Odds & Ends: Kings, Batum, Bird, Ewing, Spurs
Let's keep track of some Thursday night odds and ends here as Heat-Pacers gets underway. The Clippers will look to rebound from a dissapointing game one loss later tonight in San Antonio.
- Aaron Bruski of NBC Sports writes a piece providing great detail about the unfortunate business practices of the Maloofs with regard to the NBA franchise situation in Sacramento. Bruski says the Maloofs actions could lead the NBA to force them into selling.
- The agent of Nicolas Batum will have all the leverage in negotiations with the Blazers this summer, writes John Canzano of the Oregonian. Batum will become a restricted free agent in the offseason.
- Conrad Brunner from Pacers.com extols Larry Bird in an in depth look at the Pacers' President. In light of Wednesday's announcement that Bird won the 2012 NBA Executive of the Year award, Brunner says that the former Celtic great is as discreetly brilliant as a roster builder as he was as a player and coach. He credits Bird with changing the organizational culture by drafting wisely with middle of the first round picks and carefully managing the salary cap.
- As we mentioned yesterday, Patrick Ewing interviewed for the vacant Bobcats' job today. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer says that Ewing, a prototypical NBA big man as a player, would be a coaching rarity should be get the job.
- According to the New York Post, Charlotte owner and Ewing friend Michael Jordan did not plan to sit in on the interview. The Post adds that the Bobcats will also interview Memphis assistant Dave Joerger on Friday and have already interviewed Michael Malone, Nate Tibbetts, Mike Dunlap, Stephen Silas and has expressed interest in Brian Shaw.
- A group of ESPN.com writers offered their take on the greatness of the San Antonio Spurs. The three popular picks for the biggest reasons for the organization's success are Tim Duncan, Greg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford, with honorable mention going to Tony Parker and owner Peter Holt. Teams should look no further than San Antonio for a blueprint on how to build a team.
Prospect Profile: Jeremy Lamb
Out of all the probable lottery-bound prospects, you likely won't see any name as positionally scattered across mock drafts as that of UConn's Jeremy Lamb. In his latest insider mock, ESPN's Chad Ford has Lamb going at 17, though he admits that some NBA GMs have him as a top 7 or 8 talent. Draft Express ranks Lamb as the number 12 prospect in the draft. What a difference a year can make:
Last year at this time, Connecticut had just improbably won the NCAA Tournament largely due to the brilliance of Kemba Walker. But Lamb, then a freshman, played Robin to Walker's Batman and was a very hot name in draft discussions, even being mentioned as a top-5 candidate. Statistically, Lamb did nothing as a sophomore to drop his draft stock. He assumed the role of top dog for the Huskies and averaged over 17 points-per-game. But along the way, that top-5 luster wore off.
At about 6-foot-5 and 185 pounds, Lamb has plenty of size to play the two guard position in the NBA, especially when considering his length. Lamb is impossibly long for his height, with a wingspan of over 7 feet. As a guard, this attribute alone makes him a good defender. Lamb is able to get his hands into passing lanes and contest jump shots unlike most players at his height and position. Lamb is also an excellent athlete which obviously helps on the defensive end of the floor.
Lamb's athleticism and elevation ability give him special potential on the offensive side of the ball. He can finish at the rim and score over bigger players because of his length. He also can rise up and shoot over defenders with ease. Essentially, while Lamb is only 6-foot-5, anyone playing against him would swear he is taller. He exhibits a smoothness on offense that, whether it tangibly matters or not, is impressive to watch.
Lamb's shooting ability is a contention point in many scouting circles. As a freshman, his lanky frame and long arms drew Reggie Miller comparisons. He also shot over 36 percent from three. But as a sophomore, that percentage dropped to 33.6, bringing up questions of shot selection (he took over 6 threes a game). Lamb's midrange jumper is likely his deadliest weapon, though he can tend to rely too heavily on it instead of attacking the rim. Overall, Lamb projects as at least a good NBA shooter, with the potential to be very good.
The questions on Lamb's shot selection may stem from his biggest question mark: his seemingly passive attitude. While Lamb has shown the killer instinct to take over games, he also at times seems disinterested. UConn had some chemistry issues this year which were only exacerbated by Jim Calhoun's medical leave. Without the luxury of a full season of Calhoun and the veteran presence of a guy like Kemba Walker, Lamb showed some immaturity. The interview portion of the draft process will likely be important for him.
From a physical standpoint, Lamb needs to put on weight fast to be able to take the pounding of an NBA season. He also needs work as a passer. As an NBA shooting guard, unless you're an elite scorer, passing is not a part of the game that you can just forego. When Lamb is interested and at his best, it isn't hard to see why his name was at the top of draft boards a year ago. Should he fall into the late lottery or beyond as Ford has projected, someone could be getting the steal of the draft. But it is more likely that he will go in the 9-12 range.
Draft Links: Draft Gambles, Barnes, International
Earlier today, Luke Adams provided some draft updates on several international prospects. Last night Ryan Raroque posted a draft links list of his own. As we approach June 28, Hoops Rumors will provide our readers with extensive draft coverage. Here are some draft links headed into Thursday night:
- Sam Amick from Sports Illustrated examines who he considers high-risk, high-reward prospects in his "Part II" draft evaluation. He considers these names the most difficult for NBA teams to project – in essence, boom or bust types. Some of the high profile names that Amick lists are Andre Drummond, Perry Jones III and Jeremy Lamb.
- Fox Sports Ohio's Sam Amico puts together a draft profile piece on North Carolina swingman Harrison Barnes. Amico implies that Barnes is an NBA-ready piece that can contribute right away, albeit without the upside of a franchise-changer. Here is our Prospect Profile on Barnes.
- Jonathan Givony from DraftExpress provides his scouting reports on some of the top prospects at the Nike International Junior Tournament in Istanbul. These are some names to look out for in upcoming NBA Drafts.
Prospect Profile: Terrence Ross
Along with power forward, shooting guard is among the most loaded positions in the upcoming draft, making the decision of Washington's Terrence Ross to leave school early a little curious. But Ross did enjoy a breakout year as a sophomore Husky in 2011-12, averaging 16.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. At 6-foot-6 and 190 pounds, Ross has ideal size to play shooting guard in the NBA assuming he adds some muscle to his lean frame.
Projected anywhere from the late lottery to the late teens, Ross would represent great value after pick number 15. While he doesn't jump off the page as a future star, he lacks weaknesses and does seem like the quintessential shooting guard (think a ceiling of Eddie Jones). Ross is a very good shooter, a good athlete and is explosive enough to finish with force at the rim.
Ross at times can fall in love with the outside shot, but that sometimes works in his favor. He shot over 37 percent from three as a sophomore at Washington, a number particularly impressive considering he attempted 5.5 treys a game. Ross also has an above average pull-up game and can knock down shots coming off screens. Ross would be ideal for a team like Philadelphia that is desperate for a traditional two-guard.
Ross' game is solid – scouts neither rave about any of his strong suits nor dwell on his weaknesses. If there are any significant knocks on Ross, they are his ballhandling and basketball IQ. Ross needs to work on his shot selection, as he sometimes pulls the trigger at the wrong time. He sometimes doesn't seem to have a good feel for the game. While he can finish at the rim via dunk, his mediocre ballhandling limits the ways he can get there. He thrives on the fast break or coming off back screens or cuts, but breaking a defender down off the dribble is not his forte.
Two big pluses to Ross' game, particularly as a shooting guard, are his defense and fearlessness. Ross has the concept of "irrational confidence" that basketball people talk about down pat, which is crucial for a scorer. Perhaps this is a positive side effect of his lower than ideal basketball IQ. He is not afraid to take big shots regardless of how many he has missed that night. His size and athleticism enables him to be an above average defender despite not being particularly long. His defense projects to translate at the NBA level.
Ross will need to add some bulk to his 190 pound frame if he is to fulfill his potential at the next level. His well-rounded game is almost certain to put him in an NBA rotation in the near future. Whether he can develop into more likely depends on if he can develop any of the solid aspects of his game – shooting, scoring, defending – into an an elite skill.
Odds & Ends: Williams, Lorbek, Thunder
With the Grizzlies looking to stay alive in Los Angeles against the Clippers tonight, it sounds like Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will play. Here are some links from around the league as we wait for that contest to get underway:
- While we don't yet know who will be the Trail Blazers' new general manager or head coach, we do know who will not be their assistant coach. Chris Haynes from CSNNW.com reports that the team will not renew Buck Williams' deal, as they will let the new head coach choose his own staff.
- Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress tweets that the Spurs signing 6-foot-10 center Erazem Lorbek is "very close to being a done deal." The Spurs acquired the rights to Lorbek via a 2011 draft day trade with the Pacers for George Hill. The Spurs figure to be desperate for size this summer, and bringing Lorbek over from the Spanish League could prove pivotal.
- HOOPSWORLD's Tommy Beer gives his take on a question we posed several weeks ago: Long term, should the Thunder pair Serge Ibaka or James Harden with their already-dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook? Ideally Oklahoma City would like to keep both promising youngsters, but given their emergence as impact players that doesn't seem likely.
Carmelo Anthony Talks Knicks Offseason
As we discussed earlier today, the Knicks offseason conundrum is one of the more intriguing storylines of the summer. Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York posted a brief look today, including quotes from Carmelo Anthony and Jared Jeffries.
Anthony said he was willing to offer his take on an offseason strategy to the Knicks brass:
"I would like to stay out of it but in order for us to get better, if it's something that the front office needs my opinion on, I'm there for them. But that's why those guys get paid the big bucks," Anthony said.
Anthony's teammate Jeffries was on ESPN radio on Friday afternoon and when asked what he thought the team's biggest offseason need was, he said:
"I think if we can find a young, athletic three that can come in and kind of give Melo a break. I think this year, we relied so much on Melo at our three position, that if we can get a young, athletic three that can come in and give us some scoring, but also a lot of defense, that will be big for us.
"I feel like because Melo is so versatile, he can move to the four some. So if Amare does get tired, Melo can move to that position. But I feel like if Melo moves to the four, we had to go really small at our three. We go with Landry, we go with Shumpert. If we can find somebody, like a Kawhi Leonard [of the Spurs], a knock-down 3-point shooter at the three that can also play defense, for the right kind of price, because this year we have so little cap room, you bring him in and now you can move Melo to the four and still big at three position."
As Luke Adams outlined, New York has a very limited amount of salary cap flexibility so it is uncertain exactly how they would acquire the caliber of player that Jeffries seems to be talking about. Also without a first round pick, the Knicks front office will really have to get creative if they want to get past the first round next season.
Prospect Profile: Terrence Jones
Terrence Jones announced his intent to enter the NBA Draft on April 16th. The 6-foot-8 sophomore lefty was the starting small forward for the NCAA champion Kentucky Wildcats. After averaging 15.7 points per game as a freshman as one of the top dogs at UK, Jones' scoring average fell to 12.3 as a sophomore. With all-world freshmen Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marquis Teague coming aboard, Jones had to share the rock in more of a supporting role.
Although his scoring declined, his shooting percentage jumped from 44 percent to 50 percent and he still averaged 7.2 rebounds per game despite Davis grabbing nearly every board in sight. Loaded with talent, Jones is a very interesting prospect. He is at least 6-foot-8 with an impressive build and huge wingspan. He can shoot and dribble like a guard and can therefore play almost any position on the floor.
At times, Jones looks like a future superstar. His game is well rounded – his skills and natural ability allow him the potential to do almost everything on the basketball court at a high level. He rebounds, passes and shoots well and when he is on, he can score from anywhere. His ball handling is a strength and he is versatile because of it. Jones, like many southpaws, has a smooth look to him on the court.
So the obvious question is why isn't Jones being pegged as a top five pick? Well for one, sometimes what looks like smooth on the court is in actuality a lack of maximum effort. While characterizing Jones as having a "bad attitude" seems a bit harsh, he is susceptible to losing focus and sulking that is easily visible through bad body language. Kentucky head coach John Calipari publicly challenged him in the media on several occasions in an effort to motivate the talented forward.
In terms of tangible basketball weaknesses, Jones still needs to refine his shot. While he shoots well for someone his size, he will need to work on his mechanics to be able to consistently connect from three from NBA distance. This could prove especially important because Jones occasionally tends to fall in love with the three pointer when he should be spending more time inside utilizing his size and strength. Jones has good strength and appears to work hard in the weight room, but sometimes shies away from contact. If this is something he can fix, his game would improve dramatically. Jones also needs to work on finishing with his right hand.
The most obvious comparison for Jones would be Marvin Williams, who was also a physically gifted and versatile wing on a loaded college team. Another interesting comp is fellow lefty Lamar Odom. Both of these guys are loaded with natural ability but never were dominant NBA players for reasons ranging from attitude problems to lack of motivation or competitiveness. Sound familiar? Odom was at his best as a supporting player on a championship Lakers team, much like Jones at Kentucky.
Jones showed focus and was excellent in the NCAA Tournament. His play was integral in Kentucky giving Calipari his first national title. While that will certainly ease some of the concerns of NBA teams, Jones' mental approach to the pre-draft process will likely be just as important. Look for him to land in the late lottery unless a top ten team is overwhelmed by his potential. It's just speculation, but perhaps Houston's two first round picks would make them more willing to take on the enigmatic Jones.
Blazers’ Crawford, Batum, Przybilla Talk Offseason
With the disapointing 2012 Blazers season in the books, Jamal Crawford, Nicolas Batum and Joel Przybilla all discussed their uncertain offseason outlooks with The Oregonian, who posted the videos online:
- Crawford owns a player option on his contract (which we already heard he may turn down) that he must opt into by June 15, or he will become an unrestricted free agent. Crawford called his year in Portland the "longest-shortest season ever" and said that he still plans to weigh his options before making a decision. Crawford goes on to say, "I don’t think this year was any one person’s fault. I just think it was a bad situation with the short training camp." Crawford still considers Portland's future bright and says that "seeing where the team is going" will be key to his choice.
- Batum is a restricted free agent and would be in high demand should Portland balk at matching offers for him. All indications are that Portland will try to keep the young forward. Batum indicated his desire to stay: "Of course I want to come back here. This team drafted me and put me on the court at 19 and gave me my chance in the NBA so we will see what happens." However, Batum went on to add that the basketball situation for him is more important than the city, implying he would have interest if another team had more to offer basketball-wise than the Blazers. Batum said he is "99 percent" sure he will be back, but is excited about the summer's prospects of a new contract and his first Olympic appearance.
- Przybilla signed with the Blazers in late February after considering sitting out the lockout shortened season. He now seems intent on playing next year, citing his knees feeling great and a newfound love for the game as the primary reasons. He is an unrestricted free agent and thinks he will draw some interest over the course of the offseason: "With a good summer of working out and a training camp with a team, I think there will definitely be opportunities out there for me." He added that he would definitely consider resigning in Portland.
Prospect Profile: Draymond Green
Take one look at Draymond Green's numbers and you can't help but wonder why he isn't being talked about as a lock for the first round of the NBA Draft. The Michigan State forward averaged 16.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game as a senior and led the Spartans to a one seed in the NCAA Tournament before falling to Louisville. His game is polished. He can score, pass and rip down rebounds consistently right now.
But Green, generously listed at 6-foot-7, will likely be characterized as a man without a position at the next level. While he has bulk, he is a tweener at his height – too short to play power forward and likely not athletic enough to score on (or guard) NBA small forwards. Along with his height, his lack of explosiveness is a limiting attribute for Green.
What Green has going for him is that he is ready to help an NBA team right now. His development as a basketball player is nearly complete. Despite playing as a power forward type for the Spartans, Green has surprising range and will likely be able to knock down NBA threes. He passes well for his size and position and he was a great college rebounder. Whether that trait translates to the NBA with his height remains to be seen, but he will be no less than above average on the glass.
After four years at Michigan State, he has developed an excellent basketball IQ and is known as a coachable player and an excellent leader. Green is the quintessential type of guy that will be selected by a good team at the end of the first round and will contribute right away – the Spurs seem to have made a living using this strategy for more than a decade now. Green's pull up and post game leave plenty to be desired, but his considerable intangibles should be enough to land him in the late first or early second round.
Unfortunately, the advanced development of Green's game will likely be a detractor from his draft stock for most teams. There isn't much room for growth in his game – he is likely close to a finished product. You can't teach or develop athleticism and Green clearly plays below the rim. His lack of explosiveness and his porous defense renders his ceiling an NBA bench player. Teams in the lottery or that will lose in the first round of the playoffs likely need to make big leaps to compete for a title. Green will not be the type of guy that can do that for them.
But Green can contribute to a team in a similar way to how DeJuan Blair does for the Spurs. While Green and Blair have different games – Green is a shooter/scorer and Blair is a bruiser/rebounder – they are both undersized tweeners. Green should be able to carve out a niche career if he lands in the right situation like Blair did, but if he doesn't he will struggle due to physical and athletic limitations.
Southwest Links: Rockets, Hornets, Carlisle
With the Spurs, Mavericks and Grizzlies in action tonight, here are a few links regarding the Southwest division:
- Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle says that the down-the-stretch pressure was simply too much for the Rockets, who have folded in April essentially closing the door at any hopes for postseason play.
- Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld examines the Rockets' offseason needs, specifically replacing Yao Ming at center. With the futures of Marcus Camby and Samuel Dalembert uncertain in Houston, Ingram says that Houston could turn to Hornets' potential free agents Chris Kaman and/or Houston-born Emeka Okafor this summer. Kaman is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent and while Okafor is under contract, he is considered a viable amnesty candidate.
- Mark Cuban says that he would like to retain head coach Rick Carlisle, tweets the Star-Telegram's Dwain Price. Carlisle's contract is up at the end of the season. In his fourth year with the Mavs, Carlisle has led the team to the playoffs every year, winning the Southwest division in 2009-2010 and the NBA title in 2010-2011.