Mac McClung Declares For Draft
Georgetown sophomore Mac McClung has entered his name in the 2020 NBA draft while maintaining eligibility, Jonathon Givony of ESPN.com writes.
McClung also signed with an NBA/NCAA certified agent, submitting his form to the Undergraduate Advisory Committee and sending paperwork to the league office.
“I’m back in Gate City, Virginia,” McClung told ESPN. “The last two weeks has been crazy for everyone and I hope everyone is staying safe. I have used this time to continue taking care of my body, eating healthy, and staying in shape, while adhering to the CDC recommendations.
“Going through this NBA pre-draft process with all the unknown is very challenging for me. Not knowing if I will have the opportunity to work out for teams, or the status of the NBA combine make this process different. I understand that the NBA draft process will be different this year given the COVID-19 pandemic around the world. I am looking forward to getting feedback from NBA teams, as well as give NBA teams an opportunity to get to know me on a more personal level. I feel as if I have an obligation with the platform I have to remind people the importance of social distancing and staying home as much as possible.”
McClung, a 6’2″ guard, averaged 15.7 points in 21 games this season. His unique leaping ability, flashy dunks and impressive range has helped him amass more than 700k followers on social media, making him one of the most popular athletes in the NCAA.
A legitimate NBA pre-draft process is currently in doubt for McClung, according to Givony, but the potential still exists for him to attract enough interest for private workouts or meetings with NBA teams.
Central Notes: Dunn, Doumbouya, Middleton, Melo
Fourth-year Bulls point guard/wing Kris Dunn will be a restricted free agent this summer, and after a competent defensive showing during his 2019/20 tenure with the club, he may be an appealing, affordable bench addition for a number of teams on the market, according to Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. Though Chicago tried to move Dunn as recently as August 2019, Schaefer suggests that he may be worth keeping around.
Schaefer considers Dunn potentially netting an annual price tag in the range of $8-11MM this summer. The former No. 5 pick’s all-defense, almost-no-offense game may make him a better fit for a contender (the Clippers are reported to have interest in adding him) than for a rebuilding team like the Bulls.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Sekou Doumbouya, the No. 15 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, became a more essential piece of the Pistons rotation than they had initially anticipated due to a rash of injuries, as Pistons.com writer Keith Langlois details. The 6’8″ forward out of France appeared in 38 games during the abbreviated 2019/20 season for Detroit.
- Bucks All-Star wing Khris Middleton was in the midst of a spectacular year when play was paused amidst the escalating COVID-19 pandemic, according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN. Middleton had a chance to join rarefied air with a potential 50/40/90 season in play. He was averaging 21.2 PPG for the 53-12 Bucks. Middleton was shooting 49.88% from the field, 41.8% from deep and 90.8% from the charity stripe. “I’ve never been on pace for 50/40/90,” he told Woodyard. “That’s just an elite scorer and elite shooter with those type numbers and efficiency.”
- While speaking with his former Olympic teammate Dwyane Wade on Instagram Live, Trail Blazers power forward Carmelo Anthony claims he would have won multiple NBA championships had the Pistons drafted him instead of Darko Milicic with the No. 2 pick in 2003, as Nicola Lupo of Sportando notes. Anthony, a 10-time All-Star, was drafted by Denver with the No. 3 pick out of Syracuse. The Pistons went to two straight NBA Finals in 2004 and 2005, winning the title in ’04.
Mississippi State Forward Reggie Perry Declares For Draft
Mississippi State forward Reggie Perry has declared for the NBA draft on his personal Twitter account (link). The 6’10”, 250-pound sophomore is currently ranked at No. 59 on ESPN’s NBA 2020 Draft board.
Perry averaged 17.4 PPG, 10.1 RPG, and 2.3 APG in 31 games for the Bulldogs this season. The co-Player of the Year for the SEC, Perry was also a 2019/20 All-SEC honoree. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman team during his inaugural 2018/19 season.
“Thank you Mississippi State fans for embracing me as soon as I decided to be a Bulldog,” Perry said in his Twitter farewell.
Northwest Notes: Wolves, Ingles, Simons, Thunder
The Timberwolves were struggling through a difficult 2019/20 season even before the coronavirus pandemic caused the entire league to postpone play indefinitely, writes The Star Tribune’s Sid Hartman.
The Wolves’ average home attendance count of 15,066 placed them last in the NBA. Their 19-47 record put them at No. 14 in the Western Conference. After the team made a series of deadline trades, including the transaction that moved swing man Andrew Wiggins‘ contract to the Warriors in exchange for point guard D’Angelo Russell, president of basketball operations Gerson Rosas stressed the importance of game play for building chemistry for the new-look Wolves.
“Those [remaining] games are critically important to us,” Rosas said. “I’ve said it from the beginning, this year is about building identity. It’s building chemistry, building habits, and it is painful. These first 50 games, it was painful to go through the growing pains.” The truncation of the team’s final 18 games impeded that.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Jazz wing Joe Ingles, who tested negative for COVID-19, notes that he’d be willing to walk away from the NBA if he needed to do so to protect his three-year-old son Jacob, who is more at risk due to his autism, per The Athletic’s Sam Amick. “If you had to tell me that you could never play again to protect Jacob from this,” Ingles said, “I would walk away, fly to Australia and never play another game in my life and be very content with it.”
- Second-year Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons has shown flashes of promise, but had been frustrated by his own lack of progress during the 2019/20 season, according to Jason Quick of The Athletic. The Blazers are still excited about the athletic swingman’s potential.
- The Thunder face an uncertain future in light of the impact the coronavirus pandemic could have on next season’s salary cap, the Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto reports. Though Oklahoma City only has $105.5MM committed in salaries next year, the team’s notable free agents are key contributors Danilo Gallinari and Nerlens Noel. Defensive stalwart Andre Roberson, who has been absent since midway through the 2017/18 season with a serious injury, is also on an expiring deal this summer. Roberson last suited up for an NBA game on January 27, 2018.
Draft Notes: Figueroa, H. Jones, Bishop, Langley
LJ Figueroa of St. John’s has announced on Instagram that he will enter the NBA draft. The sophomore guard averaged 14.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 32 games this season.
“These past two years at St. John’s have presented me with tremendous opportunities for growth both on and off the court,” Figueroa wrote. “… After speaking with my family and coaching staff, I have decided to declare for the 2020 NBA Draft. I intend to keep all of my options open and look forward to the learning experience this process will offer.”
There are a few more early entries to catch up on:
- Alabama’s Herbert Jones also declared his draft intentions with an Instagram post. The junior forward averaged 7.9 PPG and 6.4 RPG this year with the Crimson Tide. “For as long as I can remember, my dream has been to play in the NBA,” Jones wrote. “With that said and after much thought and discussions with those close to me, I have decided to enter my name in the 2020 NBA Draft process while maintaining my eligibility. I am excited to take this next step in reaching a dream that I’ve had since I first learned to dribble a basketball.”
- Jermaine Bishop of Norfolk State is also entering the draft, announcing his decision on Twitter. Bishop, who averaged 15.6 PPG in his first season after transferring from St. Louis, called it a “lifelong dream for me and my family,” but is keeping his options open about returning for his senior season.
- Kameron Langley of North Carolina A&T also tweeted that he will enter the draft. He averaged 9.4 points and 8.0 assists per game as a junior and will also consider coming back to college.
- Ceasar DeJesus, a junior guard who averaged 9.5PPG at Central Florida, will also enter the draft pool.
And-Ones: BIG3, Germany, Mayo, Turkey
The next significant sporting event in the United States may be the BIG3 tournament, which is being planned for early May, writes Mark Medina of USA Today. The BIG3 is a summertime league made up mostly of former NBA players, but organizers are hoping to launch a tournament linked with a reality show to fill the gap in the sports calendar. Its fourth season won’t start until June 20.
“We can’t control what happens with the virus. Nobody can control it,” league co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz said. “If that has to be pushed back a week or two, that’s possible. But we feel pretty good about being able to be up and running in May.”
The league plans to create a quarantine zone where players and officials can safely participate without risk of contracting COVID-19. All participants will be tested prior to their involvement and will stay at a house that is currently under construction.
“No one is allowed to leave the quarantine area. That’s part of what keeps the safety and health of the players,” Kwatinetz said. “It also dovetails with what makes ‘Big Brother’ so great. You have a group of 16 people locked in a house together and the social dynamics that come out of that. One minute, you’re hanging out with someone in the house. That night you have to play them.”
There’s more from around the basketball world:
- The season remains suspended in the BBL, the top professional league in Germany, but a prominent figure is calling for it to be canceled, according to Nicola Lupo of Sportando. “We do not believe that the situation has improved to the point that the season can resume,” said Arne Dirks, general manager of Brose Bamberg.
- Former NBA guard O.J. Mayo plans to sign with the Liaoning Flying Leopards and begin playing when action resumes in the Chinese Basketball Association, reports Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando. His contract still awaits medical and procedural clearances, but the 32-year-old has already begun a 14-day quarantine in Shenyang. Mayo hasn’t played in the NBA since 2015/16.
- Alec Peters of Anadolu Efes tells Borghesan that the government wanted the Turkish Basketball League to continue playing despite coronavirus risks. “We went a week longer than everyone else in terms of playing, in front of no fans. That was very weird,” Peters said. “We joked that ESPN should come and put us on because we are the only basketball team in the world still playing. The Turkish government has kind of the final say on everything, we knew that the government wanted to keep us playing but the basketball Federation was ready to shut down when everybody else was.”
Knicks Notes: Harkless, Dolan, Gibson, Gallinari
The Knicks acquired Maurice Harkless because his contract was needed to complete the deal that sent Marcus Morris to the Clippers, but his performance since the trade has made him a strong candidate to return next season, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post.
Harkless started eight of the 12 games he has played since coming to New York and has impressed the team with his strong defensive play and his desire to be a Knick. New team president Leon Rose had been hoping to closely evaluate Harkless over the final 16 games of the season, but the league’s hiatus may eliminate that opportunity.
“It was a chance for him to showcase to the Knicks and to see if he wanted to be here,’’ a source told Berman. “He always wanted to be a Knick.’’
Harkless is in the final season of a four-year, $40MM contract. Berman expects him to get more than the minimum in free agency.
There’s more this morning from New York:
- Owner James Dolan was exhibiting some mild symptoms before being tested for coronavirus, Berman tweets. Dolan was courtside for a March 8 game against the Pistons, who had one of the first players to test positive for the virus in Christian Wood. No Knicks players were tested before returning to their homes because they were all asymptomatic.
- The best chance for Taj Gibson to return to the Knicks is for Tom Thibodeau to become the next head coach, Berman notes in a separate story. Gibson is a favorite of Thibodeau, who has coached him with the Bulls and Timberwolves, but his $9.5MM salary may be more than the organization wants to spend on a backup big man. Gibson has a $1MM guarantee if he is released. “Taj was solid on the court, but he was even better in the locker room,’’ a source said. “He helped (Mitchell Robinson) understand the pro game and how to carry yourself if you want to play in the NBA and have an impact.’’
- Jonathan Macri of Sports Illustrated lays out an ideal scenario for the Knicks’ offseason, which involves trading Julius Randle, moving on from Elfrid Payton and Dennis Smith Jr., drafting a point guard, trading veterans for draft picks and hiring Kenny Atkinson as head coach. As a bonus, Macri suggests signing former Knick Danilo Gallinari in free agency, speculating that a two-year guaranteed offer might be enough.
James Dolan Tests Positive For Coronavirus
Knicks owner James Dolan has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a tweet from the team. Dolan is “experiencing little to no symptoms” of the virus, the statement adds. He is in self-isolation and continues to oversee business operations of the Madison Square Garden Company.
A source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post that Dolan is with his family in the Hamptons and learned of his test results earlier this week.
Ten NBA players have tested positive for the coronavirus over the past 17 days, but Dolan is the first high-level executive known to have contracted it. The Knicks have avoided public comment on the virus since it began affecting the league, but their players have likely not been tested and have been permitted to return to their homes, according to Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link).
Dolan, 64, has been a controversial figure in New York as the Knicks have fallen on hard times under his ownership. His image has also been damaged by public disputes with beloved figures in the Garden such as Charles Oakley and Spike Lee.
The news about Dolan comes a day after Madison Square Garden set up a relief fund that will offer financial assistance to employees and will provide them with a salary through at least May 3. The MSG Relief Fund was announced in a letter sent to employees Friday night, writes Larry Brooks of The New York Post.
The fund was created with a $1MM donation from the Madison Square Garden Company and a matching donation from the Dolan Family Foundation. The MSG management team put in another $300K and contributions are expected from the Knicks and the NHL’s Rangers.
“I knew they’d do the right thing and they did,” said union president James Claffey. “It’s a very generous offer. It wasn’t negotiated. They just gave it, here’s what they wanted to do for our stage crews and other entertainment workers. We didn’t request it. And they’re taking care equally well of the other unions.”
Clippers Notes: Free Agency, Dunn, Lue, Hiatus
The Clippers have a realistic opportunity to bring back their 11-man rotation next season, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Many of the decisions will come down to whether the organization wants to make a financial commitment to its current players or explore other options.
L.A. has Bird rights on Montrezl Harrell and can offer him a longer and more valuable contract than anyone else. The Clippers have Non-Bird rights on Marcus Morris, who was acquired from the Knicks last month, and can offer a new deal starting at $18MM per season. JaMychal Green has a $5MM player option, and the team might decide to use part of its mid-level exception to re-sign Reggie Jackson.
Buha adds that the loss of revenue from the shortened season could work in the Clippers’ favor by depressing a free agent market that’s already limited by the small number of teams with cap space. Harrell and Morris may not get the offers they would have under normal circumstances, while Green could decide to stick with his guaranteed money.
There’s more Clippers news to pass along:
- There may be something to the rumors that Doc Rivers would like to add Bulls guard Kris Dunn as a defensive specialist next season, Buha states in the same piece. Dunn will be a restricted free agent if Chicago makes a $4.6MM qualifying offer, and he could be a nice backcourt partner for Lou Williams coming off the bench. The downsides are Dunn’s poor 3-point shooting — 25.9% this year — and his season-ending knee injury.
- Speculation regarding Tyronn Lue as the next head coach of the Nets has died down while the league has been on hiatus, but Buha understands why Brooklyn would be interested. During his time in Cleveland, Lue proved he could win a title and he developed a strong relationship with Kyrie Irving. Buha identifies two other members of Rivers’ staff, Rex Kalamian and Sam Cassell, who might get head coaching offers soon.
- The Clippers may benefit as much as anyone from having several weeks off, Buha suggests in a separate column. They are among the league’s oldest teams and injuries have been a concern, particularly for Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Patrick Beverley. New additions Morris and Jackson will also get more time to learn Rivers’ system.
Five Key Stories: 3/22/20 – 3/28/20
If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:
The coronavirus continues to dominate headlines as the NBA’s hiatus stretched past its second full week. The biggest development was the International Olympic Committee’s decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics until 2021. The move may affect the availability of NBA players, depending how the current season is resolved.
A tragic story surrounded Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, who announced that his mother is in a medically induced coma with COVID-19, while his father has also contracted the virus. Towns shared his mother’s story in a YouTube video as a way to promote the need for proper precautions.
Jazz stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, the first two players in the NBA to test positive for the coronavirus, have both been cleared after a two-week self-isolation. The Utah Department of Health confirmed that they are no longer carrying the virus.
Christian Wood is also fully recovered after registering a negative test result on Wednesday. He is the only Pistons player known to have been affected by the virus.
ESPN analyst Doris Burke revealed that she also contracted COVID-19. She began feeling the effects of the virus after working at a game March 11, the final night of play before the hiatus began.
Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from around the basketball world this week:
- The top basketball league in Italy abandoned plans to resume play this season. No champion will be selected and the focus will shift to starting next season on time.
- The Korean Basketball League, which has been suspended since the end of February, also called off the remainder of its season. The Chinese Basketball Association pushed back its planned resumption to May after originally setting a target date of April 15.
- The NBA’s top-earning executives will have their salaries cut by 20% for the duration of the coronavirus crisis. The move will affect approximately 100 league employees.
- The Sixers called off a plan to reduce salaries by 20% for full-time employees who earn more than $50K per year.
- Las Vegas, the primary host for NBA Summer League games, is being considered as a possible site to complete the season. Under the scenario, no fans would be admitted to the games.
- Dayton’s Obi Toppin declared for the draft this week. He is considered a definite lottery pick with a chance to go in the top five.
- Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton, another potential high lottery pick, also announced that he will test the draft waters.
- There’s little chance that Wizards guard John Wall will play this season, no matter how late it resumes. The team plans to remain cautious with Wall, who is recovering from a torn Achilles.
- The Knicks seem likely to guarantee Reggie Bullock‘s $4.2MM salary for next season. He has $1MM in guaranteed money if the team lets him go.
- Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reached an agreement to buy the Forum, eliminating a major obstacle to his plan to build a new arena in Inglewood, California.