Amick On Bobcats, Cavs, Kings, Blazers
Our Draft Updates post chronicles the rumors we've been hearing throughout the day, and Sam Amick of SI.com has a piece that warrants its own post. Amick details the latest on Bradley Beal, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson and Damian Lillard, players who could be taken with picks two through six.
Raymond Felton Eyes Knicks, Blazers, Suns, Nets
Unrestricted free agent point guard Raymond Felton says he could wind up back with the Knicks or the Blazers next season, while the Suns and the Nets are also in the mix, according to comments he made to Conan Gasque of SCnow.com (hat tip to Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge). Felton, who turns 28 next week, says he's looking for a team that employs a fast-paced system similar to the one in which he thrived while playing for Mike D'Antoni with the Knicks.
Rockets News: Dragic, Lee, Budinger, Camby
The Rockets appeared earlier today to be on the cusp of a deal involving Samuel Dalembert and the 16th pick, but multiple reports deny that a deal is imminent. There's plenty to suggest the Rockets will be active one way or another, including a report from Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston indicating the team will look to retain Goran Dragic, Courtney Lee, Chase Budinger and Marcus Camby.
Jason Kidd Willing To Sign With Knicks
Jason Kidd is willing to sign with the Knicks, according to comments the free agent point guard made on The Michael Kay Show on ESPNNewYork.com. Kidd also reiterated his interest in a return to the Nets, the team he played for from 2001 to 2008.
Celtics Form Partnership With Maine Red Claws
JUNE 21ST, 9:14am: The Celtics made their partnership with the Red Claws official today, announcing the agreement in a press release. The single-affiliation hybrid partnership will take effect for the 2012/13 season.
JUNE 16TH, 12:45pm: The Celtics are the latest NBA team to take over the basketball operations of their D-League affiliate, Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside reports, as they're nearing a deal to form a "hybrid partnership" with the Maine Red Claws. Presumably, this means the Red Claws will become solely an affiliate of the Celtics and end their relationship with the Sixers and Bobcats.
Draft Updates: Saturday
Earlier updates:
- Syracuse center Fab Melo tells HoopsWorld's Stephen Litel that he is emulating Tim Duncan in his style of play.
- Morley Quatroche of WEEI.com looks at Miles Plumlee as a potential draft target for the Celtics.
- Paul Coro of AZCentral.com says that the Suns are looking to improve their offense in the draft.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel looks at a handful of guards who have worked out for the Bucks recently.
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld.com talks to Iona's Scott Machado, who is attempting to raise his profile ahead of the draft.
Brandon Roy Wants To Play In 2012/13
5:30pm: The Oregonian's John Canzano has a new column advising Blazers fans to prepare for Roy's return.
3:26pm: The progress of Roy's recovery will be on display this weekend when he plays in the Jamal Crawford Summer Pro-Am with Nate Robinson, Spencer Hawes, Quincy Pondexter and Isaiah Thomas, among others, Kennedy reports (Twitter links).
11:51pm: NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper has a quote from University of Washington guard Tony Wroten, supporting the claim that Roy is in excellent physical condition.
10:43am: Former Blazers shooting guard Brandon Roy is preparing to return to the NBA next season, according to comments he made on the Twitter account of close friend Will Conroy, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reports. Roy has been contemplating a comeback for several months, after repeated knee injuries prompted him to retire before the season.
Kennedy On Roy, Celtics, Sixers, Gasol
HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy has the day's major story so far, about the return of Brandon Roy. While Roy suffers from a degenerative condition in his knees, Kennedy is confident that Roy can not only come back to play in the NBA, but do so at a high level. Kennedy recalls a conversation with Jamal Crawford, who said Roy looked dominant in pickup games against NBA players right before he retired. There will be plenty of suitors for Roy, Kennedy opines, believing he'd fit in as a sixth man with the Heat or the Lakers. There are several rumors on other topics around the league in Kennedy's latest chat transcript, and we'll hit the highlights here.
Southeast Rumors: Magic, Hawks, Sund, Sy, Gladyr
While Thunder GM Sam Presti is getting plenty of justifiable credit for the job he's done building the team, Heat president Pat Riley deserves some praise, too, for attracting marquee talent and surrounding it with enough to earn consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. As Luke Adams detailed yesterday in his look at how the Heat were built, every player on the roster has either signed a new deal or an extension within the past two years, which represents a lot of front-office legwork in a short amount of time. While Miami endures its fair share of criticism, plenty of teams wouldn't mind switching places, and there's news on a few trying to do just that.
Celtics Rumors: Crawford, Pietrus, Dooling, Daniels
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com yesterday advanced the notion of Jamal Crawford joining the Celtics. Fellow CSNNE.com scribe Rich Levine endorses the idea, but believes Crawford is seeking a multi-year deal worth more per year than the $5MM he made this past season with the Blazers, and wonders whether the Celtics are willing to spend that much on him. Crawford is expected to decline his $5.225MM Blazers option for next year. There's plenty more on potential Celtics comings and goings this morning, with just a few weeks to go until free agents officially hit the market.