2012 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rockets Continue To Pursue Lottery Picks

June 28th, 2012 at 9:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets have slowly improved their first-round assets as tonight's draft approaches, but with three picks at Nos. 12, 16, and 18, the team is still trying to move higher. TNT's David Aldridge reports that Houston offered Kyle Lowry and the 16th overall pick to Sacramento in exchange for the No. 5 pick and Chuck Hayes, but that the Kings turned down the proposal.

Draft Rumors: Wednesday

June 27th, 2012 at 10:59pm CST by Luke Adams

With draft night fast approaching, our Tuesday draft rumors post seemed to go on forever, and we're expecting things to be just as busy today. Earlier this morning, we published our second and final mock draft, but given the amount of trade chatter around the league, it wouldn't be surprising if some of our predictions were rendered moot within a matter of hours. We'll follow today's draft-related news and rumors right here, with the latest updates added to the top of the page throughout the day….

ESPN's Andy Katz tweets that Dion Waiters could now be a possibility for the Cavaliers at the 4th pick. If Waiters lands in the top 5, his draft stock will have shot up boards over the past few months in historical fashion.

Earlier updates:

Five of ESPN's draft analysts participated in a rotating mock draft today.
Also at ESPN, Chad Ford and Skip Bayless name Austin Rivers and Tyler Zeller as two of the biggest potential busts. Steven A. Smith joins them to debate whether Rivers is overrated or clutch.
The Spurs have been able to pull talent out of the second round in the past, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune identifies Will Barton, John Jenkins and Doron Lamb as three players that have worked out for the Bulls and are realistic possibilities at 29.
The Knicks have been one of few quiet teams leading up to the draft, but Jared Zwerling put together a Knicks draft primer for ESPN New York. Al Iannazzone of Newsday offers his take on the Knicks' draft options as well.
Perry Jones III was in Houston today for his second visit with the Rockets, says Mark Berman of Fox Houston. Jones III's selection will probably fall somewhere between 12 and 18, where the Rockets have three picks.
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star examines the Raptors' trade options with the 8th pick. With Harrison Barnes likely off the board at 8, Smith thinks the team should either move up to get him or trade out with a teams like the Rockets.
Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas says that it makes sense for the Mavs to keep their pick because a rookie contract will save them money in comparison to a free agent one.
Dion Waiters says that he did not get a promise from a team in the lottery, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
NBA.com's David Alridge tweets the Rockets are still trying to get into the top five tomorrow, with their latest offer being rejected by the Kings who hold the 5th pick.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel has eight players the Magic may target should they keep the 19th pick tomorrow night – point guard and big men seem to be the trend.
Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune says via Sulia that while the Jazz are still interested in trading into the lottery, it seems unlikely as they are unwilling to overpay to make it happen.
Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area continues his extensive draft coverage by ranking the draft's power forwards and examing how each player would fit in Golden State.
ESPN.com's Chad Ford updated his most recent mock draft to reflect today's Bucks/Rockets trade, and conducted a chat with readers in which he answered a ton of draft questions.
Also at ESPN.com, Andy Katz spoke to a number of this year's top prospects on the eve of the draft.
Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap told Adam Zagoria of Sheridan Hoops that it's "possible" Charlotte trades down from No. 2, but team president Rod Higgins and GM Rich Cho both said it would take a "really enticing" offer for the 'Cats to move down, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Higgins also said that yesterday's trade for Ben Gordon won't affect the Bobcats' draft plans.
The Grizzlies don't intend to sell the No. 25 pick, owner Michael Heisley tells Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link).
Damian Lillard had a second workout for the Raptors today and said it went much better than his first, tweets Ryan Woltsat of the Toronto Sun.
In a pair of new mock drafts, SI.com's Sam Amick updates his picks, while at Grantland, Chad Ford and Bill Simmons alternate picks for most of the first round.
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News explains why the Warriors have a good chance to end up with Harrison Barnes or Dion Waiters at No. 7, rather than Andre Drummond.
A source tells Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News that Austin Rivers is a possibility for the Trail Blazers at No. 6 (Twitter link).
TNT's David Aldridge has Andre Drummond slipping all the way down to No. 16 in his mock draft for NBA.com.
Nets GM Billy King told reporters there's "no shot" his team will jump into the top six of the draft, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports and Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio are both hearing that Thomas Robinson will likely go to the Bobcats at No. 2 and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to the Cavs at No. 4 (Twitter links). Amico suggests the Cavs' rumored deal with the Bobcats could be off, or at least on hold.
According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (via Twitter), there could be as many as nine first-round prospects that have received medical red flags. As Givony points out in a series of subsequent tweets, many red-flagged players in the past have had perfectly healthy NBA careers.
While Thomas Robinson is considered the Bobcats' top target at second overall, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is still very much in the running, according to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
The Raptors may have narrowed their draft wish list to three players, but are keeping their options open, says Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. I'd guess the top three realistic targets for Toronto at No. 8 are Dion Waiters, Damian Lillard, and Austin Rivers, in some order.
The two lottery picks drawing the most trade interest are the Raptors' at No. 8 and the Kings' at No. 5, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) has updated his latest mock draft, which sees Michael Kidd-Gilchrist bumped up to fourth overall, to the Cavs.
According to Nets Daily, TNT's David Aldridge said on NBA TV that the Nets are exploring a way to land a first-round pick and snag Thomas Robinson as a trade chip for Dwight Howard. Given the lack of trade assets Brooklyn currently possesses, I doubt this one gets past the exploratory stage.
Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes of an increasing possibility that the Bucks could draft a guard at No. 12.
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace tells Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal that Marquis Teague could have been a 2013 lottery pick if he'd stayed at Kentucky another year. The Grizz are eyeing Teague and others at No. 25, as Tillery writes.

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Kahn On Roy, Shved, Rubio, Draft, Eliyahu

June 27th, 2012 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

A day after acquiring Chase Budinger from the Rockets, Minnesota formally introduced the newest Timberwolf in an afternoon press conference. While the T-Wolves gave up their first-round pick and only hold the No. 58 pick in tomorrow night's draft, president of basketball operations David Kahn says the team isn't done making moves, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link). Here's what Kahn had to say on a few other T-Wolves topics (all Twitter links):

Warriors Rumors: Trades, Draft, Thompson, Curry

June 27th, 2012 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we heard from ESPN.com's Chris Broussard that the Nuggets and Warriors had discussed the possibility of a trade that would send the No. 7 pick to Denver and Wilson Chandler to Golden State. Broussard is back with more Warriors info this afternoon, tweeting that the team is eyeing other small forwards besides Chandler, including Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala, and Marvin Williams. No deals are imminent, according to Broussard, but the Warriors are a good bet to be active either today or tomorrow. Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group has a few more Warriors items, so let's check those out:

Mavericks Rumors: Draft, Odom, Carter

June 27th, 2012 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks GM and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson made himself available to the media earlier today to discuss the draft, free agency, and other upcoming decisions facing the Mavs. Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com tweeted out a number of Nelson's comments, so let's round up a few of the highlights from the session….

Ford’s Latest: Ross, Cavs, Bucks, Rockets, Jazz

June 27th, 2012 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers are bringing in Terrence Ross for a private workout today, which raises some eyebrows, since Ross would be a major reach at fourth overall, but isn't expected to slip to 24th. Could the Cavs be looking at Ross in case of a trade? According to Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider link), while Cleveland is still exploring moving up from No. 24, the team may also be seriously considering moving down from No. 4 if it means acquiring multiple assets. Here are a few more draft-related rumors from Ford….

Nuggets Fielding Offers For Young Players

June 27th, 2012 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets' core of young players is drawing plenty of trade interest this week, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (via Twitter). According to Broussard, one of several potential deals being discussed involves sending Wilson Chandler to the Warriors in exchange for the seventh overall pick.

Celtics Rumors: Garnett, Allen, White, Draft

June 27th, 2012 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

While NBA teams make final preparations for the 2012 draft, the Celtics got a headstart on the 2013 draft yesterday, as the league granted Boston an additional second-round pick. The second-rounder comes from Charlotte, by way of the Thunder, who reportedly failed to give the Celtics Jeff Green's full medical information when the teams agreed to a deadline deal involving Green in 2011. Still, GM Danny Ainge remains focused on this week, which includes tomorrow night's draft and the upcoming free agent period. Let's round up the latest comments from the Celtics GM on the team's plans….

Hoops Rumors Mock Draft 2.0

June 27th, 2012 at 8:00am CST by Alex Lee

Draft week is finally here. On Thursday night, all 30 NBA teams will descend on the Prudential Center in downtown Newark in hopes of supplementing their rosters with the best that the college and international games have to offer. One first-round pick has already been traded and there are rumors circulating about several others, so expect plenty of action leading up to Thursday night.

Last week we published our first ever mock draft, which you can see here. Below is our second and final version. Just as before, these selections are based on what we are hearing around the league combined with our player evaluations and what we perceive to be a team's draft needs. These guidelines are important to remember, especially considering the immense amount of trade speculation floating around. Each pick is based on the assumption that the team will not trade its selection and will draft accordingly, though there is a fair amount of trade talk mixed in.

New Orleans Hornets – Anthony Davis. You can etch this one in stone. The Hornets have already turned their draft focus to the 10th pick. Davis is almost a lock to be a superstar and at absolute worst is a game-changer on defense. He propels the Hornets into contender status nearly right away.
Charlotte Bobcats – Thomas Robinson. This pick will be the domino that determines how the top five will fall. Both Washington and Cleveland are rumored to want this pick in order to select Bradley Beal, but we still haven't heard much from Charlotte. That is probably an indication that the Bobcats have their mind made up on Robinson.
Washington Wizards – Bradley Beal. The decision to acquire Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza last week makes this pick a no-doubter for the Wizards. Assuming Cleveland doesn't jump ahead of them, expect to see the complementary skill sets of Beal and John Wall in the Wizards' backcourt for the next decade.
Cleveland Cavaliers – Harrison Barnes. There is some recent buzz that the Cavaliers favor Michael Kidd-Gilchrist over Barnes here. But they have been enamored with Barnes for a month now and there are whispers of a promise at No. 4. If they can't swing a deal for Beal, expect the Cavs to go for Barnes.
Sacramento Kings – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. The Kings were unable to secure workouts for MKG or Barnes, but they would be ecstatic with either. MKG is a home run at No. 5 and for the Kings, who already have a couple of former John Calipari pupils, he stops the revolving door at small forward.
Portland Trail Blazers – Damian Lillard. As if the frequent Lillard-to-Portland talk needed reinforcement, Lillard apparently sparkled during workouts with the Blazers. From a talent standpoint, Andre Drummond makes sense here, but Portland seems too in love with Lillard to risk hoping he could fall.
Golden State Warriors – Andre Drummond. This pick has trade written all over it. With MKG and Barnes off the board, expect the Warriors to consider trading back with a team that considers Drummond's high ceiling too tempting to pass up. That said, the Warriors would be smart to consider the seven-footer for themselves.
Toronto Raptors – Dion Waiters. With Jonas Valanciunas coming over from Europe, the Raptors will get some much needed toughness. Waiters will provide more. Waiters' relentless driving ability and scoring acumen will complement the jump-shooting Toronto roster nicely.
Detroit Pistons – John Henson. Most draft pundits have had Henson slotted at No. 9 to Detroit for weeks, and for good reason. The Pistons covet Henson's athleticism and shot-blocking ability and hope he can take some defensive pressure off of Greg Monroe. It doesn't hurt that Henson reportedly wowed Detroit in a workout on Monday.
New Orleans Hornets – Tyler Zeller. Out goes Okafor, in comes Zeller. With Anthony Davis already in tow, Zeller would represent some out-of-the-box thinking for the Hornets. In a perfect world, New Orleans would take a pure point guard with this pick, but it's too early for Kendall Marshall and the ultra-safe Zeller has been moving up draft boards.
Portland Trail Blazers – Jeremy Lamb. With their second pick of the night, the Blazers shore up their backcourt with Lamb, who worked out with the team as recently as Monday. Lamb's name has been all over the place on draft boards, going anywhere from 8 to 18, but after taking the prized Lillard, Portland can gamble on the upside of Lamb.
Milwaukee Bucks – Meyers Leonard. The Bucks are looking to replace the size they lost in the Bogut deal, and with Zeller off the board, their choice is easy. Leonard came out of nowhere several months ago to project as a lottery pick, but his stock has since remained strong.
Phoenix Suns – Austin Rivers. Despite Rivers only scheduling workouts with teams picking before 12, Zeller's rise allows him to slip to the Suns at No. 13. Waiters is probably Phoenix's dream scenario, but Rivers is superb backcourt consolation considering most have him off the board much earlier.
Houston Rockets – Moe Harkless. Good luck projecting this pick. It would be fitting for the Rockets to take Harkless here, considering both the team and player are among the most difficult to project. After shipping Chase Budinger to Minnesota, Houston now has picks 14, 16 and 18. Depending on where you look, Harkless is everywhere from getting top-seven looks to going in the 20s.
Philadelphia 76ers – Terrence Jones. It's all about size for the Sixers at pick No. 15. Rod Thorn has said he is looking for an athletic big man. Jones has the size and skill to offer immediate benefits for a playoff team like Philly, while having enough projectability to have an outside chance at developing into the stud they so desperately need.
Houston Rockets – Terrence Ross. Ross has steadily crept up draft boards and is almost certainly the best player available here. If Houston stays put, Kyle Lowry figures to continue to dominate the ball, making him a perfect companion for the sweet-shooting Ross.
Dallas Mavericks – Kendall Marshall. It seems to be Marshall or size here for the Mavericks. They originally had interest in Jared Sullinger, but his medical red flags will probably send him closer to 20. Dallas needs nearly an entire roster and has the Deron Williams situation looming, but Marshall, a rotation player at worst, is the smart move.
Houston Rockets – Perry Jones III. Houston's desire to land a superstar, say Dwight Howard, is no secret. Should the Rockets' push for Howard fall through, no prospect not named Anthony Davis possesses more talent than Jones. He is the ultimate lottery ticket, and at No. 18, it is a risk worth taking.
Orlando Magic – Jared Sullinger. Should new Magic GM Rob Hennigan choose to trade Howard, Orlando will likely have at least one more pick, and probably a very high one. The injury risk that Sullinger represents would be mitigated by multiple picks. If Howard stays in Orlando, he would be joined by Sullinger to create an imposing duo on the boards.
Denver Nuggets - Arnett Moultrie. Moultrie is a perfect fit in Denver's high-octane offense and the Nuggets have the depth to let him develop properly. Their biggest need is in the middle. If Moultrie gets past Houston and Philadelphia, expect the Nuggets to get great value with Moultrie at 20.
Boston Celtics - Royce White. ESPN's Chad Ford reported that the Celtics gave White a promise at No. 21, but any pact after the lottery is hardly a guarantee. Should he be available at 21, White would seem to fit with the Celtics. The veteran and battle-tested locker room would be perfect for the troubled, but extremely talented White.
Boston Celtics – Fab Melo. The Eastern Conference will go through LeBron James for the foreseeable future. Nobody knows that better than the Celtics. And what must a team do to have a chance to dethrone the King? Protect the rim. Melo's 7'3" wingspan will allow him to do that.
Atlanta Hawks - Tony Wroten. The Hawks roll the dice on another point guard with Wroten. This almost makes too much sense to happen, as the crop at the point is thin after the talented Wroten. Several sources have reported that Atlanta is warming on the Washington floor general.
Cleveland Cavaliers – Andrew Nicholson. Essentially building up a roster from the ground, the Cavs have the luxury of taking the best player available. That player is Nicholson here. The St. Bonnies product showed an ability to knock down shots in workouts, and can step in and help Tristan Thompson immediately on defense.
Memphis Grizzlies – Marquis Teague. With Wroten off the board, the Grizz turn to Teague in their search for point guard depth. Memphis is in no way married to Conley for the long-term future and Teague, if everything falls into place, has the talent to develop into an effective starter.
Indiana Pacers – Will Barton. Barton has surged into first-round discussion in the past week, impressing nearly every team he has worked out for. His ability to fill it up has pushed Barton to the front of the pack of two guards that should be available when Indiana is on the clock.
Miami Heat - Draymond Green. With one trophy under their belt, the Heat seem to have figured out what it takes to win. Taking Green here would provide further evidence of that, as the All-American from Michigan State is the ideal selection for a contending team in the late first round. Green projects as a bench player, but has a chance to become a valuable one.
Oklahoma City Thunder - Evan Fournier. It wouldn't be a 21st-century NBA Draft without some international flavor, would it? The Thunder are said to be wary of adding a guaranteed contract with this pick. Look for them to trade out or get creative by stashing a guy like Fournier overseas for the short term.
Chicago Bulls - John Jenkins. Jenkins makes a lot of sense for the Bulls at No. 29, and Barton's rise should allow him to drop. He would be a good addition for any contending team. The Bulls are said to be targetting a shooter with this pick and they don't make them much better than this Vanderbilt sniper.
Golden State Warriors - Quincy Miller. The Warriors pick in a tricky spot early in the first round, and that selection will likely impact who they target here. The toolsy Miller doesn't really fit with a contender, but he won't last long should he fall out of the first round. Miller has the talent to convince a team in the early 20s to take a shot on him, but if he is available at 30, the Warriors would be smart to pounce.

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Categories:
2012 NBA Draft

Wizards’ Lottery Pick Drawing Trade Interest

June 27th, 2012 at 12:09am CST by Luke Adams

Immediately after the Wizards landed the third overall pick in the 2012 draft lottery, owner Ted Leonsis adamantly stated the team wouldn't be trading the pick. But it seems that hasn't stopped rival clubs from inquiring on its availability, just in case. According to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, the Wizards have been fielding calls this week from teams interested in moving up to No. 3, possibly to select Thomas Robinson.