Dennis Smith Jr. Will Enter NBA Draft
North Carolina State point guard Dennis Smith Jr. has declared for the NBA draft, writes Aaron Beard of The Associated Press.
Smith, a freshman, made the announcement today on ESPN. He is considered a top 10 pick, being ranked seventh in the DraftExpress list of Top 100 prospects and sixth by ESPN’s Chad Ford.
“I believed I had a good chance [to reach the NBA] whenever I hit college,” Smith said. “I thought it was definitely an obtainable dream for me, and I knew I would chase it with all my might.”
The 6’3″ Smith averaged 23.1 points and 6.3 assists per game during his only season with the Wolfpack. He was named Freshman of the Year by the ACC and conference Newcomer of the Year by the AP.
Smith’s father, Dennis Sr., said the family is “weighing our options” about hiring an agent at this stage of the process.
Suns To Explore Eric Bledsoe Trade?
At 27, Eric Bledsoe doesn’t quite fit in with the Suns’ youth movement and the team may explore trading him for someone who does, suggests Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post.
Bledsoe, who has been shut down for the season because of “soreness” in his left knee, remains one of the best assets on the Phoenix roster. He averaged 21.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 66 games, and has an attractive contract totaling $29.5MM over the next two seasons.
Bontemps notes that the Suns’ future will be built around shooting guard Devin Booker, who is 20, power forwards Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender, who will both turn 20 this year, and whomever they get with their first-rounder in June.
At 22-52, the Suns are third in our latest Reverse Standings, which puts them in the running for an elite point guard such as Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball. If that happens, parting with Bledsoe will be much easier.
Phoenix would also like to find a taker for Brandon Knight, who still has three seasons and nearly $43.9MM left on his contract. Knight has turned into a part-time player with the Suns, averaging 11.0 points and 2.4 assists this season, but Bontemps notes that he was a near All-Star with the Bucks two years ago. He writes that there won’t be many teams interested in Knight, but someone may take the gamble if Phoenix is willing to give him away.
Duke’s Harry Giles To Enter NBA Draft
Duke freshman Harry Giles will enter the NBA draft, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.
The news was officially announced in a release from the university. Giles is ranked 27th on the DraftExpress list of top 100 prospects and 14th by ESPN’s Chad Ford.
“Playing in the NBA has been my goal for as long as I can remember, and I’m so excited to take the next step in that journey,” Giles said. “My time at Duke has been a dream come true. I’ve built so many strong relationships here and I have so many people to thank, from my teammates and coaches to our medical staff and strength coach. I can’t understate how proud I am to be part of the Duke Basketball program forever.”
A 6’10” forward, Giles came to Duke as one of the top prospects in the nation, but left knee surgery in October, his third procedure since 2013, slowed his development. He appeared in 26 games, playing 11.5 minutes per night, while averaging 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds.
Giles will sign with an agent, according to John Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link), which means he cannot decide to pull out of the draft and return to school.
Knicks Notes: Noah, Anthony, Kuzminskas, Bliss
Injured Knicks center Joakim Noah met with team doctors Monday before receiving clearance to practice today, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The team knows Noah can’t play again this season, but it wanted him medically cleared so his 20-game drug suspension will start as soon as possible. NBA doctors will examine Noah, who had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in late February, before Wednesday’s game against Miami. If he gets league approval before tipoff, he will serve eight games of the suspension this season.
Noah apologized to teammates today for his androgen-related suspension and said he will accept the punishment “like a man,” tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Noah said the substance he took was intended to help with his rehab after surgery and was not approved by the Knicks’ medical staff, relays Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
There’s more news out of New York:
- Carmelo Anthony, who returned to the lineup Monday after resting his knee on the final two games of a Western road trip, prefers “Chinese herbs, African herbs” to other supplements, Berman notes in a separate story. He won’t commit to playing both games of this week’s back-to-back. Anthony also says of fans who want the team to tank to improve its draft position, “They can come play,” tweets Begley.
- A midseason slump by Mindaugas Kuzminskas could discourage the Knicks from letting him play for Lithuania in this summer’s European Championships, Berman writes in another piece. The competition starts in August, with training camp in late July. The Knicks are concerned that Kuzminskas is running out of steam after playing in the Olympics last year.
- The Knicks’ Dave Bliss is part of a group of young assistant coaches who are making their mark in the NBA, according to Yaron Weitzman of Bleacher Report. Bliss, who played four years at Georgia before graduating in 2008, is a key part of the team’s player deprogram that has helped Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez and Lance Thomas quickly become productive players.
Cavaliers Notes: Williams, Lue, Korver, Arena
The Cavaliers slipped into second place in the East with Monday’s loss in San Antonio, and the disappointing performance by role players is part of the problem, writes Sam Amico of AmicoHoops. He singles out Deron Williams, who signed with the Cavs after being waived by the Mavericks last month, along with J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye. All except Williams have contracts that run beyond this season.
Smith is working his way back from a broken thumb, but Amico contends that he has been ineffective all season. Smith is averaging 8.0 points per game and shooting just 33% from the field after agreeing to a four-year, $57MM deal in October.
There’s more today out of Cleveland:
- Coach Tyronn Lue may be willing to fall farther in the standings if it means getting rest for some of his players before the postseason, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Cleveland is just two games up on third-place Washington and two and a half ahead of fourth-place Toronto. “I know the situation in Boston we had where we was back and forth between the first and second seed and Doc [Rivers] decided to rest [Kevin Garnett], Ray [Allen] and Paul [Pierce] the last seven games,” said Lue, who was an assistant with the Celtics. “We was the four seed and still went to the Finals. He picked health over seed and that was important to us knowing if he had a healthy team we’d be OK. I kind of feel the same way.” However, Vardon says Lue doesn’t remember the situation accurately as the Celtics’ three veterans barely had their playing time changed.
- The Cavaliers are paying the price for resting their stars earlier in the season rather than trying to win every night, charges Bill Livingston of Cleveland.com.
- Kyle Korver will be held out through Friday to get treatment on his sore left foot, writes Marla Ridenour of The Akron Beacon Journal. He missed Monday’s game in San Antonio, and won’t play Thursday at Chicago or Friday against Philadelphia. Korver will be re-assessed after those games and hopes he won’t miss the rest of the regular season. “I’m hopeful just a few days here to completely shut down and not trying to test it out and see how it feels today,” he said. “Take a few days and let it totally calm down and see where we’re at.”
- Cleveland City Council was scheduled to open debate this morning on a proposed upgrade to Quicken Loans Arena, according to Robert Higgs of Cleveland.com. If approved, the project will combine $88MM in city funds with millions from the county and the team. The Cavs hope to start construction this summer and have it complete in time to host the 2020 All-Star Game.
Knicks’ Offseason Priorities: Defense, Trading Carmelo
The Knicks will emphasize defense in their offseason moves and are committed to shipping Carmelo Anthony out of New York, writes Ian Begley of ESPN.com.
If they can find a deal for Anthony, and he agrees to waive his no-trade clause, the Knicks will focus on a defensive-minded small forward as his replacement. Begley says the team is interested in Josh Jackson of Kansas, who is expected to be one of the first players selected in the June 22nd draft. The Knicks hold the sixth spot in our latest Reverse Standings.
Along with its lottery pick, New York will have about $25MM in cap room to pursue free agents if it decides not to re-sign Derrick Rose. Anthony and Rose are both among the league’s worst players at their positions in Defensive Real Plus-Minus stats, which plays a major role in the team’s problems at that end of the court.
Coach Jeff Hornacek said Monday that the organization understands it needs to upgrade on defense.
“I think if you look at our defense this year, we can use some more defensive players,” he said. “[Management] will look at that. [General manager] Steve [Mills] and [president] Phil [Jackson] and those guys will look at whatever can help us out. We know we need some help there.”
The Knicks have been in the bottom third of the NBA’s defensive ratings all season and are currently seventh worst in points allowed at 108.5 per game. Adjusted for pace, they slip to fifth in the league.
Improvement will have to come outside of the current roster, Begley notes, as young front-line players Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez haven’t excelled at on-ball defense, although Hornacek said Hernangomez has been improving.
“He gives us different options,” the coach said. “He’s got quicker feet, so maybe we can pull him up on screens more often, that might help us out. Playing [Porzingis] at the 5, maybe with his length, if we keep him back. So we can be better from the inside.”
The Knicks were hoping they had found a defensive anchor last summer when they gave a four-year, $72MM deal to Joakim Noah. But injuries have limited him to 46 games and his poor offensive play led Hornacek to keep him on the court only about 22 minutes per night.
Pistons Consider Shutting Down Reggie Jackson
Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson was held out of Monday’s game and could be shut down for the remainder of the season, according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News.
Jackson has been battling tendinitis in his left knee since October. He missed the season’s first 21 games after receiving platelet-rich plasma injections and was recently put in a platoon with Ish Smith to reduce his minutes. As a result, Jackson’s stats in points (14.5 per game), assists (5.2) and rebounds (2.2) all down significantly from last season.
Detroit coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said Jackson is doubtful tonight against Miami in a crucial matchup in the playoff race. That would give him four days of rest before Thursday’s game against Brooklyn, and the coach said “we’ll see” if Jackson can be ready then. Van Gundy consulted Monday with owner Tom Gores before deciding to keep Jackson on the bench.
“We’ve been thinking about this for a long time. It’s hard to put a percentage, but he’s been playing at probably about 80 percent and as we get into this stretch of games in March where we’re playing a lot, the fatigue is making it worse,” Van Gundy said. “We were at a stretch in the year where it wasn’t fair for him that we were running him out there and putting pressure on him. He’s seeing things he should be able to do and he just can’t do them. He’s not feeling pain, but he can’t make the plays he wants to make and we’re putting him out there.”
The Pistons are fighting for their playoff lives with just eight games remaining. They have dropped seven of their last last eight, but trail the eighth-place Heat by just a game and a half heading into tonight’s showdown.
Smith moved into the starting role for the past two games, with veteran Beno Udrih as his backup. Depending on the Pistons’ success and the status of Jackson’s knee, that could be the arrangement through the end of the season.
“As much as [Jackson] wants to, he can’t right now,” Van Gundy said. “It’s amazing what he’s done to average 14.5 points, 5 assists in 27 minutes, not anywhere near at full strength. To his credit, he fought me on it. He wanted to keep going.”
Jackson is finishing up the second season of a five-year, $80MM deal he signed in 2015. Although he has been the subject of trade rumors throughout the season, Van Gundy said Jackson remains in the Pistons’ plans for the future.
“The thing we look forward to is getting a fresh start in the offseason and being able to go through the preparation for a season like he did last year,” Van Gundy said. “… Physically, there’s no structural damage so we’re very optimistic that he’ll be able to get back to that.”
Kings Interested In Hiring Sam Hinkie?
11:57pm: According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Kings owner Vivek Ranadive is indeed interesting in hiring Hinkie, despite claims to the contrary. Per Wojnarowski, Ranadive seeks “a front-office executive to usurp Vlade Divac’s authority and turn the franchise’s general manager into a “figurehead.”
While the Kings have discussed retaining Divac in a player-personnel role, the “overall management of basketball operations,” would be transferred to someone else. The DeMarcus Cousins trade raised “significant questions inside and outside the organization,” Wojnarowski writes. Despite this, the Kings are hesitant to pair coach Dave Joerger with a GM that didn’t hire him; a situation reminiscent of Pete D’Alessandro‘s ill-fated pairing with Michael Malone.
8:29pm: The Kings have issued a statement dismissing their reported interest in Hinkie, as Sean Cunningham of ABC10 relays (via Twitter): “The Kings are not hiring Sam Hinkie and have no plans to bring anyone in above Vlade.”
While that statement sounds definitive, it’s worth noting that this is the same organization that insisted all year long that DeMarcus Cousins wouldn’t be traded, right up until he was traded.
7:08pm: The Kings have received permission from the Sixers to speak to Sam Hinkie about a front office role, Marc Stein and Zach Lowe of ESPN.com report (Twitter links). Any team looking to speak with Hinkie needs to gain permission since the executive agreed to such terms as part of his non-compete agreement with Philadelphia.
Sacramento has been quietly looking for an executive to put ahead of Vlade Divac in the organization’s hierarchy, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports (Twitter link). Wojnarowski tweets that the team’s minority owners have been pressuring Vivek Ranadive to make the front office “more professional.”
Wojnarowski adds that Ranadive has spoken with Hinkie. However, Hinkie may not be interested in the gig. Hinkie has been away from the NBA since parting with the Sixers.
Paul Millsap To Miss Three Games With Left Knee Synovitis
Paul Millsap has been sidelined since March 16, and the four-time All-Star has now been ruled out of the Hawks‘ next three games. According to a team press release, Millsap has been diagnosed with left knee synovitis and underwent a non-surgical procedure at Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center. Millsap, whose status will be “updated as appropriate,” would next be eligible to play on April 2 against the Nets.
Millsap’s injury comes at a time when the Hawks could use him the most, having dropped seven straight in midst of a playoff run. In addition to Millsap, the Hawks are missing Kent Bazemore and Thabo Sefolosha due to injury. While Bazemore’s return to action is “trending in the right direction,” point guard Dennis Schroder implored his teammates not to wait around for injured players to return.
“I’m saying now we have to change something,” Schroder said in an Associated Press report. “We can’t wait until they come back. Maybe it’s too late then. The NBA isn’t easy. You’ve got to win games to make it in the playoffs.”
Prior to the injury, Millsap had averaged 19.6 points with seven rebounds over his last eight games.
Lakers Notes: Silver, Buss Fallout, Upcoming Draft
NBA commissioner Adam Silver echoed the sentiments of Lakers fans, telling Ramona Shelburne of ESPN that he is “pleased that this matter [Buss family struggle for ownership] has been resolved.” Earlier today, Jeanie Buss and her brothers, Jim and Johnny, agreed that Jeanie would serve as controlling owner, and on the team’s board of directors as long as the family owns the franchise.
Silver continued, lauding Jeanie as a logical choice to lead the team.
“Jeanie is as knowledgeable and experienced as any owner in sports and the Lakers are in great hands,” said Silver (Twitter link).
More from the Lakers…
- Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times discussed the Lakers’ strategy now that Jeanie Buss has been confirmed as the team’s head of operations. “This is also where Jeanie Buss will first show her basketball grit,” Plaschke writes. “Is she willing to sign off on the trading of some of the recent high draft picks who everyone thought would be saviors? It’s clear that D’Angelo Russell would be better off elsewhere, and Julius Randle may have more value in a trade, and maybe even Brandon Ingram should not be safe.” Plaschke also wonders if Jeanie would pass on Lonzo Ball in the draft; an “obvious and popular choice,” in favor of Josh Jackson, Markelle Fultz, or De’Aaron Fox.
- Mark Heisler of the O.C. Register reflected on Shaquille O’Neal’s legacy- Shaq’s statue was unveiled last week- before musing on the Lakers’ future. While Magic Johnson seems to think highly of Lonzo Ball- attending his Sweet 16 loss over Shaq’s ceremony- Heisler wonders if Ball’s stock has been diminished in the tournament. Josh Jackson of Kansas, Heisler writes, may have become the consensus No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft with his March Madness performance. “Ball is hard to project, even aside from his defense, which everyone knows is a problem,” Heisler writes. “Gifted young playmaker that he is, a UCLA insider told me he had been trying to figure out how much of what made him great at that level would apply in the pros.”