Southeast Notes: Porter, Playoffs, Magic
Not only is Paul Pierce hitting big shots in the Wizards‘ playoff series, his star pupil is, too, writes J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. Otto Porter made a key three-pointer in Washington’s Game 3 win Friday, and he has been an important defensive presence throughout the series. “I constantly stay in Otto’s ear pushing him, trying to get him to be the best he can be,” Pierce said. “He’s responded. He’s starting to play with a little bit more fire.” Porter is justifying the Wizards’ decision in October to exercise their third-year contract option on him.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Pierce isn’t the only one noticing Porter’s value, reports Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post. The Raptors see it, too, and they are saying Porter is a big reason why the Wizards own a 3-0 series lead. “He’s been the difference,” said Toronto guard Greivis Vasquez. Washington can look forward to several more years of defensive prowess from Porter. It has club options on the young forward this offseason and next, and he can become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2017.
- The Magic have a chance to develop quickly if they keep their young core together, contends Jason Hall of Fox Sports Florida. He notes that Orlando had one of the youngest rosters in the NBA, and its nucleus of Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Tobias Harris, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic were all born after 1990. The first challenge for keeping the team together will be Harris, who will become a restricted free agent this summer.
Pelicans Plan Max Extension For Anthony Davis
The Pelicans plan to be as aggressive as possible when Anthony Davis is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, league sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The team’s contract offer could approach $140MM over five years, according to Stein, but the exact figure won’t be known until the maximum salary is determined this offseason since it is a product of the salary cap.
Davis was elected by fans to start in February’s All-Star game and is expected to earn a spot on an All-NBA team this season. If he reaches either of those milestones again next season, New Orleans can offer the 22-year-old a maximum salary deal starting at 30% of the league’s salary cap, as opposed to 25%, because of the Derrick Rose rule.
The team intends to present Davis with the biggest offer they can once the window for negotiations opens on July 1st and the two sides will have until October 31st to come to an agreement. If Davis signs an extension, it will become effective during the 2016/17 season.
Atlantic Notes: Hardaway, Knicks, Sixers, Nets
Tim Hardaway Jr. showed promise this season and Marc Berman of the New York Post believes the Michigan product has significant trade value. Berman believes Hardaway could net a late first-rounder or an early second-rounder in a trade. The Knicks reportedly were shopping the guard, among other players, at this year’s trade deadline, but his improvement down the stretch has impressed the team. “Tim Hardaway has been both good and average at certain times, but he has a bright future,’’ Team President Phil Jackson said. “He’s a solidifying guard who can move to small forward or guard.’’
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- If the Knicks win the draft lottery, Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) believes Karl-Anthony Towns is the no-brainer selection, as he writes in a collaborate piece with Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com. Ford notes that Okafor would be an option for New York, but he is a gamble the team is not in a position to make.
- The Sixers already spent three first-round picks on frontcourt players over the last two drafts and Pelton wonders if the team will draft either Towns or Jahlik Okafor if it lands one of the top two draft picks, as he writes in the same piece. Philadelphia is reportedly hoping to land D’Angelo Russell in the draft.
- Tim Bontemps of the New York Post wonders if changes will be made to the Nets‘ roster this offseason. If Brook Lopez opts to become a free agent, Brooklyn has to decide whether the retaining the core of Lopez, Joe Johnson and Deron Williams is worth paying the luxury tax. The Nets already have slightly under $58.7 in guaranteed salary for the 2015/16 season as our Salary Commitment page shows.
Draft Notes: Winslow, International Prospects
The 2015 draft has its fair share of athletic small forwards who can defend multiple positions, David Aldridge of NBA.com opines. Aldridge ranks Duke product Justise Winslow as this year’s top small forward and some scouts agree.
“Outside of Winslow, the other guys really kind of underperformed,” an anonymous Pacific Division scout told Aldridge. “I think [Winslow’s] going to be real good. Like most guys, he’s got pretty good shooting mechanics and he’s going to get better when he gets to the NBA. Because of his defense and his IQ, he’ll find a way to get on the floor.”
Aldridge has Arizona products Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson right behind Winslow in his small forward rankings. Hollis-Jefferson is considered one of the best wing defenders in the draft, as Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors writes in his profile of the 20-year-old.
Today is the deadline for a prospect to declare for the 2015 draft and here’s some players who have made formal decisions:
- Latvian center Andzejs Pasecniks has declared for the NBA draft, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). Givony ranks the 19-year-old as the No. 70 overall prospect, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider Subscription required) slots him at No. 98 overall.
- Andrey Desyatnikov has declared for the NBA draft, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). The Russian born 7’3″ center is not currently ranked within Givony’s or Ford’s top 100.
- Wael Arakji has also declared for the NBA Draft, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). Givony ranks the 6’4″ Lebanese point guard as the No. 100 overall prospect, while Ford does not include Arakji in his rankings.
Pacific Notes: Rondo, Bledsoe, Warriors
The Warriors beat the Pelicans by a score of 109-98 on Saturday to sweep their first round series. Golden State is hitting on all cylinders and I chronicled the moves that GM Bob Myers made to put a championship contender on the floor in his Executive of the Year Candidate piece.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers might be the only team to offer Rajon Rondo a sizable contract, Tim Bontemps of the New York Post opines. Bomtemps speculates that the point guard will struggle to get a contract that exceeds $10MM to $12MM per year.
- The Suns are optimistic that Eric Bledsoe can be a cornerstone for the team, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic writes. “The exciting thing for us about Eric is he’s still just starting to scratch the surface of his potential,” GM Ryan McDonough said. “Last year [2013/14], he started for half a season and you saw glimpses of it. I think there some questions externally, certainly not from us, but could he do it as a starter, could he do it over the course of an 82-game season? I think he certainly proved he could with the numbers he averaged.” The point guard averaged 17.0 points, 6.1 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game.
- Golden State has assigned James Michael McAdoo to its D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, according to the team’s twitter feed. This will be the forward’s fourth stint in the D-League this season.
Northwest Notes: Brooks, Thunder, Aldridge
Thunder GM Sam Presti doesn’t think Scott Brooks is a bad coach, but he believes he can find a better one, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman. Brooks was fired Wednesday after the Thunder narrowly missed the playoffs with a 45-37 record. Tramel speculates that the move was about the future, noting that Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have had the same coach since they entered the league. He said Presti likely wants to give them a fresh voice as they enter the next stage of their careers.
There’s more news from the Northwest Division:
- Three leading candidates to replace Brooks as Thunder coach were compared by Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. Florida’s Billy Donovan and Connecticut’s Kevin Ollie have both been wildly successful as college coaches, while Tom Thibodeau has made the Bulls a perennial playoff team but is rumored to be in hot water in Chicago.
- LaMarcus Aldridge is the latest in a long line of talented power forwards in Portland, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. When he was drafted by the Trail Blazers in 2006, it was to ultimately replace the man who he is now lining up against in the playoffs, the Grizzlies’ Zach Randolph. Aldridge said he remembers being labeled as a “project” early on. “People always called me ‘soft,’ but Z-Bo never did,” Aldridge said. “In practice, I would go at it. I wasn’t strong enough to bang, but I would bang with him as much as I could.” Randolph was dealt to the Knicks in 2007, but the Blazers are hoping to keep Aldridge. He is expected to be among the most sought-after free agents on the market this summer.
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Aldridge made comments to Holmes that echoed those he gave to Michael Lee of The Washington Post earlier this season in which he reflected on a time when he didn’t think the Blazers viewed him as a star in the making. “I wish I could say that,” Aldridge said to Holmes. “I want to give you that story so bad. But I’m trying to tell you, they did not believe in me in the beginning. I was a ‘project.'”
- After losing most of his season to shoulder surgery, Utah’s Alec Burks is looking forward to next year, reports Ryan McDonald of The Deseret News. The surgical procedure came just two months after Burks agreed to a four-year, $42MM extension with the Jazz. “It was tough,” he said. “I’ve never experienced anything like that missing so many games, but I learned a lot. I’ll be able to play next year, and I can’t wait.”
Isaiah Taylor Will Stay At Texas
Isaiah Taylor will skip the NBA draft and return to the University of Texas, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN. Taylor is ranked 47th in Chad Ford’s list of the top 100 draft prospects. Jonathan Givony of Draftexpress.com had Taylor ranked 76th before he decided to bypass the draft.
The point guard, who will be a junior next season, will provide a nice asset for new coach Shaka Smart, who received a seven-year deal to coach the Longhorns earlier this month. As a sophomore, Taylor averaged 13.1 points and 4.6 assists per game, but missed most of non-conference play with a broken left wrist.
“Glad to be a Longhorn! Feels good,” Taylor posted in an Instagram message. “Looking to get this new era started. Love the guys on the team. Spending another year with my teammates and coaching staff is a great feeling.” (Hat tip to Raphielle Johnson of CollegeBasketballTalk.com).
Atlantic Notes: Russell, Brown, Jack, Knicks
The Sixers are hoping to land Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell in June’s draft, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “That’s the word around the league,” according to an unidentified NBA executive. “You know the Sixers. They won’t come out and say it. But he’s the guy they want.” The source adds that Philly might have to land the first or second pick in the May 19th lottery to be assured of getting Russell. They finished the season with the league’s third-worst record. Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Duke’s Jahlil Okafor have been widely considered the top two choices, but the Sixers have a wealth of young big men and are in need of backcourt help.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- If the Sixers want to keep coach Brett Brown beyond his current contract, they should start extension talks this summer, writes Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Brown is currently in the middle of a four-year deal that stretches through the 2016/17 season. His record through two years is 37-127, but that’s with a collection of young players and castoffs as Philadelphia has emphasized collecting assets ahead of winning, Moore notes.
- Jarrett Jack is turning out to be a valuable pickup for the Nets, contends Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. Jack was acquired from Cleveland last summer in a three-team trade when the Cavaliers were trying to clear enough cap room to sign LeBron James. Mazzeo said Jack has been the Nets’ best point guard in their playoff series with Atlanta. He sparked an 18-0 surge that helped Brooklyn pull out today’s Game 3. Jack is signed through the 2016/17 season, making $6.3MM per year.
- Knicks president Phil Jackson said this week that the team needs “a player that wants to go to the basket,” reports Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. If New York doesn’t fill that need through the draft, it could use approximately $25MM to chase free agent guards like Goran Dragic, Rajon Rondo and Reggie Jackson this summer.
Southwest Notes: Mavericks, Howard, Leonard
It’s possible that Raymond Felton and Richard Jefferson have played their last game with the Mavericks, according to Jenny Dial Creech of The Houston Chronicle. Both are listed as questionable for Game 4 of their series with the Rockets after leaving Game 3 early. Felton is battling a sore hamstring, and Jefferson has a calf injury. “I believe that Felton is probably going to be able to play,” coach Rick Carlisle said after today’s practice. “Jefferson is getting a lot of treatment so we will check on him tomorrow.” Felton has a player option for nearly $4MM next season, while Jefferson is on a one-year deal worth more than $1.4MM. The Rockets have a 3-0 lead in the series.
There’s more from the Southwest Division on a playoff weekend:
- After more than two months of battling knee problems, the Rockets‘ Dwight Howard looks like himself again, writes Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. Swelling in his right knee cost Howard a huge chunk of the regular season. He was able to return late in the year, but was on a strict minutes restriction. However, he has put up huge numbers in the playoffs, including a 26-rebound performance in Friday’s Game 3. “I think he’s getting comfortable with what he’s doing and playing well,” said coach Kevin McHale, “and he’s got great energy and his leg looks great, fantastic.” The Rockets are hoping to find playoff success with Howard, who has an opt-out clause after the 2015/16 season.
- The presence of Kawhi Leonard means the Spurs’ future is secure, contends Scott Cacciola of The New York Times. The 23-year-old, who was named Defensive Player of the Year this week, celebrated Friday by torching the Clippers for 32 points in Game 3 of their playoff series. Leonard can become a restricted free agent this summer, but is considered virtually certain to remain in San Antohio.
- Rookie Fuquan Edwin will join the Pelicans’ summer league team, according to Enea Trapani of Sportando. Edwin has signed to play in Venezuela with Guaros de Lara. He spent this season with Sioux Falls in the D-League, averaging 13.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Southeast Notes: Pierce, Heat, Hornets
The Wizards are getting exactly what they hoped for from Paul Pierce when they signed him last summer, writes Jabari Davis of Basketball Insiders. Pierce helped Washington claim a 3-0 series lead over Toronto with an 11-point fourth quarter in Friday’s Game 3. Davis says Pierce has also brought confidence and professionalism to the Wizards’ locker room. “[Pierce is] not scared of the moment,” said Wizards coach Randy Wittman. “He’s proved he can [still] play.” Washington signed Pierce in July after free agent Trevor Ariza left for Houston.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Pierce understands that the clock is ticking on his NBA career, so he’s enjoying every experience while he can, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com. Pierce has a two-year deal with the Wizards, but can opt out this summer. “I know I see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “So that appreciation goes up. … At this point in my career, I’m savoring these moments because I don’t know how many more of these moments I am going to have.”
- Although the Heat are likely to have a top 10 pick, team president Pat Riley seems more focused on free agency than the draft, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. “The very, very best teams in this league are playing developed players, who have had three or four years, or five or 10 years of experience,” Riley noted.
- The Hornets are making preparations for the dramatic rise in the salary cap that is expected next summer, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. The cap is expected to jump from around $67MM per team to about $90MM, and while that’s generally positive, it raises concerns about competitive imbalance. “There’s going to be a market for a lot of guys,” said Hornets vice chairman Curtis Polk, “and you’re going to have to be selective about who fits with what your team’s culture is as well as how the team is going to play offensively and defensively.”