Grunfeld Facing Uncertain Future With Wizards
Ernie Grunfeld became the Wizards' president of basketball operations nearly nine years ago, in June 2003, but he may not be part of the organization for a tenth year. With his contract set to expire at season's end, Grunfeld tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post that he hasn't let speculation about his future affect him.
"I’ve been in this business a long time," said Grunfeld. "This has been a challenge, and we knew it was going to be a challenge when we got into it. I’m just working as hard as I can, to do the best job that I can…. Those things will take care of themselves in the future as we move along."
A prominent agent told Lee that there's "no way" Wizards owner Ted Leonsis can bring back Grunfeld, and that the position will be highly sought-after if and when it becomes available. An NBA executive said the Wizards' trade for Nene was a "step in the right direction" but likely wouldn't be enough to save Grunfeld's job.
"Nothing against Ernie," the exec told Lee. "But he’s worked there for nine years and if you work for AT&T for nine years and the stock is dropping every day and you’re losing, guess what? The board of directors is getting rid of you. That’s the reality…. The stock is falling in Washington."
Grunfeld has been one of the league's highest-paid general managers, with Lee's sources estimating that the Wizards exec is paid between $3.5MM and $4.5MM annually. If Grunfeld were to return to Washington next season, it would likely be for a reduced salary. Still, Grunweld would like the chance to turn the franchise around.
"I’m very competitive," Grunfeld said. "Everyone would love to have a championship contender every year and I’ve been part of those situations. It’s fun to be there and hopefully, we can get back there in the near future."
Andre Drummond To Enter Draft
FRIDAY, 10:39am: Drummond made his decision official today, tweets Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports.
THURSDAY, 4:22pm: UConn and Drummond will officially announce the big man's decision on Friday, according to Andy Katz of ESPN.com.
10:17am: Andre Drummond will forgo the rest of his NCAA eligibility and enter the NBA draft, reports Kevin Duffy of the Hearst Connecticut Media Group. Drummond will become the first one-and-done player in the University of Connecticut's history.
The UConn center averaged 10.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in his freshman year, and is a virtual lock to be a lottery pick in June. DraftExpress.com lists Drummond as the second-best prospect behind Anthony Davis, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks him fifth. Although Drummond is unquestionably an elite talent, teams at the very top of the draft may be reluctant to roll the dice on him, since he's viewed as a high-risk, high-reward selection.
Drummond joins UConn teammate Jeremy Lamb on this year's list of early entrants.
Bradley Beal To Enter Draft
9:45am: Beal has made his decision official, informing coach Billy Donovan and the Gators he won't be returning, according to Chris Harry of GatorZone.com.
"It’s my dream and it’s sitting right here in front of me," Beal said. "God has put me in this situation and I have to take advantage of it. I think I’m ready to realize this dream, so now I have to go and pursue it."
7:51am: Freshman guard Bradley Beal will forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility and enter the draft, reports Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com. The Florida Gator, who projects as a potential top-five pick, will announce his decision later this morning, says Goodman.
Beal, who averaged 14.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in Gainesville this season, was said to be on the fence about the decision shortly after the Gators were eliminated from the NCAA tournament. His father Bobby told Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun: "Some people say (leaving) is a no-brainer, but I know that he loves college, loves the atmosphere down there."
Ultimately, the chance to be a lottery pick likely convinced Beal to leave school early. DraftExpress.com calls him the fifth-best prospect in this year's draft, while ESPN.com's Chad Ford ranks him third.
You can check out Hoops Rumors' complete list of early entrants for the 2012 NBA draft here.
Howard Again Denies Asking For Coaching Change
Last Thursday, in arguably the most eventful shootaround of the season, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters that he was aware Dwight Howard has asked the team to fire him. Howard arrived at the media scrum, unaware of the comments his coach had just made, and denied ever making such a request. Despite Van Gundy having made his lack of job security public, Howard continues to insist he hasn't requested a coaching change, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
Howard sat down with ESPN's Hannah Storm for a one-on-one interview, and a transcript of a portion of their conversation was released by ESPN. Asked by Storm if he ever asked for Van Gundy to be fired, Howard replied, "No, no. So when it was said, I was just like, in shock, I was in shock."
"I got a lot of negative press out of the whole situation," Howard said. "You know, ‘Coach killer, this or that.’ And it was just bizarre how the whole thing happened. You know, but I haven’t said anything this season — to anybody in management about, you know, you need to do this with Stan, or vice versa; they never said we’ll do this for you."
Howard did concede that he'd made requests of management in past seasons when he's been upset, but said "I’ve always come back and said I’ll do a better job, I’ll take more of a hit, I’ll lead better."
Whether or not Howard has a standing request with the Magic for a coaching change, it seems nearly certain that Van Gundy will be replaced after this season. The real question will be whether D12 will follow him out of town a year later, when his contract with Orlando expires.
Odds & Ends: Mavs, Beasley, Bucks, Raptors
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Thursday evening:
- Dallas radio hosts Barry Horn and Kevin Sherrington weighed in on a couple of Mavericks issues. Horn believes the Mavs are a better team without Lamar Odom, who was shut down earlier this week.
- Sherrington speculates that the Mavs are still interested in acquiring Dwight Howard, especially if they can't sign Deron Williams this summer.
- Michael Beasley told Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press that he wants to stay with the Timberwolves going forward. Beasley is set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
- Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says the Bucks lack a clear direction for the future and will not contend with their current roster. Hunt believes the first step will be re-signing Ersan Ilyasova this summer.
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star doubts that Raptors 10-day contract signees Ben Uzoh and Justin Dentmon will be anything more than placeholders for the team.
Hornets Reportedly Close To Sale
The Times-Picayune's Jimmy Smith has a new report that says the New Orleans Hornets could have a new owner in place as soon as Friday, as the NBA is deciding between two potential ownership groups.
The league is currently holding its Board of Governors meeting in New York, and while Sacramento's arena situation is the most high-profile issue still to be resolved, Smith reports that a sale of the league-owned Hornets is also being discussed. One prospective ownership group is headed by California swimwear manufacturer Raj Bhathal, while the other is led by New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson.
On March 16, the Hornets and the state of Louisiana announced an extension of the team's lease, which will keep them in New Orleans through at least 2024, effectively eliminating any prospective buyers who wanted to move the team to another city.
Poll: Where Will Eric Gordon End Up?
Earlier today, Luke Adams posted a breakdown of Eric Gordon‘s free-agency outlook for the summer. Later, SI.com’s Sam Amick named the Mavericks, Pacers, Suns, and Trail Blazers as teams that could potentially compete with the Hornets for Gordon’s services. The fourth-year guard, acquired by New Orleans in the Chris Paul trade, is set to be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
Where do you think Gordon will end up: back with the Hornets, with one of these rumored suitors, or somewhere else entirely?
Where Will Eric Gordon End Up?
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Indiana 32% (198)
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Other 25% (151)
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New Orleans 15% (91)
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Dallas 11% (69)
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Phoenix 10% (60)
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Portland 7% (42)
Total votes: 611
Latest On Sacramento Arena Plan
The Maloof family is expected to address the NBA's Board of Governors at about 1:00pm Sacramento time today, outlining their dissatisfaction with the "term sheet" that was approved by the city of Sacramento in March, reports Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee. As the Kings' owners prepare to present their case, here are the latest links on the Sacramento arena deal:
- Fox40 Sacramento sports director Jim Crandell reports (via Twitter) that Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson is expected to fly to New York to join the meetings between the Maloofs and the NBA.
- 25 Sacramento business people have formed a group to push for new owners to replace the Maloofs, according to a Sacramento Bee report. The group, which includes developers, restaurant owners, and downtown business owners, will send a letter to the NBA today, asking the league to consider new ownership for the Kings.
- Ailene Voisin of the Bee says that when the Maloofs make their argument today, their fellow owners need to contribute, commissioner David Stern needs to "table his temper," and the Kings' owners need to be receptive.
- Tom Ziller of SBNation.com wonders how Stern and the NBA will solve the mess that the Kings' arena deal has become.
Warriors Notes: Bogut, Draft, Future
The latest news and notes about the Golden State Warriors on Thursday evening:
- Marcus Thompson II of the Contra Costa Times is optimistic about the odds that the Andrew Bogut trade will pan out for the Warriors.
- The San Jose Mercury-News' Tim Kawakami takes a look at the chances that Golden State will be able to keep its 2012 first-round draft pick, which is owned by Utah, albeit with top-seven protections.
- Kawakami believes it essential for the Warriors' future that they keep this pick, as it will be the only upside to what has been a disappointing season that began with playoff hopes.
Southwest Rumors: Gordon, Hornets, Grizz, Odom
Around the time I posted this afternoon's Free Agent Stock Watch piece on Eric Gordon, SI.com's Sam Amick published an article in which he discussed Gordon's impending free agency with the Hornets guard himself. While New Orleans has the inside track to sign Gordon this summer, Amick names the Pacers, Trail Blazers, Mavericks, and Suns as other teams with some interest. The Hornets' new ownership group could also have an impact on how aggressive New Orleans is in matching rival offers for Gordon.
Here are a few more Southwest Division links:
- Mike Dunleavy is part of the group likely to purchase the Hornets, a fact that concerns the team's current management, according to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. "Mike is going to want his own people in there, he has a reputation as a control freak," a Hornets source told Deveney. "It will be good for the team obviously to have an owner in. But I think everybody is a little on edge because of that, because you don't know what is going to happen. Or I guess you do know, you know there are going to be changes coming once there’s a new group in charge. It could be a house cleaning."
- Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins has transformed the team's rotation through minor roster moves and lineup shuffling, says Rob Mahoney of the New York Times.
- Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com wonders how much money Lamar Odom cost himself in the long-term due to his poor season with the Mavericks.
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban never believed that Odom wanted to sit out this season, writes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.