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Odds & Ends: Duncan, Oden, Wizards

February 19th, 2014 at 7:54am CST by Chuck Myron

ESPN analyst and former coach George Karl hears that Tim Duncan is thinking of retiring at season’s end, notes Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News, but Duncan isn’t sure how Karl got that impression. The Big Fundamental says he’s undecided, as he tells reporters, including Express-News scribe Mike Monroe (Twitter link). Fellow Express-News writer Jeff McDonald would be “shocked” if Duncan retired. The sense around the Spurs is that Duncan will keep playing as long as he feels he’s useful, McDonald says, pointing out that the big man is still under contract for next year (Twitter links). Here’s more from the Association:

  • Greg Oden considered a handful of teams last summer, but it came down to a decision between the Mavs and the Heat, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • Most reports have suggested the Wizards are looking for a backup point guard, but Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times hears they’re seeking a backup who can play both guard positions, suggesting Luke Ridnour as a possibility (Twitter link).
  • A veteran scout tells Woelfel that he has Creighton forward Doug McDermott No. 6 on his draft board, and Chris Mannix of SI.com examines a polarizing prospect who’s sparked a wide range of opinions in NBA front offices.
  • The Cavs had discussions with the Lakers about acquiring Chris Kaman, but those talks are no longer active, notes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
  • Free agent Malcolm Lee hasn’t played since December 2012 because of injury, but he’s about two weeks away from being ready to suit up for a team, USA Today’s Sam Amick tweets.
  • The Warriors on Tuesday recalled Ognjen Kuzmic from the D-League, the team announced. Kuzmic’s latest stint in Santa Cruz lasted one day.
  • Some members of the actors union are upset that executive director David White is a candidate for the same position with the National Basketball Players Association, observes Dave McNary of Variety.com.
  • Lionel Hollins explains the root of his raw feelings from the end of his tenure as Grizzlies coach to Mearl Purvis of WHBQ-TV in Memphis.
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Heat Turning Away Calls For Norris Cole

February 18th, 2014 at 3:31pm CST by Chuck Myron

Several teams have inquired about Norris Cole, but the Heat are vehemently rejecting offers for their backup point guard, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com. Most rival teams view him as a starting-caliber player, according to Charania.

Cole is in the third season of his rookie scale contract, making slightly more than $1.1MM. That bargain price could go up soon, as he’ll be eligible for an extension this summer, when starting point guard Mario Chalmers, among many others on the Heat, is set to become a free agent. Cole will make about $2MM next season, the final year before an extension or a new contract would kick in.

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Southeast Notes: LeBron, Magic, Hawks

February 18th, 2014 at 9:49am CST by Chuck Myron

LeBron James offered a rare glimpse into his long-term plans in an interview that aired on NBA TV Monday night. James can opt out of his deal this summer, and while he says that he can’t picture himself leaving the Heat, he’s putting off his decision until after the season, as The Associated Press notes.

“At this point, I can’t,” James said to interviewer Steve Smith. “At this point, I can’t. We don’t know what can happen from now to July, so what I’ve been able to do this whole season to this point is just worry about what’s at hand and that’s winning another championship. And hopefully at the end of this year I can put myself in a position where I can hold that Larry O’Brien Trophy up once again and then I will assess what I have to do with my future after that.”

While we wait to see what the No. 1 free agent will do, here’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • Agents and executives around the league think the Magic have a strong chance to attract a second star via free agency if they could just find a first star, writes Grantland’s Zach Lowe. The Magic are prepared to spend up to the tax line if need be and go into the tax when executives feel the team is “one piece away” from a title, CEO Alex Martins tells Lowe. Still, the club senses no urgency to make a push next season, Lowe writes, believing that the easiest way, by far, for the club to find that first star is through the draft. Lowe also notes that the Magic are more wary than most teams of taking on any players with character issues.
  • The Magic are unlikely to make a run at Lance Stephenson in the summer, as there’s fear around the league that he won’t be quite as team-oriented if he’s not around the strong structure of the Pacers, according to Lowe.
  • The Hawks are seeking a small forward, as Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News writes in a story on the Knicks’ pursuit of Jeff Teague, which appears to have cooled.
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Southeast Rumors: LeBron, Bosh, Beaubois

February 17th, 2014 at 3:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert still believes strongly that LeBron James will entertain the idea of signing with the Cavs either this summer or next if the Heat‘s run of titles ends, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. There are plenty of hypotheticals in that statement, but if James does return, Kyrie Irving‘s development means the move would more closely resemble James’ decision to hook up with other stars in Miami than a simple homecoming, Berger opines. Here’s more from another of the Heat’s trio of big names:

  • Chris Bosh won’t pester LeBron about where he’ll choose to play next, but Bosh offered up a hint about his own free agency, explaining to Sam Amick of USA Today that he’s moved past the idea of being a team’s No. 1 option. “I’m over it,” Bosh said. “It’s just all about winning at the end of the day. It’s about being in the game. I mean everybody isn’t meant to take the last shot. Everybody isn’t going to be the MVP. It’s only for a very, very small percentage, for a small percentage of guys. I understand that, and I’m just lucky enough to be in this situation I am now, just competing at the highest level in the league. That’s good enough for me.”
  • There’s no chance Rodrigue Beaubois will work out for the Wizards, two sources tell J. Michael of CSNWashington.com, contradicting a weekend report that indicated Beaubois would audition for the Wizards and Grizzlies.
  • Gerald Wallace is still upset with the Bobcats for what he says happened when they traded him at the 2011 deadline, as he tells Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders. Wallace says the Bobcats told him they wouldn’t trade him, then dealt him anyway without giving him an explanation.
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Eastern Notes: Heat, Nelson, Sixers

February 16th, 2014 at 12:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito

This Thursday’s trade deadline is an important date for many teams in the league. The right moves can not only help a franchise in their quest to make the playoffs this season, but also influence what a team can do in the off-season personnel wise. But it’s nine days later that is a potentially even more significant date for the Heat, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. March 1st is the date that players have to be waived by in order to be eligible for another team’s playoff roster, a date informally known as the buyout deadline. Winderman believes that since the Heat don’t have much to offer other teams in potential deals, the team will be more active in looking to pick up a player who has been waived, similar to them picking up Chris Andersen last year. Winderman also opines that any deadline moves the Heat might make would be salary dumps with avoiding luxury tax penalties in mind. Potential waiver candidates to keep an eye on are Caron Butler, Keith Bogans, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, and Chris Kaman, according to the article.

More from the east:

  • Despite the team being in re-building mode, veteran guard Jameer Nelson remains committed to the team, and wants to be a member of the Magic for his entire career, writes Jared Zwerling of The Bleacher Report. Nelson, who is a free-agent after the season says his first choice is to re-sign with Orlando.
  • The Sixers‘ focus leading up to the trade deadline is to acquire as many draft picks as they can, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The franchise wants to move Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, and Thaddeus Young for future compensation, but that’s not a given, since the team has been impressed with how the trio have developed this season. With the most cap space in the league, Pompey says that the Sixers would consider adding an expiring contract from a team looking to dump salary, but that would only be if a draft pick was included. The holdup is that the team wants first-rounders, preferably lottery picks, which teams are reluctant to part with. According to the article, the Sixers should be one of the most active teams this week, but will probably have to wait until the final hours before the deadline to accomplish anything.
  • Knicks fans are already talking about the summer of 2015 and the team’s potential free agent targets. One of those mentioned was LaMarcus Aldridge, but he might not be a fit if the team holds onto Carmelo Anthony, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Anthony and the Knicks have been much more effective when ‘Melo is at power forward, which would make the pairing difficult. Anthony could switch back to small forward, but he has expressed that his preference is to stay at the four.
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Heat Notes: Deadline, Buyouts, LeBron

February 15th, 2014 at 10:24am CST by Cray Allred

LeBron James was asked about the prospect of signing in Dallas if and when he becomes a free agent, presumably for the Mavs, and gave the tongue-in-cheek answer, “Think the Dallas Cowboys will take me?” per Ethan J. Skolnick of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). Here’s some of the more realistic news out of Miami:

  • Ira Winderman of Sun Sentinel thinks that March 1 could be a more significant deadline for the Heat than the trade deadline on February 20, because that is the last date that players can be waived and remain eligible to play in the postseason. He notes that Chris Andersen was a significant buyout addition for Miami last year, and sees potential fits with NBA buyout candidates like Caron Butler, Chris Kaman, and Ben Gordon, as well as remaining free agents and players overseas.
  • Winderman cites the Heat’s lack of expendable assets, their history of deadline inactivity during the big-three era, and tax concerns as barriers to any big moves in Miami.
  • In the same piece, Winderman relays quotes from coach Erik Spoelstra on D-Leaguer Justin Hamilton. Hamilton was named a D-League All-Star while playing on the Heat’s affiliate in Sioux Falls, but Miami no longer holds his NBA rights. Said Spoelstra, “That’s what he needs to do, keep on playing well in the D-League and if it’s with us, great. If it’s somebody else, he just has to keep plugging away.”
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Eastern Rumors: Sanders, Celtics, Bulls

February 14th, 2014 at 11:37am CST by Chuck Myron

A few Eastern Conference teams have picked up their play of late, but there are still only four East clubs with a record of .500 or better as the All-Star break arrives. Here’s the latest on the NBA’s weaker half:

  • Larry Sanders will be out at least six weeks after surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone, the Bucks announced. The team has reportedly been rejecting trade offers for the center, and today’s news makes it seem even less likely that he’ll be dealt.
  • Danny Ainge is “more open to a deal than most” NBA executives as the deadline approaches, but rivals believe he’d like to hang on to his future draft picks while adding as little money to the Celtics books as he can, writes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.
  • The Bulls have been at 12 players since February 1st, and they were facing a Saturday deadline to add to their roster, but the league has granted the team an exception to its two-week limit on 12-man teams, tweets Mark Deeks of ShamSports (Twitter link). Chicago can stand pat until Monday.
  • Bleacher Report’s Ethan Skolnick identifies Caron Butler as a player the Heat may target if the Bucks agree to a buyout after the trade deadline, citing mutual admiration between the veteran small forward and Miami’s front office. Skolnick also says Butler or Shawn Marion could become a free agent replacement for Shane Battier this summer, when Battier is likely to retire (video link).
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Odds & Ends: Griffin, Green, Draft, Heat

February 12th, 2014 at 4:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Nuggets and Grizzlies once offered their GM jobs to Cavs interim GM David Griffin, notes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, so Cleveland doesn’t exactly have an obscure talent at the helm as the trade deadline nears. Wojnarowski’s piece details some of the missteps of Griffin’s predecessor, Chris Grant, and points to the strong desire that Kyrie Irving held in 2012 for the team to draft Harrison Barnes rather than Dion Waiters. We passed along more from Wojnarowski in a pair of posts last night, and we’ll round up the latest from the NBA here:

  • Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report hears the Celtics are unlikely to move Jeff Green and have their eyes on building around Green, Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger (Twitter link).
  • Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com thinks Marcus Smart‘s fan-shoving incident has hurt his stock, but the main reason Goodman has Smart at No. 14 in his Insider-only mock draft is because his outside shot hasn’t improved. Goodman also details Bucks GM John Hammond‘s fondness for Joel Embiid and notes Thunder GM Sam Presti‘s affinity for Syracuse forward C.J. Fair.
  • Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel wonders if the Heat‘s decision to start Toney Douglas Tuesday night was a chance for the team to see what it has in him before the trade deadline. A Tuesday morning report suggested the Heat are prepared to waive Douglas if a more attractive option comes along.
  • The Nuggets aren’t likely to be particularly active at the deadline, writes Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post, but even if they are, coach Brian Shaw says he won’t have much input on the team’s personnel decisions until after the season.
  • Three-year NBA veteran Will Conroy, who played briefly for the Timberwolves last season, has signed with Rasta Vechta of Germany, the team announced (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). Conroy recently parted ways with another German team.
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Odds & Ends: Silver, Nets, Hill, Draft

February 11th, 2014 at 3:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

We’re 11 days into Adam Silver’s reign as NBA commissioner, and if no one’s noticed much of a difference from before, that’s by design, as Silver tells Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press.

“I’m not coming in with a five-point plan,” Silver said. “I’m not an outsider coming into the league. I’ve been part of this league for a long time and if there was something that I thought should’ve been done markedly different than the way it’s done now, I think David and I would have pushed each other to do it.”

Here’s more from Silver’s status-quo league:

  • A source puts the chances of the Nets making a trade between now and the deadline at less than 10%, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). That echoes what we heard from Grantland’s Zach Lowe earlier today.
  • Grant Hill is still drawing NBA interest during his first year of retirement, but the 41-year-old tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that he’s definitely not making a comeback.
  • The top 10 prospects are unchanged on the latest Insider-only draft board from Chad Ford of ESPN.com, though Swiss power forward Clint Capela jumps to No. 20 from outside the top 30.
  • Wizards camp invitee Xavier Silas has signed with a team in Argentina, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. The deal includes an escape clause that will allow him to ink an NBA deal at any point this season.
  • Udonis Haslem has never played for an NBA team other than the Heat, and the 11th-year vet doesn’t intend for that to ever change, as he tells Bleacher Report’s Ethan Skolnick. Haslem has a $4.62MM player option for next season.
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Eastern Notes: Bobcats, Cheeks, Beasley

February 10th, 2014 at 7:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Bobcats owner Michael Jordan tells Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report that, so far, he’s very pleased with the job that coach Steve Clifford has done.  “I’ve been impressed with several aspects of his coaching,” MJ said. “Steve has come in and quickly established an identity and a style of play for our team—hard-working, defensive-minded, playing inside-out basketball.”  Here’s more out of the East..

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