Paul George Addresses Trade Speculation: “I’m A Pacer”
Paul George currently wears a yellow NBA jersey and despite the rumors, wishes, and hopes of many people, that yellow is for the Pacers and not his hometown Lakers. A likely free agent-to-be after next season thanks to an opt-out clause, George’s name has been prevalent in trade rumors, primarily connecting him to a Los Angeles squad in dire need of a superstar caliber attraction.
While it makes sense for the Pacers to gauge interest in George; losing him in free agency a year from now and getting nothing in return is not ideal. The Lakers are not the only possible suitor as team’s like the Celtics, Cavaliers, and Heat have also been mentioned as destinations — in trades and free agency. At this time, George told reporters, including The Indianapolis Star’s Nate Taylor, that his immediate future is with the Pacers.
“I’m under contract as a Pacer,” George said. “That’s all that needs to really be known. I’m here. I’m a Pacer. Again, what I’ve been dealing with is stories. You guys talking or teams talking. I’m a Pacer. There’s no way around that. This is my team, my group and this is where I’m at.”
The allure of leaving Indiana to compete for a championship elsewhere — given the Warriors‘ super team dominating its way to the 2017 NBA title — can be a temptation for George. Yet, the 27-year-old is committed to Indiana, where he has spent his first seven NBA seasons, for at least one more year and reiterated his goal of bringing a championship to the city.
However, it’s more realistic for George to pursue a title with a team capable of attracting major pieces to complement the 6’9″ forward’s talent. George did not commit to the Pacers past next season and is bracing for a life and career-changing decision.
“It will be tough, but when I get there hopefully I will be ready to sit down with my family, be ready to sit down with people close to me to make that decision,” George said. “Again, I have another year to play out before I can even think about that. So, we’re going to take this thing slowly. I think the best part about it is I’m in the driver’s seat.”
Frank Ntilikina Current Target For Knicks At No. 8?
4:55pm: There’s no general consensus on who the Knicks will draft with their eight overall pick next week, but French point guard Frank Ntilikina appears to be a frontrunner, per Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Isola states that the Knicks have a scout in Europe “babysitting” the 18-year-old and as of now, he is “their man.”
Ntilikina, who boasts a 6’5″ frame and a seven-foot wingspan, has been playing well in the French finals and has been linked to the Knicks extensively the past few weeks. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News spoke to Ntilikina recently and the young guard expressed his knowledge and interest in joining New York and learning the triangle offesne.
“I watch a lot of their games and I know how they play with their triangle offense with Phil Jackson as the president, and I know the players,” Ntilikina said. “I think it would be a good thing for me.”
Due to the length of the French postseason, Ntilikina has not been able to schedule a pre-draft workout, and with the draft scheduled for next Thursday, time is running out for the Belgium native to showcase his talents. However, targeting talented yet virtual unknowns in the NBA Draft has worked for the Knicks.
The team drafted Latvian forward Kristaps Porzingis with the fourth overall pick in 2015 and he has developed into a potential franchise-building piece. New York has expressed its desire to get younger and more athletic while running the triangle and Ntilikina, while not a well-known name, checks both of those boxes.
The Knicks have worked out most players likely to be drafted in the top 10, along with several other players that may be targets later in the draft. At this point, the first 10 selections could go in many directions, so the Knicks’ pick is far from certain.
Celtics Considering Josh Jackson With No. 1 Pick?
Washington’s Markelle Fultz has been linked to the Celtics as the likely first overall pick in the NBA Draft, but Kansas’ Josh Jackson is believed to be receiving serious consideration from Boston, according to ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider-only link).
Jackson, 20, posted solid numbers in his lone season at Kansas, totaling 16.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.0 APG, and 1.7 SPG in 35 contests. He has been praised for his versatility on the floor and as one general manager explained to Ford, that is the reason why the Celtics could change course.
“I’ve picked Danny’s brain for years,” the general manager said in regards to Ainge’s basketball acumen. “Jackson is an Ainge player all the way. Tough, athletic, long, versatile, elite motor. If he’s keeping the pick, Jackson just to me, far and away, is the most Celtics-type player for them to draft. From all my conversations with them, I’m convinced they’ll take Jackson No. 1.”
The concern with Jackson — or any player that Boston selects — is playing time. The Celtics have Isaiah Thomas cemented at point guard with solid complimentary pieces like Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, and last year’s draft pick, Jaylen Brown, all potentially blocking draftees.
Jackson cancelled a scheduled workout with the Celtics earlier this week, as first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Goodman (via Twitter). The 6’8″ guard had a second workout with the Lakers on Tuesday and Los Angeles is reportedly torn between using its second overall selection on Jackson or UCLA product Lonzo Ball.
Pacific Notes: Griffin, Divac, Suns Pre-Draft Workouts
The Clippers could be a drastically different team next season as Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and J.J. Redick could leave for greener pastures this offseason. While Paul is a long shot to depart, Griffin and Redick are far from guaranteed to stay in Los Angeles. James Blancarte of Basketball Insiders examines Griffin’s options as he considers potential suitors.
The Celtics are an intriguing possibility as they have the No.1 pick in the NBA Draft, a budding superstar in Isaiah Thomas, and a young core of talented assets. Griffin, 28, can think long-term with a younger team in Boston and if Thomas departs after next season, he could become the primary option in Beantown.
Additionally, the Heat are a possibility as the team’s history luring LeBron James and Chris Bosh to Miami shows a commitment to winning. While the Heat lack Boston’s young assets, Blancarte explains that playing under Erik Spoelstra — who is known to bring out the best in his players — and being the definitive centerpiece in South Beach is an appealing proposition.
Here are additional links around the Pacific Division:
- The Kings own the fifth and 10th overall picks in the draft and general manager Vlade Divac broke down the team’s strategy heading into next Thursday’s event. Speaking to the Sacramento Bee, Divac explained that the team is confident the fifth pick will yield a player the team likes and that a trade to move up in the draft would cause more headache than results.
- The Kings are set to welcome Kobi Simmons (Arizona), Derrick Walton (Michigan), Troy Caupain (Cincinnati), T.J. Cline (Richmond), Jacob Wiley (Eastern Michigan), Reggie Upshaw (Middle Tennessee), and Ivan Rabb (California) for pre-draft workouts tomorrow.
- FSU’s Jonathan Isaac and Gonzaga’s Zach Collins worked out for the Suns earlier this week and told reporters, including Doug Haller of The Arizona Republic, about their experience.
Magic GM John Hammond Talks Draft, No. 6 Pick
The Magic have overhauled their front office in recent weeks, hiring former Raptors executive Jeff Weltman as their new president of basketball operations and ex-Bucks exec John Hammond as their new general manager.
Both Weltman and Hammond had been preparing for the 2017 draft with their old teams before joining the Bucks, so they’re very familiar with this year’s draft class, but they may be taking a different approach now that they’re working with a new roster, a new management group, and an extra first-round pick.
Speaking to Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel, Hammond answered a number of questions about this year’s draft, the Magic’s options with their two first-round picks, and his philosophy to drafting. The whole Q&A is worth checking out, but here are a few of the notable answers from Orlando’s new GM:
On the Magic’s approach with the No. 6 overall pick:
“I think that our mindset today is fairly clear and definitive. We are going to be looking to draft the best player on the board with the sixth pick. … When you get this high into the draft, I think very few teams are thinking, ‘We’re going to fill a need.’ The standard thought process going into something like this is to always look for the best player on the board.
“We don’t feel like there is a gap [between the fifth and sixth players on the board]. And we feel confident with the sixth pick.”
On the strength of this year’s draft class:
“I think as we’re looking at it today, there may not be that transcendent player. There may not be that Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James or Patrick Ewing type of player that when you draft that player, you know that player has that ability to turn your team into basically a championship-caliber team in a matter of a years.
But I think that there are players in this draft, especially in the top of this draft, that have a chance to be All-Stars in this league and maybe multiple-time All-Stars in this league. And if you’re drafting a player like that, he could be a building-block piece to your team.”
On whether Hammond’s focus on length and athleticism in Milwaukee will carry over to the Magic:
“Jeff’s philosophy, and my philosophy in the past, has been that. We love length. We love athleticism. But a critical part of the game today is: Can a player stretch the floor and shoot the three-point shot? So if you can get a combination of something like that — a player who can play multiple positions, a player who has length, a player who has some athleticism, a player that can eventually step on the floor and stretch the floor — in this day and age in this league, those are potential All-Star players.”
On whether the Magic will target a draft-and-stash player with their second first-round pick (No. 25):
“Potentially we could. But we also have that ability with the 33rd and 35th picks. I think we’ll keep all those options open.”
Atlantic Notes: James, Celtics, Pre-Draft Workouts
Rumors are swirling that LeBron James will look to leave Cleveland for a second time after next season and potentially head out west. If he is not on the Cavaliers after 2017/18, James’ departure would have a domino effect across the league. A. Sherrod Blakely joined Mike Felger and Gary Tanguay at CSN New England to discuss Celtics general manager Danny Ainge‘s potential moves if James heads out West and weakens the Eastern Conference.
Blakely believes that no matter James’ future, Ainge should not focus on what’s going around the league, focusing instead on his own team. The Celtics have the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft and are coming off a year where they were the first seed in the East. The Celtics have their own issues to address, including the impending free agency of Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, and others.
In any case, the Celtics are in the best position of any Eastern Conference team to unseat the Cavaliers as the class of division and a James departure after next season only strengthens that.
Here are other notes from around the Atlantic Division:
- Bobby Marks of The Vertical previewed the Celtics‘ offseason agenda and gave three key points the team should focus on. Marks feels Boston needs to properly allocate its cap space and not be tempted by dealing its first overall pick on a rental player such as Paul George, while being open-minded on the trade market.
- The Raptors announced a two-day free agent camp starting today in which 23 free agents will work out for the team. Some notable names on the list include former Knicks forward Cleanthony Early, former Kings and Rockets forward Tyler Honeycutt, and former NBA D-League player Damien Inglis.
- Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders (via Twitter) provided a list of players the Nets worked out today, including Jamel Artis, Milton Doyle, Isaac Humphries, Alpha Kaba, L.J. Peak and Sindarius Thornwell.
- The 76ers announced the following players will particpate in a pre-draft workout on Friday morning: Jamel Artis (Pittsburgh); Amida Brimah (Connecticut); Isaac Humphries (Kentucky); London Perrantes (Virginia); Davon Reed (Miami); and Jeremy Senglin (Weber State).
Hoops Links Vol. 9: Time Travel, North Korean Diplomacy, More
We’re back with the latest edition of Hoops Links, one that will make you appreciate the joys of the NBA blogosphere as much as we do. Now, with the Finals in the rear-view mirror, celebrating good original content is as important as ever.
Once a week we round up the best content that we come across while obsessively perusing the internet and now you can help. Find a blog article that you think deserves a shout out next Thursday? Send it my way on Twitter (@AustinKent). Even if you wrote the blog yourself, nominate it for inclusion in future editions.
Remember, keep things limited to Cavaliers Era Shawn Kemp, relevant, original and fresh.
The Celtics have plenty of decisions to make over the course of the next few years, especially since their cap space projects to dry up after this offseason. Retaining their roster as is and signing a big name free agent in 2017 could put Boston in position to far exceed the luxury tax next season when it comes time to re-sign Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley. Jason Sullivan of You’re Ducking Right recently broke down the pros and cons of retaining each guard, coming to the conclusion that the C’s will inevitably need to part with one if they want to build around Markelle Fultz.
Author: Jason Sullivan – @Sully6827
Rating: 9 out of 10 Sophie’s Choices
Link: Isaiah Thomas vs. Avery Bradley.
Much has been said about how an increasing reliance on three-point shooting has changed the game of basketball, but few have delved into what it takes to stop a successful team on the perimeter. Thomas Bassine of Big Three Sports went to work compiling the three-point percentages certain teams allowed compared to what one might reasonably expect those opposing percentages to be. The result? A statistical analysis of how teams are defending against the biggest trend in basketball.
Author: Thomas Bassine – @Big3Sports
Rating: 9 out of 10 Scatter Plots
Link: Three-point defense trends.
There’s a decent chance that Dennis Rodman‘s latest trip to North Korea will have a negligible impact on anything but perhaps the quarterly sales of bootlegged Bulls jerseys on the streets of Pyongyang, but that doesn’t change the fact that the retired forward is likely the only person alive that has personal relationships with both Donald Trump and Kim-Jong Un. Dan Devine of Ball Don’t Lie summarizes the Washington Post’s reporting.
Author: Dan Devine – @YourManDevine
Rating: 7 out of 10 Mermaid Puzzles
Link: Dennis Rodman in North Korea, 2017.
It didn’t take long for the speculation about hypothetical Cavaliers trades to kick in following their loss in the NBA Finals. Sam Beech of the King James Gospel, however, insists that Cleveland should resist making a blockbuster trade. Forget Carmelo Anthony altogether and don’t rush out to trade Kevin Love or Kyrie Irving, Beech says, thwarting some of the most frequently discussed trade possibilities.
Author: Sam Beech – @KJG_NBA
Rating: 7 out of 10 Hasty Overreactions
Link: Cavs should not make blockbuster trade.
If you were simultaneously granted the abilities to go invisible and time travel, it’s presumed that you’d skip ahead to the day the free agency moratorium lifts in order to sneak through the journals of various general managers. I get it. Alas, for now at least, we’re stuck with David Nash’s thought exercise. For The Four Point Play, Nash imagines what the diaries of Rockets GM Daryl Morey and Thunder GM Sam Presti might look like after two vital 10-day stretches in each executive’s career.
Author: David Nash – @DKN17
Rating: 9 out of 10 Cringeworthy Drakes
Link: Sam Presti, Daryl Morey diaries.
After last summer’s historically mediocre shopping spree, the Trail Blazers don’t have much cap space in 2017. Eric Griffiths of Blazer’s Edge, however, has some options that could create some breathing room for the franchise. Griffiths floats Pat Connaughton and Tim Quarterman as possible cuts with Meyers Leonard an intriguing salary dump option.
Author: Eric Griffiths – @EricG_NBA
Rating: 8 out of 10 Scroungers
Link: How Blazers can make cap space.
The Wizards haven’t had much success luring NBA superstars home to the D.C. area, most recently missing out on Kevin Durant last summer. Durant, a Washington native, didn’t even grant the franchise a meeting last offseason before taking his talents to Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach. Ryan Eugene of Wiz of Awes, however, thinks the tide could be changing, citing recent comments from Will Barton and Greivis Vasquez about returning home.
Author: Ryan Eugene – @ButterScotchT
Rating: 8 out of 10 Google Searches For Beaches Near Oracle Arena
Link: Local players interested in playing for Wizards.
After spurring a chorus of speculation at the trade deadline by tweeting an emoji, Pistons big man Andre Drummond has done it all over again. Count Steve Hinson of Detroit Bad Boys among those frustrated that we may be in line for another barrage of social-media-fueled angst as the rumor mill surrounding possible transactions begins to fly.
Author: Steve Hinson – @Shinons8
Rating: 7 out of 10 Damn Millennials
Link: Andre Drummond’s emoji tweet.
While they’ve managed to turn themselves into a perennial playoff team and regular dark horse option to make noise in the west, make no mistake, the Clippers Curse is alive and well. Need a reminder of just how blech things have been for the franchise? Autumn Anderson of Clipperholics recently published a feature detailing just how much of an impact the Michael Olowokandi-era bad luck continues to have on the organization.
Author: Autumn Anderson – @AAAutumn_
Rating: 8 out of 10 Eric Piatkowski Jerseys
Link: The Clippers Curse is real.
The thought of Dwight Howard putting up jump shots from beyond the arc is naturally unsettling, but that’s exactly what the big man plans to do for the Hawks in order to prolong his career. Justin Hodges of Soaring Down South weighed in on some recent comments made by the traditional back-to-the-basket big man, suggesting that Howard no longer boasts the impressive interior defense to get away with being a one-trick pony.
Author: Justin Hodges – @HodgepodgeHoops
Rating: 8 out of 10 Ambitious Shooting Coaches
Link: Dwight Howard to add three-pointer.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Southeast Notes: Millsap, White, Vasquez, NBA Draft
The Hawks are planning on using their 19th overall pick in the NBA Draft on the best player available and Paul Millsap‘s contract situation will not change that, per Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (links via Twitter).
Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk told Vivlamore for a separate story that Millsap “might get better offers than we can make him.” Despite Atlanta’s desire to retain the four-time All-Star, the team is focused on assembling the best roster possible and worry about Millsap — or replacing him — afterward.
“You draft the best talent available regardless who is on your roster. … I think that’s when you get in trouble, when you draft off need not off talent,” Schlenk said. “Especially the way the league is going where guys are interchangeable and guys are multi-positional, you just take the best player.”
The Hawks went 43-39 last season, making the postseason as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. However, last year’s prized offseason acquisition Dwight Howard struggled in the postseason and expressed his issues with his lack of playing time; the team is also facing several potential departures in unrestricted free agency, such as Ersan Ilyasova, Kris Humphries and Mike Muscala. While those decisions will shape the 2017/18 Hawks, the club will look to attain the strongest asset in the NBA draft before worrying about anything else.
Below are notes from around the Southeast Division:
- The Wizards‘ 2015 draft pick (49th overall) Aaron White will spend another season in Europe, this time suiting up for Zalgiris in Lithuania, according CSN Mid-Atlantic’s J. Michael.
- Greivis Vasquez is interested in joining the Wizards once he completes his recovery from injury, the seven-year NBA veteran told Baltimore’s 105.7 The Fan (via CSN Mid-Atlantic). The 30-year-old only appeared in three games for the Nets last season but the Maryland product would be a candidate for backup point guard in the nation’s capital.
- The Hawks are set to host a workout today with the following prospects: Jawun Evans (Oklahoma State); Ognjen Jaramaz (Mega Leks); Marc Loving (Ohio State); Steve Vasturia (Notre Dame); Mathias Lessort (JSF Nanterre); and Kennedy Meeks (North Carolina).
- The Hornets are hosting a workout tomorrow with the following prospects: Tony Bradley (North Carolina); Sterling Brown (SMU); John Collins (Wake Forest); Tyler Dorsey (Oregon); Frank Mason III (Kansas); and Derrick White (Colorado).
Lakers Taking, Making Calls Involving No. 2 Pick
The Lakers have been “taking and making calls” in recent weeks about the possibility of trading their No. 2 overall pick, a source tells Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. According to Ganguli, in addition to having trade scenarios presented to them, the Lakers have offered their own.
With Markelle Fultz expected to come off the board first, the Lakers would likely have their choice of players like Lonzo Ball, De’Aaron Fox, and Josh Jackson at No. 2. The club has shown real interest in all three of those players, bringing them to Los Angeles for workouts and meeting them elsewhere.
[RELATED: Lonzo Ball to meet with Lakers again on Friday]
If the Lakers decide they’d be happy with any of those players – or another top prospect – it would make sense for the team to attempt to move down a little in the draft order and pick up some extra assets in the process. There have been rumblings that the Kings (No. 5) might like to move up to land one of the top point guards in the draft, and at least one report has suggested the Suns (No. 4) are hoping Ball falls to them.
As for what sort of asset the Lakers might be able to acquire if they agree to move down, there are a number of possibilities. While picking up an extra draft pick or a player would be the most logical move, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the club tries to attach a player with an expensive contract – such as Luol Deng or Timofey Mozgov – to their No. 2 pick in any deal.
Chris Paul Planning To Talk To Rockets, Nuggets?
The Clippers have recently become “nervous” about reports that Chris Paul is expected to meet with – and perhaps seriously consider – the Spurs in free agency, an executive tells Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. And San Antonio isn’t the only potential suitor Paul plans to talk to, according to Turner, who reports that the veteran point guard may meet with the Rockets and Nuggets as well.
If Paul gives serious consideration to leaving the Clippers, there will likely be no shortage of teams with interest in meeting with him. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical suggested earlier this week that the Lakers and Heat could also get involved in the CP3 sweepstakes this summer. However, the Clippers should still have the upper hand in negotiations, with the ability to offer Paul more years and money than any other team, and with Jerry West joining the front office as a consultant.
[RELATED: Jerry West to leave Warriors for Clippers]
The Rockets and Nuggets probably aren’t likely landing spots for Paul, but they’d be fascinating ones. The Nuggets would be a better on-court fit for CP3, given Emmanuel Mudiay‘s slow development, but Denver typically isn’t a go-to destination for top free agents. As for the Rockets, they’re closer to title contention, but after James Harden had an MVP-esque season playing point guard, it would be surprising if Houston is willing to supplant him from that role, even for Paul.
Turner’s piece also cites several executives who say that the Celtics and Thunder are viewed as the two teams most likely to try to pry Blake Griffin away from the Clippers in free agency. Oklahoma City won’t have any cap room this summer, so if the Thunder were to make a serious run at Griffin, they’d have to dump salary or try to acquire him via sign-and-trade.