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Pacific Notes: Nash, Granger, Armstrong

March 4th, 2014 at 9:47am CST by Chuck Myron

The Clippers have a comfortable lead of four and a half games for first place in the Pacific Division, but the Warriors and Suns are separated by just half a game in their battle with the Mavericks and Grizzlies for one of the final three playoff spots in the Western Conference. There’s plenty at stake at the bottom of the division, too, where the Lakers and Kings are in a three-way tie with the Jazz for the worst record in the West and the improved draft lottery chances that come with that distinction. Here’s the latest from the Pacific:

Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni doubts that Steve Nash will return this season, but the 40-year-old point guard remains intent on coming back for 2014/15, notes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders indicated earlier this week that Danny Granger is on a deal for just the rest of this season with the Clippers, but he actually signed a two-year deal with a player option for next season, Pincus clarifies (on Twitter). It’s a minimum-salary contract, and I’d be a little surprised if Granger picks up that option, since he could probably command more as a free agent this summer.
The Warriors don’t anticipate re-signing Hilton Armstrong to another 10-day contract, tweets Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group. The center made it into only a single game for just seven minutes while on his 10-day deal Golden State, which expired Monday night. The Warriors have invited Armstrong to rejoin their D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, where the 29-year-old has made 23 appearances this season.

Pacific Rumors: Nash, Granger, Warriors

March 3rd, 2014 at 5:07pm CST by Zachary Links

Steve Nash, who’s likely out for the season, doesn’t think GM Mitch Kupchak‘s recent comment that it would be “unethical” for the team not to let the point guard determine his own future with the club is a guarantee he won’t be waived. Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News has more. “You never know what the case is in a month or two weeks physically from a club standpoint and from my standpoint,” Nash said. “When you’re looking at potentially the last few months of your career, I didn’t want that to slide by without getting back on the court. It motivated me. Who knows now.” More from around the Pacific Division..

Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter) confirms that Danny Granger‘s deal with the Clippers is a one-year pact for the prorated minimum. It was widely assumed that this was the case after Granger and the Sixers agreed to a buyout, springing him loose for the rest of the season and postseason.
Warriors veteran Jermaine O’Neal is taking one last shot at winning a ring, writes Diamond Leung of the Mercury News. The Warriors big man says he can envision a scenario this offseason in which he can’t get into the proper frame of mind to start training for another season.
The Warriors and the San Francisco Giants could team up to get a new basketball arena built near AT&T Park, write Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross of the San Francisco Chronicle. The W’s say they’re still going “full steam ahead” with the Piers 30-32 project, but they’re also considering fallback options.
The Warriors announced that they have assigned Nemanja Nedovic to their D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz. Nedovic has appeared in five games (all starts) for Santa Cruz this season, compiling averages of 19.0 points, 3.6 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.60 steals in 29.2 minutes.

Western Notes: Nash, Lawson, Mavs, Smith

February 28th, 2014 at 11:53pm CST by Cray Allred

Steve Nash worked hard to return to the court this season and eliminate the Lakers‘ ability to use the stretch provision, he reveals in a video at Grantland. Nash dispels the notion that he would consider joining the Clippers if the Lakers were to release him, saying, “It’s either back with the Lakers next year or this is it.” (Transcription via Bill Oram of Orange County Register on Twitter.) Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders told Dan Barreiro of KFAN 100.3 that he’s confident coach Rick Adelman will complete this season with Minnesota (as transcribed by Andy Greder of St. Paul Pioneer Press on Twitter). Adelman contemplated leaving the Timberwolves prior to the season due to concerns over his wife’s health, and has spent time away from the team this year tending to her issues.
The Nuggets aren’t planning to shut down point guard Ty Lawson for the season, coach Brian Shaw tells Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. “Going forward, we’re pretty much out of the mix in terms of the playoffs, being realistic at this point. But you still want to see combinations of guys working together,” says Shaw. “Our young guys get a chance to have the focus a little more on them and play in combination with Ty, looking forward to the rest of the season and what possibly lies ahead for next season as well.” Lawson has battled multiple injuries this year, and is currently missing time due to a fractured rib while the Nuggets slide further out of contention.
The Mavs have recalled Jae Crowder, Bernard James, and Shane Larkin from their D-League affiliate, while reassigning Ricky Ledo to the Texas Legends, reports Adam Wermuth of Mavs.com. This was the reversal of a one-game assignment/recall of the same players the Mavs made yesterday.
Rockets center Greg Smith is out indefinitely after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a meniscus tear, reports Jenny Dial Creech of The Houston Chronicle. A lengthy recovery could put the rest of his regular season in jeopardy. The second-year big man played in 70 games for the Rockets last year, but injuries and Houston’s acquisition of Dwight Howard have limited Smith’s role this season.

Western Notes: Rockets, Nash, Brooks

February 21st, 2014 at 8:35pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Rockets GM Daryl Morey is high on the athleticism and skill of trade acquisition Jordan Hamilton, as Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle observes. “He is really a highly-regarded prospect and hasn’t had a chance to emerge,” Morey said. “That is usually the kind of guy we do really well with, catch him before they get a chance and see them flourish with us.” Hamilton averaged 6.8 PPG and 3.4 RPG per game this season for the Nuggets and started 11 games.

Kupchak On Tax, Draft, D’Antoni, Tanking, Nash

February 14th, 2014 at 9:36am CST by Chuck Myron

Mitch Kupchak told reporters Thursday that the Lakers scouting staff isn’t attending more college games than in years past, in spite of the likelihood the team will end up with a rare top-10 pick. Still, he admitted his focus on the future probably means he’ll be dedicating more of his own time to the draft this year. The Lakers GM also said it’s “not a big concern at all” that the team move below the tax line this year. He had plenty more to say about the draft, the tax, and other subjects, and we already passed along a few snippets of his remarks Thursday night. We’ll provide much more here, courtesy of a pair of pieces from Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News and a single story from Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

On the repeater tax:

“It’s going to be very difficult for us to be a repeater in the next two years just by virtue of all the free agents we have. And then even if you’re in the repeater tax, if you’re in the repeater tax by $30MM, you get killed. If you’re in the repeater tax by a $1.5MM or $2MM, then it’s really inconsequential.”

On this year’s draft:

“I think it’s a really good draft. Like most drafts, it changes going into the season and when you’re in the middle of the season and I expect it to change still a little bit between the beginning of March until the end of March, but I think it’s a good draft and some players that I don’t think anybody expected to be formidable picks in the draft a month ago, you’re starting to see some guys you didn’t hear about play really well. So, I think it’s a good draft in general and I think there’s a couple, three name guys that really jump out at you.”

On Mike D’Antoni:

“I think he’s done a great job. Under very trying circumstances, I think he’s done a great job.”

On the notion of tanking:

“Winning is never a bad thing. I’m not a karma guy, but if you try to manipulate this thing, it doesn’t work out the way you think it works out. You’re better off doing the right thing to do and whatever happens, happens for the right reason.”

On the acquisition of Steve Nash in 2012:

“No regrets. We had a chance. You have to recognize where you are as a franchise. We felt we had a two year window, maybe three to go for a championship. That’s what we did. Looking back on it, which nobody can do, that’s a different story. But at the time, we knew exactly what we were doing.”

L.A. Notes: Nash, Vujacic, Williams

February 13th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Steve Nash tells Grantland’s Bill Simmons he’s considered the possibility that the Lakers will waive him this summer and use the stretch provision to spread out his cap hit for next season. If that happened, Nash, who wants to continue living in Los Angeles, would probably either retire or play for the Clippers if they have interest, Simmons writes. There’s more on Nash amid our look at a pair of Los Angeles teams in distinctly different places with the deadline a week away:

The Clippers were pleased with Sasha Vujacic while he was with them on a 10-day contract that expired last night, but they’ll wait until after the All-Star break to determine whether they’ll sign him to another one, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter links).
Shawne Williams describes the reality check that his D-League stint this season represented, and he’s grateful to be back with the Lakers, as he tells Shahan Ahmed of NBCLosAngeles.com. The Lakers will probably hold off on deciding whether to give him a second 10-day deal until after the deadline, Ahmed writes.
Nash might have saved the Lakers plenty of money if he had walked away from the game earlier this season, but he’s still worth rooting for, Shelburne argues.

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Bledsoe, Nash

February 12th, 2014 at 5:51pm CST by Cray Allred

Matt Steinmetz of Bleacher Report covers some of the growing concerns around Warriors small forward Andre Iguodala. The team currently sits in the sixth seed for the playoffs, and is on track to finish with about the same number of wins as last year despite inking the former All-Star to a four-year, $48MM contract this offseason. Steinmetz points out that his contract left Golden State no room for the team to retain key rotation players Jarrett Jack or Carl Landry, so the transition wasn’t simple roster addition. Still, Iguodala’s performance has dipped on his new team, with a near-career low in shot attempts a sign of his lack of presence on the offensive end. Here’s more from around the division:

Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby echoed earlier remarks from owner Robert Sarver, telling the Doug and Wolf Show on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM that the team intends to match any offer for Eric Bledsoe this summer in restricted free agency. Adam Green of ArizonaSports.com has the transcription.
Steve Nash left last night’s game early with nerve issues in his back and hamstrings, but his appearance nonetheless means the Lakers are ineligible to wipe his contract off their books for next season if he retires for medical reasons. Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times has the details on what would have been a long shot, anyway.
The Warriors have recalled Kent Bazemore, MarShon Brooks, and Ognjen Kuzmic from the D-League, per the team’s site. This comes a day after the team sent the three-man group to Santa Cruz for a one-game stint.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Lawrence On Nash, Stotts, Gasol

February 10th, 2014 at 9:42pm CST by Zachary Links

During the All-Star break in New Orleans, the players will ask the league to try and put an end to the “Tennessee Tax,” writes Mitch Lawrence of the Daily News Every NBA player who visits Memphis for a game against the Grizzlies is subject to the tax, which takes up to $7,500 per season per player. Somehow, the money totaling $1.5MM per season, ends up in the pocket of Memphis owner Robert Pera. More from Lawrence’s column..

Lakers guard Steve Nash has told a few friends that this season will be his last, even though he still has another season on his contract beyond 2013/14. Nash will be leaving $9.7MM on the table if he decides to hang them up after this season. Meanwhile, Nash has denied talk that he is planning on retirement, tweets Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News.
No one with the Blazers is complaining about the job coach Terry Stotts is doing, but team sources tell Lawrence his standing in the locker room would be helped if he made more of a concerted effort to strengthen his relationship with LaMarcus Aldridge. The big man is nearing the end of his contract and no extension has been hammered out yet.
Even as Pau Gasol misses the next ten days or so due to injury, the Suns and Lakers are expected to talk trade. Los Angeles was open to moving Gasol until they couldn’t get Phoenix to part with one of their first-rounders in the 2014 draft.
High-profile attorney David Cornwell, who was part of Alex Rodriguez’s team in the Yankee’s steroid appeal, is among the candidates to head the player’s union. He’s not considered the favorite, however.

Western Notes: Sloan, Phil, Nash

January 30th, 2014 at 8:55pm CST by Ryan Raroque

During Friday night’s game against Golden State, the Jazz will honor former head coach Jerry Sloan by raising a banner with the number “1223” embroidered on it, which denotes the total number of wins (regular season and playoffs) he helped deliver to Utah over his coaching career. Kurt Kragthorpe of The Salt Lake Tribune caught up with former Jazz and current Nets guard Deron Williams to get his current thoughts on Sloan:

“A big part of my success early in my career was due to him and the things he kind of instilled in me…So I’m definitely happy for him, and it’s going to be a special moment. The fans there just love him to death.” Williams also elaborated on the halftime argument with Sloan several years ago which reportedly triggered the former coach’s resignation:

“We got into a little argument — nothing more than we’ve ever done…So the way the fans perceive it is just one thing I can’t really control. Like I said, there’s no hard feelings on my end, and I enjoyed playing for him. I miss playing for him.”

Here’s more out of the Western Conference tonight:

During an appearance on NBA TV, former Lakers coach Phil Jackson said that while he agreed with the decision to give Kobe Bryant a two-year extension, he also thinks the team “paid him more than I would have gone for” (Bill Oram of the OC Register via Twitter).
Oram also wrote about Steve Nash‘s return to practice today, noting that the former MVP is eight days away from celebrating his 40th birthday. Nash hasn’t had much to celebrate about since arriving in Los Angeles, and was candid about his frustration with injuries: “This is the toughest thing I’ve been through in my career…I came to L.A. with nothing but the highest hopes and expectations, and it’s been nothing but personal disappointment.”
Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles has more from Nash: “Ever since I broke my leg, nothing’s been the same. Nothing’s been easy. But I also look for challenges in life, so this is a great opportunity for me to learn about myself and try to fight through it and hopefully on the other side, I’ll be a better person.”
Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune discussed his thoughts on the Timberwolves’ struggles: “At times they have no energy whatsoever…They need a great point guard, and (Ricky Rubio) is not a great point guard.” Rubio is averaging 8.5 PPG, 8.2 APG, 4.6 RPG, and 2.6 SPG on the season, but Hartman appeared to imply that Rubio’s struggle to score points in the fourth quarter is a glaring weakness.
Grizzlies guard Mike Conley may not have been selected to the All-Star team this year, but opposing coaches know his value, writes Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal (Subscribers only).
Bill Ingram of Basketball Insiders presents his list of this year’s All-Star snubs from the Western Conference.

Odds & Ends: Bynum, Gasol, Nash, Camby

January 3rd, 2014 at 10:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

Andrew Bynum‘s agent won’t get into specifics over what dissolved Bynum’s relationship with the Cavs, but it apparently wasn’t about his surroundings.

“Cleveland is not the problem. Cleveland is not a negative connotation,” agent David Lee said, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. “Andrew has shied away from publicity his entire life. He’s not a guy who needs the limelight. He lives in a simple neighborhood there. He walks his dog and rides his bike to the store. He goes to the movies by himself. Cleveland wasn’t a problem for him.”

While we wait to find out Bynum’s next destination, here’s the latest from around the NBA:

The Lakers can envision ways of avoiding the luxury tax that don’t involve trading Pau Gasol, so that’s why they’re insisting they receive more than salary relief in any potential Gasol swap, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter links).
Steve Nash acknowledged to fellow ESPNLosAngeles.com scribe Dave McMenamin that he’s a candidate to hit the waiver wire this summer if his health doesn’t improve. “I don’t know all the technical possibilities but obviously know that nothing is guaranteed,” Nash said. “Obviously right now I have a guaranteed contract, but the future is totally in flux and anything is possible in the NBA and frankly with my health.”
Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) spoke with Marcus Camby‘s agent, who gave him an update on the big man’s status as he recovers from the foot injury that prompted the Rockets to waive him in October. “[He’s] doing well, still rehabbing and does plan on playing when he completes his rehab likely towards the end of the month,” the agent, presumably Rick Kaplan, said.
Raptors GM Masai Ujiri isn’t necessarily looking to overhaul his club. “We’ll continue to evaluate the team. I know it’s what we keep saying but it’s been a huge encouragement by the way the team has played,” the GM said, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun (Twitter links). “We want to be a good team. We want to be a winning team. But if it’s not that way, then we have to figure out a way to rebuild the team.“

Zach Links contributed to this post.