Mutual Interest Between Lakers, Dwyane Wade
The Lakers and Dwyane Wade have mutual interest, reports Chris Mannix of SI.com, citing league sources (Twitter link). Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald previously reported that associates of Wade had identified the Lakers as a strong alternative if the Heat and its long-tenured shooting guard can’t come to terms (Twitter link), and it appears that the Lakers would like to take Wade up on the idea. Many execs nonetheless see Wade’s push for more than the Heat are willing to give as saber rattling, Mannix hears, pointing out in a second tweet that it’s difficult to envision the Lakers providing Wade with a better chance to win than he has in Miami. However, the Lakers have the cap flexibility necessary to give the Henry Thomas client the $20MM salaries that he’s apparently eyeing on a three-year deal.
Wade, who has a $16.125MM player option for next season and has hinted that he’ll opt out, is open to leaving the Heat, who’d prefer he opt in, as Jackson reported last month. A friend of Wade’s told Jackson that the Heat, if he won’t opt in, would like him to sign a deal worth $16MM next season and $10MM in each of the next two.
The Lakers have only about $35MM in guaranteed salary for next season against a projected $67.1MM cap. They wouldn’t have enough left over to sign Wade to the sort of salary he’s looking for if they land another marquee target, like LaMarcus Aldridge or Kevin Love, without making some sort of salary-clearing trade. Presumably Wade, at 33 and with persistent knee concerns, is farther down the list of would-be targets, though the Lakers are also reportedly likely to chase Heat backcourt mate Goran Dragic, who’d be more likely to leave Miami if Wade does, as Jackson reported. The Heat are planning a five-year offer worth more than $80MM that’s less than the max for Dragic.
Wade’s father, who went as far as to appear in public wearing a Cavs T-shirt, has dropped vague hints that the Heat star is ready to leave Miami, as Ananth Pandian of CBSSports.com observes, though Wade himself, at least at the time of Jackson’s initial report last month, prefers to stay in Miami, all things being equal. We invited Hoops Rumors readers to discuss the issue as part of a recent Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround.
Western Notes: Wade, Lakers, Nuggets
Dwyane Wade sees the Lakers as an possible destination if he declines his player option, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated tweets. There is a mutual interest, league sources told Mannix, despite the Lakers being in rebuild mode. Wade reportedly would welcome $20MM salaries if he turns down his $16.125MM player option. The lure of playing in Los Angeles and the team’s ample salary cap room could be the attractions for Wade, Mannix adds in a separate tweet. The Lakers have also been linked to free agent Goran Dragic, Wade’s backcourt partner in Miami.
In other news around the Western Conference:
- The Lakers are well aware of the failures of previous No. 2 overall picks, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register reports. Since 2000, only three players drafted at that spot – Tyson Chandler, LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Durant – became All-Stars while several have been complete busts, including Darko Milicic, Hasheem Thabeet and Stromile Swift, Oram continues. That does not mean the Lakers are inclined to trade the pick, Oram adds. “I don’t think we’re going to end up saying, ‘15 of the last 18 No. 2 picks have not been great selections, therefore we must trade the pick,’” Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told Oram.
- Tyus Jones is expected to work out for the Nuggets on Monday, according to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post (Twitter link). That’s an interesting development, considering Denver has the No. 7 overall pick and the Duke point guard is currently rated No. 23 on ESPN Insider Chad Ford’s Top 100 Prospects list and No. 14 by DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony. That may be a signal the Nuggets are looking to trade down or acquire another pick.
- Kings coach George Karl doubts that the player they draft with the No. 6 overall pick could play 30 minutes a game next season, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee tweets. That follows the thinking of many scouts who see this draft filled with role players, Jones adds in a separate tweet.
Rockets Mulling Options On Papanikolaou
The Rockets have not decided whether to exercise the team option on Kostas Papanikolaou‘s contract or try to re-sign him as a free agent, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Rockets VP Gersson Rosas told Feigen the team is still mulling both options, though they want the 6’9” forward back.
This contradicts a recent report by Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia that the team had already decided to exercise the team option. Still, Papanikolaou’s salary of nearly $4.798MM wouldn’t become guaranteed until October 4th, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders first revealed, even if Houston indeed picks up its team option by the deadline, which is June 29th unless the sides negotiated an earlier date.
The Rockets would still retain his Non-Bird rights to re-sign him if they declined the option. He would then become a restricted free agent if they extended a qualifying offer of close to $6MM, but that qualifying offer would entail guaranteed salary. If the Rockets don’t extend a qualifying offer, they would have to renounce his rights to rid themselves of his cap hold of more than $5.757MM. Thus, picking up the option would give the Rockets the most flexibility possible, while still allowing them to have the final say on whether Papanikolaou plays for them next season.
Papanikolaou cracked the rotation in the first half of last season but the acquisition of Josh Smith limited his minutes the rest of the way. He averaged 6.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per game before Smith joined the team and 2.3 PPG, 1.5 RPG and just 12.1 MPG in 21 appearances afterward.
Southeast Rumors: Hawks, Cauley-Stein, Magic
The prospect of losing starting forwards DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap in free agency complicates the Hawks’ decision-making entering the draft, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta may have to consider drafting for a potential need rather than just going with the best player available strategy, Vivlamore continues. The Hawks have two second-round picks this year and next June, which could help them move up from the No. 15 overall spot in a draft-day trade, Vivlamore adds. If the Hawks are confident they can re-sign their top free agents, they will have more incentive to go with a developmental player, as the team’s assistant GM Wes Wilcox told Vivlamore. “You may end up with a 19-year-old where there is positional opportunity or a 22-year-old where there is not a positional opportunity,” Wilcox said. “That is where we believe in our development staff, our assistant coaches, to where we can continue to improve the player and give them a chance to be a good Hawk long-term.”
In other news around the Southeast Division:
- Willie Cauley-Stein’s defensive prowess and superior athleticism make him a serious option for the Magic with their No. 5 overall pick, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel opines. The Magic need an upgrade on defense and Cauley-Stein’s shot-blocking and ability to guard all five positions may be too tempting for Orlando to pass up, Robbins adds.
- The Hornets hosted Cauley-Stein for a solo workout on Friday, the team’s website reports. That could be a signal that Cauley-Stein will not slip past the No. 9 spot, since that’s the pick Charlotte owns in the first round.
-
The Magic pulled off a surprise in last year’s draft by selecting Aaron Gordon and that could happen again, especially if they trade down, Robbins writes in a separate piece. Myles Turner, Kevon Looney, Trey Lyles, Devin Booker or Bobby Portis could wind up with the Magic, depending upon their draft strategy, Robbins adds.
Pistons Notes: Kaminsky, Turner, Jaiteh
- Detroit also brought in point guards Travis Trice, T.J. McConnell and Kenneth Smith and center Mouhammadou Jaiteh on Saturday to wrap up its scheduled pre-draft workouts, according to David Mayo of MLive.com. The Pistons worked out 51 players, including likely first-rounders Devin Booker, Sam Dekker, Stanley Johnson, Kevon Looney, Kelly Oubre, Bobby Portis and Winslow, as well as Kaminsky and Turner, while guard Terran Petteway was the only player who worked out twice, Mayo reports.
- Jaiteh plans to leave the French league and play in the NBA next season if he’s drafted, Mayo writes in a separate piece. “My goal is to join the team next year,” Jaiteh said to the Detroit media. “I’ve had three years now playing overseas pro. I really earned some experience, some maturity, and I think if I want to keep improving fast, I think the best is to be around the best players in the world, with the best coaches. That’s why I want to join the team this year and fight for it.”
- If the Pistons move down in the first round, Boston would appear to be a likely trading partner, Mayo speculates in his weekly mailbag story. The Celtics have two first rounders at No. 16 and No. 28, but in Mayo’s thinking the Pistons would probably be more interested in a package of the No. 16 pick and a second-rounder with a non-guaranteed contract, rather than swapping for both first rounders. The Pistons probably don’t have the assets to move up from No. 8 and in all likelihood will retain the pick, Mayo concludes.
Western Notes: Duncan, Jazz, Matthews, Rockets
Several NBA executives believe the Spurs will offer Tim Duncan a two-year deal with a partial guarantee and a player option for the second season, reports Mike Monroe of The San Antonio Express-News. The deal is projected at $6MM to $7MM each year, but if Duncan decides after the first year that he doesn’t want to play anymore he could still get a significant portion of the second season’s salary, making the contract possibly worth more than its face value. The first season of such a deal would have to carry a partial guarantee for the same percentage of the salary as the partial guarantee on the second season covers. “You can call it a ‘wink-wink’ deal if you want to,” an unidentified Eastern Conference executive said. “It’s what they did with [Antonio] McDyess, so why not for Duncan?” The team’s contract with McDyess was partially guaranteed but didn’t involve a player option. Duncan, 39, hasn’t committed to returning for another season, but he made both the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams this year. He is one of 10 Spurs who will become free agents July 1st.
There’s more from the Western Conference:
- Even though the Jazz won’t pick until No. 12, they are confident that there will be talented players to choose from, writes Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune. Utah’s front office is making final preparations for Thursday’s draft, going through innumerable scenarios as they try to figure out who will be available. “We’re getting medical updates by the day and then you have all this information collected and you have to take the time to actually analyze it,” said GM Dennis Lindsey. “… A key piece of information can swing a vote and then, all of a sudden, you’re taking a player that maybe wasn’t the No. 1 candidate going into a process.” Lindsey has a history of dealing to move up in the draft, but Falk speculates that if there is a trade this year, it will be to move down or completely out of the first round.
- The Blazers‘ Wesley Matthews admits his future was among his first thoughts when he ruptured his Achilles tendon, according to Jason Quick of The Oregonian. Matthews, who will become a free agent July 1, was worried that the injury might scare teams away. “Instinctively, right away I was worried about free agency,” he said.
- Cliff Alexander of Kansas was part of a group workout for the Rockets on Saturday, tweets Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops.
Pacific Notes: Cousins, Davis, Suns, Clippers
Kings executive Vlade Divac insists the team has no plans to trade DeMarcus Cousins, according to Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee. Divac, who is preparing for his first draft since being named vice president of basketball and franchise operations in March, said the team is looking for players who will complement Cousins’ skills. “That is not happening,” Divac said about the possibility of moving Cousins, “but I would love to do something, a smaller move, before the draft. We have a lot of changes to make. The league is much more up-tempo now, and we need more three-point shooting. If we don’t get that in the draft, we’ll be active in free agency and see about making trades later in the offseason.” Sacramento holds the sixth pick in Thursday’s draft.
There’s more from the Pacific Division as we count down toward draft day:
- Ed Davis hopes to land a richer and longer contract with the Lakers by opting out of his current deal, but Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News isn’t sure if that will work. The 26-year-old Davis, who has a $1.1MM option for next season, posted a career high in scoring, rebounding and several other categories this year. An unidentified source told Medina that Davis wants a two- or three-year contract worth $7MM to $8MM annually or a one-year deal in the $9MM to $10MM range. Whether the Lakers will make that kind of offer depends on what the team can acquire through the draft and free agency.
- After a non-playoff season, any Suns player can be traded or replaced through the draft, according to Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. “We always need guys that will push our guys or even challenge them for a spot,” said Suns coach Jeff Hornacek. “… Where we’re picking at 13, you’re going to get a good, solid guy that can push our guys and maybe in a year or two take over their spots.” Coro writes that the 12 picks ahead of Phoenix are unpredictable, but he expects the Suns to use their pick to add size.
- The Clippers will hold a workout today for Ryan Boatright, D.J. Newbill, Chris Walker, Royce O’Neale and Damontre Harris, tweets Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops.
Knicks Rumors: Okafor, Russell, Bledsoe
Team president Phil Jackson has given up hope that Duke’s Jahlil Okafor will fall to the Knicks with the No. 4 pick in Thursday’s draft, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Jackson doesn’t talk much to other teams, Berman notes, but he has a connection to the Lakers through fiancée and team co-owner Jeanie Buss. Los Angeles holds the second pick and is believed to be interested in the Duke center. The Knicks have not held a workout with Okafor.
There’s more draft news from New York City:
- In the same article, Bobby Marks, who spent 20 years as an executive with the Nets, says the Knicks should celebrate if Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell is available at No. 4. “I don’t look at him as a young kid who could take a couple years,’’ Marks said. “Put him on the court right now and let him play. If he fell to 4, you take him, unplug your phone and call it a night.’’ Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Okafor are widely expected to be the first two players selected. Up third are the Sixers, who reportedly are considering Latvian Kristaps Porzingis as well as Russell. Berman writes that another team, such as Orlando, could trade up to take Porzingis, which would also benefit the Knicks.
- New York is giving serious consideration to trading its first-round pick, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday. The Knicks reportedly aren’t sold on any of the talent available after Towns, Okafor and Russell and think they can do just as well if they trade down in the draft. “This is a draft that everybody feels like, in the lottery, from 1 through 14, there’s really good players, and a lot of good players that will be there in the later part of the first round, too,” Jackson said. “History tells us that 1 through 10 usually indicates that you’re going to get a starter at some level.”
- The Knicks should try to move the No. 4 pick to the Suns for Eric Bledsoe, writes Jeff Jarboe of Foxsports.com. Bledsoe signed a five-year, $70MM contract with Phoenix last summer after months of contentious negotiations.
Heat Rumors: Wade, Kaminsky, Dragic
Dealing players for draft picks could be a simple solution for meeting Dwyane Wade‘s salary demands, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Wade has one year left on his contract at $16.1MM, but he can opt out and is seeking a maximum deal of an estimated $23.5MM. Winderman writes that the Heat could give Wade what he wants and move salary elsewhere to keep their payroll in the same area. He mentions Mario Chalmers [due $4.3MM next season], Chris Andersen [$5MM], Josh McRoberts [$5.5MM] and Udonis Haslem [$2.85MM] as potential trade candidates.
There’s more this morning from South Beach:
- Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky has the skills and maturity that appeal to Heat president Pat Riley, Winderman writes in a separate story. Miami already has Chris Bosh at power forward, backed up by McRoberts and Haslem, but Kaminsky is the type of player who could fit the system, especially if one of the veterans is traded. Winderman has Kaminsky ranked as the second-best power forward in the draft, behind Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia.
- Two opt-in decisions this week make it more important than ever for the Heat to keep Wade, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The Pelicans’ Eric Gordon and the Hornets’ Gerald Henderson both chose to delay free agency and stay with their current teams, meaning there are two fewer options for the Heat if Wade decides to leave Miami. Jackson lists the top potentially available shooting guards as Wesley Matthews, Danny Green, Arron Afflalo and Monta Ellis. Afflalo hasn’t made a decision on opting out, but Miami is interested in him, Jackson writes, and he cites Dirk Nowitzki as predicting Ellis will opt out. But even if the Heat were to lose Wade, they would not have the cap space to sign any of those four, leaving a sign-and-trade as their best option.
- Miami’s reported offer to Goran Dragic could put him back in play for the Lakers, speculates Ben Rosales of SB Nation. The Heat are expected to make Dragic a five-year offer in the neighborhood of $80MM, which would be far less than the maximum of more than $100MM. Both figures are estimated until the end of the moratorium next month. The Lakers, Rosales notes, have expressed a willingness to give Dragic a full max deal, which for them would be four years at an estimated $85MM.
Nuggets Rumors: Draft, Hezonja, Russell, Mudiay
The Nuggets have no untouchable players as trade rumors swirl around draft day, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Most of the trade talk has focused on point guard Ty Lawson, but GM Tim Connelly indicated anyone might be moved if the right deal comes along. “The variables come when you get one phone call and the best-laid plans go out of the window,” Connelly said. “But we’re pretty active and aggressive. We’ve got a lot of calls out there and a lot of scenarios in play. I can’t say for certain that where we stand today is where we’re going to stand on draft night.” Denver, which already holds the seventh choice, is rumored to be seeking another lottery pick.
There’s more draft news this morning from the Mile-High City:
- Croatian guard Mario Hezonja would be a tempting choice for the Nuggets, Dempsey writes in a separate story, but he may not be available with pick No 7. Hezonja, a good friend of Denver center Jusuf Nurkic, has been quickly rising on draft boards as scouts rave about his elite shooting and athleticism. “I talk to him every day,” Nurkic said. “I think he’s at this age the best shooting guard.”
- Trading up to snag Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell would be the Nuggets’ dream draft scenario, contends Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post. He notes that the Knicks want to improve quickly and may be willing to deal their No. 4 choice for a package of veterans. However, Kiszla also points out that it would be surprising if Russell falls that far, and Denver has the option to exchange picks with New York in 2016, so the Nuggets may be cautious about helping the Knicks get better next season. He sees Hezonja or Emmanuel Mudiay as possibilities if the Nuggets are stuck at No. 7.
- The Nuggets need to aggressively pursue Mudiay, argues Woody Paige of The Denver Post. He notes that Mudiay hasn’t worked out for Denver, but contends that he would become the best point guard the franchise has ever had. Former Nuggets coach Larry Brown, who recruited Mudiay for Southern Methodist before he decided to play in China, once called Mudiay “the best young point guard I’ve ever seen.”