Detroit Pistons Feed: Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Cavaliers, Pistons, Draft

2013-05-19T19:58:00-05:00

A few notes from around the NBA's Central Division.

The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto believes the Cavaliers are leaning towards taking Nerlens Noel if they land the first overall pick in Tuesday's upcoming lottery. Cleveland has four draft picks in June's draft but if they can't corral a defensive big man, are still interested in Greg Oden, who's currently rehabbing from a third microfracture surgery and remains an unrestricted free agent.
Mlive.com's David Mayo takes a look at why the Pistons might be better suited landing with a pick somewhere in the seven or eight range, as opposed to first overall, due to the difference in salary from one to eight, and the amount of money they'd be able to save without giving up much in skill.
Providence guard Ricky Ledo is no longer expected to work out in New Jersey this week, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. But according Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press to Ledo has plans to work out for the Pistons.

Draft Updates: Saturday Evening

2013-05-18T22:45:00-05:00

10:45pm: There have been some updates on the second to last day of the Chicago predraft camp, which started on Thursday and ends tomorrow night, as well as other draft-related news, including a few players who hope their names are announced earlier, rather than later, by David Stern in June.

Virginia Tech guard and ACC Player of the year, Erick Green, told CSN Washington's J. Michael that he expects to be drafted higher than expected. Despite averaging 25 PPG along with 4 APG and 4 RPG in his last college season, Virginia Tech's awful record kept him off the national radar, and at a smidgen under 6'2" he's undersized for an NBA off guard.
One player the Wizards interviewed was Duke's Mason Plumlee, who Green beat out for ACC Player of the Year. When Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer asked Plumlee whether he believes he's a top 10 pick, Plumlee told him: "I feel like athletically and how I played this year, I’ve proven that I am."
Another player hoping to be a lottery pick, but who didn't play in a big conference like the ACC, is Lehigh University's C.J. McCollum, who spoke with Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal about his size (he's undersized for an off guard like Green, but can play both guard positions). Two teams who don't really have a need at guard, in the Cavs and Wizards, both interviewed McCollum.
Norvel Pelle is even further off the radar than the others mentioned, but he's a player who Jeremy Woo described at Zagsblog.com as "the most enigmatic player on the court" in Chicago, and he didn't even play in college after failing to qualify academically. Despite some praise from Woo, and one Western Conference scout's take that Pelle "would have to make it via the NBA's D-League," another scout was a bit more harsh with his assessment, saying that the rail-thin 6'11" 20-year-old was "an AAU tragedy who got bad advice. Wasted years of development. Get his passport ready."
After watching Bobcats general manager Rich Cho inquire time and again about players in the 10-20 pick range, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer believes the Bobcats might be looking to trade down from wherever they wind up in the draft lottery this Tuesday, May 21st.
Josh Robbins writes at the Orlando Sentinel that Magic Senior Vice President Pat Williams, is their good luck charm because his teams have won the draft lottery four different times: once for the Sixers in 1986, and three times for the Magic in 1992, 1993 and 2004.

3:00pm: There isn't on-court action at the Chicago predraft camp this weekend as there was Thursday and Friday, though teams and players remain in town until tomorrow. Several general managers tell Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel that they would prefer the event focus less on putting players through drills and afford them more time for interviews. With ESPN televising the part of the combine with players on the hardwood, I wouldn't expect the GMs to get their wish anytime soon. Here's the latest draft-related news:

The league posted measurements and athletic testing results from the combine participants on NBA.com.
Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com rounds up his observations from the combine, passing along gloomy opinions on the top talent from a pair of NBA GMs, one of whom says, "There's really no one worthy of the top pick."
MLive's David Mayo provides a master list of all the draft prospects whom the Pistons have interviewed either formally or informally, along with the dates of the individual workouts those players have scheduled with the team.
Jamaal Franklin attended the combine despite a sprained ankle that kept him out of workouts and drills, and he interviewed with at least nine teams, according to Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union-Tribune. His first workout is scheduled for June 3rd with the Mavs, and the Hawks, Nets, Cavs and Bucks are also "in the mix," Zeigler writes.
The Sixers interviewed Rudy Gobert on Friday, reports Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Chris Mannix of SI.com quizzed some of the top prospects with questions they likely heard in their interviews with teams.

Spencer Lund contributed to this post

Central Notes: Bulls, Pistons, Cavs, Oladipo

2013-05-18T19:50:20-05:00

The Bulls' season is done, despite gritting out a tough run of injuries--not to mention their season-long absence of 2011 MVP, Derrick Rose--to defeat the Nets and advance to the second round. Even with Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, and the aforementioned Rose out, and with Taj Gibson's knee bothering him, the Bulls pushed the Heat a lot more than many expected.

With the Bulls' season over, now is the time to plot for Rose's heralded return (a season later than expected), and decide whether to make a splash this offseason or hold firm and see what this year's tough group can do with a healthy and rested Rose.

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune provides a primer on the state of the Bulls' guaranteed contracts next season, and with $72,044,288 earmarked for just eight players, the Bulls are hoping to find someone like Nate Robinson who can inject some offense without making more than the league minimum.
Paul Ladewski at SheridanHoops.com thinks the Bulls should go after Al Jefferson in a sign-and-trade deal with the Jazz and Joe Cowley at the Chicago Sun Times bids adieu to important backcourt producers, Robinson and Marco Belinelli, who will likely sign with other teams this offseason when they become unrestricted free agents. The Bulls are expected to buy out Richard Hamilton's contract this summer, so they'll have a paucity of guards under contract for next season, and Cowley notes that Tom Thibodeau is looking for more outside shooting at the lowest cost they can find.
Indiana guard, Victor Oladipo, told Vincent Goodwell at the Detroit News he had his best team interview at the NBA pre draft combine on Friday with the Pistons. The Pistons love his defensive tenacity and motor, and Oladipo says he'd be a good fit for the "defensively oriented" team.
Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote in her mailbag the Cavs shouldn't look to acquire Paul Pierce this summer, but believes the team wants to win now and could be looking to add "significant veteran" to their younger squad using a collection of draft picks and money.
In another in a series of pre-draft columns, Mary Schmitt Boyer also looks at the pro prospects of Michigan point guard and NCAA Tournament hero, Trey Burke.

Villanueva, Kleiza, Gray Exercise 2013/14 Options

2013-05-18T10:58:38-05:00

One ex-Raptor and two current Raps have opted in for the 2013/14 season, tweets Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com. According to RealGM's transactions log, Charlie Villanueva, Linas Kleiza, and Aaron Gray all picked up their '13/14 player options on May 13th.

None of the decisions come as any surprise, given the production the three players provided on the court compared to the salaries they're now in line to earn next season. Villanueva had confirmed earlier in the season that he'd exercise his option, worth $8.58MM. In 69 games with the Pistons this season, Villanueva established career-lows in PPG (6.8), FG% (.377), and PER (14.0), among other categories.

The Raptors duo won't be quite as expensive as Villanueva, as Kleiza's option is worth $4.6MM, while Gray's is worth about $2.69MM. Gray appeared in 42 games for Toronto this season, starting 16 of them, and averaged 2.8 PPG and 3.2 RPG. Kleiza played in just 20 contests for the Raps, missing time with a knee injury and then not getting back into the lineup even when he was healthy.

While all three players are now set to become unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2014, free agency could come earlier for Villanueva and Kleiza. The Pistons and Raptors both still have the amensty provision available, and Villanueva and Kleiza represent the top amnesty candidates for their respective clubs.

Draft Combine Latest: Friday Evening

2013-05-17T22:00:00-05:00

As day three of the NBA draft combine comes to a close, updates are still coming in from reporters stationed in Chicago for the event, which runs through Sunday. We covered the news from the first part of the day in this post, and we'll round up additional items here:

Robbins adds Victor Oladipo and Nate Wolters to the list of players the Magic have interviewed, which includes a total of 18 prospects. Trey Burke isn't one of them, but he'll likely visit Orlando soon for a lengthy workout and interview.
Zeller has interviewed with 10 teams at the combine, and the Sixers are one of them, reports Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Earlier updates:

Nerlens Noel told Andy Katz of ESPN that he's interviewed with the Celtics, Magic, Bobcats, Suns, Pelicans and Cavaliers, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv passes along. Katz also hears Gorgui Dieng and Jamaal Franklin are hopeful they'll be healthy enough to work out before the draft. Alex Len won't be ready to hit the court until August, but he's planning to talk with 15 teams at the combine, according to Katz.
Dennis Schroeder is one of a pair of international prospects rumored to have received a promise from a team, and he said following an interview with the Bucks at the combine that Milwaukee could be a fit for him, notes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel. Schroeder also sees a chance for playing time with the Jazz.
The Magic interviewed Otto Porter during the combine, and scheduled a meeting with Kelly Olynyk as well, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter links).
Sean Deveney of The Sporting News counts Cody Zeller among those with a shot at becoming the top pick after an impressive showing in drills today.
Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press adds Brandon Paul and Tony Mitchell to the list of Pistons interviewees. Paul has a workout with the team scheduled for later this month.
The Oregonian's Jason Quick looks at the prospect interview process the Trail Blazers employ, and adds that GM Neil Olshey flew to Europe this spring to scout Rudy Gobert and Dario Saric, who aren't taking part in the combine.

Draft Updates: Friday

2013-05-17T14:52:00-05:00

2:52pm: Here are a few more updates out of Chicago:

In a series of tweets, Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune lists a number of the prospects the Timberwolves have talked to or will talk to in Chicago. Among those we hadn't already heard about: Alex Len, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Tim Hardaway Jr., Ricky Ledo, Archie Goodwin, Reggie Bullock, and Vander Blue.
The Trail Blazers will meet with Caldwell-Pope today, according to Jason Quick of the Oregonian (via Twitter). Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com adds (via Twitter) that the Blazers met with Ledo yesterday.
Ryan Kelly has met with the Mavericks, Celtics, and Clippers, tweets Chris Mannix of SI.com.
Dennis Schroeder will work out for the Bucks, Jazz, and Rockets, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (via Twitter).
Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio tweets that there's some speculation at the combine that this could finally be the year the No. 1 pick is traded.

11:44am: It took us multiple posts yesterday to round up all the tidbits trickling out of Chicago, where the NBA is holding its draft combine this week. We'll see if today is as busy, but in the meantime, here are the latest updates on the 2013 draft:

Some NBA executives believe that it's possible Shabazz Muhammad falls out of the top 10 and perhaps even the lottery on draft night, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
In an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com's Chad Ford passes along the official measurements on the players in Chicago, and provides a few thoughts on the results.
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News (Twitter link) hears from an NBA source that the Warriors believe they can acquire either a first- or second-round pick in this year's draft, if they so choose. Kawakami adds in a second tweet that a pick would mostly just cost money, but I'm skeptical that the Warriors could pick up a first-rounder without giving up anything of value, or that they'd even want to add a rookie-scale salary, given their proximity to the tax.
Alex Len met with the Bobcats last night and will meet with the Cavaliers today, according to tweets from Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer and Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal. David Mayo of MLive.com tweets that Len has nothing set up with the Pistons and "wasn't too enthused" when asked about them -- perhaps that would change if Detroit jumped into the top three in next week's lottery.
The Pistons will meet with Rudy Gobert today, tweets Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.
Steven Adams interviewed with the Magic last night, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). Chad Ford heard that Adams was the big winner on the first day of the combine, with "GM after GM" impressed by his showing.
Kelly Olynyk has met with the Bucks, tweets Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times.
Myck Kabongo met with the Knicks and Trail Blazers earlier in the week, says Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Mason Plumlee also expects to meet with the Blazers, tweets Jason Quick of the Oregonian.

Draft Combine Updates: Thursday Evening

2013-05-16T21:03:00-05:00

9:03pm: We'll post any remaining evening updates from Chicago here:

Hoopsworld's Alex Kennedy tweets that international prospect Mouhammadou Jaiteh will forego Eurocamp and will work out for NBA teams instead, possibly as early as a group workout with Minnesota.
The Oregonian's Jason Quick reports that the Trail Blazers met with James Southerland yesterday.

2:47pm: More afternoon combine updates from Chicago:

Ben McLemore has already interviewed with the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and Pelicans, according to SI.com's Chris Mannix (via Twitter). McLemore expects to meet with the Bobcats, Magic, and Pistons tonight, according to various reports (all Twitter links).
Victor Oladipo will also meet with the Pistons tonight, tweets Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (via Twitter) adds Otto Porter to the list of prospects interviewed by the Timberwolves, but says the T-Wolves won't get a chance to meet with Oladipo, who was on the team's wish list.
Jamaal Franklin tells Jason Quick of the Oregonian that when he met with the Trail Blazers yesterday, the whole meeting consisted of a psychological test (Twitter link).
Andre Roberson met with the Magic yesterday, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter).
Shams Charania of RealGM.com has a list of the 12 prospects the Bulls plan to work out on Monday (Twitter link).
Jeff Withey is "extremely excited" to be meeting with the Sixers, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

1:35pm: We covered the Thursday morning updates from Chicago's predraft camp earlier today, but with so many tidbits surfacing throughout the day, we're starting an afternoon post to round up the latest notes:

ESPN.com's Chad Ford hears that two international prospects have received first-round guarantees: Dennis Schroeder and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Twitter link).
Michael Carter-Williams has met with several teams, including the Trail Blazers, Bobcats, Pistons, Timberwolves, and Thunder, according to various reports (all links go to Twitter). Carter-Williams is hearing he could be drafted anywhere between third and 15th overall, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
We heard this morning that the Celtics had spoken to Cody Zeller and Glen Rice Jr. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe adds a few more names to the list of Boston interviewees (via Twitter): Mason Plumlee, Rudy Gobert, and Victor Oladipo.
C.J. McCollum won't meet with the Trail Blazers this week, according to Jason Quick of the Oregonian (Twitter link). However, he will meet with the Pistons tomorrow, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (via Twitter), and has already interviewed with the Magic, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter). SI.com's Chris Mannix (Twitter link) adds the Thunder, Nuggets, and Cavaliers to the list of teams who have spoekn to McCollum, who has 15 total interviews scheduled.
Robbins notes in a separate tweet that the Magic also met with Myck Kabongo.
Isaiah Canaan will meet with the Wizards on Friday, tweets J. Michael of CSNWashington.com.
Canaan, Andre Roberson, and Grant Jerrett all met with the Pistons last night, tweets Langlois.
Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (via Twitter) that the Bucks met with Shane Larkin yesterday and will work him out later this month.
Erik Murphy has interviews lined up with the Grizzlies, Clippers, and possibly the Pacers, tweets Robbins.
Seth Curry will meet today with the Lakers, Rockets, and Knicks, tweets Bonnell.

Odds & Ends: Stern, Michael Curry, Zarren

2013-05-16T20:23:00-05:00

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (via Twitter) hears that David Stern was an active participant in yesterday's vote over Sacramento/Seattle at the Board of Governors meeting. It's worth noting that despite an offer north of $625MM as well as the $115MM relocation fee that would have been included by the Seattle group, Stern was able to sway the vote in Sacramento's direction, even though it appeared that more owners were in favor of Seattle's offer (All Twitter links). Here are a few more miscellaneous tidbits from around the Association tonight:

Ken Berger of CBS Sports tweets that the 76ers are expected to interview lead assistant coach Michael Curry for their head coaching job next week.
Steve Bulpett of BostonHerald.com hears that Celtics assistant GM Mike Zarren turned down Philadelphia's offer to make him their general manager before the Sixers turned to Sam Hinkie.
Although potential number one pick Nerlens Noel wouldn't be ready to start the regular season of his rookie campaign, the highly touted draft prospect is targeting a debut around Christmas, writes Jason Lloyd of Ohio.com.
Noel's injury is just one reason why teams might not be too high in landing the number one draft slot this year, writes Lloyd. In that same piece, Lloyd cites one league executive who thinks that a team might be better off drafting whoever falls to the third or fourth pick rather than handle the risk of drafting first overall.
Georgetown's Otto Porter spoke glowingly about being a potential fit for the Cavaliers, writes Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer.
Shabazz Muhammad opened up about the controversy surrounding his listed age and briefly told David Mayo of MLive.com about how he'd fare with the Pistons if they drafted him.
Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob says that he won't have a problem finding a replacement for Vivek Ranadive's current share with Golden State once the Sacramento situation is resolved, says Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News (via Twitter).
Jerry Stackhouse is in Chicago and plans to meet with possible draftees tomorrow to brief them on the NBPA, tweeted Hoopsworld's Steve Kyler.

Draft Combine Updates: Thursday Morning

2013-05-16T11:56:00-05:00

11:56am: More A.M. updates out of Chicago:

Nerlens Noel told reporters that he hasn't completed any interviews so far, but that he's "pretty sure" he has one scheduled with the Magic. He's not quite so sure about the Cavaliers (Twitter links).
Steven Adams and Kelly Olynyk are among the prospects that have met with the Wizards so far and think they'd fit in well in Washington (Twitter links). Mason Plumlee is also on the Wizards' list, tweets J. Michael of CSNWashington.com.
Olynyk has met with the Bobcats as well, says Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
Gorgui Dieng will work out for the Bucks, who will also interview Rudy Gobert and Plumlee, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter links).
A couple notes from SI.com's Chriss Mannix (via Twitter): Cody Zeller has spoken to the Raptors, Trail Blazers, Rockets, and Celtics, while Mike Muscala only has interviews lined up with the Spurs and Hawks, but will do "nine or 10" workouts later. One of those workouts will be with the Blazers, tweets Jason Quick of the Oregonian.
Shabazz Muhammad and Deshaun Thomas interviewed with the Timberwolves last night, writes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.

11:09am: With a number of reporters in attendance at the NBA's predraft camp in Chicago, we're expecting plenty of noteworthy tidbits to trickle in throughout the day. Here's a round-up of the first batch of updates on 2013's draft combine participants:

According to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), the Cavaliers aren't on Otto Porter's list of teams he's meeting with this week. That's a bit of a surprise, given the rumblings that he's high on the team's big board, though as Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer tweets, the Cavs drafted a pair of players they didn't interview last year.
Porter is scheduled to meet with the Wizards, who spoke to Victor Oladipo earlier this week, tweets Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Porter will meet with the Pistons as well, tweets Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. The Bobcats, Thunder, and Suns have already met with Porter, according to Lee (via Twitter).
The Pistons are also prepared to meet with Shabazz Muhammad today, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (Twitter link). Muhammad interviewed with the Trail Blazers yesterday and felt it went very well, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
Nate Wolters and Adonis Thomas were among the prospects who have met with the Lakers so far, says Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter).
Glen Rice Jr., who played in the D-League this past season, has been interviewed by the Bucks, Celtics, Warriors, Sixers, and Spurs, he confirmed to reporters (all Twitter links).

Pistons To Interview Brian Shaw

2013-05-14T22:23:56-05:00

Brian Shaw will interview to be the new head coach of the Pistons, according to a report by WXYZ-TV passed along by Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. The former player is in the midst of a playoff run as an assistant coach with the Pacers, but once their season ends, Shaw will interview for the head coach position. Pacers president Donnie Walsh has asked that his assistants not interview for other jobs until after the team's playoff run.

In a recent article for HoopsHype, longtime Phil Jackson confidant Charley Rosen said that he wouldn't be surprised if Jackson's former player was offered the Pistons job. The Zen Master, of course, is currently serving as a hiring consultant for Detroit.

Shaw is also in the running for the Nets' head coaching position, with Larry Brown and Jackson himself on Brooklyn's list of candidates, though Jackson isn't interested in the Nets' opening. Shaw is also up for the Sixers open slot as head coach, as we learned earlier this month.

Central Notes: Cavs, Brown, Pistons, Bulls

2013-05-12T18:17:06-05:00

Here's a look at the latest out of the Central division..

Cavs coach Mike Brown is looking for long-armed perimeter athletes who can defend, rebound and score, and the team views Alonzo Gee, who started all 82 games this season, as a backup, writesTerry Pluto of The Plain Dealer.
The Pistons' biggest pick won't come in the draft, it'll come in the selection of their next coach, opines Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Meanwhile, in the draft, Detroit will have a good deal of swing players to choose from but not much in terms of big men. Character will be important for Joe Dumars & Co. but they're also in a position to groom a young player thanks to their level-headed core.
The Bulls just might have the right blueprint for today's smaller NBA, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Coaching Rumors: Hawks, Van Gundy, Pistons

2013-05-11T13:34:00-05:00

Here's a look at the latest coaching notes from around the Association..

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press adds Thunder assistant coach Maurice Cheeks to the list of candidates drawing interest from the Pistons (Twitter link).
Snyder might not be a candidate in Atlanta, but the Bobcats are expected to interview him, just as they did during their coaching search last year, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.

Earlier updates:

Word that the Hawks are going hard after Stan Van Gundy has been overstated, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution (via Twitter), though they will talk to him. Incumbent Larry Drew remains a candidate for the position but Quin Snyder is not currently in the mix (Twitter links).
The Pistons will interview Knicks assistant coach Darrell Walker, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. That brings Detroit's list to five candidates as they have already interviewed Nate McMillan, Suns interim coach Lindsey Hunter, Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer, and Rockets assistant J.B. Bickerstaff.

Western Rumors: Lakers, Paul, Josh Smith, Mavs

2013-05-10T21:51:04-05:00

According to Grantland's Bill Simmons, who finishes off his three-part trade value column, there's "increasing buzz" that the Lakers would amnesty Kobe Bryant if they were guaranteed to sign both Dwight Howard and Chris Paul. That appears a longshot on multiple counts, since the Clippers seem all but assured of re-signing Paul, while the Lakers have insisted they're not considering the amnesty move on Kobe. Even if the Lakers take Kobe's $30MM+ salary for next season off their books, it would still be difficult for the team to fit a max contract for Paul under the cap. Regardless, the offseason figures to be full of intrigue in L.A., as always. Here's the latest from the City of Angels and other Western Conference locales:

HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram identifies the five teams most likely to lure Josh Smith away from the Hawks, with the Mavericks at the top of the list. If the Hawks want to pursue a sign-and-trade, however, that would probably eliminate Dallas from the equation, Ingram figures.
In the same NBA PM piece, Ingram points to recent comments from GM Donnie Nelson and sizes up the Mavs' chances of landing Paul.
George Karl tells Marcos Pineiro of Marca.com that he's had conversations about someday coaching in Europe, since doing so may give him the opportunity to coach with his son, Coby Karl (translation via HoopsHype).
Charley Rosen of HoopsHype identifies the ideal coaching fit for each of the six teams with a current opening. Rosen, a longtime confidant of Pistons adviser Phil Jackson, wouldn't be surprised to see Brian Shaw wind up in Detroit, even though Rosen believes Stan Van Gundy is best suited for that job.
Los Angeles is a destination for many, but the idea of coaching either the Clippers or Lakers doesn't appeal to Van Gundy, HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler hears (Twitter link).
The Jazz will host six second-round draft prospects for workouts tomorrow, as Jody Genessy of The Deseret News details.

Odds & Ends: Thompson, Ellis, Hollins, Turkoglu

2013-05-09T22:54:00-05:00

Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski looks back to June 2011, when Warriors' GM Bob Myers had worries about not being able to select Klay Thompson knowing that either the Spurs could possibly trade up in the draft to get him or that the Bucks were planning to select him with the 10th overall pick. As it would turn out, San Antonio would wind up trading for the 15th pick (Kawhi Leonard) and the Kings landed the 10th pick to select Jimmer Fredette, leaving the sharpshooting Washington State forward right into the hands of Golden State. Here are a few more miscellaneous notes to share along this evening:

AJ Mitnick of Sheridan Hoops fills us in on the "best of the bunch" in terms of international prospects in this year's draft.
The 76ers aren't expected to hold most of their interviews for their head coaching search until after the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, writes Tom Moore of phillyBurbs.com, although there is a possibility that the team could conduct some during camp.
According to this report by the Detroit Free Press, the Pistons are widely known to be seeking perimeter help heading into the draft but could look to add more to their frontcourt.
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reports that the Lakers have granted the Cavaliers permission to interview Phil Handy about joining Mike Brown's coaching staff in Cleveland.
When asked about the trade that sent Monta Ellis to Milwaukee for Andrew Bogut, Warriors head coach Mark Jackson told reporters that letting Ellis go helped change the culture of the team, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (Sulia link).
ESPN's Chris Broussard tweets that Lionel Hollins will be highly coveted if the Grizzlies opt to not re-sign him this summer, adding that the Nets would figure to be among the interested teams.
Heat owner Mickey Arison engaged in some civil discourse with a fan on Twitter regarding the possibility that Seattle loses out on their bid for the Kings (credit goes to SportsRadioKJR.com). Arison made it clear that he believes that the city of Sacramento has done enough to warrant keeping the team, and refuted the notion that Seattle had put forth the same effort in 2008 before the Sonics franchise ultimately moved to Oklahoma City.
John Denton of NBA.com writes that Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu understands the current youth movement of the franchise and that his time in Orlando could be over within the next coming months.
Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter) reports that Lakers big man Pau Gasol will be held out of basketball activities for the next three months after undergoing an operation on his knee today.

Odds & Ends: Draft, Ewing, Sloan, Kings

2013-05-08T15:20:23-05:00

Two nights after the Bulls shocked the Heat in Miami and the Spurs outlasted the Warriors in a double-OT thriller, all four teams are back in action tonight. As we look forward to an encore of Monday's incredible doubleheader, let's check out a few odds and ends from around the NBA:

ESPN.com's Chad Ford provided plenty of new draft-related content today, unveiling version 2.0 of his mock and chatting with ESPN.com readers about next month's draft. Of note: Ford believes Trey Burke's stock continues to rise and that the Michigan guard could go as high as first overall.
With so many teams seeking a new head coach, Patrick Ewing tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that he's disappointed not to be receiving any interest for the open positions.
While it appears no teams have contacted Ewing, former head coach Jerry Sloan has fielded calls from "a couple" teams, as Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune writes. Sloan characterized those calls as exploratory, with no offers forthcoming at the moment. He also added that he hasn't been contacted by the Nets, meaning there's "no reason to talk about" a potential reunion with Deron Williams.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson suggested that Chris Hansen "take a step back" from his pursuit of the Kings and start exploring other ways to bring a team to Seattle. Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee has the details.
In his latest mailbag, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com answered questions about potential targets in the draft and free agency for the Pistons.

Coaching Latest: Pistons, Dunleavy, Del Negro

2013-05-07T19:22:08-05:00

We saw earlier today that J.B. Bickerstaff was on the Pistons' radar. On Wednesday, the Rockets assistant will interview for the team's head coaching vacancy, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, adding that Bickerstaff's stock as a head coaching candidate has risen rapidly of late in the eyes of NBA execs. Phil Jackson, who is serving as a consultant in the Pistons coaching search, quietly flew into Detroit on Monday and was scheduled to meet with team president Joe Dumars on Tuesday, reports Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Here are some other news and notes from around the Association:

We now know that Jackson will not be the Nets next head coach. While Marc Stein wrote that Mike Dunleavy Sr. is not being considered by Brooklyn, it is worth noting that Stefan Bondy and Frank Isola of the New York Daily News have reported that Dunleavy has emerged as a "real dark horse" in a coaching search that involves higher profile names. Dunleavy grew up in Brooklyn.
Vinny Del Negro is expected to meet with Clippers owner Donald Sterling soon about his uncertain future as the team's head coach, reports Ken Berger of CBS Sports. All signs point toward Del Negro being dismissed despite an excellent relationship with Sterling. Berger reports that while Chris Paul is expected to have a say in who replaces Del Negro, his influence may be weaker than most think.
Former coach and current NBA analyst Hubie Brown gave his thoughts on the Bobcats' coaching vacancy on Tuesday, reports Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Brown's advice; match your coaching targets with your players strengths. From Brown, "Too many times a coach's style doesn't match the players already under contracts, particularly the top three players. The style of play is critical in relation to the players on the roster. If it doesn't match you're just wasting time."
Brown went on to address the coaching-search misconception that all assistants have close to equal experience, using Tom Thibodeau as a prime example. "The backgrounds of various assistants are totally different," Brown said.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/05/07/4028210/nba-analyst-bobcats-should-pick.html#storylink=cpy

Coaching Rumors: Clippers, Pistons, Nets, Hawks

2013-05-07T11:50:07-05:00

The latest piece from Marc Stein at ESPN.com includes word that Dwight Howard remains more likely than Chris Paul to leave Los Angeles this summer. One source predicted to Stein that there's "zero chance" Paul signs with any team besides the Clippers. However, while Paul looks like a strong bet to return to L.A., the same can't be said for his head coach. Here are the latest rumblings on Vinny Del Negro and the rest of the NBA's coaching carousel:

Stein refers to Del Negro's dismissal as seemingly "inevitable" and suggests that the Clippers want to go "big" with their next hire. Stan Van Gundy is one name likely to surface, according to Stein.
If Del Negro is let go, Michael Malone, Alvin Gentry, and Byron Scott also figure to be a few top candidates for the position, according to Mark Heisler of HoopsHype.com. Stein endorses that list of contenders, particularly if the team's interest in Van Gundy doesn't go anywhere.
Kelvin Sampson is the Rockets assistant frequently mentioned as a head coach candidate, but J.B. Bickerstaff is also on the Pistons' list, says Stein.
Sampson and Mike Dunleavy aren't currently being considered for the Nets' opening, reports Stein.
Assuming Larry Drew is done in Atlanta, Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer and former Lakers assistant Quin Snyder are expected to be among the Hawks' targets, says Stein.
Coaching candidate Brian Shaw has yet to be contacted about job openings, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter). I'd assume the Pacers will give Shaw permission to interview for coaching jobs once Indiana is out of the playoffs.
Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com surveyed leagues execs, players, and team personnel on who would make a good first-time NBA coach, and Heat assistant David Fizdale, Grizzlies assistant David Joerger, and Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg were among the top selections.

Odds & Ends: Nuggets, Iguodala, Pistons, Bucks

2013-05-05T21:15:00-05:00

Here's the latest from around the Association..

In an interview with Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com, Nuggets president Josh Kroenke expresses his desire to have likely free agent Andre Iguodala back next season, and details his close working relationship with GM Masai Ujiri, whose contract is up this summer.
Bucks GM John Hammond hinted that this summer he'll be seeking another interior defender to complement Larry Sanders, notes Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who takes a look at the offseason ahead for the team.
Pistons owner Tom Gores needs to have faith in Joe Dumars' ability to turn things around in Detroit, writes Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. While the signings of Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon didn't pan out, Goodwill notes that the mandate of previous owner Karen Davidson resulted in no activity for two years and prevented Dumars from correcting those mistakes.

Odds & Ends: Harden, Rockets, Howard, Millsap

2013-05-04T11:40:00-05:00

Here's today's look around the Association..

When asked if he'll be an active part of the Rockets' efforts to recruit free agents, James Harden answered in the affirmative, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. When asked specifically about joining the Rockets' plans to chase Dwight Howard, Harden cracked a smile and said: "Maybe. Possibly," Stein tweets.
David Locke of 1280 The Zone (via Sulia) spoke to someone in the league who said a return to the Jazz for Paul Millsap might be tough. The market for the forward should be around $21MM for three years, which is less than the $24MM over three that Utah offered him last summer. The person reasoned that Millsap would take less than the $24MM offer from another club, but might not do that with Utah.
Detroit native Steve Smith is scratching his head at the idea of Phil Jackson consulting with the Pistons in their coaching search, writes Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News.

Odds & Ends: Celtics, Wolves, Blazers, Hunter

2013-05-03T23:10:50-05:00

The Celtics made quite an attempt at a comeback, both in the series and in tonight's Game Six, but ultimately the Knicks polished off Boston this evening to set up a second-round date with the Pacers. The loss left some in Boston's locker room wondering about their futures as they spoke with reporters. Coach Doc Rivers isn't entirely sure he'll want to come back for next season, but he anticipates he'll opt to return to the bench when he makes up his mind this summer. Rivers isn't certain Kevin Garnett will come back, either, though that decision is up to KG. For his part, Garnett says he's not ready to make up his mind, but suggests the team's decision on whether to keep Paul Pierce will have heavy influence.

Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com rounds up more comments from the C's as they begin their offseason, and as they ponder their next moves, here's what's happening elsewhere across the NBA:

Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune examines Glen Taylor's decision to abandon the idea of selling the Wolves, and points out the owner's cryptic remarks about his plan to keep the team in Minnesota.
Sources tell Henry Abbott of ESPN.com that the Trail Blazers paid the Wolves $1.5MM to settle their dispute over Martell Webster, and Abbott explains how the outcome can be considered a coup for ousted Wolves GM David Kahn.
Lindsey Hunter isn't assured of remaining the coach of the Suns, but if he's bounced, he shouldn't count on a soft landing with the Pistons, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
On the eve of Game Seven against the Nets, Sam Smith of Bulls.com answers reader questions about Derrick Rose and the Bulls' offseason plans.
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times wonders if soon-to-be free agent Kirk Hinrich's postseason performance has made him too expensive for the Bulls to re-sign.