Draft Notes: Elmore, Mock Drafts, Swanigan, Diallo
Marshall point guard Jon Elmore has decided to withdraw his name from the 2017 draft pool and return to school for one more year, he tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s probably a smart decision for Elmore, who had initially declared for the draft after his junior year — despite coming off an impressive season in which he averaged 20.0 PPG and 6.0 APG, Elmore isn’t viewed as a top prospect by draft experts.
Let’s round up a few more draft-related notes and updates…
- In Chad Ford’s new mock draft at ESPN.com (Insider-only link), the first five picks off the board are Markelle Fultz (Celtics), Lonzo Ball (Lakers), Malik Monk (Sixers), Josh Jackson (Suns), and De’Aaron Fox (Kings).
- Matt Kamalsky of DraftExpress.com also takes a look at the ramifications of Tuesday’s lottery results and makes his predictions for the first 10 picks. Kamalsky’s forecast differs a little from Ford’s, with Monk falling to the Magic at No. 6, while the Sixers take Jackson and the Suns select Jayson Tatum.
- It’s a busy week for Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan, who will be working out for the Sixers and Spurs in addition to his previously-reported meetings with Indiana, Brooklyn, and Orlando (Twitter links via Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com). Swanigan has one more week before he has to make a decision on whether to remain in the draft, so he’s getting as much feedback as possible while he can.
- Kentucky’s Hamidou Diallo worked out for the Bulls and Bucks already this week in advance of his Thursday workout with the Nets, as Adam Zagoria details. Meanwhile, Mark Strotman of CSNChicago.com wonders if Diallo, who could still return to Kentucky, might be the splash the Bulls are seeking.
- Like Swanigan and Diallo, UNC’s Tony Bradley continues to test the draft waters and has a full workout schedule before next Wednesday’s decision deadline. Per Jeff Goodman, Bradley will work out for the Lakers (Friday), Spurs (Sunday), Bucks (Tuesday), and Thunder (Wednesday) within the next week, after auditioning for New York today.
2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers posted a bottom-five record for the third straight season, but there were some positive signs for the franchise in 2016/17. The Lakers appear to have found a keeper in head coach Luke Walton, and after some turmoil in the front office and the ownership group, Jeanie Buss re-asserted control of the organization and brought in Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka to run the basketball operations department. Johnson and Pelinka caught a break when the Lakers kept their lottery pick – now No. 2 overall – and they’ll be tasked with determining how best to return the franchise to contention.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Lakers financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:
Guaranteed Salary
- Luol Deng ($17,190,000)
- Timofey Mozgov ($15,280,000)
- Jordan Clarkson ($11,562,500)
- Corey Brewer ($7,579,366)
- D’Angelo Russell ($5,562,360)
- Brandon Ingram ($5,519,400)
- Julius Randle ($4,149,242)
- Larry Nance Jr. ($1,471,382)
- Ivica Zubac ($1,312,611)
- Total: $69,626,861
Player Options
- Nick Young ($5,668,667)
- Total: $5,668,667
Team Options
- David Nwaba ($1,312,611)
- Total: $1,312,611
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Tarik Black ($6,655,325)1
- Total: $6,655,325
Restricted Free Agents
- None
Cap Holds
- Nick Young ($10,343,444) — If player option is declined
- No. 2 overall pick ($6,286,560)
- Tyler Ennis ($2,666,707)
- Thomas Robinson ($1,471,382)
- Metta World Peace ($1,471,382)
- No. 28 overall pick ($1,414,920)
- Total: $23,654,395
Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000
Maximum Cap Room: $22,856,044
- With nine guaranteed contracts, two cap holds for first-round picks, and one cap charge for an empty roster slot, the Lakers would have $78,143,956 on their books. That would give the team a sizable chunk of cap room, albeit not quite enough for a maximum salary player. The Lakers aren’t likely to sign anyone to a max contract this summer, but if they wanted to, they’d need to move guaranteed contracts and/or draft picks to create space.
Footnotes:
- Black’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 4.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.
Mark Cuban Admits Mavs Tanked At End Of Season
Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday morning (video link), Mavericks owner Mark Cuban admitted that after his team was eliminated from the playoffs this season, the franchise “did everything possible to lose games” and improve its draft position. As Cuban explained, once they get on the floor, all players will try to win, but management can put a team in a position to lose by giving extended minutes to young, inexperienced players.
The Mavs’ approach to regular season games down the stretch was hardly a secret, and Dallas wasn’t the only team to go in that direction. The Suns, for instance, shut down players like Eric Bledsoe well in advance of the end of the regular season in an effort to improve their lottery standing. Still, teams rarely acknowledge that strategy publicly, making Cuban’s admission somewhat surprising.
Cuban’s comments also come just a few months after he stated that his club had no interest in tanking. About a month into the season, with the Mavs off to a league-worst 3-13 start, Cuban insisted that the team believed in always competing, adding that he didn’t want his players to develop any bad habits.
“There are so many teams that became four years away from four years away because guys just learned how to lose,” Cuban said in November. “They stopped caring about any individual game and just got used to it, and you don’t want guys developing those bad habits. We have so many young guys on this team, we want the games to mean something. Not to be, ‘OK, who are we going to pull in the fourth quarter so we can lose this game?’ That’s not how teams develop good habits.”
It will be interesting to see whether Cuban, who has faced many fines over the years for his criticism of NBA referees, will face any penalties from commissioner Adam Silver for his acknowledgement of the Mavs’ end-of-season tanking.
The Mavs ultimately landed the No. 9 spot in this year’s draft, with Tuesday’s lottery results not affecting their draft position.
Knicks Rumors: No. 8 Pick, Bradley, J. Jackson
The Knicks haven’t had a whole lot of lottery luck in recent years, and that trend continued in 2017. After finishing this season tied for the NBA’s sixth-worst record, New York lost a tiebreaker to the Timberwolves, then slipped one more spot in the lottery, having been leap-frogged by the Kings. As a result, the Knicks will have the No. 8 overall pick in next June’s draft, and team president Phil Jackson isn’t discouraged by that outcome, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post.
“Our opportunity (at) seven could have been 10, so eight we’ll live with,” Jackson said. “I think that we’re good at what we do. We look forward to a young player we’ll be able to draft in that spot.”
As Berman and Ian Begley of ESPN.com detail, Jackson added that the Knicks have needs at the guard and wing positions, so those figure to be areas of focus for the franchise as the draft approaches. Here are more Knicks-related rumors and notes, via Begley:
- Begley identifies De’Aaron Fox, Frank Ntilikina, Dennis Smith Jr., and Malik Monk as prospects the Knicks like in the top 10. Fox will likely be off the board by No. 8, however, and a couple of the others could be as well.
- The Knicks will begin conducting workouts on Wednesday, and a source tells Begley that UNC center Tony Bradley will be among the players getting a look from the team today.
- The Knicks have discussed the possibility of acquiring a second first-round pick in a trade, sources tell Begley. The ESPN scribe notes that some members of the organization like UNC’s Justin Jackson, who will probably be selected somewhere in the middle of the first round.
- Walt Frazier, representing the Knicks at the lottery, offered a couple interesting opinions on the franchise, suggesting that he’d like to see Carmelo Anthony remain in New York. That seems to be at odds with Jackson’s vision. As Begley writes, Frazier also said that he doesn’t expect free agent point guard Derrick Rose to return to New York.
Central Notes: Pistons, Valentine, Bucks, Pacers
Having remained at No. 12 after Tuesday’s NBA draft lottery, the Pistons are scouting a wide range of prospects and won’t necessarily target a player at a position of need next month, per GM Jeff Bower (link via Rod Beard of The Detroit News). As Bower explained, a player’s value and long-term potential may make him the best pick for Detroit, even if he doesn’t immediately fit into the team’s rotation.
Our list of draft picks by team shows that the Pistons’ 12th overall selection is currently their only pick in this year’s draft. That could make it difficult for the club to bring in second-round prospects for workouts, but Bower remains hopeful that those players will be willing to audition for the team, recognizing that they could be undrafted free agents, or that the Pistons could acquire a second-round pick.
“Some guys aren’t going to want to come in and work out if they don’t see a vehicle at the end of it,” said the Pistons’ GM. “The reality of it is we are looking for guys where we don’t have a second-round pick now — we could (via a trade) — but those possibilities change, so you want to try to be prepared. … Our relationships with agents are strong. They like our program and like their guys to have the exposure to us.”
Here’s more from around the Central division:
- After being nagged by ankle issues during his rookie season, Bulls guard Denzel Valentine has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle, a person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press (link via USA Today). Valentine’s recovery timetable isn’t expected to stretch out too long — the AP report suggests he’s expected to play for Chicago in Summer League action in July.
- UCLA’s T.J. Leaf is headlining the Bucks‘ workouts today, but the team is looking at several prospects, per a press release. Landen Lucas (Kansas), Devin Robinson (Florida), Wesley Iwundu (Kansas State), Jacob Wiley (Eastern Washington), Jabari Bird (California), Derrick White (Colorado), and Thomas Wilder (Western Michigan) are also in attendance.
- The Pacers also have another group of prospects in for workouts today. According to a team release (and Twitter link), Indiana is taking a closer look at Dillon Brooks (Oregon), Ben Moore (SMU), Semi Ojeleye (SMU), Sindarius Thornwell (South Carolina), Michael Young (Pittsburgh), and Evan Bradds (Belmont).
- Paul George‘s future is the main topic of conversation looming over the Pacers‘ offseason, but the team has other issues to address, including re-signing Jeff Teague, as Bobby Marks of The Vertical details in his Pacers offseason preview. We looked earlier this month at five key questions facing Indiana this summer.
2017 NBA Draft Picks By Team
Tuesday’s NBA draft lottery officially established the order for the top 14 picks next month, and contributed to finalizing the rest of this year’s draft order as well. Trades can – and likely will – happen in the coming weeks, and on draft night itself. But for now, we know what the 60 picks in the 2017 NBA draft will look like.
After breaking down this year’s draft picks by round on Tuesday night, we’ll examine 2017’s selections by team today. No club in ’17 has stockpiled picks like the Celtics did a year ago, when they had eight, but a handful of teams have added at least a couple extra selections, with the Sixers’ five picks leading the way. Those teams at the top of our list will likely be busy fielding calls about possible trades in the weeks, days, and hours leading up to the draft.
Teams listed below are sorted by their total number of picks, with their highest pick acting as a tiebreaker. Here’s the full breakdown:
- Philadelphia 76ers (5): 1, 36, 39, 46, 50
- Boston Celtics (4): 3, 37, 53, 56
- Orlando Magic (4): 6, 25, 33, 35
- Utah Jazz (4): 24, 30, 42, 55
- Phoenix Suns (3): 4, 32, 54
- Sacramento Kings (3): 5, 10, 34
- New York Knicks (3): 8, 44, 58
- Portland Trail Blazers (3): 15, 20, 26
- Atlanta Hawks (3): 19, 31, 60
- Brooklyn Nets (3): 22, 27, 57
- Los Angeles Lakers (2): 2, 28
- Charlotte Hornets (2): 11, 41
- Denver Nuggets (2): 13, 49
- Chicago Bulls (2): 16, 38
- Milwaukee Bucks (2): 17, 48
- Indiana Pacers (2): 18, 47
- Oklahoma City Thunder (2): 21, 51
- San Antonio Spurs (2): 29, 59
- Houston Rockets (2): 43, 45
- Minnesota Timberwolves (1): 7
- Dallas Mavericks (1): 9
- Detroit Pistons (1): 12
- Miami Heat (1): 14
- Toronto Raptors (1): 23
- New Orleans Pelicans (1): 40
- Washington Wizards (1): 52
The Cavaliers, Warriors, Clippers, and Grizzlies currently don’t have any picks in the 2017 draft.
Cavs Will Attempt To Retain GM David Griffin
Cavaliers general manager David Griffin has been a popular target this spring for teams in search of a new basketball operations executive, having drawn interest from both the Hawks and Magic. However, the Cavs don’t intend to let him get away. According to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net, team owner Dan Gilbert is making it known that he’s prepared to offer Griffin a “substantial contract and title” to remain with Cleveland.
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported in April that extension talks between Griffin and the Cavs had been “stalled for months,” and reiterated this week that the team hadn’t made a significant offer to its GM, whose contract expires at season’s end. Based on Amico’s report though, it sounds like Cleveland is ready to increase its offer, and perhaps offer him a president of basketball operations title.
Amico cautions that a deal is “far from done,” adding that the two sides may not meet for several weeks yet. However, several Cavs and NBA sources tell Amico that they think Gilbert has always planned to retain Griffin, and will meet with him before he talks to other suitors.
Gilbert has reportedly declined to respond to Orlando’s request to talk to Griffin, and since the GM’s contract doesn’t expire until the end of June, the Magic and Hawks may ultimately look elsewhere if they’re denied the opportunity to speak to Griffin until July.
It would be a bit of a surprise if Cleveland lets Griffin away, considering LeBron James has publicly endorsed a new deal for the team’s GM, who was responsible for constructing the roster that won a championship a year ago. Per Amico, multiple people under Griffin have let Cavs ownership know that they appreciate the positive work environment Griffin has fostered, and “greatly admire” the GM.
Lonzo Ball May Only Work Out For Lakers
The 2017 NBA draft lottery couldn’t have worked out much better for Lonzo Ball and his father LaVar, who have long expressed a desire for Lonzo to end up with the Lakers. In the wake of L.A. landing the No. 2 overall pick on Tuesday night, LaVar Ball told Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation that Lonzo may not audition for any other teams at or near the top of the draft.
“Just the Lakers,” LaVar said. “There’s nobody else that we need to work out for.”
[RELATED: 2017 NBA draft lottery results]
While LaVar’s comments sounded pretty declarative, a source close to Ball tells ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that Lonzo remains undecided on whether he’ll work out for teams besides the Lakers. That source admitted that Los Angeles is the preferred destination for the Ball camp, but said a decision would be made “closer to June” on whether the former UCLA point guard will work out for any other teams.
Both Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka indicated to ESPN that there are several options available to them with that No. 2 pick, suggesting that the team won’t necessarily just take whoever is left after the Celtics select Ball or Markelle Fultz. A Lakers source tells ESPN that players under consideration for the team at No. 2 include De’Aaron Fox, Josh Jackson, and Jayson Tatum, in addition to Ball and Fultz.
Still, it seems likely that the Lakers will ultimately land on one of those top two point guards, assuming they don’t trade the pick. And Pelinka says a trade probably won’t happen, according to ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.
“That doesn’t mean we don’t explore it,” Pelinka said of the possibility of trading the No. 2 selection. “But this pick has extraordinary value.”
[RELATED: Several teams evaluating potential D’Angelo Russell trades]
The Lakers didn’t interview Ball at last week’s draft combine, but intend to have him in for a workout in the coming weeks, Johnson confirmed, according to Mark Medina of The O.C. Register. The new Lakers president also said the club will work out Jackson, per Medina.
Several Teams Evaluating Potential D’Angelo Russell Trades
With the Lakers securing the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft at tonight’s draft lottery, several teams have reportedly begun evaluating potential trades for point guard D’Angelo Russell, sources tell Sports Illustrated’s Jake Fischer.
The former second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft put together a solid sophomore season in Los Angeles. He improved his numbers across the board, posting 15.6 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 3.5 RPG in 63 games (60 starts). Russell did miss some time due to various knee ailments, which included a PRP injection in his left knee and a mild sprain of the MCL in his right knee.
The former Ohio State University product has shown flashes of his talent but his time has a Laker has been mired in disappointments and run-in’s with teammates. Still, at just 21 years old, he figures to draw strong interest around the league if the Lakers decide to go in another direction.
When the Lakers drew the second overall pick, the attention turned to UCLA product Lonzo Ball, who has been named as the team’s reported top target in the draft. Lonzo’s outspoken father, LaVar Ball, has been pushing for his son to remain in California and join the Lakers, something he reiterated to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne earlier this week.
“Oh, he’s going to be a Laker,” he said. “I’m going to keep talking about it until it happens.”
In his lone season with the Bruins, Ball posted 14.6 PPG, 7.6 APG and 6.0 RPG in 36 contests. As Fischer mentions, having Russell and Ball on the same team may be redundant, especially if the Lakers decide to upgrade at others positions.
While Russell is two years Ball’s elder, both athletes are 6’5″ playmakers with scoring ability. With just over a month to go until the draft, and a second overall pick in their possession, the Lakers are in prime position to draft their preferred player, maintain their core assets, and deal from a surplus to upgrade in other areas.
Timberwolves’ Ricky Rubio Switches Agents
Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio has switched agents and will now be represented by Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, according to Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press (via Twitter). Rubio was previously represented by longtime NBA agent Dan Fegan.
Rubio, 26, enjoyed arguably his best season ever during the 2016/17 campaign, posting career-highs in PPG (11.1), APG (9.1), and field goal percentage (40.2 percent) through 75 games. The Spaniard, however, has been the subject of trade rumors the past several seasons, so a change in representation could be a preemptive move in case Minnesota finally pulls the trigger on a trade.
The Knicks reportedly discussed a Derrick Rose-for-Rubio swap prior to this year’s trade deadline, but a deal never materialized. Rubio still has two years and over $29MM left on his deal and a head coach in Tom Thibodeau who has indicated that 2016 draft pick Kris Dunn is the team’s future point guard.
As Krawczynski notes, Rubio’s new agent Schwartz is one of the premier reps in the game with an extensive history working with several current and former Timberwolves, including Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Nikola Pekovic and Cole Aldrich. While there is no deal in place, Schwartz’s familiarity with the team and Rubio’s uncertain status will make him a key player to watch this offseason.