Draft Updates: Sunday
With the draft just four days away, teams are scurrying to get their plans in order before Thursday evening's big event in Newark, NJ. Saturday saw another full slate of draft rumors and Sunday's already shaping up to look the same. Ft. Worth Star-Telegram's Dwain Price reports the Mavs will be looking to add a rotation-type player with the 17th pick. We'll keep track of all of the day's latest draft news and happenings with the most recent information on top.
- The Rockets are looking to move into the top 10, dangling some combination of picks 14, 16 and Kyle Lowry, says Chad Ford. Ford suspects that the Rockets are eyeing UConn's Andre Drummond and could be speaking with the Kings at pick 5 and the Raptors at pick 8.
- Jodie Valade addresses the comparisons between Bradley Beal and Ray Allen in a story for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, implying that Beal could be more versatile than Allen.
- Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group takes a look at potential Warriors targets Moe Harkless, Terrence Ross and Quincy Miller and where the selection of the three wings would make sense for Golden State.
Rockets Notes: Yao, Free Agents, Dawson
The Rockets hold the unfortunate distinction of being the last team to fail to make the playoffs for three consecutive seasons. Not terrible, but not quite ready for the biggest of stages, the Rockets will turn to general manager Daryl Morey this offseason to make the necessary moves that will hopefully turn Houston into a legitimate contender for the long term, not just next season. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle explores how the Rockets may get past mediocrity as they face uncertainty heading into free agency.
Winderman On Odom, Point Guards, Miller
The city of Miami has been partying since Thursday evening and the celebration will continue at least through Monday when the Heat are honored with a championship parade through downtown. The event should serve as further validation for LeBron James and his achievements after enduring a bizarre two years in South Florida since making "The Decision" to leave Cleveland and join the Heat. Here's the latest news and happenings from South Beach courtesy of the South Florida Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman…
Deron Williams Will Only Sign With Nets Or Mavs
Nets point guard Deron Williams has narrowed down the list of potential teams he will sign with this summer to include Brooklyn and the Mavs, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The former Jazz star will become a free agent at midnight July 1 and has drawn attention from countless teams across the league. Williams, however, has instructed his representatives to inform teams that contact him that he will either re-sign with the Nets or return home to Dallas to play for the Mavs. The Nets can offer Williams a five-year, $100MM extension whereas the Mavs are limited to presenting the All-Star guard with a four-year, $75MM deal.
Odds & Ends: John Henson, Hawks, Perkins
Kevin Durant and the Thunder take on the Heat in a pivotal Game 3 this evening in Miami with the series tied at one game a piece. With his 68 points through the first two games of the Finals, Durant trails only Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan for the most points in a player's first two career Finals games. Let's check in on the latest news and stories making headlines from around the league as the Heat look to improve on their 1-2 record in Games 3s during the 2012 playoffs…
Lawrence On Grizzlies Sale, Pau Gasol, Clippers
Jeremy Lin will have the opportunity to appeal his arbitration case to a three-person board if he loses, writes Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News. The same is true for the NBA if it doesn't win against Lin, Steve Novak, J.J. Hickson and Chauncey Billups as the players fight to retain their Bird Rights after being waived at various points just prior to and during the 2011/2012 season. Let's catch up on the latest rumors and headlines as reported by Lawrence in his latest offering…
Bobcats’ Success Predicated On Top 5 Picks
Selecting in the top five of the draft is nothing new for the Bobcats as they find themselves in such a position for the fourth time in franchise history this year, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Unfortunately for Charlotte, none of its previous three top-five selections remain with the team as Emeka Okafor, Raymond Felton and Adam Morrison are all either with another franchise or out of the league. With all of their former potential franchise players elsewhere, the Bobcats finished the 2011/2012 season with a 7-59 record, which amounted to the worst winning percentage in league history.
Jeff Green Attracting Interest From Myriad Teams
Jeff Green's combination of youth and athleticism has numerous teams inquiring about his impending unrestricted free agency later this summer, writes Sam Amick of SI.com. The former Georgetown star missed the entire 2011/2012 season after suffering from an aortic aneurysm in December and undergoing surgery in January. Green's agent David Falk considers his client to be back to 100% health as he heads into the offseason as possibly the No. 2 free agent with 10-12 teams inquiring about his interest in taking his talents to their respective cities.
Phil Jackson Calls Knicks Roster ‘Clumsy’
9:19am: As part of the "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel" interview, Jackson called the possibility of working with the Magic "one of the best opportunities in the game right now," but ultimately concluded that he wants to remain in the western part of the country, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. The plan Sam Vincent was pushing for Orlando would have brought Jackson into a lead front office role, with Scottie Pippen as coach and Vincent also a part of the front-office staff. Pippen tried to get Jackson to go along with the plan, but the arrangement wasn't endorsed by Magic officials, who never met with Jackson.
FRIDAY, 8:10pm: Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson spoke candidly about the current state of the Knicks during a television interview set to air on Tuesday, reports Michael O'Keeffe of the New York Daily News. Jackson told Andrea Kremer of "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel" that he wasn't interested in coaching the Knicks and was glad that owner James Dolan never called him. While Jackson admitted coaching at the Garden is something he has definitely thought about, the former Bulls and Lakers head coach described the team's present roster as "clumsy," specifically the dynamic between the team's two best players.
Odds & Ends: Crawford, Warriors, Seattle, Bulls
The Lakers made history on this day 11 years ago when they beat the Sixers 108-96 to claim the NBA championship with the highest playoff winning percentage of all time at 93.8%, according to Hoopedia. Led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles went 15-1 in the playoffs by sweeping the Trail Blazers, Kings and Spurs before losing just once to Philadelphia. Let's take a look around the league to catch up on the latest news and stories making headlines…