Atlantic Notes: Lee, Celtics, Lopez, Nets
Last night in Philadelphia, the Sixers stopped a seven-game losing streak with a 121-120 overtime win over the Nets. “We needed to get that win for the sanity of the group, keeping our group together, holding hope,” coach Brett Brown said after Evan Turner‘s game winner, “and for those reasons as that ball is hanging on a rim and then decides to fall in, for us, given where we are, that is an important win.” Here’s more out of Atlantic..
- A rumored deal would had the Celtics sending Courtney Lee and Brandon Bass along with a first-round pick to Houston for Omer Asik, but Lee says the rumors were never serious enough to warrant a call from his agent, writes the Boston Globe’s Julian Benbow. “I haven’t even had a conversation with my agent,” Lee said. “He called me before and said he hasn’t heard anything and neither [general manager] called him, so don’t worry about it, and that’s what I did.”
- Brook Lopez fractures the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, according to Roderick Boone of Newsday (on Twitter). Earlier today, we learned that the Stanford product will be out for the year with the injury.
- Looking back on things, Jordan Crawford says that the trade sending him to the Celtics “had to happen” but admits that he could have been more professional during his tenure in Washington, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
Southeast Notes: Heat, Wizards, Anthony
Here’s our Saturday morning look at the Southeast Division..
- In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if it would make sense for the Heat to start Joel Anthony in order to audition him to other clubs for a possible trade. That wouldn’t make sense, Winderman argues, because the greater issue is not exposure, but rather the additional season Joel has on his contract beyond this one. The forward is viewed as more of a cap liability than an on-court liability, though his defense could potentially help a team on the playoff fringe.
- Wizards big man Kevin Seraphin says that he’s still working to find his rhythm, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Seraphin will be a restricted free agent following the 2013/14 season. Washington can tender him a qualifying offer at just $3.89MM.
- Dwyane Wade says the attitude of Heat offseason pickup Greg Oden is improving, writes Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald.
Eastern Notes: Bulls, Waiters, Nene, Pistons
After losing in Indiana last Tuesday, the Heat will get another shot at the Pacers tonight, this time in Miami. As we look forward to the evening’s showdown between the only two Eastern teams that look like title contenders, let’s round up a few notes from around the conference….
- The Bulls are considering their options with Marquis Teague and D.J. Augustin, and could ultimately end up trading the former or waiving the latter. If that happens, the team may re-sign the recently waived Mike James, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).
- Dion Waiters moved quickly to shoot down yesterday’s report that he wanted to be traded from the Cavs to the 76ers, and Michael Kaskey-Blomain of the Philadelphia Inquirer hears from a source that the Sixers are unlikely to land Waiters anyway.
- Addressing the trade rumors surrounding Waiters and Anderson Varejao, Cavaliers coach Mike Brown suggested those reports were laughable, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- While he has said in the past that he may retire before the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, Wizards big man Nene acknowledged in a Q&A with Grantland’s Zach Lowe that he’d be open to playing beyond that date, health permitting.
- Keith Langlois of Pistons.com fields Pistons-related questions from readers in his latest mailbag, including inquiries on the futures of Greg Monroe and Rodney Stuckey in Detroit.
Eastern Links: Knicks, Woodson, Waiters, Sixers
Tonight’s NBA schedule is heavy on Western Conference action, but two Eastern teams in the playoff hunt will host Western opponents tonight, as the Cavs play the Blazers and the Bobcats face the Kings. Cleveland and Charlotte are just 9-14 and 10-14 respectively, but would each rank among the conference’s top eight teams with wins tonight. Here’s more from around the East:
- In the wake of injuries to Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni, the Knicks have recalled Chris Smith from the D-League, the club announced today (Twitter link).
- Mike Woodson‘s mismanagement at the end of last night’s loss to the Wizards gave the Knicks a credible reason to fire him, opines Ian O’Connor of ESPNNewYork.com.
- While Woodson may be on the hot seat, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein says there aren’t really any other head coaches whose jobs are in jeopardy. Eastern coaches like Jason Kidd (Nets), Randy Wittman (Wizards), Mike Brown (Cavaliers), and Dwane Casey (Raptors) rank among the most likely to be fired next, according to Bovada.lv, but none are in any danger for now, Stein writes.
- Within his latest piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler writes that the Cavaliers aren’t eager to trade Dion Waiters, but would listen if the right offer came along. Kyler also explores the possibility of an Omer Asik trade involving the Sixers, eventually concluding that a deal with Philadelphia may be one of the Rockets’ less desirable options.
- Eric Griffin, who played for the Heat in summer league action and in camp, has reached an agreement to sign with a team in Puerto Rico, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
Southeast Notes: Oden, Crawford, Celtics
Newly acquired Wizards big man Marcin Gortat expressed some frustrations last night with his role in Washington, according to Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Despite being quoted directly for the story, Gortat took to Twitter this afternoon to combat the report. “That’s BS …. People trying create drama within our team! I know my role and I’m not [frustrated]!!!,” tweeted the big man. Here’s more out of the Southeast Division..
- In this weekend’s mailbag, a reader asked Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if the Heat will bring in someone with size in advance of the playoffs. Winderman notes that they won’t need that big presence if Greg Oden is on track. If Oden isn’t, it’s in Miami’s best interest to keep that under their hat to avoid the price of frontcourt insurance getting jacked up. There’s also the buyout market, where they’ve done well in recent years.
- Mitch Lawrence of the Daily News reported over the weekend that multiple GMs identified Jordan Crawford of the Celtics as a potential trade target for the Heat, but Winderman isn’t sure if Miami and Boston can line up for a deal.
- The Hawks recalled rookie Dennis Schröder from the NBA Development League today. The point guard played six games for the Hawks’ affiliate, the Bakersfield Jam, and averaged 17.0 points, 6.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 turnovers in 34.0 minutes. Schroder appeared in eleven games for the Hawks before being assigned to the D-League earlier this month. Jared Cunningham is headed back to Bakersfield to take his place. To keep track of all of this year’s D-League assignments, check out Hoops Rumors’ running list.
- As Oden looks to get healthy, he has a fan in Pacers assistant coach Nate McMillan, Winderman writes. McMillan was the only coach Oden played for in the NBA while the two were together with the Trail Blazers.
Southeast Notes: Wade, Hawks, Dwight
With Dwayne Wade’s recent admission that he’s not the same player that he once was, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if that candor will translate to the bargaining table when he’s a free agent. Wade sacrificed not only to add LeBron James and Chris Bosh in 2010, but also to keep Udonis Haslem, so it’s possible that he’ll be open to another pay cut to help the Heat prosper in the next few years. Today’s look at the Southeast Division..
- Hawks point guard Shelvin Mack isn’t bitter toward the Wizards, who waived him twice last season, as he tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post. “I wouldn’t say the opportunity wasn’t there. They had a lot of playmakers, so it was hard trying to fit in and see where you’re going to get shots. You had John, being a playmaker. Jordan Crawford. Nick [Young]. A lot of guys were playmakers and needed the ball a lot,” Mack said. In Atlanta, “we’ve got me, Jeff [Teague], and Lou [Williams] the primary playmakers, so we are in position to make plays coming off the pick and roll and shoot. Here, it’s more for the point guard to be aggressive. In DC, you’re more setting up guys.”
- The Cavaliers still haven’t recovered from losing LeBron James, and they serve as a reminder that the Magic‘s rebuilding plan after trading Dwight Howard isn’t necessarily destined to work, writes Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
- Speaking of the Magic, Maurice Harkless and Glen Davis are upset with their lack of playing time, Schmitz writes.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Odds & Ends: Rondo, Carmelo, Tyler, Ayres
Rajon Rondo doesn’t put much stock in the rumor that Carmelo Anthony is trying to recruit him to the Knicks, but Anthony has been privately yearning to see Rondo in orange and blue since July, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Knicks attempted to trade Iman Shumpert for Rondo, and Newsday’s Al Iannazzone thinks it’s critical that New York continue to see if it can pry the All-Star point guard away from the Celtics or make some kind of splash, lest Anthony bolt in free agency. Here’s more on the Knicks and the rest of the NBA:
- Berman, in the same piece, also suggests the Knicks may look to re-sign camp invitee Jeremy Tyler in another week as he continues to round into form after a preseason injury.
- Unlike some free agents who were happy to leave their former teams behind, Spurs big man Jeff Ayres told Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News that he feels “no animosity” toward the Pacers and is “still really cool with all the guys on the team.”
- Kendall Marshall is off to a fast start with the D-League affiliate of the Sixers, and Michael Kaskey-Blomain of the Philadelphia Inquirer thinks the big club should consider signing last year’s 13th overall pick to an NBA contract.
- Doubts about the ability of Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe to play together left some executives around the league believing the Suns would trade Dragic, but early returns show the pairing has been successful, observes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- Joel Embiid is developing into a potential No. 1 overall pick, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com, joining ESPN colleague Chad Ford on the Kansas center’s bandwagon.
- Knee troubles have sidelined Al Harrington for a good chunk of this season, but he remains involved with the Wizards. As he tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post, Harrington can imagine himself coaching after he retires and has been acting as a de facto assistant in Washington while he recovers.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Southeast Notes: Wizards, Porter, Gortat, Heat
The Hawks were the lone Southeast Division representative in action last night and they didn’t disappoint, topping the Clippers 107-97 in Atlanta. Kyle Korver went 6-9 behind the arc and scored 23 points while Paul Millsap led the way with 25 points and nine boards. Here’s today’s look at the Southeast Division..
- Wizards rookie Otto Porter Jr. won’t commit to a return date, but he feels that he’s getting closer to making his NBA debut, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Washington is currently 9-9 without the services of its No. 3 overall pick. The Georgetown product was (and is) considered by some to be the best overall talent in the 2013 draft.
- If Bradley Beal, Al Harrington, and Porter can get back on the floor, Wizards center Marcin Gortat believes that his team can shock everyone, Lee writes. “We should be really good,” Gortat said. “Maybe at the end – maybe at the end – I will be the guy who is going to laugh, from some of the people here that we won 50 games.” Gortat came to the Wizards in a late-October trade with the Suns.
- When asked if offseason pickup Michael Beasley has found his idea role in the NBA – an impressive scorer off the bench – Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel said that the Heat are still working to make him a complete player, which means bringing his defense up to speed.
Eastern Rumors: Knicks, Nets, Frank, Bulls
This morning, we rounded up several of the latest rumors out of New York, with both the Nets and Knicks off to brutal starts to the 2013/14 season. Throughout the day, a few more Nets and Knicks items have trickled in, along with a few updates on their Eastern Conference rivals. Let’s dive in and check in on the latest….
- Ian Begley of ESPN New York hears from league sources with knowledge of Knicks trade talks that GM Steve Mills has been citing Mike Woodson‘s coaching as a reason why Iman Shumpert has struggled this season. According to one source: “They’re saying that Shumpert’s a better player [than he’s shown], but Woodson isn’t using him right.”
- Carmelo Anthony acknowledged that Knicks players are concerned about Woodson’s job security, but stressed that the blame should fall on the players rather than on the coach. Begley has the details and quotes in a separate piece.
- Asked about a report that indicated he wants to be traded, Mirza Teletovic denied knowing anything about it, according to Newsday’s Rod Boone (via Twitter).
- Nets assistant Lawrence Frank has been re-assigned, and will no longer be on the bench for games, Jason Kidd told reporters today, citing “different philosophies” (Twitter links via Howard Beck of Bleacher Report).
- GM Gar Forman told ESPN Radio in Chicago that he still hopes to work out a new deal with Luol Deng next summer, but Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com believes the Bulls will want Deng to accept a hometown discount. In a column, Friedell explains why there’s no better time than the present for Forman and the Bulls to trade deng.
- The Bulls assigned Marquis Teague to the Iowa Energy earlier today, but according to Forman, Teague’s stint won’t be long-term — the young point guard could be assigned and recalled occasionally throughout the season (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune).
- Examining the Wizards in a column for The Score, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com suggests the acquisition of Marcin Gortat should be the last move the team makes this year that involves adding a veteran with little upside. In fact, Washington shouldn’t rule out trading away a veteran like Trevor Ariza in the right deal, says Deeks.
Southeast Notes: Oden, Nelson, Heat, Harrington
In an incredibly weak Eastern Conference, the Southeast Division practically qualifies as a powerhouse. Led by the 14-3 Heat, the Southeast is the only Eastern division above .500 as a whole — its five teams have combined for a 46-43 record so far. Three Southeast clubs will look to improve on that mark tonight, as the Heat host the Pistons, while the Magic play in Philadelphia and the Bobcats visit Dallas.
Here’s more from around the division:
- The Heat‘s signing of Greg Oden this summer received plenty of attention, but the former first overall pick is coming along slowly, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. Amico hears from several sources that Miami doesn’t plan to integrate Oden into the rotation until around the All-Star break, and even then, he’ll likely only play about 8-10 minutes per game.
- Within the same piece, Amico asked an NBA executive for five players he thinks will be traded this season, and the Magic‘s Jameer Nelson was among the players mentioned by the exec.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld wonders if the Heat‘s Big Three could become a Big Four next summer, when LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade are all eligible for free agency. Kyler’s scenario would involve all three players opting out and taking significant pay cuts, and would mean purging the rest of the roster to create room for a fourth impact player, so it sounds like a real long shot.
- While Al Harrington has been sidelined recently by a sore knee, he tells Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel that he likes being a Wizard, and is trying to forget his stint with the Magic. Harrington came to Orlando as part of the four-team Dwight Howard blockbuster, but missed most of last season and was waived in the summer, before signing with Washington.