- Why Kyrie Irving rumors in January may be David Stern’s greatest legacy: “One of the great happy co-incidences of David Stern’s work as NBA commissioner is the way his collective bargaining agreements have allowed the NBA rumor mill to churn nearly 12 months a year. January should be a bit of a drag, stuck in the midpoint of a long season, but here we are rightfully discussing Irving’s prospects in a contract that may not let out until July 2016, one that could provide myriad chances for both team and player to work with in the months and years until then. Irving is on a rookie deal, so he is committed to the Cavaliers next season, and he could sign that contract extension this season. In the summer of 2015, should he have passed on that extension, Irving could either seek out other teams to sign with as a restricted free agent, or accept Cleveland’s qualifying offer for 2015-16. The Cavs would immediately match any restricted offer, no matter how dear, and working for the QO would be a problem – Irving would have to sign off on any subsequent trade the Cavaliers would eventually make in order to receive some compensation prior to his leaving as an unrestricted free agent in 2016. An anti-Decision maneuver.”
The Indiana Pacers plan to sign Andrew Bynum: “According to ESPN.com, the Pacers are planning to sign center Andrew Bynum, who was recently waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bynum, 25, spent last season with the 76ers but didn’t appear in a single game due to injury. He played in 24 games for the Cavs, averaging 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds, but had some issues with the roster and coach Mike Brown, which led to him being suspended, and eventually waived. Why the Pacers, though? With Roy Hibbert and Ian Mahinmi already in place, where does Bynum fit? Here’s my theory: They did it just to keep him away from the Heat. It’s a bit of a risk for a team that’s sitting atop the East with a 35-10 record, especially considering Bynum’s recent past and character questions. Could he offset and upset a tight locker room with his shenanigans? Larry Bird and the Pacers must be confident in their culture and atmosphere to be able to handle it.”
- The Chicago Bulls are not ruling out a Derrick Rose return to practice before the end of the season: “A source said last week that Derrick Rose was ahead of schedule in his recovery from surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee. On Friday, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau wouldn’t rule out Rose practicing with the team later in the regular season. “I don’t want to jump to any conclusions, just going step-by-step,” Thibodeau said. “When he handles the next phase, then they’ll move him on to the next one. Just make sure he’s completely healthy, that’s all we’re thinking about.””
Also in Chicago, Taj Gibson may be on the trading block: ““I’ve always kind of had that [mentality],’’ veteran guard Kirk Hinrich said on Friday. “From the first time that I started hearing rumors it really made clear that the possibility of being moved is there. You just try and do the best you can with the situation you’re in. “But enjoy this. Enjoy the situation we’re in right now moving forward because it’s exciting. Just try not to worry about things you can’t control.’’ Hard to do with the calendar now being flipped, and the Feb. 20 trade deadline bearing down on the Association. Specifically, on the team playing at 1901 W. Madison Street. And while Hinrich and Mike Dunleavy have been churning in the trade rumor mill for more than a month, Taj Gibson’s name is the one that is picking up, and could determine how serious the Bulls are in clearing space for a max contract to land the likes of a Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James.
According to a source, the Lakers, Wizards and Bobcats have each inquired about Gibson, but they were preliminary talks in which the Bulls did not like the return.
If they do move Gibson, however, it will definitely signify how determined the Bulls are to give Derrick Rose a second superstar to play along with.
Rajon Rondo is intrigued by free agency: “While Rondo stressed that he has made no decision about his future and that he is just focused on this season, he did compare the process of free agency to college recruiting when asked what about it was intriguing to him. “It’s kind of like college recruiting,” Rondo said after practice here Friday. “I’m pretty sure a lot more goes into it in the NBA. A lot more money is spent. I’ve heard stories, guys getting called right at midnight. It’s something that I haven’t experienced. I may want to go through it. I haven’t thought about it at all. ” Rondo’s contract, a five-year extension worth $55 million that he signed in the fall of 2009, is up after next season. He is set to become a free agent in July 2015 if the Celtics don’t sign him to a contract extension beforehand.”
Nate Robinson is officially done for the season, undergoes ACL surgery: “Denver Nuggets point guard Nate Robinson underwent surgery Friday for an ACL injury in his left knee. Robinson was injured during the first quarter of Denver’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday. Initial prognosis was a sprain, however, this photo uploaded by his close friend T.J. Regan and the accompanying caption “Praying for my brother @naterobinson he just went in for his ACL surgery, I know he’s going to come back better and stronger than ever, “may suggest otherwise. Robinson, a spark plug off the bench, is averaging 10.4 points and 2.5 assists this season. UPDATE: According to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post, Nate Robinson had surgery to repair a torn ACL Friday night and will miss the remainder of the season.”
Lance Stephenson is mad that he did not make the Eastern Conference All-Star team: ““I’m big-timing you, coach,” Stephenson said with a laugh. Vogel laughed along with him. But there was still anger beneath the surface less than 24 hours after Stephenson learned NBA coaches did not vote him as a reserve to the Eastern Conference All-Star team. “I’m mad,” Stephenson said. “I feel like I had my breakout year last year. I showed I can play with anyone on the floor and I felt like this year, I brought a little bit more to my game. “But other people saw it differently. I’m just going to keep working hard and prove everyone wrong.” Stephenson not being included among the All-Star reserves was the talk of the league when they were announced Thursday night. Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley chimed in with: “That’s a joke. I see why they’ve got so many crappy teams in the East because the coaches don’t know what they’re doing.” No Pacers player thrives off emotion more than Stephenson. He plays with an edge. Some, including Vogel, thought that emotion may have turned off coaches and convinced enough not to vote for him.”
Phil Jackson sees a strong return coming for Kobe Bryant: “”I think he’ll be back,” Jackson said. “I think Kobe is going to be still a scorer. He can score. We saw Michael Jordan at the end of his career still scoring 20 points a game and he was 37-38, I think. Maybe he was 38-39, I can’t really remember. But I think Kobe can still post up. I think he can still be a good screen-roll player. He’s going to hit shots. He can still shoot the 3-pointer. I think he’s really realistic about it. He’s really pleased. He felt like, you know, I will come back.” Bryant is averaging 13.8 points, 6.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 42.5 percent shooting in six games this season. “Kobe’s minutes he’s played, the time he’s been on the floor, the duress and the way he’s played has taken a toll, obviously,” Jackson said. “And his injury, I think , was part of the chain of events that happened because of his Achilles tendon. Unfortunately it set him back and now he’s got a knee injury.” Jackson, who was passed over by the Lakers last season for their head coaching vacancy after Mike Brown was fired, said that Dwight Howard might not be on the Houston Rockets today if he had been given the opportunity to return to the Lakers for a third stint as head coach.
“There’s a good chance that would have happened,” Jackson said of Howard signing an extension with the Lakers if he was the coach. “Dwight gave up a little bit early on the Lakers, but maybe it wasn’t for him. Maybe he just didn’t find the culture exactly what he needed to benefit and blossom from the game. But it cost the Lakers a lot. It cost them a draft pick.”
Ben Baroff is a basketball journalist who blogs for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
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