Dwight Howard is interested in several teams, including the Hawks and Warriors, according to Mark Medina of Daily News: “Kupchak won’t have clarity on Howard’s future anytime soon. A source familiar with Howard’s thinking says he plans to test free agency and has considered the Lakers, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Golden State. Nothing remains binding, though. The source added Howard’s main concern involves “what team he feels has the best chance to win championships, has the best team and system around him.” The source also stressed Howard has not and will not ask the Lakers to make any moves on his behalf. Kupchak acknowledged the team has made unspecified contingency plans in case Howard leaves. Either way, Howard can’t officially re-sign until July 10 when a moratorium on NBA business is lifted “The sooner he makes his mind up, the better for everybody,” Kupchak said.”
Daniel Leroux of RealGM explains why obtaining Howard will be very difficult for the Warriors under the new CBA: “One of the new CBA rules that goes into effect this summer limits teams who are paying the luxury tax. In short, there is a salary level above the luxury tax called the apron ($4 million in salary above the luxury tax line) and teams over that line cannot do transactions like signing a player to the full mid-level exception, using the Bi-Annual exception, and starting this year they cannot acquire players via sign-and-trade. That limitation means that a team cannot sign a player and immediately trade them to a team over the apron, not the other way around. On top of that, doing any of these three things turns what usually functions as a soft cap that franchises can go over for times into a hard one, meaning that teams using these transactions absolutely cannot go over the apron for any period of time for any reason that season.”
The Mavericks may look to sell their draft pick to create cap space for Howard, from ESPN.com: “Multiple sources have told ESPN.com’s Chad Ford the Mavs are likely to shop the pick in hopes of creating the cap space necessary to make a run at Dwight Howard in free agency. The 13th overall pick has a cap hold of $1,655,300. One of the Mavs’ future first-round picks is already in the possession of the Oklahoma City Thunder. That pick, which is top-20-protected through 2017, was given up in the deal that brought Lamar Odom to Dallas. The Los Angeles Lakers traded it to Houston along with Derek Fisher for Jordan Hill, and it then became part of the package the Rockets gave up for James Harden.
Roy Hibbert plans on speaking up next time the coach chooses to sit him, from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports: “The coach gone to the interview podium, his teammates showered and dressed, Hibbert made a vow to Yahoo! Sports. Never again does he sit silently with something so important slipping away. “I’ve grown as a player, this is my fifth year and maybe I need to start talking up more,” Hibbert told Yahoo! Sports in the losing locker room. “They pay me [max-contract money] for a reason. “I didn’t say anything, and I wish I did. From now on, I need to speak up.”… When it was over, Hibbert desperately wished he had the chance, but make no mistake: He wasn’t playing that “I-knew-I-would’ve-had-it” nonsense.”
The TNT crew had plenty of commentary on the Heat-Pacers series, from Ira Winderman of Sun Sentinel: “Shaquille O’Neal, on Indiana’s Roy Hibbert vs. the Heat’s Chris Bosh: “If Roy plays the game he’s supposed to play — jump-hook them to death — Chris Bosh will be no match. It’s going to be a very interesting matchup.” Charles Barkley, on what the series hinges on:”Lance Stephenson has got a chance against Dwyane Wade because Dwyane is not 100 percent. This kid Stephenson is so physical and a great offensive rebounder.” Kenny Smith, on the Heat: “This will be their most difficult series. This will be their toughest run in the last two years [against] the Indiana Pacers.” O’Neal, on who will win the series: “I see this series going 4-1 [Miami].”
Carl Landry is weighing his options on his current contract situation, from Marcus Thompson of Contra Costa Times: “Landry has one year left on his contract, paying him $4 million. But he has an option to skip the last year and become a free agent. Time is ticking on him to decide and he said he is feeling the pressure. He called it the hardest decision of his career. CARL LANDRY: “I mean, this is the best team I’ve ever played for on this level, especially as far as chemistry. And the scary thing is we’ve been together one year.” LANDRY: “I took a lesser deal to come with the Warriors, remember? It could happen.” LANDRY: “The Warriors are home whether I opt in or out. Hopefully, I can spend the rest of my career here because this is a very special place.”
There’s a lot of misinformation about PJ Carlesimo.
Not really true that he lost the locker room. He is a player’s coach and isn’t tough on the players. A few lesser players, like MarShon and Teletovic were upset with their lack of playing time. Wallace was upset at the end, with not being used correctly. The rookies, especially Toko Shengelia, had good reason to be upset, with being inactive most of the year, but he didn’t complain.
PJ was let go because he likely received many, many suggestions (warnings) from the front office, which he apparently chose to ignore, despite most fans and superiors in the organization felt were good ideas. He would have been released even if he got past the Bulls, although that made the decision easier.
Nets called more Iso plays under PJ than any coach in the NBA. He had no creativity on offense.
Wallace Regressed since he took over and there was never any strategy in how to use Gerald. Even Avery Johnson realized that Reggie Evans and Wallace shouldn’t be playing at the same time because opponents would clog the middle. It was obvious. Instead he benched Hump and began starting Evans and playing him 35 minutes most nights. He even played Reggie 50 minutes in the OT loss to Bulls in game 4 where Blatche played 1/2 as many minutes.
Blatche gained back some of the weight that was lost while Avery was coach, and PJ didn’t seem to know that Andray used to be a PF. He never for the whole season practiced any plays for Lopez with Blatche. Although time and time again it was proven that Lopez + Blatche was the best line up, it never seemed to sink in. in that dreadful 3OT loss to the Bulls in Game 4, Blatche didn’t play from the beginning of the 4th quarter until the end, when Evans finally fouled out.
Then there was regression by MarShon, Teletovic not being used properly and maybe most of all having 21 year old rookie sensation Toko Shengelia inactive most of the year, despite proving to be a super high energy guy who could score inside, and defend, at the SF position, with that being the weakest position on the team. GM Billy King had to send Toko and Tyshawn Taylor to the D-League multiple times, just to get some game experience. They proved to be 2 of the best players in the D-League, but each time they returned to the team, PJ would continue to have them Inactive.
Toko was Inactive for the entire 7 game playoffs, despite the need as SF, with JJ playing on one leg. Toko was the star of the game in the one chance he had to play more than 3 minutes (next to last game) in the 2nd half the season.
PJ knew that he was going to get fired for not developing the young players.
Hump also regressed under PJ and even Avery Johnson recognized it was better to start Hump than Evans. It wasn’t until the end of the season, that PJ realized that Hump wasn’t that bad.
The Nets front office felt that the team under-achieved with PJ. That is why he was fired.
No, the Nets weren’t going to be able to challenge the Heat, but with one big trade using Hump and other assets they could have moved to elite level and clear 2nd best team in the East. That is what the next coach will be expected to do.