nakul
September 29th, 02:30 AM
Wade, LeBron reunion can have implications beyond this year — Yes, just as you suspected, Dwyane Wade joined the Cavaliers and his good friend LeBron James in what they hope will replicate the success they had together in Miami. But this move does more; it pacifies LeBron and could keep the megastar from leaving Cleveland next summer if he has greater respect for GM Koby Altman, who has done a good job despite the trial by fire this off-season. Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated sees this as the latest chance for the Cavs to keep LeBron in Cleveland:
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Kings reward Divac, Joerger — Wasn’t it just yesterday when folks around the league were laughing at Vlade Divac and the leadership of the Kings? Well, Divac is getting the last laugh; he and coach Dave Joerger received contract extensions and their spots are safe for the near future. It helped that Divac finally ridded himself of DeMarcus Cousins and did some nifty maneuvering to bring in promising young talent from the most recent draft, along with veterans who can and should help. Here’s Jason Johnson of the Sacramento Bee on the confidence the Kings have in Divac:
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Donovan feels for mentor Pitino — Billy Donovan’s path to eventual NBA coach was paved by none other than Rick Pitino, who recruited Donovan to Providence and then groomed him as a coach, then watched Donovan win a pair of NCAA titles before joining the Oklahoma City Thunder. So it was a somber day for Donovan when he learned of Pitino’s dismissal at Louisville. Royce Young spoke with Donovan about Pitino, who also coached the Knicks and Celtics:
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D’Angelo Russell has learned lots of lessons— It’s a pretty humbling experience when you get jettisoned from your first team in record time, and for another young point guard at that. Russell comes to the Brooklyn Nets a bit wounded, especially after Magic Johnson said publicly that the Lakers didn’t benefit from Russell’s leadership, or lack thereof. Russell received the message loud and clear and intends to be a better player and person in New York. Brian Lewis of the New York Post had a few moments with the new Nets point guard:
D’Angelo Russell says the tough lessons he learned from a turbulent past in Los Angeles will prepare him for a better future in Brooklyn. Being traded by the Lakers taught him the NBA is a business and made him want to do whatever it takes to set down roots with the Nets.
“Yeah, definitely, it prepared me in major way to come straight to New York and be who I am,” Russell said. “Just in general — how to talk to [media], how to carry myself, everything, on the court and off the court. Getting traded, you realize everything is a business. … It’s a fresh start for me and I’m going to try to take advantage of that.
“As of now, I’m in a new situation, and I’ve got to earn that trust and relationships with guys. So I’m going to go out of my way to make that happen.”
How? By hitting the gym for late-night workouts as soon as he got traded and inviting Caris LeVert to come along; by working out most of the summer in Brooklyn with his new teammates; and by playing alongside Isaiah Whitehead at Dyckman Park.
Why?
WATCH: D’Angelo visits Nets basketball camps
“They’re my new teammates. I want this to be home for me,” Russell said. “Getting traded and moving, changing your whole environment and situation is not easy. So I don’t want to do that again.”
One of the Lakers’ issues with Russell was he needed to respond better to tough coaching. And Timofey Mozgov, who played two years with Russell in L.A. and came along in the trade, said the 21-year-old can learn from constructive criticism.
“It depends on how he recognizes it, but it’s going to help him growing up. … Instructive criticism always helps,” Mozgov said, just as Russell jumped on his back. “The criticism, this is right, you always should listen because the people around talking, they see what you’re doing on the court. And you always can speak with the coach. He tells you what to do right.
“Criticism always [pushes] you to be stronger. For me, always push me on the court. Coach doesn’t like how I do this: OK, I’m going to work on this. It’s simple. The same way [for him]. It should be a ring for him, like, ‘OK, this means I do something wrong, so let me see what I can do better.’ ”
Russell admits he needs to get stronger, both to help him finish at the rim and on defense.
“For me it was just … changing my body, getting stronger,’’ Russell said. “You’re playing against grown men.”
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This article Shootaround (Sept. 28): Wade, James Reunion In Cleveland Can Have Implications Beyond This Season can be found on NBA.com, India's exclusive destination for the latest on the NBA.