Mike Woodson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Amar’e Out Six Weeks, Knicks May Seek Replacement

March 9th, 2013 at 5:15pm CST by Ryan Raroque

According to the Knicks' official PR Twitter account, Amare Stoudemire will have a knee debridement on his right knee and is projected to be out for six weeks following the procedure. This past summer, the 6'11 big man had the same operation done after a popliteal cyst had ruptured in his left knee, causing him to miss the first 30 games of the season. Ian Begley of ESPN New York (via Twitter) hears that coach Mike Woodson will consult with team brass about Rasheed Wallace's roster spot and the possibility of finding a healthy replacement for Stoudemire.

Wallace, who underwent surgery for a broken left foot near the end of February, faced an eight week recovery but was kept on the roster in hope that he would be ready for a potential return in the playoffs. While the Knicks recently brought Kenyon Martin on board, the only other true big men currently healthy on the team are Tyson Chandler, Marcus Camby, and Kurt Thomas. Camby had been inactive for nearly two months after suffering a strained left plantar fascia in January, and despite returning to the active list, has only played a total of 13 minutes in the last three contests.

With 23 games left and the task of getting the team as healthy as it can before the start of the playoffs, New York would be hard-pressed if they didn't try to find some help via free agency now. With the roster currently at 15, the Knicks would have to release someone in order to open up a spot. Woodson has favored a small lineup featuring Carmelo Anthony at the power forward this season, so whether the team would target another big man or a tall perimeter forward if they did look to sign someone would be worth keeping in mind.

Odds & Ends: Wolves, Heat, Nets, Johnson

December 21st, 2012 at 1:39pm CST by Zachary Links

The Timberwolves have a roster vacancy following Josh Howard's season-ending injury and they're getting flooded with calls from agents, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). One guy who wants to be in Minnesota is Mickael Gelabale, who can opt out of his deal with Valencia on January 1st. Gelabale hasn't played in the NBA since tearing his ACL in the 2007/08 season with the Sonics. Here's more from around the league..

Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel doesn't see the Heat and the Cavaliers teaming up for an Anderson Varejao trade. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert probably still has ill feelings towards Miami and Cleveland already owns their 2013 and 2015 first-round picks.
Knicks guard Jason Kidd doesn't think that Nets coach Avery Johnson is to blame for Deron Williams' shooting woes, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I don’t think it has anything to do with the coach,” Kidd said Thursday. “I think it’s just a matter of getting comfortable making shots. Also, he has new teammates. He’s got to get used to a new crew. It’s always a growing period."
Meanwhile, Johnson told reporters that he isn't concerned about his job security and doesn't fear the worst case scenario, according to Roderick Boone of Newsday (on Twitter).
Kyle Tucker of the Courier-Journal writes that freshman Kentucky center Nerlens Noel is similar to Anthony Davis, and is the current favorite to be the first pick in the 2013 draft.

Atlantic Notes: Stoudemire, Valanciunas, Woodson

December 18th, 2012 at 8:16pm CST by Alex Lee

We heard earlier today that the Knicks assigned Amare Stoudemire to the D-League so he can get some practice time in prior to re-joining the NBA club this weekend. Mike Woodson isn't sure what his role will be when he comes back, but Stoudemire was confident on Tuesday that he and Carmelo Anthony will be able to play together effectively, writes Ian Begley. The Knicks are the only Atlantic team not in action tonight. Let's round up the divisional links here:

With the Raptors in Cleveland, Raptors head coach Dwane Casey was asked about Jonas Valanciunas by Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Casey said that based on what he has seen so far, the reward should drastically outweigh the risk of using the No. 5 pick in the draft on a European player who didn't come to the States right away.
Similarly, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun tweets that he asked Tristan Thompson about the 7-foot Lithuanian. Thompson said that Valanciunas is a great player who should man the middle in Toronto for a long time. A large crowd of Lithuanian fans turned out in Cleveland for the game, tweets Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer.
Woodson gave his first honest answer regarding the departure of Jeremy Lin last night, tweets Marc Berman from the New York Post. Woodson believes that Lin left the Knicks, not the other way around, but is nevertheless content with how the additions of Jason Kidd, Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni have worked out.
Speaking of Woodson, his 36-12 start as Knicks head coach between this season and last has been the best in franchise history, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (via HoopsWorld). Not only does his coaching strategy differ from that of Mike D'Antoni, but so does his preference of veteran players, which has been key to the team's success.

Atlantic Notes: Woodson, Bynum, Celtics

November 10th, 2012 at 10:42pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Knicks coach Mike Woodson has the team off to its first 4-0 start since the 1993-94 season, but their promising start hasn't been without some sacrifices from the players. J.R. Smith, who originally wanted to be a starter at the beginning of training camp, had to concede to accepting a sixth man role. Kurt Thomas, who started three of the team's pre-season games, recorded his first DNP-CD last night against the Mavericks. Al Iannazonne of Newsday explores how Woodson resiliency has meshed with his players' desire to win and thus given them early success.

Here's the rest of what we're hearing out of the Atlantic Division tonight:

Near the end of this article, Mitch Lawrence of the NY Daily News mentions that the 76ersare becoming a little "panicky" about when Andrew Bynum will finally be able to make his debut for the team.
In a separate article, Lawrence provides an update on the injured Amare Stoudemire, saying that the Knicks forward may not be ready until late December.
Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe examines the struggles of the Celtics when Kevin Garnett is on the bench and the need for other players to shoulder the load.
Kristie Ackert of the NY Daily News writes about Joe Johnson's "inconsistent" transition with the Nets and how he feels that the players still need some time to become acclimated with each other.
Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York describes some key factors behind the Knicks' efficiency, particularly with Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton as their starting back court.
Eric Koreen of the National Post details the ripple effect that Kyle Lowry's ankle injury has had on the Raptors thus far.

Eastern Notes: Holiday, Rasheed, Barron

October 20th, 2012 at 9:32pm CST by Ryan Raroque

76ers point guard Jrue Holiday enters his fourth season as the youngest starting floor general in the Atlantic Division, and head coach Doug Collins appears confident in giving him the reigns to Philadelphia's offense: "I want that ball in Jrue's hands…I want our wings getting down the floor, I want Jrue to be the one getting that ball and pushing it. For the most part I want our guys sprinting the floor, getting down the floor and flattening it out and let Jrue come down and make plays." Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com also points out that the team now has more capable perimeter shooters compared to having to rely on multiple playmakers last year, which implicitly benefits the spacing on the floor and allows Holiday more room to operate. Here are a few more notes out of the Eastern Conference:

Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago chronicles the shooting struggles of Marco Belinelli during the preseason, but Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau doesn't appear too concerned.
Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun believes that the Raptors could have one of the better combinations of reserve players in the league this season.
Al Iannazzone of Newsday says that Knicks guard/forward Ronnie Brewer will go through contact work during Sunday's practice and could play as soon as Monday night if he doesn't feel any pain. The 6'7 veteran has been sidelined since undergoing knee surgery in early September.
Heat sharpshooter Mike Miller looks forward to playing a full season this year, as Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes that he is the healthiest he's been in two seasons.
Newsday's Al Iannazone provided an update on Rasheed Wallace, who according to Knicks head coach Mike Woodson is still doing conditioning work and will be re-evaluated on Tuesday after the team returns from its current pre-season road trip (Sulia link). Woodson hinted that the team may play Wallace next week in order to get an idea of his progression.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Nets, Knicks

October 4th, 2012 at 9:53pm CST by Ryan Raroque

It's the third day of Celtics training camp, and Brian Scalabrine and Mike Gorman spoke on CSNNE.com about who would possibly be Kevin Garnett's primary back up at the center position. Scalabrine thinks that while Darko Milicic and Jason Collins are both prime candidates, rookie Fab Melo might find his way to the D-League early on to refine his game first. Kevin Garnett also provided input on Jared Sullinger and Melo, saying that both have impressive work ethic. Here's what else we're hearing out of the Atlantic Division this evening…

Nets rookie guard Tyshawn Taylor is recovering from a strained right quad, but remains anxiously eager to prove himself to the team's coaches. The former Kansas Jayhawk also said that watching the team practice while being sidelined is helping him become acquainted with how the team is expected to run (Tim Bontempts of the New York Post writes).
According to John N. Mitchell of Philly.com, Spencer Hawes is excited about playing power forward next to Andrew Bynum. The former Washington Huskies big man has mostly been playing center since entering the league, but believes he has the skill-set to mesh well with the former Lakers star.
John R. Finger of CSN Philly writes about how Maalik Wayns can contribute to the 76ers with his speed and scoring ability. Dei Lynam of CSN Philly says that Dorell Wright has been impressive in camp, especially with his shooting and playmaking ability. Also, Max Rappaport of NBA.com looks at how Dorell, Jason Richardson, and Nick Young form a remarkable combination of viable outside shooters.
Knicks point guard Raymond Felton has lost 20 pounds since leaving the Trail Blazers and currently weights 207 pounds, according to Ben Golliver of the Blazers Edge. Felton admitted that his conditioning issues to start the 2011-12 season significantly affected his play early on.

New York Notes: Lin, Woodson, Kidd

June 25th, 2012 at 9:29pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Knicks and Nets have both been busy since their respective seasons came to a conclusion earlier this spring. For the Knicks, the team's attention has been focused on the future of Jeremy Lin while the Nets' energy has been spent on convincing Deron Williams to remain with the franchise. With the draft looming on Thursday and the start of free agency set to begin less than two weeks later, both New York and Brooklyn are in store for a working summer as the two teams look to reload for the fall. Let's check in on the latest news from Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center…

Knicks Notes: Woodson, Brown, Dolan, Jackson

May 26th, 2012 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

Yesterday, the Knicks and Mike Woodson finalized a multiyear contract to keep the coach in New York. Here's details on the deal and more..

Woodson's contract includes two guaranteed years and a third-year option worth approximately $4MM per season, sources told Stephen A. Smith of ESPNNewYork.com. The deal could keep Woodson at MSG for the next three seasons, the same length of time that Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Tyson Chandler are under contract.
Former Knicks coach Larry Brown says that his primary advice to Mike Woodson is to get along with Knicks owner James Dolan, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. "During my stay, my biggest problem is I didn’t establish a relationship with Dolan," said Brown. "I went through the chain of command and that was a mistake. I told Woody, [Dolan] wants to win."
The Knicks promoted a company man in Woodson, writes Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post. Vaccaro also writes that it's possible that Phil Jackson didn't want to risk tarnishing his legacy by taking the reins of a team that has signficantly less talent than what he is used to.

Reactions To Mike Woodson’s Extension

May 25th, 2012 at 6:57pm CST by Daniel Seco

We reported earlier this evening that the Knicks had finalized a multiyear contract extension with head coach Mike Woodson. While the financial terms for the contract have yet to be announced, the length of the deal will keep Woodson in the Big Apple through the three years remaining on the contracts of Tyson Chandler, Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. We'll keep track of the latest reactions to the news of Woodson's extension here.

Howard Beck of The New York Times says Woodson should be praised for holding the Knicks accountable on defense but not on offense (via Twitter).
Woodson was the best candidate for the Knicks head coaching job and New York made the right choice by retaining him, writes ESPNNewYork.com's Jared Zwerling.
During the conference call announcing his extension, Woodson stated his excitement with owner James Dolan's decision to keep him around for a few more seasons. "I'm very, very excited about coming back and being the Knicks head coach. CAA is representing me now and I know expectations are very high."
Harvey Araton of The New York Times says the Knicks made the logical choice in electing to bring back Mike Woodson as the team's head coach.
Knicks GM Glen Grunwald said during the conference call that Woodson was given the first opportunity to win the job and impressed the organization during interviews. “We told Woody he would get the first crack at the job and he hit it out of the park.”
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News opines that while Woodson earned the job, the Knicks still should have given Phil Jackson a call (via Twitter).
Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops believes Phil Jackson would have been interested in at least talking about becoming the next head coach of the Knicks.

Knicks Sign Mike Woodson To Contract Extension

May 25th, 2012 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks and Mike Woodson have finalized a multiyear contract that will keep the coach in New York, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). The Knicks have confirmed the deal in a press release.

Al Iannazzone of Newsday reported earlier this week that Woodson and the Knicks were nearing an agreement, while a number of subsequent reports suggested that an announcement from the team was expected later in the week. According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the deal is for three years and could exceed $10MM.

Woodson took over as the Knicks interim head coach earlier this season, after the team parted ways with Mike D'Antoni. The former Hawks coach led New York to an 18-6 record to finish the regular season before the Knicks were eliminated by the Heat in the first round of the playoffs.