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Eastern Notes: Winslow, Kidd-Gilchrist, Felicio

January 6th, 2016 at 5:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Hornets small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist revealed earlier today that he intends to return to action this season despite suffering a torn labrum in his right shoulder that appeared likely to cost him all of 2015/16. While the return of the defensive-minded swingman would certainly bolster the team heading into the playoffs, there is certainly a danger in him returning too soon from such a serious injury, Chris Barnewall of SB Nation’s AttheHive.com writes. With the franchise expecting to have ample free cap space heading into this offseason, the return of Kidd-Gilchrist could push the Hornets deeper into the postseason, which would provide the team with a stronger free agent sales pitch, Barnewall notes. But the prospect of luring a big name player to Charlotte isn’t worth risking the long-term health of Kidd-Gilchrist, who has already suffered a number of injuries during his brief NBA career, adds Barnewall.

Here’s more news from the Eastern Conference:

Heat rookie Justise Winslow‘s versatility as a defender is allowing the team to experiment with him as a stretch four, a move that Miami has been working toward in recent weeks, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes. “There’s a lot of time being spent behind the scenes,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s been doing that. For about over a month, he’s been working a lot of his reps at the four pre-practice. He doesn’t play it [a lot] in the game, but you never know when. And it’s not like it’s something new. So he’s had a thousand reps behind the scenes. He gets thrown in there, it’s like, ‘OK, I got this. This is familiar.’ “
Thursday is the final day that teams can waive their non-guaranteed contracts before they become fully guaranteed, and the Bulls have to make decisions regarding Cameron Bairstow and Cristiano Felicio. All indications point to Felicio remaining on the roster past that deadline, K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune writes. The 23-year-old has only appeared in two games for the Bulls this season and has scored two points in four total minutes of action.
Pacers small forward Solomon Hill has cracked coach Frank Vogel‘s regular rotation, but the player still needs to work on his tendency to overthink matters on the court, Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star writes. “I think one thing I have to do now that I’m, like, playing actually is just relax,” said Hill. “I feel like I’m just trying to stay in there by just doing the right things, and I’m thinking too much. I think once I relax and see the first one go in, I’ll be OK.” When asked if he can expect to receive consistent playing time moving forward, Hill responded, “I don’t know. I’m not going to think about that anymore. That’s part of me over-thinking. I’m just going to go out there and play the game, play my game when I do get the opportunity, but it’s a testament to our team. Everybody’s playing right now.”

Central Notes: Hill, Jackson, Martin, Prunty

January 3rd, 2016 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers‘ Solomon Hill, who was the subject of trade rumors earlier this season, replaced Chase Budinger in the rotation during Saturday’s win over the Pistons, writes Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports. In November, Indiana decided not to pick up the option on Hill’s contract for 2016/17, but he has been steadily making an impression on coach Frank Vogel. “Solomon Hill’s been giving us something in the last couple of games when he’s been called upon,” Vogel said. “I just wanted to get Solomon in there somehow. Chase was the guy that we had to pull out. It wasn’t anything that Chase had done.” It was the first DNP of the season for Budinger, who was acquired in an offseason deal with the Wolves.

There’s more from the NBA’s Central Division:

Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy continues to defend Reggie Jackson‘s decision to request a trade from the Thunder last season, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. Stuck behind Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City, Jackson was dealt to Detroit in a three-team trade at last year’s deadline. “You look at Reggie’s situation,” Van Gundy said, “[and] there was really nothing bad there. He was a guy that was looking for an opportunity to play more, and was sort of vilified for that, I guess — for wanting to play more. I guess people wanted him to be happy being a backup his entire career.”
There’s probably little substance behind rumors that the Bulls are interested in Kevin Martin, according to Sam Smith of Bulls.com. He notes that Martin is nearing age 33 and has another year on his contract worth nearly $7.4MM. In addition, his scoring average and shooting percentage are near career lows.
Bucks interim coach Joe Prunty switched up Jason Kidd’s rotation in a win last week over the Pacers, writes Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Prunty used Greg Monroe and Giannis Antetokounmpo, along with three reserves, as Milwaukee built a lead late in the first half. “The intent was trying to find out the right mix of players to be on the floor at the right time,” Prunty said. “I thought it worked well and it’s something we’ll keep looking at.”

Eastern Notes: Crowder, D-League, Parker

January 1st, 2016 at 3:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Celtics small forward Jae Crowder has earned Kobe Bryant‘s respect, with the Lakers shooting guard noting how impressed he is with Crowder’s development since arriving in Boston via a trade last season, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. “I’ve seen him develop from his days in Dallas,” Bryant said. “There was one night where we got in late to Dallas, and I went straight to the practice facility to get some shots up and workout,” Bryant recalled. “And he [Crowder] was there. He was in there working out. He was in there working on his game. And when I see that, I have nothing but respect for him. And watching how he’s developed.”

Crowder continues to work hard, even after inking a five-year, $35MM deal with Boston this past offseason, Blakely adds. “I just try to bring it every night, do what I do well each and every night. Do my part, do my job,” Crowder said. “It’s not about the contract. Contract makes you feel comfortable, helps your game. I don’t think I should relax. I don’t think I should do anything differently.”

Here’s more from out of the Eastern Conference:

Bucks combo forward Jabari Parker is still experiencing growing pains, though, as interim coach Joe Prunty points out, Parker hasn’t even played a full season’s worth of games yet, Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel writes. “What you could argue is until a guy plays 82 games, is he still in his rookie season?” Prunty said. “He hasn’t even played in every arena. There are things that seem like little details to other people, but the reality is it’s a different environment. There’s a lot he’s going to be learning for quite a while.” There has been some measure of debate regarding what Parker’s NBA position should be, but the player feels that power forward is indeed a good fit for his skillset, Gardner adds.
The Celtics have recalled guards Terry Rozier and R.J. Hunter from the Maine Red Claws, their D-League affiliate, the team announced.
The Pacers have re-assigned Rakeem Christmas and Shayne Whittington to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be Christmas’ second stint in the D-League on the season and Whittington’s third.

And-Ones: Okafor, D-League, Bass

December 31st, 2015 at 10:21pm CST by Will Joseph

After some incidents away from basketball, Sixers rookie Jahlil Okafor is looking to overcome what’s been a rocky start to his promising career, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports writes. Okafor told Spears he has received mentoring from former and current NBA veterans. The Sixers, as Spears points out, have reportedly looked into adding veterans to help the situation.

“When it first happened it was clear that his world was rocked in the biggest way, I’m assuming, of his sporting life,” Sixers coach Brett Brown told Spears. “You can see it in his eyes, his demeanor. His swagger got bumped around a little bit. We explained a lot. ‘We all go through mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up. You screwed up. We got people here that will help you. Time will pass.’ I feel what I see now is a distant memory. It’s taught all of us and I see him playing basketball again.”

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Celtics coach Brad Stevens expressed gratitude for the job Brandon Bass did while the veteran power forward was in Boston, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com relays. The Lakers signed Bass in July after he spent the previous four seasons with the Celtics, where he helped usher a rebuilding project. In that sense, his current job in Los Angeles is much like the one he had in Boston, Blakely writes. “I really like Brandon; I’m very fond of Brandon,” Stevens said. “He really worked hard and helped get this thing going in the right direction with his work ethic, the way he took care of his body, the example he set for his young teammates.”
The Hawks recalled Edy Tavares from the Austin Spurs of the D-League, Atlanta announced in an emailed press release. Tavares was assigned to Austin yesterday via the flexible assignment rule because the Hawks do not have their own affiliate.
The Pacers recalled Rakeem Christmas from their D-League affiliate, the team announced via its website.

And-Ones: Morris, McGary, D-League

December 31st, 2015 at 3:41pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Pistons combo forward Marcus Morris can’t hold back from commenting on his brother’s situation with the Suns, and insists that despite Markieff Morris putting a positive spin on things, he still wants out of Phoenix, Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press relays. When asked what is wrong with the Suns right now, Marcus responded, “It’s self-explanatory. You see what’s going on. Sorry to say it, but it’s self-explanatory. I don’t know what’s going on over there. It’s like a [clown] show right now.” Discussing Markieff’s feelings about the franchise, Marcus told Ellis, “One thing about Keef is he’s always positive. Some stuff might happen a little, but he’s always positive. He’s still looking to get out of there, still looking to go somewhere else. Right now he has to be a pro and continue to take care of his business on and off the court.”

When asked if he has advised his brother on what to do going forward, Marcus said, “It’s not like he’s going to read this and say my brother gave me some advice. We talk every day. He knows what’s best for him. We all know what’s best for him, and what’s best for him is to continue to be professional and continue to work hard on his game. I know he’s doing that day in, day out — regardless of the suspension and what’s going on. He’s a hard worker, and so he will continue to be ready when his number’s called. If he gets traded, he’ll be able to contribute to any team in the league.”

Here’s more from around the NBA:

The Thunder have recalled Mitch McGary from their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This was the big man’s fourth stint with the Blue on the season.
The Pacers announced that center Shayne Whittington has been recalled from the D-League. This concludes Whittington’s second assignment to the Mad Ants of the season.
The Bulls have assigned power forward Cristiano Felicio to the D-League, the team announced. Felicio will report to the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers’ affiliate, as part of the flexible assignment rule since Chicago doesn’t possess its own D-League team.
Josh Richardson and Jarnell Stokes, both of whom are currently assigned to the Heat‘s D-League affiliate in Sioux Falls, will be recalled on Saturday, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel tweets.

Central Notes: Jackson, Jennings, Cavs

December 30th, 2015 at 5:00pm CST by Will Joseph

Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson opened up on why he turned down the Thunder’s four-year, $48MM extension offer last year, telling Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (link to Podcast) that he was unhappy with his role on the team and wanted to start (the interview was transcribed by Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman here). Jackson made it clear before last season that he wanted to start at point guard and after his agent, Aaron Mintz, requested that the Thunder make a trade, the Pistons acquired Jackson in February. Jackson also said he was not surprised by the critical reactions to the five-year, $80MM deal he inked with the Pistons in July, but he didn’t pay much attention to them.

“I knew it was going to wow some people,” Jackson said. “Definitely it was going to wow the general population of the world. I had an idea it was going to be an eye-opener.”

Here’s more from around the Central Division:

Speaking of the Pistons, Marc Berman of the New York Post speculates that Detroit point guard Brandon Jennings would be a good fit for the Knicks. Jennings played against the Knicks Tuesday night in his season debut. His name comes up in trade speculation because he is set to be a free agent this summer and the Pistons are already financially committed to Jackson. Backup Steve Blake has played well, too, as Berman points out. “I’m not really worried about contracts,’’ Jennings said. “I’m just worried about getting into the flow of basketball. My first game back, hopefully I’ll be blessed to play rest of season with no injuries.’’
LeBron James made headlines when he said Kevin Love was the “focal point” of the Cavs coming into the season, but now the reality is setting in that Love has been inconsistent and as long as James is in his prime, he’ll always be the main point of the offense, Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. Love, however, should be able to understand now, in his second year with the Cavs, that James has his support, Haynes adds.
After recovering from his broken leg, Paul George is producing perhaps his best season and that is something the Pacers star intended on doing, Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports relays. “I really came into this season wanting to be here, wanting to be on top of the league now,” George told Lee. “I didn’t see it no other way.”

Central Notes: Hill, Morris, Portis

December 29th, 2015 at 12:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Pacers small forward Solomon Hill has maintained a positive attitude despite falling out of coach Frank Vogel‘s regular rotation, which could have been an issue for the player seeing as he’s in the final year of his contract, Mark Montieth of NBA.com writes. “I have to keep being upbeat,” Hill said. “If I was down in the gutter and C.J. Miles went out and I was thrown out there and I’m not ready, it’s just going to show why I shouldn’t be playing. It’s days like this that show my hard work is paying off.” Hill also noted that he’s aware that he has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate, but insists he doesn’t want to leave Indiana, even if it would mean more playing time, Montieth adds. “I’m an Indiana Pacer,” he said. “They drafted me. I’d definitely love to be here and be part of something great with this team. We have the makings of a special team. We have the potential to be one of the top two teams in the East.”

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Marcus Morris is excelling for the Pistons and he should be given a larger role in the offense, David Mayo of MLive.com argues. Morris isn’t pushing for more shots, as he thinks more opportunities will come within the offensive system. “At the end of the day, coach does a great job of getting me the ball, finding spots for me to get the ball in my isos and my posts, so I’m not really too worried about whether I’m going to get my shots up, because half the time I know they’re going to come,” Morris said. “It’s more just the ball-movement thing.”
With so many players returning from injury, the Cavs realize it’s going to take time for the team to gel, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. “Just because guys are coming back doesn’t mean everything is going to be right,” LeBron James said. “It’s going to take time because for the first eight weeks we had built chemistry, we knew who was playing, we knew who wasn’t playing. We had rotations, Coach had rotations down, so we got to get back to that.”
The solid play of rookie Bobby Portis for the Bulls will make it difficult for coach Fred Hoiberg to sit him when Joakim Noah returns from injury, writes Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com. “He’s not afraid of the moment that’s for sure,” Hoiberg said of Portis. “To be 20 years old and go out there, big minutes against Oklahoma City in a game on Christmas Day on ABC, it shows you what the kid’s makeup is all about. The kid’s got no concern, just thrives and has all kinds of confidence. You love to see that. He’s not gonna back down from anybody.”

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Pistons, Robinson, D-League

December 28th, 2015 at 10:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Brandon Jennings declared himself ready to play for the Pistons, but with backup point guard Steve Blake playing so well, the team has a good problem, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes. “It’s a tough thing to weigh,” coach Stan Van Gundy said of possibly taking minutes away from Blake. “It’s a dilemma a little bit. But Brandon has looked good.” The 35-year-old realizes he will most likely lose minutes once Jennings returns to the rotation, but that is something that was expected.

“That was an understanding of mine coming here,” Blake said. “Coach Van Gundy and I talked about that. There will be times when I’m playing well while he’s injured. When he comes back, the chance of me going to the bench and him playing at some point was an understanding of mine. He’s working his way back to where he wants to be and when that time comes, that’s fine with me. It’s a team thing. I don’t see it as him and I as competition. We’re teammates playing against other people, so when that time comes, that’s totally fine with me.”

Here’s more from around the league:

The Pacers like Glenn Robinson III and they can envision the 22-year-old carving out a role with the team, Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star writes. Robinson appreciates the team communicating with him about his future. “They’ve done a great job of talking to me. They haven’t really given me a definite timeframe or when it’s going to come, but they’re saying that that point is going to come,” Robinson said. “Just knowing my moment is coming, I think that really locks me in, too. That keeps me going. So that’s a good thing to hear, especially from Larry [Bird].”
The Spurs have recalled Ray McCallum from their D-League Affiliate, the Austin Spurs, per the team’s website. McCallum is averaging 18.0 points, 4.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds in five D-League games this season.
The Grizzlies assigned forward Jarell Martin to the Iowa Energy, the team’s D-League affiliate, according to the team’s website. This will be Martin’s third stint with Iowa this season.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

Central Notes: Jennings, James, Hoiberg

December 28th, 2015 at 3:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bulls VP John Paxson admitted that Fred Hoiberg is still learning how to survive in the NBA, but noted that the team is firmly behind its new coach, Teddy Greenstein of The Chicago Tribune writes. “Fred has a lot to learn,” Paxson said. “He’ll acknowledge that. We all will. The system he wants to implement offensively is taking some time to really come to fruition. And when you don’t have certain players in terms of spacing the floor like [the injured] Mike Dunleavy — and that’s not an excuse it’s just our reality — that can slow the process as well.”

Paxson did add that Hoiberg’s calm demeanor on the sideline has impressed him, Greenstein relays. “I played for Phil Jackson. He sat most of the game. He was laid-back but intense. You see some coaches who are maniacs on the sideline,” Paxson said. “The last thing as a player you need when there’s stressful situations is to look to the sidelines and there’s a guy over there going nuts. I see that in college all the time.”

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings insists that he’s ready for action immediately, but understands the team being cautious with him as he makes his return from an Achilles injury suffered back in January, Terry Foster of The Detroit News relays. “I’m fine, I’m ready,” Jennings said. “However, this is not my decision. This is my coach’s decision, so I wait and see.” Detroit coach/executive Stan Van Gundy indicated he’s waiting to see how Jennings responds to back-to-back practices before settling on an exact return date for the veteran playmaker, Foster adds. “Our whole team needs work but it’s good for Brandon,” Van Gundy said. “We practiced before but it was more four-on-four. He got up and down. I think this is the first time he will get two practices in a row to get his legs underneath him.“
LeBron James has called for more clarity and consistency in the Cavaliers‘ rotation this season, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. “For us to have a full unit, we’ve got to practice, we’ve got to play some games where we know what we want to do, what lineups we want to play out there,” James said. “It’s an adjustment period. It’s not just going to happen – you plug a guy in there, plug two guys in there and it automatically happens. It’s going to be an adjustment period, but we’ll be fine. We’ll be fine toward February and March.“
The Pacers have recalled Joe Young and Glenn Robinson III from Fort Wayne, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. Indiana also assigned center Shayne Whittington to the Mad Ants, the team noted in the same press release.

Eastern Notes: Nets, Pistons, Pacers

December 27th, 2015 at 12:53pm CST by ChrisCrouse

During the 2010 offseason, the Nets had dreams of drafting John Wall and luring LeBron James and Chris Bosh via free agency, but the team ended up drafting Derrick Favors and signing veterans Travis Outlaw and Johan Petro, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com details. The Nets ultimately traded 11 first-round picks — including Favors and pick swaps — with the hopes of winning a championship, but the team has won just one playoff series since 2010.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

The Nets hope to make a significant splash in free agency at the end of the season, Mazzeo adds in the same piece. Brooklyn has slightly over $50.5MM in guaranteed salary on the books for the 2016/17 season, as our Salary Cap Projection page shows.
The Pistons‘ trade for Ersan Ilyasova has worked out for Detroit, but the team’s best trade during the offseason was for Marcus Morris, David Mayo of MLive opines in his latest mailbag. Mayo believes Morris’ four year, $20MM extension, which he signed while a member of the Suns, will prove to be valuable to the team during its lifetime.
The Pacers have assigned Glenn Robinson III and Joseph Young to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Indiana’s D-League affiliate, according to the team’s website. The team also recalled Shayne Whittington from the Mad Ants.