Justise Winslow A Month Away From Return
Heat small forward Justise Winslow will need another month before he can fully return from shoulder surgery, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (link via Twitter). Winslow’s second NBA season was limited to just 18 games due to the injury. The former Duke Blue Devil started 15 of those contests, posting well-rounded averages of 10.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.7 APG, and 1.4 SPG.
Winderman also tweets (link via Twitter) that Winslow is prioritizing improving his shooting mechanics.
Central Notes: D. Griffin, Pistons, Pacers, Clarkson, Butler
Cavaliers GM David Griffin faces an uncertain future, writes Joe Drape of The New York Times in a well-written piece detailing the executive’s background, approach, and accomplishments. Griffin’s contract with the Cavs expires at the end of this month and, as Drape states, “[Dan] Gilbert is a hands-on owner who has a history of letting player and executive contracts run out before going to the negotiating table.”
Since being named the Cavs’ GM in May 2014, Griffin has lured LeBron James back to the team, traded for Kevin Love, acquired many vital role players, fired David Blatt as head coach, hired Tyronn Lue to replace him, and most importantly brought a championship to Cleveland. For all the recent interest in Griffin, the general manager wishes to maintain a low profile, text messaging regarding comment on the story: “I really appreciate the opportunity to reconsider but I am trying desperately to keep a low profile and my quotes being in something about me just makes me uncomfortable. Ownership wouldn’t appreciate either, I am sure.”
Here are some other stories you’ll want to check out from the Central division:
- The Pistons‘ openness to trading their 12th pick for a veteran does not surprise Keith Langlois of Pistons.com, but he cautions that any such trade would come with significant ripple effects.
- Point guard remains the Bulls‘ greatest need and Jordan Clarkson would provide an excellent fit, writes Mark Strotman of CSNChicago.com. Strotman cites a tweet from Jordan Schultz of The Huffington Post (link via Twitter) that the Lakers are actively seeking trade offers for their young guard.
- On Thursday night, Bulls star Jimmy Butler appeared as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live and was asked by the host why he is not coming to the Lakers, as relayed by CSNChicago.com. The small forward responded, “Because I love Chicago so very much. They took a chance at me in 2011 with the 30th pick so I’m forever grateful for that.”
- The Pacers will have several important decisions to make this offseason. In his mailbag, Scott Agness of VigilantSports.com addresses team-focused topics such as Monta Ellis‘ future, Rudy Gay‘s fit, and who the team should target in free agency.
- Justin Jackson of North Carolina will work out for the Pistons next week, reports Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press (link via Twitter). As for the Pacers, the organization will hold a pre-draft workout on Monday, June 5th, featuring Bam Adebayo, Terrance Ferguson, Luke Kennard, London Perrantes, Ivan Rabb, and Davon Reed, per a press release from the Pacers’ official website.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 5/27/17 – 6/3/17
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 NBA Maximum Salary Projections for 2017/18.
- We offer three more installments in our Five Offseason Questions series with the Lakers, Bucks, and 76ers.
- Luke Adams breaks down team’s specific salary cap landscapes with five more analyses in his Salary Cap Digest series: the Mavericks, Pelicans, Hornets, Pistons, and Nuggets. Find your favorite team’s entry here.
- Arthur Hill talks the likelihood of Kristaps Porzingis being traded, the Pistons‘ offseason plans, and Paul George rumors 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 Dwyane Wade as a sixth man in Chicago, Enes Kanter‘s mesmerizing geopolitical saga, the Lakers‘ foolish signing of Luol Deng last offseason, and more.
- 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:
- What do you think about the NBA’s age limit?
- Where will Blake Griffin sign this offseason?
- Are Chris Paul and the Spurs a match made in basketball heaven or does it make more sense for the point god to stick with the Clippers?
- We held a community shootaround asking which team will win the NBA Finals. Then we followed up with a poll. As of press time, more than 60 percent of voters predicted the Warriors to emerge victorious.
- Which of the NBA Finals teams has a brighter future?
- Should the Warriors trade Klay Thompson and what kind of return would he command?
Northwest Notes: Jazz, Kanter, Wolves, Nuggets
In previewing the Jazz‘s offseason, Bobby Marks of The Vertical points out that three of the team’s starters are free agents: Gordon Hayward, George Hill, and Joe Ingles. Marks also observes that the Jazz possess the 24th and 30th overall picks in the draft, and two of the team’s key players, Rudy Gobert and Rodney Hood, were drafted by Utah in the 20s. The Jazz have cast a wide net in the draft in recent years, often bringing in more than 100 players for workouts, and they figure to do the same this year.
Here’s more from around the Northwest division:
- The “can’t play [Enes] Kanter” narrative is not entirely true, writes Erik Horne of NewsOK.com. Kanter provides value for the Thunder, particularly during the regular season, according to Horne, who notes that the big man can thrive in specific matchups and roles.
- The Timberwolves announced on Tuesday that their new NBA D-League affiliate in Des Moines will be known as the Iowa Wolves, per the team’s official website. The T-Wolves finalized the purchase of the NBADL organization, formerly known as the Iowa Energy, on May 3.
- Michael Rand of the Star Tribune examines the Timberwolves‘ options at point guard in light of recent reports from Ian Begley centering on Ricky Rubio and Derrick Rose.
- The Nuggets are well positioned for both the present and the future, Keith Smith of RealGM argues in his offseason preview for the franchise. While Denver may lose Danilo Gallinari and could use another point guard, the club has avoided bad contracts and has the cap flexibility necessary to continue improving its roster.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Pacific Notes: J. Jackson, Isaac, Tatum, Thompson
The Suns potentially have a difficult decision to make when they find themselves on the clock with the fourth overall pick, writes Doug Haller of AZCentral Sports. Three talented freshman small forwards could be available: Josh Jackson, Jonathan Isaac, and Jayson Tatum. Defense and three-point shooting are likely the Suns’ two most glaring weaknesses, and one of these athletes could certainly help.
Haller writes that Jackson’s real impact could come defensively. The scribe adds that, while Tatum is nowhere near the defender that Jackson is, the Duke freshman may be the most polished scorer in the draft. As for Isaac, he can play both forward positions, with many believing that he will also be able to man the center position when his body fills out. Furthermore, the departing Seminole would contribute defensive versatility, having defended all over the floor for Florida State.
Here are some more pertinent notes from the Pacific division:
- On Tuesday, the Suns were set to host two pre-draft workouts, per the club’s official Twitter page. The announced participants were Zak Irvin, Wesley Iwundu, Luke Kornet, Kennedy Meeks, Semi Ojeleye, Devin Robinson, and Jarrett Allen.
- The Kings will hold two pre-draft workouts on Wednesday, reports Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. The first group is full of big names: Justin Jackson, Jordan Bell, Frank Mason, Kyle Kuzma, London Perrantes, and Devin Robinson. Jones points out that, prior to last year’s draft, the Kings convinced just once first-round pick to visit the team, even though Sacramento held the eighth overall selection. To find out which players are part of the second group that is working out for the Kings on Wednesday, check out Jones’ full story.
- Ivan Rabb does not regret returning for his sophomore season at Cal despite falling from a likely lottery pick in the last draft to an expected low first-round selection this time around, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. On the contrary, Rabb believes that staying in school an additional season will help him at the next level. Rabb was one of six players to work out for the Lakers on Tuesday. The others were Jaron Blossomgame, Sterling Brown, Tyler Dorsey, Cameron Oliver, and Xavier Rathan-Mayes.
- Klay Thompson‘s historic Game 6 against the Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals had a transformative effect on basketball history, chronicles Tim Kawakami of The San Jose Mercury News. Although Thompson’s performance that night did not lead to a second-straight Warriors championship, without it, Kevin Durant very well may not have joined Golden State during the ensuing offseason.
Lonzo Ball Lakers Workout Set
Lonzo Ball will have an individual workout and meeting with the Lakers on June 7th, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical. Confirming the news is Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times (link via Twitter), adding that Ball does not have any other team workouts planned yet, but he is considering working out for the 76ers and Suns.
The workout was originally planned for June 9th before being moved to the 7th due to a scheduling conflict for Magic Johnson, per Ganguli (link via Twitter). The Lakers own the second pick in the upcoming draft, while the 76ers are set to pick third, followed by the Suns at four.
Heat Notes: Millsap, Griffin, Hayward, J. Johnson, Waiters
In another rousing edition of Ask Ira, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel discusses whether Pat Riley might pursue bigger names than Dion Waiters and James Johnson this offseason. In particular, might the Heat go after Paul Millsap and/or Gordon Hayward? Winderman concludes that, while he would not understate the likelihood of Riley and company engaging both Millsap and Hayward in free agency, the Heat may not have enough cap room to nab two elite free agents. If the team were to prioritize big-name free agents at the expense of Waiters and/or Johnson, it would likely raise its chances of signing a star player or two, but it may lose either or both of its key free agents from last season, depending on the timing of the decisions being made. Winderman also brings up the possibility, though a long shot, of augmenting Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside with “something far more potent.” Here are some more relevant team-specific notes:
- In the same installment of Ask Ira, Winderman doubts Lauri Markkanen falling to the Heat at No. 14, but speculates that the team would pounce if he did. Winderman contends that his excellent outside shooting would fit a key need for the Heat and asserts that the Heat’s developmental program could adequately address the Arizona product’s defensive question marks.
- Suns forward Jared Dudley sees the Heat as a Plan B for Blake Griffin in free agency this offseason, reports Ira Winderman. Dudley, Griffin’s former teammate with the Clippers, believes that Griffin’s top choice is to remain with the Clippers and that that is likely where he will end up. Miami is a “good city” in a place with no state tax and “the only case scenario” where Griffin will be able “to be the man on the team,” according to Dudley. Dudley made his comments on an ESPN podcast.
- In a separate iteration of Ask Ira, Ira Winderman discusses Waiters’ proper pricing point, which he admits is “speculation” at this point. NBA insiders have told Winderman that Waiters’ hype may be exaggerated “considering the limited market last summer and the small sample size this past season due to injury.” Regardless, it takes just one suitor to set the market, and there is plenty of available cap space around the league.
Danilo Gallinari To Become Unrestricted Free Agent
Danilo Gallinari of the Nuggets intends to decline his $16.1 MM player option for 2017/18 and become a free agent, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
According to Woj’s report, league sources state that the Italian-born forward remains open to the possibility of rejoining the Nuggets. Furthermore, Nuggets GM Tim Connelly has expressed a strong desire to keep Gallo as key contributor on the team. Gallinari is coming off a strong season, in which he averaged 18.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 2.1 APG.
Emeka Okafor Determined To Return To NBA
Emeka Okafor has been medically cleared to return, is working out, and is poised to play in the NBA again, reports Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press (link via Twitter).
Okafor played nine seasons with three different organizations, last suiting up for the Wizards during the 2012/13 campaign. As a member of the Bobcats, the center was named Rookie of the Year in 2005. Okafor has averaged 12.3 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 1.7 BPG in his career. The former Connecticut Huskies star started an impressive 584 of the 590 NBA games in which he played. A herniated disc in the neck caused the veteran’s NBA career to be interrupted.The former NCAA champion will turn 35 years old in just under four months.
Krawczynski also tweets that Okafor has already been in touch with some teams.
Draft Notes: J. Jackson, Ball, Fultz, Strategies To Avoid
Is Josh Jackson a better prospect than Lonzo Ball? In a fascinating detail-rich piece, Rob Dauster of NBC Sports tackles this question. The column focuses on Jackson, outlining his strengths and weaknesses. The Kansas product’s most prominent strengths include his length, superior athleticism, competitiveness, and versatility. Dauster considers the forward’s main weaknesses to be his jump shot and his tendency to make defensive lapses.
After a careful and extensive consideration of Jackson’s game, Dauster concludes that he is a better prospect than Ball and the second-best prospect in the draft. In fact, the writer contends that the gap between Markelle Fultz and Jackson is smaller than the gap between Jackson and Ball.
Here are a couple more draft-related items:
- Speaking of Fultz, the point guard said Tuesday that he has had multiple conversations with Danny Ainge since the draft combine, reports Jeff Goodman of ESPN. Fultz told ESPN: “I want to be the No. 1 pick really bad. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little kid, and I feel like I would fit well in Boston.” The Washington freshman elaborated on his fit with the Celtics and star Isaiah Thomas: “We can both play on or off the ball. We can both score and also pass. I think we’d be great together. When we’ve talked since the lottery, we haven’t really talked about basketball much. He’s been through a lot lately.”
- What are the most dangerous mistakes that NBA teams make during the draft? Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders describes the seven most common flawed strategies that can lead to “egregious error” in the draft. We strongly encourage you to read the full piece on the topic, as it includes juicy details, such as which players from this year’s draft class are potential busts based on each blunder from the list. Check out the piece to see Brigham’s full list.