Eastern Rumors: Raptors, Price, Wall, Butler
The Bucks take on the Lakers tonight in a battle of teams currently occupying eighth place in their respective conferences, and while it seems the Lakers are the only team in the matchup that has to worry about making the postseason, the Bucks aren't moving any closer to clinching their spot. Milwaukee lost to the ninth-place Sixers last night, and Philadelphia could move within six games of the Bucks if the Lakers win tonight. Of course, six games back with 11 to play is quite a hill to climb, but the Bucks would surely feel more confident if they could break their four-game losing streak. Here's more on another team that's backsliding and more from around the East:
- While it appeared to be a near-lock that the Thunder would receive the Raptors' 2013 first-round pick, Toronto's recent slide may improve their odds of keeping it, writes Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. The pick is protected from 1-3 and 15-30, and if the Raptors keep losing, it's not out of the question that they finish with the league's fourth- or fifth-worst record, says Wolstat. As our tentative draft order shows, the Raps are currently tied for the NBA's ninth-worst mark.
- A.J. Price has been out for more than two weeks with a groin strain, and with just 11 games left in the season for the Wizards, the point guard is worried he won't get another chance to improve his free agent stock, as J. Michael of CSNWashington.com details. "It adds to the frustration but what can you do? What can you do? Injuries are part of the game. Just trying to get myself back to form as quick as possible so I can showcase what I can do for everybody and make a statement," he said."I’m really trying to get back on the court."
- John Wall, heading into a summer when he'll be eligible for an extension from the Wizards, has been drawing plenty of praise of late, observes USA Today's Sean Highkin.
- If Jimmy Butler continues to show the improvement he's displayed of late, the Bulls could have a tough decision in the summer of 2014, when Luol Deng will be a free agent and Butler will be eligible for an extension, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Wizards Want To Retain Martell Webster
Recently, Martell Webster made it known that he is extremely happy in Washington and wants to return next season. It appears that the feeling is mutual as all indications point to the Wizards wanting to bring Webster back for 2013/14, according to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (on Sulia).
Webster has started 54 of 68 games for the Wizards this season and is averaging a career-high 11.6 PPG to go with 3.8 RPG and 1.9 APG. The swingman reiterated his desire to stay in D.C. to Bucher and explained that while he liked individuals that he played with in Portland, he finds that he’s happy with the Wizards organization in all aspects.
The former No. 6 overall pick is earning $1.6MM this season and will likely seek a pay bump this summer.
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Kidd, Wizards, Wall, Rose
The Heat signed Juwan Howard for the remainder of the season after the big man completed his second 10-day contract with the team. “He brings credible, veteran leadership [to the team],” coach Erik Spoelstra said, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel (on Twitter). While a team in Miami’s position would typically be in cruise control at this stage of the season, there’s a winning streak to protect, so we may not see Howard on the hardwood anytime soon. Here’s more from the conference that people once dismissed as the JV portion of the league..
- Several people close to Knicks guard Jason Kidd wouldn’t be surprised if he calls it a career after this season, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. The future Hall of Famer, who says that he hasn’t made up his mind yet, will celebrate his 40th birthday tomorrow. Kidd’s deal with the Knicks runs through 2014/15.
- Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) asks how much Wizards guard John Wall is worth. Wall only has one more year on his rookie scale contract, meaning that Washington can work out an extension with him this summer. The Wizards could give him a five-year deal with the designated-player exception but they may instead decide to hold on to it for Bradley Beal.
- In his latest mailbag, NBA.com’s Sam Smith writes that he doesn’t see Derrick Rose making the Bulls title contenders if he returns this season. The star guard would have to ease his way back into playing and likely couldn’t be as much of a factor in limited playing time.
Odds & Ends: LeBron, Raja Bell, Wall, Draft
Here are a few Wednesday afternoon odds and ends from around the Association:
- Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com takes an extensive look at the decision that will face LeBron James, along with the teams that hope to sign him, in the summer of 2014. While Windhorst suggests that the Heat, Cavaliers, Lakers, and Bulls are among the clubs that could be in the mix for LeBron in '14, he stresses that the former MVP himself has yet to make any decisions about whether he'll even opt out of his contract with Miami.
- If the Cavs hope to recruit James or any other major free agent in the summer of 2014, they'll need to put a more competitive product on the court in 2013/14, says Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- Despite not being playoff-eligible, Raja Bell has continued to search for an NBA job, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com (via Twitter). However, nothing has developed, and Bell appears likely to sit out the entire season.
- John Wall continues to tell reporters that he feels he's worthy of a maximum contract, with Michael Lee of the Washington Post the latest scribe to get a quote from Wall on the subject. The Wizards point guard tells Lee he'd be disappointed if he can't work something out with the team before the 2013/14 season gets underway.
- When we asked last night whether Wall deserves a max deal, the response was an overwhelming no. Lee's readers at the Washington Post agree, as their responses indicate.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford answers plenty of draft questions in his latest chat, noting that the situation at Kentucky will be very interesting to watch. Top recruit Julius Randle announced today that he'll become a Wildcat, and three current freshman suggested yesterday that they're leaning toward returning to Kentucky for their sophomore years.
- The NBA has hired former Nuggets and Nets GM Kiki Vandeweghe as its vice president of basketball operations, the league announced today. Vandeweghe will report to executive VP of basketball ops Stu Jackson.
Poll: Does John Wall Deserve A Max Deal?
We already know John Wall thinks he is worthy of a maximum-salary contract. As of today, it sounds like we know that the Wizards think he is worthy of a maximum-salary contract. But do you think he is?
While he has certainly shown plenty of potential in his first three years in the league, the Wizards surely expected Wall to blossom into a star more quickly, similar to how Kyrie Irving has this year in Cleveland. As Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld points out, Washington has gone 18-15 since Wall returned and the lightning quick point guard has looked incredible in March, averaging 20.1 points, 7.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals while shooting 52.4 percent from the field.
But Kennedy also notes that some people in NBA circles still have reservations about his jump shot and feel for the game – both of which were questions on Wall when he was at Kentucky. While his recent performance suggests he may be improving on those opportunity areas, he will need to do it consistently to convince everyone that is headed for stardom.
It sounds like Wall will get a max deal. But what do you think – is he worth it? Feel free to elaborate on your answer in the comments section.
Odds & Ends: Wall, Mitchell, Brooks
There are only four games on the NBA schedule tonight. With anticipation for the NCAA Tournament ramping up, we should expect the NBA draft updates to pour in. Here are a few links from around the league and the college ranks:
- Whether John Wall is worthy of a max deal is still up for debate, writes HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy. It was reported earlier today that all signs point to the Wizards offering Wall a max contract. Kennedy indicates that while Wall and the Wizards have been stellar since his return, plenty of evaluators still have their doubts that Wall can take the jump to legitimate stardom. Wall will become a restricted free agent after next season, but says he would prefer to sign an extension before that happens.
- We heard earlier today that North Texas forward Tony Mitchell intends to enter this June's NBA draft. Our Luke Adams noted that Mitchell seemed to take a step back this year in his sophomore season. CBS College Basketball Insider Gary Parrish agrees, writing that Mitchell projected as a mid-to-late first rounder last year and that his sophomore season undoubtedly hurt his draft stock and could cost him millions.
- While his playing time has been drastically reduced in his second season, Nets guard MarShon Brooks has made the most of a recent uptick in minutes, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. Assuming the Nets will continue to be aggressive in their pursuit of a title, Brooks, currently fifth in the team's guard rotation, could be a value trading chip down the line given the ability he showed as a rookie.
- If you ever have the urge to check in on your favorite retired player, Sham Sports has a recently updated (and very entertaining) compilation of the whereabouts of former NBAers.
Wizards Considering Max Deal For John Wall?
Last Monday, Grantland's Zach Lowe reported that John Wall believes he's "definitely" worthy of a maximum-salary contract following his rookie deal. Wall will be eligible for an extension beginning this July, and according to J. Michael Falgoust of CSN Washington, "all the signals" suggest the Wizards are open to offering a max deal.
Wall, 22, has only appeared in 33 games this season after being sidelined for the first two months, but is averaging career-highs in points per 36 minutes (18.2), assists per 36 minutes (8.7), FG% (.444), and PER (18.7). If he were to reach an agreement on a long-term extension with the Wizards, the team could lock him up for as many as five seasons, on a deal that would begin in 2014/15. Speaking to CSN Washington, Wall expanded on why he believes he's worthy of the maximum salary.
"I feel like I’m a max guy, just on how I am as a person. I feel like I make my teammates better," Wall said. "I’m just a leader. I like to lead and I feel like I can change the organization. That’s the way we’re going with this team and how we've been playing lately."
Even if the Wizards and Wall don't finalize a contract extension during the coming offseason, the team will still have the opportunity to match any and all offers for Wall in the summer of 2014, when he becomes eligible for restricted free agency.
Martell Webster Wants To Return To Wizards
Fresh off of a career-high 34 point performance against the Suns, Wizards swingman Martell Webster says that he would like to stay in Washington next season, according to Michael Lee of the Washington Post (on Twitter).
“I would love to be here next year but this is a business and we’ll see what happens. I’m having an extraordinary time here," said the 26-year-old.
Webster will likely seek out a pay raise over his current salary of $1.6MM on a multi-year deal. His 34 point showing obviously isn't par for the course, but Webster has given the Wizards a career-best 11.5 PPG with 3.8 RPG and 1.9 APG this season. The former No. 6 overall pick would probably appreciate some stability as well, having played for three teams since 2009/10.
Eastern Notes: Sixers, Shaw, Ariza, Hennigan
While Charles Barkley continues to be one of the NBA's most outspoken and entertaining TV analysts, Sir Charles has indicated in the past that he'd love a chance to be hired as general manager of the Suns. If Barkley were running another one of his former teams, the Sixers, he'd be facing a big decision this summer, and he'd prepared to let Andrew Bynum walk in free agency, as John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Here are a few more items from around the Eastern Conference:
- In a Q&A with Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Pacers assistant Brian Shaw says his goal is to become a head coach someday. However, Shaw says he's in a "great situation" in Indiana, so he won't pursue a head coaching job that wouldn't be a good fit.
- In a week that featured Carmelo Anthony playing in Denver and Dwight Howard playing in Orlando, Trevor Ariza's first game against his former team, the Hornets, unsurprisingly isn't drawing much attention, and that's fine with him. "I’ve been on a number of teams," the Wizards forward told Michael Lee of the Washington Post. "Treat it like it’s a regular game. Not really worry about me, or individual things, but this is not an individual sport. It’s a team sport. Just stick to our game plan and do what I need to do."
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel details the close relationship between Thunder GM Sam Presti and Rob Hennigan, his Magic counterpart and former employee.
- Sam Smith's latest mailbag at Bulls.com is predictably heavy on Derrick Rose questions and answers.
John Wall Believes He’s A Max-Salary Player
John Wall still has a year remaining on his contract after this season, but he'll be eligible to sign a contract extension with the Wizards as of this July. In a conversation with Zach Lowe of Grantland, Wall says he hasn't started thinking about contract negotiations, but that he's enjoying playing in D.C. Asked if he felt like he was worthy of a maximum-salary extension, Wall replied, "I feel like I am. I do, definitely."
For a player who was selected first overall in the draft, the response isn't surprising. It also doesn't necessarily mean Wall will be demanding a max deal — like Josh Smith before him, the Wizards point guard was asked a question about his worth and answered it honestly. Whether or not the Wizards believe he's worth that amount will be the primary factor in the terms of Wall's next contract.
Wall, 22, is earning about $5.92MM this season and will make $7.46MM in 2013/14. If the Wizards choose to make him the team's designated player, like the Clippers did with Blake Griffin and the Rockets did with James Harden last offseason, Washington could extend his contract for five more years for any amount up to the max.