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Eastern Notes: Knicks, Heat, Mahinmi, Murphy

December 8th, 2014 at 4:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Phil Jackson maintains that the Knicks aren’t ready to turn their focus to the draft, despite their 4-18 start, notes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link). Still, people on the “non-playing side” of the organization believe the team doesn’t have many players who can master the triangle, as TNT’s David Aldridge writes in his Morning Tip column for NBA.com. Carmelo Anthony says he and his teammates must “kind of be comfortable with being uncomfortable” as they learn the triangle, as he told Aldridge last week. Comfort is tough to find on the court or off in New York for now, and we passed along more on the Knicks earlier today. Here’s news from the rest of the Eastern Conference:

The Heat wouldn’t have built this season’s roster the way they did if they knew going into July that LeBron James wouldn’t re-sign, as Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes amid his mailbag column. James announced his decision on July 11th, more than a week into NBA free agency.
Ian Mahinmi will be out six to eight weeks with a torn left plantar fascia, the Pacers announced. Mahinmi suffered the injury in the first half of Friday night’s contest against the Kings.
Former Bulls big man Erik Murphy, currently with the Spurs affiliate in the D-League, is in talks with Turkish club Galatasaray, according to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando. Murphy, who spent most of last season with Chicago after the Bulls chose him 49th in the 2013 draft, was last on an NBA roster with the Celtics, who let him go at the end of the preseason.

Arthur Hill contributed to this post.

Celtics Notes: Rondo, Bradley, Thornton

December 7th, 2014 at 7:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Although he is known for his passing, the Celtics are better when Rajon Rondo is shooting more, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Boston has strung together three straight wins since coach Brad Stevens talked to Rondo last week about not being passive or being content with letting the game come to him. “When Rondo’s aggressive, I think our team is better,” said Jeff Green. “When he’s shooting open shots and also getting guys in transition, hitting them, that’s when we’re at our best.”

There’s more from Beantown:

Brad Stevens told Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com that he likes the risk-taking attitude displayed by Avery Bradley late in Sunday’s win over the Wizards. With 19 seconds remaining on the shot clock and 37 seconds left in the game, Bradley hit a contested shot that gave Boston a two-possession lead. “I thought it was — fading a little bit into the corner, kind of off one foot — it wasn’t exactly how you draw it up, but, hey, maybe we should draw it up that way,” Stevens said. “I don’t know.”
With free agency looming next summer, Marcus Thornton needs to make an impression, and Kyle Brasseur of ESPNBoston.com reports that he helped himself with an eight-point fourth quarter Sunday. The 27-year-old guard has been losing playing time to Phil Pressey in recent games, but given the chance in Sunday’s game, he responded with 21 points off the bench. “I’ve been through this before as a rookie so I know what it takes,” Thornton said. “When you’ve got positive teammates, it makes it that much easier too.”
The Celtics team that won the 2008 NBA title may have been scattered throughout the league, but Brian Robb of Boston.com reports several players stay together through weekly texting sessions. Paul Pierce, who played his first game in Boston Sunday as a member of the Wizards, said he communicates regularly online with Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis and Kendrick Perkins. Pierce also refused to close the door on a possible return to the Celtics one day. “If the opportunity presents itself, you know, maybe,” he said. “If there’s an opportunity, I would love to.”

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Aldridge, Turner

December 7th, 2014 at 4:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Tommy Heinsohn of CSNNE sees a bright future for former Celtics star Paul Pierce when his playing days are through, but he isn’t sure exactly what he’ll be doing. “He’s liable to be a broadcaster for all we know,” Heinsohn joked. “Paul Pierce is a perfect example of a guy that’s made for an organization. He’s a very, very team oriented person. He’s a self motivator, so every time you put that type of individual into an organization, they’ll find a way to get the best out of them. I don’t know what he’ll end up being, but they will surely want him to be involved.”

Pending free agent LaMarcus Aldridge is unlikely to join the Knicks, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Aldridge, he explains, seems to be after a five year deal and the Knicks cannot offer more than four.
After disappointing stints with the Sixers and Pacers, Evan Turner may have found a comfortable NBA role with the Celtics, as A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. Turner, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft, is averaging nearly nine points per game as a versatile sixth man for Boston. Coach Brad Stevens talked about playing to Turner’s strengths. “He’s a mid-range guy,” Stevens said. “He’s a better mid-range player than he is a three-point shooter at this time. But his three-point shot is getting better and will continue to get better.”
While the criticism of Knicks coach Derek Fisher and president Phil Jackson is mounting, one league personnel director told Berman that not much was expected of the new regime in year one. “You’ve got to be patient,’’ he said. “You got a coach who’s never coached and a president who’s never built a team.’’
The struggling football coaches in New York can’t say the same, but Fisher has job security despite the Knicks‘ lousy play, writes Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News.

Arthur Hill contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Pierce, Covington, Knicks

December 7th, 2014 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Paul Pierce will always be a Celtic, no matter what uniform he wears, Clippers coach Doc Rivers told Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post. Pierce will make his first trip to Boston today as a member of the Wizards. He spent last season with the Nets before accepting a $5.3MM offer from the Wizards with a $5.5MM player option for next year. “He’s a Celtic playing for other teams,” said Rivers, who coached Pierce for nine years in Boston. “That’s exactly the way I look at Paul. I’ll never look at him as a Wizard. That’s just not going to happen. He’s just a Celtic playing for the Wizards, and we all know that.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics have recalled Dwight Powell and James Young from the D-league, the team announced in a press release. Powell is averaging 22.3 points and 11.0 rebounds in three games with the Maine Red Claws, while Young is averaging 23.3 points and 6.8 rebounds.
The Sixers‘ Robert Covington is seizing the opportunity he has in Philadelphia, writes Max Rappaport of Sixers.com. The second-year forward had 25 points in Detroit Saturday as Philadelphia picked up its second win of the season. Covington signed with the Sixers November 15th after being waived by the Rockets before the season started. “I have my sights set on everything that I want to do to prove that I belong here,” he said. Covington is under the Sixers’ control through the 2017/18 season.
There’s plenty of blame to be shared for the Knicks‘ 4-17 start, opines Al Iannazzone of Newsday. He cites a mediocre roster assembled by team president Phil Jackson, questionable decisions from first-year coach Derek Fisher and a lack of production at the point guard, power forward and center positions.

Hawks, Knicks To Pursue Greg Monroe

December 6th, 2014 at 5:37pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Hawks and Knicks are set to pursue Greg Monroe in free agency this coming summer, according to Shams Charania of RealGM. Over a dozen teams should have the necessary cap space to attract Monroe, who will almost assuredly be seeking a max contract, notes Charania. The Knicks see him as a secondary target if they can’t convince Marc Gasol to leave Memphis and come to New York, Charania adds, and landing Gasol is prospect they’re reportedly pessimistic about.

Monroe took the risky route this offseason when he signed Detroit’s one year qualifying offer after he and the team were unable to come to terms on a new long-term deal. The fact that Monroe spurned the Pistons’ attempts to lock him up for the long term and that he was willing to accept a salary of approximately $5.48MM for 2014/15, which is definitely below the market value for a player of Monroe’s talents, suggest that he has no intention of returning to Motown next season, Charania notes.

Monroe’s camp was also reportedly active in seeking sign-and-trade deals this past summer rather than attempting to secure offer sheets, with the fear that the Pistons would match and he would then be forced to stay in Detroit. Despite speculation that big-market teams like the Lakers and Celtics were pursuing Monroe, neither were an interested party when Monroe was seeking suitors, Charania’s sources told him. For their part, the Pistons rejected the proposed sign-and-trade offers, and they instead decided to take their chances that new president of basketball operations and head coach Stan Van Gundy could convince Monroe during the course of the season that Detroit was indeed a desirable place for him to continue his playing career.

The Knicks’ interest in Monroe furthers the notion that New York is focused on adding a center via free agency next summer. Monroe is the No. 4 player on the Hoops Rumors Free Agent Power Rankings, and he’s the third-ranked center behind Gasol and Al Jefferson, who holds a $13.5MM player option for the 2015/16 season. The Knicks certainly will have enough cap flexibility to offer Monroe a maximum-salary deal, with roughly $25.9MM to spend. I do question how well Monroe would fit into the triangle offense that New York is transitioning to, since he is not known as a willing and competent passer, something that is required of big men in that system.

As for the Hawks, Monroe would be a curious fit alongside Al Horford and Paul Millsap and could find himself in a situation similar to the one he is now in with Detroit, where the Pistons’ experiment with an oversized frontcourt has not worked out well for any involved. Millsap is set for unrestricted free agency this coming summer, too, so Atlanta’s interest in Monroe could portend that the Hawks are either not confident in re-signing Millsap, or that they would prefer to add Monroe to their squad instead. Atlanta is expected to have more than $24MM in cap flexibility available next summer.

Eastern Notes: Irving, Parker, Van Gundy, Celtics

December 6th, 2014 at 2:49pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Lost amidst all the publicity surrounding the Cavs with LeBron James making his return to Cleveland was just how important it was for the team to sign Kyrie Irving to a contract extension, Terry Pluto of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. The Cavs needed Irving to be “all in” so that they could attract James and other free agents, which is why the team pushed to get Irving to re-sign for the maximum five years, Pluto adds.

Here’s the latest from the East:

If Jabari Parker continues to develop his game, the Bucks will have landed a player whose talent is on par with Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony, two players whom Parker’s game has been compared to, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops writes. “I think Parker will end up closer to Pierce later in his career,” an Eastern Conference scout told Scotto. “I think the comparisons fit better when Anthony is playing a small four instead of the three. I think Jabari is going to have success in the league more as a small four than a three.”
Re-signing with the Celtics is Rajon Rondo‘s free agent preference this summer, but if that scenario falls apart, then Los Angeles would move to the top of the point guard’s list, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com says in a video report.
Pistons president and head coach Stan Van Gundy wasn’t very flattering of himself when assessing the job that he has done in Detroit thus far, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel writes. “If I were only the president, I’d fire the coach,” Van Gundy said. “Clearly I’m not doing a great job. I need to coach guys. I need to make sure we’re getting to things quicker. I need to take responsibility for things going on.” Detroit is off to a 3-16 start this season, which ranks the Pistons 14th in the Eastern Conference.
James Young and Dwight Powell of the Celtics have been re-assigned to the Maine Red Claws, the team announced. This is the fourth D-League assignment of the season for both players. The Red Claws are scheduled to take on the Sioux Falls Skyforce this evening.

Atlantic Notes: Young, Fisher, Rondo, Brown

December 6th, 2014 at 8:49am CST by Eddie Scarito

James Young has been lighting up the scoreboard during his D-League appearances this season but he’s still waiting for his opportunity with the Celtics, Jimmy Toscano of CSNNE.com writes. “You never know what’s going to happen with your team first and foremost with regard to injuries or whatever the case may be,” head coach Brad Stevens said. “So he’s always got to stay ready and be ready. I think the biggest thing for James is he’s got to continue to play and get those opportunities in Maine, continue to practice extremely well, and then when that opportunity presents itself to take advantage of it. Do I have a timeline for that? When he beats those other guys out, then that’s the timeline. And I think that’s the right way to look at it.”

Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Amid the Knicks‘ early season struggles, head coach Derek Fisher‘s calm demeanor has helped stabilize his players, but the franchise might need the former player to show more fire on the sidelines, Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal opines. The Knicks, who have been whistled for more fouls than any other NBA team while getting to the line less than any other team, need Fisher to depart from his relaxed, mild-mannered state with the officials, Herring adds.
Despite the rumors that resulted from Kobe Bryant and Rajon Rondo having breakfast together, the Celtics aren’t likely to deal Rondo, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News hears. The point guard remains a player who the team wants to build around even after he hits free agency this summer, and Boston sees Rondo as a means of attracting one of the crop of talented big men who will be available on the free agent market this summer, Deveney adds.
Sixers coach Brett Brown shouldn’t be judged by his won-loss record thanks to being saddled with a roster intended to lose, Michael Lee of The Washington Post writes. But Philadelphia’s woes do weigh on Brown despite the lower expectations, and the coach also worries about how losing affects his players, Lee adds. “I am prideful. You care a lot. But I didn’t accept this job to boost my resume,” Brown said. “I am 53 years old. You get used to winning 50 games every one of my San Antonio years. And so I need to make sure that [the players] feel good about themselves, that there is a difference between losing a game and losers.”

D-League Notes: Celtics, Smith, Ledo

December 5th, 2014 at 7:27pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Mavs reaped a subtle benefit when the Thunder decided to keep Ish Smith instead of Sebastian Telfair when their 16th roster spot expired last week, as Gino Pilato of D-League Digest explains. The Mavs affiliate, by D-League rule, inherited top waiver priority once Smith, who left the Mavs affiliate to sign with Oklahoma City on November 7th, spent his 21st day on the Thunder’s NBA roster, as Pilato points out. Thus, the Legends were able to grab Ivan Johnson even though Dallas didn’t have his D-League rights when he signed with the league earlier this week.

Here are the latest D-League moves:

The Celtics have recalled James Young, Dwight Powell, and Marcus Smart from their D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, the team has announced. The trio make their return after seeing action in Maine’s victory against Fort Wayne last night. Young poured in 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Powell contributed 21 points. Smart, making his D-League debut, added six points, five boards, and dished out seven dimes.
Russ Smith has been assigned to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Pelicans have announced. Smith has appeared in three contests for New Orleans, going scoreless in his 3.7 minutes per game. The rookie averaged 5.0 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in six preseason games for the Pelicans this year. Smith is the first player that New Orleans has assigned to the D-League this season.
The Pistons have assigned Tony Mitchell to their D-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive, David Mayo of MLive reports (Twitter link). This will be Mitchell’s third trip to the D-League this season.
Ricky Ledo has been reassigned to the Texas Legends, the Mavs‘ D-League affiliate, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com tweets. This is Ledo’s third such assignment, and in four games with the Legends Ledo has averaged 11.5 points and 2.8 assists.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Rondo, Knicks, Ross

December 5th, 2014 at 10:34am CST by Chuck Myron

Three Atlantic Division teams are in line for a top-10 pick in the 2015 draft, as our Reverse Standings show. The presence of the Sixers among that group certainly isn’t shocking, and the Celtics, with the league’s ninth-worst record, aren’t surprising many with their play, either. However, the Knicks are off to their worst start in franchise history at 4-16, and their unexpectedly poor performance doesn’t bode well for the future, either, as we examine amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:

The Lakers and Celtics had a brief conversation about a Rajon Rondo trade as recently as a few months ago, but the discussion was short and didn’t go anywhere, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. The Lakers continue to eye Rondo for free agency this coming summer, Shelburne writes in a full story, echoing a report from Chris Mannix of SI.com a month ago. The Celtics are willing to engage in Rondo trade talks merely on an “informational” basis at this point, and if talks were to heat up with the Lakers, they’d likely ask for at least one first-round pick, the sort of asset the Lakers are hesitant to give up, Shelburne hears.
The Knicks will make finding a center their top priority in free agency this summer, but they’re not optimistic that they will be able to lure Marc Gasol, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. They’ll make a run at Gasol, the No. 4 player on the Hoops Rumors Free Agent Power Rankings, hoping his friendship with fellow Spaniard Jose Calderon pays dividends, but the Knicks understand he’s more likely to choose a contending team, Berman writes. That’s part of the reason why Knicks management doesn’t want to tank, as Berman explains. Regardless, the Knicks are unlikely to re-sign any of their existing centers aside from Cole Aldrich, according to Berman.
Terrence Ross will be up for a rookie scale extension from the Raptors this summer, and he’s getting a sudden chance to showcase his ability to take a lead role on offense in the wake of DeMar DeRozan‘s groin injury, as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun examines.

Will Bynum Signs To Replace Mudiay In China

December 5th, 2014 at 8:32am CST by Chuck Myron

Will Bynum has officially signed with China’s Guangdong Southern Tigers, the team announced (translation via Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, via Twitter). The guaranteed deal is worth more than $1MM, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports wrote overnight. Bynum will replace marquee draft prospect Emmanuel Mudiay while he recovers from his sprained ankle, initially on a temporary basis, and the team will decide later whether to make the move permanent based on how the ankle responds and the way Bynum plays, Givony notes (Twitter link). Wojnarowski first reported the sides were nearing a deal late Thursday.

Mudiay’s timetable for recovery is three to four weeks, according to the club, and with 13 games this month, Guangdong wants to have a capable replacement, while Mudiay wants to take a cautious approach, as Givony explains (Twitter links). Mudiay hasn’t been making as much progress as Guangdong would have liked with the injury, which has kept him out since November 24th, and there was some disagreement over his recovery timetable, according to Givony (on Twitter). The 18-year-old played 10 games before the injury, averaging 17.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists, and NBA executives told Wojnarowski that his performance helped his draft stock. Mudiay, who abruptly scuttled plans to play for Southern Methodist University this season to sign a one-year deal worth $1.2MM with Guangdong this past summer, is No. 2 in the prospect rankings of both Givony and Chad Ford of ESPN.com. The Spurs and Suns were among several teams to scout Mudiay early in the season, but the ankle injury kept others from traveling to observe the 6’5″ point guard, Wojnarowski writes.

Bynum, a Mark Bartelstein client, is landing an attractive overseas deal after the Celtics waived his guaranteed contract, worth nearly $2.916MM, in a crunch for roster space shortly after acquiring him from the Pistons in a preseason trade. The Chinese deal should allow Boston to recoup a small portion of that amount through set-off rights, though that amount wouldn’t be nearly as much as what Bynum’s new contract gives him. The seven-year NBA veteran will presumably be eligible to return stateside for the stretch run of the regular season, if not sooner.