Hoops Links: Knicks, Hawks, Wizards, Bucks
On this date in 1986, Bulls guard Michael Jordan scored an NBA Playoff record 63 points, but the Bulls dropped a 135-131 double-overtime decision to the Celtics at Boston Garden in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round. Jordan shot 22-of-41 from the field and 19-of-21 from the free throw line in his record performance, breaking Elgin Baylor’s previous mark of 61 points in a playoff game, set during the Lakers’ 126-121 road win at Boston in Game 5 of the 1962 NBA Finals. After the game, Boston’s Larry Bird shook his head and proclaimed “That was God disguised as Michael Jordan.”
Got a great basketball blog post that you want to see featured on Hoops Links? Send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere..
- Yahoo Sports says the Knicks’ future isn’t so bad after all.
- The B-Ball Drop doesn’t see any upset potential for the Hawks in round one.
- Sean Mason’s Sports Blog sees the Wizards knocking off the Bulls.
- Bucksketball remembers the Bucks’ season the only way they know how: with Haikus.
- Mavs Moneyball previews the Mavs’ series against San Antonio.
- Liberty Ballers issued an open letter to Sixers GM Sam Hinkie.
- Sonics Rising has a plan to improve the NBA postseason.
You can send your submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Tim Duncan To Play For “Couple” More Years?
As the top-seeded Spurs look to bring another championship trophy home, questions persist about how long the current core will be able to stick together. Manu Ginobili has admitted that, at one point, he considered calling it a career after this season and big man Tim Duncan has done the same. However, after today’s game, Duncan told reporters that he only has “a couple more” playoff runs left in him (according to Marc SteIn of ESPN.com on Twitter) which would indicate that this season won’t be his last.
When asked to elaborate, Duncan said that he doesn’t “know what that number” is (link), but “a couple” would indicate that he feels he has at least two seasons left in the tank. The future Hall of Famer will celebrate his 38th birthday on Friday and sounds intent to continue his career through age 40.
Earlier this month, Tony Parker told a French-language website that Duncan and Ginobili would return for another season in 2014/15. Meanwhile, Coach Gregg Popovich, who once said that he’d call it quits when TD does, has walked those comments back.
Hoops Rumors Originals
Here’s our look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- Cray Allred asked readers which playoff contender might panic. No surprise here, the Pacers won in a landslide.
- Eddie Scarito profiled Michigan State’s Gary Harris.
- Chuck Myron checked in on the stock of free-agent-to-be Luol Deng.
- Want to follow your favorite team on Facebook, Twitter, and RSS? Here’s how.
- On Wednesday, Chuck previewed the games with possible draft implications.
- Here’s the projected 2014 first round draft order, courtesy of Chuck.
- Did you miss out on this week’s chat? Check out the transcript.
Week In Review: 4/14/14 – 4/20/14
Paul Pierce can envision playing for the Celtics again, and president of basketball operations Danny Ainge can see Pierce returning to Boston, too, if the price and circumstances are right. The 36-year-old Pierce will be a free agent in the summer, but the Nets would like to re-sign him, too. More from the week that was..
- Is Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin on his way out? A report this week said yes but the Jazz have denied the rumors.
- The Lakers and Suns are interested in Luol Deng.
- The Knicks signed Lamar Odom.
- Thaddeus Young might ask out of Philadelphia.
- There is no chance that Rick Adelman will be back as coach of the Timberwolves next season.
- Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry will purchase the Bucks.
- Channing Frye wants an extension from the Suns.
- Candidates are emerging for the Pistons job vacated by Joe Dumars. The two sides officially parted ways this week.
- Joel Anthony intends to exercise his option to return to the Celtics next season.
- Steve Kerr would coach the Knicks, if offered.
- Dario Saric‘s agent says his client will declare for the draft.
- The Jazz will consider rookie scale extensions for Enes Kanter and Alec Burks.
- The Rockets signed Josh Powell.
- The Pelicans signed Melvin Ely and waived Greg Stiemsma.
- The Cavs’ next GM will decide Mike Brown‘s fate.
- Jabari Parker has decided to go pro.
- The Bucks re-signed Chris Wright to a multi-year pact.
- The Sixers re-signed Casper Ware.
- The Bulls signed Greg Smith.
- Kentucky standout Willie Cauley-Stein is staying in school.
- The Knicks were considering Ike Diogu before they inked Odom.
- The Bulls waived Tornike Shengelia.
- Glen Robinson III hired an agent and will be in the draft.
- Arizona junior Nick Johnson announced that he’ll be in the draft.
- Louisville sophomore Montrezl Harrell has decided against entering this year’s draft.
- Aaron Gordon formally declared that he’ll be in the draft.
- Terrence Williams and Dexter Pittman are headed to Puerto Rico.
- Marcus Lee is staying at Kentucky.
- UCLA sophomore Jordan Adams will return to school for his junior year.
- New Mexico State center Sim Bhullar will enter the NBA draft.
- James Young is entering his name in the draft.
- Syracuse sophomore Jerami Grant will enter the draft.
- Baylor big man Isaiah Austin will reportedly enter this year’s NBA Draft, but he denied the story.
- The Magic will partner with the Erie BayHawks.
- Michigan sophomore Nik Stauskas has decided to declare for the NBA draft.
- Serbian shooting guard Nemanja Dangubic is going pro.
- Louisiana Lafayette guard Elfrid Payton will enter the NBA Draft.
Prospect Profile: Gary Harris
The upcoming NBA Draft will have almost certainly have the lottery portion dominated by freshman, but teams looking for a solid shooting guard who can do a little bit of everything might find Michigan State’s Gary Harris to be the answer. The 6’4″ sophomore announced he was entering this year’s draft last week. “I expect Gary to be a high pick in the draft, but more importantly, I know that he is well prepared for a long career,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said in a released statement.
During the announcement Harris said, “The last two years have been the best of my life, but it’s time to follow my dream and declare for the NBA Draft. My two seasons at Michigan State have been an amazing experience. I have a lifetime of memories, including some incredible games in some incredible places, NCAA tournaments, and cutting down the nets after a Big Ten Tournament Championship. But most important are the friendships I’ve developed with my teammates. These are bonds that will last forever, especially the guys in my class. I can’t imagine a better group of guys to be around.”
In 35 games this season, Harris averaged 16.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.8 SPG in 32.3 minutes per night. His slash line was .429/.352/.810. In two seasons, Harris’ career numbers were 14.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 1.6 SPG in 31.0 minutes per game. His career slash line was .440/.376/.788.
Harris is currently projected as a late lottery pick. NBA Draft.net projects him being taken eighth in their latest mock draft, CBSSports.com has him going 10th, Bleacher Report has him 11th, and Draft Express slots him 13th. Chad Ford of ESPN.com has Harris ranked as the 11th best prospect on his “Big Board.”
Harris is a well-rounded player who can do numerous things to help his team win on both ends of the court. He is one of the best offensive prospects in the draft, and a highly proficient scorer on the perimeter, despite the fact he didn’t shoot the ball nearly as well as he was a year ago. After shooting 43% from the three-point line as a freshman, his percentage dropped to 35% this year. Whether or not Harris can make the shots from deep more consistently in the NBA is a question that scouts are asking. One plus is that his high and quick release will not need much adjustment as he moves to playing against elite athletes in the NBA.
While most scouts thought of Harris as just a shooter after his freshman campaign, he worked hard in the weight room to develop his body and put on muscle. This bulk helps him to attack the rim and finish off the bounce and not be rattled by larger defenders in the paint. Harris is also able to create for himself with a quick two-dribble attack and is excellent at the catch-and-shoot game. He is also very solid coming off screens and is skilled at knowing the proper time to come off them for a jump shot, or drive to the rim.
Harris is a tenacious defensive player who has a good chance to translate his gifts to the professional level sooner than other 2014 first round prospects. His game is also more mature than his age as he will be only 19 on draft day. He ranked fourth in the Big Ten in steals, and eighth in defensive wins shares with 2.0. Harris is both disruptive and consistent enough on the defensive end that other teams have to account for him at all times.
One concern for Harris is his size. He is considered a small two guard at the next level, and could be taken advantage of by bigger, stronger, guards. He still has time to develop and fill out his frame, so he could increase his overall strength, but the height could be an issue if he’s a starter. Coming off the bench as a sixth man could offset his disadvantage and maximize his productivity.
Some scouts have opined that it’s “unrealistic” to think he’ll be a high-impact player right away, but he is a player without a glaring weakness. NBA executives like his size, strength, athleticism, scoring ability, defense and character. The biggest plus about Harris is that GMs already know what type of player he is, as well as what position he’ll play. He isn’t an elite athlete like a few of the top prospects in this year’s class, but he is a solid, steady player who will contribute in every facet of the game.
His upside and game have been compared to O.J. Mayo and J.R. Smith, but with a more solid character, and he’s regarded as much more coachable. Harris isn’t a player who will blow teams away during pre-draft workouts, but on film the nuances of his game will shine. He is almost certain to be taken in the lottery, and I believe he will become a solid pro, but not a No. 1 scoring option in the NBA. He’s a great value pick in the 10-15 range.
And-Ones: Celtics, Cleamons, Mudiay
Jim Cleamons is interested in joining the Knicks organization now that Phil Jackson has taken over, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. According to the article, Cleamons would have interest in anything Jackson has to offer, including a position in the personnel department. Berman also writes that Cleamons is a big fan of Steve Kerr, and his ability to be a head coach because of his “quick learning curve.’’
More from around the league:
- The Celtics season was a rough one in their first year of rebuilding, with the team finishing with a record of 25-57. Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald hands out the final grades for the players and the organization.
- Incoming SMU freshman Emmanuel Mudiay will be in the conversation for being the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
- Dion Waiters said the firing of Cavs GM Chris Grant really affected him, writes Bob Finnan of The News Herald. Waiters said, “That’s a guy who took a chance on me, a young kid like myself coming from where I come from. He made my dream come true. You never want to see (anybody) get fired. He’s got a family. You’ve got to feed your kids. What could we have done differently? Did it take him getting fired for us to start playing the way we did? You never know. I know I took it hard because if we’d have been taking care of business like we were supposed to the beginning of the season, he would still be here.”
- Jim Buss believes the Lakers future is bright, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. Buss also promised to resign in a few years if the fortunes of the franchise weren’t reversed. He said, “There’s no question in my mind we will accomplish success. I’m not worried about putting myself on the line.“
Western Notes: Spurs, Kings, Nuggets
With the salary cap projected to increase by $5MM next season, this could help the Spurs re-sign both Boris Diaw and Patrick Mills, writes Dan McCarney of SpursNation. Diaw averaged 9.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 2.8 APG in 25.0 minutes per game. Mills provided 10.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG, and 1.8 APG in 18.9 minutes a night. Both players are unrestricted free agents.
More from out west:
- Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee breaks down the Kings‘ payroll and salary cap numbers for the team.
- Nuggets coach Brian Shaw just completed his first season as an NBA head coach, and guided the team to a 36-46 record. In an article by Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post, he reflects on the season as well as gives his thoughts on the state of the franchise going forward.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com examines the relationship between Warriors coach Mark Jackson and team owner Joe Lacob. Berger also believes that the team might have to advance deep into the playoffs to retain his job beyond this season.
Pistons Notes: Monroe, GM Search, Gores
The Pistons need to hire a new GM after Joe Dumars stepped down from the position. Whoever takes the job has one big decision looming in regards to what do do with Greg Monroe, writes Dave Pemberton of The Oakland Press. Monroe is a restricted free agent, only 23 years old, and coming off a season where he averaged 15.2 PPG and 9.3 RPG. Pemberton opines that Monroe’s agent David Falk will seek at least $15MM a season for his client. The article also uses Roy Hibbert‘s situation from two years ago as a reference for what tactics Falk might employ to up Monroe’s final price tag.
More from Detroit:
- With a final record of 29-53, and the team missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season, not many things went right in Detroit this season. Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press hands out his final grades for the players and organization.
- In a separate article, Ellis examines what qualifications the team is looking for in their new GM.
- David Mayo of MLive looks at the ownership tenure of Tom Gores, and what the owner needs to accomplish this summer in order to put a positive imprint on the franchise.
- The possibility of Isiah Thomas becoming the Pistons GM wouldn’t sit right with former player Adrian Dantley, writes The Detroit News. In a radio interview Dantley called Thomas a “con man.” Dantley also said, “He has a way of tricking people, and he tricked a lot of people.”
And-Ones: Age-Limit, Harrisons, Bucks
The first day of the postseason is almost in the books, with the Thunder trying to avoid being the fourth home team to lose. Here’s a roundup of notes from around the league:
- Rick Buchanan oversees the NBA’s drug-testing program, and he defended the league’s process to Sam Amick of USA Today. “[The NBA’s protocol] is as good or better than the programs in the other leagues, but we’ve kind of been given a bit of a hard time about that,” Buchanan said. “And then we have a positive [testing] situation, and a penalty, and the questions then go in another direction, which is, ‘Gee, isn’t this harsh?’…We can’t seem to catch a break.” The player’s union came out strongly in opposition to the suspension of Nick Calathes handed down yesterday.
- Following this week’s owners meeting, Adam Silver said that the league is prepared to make raising the age limit for draft entry its top priority, per Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Silver and the owners also discussed a variety of ways to ease the transition from college hoops to the pros, including lowering the college shot clock and providing financial incentive to stay in school.
- Changing the lottery format to increase the incentive for all teams to field competitive teams was also an item of discussion, with plans including the draft “wheel” and a postseason play-in tournament on the table, the ESPN scribe adds.
- Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel thinks that the Bucks could turn around their franchise and parallel the success stories of the Thunder and Bobcats, but opines that the rebuild will take years and require patience.
- Andrew and Aaron Harrison are waiting for NBA feedback before they decide whether to enter this year’s draft, the twins’ father tells Mark Berman of MyFOXHouston.com (H/T Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv). “I just sent the paperwork in two or three days ago,” said Aaron Harrison, Sr. “I talked to a gentleman at the NBA and he said he would get it to me as fast as possible and then we’ll go from there. It’s important. You’re trying to find out what the prospects are for them and where they’ll be drafted and all those things.”
Eastern Rumors: Sixers, Bucks, Bobcats
Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker tell Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer that Walker’s recruiting played a part in “Big Al” signing with the Bobcats last summer. Although Walker wasn’t optimistic, Jefferson says the point guard’s pitch made a difference. “Nothing feels better than knowing somebody wants you,” said Jefferson. “It made me feel special. And their top player had come to me in the offseason and really wanted me to come.” Here’s more from the East:
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com looks at how the projected cap increase for next year could help teams like the Bulls and Rockets pursue Carmelo Anthony, should he opt out of his final contract year with the Knicks.
- Joe Dumars has no interest in the Cavs GM opening, sources tell Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that he believes in the process Philadelphia’s front office has designed heading into the draft. “I will be led by [GM Sam Hinkie]. I have gone through a very system-oriented process for the past 12 years [as San Antonio Spurs assistant] with an organization that’s proven they’ve made way more good decisions than bad decisions,” said Brown. “I’m going to let him use me how he wants to use me. That’s my nature–to immerse myself into it all and be highly opinionated. Somewhere out there, analytics people and Sam as the architect of all of it and the coaches will share an opinion. And the club will roll with it.”
- Tom Moore of Calkins Media says that Sixers owner Joshua Harris’s assessment of Philadelphia’s season as a “success” is premature, and ultimately will depend on how well Hinkie uses the team’s abundance of draft picks this summer.
- Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens were interviewed for the first time since becoming the new Bucks owners by Don Walker of The Journal Sentinel. The pair emphasized the plans to bring a new arena to Milwaukee, and their commitment to building a winner. “Part of this for us, [is that] you can only go up. If you look at this, if we do the right things, if we pick the right players, if everything works the way hopefully it will and we can follow the model of San Antonio or the Thunder,” said Lasry. “I think everybody wants the same thing we do. Everybody just wants a winner.”