Lottery Leftovers: Cavs, Mavs, Blazers, Wolves
We gave you the pre-Lottery links and the Lottery results, so with the 2013 NBA Lottery in the books, it's only fair that we round up for you the draft news and notes from around the league:
- Despite winning the lottery, the Cavaliers will still explore potential trade scenarios for the top selection, tweets ESPN's Brian Windhorst. The Cavs, who own the first, 19th, 31st and 33rd picks in June's draft, also have cap space and a hunger to win as soon as possible.
- If the Cavs, or whoever else, don't select Nerlens Noel with the top selection, the former Kentucky center could fall out of the top three, tweets Yahoo's Marc Spears.
- If not Noel, ESPN's Chad Ford tweets that Otto Porter could be a dark horse candidate to go first overall. According to Ford, Cleveland loves Porter because he is a perfect fit who is NBA-ready and can therefore help right away.
- The Mavericks will look to trade the No. 13 pick in an attempt to preserve cap space for a run at Dwight Howard, tweets ESPN's Chad Ford. Ford adds that the No. 13 pick will make $1,655,300 in 2013/14.
- With a roster ready to win now and a draft thin on impact talent, look for the Blazers to dangle their No. 10 pick in an attempt to move up or acquire veteran help for Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum, writes Chris Haynes of CSN Northwest. Mike Tokito of the Oregonian agrees, writing that unless the team can acquire a legitimate center to guard the paint, look for Portland to be active in trade talks.
- The Timberwolves secured the No. 9 pick, which leads Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, via Twitter, to guess that the team will take the best big man available with their first pick and then take a flyer on a shooting guard with their second first rounder at No. 26.
- Here is an assortment of mock drafts published immediately following the lottery results: ESPN via Chad Ford, Draft Express via Jonathan Givony, HoopsWorld, and Sheridan Hoops via Joe Kotoch.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Watson, Sund, Knicks, White
Here are some notes from the only division in the East with no team left standing:
- While the timing is unclear, C.J. Watson's former agent, Jared Karnes, confirmed that Watson is now represented by Excel Sports, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Watson, who played 19 minutes per game for the Nets this year, owns a player option for the league minimum next season and told Bondy last month he'd love to return to Brooklyn.
- Besides Masai Ujiri and Kevin Pritchard – names that we've already heard – the Raptors are also considering Rick Sund for their newly available general manager position, report Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick of USA Today.
- In the wake of the Knicks playoff exit this weekend, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News offers his thoughts, via Twitter, on what Glen Grunwald and company must do in the offseason to improve. While they are hindered by cap issues, Isola tweets that the Knicks should try to find a way to add unrestricted free agent Kyle Korver, and then draft a point guard or a big man in June. Isola also tweets that he believes Jason Kidd's time in New York is over, despite what Grunfeld said, but hopes the team persuades Pablo Prigioni to stay.
- According to his agent, James White is unlikely to return to the Knicks next season if they don't pick up his option, reports Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York. William McCandless, White's agent, is confident that his client will garner NBA interest this offseason but because White values playing time, he has no problem going back overseas to continue his career.
NBA Draft Lottery Results
While a consensus number one pick has yet to emerge, we now officially know what team will be tasked with making the draft's first selection; the Cleveland Cavaliers. Besides the Cavs, who had the third best odds of winning, count the Wizards and the Blazers as winners on Tuesday night. The Wiz secured the No. 3 selection despite only having a 12.4 percent chance of landing in the top three. At No. 10, the Blazers retained their lottery selection, which would have gone to the Bobcats had it been outside of the top 12. Give their odds, the Magic (best odds, will pick second) and the Bobcats (second best odds, will pick fourth) had to have gone home disappointed.
2013 NBA Draft Lottery Results:
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Orlando Magic
- Washington Wizards
- Charlotte Bobcats
- Phoenix Suns
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Sacramento Kings
- Detroit Pistons
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Toronto Raptors (pick to be traded to Thunder)
- Dallas Mavericks
- Utah Jazz
Bobcats To Change Name To Hornets
TUESDAY, 7:20pm: The Bobcats made it official on Tuesday, as the team, via chairman Michael Jordan, announced that they have submitted the necessary paperwork to change their name to the Charlotte Hornets starting with the 2014/15 season. Their request now goes to the NBA Board of Governors, who next meets in Las Vegas on July 18.
A few words from Jordan via the team's press release: “This is a monumental moment for our organization. After undergoing an elaborate research process, we recognize that this is what our fans want. We believe that making this change would not only re-establish one of the most recognized brands in sports but would also unify our fan base by bringing together our loyal Bobcats fans with those who have fond memories of our city’s NBA predecessor. Our fans spoke and we listened.”
MONDAY, 3:53pm: The Bobcats have scheduled a press conference for early Tuesday evening to officially announce the name change, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
FRIDAY, 10:46pm: The Bobcats have begun the process necessary to change their nickname to the Hornets, a source tells Will Brinson of CBSSports.com. It doesn't look like the switch will take place in time for next season, since NBA commissioner-in-waiting Adam Silver told Bobcats season ticketholders last month that it would take at least 18 months to implement the change. Still, it appears the Hornets nickname, recently abandoned by the New Orleans Pelicans, could be back in Charlotte by the 2014/15 season.
Bobcats owner Michael Jordan has expressed a willingness to adopt the Hornets name, which would reunite the city with a moniker that left for New Orleans in 2002. The 'Cats began conducting market research in January on the possibility of a change, and the league has been working with the franchise to determine whether the switch would be beneficial. Jordan said in February that the results from a poll of the team's fans were "very mixed," but it looks like there's enough support for the effort to move ahead.
Silver told the season ticketholders there would be no legal hang-up, since the NBA, and not the Pelicans, owns the rights to the Hornets name. Brinson discovered that the league created and registered the NBAHornets.com URL this week.
The change might invoke fond memories in Charlotte, though it could lead to some bookkeeping headaches down the road, particularly when it comes to historical research of trades involving the former Hornets and the apparent future Hornets, one of which took place this past season.
Lottery Links: Magic, Noel, Thunder, Trades
With less than two hours until the start of the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery, let's round up any and all pre-Lottery notes in one post here. Be sure to check back with us around 8:00pm CST for an updated list of this year's first 14 picks.
- With a 25 percent chance at landing the top pick, the Magic sit in the best position entering the night. While they are assured a top-four selection, the team will likely look to move the pick if it is worse than No. 2, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports.
- Kentucky's Nerlens Noel, current rehabbing from a torn ACL, is widely projected to be the first player taken in June. USA Today's Sean Highkin breaks down how the unique prospect would fit with each of the lottery's 14 participants.
- Royce Young from Daily Thunder details what is on the line tonight for the Thunder, who will own the Raptors' first round pick should it fall outside of the top three. They received the pick in the deal for James Harden (the Rockets got it via the Kyle Lowry deal). As our Luke Adams wrote earlier today, Toronto only has a 2.6 percent shot at a top-three selection, so the pick will likely go to Oklahoma City. If so, the Thunder will be picking either 12th or 13th.
- The only other trade that could take effect tonight depending on how the ping pong balls bounce is owned by the Blazers, who will send their pick to the Bobcats if it lands outside of the top 12.
- While it's not lottery specific, here is a link to RealGM's summary of all pending future draft picks trades.
Bucks Links: Coaching Search, Drew, Workouts
At least eight NBA teams appear to be in the market for a new head coach, so the Bucks certainly aren't alone in what's becoming a crowded marketplace. However, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, Milwaukee is in no rush to complete its search. Spears tweets that the team will likely conduct a second round of interviews at some point in the near future. Here's more on the coaching search and other Bucks-related notes:
- Larry Drew, who is technically still under contract with the Hawks, interviewed for the Bucks' open position and said it "went well," tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel takes a look at how the Bucks' coaching search compares to the searches being conducted by a handful of other teams.
- The Bucks worked out a number of guards today, according to the team's official PR Twitter account. Junior Cadougan, Will Clyburn, Tyrone Gordon Jr., Glen Rice Jr., James Southerland, and Tony Snell were among the participants.
- Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explains how Chris Hansen's huge $625MM bid for the Kings could ultimately have an impact on the Bucks.
Clippers Part Ways With Vinny Del Negro
4:07pm: The Clippers have officially confirmed (Twitter link) that Del Negro will not be retained as the team's head coach.
1:47pm: The Clippers have parted ways with head coach Vinny Del Negro, a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). A report last week indicated that Del Negro was scheduled to meet with Clippers owner Donald Sterling over the weekend, with a decision on the coach's future to come shortly thereafter.
Del Negro's stint with the Clippers ends after three seasons and a 128-102 overall record. Led by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, the Clips captured their first division title in franchise history in 2012/13, but had an early exit from the postseason, falling 4-2 to the Grizzlies in the first round. With Del Negro's contract set to expire next month, a change in head coaches had been anticipated.
One report last Thursday did suggest that the Clippers hadn't ruled out retaining Del Negro, perhaps in part because he wouldn't be as expensive as the possible alternatives. But rather than being a unilateral decision by Sterling, the decision on Del Negro's future was believed to be an organizational one, with Paul and Griffin also getting some input. Del Negro's departure may bode well for CP3's future in Los Angeles, since the star point guard is likely to have a voice when it comes to deciding on the team's new head coach.
Michael Malone, Alvin Gentry, and Byron Scott have been mentioned as potential replacements for the Clippers, and recent speculation has resulted in Lionel Hollins' name coming up as well, though the Grizzlies reportedly hope to extend him. As Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer tweets, the Clippers job immediately becomes the NBA's most attractive opening, particularly if Paul re-ups, so there should be no shortage of contenders for the position.
Phil Jackson Talks Seattle, Nets, Howard
Phil Jackson appeared on the Dan Patrick Show (video link) this morning to promote his new book, to compare Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and to address a few more items of note. The Zen Master confirmed to Patrick that he doesn't intend to return to coaching, but did talk about another job he had discussed with the prospective Seattle ownership group. Here are a few highlights from Jackson's appearance:
On whether he would have been involved with a Seattle franchise had the Kings relocation been approved:
"I had an agreement with the guy that put the deal together for Seattle…. Chris Hansen. I thought he was dynamic, I thought he had great ideas. He went through the whole process of getting an arena. He did everything right, except win the franchise. But his vision I could buy into. I thought he had the right vision for a team. And he made basically the offer of take what you want to take as a job — a consultant, if you want to be an owner, be a part-owner, work in the basketball operations side of it if you want to, or coach. It didn't matter to him. We talked about a number of things that would progress the team that was going to move, which was Sacramento, which is a team that has to improve to be a significant team that's going to stay in Sacramento."
On whether the Clippers have reached out to him:
"No, I've never had any contact with Clippers management."
On the best offer he has received recently:
"Well, the Brooklyn situation I think is a good situation…. That was coaching, basically. They wanted to know if I was still interested in coaching."
On whether he thinks Dwight Howard will re-sign with the Lakers:
"Would you, if you felt like your game wasn't going to be featured?"
Western Rumors: Paul, Howard, Gordon, Hollins
We received word earlier this afternoon that head coach Vinny Del Negro will not be retained by the Clippers, and Ken Berger of CBSSports.com says (via Twitter) that one of the primary reasons for the decision was the fact that Chris Paul wasn't a fan of Del Negro. According to Berger (via Twitter), the star point guard didn't back the coach to management at season's end.
Here are a few more afternoon rumblings out of the Western Conference:
- Another Los Angeles free-agent-to-be, Dwight Howard, apparently isn't a fan of his head coach either — Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that Howard voiced some displeasure and frustration with Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni in a meeting with GM Mitch Kupchak at season's end. However, McMenamin notes that the relationship between D12 and D'Antoni isn't irreparable, and former Howard coach Stan Van Gundy told David Baumann of Sports Talk Florida (Twitter link) today that he wasn't giving much credence to the story.
- A source tells Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune (Twitter link) that there's "no merit" to trade rumors involving Eric Gordon.
- No teams have contacted the Grizzlies to ask permission to speak to head coach Lionel Hollins yet, tweets Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal.
- According to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link), the fact that the Sacramento arena plan involves a significant public subsidy wasn't insignificant when the league voted on the Kings' relocation bid.
Hoops Links: Pierce, Curry, Spurs, Heat
Thirteen years ago, tragedy struck as Malik Sealy of the Timberwolves died in a car accident at the age of 30. Sealy was on his way back from a birthday party for Kevin Garnett when he was struck by a drunk driver traveling the wrong way down the highway. Sealy is fondly remembered in NBA circles for being an exemplary teammate and has a special place in New York basketball history after starring at Tolentine High School in the Bronx and attending St. John's University. As a member of the Redmen, Sealy put together career numbers that were bested only by Chris Mullen.
Got a fantastic basketball blog piece that you want featured on Hoops Rumors? Send your submissions to HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here's this week's look around the web..
- CLNS Radio explores the trade options the Celtics have for Paul Pierce.
- Dime Magazine pits Stephen Curry against Kyrie Irving.
- Fansided breaks down the way the Spurs disrupted the Warriors' offense.
- Singh Sports News asks if Miami has the most fake fans or most haters.
- Silver Screen And Roll wonders how unlikely a Dwight Howard–Chris Paul pairing is.
- The Basketball Post sees a difficult summer ahead for the Nets.
- Red94 is ready for another summer of Dwight madness.
- Forum Blue And Gold did some thinking about DH's next deal.
- Hoops Addict says the Warriors were better sans David Lee.
Hoops Links typically runs on Sunday afternoon and will resume doing so next week. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.