Keeping Marcin Gortat is a priority for the Washington Wizards: “According to the latest whispers out of the nation’s capital, Gortat has been presented with the option of signing a contract extension between now and June 30 by the Wizards, who acquired the Polish big man from Phoenix just days before the season started in late October. The Wizards, though, are apparently resigned to the idea that Gortat will become a free agent July 1 after playing out the final season of his current contract, which is valued at $7.27 million. The reality is that Gortat — who on Friday night made his return to Phoenix for the first time to take on the Suns — will almost certainly score more favorable contract terms if he waits until the offseason. But Washington, I’m told, is determined to fend off the competition this summer and regards re-signing Gortat as a top priority. He’s averaging 12.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks for the Wizards as one of the key cogs, along with the rise of guards John Wall and Bradley Beal and his frontcourt partnership with the bruising Nene, that has thrust the Wiz into the race for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs in the downtrodden Eastern Conference.”
Kyrie Irving’s next All Star goal is to become a three-time defending 3-point champion: “Now, he’s hoping he can take a step toward another long-term NBA goal: winning three consecutive 3-point contest titles. Irving hasn’t officially been asked to participate in the All-Star Weekend long-distance contest, but the defending champ said he’d “absolutely” do so, in part because he wants to equal Larry Bird’s three straight 3-point titles. “There’s only been a few back-to-back champs,” Irving said after Friday’s shootaround. “My goal is to accomplish what Larry Bird did, which was three years in a row. He was the main reason I wore my warm-up last year. I’m hoping “the Legend” was blessing me and looking on. If they ask me to come back, I’m definitely coming back.” As for returning to participate in the skills contest? That’s another story. “I enjoy watching it instead of being in it,” Irving joked. “That’s all I have to say about the skills challenge.””
Injured Spurs players will travel on road trip to build team chemistry: “Though they won’t play a minute, injured Spurs starters Tiago Splitter, Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard are with the team on the three-game road trip that is to begin Friday night against the Hawks in Atlanta because coach Gregg Popovich wants to use the trip — and the upcoming rodeo road trip — to build team chemistry. “It’s both to get therapy — I want Will (head athletic trainer Will Sevening) to be there for their therapy and other stuff — and sure, they could have done that back in San Antonio with physical therapists — but it’s also good for the chemistry for them to be with us on these road trips.” Popovich also has used the rodeo trip to build what he calls a “bunker mentality” among his players, coaches and staff so the injured players will make that long sojourn, as well.”
Wizards coach Randy Wittman says John Wall is shooting too much: “Wall took 29 shots in the 113-111 defeat at Verizon Center. That’s 13 more than Bradley Beal, 21 more than Trevor Ariza and Marcin Gortat, 15 more than Nene and 20 more than Martell Webster. Coach Randy Wittman had a sitdown with Wall and went over the video. “John’s a competitor. I sat down and talked with him,” Wittman said. “It’s not a malicious thing. He wanted to try to take over the game for us. Sometimes you try so hard it’s counterproductive because he’s the one guy that can get a lot of guys shots, get them into a rhythm especially at the start of the game. That’s what he’s got to try to continue to do. When he does that, they’re in a rhythm. John’s going to get his opportunities. The ball is in his hands.” Wall saw Phil Pressey, a generously listed 5-foot-11 undrafted rookie making the second start of his career because Rajon Rondo was resting his surgically repaired right knee, and decided to take over. It not only ruined the offensive flow, but Pressey scored a career-high 20 points, including his fifth 3-pointer with less than one minute left in overtime for a 111-108 lead.”
Kobe Bryant is embracing the All-Star game, believes he should be replaced: “”With all due respect to the fans that voted me in, I certainly appreciate that, they know how much I appreciate that, but you got to do the right thing as well,” Bryant said before the Lakers’ 109-102 loss to the Miami Heat on Thursday night. “My fans know you got to reward these young guys for the work that they’ve been putting in.” Bryant spoke to the media just minutes after the league announced the starters for the 63rd annual All-Star Game next month. Bryant was selected to play in the 16th All-Star Game of his 18-year career, as he finished with 988,884 votes, second among Western Conference guards (Golden State’s Stephen Curry had 1,047,281) and fifth overall among all players. Without naming names, Bryant, 35, said that some of the league’s rising stars — Portland’s 23-year-old guard Damian Lillard (280,966 votes) and Houston’s 24-year-old James Harden (470,381 votes) come to mind — belong there more than he does. “I think it’s important for them to go in and perform,” Bryant said. “They’ve been playing all season. They deserve to be in there. They deserve to play. So, I see no reason why they shouldn’t be out there doing their thing.””
Doc Rivers says the Bulls would be nuts to let coach Tom Thibodeau go: “He’s under contract, so yeah,” Rivers said before Friday’s shootaround. “I don’t know why he wouldn’t be. I think it would be nuts not to have him here. He’s the best coach, one of the best coaches in this league. So if you have that, that’s an asset. And I don’t think any right-minded organization would allow that asset to leave. Because with all this adversity they’ve had with injuries, if you allow that one to leave, things will fall apart. And that would be pretty much a guarantee.” Plenty of speculation has surrounded Thibodeau’s future with the Bulls given his tenuous relationship with the team’s front office. While all parties have maintained they have a solid working relationship, they don’t always see eye to eye. The tension grew larger last summer when the Bulls decided not to bring back assistant coach and Thibodeau confidant Ron Adams. Rivers knows how hard it can be to leave one organization for another, given that the Boston Celtics traded him to the Clippers over the summer. “You’re always going to miss what you left,” Rivers said. “Because I left a pretty good situation there. But I went to a good situation. Once you make a change, the change has been made and you just do it. You go to work and this is where you work.””
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Is Carmelo Anthony trapped in NY: “Anthony wants to win a championship, but the Knicks are further from title contention than at any time in his tenure with the team. Furthermore, executives and scouts believe Anthony – with a little help from the Knicks – has painted himself into a professional corner. With every disappointing loss, most recently at home to the Philadelphia 76ers – a team hoping to hit the jackpot in the lottery – Anthony becomes closer to bolting in a New York minute. Speculation over Anthony’s future has weighed as heavily on the organization as championship expectations from James Dolan. Times have changed dramatically since the Knicks touted Anthony as the hometown savior expected to deliver a championship alongside Amar’e Stoudemire during his red carpet introduction. Now? The Knicks are tied for the league’s sixth-worst record with the possibility of missing the playoffs entirely in a subpar Eastern Conference – and subsequently losing the face of the franchise. To be clear, Anthony has not made a definitive decision regarding his future, according to several sources. However, while Anthony has remained mostly positive during this difficult stretch, he has shown signs of frustration that have surely alarmed management and raised eyebrows around the league.”
A torn left elbow ligament has sidelined Andrea Bargnani indefinitely: “Bargnani was hurt Wednesday during a 110-106 loss to Philadelphia when he landed hard while attempting to dunk. He had an MRI on Thursday that revealed the injury. It’s the latest injury for the Knicks (15-27), who have lost five in a row and have battled injuries all season. They are already missing forwards Amare Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin from their frontcourt because of sprained left ankles. Bargnani is averaging 13.3 points, second on the team, in his first season in New York. The Knicks acquired the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft from Toronto during the summer.”
Steve Nash hopes to finally return on Tuesday: “Even if healthy, it’s hard to envision Nash regaining his starting role. If the Lakers as a team ever have a backcourt that’s completely healthy, it’ll be a tough decision for D’Antoni with Steve Blake, Jordan Farmar and the upstart Kendall Marshall also along for the ride. It’s Marshall, the point guard drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 2012 as a potential heir once Nash was traded to Los Angeles, that has been the most pleasant surprise. He is averaging 9.8 points and 9.3 assists per game since being traded from Phoenix to Washington, then cut, and then signed by the Lakers out of the D-League.”
Rockets GM Daryl Morey ripped All-Star game voting for fans not selecting Dwight Howard and James Harden as starters: “After Dwight Howard and James Harden missed the cut for All-Star Game starters in the Western Conference, Houston Rockets’ GM Daryl Morey took to Twitter to complain about the voting process. The starters in the West are Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant,Blake Griffin, and Kevin Love. Love edged out Howard as the third “forward” being voted in, which didn’t sit too well for Morey. Morey complained the All-Star Game being set up for offense only and said that centers were being gerrymandered out of the game. Was he just complaining because his guys didn’t get voted in as starters or is this a legitimate gripe?”
NBA all star voting process set up well for Iowa high school girls basketball. Offense only & only guards and forwards.
— Daryl Morey (@dmorey) January 24, 2014
If Kobe out then @JHarden13 should start or, since positions don’t matter, @KDTrey5 should be SG & @DwightHoward starts w/next highest votes
— Daryl Morey (@dmorey) January 24, 2014
Ben Baroff is a basketball journalist who blogs for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
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