Odds & Ends: Hickson, Nets, Spurs, Granger
J.J. Hickson has rebounded from the ups and downs of off-court life, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. Hickson inked a three-year, $16.15MM deal – the full mid-level exception – with the Nuggets over the summer. More from around the league..
- Howard Beck of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears that it’s “highly doubtful” that the Nets will wind up using the Disabled Player’s Exception if they are granted it by the league. The Nets, of course, have lost Brook Lopez for the year.
- Now on assignment from the Spurs, Malcolm Thomas is still impressing in the D-League, writes Scott Rafferty of Ridiculous Upside. Thomas was averaging 33.5 points on 62.2% shooting from the floor in his memorable two game stint for the D-Fenders before being picked up by San Antonio. Now with the Austin Toros, Thomas isn’t putting up numbers that are quite as gaudy, but he’s still looking strong.
- Pacers president Larry Bird is less-than-thrilled with Danny Granger‘s work ethic during the offseason, writes Bob Kravitz of the Indy Star. “He doesn’t work hard enough (in the offseason),” Bird said. “He’s not a guy who’ll push himself to the brink like a lot of our guys do. He works hard but he doesn’t push himself. That’s why he starts slow every year and he just works his way back. Now this year, he’s been hurt, so it’s a different deal.“
- Jazz rookie Trey Burke spoke with Sekou Smith of NBA.com about dealing with expectations, patience, and what he learned from his time spent with Jazz legend John Stockton.
- David Alarcon of HoopsHype catches up with Italian prospect Alessandro Gentile. Gentile is pegged to go in the middle of the second round in DraftExpress‘ 2014 mock.
Odds & Ends: Jefferson, Jazz, Lakers
With all but six teams around the league in action today, it has been a busy day on the hardwood. Off the court news has also been in abundance. Here are a few notes:
- Prior to Al Jefferson facing his old team, the Bobcats center spoke (Twitter link) with Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune regarding his exit from the Jazz last year. Jefferson told Falk he knew the Jazz were likely going to move on from him and Hawks forward Paul Millsap. According to Jefferson he gave the Jazz “the first option” to sign him but knew with Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter coming up in the Jazz organization that it would likely be time for him and Millsap to move on.
- Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin told Jody Genessy of the Deseret News he wishes Richard Jefferson hadn’t stated his intentions for next summer when the Jazz are still “trying to be a championship-contending team” this season. Corbin said Jefferson has been a great player for the Jazz this year but wishes the forward who will be “hunting” to play for a championship team in free agency would have discussed the championship push this year’s team is trying to make.
- While we asked you guys what the Nets should do now that Brook Lopez is out for the year, Bradford Doolittle of ESPN (Insider piece) thinks the Nets should try to get a trade together with the Lakers to trade away Lopez himself. Doolittle thinks the Lakers should trade Pau Gasol‘s expiring contract in return for two years of a healthy Lopez when they will be trying to chase two final titles for recently extended Kobe Bryant. He also argues that Gasol could help the Nets continue to try to get a championship this year.
D-League Moves: Jazz, Spurs, Nets
Today marks the end of the first month of the D-League season, and so far 13 NBA teams have sent players on assignment, as our tracker shows. Four of those 13 made moves involving seven players today, as we detail:
- Ian Clark and Rudy Gobert are back from their D-League assignments, the Jazz announced. Utah sent both to the Bakersfield Jam a week ago, and Gobert had the more impressive performance, averaging 14.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 4.3 blocks over three games.
- The Spurs have sent Nando De Colo and Malcolm Thomas to the D-League, according to the team. De Colo is making his third trek to the Austin Toros this season, while Thomas, whom the Spurs signed less than three weeks ago, heads to Austin for the second time.
- Tyshawn Taylor and Tornike Shengelia are back on D-League assignment, the Nets announced. Both second-year players are familiar with the Springfield Armor, having spent time there last season and during training camp this year.
- The Warriors recalled Nemanja Nedovic from the D-League today, as we noted earlier.
Odds & Ends: Jefferson, Carroll, Kobe
It’s a lighter-than-usual Friday night slate in the NBA, with only nine games this evening, but it’s been plenty eventful off the court the past couple of weeks. Hoops Rumors readers have pegged Kyle Lowry as the most likely centerpiece of the next major deal, and as we wait to see whether that will be the case, here’s more from the Association:
- Richard Jefferson wouldn’t retract Thursday’s comment that he’ll have “no loyalty” as he seeks to play for a contender, but he told reporters Friday that he’d be “more than ecstatic” to remain with the Jazz, notes Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune. Jefferson will be a free agent at season’s end.
- Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll was surprised that he and the Jazz couldn’t work out a way for him to return to Utah this summer, but he’s still fond of the organization, Falk observes in a separate piece.
- Kobe Bryant‘s latest injury has turned his extension into a disaster of a deal for the Lakers, who seem unlikely to have what it takes to lure LeBron James this summer, as Mark Heisler opines for Forbes.com.
- Stephen Graham has signed with the Venezuelan team Guaros de Lara, the club announced (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). Francisco Vega of El Impulso first reported the story (on Twitter). The six-year NBA veteran was in camp this fall with the Bucks.
- The Warriors have sent Nemanja Nedovic to the D-League, the team announced. It’s the third assignment to Santa Cruz this season for the 30th overall pick this past June.
Western Notes: Asik, Thunder, Spurs, Jefferson
It turned out to be Kendall Marshall making headlines tonight and not the much-discussed Omer Asik. Marshall agreed to terms with the Lakers this evening after being linked to the Grizzlies and Jazz in recent weeks. Here are some notes from around the Western Conference:
- Players on the Rockets roster are glad that Asik wasn’t dealt to another club today, according to Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle. Several players expressed their appreciation of the center’s talents, including James Harden: “He’s one of the best big men in the NBA, defensively as well. He complements our team so well. We’re fortunate to have him on our team.“
- Speaking of the Rockets, Jeremy Lin sat down with Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld and discussed how he deals with trade rumors: “I still remember what it was like being on the edge of my seat and wondering if I was even going to be on a roster tomorrow… I’ve seen the whole Linsanity thing and I’ve seen the D-League and getting cut… I think having that wide scope of perspective helps me stay more balanced and stay more even keel through ups and downs.“
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com opines that a large reason for the success of the Thunder and Spurs comes from how responsibly the two clubs have handled their assets. Rather than trading future draft picks for quick fixes, Berger notes that the two squads have focused on player development and have set themselves up for years of winning basketball.
- Richard Jefferson spoke with SiriusXM NBA Radio hosts Kenny Smith and Jason Goff and made it clear he wanted to play for a championship team, as Jody Genessy of the Deseret News passes along. “If I get an opportunity to play for a championship team, I’m going to go hunting for them… I have no loyalty… I’m a gun for hire.” Jefferson is on an expiring contract but is set to make $11MM this year.
- Paul Coro of AZ Central Sports examines how Jeff Hornacek‘s use of Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe gives the Suns a legitimate playmaker on the floor at all times.
- With so many injury problems and an overall lack of talent, Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated suggests that this might be the best time for the Lakers to blow up their roster and fully involve themselves in the rebuilding process.
Odds & Ends: Gobert, Pelicans, Gasol, Leonard
The Jazz sent Rudy Gobert and Ian Clark to their D-League affiliate for some badly needed playing time, writes Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune. Both players impressed in their D-League debuts last night. Gobert put up 16 points, 14 boards, and six blocks. Clark had 14 points and six rebounds. More from around the Association..
- Some may have expected the Pelicans to fold in the wake of Anthony Davis‘ injury, but coach Monty Williams told Matt Moore of CBSSports.com that you won’t see that out of New Orleans. “I don’t buy into this idea of tanking and teams who quit when things don’t go their way. To me, that’s what is bad about the NBA. Guys are still getting paid, guys are still getting shoe contract money, all those things are still in play. So when things don’t go your way, you can’t tuck tail and run. And we just don’t bring in guys who are susceptible to that,” the coach said.
- Pau Gasol says that he’s accustomed to trade talk and isn’t letting the latest round of speculation get to him, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The Lakers star has been on the pages of Hoops Rumors quite a bit ever since his reported dust-up with coach Mike D’Antoni.
- Blazers big man Meyers Leonard shouldn’t be shipped to the D-League even though he’s struggling, writes CSNNW.com’s Dwight Jaynes.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld takes a quick look around the league at the teams that could be active in the trade market over the next few months.
Odds & Ends: Thibodeau, Lowry, Jazz, Bobcats
Despite some speculation to the contrary, Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times insists that Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t going anywhere. It was recently reported that the Knicks could make a run at the defensively-minded coach. More from around the Association..
- With the Nets unwilling to give up a first-round pick for Kyle Lowry and the Knicks saying they won’t part with a first rounder or Tim Hardaway Jr., Al Iannazone of Newsday (on Twitter) wonders if the Knicks will wind up caving.
- The Jazz announced that they have assigned rookie guard Ian Clark and rookie center Rudy Gobert to its D-League affiliate, the Bakersfield Jam. Gobert, a 7’1″ rookie center has made 17 appearances for the Jazz in a reserve role, averaging 2.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.82 blocks in 10.7 minutes. Clark, 22, has appeared in eight games as a reserve for the Jazz, averaging 2.8 points in 8.8 minutes.
- The accountability of first-year coach Steve Clifford sets a good tone for the Bobcats, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
- Blazers forward Dorell Wright doesn’t sound terribly upset about the Sixers‘ decision to not re-sign him. “You see what direction they were going in. That was not in my plan at all,” said Wright, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
- Magic officials have challenged Andrew Nicholson to become more physical since taking him with the 19th overall pick in the 2012 draft and he’s finally responding, writes Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
Odds & Ends: Gasol, Knicks, Clippers
It seems high trading season has begun early this year, as this week has featured another Rudy Gay swap, plenty of rumors about Omer Asik and Kyle Lowry, and a flurry of roster moves. Sunday is December 15th, the day many players become eligible for inclusion in trades, so the week ahead doesn’t figure to be any slower. Here’s more from a busy Association:
- Kobe Bryant dismisses the notion that Pau Gasol and Mike D’Antoni are at odds, as Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com notes via Twitter. “That’s every year,” Bryant said. “They’re like an old couple. That’s every year. It’s not really anything new. It’s not a big deal.” Of course, D’Antoni and Gasol have only been together since last season.
- Every part of the Knicks franchise is in “complete chaos,” says Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). New York lost to the Celtics tonight for the second time in six days, but in contrast to Sunday’s 41-point blowout, this time it was only by four.
- Ongoing negotiations for a local TV deal helped motivate the Clippers to spend on Chris Paul and Doc Rivers, according to Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling.
- Many around the league see Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg as the top candidate for an NBA head coaching job among those currently leading college teams, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.
- HoopsWorld’s Nate Duncan tries to identify the players who’ll stick around for the long-term on the Suns, Jazz and Kings as each team rebuilds.
Western Notes: Lakers, O’Neal, Rush
As we noted earlier, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant – who has started at the shooting guard and small forward position over his first two games back, respectively – will now be expected to handle point guard duties while the team’s whole rotation at point guard deals with injuries. His first test will come against Thunder guard Russell Westbrook on Friday, and while Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times isn’t so sure if Bryant will be up to that type of challenge this soon into his return, the team doesn’t seem to have much of a choice.
Here’s more out of the Western Conference:
- Although he listed some names expected to be on the Lakers’ radar earlier, Pincus also tweeted that as of now, the front office hasn’t decided on a course of action yet and will “tough it out” for the time being.
- While it’s not within our scope to focus on injury rumors, it’s still worth noting that Warriors big man Jermaine O’Neal is expected to undergo arthroscopic surgery on Friday to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist, and a timetable for his return will be determined after the surgery, the team announced (Twitter links). However, Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group tweets that the procedure would likely end the 35-year-old veteran’s season and career.
- Jazz guard Brandon Rush recently met with head coach Tyrone Corbin to hash out some of his frustrations about a lack of playing time, writes Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune: “It’s been really frustrating because I’ve worked hard…I wanted to be able to get some minutes and help the team out… (but) I had a good talk with Coach…He let me know what the deal was.” Corbin later told the media that he’s just trying to get Rush to play without apprehension.
- In another piece, Falk describes how Marvin Williams has been an invaluable role player for Utah when he’s been able to find court time.
Western Notes: Gay, Corbin, Aldridge, Jackson
The heavily discussed Kings/Raptors swap has spurred a discussion on advanced basketball metrics, mostly due to Rudy Gay. Some statheads have suggested Gay’s presence in Sacramento might stand to hurt Isaiah Thomas and DeMarcus Cousins‘ chemistry on the floor, but the latest piece from Alex Kennedy at HoopsWorld examines why numbers might not tell the whole story for Gay. Here are some tidbits on Gay and the Western Conference as a whole:
- In his piece, Kennedy suggests it’s not unthinkable that Gay might turn his efficiency numbers around, pointing to Monta Ellis as an example of a player who didn’t reach his full potential until a later stage of his career than most players.
- Conversely, Mark Deeks of ShamSports breaks down the reasons why he believes the Kings spent too much to acquire Gay in his piece at SB Nation. Among his list of reasons, Deeks believes Gay’s presence will add nothing to Sacramento that they didn’t already have besides another expensive contract.
- Richard Jefferson doesn’t blame the Jazz‘s lack of success on Tyrone Corbin, reports Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. The forward recently blasted critics who have tried to fault his coach for the team’s struggles : “As far as lashing out and putting pressure on a coach, that’s unfair… Everybody’s an armchair quarterback.”
- Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports speculates that LaMarcus Aldridge probably won’t participate in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, based on his lack of history in international competition.
- The Clippers’ recent signing of Stephen Jackson will help bolster a squad that’s recently been bit by the injury bug. Losing J.J. Redick, Matt Barnes, and Reggie Bullock will be a challenging hurdle for Los Angeles to overcome, and Jovan Buha from ESPNLosAngeles.com examines how Jackson might fit in and help ease the club’s pain.