Odds & Ends: Amnesty, Magic, Pistons, Blazers
With only six games on the schedule on Friday night, lets take a look at what else is going on in the Association:
- Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson flew to Las Vegas to meet with the Kings' ownership in an attempt to revive arena discussions, says the Sacramento Bee. According to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com via Twitter, a George Maloof spokesman said the talks were "cordial" but "nothing definitive resulted."
- RealGM has published their helpful "2012 Amnesty 2.0 Primer" which outlines every team's amnesty situation, including which players are eligible as well as which are reasonable candidates. Players are only eligible if they are still under contract with the same team when the CBA was reached.
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel tweets that Stan Van Gundy has received no indication from GM Otis Smith that the Magic will sign a free agent center to help deal with the loss of Dwight Howard.
- Joel Brigham from Hoopsworld offers a detailed analysis of the Pistons' roster, and their offseason outlook at improving it. Brigham says that while they have some young building blocks, Detroit also has enough overpaid veterans getting enough minutes to impede their progress.
- Dr. Jack Ramsay was on 1080 The Fan in Portland and discussed the Blazers coaching and GM situations as well as their roster. Ramsay was skeptical that they could land a big-time coach and isn't confident that they can improve significantly.
Agent Says Cavs Mishandled Hudson Situation
Lester Hudson's agent, Keith Glass, told the Akron Beacon Journal today that had the Cavaliers guaranteed Hudson's contract for the rest of the year after his initial 10-day deal expired, he would have signed it and would still be in Cleveland. The Cavs instead merely offered Hudson another 10-day pact, despite the guard filling in admirably for an injured Kyrie Irving, and Hudson accepted the deal, played it out and today signed with his hometown Grizzlies.
“If 10 days ago, they had just done what I thought they should’ve done, which was guarantee the rest of the year, he would’ve signed it and been there. The way the league works, the way the world works, the word is leverage. I guess they had the leverage 10 days ago and we had some yesterday," Glass said.
Both teams offered Hudson non-guaranteed contracts for next year, and because Hudson chose Memphis, they will control his rights in the offseason.
Draft Notes: Fournier, Lottery, Jazz, Wolves
With the 2012 NBA Draft scheduled for Thursday June 28th, we should expect to see more and more early entrant decisions and mock drafts as the next two months progress. Luke Adams recently posted an index page for our Prospect Profile series, which should become more complete as we near the draft. Let's take a look at some draft updates as we head into Friday night's games:
- Jonathan Givony from Draft Express takes a look at Evan Fournier, and he says could be the only international player taken in this year's first round. Givony says the 19-year-old Frenchman is, at 6-foot-7 with a good frame, the ideal size to play wing in the NBA, but needs to work on his jumper.
- Chad Ford in an ESPN insider piece provides a detailed look at the race for the top selections in June's draft as well as many of the existing trade scenarios that will help to shape the order. The Jazz, in particular, are an interesting case – they can still end up with two lottery picks, or they can end up with none.
- Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press takes a look at the Timberwolves' draft situation, who will have an eye on the Jazz's final few games of the season. Minnesota traded away their own first rounder, but should the Jazz make the playoffs the Wolves would get their first rounder as part of the Al Jefferson trade. Walters says Minnesota is desperate for a shooting guard.
Prospect Profile: Fab Melo
Before announcing that he would be entering the NBA Draft, the last we heard from Syracuse center Fab Melo was when he was being deemed ineligible for the NCAA Tournament. The Orangemen still made a decent run without him before falling to Ohio State in the Elite 8.
Melo makes for an interesting prospect study. His draft stock and his game would probably have benefited if he decided to return to Syracuse for his junior year. But he did enjoy a breakout season as a sophomore that resulted in him being named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Further clouding things are ineligibility questions and the fact that he is from Brazil, potentially making his thought process a bit different from your average college player.
It isn't hard to figure out Melo's primary asset. At 7-foot and 250 pounds, Melo has legitimate NBA center size. His 7-foot-3 wingspan enables him to alter shots effectively – he averaged 2.9 blocks-per-game in his sophomore season. Melo was a big recruit coming into Syracuse and was expected to contribute right away. Unfortunately, he struggled to assimilate to the college game and lacked conditioning.
Melo worked to right the latter of those issues heading into his sophomore year and it showed. He was more in shape and it helped his leaping and quickness on the defensive end both blocking shots and rebounding. Syracuse employs their famous zone defense so projecting how Melo fits in an NBA system will be crucial to teams considering him. Melo pulled down 5.8 rebounds-per-game this season, mostly through size alone. He doesn't yet have the instincts to be a volume rebounder, but again, it's hard to evaluate how he will transition from the zone. Instincts and "feel for the game" are things he has to continue to improve, but he made great strides between his freshman and sophomore seasons.
What will prevent Melo from getting anywhere near the lottery is his complete lack of an offensive game. This is clearly the last piece of his development as a player. He averaged 7.8 points as a sophomore and shot over 56 percent from the field, but most of points came on dunks and put backs from offensive boards. While his size enabled him to get by offensively at the college level, Melo has no semblance of a jumpshot and inconsistent evidence of a post game.
It's not all bad on offense for Melo though. He has shown good hands, solid footwork and a nice touch around the rim. These things suggest that there is at least some hope that through hard work, he can develop into enough of a threat on offense that it will justify him getting on the court.
Overall Melo projects as a late first round pick. He is never going to be a great offensive player, but he has the tools to impact games on the defensive end. As the saying goes, you can't teach size and Melo has it. There will always be a place for guys who can protect the rim in the NBA. Whoever takes him will be taking on a project that will require patience. As we saw in the similar case of Hasheem Thabeet, that is easier said than done.
Poll: Where Will Deron Williams End Up?
Deron Williams has made it clear he will test free agency this offseason. There will be no opting back in, unlike a certain other player we know. Williams is already talking about his options come summer and if one thing is clear, it’s that he will be the offseason’s biggest prize.
It sounds like Williams will consider resigning with the Nets if they are able to put together a contender-worthy supporting cast. Whether they are able to do that remains to be seen. So I ask the readers, where do you think Deron Williams will end up?
Feel free to offer any alternatives to options provided in the comments.
Hudson May Be Playing His Way Into Contract
Lester Hudson, signed by the Cavaliers to a 10-day contract on March 30, has been excellent off the bench in the wake of Kyrie Irving's shoulder injury. According to Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, head coach Byron Scott told the team's front office that Hudson "was doing great."
Headed into tonight's matchup against the Nets, Hudson has averaged 10 points, 4 assists and over 3 boards in the 5 games since signing. Today is the last day of that contract and Hudson is making it hard for the Cavs not to re-up him. Hudson already has 26 points in 24 minutes on 9-of-18 shooting and just sent the game into overtime with a 3-pointer in the final seconds.
Reed and Schmitt think it's likely, given his performance, that Hudson gets at least another 10-day look from Cleveland.
Prospect Profile: Harrison Barnes
Rare is it anymore that you see a guy who is projected as a top-10 draft pick decide to return to school. But that was the case after last season for North Carolina's Harrison Barnes. Barnes was a mega recruit out of high school and was going as high as number one in a lot of mock drafts throughout his freshman year.
The 6-foot-8 Barnes deserves credit for realizing his game needed further development. It is possible that he looked at the career of fellow Tar Heel Marvin Williams as reason to go back. Williams, while a steady contributor for the Atlanta Hawks, has yet to fulfill the expectations that come with being the second overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. But now Barnes, after averaging 17.1 points-per-game as a sophomore, has declared himself eligible for this year's draft.
Barnes is still projected as a top-10 pick with the potential to crack the top five. He is 6-foot-8 and, depending where you look, is listed at around 220 pounds. His strengths are his length and his ability to score. He can fill it up from just about anywhere and has good range. His height and length enable him to get off his shot with ease. His midrange game, now a strength, has improved a lot while at North Carolina. Barnes is smooth and fundamentally sound on the court and just has the look of a basketball player.
He is capable of being a terrific defender. He is solid athletically and has a 7-foot wingspan, which more than makes up for a lack of quickness on defense. Most importantly, he has a very high basketball IQ and is generally known as a smart kid. It isn't surprising that Barnes was self-aware enough to recognize his game needed more pre-NBA polish after his freshman season.
Barnes toes the line of being "too nice." For someone as offensively gifted as he is, he disapears too often and defers to teammates. While that is easy to do in a star-filled program like North Carolina, at some point he needs to show the killer instinct that is needed to dominate at the NBA level. Originally a big man in high school, Barnes has not always played on the wing and some aspects of his game, like ball handling and passing, are still developing.
Because of this there is a fear out there that Barnes may end up being one dimensional (scoring only) on offense. While it's not a huge knock on his draft stock, it may be enough to keep him out of the top five. Also, Barnes is undoubtably thin for 6-foot-8, but his frame looks like it can support some extra size.
Overall, Barnes is a stellar prospect. He is already a very good scorer and most see him as a potential lock-down defender. But he also has considerable room to improve, which can be seen as a good thing for lottery teams willing to be patient. If Barnes fails to develop a more well-rounded game, his best case scenario is probably Danny Granger. However, he will have to be a little more aggressive on offense to reach that ceiling. There is certainly no shame in "only" becoming an All-Star like Granger, but Barnes could be more is everything comes together.
Pistons Interested In Retaining Wilkins
The Pistons have expressed interest in retaining small forward Damien Wilkins, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, tweets FOX Sports' Chris Tomasson. According to Tomasson, who spoke to Wilkins with Detroit in town to face the Heat, the veteran has the following to say:
“They indicated they want me back but we’ll see what happens.’’ Wilkins added that he wants to resign with the Pistons “as long as they want me here.’’
Wilkins is a 32-year-old journeyman who is on his fourth different team in four years. He has only averaged 3.4 points-per-game in just under 16 minutes, but it appears as though that might have been enough for him to stick. Stay tuned.
Prospect Profile: Anthony Davis
What better player to kick off our "Prospect Profile" series than the 2012 NBA Draft's consensus number one overall pick? As we noted earlier today, Anthony Davis was named AP Player of the Year. While the Kentucky big man has not yet officially declared for the draft, it's hard to imagine his draft stock getting any higher. Davis leads the Wildcats into the Final Four tomorrow against Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals.
Labeling Davis as "long" is almost misleading. Seemingly every draft prospect with size gets that label these days. Davis defines long. He is 6-foot-10, but he has a 7-foot-6 wingspan. Davis just turned 19, and in only his freshman year at Kentucky, has averaged 4.6 blocks-per-game. That is not a typo. In addition to his length, Davis is incredibly athletic and agile for someone his height. He can cover ground quickly and once he gets there, he is a quick (and excellent) leaper who has showed good shot-blocking instincts. For the same reasons, Davis excels as a rebounder as well. Defensively, he is a game-changing talent.
There is plenty to get excited about with Davis on the offensive end too. His athleticism and length makes him an ideal target for entry passes or alley oops and most importantly, he is very coordinated. Davis was a 6-foot-3 guard at age 16, and the early development of those skills is evident. Davis has a good looking shot and can hit from three. His handle and passing are light years ahead of what you would expect from someone who averages nearly 5 blocks-per-game. He is truly a unique talent.
Davis has drawn comparisons to Marcus Camby, which is understable given his propensity for blocking shots. But as Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer notes, some people, including Davis, can see him developing into a shot blocking version of Kevin Durant. Are you starting to understand why there is little debate as to who will go number one overall? Here is what Davis said regarding the Durant comparisons:
"He plays how I play – go in the post, shoot the ball, dribble. I love the way he plays: Not afraid of anything and takes on all challenges. That’s the mark of a great player.”
Former NBAer and Kentucky star Jamal Mashburn, who has gotten a close look at Davis calling Wildcats' games on the radio, had the following to say:
“The way he shoots, the way he passes – he throws alley-oops. You don’t teach that. The NBA game has really changed. You only have one dominant center (Dwight Howard). You see more of the Kevin Garnetts and Dirk Nowitzkis dominate the game. A guy like Anthony Davis fits that mold.”
So what exactly are Davis' weaknesses? There aren't many. If he truly wants to be more than just an interior presence in the NBA as the Durant comparisons suggest, he will obviously have to continue to develop his perimeter game and jumper. His post game could use some polish as well, as his overwhelming athleticism masks some of his deficiencies in the college game. Without those two things, it will be tough for him to be a go-to type scorer at the next level. But with his dominance on defense, that would hardly stop him from being an elite player.
The knock on Davis is his size. He is listed at 220 pounds and at 6-foot-10, that is rail thin. He will have to bulk up to bang with NBA big men but his frame seems big enough to do so. The question is, if he does so, will he be less able to play on the perimeter? Finding that balance between ideal size and style of play is the big question for Davis heading towards June's draft. And it may be the only one.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Kevin Garnett
There has been a lot of talk lately about the impending unrestricted free agent status of Celtics veteran forward Kevin Garnett. Garnett wants to stay, and Doc Rivers expressed interest in bringing him back. So while there is certainly a chance that Garnett is not going anywhere, the 2004 NBA MVP would definitely generate significant interest should he hit the free agent market.
The age of the Celtics roster has been well documented in the media, and Garnett, who turns 36 in May, is obviously part of the reason why. While the Big Ticket is not the franchise centerpiece he once was, he was been able to maintain a consistent level of contribution over the past four years.
Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen teamed up to win the 2008 title in Garnett's first year as a Celtic. Since that season, there seems to be a general sentiment out there that Garnett is declining, but is he? While 2007-2008 may have been his last year as a superstar, his numbers since have been encouragingly consistent. His 2008-2012 points-per-game averages have been 15.9, 14.3, 14.9 and 15.6 while his rebounding averages have been 8.5, 7.3, 8.9, 8.1 respectively. That doesn't look like a decline to me, but at 35-years-old, the cliff has to be approaching.
Garnett is no longer an elite defender, but he is still above average and most importantly, he has stayed relatively healthy (played 69 and 71 games in the last two seasons). His leadership and on-the-court intensity are his signatures. Those aspects to his game will make him very attractive to contenders looking to add a final championship piece or even a younger team on the rise looking to learn how to win. The Nets have apparently already expressed interest. Who else could? The Pacers, 76ers and Mavericks all fit that mold, and could have the cap room to spend depending on what happens with their rosters.
It's hard to predict a price for Garnett because, let's face it, guys like him don't come around very often – he is in his 16th year and has produced at a high level in nearly all of them. The only certainty is that his $21MM+ days are numbered. Tim Duncan, who is also an unrestricted free agent after the season, faces a similar situation in San Antonio. It wouldn't be surprising if they received very similar deals, with one of them setting the market for the other. It all depends how many productive years the buyers think Garnett has left in him. With his consistency in the last four years, he has certainly made that hard to predict.