Eastern Notes: Johnson, Sixers, D-League
The Pistons are pleased with what 2015 lottery pick Stanley Johnson has shown them thus far, but they admit that the rookie still has much to learn before he can be an impact player in the NBA, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “It’s still up and down but we’ve seen good potential,” coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said regarding Johnson. “He’s a guy who’s on the attack, he plays the game hard; he certainly shows no fear. He’s got a lot of developing to do; he has a lot to learn on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, his decision-making is going to have to improve — when to shoot and when to pass — and he needs a lot of work on his footwork.”
Here’s the latest from the NBA’s Eastern Conference:
- The players on the Sixers support the team’s push to add veteran leadership to the locker room, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “I think that will be good for us to have any type of veterans,” Nerlens Noel said. “I think [GM] Sam [Hinkie] is looking into that a little more. … You know Chuck Hayes is a big man and I think it’s going to help us.” Philadelphia reportedly met with Hayes and John Lucas III recently, though coach Brett Brown noted that the team is considering multiple players and no move is currently imminent, Pompey adds.”We are looking at a lot of things. To say that they [Hayes and Lucas] will join the team at this stage is not true,” Brown told Pompey.
- Jarell Eddie, who was recently signed by the Wizards, was surprised to have gotten the call from Washington, though he always believed he would make his way back to the NBA at some point, J. Michael of CSNMid-Atlantic.com relays. “I never doubted,” Eddie said of returning to the NBA. “I knew it was a process and the timing had to be right. I just continue to work, continue to do what I do. I knew eventually someone would call.“
- The Raptors have recalled Bruno Caboclo and Norman Powell from their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This was Caboclo’s fifth stint with the Raptors 905 on the season and Powell’s second.
Mavs Notes: Carlisle, Williams, Powell
Rick Carlisle was disheartened with the effort the Mavericks gave in Tuesday’s loss to the Raptors, and he threatened in the locker room and again in a postgame press conference to push for roster moves, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com details. The Mavs, at 15-13, have for the most part played surprisingly well this season, but Carlisle’s message comes with the authority of a contract that runs through 2021/22 in the wake of the five-year, $35MM extension he signed last month.
“Look, if it’s going to be like that, these guys aren’t going to be Mavericks very long,” Carlisle said in his press conference. “I can promise you that.”
Several Mavs appeared surprised that Carlisle would take the sentiment public, MacMahon notes. It’s unclear whether Carlisle was suggesting that he’d try to talk the front office into midseason personnel changes or a roster shuffling in the summer, with only five Mavs in possession of guaranteed contracts for next season, as MacMahon points out. See more on Carlisle’s remarks amid the latest from Dallas:
- Carlisle praised a group of end-of-the-bench players who were on the floor late in the game, as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News relays, so it doesn’t appear that part of the roster is the object of the coach’s ire. In any case, the rant signals that the Mavericks believe they’re better than their already impressive record shows, Sefko contends.
- Deron Williams felt a pop when he strained his left hamstring Tuesday, so he’s unlikely to play tonight in what would otherwise be his return to Brooklyn, MacMahon writes in a separate piece. Williams said to MacMahon this weekend that he was sure Nets fans would boo him, but he praised the Nets organization and GM Billy King. Williams spoke earlier about the repercussions of having struggled while playing on the max contract he signed in 2012, but he told MacMahon that the lucrative pact wasn’t a major factor in his troubles, since he’d previously signed a max extension with the Jazz.
- The Raptors probably erred when they didn’t draft Dwight Powell last year, Sportsnet’s Michael Grange opines. Toronto took Bruno Caboclo and DeAndre Daniels ahead of Powell, an Ontario native who’s blossomed this season with the Mavericks.
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Bennett, Johnson
It’s been nearly 18 months without an appearance in a game since the Sixers made Joel Embiid the No. 3 overall pick in 2014, but Brett Brown sees signs of progress in the center’s mental approach to his rehab from a lingering foot injury, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays.
“I just know what I see, just a committed, hopeful athlete,” Brown said. “He sees that he’s doing the right thing. He feels like he’s doing the right thing. He is doing the right thing. So I just see somebody that’s got the edge where he wants to get going again. I think mentally it’s night and day from talking to him this time in December last year.
Embiid has drawn criticism for alleged poor work habits and a contentious attitude, but it seems the Sixers aren’t too worried at this point. See more from the Atlantic:
- Anthony Bennett became the first former No. 1 overall pick to go on D-League assignment this weekend, and the idea for the brief stint was his, Raptors coach Dwane Casey said, according to Jessica Patton of the Toronto Sun. Bennett wanted to see some court time, and Casey is pleased that Bennett and others have approached the team about spending time with the new affiliate in Mississauga. Bennett is one of five Raptors to go on assignment this season, as our log shows.
- The talent-poor Nets are asking a lot from Joe Johnson, and the burden is wearing on the soon-to-be free agent, as Andy Vasquez of The Record examines. Johnson, a 15th-year veteran, called it the toughest season for him since his first or second year in the league, though he insisted that he’s not complaining. The 34-year-old is averaging his fewest points per game since his second NBA season.
- Kristaps Porzingis still lacks bulk, and while he insists he’s not a project and has proven that already this season, his benching for the stretch run Monday is a reminder that the Knicks still have some player development to do with this year’s No. 4 overall pick, observes Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.
Atlantic Notes: Williams, Silver, Lopez, Caboclo
Deron Williams thought about quitting the game during his struggles with the Nets, as he tells Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports. The 31-year-old isn’t concerned about the idea that he couldn’t hack it in New York and wishes his time with the team had gone better so that people didn’t feel as though he was “just stealing money,” as Lee details, with Williams once again saying that he’s pleased to be with the Mavericks now.
“It took a lot out of me, man, those three years [after re-signing with the Nets for the max in 2012]. Some of the hardest in my life,” Williams said. “Made me question if I even wanted to play basketball when I was done with that contract.”
See more from the Atlantic Division:
- Commissioner Adam Silver admits that he’s not a fan of the Sixers‘ rebuilding strategy of the past two and a half seasons but said that it doesn’t mean it’s not acceptable under league rules, and he once more denied that Philly’s hiring of Jerry Colangelo happened because of pressure from owners of other teams. Silver made his comments on FiveThirtyEight’s “Hot Takedown” podcast.
- The Knicks are thinking about removing Robin Lopez, who signed a four-year deal worth more than $54MM in the offseason, from the starting lineup in favor of Lance Thomas, who inked for less than $1.637MM on a one-year deal, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Thomas has a reputation as coach Derek Fisher‘s “favorite Knick,” Berman writes, and he showed up this season with an improved outside shot and 15 added pounds of muscle, as the Post scribe details, suggesting it’ll play to his benefit when he hits free agency again this summer.
- The Raptors have assigned Bruno Caboclo and Norman Powell to the D-League, the team announced. Caboclo has seen extensive D-League action this season, while Powell is making his second trip to Raptors 905, just two days after his first. Toronto recalled Powell, Caboclo and Anthony Bennett from the D-League on Sunday afternoon (Twitter link).
Atlantic Notes: Afflalo, Johnson, Ross, Bennett
After shaking off an early-season hamstring injury, Arron Afflalo is giving the Knicks the production they expected, writes Daniel Popper of The New York Daily News. Afflalo signed with New York as a free agent this summer, receiving a two-year deal worth $16MM. The hamstring problem forced him to miss the season’s first eight games and slowed Afflalo in finding his offensive rhythm, but he has raised his scoring average to 14.2 points per night and has been an important figure in the team’s four-game winning streak. “I knew what he can do,” said teammate Carmelo Anthony. “This is one of the reasons why [when] they asked me about him in the summer, I vouched for him. The way he’s been playing as of late, taking advantage of the mismatches out there, the way he’s shooting the ball, defending, I think it takes our team up another level.”
There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:
- Between added responsibilities and constant losing, the Nets‘ Joe Johnson is going through his most difficult season in more than a decade, according to Andy Vasquez of The Record. Johnson had to take over as the primary playmaker after Deron Williams was waived during the summer, and a recent rash of injuries has pushed his playing time to 34.5 minutes per game. “It’s tough, man,” Johnson said. “I’m not going to sit here and [put up a] front. But I just try to find things that’s positive in it and just keep rolling.”
- The Raptors probably made a mistake by committing three more years to Terrence Ross, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. The reserve swingman received a three-year extension worth nearly $31MM just before the deadline last month. The decision came despite decreased production, as his playing time has been cut this season and his scoring, rebounding and assist averages have all declined. Smith thinks the only upside to the deal is that Toronto now has an asset under contract for three more seasons and another team is likely to become interested in Ross.
- The Raptors are sending Anthony Bennett to the D-League for an afternoon game and then will recall him for this evening’s game with the Kings, the team tweeted. Delon Wright was also recalled today from Raptors 905. (Twitter link).
Eastern Notes: Yormark, Harrellson, D-League
Nets CEO Brett Yormark is excited about the coming offseason and the free agent possibilities it brings, NetsDaily relays. “This will be the first time we’ve been able to test free agency and really realize the power of Brooklyn, the power of our brand and the commitment that ownership continues to make,” Yormark said. “We’ve got a good story to tell — with the addition of our $50MM practice facility and the D-League franchise — and I think we’ll be in a position where we’ll be able to add to Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Bojan Bogdanovic and some of the other younger pieces, and bring in the necessary pieces to turn things around quickly. I’m excited about that opportunity, but obviously we have to make all the right decisions and we have to plan now. … I think there’s a chance here to really build something special.” Brooklyn is currently projected to have between $32MM and $38MM in free cap space next summer.
Here’s more from the East:
- Wizards camp cut Josh Harrellson has signed with the Latvian club VEF Riga, the team announced (translation courtesy of Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). The 26-year-old averaged 3.9 points in 7.3 minutes per game over seven preseason appearances for Washington this year.
- Brandon Jennings‘ decision to accept a rehab assignment in the D-League is a testament to the point guard’s commitment and love of the game, according to Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy, Keith Langlois of NBA.com relays. It also demonstrates the value of the franchise having its own D-League affiliate, Langlois adds. “I think it shows how important the commitment [team owner] Tom [Gores] was able to make to have a D-League team and putting money into it,” Van Gundy said. “We’ve already gotten a value of last year sending Spencer Dinwiddie and Quincy Miller there and this year sending Spencer and Darrun [Hilliard] down. Now you’ve got a guy who can be a big part of what you do and you’ve got somewhere close by where you can send him and he can play. Those kinds of things seem minor when we’re talking about ownership commitment, but that’s a big one. We can send Brandon there to get significant minutes.”
- The Raptors assigned shooting guard Norman Powell to their D-League affiliate, Adam Johnson of D-League Digest reports (Twitter link). This will be Powell’s first jaunt to the Raptors 905 this season.
- The Pistons have assigned Darrun Hilliard and Reggie Bullock to their D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids, the team announced via press release. This will be Hilliard’s fourth stint with the Drive and Bullock’s first.
Atlantic Notes: Afflalo, Porzingis, Marshall
Arron Afflalo‘s ability to score and his smooth transition to the triangle offense have proven him an effective offseason addition for the Knicks, observes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Still, Afflalo’s time in New York could be short-lived, since he can turn down a player option worth $8MM and hit free agency again next summer.
“He’s been really valuable,’’ coach Derek Fisher said. “He has that attacking, aggressive mindset that is contagious. You need guys on the floor who have to play in the moment, willing to make the plays and take the shots.’’
See more on the Knicks amid our check around the Atlantic Division:
- The Afflalo signing, as well as the team’s deals with several other veterans, came with the stewardship of Kristaps Porzingis in mind, Fisher said, as Berman details in a separate piece. One of the moves Fisher mentioned was the surprise addition of Sasha Vujacic, Berman notes. “That was a big part of why we specifically went after certain guys in free agency — Robin [Lopez], Arron, guys who can provide that type of leadership and example,’’ Fisher said.
- Soon-to-be free agent Tony Wroten and offseason signee Kendall Marshall are returning to health for the Sixers, but they’re not a seamless fit, as Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News examines.
- The Raptors‘ bench has underwhelmed this season, and beyond replacing free agent signee Luis Scola in the starting lineup with Patrick Patterson, Eric Koreen of The National Post suggests a trade for a veteran scorer. Toronto doesn’t have much in the way of mid-level salaries to spare for an easy swap, but it does have extra draft assets, Koreen writes.
- Still, the Toronto organization doesn’t regret letting Lou Williams leave in free agency over the summer, and while the Raptors‘ bench scoring has fallen drastically, the team’s reserves still have a positive net rating thanks to the front office’s intended defensive upgrades, notes Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.
Timberwolves Make Kevin Martin Available
The Timberwolves have made Kevin Martin available in discussions about potential trades, a source told Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press. Minnesota wants to find more time for younger perimeter players Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine, according to Krawczynski. The potential that LaVine has shown to become a scorer and the increased amount of time Wiggins is seeing at shooting guard, plus the eight losses in nine games that the team has suffered, have helped prompt GM Milt Newton and company to put the 32-year-old Martin on the block and focus on Wiggins, LaVine and Shabazz Muhammad, Krawczynski explains.
Minnesota spoke with two teams about Martin early this season but was reluctant to move him amid a promising 8-8 start, Krawczynski writes. He began the season on the bench but the team made him a starter in late November to help him break out of a shooting slump, according to Krawczynski. The 12th-year veteran is nailing only 36.7% of his field goal attempts, a career low. Martin didn’t play in the team’s loss to the Knicks because of a sprained right (shooting) wrist, notes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, and he’s questionable for Friday’s game against the Kings.
Martin was a part of trade talk last winter, when a series of reports identified the Mavericks, Wizards, Bulls, Kings and Rockets as interested parties, though late Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders didn’t appear willing to trade him or work a buyout. The Mavs, who signed Wesley Matthews in the offseason, were no longer interested as of October, according to a report at that time from Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities, and it’s unclear if any of the other teams linked to him almost a year ago are still eyeing him.
Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca speculates the Raptors might have interest, citing Martin’s track record as a scorer and an asset to team chemistry as well as his relationship with a few of Toronto’s players, though he suggests his contract could be a stumbling block (Twitter links). Martin is making $7.085MM this season with a player option for nearly $7.378MM next year.
What team do you think would make sense for Martin? Leave a comment to let us know.
Atlantic Notes: Prokhorov, Sixers, Scola
The NBA has approved ownership transfer of 100% of the Nets and the Barclays Center to Mikhail Prokhorov, Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg.com reports. The franchise and the arena were given a combined valuation of $1.9 billion, though the precise breakdown of that amount is unknown at this time, Soshnick adds. This arrangement will give Prokhorov full ownership of both the Nets and the Barclays Center when finalized, the Bloomberg scribe relays. Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Despite all the criticism levied against the Sixers‘ rebuilding plan, one major advantage the team had when making trades was the lack of immediate urgency to win, a perk that may now be gone with the arrival of Jerry Colangelo, Derek Bodner of Phillymag.com writes. The inconsistent play of Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor played a major role in Philadelphia bringing in Colangelo as well as looking to speed up its timetable to return to respectability, Bodner adds.
- Raptors power forward Luis Scola likely wouldn’t have been allowed to leave Indiana and sign with Toronto this past summer if it had been up to Pacers coach Frank Vogel, writes Mike Ganter of The Toronto Sun. “One of my favorite players of all time,” Vogel said regarding Scola. “One of them, yeah. Just a guy who has a great approach in the locker room, did his job and it carries over to his teammates and the entire team. He’s just a winner, he plays harder than everybody on the court every time he is out there and it’s no surprise he is helping contribute to their winning culture.” When asked why Scola was allowed to depart, Vogel diplomatically responded, “You would have to talk to [team president] Larry [Bird] about that.”
- When asked if his expectations for the Nets‘ 2015/16 season have changed in light of their difficult start, Joe Johnson offered little in the way of enthusiasm, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com writes. “I didn’t really know what the expectations were. I honestly didn’t know,” Johnson said. “I didn’t know how good we would be, I didn’t know how good we would be as a team. So, I just came in and did what I was asked to do, and I’m just trying to help out.”
Central Notes: Jones, LeBron, Love, Scola, Jackson
LeBron James‘ affection for James Jones runs deep, and the same is true for Kevin Love, who said Jones may well be his best friend in the NBA, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com details. Jones re-signed with the Cavaliers this summer on a one-year, minmum salary deal.
“I told J.J., as long as I’m playing, he’s going to be around,” James said last week. “He’s not allowed to stop playing basketball. So, I’m going to make sure I got a roster spot for him. I love him. He’s the greatest teammate I’ve ever had.”
Jones is 35 and James turns 31 later this month, so it would be tough for Jones to hang in the league for the rest of LeBron’s career, but it’s nonetheless clear that the two are close. See more from Cleveland amid the latest from the Central Division:
- It was watching his Cavaliers teammates doggedly pursue a championship during the finals last summer that served as the last bit of convincing Love needed to make up his mind to re-sign with the team, Love says, according to McMenamin, who writes in separate piece.
- The Pacers and Luis Scola talked a couple of times while he was a free agent in July, but the team didn’t make an offer for him to re-sign, and Scola and agent George Bass got the impression the team didn’t intend to make one, the power forward told Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports. Scola, 35, signed instead with the Raptors for one year and $2.9MM, and he said to Agness that he’s pleased with Toronto so far.
- Reggie Jackson drew motivation from the commitment that the Pistons showed when they gave him a five-year, $80MM deal this summer, and the deal signaled that the team’s executives “did their homework,” Jackson told TNT’s David Aldridge for his NBA.com Morning tip.