Eastern Notes: Raptors, Brown, Cavs
The Raptors have been one of the big surprises of the season and they’ve got two worthy All-Star candidates in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, writes Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun. Lowry, who has been the center of trade rumors for much of the season, had a different attitude heading into this season and was in the best shape of his life during summer league play. “Kyle has brought his game to a different level, and maintained it,” coach Dwane Casey said. “Kyle has shown he can be a positive leader. I think that was the biggest question among coaches around the league.” More from the Eastern Conference..
- The Sixers announced that they have assigned guard Lorenzo Brown to the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Development League. This marks Brown’s third assignment to the Sevens this season. He has appeared in six D-League games, averaging 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Brown has appeared in 15 games for the Sixers this season.
- Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of the company that owns the Raptors, said the team will spend as necessary to win and that, “We’re not afraid of the luxury tax at the right time,” notes Michael Grange of SportsNet.
- Set to face the Lakers, who fired him last season, coach Mike Brown says he’s already begun to feel pressure with the Cavs, but he isn’t letting it get to him and wants to remain with Cleveland “for many years,” observes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Bucher’s Latest: Griffin, Anthony, Lowry
A majority of the league believes Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan don’t fit together, and Jordan’s improvement has made Griffin the more obvious trade candidate, according to Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report. The consensus is that the Clippers need a big man who can shoot, and even Chris Paul wishes Griffin were more like former teammate David West, sources tell Bucher. A general manager who possesses the sort of power forward who might mesh better with Jordan said to Bucher that the Clippers haven’t contacted his team and added that he hasn’t heard that the Clippers are shopping Griffin at all. The GM thinks owner Donald Sterling would never agree to such a deal, though Bucher hears from a Clippers source confident that Doc Rivers will talk him into it before the trade deadline. Bucher has more on the Clippers and scuttlebutt around the league, as we detail:
- Bucher suggests that if the Clippers were to trade for Carmelo Anthony, there’d be no certainty that they could re-sign him.
- The Warriors decided against trading for Kyle Lowry over concerns about how he’d fit into their locker room. The Raptors have upped their asking price for Lowry in the meantime, and executives around the league aren’t sure whether Lowry, Andre Miller or Kirk Hinrich is the best oversized point guard who might be available.
- Several GMs believe the Bulls will trade Mike Dunleavy for a draft pick, with Chicago setting its sights on a retool for next season. The Rockets are reportedly targeting Dunleavy, and Bucher shares insight from a rival executive on why Houston might be inclined to deal for him.
D-League Notes: Harris, Jazz, Muhammad
Manny Harris, fresh off his second D-League Performer of the Week award, is drawing interest from the Hawks and Lakers, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. NBA interest is nothing new for Harris, who also spoke with Thunder management about a week ago. Here’s more from the D-League..
- The Jazz today officially announced their recall of Ian Clark and Rudy Gobert from the D-League. Jody Genessy of the Deseret News first reported the move yesterday.
- The T’Wolves announced that they have recalled Shabazz Muhammad from the Iowa Energy. The rookie forward is expected to practice with Minnesota today. The UCLA product averaged 24.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in four games. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (on Twitter) notes that Flip Saunders said this would be the plan all along.
- The Pistons announced that they have recalled rookie guard Peyton Siva and rookie forward Tony Mitchell from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Siva averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.6 steals in five games (four starts) with Fort Wayne. In six games (five starts) with the Mad Ants, Mitchell averaged 6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game.
- The Kings announced that they have assigned rookie guard Ray McCallum to the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns. McCallum was assigned yesterday and recalled just a few hours later.
- The Raptors announced that they have recalled Dwight Buycks from the Bakersfield Jam. Buycks has appeared in 12 games for the Raptors this season recording a total of 41 points, 10 assists, 20 rebounds and six steals in 121 minutes.
- The Delaware 87ers of the D-League have claimed guard Vander Blue, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Maccabi Rishon LeZion of Israel waived the former Marquette shooting guard just before the New Year.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Smith, Patterson
After topping the Heat in double overtime, can the Nets good fortune continue? Maybe not. Star guard Deron Williams won’t be back in action in time for the club’s London tilt against the Hawks, the club announced earlier today. Here’s more out of the Atlantic..
- The Knicks are said to be working their way into the mix for Nuggets guard Andre Miller, but Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com is less-than-enthused about that idea. While the Knicks need help at the one-guard position, the club’s only real assets are Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr., and Miller isn’t worth parting with either guy.
- J.R. Smith is in the Knicks‘ doghouse, but he says that he’s learned from his benching, writes ESPNNewYork.com’s Begley. The Knicks are said to be shopping Smith around, but that’s said to be more of a tactic to scare him straight, especially since there isn’t much of a market out there for him anyway.
- Patrick Patterson says that he has been a great fit with the Raptors thus far, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. The forward says he’s comfortable playing alongside Amir Johnson because of the similarities in their games. Patterson came north of the border in December’s Rudy Gay deal with the Kings.
Eastern Notes: Drake, Raptors, Cavs, Bynum
In September the Raptors and rapper Drake agreed to a partnership in preparation for the Raptors 20th anniversary and the 2016 All-Star game. A product of that partnership was tonight’s game being labeled “Drake Night” featuring among other festivities, Drake announcing Toronto’s starting line up. Prior to the evening, Drake held a press conference in which he disclosed (Twitter Link) to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun that he has weekly discussions with Raptors GM Masai Ujiri and CEO Tim Leiweke. Whether Drake is the one advising the Raptors to “start from the bottom” and draft Andrew Wiggins next summer is still to be seen.
- Speaking of Raptors transactions, Sean Highkin of USA Today describes how Toronto has changed for the better since the Rudy Gay trade. Additionally, Highkin points out the Raptors aren’t the only one doing better as Gay himself has improved since joining the Kings.
- Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times examined the contract situations for the impact players on the Sixers to preview what next year’s lineup could look like. Moore is of the belief that the current roster, two lottery picks, and $30MM in available free agency money isn’t enough to solve the Sixers missing pieces.
- Now that the dust has settled from the Cavaliers trade for Luol Deng, Bob Finnan of The News-Herald details what Deng will be seeking in free agency next summer. Finnan believes the Cavaliers won’t be able to keep Deng around if he becomes an unrestricted free agent so Cleveland will have to try their best to extend Deng for the maximum three-years, $49.5MM before June 30th. Deng has already shown by turning down Chicago’s extension offer that he believes his value is above $10MM per year but has repeatedly denied ever asking for a deal near $15MM a year.
- Finnan also evaluates what Andrew Bynum‘s options may be with his upcoming free agent decision. It looks like the Heat may still be a favorite. The Pacers and Rockets are also being rumored as options according to Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer.
- Cavaliers GM Chris Grant didn’t rule out the possibility of another trade prior to the deadline but he did tell Boyer of The Plain Dealer that his preference is to not be active and let the guys “settle in and learn”. In relation to settling in, Boyer also believes the Cavs plan to stick long term with both Anthony Bennett and Anderson Varejao.
Stein On Raptors, Lowry, Chandler, Afflalo
For the first time, there’s real talk from Toronto that the Raptors might keep point guard Kyle Lowry for the rest of the season, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Word is that GM Masai Ujiri won’t commit to any firm position and is open to moving Lowry if the offers suddenly get sweeter. However, team officials appear to prefer the idea of going for what would be just Toronto’s third playoff berth in 13 seasons rather than attempt a colossal tank and go from .500 to Andrew Wiggins territory. Here’s more from Stein’s latest offering..
- The Knicks were linked heavily to Lowry just a few weeks ago but they’re now said to want to work their way into the bidding for Nuggets guard Andre Miller. Unfortunately for them, they have the same problem in chasing Miller that they did with Lowry: a lack of assets to offer.
- The Knicks are still getting calls for center Tyson Chandler but sources close to the situation tell Stein that they’re brushing each one of them off. At this stage, New York has no interest in parting with its defensive anchor, which makes sense if the Knicks are set on re-signing Carmelo Anthony this summer.
- The Magic, meanwhile, continue to stiff-arm teams registering interest in shooting guard Arron Afflalo. The difference there, though, is that some rival clubs aren’t convinced that the Magic’s stance is as absolute as the Knicks’ stance is with Chandler. The lure of the 2014 draft is strong, but it’s not out of the question that someone could offer up a first-round pick for Afflalo. In that event, Orlando would have to give serious thought to pulling the trigger.
Odds & Ends: Draft, Lowry, Brown, Rodriguez
ESPN.com’s Chad Ford spoke to multiple sources from the NBA’s current lottery teams to attempt to determine which player those clubs would select first overall in the 2014 draft, if given the opportunity. Detailing the results in an Insider-only piece, Ford reveals that the majority of the 13 clubs (Denver currently has two lottery picks) would likely take Jabari Parker. The Nuggets, Sixers, and Magic would probably lean toward Andrew Wiggins, while the Cavs and Lakers may prefer Joel Embiid, in Ford’s view.
Here’s more from around the NBA on a Thursday afternoon:
- Kyle Lowry certainly doesn’t look like the trade candidate he did a month ago, with Cathal Kelly of the Toronto Star suggesting that Raptors management has confidence that the point guard will be willing to re-sign in Toronto this summer. Toronto may reconsider its options if it starts losing, but a Raps source tells Kelly that the club isn’t expecting to backslide.
- The 76ers re-assigned Lorenzo Brown to the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. Brown was recalled from the Delaware 87ers on Monday and saw some playing time in Philadelphia’s last two games, recording seven points and seven rebounds in 27 total minutes of action. Sixers coach Brett Brown expects the 23-year-old to be brought back to the NBA tomorrow after playing with the 87ers today, tweets Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Spanish team Real Madrid announced today that the club has extended the contract of Sergio Rodriguez through 2018 (Twitter link). Rodriguez was selected 27th overall in 2006, but returned to Spain when his rookie contract expired, and it appears he’ll remain there for the foreseeable future.
- Jazz guard Diante Garrett was nervous about Tuesday’s contract guarantee date, but tried not to think about it and ultimately survived the cut, as Jody Genessy of the Deseret News details.
Masai Ujiri Talks Raptors’ Direction, Goals
Having previously been a member of the Raptors’ front office under ex-GM Bryan Colangelo, Masai Ujiri returned to the franchise this spring to replace his old boss and assume control of the club’s basketball decisions. While Ujiri’s trades of Andrea Bargnani and Rudy Gay suggested that Toronto wasn’t necessarily expecting to contend this season, the team has gone on an impressive 10-4 run since moving Gay, a stretch that earned Dwane Casey coach of the month honors for December.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today caught up with Ujiri to talk about his vision for the Raptors, as well as how the team’s recent hot streak may affect the short- and long-term plans for the franchise. Here are a few of the noteworthy quotes from the Raptors’ president of basketball operations:
On the team’s direction:
“The team is playing well. Everybody’s encouraged. The NBA is a crazy league. One day, it’s great. The next day, it’s tough…. The players know, I have communicated to everybody where we stand. We want to be a good team, a winning team. If it’s not that way, we have to figure out a way to rebuild the team or figure it out. Everybody’s clear how this thing works.”
On the Raptors’ long-term goals:
“We want to have an effect on the league as a basketball team. I don’t believe in any of that B.S. that everybody says about Toronto. Players are going to want to play in Toronto, and we have to show that. I have to show that we can put a brand on the court to compete. We’ll continue to try and do that.”
On the process of making trades, and the notion that he has “won” multiple deals:
“Just get on the phone and call or listen to calls. All the general managers are unbelievable with this stuff. Until two people say, ‘We have a deal’ … one person cannot do it. Deals are tough to do, but it’s our job and we try our best to help our organizations going forward.”
Atlantic Notes: Carmelo, Nets, Raptors, C’s
Regardless of whether or not Carmelo Anthony plans to re-sign with the Knicks, the team should trade him, opines Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. Beck argues that even if Carmelo stays, building a contender around him would be tricky, and that the Knicks would be better off starting the retooling process now. Multiple league executives agree with that assessment, with one suggesting that an ideal trade partner for New York would be “a team that so wants a star and so wants it now and will do anything to get it, and that thinks Carmelo is still a star.”
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- The Nets have re-assigned Tornike Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor to the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. It’s the fourth time each player has been assigned to the Springfield Armor this season, though like their first three assignments, there’s a good chance this one will be brief.
- If the Raptors acquire a player in the next few weeks, it should probably be a big man, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, who says that even having a young big at the end of the bench would help the team.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com and Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com explain the Celtics‘ motivations for swapping Courtney Lee for Jerryd Bayless, with financial considerations playing a large role. Jimmy Toscano of CSNNE.com also caught up with Avery Bradley and Jeff Green, who weighed in on the move, wishing Lee the best in Memphis. The deal is expected to be finalized later today.
Atlantic Notes: Carmelo, Lopez, Patterson
Carmelo Anthony brushed off rumors of trade talks involving him and Blake Griffin, calling the reports “silly and stupid” to gathered media today, including Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). That doesn’t mean that he and Chris Paul wouldn’t like to join forces, Isola notes, and Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com wrote yesterday that their desire to play together hasn’t waned since Paul first raised the idea in 2010. Anthony addressed the latest talk linking him to Paul, pointing out that, “It never happens,” as Isola also tweets. Of course, there’s wiggle room with that statement, too, since Anthony didn’t say it will never happen. As cryptic messages and conflicting reports abound, here’s the latest from the Knicks and their Atlantic Division rivals:
- The Nets believe Brook Lopez will recover fully from the latest surgery on his right foot, but if the procedure designed to make the foot more resistant to injury doesn’t prove successful, the 25-year-old’s career is probably in jeopardy, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.
- Patrick Patterson‘s strong play has helped fuel the resurgence of the Raptors following his acquisition as part of the Rudy Gay trade, observes Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.
- The Knicks and Clippers are denying that they’ve had internal discussions about an Anthony/CP3 trade, but with the Knicks far adrift from their title aspirations, Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal thinks New York’s front office should be open to such a deal.
- Tom Moore of The Intelligencer wonders how the Sixers would have fared if they hadn’t traded Jrue Holiday this past summer.