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Odds & Ends: Nets, McHale, Felix

November 14th, 2013 at 11:10pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Shortly after the Nets’ 21-point loss in Sacramento on Wednesday night, Brooklyn GM Billy King had a closed-door meeting with head coach Jason Kidd and Kevin Garnett to presumably discuss (as Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News surmises) why almost nothing seems to be going according to plan in Brooklyn right now. In another Nets-related piece, Lenn Robbins of NBA.com writes that the current roster hasn’t shown they deserve a player’s coach like Kidd.

Here’s more of the miscellaneous links to pass along tonight:

When asked further about why Omer Asik didn’t play during tonight’s game in New York, Rockets coach Kevin McHale said that Asik told him that he wasn’t feeling well earlier (Sean Deveney of the Sporting News via Twitter). It should be noted that this was Asik’s first DNP-CD of his NBA career.
Cavaliers shooting guard Carrick Felix recently returned to the practice floor after being out with a sports hernia, but head coach Mike Brown made it clear that the 23-year-old rookie would find his minutes in the D-League once he’s ready to play (Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal).
Zach Harper of CBS Sports details why Andre Iguodala may be the ultimate role player.
Although Michael Beasley may be a ways away from being a contributor with consistent playing time on the Heat, NBA.com’s Couper Moorhead tells us how the former second-overall pick continues to work hard and has taken a significant step forward to improve his overall game.
Joseph Lombardo, who founded the investment firm Prim Capital (which previously handled the investments and finances of the NBPA), has been charged with fraud, according to the Associated Press. Authorities say that Lombardo used a signature stamp to forge the signature of a deceased general counsel for the NBPA and another employee that awarded Prim Capital a $3MM fee over five years.
Nate Duncan of Hoopsworld goes in depth about what to make out of the Timberwolves’ and Pacers’ hot starts this season.

New York Notes: Stoudemire, Williams, Pierce

October 19th, 2013 at 8:58pm CST by Spencer Lund

Here are some notes tonight on the Nets and Knicks:

Amar’e Stoudemire has been cleared for contact, coach Mike Woodson told ESPN New York’s Ian Begley (by way of The Knicks Blog’s Adam Zagoria). STAT is hoping to play opening night on October 30th against the Bucks.
But Stoudemire only participated in 5-on-5 half-court drills and avoided the full-court scrimmage, Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News adds.
It’s still unclear when Deron Williams will return to action one month after the Nets announced he’d sprained his right ankle, writes the New York Post’s Tim Bontemps.
Bontemps adds that D-Will has ramped up his participation in practice the last two days, and Paul Pierce said he, “Had a chance to see [Williams] get his feet wet a little.”
But neither coach Jason Kidd nor Williams would talk about whether Williams will appear in any of the Nets‘ final two preseason games, or what his status is for the season opener on October 30th in Cleveland.
The New York Daily News’ Stefan Bondy adds that Kidd’s been largely avoiding most of the questions about Williams’ injured ankle.
Kidd confirmed to Bontemps that the Nets’ big offseason acquisitions Pierce and Kevin Garnett will not play in their return to Boston for a preseason game against the Celtics on Wednesday night.
Pierce tells Newsday’s Roderick Boone he’s been seeing a lot of open looks during preseason, but he’s shot poorly and believes it’s the result of being so unused to all the uncontested opportunities.

Odds & Ends: Kidd, Bynum, Bennett

October 17th, 2013 at 8:27pm CST by Ryan Raroque

For some, it may be difficult to fathom that 12 years have already gone by since Jason Kidd landed with the Nets through an offseason trade with the Suns, and that tonight, the franchise is honoring him by retiring his No. 5 uniform (video link via USA Today) in the rafters. Once he arrived in New Jersey in 2001, Kidd appeared more than ready for the revitalization process and leadership role on a team that had missed the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons prior to his arrival:

“(He) told the players, ‘I don’t care what went on here before. We will make the playoffs,'” recalled Rod Thorn, the team president who had made the trade. “Guys were looking at Jason like, ‘What the heck are you talking about?” (ESPN New York’s Ian O’Connor).

The team would go on to win 52 games that season en route to two straight Finals appearances and six consecutive playoff berths. Though Kidd would ultimately fall short of leading the Nets to an NBA title as a player, he now takes on the opportunity of coaching a team with championship aspirations. How far he’ll lead Brooklyn this year remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Kidd could be in the midst of his most special chapter with the Nets’ franchise. Here are some of tonight’s miscellaneous news and notes:

Newsday’s Roderick Boone found that Heat superstar LeBron James wouldn’t comment on whether or not the Nets could contend for a title along with the Heat. Dwyane Wade, on the other hand, had this to say: “(Brooklyn) they did what they said they were going to do. They want to compete for a championship” (Twitter links).
Jason Lloyd of Ohio.com reports that Cavaliers center Andrew Bynum is now near his usual playing weight of 285 lbs and is inching closer to a return to the court.
Earlier tonight, Cavs coach Mike Brown revealed that first overall pick Anthony Bennett has been dealing with asthma and sleep apnea (ESPN via the Associated Press). Though Brown says that the breathing issues are noticeable, it doesn’t appear that it’ll affect the way he tries to use Bennett in his rotation this season: “It’s been tiring to watch him because every time I watch him he’s (gasping)…It makes me tired, so I try not to look at him. I tell him, `If you need a sub, just tell me. Otherwise I’m not going to look at you.”
Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum calls Joel Freeland his “training camp MVP,” while head coach Terry Stotts admits that the 6’11 center has had a good training camp thus far. Joe Freeman of the Oregonian writes that Freeman’s quiet transition into a Nick Collison-type of player could produce an opportunity to find a spot in Stotts’ rotation.
Nuggets coach Brian Shaw likes what he sees in Wilson Chandler, and team GM Tim Connelly was quick to name him as the most likely to have a breakout year: “He got here about two months ago. He’s in great shape. He’s got the right mindset. Playing for a guy like coach Shaw could really allow him to take that next step” (Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com).

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Martin, Kidd

October 5th, 2013 at 9:00pm CST by Spencer Lund

There's not much hangover from the offseason Andrea Bargnani trade in Raptors camp, where the former No. 1 overall pick is "out of sight and out of mind," as Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes in his latest mailbag column.

Here's more from around the Atlantic, including a lot on the team who traded for Barganani this offseason…

After playing almost 30 minutes a night last season, Knicks forward Kenyon Martin shouldn't expect as much run this season. Coach Mike Woodson hopes K-Mart won't be playing as much this season, writes ESPN New York's Ian Begley.
Fred Kerber of the New York Post adds that Martin is totally OK with the Knicks' plan to limit the 35-year-old's minutes this season and hold him out of some preseason games.
Martin tells Al Iannazzone at Newsday that if he was younger, the decision to rest him during the preseason might bother him.
While Martin is O.K. with less playing time leading up to the regular season, Ex-Net Chris Douglas-Roberts is hoping to make the Knicks roster despite being a long shot with so many guards already signed, writes the Post's Kerber.
Lenn Robbins of Nets.com notes that training camp for the Nets and new head coach Jason Kidd has been mostly about defense.
Kidd tells the New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy that this older Nets team, is also wiser. "(The media) use a different word. I use wisdom – and wisdom has won championships. So, hopefully we can do that, too." The former point guard turned coach adds that the biggest problem from last season was poor transition defense.

Atlantic Notes: Kidd, White, Raptors, Knicks

October 4th, 2013 at 3:45pm CST by Zachary Links

This morning, the league announced that new Nets head coach Jason Kidd will be suspended for the first two games of the 2013/14 season after pleading guilty to DWI charges. The move was expected and GM Billy King issued a statement saying, "The decision is consistent with what the league has done in the past and we look forward to Jason leading our team versus Orlando and the rest of the year." Here's more from the Atlantic Division..

Forward Royce White did not travel with the Sixers on their trip to Europe, a source tells Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News (on Twitter). White, who suffers from a well-documented anxiety disorder that includes a fear of flying, was "given a pass" by the team. The Sixers acquired White from the Rockets this summer along with the rights to Furkan Aldemir.
Raptors coach Dwane Casey says that he doesn't have a preference between Carlos Morais, Julyan Stone, or Chris Wright for the club's final roster spot, writes Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Casey did say that the decision will be based on much more than talent as he's looking for someone with solid energy.
Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com looks at the pros and cons of starting defending Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith. The recently re-signed Knicks guard could shine with additional minutes, but he'd also cut into Iman Shumpert's time on the floor. Shumpert is one of the team's top defenders and is used to bottle up opposing guard/wing players.
Offseason acquisition Metta World Peace says the Knicks have to play as smart as the 1973 team to win a championship in 2013, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.

Atlantic Links: Nets, Celtics, Knicks

October 3rd, 2013 at 8:18pm CST by Ryan Raroque

There have been some instances in which talented tandems that played together early on eventually blossomed into stars on different teams. A few pairs that come to mind include Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter in Toronto, Jerry Stackhouse and Allen Iverson in Philadelphia, and Jermaine O'Neal and Rasheed Wallace in Portland. However, not many of them get another chance to reunite and try to capture some of what could have been. Brooklyn's Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce shared their thoughts about the opportunity to finally achieve success together after looking back at a 2001/02 mid-season trade that saw Johnson – then a Celtics rookie – get traded from Boston and subsequently develop into a star in Phoenix and Atlanta (Tim Bontemps of the New York Post). With that aside, here are a few links to pass along out of the Atlantic Division tonight:

With Rajon Rondo still out in Boston, Marc D'Amico of Celtics.com looks at the team's other options at point guard – Avery Bradley, Jordan Crawford, and rookie Phil Pressey. In another piece, Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston describes how this team nearly full of new faces has quietly looked to foster their camaraderie during camp.
ESPN New York's Ian Begley reports that Knicks assistant GM Allan Houston was in attendance to witness tryouts for the team's D-League affiliate, the Erie Bayhawks. Among those who made strong impressions were swingman Dami Sapara, center Kyle Hunt, forward Akeem Ellis, as well as big men Brian Addison and Desmond Blue.
Begley also mentions that Knicks guard Iman Shumpert sat out of today's practice with what was called a "minor" right shoulder injury, although Marc Berman of the New York Post suggests that this could possibly open the door for J.R. Smith to earn the starting shooting guard spot.
As Eric Koreen of the National Post notes, the competition for reserve minutes at the wing positions on the Raptors is wide open. Later in the article, Koreen also takes a brief look at rookie Dwight Buycks. In another team-related piece, Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun takes notice of the more competitive vibe felt at this year's camp compared to last year.
Jason Kidd and a few other Nets offered their comments on what Andrei Kirilenko brings to the table with Roderick Boone of Newsday. In a separate article, Lenn Robbins of BrooklynNets.com gathers some thoughts from coach Kidd and Paul Pierce after today's training camp session.

Atlantic Notes: Woodson, Kidd, Sixers, Knicks

September 28th, 2013 at 8:50pm CST by Spencer Lund

Despite the Knicks having their best year since the 1990s, their coach, Mike Woodson, is on the hot seat, writes ESPN Insider Amin Elhassan [subscription only]. Elhassan goes through five coaches entering the 2013/14 campaign on the hot seat, where their team's success could determine whether they're brought back for the 2014/15 season.

The other four coaches mentioned include Mike D'Antoni of the Lakers, Monty Williams of the Pelicans, Tyrone Corbin of the Jazz, and Randy Wittman of the Wizards.

Conversely, when Roderick Boone of Newsday spoke with new Nets coach Jason Kidd, the new face in Brooklyn told him there was "exciting nervousness" as the team entered training camp. It will be the first training camp for Kidd as a head coach and the first training camp he hasn't begun as a player since the summer before he entered the league in 1994.

Kidd went on to explain to Roderick why he's lucky to start as the coach with the veteran-laden Nets:

"The nice thing about this opportunity with this team is guys being able to sacrifice," Kidd told Boone, "and that's another thing with these guys. Maybe sacrifice a shot or two. Maybe even some of the younger guys will say, 'Yeah, I don't mind not playing the fourth quarter,' and that's sacrifice. It's less minutes and less shots and it gets us a win."

Here's more from around the top-heavy Atlantic division…

Woodson's challenge with the Knicks this season could be even harder if they don't get healthy as Al Iannazzone writes about for Newsday on the eve of training camp.
ESPN New York's Ian Begley has a power forward preview for the Knicks. Though Carmelo Anthony played a lot at the 4 last season when the Knicks went small, all their offseason moves — acquiring Andrea Bargnani in a trade with the Raptors, picking up Metta World Peace after he cleared amnesty waivers and signing Kenyon Martin as a free agent – mean the Knicks will have a lot of depth to spell Anthony while also avoiding injuries for their reserves.
Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal has more on the Knicks' decision to promote Steve Mills to GM while demoting Glen Grunwald.
The Sixers had a low-key first day of practice as they opened training camp today, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Tom Moore of the Intelligencer agrees that new Sixers coach Brett Brown was smart to start things slow in his first official practice as coach.
The Sixers aren't expected to compete for anything but a lottery pick this season after trading Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans on draft day, but at least they have a plan opines Pompey.

Eastern Notes: George, Pacers, Deng

September 19th, 2013 at 7:32pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Hoopsworld's Yannis Koutroupis explores the possible implications from a potential contract extension for Paul George and suggests that Danny Granger has now become an expendable piece. Losing Lance Stephenson - who is coming off of a career year and may have likely played himself out of Indiana's price range next summer – would be a bitter pill to swallow, opines Koutroupis. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference:

Granger believes that Indiana can contend for a title next season and calls the addition of Luis Scola "our biggest free agent pickup" (Scott Agness of NBA.com).
ESPN's Chad Ford (via Twitter) notes that Luol Deng has been working out at BYU-Hawaii over the last several weeks and says that the Bulls forward appears to be in fantastic shape.
Erildas Budraitis of RealGM catches up with CSKA Moscow's Jeremy Pargo, who last played for the 76ers and Cavaliers during the 2012/13 season. The 6'2" point guard admitted that he probably won't think of returning to the NBA for another one or two years and calls his exit from Cleveland "unfortunate."
Earlier today, Yahoo's Marc J. Spears reported that Cavs number one overall pick Anthony Bennett resumed playing five-on-five basketball this week.
Nets star Deron Williams is even more eager to get the season started after hearing head coach Jason Kidd and teammate Jason Terry say they expect him to be a part of the MVP conversation in 2013/14 (link via Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report).
Despite NBA commissioner David Stern's recent efforts to quell tension between the Knicks and Nets owners, the players don't seem to be necessarily following suit. When Paul Pierce was asked today about J.R. Smith calling him a bitter person recently, the Brooklyn forward tersely responded with "Who? Who are we talking about right now? Exactly" (Tim Bontempts of the New York Post).

Jason Kidd Buying Jay Z’s Share Of Nets

September 4th, 2013 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

10:13am: Jay Z is only selling half of his stake to Kidd, and will sell the other half to a current minority owner, according to Nets Daily, adding that Shawn Carter actually owned one-sixth of one percent of the team. Those numbers would make a little more sense, since the rapper reportedly invested $1MM in the team initially.

9:28am: When Jay Z officially became a certified NBA agent this summer, it became necessary for the rapper and entrepreneur to divest himself of his small stake in the Nets. And according to a New York Post report, the team's new minority owner will be another familiar face: head coach Jason Kidd. Sources inform the Post that Kidd will take over Jay Z's stake in the Nets (just 1/15th of one percent) for about $500K.

"Other owners want to give Jason a part ownership of the team, and urged Jay to sell his shares to him," a source told the Post.

Considering how quickly the Nets moved to bring Kidd back to the franchise following his retirement as a player, it doesn't come as a huge surprise that the club is interested in involving him in the ownership side of things as well. It's certainly a signal that Brooklyn is comfortable investing in the first-time head coach though.

As for Jay Z, he'll focus on his agency, Roc Nation Sports, which reportedly landed Kevin Durant as its first big-name NBA client earlier in the offseason.

Vogel On East, Offseason, Granger, Hibbert

August 27th, 2013 at 7:16pm CST by Alex Lee

Pacers head coach Frank Vogel was a guest on ESPN Radio in Indianapolis today and Scott Agness of Pacers.com transcribed much of the interview for us. Vogel hits on a number of topics, but specifically discussed the offseason developments at the top of the Eastern Conference, including those within his own team. Here are a few key points from Vogel:

Vogel mentioned the Bulls and Nets as the two teams that have taken big steps forward this offseason; Chicago with the return of Derrick Rose and Brooklyn with their bevy of additions. Vogel lauded the bench additions of Jason Terry and Andrei Kirilenko in Brooklyn, and said he expects good things from Jason Kidd as an NBA coach.
The Pacers' addition of Luis Scola will really help the team's bench, Vogel said, adding that Scola is one of smartest and most creative players in the league. Vogel said that Solomon Hill, drafted 23rd by Indiana in June, is "ready to contribute right away" and also mentioned C.J. Watson and Chris Copeland as useful additions to his squad.
Of course, the piece most likely to elevate the Pacers to the next level is the return of Danny Granger, who missed all but five games last season with knee issues. On Granger, Vogel said, "It’s really exciting. Danny is on schedule, looks really good, he’s making progress each week and we’re hoping that we're going to be having a full-strength Danny Granger this year to add to this team that made a lot of noise last year."
Roy Hibbert has concentrated on bulking up this summer, according to Vogel. Hibbert, who established himself as an elite physical presence in last season's playoffs, is adding bulk mainly in hopes of improving on the offensive end, Vogel said.