Posts Tagged ‘Corey Brewer’

< Older Entries
Newer Entries >

Rick’s Tips: Waiver Watching

February 20, 2012  ·  4:26PM





Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to All-Star week!

Think back to the five-month lockout for a second and realize that we were very, VERY close to A) Not having a season, and B) Not having All-Star weekend. Not a day goes by that I don’t appreciate the fact that we are now covering basketball instead of the business of basketball.

So enjoy All-Star weekend from Or-LIN-do and be sure to check out all the coverage on NBA TV, TNT and NBA.com.

Before we dive into the waiver wire, I have to tell y’all about a blockbuster trade I just pulled off in League Freak (12-team, 8-cat, head-to-head). I traded Danny Granger, Paul George and Serge Ibaka for Rajon Rondo and Andre Iguodala.

I have been desperately searching for a second guard all season, running through Chauncey Billups, Jameer Nelson, Brandon Knight, Paul George and Jeff Teague. All of those guys have had their moments, but none of them is the final piece to a championship puzzle. To wit, through eight weeks my squad is 33-31, good enough for fifth place. Not good enough.

My new starting lineup is: C Marc Gasol, F Josh Smith, F Andre Iguodala, G Rajon Rondo, G Stephen Curry, and sixth man Ryan Anderson.

While I like Granger, George and Ibaka, Granger’s 39 percent from the field is killing me, George is firing only 9.5 shots per game and Ibaka … and Ibaka … OK, I didn’t want to trade Ibaka, but you have to give to get in fantasy trades.

Sadly, I am not starting Rondo this week because I fear a one- or two-game suspension for tossing the ball at an official in Sunday’s loss to the Pistons. That said, Rondo is going to be fresh and frisky, and playing with a Boston-sized chip on his shoulder in the second half.

Rondo + chip = GOODIES!

I’ve always been a big fan of Iguodala and he’s having a strong all-around season, ranking 41st on the 8-cat chart with 12.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.1 threes, and 0.5 blocks. Bolstered by his first All-Star experience, and inspired by the 76ers’ push for home-court advantage in the first round, I see even bigger numbers from Iguodala in the second half.

Tell me what you think about this trade @NBATVRICK on twitter. But first, it’s time to hit the waiver wire…

Nicolas Batum

Hopefully you were watching NBA TV last Tuesday when Batum got the start over Wesley Matthews and went off for 33 points. Batum is averaging 22.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 threes in four games since getting the starting job.

Given the poor seasons from Matthews and Raymond Felton, and with Father Time creeping up on Gerald Wallace, the Blazers desperately need Batum’s offense and activity. And when you consider the fact that Batum is in a contract year … giddy up!

Nikola Pekovic

If you haven’t seen the NBA’s second-best revelation this year (behind Jeremy Lin), then you don’t know about his incredible size and strength, you don’t know he can beat most centers up and down the court, you don’t know about his soft hands and sweet feet, and you don’t know about his consistency. Allow me to break it down for you.

Pek is the Wolves’ new starting center and barring injury, there is no way Darko Milicic is getting his gig back. Last week in four games, Pek averaged 21 points on 58 percent shooting, 11.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. In 11 starts this year, Pek is averaging 16.3 points (61 percent from the field / 72 percent from the line), 10 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 31 minutes.

Again, if you haven’t seen him, you’re probably thinking those numbers have to come back to earth. But take it from a Wolves’ fan who watches every game — Pek is already one of the best centers in the NBA and the 26-year-old from Montenegro gets better with every game.

Corey Brewer

Injuries have opened up an opportunity for Brewer, who has finally found a home in Denver. Over the last five games, Brew is playing 32.8 minutes and turning the PT into 14.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.4 steals, and 1.2 threes. Enjoy it while it lasts, however, because Brewer’s going back to the bench once Danilo Gallinari is healthy.

Isaiah Thomas

Can you tell the Kings are desperate? They are now starting the 60th pick in the 2011 Draft at point guard. But I’m not mad at Thomas, who rocked the No. 1 pick in the 2011 Draft (Kyrie Irving) to the tune of 23-8-11 in 43 minutes on Sunday. Word on the street is that Thomas is going to keep the gig, so pick him up and see if he can keep it up.

Gustavo Ayon

Not too many people know about Ayon, so strike while the iron is hot — and under the radar. Ayon is a 26-year-old rookie from Mexico with double-doubles in his last two games. At 6-10, 250 pounds, Ayon has legit NBA size and his hustle is leading to fantasy goodies. With Carl Landry and Emeka Okafor out with knee injuries and Chris Kaman likely to be traded before the deadline, Ayon is good to go for at least the foreseeable future.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Fantasy / Comments (2) /

Shaqtin’ A Fool: Episode 4

February 3, 2012  ·  1:00AM


The foolishness continues this week as Shaq had a wealth of plays to choose from. DeSagana Diop, Hedo Turkoglu, Corey Brewer, Big Baby Davis and Kendrick Perkins are this week’s nominees for the Foolish Hall of Fame. Vote for your favorite Shaqtin’ A Fool moment!

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Shaqtin A Fool / Comments (8) /

Nene, Nuggets Agree To Terms

December 13, 2011  ·  10:41PM

– For the latest updates check out: NBA.com’s Free Agent Tracker

The Denver Nuggets were not always the favorites, but at the end of the day, they got their big man back.

Beating back strong competition from Houston and New Jersey, the Nuggets reached terms Tuesday with free agent center Nene on a five-year, $67 million deal. Earlier in the day, the Nuggets pulled off a trade with the Mavericks, acquiring forwards Corey Brewer and Rudy Fernandez from Dallas for a second-round pick. And general manager Masai Ujiri said Tuesday night that progress had been made toward re-signing restricted free agent guard Arron Afflalo.

“Today was a good day for the Nuggets,” Ujiri said.

The Nets had an offer on the table believed to be in excess of $14 million per season for the 29-year-old Nene, who averaged 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds last season for Denver. And the Rockets coveted Nene as well, hoping to pair him with Lakers forward Pau Gasol last week when it looked like Houston would be part of the three-team deal that sent Chris Paul to the Lakers. But the deal fell through, and the Rockets couldn’t make a deal for Nene alone work.

“We’ve been grinding all along,” Ujiri said. “Nene was our guy and we stayed the course and got through it. Nene wanted to stay home. He wanted to test free agency, but at the end of the day he wanted to stay home and play for the Nuggets. Nene will be a good player for us for a long time.”

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Free Agency 2011, HT News / Comments (66) /

Mavs Dominating Bench Battle

May 5, 2011  ·  3:26PM

LOS ANGELES – Lakers sixth man Lamar Odom is doing everything you’d expect of the NBA’s Sixth Man Award winner. But he is, after all, just one man.

And right now he’s fighting a battle against a Mavericks’ bench crew that is deeper and more dynamic than what the Lakers can handle. It’s also a crew that has been much more productive than anyone might have imagined they’d be through the first two games of this Western Conference semifinal series.

Mavericks’ reserves Jason Terry, Jose Barea, Peja Stojakovic, Corey Brewer and Brendan Haywood have totally outplayed the Lakers’ reserves, led by Odom and including Shannon Brown, Matt Barnes and Steve Blake. The Mavs have outscored them 70-37 so far, with Odom accounting for 21 of those 37 points.

The production disparity between the two groups was a backbreaking 30-12 in Game 2, with the Mavericks using Barea to dismantle the Lakers’ defense down the stretch with pick-and-roll sets and breakdowns on dribble penetration.

“I had good practice from that Portland series when I was going in there with [Marcus] Camby and [LaMarcus] Aldridge and [Chris Johnson],” said Barea, who is averaging 10.o points and shooting 46.7 percent from the floor against the Lakers. “That’s how I play. I love to attack the paint. I got all the shooters out there and I’ve got two big guys setting great screens for me …  I came out with a lot of energy that I knew we needed [because] we were up. We did a great job defensively all game and I think a little spark by me worked out in the win.”

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in 2011 Playoffs / Comments (37) /

‘Not The Same Old Mavs’

May 3, 2011  ·  12:57PM

LOS ANGELES – It takes years to live down a reputation in the NBA.

Mavericks guard Jason Terry knows that better than most, having been wrongly accused of being a bust by some when he didn’t work out as a starting point guard early in his career.

But much like their scoring machine off the bench, these Dallas Mavericks are slowly chipping away at their reputation as a team that shrinks on the big stage.

Again, it won’t come overnight. Not even after nights like the Mavericks had Monday, when they rose up late and stunned the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal. But the Mavericks are on the road to recovering from being bounced in the first round of the playoffs in three of the four years prior to this one.

“There’s no quit in us,”Terry said. “We’re a veteran team. We’ve seen it all. And we pride ourselves on not giving in to adversity. When we were down 16 (Monday night), we knew there was still plenty of time left. There was a lot of game left to be played. And to be honest, we just don’t get rattled in those situations.”

Relative newcomers like Tyson Chandler, who has infused the Mavericks with his confidence and defensive presence, made it clear after Game 1 that the fragile Mavericks of the past are exactly that, the past.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in 2011 Playoffs / Comments (29) /

Melo-Drama: Here We Go Again

February 7, 2011  ·  11:15AM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – Well, be thankful for the mini-vacation we got from the Carmelo Anthony saga — a little something we like call the “Indecision” here at the hideout — because it is officially over.

The start of a new month brings a new round of speculation about Anthony’s ultimate destination, which centers around the same team it’s always been about: the Knicks!

In the latest version of the ‘Melo-drama, courtesy of ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard, ‘Melo would go to the Knicks in a convoluted three-team deal that also involves our favorite front office staff to keep an eye on: David Kahn and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The specifics, per Broussard:

In the proposed trade, New York would send Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry to Minnesota and the Timberwolves would send Corey Brewer and a first-round pick to Denver. Denver would also receive Wilson Chandler from New York.

A Timberwolves source told ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher on Sunday that the team would not approve of a deal where the team received just New York’s Randolph and Curry with Brewer and a first-rounder heading to Denver. While these are the names currently being discussed, additional players could be added to make a deal possible, sources said.

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in 2011 All-Star / Comments (157) /

The Ultimate Hype Man

September 14, 2010  ·  2:35PM

***

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – Give David Kahn his credit for keeping things interesting in Minnesota.

A day after the Timberwolves took out a full-page ad in the Star Tribune admitting that, surprise, they are not likely to contend for the NBA title this season, Kahn drops an even bigger bombshell.

In a detailed letter to Timberwolves’ fans (season ticket holders), he’s touting a “singular” move that will be made to complete his roster transformation and, we’re assuming, set the franchise on a championship path.

Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune offers up some insights on what exactly this singular move could be, tossing around names like Carmelo Anthony (with the Timberwolves as potentially the third-party in a blockbuster, three-team deal) and even Josh Smith and Joe Johnson.

Of course, Kahn can’t mention specifics — he’s already been fined once this summer for saying too much. But you already know that no one does the hype man routine better than Kahn (remember that summer league gem, above). And he certainly cranks up the hype machine with this letter that you have to read to believe.

Here’s a snippet:

During the last 14 months, we have added several pieces to our ballclub:  perimeter shooting, athleticism and length to the roster, and all while maintaining our youth.  Just as important, we have done so with an eye toward adding more talent by choosing to operate under the salary cap.

The reality is, we are still lacking a dominant player – our version of Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade or Kevin Durant – and that will remain an item at the top of the To-Do list.

It’s possible this player could emerge from within the roster.  Nearly every player on our team has his best days ahead of him.   Some could make an All-Star team during their careers and one has already become an impact player on the USA Men’s National Team in this year’s FIBA World Championships.  We also have eight players currently on the roster who were selected in the top-seven of their respective drafts:  Michael Beasley, Kevin Love, Wes Johnson, Jonny Flynn, Darko Milicic, Corey Brewer, Martell Webster and Ricky Rubio.

The average age of those eight players is 22.

However, if one of our players fails to emerge, we will be prepared to find more talent for our team – and we will seek a singular move rather than a series of moves, as we did these last 14 months.

Love him or hate him, you can’t deny him.

Kahn is the ultimate hype man!

***

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized / Comments (32) /

Weird Science

July 15, 2010  ·  1:03PM

***

Posted by Sekou Smith

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – At least we are not alone.

Observers from around the globe are wondering the same thing.

What in the world is going on with the Minnesota Timberwolves?

It’s a fair question after a dizzying 14 months of action from ‘Wolves GM David Kahn, a crowd fave here at the hideout for his refusal to flinch in the face of so much opposition to the work he has done.

It’s a question that the locals are asking as well. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune on Kahn:

He’s the guy who in 14 months on the job has ripped apart a roster inherited from Kevin McHale much the way a caffeinated fantasy-league owner might and completely remade it by trading away former centerpiece Al Jefferson to Utah for draft picks and keeping only Kevin Love and Corey Brewer.

Gone are Jefferson, Randy Foye, Mike Miller, Ryan Gomes, Craig Smith, Sebastian Telfair, Mark Madsen and many others.

Arrived are Michael Beasley, Martell Webster, Jonny Flynn, Darko Milicic, Wayne Ellington, Ramon Sessions/Luke Ridnour and first-round picks Wesley Johnson and Lazar Hayward and the looming aura of Ricky Rubio.

There’s no question these new Timberwolves are a resoundingly more athletic and better-shooting team than the ones that won a total of 61 games the first three seasons since Kevin Garnett was traded away.

But will they be remarkably better than last season’s 15-victory team?

And will Kahn — a former sportswriter and a lawyer who was a notably unorthodox hire — eventually be proven to be mad scientist or simply mad?

At this point, we’re going to run with the mad scientist option.

But we reserve the right to change, depending on what happens between now and the start of training camp.

***

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized / Comments (26) /

MIP Love For Brewer?

April 16, 2010  ·  8:13AM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — All of NBA.com’s operatives will be unleashed around here now that the playoffs are upon us. And one of our favorites gets the party started with some awards debate you will love.

Posted by NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner:

I can’t argue with Sekou’s choice of Chicago’s Joakim Noah or the readers who consider Houston’s Aaron Brooks to have improved more than any other NBA player this season. But I do back the runner-up status Mr. Hang Time bestowed upon Minnesota’s Corey Brewer. Having seen the before-and-after pictures of this slender Timberwolves swingman — good thing we’re not talking weight loss, because Brewer could only model for after-and-after pics — the change in this guy’s game has been remarkable. It’s just that few voters watched Timberwolves games enough to notice.

***

***

Upon arrival in the NBA, Brewer was all energy and elbows, swell on defense, fine in the open court. But his shot was cringe-worthy, as ugly as Juwan Howard‘s and way less effective. Then he blew out a knee and missed all but 15 games in his second season. But this year, lo and behold, he came back and revealed a confident and accurate shot. How accurate? From 37.4 percent from the floor as a rookie to 43.1. From (clang!) 19.4 percent from arc that first year to 34.6.

It was long, long hours in the gym — taking 500 shots when he wanted to go home after 400 — that boosted Brewer’s shooting touch and, of course, the confidence that followed. He still is a guy who’ll make his greatest mark as a lockdown defender, when he eventually adds strength. But what Brewer achieved this season wasn’t just improvement — it was transformation.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized / Comments Off /

The Hang Time Awards

April 15, 2010  ·  11:19AM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – Timing is everything.

Rather than rushing to deliver the first Hang Time Awards, we decided to take our time and make sure to let the entire season play out before doing anything crazy.

Now that we’re done with a fabulous regular season (we went out with a bang last night) …

***

***

… it’s time to hand out some hardware (video assistance included).

***

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Winner: Tyreke Evans, Kings

Runner up: Stephen Curry

Why Evans?: Do the numbers 20, 5 and 5 mean anything to you? They should. Evans joins elite company(Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and LeBron James) in posting those averages as a rookie. Curry has been spectacular and Brandon Jennings will lead his team into the playoffs. But Evans put on a show all season and deserves the hardware.

***

***

COACH OF THE YEAR

Winner: Jerry Sloan, Jazz

Runner up: Scott Brooks, Thunder

Why Sloan?: The better question is why has it taken so long for Sloan to get his due? Folks always find a reason to vote for someone else, and there have been plenty of deserving candidates, like Brooks, and winners over the years. But Sloan’s teams have been doing the same thing since the 1980s; winning big and doing it his way. Sooner or later voters will wise up and do the right thing where he is concerned.

***

***

MOST IMPROVED

Winner: Joakim Noah, Bulls

Runner up: Corey Brewer, Timberwolves

Why Noah?: Noah is quickly becoming on of HT’s favorite players simply because he’s fearless. In addition, his scoring and rebounding numbers jumped considerably from last season (from 6.7 points to 10.7 and from 7.6 rebounds to 11.0). His free throw shooting is much better (from .676 to .744) as well, making him even more effective on the offensive end. Noah is the picture of improvement. And did we mention he’s fearless?

***

***

SIXTH MAN

Winner: Jamal Crawford, Hawks

Runner up: Jason Terry, Mavericks

Why Crawford?: The best offseason move by any team came when the Hawks stole Crawford from the Warriors for Acie Law IV and Speedy Claxton. The best scorer off the bench in the entire league, Crawford was passed over when All-Star bids were handed out. but he’ll get his respect here. In addition, he makes hist first playoff appearance after 10 years of watching from afar.

***

***

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Dwight Howard, Magic

Runner up: Josh Smith, Hawks

Why Howard?: Howard has arguably the best statistical case of any candidate here. He leads the league in rebounds (13.2) and blocks (2.7), in addition to field goal percentage (.612). In fact, he should get more MVP buzz. In the absence of that hype, he’ll continue to collect trophies, the HT-DOP hardware comes with a gift certificate to local eatery of each winner’s choosing, every year until someone else rises up and seriously challenges him for the award.

***

***

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

Winner: John Hammond, Bucks

Runner up: Sam Presti, Thunder

Why Hammond?: Between his work in the draft last summer (Jennings), to cleaning up the roster and then making shrewd moves to acquire perfect fits like John Salmons, Ersan Ilaysova and Carlos Delfino, Hammond wrestled the top spot away from Presti in the final weeks of the season. He’ll have more work to do this summer and in the future to keep the Bucks in their current position. But we have more confidence in Hammond getting it right than we do in many of his GM colleagues around the league.

***

***

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Winner: LeBron James, Cavaliers

Runner up: Kevin Durant, Thunder

Why Lebron?: Come on, do you really need someone to make the case for the King? Durant had a scoring year that was out of this world and helped his team to a 50-win season. But James has to be from another world. There’s no explanation for a player dominating games in so many different ways on such a consistent basis. He does it every year, each one seemingly better than the last. He’s far and away the best player in the league.

***

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized / Comments (8) /

< Older Entries
Newer Entries >