The offseason is slowly winding to a close, and for a look back, Chris Sheridan has offseason grades for every NBA team. If you’re more interested in looking forward to next season, be sure to check out Chris Bernucca’s look at the playoff picture in the Western Conference and AJ Mitnick’s look at all the NBA’s European rookies.
And here’s all the latest news from the NBA.
- The Kings are rumored to be moving out of Sacramento, which is a situation Sacramento mayor (and former NBA All-Star) Kevin Johnson isn’t unfamiliar with. Devin Matsuda writes for the Marin Independent Journal that “Johnson couldn’t escape the subject of the Sacramento Kings and their future. With another round of rumors circulating regarding the Kings’ new destination, this time Virginia Beach, Johnson indicated that the city would do what it could to keep the team in town, with or without the current owners, the Maloof family. ‘We have fought very hard to keep our team in Sacramento, and we’ve been successful for the past two years,’ he said. ‘We’re not giving up, but ultimately, it’s up to the Maloofs.’ “
- Michael Lee of the Washington Post has a long and interesting piece on Kevin Durant, the highlight of which is easily this: ” ‘I’ve heard a few times, in three or four years, this league is going to be yours. . . . I don’t like that. Because I think I’m established now. My time is now,’ Durant said. ‘I feel as though I’ve proved myself these last five years that I can be one of the top players in the league. I’ve got a long way to go to being the ultimate best, but I think my time is now. And I’m starting to enter my prime.’ Durant explained that he felt he belonged in the discussion of the league’s best since playing in the 2011 All-Star Game in Los Angeles but has mostly kept that sentiment bottled up, because, ‘I don’t like to talk about myself, but I had to get that out there.’ ”
- If you’re still suffering from an Olympic basketball hangover, Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer has some news for you regarding Doug Collins, whose name has come up a lot in discussions of the next Team USA coach: “Collins doesn’t seek the subject, but when asked during this weekend’s reunion of the ’72 team about whether he would like to be the Olympic coach, he showed typical candor while also professing a desire to stay with the Sixers long-term. ‘It’s a tremendous honor that somebody would even throw my name out there,’ Collins said. ‘It’s four years down the road and I understand in this business you hope you are an active coach at the time.’ “
- A week ago, there were some rumors that the Cavs were going to part ways with Omri Casspi. They proved to be fruitless, but talk of Casspi leaving Cleveland is still present. Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer comments on them in answer to a reader question: “I know that Casspi didn’t play well last season, but no one was more upset than he was. I know the Cavs have been pleased with the work he has put in this summer, so I don’t think he will get cut in training camp. Right now, I think the Cavs want to see how the new additions look together, so I don’t see any trades in the short term.”
- Brent Martel of the AP has a piece at the Advocate on new Hornets acquisition Robin Lopez, who considers himself a defense-first player, and is excited to play with #1 overall pick Anthony Davis: “Lopez said he believes that when he and the 6-11 Davis are on the floor together on the defensive end, opposing players are going to have a tough time scoring on drives to the hoop. ‘From what I’ve seen of him, he’s fantastic,’ Lopez said of Davis, who was the star of Kentucky’s 2012 national title team. ‘He’s got great timing, long athletic. I don’t think I’m too bad of a defensive player, so we make a heck of a tandem down there on the defensive end. Hopefully we can kind of close down some lanes.’ ”