Latest NBA News from January 8, 2014: Deng unset with contract rumors, Gerald Wallace blasts teammates again

Jeff Van Gundy tried to interview Gregg Popovich during the break on ESPN. Here is how that went:

PLAY OF THE DAY:

It’s been a while since Blake Griffin really posterized someone badly, so it was probably about time that he did. Here’s what he did to poor Kris Humphries on Wednesday:

OTHER NEWS FROM AROUND THE LEAGUE:

According to the team doctor, Deron Williams’ ankle issues shouldn’t be a big worry, from Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York: “Brooklyn Nets team physician Dr. Riley Williams III said Wednesday he does not think there will be any long-term concern over point guard Deron Williams’ injured ankles… “What I can say is that I don’t think there’s anything going on with him that is a serious issue over the long haul and the guy wants to play. So sometimes you have to take a little bit more time and let things heal up a little bit before you get back out there. I don’t think there’s any serious concern about Deron over the long term. “He certainly doesn’t need any kind of serious procedure from us. Everything he has are things that should heal up. But you guys talked about, for our team especially, it just seems like it’s been one thing after another with these small nagging injuries that unfortunately have made it tough to get everybody on the court together.”

The Sacramento Kings are hoping to acquire Andre Miller, according to Berger of CBSSports: “The Kings continue to be the most aggressive potential suitor for the Nuggets’Andre Miller, offering three separate potential deals for the disgruntled point guard, league sources told CBSSports.com. The Kings have offered Marcus Thornton and a future second-round pick as the framework of a deal for Miller, and have presented a package including Jimmer Fredette and a future second as an alternative, two people familiar with the scenarios said Wednesday. Those people familiar with the terms of those offers did not know the third scenario presented by Sacramento, but executives gathered here for the D-League Showcase surmised that it likely involves forward Jason Thompson. Executives scouting the development league event suspect that the Kings are now showcasing Thornton, who has moved ahead of first-round pick Ben McLemore in Sacramento’s starting lineup.

An East scout says LeBron James is the best post-up player in the league, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News: “The main difference, another East scout said, is James’ ability in the post. He began cultivating a post-up game three years ago, and had success with it almost immediately. But this year has been different. “He is the best post-up player in the league, really,” the scout said. “You used to be able to get him to take jumpers in the post, but now he is smarter, he is able to get by you and get himself an easy basket. It’s a nightmare. He is that much more efficient.” Indeed, when you break down the numbers, it is clear that James’ post-up game has evolved into the league’s best… Last year, when James set up in the post, it was likely that he would take a jump shot. It is now twice as likely, though — nearly a 30 percent chance — that he will instead go to the basket and get a shot at the rim… That’s how James’ post-up game has changed, and it reflects an overall shift into what’s become a common bit of wisdom in the modern NBA —t hat the two best shots a player can take are 3-pointers and layups.”

Gerald Wallace is getting really good at blasting his own team, from Gary Washburn of Boston Globe: “I’m very surprised. Right now, we’re the team that’s all talk,” he said. “We talk about how we want to get better. We talk about things we need to do to get better. It’s easy to go out and practice and do it. Practice doesn’t really apply to anything with making yourself better. When they turn them lights on, when it really counts, when it’s about the team and making the team better and trying to win as a team, we don’t do it.”… “Like I said, guys gotta look in the mirror man. It’s gotta be the individual. It’s gotta be timeout for I and what I can do to help us win?” he said. “What can I do to help the team win? What can I come out on the court and provide to make our team better? Right now it’s too much of ‘I,’ too many guys trying to do it on their own and in this league, that’s hard to do.”… “We done met, we done talked, we done did everything, we done argued, fussed, complained, moaned, everything you can do,” he said. “It doesn’t matter in here. It matters out there on the court. And until we can take all the talk and everything that we say in here and apply it to out on the court, it’s useless, it’s basically like talking to the wall.”

The Brooklyn Nets will get a player exception for Brook Lopez, according to Marc Stein of ESPN: “The Brooklyn Nets were notified Tuesday night that they’ve been granted a $5.25 million Disabled Player Exception for center Brook Lopez, according to sources familiar with the league’s decision. The exception expires March 10. According to ESPN salary cap expert Larry Coon’s website, the exception allows the Nets to sign a free agent to a one-year contract for the amount of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.15 million) plus $100,000, or trade for a player in the final season of his deal who is making no more than $5.25 million. Sources say the Nets naturally will explore their options in terms of actually using the DPE, but acquiring a player worth the full amount would trigger an extra $20 million in luxury tax. The Nets’ current financial obligation for the season, in terms of payroll and luxury tax, approaches $190 million.