Northwest Notes: Fisher, Garrett, Cunningham
Trail Blazers center Robin Lopez has been surprised at how great a fit the city of Portland has been for him this year, both on and off the court, he told listeners of The Jim Rome Show today. “It’s funny, when I was playing in Phoenix, Channing Frye, who had been in Portland, told me if I visited there, if I went there, I was just going to love it. And I was a little reluctant to believe him just because Channing talks a lot of stuff. But it turns out he’s been 100 percent right. I can’t believe how perfectly the fit has been,” said Lopez (transcription via Sean Meagher of Oregon Live). Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- After going undrafted in 2011, bouncing around Europe and the D-League, and making short-lived stops with the Suns and Thunder, Jazz backup point guard Diante Garrett tells Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune he’s hoping to prove himself and find some permanency in Utah. “You try and not think about it all the time because it will weigh you down,” said Garrett, who has an unguaranteed contract for next season at less than $1MM. “Just go out there and do what you’ve been doing all year and put even more effort into it, because there are going to be a lot of eyes watching, a lot of people watching, a lot of people talking.”
- Speculation has tied Thunder guard Derek Fisher to the Knicks head coaching position, but he tells Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman that he hasn’t spoken with Phil Jackson about the gig, and reiterates that he’s not looking to coach next season.
- Caron Butler tells Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman he came to the Thunder following his buyout with the Bucks because he wanted a chance to play a significant part in a championship run. “I wanted to play,” Butler said. “I wanted to be effective. I wanted to have my fingerprints even more on the success of the team.” Butler won a championship with the Mavs in 2011, but sat out that postseason with an injury.
- Dante Cunningham is the only Timberwolves rotation fixture set to become an unrestricted free agent next year, and Andy Greder of St. Paul Pioneer Press wonders if Minnesota will value the forward’s intangibles enough to re-sign him despite his poor on-the-court statistics.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Andrew Wiggins Enters NBA Draft
MONDAY, 2:10pm: Wiggins made it official, announcing in his press conference today that he’s entering the draft. He’s among nearly 20 underclassmen who’ve made it known that they intend to head to the NBA, as our updated early entrants list shows.
SUNDAY, 8:20pm: Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins will have a press conference tomorrow at 2:00pm CST to announce his decision regarding the draft, per Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. It has long been widely assumed that Wiggins will declare for the NBA draft, and Goodman says this will be the case tomorrow (Twitter links).
As we detailed in our Prospect Profile series, the Canadian phenom has been considered a first-overall talent since high school. Although Wiggins had an inconsistent year at Kansas, including a 4-point dud in the Jayhawks’ elimination game from the NCAA tournament, he still sits atop many draft projections, including those of Jonathan Givony at DraftExpress and ESPN Insider Chad Ford. The only two players believed to threaten Wiggins at the top of the draft are teammate Joel Embiid and Duke’s Jabari Parker. Parker also had an underwhelming tournament exit, and Embiid sat out of the tourney due to a back injury.
And-Ones: Izzo, Harrison Twins
Most people close to Tom Izzo think the coach would entertain NBA offers, but wouldn’t leave Michigan State in the vulnerable situation they face next year, per ESPN Insider Jeff Goodman [subscription only]. Here’s a roundup of the rest of the night’s notes:
- Kentucky coach John Calipari has previously indicated that Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison would return for their sophomore seasons, but a source close to the process tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that the twins have not made their decision.
- NBA GMs and scouts tell Deveney they expect the Harrisons to declare for the draft, and think their performance in the NCAA tournament has significantly bolstered their value.
- Many league executives tell Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com [subscription only] that their opinions of the Harrisons have changed for the better over the course of the tournament, but most still have them ranked in the 20-40 range of the 2014 draft.
- Goodman says that the twins are polarizing for talent evaluators, and quotes some executives who are more pessimistic about drafting the brothers due to doubts of whether they could play well apart from each other.
Eastern Notes: Cavs, Sixers, Bucks
DeMar DeRozan tells Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe the Raptors trade that sent Rudy Gay to the Kings is working out for everyone involved. “The move was a good situation for both of us,” said DeRozan. “When he got traded, the first thing he told me was, ‘This is your time and it’s time to take advantage.’ That meant a lot, just coming from somebody like that.” Here’s more from the East:
- The Cavs have been surging, and even have a slim chance at making the playoffs. Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio says coach Mike Brown‘s message has finally broken through, and credits the top-down culture change to interim GM David Griffin, who took the reigns when Cleveland was underperforming and dealing with reported locker room issues.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown thanked Philadelphia fans for their patience, telling Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that the team’s transparency during their rebuild has been reciprocated with good will. “You may not agree with it,” Brown said. “But this is our path. This is our plan. And I think that the city’s patience has been remarkable. We’re grateful.”
- Kate Fagan of ESPN.com doesn’t think the Sixers can become competitive in the near future, writing that fans shouldn’t expect a competitor in Philadelphia for a few more years.
- Bucks coach Larry Drew tells Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel that he has no interest in tanking games to keep Milwaukee’s odds the highest for securing the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft lottery. “I know people are looking at the future, as far as the draft is concerned. They’ve already got their eyes pinpointed on players of the future. And that’s normal,” said Drew. “But I just let it be known I don’t pay too much attention to that. I just go out and try to coach this team, and wherever we end up, that’s where we are.”
- Ramon Sessions has taken being traded to the worst NBA team in stride, and Drew tells Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel that Sessions’ professionalism has been welcome with the Bucks. “He’s been unbelievable,” Drew said. “He’s just been a real pro in his whole approach in coming into this situation. He really has reached out to our young guys and is helping them.”
Western Notes: Livingston, Canales, Dalembert
Kings coach Michael Malone tells Bill Ingram of Basketball Insiders that he hopes Sacramento can retain both Isaiah Thomas and Rudy Gay beyond this year. Thomas is set to be a restricted free agent, and Gay has a $19.3MM player option on his deal. Here’s more from out west:
- Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee looks at the steep price the Kings would have to pay to keep Thomas and Gay, since their deals would coincide with DeMarcus Cousins‘ extension kicking in.
- Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities thinks the Timberwolves should target Nets guard Shaun Livingston in free agency, noting that Brooklyn doesn’t own his Bird Rights and that he shares an agent with Nikola Pekovic (Twitter link).
- Jeff Caplan of NBA.com sees parallels between Mavs assistant coach Kaleb Canales and the Heat’s Erik Spoelstra. The 34-year-old Canales was the interim coach for the Trail Blazers in 2012, and a finalist to become the permanent head coach alongside Terry Stotts, who eventually won the job. Caplan believes Canales could get another head coaching opportunity. “Obviously, looking down the road, I would love to have that opportunity again one day,” Canales told Caplan. “But that’s not where my concern is right now. I understand how blessed and fortunate I am, and I don’t take that for granted.”
- After some struggles and a benching early in the season, Mavs center Samuel Dalembert has stepped up his play and earned the trust of his coach and teammates, he tells Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. “It was a challenge in the beginning,” Dalembert said of the first portion of the season. “But after the All-Star break, I kicked it up a little and really figured out how to contribute before my time is up.”
Northwest Notes: Hayward, Nuggets, Blazers
Meyers Leonard hasn’t seen much playing time in his second year with the Trail Blazers, and tells Scott Powers of ESPNChicago.com that he believes focusing on his defensive play over the summer will help him earn his way back into the rotation. “This year has been hard for me. I have to learn to play defense. I’ve rebounded the ball a lot better. But my defense has to continue to improve.” says Leonard. Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Allen Crabbe has been recalled by the Trail Blazers after his latest D-League assignment, the team announced.
- Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin would like to have Marvin Williams back next year, as Bill Ingram of Basketball Insiders notes. “I think it would be great [to bring Williams back]. Who knows what will happen, but he’s a great guy to have on the squad,” Corbin said. Williams will be an unrestricted free agent, and the Jazz reportedly turned away an offer of a first round draft pick for the forward near the trade deadline.
- Jazz forward Gordon Hayward tells Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune that his summer as a restricted free agent is in the back of his mind. Hayward believes he has what it takes to be paid and perform like the team’s primary option. “You definitely have to have a swag,” Hayward said. “You have to play with confidence. You have to know that you’re one of the best guys on the court and play like it too. … It’s something that I embrace. It’s a challenge, but it’s something that I’m excited about.” Hayward and Utah were unable to agree upon an extension before this season, setting up this summer’s uncertainty.
- Nuggets GM Tim Connelly hasn’t ruled out re-signing either Aaron Brooks or Jan Vesely next year, he tells Terry Frei of The Denver Post. “Aaron’s been fantastic,” Connelly said. “We were really fortunate that he showed some faith in us by waiving that no-trade clause. I think with Jan, that last game (against Washington on Sunday) was the best game he has played for us. Unfortunately, he went down with an injury. Both those guys were brought here to help us get through the season, but also to evaluate them for next season as well.” Denver acquired both at the trade deadline.
Draft Rumors: Napier, Age Limit, Stauskas
Tim Kawakami of Bay Area News Group disagrees with the notion that a player like Aaron Gordon of Arizona should stay longer in college to develop his game. Kawakami argues that a player can develop their skill just as well or better in the NBA, but does think that personal maturation can be a benefit of staying in school longer. Here’s more on the draft:
- Kawakami also clarifies that the league’s proposal to raise the age limit to 20 years old would also restrict players less than two years removed from high school from entering the draft. This would truly end the one-and-done process bemoaned by many.
- Kawakami doesn’t see the value in such a proposal, writing that depriving the NBA from an extra year of transcendent talents like Anthony Davis is too high a price to pay to get an extra year of evaluation on potential draft busts.
- Scouts tell Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News that Michigan’s Nik Stauskas is comparable to a taller, more athletic J.J. Redick (Twitter link).
- A panel of Basketball Insiders writers all believe tanking in the NBA is an issue.
- A veteran NBA scout tells Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that UConn’s Shabazz Napier is a first round talent. Napier is currently projected by both DraftExpress’s Jonathan Givony and ESPN Insider Chad Ford to go in the second round.
- In the same article, former and current UConn coaches tell Zagoria that it isn’t fair to compare Napier to Kemba Walker, who won a championship with UConn while Napier was a freshman.
Cavs Won’t Re-Sign Seth Curry
A source tells Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beach Journal that the Cavs will not re-sign Seth Curry to a second 10-day contract (Twitter link). The rookie point guard’s current 10-day deal with Cleveland expires today, and he will again become a free agent. Curry only appeared in one game for the Cavs, racking up 3 points, 2 steals, and 1 rebound in 9 minutes of action.
Curry’s only other time in the NBA this season came on a non-guaranteed contract with the Grizzlies, which Memphis eventually waived. Curry only saw the floor once in Memphis as well. The younger brother of Warriors star Steph Curry has averaged 19.4 points and 5.9 assists per game in the D-League while trying to earn his way into the NBA.
The Octagon Sports client will look to catch on with another team and prove his worth. The Cavs appeared to be a better opportunity for Curry to play considering their dwindling playoff hopes and an injury to starting poing guard Kyrie Irving, but the team has hung around in the playoff race behind strong play from both Dion Waiters and Jarrett Jack at the point. Coach Mike Brown said he felt no obligation to offer minutes to young players in need of development, which proved true in the case of Curry.
Knicks Notes: Love, Calipari, Stoudemire
Yesterday we learned that Kevin Love still considers the Knicks an appealing destination, and Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com looks ahead to the summer of 2015 to see what kind of fit Love might have within New York’s roster and salary cap. Here’s more from New York:
- Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com wonders whether it would be worth it for new Knicks president Phil Jackson to commit to a full-on tanking effort next year, citing some Sixers fans’ patience with Philadelphia’s rebuilding process despite their ugly losing streak.
- A friend of Kentucky coach John Calipari tells Steve Serby of The New York Post that Calipari hasn’t indicated that he’s looking for an NBA job, but Serby thinks the Knicks should pursue him anyway.
- The Knicks didn’t expect much from Amar’e Stoudemire this season and acquired Andrea Bargnani as frontcourt insurance in a costly trade, but the former All-Star tells Al Iannazzone of Newsday that he’s had more hope about his long-term health than many of his doubters. “Last year was a very frustrating year. Knowing how much I trained and worked on being a dominant player and then receiving those injuries and coming off the bench, it was one of the hardest years I’ve endured in my career,” Stoudemire said. “I still stayed positive, I stayed optimistic about things and I’ve been an example for a lot of the youth out there that no matter what the situation might be, always continue to work. You have the goals in mind and you know what type of player you want to become; just keep working.”
Pacific Notes: Jackson, Kings, Cap Space
Both Tim Kawakami of Bay Area News Group and Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report believe the Warriors players and coaches made a statement of support for coach Mark Jackson with their effort and emotion in a win against the Grizzlies last night, with both Andrew Bogut and David Lee injured (Twitter links). Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- After the game, Warriors forward Draymond Green told Kawakami that the team is in fact unified behind Jackson. “Coach is a guy we fight for and we’re going to continue to fight for,” said Green. “He’s given his all to us and we’re going to continue to give our all to him.”
- Marcus Thompson of Bay Area News Group thinks that the Warriors would be more at risk by parting ways with Jackson than the coach would be (Twitter link). Thompson says that Jackson would land another job, but the team might not find a suitable replacement as easily.
- The Kings don’t plan to use their open roster spot on a guard yet as they monitor the health of injured Isaiah Thomas, tweets Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. The roster spot remains vacant after the team opted not to sign Royce White for the rest of the year following his second 10-day contract with Sacramento.
- The Kings struggled in a loss to the Thunder while Thomas sat another game, but Jones finds a bright side to the situation: opportunity and development for Sacramento’s rookie backcourt pairing of Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum. Both players said they were excited to see more minutes. “I’ll take all the minutes I can get,” McCallum said. “I’ve been waiting for the opportunity all year and getting a good opportunity to go out here and get some good experience and go out there and play.”
- Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders takes a look at the projected cap space for teams in the Pacific, and how each team might use its cap space this summer.
- We looked at the latest with the Lakers in an earlier roundup.