The Dwight Howard/Andrew Bynum trade, like many of the offseason's marquee moves, has yet to pay dividends for any of the teams involved, writes Michael Lee of The Washington Post. Lee thinks the Lakers and Nuggets will turn around their slow starts this season, but he's less optimistic about the Sixers, whom he believes must give Bynum a hefty contract this summer, no matter when he comes back from injury, to justify their involvement in the trade. We've already heard conflicting views on what kind of deal Bynum can expect this summer, and as we wait to find out, there's more news on Philly's Atlantic Division rivals.
- Presumably it's GM Glen Grunwald, if not owner James Dolan, calling the shots on Knicks personnel, but coach Mike Woodson said the decision to let Jeremy Lin go this summer was straightforward, as Newsday's Al Iannazzonne observes. "That’s a business decision," Woodson said. "I don’t think it was difficult. We just decided to go in a different direction, based on the guys I thought I liked in terms of Raymond (Felton), Jason (Kidd) and Pablo (Prigioni)."
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, who credits Dolan with making the call on Lin, says he's come around to the owner's side on this one after initially believing the Knicks should have kept Lin.
- The Celtics signed Brian Cusworth toward the end of training camp and waived him shortly thereafter so their D-League affiliate could own their rights, reports Mark Deeks of ShamSports (Twitter link). We noted earlier today that the Timberwolves carried out the same sort of transactions with Demetris Nichols and Troy Hudson. Cusworth, a 7'0" center from Harvard, is on the roster of the Maine Red Claws for opening night tonight.
- Jeff Green remains friends with Kevin Durant, but he has otherwise moved on from his Thunder days as he prepares to take on his old team tonight, he told reporters, including Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
- Offseason signee Mirza Teletovic, on the inactive list tonight, isn't seeing much of the court for the Nets, as Josh Newman of SNY.tv chronicles.
Howard/Bynum trade hsnt paid dividends for either team yet? I definately don’t agree with that, the lakers have had a slow start, so he’s saying that they would have had a better start with bynum sitting on the bench than actually having howard on the floor every game. Obviously has paid off for lakers, may have gotten out from under the next greg oden just in time. Remember howard was the one who was supposedly going to be out until january, but he’s started since opening night and averaged better than 20 and 12.