Southeast Notes: Maggette, Odom, Wade, Wittman
Eastern Conference playoff seeding will be on the line the next two nights, with a focus on Southeast teams. Tonight, the Heat take on the Bulls in what is a must-win game if Miami wants a shot at the East's top seed. Tomorrow night, the Hawks and Magic, who have identical 34-24 records, play in Orlando in a game Dwight Howard is expected to miss. While we await what should be some good on-court action, let's catch up on the latest off-court updates out of the Southeast Division….
- In a press release, the Bobcats announced that Corey Maggette will miss the rest of the season with an ongoing right Achilles injury. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer wonders if Maggette has played his last game for the Bobcats, identifying the veteran as a potential amnesty candidate.
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel thinks the Heat could be a good fit for Lamar Odom, if Odom was willing to accept a significant pay cut to come to Miami next season.
- After saying yesterday that he believed players should be compensated for playing in the Olympics, Dwyane Wade backtracked on those comments today. The Heat star released a statement clarifying that he didn't want to be paid to play for Team USA in London this summer.
- Wizards coach Randy Wittman isn't worried about his fate for next season, telling Michael Lee of the Washington Post that "whatever happens, happens."
Southeast Notes: Silas, Wade, Wizards, Seraphin
The Hawks head into Boston tonight on a three-game winning streak and a half-game ahead of the Magic in the Southeast Division. As Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes, it may not be a bad thing for the Magic if the standings hold their current position. Currently the East's sixth seed, the Magic would face the third-place Pacers if the season ended today, and Robbins figures the Pacers are the best matchup for Orlando among the East's present playoff squads.
While we wait to see how the playoff seeding shakes out, let's check in on the latest from the Southeast….
- Bobcats coach Paul Silas hasn't heard indications from Charlotte management whether he'll be back on the team's bench next season. Silas tells Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer that he's okay with the uncertainty, but would like to continue coaching the club because he "wouldn't want to leave things as they are" (Twitter links).
- Echoing comments made by Ray Allen, Heat star Dwyane Wade told Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that he also believes players should be compensated for playing in the Olympics.
- Discussing the recent contributions from Cartier Martin and James Singleton, Wizards coach Randy Wittman joked that next year all his players will be on 10-day contracts, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Earlier this afternoon, I named Martin and Singleton as two of the best 10-day signings of 2012.
- Wizards majority owner Ted Leonsis wrote the following on his blog, Ted's Take: "A lot of general managers around the league are now asking; 'How did we not draft Kevin Seraphin and how did he fall so far in the draft?' Kudos to our scouts. And congratulations to Kevin Seraphin for taking advantage of his minutes and playing with hustle and showing off his gifts. Both Kevin Seraphin and Jordan Crawford were a part of our series of transactions around the Kirk Hinrich trades."
Odds & Ends: Van Gundy, Villanueva, Fisher, Magic
- John Hollinger of ESPN explores the different coaching options Stan Van Gundy has if he leaves the Magic (Insider link). It is worth noting that Hollinger lists a TV gig with ESPN or TNT, the Clippers, and Wizards among several other possibilities.
- Charlie Villanueva is "dying to play," writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. The six-year veteran has played in just two games since returning from an ankle injury.
- While Derek Fisher hasn't shown a statistical improvement compared to his numbers with the Lakers this season, the Thunder remain hopeful that his intangibles and big-game experience will pay dividends toward the development of the team, says J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today.
- In what he considers to be a "sneakered soap opera," Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel shares his thoughts on what to expect from the Magic as they finish the rest of the season and head into the summer.
- Antoine Walker announced his retirement from the D-League, tweeted Marc J. Spears of Yahoo.
- Expected to file for retirement in June, Brad Miller briefly reflects on a storied career with Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.
- Shabazz Muhammad of Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High School is the only NBA-ready player among the participants at the Nike Hoops Summit, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo.
Odds & Ends: Williams, Mavericks, Howard, Cavs
We've got nine games on the docket tonight, including Magic–Sixers in Philadelphia. Orlando will look to put the heightened drama of this past week behind them and snap a five-game losing skid. Here's a look around the league on this Saturday afternoon..
- There has been tons of speculation about Deron Williams joining the Mavericks this summer but Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld points out that several things have to happen in order to facilitate that homecoming. For starters, Dallas will have to get creative in order to have enough cap space to sign the Nets guard.
- The latest drama between Magic coach Stan Van Gundy and Dwight Howard feels like a repeat of the clash of Van Gundy and Shaquille O'Neal in Miami, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
- Lester Hudson has likely bought himself more time with the Cavaliers after helping the club top the Raptors in Toronto, writes Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer. The 27-year-old is on day eight of his ten-day contract.
- Jon Pastuszek of NiuBBall.com (via Twitter) points out that the Wizards' James Singleton makes it ten players who have signed in the NBA after playing in China this season.
Donnie Walsh To Explore General Manager Options
Longtime general manager Donnie Walsh is interested in re-entering the profession on a full-time basis, according to CBSSports.com's Ken Berger. Walsh is still under contract with the Knicks, but has been granted permission by the organization to explore other opportunities with other organizations.
Walsh's current contract as a consultant with New York will expire on June 30. According to Berger, the 71-year-old executive will first look at the Trail Blazers, as they are soon believed to be conducting a search for a long-term general manager. But should something open up in Indiana, where rumors have recently been swirling of Larry Bird possibly stepping down from his general manger position, Walsh would strongly consider returning to the team he used to run.
Walsh will not speak with any teams until their general manager position is officially open, but some other options might be with the Wizards and Magic. Also, according to Berger, it's just a coincidence that the Knicks gave Walsh permission to seek work elsewhere on the same day that his predecessor as Knicks president, Isiah Thomas, was fired as coach of Florida International University.
Wizards Sign James Singleton
The Wizards have signed James Singleton, according to his agency ASM Sports (via Twitter). David Devall of CSN Mid-Atlantic tweets that it will be a 10-day contract.
Singleton, 30, last played in the NBA for the Wizards in 2009/10, appearing in 32 games for Washington. In 231 career NBA games, the 6'8" forward has averaged 3.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per contest.
The Wizards have an open roster spot, so no corresponding move is required to clear room for Singleton. As our 10-day tracker shows, the Murray State alum is the third player to sign a 10-day deal with Washington since the trade deadline.
Leonard, Lillard, Wroten To Enter Draft
This June's NBA draft will take place at the Prudential Center, but it appears the May draft lottery will be moving from New Jersey to New York. Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports that the venue for the draft lottery will switch locations for the first time since 1994. We'll see if the new location turns out to be a good-luck charm for the Bobcats, Wizards, Hornets, or another club on May 30th. In the meantime, you can keep an eye on our tentative 2012 draft order to follow the latest odds on which lottery team will land that first overall pick.
Here are few more draft-related updates:
- Sophomore Meyers Leonard will forgo his final two years at Illinois and enter the draft, the team announced (hat tip to Scott Powers of ESPNChicago.com). The 7'1" center is expected to be selected in the first round, with ESPN.com's latest mock draft slotting him at 20th overall.
- Point guard Damian Lillard will leave Weber State a year early. We heard last month that the junior was expected to declare his intent, and Martin Renzhofer of the Salt Lake Tribune says Lillard made the decision official today. The 6'3" Lillard is considered perhaps the top available point guard in this year's draft, and could be a lottery pick.
- Washington freshman Tony Wroten will hire an agent and enter the draft, the school announced today. Said Wroten: "I love the University of Washington, but I just feel that it's best for me to make the jump." The 6'5" guard is expected to be a first-round pick, ranking 19th among ESPN.com's top 100 prospects and 23rd on DraftExpress.com's list.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) talks to scouts and GMs to get an idea of which players helped or hurt their stocks in the Final Four.
- Wizards point guard John Wall spoke to Michael Lee of the Washington Post about the possibility of Washington landing Anthony Davis in the draft.
Teams Signing The Most 10-Day Contracts
Teams have different motives for bringing players in on 10-day contracts. In the case of a lottery-bound team with little to play for in the immediate future, signing a player to a 10-day deal allows for an affordable, first-hand look at a young player to determine whether or not he might be a long-term asset (think Gerald Green with the Nets). For a contender, a 10-day deal allows a team to bring in a veteran to temporarily provide bench help in case of injuries or questionable depth (ie. Mike James and the Bulls).
As our 10-day contract tracker shows, however, some teams like taking advantage of these deals more than others. While a number of clubs have yet to sign a single player to a 10-day deals, a handful have brought in multiple players on temporary contracts, renewing some and letting others expire. Here's a quick look at which teams have taken advantage of the 10-day contracts the most this season, handing them out to multiple players:
Cavaliers:
Manny Harris (two 10-day contracts followed by rest-of-season contract)
Lester Hudson
Ben Uzoh
Hornets:
Jeff Foote
Solomon Jones (two 10-day contracts)
Donald Sloan (two 10-day contracts)
Lance Thomas (two 10-day contracts followed by rest-of-season contract)
Nets:
Andre Emmett
Gerald Green (two 10-day contracts followed by rest-of-season contract)
Dennis Horner
Jerry Smith
Raptors:
Alan Anderson
Ben Uzoh
Rockets:
Earl Boykins
Courtney Fortson (10-day contract followed by rest-of-season contract)
Malcolm Thomas
Spurs:
Eric Dawson (two 10-day contracts)
Justin Dentmon
Warriors:
Keith Benson
Mickell Gladness (10-day contract followed by rest-of-season contract)
Wizards:
Cartier Martin
Edwin Ubiles
Odds & Ends: Terry, Nene, Wizards, Cavs, Jazz
Tonight's NBA schedule features six games, with Clippers/Mavericks and Grizzlies/Thunder matchups topping the bill. But most basketball fans will be watching Kansas and Kentucky battle for the NCAA National Championship in New Orleans. With three likely top-five draft picks in Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Thomas Robinson, the game should provide a good preview of next year's rookie class, in addition to being entertaining in its own right.
As we gear up for the title game, here are a few links from around the NBA:
- Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com thinks Jason Terry should stop talking about his impending free agency, for Terry's own sake as much as the Mavericks'.
- In the aftermath of the trade deadline, the Wizards didn't receive rave reviews for their acquisition of Nene, but there's a definitively a more positive vibe around the club lately, writes Stephen Brotherson of HoopsWorld.
- The Cavaliers are making excellent use of the NBA's D-League, writes Bob Finnan of the News-Herald, noting that six current Cavs have played in the D-League.
- ESPN.com's John Hollinger (Insider link) looks ahead to this summer's free agent class, trying to predict which players could end up being undervalued like Brandan Wright was this year.
- The Jazz could be sending or receiving draft picks depending on how the standings end up. Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune outlines the potential playoff and draft scenarios for Utah.
Odds & Ends: Lin, Rockets, Camby, Hornets
The Bulls and Thunder square off tomorrow afternoon, but Chicago will likely be without the services of Derrick Rose for a tenth straight game. The Bulls could certainly use the help of the reigning MVP but they've found a way to win without him, going 14-5 without Rose in the lineup this season. Here's a look around the Association to close out the evening..
- Jeremy Lin's season is likely over but the popular guard says that he hopes to remain with the Knicks in 2012/13, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
- The acquisitions of Marcus Camby and Earl Boykins have given the Rockets some badly needed veteran leadership, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Excluding players now with the club's D-League affiliate, the Rockets have 4.69 years of NBA experience, taking them from one of the least to most experienced teams.
- Cartier Martin is already making a strong impression on the Wizards and is making a case for staying with the club beyond his current ten-day contract, writes Gene Wang of the Washington Post.
- Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer remembers the phone call that made the Hornets organization a reality 25 years ago.