Damian Lillard Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Amick On Warriors, Shumpert, Lillard, Kings

January 3rd, 2013 at 11:05am CST by Luke Adams

In his Thursday morning edition of A to Z at USA Today, Sam Amick speaks to Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob about his team's first-half success and looks into the Kings' decision to pass on Damian Lillard last June, among other topics. Let's dive right in and check out what Amick has for us….

Asked about the possibility of making a trade to further upgrade the Warriors' lineup, Lacob tells Amick that the club is taking things one game at a time for now, and that if Andrew Bogut comes back healthy before the deadline, "it's sort of like you made a trade." Still, Golden State intends to be opportunistic, so if a potential deal arises, the team will certainly consider it.
Lacob also praised the work of GM Bob Myers, singling out the signings of Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry as moves that have made a big impact so far.
Lacob expects it'll be another year and a half before the Warriors "get all the approvals" for their eventual move to San Francisco.
While the Knicks are happy to have Amare Stoudemire back in the rotation, Amick suggests Iman Shumpert is the player New York needs more right now. The young guard tells Amick that he expects to return in "January or February."
According to Amick, one reason why the Kings drafted Thomas Robinson over Lillard at No. 5 overall last June was the front office's uncertainty about whether ownership would be willing to pony up the money for a long-term deal for Jason Thompson. While Sacramento was happy to land Robinson, who was viewed as a safe selection, there was also "strong support" for Lillard among the front office and scouting staff.
Amick notes that the Celtics and Jazz are two teams worth keeping an eye on as the trade deadline approaches. In the past, Boston has been aggressive about adding future pieces even when the team has been winning, which it's not doing right now. As for Utah, the Jazz have a number of expiring contracts and other assets and could be sellers if they continue to play sub-.500 ball.

Blazers Rumors: Aldridge, Matthews, Hickson

December 27th, 2012 at 8:19am CST by Luke Adams

A home win last night over the Kings ensured that the Trail Blazers surpassed the Jazz and Timberwolves in the Western standings, making them the eighth seed in the conference. It's still very early in the season, but Portland has outperformed most expectations so far, and now the team will have to decide whether its performance will affect the way it approaches roster moves as the trade deadline approaches. Jason Quick of the Oregonian has the latest updates on that front, so let's round up the highlights….

After a veteran reporter told Quick that he'd heard the Blazers are shopping LaMarcus Aldridge, the Oregonian scribe asked Blazers GM Neil Olshey directly whether that was the case. "It was as if I had told Olshey the best joke he had ever heard," says Quick, who adds that the Blazers haven't made a single call about Aldridge, though they did field one exploratory inquiry from another team.
Olshey has identified a handful of core players in Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Damian Lillard, and Wesley Matthews, and it would be a huge surprise if any of those guys were moved. "The players on our roster who are no-brainers are not going anywhere," Olshey said, referring to that core.
Of those four players, Matthews represents the most likely candidate to be dealt, but the Blazers GM has come to value the guard more than his stats suggest and wants him around during the rebuild, making a trade very unlikely.
The Blazers may still make a move before February 21st, but it's unlikely to be a deal that "moves the needle."
Quick speculates that Portland's top trade candidate could be J.J. Hickson, who has been outperforming his one-year, $4MM contract so far. The Blazers may want to get something in return for him before he hits free agency next July.
Portland is expected to pursue a center and shooting guard in free agency or the draft next summer, when the team should be working with eight figures in cap space.

Neil Olshey On Trades, Lillard, Batum, Stotts

December 11th, 2012 at 9:32pm CST by Chuck Myron

Blazers GM Neil Olshey dished about his team with Justin Termine and Mateen Cleaves on the "Off The Dribble" show on SiriusXM Sports, revealing details about his plans and some of the moves he's made since taking over the Portland front office in June. Part of the agenda for the team is to address its rebounding deficiencies at the trade deadline and in the offseason, Olshey revealed. Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com put together a transcript of the full interview (hat tip to Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge), and we'll run down some of the juicier material here.

On whether the team will make moves to try to salvage this season:

"We need to see what we have, we need to develop our assets, we need to continue to groom Wes Matthews and Nic Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge and get them to get to the next level, but look, next summer we're going to have $13MM in cap room, we're going to have a first (round pick), three seconds, we have an aggressive owner who's willing to spend whatever it takes to win. So the only thing we want to do is we don't want to race to the middle. We want to make moves that put us up at the upper echelon of the Western Conference when this thing comes together for a sustainable period of time, not make a bunch of incremental moves that maybe let us slide into eighth to go get swept in the first round and then be back to the drawing board again."

On the drafting of Damian Lillard:

"I just really felt when I met the kid and spent time with him and watched him interact with my staff, my owner and our coaches at the time, that he was the kind of guy you could hand the ball to day one, just like a Kyrie Irving or a (Russell) Westbrook, a (Derrick) D. Rose. I'm not comparing him to those players, but that's what those organizations did as well, and I really felt like he had the kind of gravitas and composure where opening night he could take the ball. And there were going to be some bumps in the road, but once we lived through them, he was a franchise-caliber point guard."

On the decision to match the Wolves' offer sheet for Nicolas Batum:

"Well look, he's a dynamic wing player. He's clearly far better than anybody we thought would be available on the free agent market had we not matched the offer sheet. We have an owner that,. he wants to build. He doesn't want to rebuild; he wants to build and he doesn't want to take a step backwards basketball-wise. We just felt like Nicolas was just coming into his prime; it's the first year he's going to be a full-time starter. He makes a huge impact on the defensive end of the floor, he can go for big numbers, and I really felt like the kind of system that Terry Stotts was going to run was absolutely suited for his skill set. He's off to a career year as well. Nicolas is a part of the core."

On the hiring of coach Terry Stotts:

"I think we took a little bit of a different approach. We put the roster together first and then hired the best coach we thought would fit it. I thought Terry would be a great partner; he and I had a relationship prior to this. We'd been on the floor together working with players. I think he has a great … he gets great respect from his players. I thought he would know how to utilize LaMarcus (Aldridge) to the best of his ability, and I think I felt like we have a lot of pieces very similar to the Dallas team that won the championship in terms of skill set and style of play. And we really felt like when he implemented that offense, it was going to heighten the value and production of guys like Wes Matthews and Nic Batum, which was really important to us, to make sure those guys took the next step in their development as players. I also knew he'd be open to playing younger players. That had been his history."

Odds & Ends: Martin, Blatche, Lillard, Gibson

December 2nd, 2012 at 10:56pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Sunday evening:

Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman writes that Kevin Martin is performing up to expectations since being acquired by the Thunder in the James Harden trade.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel thinks, in hindsight, that the Heat would have been wise to sign Andray Blatche this summer. Miami was held back by concerns about his effect on the locker room, as well as their belief in Josh Harrellson and Dexter Pittman, Winderman adds.
Joe Freeman of the Oregonian admires the poise of Damian Lillard as the Trail Blazers rookie continues to impress.
Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com likes what he's seen from Taj Gibson since signing a four-year extension with the Bulls.
Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times adds to the praise of Gibson while also singling out Jimmy Butler for his defensive impact.
Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun writes that Raptors bigs Amir Johnson and Ed Davis have not received due attention for their contributions.
Rick Bonnell of the Oklahoman examines the Bobcats' defensive successes this season.
Keith Langolis of Pistons.com says that rookie Kyle Singler has made a fan of head coach Lawrence Frank with his work ethic.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle praises Patrick Patterson's improvement.

Western Notes: Gasol, Lillard, Williams, Mavs

November 30th, 2012 at 7:54pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes around the Western Conference on Friday evening:

Robert Silverman of the New York Times wonders what sort of return the Lakers could get if they decided to trade Pau Gasol.
Nicole Auerbach of USA Today has a feature on Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and the impact he is having on other players hoping to make it to the NBA from mid-major schools.
HoopsWorld.com's Bill Ingram thinks it's too early for the Timberwolves to give up on Derrick Williams.
Ingram also thinks the Mavericks will be able to get a couple more high-level seasons out of Dirk Nowitzki.
John Reid of the Times-Picayune writes that Hornets coach Monty Williams is urging guard Brian Roberts to shoot more.

Western Notes: Lakers Assistants, Maynor, Watson

November 25th, 2012 at 10:36pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Comcast's Ric Bucher tweets that the Lakers are expected to keep their coaching staff intact, as many of the players have personal favorites among the current assistants. A few days ago, head coach Mike D'Antoni spoke favorably of the coaches that had carried over after Mike Brown's firing, telling ESPN LA: "They're good coaches. I know almost all of them anyway. They work extremely hard. We are in a lot. I just felt like, 'They're here, they're good, why change it?" The list includes former interim-head coach Bernie Bickerstaff, Steve Clifford, Chuck Person, and most notably Eddie Jordan, who had been originally hired by Brown to install the Princeton offense. Here's the rest of what we're hearing out of the Western Conference tonight:

Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK focuses on the struggles of Eric Maynor and wonders if it will open up an opportunity for the Thunder's Reggie Jackson at back-up point guard.
Jazz point guard Earl Watson told reporters that he's been feeling more comfortable and is getting his rhythm back after returning from a seven month recovery following knee surgery (Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune reports). Head coach Tyrone Corbin remains focused on limiting Watson's minutes accordingly.
In this video from CSNNW.com, Damian Lillard acknowledged that there are "multiple leaders" on the Trail Blazers when asked if he considered himself the leader of the team.
Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes about how the Spurs have been able to adapt to the league as their core players have gotten older.
Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times has taken notice of the Lakers' increased production from their second unit led by the emergence of Antawn Jamison.
While Kelvin Sampson and several Rockets players offered their condolences to Kevin McHale after the tragic passing of his daughter during today's practice, Jonathan Feigen of Ultimate Rockets also took note that McHale had been constantly in touch with the team over the last several weeks to check on them and offer his guidance.
Yannis Koutroupis of Hoopsworld discusses the promise that Donatas Motiejunas has been showing in the with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and writes that Rockets GM Daryl Morey has to make a decision on whether or not the rookie big man is ready to be a contributor in Houston.

Pacific Notes: Lillard, Gasol, Lakers, Biedrins

November 14th, 2012 at 8:53am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA's Tuesday night schedule concluded with two west coast games, in Sacramento and Los Angeles, with the home team falling in both instance. The Lakers were in it down to the final seconds against the visiting Spurs, but lost 84-82 when Pau Gasol missed a last-second three-point attempt. The Kings, meanwhile, fell behind big in the third quarter and never recovered, losing by 17 points to the Trail Blazers. The Pacific will look to rebound tonight, with the Suns, Warriors, and Clippers all hosting Eastern Conference contenders. In the meantime, here's the latest out of the division:

Facing the Blazers, the Kings got a first-hand look at a player they passed up on draft night, and may have experienced some regret over not selecting Damian Lillard, writes Mike Tokito of the Oregonian.
Larry Coon of ESPN.com and HoopsWorld wonders if Pau Gasol trade rumors could resurface, since the Spaniard isn't an optimal fit for Mike D'Antoni's system (Twitter link).
ESPNLA.com's Dave McMenamin and Ken Berger of CBS Sports both published articles detailing Kobe Bryant's comments on the Lakers' coaching search. McMenamin notes that Kobe feels Phil Jackson is underappreciated, while Berger writes that the Lakers star is happy with D'Antoni, but would've preferred Jackson.
Andris Biedrins has a ways to go before his on-court performance will justify the $9MM he'll earn with the Warriors this season, but it's hard not to notice his improved play, says Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group.

Poll: Most Impressive Rookie

November 2nd, 2012 at 5:51pm CST by Sean Highkin

Through three days of the NBA season, most of the heavily hyped rookies have made their debuts. In particular, five have had standout first games as pros: New Orleans' No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis, Washington's No. 3 overall pick Bradley Beal, Cleveland's No. 4 overall pick Dion Waiters, Portland's No. 6 overall pick Damian Lillard, and Toronto's Jonas Valanciunas, drafted in 2011. Charlotte's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist makes his debut tonight.

Which of the five rookies who have made an impact so far have impressed you the most?

Blazers Links: Lillard, Price, Barton, Hickson

October 14th, 2012 at 6:59pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Now that Damian Lillard has gotten a taste of what the NBA is like, the Trail Blazers' rookie point guard told CSNNW.com about his experiences so far and what he's learned after a few preseason games. Here are a few more links out of Portland tonight:

Mike Tokito of The Oregonian writes that although Will Barton returned to practice, Ronnie Price could possibly sidelined until the season opener after injuring his ankle against Phoenix on Friday. Tokito adds that J.J. Hickson returned to practice, but is still feeling the effects of the bruised left ribs he suffered against the Lakers on Wednesday. Lastly, he said that coach Terry Stotts doesn't anticipate any roster cuts before next Sunday.
Will Barton spoke with CSNNW.com about his return.
In this video, Stotts elaborated on possible lineup changes with Barton and Hickson now active.
During a post-practice interview, Meyers Leonard offered some thoughts on the aspect of his game he deems the strongest, and what he needs to work on.

Blazers Links: Stotts, Freeland, Vanterpool

October 4th, 2012 at 8:34pm CST by Ryan Raroque

In an interview with CSNNW.com, Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts talked about the different combinations he's been using in scrimmages early on and the improvisational aspect of his offensive philosophy. Here are a few more noteworthy links to look at from Portland tonight…

Mike Tokito of The Oregonian takes a look at Joel Freeland, the 25-year-old NBA rookie who has made a name for himself in camp through his physicality, athleticism, and being vocal on defense.
Ben Golliver of the Blazers Edge focuses on the background of David Vanterpool, the team's assistant coach who has been specifically tabbed to aid with the learning curve of rookie point guard Damian Lillard. In a separate article, Golliver writes that while Sasha Pavlovic is "strange fit" for this team, the 28-year-old forward looks ready to help his younger counterparts develop and compete for a significant role on the roster.
In this video from CSNNW.com, Wesley Matthews mentions the importance of LaMarcus Aldridge and J.J. Hickson's impact defensively, the activity level of rookie Meyers Leonard, and the mindset he uses to improve every day.
Will Barton talks to Chris Haynes of CSNNW about the strained hamstring he's been dealing with, the positions that he's capable of playing on the court, and a few more brief thoughts on training camp.