J.J. Hickson on Blazers, Canales, Kings, Future
J.J. Hickson's disappointing performance this season with the Kings surely made GM Geoff Petrie regret trading Omri Casspi and a first-round pick to get him this past offseason. Petrie and company were quick to cut bait, buying him out shortly after the trade deadline. The Blazers swooped in and claimed him off waivers, and in a dozen games with Portland, Hickson has suddenly returned to the form that made him a promising young commodity with the Cavs. He's averaging 13.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG and shooting 55% from the floor, and will see plenty of time down the stretch with LaMarcus Aldridge out. He spoke with Brendan Bowers of Slam Online and shared his thoughts on what's changed since he switched teams, and his upcoming restricted free agency:
- Hickson has indicated before he'd like to remain in Portland, but seemed to express a much stronger desire to do so in his comments to Bowers. "Of course, I would love it," Hickson said of returning to the Blazers. "I’ve been getting some positive feedback from Coach, and from the organization as a whole, and I would love to re-sign here. As far as the guys on the court, as far as my teammates go, we all like each other off the court and we all get along too. Guys hang out off the court, and I think that builds a chemistry that leads to winning basketball. So I would love to come back here, continue to be a Portland Trailblazer, and help be part of something special that we’re building here."
- Hickson harbors no ill will toward the Kings, against whom he scored 10 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Portland's loss yesterday, saying it just simply wasn't the right fit.
- He credits coach Kaleb Canales and a better mix of personnel with his Portland renaissance. Hickson said a ball-sharing offense and a heavy dose of pick-and-rolls have put him in a position to succeed.
- Hickson also shares how Canales has motivated the entire team. "Coach is a great coach, man," Hickson said. "He’s young and he’s very energetic; he’s just like me. He’s very hands on, but at the same time he’s a great coach who’s going to tell you when you’re messing up, and he’s also going to tell you what you’re doing well. He’s definitely a defensive minded coach too. I’ve only known Coach for a couple weeks or so, but I’ll run through a wall for him already. I think I speak for the whole team when I say that."
Pacific Notes: Del Negro, Kings, Petrie, Warriors
Today's updates out of the Pacific Division focus primarily on off-court situations, including potential relocations or managerial changes. Let's round them up….
- During the stretch earlier this season when the Clippers lost 11 of 19, there was some internal discussion about replacing coach Vinny Del Negro, says Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. However, owner Donald Sterling continued to support Del Negro and the team wanted to let him work through the team's struggles.
- Mayor Kevin Johnson said he's not sure whether the Maloofs want to keep the Kings in Sacramento but that "this is not over, we're going to figure something out." Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee has the details.
- George Maloof spoke to both SI.com's Sam Amick and Ken Berger of CBS Sports, insisting that he hopes there's still a way the Kings can remain in Sacramento.
- Asked about the Trail Blazers' GM opening, Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie replied, "That's something I can't really comment on. I have a job." Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com writes of speculation that the Blazers could pursue Petrie, who has strong ties to Portland, and points out that Petrie didn't deny having interest.
- Warriors assistant coach Michael Malone is a good bet to land a head coaching job elsewhere this summer, according to Vittorio Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- The Warriors' lease in Oakland can be exited in 2017, and co-owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber are telling people they're open to all their options, reports Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose could all be possibilities.
Odds & Ends: Magic, Randolph, Kings, Irving
Earlier this evening, an ESPN report (via the Associated Press) indicated that Stan Van Gundy is prepared to handle the rest of the season and playoffs without Dwight Howard. To make matter worse, forward Glen Davis hyper-extended his right knee today during the first quarter against the Cavaliers and did not return for the rest of the game. Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel tweeted that Davis is unsure about when he'll be able to play again this year, which currently leaves Daniel Orton as the only true big man on the Magic roster. It should be noted that if the Magic decide to find replacements for their big man rotation through free agency, the only playoff-eligible players at this point are those who have not already played in an NBA game this year. You can find tonight's other significant stories here:
- Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press writes that the determining factor in Anthony Randolph's future with the Timberwolves will significantly hinge on his ability to remain consistent as the team finishes out the year. Randolph is set to become a restricted free agent this summer, and even with his brilliant performance over the last three games, coach Rick Adelman feels that the jury is still out on whether he can be counted on for a full season.
- Ken Berger of CBS Sports writes that a Sacramento group including mayor Kevin Johnson is hinting at proposing new ownership for the Kings. The Maloof brothers had recently pulled out of a deal to finance a new arena with the city, much to the chagrin of the city members who are working hard to keep the team in Sacramento.
- Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott will proceed with caution with regards to the health of Kyrie Irving, says Tom Reed of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Irving is recovering from a sprained right shoulder, and Scott would rather have him focused on being ready for off-season workouts than returning for the team's final weeks.
- Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated examines the role of Chris Bosh as the key to Miami's playoff success.
- Raymond Felton has likely seen his last minutes of the season with the Trail Blazers, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Interim GM Chad Buchanan said that he and Felton agreed that this would be an opportune time to properly evaluate their other young guards, namely Nolan Smith and Jonny Flynn. Haynes also wrote another article in which he asked Kings GM Geoff Petrie about being linked to the Blazers vacant GM position, to which Petrie replied: “That's something I can't really comment on. I have a job.”
- Ten things you need to know about Derrick Favors, according to Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post spoke with coach George Karl to reflect on how he has handled coaching while prioritizing his life during this season.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Kings, Suns
The playoff-bound Clippers knocked off the Warriors by the score of 112-104 in Saturday's early action. Led by 28 points and 13 assists from MVP candidate Chris Paul, the Clippers moved to within one game of the idle Lakers for the division lead and the third seed in the playoffs. Here's the latest news and happenings from around the Pacific Division.
- Matt Moore of CBSSports.com says that while the Lakers aren't the favorites to make it out of the Western Conference this season but nothing would surprise him given the way the team has played this season. Moore says the Lakers have looked like a team that could win the NBA title this season while just as easily ending as a squad that gets pummeled come playoff time. A healthy Andrew Bynum has given the Lakers a franchise center but the fate of the squad rests on head coach Mike Brown's shoulders and the game plan he draws up going forward.
- While the Sacramento arena deal is seemingly dead at the moment, Kings co-owner George Maloof would be willing to restart negotiations if Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson removed himself from the process, writes J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today. According to Falgoust, Maloof is unhappy with how Johnson has treated Maloof and the rest of his family members and how Johnson has portrayed the family publicly. "We're disappointed in comments made by the mayor that we feel were shots to us that were unfair and not truthful."
- Paul Coro of The Republic considers the Suns' chances for making the playoffs now that they have finished the most difficult part of their closing schedule. With three spots in the Western Conference up for grabs, the Suns have an opportunity to make up lost ground as they play five of their next six games at home. If the team comes up short, it would make the second straight season in which the Suns missed the playoffs.
Pacific Rumors: Barnes, Kings, Udoh, Hill
Three of the five Pacific Division teams are in action today, as the Clippers and Warriors clash in a matinee while the Suns travel to San Antonio for a game tonight. Let's check the pulse of the Pacific:
- Matt Barnes is in the waning days of his two-year, $3.67MM contract with the Lakers, but his ability to step up while Kobe Bryant has missed games with a shin injury has helped keep the team afloat, write Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times and Mike Trudell of Lakers.com.
- Kings coach Keith Smart is trying to keep his players focused amidst all the arena-related upheaval in Sacramento, and speaks favorably of the progress center Hassan Whiteside made this year before getting knocked out for the rest of the season with a sprained right ankle, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. The team must decide by July 15 whether to guarantee his $854K contract for next season.
- Ekpe Udoh was caught off guard when he found out from a television report that the Warriors had dealt him to the Bucks, reports Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. "Coming off the court in Sacramento, I will never forget seeing on TV that I had been traded," Udoh said. "It's surreal, really. But it's a business, and I got a firsthand glimpse of that. I understand that now, and now I'm with the Bucks, and I'm going to give it my all."
- Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News talked to a few Spurs players who are impressed with the way 39-year-old Grant Hill continues to perform as one of the league's top perimeter defenders for the Suns. Hill will be a free agent this summer.
Pacific Rumors: Whiteside, Odom, Nash, Dragic
The top three teams in the Pacific Division are all scrambling for playoff position in the season's final two weeks, as the Lakers and Clippers go after the division title while the Suns, who get free-agent-to-be Grant Hill back from knee surgery tonight, are just looking to qualify for the postseason. Here's the latest from the West Coast:
- Kings reserve center Hassan Whiteside will miss the rest of the season with a severe ankle sprain, reports Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). Whiteside has two years left on his contract at less than $1M each, but they're not guaranteed if he's waived before July 15. The 2010 second round pick has played in just 19 games for Sacramento, with much of his action coming in the past two months. He's averaged 2.2 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in just 6.1 MPG this season.
- Lamar Odom has close ties to Warriors assistant coach Jerry DeGregorio, who was the best man in his wedding to Khloe Kardashian, notes Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. Earlier this week we passed along that Odom is on Golden State's radar.
- Point guards Goran Dragic and Steve Nash will both hit the free agent market this summer, but they aren't letting the notion that they may be competing for dollars get in the way of their mutual admiration from their time together with the Suns, as Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
- Blake Griffin, who'll be a free agent after next season, has taken some criticism this year, and SI.com's Sam Amick takes a lengthy look at how the reigning Rookie of the Year is dealing with increased expectations of himself and the Clippers this season.
Sacramento Arena Updates: Friday
Yesterday, the Kings' owners began making their case to the NBA's Board of Governors that the Sacramento arena plan should be renegotiated, while 25 Sacramento business people sent a letter to NBA commissioner David Stern asking him to consider new ownership for the Kings. Meanwhile, after initially saying the city wouldn't be represented in New York, Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson was expected to fly in to join the meetings between the Maloofs and the league. As the drama continues in New York, we'll follow today's updates here, with the latest up top:
- Moving to Anaheim remains an option for the Kings, tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The Honda Center in Anaheim is undergoing a $20MM renovation to make it "NBA-ready," and Fox Sports West, which is losing Lakers games after this year, would pay a premium for Kings TV rights if they were to move south, Markazi notes (Twitter links).
- League executives are well aware of the Maloofs' financial struggles and wouldn't mind seeing them sell the team, says Sam Amick of SI.com in this video. Amick predicts the Maloofs will wind up selling, which he says would please Johnson and the Sacramento fans.
Stern On Brooklyn, Ads on Jerseys, Kings, Maloofs
In a press conference today at the NBA's Board of Governors meetings, commissioner David Stern introduced new Hornets owner Tom Benson and addressed a number of other topics. Here are a few highlights, with all links going to Twitter:
- Stern called Benson the "perfect owner" for the Hornets.
- The board formally approved the Nets' move to Brooklyn and the name change to the Brooklyn Nets.
- Advertising on jerseys was discussed, but is unlikely to go anywhere before next season.
- Stern viewed the Kings' arena agreement as non-binding and said it was fair for the Maloofs to back out. He wishes they'd made that decision a little sooner, since it could have saved "a lot of angst and trouble," but he's very protective of their rights as owners to make the decision they did.
- Stern is "hopeful" but "not optimistic" about the talks between Sacramento and the Kings, saying that there was nothing more the league could do. J.A. Adande of ESPN.com notes that the commissioner seemed to be using the past tense a lot in discussing the arena situation.
- While he was respectful of the Kings' owners, Stern used the term "ill grace" frequently when discussing the Maloofs' economist, who argued the arena plan would put Sacramento in dire financial straits. The commissioner added that he believes the Maloofs when they say they want to keep their team in Sacramento, but refused to speculate on whether the Kings would remain in the city past next season.
- Stern's future as commissioner was not discussed with the Board of Governors.
Latest On Sacramento Arena Plan
The Maloof family is expected to address the NBA's Board of Governors at about 1:00pm Sacramento time today, outlining their dissatisfaction with the "term sheet" that was approved by the city of Sacramento in March, reports Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee. As the Kings' owners prepare to present their case, here are the latest links on the Sacramento arena deal:
- Fox40 Sacramento sports director Jim Crandell reports (via Twitter) that Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson is expected to fly to New York to join the meetings between the Maloofs and the NBA.
- 25 Sacramento business people have formed a group to push for new owners to replace the Maloofs, according to a Sacramento Bee report. The group, which includes developers, restaurant owners, and downtown business owners, will send a letter to the NBA today, asking the league to consider new ownership for the Kings.
- Ailene Voisin of the Bee says that when the Maloofs make their argument today, their fellow owners need to contribute, commissioner David Stern needs to "table his temper," and the Kings' owners need to be receptive.
- Tom Ziller of SBNation.com wonders how Stern and the NBA will solve the mess that the Kings' arena deal has become.
Odds & Ends: Smith, Olympics, Anthony
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel took some time to shed some light on Magic guard Ishmael Smith after his standout performance against the Pistons on Monday. In a separate piece, Schmitz outlines the uphill battle Orlando faces as they look to clinch a playoff spot. Six of their last eight games are against above-.500 teams, and four of those games are on the road.
- If Ray Allen and Dwyane Wade could have things their way, players on the USA basketball team would be compensated for their participation in the Olympics. While Allen sees it as a matter of opportunity cost, Wade focused more on the jersey sales and summer commitment aspect of it (Scott Gleeson of USA Today reports). According to Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports, Team USA Chairman Jerry Colangelo responded to their comments, saying: "It’s never been discussed and it’s not even feasible in the reality of economics."
- Jim Cavan of the New York Times examines the emergence of Carmelo Anthony after being moved to the power forward slot as well as the role it has played in the Knicks' recent success. If New York can hang onto a playoff spot and Amare Stoudemire is cleared to play, it will be interesting to see how Anthony will translate that success at the small forward position with Amare in the lineup.
- The Kings team owners will make a case to the NBA Board of Governors in New York that the plan to finance a new arena in Sacramento needs more negotiating, writes Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee.
- Gilbert Arenas tells J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today that he is happy to be out of the spotlight in Memphis as he looks to move forward from his troubled past.