Danny Granger, Andray Blatche and J.J. Redick are available for trade, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio: “Orlando guard J.J. Redick is another player who teams have called about since training camp. Redick’s contract also expires at season’s end. Brooklyn has placed forward Andray Blatche on the market, according to multiple sources. The Nets are looking for a draft pick in return. Portland, looking for ways to shore up its bench, might have an interest. Houston is one team reported to have a keen eye on Indiana forward Danny Granger. The Pacers aren’t totally against keeping the 29-year-old forward, who has missed all of the season with a knee injury. But following the emergence of All-Star Paul George, they are taking and making exploratory calls.”
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From fibaeurope.com
Marcin Gortat, who may also be on his way out, is not fond of the way Goran Dragic plays, from Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld: “Part of the issue, of course, is that Goran Dragic brings more of a scoring mentality to the point guard position than Nash did, and is averaging just 6.5 assists per game while leading the team in scoring at 14.2 points per contest. Dragic’s 44 percent shooting is cause for an argument that perhaps he should work the ball to the 56 percent shooting Gortat a bit more. Gortat would certainly like to make the case for that. He’s got to work on it,” Gortat says of Dragic. “It all depends on the coaches, they got to put on the pressure, they got to do what they got to do, they got to talk to him. It’s not me or anybody on the team, each one of us is trying to play basketball and he plays basketball the way he plays, he does what he does the best. He’s an aggressive scoring point guard and it is what it is, I can’t deny it.”
- Some very important things have to happen in order for Kevin Garnett to waive his no-trade clause, according to Shaun Powell of Sports On Earth:
Told Kevin Garnett will not waive no trade unless Pierce is dealt, and then only to LA. Lives in Malibu.
@Powell2daPeople
Shaun Powell
Despite rumors, the Clippers are not looking to acquire Garnett, according to Broderick Turner of Los Angeles Times: “The Clippers are not pursuing Boston Celtics center Kevin Garnett despite what has been reported, according to NBA officials who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Furthermore, the Clippers’ front office has not had any conversations with Boston’s front office about a rumored deal in which L.A. would use back-up point guard Eric Bledsoe and small forwardCaron Butler as the centerpieces to acquire Garnett, said the officials. Bledsoe is the starting point guard while Chris Paul remains out with a bruised right kneecap that has kept him out of 10 of the last 12 games and will sideline him again Monday night against the Washington Wizards.”
Michael Beasley was briefly arrested back in January, according to Arizona Sports: “According to a report obtained through a FOIA request, it has been learned that Suns forward Michael Beasley, on January 25, was pulled over by Scottsdale Police due to speeding down Scottsdale Road at about 1:10 a.m. He was cited for driving with a suspended license, driving with excessive speed, driving with expired registration and failure to display a license plate on the rear of the vehicle. Driving with a suspended license and excessive speeding are criminal traffic violations, whereas driving with expired registration and failure to display a license plate are civil traffic violations. The report states the officer placed Beasley in handcuffs and arrested him, but decided to release him at the scene due to his cooperation.”
Jalen Rose apparently had a lot of interesting things to say about certain players in the NBA on one drunken night, according to Barry Petchesky of Deadspin: “He seemed fairly confident that MJ was hungover in Game 5 of the ’97 Finals and didn’t actually have the flu”. On Reggie Miller’s house burning down in 1997: “He is SURE [ex-wife] Marita Miller burned down Reggie’s house”. “Joked how he couldn’t smoke weed because ‘man I work for Disney!! You don’t think they drug test us?’ “. “He kept asking how the hell you work a bong and after getting chirped for it, he goes ‘PLEASE. black people only use pipes if they’re smoking crack’ “. “He claimed he could hit 17 of 20 3s RIGHT THEN AND THERE, everyone howled and said no way, he just laughed and kept yelling ‘f*** ya’ll f*** ya’ll’ “. “5am rolls around and he gets asked what time his flight is to leave for New Orleans – ‘oh I dunno….about 2 and a half hours’ “. On Jamaal Tinsley: ‘The dude drank vodka more often than water…AND I let him live with me! For a MONTH!'”
Kobe Bryant may be concerned about Howard’s shoulder injury, from Mark Medina of Daily News: “That’s an evaluation he’s going to have to make with the training staff,” Bryant said. “If it’s an injury like a stinger but it won’t get worse, play through it. If the pain is going to be there for a day or two, play through it. If it’s going to threaten your career or threaten your season, chill out. That’s a decision he has to make.”Bryant would obviously like Howard to make that decision soon. After all, the Lakers (22-26) are scrapping their way out of the Western Conference basement. “I’m worried about it because we need to be having everyone out there and playing with some kind of rhythm,” Bryant said. “This is we where we start establishing an identity. We’re doing that. Now we have a little setback.”
Well, it’s not really so much that Kobe has a new-found willingness to move the ball. The ball still slows down and sticks with him too much. If he’s not going to score, he sure as the world at least wants the assist. It’s more like he’s found a new way to control the game and be a hero in a different way. There’s a big difference. I’m not yet convinced that Dwight Howard will be thrilled with Kobe in either this new much-praised role or the old “I’ve gotta score because my teammates are so bad” role. In a way, it might be even tougher for Dwight with Kobe controlling even more of the strings on the team.