Jeremy Lin Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: LeBron, Chandler, Lin, Barnes

February 16th, 2012 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James raised some eyebrows earlier today when he told reporters, including Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, that he wouldn't rule out eventually returning to Cleveland:

"It would be fun to play in front of these fans again," said James. "I had a lot fun times in my seven years here. You can't predict the future, and hopefully I continue to stay healthy. I'm here as a Miami Heat player, and I'm happy where I am now, but I don't rule that out in no sense…. And if I decide to come back, hopefully the fans will accept me."

While James sounded contrite about the way he left the Cavaliers, I can't bring myself to put much stock into his comments about potentially returning. It strikes me as an attempt to mend fences and shed the villainous reputation he earned in Ohio following "The Decision."

Here are a few more links from around the league:

While J.R. Smith seemed anxious to leave China as soon as possible, Wilson Chandler had nothing but positive things to Sun Xiaochen of China Daily about his experience in the CBA: "It has been a very good learning curve and experience for me and has helped me mature in some ways and develop parts of my game that I hadn't worked on in a while."
The latest "We could have had Jeremy Lin!" story comes out of Boston, as Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald reports the Celtics twice hoped to claim Lin on waivers, but lost out to the Rockets and Knicks.
Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle doesn't blame Rockets GM Daryl Morey for letting Lin go.
Sophomore Harrison Barnes tells Chris Thomasson of FOX Sports Florida that it'd be a "no-brainer" to declare for this year's draft if UNC wins the national championship this year. I'm betting Barnes, who figures to be a top-five pick, will be entering the draft even if the Tar Heels are bounced from March Madness early.

Kyler’s Latest: Brand, Love, Lin, Anthony

February 16th, 2012 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld fielded questions from his followers on Twitter this morning, focusing on everyone's favorite topics — Jeremy Lin and Dwight Howard. In addition to his morning tweets, Kyler also has an NBA AM piece up at HoopsWorld that includes a few interesting tidbits. Here are some of the highlights:

76ers forward Elton Brand has an early termination option for 2012/13 worth about $18.16MM which will almost certainly be picked up. He intends to keep playing well past next season though, if his body allows it: "Everything hurts now but I still love playing the game and it's a joy coming out and competing against the best guys every night and having some success with the team, it feels good."
Kevin Love says the presence of Rick Adelman is a big reason why he signed a long-term extension with the Timberwolves: "He's allowed me to play with a lot of confidence and he's a coach that I enjoy playing for and I think everyone will say that in this locker room."
Addressing some Knicks trade speculation that has arisen since Lin's emergence, Kyler says it's way too early to talk about trading either Lin or Carmelo Anthony. While Kyler acknowledges that Carmelo is a tradable asset, he says the Knicks need to see the two players on the court together before jumping to any conclusions. I think this goes without saying — I don't expect we'll see Anthony leaving the Knicks anytime soon. I'm betting he and Lin will co-exist better that people are anticipating.

Knicks Notes: Lin, Novak, D’Antoni, Grunwald

February 14th, 2012 at 10:29pm CST by Zachary Links

After tonight's performance against the Raptors, it doesn't look like the attention surrounding Jeremy Lin is going to decrease anytime soon. Lin turned the ball over quite a bit in the first half but wound up with 27 points, 11 assists, and the game winning shot. Here's more on the Knicks..

Before Lin, the D-League's Erie BayHawks' top alum was Hawks forward Ivan Johnson, writes Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog. Johnson averaged 22.6 points in 49 games with the BayHawks before getting his opportunity with Atlanta this year.
While Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni has a hand in the club's personnel decisions, the signings of Lin and Novak were driven by interim General Manager Glen Grunwald, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. Grunwald has kept a low profile since accepting the position over the summer but has quietly revamped the Knicks roster.
Howard Beck of the New York Times writes that contrary to speculative reports, D’Antoni was not in danger of being fired when the Knicks were spiraling earlier this year. By all indications, the Knicks are prepared to let him finish the season.
Lin has reignited the Knicks this year but the point guard could have wound up as a Raptor, writes Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun. Team president Bryan Colangelo liked Lin in pre-draft workouts in 2010 and also had him in mind at one point this season.
Several factors are at play when it comes to how much Lin can earn in a new contract this summer, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. A new provision in the collective bargaining agreement allows players who achieve certain playing-time benchmarks to land a higher qualifying offer. In Lin's case, the highest qualifying offer he could get under these new rules would be about $2.7MM.

Atlantic Notes: Turner, Valanciunas, Lin

February 13th, 2012 at 8:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Sixers, who once looked as though they might run away with the Atlantic Division title, shouldn't look behind them now. The Celtics have gone 10-3 since starting 5-9, and entered the night three and a half games back. The Knicks, infused with Jeremy Lin's mojo, have won five straight and are six games back. Meanwhile, Philadelphia is just 3-3 in its last six games. Here's what's going on as the race tightens:

Behind the smiles surrounding the Sixers' fast start is the worry about getting worthwhile returns from the second overall pick in the 2010 draft. Evan Turner's minutes have been in decline. Coach Doug Collins says it's a result of other wing players performing well, and not a slump on Turner's part, reports Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. Turner believes he's on the wrong end of supply and demand, saying, "There's a recession, baby. We're like the stock market with playing time."
Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun details how Raptors coach Dwane Casey almost signed Lin for the Mavericks a couple of years ago when Casey, a former Dallas assistant, was running a summer league team.
The fifth pick in the 2011 draft, Raptors pick Jonas Valanciunas, just scored some new hardware, notes Wolstat in the same report. He's FIBA Europe's Young Player of the Year, joining Ricky Rubio, Rudy Fernandez and Jan Vesely, all of whom won the award in the past. Valanciunas recently met with Raptors GM Brian Colangelo for the first time since last summer as the two move closer to a deal to bring the 6-foot-11 center to Toronto next year.

Knicks Notes: Stoudemire, Lin, Nash, Felton

February 13th, 2012 at 12:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Amare Stoudemire has rejoined the Knicks, practicing with the club today and expecting to play tomorrow, but New York's attention is still on Linsanity. So let's kick off today's Knicks notes with the latest on Jeremy Lin….

The Knicks won't have Early Bird rights on Lin this summer, but the Gilbert Arenas provision will prevent other teams from out-bidding New York for the restricted free agent, says Marc Berman of the New York Post. For an in-depth explanation of the Arenas rule, check out Larry Coon's CBA FAQ.
Howard Beck of the New York Times confirms Lin's contract status as outlined by Berman (all Twitter links).
The Knicks had targeted point guards like Steve Nash and Raymond Felton for their mid-level exception, Berman adds. However, if Lin's impressive play continues, New York may end up having to use their full MLE to retain him.
Lin will have to carefully manage the off-court commitments and distractions that come with his newfound celebrity, writes John Hollinger of ESPN.com (Insider link).
Sam Smith of Bulls.com argues that Lin's emergence opens the door for the Knicks to offer Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler to the Magic for Dwight Howard. Not sure I'm on board with this one — the Knicks have yet to even see how their current roster looks when fully healthy, and there's no guarantee Howard would sign long-term in New York. Plus the Knicks would likely have to take on a bloated contract to make the salaries work.

Odds & Ends: Hornets, Clippers, Knicks, Magic

February 12th, 2012 at 7:14pm CST by Jesse Blanchard

The New Orleans Hornets are dropping like flies, reports John Reid of the Times Picayune. Chris Kaman is the latest casualty with a mysterious ankle injury. These injuries could hurt trade value for a Hornets team that needs as many assets as possible. Some other news around the NBA:

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles reports the Los Angeles Clippers are pursuing J.R. Smith. Their sales pitch includes Chauncey Billups vacated starting slot, a chance to showcase his game on a contending team, and his familiarity with Chris Paul–and their shared agent, Leon Rose.
Also pursuing Smith, according to the same report, is Carmelo Anthony. The New York Knicks have slightly more money to offer with the prorated $2.5MM mini-mid-level exception, and Leon Rose likewise represents Anthony.
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel wonders if Jason Richardson can be a reliable go-to guy after a breakout game against the Milwaukee Bucks. If so, it would relieve a lot of the pressure for an immediate roster overhaul for general manager Otis Smith and the Orlando Magic.
Naturally after watching Richardson's performance over the Bucks comes reports from Schmitz that a disgruntled Dwight Howard would like to see the ball more in the fourth quarter.

Knicks Notes: Lin, Stoudemire

February 12th, 2012 at 9:36am CST by Daniel Seco

With his legs feeling heavier than Shaq after a Krispy Kreme donut binge, Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin willed his team to a 100-98 road win over the Timberwolves on Saturday night. Lin managed to score 20 points for a fifth straight game but shot only 8-24 and had six turnovers for a second consecutive game. Let's take a look at some Knicks-related news as the team has two days off before heading to Toronto to take on the Raptors.

Mike Monroe of Spurs Nation named Lin to his All-Undrafted Team after the second-year player out of Harvard averaged 28.5 PPG during four games last week. While Monroe concedes no undrafted player in the history of the NBA had ever enjoyed a week on the level of Lin's, his ability to get the basket with such ease will become more difficult as teams adjust to his style of play. Over the long haul, Knicks fans should expect a level of play similar to an Avery Johnson-type player rather than one who will challenge for MVP awards.
Yao Ming and Lin have forged a friendship in which Lin chats with Yao via text message after every game for advice and support, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. The two pals even go out to dinner together whenever they are in the same city. The friendship, however, almost became business related when Yao tried to bring Lin, 23, to China to play for his Shanghai Sharks during the NBA lockout.
Amare Stoudemire undertook the arduous task of eulogizing the life of his older brother on Saturday, says Kevin Kernan of the New York Post. The emotional Stoudemire was supported by numerous members of the Knicks organization including injured stars Carmelo Anthony and Baron Davis. Stoudemire, 29, is expected to return to the Knicks lineup on Tuesday with hopes of securing a sixth straight victory for the team.

Latest On Jeremy Lin

February 11th, 2012 at 4:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

It's safe to say the Knicks' acquisition of Jeremy Lin is the most successful waiver claim the NBA has seen in some time. Lin has scored 89 points in his first three NBA starts, the most for any player since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976, as Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld points out. Statistician Nate Silver looks at the numbers to compare Lin to several players in a piece for The New York Times. Here are a few more notes on the second-year sensation:

Phil Taylor of Sports Illustrated wonders whether Mark Jackson did his due diligence in evaluating Lin before the Warriors let him go. (Twitter link)
There's confusion over how much money Lin can make on his next contract. Salary cap guru Larry Coon said in a stream of tweets that he's not sure if Lin qualifies as an "Early Bird" free agent. Howard Beck of The New York times reported earlier that Lin does. If he does have Early Bird rights, the Knicks could re-sign him for up to 175% of his previous salary or th e average player salary, whichever is greater. There have also been reports that Lin will be limited to receiving the full mid-level exception. What is clear is that he will be a restricted free agent, meaning he can sign a deal with any team, but the Knicks would have three days to match the offer.
Count Tyson Chandler as one who doesn't think Lin will soon fade back into obscurity. He believes Lin's performance is "not a fluke," as Tom Pedulla and Rachel Shuster of USA Today report. The story also notes how Lin believes the difference between his production in New York this year and Golden State last year is all about opportunity.
Lin's popularity may force Time Warner cable, in a carriage battle with the MSG network, to put the channel that shows Knicks games back in the lineup, writes Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News.

Knicks Notes: Lin, James

February 11th, 2012 at 10:36am CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at some Knicks-related items as New York succumbs to Linsanity..

The Knicks are in position to keep Jeremy Lin beyond this season and almost certainly will, writes Howard Beck of the New York Times. The guard will be a restricted free agent and will be limited to receiving the full mid-level exception under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
As the deadline for guaranteeing contracts approached, the Knicks were learning towards releasing Lin and had begun targeting other guards, including veteran Mike James, sources told Marc Stein of ESPN.com. James has been back with the club's D-League affiliate since being waived by the Bulls earlier this month.
We've heard that Lin slipped through the Lakers' fingers earlier this season, but the guard was also very close to signing overseas before the NBA lockout ended. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando Basket (via Twitter) writes that Lin was near a deal with Italy's Banca Tercas Teramo.
As the Knicks waffled on whether or not to keep Lin beyond the deadline, team exec Mark Warkentien began calling associates in the D-League to gather more background info on the guard, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Stevenson, Bargnani

February 10th, 2012 at 10:11pm CST by Chuck Myron

Jeremy Lin's bandwagon is getting mighty crowded after the Harvard grad outscored Kobe Bryant 38-34 in a 92-85 win for the Knicks over the Lakers tonight. HoopsWorld writer Alex Kennedy tweets that the locker room chatter suggests Lin, a restricted free-agent at season's end, could get a contract on par with Wesley Matthews, who inked a five-year, $34MM contract with the Blazers after his impressive rookie season in Utah. But as Brian Cronin of KnickerBlogger.net points out, Lin will be limited to receiving the full mid-level exception. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, the mid-level exception is four years, starting at $5MM a year with annual raises of 4.5%.

Notes from elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

Peter Vecsey of the New York Post delved into the past to reveal how the Nets nearly drafted Bryant in 1996.
Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni believes Lin and Carmelo Anthony will fit together just fine when Melo returns from injury, reports Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday. The coach believes it will be similar to the way Chauncey Billups and Anthony meshed with both the Nuggets and the Knicks.
The Nets made a $12,000 investment in DeShawn Stevenson's knees. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reports that the team paid for Stevenson to get the same blood-spinning treatment Kobe Bryant received. Stephenson, who paid for the other half of the $24,000 procedure, says his arthritic knees feel as healthy as they have since 2004. Stephenson also said that Knicks point guard Baron Davis had the same treatment as well.
Brook Lopez, who's been out since training camp with a broken foot, is on his way back for the Nets. He's set to practice this week, Andy Vasquez writes on NorthJersey.com.
James Johnson tells Raptors announcer Matt Devlin that the absense of Andrea Bargnani, who could be out until after the All-Star Break, is affecting the play of the rest of the team. His comments are at the four-minute mark of this video on Raptors.com.