And-Ones: Knicks, Wolves, Silver
Carmelo Anthony was very complimentary when discussing Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, writes Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Anthony said, “Thibs [Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau] is a great coach. His system kind of reminds me of [Spurs coach] Gregg Popovich’s system. You put anybody in that system and it’s going to work. And that’s what they’ve been doing. They had guys who have been sitting out all season long, guys [have] been in and out the lineup, and they seem to get it done.” The Bulls are one of the teams mentioned as a possible destination for Anthony if he leaves the Knicks this summer.
More from around the league:
- The Knicks have missed the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. In a separate article, Begley looks at what this means for the franchise.
- There are three major contract situations the Timberwolves will have to deal with this offseason, according to Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune. The team will have to decide what to do with Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, and coach Rick Adleman.
- In a separate article, Zgoda looks at the state of the Wolves roster heading into next season.
- Adam Silver thinks the NBA playoffs could benefit from a fresh look, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. The call to make changes to the current format is in response to the superiority of the Western Conference.
Prospect Profile: Rodney Hood
Heading into the 2013/14 college basketball season, most of the discussions about Duke players and the 2014 NBA Draft revolved around Jabari Parker, and deservedly so. But Rodney Hood also began the year as a projected top-10 pick, but has moved down in the rankings due to the unexpected emergence of other players and some of his limitations on the defensive end.
But Hood apparently decided one year in Durham was enough and was rumored to be entering the 2014 draft. He is ranked 25th in the latest mock by Draft Express, while NBA Draft.net has him 11th, and CBSSports.com ranks him 13th. Chad Ford of ESPN.com has Hood currently ranked 16th on his Big Board.
The Mississippi State transfer entered the season as a player regarded to have a great outside shot, a good ability to take the ball to the rim, and no major offensive weaknesses that would keep him from being an NBA player. He didn’t do anything to dispel these notions. In 35 games Hood averaged 16.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 2.1 APG while playing 32.9 minutes per game. His slash line was .464/.420/.807. Hood’s numbers his freshman year at Mississippi State were 10.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 32.8 minutes a night.
Hood shares many of the traits that have attracted NBA teams to Parker’s game. He has shown himself to be a versatile player with excellent length, and good athleticism. He is also effective out in transition, able to finish at the rim, can beat defenders off the dribble, and can be very effective from behind the three-point line.
He ranked eighth in the ACC in 3-point field goals made, and sixth in total field goals made. Hood ranked first overall in effective field goal percentage with .550. His overall field goal percentage of .464 was good for fourth in the ACC, and his offensive win shares of 3.7 was good for third in the conference. Fine numbers for playing on a team as talented as Duke.
There aren’t a bunch of concerns about Hood’s offensive game, but there are a few question marks. Hood hardly ever goes to his right and this could become an issue at the next level. Teams will force him to use his right hand and it hasn’t been seen if he can finish going that way. The other unknown is Hood hasn’t been viewed as a play maker. While at Mississippi State he was strictly a catch and shoot player, but at Duke he has demonstrated a little more variety to his game. To be an effective scorer in the NBA though, Hood will have to show more of an ability to create his own shot. He also still needs to work more on passing to the open man instead of forcing up bad shots.
Though he has worked on his body, Hood has a slight frame and needs to add upper body strength, which he’ll need to play against NBA small forwards. He stands 6’8″, but is a slim 215 pounds. The majority of his offense comes as a shooter, because his lack of strength makes him hesitant to drive. Hood is also not a great rebounder, which again points to a lack of strength. He doesn’t have a frame made to carry bulk, so it will be a challenge for him to correct this.
Hood’s biggest weakness as an NBA prospect revolves around his defense, as he has shown questionable intensity on this end of the floor, rarely getting into an actual stance and frequently being knocked off balance and taken advantage of off the dribble due to his lack of strength. His relatively short arms don’t help, which may be reflected in his inability to generate steals (0.7 SPG), blocks (0.3 BPG) or rebounds (3.9 RPG), all of which rank among the worst rates in the draft at his position. According to Draft Express Hood has decent lateral quickness, so he could end up becoming at least adequate in this area, but he’ll have to improve his motor and hustle quite a bit and also get stronger and tougher, as he allows himself to get pushed around with minimal resistance more than he should.
It is all but certain that if Hood makes the jump to the NBA, the interest will be there. He will be a first-round pick and possibly crack the lottery, so it’s difficult to fault him for turning pro. But if Hood elected to come back to Duke this would give scouts the chance to see how he performs when he isn’t benefiting from playing alongside Parker, who is arguably the best player in college basketball. Hood could also use another year under coach Mike Krzyzewski to raise his overall basketball I.Q.. This could set him up to be an early lottery pick in 2015.
The temptation will probably prove too great for Hood. There is always a demand for shooters in the league, and he certainly has a sweet stroke from downtown. His offensive game reminds me of Robert Horry‘s, and as a prospect, his ceiling has been compared to Rashard Lewis‘. My prediction is that he might sneak into the end of the lottery, but more than likely falls into the 16-24 range, where he could end up being a value pick. His limitations will hold him back from stardom, but he has the offensive tools to be a valuable role player in the NBA.
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Sixers, Brown
The Knicks have a plan for the future that they will pitch to Carmelo Anthony, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The plan will be to re-sign Anthony this summer, bottom out in the 2014/15 standings, clear the contracts of Amar’e Stoudemire, Andrea Bargnani, and Tyson Chandler, then make a big free agent signing during the summer of 2015, opines Berman.
More from the east:
- The Sixers rebuilding process is going to take time and patience, writes Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Moore’s piece looks at a number of the obstacles the team will have to face, along with the positive factors the Sixers have going for them.
- There are several factors that would indicate the Cavaliers intend to bring back coach Mike Brown for next season, writes Bob Finnan of The Morning Journal. Finnan points to the team’s improved play as of late, the need for stability, and the remaining four years on Brown’s contract as some of the primary things that could net Brown another season in Cleveland.
- Charles Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines what the Bucks’ plan for Giannis Antetokounmpo is this coming summer.
Western Notes: D’Antoni, Jazz, Lakers
The Lakers don’t want to bring back Mike D’Antoni for another season, and are looking for a “peaceful way” in which to part ways with their coach, writes Mitch Lawrence of The New York Daily News. D’Antoni has one season left on his contract at $4MM, with a team option for 2015/16. The team would prefer to not have to fire him, and instead are hoping for what Lawrence writes, is a “best case scenario.” This scenario would have another team asking permission to hire D’Antoni. Lawrence also notes that despite the rumors that the Lakers want to hire John Calipari as coach, his sources say the team has no interest in bringing the Kentucky head man aboard.
More from out west:
- Greg Smith, who was released this week by the Rockets has officially cleared waivers and can sign with any team, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Jazz need to pick up a superstar in order for the team to contend, writes Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune. He opines that the most likely way the team will do that is in this year’s lottery.
- Nick Young said there is no benefit in the Lakers tanking during their last few games of the season, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Young said, “I know some teams believe they should tank. I know a lot of teams out there are probably doing it, because they believe this draft is going to be one of the biggest drafts that’s happened in a long time. But for me, I haven’t really paid attention to it. I think we’re not going out there just to lose for the draft because I think we still want to be in the league. These guys are coming in to take our spots, so, I’m not about to give up for somebody else to come in and take my spot.“
Draft Notes: Harrison Twins, Johnson
Both Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison fared well in NCAA tournament play, and they’re leaning toward entering the draft, a source tells Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. We heard Wednesday that their teammate and projected top-5 pick, Julius Randle, had yet to make his decision. Here’s more on the draft:
- Arizona junior Nick Johnson is also unsure whether he’ll enter the draft this year, he said in an interview with ESPN LA 710 (transcription via Evan Triantafilidis of ArizonaSports.com).
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com uses a series of videos to take a look at the prospect profiles of Tyler Ennis, Gary Harris, Noah Vonleh, and Aaron Gordon, all of whom project to be first-round picks if they declare for the draft.
- We heard earlier this afternoon that Eric Moreland and Ilja Gromovs would be entering their names into the draft.
Cray Allred contributed to this post.
Wolves Rumors: Hoiberg, Saunders, Young
An unexpected 51-point performance from Corey Brewer in last night’s win over the Rockets no doubt had Minnesota fans thrilled, but it’s been an overall tough season for the Wolves. There was hope in the North Star State that this might finally be the season that the franchise breaks their NBA-leading 10-consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance. That isn’t the case, and there might be some changes to the club this offseason. Let’s round up the latest on the Wolves:
- Fred Hoiberg‘s unwillingness to coach the Wolves stems from his fear that Kevin Love will leave via free agency in the summer of 2015, reports Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News. Hoiberg looked like a realistic candidate to run the team before a report earlier this week refuted such a notion.
- In the same piece, Lawrence opines that Wolves president Flip Saunders might have no choice but to take over head coaching duties himself next season. Saunders coached the Wolves from 1995/96 until 2004/05.
- Kentucky’s James Young is one prospect who intrigues Minnesota, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN.com. The Wolves are likely to own the 13th pick in the draft, and the latest mock from DraftExpress has Young going 17th overall.
- Another tweet from Wolfson suggests that trading Nikola Pekovic wouldn’t yield a fair return, but the Wolves would be interested in acquiring a wing and changing Kevin Martin‘s role, presumably to a sixth man.
Ilja Gromovs To Enter Draft
Latvian big man Ilja Gromovs will declare for the draft, writes Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (via Twitter). Gromovs, a 6’10” center, currently plays for Jurmala in the Latvian league, where he’s averaged five points and 3.6 boards through 31 contests. Neither Givony nor Chad Ford of ESPN.com have Gromovs ranked in their top 100 prospects.
It’s possible, and maybe even likely, that Gromovs withdraws his name from the draft before the June 16th deadline for international players to revoke their entry status. He might simply want to expose himself to the predraft workouts to get a look at the process so he has experience for drafts down the road.
Gromovs is currently ranked 42nd on Givony’s list of international players born in 1994, so he would probably be best suited as a “draft and stash” player, were any team to even select him at all.
Eric Moreland To Declare For Draft
Oregon State forward Eric Moreland says he will be declaring for the draft, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Moreland is a 6’10” junior who could be taken in the second round, writes Wojnarowski. The big man averaged 8.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per night this season for the Beavers. He’s currently ranked 38th on Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress‘ list of NCAA juniors.
Moreland isn’t a prolific scorer, but his potential upside comes from his massive size. His 7’4″ wingspan is appealing to coaches and executives at the next level. He was able to average 2.1 blocks per contest over the course of his college career, and his skillset could have him develop into a solid defender capable of a backup role in the NBA.
If Moreland is to be selected this June, he will join Jared Cunningham as the only Oregon State alumni in the league. The latest 2014 mock draft from DraftExpress doesn’t have him being taken.
Western Notes: Lakers, Suns, Barton
The Lakers are limping their way toward the offseason. Both Pau Gasol and Chris Kaman are likely done for the year, per a pair of tweets from Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. Kobe Bryant will not take part in the team’s scheduled exit meetings, opting to meet with GM Mitch Kupchak at a later date, per Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). Kobe has expressed his frustration with the front office this year, but Kupchak recently said that Lakers brass won’t be making roster or coaching moves at Bryant’s behest. Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- Dan Bickley of USA Today wonders whether contract concerns for Eric Bledsoe and Gerald Green could disrupt the Suns‘ chemistry next year. President Lon Babby tells Bickley that Phoenix can’t count on a repeat of this year’s dynamic. “I think chemistry is very, very important,” Babby said. “But I also know from experience that if we brought back the entire group with no changes in personnel, it would be very difficult to re-create the same chemistry…The analogy I use is that it’s like a new year of school. You come back, and everything is a little different. Your friends are a little different.”
- Will Barton is enjoying his role with the Blazers, but is uncertain about his future with the team, he tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. “I try not to think about it as much but I do sometimes,” said Barton, whose contract is non-guaranteed for next year. “You just never know what people are thinking. Hopefully I make it past the deadline…Portland took a chance on me. It would be huge if I can stay in Portland. But like I said, it’s a business and I’m aware of that. You just never know.”
- In an on-air interview with the Spurs broadcast team, Adam Silver commended San Antonio as a model franchise (transcription via Mike Monroe of San Antonio Express-News). “This is a model franchise, not only for NBA teams but teams in any sport,” said Silver. “This is the prototype of a small market team that is competing in a first-class manner and a well-run business on top of that.”
- Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders takes a look at what it will take for the Nuggets to make a turnaround next year. Blancarte doesn’t think a drastic roster overhaul is necessary.
Eastern Notes: Celtics, Karasev, Magic
Speaking in general about the Celtics future, Rajon Rondo told Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald that Boston’s fan base is a strength for the franchise. “I know that would be a big reason why you wouldn’t want to leave a city like Boston, because every night, even with the season we’re having, we’re probably still leading the league in attendance or at least up near the top.” said Rondo. “So you don’t take that for granted. I know I don’t.” Let’s round up the rest of the notes out of the Eastern Conference:
- The Cavs recalled Sergey Karasev from their D-League affiliate, per a tweet from Bob Finnan of The News-Herald.
- Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders tweets that the Magic are approaching the draft looking for the best talent available wherever they select, without prioritizing any one position or player.
- Kyler adds that the Magic‘s draft decisions will overlap with extension talks with both Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic (Twitter links). Both are entering the final year of their rookie scale contracts, and play positions occupied by players projected at the top of the 2014 draft.
- Al Jefferson didn’t expect a playoff berth in his first year with the Bobcats, but the center tells A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com that he now has his sights set on continued success in Charlotte. “If you ask me did I say when I signed that we would be where we are now, no I didn’t say that,” Jefferson said. “But I feel this is only the beginning. You go back to Oklahoma City when they were not a playoff team, then made the eighth seed, lost in their first round. The next year, went to the Western Conference finals and the following year they went to the Finals. They just kept going until they became a team that everybody had to respect. That’s where we at right now; we’re at the beginning stage. I’m proud of what we’ve done so far. But I believe in my heart, we’re going to accomplish so much more.”
- Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun points out the irony of Andrew Wiggins‘ courtside presence in Toronto on the night the Raptors clinched the Atlantic Division title. When the season began, many had Toronto pegged as a team likely to tank, when phrases like “Riggin’ for Wiggins” were being thrown around.