2014 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Poll: Which Top 2014 Prospect Falls Before Next Year’s Draft?

August 10th, 2013 at 8:13pm CST by Spencer Lund

The 2014 NBA Draft is said to be the deepest in league history. Multiple prospects who would have gone as the top pick in previous drafts may now be relegated to a lower draft position. With such an influx of talent, Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld details some of the favorites in next summer's heralded class.

Brigham attempts to sift through the brightest prospects to provide a blueprint for how the order might play out a year from now. The players he spotlights include incoming college freshman, Andrew Wiggins (Kansas), Julius Randle (Kentucky), Jabari Parker (Duke), Aaron Gordon (Arizona), Oklahoma State sophomore Marcus Smart and Australian Dante Exum.

But even with these players as supposed locks for the lottery, things can change. As Brigham notes in his piece, last year's two prized players expected to be the top two picks in the 2013 Draft, Shabazz Muhammad and Cody Zeller, both fell after the following college basketball season concluded despite neither suffering a major injury. Muhammad even fell out of the top 10 all the way to the Timberwolves (by way of the Jazz) with the 14th pick.

It stands to reason that one of the players Brigham mentions will see his draft stock plummet before June even if all of them stay healthy. If all of these prospects stay healthy next season, and if Exum enters the draft without playing a year at an American university, which one will drop?

Poll: Which Top 2014 Prospect Falls In Next Year's Draft?

Andrew Wiggins 22.00% (220 votes)

Dante Exum 18.40% (184 votes)

Marcus Smart 17.80% (178 votes)

Aaron Gordon 17.80% (178 votes)

Jabari Parker 16.70% (167 votes)

Julius Randle 7.30% (73 votes)

Total Votes: 1,000

Marcus Smart To Enter 2014 Draft

July 23rd, 2013 at 9:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Oklahoma State standout Marcus Smart says that he will enter the 2014 Draft and unlike this year's go-round, he intends to stay in it, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Smart was in the mix for the No. 1 pick in last month's draft, but decided to return for his sophomore season.

The 19-year-old, who averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists during his freshman season, added that he has told athletic department officials that he plans to go to the NBA after this coming season.

"It's safe to say that if, by the grace of God I'm healthy and everything, this will be my last year at Oklahoma State," Smart said. "Nothing will change my mind on that. [Oklahoma State] understands. They didn't figure I was coming back this year. They were just as surprised as everyone else."

While Smart had a shot at being the top pick in this year's shallow draft, he won't be the No. 1 selection in next year's class which will feature Canadian super-prospect Andrew Wiggins, among others. DraftExpress' 2014 mock draft has Smart going No. 5 behind Wiggins, Julius Randle,Dante Exum, and Aaron Gordon.

Pelicans To Acquire Jrue Holiday For Noel, ’14 Pick

July 10th, 2013 at 2:08pm CST by Luke Adams

JULY 10TH, 2:08pm: The trade between the Pelicans and Sixers is now official, according to Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter). However, Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News says (via Twitter) that it won't be finalized until at least tomorrow, since Holiday is on his honeymoon and is unavailable to complete the paperwork.

JUNE 28TH, 6:17pm: Sixers GM Sam Hinkie has confirmed that the 2014 first-rounder headed from New Orleans to Philadelphia is top-five protected, reports Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link).

1:07am: The deal won't become official until July 10th, tweets Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press. That makes sense, since the Pelicans won't have room to absorb Holiday's salary until their cap room becomes available in July.

JUNE 27TH, 7:52pm: Ford now tweets that the pick headed to Philadelphia is top-five protected for 2014, and ESPN.com's Marc Stein backs up the report (via Twitter).

7:33pm: ESPN.com's Chad Ford tweets that the 2014 first-rounder headed to Philadelphia is top-three protected, while TNT's David Aldridge tweets it's lottery-protected. Given Wojnarowski's assertion that the protection is "light," Ford's report makes more sense, but we'll have to wait for confirmation.

7:26pm: The Pelicans will also receive this year's 42nd overall pick from the Sixers in the deal, tweets Wojnarowski.

7:22pm: After unexpectedly snagging Nerlens Noel sixth overall, the Pelicans will send him to the 76ers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (all Twitter links). The Pelicans will receive Jrue Holiday and will also send a 2014 first-round pick in 2014 to Philadelphia, Wojnarowski reports, adding that the pick is expected to have "light protection" (Twitter link). Chris Broussard of ESPN.com first tweeted that Noel would be on the move.

Odds & Ends: Wolves, Tanking, Knicks, Robinson

July 3rd, 2013 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

It's been another busy day in NBA free agency, with Manu Ginobili, Garrett Temple, and Donald Sloan agreeing to terms, while O.J. Mayo appears to be closing in on a deal of his own. As we wait to see which player is next to come off the board, let's check in on a few odds and ends from around the NBA….

A source tells Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities that there has been contact between the Timberwolves and Matt Barnes' camp (Twitter link).
In his latest chat session, Chad Ford of ESPN.com fielded questions on last week's draft, next year's draft, and the issuing of tanking vs. rebuilding. Ford issued a series of tweets last night suggesting that a lot of teams appear interested in tanking next season, while Tom Ziller of SBNation.com replied with a column suggesting that rebuilding isn't necessarily synonymous with tanking.
The Knicks, who are hoping to split up their mini mid-level exception on two players, inquired again on Elton Brand today, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. While Brand is receiving plenty of interest, no officials offers are on the table yet, says Zwerling (Twitter links).
ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton (Insider link) and Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com (via The Basketball Jones) share their thoughts on the Clippers/Suns/Bucks three-way trade, while Grantland's Zach Lowe provides his take on that deal and a number of yesterday's free agent agreements.
According to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (via Twitter), BDA Sports has signed Thomas Robinson, who had previously been represented by Tony Dutt.
In a piece for ShamSports.com, Deeks explains the difference between team options and non-guaranteed contracts, and why the distinction can be important.
When Dwight Howard makes his decision, expect a number of free agent dominos to begin falling, says Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.

Odds & Ends: 2014 Draft, CP3, Mavs, Warriors

June 28th, 2013 at 2:08pm CST by Luke Adams

About 12 hours after the 2013 NBA draft officially came to an end, ESPN.com's Chad Ford was already looking forward to 2014. Ford's latest Insider-only blog at ESPN.com takes a very early look at the '14 draft class, which several scouts and GMs believe could be one of the strongest ever. While Andrew Wiggins in the consensus top prospect for '14, the rest of Ford's top 100 is considered well above average as well, with Julius Randle, Marcus Smart, Jabari Parker, and Andrew Harrison rounding out the top five.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:

Speaking of next year's draft, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports that the NBA is considering moving the event back at least a week next year, since the current setup doesn't leave much time between the Finals and draft night. However, the league doesn't want to postpone free agency and Summer League play significantly, so it's unclear whether or not the timing will work. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the draft happen a few weeks after the free agency period begins, but it doesn't sound like that's an option.
Appearing on the Dan Patrick Show today, Doc Rivers said he talks to Chris Paul every day and that he believes CP3 wants to remain a Clipper (Twitter link via Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com).
Dirk Nowitzki addressed reporters, including Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com, on draft night and revealed that he has talked to Dwight Howard about the possibility of D12 signing with the Mavericks. "I reached out to him and told him we'd love to have him," Nowitzki said. "That's really about it. It's not like we call each other every day."
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News has an excellent in-depth look into what happened in the Warriors' draft room last night, detailing how happy the team was with the end result of its series of trades.
Mike Brown's staff with the Cavaliers will include the following assistants, according to Bob Finnan of the News-Herald (via Twitter): Jim Boylan, Bernie Bickerstaff, Igor Kokoskov, Jamahl Mosley, Phil Handy, Vitaly Potapenko, and Bret Brielmaier.

Cavaliers Offer No. 1 Pick To Pelicans?

June 26th, 2013 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

3:21pm: Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reports (via Twitter) that a Pelicans official has denied the Cavs rumor. I'm not sure whether that means the Cavs never floated the idea, but at the very least, it seems New Orleans isn't considering such a deal, which makes sense.

2:54pm: The Cavaliers have offered the first overall pick to the Pelicans in exchange for the No. 6 pick, a 2014 first-rounder, and Greivis Vasquez, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Kennedy adds that it's not clear whether the Pelicans have expressed interest in such a deal, though I'd be surprised if they were willing to give up so much to move up five spots.

If the Pelicans were to trade up to first overall, they'd have plenty of options that won't be on the table at No. 6. Nerlens Noel, Otto Porter, and Victor Oladipo are among the players expected to be off the board within the first five picks.

Parting with Vasquez and a 2014 first-round pick would be a steep price to pay to move up, however. Vasquez had a breakout year in 2012/13, averaging 13.9 PPG and 9.0 APG, and the '14 draft class is considered to be significantly stronger than this year's, making teams reluctant to part with next year's first-rounders. As such, I don't expect these talks to gain a whole lot of traction unless the Cavs' asking price comes down.

Andrew Wiggins To Attend Kansas

May 14th, 2013 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

Top high school recruit Andrew Wiggins has announced he'll attend the University of Kansas when he begins his freshman year in the fall, according to Keith Morehouse of WSAZ-TV (via Twitter). Wiggins, who ranked No. 1 on Rivals.com's list of this year's recruits, is widely considered the favorite to be drafted first overall in 2014, and could have even gone first overall in this year's draft if he were eligible.

"Everyone last year was trying to figure out a way to get him next year," a longtime NBA scout and ex-player told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports last month. "Teams are plotting and preparing for when he gets out of school. Character. Demeanor. Athleticism. Coachable. He makes the game look like it's insanely too easy. While everyone is sweating, he isn't and he jumps over your head. The total package."

We typically don't cover the college game too extensively on Hoops Rumors until the draft rolls around, but as Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com tweets, the 18-year-old Wiggins represents perhaps the best high school prospect since LeBron James, so it'll be worth keeping an eye on his progress as a Jayhawk next season. A year from now, there's a good chance we'll be referring to the draft lottery as the "Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes."

Wiggins, who was born in Canada, chose Kansas over a list of potential schools that included Kentucky, North Carolina, and Florida State. According to Morehouse (via Twitter), Wiggins' decision came down to Kansas and Florida State.

Draft Notes: Smith, Wiggins, 2014 Draft

April 23rd, 2013 at 8:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Yesterday, Luke Adams went over the owed draft picks for 2013 that won't be changing hands thanks to the protections tied to them. The Bulls have a first round pick from the Bobcats coming their way thanks to the 2010 Tyrus Thomas trade, but they won't see that pick, which has a ~20% chance at being the No. 1 selection in June, come their way this year. Chicago may have to wait a while as it is top 10 protected in 2014, top eight protected in '15, and not completely unprotected until '16. Here's today's roundup of draft news..

Russ Smith is feeling the tug of both Louisville and the NBA, writes Rick Bozich of WDRB. Smith, who is set to make his decision tomorrow, still quantifies the odds of him jumping into the 2013 draft at 50/50. Smith is ranked the 57th best prospect in this class by ESPN.com's Chad Ford but is projected to go No. 33 overall by DraftExpress.
Hoops prodigy Andrew Wiggins is ready to take Canadian hoops to the next level, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. Meanwhile, teams are already salivating over the projected No. 1 pick of the 2014 draft. "Everyone last year was trying to figure out a way to get him next year," a longtime NBA scout and ex-player said. "Teams are plotting and preparing for when he gets out of school. Character. Demeanor. Athleticism. Coachable. He makes the game look like it's insanely too easy. While everyone is sweating, he isn't and he jumps over your head. The total package."
Earlier tonight, I profiled N.C. State forward C.J. Leslie in the latest installment of our Prospect Profile series.

Draft Updates: Jaiteh, Neumann, Fair, 2014

April 22nd, 2013 at 3:24pm CST by Luke Adams

With less than a month to go until the 2013 draft lottery, let's check in on the latest draft updates and links….

French big man Mouhammadou Jaiteh has elected to enter the 2013 draft, agent Herman Manakyan tells Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link). Givony, who ranks Jaiteh 32nd among this year's prospects, is more bullish on the 18-year-old than ESPN.com's Chad Ford, who has him 63rd.
Givony also reports (via Twitter) that German center Philip Neumann will enter this year's draft, according to agent Brad Ames. Neumann ranks 84th on Givony's big board.
Syracuse's C.J. Fair will hold a press conference this week, perhaps on Tuesday, to announce whether he'll go pro or return for his senior year, according to Mike Waters of Syracuse.com.
We're still more than two months away from the 2013 draft, but Ford is also getting ready for the 2014 draft too. His Insider-only blog entry at ESPN.com today examines the freshman class of 2013/14, and next year's potential top picks, led by Andrew Wiggins and Julius Randle.
In his latest preview of the 2013 draft class for NBA.com, TNT's David Aldridge focuses on this year's crop of small forwards.

Protected Draft Picks Carrying Over To 2014

April 22nd, 2013 at 1:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The final standings for the 2012/13 NBA regular season ensured that many draft pick debts have now been settled. The Warriors, for instance, after keeping their top-seven-protected pick in 2012 and using it to draft Harrison Barnes, will give up that first-round pick (now top-six-protected) in this year's draft, sending it to the Jazz.

However, there are plenty of other instances this year where protected picks won't change hands, pushing the debt back to at least 2014. With the help of RealGM's list of traded picks, here are the traded 2013 picks that will stay put this June, but will be up in the air again next year:

Pick: Bobcats (1st)
Traded to: Bulls
Future protection: Top 10 (2014), Top 8 (2015), Unprotected (2016)

Pick: Kings (1st)
Traded to: Cavaliers
Future protection: Top 12 (2014), Top 10 (2015, 2016, 2017)

Pick: Pistons (1st)
Traded to: Bobcats
Future protection: Top 8 (2014), Top 1 (2015), Unprotected (2016)

Pick: Timberwolves (1st)
Traded to: Suns
Future protection: Top 13 (2014), Top 12 (2015, 2016)

Pick: 76ers (1st)
Traded to: Heat
Future protection: Top 14 (2014, 2015)

Pick: Mavericks (1st)
Traded to: Thunder
Future protection: Top 20 (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), Unprotected (2018)

Pick: Trail Blazers (2nd)
Traded to: Nuggets
Future protection: Unprotected (2014)

There are also two protected first-round picks which still may or may not change hands this season, depending on how the ping-pong balls fall in the lottery. In the case of the Raptors' 2013 first-rounder, it's very likely it will be sent to the Thunder, extinguishing future debts. The Trail Blazers' 2013 first-rounder, on the other hand, is nearly guaranteed to remain with Portland, meaning the Blazers' debt to Charlotte will be pushed back until at least 2014. Here are the details on those picks:

Pick: Raptors (1st)
Traded to: Thunder
Odds it changes hands in 2013: 97.5%
Future protection, if necessary: Top 2 and 15-30 (2014, 2015), Top 1 and 15-30 (2016, 2017), Unprotected (2018)

Pick: Trail Blazers (1st)
Traded to: Bobcats
Odds it stays put in 2013: 99.9%
Future protection: Top 12 (2014, 2015), Unprotected (2016)