Lottery Leftovers: Cavs, Mavs, Blazers, Wolves
We gave you the pre-Lottery links and the Lottery results, so with the 2013 NBA Lottery in the books, it's only fair that we round up for you the draft news and notes from around the league:
- Despite winning the lottery, the Cavaliers will still explore potential trade scenarios for the top selection, tweets ESPN's Brian Windhorst. The Cavs, who own the first, 19th, 31st and 33rd picks in June's draft, also have cap space and a hunger to win as soon as possible.
- If the Cavs, or whoever else, don't select Nerlens Noel with the top selection, the former Kentucky center could fall out of the top three, tweets Yahoo's Marc Spears.
- If not Noel, ESPN's Chad Ford tweets that Otto Porter could be a dark horse candidate to go first overall. According to Ford, Cleveland loves Porter because he is a perfect fit who is NBA-ready and can therefore help right away.
- The Mavericks will look to trade the No. 13 pick in an attempt to preserve cap space for a run at Dwight Howard, tweets ESPN's Chad Ford. Ford adds that the No. 13 pick will make $1,655,300 in 2013/14.
- With a roster ready to win now and a draft thin on impact talent, look for the Blazers to dangle their No. 10 pick in an attempt to move up or acquire veteran help for Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum, writes Chris Haynes of CSN Northwest. Mike Tokito of the Oregonian agrees, writing that unless the team can acquire a legitimate center to guard the paint, look for Portland to be active in trade talks.
- The Timberwolves secured the No. 9 pick, which leads Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, via Twitter, to guess that the team will take the best big man available with their first pick and then take a flyer on a shooting guard with their second first rounder at No. 26.
- Here is an assortment of mock drafts published immediately following the lottery results: ESPN via Chad Ford, Draft Express via Jonathan Givony, HoopsWorld, and Sheridan Hoops via Joe Kotoch.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Watson, Sund, Knicks, White
Here are some notes from the only division in the East with no team left standing:
- While the timing is unclear, C.J. Watson's former agent, Jared Karnes, confirmed that Watson is now represented by Excel Sports, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Watson, who played 19 minutes per game for the Nets this year, owns a player option for the league minimum next season and told Bondy last month he'd love to return to Brooklyn.
- Besides Masai Ujiri and Kevin Pritchard – names that we've already heard – the Raptors are also considering Rick Sund for their newly available general manager position, report Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick of USA Today.
- In the wake of the Knicks playoff exit this weekend, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News offers his thoughts, via Twitter, on what Glen Grunwald and company must do in the offseason to improve. While they are hindered by cap issues, Isola tweets that the Knicks should try to find a way to add unrestricted free agent Kyle Korver, and then draft a point guard or a big man in June. Isola also tweets that he believes Jason Kidd's time in New York is over, despite what Grunfeld said, but hopes the team persuades Pablo Prigioni to stay.
- According to his agent, James White is unlikely to return to the Knicks next season if they don't pick up his option, reports Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York. William McCandless, White's agent, is confident that his client will garner NBA interest this offseason but because White values playing time, he has no problem going back overseas to continue his career.
NBA Draft Lottery Results
While a consensus number one pick has yet to emerge, we now officially know what team will be tasked with making the draft's first selection; the Cleveland Cavaliers. Besides the Cavs, who had the third best odds of winning, count the Wizards and the Blazers as winners on Tuesday night. The Wiz secured the No. 3 selection despite only having a 12.4 percent chance of landing in the top three. At No. 10, the Blazers retained their lottery selection, which would have gone to the Bobcats had it been outside of the top 12. Give their odds, the Magic (best odds, will pick second) and the Bobcats (second best odds, will pick fourth) had to have gone home disappointed.
2013 NBA Draft Lottery Results:
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Orlando Magic
- Washington Wizards
- Charlotte Bobcats
- Phoenix Suns
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Sacramento Kings
- Detroit Pistons
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Toronto Raptors (pick to be traded to Thunder)
- Dallas Mavericks
- Utah Jazz
Lottery Links: Magic, Noel, Thunder, Trades
With less than two hours until the start of the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery, let's round up any and all pre-Lottery notes in one post here. Be sure to check back with us around 8:00pm CST for an updated list of this year's first 14 picks.
- With a 25 percent chance at landing the top pick, the Magic sit in the best position entering the night. While they are assured a top-four selection, the team will likely look to move the pick if it is worse than No. 2, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports.
- Kentucky's Nerlens Noel, current rehabbing from a torn ACL, is widely projected to be the first player taken in June. USA Today's Sean Highkin breaks down how the unique prospect would fit with each of the lottery's 14 participants.
- Royce Young from Daily Thunder details what is on the line tonight for the Thunder, who will own the Raptors' first round pick should it fall outside of the top three. They received the pick in the deal for James Harden (the Rockets got it via the Kyle Lowry deal). As our Luke Adams wrote earlier today, Toronto only has a 2.6 percent shot at a top-three selection, so the pick will likely go to Oklahoma City. If so, the Thunder will be picking either 12th or 13th.
- The only other trade that could take effect tonight depending on how the ping pong balls bounce is owned by the Blazers, who will send their pick to the Bobcats if it lands outside of the top 12.
- While it's not lottery specific, here is a link to RealGM's summary of all pending future draft picks trades.
Odds & Ends: Lee, 76ers, Blake, Len, Draft Risers
The Knicks have evened their conference semifinal against the Pacers at one. While the Grizzlies try to do the same, here are some news and notes from around the league:
- ESPN Boston's Chris Forberg examines the chances that Courtney Lee will stick in Boston as the Celtics head into their offseason. After being traded three of the last four summers, Lee struggled to carve out a role in his first year as a Celtic despite being given every chance to do so. Lee is under contract and the Celts coveted him a year ago, so it would make sense if they gave him another year to assimilate.
- Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com has a litany of Sixers coaching updates in his latest story. According to Moore, the team won't interview Michael Malone or Jeff Hornacek until next week at the earliest. Moore reiterates the team's interst in Brian Shaw and Michael Curry, while also adding a new name, Quin Snyder, to the coaching mix in Philadelphia. Snyder coached on Doug Collins' staff in Philly during the 2010-11 season and was mentioned earlier tonight as a possible fit in Atlanta.
- While Steve Blake is one of four Lakers to be amnesty eligible, his strong play this season as a role player makes it unlikely that he will be the one to go, writes Eric Pincus of the L.A. Times. Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace and Pau Gasol are his other three amnesty eligible teammates.
- Alex Len and his agent, Michael Lelchitski, contemplated delaying last week's ankle surgery until after pre-draft workouts in an attempt to move into the conversation for the No. 1 pick, writes RealGM's Shams Charania. “If he had a chance to work out, I truly believe he could have moved up and gone No. 1,” Lelchitski said of the Maryland center. While it was clearly the right decision, Len's injury will certainly affect his draft stock, as it will sideline him for anywhere from four to six months.
- In an Insider-only blog, ESPN's Fran Fraschilla breaks down five underrated draft prospects he believes will rise up boards as team's get a better look at them in the coming weeks. Among them, Frachilla lists Murray State's Isaiah Canaan, Cal's Allen Crabbe, Brazil's Lucas Nogueira, NC State's Lorenzo Brown and Baylor's Pierre Jackson.
Coaching Latest: Pistons, Dunleavy, Del Negro
We saw earlier today that J.B. Bickerstaff was on the Pistons' radar. On Wednesday, the Rockets assistant will interview for the team's head coaching vacancy, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, adding that Bickerstaff's stock as a head coaching candidate has risen rapidly of late in the eyes of NBA execs. Phil Jackson, who is serving as a consultant in the Pistons coaching search, quietly flew into Detroit on Monday and was scheduled to meet with team president Joe Dumars on Tuesday, reports Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Here are some other news and notes from around the Association:
- We now know that Jackson will not be the Nets next head coach. While Marc Stein wrote that Mike Dunleavy Sr. is not being considered by Brooklyn, it is worth noting that Stefan Bondy and Frank Isola of the New York Daily News have reported that Dunleavy has emerged as a "real dark horse" in a coaching search that involves higher profile names. Dunleavy grew up in Brooklyn.
- Vinny Del Negro is expected to meet with Clippers owner Donald Sterling soon about his uncertain future as the team's head coach, reports Ken Berger of CBS Sports. All signs point toward Del Negro being dismissed despite an excellent relationship with Sterling. Berger reports that while Chris Paul is expected to have a say in who replaces Del Negro, his influence may be weaker than most think.
- Former coach and current NBA analyst Hubie Brown gave his thoughts on the Bobcats' coaching vacancy on Tuesday, reports Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Brown's advice; match your coaching targets with your players strengths. From Brown, "Too many times a coach's style doesn't match the players already under contracts, particularly the top three players. The style of play is critical in relation to the players on the roster. If it doesn't match you're just wasting time."
- Brown went on to address the coaching-search misconception that all assistants have close to equal experience, using Tom Thibodeau as a prime example. "The backgrounds of various assistants are totally different," Brown said.
Amico On Hawks, Howard, Drew, Coaches
The latest from Fox Sports Ohio's Sam Amico is Hawks-centric and touches on many of the same topics as Marc Stein's column from earlier today. The most noteworthy overlap between the reports is that the idea of Dwight Howard leaving L.A. after one season is gaining momentum in NBA circles. Amico writes that the Hawks are considered the favorite should Howard leave the Lakers, and they plan to make a big push for the All-Star center. Here are other notes from Amico's story:
- The Hawks have eight expiring contracts – Josh Smith, Devin Harris, Zaza Pachulia, Kyle Korver, Johan Petro, Dahntay Jones, Anthony Tolliver and Shelvin Mack – and GM Danny Ferry believes that this is the summer that could "change the course of his franchise." The team also holds options on DeShawn Stevenson and Mike Scott that are no guarantee to be picked up.
- Citing league executives, Amico writes that Atlanta is convinced the uncertainty surrounding the Lakers' future and a chance to return to his hometown will force Howard to consider them as a realistic landing spot. The Rockets and Suns are also expected to offer Howard a deal, but Amico's sources suspect the Hawks are the Lakers' only real competition.
- The Hawks will have the financial flexibility to add Howard as well as another star to a roster that will already include Al Horford. Amico reports that the Hawks are also expected to actively explore trades as the draft approaches.
- Amico's sources expect Ferry to handpick a replacement for Larry Drew, and he confirms Stein's report that Quin Snyder could be a target. Snyder and Ferry played together at Duke in the '80s and also were roommates at one point. Amico also mentions Mike Budenholzer and Thunder assistant Maurice Cheeks as potential options.
Odds & Ends: Sixers, Draft, Timberwolves
With the Nuggets in control in Denver and Grizz-Clips set for the late game in Los Angeles, let's round up some odds and ends from around the league here on Tuesday night:
- Regarding any Dwight Howard to the Sixers speculation, Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com agrees with our Luke Adams, tweeting that the team doesn't have the cap space to sign Howard. Moore also adds that Howard would probably not want to come to Philadelphia even if they did.
- Jeff Goodman and the CBS Sports crew unveil their latest mock draft, which shows Trey Burke (No. 4) and Shane Larkin (No. 14) as the latest risers. We are exactly three weeks away from the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery.
- In a phone conversation on Tuesday evening, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said he will have a major announcement regarding the ownership of the team within the next week, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. Taylor didn't elaborate much, only suggesting that the news will likely be surprising. Taylor said Rick Adelman's return "looks very favorable," but wouldn't comment on the job security of David Kahn or any rumors about Flip Saunders or Phil Jackson.
Blazers Notes: Lillard, Robinson, Babbitt
Here is the latest out of Portland, where the Blazers missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season:
- The Blazers released a statement that they will be making an announcement tomorrow at the Rose Garden. As Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge suggests, all signs point toward point guard Damian Lillard being announced as the NBA's Rookie of the Year on Wednesday. A couple of notes on Lillard courtesy of Golliver; the rookie led the NBA in minutes and won all six Rookie of the Month awards in the Western Conference. No surprise here.
- In a separate post, Golliver wonders whether the Blazers will have interest in Bulls guard Nate Robinson, who will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. Robinson went to school in Washington and is a Seattle native.
- Oregon Live asks Blazers fans whether the team should retain free agent to be Luke Babbitt in their "You be the GM" series. The Blazers declined Babbitt's fourth year option in October. If Babbitt walks, the Blazers will likely look to replace his outside shooting ability in free agency or the draft.
Lakers Notes: Gasol, Bryant, Howard
Not only were they swept by the Spurs, but the Lakers lost all four games to San Antonio by double digits, culminating in Sunday's game four defeat at the Staples Center. Today was exit interview day for the Lakers in Los Angeles. Let's round up all the news coming out of those meetings here as it is reported throughout the night:
- D'Antoni expressed confidence that a full offseason with the talented Lakers squad could make a world of difference under his command, writes Trudell. The Lakers coach thought the team progressed in the second half and that their playoff hopes were largely derailed by injury.
- Like D'Antoni, Blake thinks the Lakers have the talent to win now, per Trudell. Blake thought he fit well into D'Antoni's system, but admitted that either the system or the roster would probably have to be tweaked to make it work.
Earlier updates:
- Pau Gasol acknowledged on Tuesday that he may not be back with the team next season, writes Eric Pincus of the L.A. Times. As Pincus points out, what happens with Dwight Howard in the offseason will go a long way to determining Gasol's fate in Los Angeles. If the Lakers re-sign Howard, speculation that Gasol will be traded or amnestied is sure to accelerate. Gasol did express his desire to remain a Laker.
- One Laker who seems to want both Gasol and Howard back is injured guard Kobe Bryant, writes Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News. Bryant's torn Achilles has him unsure of his own NBA longevity, but in the short term he plans to help sell Howard on the Lakers as well as continuing to lobby for the retention of Gasol. Bryant said, “I want Pau here. It’s not a question or discussion. He gives us the best chance to win titles."
- Howard was continuously asked about his offseason plans after his exit interview, writes Lakers.com's Mike Trudell. Howard didn't hint one way or another, per Trudell, but did say that he needs to "clear his head" to think. He also expressed relief that Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak said he wouldn't pressure him into making a decision.
- Kupchak reiterated as much during his media session on Tuesday, adding that he is "hopeful" and "optimistic" that the Lakers will be able to re-sign Howard, writes Medina. Kupchak said that because of how the Lakers lost, "everything is in play" when it comes to improving the team, which includes bringing back Howard and Gasol. The Lakers GM insinuated that Howard's decision won't affect Gasol's future in Los Angeles more than that of any other of the current Lakers.
- Finally, Kupchak maintained that Mike D'Antoni will be back and dodged a question about the state of the Lakers amnesty provision. Medina writes that of the possible candidates – Bryant, Gasol, Metta World Peace and Steve Blake – only Gasol and World Peace seem to make sense as amnesty candidates. World Peace has a $7.7MM player option to consider. Kupchak said he has "no idea" if he plans to exercise it.