It turned out to be Kendall Marshall making headlines tonight and not the much-discussed Omer Asik. Marshall agreed to terms with the Lakers this evening after being linked to the Grizzlies and Jazz in recent weeks. Here are some notes from around the Western Conference:
- Players on the Rockets roster are glad that Asik wasn’t dealt to another club today, according to Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle. Several players expressed their appreciation of the center’s talents, including James Harden: “He’s one of the best big men in the NBA, defensively as well. He complements our team so well. We’re fortunate to have him on our team.“
- Speaking of the Rockets, Jeremy Lin sat down with Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld and discussed how he deals with trade rumors: “I still remember what it was like being on the edge of my seat and wondering if I was even going to be on a roster tomorrow… I’ve seen the whole Linsanity thing and I’ve seen the D-League and getting cut… I think having that wide scope of perspective helps me stay more balanced and stay more even keel through ups and downs.“
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com opines that a large reason for the success of the Thunder and Spurs comes from how responsibly the two clubs have handled their assets. Rather than trading future draft picks for quick fixes, Berger notes that the two squads have focused on player development and have set themselves up for years of winning basketball.
- Richard Jefferson spoke with SiriusXM NBA Radio hosts Kenny Smith and Jason Goff and made it clear he wanted to play for a championship team, as Jody Genessy of the Deseret News passes along. “If I get an opportunity to play for a championship team, I’m going to go hunting for them… I have no loyalty… I’m a gun for hire.” Jefferson is on an expiring contract but is set to make $11MM this year.
- Paul Coro of AZ Central Sports examines how Jeff Hornacek‘s use of Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe gives the Suns a legitimate playmaker on the floor at all times.
- With so many injury problems and an overall lack of talent, Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated suggests that this might be the best time for the Lakers to blow up their roster and fully involve themselves in the rebuilding process.