January, which ended his season. Tokito adds that Damian Lillard suffered the same injury during his 2010/11 season at Weber State.

Western Notes: Kobe, Carney, Blazers

October 5th, 2013 at 6:20pm CST by Spencer Lund

Kobe Bryant didn't inform Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni of his latest trip to Germany for a blood-spinning procedure on his right knee, and at least one other NBA coach sees that as a sign of disrespect, according to Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News.

Here's more from around the Western Conference…

The Pelicans announced today in a press release they've waived 6'7" forward Rodney Carney. A product of Memphis, the 29-year-old Carney has been in the league for five seasons, playing in the past for the Sixers, Grizzlies, Warriors and Timberwolves with career averages of 5.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 15.4 MPG.
Nicolas Batum told CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes today was the first day Blazers coach Terry Stotts let the projected starting lineup of Batum, Damian Lillard, Wesley Matthews, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Robin Lopez play together. He said they played great (Twitter).
After suffering a minor injury to his left leg during Blazers practice on Wednesday, Aldridge tells Mike Tokito of the Oregonian that he's feeling better after sitting out Thursday's practice. He was back on the court Friday.
After coming aboard as the Blazers' GM 16 months ago, Neil Olshey has blossomed into a leader and the voice of a Blazers franchise that needed both, writes Joe Freeman at the Oregonian.
Scott Rafferty of Ridiculous Upside believes Perry Jones III could use another season in the Development League before being called up to the Thunder.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post

Western Rumors: Rivers, Jordan, McNeal, Blazers

October 5th, 2013 at 3:35pm CST by Chuck Myron

It was an oft-repeated story this summer that Doc Rivers didn't want the Clippers to part with Eric Bledsoe as the team negotiated with the Celtics to bring Rivers to L.A. The Clippers wound up trading Bledsoe to the Suns in a separate deal, and now Rivers says he was worried that another Clipper would wind up in Boston. The coach wanted to bring Kevin Garnett with him to L.A., but not if it meant giving up DeAndre Jordan, according to Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. There's more on Rivers and Jordan as we look at the latest from the Western Conference:

Rivers sees Jordan as a defensive player of the year candidate, as Markazi notes in the same piece. "[Jordan] is just too young and too gifted to let walk out your door, bottom line," Rivers said. "He's a game changer defensively. He can single-handedly change a game with his defense. There's five guys, and that number maybe too high, that can do that single-handedly with their size and athleticism and he's one of them. When you have one of those guys, you want to keep them."
Former Jazz shooting guard Jerel McNeal has signed with the Zhejiang Chouzhou Golden Bulls in China, reports Kenya Brown of NiuBBall.com. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported last month that McNeal had an agreement with a Chinese team, but it was unclear whether it was with the Golden Bulls or the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions.
The Trail Blazers have announced the hirings of Rob Werdann and Zendon Hamilton as assistant coaches for the Idaho Stampede. Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com first reported the story (Twitter link). The Blazers control the basketball operations for the Stampede, who have a one-to-one affiliation with Portland.

Northwest Notes: Shaw, Aldridge, Robinson, Orton

October 5th, 2013 at 8:44am CST by Zachary Links

Brian Shaw was passed over for the Lakers coaching job back in 2011, but he's pretty happy with how things turned out for him, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. "It was hard for me, the way everything happened so suddenly," Shaw said. "It's hard for me, initially to accept the fact that, wow, I was in L.A. and now I'm going to Indiana. And then I got to Indiana and it was the best thing that could have happened to me. It really was, in terms of seeing a different way of doing things." Looking back on things, Shaw is grateful for his NBA coaching journey as it led him to the Nuggets' head job. Here's more from the Northwest Division..

LaMarcus Aldridge maturely handled questions on Blazers media day about the trade rumors involving him throughout the summer and Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com believes that shows he's becoming a better team leader.
Blazers forward Thomas Robinson is playing with a chip on his shoulder and isn't making any secret of it based off of his conversation with Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2012 draft is now on his third team in two years after stops in Sacramento and Houston.
The preseason will be critical for Daniel Orton, who projects as a fourth-string center and has a non-guaranteed contract with the Thunder. The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry checks in with the two-year veteran.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Western Notes: Carter, Dwight, Trail Blazers

October 3rd, 2013 at 6:51pm CST by Ryan Raroque

While we heard earlier today that Shawn Marion may not be entirely sure of what the future holds beyond this season, his Mavericks teammate Vince Carter feels eager to continue his NBA career as long as his body allows him to: "I don’t want to limit myself. I think doing that, you start thinking about it as the season goes on. I just go. I just let the body pretty much dictate how I feel at the end" (Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas). The 36-year-old guard/forward is entering the final year of his three-year contract this season, though MacMahon notes that team owner Mark Cuban has already gone on record saying he'd like to re-sign Carter this summer.

Warriors owner Joe Lacob tells Sean Deveney of the Sporting News that the team was much closer to landing Dwight Howard than people might think: "…we would not have gone after him if we didn’t think we had a chance or that it made sense…We were a lot closer than people realize to perhaps that actually happening."
The Oregonian's Mike Tokito thinks Robin Lopez will not only help expedite the development of Meyers Leonard, but also provide a viable frontcourt partner for LaMarcus Aldridge on the opposite block. In another piece, Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reports that Aldridge had sustained a strained hip flexor during practice last night. However, the Trail Blazers' PR Twitter account clarifies that the injury was a left quad strain (Twitter link). Head coach Terry Stotts, while somewhat concerned, doesn't believe it to be serious.
Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press underscores the tough road that Timberwolves training camp hopeful Othyus Jeffers has had to endure to get to this point.
Nuggets coach Brian Shaw is pleased with how his players have responded in training camp as he prepares to get the team to push the pace this season (Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post). In a separate article, Dempsey writes that JaVale McGee still has a ways to go before establishing himself as a legitimate post presence.

Northwest Notes: Robinson, Williams, Trail Blazers

October 2nd, 2013 at 9:01pm CST by Michael Pina

A few notes from around the Northwest Division.

Nuggets point guard Nate Robinson signed a two-year, $4.1MM contract this summer, with a player option in the second season. He wants a stable home, and is looking forward to picking up that option, unless, he says, Denver's management doesn't want him. Ultimately, the decision will be up to Robinson, writes the Denver Post's Christopher Dempsey.
1500ESPN.com's Darren Wolfson tweets a statement from Timberwolves forward Derrick Williams regarding his 2014/15 team option, saying "everyone would be a little shocked if it wasn't exercised."
OregonLive.com's Joe Freeman writes about the Trail Blazers' new roster depth, and how head coach Terry Stotts can now experiment with more versatile lineups.