Pacific Notes: Payne, Kings, Turkoglu, Watson
Point guard Cameron Payne‘s draft stock is on the rise and he’ll have a solo workout next week with the Kings, who pick sixth, as Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star hears (Twitter link). Payne, who reportedly has a promise from a team, recently spoke with Zach Links of Hoops Rumors about his experience at mid-major Murray State and his plans for the NBA. Centers Satnam Singh from IMG Academy and Stefan Nastic from Stanford and Cal power forward David Kravish will also work out for the Kings, the team announced. Their auditions will be Thursday. There’s more from Sacramento amid the latest on the Pacific Division:
- Kings vice president of basketball and franchise operations Vlade Divac believes that free agency will be more useful for the team than trades, the draft or the development of existing players will be, as Divac said Tuesday, according to Bill Herenda of CSN California (Twitter link).
- Hedo Turkoglu wouldn’t rule out signing a new NBA contract, retirement or playing for Turkey’s Fenerbahce as he spoke about his plans for next season with the Turkish media outlet TRT Spor, as Ajans Basketbol transcribes and as Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia translates. Turkoglu’s deal with the Clippers expires this summer.
- The Suns will hire Earl Watson as an assistant coach, according to Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group (Twitter link). Watson spent this past season as a D-League assistant for the Spurs.
- The Clippers have worked out Gonzaga point guard Byron Wesley, tweets Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.
- Cal State Fullerton guard Alex Harris was to have worked out for the Lakers but didn’t because of an illness, Pincus also relays via Twitter.
Nuggets To Interview Mike Woodson?
Former Hawks and Knicks coach Mike Woodson “could” be the next candidate to interview for the Nuggets coaching vacancy, as Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe hears (Twitter link). It’s not clear what’s at the root of any uncertainty about whether Woodson will speak with Denver officials, but it nonetheless doesn’t appear as though Washburn is just speculating. Magic GM Rob Hennigan last month reportedly interviewed Woodson, now a Clippers assistant coach, for the Orlando job that instead went to Scott Skiles.
The Nuggets would like to hire a coach prior to the June 25th draft, GM Tim Connelly said at the beginning of the team’s coaching search, as Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post notes. Interim coach and player favorite Melvin Hunt is reportedly the front-runner to keep the job, though Marc Stein of ESPN.com wrote a couple of weeks ago that Mike D’Antoni remained in the mix. Michael Malone and Blazers assistant David Vanterpool were other contenders that Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports identified in April, though there hasn’t been much connecting either of them to the Nuggets since. The Nuggets are “not an option” for Tom Thibodeau, sources told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com a couple of weeks ago.
Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling wrote last week that D’Antoni had yet to interview for the Nuggets job when he reported the news that Hunt is the favorite. Woodson, a year removed from his time as Knicks coach, is the first identified candidate other than Hunt who appears to be in line for an interview with Denver.
Wizards Top Thunder Alternative For Durant?
If Kevin Durant leaves the Thunder when he hits free agency next summer, it would be to go to his native Washington, D.C. to play for the Wizards, as a South Florida associate of Durant has repeatedly said to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel for months. That said, the former MVP has distanced himself from South Florida of late, having recently sold a condo he had in Miami, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes amid a column that looks at the Heat’s chances of landing Durant. The Wizards, given Durant’s childhood ties to Washington, have long figured to be a prominent suitor, though league insiders who spoke to Grantland’s Zach Lowe were split regarding Washington’s chances, as Lowe wrote last month.
TNT’s David Aldridge in January called Washington’s bid for Durant a long shot but no longer a pipe dream as the Wizards were in the midst of a second straight season in which they’d advance to the second round of the playoffs. That’s more than the Thunder can say about their last two years, coming off this year’s failure to make the postseason. Of course, this season’s shortcomings in Oklahoma City had much to do with Durant’s broken foot, which ended his season prematurely after he appeared in only 27 games. Conference imbalance came into play, too, as Washington, the East’s fifth seed, was only one game better than the Thunder.
Thunder GM Sam Presti reportedly didn’t directly involve Durant in the decision-making as he hired new coach Billy Donovan, although a longstanding dialogue between Presti and Durant established a trust, as Durant made clear. In March, Durant once more spoke of his affection for Oklahoma City and said he would love to play for one team his entire career, while also cautioning that the future is unpredictable.
A person close to Durant told Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that Durant can envision playing with the Knicks, as Isola wrote in January, though an NBA GM told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv around the same time that the Knicks have the same chance as several other contenders. That GM cited the Wizards, Lakers, Clippers and Nets among the non-Thunder teams in the running, but surely other teams will make more than passive runs at Durant next summer. They’ll be aided by the surging salary cap that would allow all but a few teams the chance to clear maximum-level cap room to make an offer to Durant.
The Wizards have only two players under guaranteed contracts, worth a combined total of about $29MM, for 2016/17, but they’re apparently poised to give Bradley Beal a maximum-salary deal, and the team has an option on Otto Porter for that season that the Wizards seem likely to pick up. Holding off on a max extension for Beal and instead giving him a new contract for the max next summer would allow the Wizards to keep the shooting guard’s cap hold relatively low and help facilitate a pursuit of Durant.
Q&A With Michigan St. Forward Branden Dawson
Throughout the spring and summer, Hoops Rumors will be talking with some of the most intriguing prospects in the 2015 NBA Draft. Today, the Hoops Rumors Draft Prospect Q&A series continues with Michigan State forward Branden Dawson, whom Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress ranks No. 87 in this year’s class (Chad Ford of ESPN.com does not have him ranked in his top 100 list).
No. 7 seed Michigan State upset a number of teams this spring on its way to a Final Four appearance thanks in large part to the play of forward Branden Dawson. Throughout his career at Michigan State, Dawson has been a key cog on the team, ascending from a ~20 minute per night player to a starring role. Now, after earning his degree, Dawson is turning his attention to the NBA. Dawson spoke with Hoops Rumors last week about his collegiate career and how his skill set will translate at the next level.
Zach Links: At 6’7″ with a 6’11” wingspan, you have size that could translate to either playing small forward or something of an undersized power forward. What position do you think suits you best in the NBA?
Branden Dawson: I would say the small forward position is my best position. I can play either the 3 or the 4, but I think I do better at the 3. I played small forward for the first three years at Michigan State and I find that I can use my strength and my size as an advantage there. Still, if you put me at the 4, I’m going to be faster than most other power forwards.
ZL: Between your athleticism and your wingspan, do you feel like you’re equipped to guard multiple positions at the next level?
BD: Yeah. I have the length and the mobility to do that. I can be strong and physical but also speedy enough to stay in front of smaller guys. I feel like I’m pretty versatile in that regard.
ZL: With serious leaping ability and speed, do you feel like you can out-rebound taller opponents pretty regularly?
BD: That’s something I was able to do in college a lot, but that’s not how it’s going to be in the NBA because you’re going against other elite athletes. I’m not going to be able to rebound how I did in college every single night, but I can definitely do quality work on the glass.
ZL: This year you helped lead Michigan State, a seven seed, all the way to the Final Four. What was it like to go out on such a high note?
BD: It meant a lot to me. Just to make it to a Final Four, it meant so much. Last year we had Adreian [Payne] leading the way and we still came up short of the Final Four, so we wanted to accomplish that. At the same time, a lot of people questioned whether we’d even make it to the tournament. There was a lot of pressure on us and a lot of adversity and to do it the way we did was amazing.
ZL: Back in April, Magic Johnson tweeted out that he’s looking forward to seeing you in the NBA. What did it mean to get that kind of endorsement and support from one of the game’s all-time legends?
BD: It was huge. He’s just a great guy. Magic always comes around when we’re in the tournament and he comes back and talks to us. It gives me a lot of confidence and really motivates me to succeed. If he sees great potential in me then other people will see it, too.
ZL: How often do you speak with him?
BD: Every so often, usually around tournament time. This year he checked in on us before the Sweet 16 and [again before] the Final Four. He gave us some great Dodgers hats and gear. … Just him coming back and showing his support, that means a lot to us.
ZL: How has playing under Tom Izzo prepared you for the challenges of the NBA?
BD: It has prepared me very well, I think. He’s the type of guy that just wants to see you succeed. We have a million plays and we run an NBA-type offense, so i think that’ll help my transition. When I went to the NBA combine and had my first workout with the Suns, we ran a lot of plays and drills that were exactly like what we do at Michigan State. I was like, “This is not new to me,” and I think that helped me out a ton.
ZL: How long did it take for your to rehab from your freshman year left ACL tear?
BD: It was about six months from when I tore it to when I got back on the court. I came back faster than I thought I would. Everyone was calling me Superman and the doctor said that I healed really fast, I had a quick recovery.
ZL: Did you ever consider declaring for the draft as an underclassman?
BD: No, I don’t think I ever seriously considered that. In my junior season I asked around about what I should do, but I always told my mom I’d get my degree. I’m the first in my family to graduate college and that was important to me. No one around me ever pressured me to go pro early.
ZL: Any individual team workouts coming up?
BD: I have about seven more to go. I [worked out] for the Celtics on June 1st and I have the Timberwolves coming up.
ZL: What teams have shown interest in you so far?
BD: My agent mentioned that the Lakers really like me. The Pelicans and the Clippers like me, too. I interviewed with a lot of different teams at the combine, so we’re gonna see what happens.
ZL: What led you to choose Jim Tanner and the folks at Tandem to represent you?
BD: Just the kind of people that they are. They’re great people and my mom liked them and it just made sense for me. I had that same feeling as when I committed to Michigan State. … I met with other agencies too, but they stood out to me the most. I think I made the right decision.
ZL: Defense is what you’re known for but it looked like your jump shot improved in your senior season. Was that the case? What changes did you make to improve your shot?
BD: Over the summer I was putting in more reps. People have been surprised by my progress. It all comes from repetition and building confidence, I think.
ZL: You mentioned wanting to play the small forward position and to do that, you have to have a bit of range. Are you working to develop an outside shot?
BD: If I’m gonna play the small forward position, it’s something I’m going to have to do. I see a guy like Tony Allen; he’s the type of guy who is not the best shooter, but he works hard and does everything else for his team. He goes around and just gets it done on both ends. I look at guys like him and they motivate me a lot.
ZL: In the DraftExpress recap of the combine, they noted that you displayed some ball-handling ability, which we didn’t see much of at Michigan State. Do you feel like you’re a better ball handler than most people realize?
BD: Yeah, definitely. At Michigan State our offense didn’t call for me to handle the ball a whole lot. Now I get to show that off a little bit and I think that’ll be important in the NBA.
Dwyane Wade Open To Leaving Heat
JUNE 3RD, 8:32am: Wade “would welcome” an average annual value of $20MM on a contract that covers the next three seasons, an associate of the shooting guard told Jackson, who writes in a new story. That “would welcome” verbiage seems to suggest that Wade isn’t tied to that figure, though that’s just my speculation. In any case, Thomas said his client has made no definitive decision about whether to opt out, though the Heat knows that Wade would prefer, as it stands, to opt out.
JUNE 2ND, 6:20pm: The Heat’s initial contract offer to Wade is believed to have been for under $10MM per season, Ethan Skolnick of Bleacher Report notes (Twitter link). This would obviously be a significant pay cut from Wade’s $15MM salary for 2014/15, and well below the amount of his $16,125,000 player option for next season.
MAY 29TH, 8:29am: Wade is likely looking for $45MM on the three-year deal he seeks, according to Michael Wallace of ESPN.com. Wade’s public displays of his friendship with LeBron James following the four-time MVP’s departure from Miami haven’t sat well with Riley, but the contract squabble is more about Wade’s desire to use his remaining leverage as a star, Wallace writes.
10:24pm: If Wade were to leave Miami, Los Angeles has been most frequently mentioned as a likely option for him, Ethan J. Skolnick of Bleacher Report tweets. As for which L.A. team Wade could look to join, Skolnick speculated that it could be whichever one had enough salary cap space to accommodate the guard. Skolnick did add the caveat that he didn’t believe Wade would ultimately end up leaving the Heat.
8:18pm: A person close to Wade indicated that the player’s representatives believe that the Heat think Wade is bluffing, and that he wouldn’t leave Miami, Jackson writes. Another associate of Wade’s pointed out that Dragic’s future is another chip that Wade holds in negotiations, because the chances of Dragic departing as a free agent this summer would increase if Wade signs elsewhere, Jackson adds.
7:30pm: Thomas spoke with Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel regarding Wade’s bargaining position. “Several guys opted out of their contract last year,” Thomas said. “Obviously Dwyane wasn’t in a position that Chris [Bosh] was in, in terms of having another team offer a maximum deal. But the reality of this is he’s played his entire career for Miami. He’s done wonderful things in terms of the five titles that they played for, winning three of them. He’s had a tremendous career, and we’re just trying to see whether or not there’s room to continue that.”
4:51pm: Agent Henry Thomas said, “I am going to continue to have conversations with the Heat and try to make this work,” but wouldn’t say if Wade was leaving Miami or if his client would definitely opt out of his deal this offseason, Jackson relays (Twitter links).
MAY 28TH, 4:34pm: The Heat and guard Dwyane Wade have been discussing his contract situation and there appears to be a significant difference in what the two sides believe Wade’s next deal should be worth, multiple sources have told Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Though Wade still prefers to remain with the franchise, where he has spent his entire 12-year career, he is now open to leaving if Miami does not raise its offer, Jackson adds.
Wade had opted out of the final two years of his contract last summer which were worth approximately $41.6MM. Instead, the veteran agreed to a more team-friendly two-year, $31MM deal, which included a player option for next season worth $16.1MM. The guard did so in order to allow the team’s front office to have greater financial flexibility to improve the roster, Jackson notes. At the time, Wade indicated that he was curious to see how much he could command in the summer of 2016, when the salary cap is expected to increase dramatically, courtesy of the league’s new television deal kicking in, the Herald scribe writes.
According to Jackson’s sources, Wade’s representatives are urging him to opt out this summer and to try to secure a lucrative three-year contract that would extend past his 36th birthday, Jackson relays. But the Heat are said not to prefer this option, and want Wade to opt in for next season. The franchise would then re-sign him to a two-year deal, but not for a significant amount, Jackson adds.
Whether Wade opts out of his deal or not, there is still said to be a “sizable gap” between what Wade wants to be paid over the next three seasons and what the Heat are willing to commit to him, Jackson notes. When asked about the differences between the two sides, Wade’s agent Henry Thomas declined to comment, as did the team, the Herald scribe relays. Jackson also notes that if Wade departs it could negatively impact the team’s chances at re-signing Goran Dragic.
Wade has been the face of the Heat franchise for years, which could affect his negotiating stance with the team. But Miami is almost assuredly concerned with committing a large portion of its salary cap amount to a player with Wade’s injury history. The 33-year-old has averaged just 58 games per season the last four years, and his knees certainly aren’t getting any younger.
In 62 appearances this past season, Wade averaged 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 31.8 minutes per contest. His career numbers are 24.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 5.9 APG. Wade’s career slash line is .490/.289/.765.
And-Ones: Alexander, Greene, Williams
Kansas big man Cliff Alexander suffered a knee injury during his workout with the Lakers earlier today, Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times reports. The injury is being called a mild ACL sprain, and will likely keep Alexander out of action for three to five days, according to his agent, Mark Bartelstein, Chad Ford of ESPN.com tweets. Alexander did complete the bulk of his workout before getting hurt, Pincus notes. If the injury is more serious than a simple sprain it would certainly come as a major blow to Alexander’s chances of being selected this June. The freshman had already watched his draft stock slip over the course of his lone collegiate season, with Alexander beginning the campaign as a potential lottery pick and ending it as a marginal second-rounder. Alexander is currently the No. 32 overall prospect according to ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) and the 47th best according to DraftExpress.
Here’s more from around the league:
- The Thunder have reached an agreement with former Pelicans coach Monty Williams that will make him the top assistant on new head coach Billy Donovan‘s staff, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports. Donovan will keep Oklahoma City assistant Mark Bryant and Darko Rajakovic on his staff, and will likely make former Alabama coach Anthony Grant his No. 3 assistant coach, Wojnarowski adds.
- The Suns held workouts today for Bobby Portis (Arkansas), Kevon Looney (UCLA), Pat Connaughton (Notre Dame), Gary Bell (Gonzaga), and Shannon Scott (Ohio State), Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops tweets.
- St. John’s guard Phil Greene, who worked out for the Nets today, also has upcoming workouts scheduled with the Jazz and the Suns, Scotto relays (Twitter link). Greene and Steve Lavin, his college coach, recently spoke with Zach Links of Hoops Rumors.
- With the Mavericks set to make wholesale roster changes this offseason, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News runs down some free agents who the team could look to target this offseason, including DeMarre Carroll, Rodney Stuckey, and Greg Monroe.
Pacific Notes: Curry, Clippers, Draft
While Stephen Curry won’t be worrying about how he will afford to put food on his table anytime soon, his contract with the Warriors is one of the biggest values in the NBA, and the MVP can be considered one of the most underpaid athletes in all of professional sports, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders writes. There were a total of 50 NBA players who earned more than the $10,629,213 that Curry did last season, including 11 point guards, Kennedy notes. On his way to winning the MVP award the 27-year-old appeared in 80 contests, averaging 23.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in 32.7 minutes per game.
Here’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers need to make changes to their existing roster but won’t be able to add any big ticket free agents this offseason thanks to their difficult salary cap situation. Arash Markazi and Ben Alamar of ESPN.com run down some hypothetical blockbuster trades that Los Angeles could potentially make if it wished to shake up its roster this summer.
- University of Illinois shooting guard Rayvonte Rice has a workout scheduled with the Suns, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets.
- The Lakers held workouts today for Alan Williams (UC Santa Barbara), Norman Powell (UCLA), Cliff Alexander (Kansas), Mitch McCarron (Metropolitan State College), Byron Wesley (Gonzaga), Matt Stainbrook (Xavier), and Josh Smith (Georgetown), the team announced (on Twitter).
- Kings forward Carl Landry underwent surgery today to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist, the team announced. Landry will begin rehabilitation immediately and is expected to be out of action for approximately four to five months.
Northwest Notes: Aldridge, Freeland, Jenkins
The Blazers‘ offseason will revolve around whether LaMarcus Aldridge re-signs with the franchise or departs as an unrestricted free agent, Jabari Young of CSNNW.com writes in his season review for the talented forward. Aldridge hopes to make his free agency decision as quickly as possible, and though he has expressed warm feelings toward Portland, the veteran hasn’t committed to returning, Young adds. “I’m definitely not one to prolong things and drag it out,” said Aldridge. “That’s not really my personality. I think if me and my agents can figure it out fast, then of course we will,” Aldridge continued, saying, “I love being here and [am] thankful for everything that this city has given me,” he said. “I am thankful for my time here. It’s been an amazing nine years, of course I’m not trying to have that end, so when the time comes we’ll sit down with my agent, [Blazers GM Neil Olshey] and [owner Paul Allen] and we’ll just figure it out.”
Here’s more from the NBA’s Northwest Division:
- The Jazz have workouts scheduled on Wednesday for Gary Bell Jr. (Gonzaga), T.J. McConnell (Arizona), Askia Booker (Colorado), Shaquielle McKissic (Arizona State), R.J. Hunter (Georgia State), and Nick Paulos (UNC Greensboro), the team announced (via Twitter).
- Michael Jenkins, who was in training camp with the Thunder prior to the 2014/15 season, signed a two-year, $1MM deal with the Turkish club Turk Telekom, David Pick of Euorbasket.com tweets. The deal includes an NBA out clause, Pick adds.
- Euroleague club CSKA Moscow is interested in signing Blazers big man Joel Freeland, Chema de Lucas of Gigantes.com reports (translation by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). Freeland can become a restricted free agent this summer if Portland tenders him a qualifying offer worth $3,766,890. The 28-year-old appeared in 48 contests for the Blazers this past season, averaging 3.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game.
Eastern Notes: Bosh, Celtics, Hornets
The Heat had two players who are coming off of surgery resume basketball activities today, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes. Forward Chris Bosh participated in court work for the first time since being sidelined since the All-Star break due to blood clots on his lung, working out today with members of the team’s coaching staff, Winderman notes. Also getting back on the court for Miami was guard Mario Chalmers, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee just four days ago, the Sentinel scribe relays.
Here’s more from the East:
- The Celtics held workouts today for Andrew Harrison (Kentucky), Olivier Hanlan (Boston College), Terry Rozier (Louisville), Josh Richardson (Tennessee), and Corey Walden (Eastern Kentucky), Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com relays (Twitter link).
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Former Temple point guard Will Cummings will work out for the Sixers on Wednesday, Marc Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “It’s definitely been a great opportunity for me to get the chance to work out for these NBA teams,” Cummings said. The guard also has workouts scheduled with the Suns and Nets, Narducci adds.
- The Hornets will hold workouts on Wednesday for Kendall Gray (Delaware State), D.J. Newbill (Penn State), James Sinclair (Western Carolina), J.J. O’Brien (San Diego State), Antonio Robinson (East Carolina), and Ralston Turner (North Carolina State), the team announced.
- Working out for the Wizards today were Dallin Bachynski (Utah), Cummings, Amere May (Delaware State), Jaleel Roberts (UNC Asheville), Marcus Thornton (William and Mary), and D-Leaguer Jarvis Threatt, the team announced.
Central Notes: Hoiberg, Pacers, Martin
With the Bulls‘ current lack of financial flexibility, changing coaches was the best way for the franchise to shake things up after a disappointing playoff run, Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com writes in his breakdown of what Fred Hoiberg brings to the team on both the offensive and defensive ends of the hardwood. Doolittle also opines that it would serve the team well if Hoiberg were to retain assistant coaches Ed Pinckney and Adrian Griffin, both of whom could maintain the roster’s defensive focus while Hoiberg revamps the offense.
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Kansas swingman Kelly Oubre will work out for the Pacers today, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops tweets. You can view our full prospect profile for Oubre here.
- Also scheduled to work out for the Pacers today are Anthony Brown (Stanford), Cady Lalanne (UMass), Luis Montero (Westchester Community College), Jon Octeus (Purdue), and Gabe Olaseni (Iowa), the team announced.
- Cartier Martin‘s teammates on the Pistons encouraged him to swallow his pride and exercise his player option worth nearly $1.271MM for next season, Terry Foster of The Detroit News writes. The forward was unhappy with his playing time this past season, having only appeared in 23 contests for Detroit.
- The solid play of Tristan Thompson and the Cavs‘ success in the playoffs this season has changed the narrative regarding Kevin Love‘s player option for 2015/16, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com writes. Instead of wondering if Love would return, talk now centers around whether the team needs or wants him to return next season, Berger notes.