2012 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bulls GM Talks Draft, Rose, Asik, Mirotic

June 15th, 2012 at 9:36am CST by Luke Adams

Despite an early and disappointing end to this year's season, Bulls GM Gar Forman remains optimistic about his team's long-term future. Forman appeared on BullsTV this week to answer fans' questions, and opened up a little on a few topics, including his plans for the draft, Derrick Rose's rehab, and the futures of a couple young big men. Here are some of the highlights from the GM, courtesy of Adam Fluck at Bulls.com….

On the draft and the Bulls' lone pick at No. 29:

"We feel pretty good about where we’re at with No. 29. It’s a deep draft and we’ll be able to address a need with our pick and get a player that’s going to fit into our team, both from a culture standpoint and from a strategic standpoint…. As always, we’re not looking at specific needs. We’ll draft who we feel is the best player available."

On Rose's recovery from ACL surgery:

"He’s been diligent in his rehab, he’s made tremendous progress, and the surgery, obviously, was a huge success. The biggest thing that’s been encouraging about Derrick has been his mentality towards the rehab. He’s working each and every day, putting a lot of effort into it, and we’re optimistic that if he continues to make the type of progress that he has, that we’ll see Derrick back on the floor at some point next season."

On restricted free agent Omer Asik:

"Omer is very, very important to us. We see him as a key piece of our team moving forward. We think he’s shown the potential to continue to improve. We’re looking forward to getting a chance to sit down with him on July 1st. But it’s certainly our intention to have Omer Asik in a Chicago Bulls uniform long term."

On 21-year-old Nikola Mirotic, whose NBA rights the Bulls hold:

"He’ll remain under contract with [Euroleague's] Real Madrid for the next couple years. But it’s certainly our goal and our expectation that Nikola will be in a Chicago Bulls uniform somewhere down the line. We’ll continue to monitor his progress and feel really good about the development that’s taking place…. He’s seeing major minutes for Real Madrid. When he does come over, we think he’s really got a chance to be a key piece to what we’re trying to put together."

On the team's long-term outlook:

"We’ve hit a bump in the road. We’re going to take a step back short term. But long term, we’re in as good of position as we feel we’ve ever been in. We’ve got some quality young players and we’ve got some assets on the horizon. We don’t have a lot of financial flexibility right now, but we will in the future."

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Draft Updates: Thursday

June 14th, 2012 at 8:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The countdown until the 2012 draft is down to two weeks, and this week has been heavy on workouts and trade speculation. We'll track the latest news and rumors on both fronts, along with a handful of other draft-related items, right here. New updates will be added to the top of the page throughout the day….

According to their official website, the Pacers will work out Evan Fournier, Ashton Gibbs, Travis Hyman, John Jenkins, Josh Owens, and Tony Wroten Jr. on Friday.

Earlier updates:

Charles F. Gardner Journal Sentinel reported that the Bucks hosted a pre-draft workout today which featured Tyler Zeller, Meyers Leonard, Fab Melo, and Kyle O'Quinn.
Aside from Anthony Davis, ESPN's Ric Bucher thinks that this year's draft still contains big men with star potential, focusing specifically on Andre Drummond, Meyers Leonard, and Thomas Robinson (Insiders only).
Sean Meagher of The Oregonian presents the video interview of Perry Jones III after his workout for the Trail Blazers.
Nate Mulberg of CSN Philly discusses the mutual interest between the 76ers and Terrence Ross.
Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld quoted an NBA executive who thinks that the lottery is loaded with impact rotation players, but not impact starters. Pincus also offered highlights from interviews with JaMychal Green and Kevin Jones.
Tomorrow's workout schedule for the Wizards includes Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Austin Rivers, Terrence Ross, and Tomas Satoransky, according to Michael Lee of The Washington Post (Twitter link). Gene Wang, also of The Washington Post, wrote about today's workout with Hollis Thompson.
Stephen Hewitt of WEEI.com provided a breakdown of Mitchell Watt, a 6'10'' forward out of Buffalo who could be a realistic target for the Celtics' second round pick (51st overall).
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com wrote an interesting piece on the mental toughness of 27-year-old draft hopeful Bernard James, a 6'10'' power forward who served in the Air Force and did tours in Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq before starring at Florida State. Howard-Cooper also tweeted an update on John Henson, saying that he has no plans to rest his injured ankle in the midst of upcoming workouts with the Suns, Rockets, Bucks, Cavaliers, Raptors, Pistons, and 76ers.
Darren Heitner of Sports Agent Blog briefly documents the separation of Renardo Sidney and his agent, Johnny Foster.
Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld believes John Jenkins and the Bulls could be a perfect fit at pick No. 29.
Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com published the second version of his mock draft today.
Thomas Robinson will work out for the Bobcats on June 22nd, according to SI.com's Sam Amick (Sulia link). Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com calls Robinson the "clear frontrunner" to be picked second overall (Twitter link).
Jeremy Lamb turned an ankle at his Raptors workout this morning, but it's not serious, tweets Sam Amick of SI. According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (via Twitter), the ankle is sprained, and Lamb will cancel at least his workout with the Blazers.
The Sixers announced in a press release today that they'll work out Moe Harkless and Hollis Thompson tomorrow.
Arnett Moultrie is the biggest name among the six players working out for the Trail Blazers today, tweets Joe Freeman of the Oregonian.
Harrison Barnes and Bradley Beal will work out against one another for the Cavaliers on Saturday, according to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The two players are the most likely candidates to be picked at No. 4 by Cleveland, so that will be an intriguing workout.
Discussing potential targets for the Bobcats if they trade their No. 2 pick, Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com names James Harden as a possibility. It's not clear of Goodman's source, who says Harden "could be in play," means the Bobcats will pursue Harden or the Thunder could make him available. Either way, I'm skeptical about how realistic that scenario is. Even with the long-term cap restraints facing the Thunder, overhauling the roster mere days after making the Finals seems unlikely.
SI.com's Sam Amick examines the question marks surrounding John Henson and the rising stock of Miles Plumlee in his latest draft piece.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld compares Perry Jones III to Jordan Hamilton, who slipped to 26th overall last year because most teams thought the risk outweighed the upside. Within the same piece, Kyler also says the odds the Bobcats keep a player the select at No. 2 overall are "extremely slim."
The Raptors have a big day of workouts scheduled, with Jeremy Lamb highlighting the first session, Austin Rivers in the second, and Harrison Barnes in an individual workout. Jay Satur of Raptors.com has the details. Unfortunately, Eric Koreen of the National Post passes along a bit of bad news from the first session, tweeting that Lamb left the workout with an apparent injury.
Chad Ford tries his hand at predicting where the players on the first-round bubble will land in an Insider piece for ESPN.com.
Will Barton and five other prospects will work out for the Pacers today, according to Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
The Pistons' workouts so far suggest they're eyeing big men not just with their first-round pick but in the second round as well, says Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
Bucks.com profiles the prospects that Milwaukee will be working out today.
Damian Lillard thinks he's ready to be an NBA starter, but he probably won't be a fit for the Kings at No. 5, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.

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Woelfel On Bucks, Phil Jackson, Kwame Brown

June 14th, 2012 at 8:32am CST by Luke Adams

It was easy to miss in the midst of our flurry of draft updates on Wednesday, but Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times weighed in yesterday to discuss the Bucks' options with the 12th overall pick. According to Woelfel, Milwaukee has zeroed in on a short list of prospects, mostly big men, for pick No. 12 — Meyers Leonard, Tyler Zeller, John Henson, Perry Jones III, and Terrence Ross are among the team's targets.

Woelfel also shared a few more tidbits from around the NBA in his column, so let's dive in….

Draft Updates: Wednesday

June 13th, 2012 at 11:16pm CST by Luke Adams

With 15 days remaining until draft night, we'll round up today's notes on draft workouts, stock watches, and potential selections right here, with the latest up top:

Dan Duggan of the Boston Herald believes the Celtics are targeting size with either or both of the team's back-t0-back first-round picks, at Nos. 21 and 22.
Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal has more on Royce White and his anxiety disorder.

Earlier updates:

Morley Quatroche of WEEI.com breaks down Michael Kidd-Gilchrist from a Celtics perspective.
HoopsWorld's Stephen Brotherston looks at whether Kentucky sixth man Darius Miller can be just as valuable as a key reserve in the NBA.
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times has the latest on the Bucks' search for a big man.
Portland native Terrence Jones talks about his workout for the Blazers today in a video posted by Sean Meagher of The Oregonian.
Warriors.com shares mock drafts put together by broadcasters and well-known bloggers.
Thomas Robinson worked out for his hometown Wizards today, as Michael Lee of The Washington Post chronicles.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld looks at Andre Drummond as teams try to get a handle on his boom-or-bust potential.
A number of beat writers have updates on draft workouts for the Trail Blazers, Wizards, and Bucks.
Don't expect the Jazz to make a trade to get back into the first round of the draft. GM Kevin O'Connor tells Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune that the asking price for first-round picks will be high, and he doesn't anticipate his team will make a move "unless we find something we really like."
SI.com's Sam Amick shares the list of participants for the Warriors' workout tomorrow.
The Sixers announced via press release that they'll work out Quincy Miller, Terrence Ross, and Mike Scott tomorrow morning.
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com becomes the latest draft scribe to release an updated version of his mock draft today.
ESPN.com's Chad Ford has provided a ton of draft content today, publishing his new mock draft and answering a number of readers' questions in a chat. Among the highlights of Ford's chat: He believes the Bobcats will trade the No. 2 pick for either multiple picks or a pick and a player.
Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio also conducted a chat heavy on draft-related inquiries.
Harrison Barnes and Damian Lillard were among the lottery prospects to boost their stock in athletic testing, while Jared Sullinger and John Henson's scores didn't help them, says Chad Ford (Insider link).
Anthony Davis isn't the only player in this draft class with star potential, writes Jay Bilas in an Insider piece for ESPN.com.
Fab Melo and Andrew Nicholson highlighted the group of prospects in attendance at the Suns' first workout yesterday, says Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld and SI.com's Sam Amick each released updated versions of their mock drafts today.
The Raptors worked out six more players today, including Canadian forward Kris Joseph, according to a team press release.

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Odds & Ends: Lakers, Blazers, Thorn, Magic

June 12th, 2012 at 10:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Accomplished Italian coach Ettore Messina told Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com that he'll be leaving his job as a consultant for the Lakers to once again take the helm for CSKA Moscow. Messina's contract will include an out clause if he is presented with an NBA head coaching opportunity, however. The 52-year-old has been linked to a handful of NBA teams in recent years and could be an interesting addition to ongoing searches in Orlando, Charlotte, and possibly Portland. More from around the league after the jump..

Draft Rumors: Tuesday

June 12th, 2012 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll track the day's draft-related news and rumors here, with the newest updates up top:

Jonathon Givony of DraftExpress has measurements from Chicago's draft combine, including max verticals for all the prospects in attendance.
Neither Perry Jones III or Terrence Jones blew away Warriors management when they worked out for Golden State, writes Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. The Warriors continue to hope they can use their lottery pick to upgrade at small forward, and both Joneses project as power forwards.

Southwest Notes: Diaw, Hornets, Grizzlies, Mavs

June 12th, 2012 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

It may not be Sherlock-caliber detective work, but Tony Parker tells Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News he noticed a hint that Boris Diaw could be leaning toward re-signing with the Spurs. Diaw, who had been living in Parker's guest house, left all his belongings there when he departed San Antonio for the summer, which Parker views as a good sign. Here are a few more Tuesday morning items from out of the Southwest Division:

Draft Rumors: Monday

June 11th, 2012 at 8:12pm CST by Luke Adams

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.

Earlier updates:

On Tuesday, the Wizards will hold a workout to help decide what direction they want to go with their two second round picks (as of today, the team holds both the 32nd and 46th picks in the draft), tweets Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Some notable names Washington plans to workout are Syracuse's Scoop Jardine, and Duke's Miles Plumlee.
The Trail Blazers will work out North Carolina's John Henson on Tuesday, tweets SI.com's Sam Amick.
Also from Amick, the Kings will work out several players, including North Carolina's Tyler Zeller, on Tuesday. Sacramento currently holds picks 5 and 36.
The Hornets plan on bringing in several point guards and shooting guards when they resume workouts next week, writes Nola.com's John Reid.
After predicting the top 15 picks in the draft last week, TNT's David Aldridge takes a crack at the rest of the first round in this week's NBA.com column.
Royce White and Jordan Taylor are among the six prospects scheduled to work out for the Timberwolves on Tuesday, says Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
The Pistons are eyeing potential fits for the second round, working out Miles Plumlee and Kyle O'Quinn, tweets Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
Perry Jones III tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that he'd love to play on the Trail Blazers alongside LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Magic will be prepared for the draft no matter how long it takes to hire a GM, but a lengthy GM search could have other negative effects, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
If the Hornets decide to deal their tenth overall pick, gaining future draft assets is more important to them than ditching bad contracts, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Kyler doesn't expect the Hornets to include players like Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza with the pick in a deal that merely creates cap space. According to Kyler, New Orleans could seeking a 2012 second-rounder along with a future first-rounder in any deal.
Within the same piece, Kyler adds that the Warriors and Knicks have expressed some interest in Alabama's Tony Mitchell.
In a pair of tweets, Kyler says Harrison Barnes did not officially meet with the Bulls, and that a brief chat with coach Tom Thibodeau was blown out of proportion.
The Sixers met with Andre Drummond at the draft combine and could be trying to trade up, since Drummond will be long gone at No. 15, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com makes some changes in his latest post-combine mock draft.
The Kings will need some help if they want a shot to land Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.

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Ford’s Latest: Cavs, Bobcats, Waiters, Rivers

June 11th, 2012 at 12:27pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll be following most of today's draft notes here, but the latest column from ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) featured enough items of interest that it required its own post. Here are some of the highlights from ESPN.com's draft guru:

Draft Notes: Wizards, Jones, Davis, Beal

June 10th, 2012 at 10:20pm CST by Sean Highkin

The 2012 NBA Draft is less than three weeks away. This post will update all evening with the latest noteworthy news and features surrounding the draft and its prospects.