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Southeast Notes: Wizards, Wall, Dragic, Hezonja

January 20th, 2017 at 9:10pm CST by Milo Taibi

Controversy surrounded the ending of Thursday’s game between the Knicks and Wizards. Down three points in their final possession, the Knicks attempted to get a shot off while Washington assistant coach Sidney Lowe was standing on the court, appearing to distract Courtney Lee. The NBA addressed Lowe’s actions today, claiming he “should have been assessed a technical foul,” before levying a $15,000 fine against the Wizards and a $5,000 fine to Lowe. Carmelo Anthony stood up for his teammate, claiming Lee was deceived.

“He [Lowe] was on the court. They have six players on the court,” Anthony said of the Wizards’ assistant. “I’ve never seen it before. I’ve never seen that before, especially not in a situation like that. Close game, half court offense, we’re trying to make something happen. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Other goings-on around the Southeast:

John Wall, playing at the healthiest he’s been throughout his seven-year NBA career, is posting career-high totals in offensive categories. Unhappy with his perception as a player who wasn’t engaged at practice, the Wizards point guard has worked with a vengeance at the gym. “I wanted to put the work in but I couldn’t because I needed to spend an hour to stretch just to get prepared to practice. That was frustrating,” Wall said, per Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. “People would tell me I don’t take the NBA seriously. I take this as seriously as possible. Now, I can do a regular stretch for 10 minutes and get a full workout in without having any problem afterward. That’s the key to why I am playing at a higher level.”
Goran Dragic has Dwyane Wade‘s competitive spirit, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said this week, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel details. “This game means so much to Goran Dragic,” Spoelstra said. “When we lose, he doesn’t sleep. He takes it hard like a coach would. I get text messages from him about things that he thought he could have done better or differently, hours after the game.” Dragic’s 20.3 points per game are his highest total since 2013/14 with the Suns.
The Hornets “have much to prove” at the midway point of the season, Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer writes. Coach Scott Clifford lamented his team’s inability to play to their strengths. “We are not physically imposing.” Clifford said. “We are not playing three guys who are going to average 23 (points) a night. What we are is we have exceptional basketball IQ, skill level and intelligence. And that only matters if you take advantage of it. So if you’re going to make mistakes and have dumb turnovers — we lost a game the other night with 19 turnovers — we’re not that team. …We can’t turn it over. We can’t beat ourselves.”
The playoffs appear to be an afterthought for the Magic, Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders writes. While the Magic expected to be an imposing defensive team, they’ve recently dropped out of the Top 20 in league-wide defense. With an ugly 17-27 mark at the halfway point of the season, coach Frank Vogel is shaking up his rotations, including giving 21-year-old Mario Hezonja additional court time.

Bulls Notes: Wade, Butler, Grant, Rondo

January 20th, 2017 at 9:11am CST by Arthur Hill

Dwyane Wade calls his first half season in Chicago “average” and says he’s still adjusting to life with the Bulls, relays Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Wade is still playing at an All-Star level, averaging 18.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists a game, but the team has been disappointing at 21-22. Because his $47MM deal includes a player option for next season, Wade will face another decision on his future this summer. Wade admits he left his “comfort zone” after 13 seasons in Miami. “Whenever I feel a certain way about anything, I always think about that, that I made the decision, and it’s a challenge that I wanted for myself,” he said. “Like I said maybe in the [introductory] presser or somewhere, the easiest for me to [have done is] to just ride off into the sunset in my comfort in Miami. And no one [would have] judged me at all. … But I made it a little more difficult than that because I’m a competitor, so I challenged myself.”

There’s more this morning from Chicago:

Wade’s future with the Bulls may be tied to Jimmy Butler‘s, Friedell writes in a separate piece. There are internal discussions in the organization about committing to a rebuilding process, which Wade wouldn’t be interested in at age 35. He said Butler played a key role in recruiting him to Chicago and will affect his decision when free agency arrives again. “One of the main reasons I’m here is Jimmy,” Wade said. “He’s the one who called me and got me to come here. So that’s a big part of my decision and everything else, is what Jimmy’s doing, what his future looks like and all that. And I’ve made it very clear. So I have no idea from that standpoint. You just have to wait and see and then see what works out.” Butler is signed through the 2019/20 season, but was the subject of multiple trade rumors last offseason.
Horace Grant, who serves as special advisor to president and chief operating officer Michael Reinsdorf, says Chicago doesn’t need any drastic moves to reach the postseason. In a video posted on CSNChicago, the former Bull says the team just needs its key players to stay healthy. “I wouldn’t worry about trading anyone,” Grant said. “I wouldn’t worry about trading Jimmy or anything. I will find a way with the pieces that we have now, which I sincerely think that we’re going to make the playoffs, that we’re going to make a push.”
Rajon Rondo, who has had several run-ins with his coaches, would like to be an NBA head coach when he’s done playing, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.

Central Notes: Caldwell-Pope, Korver, Wade

January 6th, 2017 at 10:51pm CST by Austin Kent

The Pistons have known all along that the pending free agency of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could be tough to handle, but it would be an easier pill to swallow were they winning at the rate they enjoyed in 2015/16. According to Pistons.com editor Keith Langlois, Caldwell-Pope’s agents could use Allen Crabbe‘s four-year, $72MM deal with the Trail Blazers as a precedent and then ask for considerably more.

In four seasons with Detroit, Caldwell-Pope has established himself as a gritty, lockdown defender who doesn’t take plays off. While his relatively modest 14.4 points per game (14.5 last season) do little to justify his case as a big money player to those who haven’t seen him play, his reputation is what has earned him the trust of head coach Stan Van Gundy.

Caldwell-Pope averaged 36.7 minutes per game last season as the Pistons crept into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Only three players, James Harden, Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler played more for their respective teams.

The Pistons already have four players owed over $10MM next season, including Andre Drummond who will collect $23.8MM, but the team will see Josh Smith‘s $14MM wiped as consolation.

Elsewhere in the Central Division:

In light of the Cavaliers‘ recent deal for Kyle Korver, Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio explores what could be next for the team. Per Amico, Mario Chalmers and Jarrett Jack are among the names that could be added as a backup point guard.
Former teammate of LeBron James and current Bulls guard, Dwyane Wade spoke with Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago regarding the Korver deal. “You want the politically correct answer, or the other one? The rich getting richer,” said Wade of the Cavaliers.
There are several reasons why the Korver trade could shift the balance of power to the Cavaliers, writes Keith Smart of RealGM in a recap of the deal. Smart expects Korver’s numbers to surge like Channing Frye‘s did when he was acquired late last season.

Bulls Notes: Rondo, Wade, Butler

January 4th, 2017 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

After being removed from his starting point guard role, Rajon Rondo met with Bulls executives Gar Forman and John Paxson over the weekend, and tells Nick Friedell of ESPN.com that the meeting “went OK.” However, as Friedell details, Rondo also said that there “really wasn’t a clear-cut message” from the front office, and said that he expects to talk to Forman and Paxson again at some point.

Rondo didn’t get into specifics about the meeting or about what’s next for him — when asked whether the Bulls’ front office is open to accommodating a trade, the veteran point guard said he’d leave that talk for his agent and Bulls management.

Here’s more on Rondo, along with some other Bulls notes:

Dwyane Wade weighed in on his teammate’s benching, suggesting that Rondo has “handled it great” (link via Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com). “But it still sucks,” Wade added. “It’s unfortunate.”
Rondo’s situation may be up in the air, but don’t expect Wade to offer input on what his backcourt mate’s role should be, or how the Bulls might alter their roster. Asked today if he gets involved in personnel decisions, Wade said he doesn’t “get paid to do that,” as K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune reports (all Twitter links). “Don’t put me into none of that,” Wade said. “No upstairs, no downstairs decisions by Dwyane Wade.”
ESPN’s roundtable, including Friedell, Kevin Pelton, David Thorpe, and others, tackled a few Bulls-related questions, discussing whether the Bulls should be buyers or sellers, and attempting to determine what sort of deals the team might be seeking (Insider-only link). The general consensus: Chicago should be a seller at the deadline, and Rondo probably won’t finish the season with the team, but Jimmy Butler isn’t going anywhere.

Bulls Executive John Paxson Discusses Roster

December 25th, 2016 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls vice president of basketball operations John Paxson says “athleticism” is the team’s most important roster issue, relays the Chicago Tribune. In a radio interview this morning on WSCR-AM 670, Paxson praised coach Fred Hoiberg and offseason addition Dwyane Wade, while asking for more out of Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic. Here are a few highlights:

On the need for more athletic players to keep up with the rest of the league:

“We’ve got some vets who know how to play and can score. But when you look around the league and the way the game is now, that’s an area we have to address. That is a part of the plan. We’ll try to do that obviously through the draft and free agency if we can. You always have the trade option. Right now, our roster is what it is.”

On Michael Carter-Williams, who has been sidelined by injuries since October 31st:

“You kind of forget that he’s even on the roster because we traded for him so late in camp and then three games in, he took a fall and hurt himself. The coaching staff was just getting acclimated to him and he was doing very well for us. We’re excited to get him back. I think he will help our depth and our rotation as well.”

On Mirotic, who is headed toward free agency but seems to have regressed during his third season, shooting just 38% from the field:

“Niko has a tendency to get down on himself to be honest with you. Sometimes as player, you have to say to yourself, ‘Enough is enough. I’m going to go out and compete and work on my game.’ A lot of this is on the individual. Niko is a great guy. He has the ability to get better.”

On the surprise addition of Wade, who left Miami to sign with the Bulls this summer:

“It’s rare when a guy like that becomes available. Dwyane was one of those players you would think would’ve been with Miami his entire career just the way it had gone. He had been through good times, He had been through rebuilding. He’s professional with his approach and his attitude. He knows how to prepare himself. At this stage of his career, he knows what he can and can’t do. We’re trying to watch him carefully to make sure he doesn’t break down. But he takes very good care of himself. He’s right around that 30-minute mark a game for us, which is what he had intended for him hoping to keep him fresh. I think he has taken some of the pressure off of Jimmy [Butler] just in terms of having to speak all the time and be the voice. They’ve formed a very nice bond together.”

On the roster overhaul that began with the trade of Derrick Rose to the Knicks:

“We rode out Derrick’s injury for a long time. We had our team built at that point. Derrick’s injury obviously was a huge blow to us. He never really got back to where he was for us. We had just paid him. We tried to plug holes. But in the meantime, you’re drafting kind of middle of the pack all the time. You’re good enough to make the playoffs but you’re picking anywhere between 14, 15 and 22. It’s difficult to get impact players unless you’re lucky like we were with Jimmy years ago. There aren’t any excuses from us. We can point back to we thought we had it going but Derrick blows out his knee and all of a sudden, that changed our fortune a little bit. Had he not gotten hurt, who knows what would’ve happened. But that’s not our reality. We have to continue to try to find a way to put better players and a better team out there on the floor. That’s what we’re trying to do. At some point this year, we may have to give our young guys opportunities that they may need to see if they can develop into players.”

Eastern Notes: James, Wade, Meeks, Bullock

December 2nd, 2016 at 8:24pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The partnership of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James (along with Chris Bosh, of course) was an extremely successful one for the Heat, resulting in four appearances in the NBA Finals and two league titles. In advance of tonight’s matchup of the Bulls and Cavs, Wade spoke to the media about his time with LeBron in Miami. The shooting guard told Nick Friedell of ESPN.com that he was the one who altered his game the most after James took his talents to South Beach, adding that he wouldn’t change a thing about the time he spent alongside James. “I definitely changed mine more,” Wade said. “It’s not even a conversation. There’s no conversation to have. I definitely had to change mine more.”

“We all knew the sacrifice that was going to be [made],” Wade continued. “Obviously, you sit down and you talk about playing together. You think you know what’s [going to happen], you try to cover things in that moment, but then once you start playing together you realize it’s harder than what you thought. But we all knew we had to sacrifice. Chris Bosh, too. He’s somebody who they don’t talk about, he had to sacrifice a lot too. But at the end of the day, we sacrificed points, article hits, but what we gained was championships, friendships and brotherhoods that last a lifetime. So I’m sure if we could do it all over again we’d do it exactly the same way.”

Here’s more from out of the Eastern Conference:

Offseason trade acquisition, Jodie Meeks, is set to make his season debut for the Magic this evening, the team announced. The 29-year-old underwent foot surgery back in July after missing all but three games in 2015/16, and will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
Staying on the injury front, Pistons executive/coach Stan Van Gundy confirmed that swingman Reggie Bullock will go under the knife on Saturday to repair his torn left meniscus, Rod Beard of The Detroit News relays (via Twitter). Bullock is expected to be sidelined for two to four months following the procedure, per a report by Shams Charania of The Vertical, but Van Gundy did not give an official estimate on when the player may return to action in his statement today, Beard adds.
Paul George, who has missed six of the last seven Pacers contests with an ankle injury, says he has to reestablish himself as the team’s leader once he is able to return to game action, Nate Taylor of USA Today relays. “I think just sitting out and watching, I’ve got to get back to being the guy for us,” George said. “I’ve got to have the trust of the team, I’ve got to have the trust of the organization. This has been my group, this has been my team. I’ve got to get back to that. That’s what I’m looking forward to, being our leader.” The swingman intends to play in Indiana’s contest against the Clippers on Sunday, Taylor notes.

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Grant, Wolves, Jazz

November 26th, 2016 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dwyane Wade‘s endorsement of the Nuggets is a sign that the organization may become more attractive to free agents, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. With a little less than $79MM committed in salary for next season, Denver hopes to be aggressive on the free agent market next summer. The team understands that winning is an important element when it comes to attracting stars. “I think our fans were able to realize that ‘OK, the Nuggets are serious about winning. And they are willing to go out there and try and sign a marquee player,’” said coach Michael Malone.

There’s more tonight from the Northwest Division:

The Thunder have been happy with the production of Jerami Grant, but communication on defense is still an issue, according to Erik Horne of The Oklahoman. Since being acquired from Philadelphia in a November 1st trade, Grant is shooting better than 47% from 3-point range and has more than a block per game. He is adopting the role once filled by Serge Ibaka and his playing time has risen to more than 20 minutes per night. “Jerami’s a long, rangy defender that in the right spot causes a lot of problems,” said coach Billy Donovan. “In the wrong spot, we’re now trying to play catch-up. And it’s not just with Jerami. It could be any one of our players where that’s happening, and we’ve all consistently got to do a better job of doing that.”
ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy remains a believer in the Timberwolves despite their slow start, relays Jerry Zgoda of The Star-Tribune. Van Gundy is still close with Minnesota coach/executive Tom Thibodeau, who worked as his assistant in New York and Houston, and is confident he will turn things around. “I was thinking today: If there was no salary cap, what players wouldn’t you trade Karl-Anthony Towns for,” Van Gundy asked. “Steph Curry? That’s a no. Is Kevin Durant a no? Is Anthony Davis a no, because of his durability? How many can you come up with? I mean, they have a future. There are a lot of young teams that all they are is young. That doesn’t mean they have a chance to be good. Minnesota has a chance to be really good, but there are moves that need to be made to shore up [their weaknesses].”
Early-season injuries have prevented the Jazz from showing how good they could be, contends Randy Hollis of The Deseret News. The team has played long stretches without George Hill, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Boris Diaw. In addition, Alec Burks hasn’t been on the court at all.

Dwyane Wade On Free Agency, Decision To Join Bulls

November 22nd, 2016 at 9:27pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Dwyane Wade believes free agency is “different today” than how it used to be, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes. “The league is all about relationships, player relationships,” Wade said. “Obviously presidents and GMs have their job to do to put teams together, but when it comes to free agency, that’s player relationships more than anything. It’s where an individual wants to go, so you have to feel comfortable with where you’re going and who you’re going with. And it starts in that process. Maybe you have a relationship with a guy, maybe you don’t, but it starts in that process when guys are able to reach out to you and you see.”

Wade stressed how important it was for Jimmy Butler to reach out him over the summer. “If Jimmy don’t reach out to me then I’m not coming to Chicago because I don’t think Jimmy wants me here. But Jimmy reaches out to me and says, “D, I want you to come,” it’s a different — that’s simple right there. It’s hard to change my mindset and everything,” Wade added.

The 34-year-old went on to reiterate how hard it was to leave Miami, a place where he’s played his entire career. He said it was a very difficult decision for him and his family. “I cannot sit here and explain to anyone what it’s like to be a free agent,” Wade said. “And what it’s like to have to make a decision about where you’re going. And no one ever thought I would leave Miami. No one ever thought I would be in a Chicago Bulls jersey, but I am, so things happen. And you never know what can happen when it comes to free agency.”

Wade said earlier today that the Nuggets were the first team to contact him during the free agency period and added that they did an “unbelievable job” of recruiting him. His two-year, $47MM deal with the Bulls includes a player option for next season, so he could go through the free agent process again next summer should he choose to turn down that option.

Wade: Nuggets Did “Unbelievable Job Of Recruiting Me”

November 22nd, 2016 at 3:12pm CST by Luke Adams

While most NBA observers didn’t believe Dwyane Wade would leave the Heat in free agency, Denver seemed like a particularly far-fetched landing spot for the former Finals MVP. When rumors surfaced in July suggesting Wade and the Nuggets were having serious talks, it was viewed by many as a leverage play. However, as he prepares to take on the Nuggets as a member of the Bulls, Wade tells Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post (Twitter links) that he seriously considered signing with the team.

“We had a lot of discussions toward the end. And it came down to Denver and Chicago,” Wade said. “I chose to go back home, but definitely was something that I didn’t go into free agency thinking was a possibility. They did an unbelievable job of recruiting me. The first call I got was from them on July 1.”

Wade acknowledged that the Nuggets were an unlikely home for him, one that he hadn’t considered at all prior to his free agency. However, he also pointed out that no one anticipated he would leave Miami for Chicago either, adding that unexpected things happen in free agency when you’re making major decisions about your future. As Dempsey notes (via Twitter), Wade was impressed by the “family atmosphere” within the Nuggets’ organization, and suggested that it should help the franchise land a marquee free agent in the future.

“I think they have a lot to sell, and I thought they did a great job for me,” Wade said. “They’ve got a lot of young talent here as well. As a free agent you never know where you’re going to go, what kind of free agent is going to come help the team with these young guys and kind of veteran guys. I know they’re not going to stop working, but I know they’re looking for the right person as well to come here and not just get anyone.”

The Nuggets currently have about $58MM on their books for 2017/18, not counting Danilo Gallinari‘s player option, so they should have plenty of flexibility to make a run at another free agent or two in the summer if they choose.

Check out Dempsey’s full piece at The Post for more quotes from Wade on the Nuggets and head coach Michael Malone.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Beasley, Augustin, Stauskas

November 20th, 2016 at 7:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls have solved the chemistry issues that plagued them all last season, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. A power struggle ended when Derrick Rose was traded to the Knicks and Joakim Noah joined him there as a free agent, leaving Jimmy Butler as the clear leader in Chicago. He helped the team replace its lost talent by recruiting free agents Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo. “We all enjoy each other’s company, man,” Butler said. “Even when we’re not playing basketball. Even if we’re throwing a football, if we’re playing cards or just sitting there talking. Everybody’s locked in. Everybody’s having fun and everybody wants to get to know each other a little bit better. I think that’s the major difference. We spent a lot of time off the floor together, which I didn’t know could help so much, but it really does.”

There’s more news out of the Eastern Conference:

Bucks forward Michael Beasley still considers himself a young player because of the time he spent out of the NBA, relays Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Now 27, Beasley is getting used to a new team after being traded from Houston to Milwaukee in September. “My first step is really what I’ve built my game on, if you’ve watched my career,” he said. “That’s how I get my offense going, because a lot of people can’t stay in front of me. And a lot of people have trouble guarding left-handed players.”
Now on his eighth team in six seasons, backup point guard D.J. Augustin is hoping for some stability with the Magic, writes Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. He signed a four-year, $29MM deal over the summer, but understands that isn’t a guarantee he will spend all four seasons in Orlando. “It feels good to know that I’m going to be here for a while, but you never know what can happen in the NBA,” Augustin said. “Even though guys sign long deals, they still get traded. Anything can happen, so I still have that in the back of my mind.”
Nik Stauskas blames lost confidence for a poor first season with the Sixers, according to Kevin Cooney of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Stauskas believes in his game again, and it has shown with six straight double-digit scoring nights. The third-year guard is now comfortable with his role as a scorer off the bench. “Now it’s just one of those things where I’m enjoying myself again, I’m having fun out there,” Stauskas said, “and I think that’s when I’m most effective, when I’m having fun and, like coach [Brett] Brown says, being a little bit cocky and playing with swagger. That’s when I feel like I’m at my best.”