International Notes: Hudson, Mensah-Bonsu, Graham
The Knicks are ensuring that the last day of the NBA regular season features at least a couple roster moves, but there's also plenty of roster activity going on in other professional leagues around the world. Here's the latest:
- Emiliano Carchia of Sportando passes along a report suggesting that Spain's Unicaja Malaga is targeting Lester Hudson, who played for the Cavs and Grizzlies last season before averaging 27.8 PPG this year in China.
- Carchia also reports that former NBA forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu will join Italian team Olimpia Milano. Mensah-Bonsu had initially been set to join Italy's Cimberio Varese, but decided to accept a better offer from Milano, according to Carchia.
- Joey Graham parted ways with one Puerto Rican team earlier this week, but Luis Modestti reports (via Twitter) that the Raptors' 2005 first-round pick will continue his career with another club in Puerto Rico, signing with Mets de Guaynabo (English link via Sportando).
Knicks Sign Earl Barron
The Knicks didn't waste much time replacing Rasheed Wallace on their roster, announcing in a press release that they have signed Earl Barron. The club announced earlier today that Wallace has retired.
Barron, like Quentin Richardson, who was inked to a deal yesterday by the club, is a former Knick. New York is one of seven teams Barron has played for during his seven-year NBA career. Most recently, the seven-footer appeared in 11 games for the Wizards earlier this season, averaging 2.5 PPG and 3.9 RPG with the team before he was released.
With many of the Knicks' injured bigs, including Tyson Chandler, Marcus Camby, and Kenyon Martin, expected back for the postseason, Barron is unlikely to receive significant minutes. However, he'll provide some frontcourt depth in case any of the Knicks' regulars are sidelined again.
Rasheed Wallace Retires
Rasheed Wallace has retired as an NBA player, the Knicks announced today (Twitter link). For Wallace, it's his second retirement. He initially ended his playing career after the 2009/10 season, but returned this year with the Knicks before being sidelined by injuries.
"Rasheed has given this team everything he had," coach Mike Woodson said in a statement (Twitter links). "He is a winner, true professional and leader on and off the court. Due to his injury, he will not be available to play for us during the playoffs."
Although he appeared in just 21 games with the Knicks this season, Wallace played in 1109 contests for six teams in his NBA career, averaging 14.4 PPG and 6.7 RPG in those games, good for more than 16,000 career points. According to Basketball-Reference, the 38-year-old big man earned in the neighborhood of $157MM over the course of his NBA career.
With Wallace no longer in the mix for the Knicks in the postseason, expect the team to release him and use the roster spot to sign another player before tonight's game, says Howard Beck of the New York Times (via Twitter). The team has already replaced one injured big man (Kurt Thomas) with late-season signee Quentin Richardson.
Draft Order Situations To Watch Tonight
Even after 81 games, not all of the NBA's playoff seeds, or even playoff teams, have been determined. The highlights of tonight's schedule include Jazz vs. Grizzlies and Rockets vs. Lakers, two contests in which each team has something at stake. The Jazz can earn a playoff spot with a win and a Lakers loss, while the Lakers would earn the seventh seed with a win over Houston. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies would earn home-court advantage in round one with a win and a Clippers loss, while the Rockets could get as high as No. 6 or fall as low as No. 8, depending on various outcomes.
Although the games with postseason implications are the important ones tonight, some of the league's lesser clubs are also jockeying for position — in the draft lottery. Most notably, the Magic and Bobcats have identical 20-61 records, tied for the NBA's worst mark, so winning or losing today could be the difference in a couple dozen ping-pong balls at this year's draft lottery. With the help of our reverse standings tool, here are a few situations worth monitoring tonight if you're interested in seeing how this year's draft order plays out:
Games: Magic (20-61) at Heat, Cavaliers at Bobcats (20-61)
At stake: No. 1 odds in the draft lottery
Summary: 424 of 1,000 potential outcomes for the draft's first overall pick result in one of the league's worst two teams landing that top choice. If, for instance, the Magic lose tonight and the Bobcats win, Orlando would have a 25% chance at the No. 1 pick, while the Bobcats' odds would be 19.9%. If both teams lose (or win), a coin flip would determine which team gets a 22.5% chance at the top pick and which team has 22.4% odds.
Games: Hornets (27-54) at Mavericks, Clippers at Kings (28-53), Pistons (29-52) at Nets, Wizards (29-52) at Bulls, Timberwolves (30-51) at Spurs
At stake: Nos. 5-9 in draft lottery standings
Summary: There are too many outcomes here to go through all of them, but based on tonight's results, each of these teams could end up shuffling around a little in the lottery standings. One example: A T-Wolves loss, combined with Pistons and Wizards wins, could get the Wolves up to seventh in the lottery standings, if coin flips fall their way. A win in San Antonio, however, would mean they're locked into ninth in the lottery standings.
Games: 76ers (33-48) at Pacers, Celtics at Raptors (33-48), Warriors at Trail Blazers (33-48)
At stake: Nos. 10-12 in draft lottery standings, Blazers' first- and second-round picks
Summary: It would be hard to blame you if you suspected the Blazers looked like they were tanking last night against the Clippers. After all, losing their 13th straight game in tonight's finale could put them in position to keep both their first- and second-round picks in the draft. If the Blazers lose to the Warriors, they'll have a chance to be as high as 10th in the lottery standings, which would bode well for their top-12-protected first-rounder, and their top-40-protected second-rounder.
Games: Jazz (43-38) at Grizzlies, Rockets at Lakers (44-37)
At stake: Who gets the Lakers' first-round pick
Summary: We already covered the playoff stakes of these games, with the Lakers needing either a win or a Jazz loss to earn a postseason berth. If that happens, their first-round pick will be sent to the Cavaliers, with the Suns receiving the Heat's first-rounder (30th overall). If it's Utah that sneaks into the playoffs, the Lakers' first-rounder goes to the Suns, with the Cavs getting Miami's pick.
Games: Clippers (55-26) at Kings, Jazz at Grizzlies (55-26), Suns at Nuggets (56-25)
At stake: Who gets the Clippers' and Grizzlies' second-round picks
Summary: The seeding and home-court implications for the Grizzlies and Clippers are obviously more important here than whether or not either team has to give up a late second-round pick, but it's worth mentioning nonetheless. Both teams have traded their second-round picks, with top-55 protection — the Clippers' second-rounder will go to Detroit if it's not in the top 55, while the Grizzlies' pick would go the Lakers if it's not in the top 55. Currently, a coin flip would decide which team is drafting 55th and which team is drafting 56th. However, if the Grizz and Clips both win tonight, and the Nuggets lose, Memphis and L.A. could end up in the 56th and 57th slots, meaning both teams would lose their second-rounders.
The only game with no real draft-related stakes tonight is the Bucks vs. Thunder contest, as Milwaukee is locked into the 15th spot, while Oklahoma City is locked into No. 29.
Draft Updates: Hardaway, Larkin, Early Entrants
The NCAA's withdrawal deadline for early entrants passed by yesterday, but the real deadline is still to come. NCAA underclassmen who haven't declared for the draft yet can still do so by the NBA's deadline of April 28th, so a few decisions are still on the way in the next week and a half. Let's check in on a couple of those decisions in our latest round of draft updates….
- Tim Hardaway Jr. of Michigan has a press conference scheduled at 2:00pm CST today to announce his decision, according to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), who says he'd be very surprised if Hardaway doesn't go pro.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Twitter link) hears that Miami sophomore Shane Larkin is leaning strongly toward declaring for the draft, which has Ford moving him to the "one foot in" section of his in-or-out list.
- A few other players besides Hardaway Jr. and Larkin that have "one foot in," according to Ford: Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk, Washington's C.J. Wilcox, and Adreian Payne of Michigan State. All three players are juniors at their respective schools.
Odds & Ends: Budinger, McGrady, Hennigan
As Tuesday night winds down, here are some odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Chase Budinger, a soon-to-be unrestricted free agent, would like to return to the Timberwolves next season but is only likely to do so if Rick Adelman is retained as the head coach, writes Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Adelman pushed the Wolves to acquire Budinger, who he coached in Houston, in a draft-day trade with the Rockets last June. Budinger missed four months this season with a knee injury.
- After he signed Tracy McGrady, general manager R.C. Buford said that with the status of the Spurs roster right now, they "felt like [they] needed to look at some depth and experience," tweets Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News (via Twitter).
- The true winner of last summer's biggest blockbuster was Magic GM Rob Hennigan, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel. Hennigan fleeced the Sixers and obtained three first-round draft picks and Arron Afflalo, says Bianchi, and most important, did not end up with Andrew Bynum.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer looks at the biggest issues facing the lowly Bobcats this summer, specifically pointing at the futures of head coach Mike Dunlap, restricted free-agent-to-be Gerald Henderson as well as the six other Bobcats who could become free agents.
Poll: Did Marcus Smart Make The Right Decision?
In light of Marcus Smart's decision to return to Oklahoma State for his sophomore season, the debate over whether he made the right decision is already underway. Smart was all but a lock to be drafted top five come June with an outside chance at going No. 1 overall (per ESPN's Chad Ford on Twitter). This year's NBA Draft is considered weak, especially at the top, and the prevailing thought on next year's draft, albeit 14 months away, is that it will be considerably stronger. The downside of Smart's decision is clear; he could be costing himself millions of dollars. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, who broke the Smart news, adds via Twitter that the overwhelming response of NBA executives on Smart's decision thus far is "shock."
But as Ford tweets, Smart is the type of "different" kid that values winning and college experience. Maybe Smart is returning to Stillwater because he values the development of his game over the paycheck that will come with his draft slot. Top five picks, by definition, typically go to the worst teams in the NBA. Sometimes those are not the best destinations for players who are not ready for the bright lights of the professional ranks. Who knows? Maybe Smart's decision will result in a bigger payday or more prosperous career down the road than he ever would have had stuck on a perpetual loser.
It is a subjective debate for sure… which is why it is important to ask the question. Did Marcus Smart make the right decision? Please feel free to elaborate on your answer in the comments section.
Draft Notes: McAdoo, Franklin, Smart
Let's keep track of all things NBA Draft from Tuesday night right here:
- James McAdoo has decided to return to North Carolina for his junior season, reports Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports. Despite being a highly touted recruit who averaged of 14.4 points per contest this year, McAdoo was clearly not happy with his draft projection. Citing NBA executives, Goodman says that reports on the rangy Tar Heel label him as a man without a position in the NBA, not yet comfortable in the post and not a good enough shooter to play on the perimeter.
- Before the announcement, McAdoo ranked 20th on the Draft Express Top 100 and projected as the 19th pick in the site's most recent mock draft. Three picks later, Draft Express pegs Jamaal Franklin as the Nets pick at 22. Franklin has the experience and polish to be an instant contributor for a contender that picks in the 20s, if he lasts that long. Franklin is the Draft Express NBA Draft Prospect of the Week, and Walker Beeken profiles him here.
- Oklahoma State basketball has scheduled a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, tweets ESPN's Chad Ford, who suggests that the school may announce the plans of top-five hopeful Marcus Smart. Smart is ranked as the third best prospect in the draft by Draft Express. The last we heard from him, there were conflicting reports of his intentions regarding the draft.
Pacific Notes: Bryant, Amnesty, Cousins
With three NBA games scheduled, the Clippers are the only Pacific division team in action tonight. Let's round up links from the division here:
- Just because the Lakers aren't thinking about amnestying Kobe Bryant just yet, doesn't mean everyone else isn't. An ESPN Los Angeles poll shows that most do not think the Lakers should use the amnesty provision on their longtime star. Amin Elhassan of ESPN is in favor of cutting ties with Bryant, writing that the team could conceivably re-sign him if he can return to full strength. On the other hand, Arash Markazi sees Bryant helping the Lakers next season and thinks the franchise's image would take a hit should they release him.
- Markazi follows up on Twitter, clarifying that the Lakers can only use their amnesty provision on Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Blake or Metta World Peace, adding that he believes the team will use it on either Blake or World Peace. Markazi also tweets that for a player to be eligible for the amnesty provision, he must have been with the team that amnesties him since July 1st, 2011, as Luke Adams noted in his amnesty refresher this afternoon.
- In an all-access interview with Bleacher Report's Jimmy Spencer, Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins insists that he is not interested in a change of scenery. "No, I am loyal to this organization," Cousins said. "The biggest reward to me would be, at the end of the day, hearing them say, 'He turned this around. He stuck with it through thick and thin and he made it happen.'" While the story comes with a disclaimer that Cousins granted the interview with an agenda in mind, there are plenty of worthwhile quotes that make it worth a read.
Doug Collins Tells 76ers He Won’t Stay As Coach
TUESDAY, 7:12pm: According to ESPN's Marc Stein, a press release was issued earlier today from the office of John Langel, Collins' agent, that a deal was done to make Collins a "special consultant" with the Sixers. Shortly after, however, another release was issued stating that the original was wrong (Twitter links). This is curious to say the least, though it likely indicates that the two sides are discussing of some type of a buyout.
SUNDAY, 10:49pm: An amicable agreement is being pursued by both sides with possibilities ranging from a buyout to Collins staying on in a front office role, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
SUNDAY, 9:17pm: Sixers coach Doug Collins has informed ownership that he will resign at season's end, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. The 62-year-old has one year left on a four-year deal, but has told management he won't return in that role. Collins' possible return to the franchise in another capacity, possibly something in the front office, hasn't been ruled out, according to a source.
Despite talk about his job security, ownership wanted him to return for the final season of a his deal that would've paid him $4.5MM, but Collins informed owner Josh Harris of his decision in recent days.
There could soon be space for Collins in the front office as president Rod Thorn is likely to move into a consultant's role at season's end and GM Tony DiLeo could be let go or have an ultimate decision-maker hired to preside over him.
The Sixers are 33-47, good for ninth place in the Eastern Conference. It has been a trying year for Collins and the 76ers who were supposed to have Andrew Bynum in the middle and a real shot at challenging the elite teams in the East this season. However, knee injuries sidelined the All-Star for the entire season, leaving the club with nothing to show for parting with Andre Iguodala, Nik Vucevic, and Moe Harkless.