After breaking into the rotation late in the season for a losing Kings squad, Sacramento’s second-round draft pick Ray McCallum tells Tom Markowski of The Detroit News his decision to enter the draft instead of returning for his senior year of college was worth it. “A lot of us were first-year players,” said McCallum. “We have a first-year owner (Vivek Ranadive), a first-year GM (Pete D’Alessandro) and we made a lot of trades. As the year went, on our chemistry grew.” Here’s more from around the league:
- Kevin Johnson is moving on from helping the NBPA with the Donald Sterling controversy, shifting his focus to helping them find their next executive director, per an email obtained by Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. “I feel I’ve completed my duties associated with the Sterling incident. I’m glad I could be of service during this important time and think the Executive Committee and NBPA staff can take things from here,” wrote Johnson. “For the next few months I look forward to returning the focus of my efforts to the work of the Search Committee.”
- In the same email, Johnson said that the union’s search committee has started reaching out to candidates, and that he has personally spoken with a number of retired players that want to throw their hat in the ring.
- NBA rules entitle Roger Mason Jr. to a playoff share of earnings from the Heat, despite the fact that Mason was dealt to the Kings (who waived him) at the trade deadline, per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel.
- Lefteris Bochoridis tells Enea Trapani of Sportando that he expects to be picked in this year’s draft. “I work very hard to improve every aspect of my game and I expect [to be picked],” said Bochoridis. “If a team gives me an opportunity to make the NBA I will work hard to do it, otherwise I will continue playing in Europe.” The 20-year-old Greek shooting guard isn’t projected to be selected this year, but is ranked as the 20th best international prospect born in 1994 by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.