NEW YORK – Back in May 2008, Mike D’Antoni bolted the Phoenix Suns for the skyscrapers of the Big Apple. Although he spent five seasons coaching in the desert, he’s never felt the heat like this. Not even in Miami. Sadly, the sun seems to be setting on Mike D’Antoni’s tenure in New York, and Nate McMillan might make some sense as a potential replacement. (Assuming, of course, that Phil Jackson is not interested – a topic addressed on this site
// Almost all of the trade deadline attention is focused on Orlando, where the Magic have to figure out what they are going to do with Dwight Howard. D-12 is the top domino, and there could be a lot of residual movement if he is traded before next Thursday’s deadline. But there are also other trades being discussed that have absolutely nothing to do with the Magic; trades that would take second-echelon teams to the next level. Chris Sheridan, editor-in-chief of SheridanHoops.com, sees
Eight days until the trading deadline. Eight days for the Indiana Pacers to find the missing piece for a legitimate run at the conference finals, or for the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire the player that makes them a playoff team. Eight days for the Orlando Magic to go all in on Dwight Howard or blow it up and start over. Eight days for the Atlanta Hawks to avoid the luxury tax or the Los Angeles Lakers to add to it. Eight days to
Brook Lopez is expected to miss 3 weeks with a sprained ankle. Rip Hamilton is day-t0-day with a shoulder injury. The fresh-faced CEO of the Orlando Magic tries to speak to Dwight Howard daily, pushing hard to accelerate a relationship with the franchise’s most important asset. He’s late to the job, to the recruitment and understands 7½ years are difficult to replicate in his personal window of 90 days. Outside, everyone else tells Alex Martins: Give in to the inevitable, find an acceptable
While the swirl around Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo has calmed down to something less than a tornado, it is picking up elsewhere, specifically around the Portland Trail Blazers. After a quick start that saw the Blazers win at Oklahoma City and briefly hold the best record in the Western Conference, Portland has fallen to 18-18 and is on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. The Blazers have movable parts – the expiring contracts of Raymond Felton ($7.5 million) and Marcus Camby
There’s still more than two weeks until the March 15 trading deadline, but the rumor mill already is churning. Most of the buzz is around Dwight Howard, whom the Orlando Magic don’t have to trade. Really. However, there are a handful of players who have to be traded for the greater good of their teams. Whether it be removing a problem, creating financial flexibility or moving someone one year early rather than one year late, some big names will be changing teams
Veteran center Joel Przybilla, who was shut out of the abbreviated free agent market in December, re-signed Monday with the Portland Trail Blazers. Przybilla spent six-plus seasons with the Trail Blazers until being traded to Charlotte with other goodies at last year’s deadline for Gerald Wallace. He gives Portland depth at center, where the club is a tad long in the tooth. Portland’s starting center is 37-year-old Marcus Camby. His backup is 39-year-old power forward Kurt Thomas. At 32, Przybilla is a
The San Antonio Spurs try to extend one streak and end another Tuesday, continuing their road trip against the Portland Trail Blazers, who have won the last six meetings between the clubs at the Rose Garden. After defeating the Utah Jazz, 106-102, without two key players Monday in Salt Lake City, San Antonio extended the longest active winning streak in the NBA to 11 games. Manu Ginobili (oblique strain) and Tiago Splitter (calf strain) both suffered injuries in Saturday’s 103-100 win over