Earl Clark Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Rumors: Howard, Clark, Gasol, Payroll

April 29th, 2013 at 8:49am CST by Luke Adams

After being ejected and seeing the Lakers swept out of the first round, Dwight Howard called this season a "nightmare," an interesting choice of words given the "Dwightmare" label applied to last year's constant Howard trade rumors. Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times proposes one way to end the nightmare, suggesting that the Lakers don't re-sign Howard this summer when he hits free agency. It certainly figures to be an interesting summer in L.A., given Howard's free agency, Kobe Bryant's recovering Achilles, and Pau Gasol's expiring contract. Here's an early look at the next steps for the team:

Howard told reporters, including Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, that he expects to "step away from everything for a couple of weeks" to clear his head before he seriously considers his free agency. One source tells Spears that, given the uncertainty in Lakerland, Howard is expected to do his due dilegence when it comes to free agent options.
Spears' source on Howard: "He's going to sign a long-term deal. It has to be the right spot, the right commitment. There is no clear choice. The Lakers choice has longevity. They've won a lot of championships. But at the same time, that's not where they're at any more."
Earl Clark tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter link) that he'd like to re-sign with the Lakers, even if the team can't offer the same amount of years or dollars as other teams.
Gasol doesn't believe his future with the Lakers necessarily hinges on what happens with Howard, as he tells Medina.
Gasol deserves to be able to play out the final season of his contract with the Lakers without constant trade rumors swirling around him, suggests J.A. Adande of ESPN.com. However, as Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times writes, it's also possible Gasol has played his last game with the club.
Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times examines the Lakers' payroll options, including potential amnesty candidates.

Western Notes: Mayo, Blazers, Clark, Prince

April 16th, 2013 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

We rounded up a few items from out of the Eastern Conference earlier in the day. Now let's head west….

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle had harsh words for O.J. Mayo during and after last night's game against the Grizzlies, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com details. Mayo is widely expected to decline his 2013/14 player option and test free agency this summer, though MacMahon notes that the USC product recently told ESPNDallas.com he has yet to make a decision on the option.
Carlisle's comments on Mayo show why the Trail Blazers shouldn't consider pursuing the shooting guard if he hits free agency this summer, says Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com.
According to a Sports Business Daily report passed along by HoopsHype, Earl Clark has changed agents, making the transition from Happy Walters of Relativity Sports to Kevin Bradbury at BDA Sports.
Having been acquired by the Grizzlies in January's Rudy Gay blockbuster, Tayshaun Prince is excited to be back in the postseason, and tells Derek Page of HoopsWorld he's happy for Ed Davis and Austin Daye, who also came to Memphis in the deal.

Odds & Ends: James, Clark, Sixers, Collison

April 6th, 2013 at 8:55pm CST by Michael Pina

When Heat general manager Pat Riley spoke out against Celtics general manager Danny Ainge last week, it was a calculated move on his part to keep LeBron James around after 2014, writes the Daily News' Mitch Lawrence.

Mavericks point guard Darren Collison wants to be the team's starter, writes Dallas Star-Telegram reporter Dwain Price.
InsideSoCal.com's Mark Medina writes that Lakers forward Earl Clark has rediscovered his role with the team with some great play recently.
On Philly.com, the Sixers are gearing up for a busy offseason.

Los Angeles Notes: Clark, Dwight, Clippers

March 9th, 2013 at 10:26pm CST by Ryan Raroque

To say that the Lakers' season has been a roller coaster ride would be an understatement, and with a 7-2 record over their last nine games amidst a strong push for a spot in the Western Conference playoff picture, the purple and gold faithful have reason to hope that the car keeps climbing up. However, one of the biggest pleasant surprises seems to have hit a slump, as ESPN Los Angeles' Ramona Shelburne notes that Earl Clark has only reached double figure scoring once in the team's last seven games. We have a few links to share out of Los Angeles tonight, and you can find them below:

Chauncey Billups opens up about the adjustments that he's had to make with the Clippers, from moving to shooting guard and returning from an achilles injury (Broderick Turner of the LA Times).
Although he's had his share of struggles from the free throw line, Dwight Howard is too valuable in other areas of the game to be kept off the court during crunch time, opines Janis Carr of the OC Register.
Howard tells Eric Pincus of the LA Times about what he's learned by playing alongside Kobe Bryant, particularly about getting over his fear of missing shots and improving off the court habits. "I think this is a blessing for me, to experience the stuff that I've experienced this year. It's just going to make me a better man and a better player…Just from watching Kobe — this has been great for me. I wouldn't have it any other way."
Defending the three point line has been a glaring concern for the Clippers, who may find themselves unable to advance in the playoffs if things don't change, writes Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles.
Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer notes the importance of the Lakers making the playoffs for the Cavaliers, as Cleveland will have the option of swapping Miami's first round pick with the Lakers' if it falls out of the lottery.

Odds & Ends: Harkless, Clark, Bynum, Oladipo

February 5th, 2013 at 7:39pm CST by Alex Lee

With only five games on the NBA schedule for Tuesday night, let's round up some odds and ends from around the league here:

Now getting extended minutes, Magic rookie Maurice Harkless – acquired from Philadelphia in the Dwight Howard trade – has begun to show the skills that made him the 15th overall selecton last June, writes Josh Robbins of Orlando Sentinel. Coupled with the pleasant surprise that is Nikola Vucevic, Harkless' development makes the haul that Orlando received for Howard look better and better, especially considering past deals involving a departing superstar.
Another forgotten piece of the Howard deal, Earl Clark has thrived since joining the Lakers, writes Josh Newman of Zags Blog. Now in his fourth year out of Lousiville, Clark has seen his minutes double in Los Angeles.
Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops calls the Pistons' Will Bynum a prime trade target, mentioning the Thunder as an ideal candidates for a match. With James Harden in Houston and Eric Maynor and Reggie Jackson unlikely solutions to spelling Russell Westbrook, Sheridan says Bynum would be a better pick up for Oklahoma City than Derek Fisher was a year ago.
Scheduled for June 27, the NBA Draft is just less than five months away. But as the NCAA calendar moves towards March, draft talk should start to heat up. Jeff Goodman, CBS Sports' NCAA guru, provides his updated prospect rankings as well as a mock draft.
Three days following Indiana's thrilling win over No. 1 Michigan, Draft Express publishes a scouting report on Hoosiers' guard Victor Oladipo. Previously thought to be a defensive specialist, the ultra-athletic Oladipo has nearly ensured himself a first round grade with a breakout offensive performance as a junior.

Earl Clark Wants To Stay With Lakers

February 3rd, 2013 at 10:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lakers have been struggling mightily this season, but big man Earl Clark has been a bright spot for the 22-26 club. Clark is positioning himself for a considerable raise in his next contract, but the impending free agent says that he would like to stay in Los Angeles, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.

“This is my first team that gave me an opportunity. I love the guys here,” the 25-year-old said. “The organization and the style of play fits me. I really want to stay here.“

In eleven starts over the last three weeks, Clark has averaged 10.4 PPG with 8.4 RPG and nearly one block per contest. Clark gave the Lakers 17 points and 10 boards agains the Pistons today and helped lead his team to a 98-97 win despite missing two crucial free throws down the stretch. The Louisville product is making just $1.2MM this season and where ever he winds up next, he figures to see a considerable raise.

Western Notes: Kobe, Ridnour, Odom

January 26th, 2013 at 10:49pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Although Kobe Bryant registered a season low of 10 field goals on Friday night, his 14 assists proved to be instrumental in the Lakers' rout of the Jazz. Mike D'Antoni praised his star shooting guard's approach, saying that the dip in field goal attempts shouldn't be looked at as a sacrifice if the team ultimately comes out on top, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles. McMenamin also takes a closer look at the impending return of Steve Blake, who practiced with the team today and could return to game action next week. You'll find the rest of tonight's Western Conference notes here:

Earlier today, HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler answered some of his followers' questions on Twitter, saying that he doesn't think the Lakers aren't looking to move Dwight Howard before the deadline, Mike D'Antoni's job isn't necessarily safe right now, and that the Grizzlies aren't currently looking to make a deal with the Celtics (All Twitter links).
Luke Ridnour has been a productive and dependable stop gap for the Timberwolves in spite of all the injuries he's handled this year, notes Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.
Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro wants Lamar Odom to be more aggressive on the offensive end, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Another 6'10 forward has been making waves in Los Angeles, albeit for the purple and gold. In another article, Ben Bolch examines Earl Clark's breakout year as a starter for the Lakers.
Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin tells Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune that he wants to groom Gordon Hayward into a player who can be counted on to close games.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says there's no doubt in his mind that Dirk Nowitzki will be an All-Star again, writes Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW.
Jason Smith has played with
a reckless abandon that has earned the attention and respect from his
teammates and the Hornets coaching staff, observes John
Reid of NOLA.com.
Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post makes a case for why Warriors guard Stephen Curry was the biggest snub of this year's All-Star game.

Lakers Rumors: Trades, Job Security, Howard

January 24th, 2013 at 6:32pm CST by Daniel Seco

Here's the latest news and notes making headlines at the Staples Center…

While Lakers fans may expect the franchise to move either Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol or both before the trade deadline, one GM says it's more liklely that the team retains both players, writes Sam Amico of FOXSportsOhio.com.
After already having three head coaches man the bench for the Lakers this season, don't look for Los Angeles to consider a buy-out or firing of Mike D'Antoni, says Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register (via Twitter).
Struggles have dominated the first half of the Laker's season but the unlikely performance of Earl Clark has been a bright spot for Los Anglees, writes Alex Kennedy of Hoops World.
Arash Markazi and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com consider whether trading Dwight Howard now in hopes of the Lakers winning a championship is worth sacrificing the future of the franchise for the long-term.

Western Notes: Suns, Turner, Clark, Baynes, Mavs

January 24th, 2013 at 12:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns' decision to name Lindsey Hunter their interim head coach after letting Alvin Gentry go has now resulted in the team losing two assistant coaches. According to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, lead assistant Elston Turner and the Suns have agreed to part ways. The decision came on the heels of assistant Dan Majerle, upset that he didn't receive a shot at the head coaching job, leaving the organization.

Let's check in on a few more updates on the Suns and a handful of other Western Conference clubs….

Suns owner Robert Sarver remains confident in his staff and his long-term plan for the team, as Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic writes.
Earl Clark, who is in the last year of his contract, has raised his stock with his recent play for the Lakers, but he's not looking ahead to the summer quite yet, as he tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. "It's not like I'm this big free agent where I'll be at SportsCenter and people are asking me where I'm going," Clark said. "I'm focusing on the game and trying to continue to play well."
The newest Spur, Australian center Aron Baynes, spoke to David Pick of Sportando about his decision to sign with San Antonio and what Spurs fans should expect from him.
In his latest column for the Dallas Morning News, Eddie Sefko explores whether coach Rick Carlisle's ability to connect with players could help the Mavericks in recruiting free agents.

Injury Notes: Lowry, Clark, Deng, Stoudemire

October 15th, 2012 at 8:03pm CST by Michael Pina

Earlier we discussed Andrew Bynum's knee, which has lingered as a legitimate news item longer than Sixers fans would like. Now, here's a look towards other injury situations throughout the league as we head into the regular season, just a short two weeks away.

New Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry looks to make his debut with the team on Wednesday night, reports Jay Satur from Raptors.com. Lowry has been battling a groin injury this offseason.
Lakers forward Earl Clark is out indefintely with a groin injury, reports ESPNLA.com's Andy Kamenetzky. Clark came over from Orlando in the Dwight Howard trade earlier this summer.
Recovering from a bone bruise in his left knee, Amare Stoudemire plans to make his preseason debut on Friday, reports Newsday's Al Iannazzone.
After sitting out last Friday night's preseason game with a sore groin, Bulls forward Luol Deng will play Tuesday night against the Bucks, reports ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell.
Still recovering from a platelet-rich plasma injection he received in September, Pacers forward Danny Granger is aiming to make a return for the last two games of the preseason, reports Pacers.com writer Mark Montieth.