We've got continued trade rumors, solid numbers, and visual metaphors to talk about. Let's see which 'Cats were making noise this week!
Randy Foye
It was a tough week for Mr. Foye. There must have been a window open in the Nuggets Pepsi Arena, as Denver's starting shooting guard made only one of his eleven attempts from distance. For all you non-math majors out there, that's approximately 9%.
There was little else to note from the stat sheet; Foye averaged 3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in around 20 minutes a game. Most likely a week to regret for the Villanova Alumnus. But hey, we've still got a solid alley-oop highlight!
Foye is still finding a way to leave an impact on the Nuggets roster, however. This Denver Post article points out how Foye "does the little things when he sees guys not paying attention or working hard in practice." On a very young Nuggets team, some veteran leadership will be invaluable as they attempt to navigate the treacherous Western Conference.
Kyle Lowry
Trade rumors continue to grow and multiply around the Raptors guard. A week after "star" forward Rudy Gay was traded to the Sacramento Kings, many assumed Lowry would be the next piece out the door. Last week, I reported that the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers were the teams many speculated to be the eventual landing place for the former Villanova standout. Now, it seems another team has entered the mix.
The train-wreck that is the New York Knicks have been in trade talks with Toronto for the past couple of days. The supposed deal on the table would have sent Raymond Felton, Metta World Peace, and one of the three remaining trade assets the Knicks have to Toronto for Lowry. While New York has desperate need for point guard help, owner James Dolan may have finally learned his lesson. The controversial owner has reportedly nixed all deals that involve his team giving up a first rounder. If that's the case, the deal may be off the table. Stay tuned next week to find out what new team is in the mix for Lowry! (Just to make things more interesting, the Raptors have won three out of four without Rudy Gay, so Lowry might not end up being traded at all! Gotta love the NBA and tanking).
Lowry remains focused on his task at hand on the court, and his stats are showing it. Saturday, against the Chicago Bulls, the starting guard put up a solid stat line of 16 points on 50% shooting, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, and only one turnover.
Trade rumors aside, if Lowry continues to log solid stat lines and stay injury free, he'll earn himself a nice paycheck after his current contract expires at the end of the season. I'm thinking it'll be around three years, $18 million.
Dante Cunningham
It was a roller coaster of a week for the Minnesota Timberwolves' forward Dante Cunningham. For you visual learners out there, check out this highlight for a video representation:
Dante Cunningham's Steal, Turnover And Block Vs Thunder (via dearandbear)
The week started with Dante "stealing" eight points against his former hometown, the 76ers. Next, Cunningham, drops the ball and "turns it over," scoring only four points in 45 minutes total against the Spurs and Grizzlies. But the Villanova alumnus is relentless and quickly "blocks" the bad games from his memory, netting 12 points and pulling down 6 rebound against the Celtics Monday night for one of his best games of the season.
Wow, that was a stretch. But all jokes aside, Cunningham has undeniably found his niche on the Timberwolves. Coach Rick Adelman can count on him to come in for 20 minutes a night, play hard-nosed, versatile defense and pick his spots to score. Expect Dante around in the league for many years to come.
Maalik Wayns
Villanova's former guard is still out as he rehabs his torn meniscus. While a date hasn't been set for him to return to live-game action, Wayns has been participating in pre-game warm ups. Hopefully we'll see him back on the court soon!
Maurice Sutton
Big Mo Sutton turned in some solid rebound performances after his disappointing second week in the D-League. Sutton returned to his scoring ways, logging nine points and an additional five rebounds and two blocks against the Sioux Falls Skyforce (sweet name by the way) in only 11 minutes. For Mo's minutes to increase, he'll have to cut down on his fouls, as he is averaging a foul per four minutes.
Keep up the good work 'Cats!