Mamadou Ndiaye To Enter NBA Draft
UC Irvine junior center Mamadou Ndiaye has declared for the 2016 NBA draft, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports. The big man doesn’t intend to hire an agent immediately but is planning on doing so later on in the draft process, Charania adds. It’s unclear if this means that Ndiaye is 100% committed to leaving school or if his intent to delay securing representation means he will only hire an agent if he doesn’t withdraw prior to the May 25th deadline.
Ndiaye, 7’6″, is one of the two tallest players in the NCAA along with UCF’s Tacko Fall. While height will always be a valuable commodity in the NBA, the 22-year-old isn’t guaranteed to be selected this June. Ndiaye entered school as the No. 84 overall player according to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index and is currently ranked as the No. 30 overall junior by Jonathan Givony of Draft Express. He comes in at No. 166 on Chad Ford of ESPN.com‘s big board.
The native of Senegal appeared in 35 games this season and averaged 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 23.3 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .667/.000/.642.
Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Rambis, Lopez
Carmelo Anthony desires a say in the Knicks‘ future personnel decisions, including the selection of the next head coach, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes. “I think you have to. I think you have to have some type of input, whether it’s input or dialogue, whatever word that you want to use,” Anthony said. “I think you have to have that. I think at this point it needs to be some type of connection, some type of communication. Especially if we want to right this ship, there definitely needs to be some type of communication.” The small forward added that he hasn’t had any discussions with team president Phil Jackson or other members of the front office about who should coach the team next season, Begley notes.
Anthony expressed his appreciation for the job interim coach Kurt Rambis has done but offered no endorsement that Rambis remain in the post beyond this season, Begley adds. “I like Kurt,” Anthony said. “I thought he was kind of thrown into a tough situation with the firing of [Derek Fisher] and kind of gathering the troops, getting guys to play and finish the season up. As far as what’s going to happen this summer, this offseason and next year, who’s going to be in that spot, I have no idea. I haven’t had any conversations with anybody about that. I’m pretty sure they’ll address that when the offseason comes. I would love to have some type of input when it comes to that. But like I said, nobody has had a conversation about that yet.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Rambis, who is reportedly Jackson’s preferred choice to coach the Knicks in 2016/17, said he would relish the opportunity to have the interim tag removed from his title, Begley relays in the same piece. “It would be fantastic,” Rambis said. “I want to be a head coach in this league. This is a great franchise; it’s a terrific city, fan base. It would be a thrill beyond thrills in order to take this situation from where it was when we all first came here and turn it into a situation where it’s extremely promising and we have a chance to get in the playoffs and do well in the playoffs and get this city and this organization a potential championship. That’s a goal, and that would be a tremendous thrill.“
- Former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie was undone by bad luck in the NBA draft lottery, as the team failed to land the No. 1 overall pick during his tenure, which in turn led to some questionable selections, Rob Mahoney of SI.com writes. The former GM should get credit for sticking to his plan, one that ownership fully endorsed upon his hiring, Mahoney adds.
- Nets center Brook Lopez believes he and GM Sean Marks are on the same page, and Marks informed Lopez that he sees him as a building block and not as a trade chip, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. “He has talked to me, and we both definitely want to be here and see things happen here and help the team grow going forward,’’ Lopez said.
- The Celtics have assigned swingman James Young and power forward Jordan Mickey to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be Young’s 13th trip to Maine and Mickey’s 14th.
Derrick Jones To Test Draft Waters
UNLV freshman small forward Derrick Jones intends to test the waters and make himself eligible for the 2016 NBA draft, Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter link). Jones will hold off on hiring an agent, which will allow him the opportunity to withdraw prior to the May 25th deadline and return to school for his sophomore campaign, Rothstein adds.
Jones entered school as the No. 40 overall recruit according to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index and is a potential second-round pick according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, who ranks him as the No. 48 overall freshman. The 6’6″ swingman appeared in 28 games for UNLV this season and averaged 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 21.4 minutes per outing. His slash line for the campaign was .583/.189/.602.
The freshman’s season was cut short after he was ruled academically ineligible for the final four games because his ACT results were called into question by the NCAA. It’s unclear if the NCAA sanction will affect his eligibility for 2016/17, which could be a motivating factor in Jones trying his luck at the scouting combine this year, though that is merely my speculation.
Latest Fallout From Sam Hinkie Resignation
Sam Hinkie had been considering his future with the Sixers organization over the past few weeks and decided that he wasn’t comfortable with the team’s plan for his future, which in turn led to him resigning on Wednesday, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical relays. The now former GM emailed his letter of resignation to the team’s ownership group as well as executive Jerry Colangelo, with the intention of releasing a joint announcement today, Wojnarowski writes. But the letter was leaked to the media within two hours, which eliminated Hinkie’s opportunity to inform his staff directly of his intent. It isn’t known who leaked the 13 page manifesto, but according to Wojnarowski’s sources, Hinkie suspects that it was Colangelo who made his resignation public. Hinkie was reportedly mortified that his letter was leaked, as he never intended it for public dissemination, Wojnarowski adds.
Here’s more regarding Hinkie and the Sixers:
- Colangelo wanted to turn Hinkie into a glorified director of analytics, or run him out of the organization completely, a plan that wasn’t well-received by the entire ownership group, many of whom remain loyal to Hinkie, Wojnarowski notes in the same piece. Some of the owners believe that Hinkie’s rebuilding plan would begin to bear fruit this offseason and wanted to give him more time to see it through, the Vertical scribe relays.
- The Sixers had suggested to Hinkie prior to the 2015/16 season that he hire someone who would handle the media and build relationships around the league with agents, players and GMs, a request that Hinkie wasn’t responsive or amenable to, John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com writes.
- In his resignation letter, Hinkie insinuated that many within the organization cared more about making a profit than building a winning franchise, chiefly CEO Scott O’Neil, Gonzalez suggests in the same piece. “With Scott O’Neil running our business operations, you are in good hands,” Hinkie said in his letter. “I can assure you that when your team is eventually able to compete deep into May, Scott will ably and efficiently separate the good people of the Delaware Valley from their wallets on your behalf. Worry not.”
- Sixers coach Brett Brown was disappointed that Hinkie stepped down but noted that the plan to bring in more front office personnel had been in place for some time, Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly relays in a series of tweets. The coach also added that the team’s rebuilding plan is still intact, Camerato notes. “We committed to the path that we said we were going to be on three years ago. We’re committed to that,” said Brown.
- Brown said that Hinkie hadn’t committed to the front office’s new collaborative process and believed a departure by the executive was a distinct possibility, though he didn’t expect things to come to a head so rapidly, tweets Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine.
Grizzlies Waive Ryan Hollins
THURSDAY, 11:07am: The move is official, the team announced via press release.
WEDNESDAY, 9:34pm: The Grizzlies intend to waive Ryan Hollins, Chris Vernon of ESPN 92.9 FM reports (Twitter link). The roster move was necessary in order to allow Memphis to ink Xavier Munford for the remainder of the season, Vernon notes. The franchise will be on the hook for the remainder of Hollins’ $239,605 salary, provided he clears waivers. Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal first noted that Hollins was a candidate to be released.
This appears to signal that the NBA won’t issue the Grizzlies any hardship exceptions for the playoffs. Memphis has 16 players under contract at current, not counting Munford, who’s reportedly due to re-sign for the season. Among the 16 is Bryce Cotton, whose 10-day contract will expire after Saturday’s game against the Warriors. The other 15 Grizzlies have contracts that run until the end of the season, so to formally add Munford on a rest-of-season deal without any hardship help from the league, the Grizzlies have to waive somebody, and that somebody appears to be Hollins.
This marks the end of Hollins’ fourth stint with the Grizzlies in 2015/16. He also spent a few weeks with the Wizards in November and December. In 32 games for Memphis this season overall, Hollins averaged 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 12.9 minutes.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 4/6/16
The NBA is giving serious consideration to allowing advertising on the jerseys of teams beginning in 2017/18 and the Raptors have reportedly suggested to potential advertisers that the on-jersey ads will cost between $4MM and $5MM per season. During their sales pitches, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment executives have discussed the prospect of ads of about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, which would be the same size as the Kia Motors Corp. ad that appeared on the NBA All-Star Game jerseys this year in Toronto, according to a report by Rick Westhead of TSN.ca. It still remains unclear just how on-jersey ads would affect the revenue sharing around the league. One possible scenario drawing mention would see teams keep 50% of the revenue they generate from such ads and put the other half into a league-wide fund that is split equally between franchises, according to Westhead.
Fans of soccer and international basketball are no strangers to on-jersey ads, but they are a relatively new concept to professional sports in the U.S.. In the never-ending search to locate new revenue sources, advertisements on team uniforms are the logical next step for the NBA. But it is also a change that may ruffle the feathers of some purists out there who believe the game should keep paid advertisements off of the players.
This brings me to the topic for today: Should the league allow on-jersey advertising?
Does the thought of potentially seeing advertisements on your favorite team’s uniforms distress and annoy you? Or do you think its no big deal and a change that the NBA should make to increase its earning power? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and feelings on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.
And-Ones: Teletovic, Harrell, Draft
Mirza Teletovic has indicated that he wants to remain with the Suns beyond this season and that feeling is shared by the team, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 relays (via Twitter). Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough said the Suns will attempt to re-sign the power forward this summer and that the interest was mutual, Gambadoro adds. Teletovic, who is earning $5.5MM on a one-year pact, has appeared in 75 games this season and is averaging 11.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.8 minutes per outing.
Here’s more from around the league:
- The NBPA is challenging the D-League’s decision to suspend Rockets rookie Montrezl Harrell for five games for shoving an official, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle notes (Twitter links). The NBPA is seeking to recoup Harrell’s lost pay and to change the precedent set by the ruling, Feigen adds.
- Sophomore point guard Tyler Ulis intends to hire an agent and remain in the 2016 NBA Draft, the University of Kentucky announced (on Twitter). If Ulis does secure representation, it would eliminate the possibility of him returning to school for his junior season.
- Duke freshman small forward Brandon Ingram has signed with Excel Sports Management and agent Jeff Schwartz, Liz Mullen of The Sports Business Journal reports (via Twitter). Ingram is the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.
- UConn women’s coach Geno Auriemma, who on Tuesday won his 11th NCAA title, has interest in joining the NBA coaching ranks at some point in his career, sources inform Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. “Geno’s a great coach, he knows players and he knows X’s and O’s,” a source told Deveney. “I think he’d like to try the NBA eventually, either head coaching or part of a staff at first. Not tomorrow, but I think it is a matter of when and not if. Coaching is coaching, and the guy can coach.” The 62-year-old is under contract with UConn through the 2017/18 season.
Western Notes: Terry, Durant, Green
Despite interviewing for the vacant coaching position at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, Rockets guard Jason Terry would like to continue his playing career beyond this season, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News relays. When asked if he would retire at the end of the season, Terry said, “No, not at all – unless there’s just an outrageous opportunity that presents itself in the coaching world. Other than that, my goal is to play two more years. So you’ll see a lot more of me.”
Terry also noted that he would be open to a return to the Mavericks, but added that his first priority would be finding a team that has a legitimate shot at winning an NBA crown, Sefko writes. “If the opportunity presents itself, it’s something I’ll look at it,” Terry said of a potential return to Dallas. “But obviously, over the last month or two, I’ve been getting approached in all facets of the sports world and so, I’m just keeping my options open, understanding that I’m getting toward the end. I would like to win another championship and then go into coaching. That’s my passion.”
Here’s more from out West:
- Kevin Durant is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Thunder will dramatically increase their chances of re-signing him if they win the NBA title this season, former teammate Kendrick Perkins tells Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (Twitter links). “It’s a possibility. I think it all determines on what happens in these playoffs,” Perkins said regarding Durant’s potential return to Oklahoma City. “They win it all, [Durant] can’t leave [OKC] in my opinion. But if they don’t, it might be time for a change.”
- There has been some debate about what Draymond Green‘s ideal position should be, but Warriors GM Bob Myers says all that matters is winning, not labeling players, Washburn writes in a separate piece. “I don’t know what position Draymond Green should play,” Myers said. “Is he a better 5, 4, or 3? Who knows? Who cares? He helps you win. Stephen Curry is just a basketball player who has developed a weapon that’s hard to defend. That’s the question that everybody is asking. What does [Green or Curry] do? The answer is that he wins. I think sometimes in our position, we lose sight of that skill. Winning is a skill. We need to put more emphasis on players who win. It doesn’t matter how they do it.”
Central Notes: Grant, Irving, Ennis
The Bulls have officially announced that Horace Grant has been named special advisor to team president and chief operating officer Michael Reinsdorf. “Horace is an incredible ambassador for the game of basketball. His ability to engage an audience, whether he is in a boardroom or a community center, will be invaluable to me and everyone at the Bulls as we continuously look for ways to grow our relationships with fans, corporate partners, and civic groups,” said Reinsdorf. “Every time we are together, he always has fantastic stories about his days with the Bulls, but he is also eager to share about his life today with his family and his travels with the NBA. Horace will bring a terrific energy to his role at the Bulls.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Kyrie Irving isn’t backing down from his proclamation that the Cavaliers are the team to beat in the NBA this season, despite the fact that the Warriors are the defending champions and have a shot to set the single-season mark for victories, Chris Fedor of The Northeast Ohio Media Group relays. “I mean, I feel that way and I was just being honest about it,” Irving said. “We all should feel that way as well, no matter if we’re going up and down. We still have the talent and we still have the belief. Whether we show it on a consistent basis, we know internally what we have and what we’re capable of when clicking on all cylinders. May not be perfect, may not be the prototypical team that everyone else sees, but I believe in these guys. I will go to war with these guys any day.“
- Bucks point guard Tyler Ennis has seen increased action recently and the second-year player has used those minutes to impress the coaching staff, writes Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “He’s definitely putting himself in a better position,” coach Jason Kidd said of Ennis. “Taking advantage of the time on the floor. A lot of guys will say, ‘Can I get a chance?’ And when you do, some of them don’t respond. So now he’s responded. He’s worked on his game all year — the three, the floater. And we know he can pass the ball. He never gets rattled and is not afraid of taking a big shot.“
- Lorenzo Brown‘s second 10-day deal with the Pistons is set to expire this evening and the team is still undecided as to whether or not it will ink him for the remainder of the campaign, Rod Beard of The Detroit News notes (Twitter link).
Sam Hinkie Steps Down As Sixers GM
8:01pm: The Sixers have confirmed Hinkie’s resignation via press release. “This evening, Sam Hinkie notified the organization that he has elected to step down as President of Basketball Operations and General Manager,” the team’s official statement relayed. “While we are disappointed in Sam’s decision, we would like to sincerely thank him for his contributions over the past three seasons. There is no question that Sam’s work has put us in a very strong position to take advantage of numerous opportunities for an exciting future.”
7:47pm: In a full-length piece, Stein posted an excerpt from Hinkie’s resignation letter to team ownership. “There has been much criticism of our approach. There will be more. A competitive league like the NBA necessitates a zig while our competitors comfortably zag,” Hinkie wrote. “We often chose not to defend ourselves against much of the criticism, largely in an effort to stay true to the ideal of having the longest view in the room. Given all the changes to our organization, I no longer have the confidence that I can make good decisions on behalf of investors in the Sixers — you. So I should step down. And I have.” Stein’s sources also inform him that Bryan Colangelo’s hiring in Philadelphia is imminent.
7:40pm: Sixers team officials said that they are unaware of any resignation involving Hinkie, Wojnarowski relays (via Twitter).
7:37pm: In addition to Bryan Colangelo, Danny Ferry is the other candidate the Sixers were considering to work alongside Hinkie, Wojnarowski tweets.
7:12pm: Sixers GM Sam Hinkie has stepped down from his post with the team, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). It’s unclear at this time if this resignation was 100% voluntary and if Hinkie intends to remain with the organization in a different capacity going forward. Philadelphia is targeting Bryan Colangelo as a potential replacement for Hinkie, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical relays (Twitter links). Team ownership had stated the intention to add another top basketball executive who would hold a similar title to Hinkie’s, which did not sit well with the GM, the Vertical scribe adds.
Hinkie had said back in March that he wasn’t worried about his job security, even though the Sixers were reportedly considering a move that would further reduce his role. He’d lost much of his autonomy and influence in the wake of Jerry Colangelo being hired as chairman of basketball operations, so Hinkie’s departure doesn’t come as an absolute shock, though the timing certainly is odd given that the season has less than two weeks remaining.
Hinkie became the Sixers’ GM in May of 2013 after a stint as the Rockets executive vice president. The executive’s rebuilding through bottoming-out plan has been met with much scrutiny and derision around the league and Philadelphia had an overall record of 47-195 during Hinkie’s reign.