Lakers Notes: Draft Pick, Johnson, Russell
The Lakers own a record of 19-37, which is currently the third-worst mark in the league. If the season ended today, the team would have a 15.6% chance at the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, as our Reverse Standings indicate.
If Los Angeles’ 2017 draft pick ends up outside the top-3, Philadelphia will receive it and the team’s 2019 first round pick will go to Orlando. If the Lakers do not convey their 2017 first-rounder to the Sixers, they will send two second-rounders to the Magic instead of that 2019 first-rounder.
As we wait to see where the team’s pick ends up, check out some notes from Los Angeles:
- Magic Johnson was hired to be a special advisor to Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss, but Johnson recently revealed that he wants to “call the shots” in the front office. Jeff Miller of the Orange County Register wonders if Johnson is the right person to run the show in Los Angeles. Miller admits that Johnson will restore legitimacy to the team, but adds that his presence may not help in free agency. The scribe notes that the former Laker great was part of the team’s pitch to Carmelo Anthony in 2014 and it didn’t bring the star to L.A.
- D’Angelo Russell is showing signs that he can live up to his 2015 draft status, Ben Alamar of ESPN.com writes. The Ohio State product is posting similar numbers to Chris Paul when Paul first came into the league. Alamar notes that Russell’s biggest deficiency is his ability to get to the free throw line, as the point guard is averaging less than 5.5 free throw attempts per 100 possessions.
- There’s reason to be optimistic about Julius Randle‘s career going forward, Alamar contends in the same piece. The scribe applauds Randle’s passing ability as well as his rebounding ability, but notes that the power forward’s efficiency on offense is holding him back.
Eastern Notes: Gibson, Embiid, Booker
With the exception of Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson is the Bulls‘ most valuable trade asset, Bobby Marks of The Vertical writes. Gibson is making $8.95MM in the final year of his contract and Marks cites the power forward’s contract along with his tremendous durability as the reasons why his value is so high.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo said that he doesn’t expect Joel Embiid‘s knee injury to linger long-term, though he added that the team’s medical staff will ultimately make the call on when he returns to the court, as Brian Seltzer of NBA.com relays. “If the injury presents as asymptomatic, and he can show he’s healthy and able to play basketball, there’s no reason he shouldn’t play,” Colangelo said. “I don’t think there’s any potential long-term effects. This is not thought to be a severe injury. It’s thought to be a complicated injury.”
- Trevor Booker was recently moved to the bench and he’s handled coach’s decision extremely well, Zach Braziller of The New York Post writes. Booker felt it was important to show his younger teammates how to act in the face of adversity. “We got some younger guys that’s new to it,” Booker said. “For me, being that leader, showing them different things, that’s what the young guys need.” The Nets brought in the power forward to mentor the team’s youth and to help build a winning culture, as I detailed in the inaugural edition of Fantasy Hoops.
Hoops Links: Raptors, Westbrook, Heat
On Sundays, we link to some of the very best work from around the basketball blogosphere. Do you have a link to a great basketball blog post – either your own or someone else’s – that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Then you should send it to us at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s rundown …
- Raptors Rapture argues that Toronto needs to get more from its center position.
- Completely Biased Sports takes a look at some under-the-radar moves the Celtics can make.
- Seth Curry has been lighting it up since the start of 2017, as The Jump Ball details.
- The 76er Files wonder if Russell Westbrook can win a championship.
- The Hardwood Nation examines the how the Heat have started to turn their season around.
- The Unbalanced takes a trip to Dion Waiters Island.
- SamePageTeam compares James Harden‘s game this season to Steve Nash‘s during his back-to-back MVP campaigns.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Will at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Stein’s Latest: Ibaka, Gallinari, Lopez, Millsap
There’s a growing sense around the league that Serge Ibaka could be dealt before the trade deadline, Marc Stein of ESPN.com writes. Orlando traded for Ibaka during the offseason with the thought that he could be a long-term fixture with the team. However, the Magic now feel retaining the big man in free agency could be harder to accomplish than they initially expected.
A source told Stein that the belief around the league is that Orlando will take the best offer for Ibaka at the deadline. The Magic are fielding calls from several teams and Toronto and Miami are among the Eastern Conference teams to express interest in Ibaka this month, sources tell Stein.
Here’s more from Stein’s latest piece:
- There is growing belief that the Nuggets are prepared to move Danilo Gallinari, as the team believes he will turn down the player option in his contract and become a free agent this offseason. Stein adds that Denver doesn’t plan on breaking the bank for the small forward and notes that the Raptors and Clippers are among the teams monitoring the situation.
- The Nets continue to demand two first-round picks in exchange for Brook Lopez, Stein writes.
- The Hawks remain adamant that Paul Millsap will not be traded. The team is willing to stick it out with Millsap this season even if it means losing him for nothing come summertime.
Blazers Looking To Trade Festus Ezeli
The Blazers are “determined” to move Festus Ezeli before the trade deadline, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports. Portland is talking to teams that are below the salary floor and it may be willing to send draft picks to a team willing to take on the big man’s contract.
Ezeli signed a two-year, $15MM deal with the team during the offseason, but he hasn’t been able to play because of a knee injury. Portland is currently slightly under the luxury tax, but the team will be well over the luxury tax line next season once C.J. McCollum‘s extension kicks in.
The center will make $7.4MM this season, but only $1MM of his salary for next season is guaranteed. Stein notes that the Nuggets, Sixers, and Nets are the three teams that sit the farthest under the salary floor with all three being at least $6MM under.
Nuggets Notes: Plumlee, Okafor, Draft Picks
Earlier today, Denver agreed to trade for Mason Plumlee, who will be a restricted free agent after the season. The team will retain Plumlee’s rights in restricted free agency this summer and that was a major draw for the Nuggets, as Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post relays (Twitter links). The Nuggets will have the right to match any offer sheet Plumlee signs during the offseason, but Dempsey expects them to re-sign him without having to go that route.
Here’s more from the Northwest:
- The Nuggets are no longer in talks with the Sixers for Jahlil Okafor, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Denver was one of four teams reportedly in talks with Philadelphia for the big man.
- The Nuggets will receive a 2018 second-round pick from the Blazers as part of the Plumlee deal. Mark Porcaro (Twitter link) notes that the Blazers have already given the Kings the right to swap second-rounders with them in that draft, which means Denver is likely to receive the lesser of the two picks.
- Dempsey (Twitter link) believes that Plumlee has the ability to play the power forward spot next to Nikola Jokic and he can envision the Nuggets using that combination. Plumlee has expanded his game this year, as I wrote in a recent edition of Fantasy Hoops.
Sixers Nearing Jahlil Okafor Trade?
10:56 PM: Okafor has told teammates that he believes he will be traded soon, according to Jake Pavorsky of Liberty Ballers (Twitter link).
10:39 PM: No deal is imminent, according to Jessica Camerato of Comcast Sportsnet (Twitter link), though trade talks are now more advanced than they were with the Bulls and Pelicans.
9:49 PM: The Sixers took on the Heat tonight, but Jahlil Okafor did not suit up and David Aldridge of NBA.com (Twitter link) reports that Philadelphia sat him because trade discussions are gaining momentum. After the game, coach Brett Brown confirmed the report. He told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links) that there were “trade rumors” surrounding Okafor and that’s why he didn’t play. The Sixers have two more games before the All-Star break and Okafor could sit out both of those contests if he’s still on the team, Pompey adds.
Philadelphia is reportedly looking for at least one future first-round pick in exchange for Okafor. Out of the team’s big men, he’s the most likely to be traded, as I wrote in his Trade Candidate piece earlier this week.
New Orleans and Philadelphia recently discussed an Okafor trade. The Pelicans have been active in their attempts to add a center, dangling multiple assets, including their 2018 first-rounder, in talks with other teams. The structure of a potential Okafor-to-New Orleans deal would reportedly have Alexis Ajinca heading to Philadelphia along with the 2018 first-round pick.
Okafor played well this week amongst the constant trade speculation. He averaged 14.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 24.3 minutes per game during the three contests in which he participated in. He shot 51.7% from the field and added three blocks over that stretch.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 2/11/17
Here are Saturday’s D-League Assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Pistons have recalled Henry Ellenson and Michael Gbinije from their D-League affiliate, the Grand Rapid Drive, according to a team press release. Ellenson is averaging 18.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in the D-League this season, while Gbinije is averaging 13.5 points and 1.8 steals per contest.
- The Sixers have recalled Chasson Randle from the Delaware 87ers, according to a team press release. Randle was in uniform against the Heat, but did not see any action.
- The Knicks have assigned forward Maurice Ndour and Marshall Plumlee to their D-League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, according to the team’s Twitter feed.
Latest On Larry Sanders
Larry Sanders hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2014/15 season, but earlier this month, he announced that he was attempting a comeback. He hired Joel Bell to be his agent and he recently worked out for several teams, including the Celtics. According to Bell, one NBA team has already made an offer to the big man, as Gery Woelfel relays on his website.
“A lot of teams have expressed interest in Larry,’’ Bell said. “We already have one offer on the table. We should have something done at some point, probably by the All-Star break.’’
Six teams attended Sanders’ workout in Miami, though Bell wouldn’t disclose which teams were in attendance nor would he disclose which team made the offer.
An anonymous NBA executive from a team which is considered a “lock” for the playoffs told Woelfel that his team had representatives at Sanders’ workout. The source told Woelfel that Sanders had a good showing at the workout and added that two other playoff-bound teams were also in attendance.
Former NBA Player Fab Melo Passes Away
Former NBA big man Fab Melo has passed away at the age of 26, according to Adam Zagoria of the New York Times (Twitter link). Melo had a heart attack while he was sleeping and he was found in his home, according to Gabriel Andrade of SporTV (Twitter link).
Melo was selected by the Celtics with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2012 draft. He played six games in the NBA for Boston during the 2012/13 campaign but mostly spent the year in the D-League.
Melo was a McDonald’s All-American in high school and he played two seasons at Syracuse University where he earned the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award. The big man most recently played for Brazilia of the Brazilian Novo Basquete Brasil league in his native country.
Hoops Rumors sends its best wishes and condolences to Melo’s family and friends.