Odds & Ends: Varejao, Asik, Pistons, Mavs, Mack
After a busy Christmas Day in the NBA, there's no let-up on Boxing Day, with all but six teams in action later tonight — the Bulls and the Pacers will be two of the teams with today off, after Indiana announced that tonight's game would be postponed due to poor weather conditions. As we look forward to a full evening slate, we'll check in on a few updates from around the NBA:
- Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio answered reader questions about the Cavaliers in a chat, saying that he believes that if Cleveland is to trade Anderson Varejao, it's likely that would happen this season, with the Cavs looking for a big man and multiple first-round picks in return.
- Omer Asik burned his old team for 20 points and 18 rebounds yesterday, and what makes it even more painful for the Bulls is that backup center has been one of Chicago’s weaknesses this season, as Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com writes.
- According to coach Lawrence Frank, the Pistons aren't ready to hand over major minutes to Andre Drummond and other young players at the cost of trying to win games now. If the organization goes in that direction later this season, the club will be upfront about the decision, says Frank. MLive.com's David Mayo has the details.
- The Mavericks also continue to prioritize wins over player development, though coach Rick Carlisle tells Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that player development is a "major focus of our team."
- Wizards coach Randy Wittman told Shelvin Mack that what prompted the team to sign him wasn't his prior experience with Washington, but his play in the D-League, where he was in the top 10 in both scoring and assists, as Michael Lee of The Washington Post chronicles.
- Mo Williams, playing in a contract year, will be sidelined indefinitely with what the Jazz are calling a "severely sprained" right thumb, says Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Odds & Ends: Fisher, Cuban, Williams, Landry
We hope you're enjoying your holidays and today's NBA quintuple-header! As we look forward to the rest of tonight's action, let's round up a few more odds and ends from around the Association….
- Derek Page of HoopsWorld explores whether Derek Fisher's release from the Mavericks could eventually lead to a reunion between Fisher and the Lakers. For his part, the veteran point guard doesn't sound like he's ready to officially retire or immediately sign elsewhere: "My family is my priority and that is where I choose to be. I won’t close the possibility that I will play again, however for now my family and being close to them remains the priority."
- Mark Cuban fielded a variety of questions in a recent Reddit AMA, and the Dallas Morning News has rounded up a few of Cuban's basketball-related answers.
- We heard earlier that Turkish team Fenerbahce Ulker would buy out Shelden Williams' contract with Elan Chalon, but Emiliano Carchia of Sportando tweets that such a move now appears unlikely. Williams is expected to finish the season with the French club.
- Carl Landry, who signed a two-year deal with the Warriors over the offseason, has been everything Golden State hoped for and more, says Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News.
- ESPN.com's Chris Broussard delivers a lengthy profile on Rich Paul, longtime friend and now agent to LeBron James.
- Shelvin Mack and Garrett Temple both spoke to the media about signing with the Wizards, and the team's official site has the videos.
Wizards Sign Shelvin Mack, Garrett Temple
The Wizards have officially signed Shelvin Mack and Garrett Temple, the team announced today in a press release. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports first reported that Washington would bring back Mack, while ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported that Temple was expected to sign with the Wizards.
Both Mack and Temple had been playing in the D-League, for the Maine Red Claws and Reno Bighorns, respectively. In 10 starts for Maine, Mack had averaged 20.2 PPG and 7.1 APG while playing over 40 minutes per contest. Temple, meanwhile, has started nine games for the Bighorns, averaging 14.7 PPG and 5.8 APG.
The Wizards released Earl Barron and Shaun Livingston over the weekend, clearing a pair of roster spots. At the time, Michael Lee of the Washington Post indicated that Washington would likely bring in backcourt reinforcements to fill those roster spots. Barron's and Livingston's deals were non-guaranteed, and I would expect Mack's and Temple's will be as well, meaning the team will have a couple weeks to decide whether to keep the duo on board, guaranteeing their contracts.
Southeast Notes: Bosh, Wizards, Varnado, Heat
An early roundup of links from around the Southeast Division on Christmas Eve:
- Israel Gutierrez of ESPN.com writes that Chris Bosh has proven skeptics wrong after facing criticism when he teamed with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in Miami in 2010.
- David Aldridge of NBA.com writes that several Wizards players are frustrated with the team's struggles this season and are questioning whether the team has a direction.
- The South Florida Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman wonders whether the Heat will regret letting Jarvis Varnado sign with the Celtics if he has more success than Miami's Dexter Pittman.
- Winderman has the same question about Wizards signee Garrett Temple, whom the Heat Let go in favor of Terrel Harris.
- Shelvin Mack was surprised the Wizards were the team to call him up from the D-League, reports Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
Wizards To Sign Garrett Temple?
The Wizards signed Shelvin Mack out of the D-League earlier today and they may go back to the well for another guard. Word is that the Wizards are getting ready to ink Garrett Temple of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The 26-year-old has been around the block in his two years of NBA experience, having seen time with the Rockets, Kings, Spurs, Bucks, and Bobcats from 2009/10-2010/11. In parts of four D-League seasons, Temple has averaged 14.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, and 1.2 SPG in 34.8 minutes per contest.
Temple spent the summer with the Heat but wound up being their final roster cut with Terrel Harris, Josh Harrellson, Dexter Pittman, and James Jones all securing spots instead. Temple would have served as extra insurance for guard Mario Chalmers, but Miami felt confident enough in Chalmers’ health to move on without Temple.
Wizards To Re-Sign Shelvin Mack
The Wizards will sign Shelvin Mack out of the D-League, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Washington drafted Mack with the 34th overall pick in 2011 and waived him at the end of camp this year, absorbing his partial guarantee of $300K. Mack will get a new contract with the Wizards, likely for the minimum salary.
Mack has been playing with the Maine Red Claws of the D-League, and is the circuit’s 10th-leading scorer, at 20.2 points per game, and fifth-leading assist-maker, averaging 7.1 dimes per contest. He saw action in 64 games for Washington last season, posting numbers of 3.6 PPG and 2.0 APG in 12.2 minutes per game. The Wizards were reportedly looking for backcourt help following the release of Shaun Livingston and Earl Barron last night, but it’s unclear whether they’ll stop here or add a 15th player to the roster.
Wojnarowski tweets that Mack is expected to join the Wizards on Monday, which is the earliest he could do so, since Washington cannot fit him on to the roster until Livingston and Barron clear waivers. The Wizards don’t play again until Wednesday. Mack represents the latest in a series of point guards the team has turned to in the absence of John Wall, out indefinitely with an injured left patella. They chose Jannero Pargo over Mack to start the season, and waived Pargo in favor of Livingston on November 15th. A.J. Price has remained on the roster all season, but he’s currently on the shelf with a broken hand.
Wizards Waive Earl Barron, Shaun Livingston
8:01am: The team is planning on filling the open roster spots with backcourt reinforcements, sources tell Michael Lee of The Washington Post.
1:28am: The Wizards waived a pair of minimum-salary players overnight, cutting center Earl Barron and point guard Shaun Livingston, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The team confirmed the moves on its website. Barron's contract was non-guaranteed, and Livingston's likely was as well. Washington is left with the minimum of 13 players on its roster.
It's clearly a sign of cost-cutting for the Wizards, as both players made starts for the team within the last week. The release of Livingston is surprising, though, since that leaves the Wizards without any healthy point guards. Swingman Jordan Crawford has assumed much of the ball-handling duties while A.J. Price is on the mend from a broken hand, and John Wall remains out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his left kneecap. Unless either of them is ready to return, the Wizards may once more look to the free agent market, as they did when they brought in Ben Uzoh and Blake Ahearn for workouts earlier this month.
The timing of the moves is a bit curious, since it wouldn't have cost the Wizards much to keep Livingston and Barron around until January 10th, when contracts become guaranteed for the rest of the season. The prorated amount the team paid for each per day was only about $5K, a relative pittance. If Price makes it back at the early end of his initial recovery prognosis of four to six weeks, he would do so before January 10th, which would make the case for the Wizards to keep Livingston, unless they simply prefer another short-term option. Derek Fisher was waived by the Mavericks today, but he reportedly wants to retire and spend time with his family in L.A., so it would make no sense for him to move across the country to play for the 3-22 Wizards.
Odds & Ends: Cousins, Thunder, Vesely, Morris
In addtion to Steve Nash's Lakers debut tonight, another major talking point in the Pacific Division involves the Kings' suspension of DeMarcus Cousins. According to Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick of USA Today, a source close the team's plans says that the former Kentucky big man isn't untouchable. Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM feels that Sacramento and the Magic would benefit by exploring trade talks, as both have pieces that could help the other side (Twitter link). Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops also weighed in, offering four different scenarios in which the Kings could deal the fourth-year player. With that aside, here are some of the other notable stories we're hearing from the NBA this evening:
- Jim Eichenhoffer of Hornets.com tweets that Eric Gordon has been cleared for full contact practice.
- Jenni Carlson of NewsOK believes that dealing James Harden to Houston has made the Thunder a better and more fluid team, pointing to the significant increase in assist numbers by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
- Jan Vesely has yet to earn a consistent role during a turbulent start to his second-year campaign with the struggling Wizards, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. “It’s tough, especially when the team is losing,” Vesely said of his current role. “Everybody try to stay positive but sometimes it’s hard. I try to practice everyday, work on my game and stay ready for my chance to play.”
- Darius Morris may not be ready for a starting job, but Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times writes about how the Lakers' sophomore guard has found a significant role in Mike D'Antoni's rotation (Sulia link).
- Two years ago and just months removed from "The Decision", Jazz guard Mo Williams (then with Cleveland) and Heat superstar LeBron James may not have necessarily been on each other's holiday greetings list. Today, Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune notes how the two former teammates had nothing but glowing remarks to say about each other heading into tonight's matchup between Utah and Miami.
Eastern Rumors: Jamison, Celtics, D-Will, Wall
Just three games separate the 10th-place Magic from the fourth-place Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings, so it could be quite a scramble for the last few playoff spots. In the meantime, here's what's making news for Eastern teams.
- Antawn Jamison called Bobcats basketball president Rod Higgins when he chose a one-year deal with the Lakers over signing with the Cats this summer, and the veteran power forward, who played his high school ball in the Queen City, won't rule out a return to Charlotte. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer provides detail. "If they still want me back home, I’d sure listen." he said. "I have another couple of years in this body. If they want me, I’d have no reservations about putting on a Bobcats uniform."
- As part of a chat that also touches on several draft prospects, Chad Ford of ESPN.com says the Celtics are high on Tyreke Evans, though they're not as enamored with the fourth-year guard as they were some time ago, when they were willing to trade Rajon Rondo for him. Ford isn't sure the C's possess what the Kings would want in a swap for their soon-to-be restricted free agent.
- The Celtics made moves in the offseason to improve their depth, but advanced statistics show they're not getting much production from anyone other than Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, as Gary Dzen of the Boston Globe highlights.
- Deron Williams blamed the media for putting too much credence into his comparison of the Nets' offense to the motion sets he ran with the Jazz, while Brooklyn coach Avery Johnson said he doesn't take Williams' comments personally. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News has the story.
- With John Wall believing his chances of returning to play soon are 50-50, Deron Snyder of The Washington Times argues the Wizards should just shut him down for the season if he isn't back in a month. That would give him ample time to heal, and there isn't much the Wizards can accomplish this season with or without him, Snyder believes.
Latest On John Wall
John Wall addressed media Monday after the Washington Wizards' morning practice in Miami. He revealed for the first time that he had a stress fracture in his knee in addition to cartelige problems. Amin Vafa of Bullets Forever has a full transcript of his comments, where he discussed his injury, rehab, and the state of the Wizards.
On whether he has a timetable to return:
No, no timetable. Basically, I just got to see how this shot goes, and see if I can get back to ramping it up without having any problems or pain or soreness.
On being cautious:
So, that's the 50-50 chance you got. I mean, you never know how it's going to go. You just hope it heals the right way, and I think I've been doing the right things I'm supposed to do: just rest, do my exercises, try to stay in shape as best as possible without going out there and injuring myself and hurting myself for the rest of my career. I want to be out there playing basketball with my teammates, but I just want to make sure I'm fully healthy.
On the Wizards' current struggles:
I still understand that things happen for a reason. I just feel like God is testing me to see how strong I am mentally, and it's tough for me because I want to be out there and play. It's tough watching basketball when you can't play. I don't really know what to say.