Draft Updates: Green Room, Sexton, Gilgeous-Alexander, Shamet
The names of several green room invitees for Thursday night’s draft have been leaked, relays Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Only college players will be in the room this year, as Luka Doncic is still involved with his season for Real Madrid.
The projected top picks will be well represented with Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson Jr., Texas’ Mo Bamba, Alabama’s Collin Sexton, Oklahoma’s Trae Young, Duke’s Wendell Carter Jr., Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr., Villanova’s Mikal Bridges, Kentucky’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Michigan State’s Miles Bridges all on hand.
Joining them will be Kentucky’s Kevin Knox, Texas A&M’s Robert Williams, Miami’s Lonnie Walker, Villanova’s Donte DiVincenzo, Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith, Boston College’s Jerome Robinson, Boise State’s Chandler Hutchison and UCLA’s Aaron Holiday.
There’s more pre-draft news to pass along:
- Sexton doesn’t have any more workouts on his schedule after completing today’s session with the Magic, tweets Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Sexton has been limiting his workouts to teams in his projected range, as the only others were for the Cavaliers (No. 8 pick), Knicks (No. 9) and Hornets (No. 11).
- Gilgeous-Alexander is a rare mid-level prospect who hasn’t conducted a single publicized workout, notes Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype. Although a team or two may have brought him in for a secret session, there are also organizations that tried to work him out but were denied. Kalbrosky speculates Gilgeous-Alexander’s representatives may be trying to steer him to a large-market team like the Clippers, who hold the 12th and 13th picks.
- The Sixers will work out Wichita State’s Landry Shamet on Tuesday, Kalbroksy tweets, adding that Philadelphia may consider him at No. 26.
- The Suns held a workout today with Texas Tech’s Smith as the biggest name in the group. Also participating, according to a tweet from the team, were Georgia Tech’s Josh Okogie, Notre Dame’s Bonzie Colson, Wake Forest’s Bryant Crawford, Oregon State’s Drew Eubanks and Bosnia’s Markus Loncar. This is the Suns’ final scheduled session before the draft, tweets Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic.
Trevor Ariza Wants $50MM To $60MM
Free agent forward Trevor Ariza doesn’t sound ready to give a discount to the Rockets or anyone one else this summer, according to Kelly Iko of Rockets Wire.
Ariza is reportedly hoping to land a four- or five-year deal valued at $50MM to $60MM, well above the $30MM to $40MM Iko expects the Rockets to offer. Ariza will turn 33 later this month, and this will likely be his last significant NBA contract.
Ariza has played on team-friendly deals throughout his career, with his highest salary of nearly $8.58MM coming in 2014/15, the year he arrived in Houston. He earned $7.42MM this season at the end of a four-year deal that was part of a sign-and trade with the Wizards in 2014.
His demands present one more complication for the Rockets, who are already concerned with keeping free agents Clint Capela (restricted) and Chris Paul (unrestricted). They also hope to find a way to add another major talent such as LeBron James or Paul George.
Ariza is known for his durability, defense and 3-point shooting, all of which helped the Rockets secure the best regular season record in the league. He changed his representation earlier this season, leaving Landmark Sports Group for CAA Sports, in preparation for free agency.
Five Key Stories: 6/9/18 – 6/16/18
In case you missed any of this past week’s top stories from around the NBA, we have you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days.
Spurs star Kawhi Leonard requested a trade out of San Antonio. Leonard, who can become a free agent next summer, said he has “grown uncomfortable” with the organization and wasn’t pleased with the way it handled the quad injury that limited him to nine games this season. The Lakers are Leonard’s preferred destination, but several teams are rumored to be preparing offers.
A hip strain forced Michael Porter Jr. to postpone a workout scheduled for Friday. He was eventually cleared for medical evaluations by teams in the lottery. Their view of Porter’s physical condition will go a long way toward determining where he is selected in Thursday’s draft.
The Pistons ended their coaching search by hiring former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey. Spurs assistant Ime Udoka was reportedly also a finalist for the job, and several high-profile candidates such as Michigan’s John Beilein and TNT analyst Kenny Smith were interviewed. Casey, a finalist for Coach of the Year honors, gets a fresh start after being dismissed in Toronto following a sweep in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Nick Nurse will take over Casey’s spot with the Raptors, as he was hired to fill the NBA’s final head coaching vacancy. Nurse got the final nod over Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, who was a candidate for several openings this spring. Nurse was a successful coach in Europe before coming to Toronto in 2013.
Kyrie Irving has no interest in discussing an extension with the Celtics this summer. Irving, who has a $21.3MM player option for 2019/20, said “contractually, financially, it just doesn’t make any sense” to negotiate now rather than testing free agency.
Here are eight more headlines from the past week:
The Warriors‘ Draymond Green also isn’t ready for extension talks. He said he gave up about $12MM in his current contract to help bring Kevin Durant to the Bay Area and doesn’t want to take another discount.
The Sixers picked up options for next season on Richaun Holmes and T.J. McConnell. Both players will receive non-guaranteed $1.6MM deals before becoming free agents.
Wizards guard Jodie Meeks opted in for next season. He was set to make $3,454,500, but that amount will be reduced because he still has 19 games remaining on his 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.
Also exercising his player option was Nuggets forward Darrell Arthur. The 30-year-old, who appeared in just 19 games this season, will make $7,464,912.
The Heat tendered a qualifying offer to Derrick Jones, making him a restricted free agent and allowing the team to match any offer he receives. Because he is a two-way player, the qualifying offer was only $77K.
Raptors assistant coach Rex Kalamian is leaving the team to join Doc Rivers‘ staff with the Clippers. Kalamian had an interview to become Toronto’s head coach before Nurse was hired.
Backup point guard London Perrantes was waived by the Cavaliers. He appeared in just 14 games after signing a two-way contract in October.
The Celtics‘ Abdel Nader had wrist surgery to take care of issues that had bothered him since he fractured it in high school.
Scotto’s Latest: Parsons, Hawks, T. Young, Nets
The Grizzlies may be using their No. 4 choice as a way to get rid of Chandler Parsons‘ huge contract, according to Michael Scotto of The Athletic, who passes on a few pre-draft rumors along with his latest mock draft. Memphis is reportedly calling around the league to see what kind of deal it can get in return for Parsons and the pick.
Parsons has missed 94 games because of injuries since signing a four-year, $94MM contract with the Grizzlies in 2016. He still has two seasons and $49.2MM left on that deal, making it extremely hard to move. With Mike Conley and Marc Gasol also holding sizable contracts, Memphis is already over the projected cap for next season and has little flexibility as it tries to improve on a 22-60 record.
Parsons, 29, appeared in just 36 games last season, averaging 7.9 points in about 19 minutes per night.
Scotto shares a few more rumors a week away from draft night:
- The Hawks are willing to help teams unload bad contracts to open up cap space. However, the level of compensation they will ask for depends on how much money they’re being asked to absorb. That could be significant for teams like the Rockets, Sixers or others who want to create room to make a max offer to LeBron James or Paul George.
- Trae Young has canceled an individual workout with the Sixers that was scheduled for Friday, which may be an indication he is confident he won’t be on the board when Philadelphia picks at No. 10.
- The Nets are hoping to trade up into the teens and are willing to take on an unwanted contract to make it happen. They are offering the 29th pick and Spencer Dinwiddie in return.
- Several teams are willing to make their second-round picks available, including the Suns‘ selections at 31 and 59 and all four of the Sixers‘ choices at 38, 39, 56 and 60. Philadelphia would reportedly part with this year’s picks in exchange for future second-rounders.
- The Clippers are hoping to package their picks at 12 and 13 in exchange for a higher selection.
- The Suns‘ likely choice of DeAndre Ayton at No. 1 is bad news for free agent centers such as Clint Capela, DeMarcus Cousins and possibly DeAndre Jordan. Phoenix could have as much as $30MM to spend and needs help in the middle. However, Ayton has only worked out for the Suns and seems like a sure bet to be taken first overall.
Strained Hip Caused Porter To Cancel Workout
1:11pm: Porter’s representatives sent out a statement this afternoon to teams planning to attend his workout, Givony tweets. “Porter will be evaluated again tonight and if the doctor feels Michael is moving well enough to go through the medical evaluation tomorrow, then we are going to proceed with the evaluation at 3pm CST tomorrow,” it read.
Also from Porter’s camp: “After being shut down to do strengthening/core stabilization work for his first 4 weeks in Chicago, and then being ramped up as hard as he was the last 3 weeks, Michael developed some inflammation that wrapped around his nerve and caused massive spasms. After being shut down to do strengthening/core stabilization work for his first 4 weeks in Chicago, and then being ramped up as hard as he was the last 3 weeks, Michael developed some inflammation that wrapped around his nerve and caused massive spasms.” (Twitter links)
12:21pm: Porter underwent an MRI that showed no physical problem and he is feeling better, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. A decision is expected later today on whether his workout will be rescheduled.
JUNE 14, 10:40am: Michael Porter Jr. called off Friday’s scheduled pro day in Chicago after suffering a strained hip, reports Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Porter was experiencing muscle spasms yesterday and was unable to get out of bed.
The planned workout could be rescheduled, depending how Porter responds to treatment, but Givony notes that time is running short with just a week left before the draft. Several lottery teams that planned to attend the event were notified of the cancellation Wednesday afternoon. They were going to bring their own medical staffs to examine Porter, which is an unusual move for a pro day.
Porter has been zooming up draft boards lately and now appears likely to be taken in the top seven, according to Givony. The Kings, Grizzlies and Mavericks appear to be the most interested teams, and the Bulls appear ready to grab him at No. 7 if he falls that far.
Medical concerns have haunted Porter since the college season began in November. He injured his back in his first game with Missouri, prompting microdiscectomy surgery that sidelined him until the SEC tournament. He refused to undergo medical examinations at the draft combine, and his first pro day was delayed a week to give him more time to heal.
Porter stopped all basketball activity once the season ended, Givony adds, and concentrated on rehab. He lost strength due to the injury, especially in his left leg, and received medical clearance to play just two weeks before the first pro day on June 8. He reportedly felt just “50%” physically for that session, but impressed scouts with his shooting and overall performance.
The Bulls conducted a medical exam on Porter, with the results released to all 30 NBA teams. Givony relays that multiple team representatives have said there are no major causes for concern in the report.
“There doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with him right now,” an unidentified executive said. “But a conservative doctor could still [be concerned about] what might happen down the road.”
Kevon Looney: ‘Hard To Turn Down’ Warriors
Kevon Looney may be looking at a significant raise in free agency, but his first choice is to remain with the Warriors. In an interview on 95.7 The Game after Tuesday’s championship parade, the third-year center outlined his approach to this summer.
“This is my first time experiencing it, so I’m just trying to listen to people around me,” Looney said. “I’ve got some great vets on this team to talk to that have been through this situation that I’m going to lean on and my agents and stuff like that and do what’s best for me. But this has been a great team for me. I have a chance to play on this team and win a championship every year. So that’s something that’s hard to turn down. [It’s] the team that drafted me. So, they’ve all got a special place in my heart. So it’s going to be tough this summer. Whatever happens happens and I’m just going to do what’s best.”
The Warriors could have had Looney under contract for $2.3MM next season, but they decided in October not to pick up his option. A first-round pick in 2015, he was coming off two injury-plagued seasons and a pair of hip surgeries and was at the back of a big-man rotation that included several veterans and newly drafted Jordan Bell.
Looney raised his value by playing 66 games and averaging 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per night during the regular season. He saw more court time than any other Golden State center in the playoffs.
“Our financial commitments [next year and beyond] are high,” GM Bob Myers said recently in explaining the choice to decline Looney’s option.“That factored in. Had we been in a different financial situation in the aggregate, maybe we make a different decision.”
The Warriors face harsh tax penalties for next season and have to be careful about signing anyone for more than a minimum salary. Coach Steve Kerr indicated roster changes are likely that could affect veterans such as Zaza Pachulia and David West.
Heat Make Qualifying Offer To Derrick Jones
The Heat have tendered a qualifying offer to two-way player Derrick Jones, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel.
The move comes with minimal financial risk, as qualifying offers for players on two-way contracts are just $77K. Jones will now be a restricted free agent, and Miami will be able to match any offers he receives.
The rookie forward originally signed with the Suns last fall, but played just six games before being waived in December. He joined the Heat three weeks later and started eight games while the team was dealing with multiple injuries. Jones played 14 games in Miami, averaging 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per night.
The Heat will have to make a similar decision soon with guard Derrick Walton, their other two-way player, Winderman notes. They also must determine whether to pick up the guarantee on Rodney McGruder’s $1,544,951 contract for next season by June 29. They turned down their 2018/19 option on Jordan Mickey last month.
Rex Kalamian To Join Clippers’ Coaching Staff
The coaching shakeup in Toronto continues as assistant Rex Kalamian has agreed to take a job with the Clippers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Kalamian will join Doc Rivers‘ staff after spending three years working under former head coach Dwane Casey with the Raptors.
Kalamian started his NBA career as a scout with the Clippers in 1992 and was promoted to assistant coach three years later. He also spent time with the Sixers, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Kings and Thunder before coming to Toronto in 2015.
Kalamian reportedly interviewed for the Raptors’ head coaching job when Casey was fired last month, but wasn’t among the finalists for the position. The Clippers had an opening after assistant Pat Sullivan left to join David Fizdale’s staff with the Knicks.
Draft Updates: Porter, Doncic, Bagley, Bamba
Teams that had planned to attend Michael Porter Jr.‘s workout tomorrow are being told it will be held at another time, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Porter’s representatives canceled the session late Wednesday night without providing an explanation.
The move has led to speculation that Porter’s surgically repaired back may be bothering him, but it’s also possible he has received a guarantee that would make a group workout unnecessary. Porter’s camp may be rethinking his status and devoting time just to teams at the top of the draft, according to Tom Ziller of SB Nation, who adds that they now believe he will be taken in the top four.
There’s “a very real chance” that the Kings will use their No. 2 pick on Porter, Amick adds, but it’s not certain at this point whether last night’s news will impact their decision. The organization may request more medical information and take another look at Porter in action before making a commitment.
There’s more draft-related news this morning:
- The Kings, who were among the teams slated to attend Friday’s workout, have been interested in Porter for weeks, according to James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area. They have also spent a lot of time looking at Luka Doncic, visiting him twice in the past three weeks, and Marvin Bagley III, who was in town Monday for a workout. Ham, who covers the Kings on a regular basis, moved Porter up to second in his most recent mock draft.
- The Hawks, who hold the No. 3 pick, will host Bagley and Texas center Mo Bamba for separate individual workouts today, the team announced in an email.
- The Spurs are hoping to schedule a second workout for Villanova’s Omari Spellman, reports Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News. San Antonio views Spellman, who shot 43% from 3-point range in college, as a potential stretch four.
- The Sixers plan to bring in Kentucky’s Kevin Knox for a pre-draft workout, possibly by Friday, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Oklahoma State’s Jeff Carroll worked out Monday for the Knicks and has sessions scheduled with the Pistons, Wizards and Bucks, relays Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog (Twitter link).
- The Wizards will welcome six players for a workout today, tweets ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. On the schedule are Ohio State’s Keita Bates-Diop, Seton Hall’s Khadeen Carrington, Wake Forest’s Bryant Crawford, UNLV’s Brandon McCoy, Wake Forest’s Doral Moore and Murray State’s Jonathan Stark.
- The Raptors will host Rhode Island’s Jared Terrell, New Mexico State’s Zach Lofton, North Carolina’s Theo Pinson, Seton Hall’s Desi Rodriguez, Wyoming’s Hayden Dalton and Kentucky’s Wenyen Gabriel today, the team tweeted.
Sixers Notes: Colangelo, Workouts, McConnell, Holmes
The Sixers insist the loss of Bryan Colangelo hasn’t affected their draft preparations, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Colangelo resigned last week as president of basketball operations after a Twitter-related scandal involving sensitive information released through burner accounts.
The front office has tried to stick to business as usual in his absence, conducting pre-draft workouts over the past three days. Coach Brett Brown has taken over Colangelo’s responsibilities on an interim basis, and draft decisions will be made as a group effort.
“I don’t think it’s going to change much, to be honest with you,” said VP of player personnel Marc Eversley. “All of our scouts have been on staff here for the past two years. I’ve been here for the last two years. You know, we’re in a position where we feel we are going to be able … to select somebody who’s going to be able to come in and help us contribute.”
There’s more tonight from Philadelphia:
- After two days of bringing in high-profile prospects, today’s workout focused on potential second-round picks, summer leaguers and G League acquisitions, Pompey writes in a separate story. West Virginia’s Jevon Carter and Miami’s Bruce Brown highlighted the session, with Brown saying he is motivated by a stress fracture in his left foot that required surgery in February and limited his effectiveness at the combine. “I just have a chip on my shoulder that I know I can get back to where I was,” said Brown, who was viewed as a possible lottery pick before the season began. “I know teams are going to believe in me, and believe that I can do that. So it just adds a chip on the shoulder, and I’m ready to go after guys that go before me.”
- Today’s move to exercise team options on Richaun Holmes and T.J. McConnell could lead to free agency decisions next summer, Pompey notes in another piece. Both will have non-guaranteed $1.6MM salaries next season then will become unrestricted free agents if they aren’t signed to extensions. “Like I said, I want to be here,” McConnell said. “So I’m excited they picked it up. But that’s not going to change how I approach every day.”
- The Sixers are in contention for the top players on the free agent market, but Brown promises they won’t spend recklessly if they don’t get their main targets, tweets Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia.