Western Notes: Suns, Mavericks, Jazz
A well-deserved congratulations to the Heat for winning the NBA Championship as well as the Spurs for putting up a hard fought series. As we wrap up one of the more memorable Finals matchups in recent history, here are some of tonight's news and notes out of the Western Conference:
- Paul Coro of AZ Central says that Suns GM Ryan McDonough could use one of his three draft picks on an international player under contract and keep him overseas for more seasoning before bringing him over. Coro adds that if Phoenix doesn't select a center with their fifth overall pick, it could certainly be a targeted position with their 30th.
- Given their draft history, Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW thinks that the Mavericks will either trade this year's pick or draft an international player with the intent of keeping him overseas as to not take up any of this summer's salary cap space. If they do keep the pick, Sefko thinks that they'll look at either Michael Carter-Williams or Dennis Schroeder. In a separate piece, Sefko boldly predicts that the Mavs will wind up with Dwight Howard this offseason.
- Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin is excited to have Jerry Sloan involved with the franchise again, writes Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times thinks that the Clippers going after Doc Rivers at the expense of a first round pick is a no-brainer.
Draft Notes: Jazz, Noel, Cavs, Suns, Blazers
We unveiled the first edition of Hoops Rumors' 2013 mock draft earlier today, as our own Alex Lee ran through picks one through 30. We'll have our second and final mock up next week, just in time for Thursday night's draft, and given the lack of consensus on this year's class, it wouldn't be a surprise to see major changes to our board over the next several days. Here are the latest draft-related notes and rumors:
- The Clippers worked out E.J. Singler, Carrick Felix, Alex Oriakhi, and Jackie Carmichael at their Playa Vista training center this morning (Clippers.com).
- Among those who will participate in a pre-draft workout with the Wizards tomorrow include Keith Clanton, D.J. Cooper, Joffrey Lauvergne, Korie Lucious, Nicolo Melli, and Maurice Sutton, according to the team's official website.
- The Timberwolves will host Mason Plumlee, Kelly Olynyk, Christian Watford, and Colton Iverson tomorrow, as per the team's official PR Twitter account.
Earlier updates:
- Today's NBA AM piece from Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld is heavy on draft content, including an interview with Nerlens Noel and updates on Alex Len, the Jazz, and possible draft-and-stash candidates.
- Sources within the Cavaliers organization seem somewhat "cool" on Noel, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Still, Lloyd says the Cavs continue to prioritize long-term results rather than a short-term desire to make the playoffs, so Noel's inability to make an immediate impact likely wouldn't be a significant factor in the club's decision at No. 1.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider-only link) has unveiled his annual tiered rankings of the draft class, and none of this year's prospects qualified for either the first or second tier.
- While most of the focus among Suns fans figures to be on the team's fifth overall pick, Phoenix also has the 30th and 57th selections. Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic has the names of the candidates for those picks who worked out for the team today, including Jeff Withey and Deshaun Thomas (Twitter link).
- Steven Adams, Rudy Gobert, and Ricky Ledo are among the prospects working out for the Trail Blazers today, and Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com believes one of them could end up being the No. 10 pick (Twitter links).
Odds & Ends: Rivers, Nuggets, Roc Nation
Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald refers to a source that says Doc Rivers had no intention of being a part of an eventual rebuilding process with the Celtics, and that the team knew he felt that way when he signed his latest contract. The same source also said that Rivers did not intitiate the process that led to talks between Boston and the Clippers, adding that he had been contemplating between returning to coach the Celtics and stepping away from the game before team brass asked him if he was interested in any of the coaching opportunities around the league.
According to Bulpett's source, Rivers then learned that the front office had already held preliminary discussions with the Clippers about making him available (by releasing him from his contract) and seeing what they could get in return. At that point, Rivers was reportedly intrigued at the prospect of moving west and allowed Danny Ainge to try to work out the best possible deal. In the meantime, the 51-year-old coach was given permission to see if he could reach a separate agreement with the Clippers, which he eventually did (most notably, it would allow him to have control over player personnel).
With the deal now slowed by the fact that the agreement doesn't exactly comply with the rules of the CBA, Bulpett writes that Rivers could choose to do television work for the next one to two years rather than decide between coaching the Celtics or stepping away from the game altogether – that is, if the deal with the Clippers falls through. Interestingly enough, on the notion that Rivers had once said he'd be willing to continue coaching in Boston during a rebuilding process, some sources have called it an obligatory statement that was meant to preserve the stability of the team at the time, all while the front office would work to find pieces to complement Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce accordingly.
As we gear up for the seventh and deciding game of the NBA Finals, here are more of tonight's miscellaneous notes from around the Association:
- Mike Bratz, currently the director of player personnel for the Nuggets and former Kings backup point guard, has reached an agreement with Sacramento to become the team's assistant general manager (Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports).
- Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that shortly after firing George Karl, the Nuggets had offered the Celtics a first round draft pick as compensation to pry Rivers out of his contract. Once Denver's offer was rebuffed by Danny Ainge, they quickly moved their focus onto Brian Shaw and Lionel Hollins, who both are said to have made strong impressions on team president Josh Kroenke and general manager Tim Connelly. Sources have said that at the time Kroenke had made his bid for Rivers about ten days ago, Boston was not ready to start the process of letting Rivers leave, and the negotiations never went beyond one brief conversation between Kroenke and Ainge.
- There has been growing confusion (as well as anger, in some cases) among outside agents about who exactly the Roc Nation Sports agency represents and which athletes are part of its partnership with CAA Sports, writes Liz Mullen of SportsBusinessDaily.com. Some agents have privately expressed anger that Roc Nation has been reported to represent athletes who are still clients of other firms.
- Janis Carr of the OC Register writes that Dwight Howard is still undecided on his future (subscribers only).
- Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News tweets that Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni will be continuing interviews to fill out the rest of his coaching staff through next week, and that much of it will depend on how the head coaching hires around the league turn out.
- The city of Sacramento is being asked to write its first big check toward the development of a downtown sports arena, says Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee. City development staff is expected to ask the council for $6.5MM in city funds, of which some will be used to hire a team of financial, design, and legal consultants. The team of consultants are said to be needed as the city begins negotiations on "definitive agreements" of an arena financing and construction plan with the private investment team that owns the Kings.
- The Grizzlies should strongly consider selecting D.J. Stephens on draft night, opines Geoff Calkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Clippers Targeting Rivers First; KG, Pierce Later
7:28pm: Dan Woike of the OC Register tweets that Los Angeles isn't optimistic that the league will ever allow them to acquire both Garnett and Rivers.
7:10pm: ESPN's Ramona Shelburne tweets that the Clippers are in no rush to get something done, knowing that two of the three candidates they've interviewed will be available for a while.
7:00pm: Rivers is said to be growing frustrated by the lack of closure on the deal and could take himself out of it if things aren't resolved by tomorrow morning, writes Bulpett. Though another source tells Bulpett that process has come too far along to turn away now.
6:21pm: Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald (via Twitter) says that there was no deal presented to the league today because the Clippers have yet to meet the Celtics' asking price.
4:43pm: According to Wojnarowski, the Celtics would just want one first-round pick as compensation for releasing Rivers from his contract. If the two sides eventually returned to talks involving Garnett, the Celtics would want another first-rounder along with Jordan, says Wojnarowski.
However, the Clippers still haven't extended an offer of compensation to Boston, and there's concern from people involved in the talks that L.A.'s front office doesn't have the authority to meet the Celtics' request. Clippers management had privately insisted to people they were waiting on Donald Sterling's approval for the draft-pick compensation.
4:07pm: Although the Clippers want to set aside the Garnett discussions for now, they haven't shown a willingness to offer even one first-round pick for the rights to Rivers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Wojnarowski adds that talks are going nowhere until the Clippers relent on at least one pick (Twitter links).
Since it was previously reported that the deal for Garnett and Rivers would include two first-rounders along with Jordan, this new information is a little confusing. Obviously, the Clippers wouldn't give up two first-round picks and Jordan for Garnett alone, so it had appeared the team was willing to give up a first-rounder or two for Rivers.
The equation has likely changed now for one of two reasons: If the Clippers reach an agreement for Doc first, there's no guarantee they'll be able to work out a separate deal for KG later, so the team may be unwilling to part with first-round picks for just a coach, rather than the duo as a package. The Clippers also may feel they've regained some leverage, since Stern's public comments today suggested the NBA was uneasy about attaching significant trade value to head coaches. Both of those theories are my own speculation though.
Kroenke, Connelly on Nuggets, Coaching Search, Iguodala
The Nuggets held a joint press conference with team president Josh Kroenke and newly hired GM Tim Connelly today. Both elaborated on a number of topics, including the team's search for a head coach, along with their current views on Andre Iguodala's impending free agency. Here are a few highlights from today's transcript (via the team's official website).
Kroenke on his decision to hire Connelly:
"(He) and I had hellos here and hellos there but we kind of kept tabs on each other over the years. I have a mental checklist of guys that I like around the league and Tim was atop that list all along. Pete (D’Alessandro) and I discussed the position and I think he is going to have a wonderful opportunity in Sacramento. I think he’s really excited and I’m really excited for him. Once that happened I didn’t waste any time. It was a quick decision for me and there was one person that I wanted to bring in right away and discuss the position – and that was Tim. I made a quick phone call, made a few arrangements and less than 24 hours later, me and Tim were meeting. It was an easy decision to make and I think Tim is just as excited as I was."
Kroenke on the team's head coaching search:
"I’m comfortable with everything as long as both of us are on the same page when we make the decision. I don’t think either of us want to put a specific time frame on anything or have another team try and dictate a time frame for us based on a potential hire they might have. We’re going to do things at our own pace. When Tim and I both become comfortable with a name that we think is going to be good for our roster, that’s when we’ll make the decision. If somebody makes a decision between now and then, we’ll adjust our thinking accordingly.
Kroenke on Iguodala's chances of returning to Denver:
“One-hundred percent. We’ve had some good discussions about that already. I had a good conversation with his agent last week. (I'm) looking forward to following up with them. Andre’s somebody we definitely want to bring back and he’s well aware of our intentions to bring him back as well.”
Connelly on joining the Nuggets:
"There is a culture that is already engrained here; a winning culture. It is a heck of a team that I am inheriting; 57 wins and chock-full of talent. It is a very supportive ownership and it’s a great city. I kind of got to this seat in an atypical path. Anyone who has been unfortunate to see me play knows that I am not much of a player, but in my 17 years in the NBA I have been lucky to work with, for, and against some of the brightest basketball minds in this league. Through those unique experiences I have done pretty much everything from delivering the mail to making trades and everything in between. All of those countless experiences have prepared me for this challenge. It is a challenge and an exciting challenge. But I’m confident that over those 17 years I have reached this point and I feel great about where this team is. I’m hoping next year that we’re having a similar press conference where we can say that we grew from where we are presently. I’m just thankful to be here."
Connelly on the team's head coaching search:
"I got here and the process had already picked up. We’ve been fortunate to interview a couple guys over the last few days that I’m sure you guys are aware of the names. I think after this press conference, I’m looking forward to getting back to work, establishing the staff, and it’s an ongoing process, very fluid. The two guys we have talked to are tremendous and after this I look forward to going into Josh’s office and see where we go in that process."
“I don’t think we want to put a timeline on anything. There is a potential to talk to different candidates but we have talked to two great guys already. I think that whirlwind that I have experienced the last several days we have yet to really sit down and really share thoughts on where we are in the process. Again, we have talked to two great candidates and there is a couple guys we could potentially talk to but I don’t want to put a timeline on anything.”
Connelly's take on the current roster:
“I see I am the luckiest guy in the world. I see a roster that we really thought highly of in New Orleans. When you are in the other room sometimes you are most objective and most truthful. Over the course of our discussions I told Josh it is rare where you get jobs like this with a roster with this much talent. I am familiar with all the guys, I know a few of them pretty well. This is a 57-win team, and again, it is about growing on that. The foundation is there; I think we just have to build off that firm foundation and get some internal growth from some role players, also be opportunistic with trades and free agency and maximize our draft picks. The cupboard is full with an excellent roster.”
Connelly on Iguodala:
“The last guy we spoke to prior to this press room was Andre. He’s such a pro. He’s in there working out. He’s priority No. 1. We’ll be very proactive trying to reach an agreement that both sides are happy with.”
Eastern Links: Price, Knicks, Hinkie
Former NBA star Mark Price is in the process of joining Steve Clifford's coaching staff on the Bobcats, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Price – who had previously worked with Clifford on the Magic – figures to be an integral part of helping the team's overall shooting percentages improve. Bonnell adds that Stephen Silas will be retained and Bob Beyer is expected to join the team as another assistant. Here are some more miscellaneous notes out of the Eastern Conference this evening:
- Patrick Hayes of the Detroit Free Press identifies what the reasonable expectations are for Kyle Singler, Jonas Jerebko, Khris Middleton, and Kim English going into next season for the Pistons.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York relays a list of players who participated in a free agent mini-camp hosted by the Knicks today, which included Keith Gallon, Malcolm Grant, Ricky Harris, Terrence Jennings, Ahmad Nivins, Dustin Salisbery, Tony Taylor Jr., and Brandon Webster.
- While some may find it puzzling that the 76ers haven't decided on hiring a coach yet, one source tells Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer says that GM Sam Hinkie has a plan in place and knows what he's doing. Though he could not be reached for comment, Hinkie is expected to address the media on the night of the draft.
Western Links: Clippers, Kirilenko, Spurs, Nuggets
DeAndre Jordan told Yahoo! Sports Radio (link via WEEI.com) today that he'd be happy playing for either the Clippers or Celtics next season, and Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld took a detailed look at what L.A.'s cap situation would look like if the team were to acquire Kevin Garnett in exchange for Jordan. But the long-rumored deal that would send Garnett and Doc Rivers to the Clippers appears to be in trouble, as the latest reports suggest the NBA has serious misgivings about approving a move that wouldn't be in accordance with the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement.
As we wait to see whether the two teams will be able to come up with a solution that satisfies the NBA, let's check out a few more items from around the Western Conference:
- A decision on Andrei Kirilenko's 2013/14 player option is due by June 29th, but the T-Wolves forward tells Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune that he doesn't expect to make a decision until after next Thursday's draft. Whether Kirilenko opts in or out will have a significant impact on Minnesota's cap situation, considering the option is worth $10MM+.
- Responding to a report indicating that DeMarcus Cousins could ask to be traded if he doesn't receive a maximum-salary extension from the Kings this offseason, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com wonders whether it's possible for the Mavericks to trade for Cousins.
- As we prepare for what should be an exciting Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Jay Caplan of NBA.com breaks down quotes from Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Gregg Popovich, wondering if this could be the last run for the Spurs as we know them.
- During his introductory press conference today, new Nuggets GM Tim Connelly told reporters, including Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post, that he's eager to get to work with CEO Josh Kroenke on the team's roster and that he's optimistic about re-signing Andre Iguodala. As Dempsey writes in a separate piece, the Nuggets seem to be targeting shooters in the draft, based on their latest workouts.
Clippers/Celtics Updates: Thursday
3:12pm: The Clippers and Celtics haven't talked for several hours, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). However, Wojnarowski reports that the Clips would still like to get the deal done and are working on ways to satisfy the league's concerns.
1:00pm: Sam Amick of USA Today suggests that for the deal to be completed, one of two adjustments may have to be made. The Celtics may have to give up something more in the deal along with Garnett, most likely draft picks; or the Clippers may be able to give up slightly less.
According to Amick, the NBA believes that the "mere appearance that there is value being attached to Rivers" is not in accordance with the CBA, so it's Garnett's trade value that should be at the center of the discussion, rather than Rivers' value.
12:52pm: The league's primary concern with the proposed Celtics/Clippers deal is that the CBA doesn't allow coaches to be traded, as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes. Breaking it up into two separate moves would still be frowned upon by the NBA, a source tells Turner, since the Clippers are trying to get Rivers more than anything else.
The league has told the two teams for "several days" that the deal as currently constructed isn't legitamite, so the two sides are working to come up with an alternate solution, according to Turner.
12:26pm: Appearing on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on ESPN Radio today (video link), commissioner David Stern confirmed that the NBA wants to ensure the Celtics and Clippers aren't violating the CBA by including a head coach in a trade or by making two separate deals that are contingent on one another.
"If we know that what the parties really wanted to do is one [deal] they're going to break into two for purposes of trying to avoid the restrictions that the Collective Bargaining Agreement places on it, we know how to deal with that," Stern said.
11:36am: Stein reports (via Twitter) that the Celtics and Clippers have begun discussing new trade scenarios in an attempt to satisfy the league's misgivings about the two deals.
Kings Notes: Cousins, Snell, Bratz
Although many of our stories on the Kings so far this year have been related to Chris Hansen's attempt to buy the franchise and Sacramento's fight to keep the club in the city, the focus is beginning to shift. With a new ownership group in place, and a GM and head coach hired, the Kings can now turn their attention to figuring out how to transform a team that hasn't won more than 28 games since 2007/08 into a contender. Here's the latest out of Sacramento:
- Asked about the Kings' new regime by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee, DeMarcus Cousins replied with a "no comment." As Jones writes, Cousins has been instructed by agent Dan Fegan to stay quiet on the subject of the Kings team, management, and ownership.
- Fegan "wants a maximum deal for his client with the threat of a trade demand looming if a deal isn't reached," according to Jones. It's not clear based on the wording if Jones is speculating about a potential trade demand or if that's coming from Fegan himself. Needless to say though, if Cousins and the Kings don't reach an agreement this offseason when the big man is extension-eligible, trade rumors will pick up in earnest.
- In a separate piece for the Bee, Jones writes about the rising draft stock of New Mexico guard Tony Snell, and the impression Snell has made on the Kings.
- Mike Bratz of the Nuggets is flying to Sacramento today to finalize an agreement as Pete D'Alessandro's assistant GM with the Kings, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Bratz had been serving as the director of player personnel in Denver, and becomes the latest Nuggets executive to jump ship for another team.
Phil Jackson Remains Involved With Lakers
While Phil Jackson hasn't officially landed a full-time job with an NBA team this year, it's still been a busy few months for the Zen Master. In addition to publishing a new book, Jackson served as a consultant for the Pistons' head coaching search, was aggressively courted by the Raptors, and reportedly had an agreement in place with Chris Hansen for a front office position had the Kings relocated to Seattle.
Despite drawing interest from around the Association, Jackson remains most closely connected to the franchise run by fiancée Jeanie Buss and her brother Jim Buss. Appearing at a Time Warner Cable event yesterday, Jackson, GM Mitch Kupchak, and Jeanie Buss all discussed Jackson's connection to the Lakers, as he continues to act as a "consultant of sorts" for the franchise. Here are a few of the noteworthy quotes, courtesy of Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com and Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Jackson, on talking to Kupchak about the Lakers:
"We discussed some things, me and Mitch in the past couple of weeks, bouncing things around. That's been something that has happened. It's not something I expect them to rely on me for information, but I'm there to offer it. Not so much advice. Explaining the program that they're headed toward down the road and resolutions they had in the past and trying to clean that up and talk about some of the things in the future that are different ways in which they can resolve the issues. They asked if I can be of assistance. I said, 'Yeah, I'll help in whatever area you need to have help.'"
Kupchak, on Jackson's involvement with the club:
"He's over at the facility every now and then for obvious reasons. I'll see him then. We have reason to talk by phone every now and then…. Obviously his accomplishments here, and relationship with Jeanie, create an environment that we're susceptible to dialogue with a basketball person like Phil. If he was working for another team, it wouldn't be the same.
"I'm not sure why somebody like Phil isn't working for an NBA club right now. He has so much to offer to any franchise. Even though he doesn't have an official role with us, he's a consultant of sorts. Jeanie, I'm sure, talks to him every night about basketball. It may not be official, but there is an existing relationship."
Jeanie Buss, on Jackson's involvement with the team:
"Phil is a part of the organization because of me. Really the best way to look at it is the night of the Shaq jersey retirement, and Phil spoke on behalf of the Lakers fans and team. I want Lakers fans to know he is part of it. He's part of my life and part of my family. He's always in the Laker world no matter if he has an official position or not."
Buss, on whether she'd want Jackson to have an official position with the team:
"I think we're in good hands with our front office. Jim and Mitch know Phil is a phone call away. He's always available. He would always do anything to help, support or listen. It's like we're all family."