Eastern Rumors: Raptors, Price, Wall, Butler
The Bucks take on the Lakers tonight in a battle of teams currently occupying eighth place in their respective conferences, and while it seems the Lakers are the only team in the matchup that has to worry about making the postseason, the Bucks aren't moving any closer to clinching their spot. Milwaukee lost to the ninth-place Sixers last night, and Philadelphia could move within six games of the Bucks if the Lakers win tonight. Of course, six games back with 11 to play is quite a hill to climb, but the Bucks would surely feel more confident if they could break their four-game losing streak. Here's more on another team that's backsliding and more from around the East:
- While it appeared to be a near-lock that the Thunder would receive the Raptors' 2013 first-round pick, Toronto's recent slide may improve their odds of keeping it, writes Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. The pick is protected from 1-3 and 15-30, and if the Raptors keep losing, it's not out of the question that they finish with the league's fourth- or fifth-worst record, says Wolstat. As our tentative draft order shows, the Raps are currently tied for the NBA's ninth-worst mark.
- A.J. Price has been out for more than two weeks with a groin strain, and with just 11 games left in the season for the Wizards, the point guard is worried he won't get another chance to improve his free agent stock, as J. Michael of CSNWashington.com details. "It adds to the frustration but what can you do? What can you do? Injuries are part of the game. Just trying to get myself back to form as quick as possible so I can showcase what I can do for everybody and make a statement," he said."I’m really trying to get back on the court."
- John Wall, heading into a summer when he'll be eligible for an extension from the Wizards, has been drawing plenty of praise of late, observes USA Today's Sean Highkin.
- If Jimmy Butler continues to show the improvement he's displayed of late, the Bulls could have a tough decision in the summer of 2014, when Luol Deng will be a free agent and Butler will be eligible for an extension, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Prospect Profile: Victor Oladipo
If his track record of yearly improvement is any indication, Victor Oladipo could turn out to be the best player in the 2013 draft class. The rise of Indiana's athletically gifted swingman may not be fast enough to make him the No. 1 overall selection this June, but suffice it to say that TNT's Kenny Smith will get enough practice saying his name that he won't mispronounce it as he did on air last weekend.
Oladipo was a starter for just one season in high school at powerhouse DeMatha in Maryland, and was a middling prospect as he made his way to Indiana. Last season was his first as a full-time starter for the Hoosiers, and he made his mark as an energetic defender, delivering 1.4 steals per game in 26.7 minutes of action. Offensively, he was raw, at best. He notched just 10.8 points per game and shot a woeful 20.8% from three-point range. Thanks in large measure to a dramatic rise in his outside shooting ability, Oladipo has ascended into the elite this year. He's a 43.3% three-point shooter as a junior this season, and his overall field goal percentage has risen to 59.4%, remarkably high for a perimeter player. Together, that gives him an effective field goal percentage of 64%, and no lottery prospect has done better, as DraftExpress points out.
Oladipo is sixth on both the DraftExpress and ESPN rankings of draft hopefuls, though there's dispute over whether he's the best prospect on his own team. Cody Zeller was supposed to be the focal point for Indiana entering the season, but his relatively disappointing play coupled with Oladipo's emergence has forced the center to share the spotlight, if not cede it completely. The stacked Hoosiers roster helps explain why scouts are so high on Oladipo even though he averages just 13.6 PPG. He takes just 8.5 shot attempts a game, a number that figures to be higher next season in the NBA. In a way, it's reminiscent of Dion Waiters' role with Syracuse last season. Though Waivers was a sixth man and Oladipo starts, Waiters averaged about one more shot attempt per game than Oladipo does this year. The Cavs drafted Waiters No. 4 overall, and now he's putting up 14.7 PPG on 13.4 field goal attempts per game as the starting two guard for Cleveland.
The glaring difference between Oladipo and Waiters is on defense, where Oladipo's athleticism and motor have allowed him to dominate. Much could come down to Oladipo's pre-draft measurements. He's listed at 6'5", but if the tape shows he's any shorter, teams might downgrade him based on the concern that he couldn't guard small forwards. His effort and skill have never been in question, and that could help him overcome a size disadvantage, but such hairs are often split when deciding between the top 10 most heralded players in the world. In any case, he should be able to defend both guard positions, at least, and his enticing combination of athleticism and rebounding ability might be enough to sway any skeptics. His 6.4 rebounds per game average is second only to Zeller's on the team.
Often, fast risers up the draft board are international players about whom relatively little is known. This time, it's a homegrown product turning heads, and NBA executives will no doubt pay keen attention to his performance in the final rounds of the NCAA tournament. A poor shooting night may put a dent in his stock, particularly among teams that question whether this season's numbers are unsustainably high, but Oladipo doesn't seem conditioned to end with a whimper. There's a long way to go between March and the June 27th draft, and as some execs get their first in-person glimpses at him during pre-draft workouts, I wouldn't be surprised to see Oladipo's rise continue.
Danny Granger To Miss Rest Of Season
Pacers small forward Danny Granger will undergo surgery on his troublesome left knee and will be out for the rest of the season, the Pacers announced via press release. Granger has played only five games this year following a procedure for patellar tendinosis in October.
Granger's inability to return to the court for the team's playoff run this season represents a significant hit to his trade value, observes Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). He'll make $14.022MM in the final season of his contract next season, but even teams that might want to trade for him simply because of his expiring deal could be less inclined to do so after today's announcement, according to Mannix. Granger reportedly drew interest from the Jazz as part of a package deal before the deadline this year, but it seemed then that the Pacers would wait until the summer to entertain offers for Granger. Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard insisted in February that he wouldn't trade the player who entered this season having led the club in scoring each of the past five years.
Granger made his season debut on February 25th, but he hasn't played since March 3rd because of continued soreness in the knee. The injury didn't respond to what the team calls "conservative" treatments, and surgery was decided upon after consultation between Granger, Pacers doctors and renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. The surgery doesn't have a "slam dunk-high success rate," another orthopedic surgeon told the Indianapolis Star.
Largely without Granger's help, the Pacers have maintained their strong play from last season, when they secured the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and gave the eventual champion Heat a stiff challenge in the playoffs. This year Indiana sits at 45-27, again in third place in the East. First-time All-Star Paul George and surprising starter Lance Stephenson have stepped up in Granger's absence, so today's news isn't the devastating blow it could have been. Still, Granger's sizable cap hit for next season could limit the club's flexibility if a trade can't be worked out. The Pacers say in their press release that Granger will be ready for training camp.
Hornets Sign Terrel Harris For Rest Of Season
THURSDAY, 12:21pm: The Hornets have officially signed Harris for the remainder of the season, the team announced today in a press release.
WEDNESDAY, 8:00pm: The Hornets are expected to re-sign guard Terrel Harris for the rest of the season when his second 10-day contract with the team expires tonight, reports John Reid of The Times Picayune. Harris will take up the final roster spot for New Orleans when the move becomes official, meaning the team would have to waive someone on a guaranteed contract to sign anyone else this season.
Harris saw significantly more action on his second 10-day deal with the team than he did on his first, including more than 28 minutes of run on March 18th against the Warriors, when he had four points and five rebounds. Still, those are the only points he's scored in 79 total minutes over six games with the club. Harris began the season with the Heat, who kept him on their roster all of last season on their march to the NBA championship. The 6'5" Oklahoma State product has averaged 2.7 points and 2.1 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game in his two NBA seasons.
Harris will become the 11th player this year to sign two 10-day contracts followed by a rest-of-the-season deal with a team, as our 10-day tracker shows. That's more such deals than in any season since 2007/08.
Odds & Ends: Turkoglu, Harrington, Henderson
It was a busy 14-game night in the NBA, but there aren't too many of these evenings left. Every team will be in action three weeks from tonight on the final day of the regular season, but after that, four playoff games is the most NBA action we'll get out of a single night until the fall. As we savor the season while it lasts, here's news from around the Association:
- Hedo Turkoglu, back from his 20-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs, says he hopes to stay with the Magic, but as Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel notes, he has financial incentive to say so. The Magic would only have to pay half of Turkoglu's $12MM salary next season if they waive him.
- Fellow Magic forward Al Harrington has said repeatedly this season that he wants to play five more years, but he's already making post-retirement plans, telling Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida that he wants to go into broadcasting.
- Gerald Henderson is set to hit restricted free agency this summer, but says he "absolutely" wants to re-sign with the Bobcats, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links).
- Oklahoma junior power forward Amath M'Baye is entering this year's draft field, the school announced. The 23-year-old will finish his degree requirements this spring and plans to hire an agent, so it doesn't look like he'll remove his name from consideration before the April 16th deadline. Neither ESPN's Chad Ford nor Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress have M'Baye listed among their top 100 prospects.
- Bob Young of the Arizona Republic looks at the draft prospects playing in each game of the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 this week from the perspective of the Suns, who appear squarely focused on next season.
- Metta World Peace will miss a minimum of six weeks with a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, the Lakers revealed via press release. USA Today's Sam Amick examines the effect his absence will have on the team, noting that L.A.'s projected starting five has appeared together for just 189 minutes this season.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Celtics, Sullinger
It had to end sometime. The Heat finally lost a game after winning 27 in a row, falling to the Bulls tonight despite the absence of Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose. That leaves the Knicks, who earned their sixth straight victory with a win over the Grizzlies this evening, as the team with the longest current winning streak in the NBA. The six W's in a row have allowed the Knicks to essentially end the Celtics' hopes of a sixth straight division title, and New York has built a three-game lead on second-place Brooklyn, pending the Nets' late game against the Blazers. Here's more on a pair of teams looking up at New York in the Atlantic standings.
- Last year's Gerald Wallace deal allowed the Blazers to select Damian Lillard sixth overall in the draft this past June, but if that trade hadn't happened, the Nets still wouldn't have Lillard, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Brooklyn's scouts weren't high on last year's draft class, and the team likely would have traded the pick elsewhere if Portland hadn't come along, a source tells Bondy, who adds that the Nets weren't close to trading for Paul Pierce at the deadline a year ago, either.
- SB Nation's Paul Flannery delivers a lengthy piece on Celtics assistant GM Ryan McDonough, examining his role in drafting Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley, along with plenty of insight on the team's inner workings. The article deserves a look in full, particularly for Boston fans, and details someone who appears poised to take over an NBA front office sometime soon. "He’s very good at what he does," C's coach Doc Rivers said. "He’ll be a GM. There’s no doubt about that."
- Jared Sullinger's back had him red-flagged by NBA doctors before last year's draft, and even though the rookie is out for the season after undergoing back surgery, Rivers doesn't regret the Celtics taking him 21st overall, as Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer notes.
Poll: Should The NBA Address Tanking?
The Suns, at 23-48 and in last place in the Western Conference, have little to play for this season, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty at stake in the next few weeks for Phoenix. The Suns entered the night in a jumble of nine teams within five games of each other at the bottom of the standings, as our tentative draft order shows. A rare win could compromise the team's chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery, which currently stands at 11.9%. A win against the Jazz tonight would be twice as damaging.
Thanks to the Steve Nash sign-and-trade this past summer, the Suns will receive the Lakers' first-round pick this year if L.A. fails to make the playoffs. If the Lakers manage to sneak into the postseason, that pick goes to the Cavs, and Phoenix would instead receive Miami's pick, which will almost certainly be 30th overall. The Jazz sit one game behind the Lakers for the final playoff spot in the West, and they catch a break tonight. Suns starting point guard Goran Dragic isn't playing against Utah, and the team says the move is to allow Dragic to rest while rookies Kendall Marshall and Diante Garrett see more playing time, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Dragic, the team's leading scorer, is healthy and says he would play if he were allowed. Skeptics may wonder whether the Suns' true intentions have more to do with the draft than they're letting on.
Also tonight, the Magic gave up a 19-point lead after one quarter and lost to the Bobcats, bringing Orlando to within a half game of Charlotte for the league's worst record. If the Magic eclipse the Bobcats for that mark, they'll improve their chances at the No. 1 pick by 5.1%.
The draft lottery was instituted in 1985 in part to remove the incentive for teams to intentionally lose games to improve their draft stock, but nearly three decades later, the strategy of tanking appears to be alive and well. Proposals abound on how to fix the problem, from giving each team in the lottery an equal chance at the top pick to instituting a playoff for the No. 1 overall selection. We'll surely hear plenty such ideas in the next few weeks, but the central question is simply whether or not the NBA should take measures to encourage teams at the bottom of the standings to stay competitive toward the end of the season. Let us know your thoughts by voting, and if you have an idea for a system of awarding draft positions that would encourage teams to try to win, post it in the comments.
Poll: Should The NBA Address Tanking?
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Yes 57% (226)
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No 43% (173)
Total votes: 399
Southwest Rumors: Grizzlies, White, Brewer
The Mavericks are one of only two NBA teams sitting the night out, but the Grizzlies appear to be especially busy, juxtaposing a tough road game against the Knicks tonight with reports that they're apparently seeking a point guard. There's more on that and other news from Southwest Division teams, as we round up here:
- In a piece chronicling the Mavs' run at a playoff spot, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld wonders whether D-League center Jerome Jordan could be a fit for the Grizzlies. With starting center Marc Gasol back from injury and the team linked to Keyon Dooling and Jonny Flynn, there may not be much call for Jordan in Memphis.
- Royce White had his best showing as a pro Tuesday, with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his return to the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers, but he plans on leaving the Rockets' affiliate again when the regular season is over, as he tells David Hinojosa of The Monitor. "I’ll be here until the end of the regular season," the rookie said. "The playoff schedule and how hectic it is in the D-League probably ain’t going be the best thing for me. Going to the playoffs, I want them to have a team that’s going to stick together."
- Corey Brewer says he wants to return to the Nuggets as a free agent in the offseason, but the swingman also reveals that he came close to signing with the Spurs before inking his current deal, notes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post. The Celtics were also in the running for Brewer before the Mavs scooped him up and later traded him to the Nuggets.
- Giannis Antetokoumpo of Greece, who plays point guard despite his 6'10" height and 7'3" wingspan, has drawn interest from Rockets GM Daryl Morey, among others, reports Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com. Bryan Colangelo of the Raptors, Masai Ujiri of the Nuggets, and Sam Presti of the Thunder are the other GMs who've traveled to scout Antetokoumpo, who has an affordable buyout clause in his contract for next season with Zaragoza of Spain, according to Sheridan. While there appears to be some confusion about the spelling of his last name, he's No. 32 on the DraftExpress list of the top 100 draft prospects.
Bulls Sign Malcolm Thomas To 10-Day Contract
TUESDAY, 12:05pm: The Bulls have officially signed Thomas to a 10-day deal, the team announced today in a press release. The club now has 15 players under contract.
MONDAY, 1:25pm: The Bulls and Malcolm Thomas have reached agreement on a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com. Thomas' 10-day deal with the Warriors expired last night. The 6'9" power forward saw plenty of action while with Golden State, appearing in five games with the Warriors and one game with their D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
Thomas has made plenty of stops since going undrafted out of San Diego State in 2011. He was in camp with the Lakers that year, and spent a month with the Spurs last season, appearing in three games. The Rockets signed him to a 10-day contract later in 2011/12, but he didn't make an appearance for Houston. In addition to his cameo with the Santa Cruz Warriors last week, he's also played for three other D-League teams in the past two seasons, and spent time with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel.
The Bulls have maintained interest in Thomas since he caught their eye in summer league this past offseason, Charania writes. The 24-year-old will occupy the final spot on Chicago's roster and give the team depth up front, where Taj Gibson is dealing with a knee injury. The Bulls had big man Louis Amundson on a 10-day deal earlier this month, but he signed with the Hornets for the rest of the season when his contract with Chicago was up.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Paul Millsap
I examined Al Jefferson's free agent stock this weekend, and since his future seems tied to Paul Millsap, it makes sense to follow with a look at the other Jazz big man who could be on the move. The Jazz will likely re-sign one, but not the other, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, and the majority of Hoops Rumors readers who answered last night's poll believe Utah should keep Jefferson over Millsap. Utah has dropped few, if any, hints about which they're more likely to keep, but it seems safe to assume there's at least a 50-50 chance Millsap is playing elsewhere next season.
Millsap could just as easily have been playing on another team already if it weren't for the desire of the Miller family, owners of the Jazz, to stay competitive this season rather than break up the team's core via trade. The Jazz and Pacers reportedly discussed a deal that would send Millsap and Alec Burks to Indiana in exchange for Danny Granger and Lance Stephenson, though I'm not sure how seriously the Pacers would have pursued that swap, since Millsap and David West play the same position. It might have been a hedge against losing West in free agency, since the Pacers will only have Early Bird rights on West this summer, instead of the full Bird rights they would have had on Millsap if they traded for him. If West bolts in the offseason, Indiana could still turn to Millsap, and perhaps the Pacers would view Millsap as an upgrade.
West has said he wants to return to the Pacers, but if he has a change of heart, he and Millsap will likely compete for top billing among free agent power forwards. Much as there are similarities between Millsap and Jefferson, West and Millsap are also hard to differentiate. Millsap grabs a half-rebound more per game than West, and though Millsap is only averaging 15.0 points per contest to West's 17.3, that's offset by West's more frequent shot attempts. Their PERs are separated by two-tenths of a point. Where Millsap has the edge is in age, since, at 28, he's four and a half years younger than the 32-year-old West.
That means fewer teams could have reserverations about signing Millsap to a four-year deal, the most years he could get if he leaves Utah. The key is finding a team with enough cap room to accomodate what will likely be an eight-figure annual salary. The Clippers had interest in Millsap at the deadline, but their cap space appears targeted for Chris Paul, and I don't think they want to pair Millsap with Blake Griffin, another power forward, long-term. That's also why the Wolves, who also engaged in Millsap trade talks with the Jazz earlier this season, don't make sense as long as Kevin Love is around.
The Blazers were reportedly eyeing Millsap at the deadline, too, and they seem a somewhat more plausible destination. Portland, under previous management, signed Millsap to an offer sheet back in 2009. LaMarcus Aldridge occupies the power forward position for the Blazers, but at 6'11", he could shift to center if the team lets free agent J.J. Hickson go. Portland will have only about $43.2MM in commitments this summer, which should leave plenty of room to go after Millsap.
The Nets seemed eager to deal for Millsap at different points this year, but they're poised to be well into the tax this offseason, with no room to add any marquee free agents. The Jazz would like to work a sign-and-trade involving either Millsap or Jefferson, but the Nets won't be able to engage in a sign-and-trade for Millsap or anyone else, since the new CBA bars taxpayers from acquiring players via sign-and-trade beginning this summer.
The Rockets, Spurs, Hawks and Bucks are likely to be the only teams among those headed to the playoffs this year with the cap room to add a maximum salary player in the offseason. Unlike Jefferson, I don't believe there's any way Millsap will be able to command a max contract, but I think he could wind up with a starting salary of anywhere from $12MM to $15MM, depending on his priorities. He could probably sign for the higher amount with a non-contender, while a playoff team might convince him to bring his price down to the low end of that range. If the Jazz don't bring him back, I expect Millsap, who's used to winning in Utah, to sign with a team that can continue to give him a chance to compete.