Mavs Notes: D. Harris, FA Guard Targets, Draft Strategy
Devin Harris of the Mavericks is taking a very optimistic approach to an uncertain offseason, reports Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News.
“I just think of it as a surgery-free summer,” Harris said. “So I try to enjoy it that way. Just enjoying healthy and working out and everything else will take care of itself. I don’t really worry about it. Obviously, I’m in a little bit of limbo, but I’m just preparing like I’m going to be here. And if I’m not, I’m not.”
The Mavs have until January 10th to opt out of Harris’ contract. Harris says he has yet to hear from Dallas regarding his team option for next season but that he is preparing to be with the team, tweets Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com.
More on the Mavericks:
- Who are the best realistic free agent point guard targets for the Mavs? Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News lists Jrue Holiday, Jeff Teague, Kyle Lowry, Patty Mills, and Brandon Jennings, in that order, analyzing each player’s potential fit in Dallas.
- As for realistic free agent shooting guard targets for the team, Eddie Sefko wrote another piece, ranking J.J. Redick first, followed by Dion Waiters, Tony Allen, C.J. Miles, and Ian Clark. Follow the link to read the astute analysis.
- As for draft strategy, the prolific Sefko is at it again, explaining why the Mavericks might not draft a point guard, as they have widely been expected to do, but rather the best big man available.
Southeast Notes: J. Johnson, Heat, Hawks, Hornets
When James Johnson was asked about whether his affection for the Heat could translate into a team-friendly contract in free agency this offseason, the forward took a measured stance Sunday, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Johnson reiterated his love the organization, while maintaining that a business decision must be made:
“I love this place so much and the opportunity they gave me. I couldn’t thank them enough. Down the line, it’s hard in this phase of my career to try to find somewhere that you call home or you want it to be home and things like that. So you know the love I have for this team is up there. But it’s just something I got to let the agent and Pat [Riley] discuss and try to figure out, and then just give my last say so at the end.”
Johnson enjoyed a career season in 2016/17, averaging 12.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 3.6 APG.
Here’s what else you should know from the Southeast division:
- On Monday, J.J. Frazier (Georgia) was set to work out for the Hawks, reported Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (link via Twitter). Other participants scheduled to work out for the Hawks that day were Johnathan Motley (Baylor), Jordan Bell (Oregon), London Perrantes (Virginia), Semi Ojeleye (SMU), and Damyean Dotson (Houston), also via Vivlamore (link via Twitter).
- On Tuesday, the Hawks held pre-draft workouts for seven more players, according to the team’s website: Troy Caupain (Cincinnati), Ilimane Diop (Baskonia), TJ Leaf (UCLA), Landen Lucas (Kansas), Tyler Lydon (Syracuse), Anžejs Pasečniks (Gran Canaria), and Jeremy Senglin (Weber State).
- On Monday, the Hornets held their fourth pre-draft workout, hosting Jaron Blossomgame (Clemson), Antonius Cleveland (Southeast Missouri State), PJ Dozier (South Carolina), Avry Holmes (Clemson), Justin Patton (Creighton), and Quinton Stephens (Georgia Tech), according to the team’s official website.
- The Hornets held another pre-draft workout session on Tuesday, hosting Jamel Artis (Pittsburgh), Sidy Djitte (Clemson), Youssoupha Fall (France), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Florida State), Melo Trimble (Maryland), and Elijah Wilson (Coastal Carolina), also via the team’s website.
- Donovan Mitchell worked out for the Heat on Tuesday, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Follow the link to read an analysis of Mitchell’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Should the Heat prioritize acquiring Rudy Gay, Paul George, or Gordon Hayward this offseason? Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel does cost-benefit analysis with regard to each of the three talented small forwards.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 6/3/17 – 6/10/17
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team compiles original content to complement our news feed. Here are some of our favorite segments and features from the past seven days:
- Luke Adams provides a list of players eligible for rookie scale extensions in 2017.
- We offer two more installments in our Five Offseason Questions series with the Kings and Wizards.
- Luke Adams breaks down team’s specific salary cap landscapes with six more analyses in his Salary Cap Digest series: the Heat, Pistons, Celtics, Spurs, Cavaliers, and Warriors. Find your favorite team’s entry here.
- Arthur Hill talks Dion Waiters‘ expected contract, the Celtics‘ plans for their second round picks, and whether the Mavericks might trade for Emmanuel Mudiay in his weekly Sunday mailbag. Submit your questions via Twitter (@HoopsRumors) or by sending us an email (hoopsrumorsmailbag@gmail.com).
- In his weekly Hoops Links roundup of interesting articles from around the blogosphere, Austin Kent shares pieces on Thon Maker‘s enormous potential, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s fascinating background, whether the Nuggets should ink Danilo Gallinari long-term, and more.
- Luke Adams answered your questions about the upcoming draft, free agency, the Cavs, and other NBA topics in our weekly Thursday afternoon live chat. Read the transcript here.
- Check out our free Trade Rumors app available for IOS and Android.
- Here are the questions we asked you in our Community Shootaround discussions and polls this week:
- Should strict media obligations be required of NBA players?
- What adjustments must the Cavs make ahead of Game 3?
- Will the Warriors go a perfect 16-0 in the playoffs?
- Will LeBron James be a Cavalier for the rest of his career or does his future lie elsewhere?
- Had the Warriors won the Finals last year and been two-time defending champions, how, if at all, would the team be viewed differently?
Draft Notes: Ball, Lakers, Pre-Draft Workouts
There has been much innuendo and rumor in recent weeks that Lonzo Ball would not necessarily be taken by the Lakers with their second overall pick. Still, a majority of executives at the adidas EuroCamp expect the Lakers to draft Ball second, reports Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (link via Twitter). Howard goes on to state that these executives believe that the purple and gold like De’Aaron Fox and Josh Jackson, but still lean towards Ball.
Check out the latest news in pre-draft workouts here:
- On Saturday, the Blazers held their fourth of six pre-draft workouts, hosting Bam Adebayo (Kentucky), Dwayne Bacon (Florida State), Dillon Brooks (Oregon), Terrance Ferguson (NBL – Australia), Nigel Hayes (Wisconsin), and Melo Trimble (Maryland), reports Casey Holdahl of NBA.com.
- Nigel Hayes (Wisconsin) is also scheduled to work out for the Knicks, which will occur this coming week, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.com.
- Kyle Kuzma will work out for the 76ers on Monday, according to Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune (link via Twitter).
- TJ Leaf has a workout scheduled with the Jazz for Sunday, also per Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune (link via Twitter).
- Zach Collins (Gonzaga) will work out for the Kings on Sunday, as reported by James Ham of NBC Sports (link via Twitter).
Five Key Stories: 6/3/17 – 6/10/17
Here are some of the biggest stories from the last week at Hoops Rumors:
Steve Kerr returned to coach Game 2 of the NBA Finals. The Warriors head coach had been away since Game 3 of the team’s first-round series against the Blazers and intends to patrol the sidelines for the remainder of the Finals. Mike Brown served as head coach while Kerr’s back pain kept him out.
French prospect Jonathan Jeanne was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome. This diagnosis almost certainly thwarts Jeanne’s chances of being drafted this year. The big man had previously been viewed as a probable first-round selection in the draft. Earlier this year, former Baylor prospect Isaiah Austin, whose career was also derailed by Marfan Syndrome, made his professional debut overseas.
The Bucks have narrowed down their GM search to three finalists. The leading contenders for the position are Nuggets assistant GM Arturas Karnisovas, Hawks advisor and former GM Wes Wilcox, and Bucks assistant GM Justin Zanik. Interviews for the opening began earlier this week.
The Magic will hire Pete D’Alessandro as their new assistant general manager. The new hire last served as an executive with the Nuggets. D’Alessandro served as general manager of the Kings from 2013 to 2015.
3-on-3 basketball will debut as an event at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The new competition will feature 64 players in total, with eight teams apiece for men and women. It remains unclear whether NBA players will participate in the event. If FIBA rules for three-on-three play are adopted, the games will last 10 minutes if neither team reaches 21 points first, with only one- and two-point shots.
Ten More Stories
- The Jazz reportedly view the Heat as a serious threat to land Gordon Hayward in free agency.
- The Pistons are gauging the trade market for Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson.
- Former sixth overall pick Jan Vesely is drawing interest from NBA teams.
- What’s the latest on the Pistons‘ plans to move to downtown Detroit?
- Dwight Howard is working on adding a three-point shot ahead of next season.
- The Pelicans hired Chris Finch as an assistant coach.
- Markelle Fultz worked out for the Celtics this week.
- Paul George is currently not being discussed by the Pacers in trade talks.
- Jimmy Butler has hired a new agent.
- Former Knicks head coach Derek Fisher was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving following a car accident.
Northwest Notes: Kanter, Rubio, Nuggets, Jazz, Blazers
Enes Kanter remains hopeful that he will be able to reunite with his family in the United States someday, reports Erik Horne of NewsOK.com. Currently, Kanter’s father sits in a Turkey jail, awaiting interrogation on Monday. Two and a half weeks ago, the Thunder big man’s passport was canceled by the Turkish government and he could not gain access to Romania. Homeland Security, a team of lawyers, and the NBA teamed up to arrange his speedy return to the United States, but now Kanter’s father is in trouble. Kanter’s mother, younger sister, and brother also currently remain in Turkey.
“If you’re a kid, woman or child, if you’re speaking out against them, they’ll arrest you,” Kanter said.
Here’s more from the Northwest division:
- Ricky Rubio wants the Timberwolves front office to value his input more heavily going forward, reports Michael Rand of The Minneapolis Star Tribune. Rubio made his comments to a Spanish website in the language of Catalan.
- The Nuggets held a pre-draft workout on Monday that included John Collins (Wake Forest), JeQuan Lewis (VCU), Landen Lucas (Kansas), Hassan Martin (Rhode Island), Caleb Swanigan (Purdue), and T.J. Williams (Northeastern), per the team’s official website.
- The Jazz will hold a pre-draft workout Wednesday, featuring Leo Cizmic (Croatia), Chance Comanche (Arizona), Youssoupha Fall (Senegal) Semi Ojeleye (SMU), Obinna Oleka (Arizona State), and JaCorey Williams (Middle Tennessee State), per the team’s official Twitter page.
- Harry Giles‘ next workout will be with the Trail Blazers, reports Sean Cunningham of ABC10 (KXTV) Sacramento (link via Twitter).
Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Horford, Celtics, 76ers
Celtics GM Danny Ainge was impressed by Markelle Fultz after the point guard spent two days in Boston, reports Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Boston owns the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft and is strongly considering using the pick on Fultz.
“It went well. I had dinner with him last night. He had a physical yesterday and he had a workout this morning with Brad [Stevens]. Everything went well. He’s very talented,” Ainge told Himmelsbach by phone Tuesday.
But that is not all going on in the Atlantic division:
- Fresh off the first season of his sizable contract with the Celtics, Al Horford opens up about the high expectations and immense pressures he faces in an article from Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. Horford explains how he copes: “My biggest thing, and I learned this at an early stage in my career, was to not read any of that information or see anything, good or bad…One day people love you, the next they hate you, it’s really up and down, and my focus was making sure the team kept getting better as a group, and not worry about anything outside. One thing that helped me was not paying attention to a lot of things.”
- 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo is not speeding up the team’s rebuild and instead appears to be patiently and strategically building a contender a la Sam Hinkie‘s “The Process,” writes Bob Cooney of Philly.com.
- The 76ers will hold a pre-draft workout on Wednesday, reports Keith Pompey of Philly.com (link via Twitter). The scheduled participants are Jordan Bell (Oregon), Thomas Bryant (Indiana), Tyler Dorsey (Oregon), Elie Okobo (Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez), L.J. Peak (Georgetown), and Steve Vasturia (Notre Dame).
Pacific Notes: Fox, Kings, Suns, Lakers, Warriors
The Kings may be willing to trade both their No. 5 and No. 10 picks to move up in the draft so that they can move up to select De’Aaron Fox, according to Chad Ford of ESPN (link via Sporting News’ Joe Rodgers). Sacramento has apparently become infatuated with Fox and does not believe that he will be available at No. 5, prompting internal discussions about the possibility of trading up.
Here is more from the Pacific division:
- On Wednesday, the Kings will host their fifth pre-draft workout, per the team’s official website. Attendees will be Donovan Mitchell (Louisville), Dominique Hawkins (Kentucky), Caleb Swanigan (Purdue), Cameron Oliver (Nevada), Erik McCree (Louisiana Tech), and Jabari Bird (California).
- Beyond bringing back the Warriors‘ core, “every non-core player might end up elsewhere if the price is too high,” writes Tim Kawakami of The San Jose Mercury News. As Kawakami states, the Dubs have shown in the past “they can be fairly cut-throat in evaluating the middle-to-bottom of their roster.” The Kawakami piece also includes +/- statistics for the Warriors and Cavaliers this postseason, this year’s NBA Finals, and the Finals from a year ago.
- Malik Monk worked out for the Suns on Tuesday, per the team’s official Twitter account.
- Yoan Granvorka will work out for the Suns on Wednesday, according to Sportando (link via Twitter).
- The Lakers worked out point guard Jawun Evans and are considering him at No. 28, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com reports (link via Twitter). Howard-Cooper adds that Evans is “getting interest in the 20s, including from the Blazers with two in that range.”
Five Key Stories: 5/27/17 – 6/3/17
Here are some of the biggest stories from the last week at Hoops Rumors:
Danilo Gallinari will decline his player option and become a free agent. The Nuggets have strong interest in bringing Gallo back and the small forward remains open to the opportunity. Gallinari would have made $16.1 MM next season had he exercised his option.
Dion Waiters will decline his player option, becoming a free agent. In declining his option, Waiters will turn down $3.2MM next season to stay with the Heat. During the 2016/17 campaign, the former Syracuse guard averaged 15.8 PPG to go with career highs of 4.3 APG and 3.3 RPG.
C.J. Miles will opt out of his contract with the Pacers and become a free agent. In opting out, the veteran is turning down approximately $4.77MM in search of a more lucrative deal. Last season, Miles sunk a career-best 41.3% of his field-goal attempts from three-point territory.
The NBA and the players’ union have formally ruled that Chris Bosh‘s blood clotting condition is career-ending. The Heat are expected to waive Bosh shortly now that the logistics are finalized. Although it won’t count towards the Heat’s payroll, the power forward will still receive the remaining portion of his contract. If Bosh were to pursue an NBA comeback, he would need to present compelling medical evidence to the league that it is reasonably safe for him to play.
The Clippers remain the “overwhelming favorite” to land Chris Paul. Despite the Clippers‘ status as the apparent leader on the market, Paul’s interest in the Spurs is serious. Adrian Wojnarowski gives the Clips a significant advantage because of the extra money they can offer and Paul’s significant continuing marketing opportunities in Los Angeles. Woj also contends that the Spurs would need to gut their payroll to sign Paul and such a move is unprecedented within their organization.
Ten More Stories
- Dewayne Dedmon will decline his player option with the Spurs and become a free agent.
- Other transactions this week include Willie Reed planning to opt out and the Kings waiving Anthony Tolliver.
- Does Carmelo Anthony want to remain with the Knicks? Former teammates J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert are he convinced that he does.
- Nine-year NBA veteran Emeka Okafor has been medically cleared and is poised to return to the league.
- The Heat have purchased controlling interest in their D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
- There is “some optimism” that Steve Kerr could coach Golden State in Game 2 of the Finals.
- What is the latest on the Bucks‘ GM search?
- Lonzo Ball has an individual workout and meeting scheduled with the Lakers.
- The Clippers are interested in luring Jerry West from the Warriors.
- Kevin Durant is open to re-signing with Golden State for less than the max.
Atlantic Notes: Ball, Sixers, Rubio, Knicks
76ers adviser Jerry Colangelo said Friday that the people surrounding Lonzo Ball present challenges for teams heading into the draft, per ESPN.com. However, Colangelo is still high on Ball, the player:
“I think Ball is a terrific prospect and could have an outstanding NBA future,” Colangelo told the Carlin and Reese radio show on 94 WIP. “I think it’s going to be challenging with the people around him, without being specific. And yet, I don’t think teams should bypass the player because they have those concerns. At the end of the day, what wins in this league is talent, and this is a very talented young man.”
Here are some other choice tidbits from the Atlantic division:
- In an interesting must-read column, Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com argues that the 76ers should emulate the 2013/14 Cavaliers.
- The Sixers have parted ways with their director of applied analytics, Lance Pearson, writes Keith Pompey of Philly.com. The holdover from Sam Hinkie‘s staff had worked for the team for the past four seasons.
- Ian Begley of ESPN.com is reporting that some members of the Knicks organization remain interested in pursuing a trade for Ricky Rubio.
- Melo Trimble will work out for the 76ers on Monday, reports Keith Pompey of Philly.com.
- Jonathan Isaac recently worked out for the Celtics against Louisiana Tech forward Erik McCree, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reported Friday (link via Twitter).