Draft Notes: Monk, Wolves, Bell, Knicks
Selecting Malik Monk is the Sixers‘ best option at No. 3, Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer contends. While taking Monk so high may be considered a reach, Ford doesn’t see it that way. He argues that front office should disregard expert rankings and pick the player who would fit in best with the team.
Only five teams were worse than the Sixers from long-range last season, as I mentioned in the franchise’s offseason preview. The Sixers’ greatness need may be shooting and Monk, who Jonathan Givony of Draft Express ranks as the eighth best prospect in the draft, made 39.7% of his attempts from behind the arc during his lone season in Kentucky.
Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau said other teams have been trying to acquire the No. 7 overall pick, ESPN’s Nick Friedell tweets. Thibs added that he believes there will be high demand for many picks in the draft.
- Jordan Bell had an impressive workout with the Sixers, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “For a Dennis Rodman-like player who has the ability to play across a few positions, mainly defensively, we sat with him, had a great interview as we’ve learned more about him,” Sixers executive Brandon Williams said. If Bell falls in the draft, Philadelphia could be a team to watch out for since it has four selections in the second round.
- The Knicks worked out Ike Iroegbu and Trevor Thompson, Marc Berman of the New York Post passes along (Twitter link).
- Elie Okobo worked out for the Sixers today, Jessica Camerato of Comcast Sports relays (Twitter link). Okobo previously worked out for the Jazz and he plans to meet with the Nets and Hawks.
Fred Hoiberg Has “No Interest” In Ohio State Job
Fred Hoiberg was linked to the recently vacated Ohio State heading coach job, but sources tell Vincent Goodwill of Comcast Sportsnet that the coach has “no interest” in the position.
Hoiberg previously spent five seasons as the head coach at Iowa State and it would seem natural to connect the dots between him and a major opening, such as the one at Ohio State. However, it appears he wants to remain with the Bulls, a franchise with which he’s under contract for the next three seasons.
Bulls executive John Paxson said that the team wants Hoiberg back during an end-of-season press conference. Hoiberg wasn’t able to take Chicago past the first-round of this year’s playoffs, but Paxson believes that has more to do with a lack of shooting than it does with the coach.
Workout Notes: Nets, Bulls, Evans, Dorsey
The Nets worked out several prospects today, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Jaron Blossomgame, Devin Robinson, Wesley Iwundu, Damyean Dotson, London Perrantes and Tarik Phillip all participated in drills for Brooklyn.
There’s more news on prospects meeting with teams. Here’s the latest:
- The Bulls had Luke Kennard, Shane Hammink, Isaiah Briscoe and Isaiah Hicks in for a workout today, Scotto tweets. Chicago owns the No. 16 and No. 38 overall draft selections.
- Jawun Evans will work out for the Blazers on Thursday and the Thunder on Friday, according to Scotto (Twitter link). The scribe adds that Evans will meet with the Jazz on Saturday.
- Tyler Dorsey worked out for the Sixers today, Jessica Camerato of Comcast Sportsnet tweets. Dorsey will also work out for the Blazers, Kings, Pelicans, Hornets, and Spurs before the June 22 draft.
- Sindarius Thornwell, Dotson, P.J. Dozier, Johnathan Motley, Semi Ojeleye and L.J. Rose will all work out for the Lakers on Friday, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times relays (Twitter link).
Fred Hoiberg Emerging As Serious Candidate For Ohio State Job
Ohio State recently let go longtime coach Thad Matta and Gary Parrish of CBS Sports tweets that Fred Hoiberg is emerging as a serious candidate for the opening.
Hoiberg joined the Bulls’ sideline on a five-year deal during the 2015 offseason and the results have varied. He owns a record of 83-81 with the club, making the playoffs for the first time during this past season.
Earlier in the season, it appeared Hoiberg was losing the team. He clashed with Rajon Rondo, and other veterans, such as Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade, were reportedly tuning him out. However, after Chicago lost the final four games of its series with Boston, the veterans appeared to support their coach with Wade publicly standing up for his coach.
“I definitely believe [Hoiberg] got better throughout this year,” Wade said in response to fans calling for Hoiberg to be fired. “And I think you have more a grasp moving forward with what he wants to do with this team. You have to give people a chance.’’
Hoiberg coached in the college ranks from 2010 until 2015 at Iowa State University. He compiled a record of 115-56 during his time at the program.
Lakers Draft Notes: Ball, Jackson, Fox
Lonzo Ball worked out for the Lakers earlier today and he reiterated his desire to don the purple and gold, calling Los Angeles “home,” as Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com relays. The UCLA product added that he’d be comfortable playing for any team should the Lakers pass on him. “I’ll go to any team and just do what I do,” Ball said. “Play basketball.”
Today’s workout could be the first of several since the team would like to get more familiar with Ball’s unorthodox shooting form, according to Goodman. Multiple sources tell Goodman that despite the scrutiny of Ball’s shot, the point guard remains the favorite to go No. 2.
Ball believes his workout went well and he told reporters why L.A. should take him. “They need a leader,” Ball said. “They need a point guard. I feel like I can fill that hole.”
Here’s more from Los Angeles:
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com cautions that Ball to the Lakers is not a done deal and notes that a trade involving the No. 2 overall pick remains a possibility. Los Angeles isn’t going to mortgage the future for instant success, but Ford writes that the front office would like to start winning again “sooner than later.”
- Some within the Lakers’ front office are strong supporters of Josh Jackson with the feeling that the small forward’s defense would fit in well with the team, Ford writes in the same piece.
- Ford adds (same piece) that the team took notice of how De’Aaron Fox outplayed Ball in their NCAA Tournament matchup and the scribe pegs the odds of L.A. selecting Fox at 25%. He adds that Fox, Jackson, and Ball all have workouts with the team this week and those will all have an impact on the team’s decision.
- D’Angelo Russell would be an excellent fit next to Ball, Kevin Pelton contends in that same piece. Pelton cautions that it wouldn’t be great backcourt defensively, but it could work on the other end because of each guard’s ability to spread the floor.
Hawks GM Talks New Role, Howard, Championships
Travis Schlenk, who joined Atlanta’s front office as the team’s GM last week, faces several challenges as he looks to turn the Hawks into a championship contender, as ESPN.com details. One of Schlenk’s top priorities will be re-signing Paul Millsap. Another one of his objectives is to make it work with current coach Mike Budenholzer, who previously served as the Hawks team president.
“I have no reason to believe that there’ll be any issues with coach and I,” Schlenk said. “I’m here to help him. It’s a partnership. We’re in this together. I can’t be successful in my job if he’s not successful in his job. I think we’re going to have a very strong working relationship.”
Schlenk added that Dwight Howard remains in the team’s future and he plans to sit down with him. “I don’t judge people on what I hear. I judge people when I have a chance to sit down and talk to them. But he’s one of the most productive big guys in the league, so he’s important to us,” the GM added.
Before joining the Hawks, Schlenk helped build the current Warriors team in Golden State’s front office. He hopes to put Atlanta in that kind of position.
“We want to build a championship-quality team that’s sustainable,” he said. “We want to be in the conversation every year as a franchise than can compete for a championship.”
Five Key Offseason Questions: Philadelphia 76ers
In year one post-Sam Hinkie, the Sixers managed to increase the excitement surrounding the team without substantially improving the on-court product. The club never expected to push for the playoffs, but rather, it looked to give its young nucleus a chance to work together and grow for the future. Injuries to Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid robbed Philadelphia of that opportunity, though in a small sample size Embiid provided the franchise with hope for the future.
Here are five questions facing the Sixers as they enter the offseason…
1. Should the front office offer Embiid an extension this summer?
Embiid dominated in limited minutes this season, flashing potential as a franchise-saving big man. He scored 20.2 points per contest with a player efficiency rating of 24.1, figures that are only matched by six other rookies who played at least 25 minutes per game. Everyone else on that list is currently in the Hall of Fame, though on average, they each played around four times as many minutes in their rookie season than Embiid did.
Embiid’s talent is clear, but will he ever be able to play a full 82-game season? That’s something that will be baked into contract negotiations over the next year. He’s eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer and it’ll be interesting to see whether he opts for long-term security or bets on his health during the final year of his rookie contract.
2. What should the Sixers do with Jahlil Okafor?
Okafor seems to be perpetually on the trade block. The Sixers made a conscious effort to showcase him on multiple occasions this season with the hope of enticing a suitor, and he was nearly dealt to Portland after the team sat him for several games. The Pelicans were also linked to the Duke product, as were the Pacers. The Bulls appeared interested in bringing the Chicago native home, but no deal materialized.
Okafor’s place in the league seems to be in question. He hasn’t taken any drastic steps forward on defense and his offense appears to have plateaued. However, as we’ve seen throughout history, some players simply need a change of scenery and that’s likely the case with Okafor, as I suggested in his Trade Candidate piece earlier this season.
Adam Silver Talks Age Limit, Tanking, Knicks, Expansion
The league plans on discussing the current one-and-done rule with the NBA Players Association over the next year with the hope of raising the minimum age for draft-eligible players from 19 to 20, Greg Logan of Newsday relays.
“This year, the projection is that we’re going to have 20 one-and-done players coming and actually being drafted. When we first changed the minimum age from 18 to 19, the following year in 2006, we had two one-and-done players. So my sense is that it’s not working for anyone,” Silver said.
Silver added that teams believe players coming to the professional ranks from college after just one season aren’t as well-prepared as they should be. The league and the union agreed to table this issue in order to finalize the CBA this past winter.
Silver also addressed Phil Jackson‘s comments about Carmelo Anthony. Jackson previously said Anthony, who holds a no-trade clause, may be “better off somewhere else.” The players union took exception with the Zen Master’s statement, but Silver said no punishment for the Knicks executive is forthcoming.
“We did not consider disciplining Phil Jackson for those comments about potentially trading Carmelo,” Silver said. “The view of the league is that it’s not reciprocal. Players can’t trade themselves. Teams can trade players. So there’s never been a history of fining a team or disciplining a team executive for talking about trading a player.”
The commissioner also spoke about several other issues, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com passes along. Here are more highlights from his press conference:
- Silver addressed the NBA’s resting issue, calling for owners to be more involved in the team’s decision to rest players. Silver recognized that the league needs to reduce the amount of back-to-back and added that playing less than 82 games will not be considered. “It’s not 82 games, it’s not the length of the season, it’s the time between the games and that there’s a direct correlation between fatigue and injury on the part of the players,” Silver said.
- The commissioner acknowledged that the league has a tanking issue and suggested that changes could be on the horizon. “We’re not at the point where we’re going to have relegation to the Gatorade [Development] League and the way they do in Europe [with soccer],” Silver said. “That would stop it, but we’re not prepared to do that. But I think there’s more we can do to disincentivize teams from that behavior.”
- The league currently has no plans for expansion. “From my standpoint, for the league, you want ultimately a league where 30 teams are in a position where they can ultimately compete for championships and also be economically viable,” Silver said. “From an economic standpoint, we are doing better than we did historically, but we’re still not at a point where we have 30 teams that are profitable. … I also have to look at the potential for dilution of the existing talent we have before we expand. I have no doubt at some point we’ll turn back to it, but at least in my last discussions with our owners on this, most of them said let’s keep focusing on the health of these 30 teams and the quality of the competition. When we feel we’re in a better place with the 30 teams we have, maybe at that point we can look to expand.”
Former NBA Player Ben Gordon Arrested
Ben Gordon was arrested early this morning in Los Angeles for pulling multiple fire alarms in his apartment building, according to TMZ Sports. The publication claims Gordon was locked out of his apartment and decided to pull many of the alarms.
Gordon was taken into custody when the police and fire department arrived to find that there was no fire. He’s being charged with falsely activating a fire alarm, which is a misdemeanor in California.
The 34-year-old shooting guard played for the Mavericks’ D-League affiliate this past season in an attempt to draw NBA interest. He last played in the NBA during the 2014/15 campaign with the Magic.
Cavaliers Notes: Williams, James, Griffin
After spending most of his career as a No. 1 option, Deron Williams has taken a reduced role on the Cavaliers. It’s been an adjustment, but one that he’s willing to take on because of his teammates, as Fred Kerber of the New York Post passes along.
“You’re playing with the best player in the world, arguably the best point guard in the game [Kyrie Irving],” Williams said. “Superstars. It’s a team that was already established. They won it last year, so for me it was an adjustment. It was an adjustment coming over here [after being waived by the Mavericks in February] and learning to play where I did not have the ball in my hands for the whole game, didn’t know if I was going to play 20 minutes or 10 or 15. But after settling in and knowing what they need, it’s become easier.”
Here’s more from Cleveland as the franchise looks to repeat:
- Most people within the Cavaliers‘ organization feel that GM David Griffin will return to the team next season, Sam Amico of Amico Hoops writes. Milwaukee has interest in adding Griffin to the same role, but Cleveland won’t allow him to interview until its season is over.
- Irving knows LeBron James will be the clear leader of the Cavaliers while LBJ remains in his prime and he’s willing to wait for his turn to take over the team, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com relays. “Whenever that time comes and it’s my time to be the leader of the franchise, then I’ll be well-prepared. But for now, I’m cool with just being — I’m very, very cool with being — a great guy on a great team,” the point guard said.
- James and Irving have a special bond and James believes the two of them will never end up like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal—players who squabbled over roles and egos—McMenamin adds in the same piece. “He’s 25. He’s got at least 10 more years. I don’t. So I want to give him the blueprint and see what he [can] do with it,” James said. “You know, no matter if we’re teammates for the rest of his career or for the rest of my career, listen, it won’t be because we didn’t want to play with each other no more. It will never be that.”
- Five of the players on the Cavaliers‘ roster were acquired via trade, The Vertical’s Bobby Marks notes in a piece that examines how each player came to the organization. Kevin Love, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, Channing Frye and Kyle Korver all arrived in Cleveland in deals from other teams.