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Eastern Notes: Knicks, Pistons, LeVert, Green

October 10th, 2016 at 9:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks team president Phil Jackson believes the acquistions of point guard Derrick Rose and center Joakim Noah poses “minimal risk and a great reward,” according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Jackson made that comment during a podcast with Shaquille O’Neal. Rose was acquired in a trade with the Bulls, while Noah signed a four-year, $72MM contract as a free agent. “Both of them, I think, have some career left, even though they’ve had injuries, and it’s what they call risk-reward,” Jackson said to O’Neal. “What was the risk and what was the reward? And I felt it was a minimal risk and a great reward if we were able to put together a good team.”

In other developments around the Eastern Conference:

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy does not plan to carry both Lorenzo Brown and Ray McCallum on his opening-day roster, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com reports. Brown and McCallum are locked in a training-camp battle to back up point guard Ish Smith with starter Reggie Jackson sidelined the first month of the season by knee tendinitis. Neither one has a guaranteed contract. “It’s not going to be an easy decision,” Van Gundy told Langlois. “The way we’d love to start the year is to have them both because you want three point guards. But to do that, we’d actually have to cut somebody on a guaranteed contract. I don’t foresee that.”
Caris LeVert has been a limited participant in training camp as the rookie guard continues to progress from the foot injuries that cut short his final season at the University of Michigan, Cory Wright of BrooklynNets.com reports. New Nets coach Kenny Atkinson is still unsure when LeVert, the 20th overall pick in this year’s draft, will be able to go without any restrictions, Wright adds.
Jeff Green‘s ties to the Magic’s front office and the trade that brought Serge Ibaka to Orlando made it an easy decision for him to sign with the franchise, John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com writes. The well-traveled small forward signed a one-year, $15MM contract with the Magic after agreeing to the deal on the first day of free agency. “I knew (assistant GM) Scott (Perry) and (GM) Rob (Hennigan), too, from OKC,” Green told Denton. “I saw that the Magic had traded for Serge on draft day and I had played with Serge already. … I knew this would be a great situation.”

Knicks Notes: Jennings, Randle, Noah, Porzingis

October 9th, 2016 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Brandon Jennings is taking advantage of his preseason opportunity to start for the Knicks, writes Ian Begley of ESPN.com. With Derrick Rose taking care of legal obligations, Jennings registered four points, five assists and four rebounds in 14 minutes Saturday as New York topped Brooklyn. Jennings, who signed a one-year, $5MM deal over the summer, has slimmed down to 175 pounds and hopes to get the Knicks playing at a faster tempo. He says he finally feels fully recovered from the Achilles tear he suffered in January of 2015. “I feel great. I feel faster. I hope I look faster,” he said. “… I just feel like myself again.”

There’s more this morning out of New York:

Chasson Randle continued his bid for a roster spot Saturday with 14 points, two assists and three steals in 21 minutes, Begley writes in the same story. The point guard out of Stanford signed with the Knicks this summer after spending a season in the Czech Republic. He faces an uphill battle to make a team that already has 15 guaranteed contracts, but he has a strong supporter in teammate Carmelo Anthony. “I love him. I just love his poise out there, the way he controls the game, controls the basketball,” Anthony said. “He can push the pace. He can slow it down. I think you guys would love him too the more that you see him play.”
The Knicks expect to be without Rose and Joakim Noah for another week, according to Howie Kussoy and Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Rose remains tied up with his civil trial in Los Angeles, while Noah is nursing a sore left hamstring. Coach Jeff Hornacek said the absence of the team’s most imporant offseason additions has made the preseason difficult, but he plans to be careful with Noah. “Sometimes, players like Jo, he’s like, ‘Man, I want to get out there,’” Hornacek said. “He was out there at shootaround, saying, ‘I want to play,’ but we’re just trying to be cautious with him. … When he feels 100 percent he’ll go to it. Since we don’t have a game after Monday for a while it’s more than likely he’ll probably miss that one, too.”
Kristaps Porzingis said a new shoe deal that could pay more than his NBA contract hasn’t been finalized, relays Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Porzingis signed with Adidas for a reported $3MM to $6MM, although Nike, his current endorser, will get a chance to match the offer. It would be the biggest shoe contract in NBA history for a European player. “That doesn’t mean I’m a better player than Dirk Nowitzki, they just see me as somebody that’s good off the court, see me with kids and that kind of stuff,” Porzingis said. “And they see that potential in me that one day I can be that good. It’s in my hands now to prove that I am what they believe I can be.”

And-Ones: Rose, Clarkson, Silas

October 8th, 2016 at 10:04pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Derrick Rose won’t fly back and forth from Los Angeles, where he is currently defending himself in a civil trial, to play in the Knicks‘ preseason games, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Rose has no team personnel with him, Lewis adds. “He’s got his own guys,” a source tells Lewis.

Here’s more from around the league:

Lakers coach Luke Walton applauded Jordan Clarkson‘s defense and he envisions the combo guard having a major role off the bench this season, Joey Ramirez of NBA.com writes. “I don’t look at [Clarkson’s role] as really coming off the bench as much as the way Lamar came off our bench but he was really a starter,” Walton said. “He played big minutes, played the end of ball games. Ginobili [also] did it for years in San Antonio.”
Chris Mannix of the Vertical believes Stephen Silas will get his turn to become a head coach in this league, as he opines on Twitter. Silas has been an assistant coach for the Hornets since 2010.
New Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni is making defense a priority, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com writes. D’Antoni and assistant coach Jeff Bzlelik are looking for accountability from their players on that end of the floor. “Yeah, it’s a lot of things,” Bzdelik said. “You can’t let what happens on offense dictate your defensive energy. Defense needs to be constant, offense is a variable. It’s a mindset more so than anything else, to take it personal when you get scored upon.”

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Morris, Cavs, Heat

October 6th, 2016 at 7:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls’ decision to trade Derrick Rose and let Joakim Noah walk in free agency is already proving to be addition by subtraction, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com opines. Not only did they rid themselves of two oft-injured players but both have created distractions during the preseason, Aschburner continues. Rose has missed practice and game time with the Knicks because of a civil lawsuit involving rape allegations, while Noah has created hard feelings with his behavior at West Point, where New York is holding camp, Aschburner notes. The way Rose managed the timing of his rehabs and returns also created issues in the Bulls’ organization, as did his comments prior to last season that he was looking forward to free agency in 2017, Aschburner adds.

In other developments around the Eastern Conference:

Wizards power forward Markieff Morris focused this summer on improving his 3-point shot, Candace Buckner of the Washington Post reports. Morris has averaged 32.3% from long range during his career and made 31.6% of his 3-point attempts after he was dealt from the Suns to Washington during last season’s trade deadline. Morris attempted more mid-range shots (265) than any other area on the floor, Buckner notes, but Morris wants to make the 3-point shot a bigger part of his game. “It’s kind of like you have no choice now with the way the league is,” Morris told Buckner. “You got to be able to make that shot at the four. I’ve been working all summer trying to get better at it, continuing to get better at it.”
Journeyman Toney Douglas is confident he’ll win the backup point guard job with the Cavaliers despite coming to camp with a non-guaranteed contract, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net writes. Douglas, who played 61 games for the Pelicans last season, joined Cleveland this week and is competing mainly with rookie Kay Felder for that spot. “I’m a veteran player,” he told Amico. “I can play defense, lock up, hit open shots, run the offense and find guys when they’re open. I can do all that.”
The Heat face a tough decision on point guard Briante Weber, according to Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders. Though Weber has only played in seven NBA games, he has shown enough upside that it will be difficult for the Heat to keep him off the opening-day roster, Taylor continues. Weber also has a partially-guaranteed contract, but veteran Beno Udrih looms as the main backup point man and Josh Richardson should return during the first month of the season from his knee injury, Taylor notes. If Weber is let go, another team would snatch him up quickly, Taylor adds.

Brandon Jennings Plans On Staying With Knicks

October 5th, 2016 at 10:37pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Brandon Jennings has only played one preseason game with New York, yet the point guard feels the team is a great fit long-term. “I plan on staying,” Jennings said on his Twitter feed. “[There’s] nothing like being a Knick, I feel the energy already!” (note: Jennings has since deleted the tweet).

The 27-year-old signed a one year, $5MM deal with the Knicks during a busy offseason for the franchise. New York’s plan was to have an experience point guard lead the second unit and be able to step into the starting lineup in the event that Derrick Rose would suffer another injury. Rose is currently healthy, but he’ll be absent from the team to defend himself in his civil trail, so Jennings may get an opportunity to play with the starters this preseason. Jennings, like Rose, will be a free agent next summer and if Jennings plays well this season, he could land himself a salary that’s in line with other starting point guards at the end of the year.

Jennings was drafted by the Bucks with No. 10 overall pick in the 2009 draft. After his rookie campaign, it appeared he was on his way to stardom and there was a case to be made that he was the best guard in his rookie class, one that included Stephen Curry, James Harden and Tyreke Evans. However, his next six seasons didn’t look as promising and when Jennings became an unrestricted free agent over the summer for the first time in his career, there weren’t many suitors lining up for his services.

Jennings was recovering from a torn Achilles injury last season, but he appears to be fully healthy entering this season. He scored seven points and dished out four assists in Tuesday’s preseason game.

Atlantic Notes: Rose, Yabusele, Celtics, Sixers

October 4th, 2016 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

The federal civil trial involving Knicks point guard Derrick Rose gets underway today, and Adrienne Lawrence of ESPN’s Outside The Lines has the details on what to expect from the case. As Lawrence writes, the trial is expected to take about eight to 10 business days, which would put it on track to be finished before the NBA’s regular season, though it could be delayed or shortened for various reasons.

Rose is currently with the Knicks as they prepare to play a preseason game against Houston, but he’ll head to Los Angeles for the trial tomorrow, per Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter links). The veteran guard said today that he may have to miss a practice or two, and he doesn’t anticipate reaching a settlement with his accuser, according to Berman.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic division:

Guerschon Yabusele, the 16th overall pick in this year’s draft, will play overseas this season rather than joining the Celtics right away, but he got some action stateside this week, as his Shanghai Sharks faced the Rockets in Houston. As Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe details, the Sharks signed Yabusele to a one-year contract that can be worth up to $1.5MM with bonuses, and sold him and the Celtics on their advanced training and sports medicine program. Once the season begins, the Chinese club will send weekly reports to Boston updating the C’s on Yabusele’s performance and his fitness.
As he prepares to enter his second NBA season, point guard Terry Rozier talks to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net about vying for minutes in a crowded Celtics backcourt.
Although the team isn’t viewed as a strong playoff contender, there was an air of excitement surrounding the Sixers this summer, which has been dulled in the wake of Ben Simmons‘ foot injury, writes Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Daily News.

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, VanVleet, Rose

October 1st, 2016 at 9:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers should consider sitting out Ben Simmons for the entire season while he recovers from foot surgery, argues Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. It would be the same strategy the team used for Nerlens Noel and twice for Joel Embiid, and it would ensure that Simmons is fully recovered before making his NBA debut. An X-ray revealed that Simmons has a Zone 2 fracture, which is more commonly called a Jones fracture. With that type of break comes a greater chance of another fracture occurring. Pompey compares Simmons’ situation to that of Oklahoma City guard Cameron Payne, who had surgery on a Jones fracture July 25th, then got hurt again Tuesday in training camp, breaking the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. A similar injury cost Kevin Durant most of the 2014/15 season.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Fred VanVleet is trying to forget about his draft snub as he works to earn a spot on the Raptors‘ roster, relays Mike Ganter of The Toronto Sun. VanVleet was a leader on some very successful teams at Wichita State, but didn’t have the standout athletic ability that impresses scouts. “When you line me up as an athletic prospect against the best guys in the world, I’m not going be very high on that board,” he said. “But when we are taking about basketball players? I’ll just say sometimes you have to evaluate what you are looking for. I don’t trust that everybody knows what they are talking about. Those guys get paid to do what they do and I’m not questioning anybody who didn’t draft me. It is what it is. I ended up in a great place in a great situation.” With Delon Wright still recovering from a shoulder injury in summer league, VanVleet has a chance to make the Raptors as a backup point guard.
Derrick Rose‘s $21.5MM civil sex assault trial begins Tuesday, but he plans to be with the Knicks for a preseason game in Houston, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. “I’ll figure out anything a little bit later when I get into the city, but for right now they are allowing me to just be with the team,” Rose said. “I haven’t heard anything legal-wise.” In his first year with the Knicks after a summer trade, Rose said he had his best camp ever.
Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek has been impressed by Spanish center Willy Hernangomez, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Hornacek said the 22-year-old Hernangomez, who signed with the team in July, “looks like he’s a 10-year vet out there in terms of his calmness when he’s playing.”

Atlantic Notes: Carroll, Rose, Kuzminskas

September 30th, 2016 at 10:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

DeMarre Carroll‘s first season with the Raptors after signing with the team as a free agent was marred by injury, with him seeing action in only 26 games as a result. While he’s still not 100% recovered, Carroll hopes his second campaign in Toronto is more productive, The Associated Press relays. “I look at it as basically my first season [with Toronto],” the 30-year-old Carroll said. “A new season, a new beginning. I’ve just got to come in and get back to playing DeMarre Carroll basketball when I’m healthy.” Speaking about the steps he took to prepare his injured knee for a return to the court, Carroll said, “We took a hard approach about it and we did it the right way. Last season it was more of a rush, trying to get me back. We didn’t go through the whole thing we needed to go through to get the knee to where it needs to be. I feel that we’re on the right track.”

Here’s more out of the Atlantic:

Not only is Derrick Rose getting used to a new city and new teammates, he’s also attempting to acclimate to the Knicks‘ triangle offense, which isn’t an easy task, Ian Begley of ESPN.com writes. “It’s complicated a little bit right now because it’s new to us. It’s foreign. But I think the more we work on it and the way the coaches are putting it into the offense, it’s [going to get] little bit easier,” Rose said after Thursday’s practice. “[There’s] like 40 to 50 options on one side of the floor. It’s like giving you your space for creativity. It’s like if you’re doing it the right way, you could do everything you want, you could freelance but you just got to know where you’re going.”
The Knicks are pleased with the outside shooting of rookie Mindaugas Kuzminskas, who may end up being Carmelo Anthony‘s primary backup at small forward, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “He’s a guy that with his size, got agility, you can look at him at the 2 or 3,’’ coach Jeff Hornacek said. “There could be times we use his length at the 2 spot. He’s a guy who cuts — cutters open everything up. The stat’s not in the paper. You don’t get glory from it but it’s a huge part.’’
Dario Saric‘s athleticism and versatility is earning him praise from the Sixers coaching staff and is setting the rookie forward apart from the other members of the team’s crowded frontcourt, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

Derrick Rose Remains Under Investigation By LAPD

September 26th, 2016 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

While Derrick Rose‘s civil trail stemming from a sexual assault lawsuit is set to begin on October 4, the new Knicks point guard also hasn’t yet been cleared from facing criminal charges. According to a letter from the Los Angeles Police Department, published by TheWhiteBronco.com, the LAPD has an open criminal investigation into Rose, and continues to look into the complaint filed against him by his “Jane Doe” accuser.

The judge in Rose’s civil case ruled that the identity of his accuser must be revealed during the trial. Her lawyer has urged the judge to reconsider that ruling, and as Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes, the LAPD’s letter will be used to make that case — Detective Nadine Hernandez said in the letter that the accuser’s identity will remain confidential throughout the LAPD’s investigation.

“The ability to offer anonymity to victims of sex crimes is an invaluable investigative aid to investigators as well as a great comfort to victims of crimes of such a sensitive nature,” Hernandez wrote in the letter.

It remains to be seen how Rose’s civil trial will play out or whether the LAPD’s criminal investigation will result in any charges. Still, while Knicks president Phil Jackson recently downplayed the impact the case(s) will have on Rose and the team, the point guard will likely have to miss portions of New York’s camp and preseason due to the trial, raising questions about the lack of homework the Knicks did on the case prior to acquiring Rose in June.

Atlantic Notes: Colangelo, Rose, Uthoff, Early

September 24th, 2016 at 2:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Sixers executive Bryan Colangelo wasn’t a fan of the team’s culture when he was hired, as he told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on his podcast. “There was a losing culture,” Colangelo said of the team before he arrived. “There was a losing mindset. It had been ingrained partly due to the undertaking of rebuilding that they had been going through. It becomes part of the fabric of the team,” Colangelo said. “I think more than anything the mindset needed to shift, the mindset needed to change. And that’s why we’ve been talking about winning. Doing everything we can to promote winning, to promote a culture of excellence.”

Colangelo also told Wojnarowski that he had little interest in working under former GM Sam Hinkie, which was the arrangement first pitched to him by team ownership. “The first time that I met with David Blitzer and Josh Harris I basically told them I’m not the guy for this job. I suggested a few other people, one in particular that I thought would be ideal, to come in and compliment Sam to help take this thing to that next level. They were a little bit stunned at my reaction and my suggestion,” Colangelo said.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The crew over at Basketball Insiders previewed the Celtics‘ upcoming season, with the general opinion being that Boston will finish first or second in the Atlantic Division in 2016/17.
The Knicks are hoping that Derrick Rose‘s upcoming civil suit involving an alleged sexual assault won’t impact his season, Ian Begley of ESPN.com writes. “I think we’re just going to let the process work itself out,” team president Phil Jackson said when asked about the possibility of Rose missing training camp. “We’re not concerned with it. We understand this is a serious subject we’re talking about. But this has to be done outside of our control. It’s something we can’t control. Derrick has expressed that he’s not concerned with it. I mean, he’s quite aware of it. It’s not keeping him up at night. So we’re going with that, OK?“
Undrafted free agent Jarrod Uthoff is excited to be joining a Raptors team that made it to last season’s Conference Finals, Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders relays. “It’ll be a great chance to learn from experienced NBA guys that play at a very high level,” Uthoff said. “Being around that every day, you can’t replace that. It’s a really professional organization that handles themselves with class in whatever they do. I think that’s showing on the court as well. It starts from the top down. They really created a special organization there.”
Former second round pick Cleanthony Early won’t be attending the Knicks‘ training camp and the forward remains a free agent, Marc Berman of The New York Post notes.