Draft Notes: Aldridge, Robinson, McIntosh, Kuzma
The Celtics are likely to select one of the top two point guards, Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball, rather than moving their pick, according to David Aldridge of NBA.com. Boston has to protect itself with a tough decision coming on whether to re-sign Isaiah Thomas in the summer of 2018 and Fultz would make the most sense, Aldridge continues. Ball would be a natural fit with the Lakers, while the Sixers will probably go with small forward Josh Jackson, though Kentucky’s Malik Monk is an intriguing alternative, Aldridge adds. A trade in which the Suns move up a spot to snag Jackson to settle their small forward issues isn’t out of the question, according to Aldridge, who goes through each team’s need on a pick-by-pick basis.
In other news involving the draft:
- Austin Peay’s Josh Robinson will hire an agent, meaning he won’t be able to return to the university, Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). The 6’2″ guard, who missed time this season after being suspended from the school’s basketball team, will look to play overseas.
- MiKyle McIntosh is working out for the Raptors today, Goodman tweets. The Illinois State product has until Wednesday to make a final decision on entering the draft.
- Iowa State point guard Monte Morris headed the list of prospects worked out by the Kings today, Sean Cunningham of KXTV tweets. Morris is considered second-round material by both DraftExpress and ESPN’s Chad Ford.
- Gonzaga point guard Nigel Williams-Goss and Indiana big man Thomas Bryant were among the prospects the Lakers worked out on Monday, Robert Morales of the Orange County Register reports. None of the players Los Angeles brought in are considered first-round prospects.
- University of Utah forward Kyle Kuzma, who has already hired an agent, will work out for the Jazz on Tuesday, according to Aaron Falk and Tony Jones of the Salt Lake City Tribune. The 6’9” Kuzma, who is considered a second-round prospect, was one of the other hopefuls who worked for the Lakers on Monday.
Eastern Rumors: Griffin, Yabusele, Teodosic, Magic
The Cavaliers did not grant GM David Griffin permission to interview for front office jobs with the Magic and Hawks, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. The Magic were interested in hiring Griffin as President of Basketball Operations and had discussions with him but were not allowed to formally interview him and ultimately decided to hire Raptors GM Jeff Weltman, Windhorst continues. The Hawks are looking for an new GM. Griffin’s contract expires at the end of July and has been negotiating with team owner Dan Gilbert, Windhorst adds.
In other developments around the Eastern Conference:
- Celtics forward Amir Johnson is questionable for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals because of a shoulder injury, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe tweets. Johnson played only nine minutes in Game 3. Jonas Jerebko, who scored 10 points in 12 minutes in Boston’s victory at Cleveland, could replace him in the starting lineup, ESPN’s Chris Forsberg tweets.
- Celtics first-rounder Guerschon Yabusele recently had surgery to remove bone spurs in both feet and will not be available for summer-league games, a source told Forsberg. The 6’8” draft-and-stash prospect, who was chosen with the No. 16 pick last June, spent much of last season in China before joining the Celtics’ D-League team, the Maine Red Claws, in March. Yabusele appeared in seven D-League games and averaged 12.8 PPG and 5.4 RPG in 27.3 MPG.
- The Nets will have stiff competition from the Nuggets and Jazz for the services of Euroleague point guard Milos Teodosic, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. The Nets are among several teams scouting Teodosic, who plays for CSKA Moscow, and he’s their top free-agent priority, Lewis continues. The Nuggets already have a Serbian connection to Teodosic in Nikola Jokic, his national teammate. The Jazz will have a point guard need if George Hill leaves in free agency and coach Quin Snyder is a former CSKA assistant, Lewis adds.
- The Magic parted ways with several front office members, including Director of Pro Scouting Harold Ellis, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders tweets.
Community Shootaround: Paul Millsap
The news that Hawks forward Paul Millsap will foresake the last $21.4MM on his current contract and become a free agent this summer was expected. Considering the lack of quality big men around the league and the recent jump in the salary cap, Millsap should do well in the open market and get several more years of guaranteed money.
Like former teammate and current Celtics big man Al Horford, Millsap will not turn a franchise around but he could help a playoff team get deeper into the postseason. Millsap, 32, posted career highs in scoring (18.1 PPG) and assists (3.7 APG) this season. He shot a career-low 44.2%, largely due to an increase in 3-point attempts.
The Hawks’ front office is in a state of flux, which could influence Millsap’s decision whether to re-sign with Atlanta or join forces with another playoff team. According to The Vertical’s Shams Charania, the Hawks regard Millsap as their top offseason priority.
The team that lands Millsap will not only get a versatile scorer and solid rebounder, they’ll also get an unselfish player who can guard multiple positions.
Which teams might make a run at Millsap? The Celtics might consider reuniting Millsap and Horford, considering the they don’t have an impact player alongside Horford and small forward Jae Crowder. The Raptors could be in the mix, depending upon what their own free agents decide to do. Same goes for the Clippers, with their top two players Chris Paul and Blake Griffin hitting the market at the same time.
The Spurs have become a haven for veteran free agent big men the last couple of seasons, so they could be a darkhouse in the Millsap sweepstakes. It would stand to reason that the Jazz could try to find another quality big man to insert between Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert, provided that Hayward doesn’t sign elsewhere.
There will also be plenty of other fringe playoff teams with cap space (Bulls, Heat, Nuggets, Pacers) that could make a run at Millsap.
That leads us to our question of the day: What team do you think would be the best fit for Paul Millsap?
Please take the comments section and share your thoughts. We look forward to your opinion on this topic.
Draft Notes: Diallo, Swanigan, Lakers, Jackson
Hamidou Diallo’s decision to pass on playing 5-on-5 games at the Draft Combine may have actually helped his stock, Adam Zagoria of the New York Times reports. Diallo didn’t play after enrolling at Kentucky in January and was advised to sit out the 5-on-5 games, Zagoria continues. Wildcats coach John Calipari said that by remaining a sort of mystery man, Diallo has made himself more intriguing, as he expressed to Zagoria and media members. “They all like you without watching you. Good,” Calipari said. “The more you don’t play, the more they like you, the more they’re impressed.” The 6’5” shooting guard is currently rated No. 38 by DraftExpress and No. 35 by ESPN’s Chad Ford.
In other draft-related developments:
- Purdue forward Caleb Swanigan isn’t sure if he’ll remain in the draft, he told Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star and other media members. Swanigan worked out with the Pacers on Monday. “It’s really hard,” Swanigan said of his impending decision. He’s currently ranked No. 29 by DraftExpress and No. 31 by Ford.
- The Lakers stand out as the team that could lose the most in Tuesday’s draft lottery because of their trade obligations, as ESPN’s Ford and Kevin Pelton discuss. The Sixers could be the biggest winners with the opportunity to land two of the top four picks, as the duo explains. The Magic are another team with plenty at stake, according to Pelton, as they could lose a future first-rounder owed by Lakers and have to settle for a couple of second-round picks.
- Participating in the Draft Combine last year helped North Carolina’s Justin Jackson, as he expressed to Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. Jackson, a junior, has seen his stock rise dramatically after returning to school for his junior season as he credits the Combine for helping him improve his game. “The feedback I got last year… I took that extremely serious,” he told Hamilton. Jackson, a 6’8” swingman, is expected to be a mid- to late-first rounder. He’s ranked No 13 by DraftExpress and No. 25 by Ford.
Southwest Notes: Leonard, Pelicans, Parsons, Nowitzki
Kawhi Leonard‘s MRI revealed no structural damage, Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com tweets. Leonard injured his left ankle twice in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Sunday, including a controversial play in which Warriors center Zaza Pachulia moved into his landing space after Leonard released a jump shot. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich ripped Pachulia on Monday for what Popovich felt was a reckless closeout. Leonard is expected to miss Game 2.
In other news around the Southwest Division
- Donatas Motiejunas is unlikely to re-sign with the Pelicans because of their frontcourt logjam, Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas tweets. Motiejunas told Urbonas, ‘They don’t need me with already 4-5 big (men) on the roster for the next season.’ The 7-foot forward, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer, averaged 4.4 PPG and 3.0 RPG in 14.1 MPG over 34 games with the Pelicans.
- Chandler Parsons‘ future with the Grizzlies could be as a stretch four rather than playing his natural small forward spot, according to Michael Wallace of the team’s website. That could be a sensitive subject this offseason with veteran power forward Zach Randolph becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer and fellow big man JaMychal Green entering restricted free agency. Knee injuries limited Parsons to 34 games in the first year of his four-year, $94MM contract with Memphis.
- Dirk Nowitzki is willing to assist the front office as the Mavericks prepare for the draft, according to team website reporter Earl K. Sneed. The club holds the No. 9 overall pick, pending the results of Tuesday’s lottery. “Maybe I’ll be in the draft room this year, if that’s what it takes,” Nowitzki told Sneed. “I think we’ve got plenty of time over the next few weeks to set a plan, execute the plan on draft day hopefully and maybe in free agency, and we’ll go from there.”
- Improving 3-point shooting is paramount for the Pelicans to make the playoffs next year, coach Alvin Gentry said on The Vertical podcast. Gentry’s comments were relayed in a story by Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Advocate. The Twin Tower duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins won’t work unless the club acquires better perimeter shooters, according to Gentry. “We are going to have to upgrade there and the players that we have are going to have to show vast improvement over the summer,” Gentry said on the podcast. “If you’re going to play the two big guys that we have, obviously, there are going to be a lot of double-teaming. … in order to make that work, we’re going to have to be able to knock down perimeter shots.”
Pacific Rumors: Iguodala, Kings, Lakers, Tomjanovich
Warriors forward Andre Iguodala is listed as questionable for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, the team’s PR department tweets. He underwent an MRI on his left knee Monday, according to ESPN.com’s Chris Haynes, and obviously the results were satisfactory even though the team has yet to provide details. Iguodala could still be rested as a precautionary measure, a source told Haynes. He did not practice on Monday. Iguodala was a non-factor in Game 1, playing just 10 minutes and scoring two points. Stephen Curry also sat out practice but will play in Game 2, acting coach Mike Brown told Haynes and other reporters.
In other developments around the Pacific Division:
- The Kings plan to move their D-League affiliate out of Reno after next season, according to Scott Howard Cooper of NBA.com. The Kings want their affiliate to be closer to Sacramento and playing games at multiple locations is a consideration, he adds. (Twitter links).
- The Lakers should try to trade for Pacers star Paul George this offseason rather than waiting to pursue him as an unrestricted free agent after next season, according to a panel of ESPN basketball experts. All but one of the five members on the panel believe that acquiring George now is worth the risk of losing him after just one season. Baxter Holmes opines that the Pacers would want a package of young players, including Brandon Ingram, and a draft pick in return.
- Rudy Tomjanovich is no longer with the Lakers’ organization, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reports. Tomjanovich has served as a consultant in various capacities for over a decade and was also a scout for the team’s analytics department last season. Tomjanovich’s son, Trey, has also lost his job as a consultant and statistical analyst.
Five Key Offseason Questions: Utah Jazz
On the surface, the Utah Jazz seem poised to be a serious contender for years to come. They bounced back from an injury-riddled, 40-42 campaign in 2015/16 and finished 20 games over .500 this season. That 51-31 record was good enough for the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.
They made some noise in the playoffs, defeating the more-heralded Los Angeles Clippers in a hotly-contested series that took the full seven games to decide. The Jazz stunned the Clippers at the Staples Center after losing Game 6 in Salt Lake City. There was no shame in getting swept by the much more talented Warriors in the conference semifinals.
Utah’s top players are either in or approaching their prime years. The problem is that as many as five key contributors could enter the free agent market this summer, including its franchise player. Within a couple of months, the Jazz could continue to build upon the momentum of a successful season or be faced with a major rebuild.
Here’s a look at the biggest questions confronting the club this offseason:
1. Will Gordon Hayward remain the face of the franchise or be lured away by another playoff team?
There’s little doubt that Hayward will sacrifice the $16.7MM salary he was scheduled to earn next season and opt out of the final year of his contract. What Hayward decides to do will have enormous implications on the franchise’s future.
Hayward’s value is at its peak after he set new career marks in PPG (21.9) and RPG (4.7) this year. It’s possible that Hayward could opt in and then sign a massive extension, which could eat up to 35% of the team’s cap if he is named to an All-NBA team, which will be unveiled Thursday.
The more likely scenario is that Hayward shops his services and tests the market, though by possessing his Bird rights the Jazz can pay him more than any potential suitor. The Jazz will have to max out Hayward, or come close to doing so, to have any hope of keeping him around. The Celtics certainly come to mind among contending teams that might view Hayward as the missing piece to a championship. Plenty of others will make a pitch for him should he decide to enter the market.
The Jazz would have little choice but to pay whatever is required to keep Hayward because without him, they immediately have the look of a lottery team.
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Community Shootaround: Zaza Pachulia
The player on the Warriors that everyone is talking about right now isn’t named Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant or Draymond Green. Rather, journeyman center Zaza Pachulia has been thrust into the spotlight in an unflattering manner.
Spurs star Kawhi Leonard injured his already tender left ankle during the third quarter in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals when Pachulia moved into Leonard’s landing spot after Leonard released a jump shot. Leonard did not return, which turned into a game-changing development. Golden State was able to wipe out a 25-point deficit and escape with a victory, something that probably wouldn’t have happened if Leonard had landed cleanly and remained in the game. Leonard is likely to miss Game 2 and his status for the remainder of the series is questionable.
Afterward, the Spurs’ franchise player was diplomatic and didn’t criticize Pachulia for the way he closed out defensively. Coach Gregg Popovich expressed a totally different viewpoint on Monday, ripping Pachulia for a “totally unnatural” act and said Pachulia has a history of careless and dangerous plays. Popovich added that it didn’t matter whether Pachulia intended to harm Leonard, comparing him to a driver who commits manslaughter because he or she was texting at the time.
Southwest Notes: Lowry, Ferrell, Rockets, Mills
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry likely tops the Mavs’ list of point guards on the free agent market, according to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. Lowry confirmed after the Raptors were eliminated by the Cavaliers in the playoffs that he would opt of his contract. A solid, experienced point guard would be preferable to drafting one next month, Sefko continues, even though the team is undergoing a youth movement. Jeff Teague and Jrue Holiday are also potential targets during the offseason, Sefko adds.
In other news around the Southwest Division:
- Yogi Ferrell will remain on the roster unless the Mavs get lucky in free agency and have a shot at either Stephen Curry or Chris Paul, Sefko writes in a separate mailbag. In that scenario, Dallas would have to clear as much cap space as possible. Otherwise, the coaching staff believes that Ferrell can turn into a sparkplug in the mold of J.J. Barea, Sefko continues. Veteran guard Devin Harris would be the first player let go if the Mavericks need to clear cap space, Sefko adds. Harris’ $4.4MM contract for next season is not guaranteed.
- Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni will likely stick with smaller lineups and force the Spurs to adjust in the wake of Nene Hilario‘s season-ending injury, Sam Amick of USA Today reports. With Nene suffering a groin tear in Game 4, the Rockets downsized and buried the Spurs with a flurry of 3-pointers. It’s a good bet that forward Ryan Anderson will be replaced in the starting lineup by guard Eric Gordon, a strategy D’Antoni employed in the second half on Sunday.
- Unrestricted free agent point guard Patty Mills could enjoy a big payday this summer, according to Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News. Tony Parker‘s serious quad injury could make Mills the Spurs’ top priority this offseason. They own his Bird rights and can thus offer Mills more than any other team, Finger points out. Mills provides scoring and energy off the bench, as Manu Ginobili has delivered for so many years, Finger adds.
Raptors Rumors: Ujiri, DeRozan, Tucker, Ibaka
The easiest way for Raptors GM Masai Ujiri to make a significant change is to fire coach Dwane Casey, Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated opines. Ujiri is in a position to rebuild the roster in the wake of the Cavaliers’ playoff sweep but his track record suggests he won’t take that approach, Golliver continues. In a best-case scenario, Ujiri will trade underperforming forward DeMarre Carroll and guard Cory Joseph while retaining his best perimeter defender, unrestricted free agent P.J. Tucker, Golliver adds.
In other developments regarding the Raptors:
- With point guard Kyle Lowry and forwards Serge Ibaka and Patrick Patterson also heading into unrestricted free agency this summer, the club faces an uncertain future, as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun details.
- Backcourt partner DeMar DeRozan throws his full support behind Lowry and his decision to opt out, Michael Grange of Rogers Sportsnet tweets. “I don’t want to hinder him or make anything more hectic than it’s going to be,” DeRozan told Grange.
- DeRozan wants the team to acquire more shooters to complement his talents, Wolstat tweets.
- Tucker will wait to see if Lowry remains with the club before he decides whether to return, Wolstat reports in another tweet. Tucker wants to play for a contender, Wolstat adds. Ibaka’s decision will be influenced by his daughter, he told Wolstat (Twitter link).
- Casey says it “would be difficult” for the team to advance deeper in future playoffs without re-signing Lowry, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets.