2014 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Kobe, Bulls, Heat, Wizards

November 26th, 2013 at 11:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

Kobe Bryant says he gave no thought to leaving the Lakers in free agency, and defended himself against criticism that his extension will hurt the team, as USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt observes. Most Hoops Rumors readers agree, believing the Lakers will sign another max free agent in either 2014 or 2015. Here’s more from the Association:

The Bulls seem likely to get a disabled player exception after Derrick Rose‘s injury, but that doesn’t mean they’ll use it, as Salary Cap FAQ author Larry Coon explains (Twitter links).
There’s no sign of any rift between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and as the Cavs and others lurk in free agency, LeBron seems as much a part of the Heat as ever, writes Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald.
Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld says he has no plans to make a roster move in the next two weeks while Bradley Beal recovers from a stress injury in his right leg, observes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Beal will miss at least that amount of time.
Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report hears from a source that new Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger is getting “considerable direction” from the team’s ownership and front office. “They’re suggesting lineups,” said the source. “Aggressively.”
In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Jeff Goodman makes the case for why Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart could receive some consideration as the first overall pick next June.
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports catches up with Josh Howard, who is playing with the D-League’s Austin Toros as he attempts to make his way back to the NBA.
FIBA approved moving the 2018 basketball World Cup to 2019, as Lefteris Moutis of Eurohoops.net writes. Qualification will take place while most pro leagues are in session, a move that probably isn’t popular with the NBA.
Mike Woodson made it clear to reporters today that the perception he doesn’t like Iman Shumpert is off base, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News tweets.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

The Cost Of Traded 2014 First-Round Picks

November 22nd, 2013 at 5:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

A look at our 2013/14 Reverse Standings table wouldn’t give you the idea that the 2014 draft class is as heralded as it is. Nor would it suggest how stingy GMs were with their first-round picks at the trade deadline last year. No team dealt away a first-round pick last February, but a dozen of next year’s 30 first-rounders were involved in a trade at some point. Not all of those selections will wind up actually changing hands for 2014 thanks to the protection attached under the terms of the trades, but the teams that wind up having to surrender their picks may rue having given them up.

Of course, no trade is made in a vacuum, and the desire for cap space fuels many transactions that appear lopsided on the surface, like the Pistons’ acquisition of Corey Maggette for Ben Gordon and what could be a lottery pick this year. Still, it’s interesting to see the raw costs of 2014 draft picks and wonder whether any flexibility a team might have gained was worth the cost of a chance at a future star. In many instances, the draft pick wasn’t the only asset the team surrendered, making the cost even higher.

Here’s a closer look at a few of the most interesting cases:

The Blazers won’t have to worry about having given up too valuable a pick if their hot start continues, but just as trading Gerald Wallace away netted them the 2012 No. 6 overall selection that became Damian Lillard, acquiring Wallace cost Portland a first-round pick. They also surrendered the pick that became Tobias Harris in the deal to bring Wallace to Rip City, and Harris is beginning to emerge as an important player for the Magic.
Dallas is more than a year removed from having to deal with the headache that Lamar Odom became during his time there, but the acquisition still haunts the Mavs. Dallas gave up a first-rounder to the Lakers as part of its deal to acquire the forward, and a pair of subsequent trades have set the Thunder up to see the Mavs’ pick as soon as 2014.
Bobcats fans have suffered through plenty, and even though underachieving Tyrus Thomas is gone thanks to the amnesty clause, the repercussions of the team’s ill-fated decision to trade for him remain. Charlotte must send its 2014 first-rounder to Chicago if it’s not a top-10 pick, thanks to the Thomas deal.
Drafting Wesley Johnson fourth overall in 2010 didn’t just cost the Timberwolves the chance to grab Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins and Larry Sanders, all of whom were still on the board. It also might have cost the team a late lottery pick next year. The Wolves’ 2014 first-round pick will go to the Suns if it’s No. 14 or below, since the Wolves threw the selection in as sweetener to prompt Phoenix to accept Johnson via trade last year. Ominously for the Wolves, their pick would come at No. 14 based on today’s standings.
It’s hard to fault the Knicks too much for trading their 2014 first-rounder, considering they gave it up in the Carmelo Anthony deal. Still, if Anthony bolts as a free agent this summer and the Knicks are left without a chance to grab a budding star in June’s draft, it will no doubt leave New York fans with plenty of regrets. That’s doubly true if the Knicks don’t start winning some games and their unprotected pick winds up as a lottery selection.

Here’s what each team with at least a slight chance of losing its 2014 first-round pick got in return. The number on the left indicates where the pick would fall in the draft order based on today’s reverse standings.

Picks that wouldn’t change hands based on today’s standings:

7. Wizards (goes to Suns if it’s not in the top 12) — acquired Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, Kendall Marshall, and Malcolm Lee. Also gave up Emeka Okafor.
8. Pistons (goes to Bobcats if it’s not in the top 8) — acquired Corey Maggette. Also gave up Ben Gordon.
9. Kings (goes to Cavaliers if it’s not in the top 12) — acquired J.J. Hickson.
12. Sixers (goes to Heat if it’s not in the top 14) — acquired 2012 No. 27 pick (Arnett Moultrie). Also gave up 2012 No. 45 pick (Justin Hamilton).

Picks that would:

3. Knicks (goes to Nuggets; goes to Magic if Denver’s own pick is more favorable) — acquired Carmelo Anthony, Renaldo Balkman, Chauncey Billups, Corey Brewer, Anthony Carter and Shelden Williams. Also gave up Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, Eddy Curry, Anthony Randolph, $3MM cash, a 2012 second-round draft pick (Quincy Miller), and a 2013 second-round draft pick (Romero Osby).
11. Pelicans (goes to Sixers if it’s not in the top 5) — acquired Jrue Holiday and 2013 No. 42 pick (Pierre Jackson). Also gave up 2013 No. 6 pick (Nerlens Noel).
14. Timberwolves (goes to Suns if it’s not in the top 13) — acquired a 2013 second-round pick (Lorenzo Brown), a 2014 second-round pick and a 2016 second-round pick. Also gave up Wesley Johnson.
18. Bobcats (goes to Bulls if it’s not in the top 10) — acquired Tyrus Thomas. Also gave up Ronald Murray and Acie Law.
24. Warriors (goes to Jazz) — acquired Andre Iguodala and Kevin Murphy. Also gave up Andris Biedrins, Richard Jefferson, Brandon Rush, a 2017 first-round pick, a 2016 second-round pick, a 2017 second-round pick, a 2018 second-round pick, and cash.
25. Mavericks (goes to Thunder if it’s not in the top 20) — acquired Lamar Odom, a 2012 second-round pick (Darius Johnson-Odom), and the rights to swap 2013 second-round picks with the Lakers (not exercised).
28. Trail Blazers (goes to Bobcats if it’s not in the top 12) — acquired Gerald Wallace. Also gave up Dante Cunningham, Sean Marks, Joel Przybilla, a 2011 first-round draft pick (Tobias Harris), and cash.
30. Pacers (goes to Suns if it’s not in the top 14) — acquired Luis Scola. Also gave up Miles Plumlee and Gerald Green.

RealGM.com and Pro Sports Transactions were used in the creation of this post.

Categories:
2014 NBA Draft

NBA Execs Discuss 2014 Draft, Top Prospects

November 19th, 2013 at 12:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Following last week’s Champions Classic in Chicago, I asked Hoops Rumors readers which player would be selected first overall in the 2014 draft. While Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins received more than half the votes, the outcome wasn’t as one-sided as it may have been six months ago, with Jabari Parker (Duke), and Julius Randle (Kentucky) earning plenty of votes as well.

ESPN.com’s Chad Ford recently posed the same question to 39 NBA executives, and the breakdown of responses was similar to our poll — nearly half of those 39 execs picked Wiggins, but Parker and Randle got plenty of attention as well, and Dante Exum loomed as a dark horse. Here’s what some of the executives who spoke to Ford had to say about the top draft prospects for 2014:

A veteran NBA exec on Wiggins:

“I think he can be a player that plays a lot like Paul George does. He’s so smooth that at times it almost looks like he’s coasting. But when you watch closer, you just see the game comes so easy to him…. I’m not sure how we could pass on him if we had the No. 1 pick. The other guys might be more ready right now, but in three years, I think he’s the best player in this class.”

A general manager on Randle:

“I think he’s the surest thing in the draft. There’s nothing he can’t do and there just aren’t that many bigs in the NBA with that set of skills. He’s going to be a 10-time All-Star and will make a major impact on your team in Year One. Wiggins might have a little more upside and [Parker] is so attractive as well, but if you take someone else, you’re really risking your job.”

A different GM on Parker:

“I absolutely love him. I love guys who just know how to play. Very few players at Jabari’s age are so sophisticated about the game. You see how he’s reading the floor and how he’s thinking the game and you can’t help but get excited. I remember when some guys were wringing their hands about Kevin Durant. Does he play defense? Is he an elite athlete? I just saw a killer out there who would do anything to win. I see that in Jabari. Some will worship Wiggins’ athleticism. Some will pray to the altar of ‘big’ with Randle. But Parker’s my guy and I don’t see that changing.”

Another GM on Exum:

“Maybe I’m young and foolish, but I think Exum ends up being the guy everyone wishes they took in a few years. All of them are going to be great, but when you watch Exum, you see the ability to be a generational talent. My owner might kill me, but I think you take Exum, regardless of what the other guys do this year. Exum’s already proved it to me.”

Northwest Notes: Sefolosha, Thunder, Jazz

November 18th, 2013 at 6:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s tonight’s look at the Northwest Division as the Blazers, Thunder, and Jazz look for Monday night victories..

There’s no guarantee that Thabo Sefolosha will return to the Thunder next season, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City has never allowed a player like Sefolosha, a five-year fixture in the rotation, to get to free agency, but the defensively-minded guard could be the first. The threat of the luxury tax looms large over OKC and they have a more pressing deal to try to get done with Reggie Jackson, a rising star who is eligible for an extension on July 1. Sefolosha has previously stated his desire to remain with the Thunder.
How good is Jabari Parker? One NBA assistant coach says the Duke star would be the best player on the Jazz today, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. While many have said that Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins is the undisputed top talent in the draft for months now, it appears that the tides have shifted in the last month or so with many execs saying that Parker or Julius Randle could be the first man off the board in June.
Thunder guard Derek Fisher says that he’ll leave nothing on the hardwood this season as it will definitely be his last, writes RealGM’s Shams Charania. “It’s my last season, so I don’t have to worry about pacing myself for next season per say,” Fisher said. “I’m trying to make sure that I’m ready every night for whatever the team needs me to do…it’s just about being a leader by example and continuing to show our guys that you help your team win by doing whatever it takes – not just things that show up on the stat sheet.”

Odds & Ends: Jefferson, Mavs, Asik, George

November 17th, 2013 at 10:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Over his ten years in the league, Bobcats center Al Jefferson has been through a number of rebuilding projects with multiple teams, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “I have been playing [a pivotal] role since I left Boston,” Jefferson said. “Minnesota was rough. Utah, I had a little success and that’s what got me here. I like my team. We’ve got a great group of guys, guys who have been going through some trials and tribulations themselves the last couple of years. I want to help turn this thing around and I think the coaching staff is amazing and I think we have a chance to do that.” Here’s tonight’s look around the Association..

One draft-conscious observer told Bob Finnan of the News-Herald there could have been as many as 13 first-round picks playing in the Champions Classic (featuring Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan St., and Duke) in Chicago on Tuesday. Kentucky power forward Julius Randle and guards James Young and Andrew Harrison could be lottery picks along with Michigan State combo guard Gary Harris. The second game was Duke vs. Kansas, which could have three more lottery picks in Jayhawks small forward Andrew Wiggins, center Joel Embiid, and Duke small forward Jabari Parker.
Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki is glad that the club went out and signed free agents to multi-year pacts rather than last summer where they inked nine one-year deals, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. This offseason saw Dallas sign Monta Ellis to a three-year deal and Jose Calderon to a four-year contract.
More from Ingram, who writes that a trade of Omer Asik would be a bad move for both the Rockets and the center. A trade demand makes it seem as though everyone hasn’t bought in to Houston’s philosophy, a bad sign for a team with championship aspirations. Meanwhile, the trade request makes Asik look selfish since he appears to be putting himself above winning.
Pacers star Paul George can earn a pay hike by earning an MVP selection or making an All-NBA team, but he won’t get the maximum deal allowed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, explains HoopsWorld’s Eric Pincus.
Former player’s union official Joseph Lombardo faces 20 years in prison over fraud charges, according to the Associated Press. Authorities say Lombardo used a stamp to forge the signature of a deceased general counsel for the National Basketball Players Association and another employee, a move that directed $3MM to his firm over five years.
The Knicks have fallen apart, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com. Even if the Knicks could deal Shumpert for a big who plays with effort like a Kenneth Faried, it’s not going to solve all the Knicks’ problems, Youngmisuk opines.
Former NBA standout Grant Hill says that he’s proud of his career in retrospect and the way that he navigated through its ups-and-downs. “I’m proud of coming back and my last [five] years in Phoenix, finding great joy and fulfillment in sort of reinventing yourself,” Hill told Michael Lee of the Washington Post. “I know, in retrospect, that’s not an easy thing to do, either.”
Wolves president of basketball ops Flip Saunders is drawing upon his time as coaching adviser for the Celtics in 2012 as he finds his way through his new job, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. “One of the things I really noticed is the way things worked between Danny (Ainge) and management and the coaching staff,” said Saunders. “I think it helped that Danny had been a coach, but I really like the way people there worked together.“
Jared Jeffries fits in well with the Nuggets front office, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. The forward says that he’s glad to not be dealing with physical pain every day and seems content with his decision to retire and move on to a new chapter.

Atlantic Rumors: Celtics, Woodson, Raptors

November 17th, 2013 at 10:50am CST by Chuck Myron

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were a star trio for the Celtics well into their 30s, but Allen believes their longevity made it tough for the C’s to decide when to turn their focus toward the future, as Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe passes along amid his weekly roundup.

“The bad thing probably for the team was that we played so long. Being able to stay healthy and still be able to contribute and play at a high level,” Allen said. “The team at some point had to decide while we’re good and the players still have worth, we’ve got to try and still do something moving forward and build for our next 10 years.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Knicks fans chanted “Fire Woodson” at Madison Square Garden last night, but coach Mike Woodson‘s job appears to be safe, says Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who nonetheless cautions that owner James Dolan’s decision-making is difficult to predict (Twitter links).
Happy Walters, the agent for Iman Shumpert and Amar’e Stoudemire, took to Twitter on Saturday to give Woodson a vote of confidence (hat tip to Marc Berman of the New York Post). Walters called for an end to chatter about potential Shumpert trades and Stoudemire’s minutes restriction, and said the Knicks coach deserves some slack amid injuries to Tyson Chandler and others.
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star answers readers questions and writes that the pressure to take the hometown guy would more or less force the Raptors to draft Andrew Wiggins if he’s available when they’re picking.

Draft Rumors: 2015, Parker, Wiggins, Exum

November 15th, 2013 at 4:31pm CST by Chuck Myron

A pair of players widely considered to be among the five best draft picks for 2015 made their college choices today, with Jahlil Okafor headed to Duke and Cliff Alexander bound for Kansas. Longtime recruiting analyst Tom Konchalski told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that if Okafor picked Duke, it might influence top 2014 prospect Jabari Parker to stay an extra year in school so he can play with his AAU teammate. That would be quite a surprise, but there’s plenty of time left before Parker and other potential 2014 early entrants have to decide whether to declare for the draft, so a lot can happen. Here’s the latest on the 2014 class:

Tuesday’s talent showcase at the Champions Classic was quite a spectacle, but it didn’t help at least one GM draw any conclusions, according to USA Today’s Sam Amick. “To be honest, I think (Tuesday) night muddied the waters even more,” the unnamed GM said.
Another GM gave Amick his top five prospects: Andrew Wiggins, Parker, Dante Exum, Aaron Gordon and Julius Randle. That’s the same top five that a GM listed for Zagoria, though it’s unclear whether those are different GMs or the same one.
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times compares the 2014 draft class to the one that came 20 years before it, opining that Wiggins, Parker and Randle are analogous to Glenn Robinson, Jason Kidd and Grant Hill, the top three picks from 1994 (Twitter link).

Northwest Notes: Garrett, Durant, Wiggins

November 15th, 2013 at 12:23pm CST by Zachary Links

After recapping the Wolves offseason earlier today, let’s take a look at some links out of the Northwest Division..

New Jazz guard Diante Garrett made one heck of a first impression in his debut on Wednesday night, writes Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. The 25-year-old D-League call-up helped lead Utah to a 111-105 over New Orleans on Saturday night.
Count Thunder star Kevin Durant among those who are impressed with the top talent in the 2014 draft. Durant called Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins the “1A” and “1B” players in the class, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. KD says that Parker is the “real deal” and sees Wiggins as a future All-Star and Hall of Famer.
While promoting his new book, Jazz legend John Stockton was asked by reporters if he has any plans of returning the organization. “I wouldn’t rule anything out but I’m enjoying what I’m doing,” said the point guard, according to Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune (on Twitter).

Odds & Ends: Shumpert, Faried, Suns, Sixers

November 13th, 2013 at 7:31pm CST by Charlie Adams

All day long, media outlets have been reporting that Knicks guard Iman Shumpert might be traded in an attempt to aid the team’s ailing frontcourt. Despite the flux of rumors, Lang Greene over at HoopsWorld reports Shumpert isn’t fazed by seeing his name involved in trade talks: “If it’s going to happen, it will happen. I’m young. I’m an asset. So I’ll be in the [trade] rumors, I guess.” Although a move to Denver has been reportedly ruled out, several teams are still thought to be interested in the third year Georgia Tech product.

Here are some more interesting notes from around the NBA:

We found out earlier today that the Nuggets weren’t keen on sending Kenneth Faried over to New York, but Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets that there is league-wide interest in the young forward. However, Wojnarowski also notes that despite the interest, the Nuggets don’t appear likely to dish Faried unless he’s involved in some sort of blockbuster deal.
The Suns and 76ers are off to better-than-expected starts, but Mark Deeks from SB Nation does’t believe that either team should exit rebuilding mode in an attempt to make a playoff run.
Three projected lottery picks took the court in Chicago last night for the Champions Classic. Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Julius Randle showed off their skills to a packed arena that included 68 NBA scouts. Alex Kennedy from HoopsWorld breaks down how each of the young phenoms performed under the spotlight.

Poll: Who Will Be 2014’s First Overall Pick?

November 13th, 2013 at 9:53am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s Monday night schedule featured four games, but for many basketball fans, the focus wasn’t on the Heat, Lakers, or Warriors, but rather the Wildcats, Jayhawks, and Blue Devils. The NCAA’s Champions Classic in Chicago featured four top college teams, each of whom could eventually see multiple players selected in the first round of the 2014 draft. And top prospects like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Julius Randle didn’t disappoint — Parker and Randle each poured in 27 points, while Wiggins held his own with 22 points and eight rebounds.

For fans of subpar NBA teams, it was a tantalizing preview of what figures to be a season-long race for the top spots in next year’s draft. Wiggins has long been considered the favorite to come off the board first, but as ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman tweeted last night, while the Kansas forward may be the leader, he’s far from a lock. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link) expressed that sentiment in even stronger terms, calling the race for the No. 1 spot “wide open,” with multiple great options in the mix.

In addition to the three top prospects who played in last night’s games, point guards Dante Exum and Marcus Smart shouldn’t be ruled out of the discussion for 2014’s first overall pick. Heading into Tuesday’s games, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford ranked Exum above Parker on his big board, and tweeted last night that he wished Exum could be in Chicago to show his stuff as well. Smart, meanwhile, will at least have a small advantage in experience over his fellow top-five prospects, after deciding to return to Oklahoma State for his sophomore year. Ford’s No. 5 prospect doesn’t have the most upside among 2014 prospects, but if he makes strides on his ballhandling and jump shot this season, he’ll make for a very tantalizing option next June.

The race for the No. 1 pick figures to be one of the season’s most entertaining stories, particularly for NBA teams without serious playoff aspirations. As Sam Amick of USA Today observed last night (via Twitter), more than one NBA club had five reps in Chicago last night, attempting to get as many sets of eyes as possible on the next generation of stars.

What do you think? Is Wiggins still the likely No. 1 pick next June, or has the early-season play of either Parker or Randle changed your mind?

Who will be 2014's first overall pick?

Andrew Wiggins (Kansas) 52.84% (549 votes)

Jabari Parker (Duke) 28.87% (300 votes)

Julius Randle (Kentucky) 13.76% (143 votes)

Dante Exum (Australia) 1.54% (16 votes)

Someone else 1.54% (16 votes)

Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State) 1.44% (15 votes)

Total Votes: 1,039