Fultz To Work Out With Celtics This Week
The general consensus among draft pundits is that Markelle Fultz will be the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that the Celtics would like to get a good, long look at him. Per ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, the Washington product will be in Boston to work out this week.
The 19-year-old will under go a physical with the organization and spend time meeting with top Boston officials on Monday and Tuesday, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical adds in his own tweet. On Tuesday, the lengthy point guard and elite scorer will be at the team’s practice facility.
It remains to be seen what the Celtics will do with the first overall pick – we’ve recently written about how a number of teams have already contacted the franchise about a potential trade – but getting a better understanding of his personality and how he fits directly with Boston’s current culture will give them a better sense of what direction they would like to go.
Bucks Ready To Start GM Interviews
The Bucks are finalizing their list of GM candidates with interviews expected to start Monday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
Assistant GM Justin Zanik remains a strong candidate to replace John Hammond, who left to become GM of the Magic. Sources tell Wojnarowski that Zanik has strong support inside and outside the Bucks organization.
Others expected to interview for the position are Minnesota assistant GM Noah Croom, Indiana vice president of basketball operations Peter Dinwiddie, Detroit assistant GM Pat Garrity, Denver assistant GM Arturas Karnisovas and Memphis VP of player personnel Ed Stefanski. Many of the names were already known, but Croom is a new addition, Wojnarowski tweets.
Sources indicate that Bucks owners Marc Lasry and Wes Edens will participate in the interviews. An original list of candidates was trimmed by a search firm.
Southeast Notes: Brown, Magic, Allen, Meeks
At age 35, former Wizards draftee Kwame Brown hasn’t given up on his hope of a return to the NBA, relays Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype. The first pick in the 2001 draft, Brown spent four seasons in Washington before embarking an a journeyman career that took him to the Lakers, Pistons, Bobcats, Warriors and Sixers. He hasn’t played pro basketball since the 2012/13 season, but will be part of the new BIG3 league, which he hopes leads to an NBA comeback. “I would definitely come in and do a workout for an NBA team so they can see I’m healthy,” Brown said. “That’s been the biggest thing for everybody: my health. I’ve had a couple of conversations with teams overseas, but everyone wants to see how I look in the BIG3 since I haven’t played in so long and they want to make sure I’m healthy.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- With four picks among the top 35, the Magic have the freedom to gamble in the draft, writes John Denton of NBA.com. Orlando came out of the lottery with the sixth overall pick, along with Nos. 25, 33 and 35. The Magic haven’t found much success with second-rounders in recent years, Denton notes, but new GM John Hammond has a very good track record in that area and coach Frank Vogel has helped turn late first-rounders into stars.
- Texas center Jarrett Allen will be among the prospects in Atlanta Monday as the Hawks resume pre-draft workouts under new GM Travis Schlenk, according to Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Allen was the Longhorns’ top rebounder and shot blocker this season and led the Big 12 in field goal percentage at .567. The Hawks, who own the 19th pick, were among the teams that interviewed Allen at the draft combine.
- North Carolina center Kennedy Meeks takes inspiration from Heat center Hassan Whiteside, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. They both played for the same AAU organization, and like Meeks, Whiteside wasn’t a highly regarded prospect coming out of college. “He’s always been a big brother to me,” said Meeks, who held his pro day in front of several scouts this morning. “And I’ve seen him grow tremendously from not being in the NBA to making a lot of money. So I’m definitely proud of him.” Others involved in today’s session were Miami forward Kamari Murphy, former Miami center Tonye Jekiri, Florida Atlantic guard Adonis Filer and Florida guard Kasey Hill.
Derek Fisher Arrested For DUI After Crash
Former Knicks coach Derek Fisher was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving following an early-morning crash in Sherman Oaks, Calif., reports The Los Angeles Daily News.
The incident took place a little after 3 a.m. and resulted in Fisher’s 2015 Cadillac being flipped over onto its roof, according to the California Highway Patrol. He and a passenger, Gloria Govan, were both helped from the vehicle and neither appeared injured, police said. Govan was the subject of a 2015 altercation between Fisher and her ex-husband, Golden State’s Matt Barnes.
Fisher was arrested at the scene without incident, police reported.
After an 18-year NBA career, Fisher was hired to coach the Knicks in 2014. He was fired in February of 2016 with a 40-96 record. Fisher has been working as an analyst for TNT and recently expressed a desire to get back into coaching.
Weekly Mailbag: 5/29/17 – 6/4/17
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com. Here are this week’s inquiries:
How big will Dion Waiters‘ contract be? — LG3, via Twitter
Waiters has opted out of a deal worth more than $3.2MM next season and will be one of the top shooting guards in free agency. The 25-year-old averaged 15.8 points in 46 games this season and shot a career-best 39.5% from 3-point range. In an April article on The Players Tribune, Waiters expressed a desire to remain in Miami, saying team president Pat Riley helped him revive his career. But that will likely mean taking less money than he could get on the open market. The Nets offered Allen Crabbe four years at $75MM last summer and Tyler Johnson four years at $50MM, so a team may be willing to give Waiters something in that neighborhood, even though he was limited to about half a season because of injuries. The Heat won’t have full Bird rights on Waiters for another year, and Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel suggested last month that he might agree to a two-year, $20MM deal to stay in Miami with an option year to maximize his earnings next summer. Waiters’ salary will depend on how patient he is and how strongly he wants to remain with the Heat.
With the numerous second-rounders that they have this year, can you see the Celtics trying to turn them into a late first-rounder to snatch someone like Harry Giles if he’s still on the board? Before the knee trouble he was the first pick on practically every GM’s board. They need front court help/depth, and his athleticism came through at the combine. Medical concerns may put [president of basketball operations] Danny Ainge off, but they could get a steal for a minimum price. Then if the Nets fail in free agency and tumble in the standings again, the Celtics could target Deandre Ayton in 2018 as a long-term replacement for Al Horford. — Chris Hawkins
Ainge has the assets to make almost any move he wants, though it will probably take more than the Celtics’ three second-rounders [Nos. 37, 53 and 56] to move into the first round. Giles goes 20th in the latest mock published by DraftExpress, and some team might gamble on him even higher if it believes his knees can hold up. Roster spots are another concern in Boston, which has 10 players under contract for next season, not including free agents Kelly Olynyk, Jonas Jerebko, Amir Johnson, Gerald Green and James Young, draft-and-stash prospects Guerschon Yabusele and Ante Zizic and whatever they do with the No. 1 pick. Ainge may not want to bring another rookie with a guaranteed contract into that mix, especially if it involves a medical gamble like Giles.
I really want the Mavericks to take Jonathan Isaac or Dennis Smith Jr. with the ninth pick. I feel New York is going to select Frank Ntilikina with the eighth pick, so if they are not available does Dallas have interest in trading its pick to Denver for Emmanuel Mudiay and the 13th pick? At No. 13, Dallas can select OG Anunoby or Isaiah Hartenstein or Lauri Markkanen if there’s a miracle and he’s still available. Don’t forgot Mudiay is only 21 years old, he has time to learn to shoot and I heard the Mavs have a very good shooting coach. — Jason Tom
The question is whether the Mavericks believe any shooting coach can fix what’s wrong with Mudiay. He was a highly touted prospect who was taken with the seventh pick two years ago, but his NBA career has been a major disappointment so far. Denver would jump at the chance to move up four spots and get rid of Mudiay, who fell completely out of the rotation at midseason. He’s still young and he’s the type of player worth taking a chance on, but the Mavericks could probably pick him up much cheaper if they’re interested.
Atlantic Notes: Colangelo, Smith, Ibeh, Hartenstein
Sixers advisor Jerry Colangelo believes the team has a sharper plan for the future than it did under former GM Sam Hinkie, relays Andrew Porter of CBS Philly. In an interview on The Carlin & Reese Show, Colangelo gave Hinkie credit for thinking “outside the box” and building the team using analytics, but he believes the organization is in better hands now that his son Bryan is in charge. “Since the change in management there’s much more of a defined game plan, in terms of going forward, and that’s very positive in my opinion for the franchise,” he said. “Sam left some good stuff in place, no question about that. Along the line there was a lot of pain in terms of incredible losing and that could only be sustained for a period of time. And I think in Philly’s case, I think he probably ran out of time.”
There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:
- Point guard Dennis Smith Jr. of North Carolina State has a workout set for the Celtics on Wednesday, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Boston owns the No. 1 pick, so the team is probably just doing its homework in case it receives an attractive offer to trade down. Smith has already worked out for the Magic, who own the sixth pick, and has tentative sessions set up with the Lakers and Knicks.
- The Nets continue to have interest in former Texas center Prince Ibeh, according to NetsDaily. The 23-year-old has been practicing with the team this summer and may have a future in Brooklyn. The Nets signed him to a D-League contract in February, promising him a 10-day deal later in the season. They weren’t able to fit him on the roster, but late in the season they gave him a 10-day contract before releasing him the next day. That move gives Ibeh a year of NBA service, which will qualify him as a second-year player rather than a rookie when he signs his next contract.
- Brooklyn’s front office is looking closely at German power forward Isaiah Hartenstein, NetsDaily notes in the same piece. There’s already a strong connection, as Nets assistant Chris Fleming serves as coach of the German national team. The 7’1″ Hartenstein is projected as a late first-rounder, and Brooklyn holds picks No. 22 and 27. The Nets have also scouted center Anzejus Pasecniks and small forward Rodions Kurucs, both of Latvia, power forward Mathias Lessort of the French West Indies and center Viny Okuou of the Congo. International prospects younger than 21 have a June 12th deadline to withdraw from the draft.
NBA Finals Notes: Warriors Centers, Williams, Kerr
After being forced to unload Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli to create enough cap room to sign Kevin Durant, the Warriors were able to put together a competent center rotation for $4.9MM, writes Rob Mahoney of Sports Illustrated. Golden State devoted seven roster spots to the center position after adding Durant, with Zaza Pachulia, David West and JaVale McGee earning most of the playing time. All three signed one-year deals last offseason and will be free agents again this summer, as will James Michael McAdoo, who also saw playing time in Game 1.
There’s more this morning from the NBA Finals:
- After six seasons of bouncing around the league on bad teams, Derrick Williams is enjoying his chance to play for a championship, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. The No. 2 pick in the 2011 draft, Williams spent a little more than two seasons with the Timberwolves before being traded to the Kings. He played for the Knicks in 2015/16, then signed with the Heat last summer. He joined the Cavaliers after being waived in February. “That’s the thing, you’re learning from other greats, All-Stars on this team,” said Williams, who turned 26 last week. “The difference between this organization and others I’ve played in is we know which direction we’re going in. We know what the goal is each and every year, coming back individually better, playing together as a team, getting better as a team.”
- Even with their convincing win in the opener, the Warriors miss having Steve Kerr on their bench, writes Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun. Kerr, who is dealing with chronic pain from back surgery in 2015, is considering a return for tonight’s Game 2. “We miss his voice, obviously,” Klay Thompson said. “His knowledge of the game is incredible. Just his demeanour — he has such a calming demeanour. No moment is too big for him. And he just knows how to keep us in line, keep us focused. So does [interim coach] Mike Brown. Mike is doing a great job. But we definitely miss Steve.”
- Adam Silver talked about the need for parity when he took over as commissioner, but he is presiding over his third straight Cavaliers-Warriors Finals matchup, notes Paul Flannery of SB Nation. It’s also the seventh straight year that LeBron James has been in the Finals, which raises questions about the NBA’s long-term popularity if it remains dominated by a few teams. “From a league standpoint, you always want to see great competition,” Silver said. “It’s what our fans want to see. It’s what we provide in this league. But having said that, this is real life. It’s not scripted, and it happens. So, sure, the fan in me would love to see more competition at times, but on the other hand, I’ve said it before, I think we should also celebrate excellence.”
J.R. Smith: Carmelo Anthony’s Treatment ‘Unfair And Unjust’
With Knicks president Phil Jackson stating his preference for Carmelo Anthony to leave New York, the 1o-time All-Star has received support from Knicks legends, former and current teammates, and the NBPA. Anthony’s former Knicks teammate and current Cavaliers sharpshooter, J.R. Smith, can be added to the list of supporters.
Smith teamed with Anthony for parts of three seasons before he was traded to Cleveland along with Iman Shumpert in 2014. Speaking at a media session before Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, Smith told Newsday’s Greg Logan that Anthony’s treatment has been poor.
“I haven’t spoken to [Anthony] on the topic, but I’m sure he does feel some type of way about how he’s being treated,” Smith said. “It’s really unfair and unjust. But I’m not on that team and I’m not in that situation, so I really don’t want to speak too much on it. I’ve got bigger things going on in the NBA Finals. But I hope for the best for him. Melo is a very tough guy, and he’ll figure it out.”
Anthony, who just turned 33 years old, averaged 22.4 PPG and 5.9 RPG in 74 games during the regular season as the Knicks posted a losing record and missed the playoffs a fourth straight season. Jackson initially stated his preference for Anthony to waive his no-trade clause at a press conference in mid-April.
“We’ve not been able to win with [Anthony] on the court at this time,” Jackson said. “I think the direction with our team is that he’s a player that would be better off somewhere else and using his talent somewhere where he can win or chase that championship.”
Anthony has not publicly commented on his intentions as the offseason approaches but the veteran will be a key player to watch as a trade candidate this summer.
Pacific Notes: Iguodala, Gay, Bell, Rivers, Pre-Draft Workouts
While Andre Iguodala is no longer the All-Star caliber athlete capable of memorable dunks, he is a vital cog on both sides of the ball for the championship winning Warriors, Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle writes.
Iguodala, 33, has not averaged double-digits in points since joining Golden State in 2013 but his play in the 2015 NBA Finals, the first five games of last year’s series, and the first game of this year’s showdown displayed his value. As Letourneau mentions, had the Cavaliers not completed an improbable comeback last year, Iguodala may have been the NBA Finals Most Valuable Award recipient.
After knee and back troubles in recent years, Iguodala is now a key part of the Golden State bench. Following his seven points, three rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes on Thursday, the Warriors will look for similar contributions the rest of the series.“It’s only going to get harder from here,” Iguodala said. “We just have to stay locked in.”
Here are additional notes from the Pacific division:
- The Lakers are set to hold a pre-draft workout for several collegiate players this Monday, according to the team. The list of players scheduled for the workout includes Richmond forward T.J. Cline, Oklahoma State point guard Jawun Evans, Villanova guard Josh Hart, California’s Roger Moute a Bidias, Iowa State point guard Monte Morris, and Syracuse forward Tyler Roberson.
- Former Clippers teammates Glen Davis and Austin Rivers engaged in a mini-feud this week, starting with Rivers’ comments on FS1’s Undisputed that Davis was out of shape, constantly late, and struggled to remember players during his brief L.A. tenure (via NBC Sports). Davis subsequently shot back with an expletive-laden Instagram post, claiming that Rivers walked around with a cocky disposition and that he owes his career to his father.
- Coming off Achilles surgery, forward Rudy Gay was seen at Roc Nation Pro Day earlier this week and reportedly looked in good shape, per Jonathan Givony of Draft Express (via Twitter). Gay, 30, played in 30 regular season games with the Kings before suffering the injury and is expected to exercise his opt-out and hit free agency this offseason.
- Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes that Oregon’s Jordan Bell is an intruiging target for the Kings in the NBA Draft. Known for his toughness and defensive prowess, Bell could add a strong dimension to a Kings team in transition following the trade deadline trade sending DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans.
- Doug Haller of The Arizona Republic writes that SMU forward Semi Ojeleye is a good target for the Suns in the second round draft. A built body and athleticism give Ojelye a good shot to mold into a productive NBA player despite limited college experience.
Lakers Reportedly Still Not Sold On Lonzo Ball
While the Lakers own the second overall pick in the NBA Draft, the team would not use it on UCLA product Lonzo Ball if the draft were today, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).
Schultz reports that Los Angeles is “not convinced he’s a star” and is concerned about Ball’s outspoken father, LaVar Ball. After the Lakers secured the second pick last month, the elder Ball told Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation that his son would only work out for the Lakers. “That’s all. Just the Lakers,” Ball said. “There’s nobody else that we need to work out for.”
Ball, 19, has long been connected to the Lakers, both due to his local ties as an Anaheim native and at the behest of his father. The younger Ball reportedly rejected a workout with the Celtics, who hold the first overall pick, and, despite his father’s past comments, is in the process of setting up a meeting with the 76ers, who own the third overall pick.
A June 7 workout with the Lakers is set for Ball, and it may have to be exceptional to change their mind. As previously reported by Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, the Lakers’ interest in Kansas’ Josh Jackson and Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox is growing and drafting Ball is far from a sure thing.
In his first and only season at UCLA, the 6’6″ point guard posted totals of 14.6 PPG and 7.6 APG in 36 contests.