Central Notes: Pistons, Howard Jr., Middleton
Team President Stan Van Gundy believes the team’s hiring of Arn Tellem will help the franchise attract free agents, but that’s not the only reason that the former agent was added to the payroll, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press writes.
“It’s certainly an advantage that some of his guys probably have a high level of trust in him and great loyalty to him. I don’t think there’s any question about that. I think that could be some help, but I think that’s different from thinking Arn’s going to go out and use that relationship and be manipulative. I don’t see that,” Van Gundy said.
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Juwan Howard Jr. worked out for the Pistons on Saturday, according to Terry Foster of The Detroit News. Although Howard Jr. is not expected to be drafted, Foster speculates that Detroit could sign him as an undrafted free agent. The scribe also suggests the Heat could bring him aboard because they employ his father.
- Khris Middleton would like to re-sign with Milwaukee this offseason, Gene Sapakoff of The Post and Courier writes. “We have a lot of great pieces with the Bucks,” Middleton said. “If we can stay together, we can do something special.” It was reported that Middleton could command an annual salary in the range of $13MM to $15MM.
- Devin Booker is definitely on the Bucks‘ radar, Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times writes. Booker met with the team during the pre-draft camp in Chicago. Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors has the guard going to the Hornets with the No. 9 pick in his latest Mock Draft.
Draft Notes: Looney, Payne, Workouts
UCLA Product Kevon Looney told Zach Links of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link) that his agents hear that he could be drafted anywhere from No. 7 to No. 20 in the draft. The forward is represented by both Aaron Goodwin of Goodwin Sports Management and Todd Ramasar of Stealth Sports, as our Agency Database shows. Looney also tells Links (Twitter link) that he has scheduled workouts with the Hawks, Heat, Bucks, Raptors, Hornets, Celtics and Knicks.
Here are some notes from Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times on the upcoming draft:
- Woelfel is hearing that Looney won’t be taken until late in the first round due to concerns about his asthma. Scouts that have monitored his career since he was in high school believe it has adversely affected his play. Woelfel notes that other scouts are not overly concerned because there were several NBA players with asthma who’ve had productive careers with the proper medication.
- In a poll of four longtime NBA scouts, Looney was ranked as the 10th best prospect in the draft.
- Cameron Payne was expected to work out for the Bucks, but his agent informed the team that the point guard won’t be coming to Milwaukee because he believes Payne will be drafted before that.
- Payne is still expected to work out for the Kings, who own the No. 6 selection. Payne has previously worked out for the Pacers and the Thunder.
Northwest Notes: Brooks, Cook, Jazz, Blazers
Kendrick Perkins didn’t see the firing of his former coach Scott Brooks coming, Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman writes.
“I was surprised. I was surprised. You can have all the talent you want. But one thing about Scotty is he won games,” Perkins said. “A lot of people talk about the offense, but he allowed KD and Russ to play their games. He let them play with a lot of freedom. But sometimes, I guess, you just gotta roll with a new voice. I wish them nothing but the best.”
Here are some notes from the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz will bring in Quinn Cook for a workout, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Cook believes he is better prepared for the NBA than some of the other guys in this year’s draft class thanks to spending time under coach Mike Krzyzewski, as he tells Zach Links of Hoops Rumors.
- Utah will also work out Terran Petteway, Montrezl Harrell, Kenny Chery, Darrun Hilliard and Maurice Walker, according to the the team’s Twitter feed. The Jazz own the No. 12, No. 42 and No. 54 selections in the draft, as our Draft Order page shows.
- The Blazers will work out Delon Wright, J.P. Tokoto, Jordan Mickey, Norman Powell, Vince Hunter and Keifer Sykes, according to Joe Freeman of the Oregonian (Twitter link).
Western Draft Notes: Towns, Grant, Jazz
Karl-Anthony Towns will interview with the Wolves and the Lakers, but won’t work out for any teams, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv reports. The big man would relish the opportunity to play in Minnesota. “It would be a blessing and an honor to even have a chance to play for Minnesota and be able to have the chance to play for a great organization and learn from a great mentor like Kevin Garnett,” Towns said.
Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- Jerian Grant, whom I profiled earlier today, will work out for the Raptors, Heat, Hornets, Nuggets and Wizards according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Grant previously worked out for the Pacers, Suns, Thunder and Rockets.
- The Suns are looking for play-makers off their bench and Grant may be a good candidate for the No. 13 pick, Coro opines in the same piece. “We’re looking at the guys who could possibly be backup point guards,” coach Jeff Hornacek said. “The more guys we can get on this team, whether it’s point guard, off-guard, three-man, center, forward, whatever it is — that bring intelligence to the game can only help us.”
- The Jazz own the No. 12 selection in the draft and Kincade Upstill of the Deseret News wonders if the team should trade its pick. Upstill examines some hypothetical trades involving the team’s first-rounder, including an intriguing swap with the Clippers that involves sending J.J. Redick to the Jazz for Trey Burke and the No. 12 pick.
Prospect Profile: Jerian Grant
The franchise that selects Jerian Grant will likely be seeking immediate dividends from its draft pick. The Notre Dame guard is one of the most NBA-ready prospects in this year’s draft class. He is a high-level athlete with explosiveness and playmaking ability. His assist totals improved every year in college, rising to 6.6 assists per game during his senior year, which was the seventh best mark in the nation. The point guard took good care of the ball last season as well, averaging only 2.1 turnovers per game.
Scoring has never been much of an issue for Grant. He led his team in scoring during the 2012/13 and 2014/15 seasons. Grant played extremely well to begin the 2013/14 campaign, but after only 12 games, he was suspended for the remainder of the season because of academic issues. The suspension might have been a red flag for NBA teams, but I suspect the fact that he stayed in school and earned his degree will quiet those concerns.
The 22-year-old doesn’t appear to have the ceiling that some of the other prospects in his class possess, which is the downside of selecting Grant. He can also be a bit ball-dominant, which is something teams are shying away from. Still, valuing potential or scheme fit over production has left many coaches and front office executives unemployed. Grant has produced during his time in South Bend and he has shown he has skills that will translate immediately to the NBA.
He should be able to join a team and carve out a role similar to Dennis Schröder’s in Atlanta. Schroder came into the league known as a playmaker, but he needed the ball to do so. The German native has done a good job of fitting in and leading the Hawks’ second team, although he does revert to his old style of play at times, as his 27.0 usage rate this past season indicates. Schröder was a solid first-round pick, one of the many moves that GM Danny Ferry made that allowed Atlanta to win 60 games this season. Drafting Grant can be, at worst, the kind of selection that allows a team to fill out its rotation with another quality NBA player. He has the potential to be much more than that, but the team that drafts him shouldn’t expect too much too soon.
Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks Grant as the 17th best prospect, while Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress ranks him as the 21st. Grant and his agent, Raymond Brothers of IAM Sports and Entertainment, believe he could be drafted higher than that, as Grant recently told Zach Links of Hoops Rumors.
“My agent and I have been hearing anywhere from No. 8 to No. 20, anywhere around that range. They don’t see me going past No. 22 and they say the ceiling is around No. 8 or 9. It’s a wide range right now,” Grant said.
The Pistons own the eighth pick in the draft and the team is expected to re-sign Reggie Jackson to be its starting point guard. Detroit also employs Brandon Jennings, but he was rumored to be available early in the season, before he tore his Achilles and before the Pistons traded for Jackson. Grant will work out for the Hornets, who own the ninth pick in the draft. Charlotte will have a void on its bench unit if Mo Williams leaves in free agency, but if Lance Stephenson remains on the team, it might make sense to give him a sixth-man role as the de facto second team point guard. That’s a dicey proposition given Stephenson’s production last season, but he is owed $9MM next year and it might be the best way for the team to get value out of that contract. Using Stephenson in this role and drafting Grant with the ninth overall pick would allow Charlotte to ease the 22-year-old into the NBA, while providing insurance of sorts in case of a Stephenson debacle.
The Heat own the No. 10 selection and if they believe Dwyane Wade wasn’t bluffing when he reportedly indicated that he is willing to leave Miami, they may be interested in drafting his replacement. You can see the similarities between point guard’s play at Notre Dame and Wade’s at Marquette, although Grant wasn’t nearly the force on the defensive end that Wade was. Assuming the team re-signs Goran Dragic, which seems likely, Grant could come off the bench next season and join Dragic in the starting lineup the following year if Wade departs. If Wade re-signs with Miami, which I believe is a more likely outcome, Grant could still see a heavy role as he plays out his rookie contract. Wade has only played in 71.34% of Miami’s regular season games since the 2011/12 season and only roughly 33.17 minutes during those games. The 33-year-old is reportedly looking for a three-year, $45MM deal after his current one expires. If the Heat have Grant, who would make slightly more than $11.6MM over the four years if selected with the 10th pick, on the roster, they could use him as their spot starter when Wade misses games and it could help the team cope with paying a hefty salary to an aging veteran. The team could just as easily go in a different direction with its draft choice given all the resources it already used on its backcourt.
Grant previously worked out for the Pacers, who own the No. 11 pick. If Roy Hibbert and David West both opt in, Indiana won’t have many resources available to add help to its roster, as Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors explains in the team’s Offseason Outlook. Grabbing a player who could help right away with its first-round selection may be something the team looks into, although that is merely my speculation.
Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors has Grant going to the Mavs with the No. 21 selection in his latest Mock Draft. Dallas, as well as Chicago at No. 22, would be ecstatic to get a contributor at that juncture of the draft. Grant also worked out for the Suns and the Wizards, who own the No. 13 and No. 19 picks, respectively. The Sixers interviewed Grant about playing in Philadelphia alongside his younger brother, Jerami, whom the team drafted in the second round last year. The Notre Dame alum seemed delighted about the possibility of playing in the City of Brotherly Love, as he told Links.
“It’d be great,” Grant said of playing with his brother. “We got to play together a bit when we were younger. Both of our games have developed so much, so I think that we can be a dynamic duo together.”
The Sixers do not possess a first-round pick in the range where Grant is expected to go off the board. The team does have five second-round picks this year as well as an abundance of additional future selections, so a move into the middle of the first round could be in play.
NBA scouts have nearly five seasons worth of games to evaluate Grant, and because of the large sample size, it’s clear he is one of the safest picks in this year’s draft. Whichever franchise selects him will be getting a playmaker who can contribute immediately and help improve the team.
Draft Notes: Holmes, Christmas, Mickey, Vaughn
Richaun Holmes, Rakeem Christmas, Jordan Mickey and Rashad Vaughn have improved their stocks considerably, as one Eastern Conference GM tells Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops.
“All four have helped themselves so far during the workouts,” the anonymous GM said. “Vaughn has a chance to go in the first round. The other three are second-round picks. Although Christmas has apparently intrigued some teams at the bottom of the first round.”
Here’s more from Scotto on these prospects:
- Holmes will work out for the Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, Raptors and Grizzlies as well as other teams that should bring him to roughly 15 workouts. He has already worked out for the Jazz, Spurs, Suns, Pacers and Mavericks. Holmes previously spoke with Zach Links of Hoops Rumors about how he changed his form to improve his shooting.
- Mickey will work out for the Wolves and Spurs. He has already worked out for the Bulls, Rockets and Celtics. “I like Mickey,” an Eastern Conference GM told Scotto. “He’s an NBA shot blocker and rebounder. He’s a more athletic Taj Gibson.”
- Vaughn has already worked out for the Heat and Pacers. “I really like Vaughn,” one GM told Scotto. “He’s a good shooter with range. He can get his own shot and is athletic.”
Eastern Notes: Cavs, Sefolosha, Sessions
LeBron James admitted that Kyrie Irving was a factor in his decision to return to Cleveland, Chris Fedor of the Northeast Ohio Media Group writes.
“Part of the reason I decided to come back from the beginning was how special [Irving] was. I noticed that,” James said. “To see him grow and see him learn what it means to truly be a professional every day since I’ve been here is a been a huge reward and it’s great to see it. To see his mind process so many different things over the course of these months and be able to translate that not only on the court but off it as well, has been a treat to watch.”
The point guard didn’t fully appreciate how great James was on the court until the four-time MVP joined the team in July.
“I was just speechless,” Irving admitted. “I became a fan to be honest with you. It’s a different feeling when you’re on a team with someone you’ve watched for so long.”
James and Irving averaged 47.0 points per game as a a tandem, which was more than any other pair of NBA teammates. The Cavs will take on the Warriors in the NBA finals and they hope to bring Cleveland its first professional sports championship since 1964.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Thabo Sefolosha believes his April arrest damaged his reputation, Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com writes. “We are talking about the stress that it has brought to the entire family, you know, my mom and dad in Switzerland, my brothers and sisters, my wife. Also, the damage to my reputation. I’ve had people texting me about what they saw in the newspaper and things like this. Every aspect of my life was affected by something like this, and I think putting light on the aftermath of something like this, I think that’s also something that’s important,” Sefolosha said. The forward is under contract with Atlanta through the 2016/17 season.
- Ramon Sessions, who filled in admirably for John Wall when the All-Star was injured, was a great mid-season acquisition by the Wizards, Brandon Parker of The Washington Post opines. The University of Nevada product figures to lead Washington’s second unit next season and he will make slightly over $2.17MM.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Young, Nets, Celtics
The Sixers hold the third overall pick in this year’s draft and the team will select the player that they believe will be the best player long-term rather than the player who’s more NBA ready now, Tom Moore of Calkins Media writes.
“We’ll spend all the available time between now and then to try to gain all the information we can to make good decisions,” GM Sam Hinkie said. “By design, we’ll have to make a decision at the end of June. I think it’s really a mistake to make one sometimes much, much earlier.”
Many executives believe the Sixers will take D’Angelo Russell, but selecting Emmanuel Mudiay remains a possibility due to his potential. Moore wonders what the team will do if either Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns fall to the third pick. He believes the team would keep Towns, but it would look to trade Okafor, potentially to the Knicks for their fourth overall pick and an additional asset. New York cannot trade a first round pick until 2018, but that might work for Hinkie, who appears to be one of the most patient executives in the league.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Joseph Young will work out for the Nets, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily writes. Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks the Oregon product as the 40th best prospect, while Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress ranks him as the 53rd. Brooklyn holds the No. 29 and No. 41 picks in this year’s draft.
- The Celtics need to improve their talents and cannot afford to pass on free agents this summer, Jackie MacMullan of the Boston Globe opines (Video link). MacMullan concedes that a top target, such as LaMarcus Aldridge, could be difficult to obtain, but even if that is the case, the team needs to add players from the next tier of free agents. She suggests Khris Middleton and Tobias Harris as potential targets. DeMarre Carroll could be another option, as Boston reportedly has interest in the forward. The Celtics have slightly more than $40.4MM in guaranteed salary on the books for the 2015/16 against a projected $67.1MM salary cap. The team could sign a few mid-tier free agents in order to improve on their 40-win campaign.
Latest On Goran Dragic
Goran Dragic is a fan of coach Erik Spoelstra as well as team president Pat Riley, and the Heat’s status as the front-runner to keep him remains unchanged, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears. Jackson lists the Lakers, Knicks, Pelicans, Kings and Bucks as other teams that are expected to have interest in signing the guard.
Dragic has previously confirmed that he’ll turn down his $7.5MM player option. The Heat possess the guard’s Bird rights, meaning they can offer him a fifth year, which is reportedly something Dragic values highly. The 29-year-old has previously said the Heat meet all the criteria he’s looking for in a team from a basketball standpoint and he’s named Miami as his favorite U.S. city. Dragic wants the Heat to play much faster next season, but he’s been assured that’s a key part of Miami’s plan, a source tells Jackson.
Still, Dragic has reportedly viewed the Lakers as a “perfect fit,” so perhaps Los Angeles is Miami’s biggest threat to sign the winner of the NBA’s 2013/14 Most Improved Player award. The Knicks and Lakers, along with the Heat, were among Dragic’s preferred destinations prior to the deadline trade that sent him from Phoenix to Miami.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, Curry, Knight
The Warriors beat the Rockets on Saturday night by a score of 115-80 and Stephen Curry passed Reggie Miller for the most three-pointers made in a single postseason. Curry has made 63 shots from behind the arc during just 13 playoff games and has made a staggering 91% of his left corner three attempts. Curry, who signed a four-year, $44MM contract extension in 2012, may have most team friendly deal in the league.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Brandon Knight will be a restricted free agent this summer and he hasn’t yet made his decision on where he is going to sign, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic writes. “For myself, just doing what I’m comfortable with and what’s best for myself and for my family,” Knight said. “I can’t speak on that until I know what’s going on and that won’t be until July.”
- Knight, who before coming to Phoenix played a majority of his minutes as a point guard, enjoys sharing the responsibilities with Eric Bledsoe, Coro writes in the same piece. “As far as playing with Eric goes, I think it’s a great thing because you have two players who can attack at any time. Instead of having one team focus on just one of us, being able to have two guys who can really break down a defense at any time, I think will not only make it easy for myself but also make it easier for him as well,” Knight said. “If Eric was a selfish guy, then I think it wouldn’t work but both of us being pretty unselfish guys and really just wanting to win and also being familiar with each other, I think that helps the situation.”
- Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic believes that Curry could change the NBA, just like Steve Nash did nearly a decade ago. Nash’s impact changed how the league played, cleansing the game of shoot-first point guards in favor of players who empowered their teammates to play a more efficient version of the sport. Bickley wonders if Curry’s success will inspire more prospects to prioritize shooting from long-range.