Draft Notes: McGary, Burke, Smith, Bennett
After looking at UNLV's Anthony Bennett in the latest installment of Hoops Rumors' Prospect Profile series earlier today, here's a roundup of today's draft news..
- Mitch McGary's performance in the NCAA tournament for Michigan is solidifying the freshman center's stock as a first-round pick in the eyes of NBA scouts, notes Aran Smith of NBADraft.net (Twitter link). McGary has turned a lot of heads in recent weeks, but there's no indication yet that he'll jump into this year's draft.
- Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld released his latest mock draft and has Michigan point guard Trey Burke climbing all the way to No. 5 on his board. Meanwhile, Bennett falls outside of the top ten in this mock draft, despite the fact that many talent evaluators see him as a top five prospect.
- Louisville guard Russ Smith says that he's leaning towards staying in school, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. The 6-foot guard is currently busy getting set for tomorrow night's championship clash with Michigan.
- McGary's stock is through the roof, writes Zagoria.
Warriors Sign Scott Machado
The Warriors announced that they have signed guard Scott Machado to a 10-day contract. Machado played in nearby Santa Cruz for the club's D-League affiliate.
Machado, 22, came to the Santa Cruz Warriors in a trade with Rio Grande Valley last month. In 28 D-League games for Santa Cruz and Rio Grande Valley, the Iona product has averaged 8.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 24.0 minutes per contest. The guard already has six NBA games to his credit this season from his time with the Rockets.
Prospect Profile: Anthony Bennett
Last week, UNLV star Anthony Bennett officially announced that he'll forego his sophomore season and enter the 2013 draft. In his freshman year for the Runnin' Rebels, Bennett averaged 16.1 PPG and 8.1 RPG and shot 53.3% from the floor in 27.1 minutes per contest, but doesn't have the household name of other top prospects like Kentucky's Nerlens Noel and Kansas' Ben McLemore. If you're not among those that are familiar with Bennett, now is a good time to start.
The Canadian import stands at 6'7" but you wouldn't know it based on the way that he pushes around taller opponents. At the same time, he has a more diverse offensive skillset than most big men out there as well. Bennett is comfortable with the ball in his hands and can slash to the basket, shoot from the perimeter, and score in the paint. While he doesn't have the same ceiling, his offensive range at the power forward position is reminiscent of former Syracuse standout Derrick Coleman. He still has a great deal of potential in his own right, however, and his offense get even stronger if he can develop a back-to-the-basket game.
Defensively, Bennett has a ways to go. He has the athleticism to be a strong defender but never seemed to apply himself to it while at UNLV. Whether that's due to the scoring that was demanded of him or just a matter of attitude, it's something that will have to change at the next level, especially when Bennett is charged with guarding full-sized frontcourt players. In UNLV's first round defeat to Cal this year, backup center Robert Thurman gave Bennett trouble on both sides of the floor as he used his size and muscle to his advantage. NBA scouts will certainly test Bennett with bigger opponents in workouts but if he gets by without too much trouble, the forward should be a top ten selection.
Atlantic Notes: Wilcox, Collins, Christmas, Bynum
The Knicks' magic number to clinch the Atlantic Division title is down to two, and while that number might not get any lower with a stern test against the Thunder this afternoon, it seems like New York will soon claim its first division crown since 1993/94. That year just about everything went right for the Knicks, save for an off night from John Starks that kept the team from beating the Rockets in Game 7 of the Finals. Knicks fans wouldn't mind a repeat of all but the final act of that season, and while we wait to see what the rest of 2012/13 holds for the team, here's more on a few of their division rivals:
- The Celtics were going to include Chris Wilcox in the Jordan Crawford swap at the deadline, but wound up sending Jason Collins to Washington instead after Wilcox invoked his right to veto any trade this season, reports Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Collins went from contributing to a playoff team to appearing in just five games thus far for the Wizards, but the 34-year-old center is convinced he has plenty left, and has no plans of retiring.
- Dionte Christmas, who was in training camp with the Celtics this fall, confirmed via Twitter that he's signed to play the rest of the season in Italy with Montepaschi Siena. Il Corriere dello Sport first reported the agreement (translation via Sportando). The deal includes an option for next season as well, though it's not clear whether that's a team or player option, or whether it includes an out should Christmas get another NBA opportunity.
- Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com thinks the Sixers are likely to let Bynum walk this offseason, but Moore believes that the team should consider re-signing the balky-kneed big man to a one-year deal with clauses that could reduce his salary if he misses too many games.
- Despite whispers earlier this season that the Sixers might force out Doug Collins, the coach appears to be in control of his own fate. John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer argues that Collins should be allowed to keep his job.
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star answers reader questions about the Raptors and other NBA issues.
Net First-Round Draft Pick Debts And Credits
First-round picks were at a premium at the trade deadline this year. None of them changed hands, even though the 2013 draft class might be devoid of superstars. Teams still value the idea of rebuilding through the draft, and perhaps none more so than the Cavaliers, who have stockpiled four future first-round picks without owing any to another team. That gives them the highest net first-round draft pick credit in the NBA. The Magic and Suns follow with credits of three first-rounders a piece, and they're followed by a team that isn't trying to rebuild through the draft as much as they're trying to simply reload — the Thunder. Here's the complete list of teams set to receive more first-round picks than they're giving up:
- Cavaliers: +4
- Magic: +3
- Suns: +3
- Thunder: +2
- Hawks: +1
- Bobcats: +1
- Bulls: +1
- Jazz: +1
On the other side of the equation are the teams that owe first-rounders. Thanks to the Steve Nash and Dwight Howard deals this summer, the Lakers have given up three of their first-round picks, the maximum allowed under the Ted Stepien rule. Here's the list of teams relinquishing more first-rounders than they're getting:
- Lakers: -3
- Grizzlies: -2
- 76ers: -2
- Heat: -1
- Knicks: -1
- Trail Blazers: -1
- Kings: -1
- Raptors: -1
- Mavericks: -1
- Pistons: -1
- Warriors: -1
- Rockets: -1
RealGM was used in the creation of this post.
Kings Rumors: Robinson, Arena, Ranadive
The Kings have the league's seventh-worst record, but they've been one of the most newsworthy teams all year, thanks to the uncertainty surrounding where they'll play next season. They also participated in perhaps the most significant trade at the deadline, sending 2012 fifth overall pick Thomas Robinson to the Rockets. There's more news on both fronts, as we detail here:
- Robinson says the trade shocked him, but added that he doesn't hold it against the Kings, as Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee documents. "I don't have any regrets," he said. "I'm glad the Kings gave me a chance and drafted me. They put me in the league." That's in contrast to what he told Maurice Bobb of SLAM shortly after the deal, when he said he felt "somewhere between" happy and disrespected. Robinson could be on the move again, as he's rumored as potential trade fodder if the Rockets want to clear space for Dwight Howard.
- Sacramento County officials deny they've agreed to kick in $600K annually to help fund a new $448MM arena for the Kings, according to Tony Bizjak, Ryan Lillis and Dale Kasler of The Bee. A report circulated by the city of Sacramento stated that the county had agreed to the funding, but representatives from both the city and county say the matter isn't a significant hurdle to the arena plan.
- David Stern's trip to India this weekend had been scheduled long in advance and isn't related to India native Vivek Ranadive's recent emergence as the lead investor of Sacramento's bid to keep the Kings. Still, the connection can't hurt the city's chances in its duel with Seattle, The Bee's Ailene Voisin opines.
- Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe believes the most significant takeaway from this week's owners meeting on the future of the Kings was that Sacramento proved its bidders have the financial wherewithal to match Seattle's effort.
Thunder Recall Jeremy Lamb, DeAndre Liggins
We'll track today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any additional moves added to the top:
- The Thunder have recalled Jeremy Lamb and DeAndre Liggins from the D-League, the team announced via press release. The pair were sent down just yesterday, and both were in the starting lineup for the Tulsa 66ers last night. Lamb scored 12 points despite missing all seven of his three-point attempts, while Liggins had six points, 14 rebounds and nine assists to help the 66ers close out their regular season with a win. Tulsa qualified for the D-League playoffs, so the Thunder may continue to frequently shuttle players back and forth between Oklahoma City and their wholly owned D-League affiliate as they've done all season.
Samardo Samuels Signs To Play In Israel
Former Cavaliers power forward Samardo Samuels has signed with Israeli club Hapoel Jerusalem, David Pick of Eurobasket reports. The move had appeared close since earlier this week. Samardo's deal will cover two months and pay him $50K, excluding any extra cash he may earn with the team in postseason play. That pales in comparison to the $356,833 worth of prorated minimum salary he garnered for a partial season in the NBA with Cleveland this year.
The Cavs waived Samuels in January, right before his contract would have become fully guaranteed for the season. He was in the third year of a deal he signed with the team after going undrafted out of Louisville in 2010. Samuels averaged 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game for Cleveland this year, a decline from the 7.8 PPG and 4.3 RPG he put up in 18.9 minutes per contest as a rookie. Despite interest from the Nets and Thunder, and later the Grizzlies, Samuels signed in the D-League shortly after his release from the Cavs and notched 19.8 PPG and 10.3 RPG in 32 games for the Reno Bighorns.
Hapoel Jerusalem had Craig Smith, another ex-NBA power forward, on its roster until he experienced a falling out with head coach Sharon Drucker, prompting the team to cut Smith loose in March. Among the other players the team considered before deciding on Samuels were Othello Hunter, who spent parts of two seasons with the Hawks in 2008/09 and 2009/10, and Rick Jackson, who was in camp this past fall with the Warriors.
Poll: Who’s The NBA’s Cinderella?
With the NBA playoffs around the corner, which team has the potential to drastically excede their expctations with a trip to the NBA Finals? Does one even exist?
Odds & Ends: James, Clark, Sixers, Collison
When Heat general manager Pat Riley spoke out against Celtics general manager Danny Ainge last week, it was a calculated move on his part to keep LeBron James around after 2014, writes the Daily News' Mitch Lawrence.
- Mavericks point guard Darren Collison wants to be the team's starter, writes Dallas Star-Telegram reporter Dwain Price.
- InsideSoCal.com's Mark Medina writes that Lakers forward Earl Clark has rediscovered his role with the team with some great play recently.
- On Philly.com, the Sixers are gearing up for a busy offseason.