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» Update: 04:55 PM ET |
 Reached Monday morning, Petrie said Cousins is not on the block. "You can put that one to rest," Petrie said. "He's not going anywhere. You can lay that to rest. Some of that stuff lives in its own reality." NBA.com Petrie insisted Monday that both he and the organization are committed to Cousins for the long haul. "When I talk to him periodically, it can be about basketball, it can be about life, it can be about last night's game, it can be about today's practice," Petrie said. "We've got an unbelievable staff that works with him on a daily basis. We've got Clifford Ray, who's one of the best big men coaches around. We've got a head coach that continues to invest a tremendous amount of energy to help him. He's all about moving forward and trying to help solve this." NBA.com Jason Jones: For the record, I've been told by the Kings repeatedly they won't trade DeMarcus Cousins. But if they get an offer they can't refuse.... Twitter @mr_jasonjones Jason Jones: Remember this: I'm told Kings wanted a 1st round pick for J.J. Hickson last year...imagine what they'd want for Cousins. Twitter @mr_jasonjones  Still, the Celtics are willing to take the gamble, according to another league source, and embrace the challenge of keeping Cousins on the right path. But if Petrie can't add any payroll, it's hard to see a scenario with Boston that would be enticing for the Kings, unless they're enamored with rookies Jared Sullinger or Fab Melo as centerpieces of a deal. NBA.com Including guard Avery Bradley might get a conversation going, but the Cs love Bradley's two-way game and have imagined him a cornerstone of their rebuild; Bradley's rapid development the second half of last season before his shoulder injuries put him on the shelf in the playoffs made it much easier for Boston to absorb Ray Allen's departure. NBA.com Except, Detroit has no interest in him. At least not anymore. The Pistons certainly were intrigued with Cousins before the 2010 Draft, and tried to move up from the ninth spot to get him. But once Sacramento took him at five, Detroit went for the next highly-rated big on the board in Monroe, and has been quite happy it did so. NBA.com  The Timberwolves are bringing back Lazar Hayward to fill the roster spot caused by Josh Howard's injury. They signed Hayward, a free-agent forward today, with terms of the deal not announced. He had been released by Houston earlier this season. Minneapolis Star-Tribune Shams Charania: Lazar Hayward's deal with #Timberwolves will be non-guaranteed for this season, and Minnesota will continue looking to bolster wing spot. Twitter @ShamsCharania The Memphis Grizzlies recalled guard Tony Wroten from the NBA Development League’s Reno Bighorns, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced. Wroten (6-6, 208) averaged 14.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists on .545 shooting in 29.5 minutes in two games (both starts) for Reno after being re-assigned to the Bighorns on Dec. 26. The 19-year-old has recorded 13.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists on .411 shooting in 24.5 minutes in eight games (two starts) over two assignments with Reno this season. NBA.com  Royce White: Funny, headlines read "Royce refuses D-League assignment." NO! I refuse to go to work period. UNSAFE for just anyone to make medical calls. Twitter @Highway_30 Not trying to pile on the young man, who is still just 22. Lord knows I hadn't finished maturing at that age, and some would no doubt say that process is still ongoing a quarter-century later. But Cousins's numerous confrontations with members of the Kings' organization, often sullen disposition and inability to control his temper have worn just about everyone in Sacramento raw, and the Kings, sources say, are finally ready to seriously consider moving the third-year center for a package of less talented, perhaps, but more emotionally grounded players. "If this last thing doesn't work, I don't know what to do," a member of the organization said, referring to the suspension of Cousins by the team after he engaged in a profanity-laden shouting match with Coach Keith Smart at halftime of the Kings' game with the Clippers Dec. 21. The suspension was initially labeled indefinite by the team, but it was reduced to one game, though Smart kept Cousins inactive for a second game last week. NBA.com The team was surprised when Cousins showed up for practice on Christmas Eve, thinking the suspension was indefinite. Upon his arrival, "the Christmas spirit was gone," said the league source who is familiar with the Kings. And there was not much sympathy for him afterward when Cousins tried to apologize. "When he apologized to the team, two players stood up and said 'we've heard this bull(bleep) before,'" the source said. "'You're either going to be with us, or you're not. We don't want to hear any more excuses.'" NBA.com One significant problem, according to sources, is that Cousins has refused the Kings' entreaties to undergo any type of counseling to deal with his anger issues, which were at the heart of many NBA teams' reluctance to take Cousins high in the 2010 Draft. The push has been especially strong recently, "but that's going nowhere," says a source familiar with Cousins' thinking, citing Cousins' unwillingness to even discuss the subject. NBA.com "I would just say that on my end, I'm genuinely concerned for him to get on the right track," Greig said Sunday morning. "I hope that he's able to see the good nature that's inside of him, and build upon it. I guess that's all I can say." NBA.com "No one can (keep Cousins in line), and John doesn't need to try," a friend of Wall's said over the weekend. "I don't think DeMarcus has any interest in doing anything other than what he wants to do." NBA.com  Jody Genessy: Asked about being frustrated after not playing in the 4Q, Paul Millsap tersely replied: "What you think? I'll let you answer that." OK: Yes. Twitter @DJJazzyJody Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans is getting a second opinion on his sore left knee. Evans did not travel with the Kings on Monday to Detroit, where they begin a four-game road trip Tuesday. Instead, Evans is scheduled to visit with Dr. Steve Lombardo in Los Angeles on Wednesday. ESPN.com  And Jackson, if Brooklyn gets him, will be Jackson. The Nets are trying to play coy, and they're saying Carlesimo, who won his first two games as the interim coach, will get a real shot. But Jackson is certainly the guy who'll get the first call when and if Prokhorov decides to look elsewhere for a permanent coach. "It's Phil," says a league coaching source. "That's coming straight from Russia." NBA.com But the Nets insist, publicly and privately, that their decision to fire Johnson was independent of Williams' opinions. If Williams was so set against playing for Johnson, they ask, why did he re-sign with Brooklyn in the summer, when he could have easily signed with Dallas as a free agent and played in Rick Carlisle's "flow" offense, a much more compatible system? (There is the not-small matter of the $20 million or so more Williams made by staying in Brooklyn instead of going to Dallas.) NBA.com Under current coach Rick Carlisle, the Mavs had no such luck on Sunday in snapping a five-game swoon. Instead, though the Mavs showed signs of competing, the team was blown out by the San Antonio Spurs in a 111-86 embarrassment. And Carlisle, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Eddie Sefko, has had it up to here. (Points to his forehead.) “I [have] to be inventive and find ways,” he said. “I don’t have a better answer than that. The last week, I’ve had to literally scream in the face of two guys in practices and shootarounds to get the point across. And I will continue to do that. “If I have to start suspending guys for not doing things they’re supposed to be doing on the court, I’ll do it. And Mark and I will get into it about that. But somehow, things have got to change and it can’t just be about that it’s a tough schedule. It just can’t.” Yahoo! Sports  DeShawn Stevenson's defensive skills are wearing thin ... because the Atlanta Hawks star has dodged a $190,000 bill from his ex-agent for almost a year, but now a judge has ordered him to pay the piper. According to legal docs, Mark Bartelstein claims he repped DeShawn since 2006 and brokered some massive deals for the NBA star -- specifically for the Washington Wizards in 2007 ($15 million), the Dallas Mavericks, AND the New Jersey Nets in 2011 ($2.5 million) TMZ.com But Mark says DeShawn STILL hasn't shown him the money, so he recently filed legal docs earlier this month in Georgia (where DeShawn lives and works) to have the judgment enforced there and start the process of collecting. TMZ.com |
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» Update: 12:21 PM ET |
 You can go ahead and cross New Orleans Hornets’ Eric Gordon off your trade deadline wish list. Hornets’ sources said recently that the game plan with Gordon was to get him back on the floor and playing. There has been a long-running belief that Gordon does not want to be in New Orleans and that he was genuine in trying to get out of town as a free agent. Both Gordon and the Hornets have been aggressive in denying that stance. HoopsWorld Hornets sources point to the restrictions New Orleans has on trading Gordon because they matched a restricted free agent offer sheet and Gordon can veto any deal they construct as a key road block to a deal. HoopsWorld Stoudemire’s name has been mentioned in connection with Pau Gasol and the Lakers and sources near the Lakers say there is absolutely zero interest on their part in Stoudemire and the Knicks deny any interest in Gasol. HoopsWorld League sources say Varejao is one of the more talked about trade targets in the league and that there are a number of teams that would move for him. However, Cleveland values him too and unless someone makes a serious offer for Varejao, the Cavs say they don’t have interest in trading him. HoopsWorld League sources say it would be almost impossible to move Bargnani and the three years and $32.25 million remaining on his deal until he returns and proves the elbow isn’t going to be a problem. HoopsWorld The Raptors have been linked to Lakers big man Pau Gasol, Milwaukee’s Ersan Ilyasova, and Denver’s Wilson Chandler; however, Raptors sources warn taking on a ton of long-term salary is not what they are looking for in a deal unless it’s exactly the right player. HoopsWorld Yesterday, USA Today reported that Sacramento is attempting to deal Demarcus Cousins, but there is a split between management and ownership on the deal. The management of Sacramento believes a trade would be best for both parties, while ownership is hoping to get more for their most prized asset. Today KSR has spoken with a source close to Demarcus Cousins both that confirms trade talks are ongoing and Cousins is hoping a deal will be worked out soon. According to the source, the four teams that are most likely to end up making such a deal for cousins are Boston, Dallas, Orlando and Charlotte. The USA Today story reported that Detroit, Houston and Washington are also potential destinations, but the source tells KSR that Cousins has been told those are all unlikely for a variety of reasons. Kentucky Sports Radio Sam Amico: Bobcats official texts to deny team has put together "any sort of package" with Kings center DeMarcus Cousins in mind. Twitter @SamAmicoFSO  Magic sources say moving anyone on the roster will be about what does it achieve in the long-term – can they shed an unwanted contract? Can they add a better fitting piece? Can they obtain youth or draft assets? There does not seem to be any “desire” on the Magic’s part to move Redick. However, it does seem as the trade deadline inches closer the Magic are going to decide if Redick is worth the risk. HoopsWorld New Orleans Hornets rookie forward Darius Miller has been assigned to the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League, the team announced Monday morning. Miller was inactive for Saturday night's game against the Charlotte Bobcats because of the return of shooting guard Eric Gordon, and his playing time this season has been minimal. New Orleans Times-Picayune He has always been about the team. And these are the times when those bonds are put to the ultimate test as the C's find themselves at or near their lowest point in the season following Sunday's 118-96 loss to Sacramento. "These are dog days," Garnett said. "This is really where you really see who's with you. Ain't nobody cheering, ain't no lights on us and I love this right now. Because this is where all the plastic people melt right here." And those that have the mental toughness to fight through this rough patch, will stand out. "We gotta play better," Garnett said. "We gotta have some self pride in ourselves. Gave up 100 and something points three games in a row, and it ain't been close. We gotta at some point take it personal, you know?" CSNNE.com Parker said he was surprised by the citation, claiming one of the referees working the game admitted he had missed a foul call on Douglas. Parker said he couldn’t remember which official he spoke to, but the ref nearest the play was Jason Phillips. “That’s the choice of the league, and I respect it, but it was really weird,” Parker said. “I watched the replay, and there’s no way there was a flop on that one.” San Antonio Express-News |
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» Update: 06:07 AM ET |
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Adrian Wojnarowski: If Royce White decides he wants to play basketball, he'll have to play in Rockets organization. Houston has no intention of releasing him. Twitter @WojYahooNBA Bill Reiter: Sense around NBA is Rockets will likely wait out Royce White. Several league sources tell me Houston won't cede any of his value in trade. Twitter @foxsportsreiter Royce White: I will play for the Vipers, Rockets or anyone else as soon as the protocol recommended by the team doctors is implemented. #Progress #BeWell Twitter @Highway_30 Royce White: Traveling conditions have long been settled. Non-medical professionals making decisions in medical situations just isn't sensible. #Truth Twitter @Highway_30 Royce White: Protocol calls for #health decision making to be in the hands of medical professional(s). It's a VERY reasonable and logical request. #Truth Twitter @Highway_30 Royce White: Thanks everyone 4 the support! I only want medical professionals 2 make my medical calls. The positivity is felt! #BeWell #AnxietyTroopers Twitter @Highway_30 Then Gordon missed the first 29 games, and everyone assumed he wanted a trade. And maybe he does. If so, the Suns are still very interested (although by NBA rules, they would have to wait until July). So are the Indiana Pacers. One GM even suggested the Oklahoma City Thunder should make a play. “They certainly have the assets, but I’m not sure how you’d make the money work,” the GM said, before admitting such a plot is highly unlikely. FOXSportsOhio Now that Eric Gordon has returned, the question becomes whether the veteran guard wants to remain with New Orleans. “I have a feeling he’ll learn to love it,” an Eastern Conference executive told FOX Sports Ohio. FOXSportsOhio No matter, this is where Gordon has to earn his money, be a professional, come out with the determination he displayed Saturday. He certainly has the talent. He’s certainly capable of being a No. 1 option, an All-Star, a winner on a team with potential. If that doesn’t happen, according to sources, the Hornets would be willing to move him quick. “That’s not what they want, and they’ve made that clear,” said the Eastern exec. “The best situation for everyone is that Gordon stays healthy and happy and this team gets a chance to build.” FOXSportsOhio Sam Amico: NBA GM wouldn't be specific, but says "if what I hear is true," Kings will have tough time turning down Bobcats' offer for DeMarcus Cousins. Twitter @SamAmicoFSO The Kings have denied they’re trying to trade center DeMarcus Cousins, a true talent as both a player and a trouble spot. But multiple sources who claim to have taken their calls said that’s not true, that Cousins is actually on the market. The asking price, however, “is way too high right now,” said one opposing GM. FOXSportsOhio Bill Reiter: Sources close to Kings ownership & front office insisting DeMarcus Cousins will not be dealt. If true, SAC saying 1 thing/thinking another. Twitter @foxsportsreiter  The players have said repeatedly that the execution has to be more consistent but no progress is being made. With two days off before Wednesday’s matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Celtics are clueless as to their identity. “We’ve got to play better than that,” Garnett said. “We all gotta have some pride in ourselves, man. We gave up 100-something points three games in a row, not even being close. We gotta at some point take it personal, you know? It’s not all on the coaches, it’s on players.” Boston Globe Garnett said the players have to be held accountable. “Yeah because we built something here,” he said. “I’m not living in the past or nothing but the reason why guys came back [to the Celtics] and made a commitment to this team because of what we [established] that we’ve been known to defend. We’ve gotten away from that so we have to go back to our origins to figure it out. “We’ve got to find some self pride in here. I don’t know what we are right now.” Boston Globe Gary Washburn: Jason Terry: "My comment is we played like (manure) tonight." #celtics Twitter @GwashNBAGlobe Gary Washburn: Leandro Barbosa said he is ready to play after difficult family issue in Brazil, flew back from Sao Paulo today #celtics Twitter @GwashNBAGlobe Thomas scored 27 points in his second start in the past six weeks and made one of Sacramento's two four-point plays in the second half as the Kings handed the Boston Celtics their third straight lopsided loss on a California road swing, 118-96 on Sunday night. "That guy has an infectious personality," Kings coach Keith Smart said. "He has that magnetism that brings players and people around to him. He brought that energy to start the game off right with him in the starting lineup. All our guards do a great job, but what he's been able to do is kind of give us a little injection of the steam that we need. He's done that, plus he's making his shots." USA Today Cousins had six of his assists in the fourth quarter to get the triple-double. "It felt good, first one of my career," he said. "I'm just glad my teammates gave me the opportunity to do it." USA Today After another in a long line of embarrassing losses, this time 111-86 to San Antonio at American Airlines Center, the Mavericks are ticked off. All of them. That’s six losses in a row and nine in the last 10 games. They have gotten hammered twice in the last week by the Spurs by a total of 63 points. “We’ve got to fight harder than we did tonight,” Carlisle said after the game. “It’s not what this organization has been about since Mark [Cuban] bought the team. This is a stretch that’s unprecedented, really. “It’s bad. We’ve got to fix it, and it starts with me.” Dallas Morning News “I [have] to be inventive and find ways,” he said. “I don’t have a better answer than that. The last week, I’ve had to literally scream in the face of two guys in practices and shootarounds to get the point across. And I will continue to do that. “If I have to start suspending guys for not doing things they’re supposed to be doing on the court, I’ll do it. And Mark and I will get into it about that. But somehow, things have got to change and it can’t just be about that it’s a tough schedule. It just can’t.” Dallas Morning News Asked about Carlisle’s suspension talk, Brand said: “If that’s what he said, I’m pro-team, but I don’t want to see any of my teammates suspended. That’s insubordination in my locker room. I’m part of this. I hope he wasn’t talking about me. So we find a way to put in that work and get better. I don’t feel it’s at the level that guys need to get suspended, but we need to find a way to get guys to play hard and play as a team.” Dallas Morning News  The good news is that Love is rounding into shape, getting his legs under him. That will help his shot, as will continued extra work and giving his hand more time to feel right again. "It's been very, very frustrating to say the least, just missing shots I've made my entire life," Love said. "I do know that those shots are going to fall at some point. But when you have two or three games in a row where you don't shoot the ball particularly well and the team is counting on you to be a big scoring threat and be the No. 1 option? It can be frustrating. But everybody's had my back, and they know what I'm capable of. I just need to string a couple games together, because my staple has been my consistency over the years." Minneapolis Star-Tribune Three-point specialist Luke Babbitt wants in on the 2013 NBA Three-Point Shootout in Houston, TX. The Portland Trail Blazers' forward says he's been a fan of the contest since he was a young child and says he always dreamed of one day competing in it. “It would be an honor if I was selected,” Babbitt told CSNNW.com. “It's something that I watched growing up and it would be great if I had the opportunity to be a part of it.” He has the support from his teammates. “My money would be on Luke,” Nicolas Batum said. “I know how good he can shoot and I know he'll probably win it if he was in it. Hopefully, he can get picked.” CSNNW.com Carmelo Anthony, who missed the past two games with a hyperextended left knee, shot on his own yesterday and did not practice with the Knicks. His status for tomorrow’s game against the Trail Blazers at the Garden is day-to-day, pending a further determination to be made today. “Carmelo was out shooting today,” coach Mike Woodson said. “Didn’t have any contact or any conditioning work up and down yet, so again he’s just day-to-day and we’ll take it a day at a time.” New York Post “It felt pretty good,” said Stoudemire, who scrimmaged with the second unit — which included a coach’s assistant just to get the number of bodies to 10. “Hopefully, I’ll get a good reaction out of it tonight and tomorrow, see how it feels. But it’s all predicated on how I feel the following day after a long hard day like today. ... I was able to move how I wanted with little restriction, but not much. “I can do pretty much anything, but it just feels sore when I make certain moves,” he concluded. “It would be great if I could go on Jan. 1, [but] I can’t determine how I feel tomorrow or the following day.” New York Post King said the Nets haven’t contacted any other candidates, and Carlesimo is going to get a chance to coach the team and see what he can do. “We’ve put our support behind him, and we’ll look at things and evaluate them later,” King said while appearing on ESPN 98.7 FM. “I know people have been throwing lists together and things like that, but we have not contacted anybody. “We have not sat down and said, ‘What about this guy?’ We made the move, and we’re going to let P.J. coach.” New York Post  The move to send Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green home before the Nov. 29 game earned the Spurs an unprecedented $250,000 fine from commissioner David Stern. Popovich said that’s the last word he’s heard from the league office on the issue. “I don’t know what the guidelines are,” Popovich said before the Spurs’ 111-86 victory at Dallas on Sunday. “I don’t know how you plan. I’m just going to do what I’ve been doing for 16, 17 years. San Antonio Express-News Ronny Turiaf's phone kept ringing every so often during the summer. The person at the other end would ask about him and about his family. Not just about basketball. It was Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro. "I was like, 'Whoa, that's different,' " the much-traveled Turiaf was saying before Sunday's game against the Utah Jazz. "In the back of my mind, my subconscious was telling me, 'I think you made the right choice to go to a place where the coach actually cares about his players.' " Los Angeles Times "He just tells me to be me. It's been awhile since I was told to just be me," Turiaf said. "It probably goes back to the Laker days when Phil [Jackson] just told me, 'Just go out there and just play. I trust your basketball IQ. I trust your basketball knowledge to make plays for us. "It's nice every once in a while to get the ball in my hands to make those passes." Los Angeles Times Crawford, who has played for 16 coaches in the NBA said Del Negro has navigated some tough waters in dealing with the team's talented, deep roster. "Everybody here has a decent body of work in some way shape or form," Crawford said. "They've proven something somewhere in the NBA. With that is a confidence that a player has, and there are egos involved. "For him to be able to manage that and put people in the right positions and use people to their strengths, he deserves a lot of credit." Orange County Register Lamar Odom: I'm excited for Kanye and my sister! There's nothing like bringing life into this world! Let's keep Gods blessings coming! Twitter @RealLamarOdom |
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