The New Orleans Hornets are planning to change their nickname to the Pelicans for the 2013-14 season in a move that could affect the Charlotte franchise as well, Yahoo!Sports reported Tuesday.
Dec 042012
Dec 042012
The New Orleans Hornets are expected to become the New Orleans Pelicans, perhaps as early as the 2013-14 season, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.
Nov 192012
Per a report via Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Boston Celtics reserve Darko Milicic is considering leaving the NBA to return to Europe. As a result of this potential move, the Celtics would be without a player that was expected to provide quality minutes in an otherwise thin Boston frontcourt.
Should Milicic opt to do so, Kenyon Martin would be the perfect replacement for the Celtics.
If you’re puzzled by the fact that Martin does not yet have an NBA home, you’re not alone. According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, the former first overall draft choice is upset that he can’t get a job in the NBA.
For those familiar with how well he has played in recent seasons, you should be too.
“There is a notion about me that is not accurate at all – I don’t know who started it or where it came from – that people can’t control me,” Martin told Yahoo! Sports. “I don’t understand. Have I had my issues like a lot of other people? Yeah. But I’m getting back that people think they can’t control me, that if I don’t play I’m going to explode, or I can turn a locker room.
“In 12 years there was not one day where I told one guy to dislike anybody. If you ask guys who I’ve played with that know me, they know what it is and know I’m about winning basketball games and competing.”
So why hasn’t Martin signed on yet? According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, Martin is not willing to accept the veteran’s minimum.
And that’s why he’s NBA homeless.
As for the likelihood of Martin being signed by a franchise, Wojnarowski touches on Martin potentially ending up with the Boston Celtics in the previously alluded to report. If nothing else, there are veterans within the organization who are pushing for such to transpire.
The Celtics had considered signing free-agent forward Kenyon Martin this offseason, but ultimately chose Collins, Chris Wilcox and Milicic over him. Some Celtics’ veterans have been pushing for the team to sign Martin.
Considering a majority of the Celtics roster is made up of respected veterans, it’s safe to say that the people petitioning for Martin have clout within the organization. For that reason, it may be fair to assume that Martin could potentially join the C’s.
The question is, where does he fit in? This may not be a position, but let’s just say quite perfectly.
King of the Garbage Play
Need we continue? If so, cite Martin’s history as a winner.
Martin has made the postseason in 11 of his 12 years in the league. Although the Celtics are a virtual lock to make the postseason regardless of signing Martin, K-Mart’s influence goes beyond his on-court production.
It’s about his willing to do the little things that most players ignore.
Martin will battle for position instead of relying on his athleticism. He’ll box out an opponent so a teammate can grab the rebound. He’ll dive onto the ground to come up with a loose ball, even when the rest of the pack is bending over and reaching down.
Martin will do the dirty work.
Plain and simple, K-Mart is a natural born leader with 100 games of postseason experience. Brandon Bass may have a few games under his belt, but is there anyone who could help rookie Jared Sullinger more than K-Mart come the playoffs?
If so, it’s KG. So why not embrace the duel outlets of leadership?
Interior Toughness
Rookie Jared Sullinger deserves to be on the floor due to his prowess as a rebounder and upside as a legitimate star. Jason Collins, meanwhile, is one of the better interior defenders at the center position and will provide fundamentally sound play.
But where is the veteran toughness?
We know what Kevin Garnett provides as a vocal leader and interior defender. We also know that when it comes to being tough, you won’t find five guys that outclass KG in that sense.
One of the guys who happens to be on the same level, however, is Kenyon Martin.
With Martin on the floor, the drop-off from KG resting on the bench will be minimal. K-Mart has made a living as an enforcer in the paint and would help the Celtics in keeping slashers away from the basket.
Martin would also dramatically improve the Celtics’ performance in the rebounding department as he pushes opponents away from grabbing offensive boards.
Offensive Rebounding
Although Martin may have declined in terms of his offensive ability and athleticism, he remains a threat from mid-range. Having K-Mart in the rotation with Rondo could create screen opportunities, thus improving the offensive versatility of an inconsistent but promising second unit.
Let’s be honest, though. The true benefit of Martin’s involvement is his work on the offensive glass.
With Martin’s career average of 1.8 offensive rebounds per game, the Celtics could improve in their greatest area of need. For those who doubt that fact, note that the C’s rank dead last in the league with just 6.8 offensive boards per game.
The same spot they’ve ranked in every season since 2010.
Read more Boston Celtics news on BleacherReport.com
Nov 062012
Three straight losses to open the season didn’t help the Lakers in the latest Yahoo! Sports’ rankings.
Nov 032012
Injured New Orleans Hornets guard Eric Gordon told Yahoo! Sports on Friday that a Chicago knee specialist believes he can return to the team in four-to-six weeks without further surgery.
Oct 302012
Update: Lawson agreed to a four-year, $48 million extension with Denver on Tuesday, Yahoo! Sports reports.
Oct 182012
The wait is finally over. After months of anticipation, the NBA world has finally witnessed Brazilian shooting guard Leandro Barbosa find a new NBA home.
The team he signed with just so happens to be the least likely of candidates.
According to Adrjian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the Brazilian star has reached an agreement with the Boston Celtics on a one-year deal. This comes on the heels of an offseason in which the Celtics signed both Courtney Lee and Jason Terry.
Free agent guard Leandro Barbosa has reached agreement on a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics, league sources tell Yahoo! Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) October 17, 2012
One can only feel good for Barbosa, who had approached unemployment after nine quality seasons in the league. Despite winning the 2007 Sixth Man of the Year award, it appeared as if his demand had hit a steep decline.
Fortunately for Barbosa, the Celtics appear inclined to take a chance on his ball-handling and three-point shooting abilities. The question is, where exactly does Barbosa fit into their game plan and rotation?
With those questions unanswered, this signing simply muddles the team’s backcourt plans for 2012-13.
Where Does He Fit?
The Boston Celtics are currently set to put forth a shooting guard tandem of Jason Terry and Courtney Lee. One of those players will start, while the other will receive a high volume of minutes and likely play the role of sixth man.
Once defensive standout Avery Bradley recovers from shoulder surgery, he too will step in and compete for major minutes.
With all of this being known, where exactly do the Celtics plan to play Barbosa? He could spend time on the floor with Jason Terry as the two juggle the ball-handling duties while Rajon Rondo rests, but when else?
Playing 10 minutes a night may not be a quality enough role for Barbosa to maintain positive morale. After all, he has averaged at least 20.0 minutes a night in every season since 2006.
Preparing for injuries is a great approach to take. Sometimes egos can take precedence, however, which would leave the Celtics in shambles.
Celtics Lacked Inconsistency Until Now
One of the best things about the Celtics’ perimeter players is that they are some of the most consistent shooters in the game. Although Barbosa shot 38.2 percent from beyond the arc for the year, he made just 42.5 percent of his total field goals.
During the postseason, those numbers took a significant hit. Barbosa’s slash line sat at .370/.150/.500.
For this reason, it is difficult to comprehend why the Celtics went ahead and brought Barbosa in. Although his energy and quickness would benefit any team he plays for, he is only going to see minor minutes and has proven to be inconsistent while receiving them.
Unless he turns his postseason failure around, this was a deal that may harm the Celtics more than it helps them.
Read more Boston Celtics news on BleacherReport.com
Oct 172012
The moment we’ve all been waiting for since every other NBA free agent worth mentioning was signed has finally arrived—Leandro Barbosa has latched himself onto a team.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the unrestricted free agent guard reached a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics.
Free agent guard Leandro Barbosa has reached agreement on a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics, league sources tell Yahoo! Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) October 17, 2012
Barbosa, who split time with both the Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers last season, provides the Celtics with a versatile scorer, deadly shooter and solid perimeter defender.
Oh, and he also ensures they won’t be adequately filling their void at point guard, at least not right now.
Though Barbosa only stands at 6’3″, he is much more comfortable at the shooting guard position. His ball-handling skills are sound, but his court vision, awareness, offensive anticipation and play-making abilities make him exactly what he is—a spot-up threat and not much else.
Is that slightly harsh? Perhaps, but Barbosa is essentially the second-coming of Jason Terry, sans the ability to create for his teammates.
And that’s a problem.
Boston completely revamped its roster over the offseason, bringing in athletes that would ensure the team didn’t finish 26th in the league in points scored per game once again.
And yet, at the same time, the Celtics’ thinking is slightly—and has the potential to be detrimentally—flawed. Because there is such a reality as having too much too much firepower and not enough matches to start one.
Yes, Boston has a top-five point guard in Rajon Rondo, but forcing him to play more than 35 minutes per game is dangerous. With the amount of time he spends running the floor, attacking the basket and weaving in and out of the paint, he’s bound to not only be plagued by fatigue, but inevitable injuries as well.
Which is why the Celtics needed someone who could provide a distributional spark. Terry is a proven facilitator, but at 35, his play-making abilities have diminished. He can be used as a spot-up shooter, a self-serving scorer and much more.
There’s Avery Bradley to consider as well, but he’s nowhere near fit for duty at the moment and his facilitating prowess is raw at best.
So, who do the Celtics depend on when Rondo is on the bench then? Courtney Lee? Now that’s funny.
But this situation isn’t. Barbosa is a supposed combo guard, yet where’s the evidence that he can lead an offense? Over the course of his nine-year career, he has never averaged more than four assists per game, and that came in Mike D’Antoni’s high-octane, move-the-ball-like-it’s-on-fire offense.
And just to give you an idea of how limited Barbosa’s offensive instincts really are, he averaged just 1.5 assists in over 20 minutes per game last season. That’s the same number of dimes both Kevin Garnett and Lee dropped, and nearly two less than the ball-stopper we all know as Paul Pierce dished out.
Yes, Barbosa gives the Celtics yet another offensive weapon, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot when their second-unit is still without someone to perpetuate that offense.
Barbosa himself prefers spot-up looks to creating off the dribble; does Boston actually believe that those opportunities will materialize out of thin air for him and the rest of its second-string squad?
Apparently, they must, because Barbosa can do many things on the offensive end, but just like everyone else on the Celtics not-named Rondo or Terry, running point isn’t one of them.
Read more Boston Celtics news on BleacherReport.com
Oct 172012
Free-agent guard Leandro Barbosa has reached agreement on a one-year contract with the Boston Celtics, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Barbosa, 29, gives the Celtics another offensive weapon to play off its revitalized and revamped bench. Barbosa finished the season with the Indiana Pacers a year ago, averaging 11.1 points per game with Toronto and [...]
Aug 182012
The Oklahoma City Thunder extended the contract of center Serge Ibaka, Yahoo! Sports reported Saturday.