The San Antonio Express-News (Jeff McDonald) reports: Even before Manu Ginobili went under the knife, Roger Mason Jr. expected to find himself under the preseason microscope. The former Washington Wizards swingman rates as the Spurs’ most notable free-agent acquisition of the offseason. With Ginobili out, Mason — who averaged a career-high 9.1 points last season — will get plenty of time in the preseason to show his stuff. How quickly he can grasp the Spurs’ system will go a long way toward determining how the Spurs fare without Ginobili.
Month: October 2008
Warrick the lone Grizzlies playoff vet
The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Ronald Tillery) reports: Something rather amusing popped into Hakim Warrick’s head while he looked around the gym as the Grizzlies’ conducted their media day. Warrick, who is entering his fourth NBA season, is the only remaining player from the Grizzlies’ playoff era… “It’s strange,” Warrick said. “None of the coaching staff is here. It’s just funny to see how much this has changed.” … After all, 10 of the 15 players on the training camp roster are indeed younger than Warrick. “It’s crazy,” Warrick said. “I’m like one of the grandpas of the team right now.”
Flip Saunders had lost Pistons veteran respect
The Detroit News reports: Rasheed Wallace said that he didn’t really have a disconnect with former coach Flip Saunders, though it was clear that Saunders had lost the respect of the older players. “It was just with us as vets and he really didn’t want to listen to us,” Wallace said. “That’s what really hurt him.” Speaking on radio station WDFN, Wallace used this analogy: “If you mess up a guy’s desk and throw coffee on it every day and he doesn’t do anything to stop you, are you going to respect him?” Wallace, though, didn’t blame Saunders for the team’s failures against the Celtics. “Basically, it was just not our time,” he said. “That’s just the way the ball bounces sometimes. I think we were all positive and thought that we would beat Boston. But we can’t cry over spilled milk now. We just have to go out and prove to all the naysayers that are saying we’re too old and our window is closed and all this and that — we have to prove them wrong.”
Mavs players wanted Avery Johnson gone
The Dallas Morning News (David Moore) reports: Mark Cuban said multiple players told him they wanted to be traded if Avery Johnson returned as coach this season… Cuban said these sentiments were relayed to him by the players or their agents over the course of last season… When asked if more than five players requested a trade, Cuban said yes. More than seven? “Close,” Cuban said.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Wow. I had heard through someone I know who knows a certain someone that a few players absolutely wanted Avery gone, but didn’t know it was literally half the team that wanted The Little General to pack his things and take his speech pattern elsewhere. Also, it needs to be said that Mark Cuban is cool as heck for revealing this. No reason not to, but still.
Tyrus Thomas must prove himself
The Arlington Heights Daily Herald (Mike McGraw) reports: Bulls general manager John Paxson on third-year forward Tyrus Thomas, who seemed to regress after a promising rookie season: “I don’t want to put a lot of undue pressure on Tyrus, but this is a big, big year for him,” Paxson said. “I was really pleased at the commitment he made this summer, because he spent time in the gym. He still has a long way to go, but I hope that he has a great camp, because he did put the time in this summer to put himself in good position.”
InsideHoops.com editor says: I’m still not sure who will be the better pro two or three years from now, Tyrus Thomas or Joakim Noah. I’m leaning towards Thomas, but only by a little.
Luke Walton not healthy yet
The Press-Enterprise (Jeff Eisenberg) reports: Luke Walton said he’s still “a couple weeks” from playing in 5-on-5 games during practice, but his surgically repaired right ankle is strong enough for him to run and lift weights in the meantime. “It (stinks) because there’s so much you get done in training camp,” Walton said. “Everyone knows we have a deep team and guys who can play multiple positions, so there’s going to be a lot of competition for playing time. To be out early, is a little disadvantage, but hopefully they know what I can do.”
InsideHoops.com editor asks: I wonder who will be getting more minutes per game a few months from now, Walton or new Laker Trevor Ariza. Lots of fans may want to say it’ll be Ariza, but Luke knows the system well already, and under Phil Jackson that means a lot.
Lamar Odom must adjust to small forward spot
InsideHoops.com editor says: With Lakers center Andrew Bynum healthy and ready to go, Pau Gasol will play his natural position of small forward. The versatile Lamar Odom can play either small or power forward, but he’s really more of a PF who happens to have a few SF-like skills. So while making Odom the Lakers starting small forward puts the team’s most talented players on the floor, it’s possible he’s best used off the bench to fill in at multiple positions. Here’s more:
The Press-Enterprise (Jeff Eisenberg) reports: Odom will get every chance to win the starting job, but Coach Phil Jackson said he would not hesitate to replace him with defensive stopper Trevor Ariza if Odom struggles during training camp. The most obvious problems the Lakers would face with the 6-foot-10 Odom on the perimeter instead of the block is he may be unable to stay in front of opposing wings and his outside shot is too inconsistent to stretch a defense.
Kobe Bryant enters training camp happy
The Press-Enterprise (Jeff Eisenberg) reports: Kobe Bryant looked relaxed and rested Monday as he ambled around the Lakers practice facility during the team’s annual media day, cracking jokes with teammates and reporters and making funny faces for the armada of cameras that escorted him throughout the room. The Lakers star spoke with reporters on the eve of training camp about a litany of hard-hitting topics such as winning Olympic gold, celebrating his 30th birthday and why he’s just so gosh, darn smiley these days. “There’s just a lot to be happy about, a lot to be thankful about,” Bryant said. “We’re in a much better position than we were. That’s one thing I tell the guys — we’re the favorites for a reason. We’ve got all the tools here, all the pieces of the puzzle, and now it’s on us to make it work.”
The Press-Enterprise continues: Bryant also took time to dispel the idea that he might opt out of his Lakers contract at the end of the season to sign with a European team for $50 million, a story originally sparked by an offhand comment he made to a reporter during the Olympics.
Kings to use triangle offense
The Sacramento Bee (Sam Amick) reports: Kings coach Reggie Theus is implementing the vaunted triangle offense. The ambitious plan was first introduced in summer league in July. Theus passed word to his assistants to begin coaching the players on the ins and outs of the system, one made famous by coach Phil Jackson with his Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers teams and is as difficult to master as it can be to defend. The goal is to eliminate stagnant feel on the floor and rely more on creative freedom and athleticism, and the change in personnel should aid the cause. Although Ron Artest’s talents were indisputable, so, too, was the reality that the forward, who was traded to Houston in August, was notorious for breaking set plays and relying too much on isolation play.
The Bee continues: The issue of offensive personality could have everything to do with Theus’ future. The second-year coach enters this season in the final guaranteed year of his contract needing to prove himself on two fronts. His ability to teach and develop young talent will be a priority, as will establishing a system that’s more pleasing to the fans and Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie. Second-year center Spencer Hawes, for one, said he is encouraged by the plan.
Rockets need backup center
The Houston Chronicle (Jonathan Feigen) reports: Though Rockets coach Rick Adelman and general manager Daryl Morey said they are confident about using their rotation of power forwards as backup centers, Adelman said the time will come he will want a true center to play behind Yao Ming. Dikembe Mutombo said last week he would wait for the Rockets to make planned roster maneuvers to move beneath the luxury tax threshold to sign. “Eventually we’re going to need somebody behind Yao,” Adelman said, specifically citing matchups with Shaquille O’Neal and Greg Oden. “When you’re playing the Shaqs of the world and now Portland with their young big guy (Oden), just size alone hurts you when Yao is out of the game. We’ll address that as we go. I feel good about the depth everywhere, but when you play a big guy, it’s really hard for Carl (Landry) and Chuck (Hayes) and Luis (Scola) to try to play some big strong, physically dominating player.”
InsideHoops.com editor says: I say Mutombo should record a music album, where he sings rock and pop classics of the 70’s and 80’s. His voice is too golden not to get utilized in a recording studio.