Scoop Jardine

Southeast Rumors: Drew, Jardine, Turkoglu

It's the time of year when the choice for some players is a spot at the end of an NBA bench or an overseas excursion. Three players appear to be teetering on the edge of playing with a Southeast Division team or seeking employment with another circuit. Here's the latest:

  • Undrafted point guard Larry Drew II will audition for the Heat this week, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Drew was supposed to join the Heat in summer league, but a quad injury derailed that plan. He's the son of Bucks coach Larry Drew.
  • report in July said undrafted point guard Scoop Jardine would likely wind up in Bobcats camp, but the former Syracuse mainstay has signed with KK Zadar of Croatia, tweets Mark Porcaro of Secret Rival.
  • Hedo Turkoglu remains under contract with the Magic, but his camp is continuing talks with Fenerbahce Ulker in Turkey, Fenerbahce manager Mirsad Turkcan tells Niki Bakouli of Eurohoops.net. The overseas club reportedly extended a $3.4MM offer to the veteran forward.

Southeast Notes: Bobcats, Wizards, Meeks, Jardine

Earlier today we learned that the Bobcats missed out on free agent forward Carl Landry, whom they've been eyeing for quite some time.  Ultimately, the player regarded as the best remaining free agent decided to ink a two-year, $8MM deal with the Warriors.  A sign-and-trade with the Hornets was a rumored possibility but that proved to be difficult after the club renounced his rights.  More from the Southeast division..

  • Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter) says there is no telling if the Bobcats will bring in another power forward after missing out on Landry.  It's possible that Charlotte will stand pat and instead go with the bigs that they already have.  That strategy would mean that the club is betting heavily on Tyrus Thomas bouncing back after he averaged 5.6 PPG last season.
  • The Wizards, along with the Lakers and Bucks, are among the frontrunners for free agent Jodie Meeks, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.  “There are five or six teams, but those three are at the forefront right now because I’ve been talking to them the most," said the soon-to-be 25-year-old.  Kennedy adds that Meeks seems likely to sign this week.
  • Scoop Jardine, who broke his right foot three days before the draft, will likely receive an invitation to training camp with the Bobcats, a source told John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  The guard was hardly a lock to be drafted before the injury but was said to have impressed the Sixers.

Draft Rumors: Monday

With the NBA draft just 17 days away, we're guaranteed to be following daily rumors and rumblings for the next two and a half weeks. We'll try to make it as easy as possible to follow the latest updates by including most of our draft-related items in a single daily post. Consider this Monday's post, and check back throughout the day for more draft notes, with the newest additions up top:

  • In a tweet, AZCentral.com's Paul Coro has wrangled up some news from CBSSports.com's Jeff Goodman and SI.com's Sam Amick. North Carolina teammates Kendall Marshall and John Henson will reportedly work out for the Suns this week.

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Odds & Ends: Draft, Sloan, King, Playoffs

The Chris Bosh-less Heat and Celtics resume battle this evening in a pivotal Game 4 in Boston. A win for the Celtics would continue a Conference Finals streak of the home team coming away with a victory. The Thunder brought their series with the Spurs to a tie as they beat San Antonio 109-103 in Oklahoma City on Saturday night. Let's catch up on the latest news and happenings making headlines from around the league…

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Draft Notes: Robinson, Hummel, Sixers

This year's draft is generally regarded as a deep one, but several teams outside the lottery are looking to trade their first-round picks so they can avoid making financial commitments to players who won't contribute right away, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld writes. That should make for an interesting month ahead as the June 28 draft approaches.

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Knicks Notes: Chandler, Woodson, Jardine

In a somewhat unusual development, Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler was nowhere to be found on the NBA's All-Defensive first team when voting results were released today. The Knicks center made the second team, joined by Luol Deng, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, and Kobe Bryant. Dwight Howard beat out Chandler at the center position for a spot on the first team, alongside Chris Paul, Tony Allen, LeBron James, and Serge Ibaka. Members of the media vote for awards, while the All-NBA teams are voted on by head coaches, which explains the Defensive Player of the Year's absence from the first team.

Let's round up a few more of today's Knicks updates….

  • The Knicks will announce a new contract for coach Mike Woodson no later than Thursday, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Woodson is expected to receive a three- or four-year contract, Isola adds.
  • New York could be targeting Syracuse guard Scoop Jardine with its second-round pick in next month's draft, says Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Knicks are "desperate" to draft a guard for depth, according to Berman.
  • In past years, the Knicks could have dangled $3MM for a late first-round pick to make up for trading their own first-rounder. However, as Berman points out, the new CBA dictates that teams can't trade more than $3MM in deals in a single year, and the Knicks reached that limit as part of the Tyson Chandler blockbuster.