Western Notes: Turner, Nuggets, Asik
Richard Hamilton was one name linked to the Timberwolves as they consider adding a wing, but he’s far from the team’s only potential target. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that Evan Turner has fans among the Wolves front office, and that the 76ers would be open to moving him. In a piece for the Star Tribune, Jerry Zgoda also mentions Turner and identifies a few other possible options.
With that aside, let’s take a look at what else is going on around the Western Conference:
- Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports takes a look at the Nuggets’ offseason, starting with Josh Kroenke’s agonizing decision to fire Coach of the Year George Karl.
- ESPN’s David Thorpe examines Omer Asik‘s trade value and explores a few potential trades involving the Rockets’ center (Insiders only).
- Earlier this week, we noted that there has been mutual interest between the Jazz and free agent guard Jamaal Tinsley, although nothing appeared to be imminent. Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune was able to relay some of head coach Tyrone Corbin‘s comments today regarding the 35-year-old point guard: “He’s a guy that’s on the list…We haven’t decided what we’re going to do yet. He’s a guy we’re comfortable with. I really respect what he brings to the team. We’ll look and see if it’s the right fit going forward.”
- Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News (via Twitter) doesn’t expect the Spurs to make any roster cuts until after the team’s road trip ends in Miami on Saturday. McDonald also points out that although San Antonio only has to make one more roster cut, they could possibly opt for two.
- Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich drew a parallel between Manu Ginobili and new addition Marco Belinelli: “I consider him to have the same mindset as Manu, which means I’m going to have to be patient as I’ve learned with Manu. Manu taught me to shut up and just watch him play a little more, which is a good thing. And Marco is going to be the same way. They both have the same passion for the game. They have no fear, which most of the time is good, but sometimes it can bite you. But I would rather have that than somebody who is timid” (NBA.com via the Associated Press).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Odds & Ends: Jazz, Odom, Howard, Nelson, Brooks
With seven preseason games on the schedule for Tuesday night, let’s take a look at some odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune spoke to Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin and some of the team’s camp invitees — including Justin Holiday, Scott Machado and Brian Cook — about the roster cuts the team will have to make within the next couple of weeks to get down to 15 players.
- We haven’t heard too much about Lamar Odom since the strange reports about his off-the-court issues surfaced in August. Ramona Shelburne of ESPN LA tweets that the Lakers reached out to Odom recently, but that the contact was strictly for personal reasons.
- With the Magic in town to face the Rockets on Wednesday, Dwight Howard spoke to Orlando-area reporters, including Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, about what has been a whirlwind of a two years for the Houston center. While Howard expressed regret about how things ended in Orlando, he implied that the situation in Los Angeles was different, and that Houston simply represented the best place for him to be.
- Meanwhile in post-Dwight Orlando, 31-year-old Jameer Nelson is happy to play the role of elder statesman on a young and improving Magic team, writes Jeff Caplan of NBA.com. Caplan writes that Nelson, a veteran in the second year of a three-year deal, is aware that he will probably be shopped this winter unless the Magic surprise everyone and contend.
- We heard earlier tonight from Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that MarShon Brooks had expressed a desire to be traded from the Nets before he was part of the blockbuster with the Celtics. Bondy provides several quotes from Brooks, now in Boston, in his complete story: “I wasn’t really sure with [Jason Kidd becoming coach]. I didn’t know what to expect. Last year obviously we knew what was going on, it was so rocky, I didn’t know if I was playing. There just wasn’t any structure to any of my minutes.. So it was kind of hard for me to perform under those circumstances and obviously I didn’t want to be in that situation next year.”
Jazz Release Dwayne Jones
The Jazz have officially waived camp invitee Dwayne Jones, the team announced today in a press release. Utah had been carrying the maximum 20 players, so the release of Jones reduces the club’s roster to 19.
Jones, 30, signed a contract with the Warriors at the end of the regular season and very briefly appeared in a pair of playoff games for the team. However, he hasn’t appeared in a regular season contest since the 2009/10 season with the Suns.
With 12 guaranteed contracts on their books and Ian Clark ($200K guaranteed) a strong bet to make the team, the Jazz still have six players competing for roster spots. While Jones is no longer in the mix, Brian Cook, Mike Harris, Justin Holiday, Lester Hudson, Scott Machado, and Dominic McGuire continue to make their case for a longer look.
Western Notes: Jazz, Gortat, Bogut, Ebanks
Trey Burke is set to have surgery on his broken right finger tomorrow, and Jody Genessy of the Deseret News hears from the rookie’s agent that the injury could sideline Burke for more than eight weeks. It’s bad news for the Jazz, who don’t have a ton of point guard depth, but the team isn’t rushing to find a replacement, and is still in info-gathering mode, according to Genessy (via Twitter).
One option that doesn’t appear to be on the table for Utah is bringing over second-round pick Raul Neto. According to GM Dennis Lindsey, via Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune, Neto’s team in Spain (Lagun Aro) is in a similar building process to the Jazz, so Utah wouldn’t try to lure away one of its best players (Twitter links).
Here’s more on the Jazz and a few other Western teams:
- Luhm adds in another tweet that Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said today there are a couple of free agents who are looking for more than what the club is willing to pay.
- Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic spoke to Marcin Gortat about entering a contract year and the possibility of remaining with the Suns long-term.
- Andrew Bogut reiterated to Sam Amick of USA Today that he likes playing for the Warriors and wants to stay in Golden State beyond this season, but noted that Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry probably felt the same way before they signed elsewhere. In other words, Bogut hopes to remain with the Warriors, but recognizes anything could happen next summer in free agency.
- On the heels of a report indicating Corey Maggette figures to retire if he’s waived by the Spurs, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld notes (via Twitter) that the veteran has long been interested in an executive job. Maggette participated in the NBPA’s Leadership Development Program, which prepares players for front office roles.
- The NBA announced today that Devin Ebanks has been suspended two games for pleading nolo contendere to driving under the influence of alcohol. Ebanks is currently trying to earn a spot on the Mavericks‘ regular-season roster — he was already a long shot, but his suspension certainly doesn’t help his chances.
Western Rumors: Jazz, Miller, Kings, Brown
Trey Burke‘s injury has opened up the possibility that the Jazz could trade for Marquis Teague of the Bulls or scour the free agent market for a veteran, and Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin says the team will consider its options, notes Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune.
“We’ll see,” Corbin said. “We’ll put our heads together tomorrow. We’ve got scouts out there. We’ll see what’s available. We’ve got some guys here. … We’ll see what gives us a chance.”
Internal candidate John Lucas III has impressed in camp so far, Luhm writes, so perhaps the Jazz may not have to look too far for their interim starting point guard. Here’s more from the West:
- Andre Miller isn’t concerned about offseason trade rumors that invoked his name, and the 37-year-old Nuggets point guard says he wants to play until he’s 40, as Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post writes.
- Kings owner Vivek Ranadive struck an agreement to hire Michael Malone as the team’s new head coach before the sale of the team became official, and Malone tells Sactown magazine that he and Ranadive kept their arrangement secret for two weeks. Sactown Royalty’s Tom Ziller has more.
- Shannon Brown fell out of the rotation for the Suns last season, and the team could have waived him in June and avoided paying 50% of this season’s $3.5MM salary. They kept him instead, and he’s relishing the fresh start the team’s new regime has afforded him, as he tells Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
Odds & Ends: Burke, Jefferson, NBPA
Jazz rookie Trey Burke fractured his right index finger and will be evaluated on Monday tweets Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. Genessy notes, via Twitter, that Scott Machado has been given the most time behind Burke and John Lucas III at point guard this preseason.
Genessy also wonders, in a tweet, whether the Jazz will bring someone else in depending on the severity of Burke’s injury, and mentions Jamaal Tinsley as a possibility. Marc Stein of ESPN tweets that he’s heard of interest from the Jazz about the Bulls’ Marquis Teague, and postulates they may revisit that with Burke going down. The Jazz will find out Monday whether Burke’s fractured finger will require surgery, Stein adds (Twitter).
Here are a smattering of other links from around the league tonight:
- After the Bobcats‘ big free agent, Al Jefferson, severely sprained his ankle, he told the AP in Milwaukee that he’s trying to be back for opening night, tweets the Charlotte Observer’s Rick Bonnell.
- That’s 18 days away, Bonnell adds on Twitter, and he wonders in his next tweet whether the Bobcats might look to add a center in the interim.
- The Mavericks pickup of DeJuan Blair this summer might be huge for them, as we noted earlier tonight. Blair is looking forward to playing his former team, the Mavs intra-state rival Spurs, writes the Star-Telegram’s Dwain Price.
- Blair’s bitterness about his time in San Antonio is evident when he tells Price, “[the Spurs] didn’t give me nothing when I was there. I mean, the fans gave me everything, but everything else, it is what it is. I don’t look at that. I look for us to get a win.”
- Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reports that the NBPA will not pay their new union head the $3MM annually that former executive director Billy Hunter made before he was ousted. Union sources say the annual pay will be around $1.5MM for the new executive director.
- The Knicks lost to the Celtics by 30 tonight in preseason action, but Touré Murry and Ike Diogu both made a case for a roster spot, writes ESPN New York’s Ian Begley.
Western Notes: Ridnour, Blazers, Jazz, Mavs
HoopsWorld’s Jabari Davis looks at how five of the most compelling additions to Western Conference teams are already influencing their new franchises just a couple weeks into the preseason. One of them is Eric Bledsoe, who faces extra pressure with a Halloween deadline to work out an extension with the Suns. Phoenix’s front office already has plenty on its hands, needing to get rid of at least one fully guaranteed contract within the next two weeks. Point guard Ish Smith leads a tight race among voters in our poll on which of the 16 Suns with guaranteed deals is most likely to be waived. Here’s more news related to Western Conference teams:
- Luke Ridnour is with the Bucks this season, a fact his former coach with the Wolves regrets, notes Charles F. Garnder of the Journal Sentinel. “We didn’t really want to get rid of Luke,” Rick Adelman said. “We had to make some moves, and he was the one that everybody wanted, and I know why.”
- New Blazers point guards Mo Williams and Earl Watson both spent last season with the Jazz, but neither begrudges the team’s decision not to sign any of its free agents and instead focus on its youth, observes Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Brandan Wright‘s shoulder injury creates opportunities for others on the Mavericks, including Fab Melo and Renaldo Balkman, who are on non-guaranteed deals, as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News examines.
Western Notes: Wright, Burke, Griffin, Gasol
We already covered the East, now let’s check in on what is happening around the league out West tonight:
- Brandan Wright sustained a small, non-displaced fracture to his left shoulder that is unlikely to require surgery, the Mavericks announced today. Wright, who re-signed with the team in July, is entering his sixth year in the league and third with the Mavs. No timetable has been set for his return.
- Rookie point guard Trey Burke is concentrating on making a good impression on his opponents as the Jazz‘s preseason gets into full swing, writes Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune. Burke, who the Jazz took in June at No. 9, figures to run the point for a young but talented team in Utah.
- Blake Griffin suffered a bone bruise in his left knee in a Wednesday night scrimmage while attempting to dunk, writes Broderick Turner of the L.A. Times. Griffin’s precautionary MRI showed no structural damage, reports Turner, but the All-Star forward is still likely to miss an undisclosed amount of practice and preseason time.
- If Pau Gasol, more physically and mentally ready than he’s been in years, has the type of season he expects to have in Los Angeles, he believes the Lakers will want to re-sign him in the offseason, writes Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News. However, Gasol is unlikely to be willing to accept a significant pay cut to stay in the purple and gold, per Medina. Gasol will make $19.3MM this year.
Western Rumors: Kobe, Jazz, Bledsoe, Spurs
Earlier today, Kobe Bryant addressed reporters at the Lakers‘ practice facility and fielded a number of queries, but wouldn’t answer the million dollar question. “I didn’t say anything,” Bryant said when asked about a potential timetable for returning, according to Lakers.com. “I just keep it all open right now. I don’t’ know why you guys are so hell bent on timelines. When I’m ready, I’m ready.” More out of the West…
- The Jazz have to cut their roster down to 15 players before the start of the season, but there are no signs of that coming just yet, writes Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. There are 20 players on the roster currently, but Marvin Williams (Achilles’ heel) and Brandon Rush (knee) are recovering from surgeries.
- Eric Bledsoe has matured since his rookie year and he’s ready to shine as a main player for the Suns, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Bledsoe came to Phoenix in the three-team deal with the Clippers and Bucks that sent J.J. Redick to L.A.
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich endorses European coaches making the transition over to the NBA, but Dan McCarney of the Express News wonders when that will become a reality. Ettore Messina is among several qualified coaches waiting for their chance in the NBA, but the Italian doesn’t believe that offer will come anytime soon.
- Former Mavericks forward and free agent Lamar Odom pleaded not guilty to DUI charges, according to the Associated Press. Odom, who was said to be dealing with a drug problem and other issues, seems pretty far from another NBA run.
Camp Notes: Cavaliers, McGuire, Thomas
Currently, only the Bulls and Pistons are carrying 15 or fewer players, meaning that at least 28 NBA teams will be making cuts before the regular season gets underway later this month. As players continue to compete for roster spots, let’s check out some Wednesday links related to those end-of-the-bench openings….
- Camp invitees Kenny Kadji and Henry Sims are likely battling for a single roster spot with the Cavaliers, but Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal says not to read too much into either player’s performance or usage in yesterday’s exhibition game.
- Dominic McGuire, who has bounced around among several teams in recent years, is looking to stick around longer with the Jazz than he has in his last few stops, writes Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune.
- Since being amnestied by the Bobcats in July, Tyrus Thomas hasn’t been able to land an NBA job, and isn’t in camp with a team this fall. However, Mark Deeks of TheScore.com writes that Thomas’ physical tools will likely convince another team to take a chance on him, in spite of the holes in his game.
- As noted above, dozens of players will be cut from NBA rosters over the next several weeks as teams trim their rosters down to 15 or fewer players for opening night. Most of those new free agents will weigh a variety of options, including the D-League and international leagues. As Daniel Curtin of Three Eye Sports tells Keith Schlosser in an interesting piece at Ridiculous Upside, that decision isn’t always an easy one.