Heat Notes: LeBron, Draft, Haslem, T. Johnson
The Heat are often mentioned as a potential destination for LeBron James if he decides to leave Cleveland, but Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel doesn’t believe such a move is realistic. Miami, of course, is where James went the last time he parted ways with the Cavaliers. He spent four seasons with the Heat and combined with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to reach the NBA Finals each year.
However, a reunion is extremely unlikely, Winderman notes. The Heat don’t have any cap space to work with and would need to have a massive sell-off or have James opt in and engineer a trade. Winderman estimates Miami would have to part with Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, Bam Adebayo and the high salary of either Hassan Whiteside or Goran Dragic, which would leave LeBron with a worse supporting cast then he has now in Cleveland.
There’s more news from Miami:
- Without a pick in this year’s draft, the Heat can’t get prospects to come to Miami, so scouts are going on the road to see them, Winderman writes in a separate piece. Team representatives are headed to Bradenton, Florida, New York City, Atlanta and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this week to attend workouts being held by agents and trainers. Next week, the scouting staff will be at seven workouts in Los Angeles and one in Las Vegas. “We go there not only to watch that workout, but we also would use that as a mini-Chicago [draft combine], where we interview players,” VP of Player Personnel Chet Kammerer explained. “It’s not us running the workouts, but we’re going to get to look at as many people as we can among our staff.”
- At age 38, Udonis Haslem hasn’t decided if he will return for another season, but he continues to work out as if he’ll keep playing, Winderman relays in another story. “When you get to this stage of your career and life, you either do it or you don’t,” Haslem said. “You can’t really turn it on and off. It becomes a lifestyle.” Interviewed Saturday, Haslem repeated that he has no interest in coaching but would be intrigued by a front office position.
- Tyler Johnson won’t try to change his game to live up to the salary increase that’s about to kick in, writes Jordan McPherson of The Miami Herald. The backloaded offer sheet Johnson received from the Nets two years ago increases from $5.88MM this year to $19.25MM in each of the next two seasons. “It doesn’t bother me,” Johnson said. “It’s just a nicer paycheck when I go home.”
Thunder Notes: Presti, Donovan, Grant, T. Young
After making significant trades the past two summers, Thunder GM Sam Presti is hoping for a quieter offseason, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman. Of course, that will largely be determined by Paul George, who is expected to opt out of his $20.7MM salary for next season and test the free agent market. George, who grew up in the Los Angeles area, has long been rumored to want to join the Lakers.
“We arrived here and haven’t turned the page because we haven’t rebuilt the team since 2008,” Presti said. “I’m happy about that. We’re trying to make it work as long as we can. Ultimately us, like every other team, is going to have to find ourselves in a position where we’ll have to rebuild.”
Whether George returns or not, OKC will be over the salary cap if Carmelo Anthony declines to use an early termination option on his $27.9MM contract for next season. Presti expects to spend the offseason looking for more free agent bargains like Patrick Patterson and Raymond Felton.
There’s more today from Oklahoma City:
- Coach Billy Donovan is safe for another year, but he needs to make changes to keep his job beyond that, according to Erik Horne of The Oklahoman. With two years and about $12MM left on his contract, Donovan is entering the danger zone for NBA coaches, who frequently get fired or extended heading into their final season. Donovan has two straight first-round playoff ousters working against him, but Presti understands the difficult position he has been in because of roster turnover. “If you think about the last three years for our organization, and the last three years for him, it’s been a little bit of a whipsaw in respect to just the team he inherited in 2016,” Presti said, “the performance of that team being within a couple minutes of going to the finals, then not being able to capitalize on that.”
- Jerami Grant, part of a group of minimum-salary free agents the Thunder will have this summer, sees a good chance of returning to Oklahoma City, tweets Royce Young of ESPN. “I definitely think it’s a possibility,” Grant told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “I know it’s a lot of moving pieces but I definitely think it’s a great possibility me being there. There’s a lot of things they have to figure out but I think it’s a good chance.”
- The Thunder were among the teams to meet with Oklahoma’s Trae Young at this week’s draft combine, according to Ryan Aber of The Oklahoman. The Thunder, whose first-rounder belongs to the Timberwolves, would have to trade into the lottery to have a shot at Young.
Central Notes: Thompson, Perkins, Billups, Bucks
Tristan Thompson who was barely playing when the postseason began, has become an important part of the Cavaliers’ quest to reach the NBA Finals, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. After Al Horford‘s huge performance in Game 1, Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue made a lineup change, swapping Thompson for Kyle Korver and giving the Cavs a bigger player to match up with Horford, who managed just seven points in 30 minutes Saturday.
“I wanted that matchup from the beginning,” Thompson said. “I feel like for me as a big, my job is to match up against whoever their best big is and make it tough for him. From the beginning of the series I knew that Al Horford was going to be my matchup regardless of when and it’s on me to try to cool him down and make it tough for him this series.”
It’s a moment of triumph at the end of a frustrating season for Thompson, who averaged career lows in minutes (20.2) and points (5.8). He still has two years and roughly $36MM left on his contract.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Veteran center Kendrick Perkins is thrilled to be on a title-contending team again after nearly two full seasons out of the league, relays Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. The 33-year-old couldn’t get an opportunity after finishing the 2015/16 season with the Pelicans. “It was tough,” he said. “Being away from the game is something I didn’t do by choice. I just didn’t get a call. I just worked out every day hoping to get a call. I was in Houston, and every day I’d get up and go to the gym. That’s about it. It was humbling and all type of stuff, but I always say God don’t make mistakes, so at the end of the day you’ve got to take the punches or whatever it is and just keep moving.”
- It’s surprising that Chauncey Billups wasn’t included on the list of potential front office candidates in Detroit, notes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. The former Pistons star, now an ESPN analyst, has been open about his desire to become an executive. Ellis writes that the organization prefers someone with experience in running a team, but states that if Billups does get hired he is likely to bring along former teammates such as Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace.
- New Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer is eager for the challenge in Milwaukee, relays Matt Velazquez of The Journal-Sentinel. Budenholzer interviewed for several openings, but he was convinced the Bucks were the next logical step for him. “Very excited about the roster, excited about the things we can do together,” he said. “Obviously, Giannis [Antetokounmpo] is a special player, but I think the entire roster’s got a lot of great players — Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe, you keep going down the list, Jabari [Parker], all the guys. I just think it’s a great opportunity for me, a great fit for me.”
Draft Notes: DiVincenzo, Spellman, Walker, Bearden
Coach Jay Wright will recommend to Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman that they return to Villanova if it doesn’t look like they’ll be drafted in the first round, according to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. DiVincenzo goes to the Mavericks at No. 33 in the latest mock draft compiled by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, while Spellman isn’t projected to be taken. Players have until May 30 to make their decisions.
“Omari and Donte are out there to try to prove themselves as first-round picks,” Wright said of his players’ trips to the NBA Draft Combine. “For them, I hope they are. And I think this process has been good for them. I think they will get some good information.”
DiVincenzo met with the Lakers, Magic, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Cavaliers, Spurs, Hawks and Grizzlies at the combine and said he received a lot of “positive feedback.” Spellman has upcoming workouts with the Lakers [May 23], Clippers [May 24], Spurs [26] and Jazz [28] that will likely influence his decision, Zagoria adds.
There’s more draft news as the deadline for decisions draws closer:
- The Sixers may consider Miami guard Lonnie Walker at No. 10, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Walker met with Philadelphia officials Friday and was impressed by the experience. “It went well,” he said. “See a little bit of Elton Brand and all those guys, I felt like a little kid, seeing guys I watched on TV.” Givony has Walker projected at No. 13 to the Clippers.
- Lamonte Bearden of Western Kentucky will sign with an agent and stay in the draft, tweets ESPN’s Jeff Goodman. The guard averaged 11.8 points and 3.4 assists as a redshirt junior.
- Kent State’s Jaylin Walker tweeted that he will return to school for his senior season. He averaged 16.6 points per game for the Golden Flashes this season.
- The Nuggets have pre-draft workouts scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, the team announced in an e-mail. Scheduled to appear at Monday’s session are Tyler Davis of Texas A&M, Cody Martin of Nevada, William McDowell-White of Brose Bamberg, Isaiah Reese of Canisius, Admiral Schofield of Tennessee and Reid Travis of Stanford. Tuesday’s schedule features Tyler Cook of Iowa, Jon Elmore of Marshall, Ethan Happ of Wisconsin, Mustapha Heron of Auburn, Charles Matthews of Michigan and Shamorie Ponds of St. John’s.
Community Shootaround: Best Expansion Cities
Kansas City has been off the NBA map since the Kings moved to Sacramento in 1985, but there’s a push to bring it back. A report emerged last night that Kansas City is on the short list to get a franchise the next time the league expands.
“Kansas City will get an NBA team at some point. … Just a matter of time,” an unidentified league executive told NBA scout Jarrett Sutton. “Seattle and KC, to me, are most valuable markets for league expansion when it makes sense.”
Seattle has been among the front-runners for a new franchise ever since the SuperSonics were moved to Oklahoma City a decade ago. Late last year, Seattle’s City Council approved a $650MM renovation project at Key Arena, the Sonics’ former home, with the goal of attracting an NBA or NHL franchise before the end of the decade. The league is planning a preseason game in Seattle in October, so its commitment to the Pacific Northwest city seems solid.
Kansas City is more of a surprise, but it does have a 19,000-seat facility to offer in the Sprint Center. The city was never considered an NBA hotbed when the Kings were there from 1972-85, and they adopted Omaha, Nebraska, as a dual home city for three of those seasons. However, Kansas City is one of the largest media markets without an NBA team and it offers a larger television market than either Oklahoma City or New Orleans.
Here are a few other locations the league may consider when it decides the time is right to expand:
- Louisville — The city has a rich college basketball tradition and the 22,000-seat KFC Yum! Center. The Kentucky Colonels were among the most successful and well-supported ABA teams, but the city has never gotten a shot at the NBA. Louisville made efforts to attract the Rockets, Grizzlies and Hornets last decade, but came up empty each time.
- Las Vegas — The NHL’s Golden Knights have been a huge hit in their first season in Vegas, and their new T-Mobile Arena could easily house a basketball team. The Las Vegas Summer League has become a must-see event on the NBA calendar with all 30 teams now signed up. The Oakland Raiders are headed to town soon, and the city may want to add a basketball franchise as well.
- Vancouver — The NBA struck out in its first attempt to put a team in western Canada, but it hasn’t given up on the market. With the Rogers Arena housing the Canucks, a facility is already in place. However, if Seattle is a lock for an expansion franchise, it’s hard to imagine the league putting another team so close by.
- Mexico City — The NBA has long tried to expand the borders of its fan base and has scheduled two regular season games in Mexico City in each of the past two seasons. The Palacio de los Deportes can hold more than 20,000 fans, and commissioner Adam Silver has discussed putting a G League team there and launching an NBA Academy for Latin American and Caribbean players.
- Pittsburgh — The Steel City hasn’t had a team since the early days of the ABA, but it does have PPG Paints Arena, which can hold 19,000 people for basketball. The city also boasts an enthusiastic fan base, especially for its NFL and NHL teams. Five years ago, David Stern listed Pittsburgh as a possible expansion site, and the city was mentioned as a potential destination when the Pistons discussed relocation in 2010.
We want to get your input. The next expansion franchise will probably go to Seattle, but if the NBA adds two teams, who should get the other one? Please leave you feedback in the comments section below.
Trail Blazers Notes: Combine, Trent, Hutchison, Walker
The Trail Blazers took an unorthodox approach to the NBA Draft Combine by giving a prominent role to their sports psychologist, writes Jason Quick of NBA Sports Northwest. Dana Sinclair has been working with the team for the past seven years and her role has evolved to coordinating pre-draft intelligence.
Players who met with Sinclair received a checklist with character traits and were asked to pick the ones that described them. Once they completed the list, they were given several follow-up questions.
“It was questions like, ‘What would people describe you as?’’’ said Louisville recruit Brian Bowen, who sat out the season. “And ‘What would you describe yourself as?’ It was interesting. It was her getting to know me personally. I liked it.’’
There’s more to pass on from Portland:
- Among the players the team interviewed at the combine was Duke’s Gary Trent Jr., Quick adds in the same story. Trent, who averaged 14.5 points and 4.2 rebounds as a freshman with the Blue Devils, would be a second-generation Blazer if he gets drafted by Portland. His father spent three full seasons with the organization at the start of his career. “He always he told me stories of those teams, and the name they had, the Jail Blazers,’’ Trent said. “But he told me funny stories, stories of him, JR [Rider], Rasheed [Wallace].’’
- Boise State’s Chandler Hutchison was a late withdrawal from the combine, sparking rumors that he had a promise from a team with a pick in the 20s, but that promise didn’t come from Portland, Quick tweets. Hutchison would be a nice fit with the Blazers, who need to add wing depth, writes Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype.
- Shooting guard Lonnie Walker of Miami was among the players who interviewed with Sinclair, but he isn’t planning a workout in Portland, according to Quick (Twitter link). The Trail Blazers hold the 24th pick, and Walker’s agent, Happy Walters, said that falls below the range where he expects Walker to be chosen. Walker was extremely impressive at the combine media session and reminded many observers of Donovan Mitchell‘s performance last year (Twitter link).
- Oregon’s Troy Brown expects to work out for the Blazers in the coming weeks, Quick adds (Twitter link).
Knicks Notes: Smart, Porzingis, Delany, Draft
Grizzlies assistant Keith Smart is expected to become a top assistant on David Fizdale’s staff with the Knicks, tweets ESPN’s Ian Begley. Smart was an assistant with Fizdale for two years in Miami and came to Memphis with him when he was hired as head coach in 2016.
Smart, who appeared in just two NBA games as a player, began his coaching career in 2000. He has also been an assistant with the Cavaliers, Warriors and Kings and eventually became head coach of all three franchises, compiling a 93-170 career record.
J.B. Bickerstaff, who recently had his interim tag removed by the Grizzlies, has started interviewing potential replacements in anticipation of Smart’s departure, according to Begley.
There’s more today from New York:
- Fizdale met Friday with Janis Porzingis, the older brother and agent for Kristaps Porzingis, relays Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. Fizdale is hoping to travel to Latvia this summer to talk with the Knicks’ star, who is currently rehabbing his left knee in Spain. Fizdale is working to repair a damaged relationship, Isola adds, as Porzingis has been losing faith in the front office, the Knicks’ medical staff and former coach Jeff Hornacek. In Friday’s meeting, Fizdale reportedly addressed his issues with Marc Gasol in Memphis and a reputation that he doesn’t deal well with foreign-born players.
- Pat Delany, who also worked with Fizdale in Miami, could be another addition to the coaching staff, Isola adds. Delany has been with the Hornets the past four seasons.
- Small forward is an obvious position of need for the Knicks, but they plan to approach the ninth pick in this year’s draft with a best-player-available philosophy, writes Chris Iseman of NorthJersey.com. Wing players Miles Bridges and Kevin Knox met with the Knicks during the draft combine, but so did point guards Collin Sexton and Trae Young, even though New York drafted Frank Ntilikina in the first round last year. “There’s no secret that we can use help on the wing,” GM Scott Perry said. “But at the end of the day I think we’re still in that talent-acquisition mode. If that happens to be at No. 9 a wing player, great. If we feel the most talented guy clearly is at another position then we got to look at that direction as well.”
Luka Doncic Named EuroLeague MVP, Rising Star
Luka Doncic picked up a pair of honors at today’s EuroLeague Awards Gala, relays Nicola Lupo of Sportando. The 19-year-old, who is expected to be taken early in next month’s NBA draft, was named both MVP and Rising Star. The MVP is determined by a vote of the media and fans, while the coaches choose the Rising Star.
Doncic, who became the youngest MVP in league history, put up a 14.5/5.2/4.7 line this year in helping Real Madrid reach the league final, which will be played tomorrow. He declared for the draft in March, but indicated this week that he might play another season or two in Europe, depending on the circumstances.
“It’s amazing. It’s like a dream come true,” Doncic said in a video tweeted by the EuroLeague. “Still we have one more game to go, which would make me so much happier. But thank you to all the media, all the fans and all the coaches. Especially to my coaches, my teammates and all my team. Without them, this wouldn’t be possible.”
The All-EuroLeague First Team is filled with names that are familiar to NBA fans, as Doncic is joined by Nick Calathes, Nando De Colo and Jan Vesely. Calathes spent two seasons with the Grizzlies, DeColo played for the Spurs and Raptors and Vesely played three NBA seasons after being drafted sixth overall by the Wizards in 2011.
The fifth member of the First Team is Tornike Shengelia, who was taken by the Sixers in the second round of the 2012 draft. His NBA career consisted of 36 games with the Nets and nine with the Bulls.
The Defensive Player of the Year is Kyle Hines, who played at North Carolina Greensboro and went undrafted in 2008.
Mavericks Notes: Lottery, Cuban, Free Agency, Porter
Michael Finley joked that he was tempted to demand a recount when the Mavericks landed the fifth pick at Tuesday’s lottery, relays Dwain Price of Mavs.com. Dallas’ VP of basketball operations decided to remain professional at the event and is optimistic the team can land an impact player. The Mavs came into the lottery with the third best chance to win the top choice and a guarantee to fall no lower than sixth.
“It’s a deep draft with some great young talent, so at the fifth pick I think we’ll still be able to get a player that can come in and help us immediately,” Finley said. “It’s a wide variety of sizes and talent in the draft when you look at some of the point guards, some of the wing guys and the big guys.
“Like I said, it’ll give us a great opportunity to get one of those players, and hopefully that player can help us so we won’t be at this lottery next year.”
There’s more tonight from Dallas:
- The ping pong balls didn’t bounce the Mavericks’ way, but there’s no guarantee the team will hold onto the No. 5 pick, owner Mark Cuban tells Dalton Trigg of 247Sports.com. “We are never content,” Cuban said. “We will be open to any and all options.”
- The Mavericks should be careful not to try to make up for the lottery disappointment by becoming overly aggressive in free agency, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. He advises the team to build slowly and not do something risky like offering a max deal to DeMarcus Cousins, who continues to recover from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
- Dallas will take a long look at Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. with the fifth pick, Sefko states in a separate piece. Porter missed almost the entire college season with back problems, but his physical gifts still make him a promising NBA prospect. Magic executive Pat Williams, whose team owns the sixth pick, said DeAndre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Marvin Bagley III and Jaren Jackson Jr. are expected to be the first four taken, with Porter, Mo Bamba, Wendell Carter and maybe Trae Young going right afterward.
Cavaliers Notes: Smith, D. Jordan, James, Draft Pick
J.R. Smith won’t face any repercussions from the league for a hard foul on Al Horford in Tuesday’s Game 2, according to an ESPN report. Horford was in the air late in the fourth quarter when Smith shoved him from behind, causing him to crash to the court. The officials called a flagrant 1 on Smith after a video review.
Smith agreed with the call when interviewed after the game, admitting he “blatantly” shoved Horford.
“It wasn’t like I was trying to low-bridge him or something to make sure he didn’t get it. It was a good, hard foul,” Smith said. “I can understand why they gave me a flagrant.”
There’s more today from Cleveland:
- Smith has been through a lot of scrapes in his 14-year career and doesn’t mind playing the role of villain in playoff road games, relays A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. “I don’t want the opposing fans to like me,” he said. “That’s not why I’m here. They can chant and scream all they want.”
- LeBron James and coach Tyronn Lue both wanted to trade for Clippers center DeAndre Jordan at the deadline, according to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. Lue felt the team needed a rim protector to anchor the defense.
- The trades the Cavaliers made instead in February are letting them down in the conference finals, notes Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. George Hill managed just three points in 33 minutes of Game 2 and couldn’t contain Celtics guard Terry Rozier. Rodney Hood didn’t take a shot from the field in 11 minutes, while Larry Nance Jr. was scoreless and Jordan Clarkson didn’t play.
- The Nets’ first-rounder the Cavaliers acquired in the Kyrie Irving trade will strengthen their position whether LeBron James stays or not, contends Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. The Cavs will have 14 of their 17 players under contract for next season if James returns, but they have minimal guarantees beyond that, which will make rebuilding easier if it becomes necessary. Vardon suggests the team might try to trade Kevin Love again this summer and speculates that the Hornets could be interested in the No. 8 pick as a way to part with Kemba Walker‘s contract.
- A podcast on Cleveland.com examines whether James’ future with the organization is tied to how the team performs in the conference finals.