Knicks Interested in Omri Casspi?

According to Marc Stein via Twitter, the Knicks are one a few teams that have inquired Casspi's availability since his trade to the Cavs last Thursday.

PS: Word is Knicks/Spurs still hot for Casspi and checked in to see if they could wedge their way into last trade fun of 2010-11. But ...

 Omri's versatility at the guard/forward positions could help the Knicks in there quest to fill out there already star-driven team.

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Should the Knicks take on the Greg Oden Project?

Former overall number one pick Greg Oden has yet to play a complete season with the Portland Trailblazers, numerous injuries has halted his professional career before it has even begun. Greg has played in a total of 13 out of 162 games regular season games in his two NBA seasons.

Despite these set backs, Oden's Agent is insistent that he will play next season, which team is the question.

via RealGM.com

"He's focused on keeping his weight down, getting back to figuring out how to stay healthy. I give him a lot of credit for staying motivated to get through all this," his agent, Mike Conley, said.

"I know that he'll play next year, and as long as he keeps his weight down, he'll get back to being the Greg we knew, being able to run and jump and everything. The thing is keeping him healthy and give him the confidence to play without being scared."

Oden's current contract with the Trailblazers expires at the end of the 2010-2011 season, the Blazers however still have a Qualifying offer or "Bird Rights" for an additional season. If Richard Cho (Blazers GM) decides to cut ties with the 7 footer then he will become an unrestricted free agent.

The Knicks are looking to improve their front court depth this summer, but the recent re-signing of Chauncey Billups may have restricted the team from attracting the likes of a Marc Gasol or Nene Hilario type.This leaves the Knicks with possible Mid-Level Exemption Plan B's options like Sameul Dalembert, DeAndre Jordan etc. For the right price(cheap) New York may be the perfect place for Oden to make his return to the big stage, and there is no bigger stage than MSG.

John Calipari to take over the Knicks?

via RealGM.com


According to a team executive, Knicks owner James Dolan is interested in hiring Kentucky coach John Calipari to run the front office and coach.
Calipari is represented by William Wesley, who works for Creative Artists Agency, Hollywood's most powerful entertainment agency. One of its many patrons is Chris Paul, who figures to be on the market within a matter of months.

Read more: HERE

Sources: Nets add Pistons to trade talks

via RealGM.com

The New Jersey Nets' latest attempt to acquire Denver's Carmelo Anthony involves the Detroit Pistons.
Sources with knowledge of the talks confirmed the Nets and Nuggets have discussed a three-way trade proposal that would land Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups and Pistons guard Rip Hamilton alongside Anthony in New Jersey.

But a source close to the situation subsequently told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard that the three-way deal in its proposed form -- which would require the Pistons to take Nets center Johan Petro and surrender a first-round pick in addition to absorbing the expiring contract of Troy Murphy to the Pistons -- is not amenable to Detroit.
The source told Broussard the Pistons -- restricted in their attempts to make changes in recent months because of the team's pending sale -- would be interested if a trade scenario develops where they only had to surrender Hamilton and take back Murphy. Such a scenario, however, has not been discussed.
The Nets have already committed to send rookie Derrick Favors, former All-Star guard Devin Harris and at least two first-round picks to the Nuggets in exchange for Anthony. But New Jersey has been attempting to find a third team -- having already tried Portland, Minnesota and Cleveland before Detroit -- to help facilitate the blockbuster deal for Anthony that they've been chasing since the September collapse of a four-team swap involving Charlotte and Utah.

Knicks Were Tony Parker's First Choice

via RealGM.com

"Right now, I'm very happy with my decision," Parker said. "I always felt the Spurs are my family, and my first option was San Antonio, but if they didn't want to keep me, New York was definitely my first option."
Parker is glad he's playing under a long-term contract with the game at Madison Square Garden upcoming.
"Of course, I know there would have been a lot of talk," he said. "It didn't matter how many times I said I wanted to stay in San Antonio last summer. Nobody listened to me."

Via San Antonio Express-News

Read more: HERE

Patrick Ewing Interested In Bobcats Head Coaching Job

via RealGM.com

"I talk to Michael all the time, so there definitely was a phone call," Ewing said. "It depends on what we talked about."

Paul Silas was eventually named Bobcats coach.

"My aspirations have never changed," Ewing said of getting a head-coaching job. "We have two more years on our contract, so I'm happy."


Read more:HERE

Knicks Interested In Ridnour, Not Telfair

via RealGM.com (via Newsday)

Minnesota is interested in acquiring Anthony Randolph from the Knicks and is attempting to use one of their point guards to make a trade possible.
New York is interested in Luke Ridnour or a first round pick, but they are not in the market for Sebastian Telfair.


Read more: HERE

Erik Spoelstra Met With Amar'e On July 1

via RealGM.com

Erik Spoelstra met with Amar'e Stoudemire and his agent, Happy Waters, at midnight on July 1 for two hours.
Stoudemire met with the Heat that night while the Knicks sat down with Joe Johnson and Mike Miller.
The forward did speak with New York coach Mike D'Antoni on the phone in the first few hours of free agency.
"It was a very good meeting," Spoelstra told The New York Post. "He was a confident guy. My sense was his main concern was to go somewhere he can win."
Stoudemire had intense interest in Miami, but he ultimately signed a $100 million contract with the Knicks.
The Heat went harder after Chris Bosh than Stoudemire because of Dwyane Wade's personal friendship with the former, according to sources.


Read more: HERE

Knicks and Wolves Really Talk About Telfair

via RealGM.com

T-Wolves president David Kahn was in New York for the holidays and met with colleague Donne Walsh.

According to a report in the New York Post, Kahn and Walsh discussed the availability of Sebastian Telfair.


Read more: HERE

Orlando Magic Are Interested in Turiaf

via RealGM.com (via Via FanHouse )

The Magic have inquired about New York's Ronny Turiaf and Philadelphia's Tony Battie as they hope to fill a void at center behind Dwight Howard.
According to NBA sources, Orlando is open to using either Chris Duhon or Quentin Richardson in a trade.
They dealt reserve center Marcin Gortat to Phoenix in the six-player deal that landed them Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark this past weekend.


Read more: HERE

Nets To Acquire Two First-Round Picks In Three-Team Trade

via RealGM.com (via cbssports.com )

The Nets are close to acquiring multiple first round picks that will be used in a potential trade for Carmelo Anthony, two people familiar with the situation told CBSSports.com.

New Jersey has agreed in principle to a three-team trade where the Nets receive a first round pick in 2012 from the Rockets that will be lottery protected according to the Houston Chronicle and an additional first round pick from the Lakers in 2011.

Houston would acquire Terrence Williams, while Joe Smith would be sent to the Lakers and Sasha Vujacic would go to the Nets.

The deal can't be finalized until Wednesday when Smith becomes trade-eligible.

New Jersey already owns Golden State's 2011 lottery protected first rounder, which would also be included in a trade for Anthony along with the two picks acquired in this trade and one of their own over the next two seasons.

Derrick Favors and Troy Murphy would also be included in any trade the Nets may complete for Anthony.

The Nets have received assurances from several people from Anthony's camp that he would sign an extension with the club.

The framework of the three-team trade came together on Tuesday, just two days after word leaked that Anthony would only sign an extension with New York.

According to a Yahoo! report, the Nets are confident owner Mikhail Prokhorov and Avery Johnson can convince Anthony to commit to the Nets in the long-term.


Read more: HERE

Carmelo Anthony Thinks Knicks, Nuggets Think Nets

Article after the Jump

HEATHATERS: LeBron Hopes Cavs Will Retire His Jersey

via RealGM.com

"Wow. Of course," James said. "If that's something that organization and franchise would do, I'm all respectful of that. I just tried to be the best player I could be every night, whether I was in that Cavalier uniform, that USA uniform. If that results in me having my jersey retired that would be great."

"I'm ready for whatever response I'm going to get," James said. "It's going to be very emotional. I give a lot of thanks to that city, a lot of thanks to those fans for giving me the opportunity to not only showcase my talent, but to grow from a young boy to a man during my seven years. So it's going to be very emotionally draining. I can tell already."

Read more: HERE

Amar'e Says He Was Never Taught Defense

via RealGM.com

"When trying to win ball games, defense is what does it," Stoudemire said. "Getting stops, getting rebounds ... it's imperative for me to bring that defensive intensity."

Stoudemire doesn't argue that his reputation as a poor defensive player was well deserved in Phoenix and seemed to suggest that former Suns and current Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni was indirectly responsible.

"It was fair," Stoudemire said. "I was never taught defense. I just never was taught it in high school and also in the NBA."


Read more: HERE

Azubuike Participates In 5-On-5 Scrimmage

 via RealGM.com

On Monday, Kelenna Azubuike participated in a five-on-five scrimmage for the first time since his left knee was operated on early last season.

No timetable for Azubuike's return to action has been announced.

Via Steve Adamek/Bergen Record (via Twitter)


Read more: HERE

Nuggets Want Lopez In Anthony Deal?

via RealGM.com

The Nuggets are now pushing for center Brook Lopez in any trade with the Nets that would send All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony to New Jersey, according to a league source.
For months, Denver was reportedly insisting on the inclusion of rookie Derrick Favors in any Anthony deal.


Read more: HERE

Carmelo Anthony Talks About D'Antoni's System

via RealGM.com

With a game against the Knicks in Denver on Tuesday, Carmelo Anthony was asked about Mike D'Antoni's coaching system.
"You’re up and down, fast-paced and you get extra possessions in the game," Anthony said. "On the flip side, I’ve been on teams where we weren’t known for our defense, and that’s not something I want to ever deal with again."
Anthony called Tuesday's contest against New York "just another game on my schedule" and earlier claimed that he didn't even realize that the Knicks were coming to town.


Read more: HERE

Knicks 'Will Make An Inquiry' About Nash

via RealGM.com

The Knicks are going to check into the availability of Suns point guard Steve Nash even though trade rumors involving the two-time MVP are believed to be speculation.
The Knicks "will make an inquiry," a team source told The New York Daily News.
Phoenix is 4-4 and if they were to trade Nash it probably won't be until around the trade deadline or if they fall out of the playoff picture early.


Read more: HERE

Carmelo Anthony Confirms Chris Paul's Toast About Playing In New York

via realgm.com

Carmelo Anthony has confirmed a New York Post report that Hornets point guard Chris Paul made a champagne toast at the Denver forward's wedding in July that called for himself, Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire to team up with the Knicks.
"Everybody was having fun. The Miami Heat was the hot topic at that point. There were a lot of players. They were just laughing and joking about it. It is what it is," Anthony said.
"It wasn't set up. It wasn't staged. It was just everybody having a good time laughing and joking."
Anthony denied a Post report he told Spike Lee, who attended the wedding, the Knicks are his first choice.
He added of Denver's extension, "It's still there. My options are open."


Read more: HERE

HEATHATERS:LeBron: Heat Can't Take Opponents For Granted

via RealGM.com

"One thing we have to continue to learn, that every time we step out on the basketball court, no matter who we're going against, we can't just show up, you know, because we have this uniform on, because we have who we have on the court," James said. "We have to play and it's not about Xs and Os, it's about the energy level."
"We know we can still make a comeback because of the talent that we have, but teams are always going to be excited to play us," James continued. "If we don't match that effort early, then it's always an uphill battle throughout the whole game and that's what it was."


Read more: HERE