Pacific Notes: Ball, Kings, Brown
The Lakers aren’t afraid to draft Lonzo Ball just because of his father, Jeff Goodman of ESPN writes. Team president Magic Johnson recently told the media that LaVar Ball will have “no effect at all” on his son’s draft stock.
This Tuesday, the Lakers will have a 46.9% chance of landing a top-three pick (and thus retaining the pick) but have just a 15.6% chance of landing the first overall pick. Should they get lucky, the eldest Ball child could be the latest highly-touted prospect to don purple and gold.
To his credit, Lonzo Ball is seen by scouts as level-headed and unassuming, Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Daily News adds, suggesting that if given the opportunity, the Lakers will look to draft the UCLA product regardless of any possible complications related to his dad.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- As we wrote about earlier, a lousy reputation hasn’t exactly helped the Kings land talent. This year, however, the franchise is looking to use the combine as a way of chipping away at the “anywhere but Sacramento” mentality, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes.
- Assistant-turned-temporary head coach Mike Brown has seen his career revitalized with the Warriors and Anthony Slater of the Mercury News has all of the details of the former Cavaliers bench boss’ journey in a must-read feature.
- Put simply, David West turned down over $10MM last season, instead opting for the chance to compete for a title with the Spurs. Now with the Warriors, Daniel Brown of the Mercury News writes, West is at the doorstep of the NBA Finals.
Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Sixers, Rookies
If Knicks president Phil Jackson was looking to get value out of Carmelo Anthony in a trade, his negative comments have only hurt the forward’s stock, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes.
While Anthony posted reasonable numbers for the underachieving Knicks in 2017/18, the fact that Jackson has slammed both his personality and playing style certainly aren’t reassuring.
“Phil made a statement basically that Carmelo’s a losing type of player. Well, if he’s a loser for the Knicks, he’s going to be a winner someplace else? That obviously didn’t help,” one Eastern Conference executive told Kerber.
Anthony’s famous no-trade clause already limits who the Knicks may be able to trade with, so Jackson’s mystifying approach to marketing make it even less likely that the franchise will be able to yield a reasonable return for their once-prized building block.
There’s more from the Atlantic:
- It’s easy to be excited about the NBA draft — the Sixers have been planning for it all year. A more telling day, in terms of shaping the franchise of the organization, however, could be this Tuesday’s draft lottery. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer lays out the various possible outcomes the team faces when the order is revealed.
- The extra attention put toward Isaiah Thomas in the postseason has put more pressure on the Celtics‘ supporting cast, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England writes. More has been asked of teammates like Jae Crowder, Blakely writes, and they’ve stepped up.
- Don’t expect an immediate impact out of this year’s draft class — at least that’s what Knicks boss Phil Jackson implied to Lakers president Magic Johnson, Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes. “It’s just really tough,” Jackson said. “The maturation level, particularly the education the game has stepped to, the amount of work it takes physically, mentally, the preparation. We don’t expect a whole lot.“
Agents Reluctant To Let Clients Work Out For Kings, Celtics
A report from ESPN’s Chad Ford this weekend details just how far player agents will go to keep their clients from being drafted into what they perceive to be less than ideal conditions. Specifically, Ford writes, that agents have been actively avoiding the Kings and the Celtics for two very different reasons.
Ford writes that this year, just as last year, agents are keeping their players away from Sacramento’s front office, refusing workouts and, in the case of Wade Baldwin IV, even declining to share medical records. The hiring of reputable Scott Perry as the organization’s new general manager, has had little impact in that regard.
“It would be malpractice to let my clients play for them,” one longtime agent told Ford. “I’ve had clients there. It’s still the most dysfunctional front office in the league, by a mile. How can you trust those guys with one of your players? It’s going to take a long time to build that trust.”
A similar movement is afoot with regard to the Celtics. According to Ford, the agents of top prospects are reluctant to approve their players working out for the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed, citing concern over future playing time.
Agents fear that their clients, like Jaylen Brown in this year’s rookie class, may be faced with a loaded depth chart to navigate through before earning any consistent starter’s minutes.
“I have deep respect for the Celtics,” another agent said. “They may have the best GM and head coach in the league. But I’d have to understand what the plan would be for my client before I let them come. They are loaded at every position. There’s a real danger that they take a player and either he plays a limited role off the bench, or he becomes an asset to be traded to a situation that we’re uncomfortable with. It’s tough.“
Leonard Re-Injures Ankle, Exits Game 1
6:07pm: Team sources inform Marc Spears of ESPN that Leonard will undergo an MRI on his left ankle tonight.
5:50pm: Leonard’s ankle “doesn’t look good,” Marc Spears of ESPN tweets, adding, however, that Leonard hasn’t ruled out playing in Game 2 on Tuesday.
5:38pm: ESPN’s Michael C. Wright reports that Leonard walked to the training room without a limp and with nothing on his ankle. Wright tweets that they’re taping the ankle now. Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News tweets that Leonard is limping “a bit.”
5:30pm: The Spurs watched a 25-point lead fade away against the Warriors in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals but their biggest loss may be of a different nature. As Sam Amick of USA Today outlines, with 7:55 remaining in the third quarter, Kawhi Leonard appeared to re-aggravate his injured left ankle.
Minutes into the second half, Leonard pulled up for a three in the corner, defended by Zaza Pachulia. At that point Pachulia closed out hard and Leonard landed on the big man’s extended foot.
The injury is particularly concerning for two reasons, the obvious one being that the superstar MVP candidate missed the remainder of the game, another being that this is the same ankle Leonard hurt in Game 5 of San Antonio’s previous series.
Last week Leonard sat out Game 6 against the Rockets and it appears the forward could miss time here as well, although no official declarations have been made by the team.
Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune noted that if the Spurs rest Leonard for Game 2 on the road, he’ll have six days of recovery prior to the series shifting back to San Antonio for Game 3.
As details about Leonard’s status come in, we’ll update this post.
Motiejunas Takes Legal Action Against Rockets, League
MAY 13, 8:20am: Following Deveney’s report, Motiejunas took to social media to refute the story, claiming that he and the Rockets resolved their issues a month ago (via Twitter).
“A month ago we with the NBPA and the Houston Rockets found an agreement and solved everything. There are no court proceedings between us. The information which was published on the media is false.”
However, Deveney claims that the National Basketball Players Association explained the matter between Motiejunas and the Rockets differently, indicating that both sides are still engaged in legal proceedings. Motiejunas and the Rockets were seeking an agreement to resolve this matter, but it’s not clear whether they’ve resolved it already or if a settlement is still being finalized.
MAY 12, 3:50pm: After a tumultuous season in which he bounced around three franchises, Donatas Motiejunas is in the midst of legal action against the Rockets and the NBA, Sean Deveney of the Sporting News reports. Sources tell Deveney that the parties could reach a settlement, possibly within the next week.
Motiejunas, who had played for the Rockets since 2012/13, hit restricted free agency last summer but was unable to come to terms on a contract with them or any other suitors. At the time, Motiejunas refused to sign a qualifying offer and that eventually expired.
The Rockets ultimately presented and then pulled an offer they extended at the beginning of the 2016/17 campaign when a deadline they established came and passed in late November with no commitment from Motiejunas’ camp.
Eventually, the big man signed an offer sheet with the Nets in early December worth $35MM over four years, which the Rockets agreed to match. Houston, however, stripped out some of the incentive bonuses that had been included in the Brooklyn offer, a difference of as much as $2MM says Deveney.
When the Rockets and Motiejunas then agreed upon a reworked deal, the center underwent a physical, the results of which prompted Houston to renounce their rights to him, officially making him an unrestricted free agent.
Despite the unrestricted free agency, Motiejunas was unable to procure another offer from the Nets.
In January, as the smoke cleared, Motiejunas signed a deal with the Pelicans where he averaged 3.4 points per game in 34 contests.
This offseason he’ll be a free agent once more and though he has terminated his relationship with his former agent at the Wasserman Group, he could re-sign with them prior to hitting the market.
Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Crowder, Simmons
Speaking with reporters at the NBA Draft Combine, Knicks president Phil Jackson reiterated that he thinks Carmelo Anthony should waive his no-trade clause and accept the reality of playing elsewhere, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.
“He has a no-trade contract. I think I expressed what I felt [in April]. I can’t express it any better,” Jackson said of the Knicks forward.
Jackson did note that he’s been in touch with Anthony through text messages, referencing the news reports that the Knicks star and his wife may be headed toward divorce.
In 74 games for the Knicks this season, Anthony averaged 22.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game but the club won just 31 contests in a year marred by off-court melodrama.
There’s more from the Atlantic:
- Don’t expect 2016 first overall pick Ben Simmons to suit up for the Sixers in the summer league this offseason, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com tweets. Fans curious to see the forward in action, however, can always check his Instagram for a recent video of him practicing.
- A league executive has praised Celtics general manager Danny Ainge for the trade that yielded Jae Crowder back in 2014, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England writes. Crowder appeared to be little more than a throw-in in the Rajon Rondo deal but has evolved into a premier defender.
- In an attempt to stop things in their tracks, Knicks president Phil Jackson opted not to address the situation unfolding with a beleaguered Kristaps Porzingis, an ESPN report mentions. The second-year man has voiced his displeasure with the organization but has also declared that he’d like to remain with the franchise.
‘Wheels In Motion’ For Mavs To Sign Ding Yanyuhang
The Mavs have “put the wheels in motion” to sign 27-year-old Chinese free agent Ding Yanyuhang to a contract for summer league and possibly training camp, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas News writes.
President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson tells Sefko that he believes Ding could be an ideal candidate for the new two-way contracts laid out in the revised Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The swingman has played for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association since 2006, having been eligible for but ultimately passed over in the 2011 NBA draft. He is listed as having been on the Chinese national team roster for the 2012 Olympics but not most recently at the 2016 Olympics.
Sefko argues that such a signing would have a significant business impact given the popularity of the game in China. The fact that the league opened an office in Shanghai speaks to the growth of the game in that part of the world.
Team owner Mark Cuban declined an invitation to discuss the possible move, adding only that more will be known after July 1 when such signings can be made official.
Central Notes: Love, Bird, Caldwell-Pope
Matchups in the first two rounds have limited Kevin Love‘s role throughout the playoffs thus far but that could change in the Eastern Conference Finals, Tom Withers of the Associated Press writes. Currently the Cavaliers await the winner of the Wizards and Celtics.
After having averaged 19 points per game during the regular season, Love’s average dropped to 12 in the Cavaliers’ four-game sweep of the Raptors. What’s more, the power forward didn’t even play in the fourth quarter in two of those victories.
“Some of it’s my fault because we haven’t really featured him a lot because of the matchups we had on other teams,” Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue said. “He has been great. His whole mindset is winning and that’s what it’s all about in the playoffs.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Although there’s been a transfer of power in the Pacers‘ organizational chart, Larry Bird remains involved in the offseason planning at the behest of newly appointed team president Kevin Pritchard, Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star writes. Bird serves as an executive advisor with the franchise.
- The Pacers will work out a batch of draft prospects early next week, the team announced on its website, including college stars Jordan Bell and Josh Hart.
- The Pistons are in a tough spot with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s pending restricted free agency, Bobby Marks of the Vertical writes. The 24-year-old could sign a lofty offer sheet with another organization, forcing the club to flirt with the luxury tax if they wish to retain him. Choosing not to retain him, however, won’t free up enough cap space for a suitable replacement.
Southwest Notes: Green, Gentry, Harden
The Grizzlies may have to choose between Zach Randolph and JaMychal Green, Michael Wallace of Grind City Media writes. The scribe details Green’s first season as a starter in Memphis and what could come next as the offseason nears.
Given that Green is a restricted free agent this summer, the Grizzlies will have the option to match any offers he can scrounge up on the market. This, of course, means that teams like the Nets, Magic and Sixers with plenty of cap space can sign the forward to a lofty deal in hopes that Memphis doesn’t match.
Green’s defensive versatility, coupled with his three-ball make him a particularly appealing asset for a Grizzlies team with an aging core but foul trouble and a quick temper limited his impact.
If, as Wallace suggests, the team truly has an either/or situation on their hands, general manager Chris Wallace will need to choose between the intriguing 26-year-old hybrid forward and a Grizzlies legend.
There’s more from the Southwest:
- Although the Pelicans never quite turned their season around with DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis like many expected, head coach Alvin Gentry believes he’ll be back with the club to give it another shot in 2017/18. Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Advocate relays the comments from a podcast at The Vertical.
- The Spurs may have achieved sporting immortality, J.A. Adande of ESPN writes. The feature highlights what Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford have built in San Antonio and how it transcends any individual player or players.
- After their season ended Thursday, Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that one way he could look to improve upon Houston’s 55-win season is to better understand James Harden‘s limitations. “All great players think they can do everything,” D’Antoni said. “Maybe he does need to take a game off here and there. ‘Hey, you’re nicked up a little bit, don’t play, maybe.’ Something to talk about, but that’s also his greatness, too. So it’s hard. It’s very delicate.“
Hoops Links Vol. 4: Conspiracy Theories, Broken Mechanics, More
Once a week, we here at Hoops Rumors like to share the best blog content on the internet. In this, our fourth installment, of Hoops Links we take you all over the blogosphere from the upcoming NBA lottery to the Raptors rebuild that never was and the fountain of youth.
Want to see your favorite content featured here next week? Submit it for possible inclusion by tweeting @AustinKent or emailing HoopsRumorsTips@Sports.ws. We want entertaining, unique content and that’s exactly what’s out there.
When the dust settled on the 2016/17 regular season, the Magic finished with the fifth-worst record in the NBA. This week, Aaron Goldstone of Orlando Pinstriped Post explored what that means for their lottery odds. The team with the fifth-best odds has won the lottery five times since its inception, Goldstone writes, but a simple look at the probabilities of possible outcomes reveals that the club is most likely to walk away with the No. 6 pick.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Spontaneous Math Tutorials
Author: Aaron Goldstone – @GoldstoneAaron
Link: Orlando Magic lottery odds
Might Kristaps Porzingis have intentionally published the cryptic Clippers tweet to send a message to Knicks owner James Dolan? Behold a conspiracy theory from the nefarious mind of one New York blogger notorious for having once trafficked in deceit himself to improve standing in the workplace. Richard Bertin of Daily Knicks suggests that the hacking claim rings false and that other motives are at play.
Rating: 7 out of 10 And Anyway, Leaving Your Account Open Isn’t The Same As Being Hacked Eithers
Author: Richard Bertin – @RichardBertin
Link: Kristaps Porzingis’ Clippers tweet
The shock of the Raptors‘ sweep at the hands of the Cavaliers has started to give way to action and a Masai Ujiri exit interview this week reassured fans that he’s well aware of what needs to be done. Adam Corsair of South of the 6ix is comfortable having faith in the Raptors president. A full Ujiri rebuild, Corsair writes, is eerily exciting considering we haven’t actually seen one yet.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Vetoed Knicks Trades
Author: Adam Corsair – @ACorsair21
Link: Ujiri’s options for Raptors offseason
He hasn’t played a game in the NBA yet, but that doesn’t stop the Sixers and their fans from planning a future with Ben Simmons in their lineup. Myles Stedman of The Sixers Sense went through each of the top draft prospects for this upcoming class and discussed how they could fit alongside 2016’s first overall pick.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Mock Draft Addictions
Author: Myles Stedman – @StedsTake
Link: Sixers draft prospects
It’s hard to know just what impact LaVar Ball‘s assumed involvement will have on Lonzo Ball‘s NBA career but Anthony Irwin of Silver Screen and Roll cautions that the most famous father in this year’s draft class is likely licking his chops at the size of the Lakers‘ platform. That could be one of several unnecessary distractions.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Luxury Flip Flops
Author: Anthony Irwin – @AnthonyIrwinLA
Link: Lonzo Ball and the Lakers
With age comes wisdom and a vastly improved three-point shot — the Raptors learned this the hard way not long after the Pacers did last month. Is 32 the new 22? The way LeBron James has been tearing through the NBA seems to suggest as much. For the King James Gospel, Dan Gilinsky wrote about how James and the Cavaliers are looking more dominant than ever.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Goats
Author: Dan Gilinsky – @ArmchairQBDan
Link: LeBron James aging well
It was a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad season for Pistons fans, and making matters worse is that Andre Drummond may not fully own up to what went wrong. Steve Hinson of Detroit Bad Boys recently broke down an interview the big man gave and wasn’t too impressed.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Mats Of Luscious Shoulder Hair
Author: Steve Hinson – @Shinons8
Link: Andre Drummond discusses Pistons season
It was a rough year for Chandler Parsons this season, as the 28-year-old posted career lows across the board just months after signing a max contract. Still, the most disappointing thing about it wasn’t Parsons’ lack of production, but his lack of awareness as to what it means to commit to the Grizzlies franchise. Joe Mullinax of Grizzly Bear Blues argues that the star should make more of an effort to fit into the Memphis community if he wants to be embraced.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Screencapped Instagram Comments
Author: Joe Mullinax – @JoeMullinax
Link: Chandler Parsons disappointing Memphis season
Minor tweaks to shooting mechanics could help Justise Winslow improve his jumper in much the same way that Kawhi Leonard benefited from slight changes to his own shot. Wes Goldberg of All U Can Heat broke down the Heat forward’s shooting stroke and suggests that establishing a more consistent base could help him increase a woeful 20% “wide-open” three-point percentage.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Spontaneous Physics Tutorials
Author: Wes Goldberg – @WCGoldberg
Link: Justise Winslow shooting mechanics
After a tumultuous few seasons, Lance Stephenson is back with the Pacers and Josh Padmore of 8 Points, 9 Seconds wonders if the swingman can return to near-All-Star form. He argues that Stephenson and the Pacers are just meant to be.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Memes
Author: Josh Padmore – @JPadmore92
Link: Lance Stephenson back with Pacers
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.