Alex Lee | Hoops Rumors

Prospect Profile: Quincy Miller

By Alex Lee | at June 5, 2012 8:35 pm

For no NBA Draft prospect are the pre-draft workouts more important than for Baylor's Quincy Miller. If you haven't heard of Miller or don't know much about him, maybe it is because you saw him but just assumed he was Perry Jones III. There is no way one college team, much less the Baylor Bears, could have two 6-foot-10 super athletic wings who can shoot, right?

In all seriousness, the reason that Miller has flown under the radar is probably because most people think he should have gone back to Baylor for his sophomore season. Miller walked onto Baylor's campus as top-10 pick type of talent, but he was coming off a senior year in high school where he tore his ACL. And it was evident – Miller was good as a freshman, but not great. He averaged 10.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for a loaded team that was ranked in the top 10 all season long.

If Miller's knee was still recovering throughout the season, he has a chance to really skyrocket up draft boards by showing it in his workouts. Miller has a lanky 6-foot-9 frame and a ridiculous 7-foot-3 wingspan. Normally when you think of a guy like that, you think project – but that isn't Miller. Miller is a polished player who has a high basketball IQ.

While Miller shot over 34 percent from three at Baylor, making NBA threes shouldn't be on his agenda just yet. Miller's mid-range jumper is strong and that is how he can attack defenses early in his career while he works on his long-range technique. He holds the ball lower than he should on his jumper which could hinder his ability to get off his shot in traffic in the NBA. But his feel is there so a few tweaks and he has the ability to turn into a long range weapon for his size.

Miller is athletic and a good ball handler for his size. He is a capable rebounder and his length makes him a natural shot blocker, even allowing him to frequently alter jump shots. How much athleticism he gets back while his knee approaches 100 percent will be a big factor in his ceiling.

Miller can eventually be very versatile in the NBA. His natural length and height is his best attribute, but he desperately needs to put on bulk. Right now he isn't strong enough to play the 4 in the NBA. If he can bulk up so he can play 3 or 4 it would just make him more valuable.

Quite frankly, the more I look at Miller and the more intrigued I get. He is going in the late 20s in most mock drafts and that sounds like a steal for a guy with this combination of skill and potential. Draft Express has him ranked 17th on their top 100 prospect list (which sounds more like it). They have his worst case scenario as Austin Daye and his ceiling as a poor man's Kevin Durant. If I am a team in the late 20s, that is a gamble I am willing to take all day. There are several teams with a second first round pick between 16 and 24 – Houston, Boston and Cleveland – for whom it would make sense to gamble early on Miller assuming they're willing to take on a little more risk than the team's with only one selection. The reward could be franchise changing.

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0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Prospect Profile Quincy Miller

Clippers To Retain Neil Olshey As GM

By Alex Lee | at June 4, 2012 4:11 pm

MONDAY, 4:11pm: The agreement to keep Olshey in Los Angeles as the team's general manager is not yet finalized, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Considering the Clippers themselves announced the agreement in principle on Friday, I'd be surprised if the deal fell apart, but nothing is officially completed yet.

Odds & Ends: Gordon, Blazers, Mavs, Beal, Draft

By Alex Lee | at June 1, 2012 9:45 pm

Yesterday we heard that Eric Gordon would test free agency despite the Hornets winning the Anthony Davis sweepstakes. Gordon was back at it today, reiterating to John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayne his intentions to listen to offers once he is a restricted free agent on July 1.

Gordon did express some excitement about Davis, comparing his ability to catch lobs to his former teammate Blake Griffin. Gordon added, "I will still be open with my free agency to hear other opportunities. But like I said before, New Orleans has a very bright future to be a championship-caliber team soon."

With the Celtics up big in Boston, here are a few other notes from around the NBA:

3 comments Dallas Mavericks New Orleans Pelicans Portland Trail Blazers Eric Gordon Jared Sullinger Kendall Marshall

Prospect Profile: Dion Waiters

By Alex Lee | at June 1, 2012 6:45 pm

If you've been following the fluctuating draft stocks of potential lottery picks, one name you've probably heard a lot is Syracuse guard Dion Waiters. Waiters was initially thought to be destined to go in the second half of the first round but lately his prospects are on the rise. Chad Ford recently bumped Waiters all the way up to eighth on his top 100 which probably was at least partly due to an NBA general manager telling him that outside of Anthony Davis, Waiters may have the most star potential in the draft.

With that in mind, over the past few weeks I have heard more than one Dwyane Wade comparison for Waiters. While surprising, this comparison isn't that far fetched. Like Wade, Waiters is an excellent penetrator and ball handler whose aggressive play makes those two strengths stand out. Waiters has yet to develop a consistent jump shot and at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds doesn't traditionally fit into either guard spot – both of which were questions about Wade. That said, let me say that I think that a Wade-type player is the absolute utopian progression for Waiters.

Waiters' best attribute is his ability to score. As previously mentioned, he relentlessly penetrates and will aggressively attack the basket despite his size. Like many scorers, Waiters has a short memory and plays with confidence. As a sophomore, he nearly doubled his freshman scoring average to finish at 12.6 points-per-game on a loaded Syracuse team. Perhaps most impressive about that jump was that it was accompanied by a rise in shooting percentage (47.6 percent this year after 41.1 percent as a freshman). On the other end of the floor, Waiters' athleticism and tenacity make him a solid defender.

What could make Waiters is an intriguing option to many teams is the thought of him playing point guard. While he probably could never be a traditional point guard, he has shown flashes of being a very good passer (similar to Wade). But as we all know, being a good point guard goes beyond just being able to pass – things like leadership and unselfishness are arguably just as important. If scouts decide Waiters has a future as point guard, he could end up in the top 10.

Like every player, Waiters has his warts. Waiters has the ability to get open jump shots at will, but can he make them? In today's NBA, unless a guard can bring something else incredible to the table ala Rajon Rondo, he better be able to shoot. Waiters doesn't have the prettiest jump shot and he will probably need to work on his form to shoot consistently at the next level. He did shoot 36.3 percent from three as a sophomore, which is encouraging. Like any scorer, he shows flashes, but in the NBA consistency is the name of the game.

Not the ideal height to play shooting guard and lacking the instincts to play the point, many project Waiters as an "instant offense" type player on a NBA bench. While there is nothing wrong with that, those types of players don't usually crack the top 10. Expect him to go between 10-15, but if teams think his scoring abilities outweight his tweener status or that he can in fact play point, expect him to go in the top 10. Anything beyond 15 and he is a steal.

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0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Prospect Profile Dion Waiters

Odds & Ends: Iverson, Clippers, Mavericks, Shaq

By Alex Lee | at May 23, 2012 10:44 pm

The 76ers defeated the Celtics tonight in an ugly, defensive affair to force a Game 7 on Saturday night in Boston. Early in the game, an ESPN reporter spoke with Allen Iverson who was in town to deliver the game ball to tonight's referees. Iverson said he still wants to play basketball, whether in the NBA or elsewhere. Here are other links from late Wednesday night:

Arash Markazi and Pedro Moura from ESPN Los Angeles give their differing takes on whether Clippers stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will be teamed up in LA for the remainder of their careers.
Derek Page of HoopsWorld says that for the Mavericks, in lieu of letting key pieces of their championship team leave via free agency, anything in the offseason short of Deron Williams would deem that decision a "momentous mistake." Meanwhile, Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News says via chat that Pau Gasol would not be a good fit in Dallas.
Speaking of Deron Williams, Colin Stephenson of the Newark Star Ledger examined the Nets offseason uncertainties outside of their potential free-agent-to-be point guard. The Nets have only four players that are guaranteed to be under contact for next year's Brooklyn debut.
The Bird Rights hearing between the NBA and NBA Players Association will be in mid-June, says Ian Begley of ESPN New York, citing an unnamed source. Begley notes that the Knicks will be particularly impacted due to waiver pickups of Steve Novak and Jeremy Lin.
The 2012 Olympic schedule for Team USA was unveiled, according to Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops.
ESPN's Chris Broussard and Marc Stein offer their takes on Shaq as a potential fit as the future general manager of the Magic. Broussard says Shaq has acted as a mentor to Dwight Howard throughout the season as they apparently bonded over their dislike for Stan Van Gundy. Hiring O'Neal could be an attempt to persuade Howard to stay. Meanwhile, despite previous reports, Broussard adds that the Bobcats will in fact reach out to Van Gundy.

0 comments 2012 Olympics Brooklyn Nets Charlotte Hornets Dallas Mavericks Los Angeles Clippers New York Knicks Orlando Magic Allen Iverson Blake Griffin Chris Paul Deron Williams Dwight Howard Jeremy Lin Pau Gasol Shaquille O'Neal Stan Van Gundy Steve Novak

Knicks Top Lamar Odom’s List Of Destinations

By Alex Lee | at May 23, 2012 9:37 pm

According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, a source with knowledge of Lamar Odom's situation says that should the veteran forward become a free agent, the Knicks would be number one on his list. Because of the Knicks' salary cap situation, Odom would have to sign at a discounted rate which is something the source said he would be willing to do.

"Lamar is big on being comfortable," says the source. "And New York is somewhere he can be comfortable. He wants to find a place where he can end his career, and New York is ideal. He's won championships in the past and he wants to win another. And to do it there would be great."

Odom is still under contract with the Mavericks next season, so in order for this to become a reality, he would have to be released. There has been plenty of talk about the Mavericks attempting to trade Odom before June 29 – which Begley notes – when a $2.4MM contract kicker for next year comes due. Odom is due $8.2MM next year under his current deal.

Begley says that Odom's ability to be effective off the bench for a shallow Knicks roster would be a good fit. While the Knicks hardly qualify as a "super team" yet, they do have nearly all of their money tied up in three players. We have seen with similarly built teams – namely the Heat – that veterans like Odom signing on the cheap can provide a much-needed source of depth.

0 comments Dallas Mavericks New York Knicks Lamar Odom

Draft Notes: Robinson, Ford, Acy, Jones III

By Alex Lee | at May 23, 2012 9:02 pm

We're down to six teams in the 2012 NBA playoffs. While none of them will have lottery picks in June's NBA Draft, good teams that supplement their rosters via end of the first round picks significantly add to the longevity of their success. Here are some draft links on this Wednesday night:

In an interview with HoopsWorld, Kansas' Thomas Robinson says he thinks he should be the first pick in June's NBA Draft. “I think I’m very capable of being the number one pick. No disrespect to Anthony Davis, he’s a great player. But at the same time, as a competitor, I do feel that I’m worthy of the number one pick," Robinson said. Robinson has impressed scouts with an improved jumper in workouts, but I can't see anyone unseating Anthony Davis for that honor.
Chad Ford (via Twitter) released an updated top 100 available to ESPN.com insiders. Ford fingers Syracuse guard Dion Waiters as the big mover on the updated list, who is now up to number eight overall.
Quincy Acy worked out for the Warriors on Sunday, and had some positive things to say about former teammate and projected lottery pick Perry Jones III, via Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle on Twitter. "He’s 6-foot-11, and he can do what the little guys do. It’s amazing. People criticize him, but it’s nonsense to me. He loves the game of basketball. He’s going to play hard and he’s going to compete. I play very hard, so it might look like he’s not playing hard. But he goes hard in practice, and he’s not a prima donna," Acy said. Acy is ranked 80th on the Draft Express top 100, while Jones III is 8th.

0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Dion Waiters Perry Jones III Quincy Acy Thomas Robinson

Lakers Talk Offseason, To Pick Up Bynum’s Option

By Alex Lee | at May 23, 2012 7:56 pm

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak told reporters on Wednesday that the Lakers plan to pick up center Andrew Bynum's team option for next season. This move would not have an impact on the much-speculated swap of Bynum for Dwight Howard, as they would have to pick up his option before making the move. Kupchak's statement was part of the Lakers' 2012 exit interview process today, as documented by Mike Trudell on Lakers.com. Many players brought up the much talked about issue of the offense stalling when Kobe goes into "one-on-one" mode, while others discussed their future with the team:

Pau Gasol said that he met with Kupchak and Mike Brown and they didn't offer him any insight as to the organizations' plans for Gasol this offseason. Gasol reiterated that the trade rumors shouldn't alter a player's game, but admitted that his change in role, many times deferring to Andrew Bynum as the second option, may have affected his production.
Metta World Peace doesn't think the Lakers need radical change, even stating that they should be up 3 games to 2 on the Thunder right now, says Andy Kamenetzky of ESPN LA. Artest extolled Mitch Kupchak and says it is up to the players to pick up their game to help Kobe Bryant. Kamenetzky adds that there is speculation that Artest or Steve Blake could be trade candidates, but Artest said he loves it in Los Angeles.
Kupchak offered information beyond their intentions for Bynum. In his talk with media, Kupchak discussed the failed preseason trade for Chris Paul, Gasol's resulting play, the looming opt-out decision of Ramon Sessions and more.

0 comments Los Angeles Lakers Transactions Andrew Bynum Metta World Peace Pau Gasol Ramon Sessions Steve Blake

Dirk Nowitzki Talks Mavs’ Offseason

By Alex Lee | at May 23, 2012 6:14 pm

Dirk Nowitzki was on Dallas radio Tuesday and was asked what his reaction would be if the Mavericks are unable to land any big-name players in the offseason. The Mavericks have been rumored to be interested in Deron Williams and Dwight Howard all season long.

"I’m not sure. I’ve always said I want to finish my career here and obviously the championship season topped it all off; that’s what I always was chasing and dreaming about so that kind of sealed that deal on that front. If we really come out with nobody this summer then maybe they want to rebuild and obviously I’m too old for that. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens on that front. But, I still think I got two, three good years left in me and if we get some players in here we can be right back up there and compete," Nowitzki said.

Nowitzki called himself the "grandfather of Dallas sports" and specifically went on to mention Deron Williams by name. It is clear that Dirk wants help while he still can contribute at a high level. It is also clear that he expects the front office to come through, and that he won't be faced with a situation where he is the elder statesman on a rebuilding team:

"I don’t even want to think about it because I don’t think it’s going to happen. I want to finish my career here and hopefully compete again in the playoffs and be a player late in June. We’ll see. Everything else is kind of all in the future. I can’t really see myself in another city or another uniform after 14 seasons I think it’s been now. Growing up here and basically I've matured so much over the years and met a lot of great people here, so I can’t even think about going somewhere else really," Nowitzki added.

I tend to agree with Nowitzki that he won't be put in a bad spot in his final years in the league. Mark Cuban hardly seems like the type of owner that is willing to completely rebuild. Whether or not they land the big fish they will be looking for remains to be seen, but if they don't, Dallas will likely refrain from throwing in the towel.

0 comments Dallas Mavericks Deron Williams Dirk Nowitzki

Southwest Links: Suns, Mavs, Olympics

By Alex Lee | at May 17, 2012 10:22 pm

With the veteran Spurs looking to take a commanding 2-0 lead on the Clippers tonight, lets look at some links for the Western Conference's Southwest division:

Stefan Swiat of Suns.com takes an initial look at the Suns draft situation. The team has a miniscule chance of obtaining the top pick and will likely pick around number 13, where last year they took Markieff Morris. Swiat rounds up the mocks of several websites, most of which have the Suns taking a guard, presumably anticipating the departure of free agent Steve Nash.
Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News answered questions in a chat today (full transcript here). Cowlishaw points to the Spurs as an example of why the Mavericks must draft a "contributing rookie" regardless of position in June.
Cowlishaw adds that the Lamar Odom experiment in Dallas was a worthwhile endeavor that never should have gone as sour as it did. He says trading Odom is an option, but is skeptical of the number of suitors and the return.
Finally, Cowlishaw gives his take on Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's position against his players participating in the Olympics. Cowlishaw tends to agree with Cuban, saying that professional basketball players aren't as engrained in Olympic history as other athletes, like hockey players for example.

0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Dallas Mavericks Phoenix Suns Lamar Odom

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Author: Alex Lee