Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Draft Notes: Marshall, Lillard, Nets

May 26th, 2012 at 2:57pm CST by Chuck Myron
With just four days to go until the NBA draft lottery, the Memorial Day weekend might be filled with anxiety for teams hoping to land a high pick. It's not a restful time for many prospects, either, as they continue to try and impress future employers. Here's the latest on the draft: 
  • North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall says that he broke his elbow, but hopes to be cleared for contact in time for the NBA combine, as documented by Dan Tierney of the IMG Basketball Academy Blog.  Zach Links took a look at Marshall's draft stock as a part of our Prospect Profile series earlier this week.
  • Marshall's competition for top point guard honors in the draft is Damian Lillard, who looked impressive in a public workout today, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com (All Twitter links).
  • Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News believes landing the top pick in the draft could be transformative for the Nets. Lawrence says adding presumptive No. 1 pick Anthony Davis could persuade Deron Williams to re-sign and would eliminate the need to pursue Dwight Howard.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Money Time: Upcoming Free Agents In The Playoffs

May 26th, 2012 at 1:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

It's time for another look at soon-to-be free agents and their playoff performances as we put a bow on the conference semifinals with the Sixers-Celtics Game 7 tonight. You can find previous Money Time posts by clicking on the tag at the bottom of this entry or by clicking here. 

Winners

Danny Green, Spurs (restricted): Last year's D-League refugee doesn't have to worry about NBA job security anymore, especially after what he's done this postseason. In San Antonio's four-game sweep of the Clippers, Green delivered on 11 of 19 three-point attempts , shot 56.3% overall, and was fourth on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game.  

Boris Diaw, Spurs: He's fit so seamlessly with the Spurs that GM R.C. Buford may regret signing Diaw to just a rest-of-the-season deal when he was bought out by the Bobcats. Diaw took over the starting power forward spot next to center Tim Duncan shortly before the playoffs, and really turned it on against the Clippers, averaging 10.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals. He had 12 rebounds in Game 1, and shot 7-for-7 for 16 points in Game 2.

Lavoy Allen, Sixers (restricted): He's forgiving about his preseason ranking as the worst player in the NBA by ESPN.com, and he didn't get down when he was benched after starting Game 1 against the Bulls. Allen has instead turned into one of the most important figures for the Sixers in their series against the Celtics, shooting 62.9% from the floor and averaging 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals in 23.5 minutes a game against Boston. He has a chance to make an even more profound impression with a strong performance in Game 7 tonight. 

Losers

Kenyon Martin, Clippers: We'll circle back to catch up with one of the many Clippers done in by the Spurs. He averaged 1.5 blocks, but brought down fewer than three rebounds per game in that series, disconcerting for a big man even though he played just 16 MPG. He was nonexistant on offense, shooting just 40% and averaging 4.0 PPG.

Spencer Hawes, Sixers: We had him listed as a winner in a previous installment of Money Time, but he has not carried his encouraging play against the Bulls over to the second-round series with the Celtics. He's the team's eighth leading scorer, at 8.0 PPG, in the series, and has averaged just 24.3 minutes of court time. The Celtics are a poor rebounding team, but the 7'0", 245-pound Hawes is putting up just 5.5 RPG against them.

Leandro Barbosa, Pacers: The Pacers looked to him to spark the team's offense as a reserve, but Barbosa, a double-figure scorer for six of the last seven regular seasons, couldn't get it done. He shot 31.8% against the Heat, and the career 82.3% free-throw shooter went just 3-for-6 at the line. His 6'3", 176-pound frame made him a liability at shooting guard when he was defending Dwyane Wade, and as a 29-year-old who has long used his speed to his advantage, Barbosa's prospects look dim going forward. 

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Clippers, Paul, Malone, Warriors

May 26th, 2012 at 12:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Items out of the Pacific as the Clippers decide whether to exercise Vinny Del Negro's option for next season..

  • Clippers guard Chris Paul has Warriors assistant Mike Malone on his short-list of preferred replacements for Del Negro, a source told Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld.  Malone was a part of the Hornets' staff during Paul's time in New Orleans.
  • Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com wonders what the Warriors will do if Malone lands a head coaching job elsewhere.
  • Even though many have speculated that Suns swingman Josh Childress could be an amnesty candidate, the 29-year-old is hopeful that there could still be a role for him with the club, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic.  Childress is set to earn $21MM across the next three seasons, including his 2014/15 player option.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Knicks Notes: Woodson, Brown, Dolan, Jackson

May 26th, 2012 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

Yesterday, the Knicks and Mike Woodson finalized a multiyear contract to keep the coach in New York.  Here's details on the deal and more..

  • Woodson's contract includes two guaranteed years and a third-year option worth approximately $4MM per season, sources told Stephen A. Smith of ESPNNewYork.com.  The deal could keep Woodson at MSG for the next three seasons, the same length of time that Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Tyson Chandler are under contract.
  • Former Knicks coach Larry Brown says that his primary advice to Mike Woodson is to get along with Knicks owner James Dolan, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.  "During my stay, my biggest problem is I didn’t establish a relationship with Dolan," said Brown. "I went through the chain of command and that was a mistake. I told Woody, [Dolan] wants to win."
  • The Knicks promoted a company man in Woodson, writes Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post.  Vaccaro also writes that it's possible that Phil Jackson didn't want to risk tarnishing his legacy by taking the reins of a team that has signficantly less talent than what he is used to.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Hoops Links: Sonics, Celtics, Lakers, Rondo

May 26th, 2012 at 9:56am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 1999, Vince Carter, won the Rookie of the Year award with 95.8% of the votes.  The Raptors star averaged 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.54 blocked shots while shooting .450 from the field in 1998-99.  This year, Cavs rookie Kyrie Irving captured the award with 117 of 120 (97.5%) first-place votes.  Here's a look at this week's links..

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Knicks Notes: Lin, Free Agency, Draft Workouts

May 25th, 2012 at 10:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up a few of today's Knicks-related items….

  • Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald expects Jeremy Lin to re-sign with the team and doesn't foresee a scenario in which the franchise is unable to retain him, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. "We can keep him if we want him, and we do want to keep him. I believe that Jeremy had a great experience here and I believe he wants to come back. So that's where that is."
  • Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com reports Grunwald would like to bring back free agent Steve Novak and hopes J.R. Smith picks up his player option so he can remain with the Knicks.
  • After working out for the Knicks, Iona's Scott Machado spoke to Al Iannazzone of Newsday about New York's potential hole at point guard: "For any point guard that wants to play here, I feel like it's a good opportunity. They got some players that are banged up, hurt or some players that are retiring or old…. As far as the opportunity here, it's a wonderful spot, they have a lot of pieces. Somewhere they need to grow solid in is the point guard spot. That's my opinion. I feel like it's a good opportunity for any point guard."
  • Re-signing Lin would help the Knicks solidify that point guard spot, but there's no guarantee New York will re-sign the restricted free agent. Dennis Velasco of The Basketball Jones examines a few potential landing spots for Lin.
  • Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com spoke to Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom, who also worked out for the Knicks and could be a second-round target for the team.
  • Mike Woodson's former agent Joe Glass is upset Woodson let him go before negotiating with James Dolan and the Knicks, but wishes the coach success in the future, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Larry Brown, the Glass client that initially created tension between the agent and Dolan, tells Berman that Woodson did the right thing for his future by changing agents.
  • I previewed the Knicks' summer earlier today in the latest installment in our Offseason Outlook series.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Latest On Jerry Sloan’s Bobcats Candidacy

May 25th, 2012 at 9:33pm CST by Daniel Seco

Former Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan met with Bobcats owner Michael Jordan and other members of the Bobcats front office on Friday to discuss the team's head coaching vacancy, reports Brad Rock of the Deseret News. Sloan stated that the Bobcats did not offer him the position but did not discount the possibility that the two sides could be a match even though the Bobcats only won seven games during the 2011/2012 season. Let's check in on the latest Sloan-related news and rumors as we head into Memorial Day Weekend.

  • Sam Amick of SI.com (via Twitter) had the opportunity to speak with Sloan after his interview with the Bobcats and says the Hall of Fame coach isn't sure whether the franchise is leaning a particular way with other candidates to consider. "Everything went fine. There wasn't any job offers or anything like that. We visited. He asked me a lot of questions and I asked him a lot of questions. I think they're gonna interview some other people. I don't know."
  • Dana Greene of ABC4.com wonders if Sloan is a good candidate for the Bobcats given his age and desire to work with "old-school players." Former Jazz assistant coach Gordon Chiesa says Sloan has the desire to improve a bad situation. "Jerry Sloan is all about discipline, hard work, and getting players to become better. The NBA needs someone like Jerry Sloan, especially a team that needs a new energy level, a new knockout punch. That's Jerry Sloan."
  • Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype says (via Twitter) he'd love to be inside of Jerry Sloan's head as he sits through interviews with the Bobcats to better understand why the coach who has accomplished all but winning an NBA championship would be interested in heading up a reclamation project in Charlotte.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Bianchi On Shaq, Brian Shaw, Stan Van Gundy

May 25th, 2012 at 8:44pm CST by Daniel Seco

Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel eloquently deconstructs the candidacy of Shaquille O'Neal for the Magic general manager position in his latest column. Not only does his admonish the media for making Shaq's interest in the position far greater than it ended up being but he also gets in a dig at the future Hall of Famer for removing his name from consideration by stating "This is not a job I have an interest in pursuing." Bianchi says that's the equivalent of him stating he'd have no interest in pursuing Bill Simmons' gig at ESPN or in simpler Hoops Rumors terms, Paul Silas claiming no interest in coaching the 1995/1996 Bulls.

Bianchi says Brian Shaw is his odds-on pick as the most likely candidate to become the next head coach of the Magic. Shaw nearly succeeded Phil Jackson after his retirement from the Lakers last offseason but fell short of landing the job as Mike Brown beat him out for the position. The former guard spent the 2011/2012 season as Frank Vogel's associate head coach for the Pacers, who finished the regular season with a 42-24 record and kept the second round of the playoffs heavily competitive against the Heat.

Bianchi predicts it won't be long before Stan Van Gundy is once again sweating on the sidelines while drawing up plays in the huddle, especially when he's getting support from former top executives like Steve Kerr. "If I need a coach, I'm getting on the phone with Stan Van Gundy. He's one of the best in the league." Look for SVG to rebound with a team like Clippers or Trail Blazers if he's interested in coaching this upcoming season rather than settle for a lesser job with the Bobcats.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Isiah Thomas Looking To Return To Basketball

May 25th, 2012 at 7:42pm CST by Daniel Seco

Former Florida International head coach Isiah Thomas wants to return to either college basketball or the NBA after being relieved of his duties at FIU in April. In a phone conversation with Scott Powers of ESPNChicago.com, Thomas said that he isn't done with his post-playing career in basketball after finishing with a 26-65 record over three seasons with the Panthers.

"I definitely want to be in basketball again whether it be coaching or as a general manager," Thomas said. "My gift is basketball. I would love working with the kids. If it's the right college program, I would consider it. If it's the right GM job or coaching job in the NBA, I would consider it. I love the game. I just want to be in the game."

Thomas, 51, acknowledged that his name consistently comes up whenever an opening with the Knicks is mentioned in the media after forging a strong relationship with owner James Dolan during his tenure with the team. The former Pistons "Bad Boy" served as the president of basketball operations and head coach of the Knicks in which he struggled significantly both on and off the court. Even with the setbacks, Thomas still has a strong view of the Knicks given that many of his friends still work for the franchise.

"I have great friends in the organization," said Thomas. "A lot of them I gave them their first job opportunities in the NBA. The owner and I have a very good relationship. It's an organization I will always root for and will always want them to do well because they're all personal friends of mine."

While it's unlikely Thomas will find his phone ringing for the general manager opening in Orlando or the head coaching job in Charlotte, he should be able to find work as an assistant coach at a collegiate program on the rise or perhaps as a lower-level executive for a middling NBA franchise.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Reactions To Mike Woodson’s Extension

May 25th, 2012 at 6:57pm CST by Daniel Seco

We reported earlier this evening that the Knicks had finalized a multiyear contract extension with head coach Mike Woodson. While the financial terms for the contract have yet to be announced, the length of the deal will keep Woodson in the Big Apple through the three years remaining on the contracts of Tyson Chandler, Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. We'll keep track of the latest reactions to the news of Woodson's extension here.

  • Howard Beck of The New York Times says Woodson should be praised for holding the Knicks accountable on defense but not on offense (via Twitter).
  • Woodson was the best candidate for the Knicks head coaching job and New York made the right choice by retaining him, writes ESPNNewYork.com's Jared Zwerling.
  • During the conference call announcing his extension, Woodson stated his excitement with owner James Dolan's decision to keep him around for a few more seasons. "I'm very, very excited about coming back and being the Knicks head coach. CAA is representing me now and I know expectations are very high."
  • Harvey Araton of The New York Times says the Knicks made the logical choice in electing to bring back Mike Woodson as the team's head coach. 
  • Knicks GM Glen Grunwald said during the conference call that Woodson was given the first opportunity to win the job and impressed the organization during interviews. “We told Woody he would get the first crack at the job and he hit it out of the park.”
  • Frank Isola of the New York Daily News opines that while Woodson earned the job, the Knicks still should have given Phil Jackson a call (via Twitter).
  • Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops believes Phil Jackson would have been interested in at least talking about becoming the next head coach of the Knicks.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts