Draft Notes: Turner, Okafor, Jones
One of the issues that is holding back Texas big man Myles Turner from being a potential top five pick are concerns about his awkward running style, and the potential for injury that his unusual gait could bring. In his weekly chat, ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider subscription required) notes that Turner has been working with a running coach and has shown remarkable improvement in this regard. The 19-year-old is the No. 10 overall prospect according to Ford, while Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress ranks him No. 11. You can view our full prospect profile for Turner here.
Here’s more notes from the upcoming draft:
- Ford also hears that Jahlil Okafor, who was the No. 1 ranked prospect for much of the season before being overtaken by Karl-Anthony Towns, is falling on a number of teams’ draft boards. Okafor, who is No. 2 according to both ESPN.com and DraftExpress, could drop as far as the fifth overall pick in June, Ford opines.
- The Rockets are growing increasingly enamored with Duke freshman point guard Tyus Jones, Ford also notes. Houston currently owns the 18th overall pick, while Jones is ranked as the No. 22 overall prospect by Ford, and Givony slots him at No. 19. Jones’ full prospect profile can be found here.
- Ford released his latest mock draft (Insider subscription required), and he predicts the top three picks as Towns going No. 1 overall, followed by Emmanuel Mudiay and D’Angelo Russell.
- Southeast Missouri State senior guard Jarekious Bradley has signed with agent Brian Bass of RBA Sports, Bass announced via Twitter. The 24-year-old is not currently projected to be taken in June’s draft.
Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Nets, Jones
Nets GM Billy King reiterated that re-signing center Brook Lopez is a priority for the franchise, which views the big man as a centerpiece to build around, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post writes. “For us to get in the playoffs that stretch, [Lopez] was the guy who carried us. He was our best player,” King said. “Without Brook Lopez, there’s no way we even get to where we go to this year. I’ll say it again: We want him back. I want him back, [coach] Lionel [Hollins] wants him back, ownership wants him back. We’ve all said it. There shouldn’t be any more doubts about it.” Lopez has a player option worth $16,744,2187 for 2015/16, but can become an unrestricted free agent if he opts out this summer.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- King refused to comment on the status of extension talks between he and the Nets, but said he was comfortable working next season without agreeing to a new deal, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com relays (Twitter link).
- When asked if there is a trade market for the Nets‘ big money contracts like Deron Williams‘ and Joe Johnson‘s, King said, “We could have moved them,” Andy Vasquez of The Record tweets.
- The Sixers are potentially interested in selecting Jamal Jones and making him a domestic draft-and-stash pick this June, similar to what the Thunder did with Josh Huestis last season, Shams Charania of RealGM writes. “The Sixers have had interest in me all year just because even though I didn’t have a good season with Delaware, they were always there for the practices and they have seen what I’m capable of,” Jones told Charania. “They’re very interested, and want me come up, work out for them and see how I’ve progressed in the time since the season ended.” Jones appeared in 45 contests for Philly’s D-League affiliate this past season, averaging 7.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists.
Draft History: Dennis Lindsey
The 2015 NBA draft is less than two months away, and for teams that aren’t still participating in the NBA playoffs, the focus is on using that event to build toward a better future. The exact draft order won’t be known until the May 19th lottery, when the simple bounce of a ping-pong ball can alter the fate of a franchise. Of course, having one of the top selections in any draft doesn’t guarantee that a team will snag a future All-Star. Team executives and scouts still have the difficult task of making the correct call with their picks.
With this in mind we at Hoops Rumors will be taking a look back at the draft history of the primary basketball executive for each NBA team. Their names, reputations, and possibly employment will be on the line as a result of the decisions to come on June 25th, and we’ll be examining what they’ve done in previous years in charge of a club’s front office. Note that many of them have played other sorts of roles within a team’s executive structure, but this won’t take that into account. We’ll continue onward with a look back at the calls made by Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey…
Jazz (August 2012-Present)
2013 Draft
- No. 9 Overall — Trey Burke *: 146 games, 12.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 5.0 APG. .374/.324/.818.
- No. 27 Overall — Rudy Gobert **: 127 games, 6.2 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.8 BPG..587/.000/.598.
Notable players passed over: Michael Carter-Williams (No. 11) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 15).
*Traded picks No. 14 (Shabazz Muhammad) and No. 21 (Gorgui Dieng) to the Timberwolves for the rights to Burke.
**Traded No. 46 overall pick (Erick Green) and cash to Jazz for rights to Gobert.
2014 Draft
- No. 5 Overall — Dante Exum: 82 games, 4.8 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 2.4 APG. .349/.314/.625.
- No. 23 Overall — Rodney Hood: 50 games, 8.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.7 APG. .414/.365/.763.
Notable players passed over: Elfrid Payton (No. 10), K.J. McDaniels (No. 32) and Jordan Clarkson (No. 46).
*Traded No. 35 overall pick (Jarnell Stokes) to Grizzlies for a 2016 second-rounder.
Southeast Notes: Carroll, Green, Wall
DeMarre Carroll‘s play for the Hawks this season has likely tripled the value of his next contract, Shaun Powell of NBA.com writes. But the forward’s age, 28, and his lack of a solid performance track record prior to this season could complicate the market for the unrestricted free agent, Powell adds. Interested franchises will need to determine if Carroll’s best years are ahead of him, or if he is a role-player who took advantage of the Hawks’ system, the NBA.com scribe opines. Powell also believes that the Lakers, Knicks, and Mavs will be competitors for Carroll’s services this summer.
Here’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Willie Green, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, wants to return to the Magic next season, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel relays. “I feel like I still have a good maybe three or four years — who knows? — or even more,” Green said. “It’s no secret that I met with [GM] Rob [Hennigan] and I met with the coaches and stuff here, and I expressed to them that I’m definitely open to being back here in Orlando. I like the foundation that the team has. I like our young fellas, and I think I can help them on and off the floor. So if the possibility is open, then I’m definitely open to exploring it.”
- Wizards point guard John Wall‘s elevated play this season is a result of a commitment to film study and a year round fitness regimen, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today notes. “It took us a year or two,” athletic trainer Rob McClanaghan said. “I was straight up with John. I can’t have him come to L.A. for four weeks and say, ‘See you next summer.’ It has to be all year. He loves the film and he loves the extra work. All the work he has put in has made him a much more confident player.“
- Injuries derailed what was a promising first season with the Magic for Evan Fournier, Ken Hornack of FOX Sports Florida writes in his profile of the player. The 22-year-old was acquired last June in a deal with the Nuggets. Fournier appeared in 58 contests this season, averaging 12.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 28.6 minutes per night.
Latest On Thaddeus Young, Option Decision
WEDNESDAY, 2:40pm: A source close to Young told SB Nation’s Jake Fischer that the forward is very interested in testing the free agent market (Twitter link).
SATURDAY, 11:31am: Nets forward Thaddeus Young may have given an indication today regarding whether or not he would exercise his early termination option for next season, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post relays (Twitter links). During his exit interview with the press, Young said that his agent Jim Tanner suggested he opt in and then hit free agency during the summer of 2016 when the salary cap is expected to increase dramatically, Bontemps notes. The value of Young’s option for 2015/16 is $10,221,739.
Young said that he still has a lot of factors to consider, but reiterated that he loves being in Brooklyn and with the Nets, and is comfortable living on the East Coast, Bontemps adds. The 26-year-old had previously noted how pleased he was with the deal that sent him from the Timberwolves to the Nets. “It was the perfect situation for me, especially with me being good friends with [Nets GM] Billy [King], just knowing him and him drafting me in Philly,” Young said. “So it was a good situation, plus they had the right mix of players for me and I felt like I could be a great complementary piece to a lot of guys on this team.”
If Young indeed opts in for next season it would be a reversal of his intentions prior to the trade deadline. The player had reportedly informed Minnesota that he didn’t intend to pick up his option for 2015/16, and would become a free agent at season’s end. It was this request that likely swayed the Wolves to deal away Young for franchise icon Kevin Garnett. King had also previously indicated the franchise would like for Young to return, saying the team will do what it can to retain Young. As the GM apparently sees him as a building block for the team’s future.
In 28 games for the Nets last season, Young averaged 13.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 29.6 minutes per contest. His career numbers through 592 games are 13.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.5 APG. Young’s career shooting numbers are .495/.323/.693.
Western Notes: Pelicans, Curry, Batum
The Pelicans would prefer to re-sign all of their free agents this offseason which would allow them to stay over the cap and use the full mid-level exception to sign another veteran player, Zach Lowe of Grantland.com writes. New Orleans currently has $40,582,846 in guaranteed salary and another $16,699,815 in non-guaranteed funds committed for the 2015/16 campaign. Pelicans players who will become unrestricted free agents this summer include Omer Asik, Luke Babbitt, Jimmer Fredette, and Dante Cunningham.
Here’s more out of the NBA’s Western Conference:
- 2014/15 NBA most valuable player Stephen Curry didn’t initially want the Warriors to draft him, and instead was hoping to go to the Knicks who were selecting one pick later than Golden State, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports writes. “The Knicks had [pick] eight and we thought in New York he’d be a great fit. We really wanted him to drop to eight,” Curry’s agent Jeff Austin said. “Once we got to seventh, we were like, ‘C’mon man, don’t pick him with [Golden State].’ At the time, the Warriors were not in our mind as a preferred destination.“
- The Blazers could look to deal Nicolas Batum and his expiring contract worth $12,235,750 this offseason, Jabari Young of CSNNW.com writes. When asked about the possibility of being traded, Batum said, “If that happens, it happens. That’s the business, I understand that. I mean, I can’t control that. All I can control is what I put on the court. I know what I am going to do this summer is try to get better.” If Portland is able to unload Batum the team could target Mavs forward Al-Farouq Aminu, Young speculates. Aminu has a player option worth $1,110,602 that he intends to opt out of this summer.
- Dwight Howard is happy being a member of the Rockets, but he admitted that the venom fans spewed at him as a result of his free agent decisions still weigh on him, Kristie Reiken of The Associated Press relays. “Sometimes it hurts,” Howard said. “It used to hurt a lot more as I went from this guy that everybody likes to everybody hated me because I wanted to play basketball on another team. And I’m like: ‘Hey listen it’s really not that serious. If I stopped playing today, your life is going to be the same, my life is going to be the same, it’s just I’m not going to be playing basketball. So why should it matter what I decide?’“
2014/15 D-League Usage Report: Grizzlies
The relationship between the NBA and the D-League continues to grow, and 17 NBA franchises currently have one-to-one D-League affiliates amongst the 18 D-League teams. The remaining 13 NBA teams shared the Fort Wayne Mad Ants this season. We at Hoops Rumors will be recapping each team’s use of the D-League this season, looking at assignments and recalls as well as the players signed out of the D-League. We’ll continue onward with a look back at how the Grizzlies utilized the D-League during the 2014/15 campaign…
D-League Team: Iowa Energy
Affiliation Type: One-to-one
D-League Team Record: 26-24
Number of NBA Players Assigned To D-League: 3
Total D-League Assignments: 14
Player Stats While On Assignment
- Jordan Adams: 5 assignments, 11 games, 18.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.8 APG. .462/.383/.795.
- Russ Smith: 3 assignments, 18 games, 19.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.6 APG. .479/.418/.719.
- Jarnell Stokes: 6 assignments, 23 games, 15.1 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 1.1 APG. .617/.000/.698.
D-League Signings
- JaMychal Green (Austin Spurs-Spurs affiliate): Signed 1st 10-day pact on February 2nd; inked his 2nd 10-day contract on February 19th; signed a multiyear deal on March 2nd.
- Tyrus Thomas (Iowa Energy-Grizzlies affiliate): Signed 10-day pact on January 22nd.
Assignment/Recall Log
- November 8th: Assigned Jordan Adams (Recalled November 10th)
- November 8th: Assigned Jarnell Stokes (Recalled November 10th)
- November 25th: Assigned Jordan Adams (Recalled December 8th)
- December 1st: Assigned Jarnell Stokes (Recalled December 3rd)
- December 12th: Assigned Jordan Adams (Recalled December 21st)
- December 19th: Assigned Jarnell Stokes (Recalled December 21st)
- January 14th: Recalled Russ Smith (Originally assigned by Pelicans prior to being traded)
- January 20th: Assigned Jordan Adams (Recalled January 26th)
- January 20th: Assigned Jarnell Stokes (Recalled February 10th)
- January 20th: Assigned Russ Smith (Recalled February 10th)
- February 7th: Assigned Jordan Adams (Recalled February 8th)
- February 22nd: Assigned Jarnell Stokes (Recalled March 12th)
- February 22nd: Assigned Russ Smith (Recalled March 12th)
- March 17th: Assigned Jarnell Stokes (Recalled March 30th)
- March 24th: Assigned Russ Smith (Recalled March 30th)
Central Notes: Thompson, Griffin, Gibson
Tristan Thompson is showing the Cavs his value with his aggressive rebounding and play around the rim during the playoffs, Jessica Camerato of Basketball Insiders writes. While there is a call around the league for big men who can stretch the floor with their shooting, Thompson is focused on continuing to improve in the paint area, Camerato notes. “You try to come back every year with something better and add something to your game,” Thompson said. “For me, I’m going to continue getting better and working on my game. Who I am now is not who I’m going to be a year from now or moving forward. I still want to get better and add things to my game. But for this year, for this team, which is my priority and my main focus, is how I can be an asset and help.” The 24-year-old can become a restricted free agent this summer provided the Cavs tender him a qualifying offer worth $6,777,589.
Here’s more out of the Central Division:
- While LeBron James‘ return certainly revitalized the Cavs franchise, GM David Griffin was the one who laid the groundwork for the team to contend this season, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes. The rookie GM finished second to Golden State GM Bob Myers in the voting for Executive of the Year for the 2014/15 campaign.
- Timofey Mozgov has fit in seamlessly with the Cavs since being acquired from Denver earlier this season, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes in his profile of the Russian big man. “It does seem like he has been here longer than just since January,” guard Kyrie Irving said. “He is a guy who makes things fun off the court, but you know on the court he is going to have your back. He is tough. That is big for us.”
- While the additions of Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic have diminished his playing time and stats this season, Taj Gibson could be the key to the Bulls advancing in the playoffs, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes. “Taj is always important,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “That’s the one thing you can’t overlook, what he brings to our team, his defense, his rebounding. He’s probably our best low-post defender. He’s our best guy at moving his feet. Offensively it’s hard to put a small on him — he can overpower you inside with his post game. Second shots. He’s got a good 17′ shot, it’s not like you can disregard him. You’ve got to pay attention to him. He’s critical for our team.“
Draft Notes: Mudiay, Towns, Mickey
Projected No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns is taking his time in choosing an agent to represent him, John Pavia of SNY.tv writes. “You only get one chance at that [picking an agent],” Towns said. “You’ve got to make sure you get it right. I’m taking my time with that process. The NBA Draft process, that’s one of the biggest things is all the things that come other than on the basketball court. You’ve got to take your time with these decisions. Make sure you make it right. You don’t want to be making multiple decisions quickly and then regret it.”
Here’s more notes regarding the 2015 NBA draft:
- Emmanuel Mudiay is considering attending the draft combine in Chicago next week, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports in a series of tweets. The young guard wishes to attend the college graduation of his brother, and will attempt to arrive for the event’s second day, Kyler adds. Mudiay is the No. 3 ranked player by both Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required).
- LSU sophomore power forward Jordan Mickey is a potential second round pick this June because of his shotblocking prowess and overall physical tools, Josh Riddell of DraftExpress writes in his profile of the player. ESPN.com slots Mickey as the No. 48 prospect while DraftExpress ranks the 20-year-old as 49th overall.
- While Georgia State’s R.J. Hunter did not have a strong junior season statistically, the 21-year-old plays the shallowest position in this year’s draft (shooting guard), and coupled with his ability to nail the deep shot, this makes him a likely first round choice in June, Givony and Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress write. Hunter is ranked No. 21 by Ford and No. 24 by Givony.
- Towns is the top power forward in David Aldridge of NBA.com‘s latest 2015 NBA draft power rankings. Rounding out Aldridge’s top five at the four spot are Kristaps Porzingis, Trey Lyles, Myles Turner, and Bobby Portis.
Draft History: Rich Cho
The 2015 NBA draft is less than two months away, and for teams that aren’t still participating in the NBA playoffs, the focus is on using that event to build toward a better future. The exact draft order won’t be known until the May 19th lottery, when the simple bounce of a ping-pong ball can alter the fate of a franchise. Of course, having one of the top selections in any draft doesn’t guarantee that a team will snag a future All-Star. Team executives and scouts still have the difficult task of making the correct call with their picks.
With this in mind we at Hoops Rumors will be taking a look back at the draft history of the primary basketball executive for each NBA team. Their names, reputations, and possibly employment will be on the line as a result of the decisions to come on June 25th, and we’ll be examining what they’ve done in previous years in charge of a club’s front office. Note that many of them have played other sorts of roles within a team’s executive structure, but this won’t take that into account. We’ll begin with a look back at the calls made by Hornets GM Rich Cho…
Trail Blazers (July 2010-May 2011)
- No draft picks
Hornets (June 2011-Present)
2011 Draft
- No. 7 Overall — Bismack Biyombo *: 284 games, 4.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.6 BPG. .497/.000/.530.
- No. 9 Overall — Kemba Walker: 283 games, 16.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.4 APG. .395/.318/.814.
- No. 39 Overall — Jeremy Tyler **: 104 games, 3.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.2 APG. .450/.000/.557.
Notable players passed over: Klay Thompson (No. 11), Kawhi Leonard (No. 15). Nikola Vucevic (No. 16), Kenneth Faried (No. 22), Reggie Jackson (No. 24), Jimmy Butler (No. 30), Chandler Parsons (No. 38), and Isaiah Thomas (No. 60).
* The rights to Tobias Harris (No. 19) were traded on draft night as part of a three team deal between the Hornets, Bucks and the Kings. Charlotte received the rights to No. 7 overall pick Bismack Biyombo and Corey Maggette in return.
** Tyler was traded to the Warriors for cash.
2012 Draft
- No. 2 Overall — Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: 195 games, 9.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.3 APG. .464/.167/.689.
- No. 31 Overall — Jeff Taylor: 132 games, 6.1 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.8 APG. .409/.319/.665.
Notable players passed over: Bradley Beal (No. 3), Damian Lillard (No. 6), Andre Drummond (No. 9), and Draymond Green (No. 35).
2013 Draft
- No. 4 Overall — Cody Zeller: 144 games, 6.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.3 APG. .443/.500/.750.
Notable players passed over: Nerlens Noel (No. 6), Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 15), and Rudy Gobert (No. 27).
2014 Draft
- No. 9 Overall — Noah Vonleh: 25 games, 3.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 0.4 BPG. .395/.385/.692.
- No. 26 Overall — P.J. Hairston *: 45 games, 5.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.5 APG. .323/.301/.861.
Notable players passed over: Elfrid Payton (No. 10), K.J. McDaniels (No. 32), and Jordan Clarkson (No. 46).
*Traded the No. 24 overall pick (Shabazz Napier) to the Heat for the No. 26 (Hairston) and No. 55 (Semaj Christon) picks. The rights to Christon were then dealt to the Thunder.
Note: Until last year, it wasn’t entirely clear how Charlotte delineated the structure of power and responsibility between Cho and former president of basketball operations Rod Higgins.