Once known as a versatile forward who could play multiple positions, nail three-pointers and shimmy around a lot to celebrate a good play, Antoine Walker, now with the Memphis Grizzlies, will sit around on the bench doing a lot of nothing. The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Ronald Tillery) reports:
Walker has been told that he won’t play, a decision designed by circumstance more than anything. The Griz are on a full-blown youth movement and the only position where Walker can still be mildly effective is power forward. However, it’s the same spot on the floor the Griz want to give ample time to Darko Milicic, Hakim Warrick and rookie Darrell Arthur for their development. “He understands,” Griz coach Marc Iavaroni said, revealing that he has communicated with Walker about this issue throughout training camp. Walker, entering his 13th season, still is disappointed. “I would have liked the opportunity to play but I understand the state that they’re in. They want to play the young guys,” Walker said. “I still feel like I’ve got a lot of basketball left in me and I can contribute to a team in the NBA. It’s unfortunate that it’s not working out here. But you have to respect the decision. This team has some good young talent.”
It seems like just yesterday Insidehoops readers were celebrating the famous Antoine Walker shimmy but it’s now a distant memory.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ira Winderman) reports: Marcus Banks, who has spent his career previous career stops with the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns almost exclusively at point guard, exited the Heat’s preseason schedule as a frontrunner to back up starting shooting guard Dwyane Wade, even with his uneven effort in Friday’s 96-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. “He’s a combo guard, in my mind,” coach Erik Spoelstra said of the 6-foot-2 sixth-year veteran. “I just look at him as a player. He’s a very good high-pick-and-roll player. He can create, get in the paint for us. “But he also can play some point guard for us.” … By moving Banks to shooting guard, it somewhat reduces the team’s need for second-year Daequan Cook.
The San Francisco Examiner (Matt Steinmetz) reports: We already know Chris Mullin isn’t coming back next year. But the fact is, he’s more likely to get fired this season than finish out the final year of his contract as executive vice president of basketball operations. That’s clearly the most logical thing to take away from the news that Don Nelson is negotiating a contract extension … probably a two-year job with an option for a third… Nelson and Mullin are both on the final years of their contracts. Nelson is negotiating an extension; Mullin isn’t.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune (John Reid) reports: The Hornets’ biggest questions remain at the backup power forward and center positions. Whether the team improves from last season will depend how Hilton Armstrong, Melvin Ely, Sean Marks and Ryan Bowen perform off the bench. Armstrong played adequately in the preseason, but he still looked tentative at times. Ely had a good camp and was a productive scorer, but he still must improve as a defender. It did not help Marks to miss all seven preseason games after suffering a strained calf muscle. However, the Hornets’ strongest positions are at shooting guard and small forward. Posey can play both of those positions, and Rasual Butler had a solid preseason at shooting guard. Butler has regained confidence after making 52 percent of his shots during the preseason. Last season, he shot 35 percent.
SI (Arash Markazi) reports on Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies: The 21-year-old swingman nearly won the Most Improved Player award after boosting his scoring average from 10.8 points as a rookie to 20.1 points last season, an NBA-high 9.3-point increase. Gay became the first second-year player to average more than 20 points in three years and set a franchise record for most points in a season (1,632). This year, Iavaroni will give Gay more freedom on the court and allow him to lead the team after he was thrust into that role in the middle of last season. “If he is the best player on our team, he has to understand with that comes a lot of responsibility,” Iavaroni said. “He will ultimately be judged by how well we play because he must bring it every night for us to have success. He needs to understand that. That’s going to be his challenge this year.”
The East Valley Tribune (Jerry Brown) reports: In a move that was anticipated a month ago but dragged through the entire training camp, Porter named Matt Barnes the starter at small forward over Grant Hill. The move makes sense for several reasons. Barnes brings defense, athleticism and more 3-point shooting range to help with spacing the floor for the starters. And Hill brings experience and ball-handling ability to the second unit when rookie Goran Dragic is manning the point guard spot. “Grant brings calmness to that second unit and he can help Goran — who has made a lot of strides by is still very experienced — as another person who can handle the ball. Matt fits well with the first unit as a spacer, while Grant will allow Goran and L.B. (Leandro Barbosa) to do the same thing with that second group.”
There were questions about them coming into training camp. Some wondered if center Roy Hibbert could make the transition from playing in a halfcourt offense at Georgetown to the up-tempo style of Indiana Pacers coach Jim O’Brien. The concern surrounding Brandon Rush was if he could crack the rotation at one of the wing positions, the Pacers’ deepest. The rookies have gone through growing pains, but they’ve also done enough to earn a place in the rotation when the regular season opens Wednesday in Detroit… Hibbert will back up starter Rasho Nesterovic and Rush will be in the mix at shooting guard and small forward. They were the first two players off the bench Thursday.