2012 June | Hoops Rumors

Prospect Profile: Andrew Nicholson

By Zachary Links | at June 12, 2012 7:17 pm

The draft is just over two weeks away and this is the time of year when mock drafts seem to shift wildly from day-to-day. It only makes sense as some players come out firing in workouts, others shrink when bullied by less-heralded competition, and a few simply refuse to participate in the tougher auditions. Count Andrew Nicholson of St. Bonaventure as a member of the first camp. Most mock drafts have the forward pegged in the early-to-mid 20s, but his latest showing could propel him even higher.

Nicholson shined at the NBA predraft camp and ESPN.com's Chad Ford went so far as to say that the big man shot the ball as well as most of the guards in attendance. That's one heck of an endorsement for any big man, especially for one who is known more for his play on the other side of the ball. Nicholson averaged two blocks per contest in 2011/12 and was named the Defensive Player of the Year in the Atlantic 10. When began his college career with the Bonnies, Nicholson's offensive skill set was rather limited, but things have changed dramatically over time.

As a junior, Nicholson attempted just 23 shots from long-range. This year, he more than doubled that total when he attempted 51 three-pointers and drained more than 43% of them. It was clear that he became especially comfortable with his outside game late in the season as 30 of those threes came in February and March. Nicholson has always boasted a solid back-to-the-basket game and his new found range makes him doubly dangerous with the ball in his hands.

Defensively, the 6-foot-9 athlete can swat shots with the best of them and make slashers think twice about taking the ball into the paint. It's the sort of thing that tends to come easily when you're blessed with a 7'4" wingspan and an 8'11" standing reach. To be an imposing defensive presence at the next level, however, he'll have to add size to his thin frame. Nicholson weighed in at 234 pounds at the predraft workouts but scouts would like to see him tack on 10-15 lbs in order to hang with the NBA's power forwards and centers.

As of today, DraftExpress has Nicholson pegged at No. 24, going to the Cavaliers. Ford, meanwhile, has the senior going to the Celtics at No. 22. It's going to be hard to nail down Nicholson's destination, but it's hard to imagine him falling any lower than the early-20s at this point. After turning heads from all around the Association in Chicago, Nicholson is one of those intriguing talents that could motivate a team to shoot up the board and beat out other interested clubs.

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Amico On Celtics, Warriors, Kings, 76ers, Cavs

By Zachary Links | at June 12, 2012 5:52 pm

Grit and determination got the Celtics to the doorstep of the Finals, but the team now has some serious decisions to make this summer, writes Sam Amico of FOXSportsOhio.com. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are free agents while Paul Pierce celebrates his 35th birthday in October. Plenty of other contracts will be coming off the books leaving the C's with a good deal of flexibility and back-to-back draft picks (Nos. 21 and 22) in this year's draft. Here's Amico on what might be in store for Boston and others this offseason..

It's too early to tell what the Celtics might do, but early buzz suggests that they'll stay the course with Garnett, Pierce, and Rondo while rebuilding through free agency and the draft. “I think they’ll re-sign Garnett, but let Allen walk,” said one Western Conference GM. “Then, they’ll spend some money in free agency. They’re a respected franchise. They’ll draw some interest from the available bigger names. But the key will be to keep Garnett first.”
The GM wasn't sure of who the Celtics may target in free agency, but suggested that they could look at Jason Terry, Andre Miller, Carlos Delfino, Nick Young, Eric Gordon, O.J. Mayo, and Shannon Brown.
The Celtics are also said to be looking to package their picks to move up five or six spots in the draft.
According to a source familiar with their thinking, the Warriors are looking into trading the seventh pick for a veteran at practically any position. The source suggested that their pick plus a player could net them someone like Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay.
The Kings might be interested in moving their pick for a big man if Andre Drummond doesn’t fall to them at No. 5, says a source. Sacramento has plenty of perimeter players and are anxious to get another big man to pair with DeMarcus Cousins. The source "wouldn't be the least bit surprised" if they shopped Marcus Thornton or Tyreke Evans and their pick to see what they could get.
The 76ers and Rockets are open to trading out of the first round for a veteran. Philadelphia has the No. 15 pick while Houston would use their second first-rounder at No. 16.
As we've heard, the Cavaliers’ reported offer of all four of their draft picks (Nos. 4, 24, 33, and 34) was never really considered by the Hornets. One Eastern Conference GM said that the offer didn't entice New Orleans in part because everything beyond the 10th pick appears to be a crapshoot. The GM went on to praise Cavs GM Chris Grant for his aggressiveness.

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0 comments Boston Celtics Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Memphis Grizzlies New Orleans Pelicans Philadelphia 76ers Sacramento Kings

Odds & Ends: Thunder, Hinrich, D-Will, Garnett

By Luke Adams | at June 12, 2012 4:50 pm

We're just hours away from Game 1 of the 2012 NBA Finals, and much of the coverage leading up to the series has focused on how this may be just the first of many title shots for the Thunder. However, Steve Perrin of SBNation.com doesn't necessarily see it that way, noting that the new CBA that was supposed to help small-market teams compete will work against Oklahoma City when James Harden and Serge Ibaka become free agents. The title window for the Thunder may not be as big as you'd think, at least with the current roster, says Perrin.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA, as we await tonight's opening tip….

Draft Rumors: Tuesday

By Luke Adams | at June 12, 2012 3:47 pm

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.

0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Atlanta Hawks Golden State Warriors Portland Trail Blazers Washington Wizards Darius Miller Doron Lamb Fab Melo Jared Sullinger Maurice Harkless Perry Jones III Quincy Miller Royce White Terrence Jones Tony Wroten

Magic Narrow GM Search To Three Finalists

By Luke Adams | at June 12, 2012 2:56 pm

2:56pm: Lindsey and Hennigan will head to Michigan to meet with the DeVos family this week, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). According to Berger, Bower may meet with owner Rich DeVos later on, but not yet. The Magic are expected to wrap up their search either later this week or early next week (Twitter links).

0 comments Orlando Magic Dennis Lindsey Jeff Bower Rob Hennigan Tom Penn Troy Weaver

Neil Olshey Talks Draft, Roster, Trades, Coach

By Luke Adams | at June 12, 2012 2:18 pm

Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey is preparing for this month's draft much differently than he would have with the Blazers, as he pointed out in an interview on Trailblazers.tv yesterday. Whereas the Clippers have a single second-round pick in the draft, the Blazers hold four picks, including two in the lottery. Olshey spoke to the hosts of Trail Blazers Courtside about draft preparation, roster construction, and the team's coaching search, and Casey Holdahl of TrailBlazers.com provides the transcript. Here are some of Olshey's more interesting comments:

On whether the team plans to keep both of its lottery picks:

"We're open to anything right now. Clearly we have a lot of roster flexibility. We have two very valuable picks in what is a deep draft. There are a lot of starters in this draft. I don't know how many superstars there are but there are definitely NBA-caliber starters. We're going to exhaust every resource we have. We're going to be on the phone generating deal flow. I've received some calls and made some calls already, kind of looking at where other teams may be vulnerable or have some hot-button issues they may want to address where we could improve our roster and accelerate our success curve."

On what players or positions the Blazers will target at sixth and 11th overall:

"Well look, it's cliche but it is best player available. I think that the point that this organization is at right now is an asset acquisition phase. We've got to rebuild our assets and at that point, either guys are going to make your team and contribute because they were drafted or you're going to be able to use those assets to generate a deal to bring players in from the outside from other organizations to rebuild the roster…. I think everyone has to look at the draft as a player acquisition vehicle and the more assets you can acquire in this league, the more flexibility you have to build the roster and accelerate the growth to become more successful quicker…. That's really what the draft is about. It's not about filling needs."

On calling other teams to discuss trades:

"I think everybody went to Chicago and you really want to get a feel where other teams are in their process. There are teams looking to go younger and acquire picks, there are teams looking for veterans because they feel like they're closer. You get as much of that information as possible, you come back and meet with your staff and you use that intel to target the goal of your phone call."

On the head coach search:

"I don't think that's right on the priority list right now. I think the guys that are available are still going to be available. But I think it's important to remember, when you do a coaching search, it's very important that you know what kind of a team you're searching for the coach for. We just don't know that right now. The roster composition is in a state of flux. Depending on which way we take this team will dictate what kind of coach we're looking for in order to target the search."

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Danny Ferry Frontrunner To Replace Sixers’ Thorn

By Luke Adams | at June 12, 2012 1:28 pm

It was just earlier this morning that we heard the 76ers had begun to interview candidates to replace Rod Thorn as the team's president and GM. Now, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that there's already a favorite for the job. According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Danny Ferry is considered the frontrunner to replace Thorn in Philadelphia.

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Offseason Outlook: Indiana Pacers

By Luke Adams | at June 12, 2012 12:57 pm

Guaranteed Contracts

Danny Granger ($13,058,606)
David West ($10,000,000)
Tyler Hansbrough ($3,055,259)
Paul George ($2,574,120)
Darren Collison ($2,319,344)
Jeff Pendergraph ($1,500,000)

Options

Dahntay Jones ($2,900,000, Player)

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Lance Stephenson ($870,000)

Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Leandro Barbosa ($11,400,000)
Roy Hibbert ($6,471,475)
George Hill ($3,851,158)
Louis Amundson ($3,592,485)
A.J. Price ($1,085,120 – QO)
Kyrylo Fesenko ($854,389)

Draft Picks

1st Round (26th overall)

Cap Outlook

Guaranteed Salary (including options): $35,407,329
Non-Guaranteed Salary, Cap Holds: $28,124,627
Total (not including draft picks): $63,531,956

Pacers president Larry Bird took home Executive of the Year honors this season, and for good reason. No NBA team got more bang for its buck this year than the Pacers, who finished third in the Eastern Conference with one of the league's lowest cap figures. Indiana had so much free cap space that the club was able to absorb Leandro Barbosa's $7.6MM salary at the deadline without sending any salary the other way, and still had plenty of breathing room below the cap.

While the Pacers head into the summer with only about $35MM in guaranteed money committed to next year's salaries (assuming Dahntay Jones picks up his player option), that cap flexibility will be tested a little. Roy Hibbert and George Hill are facing restricted free agency, and both players figure to be attractive commodities. The Pacers have plenty of room to match offers for both players, but if Hibbert receives a $10MM+ contract and Hill's exceeds $5MM, that won't leave much remaining cap space for outside free agents.

That may not be a problem for the Pacers, who are typically restrained when it comes to free agent spending. Last offseason's David West signing represented the team's largest free agent investment in recent years, and his deal was a modest two years for $20MM — already this season, it will become an expiring contract. Still, if Pacers fans are hoping their team makes a major play for someone like Steve Nash, they may be disappointed. Unless the team decides to part ways with Hibbert or Hill or trade Danny Granger, it's unlikely the Pacers will be able to bring another major free agent aboard.

Still, with plenty of players on rookie contracts, such as Paul George, Tyler Hansbrough, and Darren Collison, the Pacers have plenty of options. Indiana could choose to shop some of its young players in trade packages, or simply lock them up and commit to building around them. Hansbrough and Collison will both be eligible for extensions this offseason.

Holding a late-first-rounder once again in this year's draft, the Pacers are unlikely to find a star at 26th overall, but the team has drafted well in recent years, and this year's draft class is a deep one. Indiana could target a talented prospect whose stock has slipped in recent weeks, such as Quincy Miller or Royce White, and should be able to add another affordable rotation player with the pick.

With a number of affordable rotation players on board already though, I expect the Pacers to at least explore the possibility of a major trade. Under Bird, Indiana has avoided making huge splashes, electing instead to make modest moves like the West signing or the trade for Hill — moves that improve the team incrementally. But it's unclear if the Pacers will be able to hang with the Eastern Conference elite if Granger is their best player. As good a scorer as he can be, he lacks the star power of a LeBron James, Derrick Rose, or even a Rajon Rondo. The Pacers' style certainly doesn't call for a Carmelo Anthony-esque isolation player, but an elite scorer that could be trusted with the ball in his hands in the last two minutes of the game would certainly help. I'm not sure that such a player is out there for a package centered around Granger, but it's worth a look.

Ultimately, I anticipate a relatively straightforward summer for the Pacers. Hibbert and Hill should be retained, and perhaps another free agent or two will be added to the nucleus using remaining cap space or exceptions. The Pacers have been patiently building their core for a few years now, and aren't about to blow things up after their most successful season yet. Whether or not another modest addition or two will be enough to challenge for the Eastern Conference title is up for debate, but I expect Indiana to try to find out.

Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.

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Poll: Small Forward Most Likely To Be Traded?

By Luke Adams | at June 12, 2012 12:10 pm

A number of teams in the draft lottery, such as the Bobcats, Warriors, and Raptors, are seeking an impact veteran at the small forward position, with the Lakers, Timberwolves, and Rockets among the other teams who have the trade assets to pursue an athletic wing player. Three of the league's more talented small forwards, Andre Iguodala, Rudy Gay, and Danny Granger, could probably be had this summer for the right offer, meaning the rumor mill should be active. So today's poll question is simple: Which of these impact threes do you think will be moved this offseason, or do you expect all three to remain with their current teams?

Which Player Is Most Likely To Be Traded?

Andre Iguodala 50% (449)
Rudy Gay 27% (247)
None -- they'll all stay put 15% (131)
Danny Granger 8% (73)

Total votes: 900

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Southwest Notes: Diaw, Hornets, Grizzlies, Mavs

By Luke Adams | at June 12, 2012 10:54 am

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:

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Month: June 2012