The 2015 NBA Draft combine will take place from May 12th through May 17th in Chicago. The invite-only event is a showcase where players can show their basketball skills to league personnel, as well as undergo medical tests and attend interviews with team executives and coaches. While a significant amount of the players who are projected to hear their names called this June will be in attendance, not all of them will participate in the five-on-five drills. A number of the higher profile players will instead limit their exposure to having their minds and bodies examined by interested NBA parties. The complete list of confirmed players who are attending the 2015 NBA draft combine was released and can be found here.
Here’s a look back at the week that was…
2015 NBA Draft Rumors/News
- The Rockets are reportedly growing increasingly enamored with Duke freshman point guard Tyus Jones.
- Southeast Missouri State senior guard Jarekious Bradley signed with agent Brian Bass of RBA Sports.
- The Sixers are potentially interested in selecting Jamal Jones and making him a domestic draft-and-stash pick this June.
- Incarnate Word combo guard Denzel Livingston, Ohio power forward Maurice Ndour, Penn State shooting guard D.J. Newbill, Illinois shooting guard Rayvonte Rice and TCU shooting guard Trey Zeigler worked out for the Jazz.
- Utah also worked out Virginia forward Darion Atkins, Murray State guard T.J. Sapp, Bowling Green forward Richaun Holmes, Ohio State guard Shannon Scott, Western Kentucky guard T.J. Price, and Wisconsin guard Traevon Jackson.
Awards
- The Warriors’ Stephen Curry won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award.
- Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler was named as the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
News/Rumors
- The Hornets would like to own and operate their own D-League franchise, and the team is reportedly considering seven cities in the Carolinas: Asheville, Charleston, Columbia, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville (S.C.) and Raleigh for the team to call home.
- The Nets did not pick up the team option on assistant GM Bobby Marks‘ contract for 2015/16.
- Chandler Parsons underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to address a cartilage injury to his right knee. No timetable was announced for Parsons’ recovery.
- There are “serious rumblings” that the Nets are working on a contract extension with GM Billy King, who is entering the final season of his arrangement with the team.
- The Cavs have “a legitimate fear” that Kevin Love will leave the team in free agency this summer.
- Executive vice president of basketball operations Mickey Loomis and other Pelicans officials reportedly met with Joe Dumars multiple times this past fall to gauge the ex-Pistons executive’s thoughts on the Pelicans. The franchise later issued a statement indicating no job offer had been made to Dumars.
- Mavericks guard Raymond Felton intends to exercise his $3.9MM player option for next season.
- There is reportedly mutual interest between the Nuggets and free agent Will Barton for the shooting guard to re-sign with the team this summer.
- Nets swingman Alan Anderson intends to opt out of his player option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- Timberwolves draft-and-stash prospect Nemanja Bjelica reportedly wants a “serious offer” of somewhere around $5MM to $7MM a year if he’s to make the jump to the NBA next season.
- Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday underwent successful surgery to remove a previously implanted screw from his right leg.
- The Nuggets are reportedly expected to sign 2014 second-round pick Nikola Jokic prior to summer league in July. A second report relayed that it would likely take a long-term deal to convince Jokic to play in the U.S. next season.
- David LaRue, CEO of Bruce Ratner’s parent company Forest City Enterprises, told investors that Mikhail Prokhorov was not aiming to sell his stake in the Nets completely but rather “looking to monetize a portion of their asset.”
- The L.A. D-Fenders, the Lakers‘ D-League affiliate, reportedly informed coach Phil Hubbard that the franchise would not be exercising its team option for him next season.