Odds & Ends: Parker, Collison, Magic
In an article by the Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins, Stan Van Gundy explained that the injury to Hedo Turkoglu has caused major defensive issues for the Magic that the team should be able to overcome by the playoffs.
- With Darren Collison suffering from a groin injury that could force him to miss the start of the playoffs, Pacers head coach Frank Vogel isn't sure if Collison will get his starting job back once he returns.
- SI.com's Sam Amick writes about Tony Parker, and how his recent play has gone beyond anybody's greatest expectations.
- FoxSportsOhio.com's Sam Amico does his most recent mock draft.
- Alan Anderson and the Raptors could have a relationship that goes beyond this season.
- Deputy commissioner Adam Silver says that despite the success in attendance and ratings the league has seen with its shortened season, the NBA still prefers an 82-game regular season as opposed to this year's 66.
- Despite the Pistons decision to switch their lineups around in a peculiar way, head coach Lawrence Frank says they aren't tanking games on purpose, according to MLive.com's David Mayo.
- Nate Robinson says he'd love to stay with the Warriors next season and beyond (Twitter link), but isn't getting his hopes up. The guard has played for four teams in the past three years.
- Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari has had some rough shooting nights in recent games, but as long as his team wins game, he couldn't care less, according to Nuggets.com's Aaron J. Lopez.
Odds & Ends: Magloire, Curry, Hudson, Stiemsma
A few Thursday odds and ends from around the Association….
- The Raptors hope to bring Jamaal Magloire back next season, coach Dwane Casey tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida.
- Stephen Curry told reporters, including Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, that "it would be great" if he and the Warriors could work out a contract extension this year. However, he acknowledged that it may be difficult for the two sides to agree on his value right now, given his injury-plagued 2011/12 campaign.
- Lester Hudson's second 10-day contract with the Cavaliers has expired and Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer wonders if he'll be re-signed. It's believed that Hudson is drawing interest from teams besides Cleveland, says Reed.
- If you're going to tank to score a good draft position, this is the year to do it, writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.
- Greg Stiemsma is "absolutely" interested in returning to the Celtics next season, as he tells Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com.
- Hornets GM Dell Demps and coach Monty Williams deserve to be retained by new ownership, writes John DeShazier of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Odds & Ends: Calderon, Kanter, Blazers
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Tuesday night:
- Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun examines the future of Jose Calderon with the Raptors. He says the Spanish guard has played well enough to deserve a long-term commitment from the Raptors, but that trading him might also make financial sense for a rebuilding Toronto team.
- The Salt Lake Tribune's Brian T. Smith looks at the development of rookie center Enes Kanter, the Jazz' third overall pick in the 2011 draft.
- The Oregonian's John Canzano wants to see a larger commitment to the future of the Trail Blazers from owner Paul Allen. Canzano also suggests that this could be an opportune time for Allen to sell the team.
- Philly.com's Bob Cooney has quotes from Sixers CEO Adam Aron, who stresses the organization's commitment to putting a winning product on the floor going forward.
Odds & Ends: Celtics, Raptors, Brown, Draft
It's an eventful night in the NBA with 11 games, many of which have playoff implications. There's been plenty of draft news as well, as teams look past the playoffs, and one item concerning the distant future, with the NBA announcing the Hornets will host the 2014 All-Star Game, just six years after hosting the 2008 event. The new ownership of Tom Benson had plenty to do with that, though he's already come up short in his quest to get the Jazz nickname back from Utah, as Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune notes. If Benson ditches the Hornets name, it'll be a while before Charlotte could use it again, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. While nicknames won't be moving for a while, there's plenty of movement on other fronts, and here's the latest:
- A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com doesn't think free agents Roy Hibbert and Eric Gordon will switch teams this summer, but says the Celtics have interest in both (Twitter link).
- Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun breaks down the Raptors' roster and predicts who'll be there next season and who won't.
- Longtime coach Larry Brown is pursuing the Blazers GM job even as he zeroes in on the SMU coaching gig, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford discusses the possibility that Kentucky senior Darius Miller, currently projected as a second-rounder, could climb up the draft board and make it six first-round picks for the Wildcats (Insider only).
- Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday rounds up Carmelo Anthony's comments on multiple radio shows today about the way new Knicks coach Mike Woodson has held him accountable (Sulia links).
- Mavs cast-off Lamar Odom leads Sam Smith's list of the biggest disappointments this year on NBA.com
- Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida shares the results of an informal survey of 11 former MVPs, who give a slight edge to Kevin Durant over LeBron James in this year's race. The former players won't have official votes for the award; instead, writers and broadcasters will make the selection.
- Roland Beech of 82games.com crunches the numbers and determines Gilbert Arenas, taken in the second round by the Warriors in 2001, was the shrewdest draft choice in recent years (hat tip to Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld).
Prospect Profile: Bradley Beal
There aren't a lot of quality young shooting guards in the NBA right now, especially given the injuries Eric Gordon has endured this year. There's also only one shooting guard projected as a surefire lottery pick in this year's draft, so that player, Bradley Beal, could be even more valuable than his ability would otherwise suggest.
Even if he weren't playing at a sought-after position, the freshman from Florida possesses plenty of appealing attributes. His high basketball IQ is something both ESPN.com's Chad Ford and Jonathan Givony of Draft Express agree on. He can play the point as well, and his showing down the stretch for the Gators and his ability to handle traps and double teams have already caught the eye of the Wizards, who are "enamored" with him, writes HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler. Ford points to his rebounding prowess, as he averaged 6.7 RPG this year, and Givony likes the advanced fundamentals and maturity he shows at just 18 years old.
Still, there are question marks involved. Ford writes that the only concern scouts have is his relatively poor shooting this year, when he connected on 44.5% of his field goal attempts, including 34% from three-point territory. Those are disappointing numbers from someone who, according to Ford, evoked comparisons to Ray Allen coming out of high school. While Givony believes he will never shoot so poorly from behind the arc again, he also points to a need for him to finish better on his attacks at the rim, as well as defensive inconsistencies. ESPN has him listed at 6'5", while he checks in at 6'3.5" at Draft Express. NBADraft.net splits the difference and has him at 6'4". Givony expressed concerns about his height, and if he's closer to the shorter side of his measurements, that's a legitimate worry.
Size matters less in a wide-open transition game, and he's been effective playing that style, according to Givony, creating looks for himself and his teammates with smooth ballhandling and an ability to change speeds. He'd fit a team looking for an up-tempo attack, and the Wizards notion holds water here, as they could go with a small lineup of John Wall, Beal, Jordan Crawford, Jan Vesely and Nene Hilario. He'd be a tougher fit with a team like the Raptors, who have a defensive-minded coach in Dwane Casey and DeMar DeRozan occupying the two-guard spot. Still, ESPN's latest mock has him going to Toronto at No. 5. Draft Express has him going fifth as well. Ford believes he could go as high as No. 2, but much of that will depend on how he compares to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, another sought-after wing player.
It all comes down to the right fit with a player like Beal, unlike a must-have top pick like Anthony Davis. If a team needs a versatile guard who can make quick decisions and, at worst, take nothing away from you with his shooting, Beal is the guy. If a team is worried about size and wants to play a halfcourt game, they'll shy away from him.
Raptors Re-Sign Ben Uzoh, Alan Anderson
The Raptors have officially re-signed Ben Uzoh and Alan Anderson, according to a team press release. Both players saw their second 10-day contracts expire today, so their new deals will keep them with the team for the remainder of the season.
With a number of Raptors regulars missing time with injuries, both Uzoh and Anderson have entered the starting lineup, with Anderson starting the seven games and Uzoh starting the last two. Overall, Anderson, who I named one of the best 10-day signings of 2012, is averaging 8.4 points and 1.4 threes in 22.4 minutes per game. Uzoh has averages of 4.1 PPG, 2.8 APG, and 2.6 RPG in 11 contests with Toronto.
As our 10-day contract tracker shows, Justin Dentmon also had his deal with Toronto expire today, but the team chose not to bring him back. The series of moves leaves the Raptors with 14 players on their roster.
Eastern Notes: Raptors, James, Green
With the Bulls and the Heat staking claim to the top two seeds, the rest of the Eastern Conference playoff picture remains up in the air as the season winds down. The Celtics, currently the fourth seed, are in action tonight against the lottery-bound Nets while the Pacers, a surprising three seed at the moment, battle the Bucks, still in the mix as the ninth seed. Let's check in with the rest of the conference to see what other stories are making headlines.
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld considers what the Raptors should do as a franchise after suffering through a disappointing season. Team general manager Bryan Colangelo has cleared a great deal of cap space to build around the team's young talent but still has many holes to fill heading into next season. Brotherston identifies Steve Nash as a potential free-agent signing for the Raptors that would provide the team with a buzzworthy star they have been lacking the past few seasons.
- It may have taken awhile, but LeBron James and his family have finally reached a level of comfort where they feel at home in Miami, writes Ethan J. Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post. The former Cavs superstar may not know how to speak Spanish or how to get around Miami without a GPS, but James is enjoying being able to raise his two sons in South Florida for the majority of the year. James' affinity for Florida living has positively impacted his game as he is currently averaging 26.8 PPG and 7.9 RPG on the season.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast SportsNet tweets Gerald Green would prefer to re-sign with the Nets, but would consider signing with the Celtics. Green, originally taken in the first round of the 2005 draft by Boston, had been out of the league since the 2008/2009 season before signing the first of two 10-day contracts with the Nets in February, where he has made the most of his opportunity. The forward from Gulf Shores Academy in Houston should attract significant attention this summer given his 13.0 PPG and 3.3 RPG in 25 games with the Nets.
Atlantic Notes: Bargnani, Odom, Nets, Woodson
The Celtics look to move one step closer to clinching the Atlantic Division and first-round home-court advantage when they play the shorthanded Raptors in Toronto tonight. Here's the latest on Toronto and a few other Atlantic teams:
- Andrea Bargnani will be shut down for the season with a left calf injury, the Raptors announced today in a team release. Considering where the team sits in the standings, the decision likely has as much to do with securing a good draft pick as it does with Bargnani's calf.
- The Mavericks could potentially have avoided a good deal of drama if the Lakers' trade for Chris Paul had gone through in December. According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, Lamar Odom would have been sent to the Nets if that Paul deal had gone through. The Hornets, knowing Odom wouldn't be happy in New Orleans, had a deal in place to trade Odom for a future first-round pick, says Stein.
- Nets coach Avery Johnson had a two-hour meeting with majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov this week about the future of the team, writes Fred Kerber of the New York Post.
- Making Mike Woodson the full-time coach rather than bringing in a big-name candidate this summer would give the Knicks a chance for stability, says Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Odds & Ends: Mavs, Beasley, Bucks, Raptors
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Thursday evening:
- Dallas radio hosts Barry Horn and Kevin Sherrington weighed in on a couple of Mavericks issues. Horn believes the Mavs are a better team without Lamar Odom, who was shut down earlier this week.
- Sherrington speculates that the Mavs are still interested in acquiring Dwight Howard, especially if they can't sign Deron Williams this summer.
- Michael Beasley told Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press that he wants to stay with the Timberwolves going forward. Beasley is set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
- Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says the Bucks lack a clear direction for the future and will not contend with their current roster. Hunt believes the first step will be re-signing Ersan Ilyasova this summer.
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star doubts that Raptors 10-day contract signees Ben Uzoh and Justin Dentmon will be anything more than placeholders for the team.
Odds & Ends: Williams, Miller, Gordon, D-League
Wednesday afternoon links from around the Association:
- Terrence Williams reiterated a desire to re-sign with the Kings this offseason, telling Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld that coach Keith Smart is a major reason he's interested in staying in Sacramento.
- According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, Andre Miller has yet to give any serious thought to retirement: "I want to keep playing until my legs don’t work anymore," said the Nuggets point guard.
- Eric Gordon won't be the cornerstone of the Hornets' rebuilding efforts, but he'll be a key building block, writes Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com lists the best executives available for teams searching for new management this summer.
- Justin Dentmon (MVP) and Greg Smith (Rookie of the Year) highlight Scott Schroeder's picks for the D-League's award winners at Ridiculous Upside. Both players are currently on NBA rosters — Dentmon with the Raptors, and Smith with the Rockets.