Pacific Notes: Kings, Paul, Johnson
The Pacific Division figures to produce plenty of speculation heading into the draft. The Warriors and Lakers are potential landing spots for Kevin Love, and the Suns could turn their abundance of draft assets into an impact player to get them to the next level. Here’s a roundup of notes out of the division:
- A Sacramento judge threw out a lawsuit challenging the recently approved plans to build a new arena for the Kings, reports Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee. The opposition to the plans will continue via other legal strategies, but the plans don’t appear to face any substantial threat to be overturned.
- In an Insider-only piece, Larry Coon of ESPN.com looks at the NBPA’s precarious position regarding the Donald Sterling situation. Coon thinks aggressive moves by the union under president Chris Paul‘s direction would be risky, but that the star’s legacy could be damaged if he doesn’t do enough should Sterling continue to own the Clippers into next season.
- Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com reviews Wesley Johnson‘s season with the Lakers. McMenamin suggests the unrestricted free agent has a chance at re-signing with Los Angeles thanks to his potential and sharing an agent with Kobe Bryant, but wonders if the team will be convinced Johnson will ever turn into a consistent role player.
Eastern Rumors: Fizdale, Nogueira, Ross
Paul George has been cleared to play in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, days after being diagnosed with a concussion suffered in Game 2. The Pacers have fared well on the road this postseason, and will hope to regain home court advantage by snagging a win in Miami. Here’s a roundup of Eastern Conference news:
- Heat assistant David Fizdale hasn’t been contacted by any teams with head coaching vacancies, but does have Erik Spoelstra’s blessing to pursue a job, he tells Ira Winderman of Sun Sentinel. “There have been no [contacts], no conversations, nothing like that,” Fizdale said. “Quite honestly, [Spoelstra] gets very annoyed with me, because he’s like, ‘Why don’t you care about being a head coach?’ And I’m like, ‘Cause we’re in the playoffs.'” Fizdale has been linked with the Cavs vacancy, but downplays having any ties to Cleveland’s front office.
- Hawks 2013 first-round pick Lucas Nogueira has decided to leave his Spanish league team and either play for Atlanta or another European team next season, reports Javier Maestro of Encestando (translation via Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype). Nogueira still has a year left on his contract with Asefa Estudiantes of Spain, but his NBA buyout is $600K, which is precisely the maximum amount NBA teams are allowed to pay next season to cover a buyout from an international club without any money counting toward the cap.
- In an answer to a mailbag question, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star suggests that Terrence Ross is a trading chip the Raptors should gauge interest in this summer.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Bulls Rumors: Thibodeau, Boozer, Marion
A source tells Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report that Tom Thibodeau would only be interested in leaving the Bulls to coach the Knicks, which would be his “dream job,” as Bucher details in a video. Here’s more from Chicago:
- In an interview with Jarred W. Payton of The Game 87.7 FM, Taj Gibson refuted a report that the Bulls have informed him of plans to move away from Carlos Boozer next season. “I’ve not been told that I’m starting next season,” Gibson said. Gibson said that he’s unaware of any discussions about amnestying Boozer.
- However, Gibson spoke with Jay Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times as if he had been told to prepare for a starting role. ‘‘I mean, this will be exciting,’’ Gibson said. “This is what I’ve always thought about. When I started [six games] for Boozer when he was hurt during the [regular] season, I just know how excited I was, how good it felt to come to the arena.” It seems that Gibson was likely informed of his role as first reported, but is trying to avoid being used to verify the fate of a teammate, although that’s just speculation on my part.
- In the same article, Cowley speculates that the Bulls could target Shawn Marion to bolster their shooting, should they fail to land a bigger target this offseason.
- Cowley thinks Adreian Payne would be an ideal fit for the Bulls to select at No. 16 or 19 in this year’s draft.
Coaching Rumors: Scott, Gentry, Grizzlies
Chip Scoggins of The Star Tribune thinks Dave Joerger, who is interviewing to leave the Grizzlies and become the Wolves head coach, could bring the defensive focus and toughness Minnesota has lacked. Scogging also opines that Wolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders could find an outlet for his lingering coaching energy by grooming a young coach like Joerger. Here’s more from the coaching movement around the league:
- Byron Scott said he thinks he’s the perfect guy for the Lakers job in an interview with ESPNLA 710 Radio (transcription via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com). Scott invoked his relationships with Kobe Bryant and Dr. Jerry Buss to bolster his case. “It’s all about winning championships,” said Scott. “And [winning for Buss]…he was the first one to call me and tell me, ‘When you come to L.A., let me know so we can hang out and watch a game together,’ and things like that. Those two reasons alone is one big reason why I want the job so badly.”
- Scott also laid out what his first steps would be on the job, including getting on the same page with Bryant and emphasizing defense. “I think that’s the first thing [we’ve got] to get better at, the defensive part of basketball,” Scott said. In Scott’s most recent coaching stint in Cleveland, the Cavs never ranked better than 26th in defensive efficiency.
- Alvin Gentry is coveted by both Steve Kerr and Mike Malone as an assistant for their Warriors and Kings benches, tweets David Aldridge of NBA.com. The former head coach is currently an assistant with the Clippers, and is a head coaching candidate for the Cavs, Grizzlies, and Jazz.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com thinks that bringing Lionel Hollins back to coach the Grizzlies makes a lot of sense, considering the main difference between the team now and when he guided it to the Western Conference Finals is that the front office members that fired him are gone.
Eastern Notes: Celtics, Boozer, Del Negro
Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com writes that the Celtics may be better off enduring another year of rebuilding instead of turning in their best assets for a blockbuster acquisition like Kevin Love. Here’s the rest of the night’s notes from Boston and the rest of the Eastern Conference:
- NBA GMs see Rajon Rondo among the league’s best when he has his A game, but they’re concerned about his personality and consistency, reports Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, who examines the leaguewide perception of the players on the Celtics roster. One GM is wary of trading for Jeff Green, believing agent David Falk will convince him to opt out if he has a productive season, and the Celtics and other teams noticed the dedication Brandon Bass showed in an otherwise lost season for Boston, Bulpett hears.
- The Bulls coaching staff told Taj Gibson to prepare to become a starter next season, sources indicated to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, who suggests it’s further evidence that Carlos Boozer has played his last game for the team.
- The Cavs will soon schedule head coaching interviews with Alvin Gentry, Adrian Griffin, Vinny Del Negro, and other candidates, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Gentry and Griffin were known to be strong candidates, but this is the first report verifying Del Negro’s candidacy.
- New Bucks owners Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens are taking the reigns in Milwaukee following the draft lottery, telling Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel they will soon start meeting with front office and coaching personnel, whose future with the team is still up in the air. “I think right now we just want to spend time with everybody,” Lasry said. “Then we’ll have more of an understanding.” Head coach Larry Drew and GM John Hammond both have multiple years left on their contracts, but haven’t been assured of staying with the team.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Draft Rumors: Embiid, Lavine, Gordon
BDA Sports Management held workouts today for NBA teams to view some of the top prospects in this year’s draft. Here’s a roundup of tonight’s draft notes:
- Joel Embiid took the first step in assuaging concerns about his back, working out for NBA scouts and executives to demonstrate his health, per Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. Embiid impressed, leading one scout to tell Zagoria he belongs at the top of the draft. “He looks great. Running, jumping, dunking, bent up like a pretzel in warmups and stretching exercises,” the scout said. “He passed the eyeball test big time. Move him up.”
- The Warriors were well represented in watching Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon at the workouts, tweets Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times. Golden State was a notable presence, since they do not currently possess a first-round draft pick.
- Pincus relays in a separate tweet that the buzz around LaVine puts his floor in the 10-14 range of the lottery, and that he could get picked in the top 10.
- One executive told Pincus that he prefers Gordon over Noah Vonleh and Julius Randle, the Los Angeles Times scribe relays in another tweet.
Northwest Notes: Love, Nuggets, Blazers
Tim Bontemps of The New York Post ranks eight potential suitors in the Kevin Love sweepstakes, speculating that the Cavs and Suns have the best shot to pry the All-Star from the Wolves. Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Sources close to the Lakers tell Sam Smith of Bulls.com that they still believe Love wants to play in L.A., in spite of his rumored affection for other teams. Smith covers plenty of other Love topics in his latest mailbag column.
- Nuggets president Josh Kroenke tells Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post that he thinks Denver’s roster is already good enough to make the playoffs if healthy, and doesn’t feel an urgent need to overhaul the team after a disappointing 36-46 season. “I’ll be disappointed if we stay healthy and we’re not in the playoffs next year,” Kroenke said. “This roster, we’re always open for business and we’re always looking to improve our team, but sometimes the best thing you can do is just have continuity.”
- Kroenke also told Dempsey that the team has hopes of fully recovering from the departure of Carmelo Anthony in the next couple years. “That situation was so big at the time that it was going to have a ripple effect of probably four to five years,” Kroenke said. “Next year is going to be a very crucial year. It will be four years out, we’ll have had the guys for three years. And so it’s going to be a telling year. It’s a big year on a lot of levels for a lot of people.”
- The Blazers are not bringing back Mike Born as their Director of NBA scouting, sources tell Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com (Twitter link).
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Western Notes: Shaw, Nuggets, Pelicans
Lester Munson of ESPN.com explains some of the ramifications of Donald Sterling’s decision to try and have Shelly Sterling handle the sale of the Clippers. Munson writes that Adam Silver still has all the leverage, and thinks it’s possible that Silver is able to reach a settlement with the Sterlings prior to the June 3 vote to strip them of the team. Here’s more from out West:
- Nuggets GM Tim Connelly assured Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post that Brian Shaw will stay put as Denver’s coach, piggybacking on president Josh Kroenke’s assertion from earlier today. “Complete. Non. Story,” said Connelly.
- Kiszla thinks that the Nuggets should swing big this offseason, including testing the waters on a Kevin Love trade, trying to trade for Cleveland’s No. 1 pick, and even exploring just what value Denver could get in return for Shaw.
- Now that the pick sent by the Pelicans to the Sixers from last year’s Jrue Holiday/Nerlens Noel trade has settled at No. 10 in this year’s draft, Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune says that New Orleans is in a dangerous position following a one-sided deal. Smith worries that breakout star Anthony Davis will grow frustrated if the team stagnates, and the Times-Picayune scribe wonders if the Pelicans will find a way to move Eric Gordon‘s burdensome contract and trade their way back into the draft.
And-Ones: Love, Sterling, Nets
Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck tells Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe that Boston won’t start any serious trade discussions until the lottery is over. “Nothing has been discussed until we see the pick,” Grousbeck said. “When we see what pick it is, the phones will start ringing and we’ll start answering the phones.” Here’s more from around the league:
- The Wolves “gently probed” trade options for Kevin Love last season, league executives tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.
- In the same piece, Windhorst outlines three strategies the Wolves can implement to either retain Love or retain leverage with trade partners.
- The Rockets think they will have a shot at Love with a package built around Omer Asik and Chandler Parsons, according to Sam Smith of Bulls.com.
- The Warriors don’t want to give up Klay Thompson in a trade package to land Love, a team source tells Marcus Thompson of Bay Area News Group.
- The NBA has released a summary of the charges against Donald Sterling announced earlier today (H/T Jeff Caplan of NBA.com).
- Donald Sterling’s attorney has demanded that the NBA give his client three months to respond to the charges, reports Michael McCann of SI.com. The league will reject the request and move forward with the deadline of May 27th for Sterling’s response.
- Shelly Sterling’s lawyer weighed in as well, decrying the move to strip her stake in the team along with her husband’s as unlawful, according to a transcription of the statement by Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times.
- Tim Bontemps of The New York Post looks at five questions facing the Nets this offseason.
- In a separate piece, Bontemps recaps Alan Anderson‘s season with the Nets, writing that he envisions Anderson remaining with Brooklyn regardless of whether he picks up his $1.1MM player option for next season.
Draft Notes: Ennis, Love, Sixers, Jazz
The draft lottery is just a day away, and in addition to finding out which teams have the best shot at a franchise-changing talent, the results could help foster a pre-draft trading spree. Here’s the latest on the draft front:
- Tyler Ennis has been invited to the NBA’s Draft Lottery Show, tweets Fran Fraschilla of ESPN.com (H/T Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv). The invitation reinforces the perception of Ennis as a lottery pick.
- Sean Deveney of The Sporting News looks at how favorable lottery results could help the Lakers, Celtics, and Suns boost their chances of landing Kevin Love.
- Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer looks at the strategy of Sixers GM Sam Hinkie, who has made a multitude of moves to tank the roster and acquire draft picks for the coming years. While the severe measures might not pay off and have raised some eyebrows in a league built on competition, Ford writes that Hinkie has been justified in his approach considering Philadelphia’s limitations and the league’s lottery system.
- The Jazz will work out Melvin Ejim and Niels Giffey, among other players, on Tuesday, according to Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Randy Hollis of Deseret News writes that the next few weeks could be the most critical time in the history of the Jazz, starting with how the team fares in the draft.