Hoops Rumors Originals: 4/1/13 – 4/7/13
Here's a look back at this week's original analysis from the Hoops Rumors staff..
- Chuck Myron looked at first round picks seeing limited burn.
- Luke Adams listed the players with the most guaranteed long-term salary.
- Chuck asked how Danilo Gallinari's injury will affect the Nuggets.
- I looked at Indiana big man Cody Zeller in another installment of our Prospect Profile series.
- Luke updated us on the free agent stock of Jose Calderon.
- Here's a guide on how to follow specific teams on Facebook, Twitter, and RSS.
- The Blazers have the edge on signing J.J. Hickson, Chuck writes.
- The overwhelming majority of Hoops Rumors readers see the Lakers getting the No. 8 seed.
- Most of you see George Karl winning Coach of the Year.
- Chuck looked at net first round pick debits and credits.
- Most of you see the Nuggets as the NBA's cinderella.
- Here's a refresher on our comment policy.
D-League Moves: Dooling, Wroten, Varnado
The biggest D-League news of the day came when the Warriors inked Scott Machado to a 10-day deal, giving the Iona guard another crack in the NBA for the 2012/13 campaign. We'll keep track of today's call-ups and assignments in this thread. If you want to take a look back at all of the D-League assignments and recalls from this year, check out Hoops Rumors' running log. Here's the latest..
- The Grizzlies announced that they have recalled Keyon Dooling and Tony Wroten from the Reno Bighorns. Dooling had six points and two steals in his D-League debut. Wroten, making his fourth D-League appearance of the year, had 30 points and eight assists.
- The Heat announced that they recalled Jarvis Varnado from the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Varnado averaged 18.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.75 blocks, and 1.75 steals in his eight game stint.
Draft Notes: McGary, Burke, Smith, Bennett
After looking at UNLV's Anthony Bennett in the latest installment of Hoops Rumors' Prospect Profile series earlier today, here's a roundup of today's draft news..
- Mitch McGary's performance in the NCAA tournament for Michigan is solidifying the freshman center's stock as a first-round pick in the eyes of NBA scouts, notes Aran Smith of NBADraft.net (Twitter link). McGary has turned a lot of heads in recent weeks, but there's no indication yet that he'll jump into this year's draft.
- Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld released his latest mock draft and has Michigan point guard Trey Burke climbing all the way to No. 5 on his board. Meanwhile, Bennett falls outside of the top ten in this mock draft, despite the fact that many talent evaluators see him as a top five prospect.
- Louisville guard Russ Smith says that he's leaning towards staying in school, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. The 6-foot guard is currently busy getting set for tomorrow night's championship clash with Michigan.
- McGary's stock is through the roof, writes Zagoria.
Warriors Sign Scott Machado
The Warriors announced that they have signed guard Scott Machado to a 10-day contract. Machado played in nearby Santa Cruz for the club's D-League affiliate.
Machado, 22, came to the Santa Cruz Warriors in a trade with Rio Grande Valley last month. In 28 D-League games for Santa Cruz and Rio Grande Valley, the Iona product has averaged 8.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 24.0 minutes per contest. The guard already has six NBA games to his credit this season from his time with the Rockets.
Prospect Profile: Anthony Bennett
Last week, UNLV star Anthony Bennett officially announced that he'll forego his sophomore season and enter the 2013 draft. In his freshman year for the Runnin' Rebels, Bennett averaged 16.1 PPG and 8.1 RPG and shot 53.3% from the floor in 27.1 minutes per contest, but doesn't have the household name of other top prospects like Kentucky's Nerlens Noel and Kansas' Ben McLemore. If you're not among those that are familiar with Bennett, now is a good time to start.
The Canadian import stands at 6'7" but you wouldn't know it based on the way that he pushes around taller opponents. At the same time, he has a more diverse offensive skillset than most big men out there as well. Bennett is comfortable with the ball in his hands and can slash to the basket, shoot from the perimeter, and score in the paint. While he doesn't have the same ceiling, his offensive range at the power forward position is reminiscent of former Syracuse standout Derrick Coleman. He still has a great deal of potential in his own right, however, and his offense get even stronger if he can develop a back-to-the-basket game.
Defensively, Bennett has a ways to go. He has the athleticism to be a strong defender but never seemed to apply himself to it while at UNLV. Whether that's due to the scoring that was demanded of him or just a matter of attitude, it's something that will have to change at the next level, especially when Bennett is charged with guarding full-sized frontcourt players. In UNLV's first round defeat to Cal this year, backup center Robert Thurman gave Bennett trouble on both sides of the floor as he used his size and muscle to his advantage. NBA scouts will certainly test Bennett with bigger opponents in workouts but if he gets by without too much trouble, the forward should be a top ten selection.
Stein On Van Gundy, Clippers, Pistons, Grizzlies
In his Weekend Dime column, ESPN.com's Marc Stein takes us on a ride around the NBA coaching carousel. You must be this tall to check out the highlights..
- According to sources, Stan Van Gundy's availability already has the Clippers highly intrigued. That doesn't bode well for coach Vinny Del Negro, who might not even be able to save his job with a deep playoff run.
- No team in coaching circles is rated as more likely to make a change than the Pistons. Sources consistently say that Lawrence Frank is going to be ousted when the season is over based on the lack of responsiveness from his players. It would be a big surprise at this stage if the Pistons aren't soon in the market for a coach and they make target a former player.
- One coaching source says that it is "very likely" that Lionel Hollins will get a new deal from the Grizzlies after the playoffs. Word is that they'll still probably keep him in the event of a first round exit.
- More than one source says that Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap is a coach in potential jeopardy, which undoubtedly stems from Michael Jordan's recent promise to season-ticket holders that major offseason changes are on the way. Stein doesn't think that the criticism for Dunlap is fair considering the group that he has to work with.
- Sources continue to link Kelvin Sampson to the Bucks' opening, but interim coach Jim Boylan could get the full-time gig still.
- One source with knowledge of the Suns said this week that Lindsey Hunter has a "good shot" to become the permanent head coach at season's end.
- Byron Scott is believed to have the support of the front office, but there is a growing sense in Cleveland that owner Dan Gilbert will make a change regardless. The coach had had to deal with the absences of Kyrie Irving, Anderson Varejao, and Dion Waiters throughout the year.
- Wizards coach Randy Wittman appears to be safe and he should have less to worry about that the aforementioned coaches on the hot seat.
Olshey On Offseason, Hickson, Center
The odds were against them, but the Blazers managed to stay in the playoff hunt until late March and in doing so, showed promise for the future. Portand didn't do it with flashy upgrades either. They added just one player at the trade deadline, point guard Eric Maynor, at the cost of a $2.2MM trade exception. Recently, General Manager Neil Olshey sat down with Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune to discuss the state of the club. Here's a look at the highlights..
Would you judge this season a success?
It went well. We had a good season. We stayed in the playoff race longer than anybody thought. Our young guys have all gotten better. We've won close games, which is a testament to how (coach) Terry Stotts has managed the games. The assistant coaches have done a great job with the development of rookies like Victor Claver and Meyers Leonard. We fell short of our hopes to get into the playoffs. But based on preseason prognostications, for how long we remained competitive with how young we were and how limited our bench was, we had a positive year.
Where must the team improve?
I don't think we're talented enough right now. It's not position-specific. The first player acquisition vehicle after the season is the draft. You have to hone into whether (acquiring talent) means using your pick to select a player or to construct a deal that involves the pick. But we have to add talent to this team. We win a certain number of positions each night, but we lose a lot more than we win. We have to shore up areas on this roster through the draft, trades and free agency, where we can compete one through 15 against teams that have more depth in their talent base.
What is on the docket once the season ends?
After our exit meetings with players, we have the Nike Hoop Summit in town (on April 20). I'll stay for that. Then on Monday (April 22), myself, (assistant director of scouting) Joe Cronin and (assistant general manager) Steve Rosenberry are on a flight to Europe to cover all the European guys. I haven't had a chance to scout them yet, because I've been focused on our team and the American players.
Can you get the center you want with your first-round draft pick or through free agency, or might you move the pick to swing a deal for a veteran?
I'm open to anything. Every move we make this offseason has to be made where we maximize our flexibility. Every penny of cap room. … the mini-mid level, our draft pick, our second-round picks. It's not just about adding one player. We're not deep enough right now. We're not talented enough. We have to make moves that increase the talent base at least one through nine. That's what we have to get to, no matter how we go about doing that.
What are the odds on keeping J.J. Hickson?
We have J.J.'S Bird Rights. He has a very high cap hold ($7.98MM). It's not just a question of whether you bring him back. It's within the context of … what positions would you not be able to bring in if you sign him? We are the worst team in the NBA in points in the paint and protecting the rim. We've been disguising J.J., who has been a warrior and played hard all year, but there's a certain reality to playing a 6-8 power forward as your 5-man. That's not an indictment of J.J. He has played out of position and done all we've asked him to do. But we've become a 3 (small forward) and rim type of league. We have the 3-man down. Now defensively, we have to protect the rim better.
Prospect Profile: Shabazz Muhammad
It's been a strange month for UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad, a player who is universally regarded as one of the top talents in the 2013 draft. In a matter of weeks, Muhammad's team was bounced from the first-round of the NCAA tournament, his coach was sent packing, and he aged a year well in advance of his birthday.
In case you missed it, it turns out that the freshman is actually 20-years-old, not 19 as previously believed. The story is bizarre and interesting for a lot of non-basketball reasons, but the headline is that the small forward figures to be less attractive to a lot of lottery teams. Dominating as a freshman is impressive, but less so when you're one (and sometimes, two) years older than your classmates. There's also the matter of potential dishonesty when it comes to Muhammad. The youngster's father appeared to be the puppet master behind the idea of fudging his birthdate, but NBA evaluators will surely probe further into that matter and try to find out why he was complicit in the plan. But make no mistake about it, Muhammad's situation isn't on the level of, say, Manti Te'o, and the coverup probably won't sink him on the draft board.
Getting back to basketball, Muhammad is a scoring machine who has a knack for finishing plays from uncomfortable spots on the floor. Muhammad has a great spot-up jumper and keeps defenders on honest with his ability to slash to the basket. He utilizes the mostly under-utilized floater and sonehow makes it on a regular basis. The forward isn't just zeroed in on scoring either; he goes to the glass and bangs with bigger defenders for the loose ball, and often finds a way to come away with it. He's also made strides with his outside shooting which was one of his main criticisms entering UCLA.
He gets hacked quite a bit when he slashes to the basket – which is great – but it would be nice if he could convert on more than 71% of his free throw attempts. His shot-selection is also questionable at times and can even be borderline frustrating. Muhammad has good basketball instincts on the whole, but if he plans to continue on forcing bad shots, then he won't get far at the next level. His defense has been up-and-down for the bulk of the year, but his wingspan should allow him to disrupt passing lanes and help get things going the other way. Muhammad won't come out of the gate and be an impact player as a rookie (few players in this class have a chance at that), but he can develop into a solid offensive option if he's groomed by the right team. The 19-year-old Muhammad had a shot at the top five, but the 20-year-old version probably figures to go around No. 10.
Jerry Stackhouse To Retire At Season’s End?
TUESDAY, 12:57pm: Stackhouse clarified to Fred Kerber of the New York Post (Twitter link) that his plans aren't set in stone yet. While Stackhouse may end his playing career after this season, he says reports of his pending retirement are premature.
SATURDAY, 10:25am: Jerry Stackhouse is known around the league for his exceptional conditioning, which has allowed him to enjoy a long career in the NBA. However, the 38-year-old says that 2012/13 will likely be his final season, writes Chris Tomasson of FOXSportsFlorida.com. He plans to move on to the next chapter of his life, which will involve taking on a role with the player's union.
“It’s not completely sold that I don’t get the bug (to play) again,'' Stackhouse said last night. "But, really, I think this is an opportune time to kind of step to the forefront to do something with the union and try to make sure we select the right executive director.’’
For his career, Stackhouse has averaged 17 PPG for eight different teams with his most notable stints coming in Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington, and Dallas. This season, he's averaging 4.5 PPG for the Nets as a deep reserve but he had a handful of strong performances early on in the season.
Stackhouse believes his role after this season will include helping the union select an executive director and keeping players updated on the process. He'll be taking on a leadership position with the union at a time of turmoil with executive director Billy Hunter recently being ousted. After that, Stackhouse says that he would like to go the "Mark Jackson route", which would be going from broadcasting to a head coaching job in the NBA without being an assistant coach in between.
Odds & Ends: Calderon, Maxiell, Kobe
Here’s tonight’s look around the Association..
- David Mayo and Brendan Savage of MLive Media Group give their take on whether the Pistons should re-sign free-agent-to-be Jose Calderon, who the team acquired in January from the Raptors. In 26 games in Detroit, Calderon has become a more efficient shooter but has been the same defensive liability that he’s been his entire career.
- Jason Maxiell tore his retina and will miss the final eight games of the 2012/13 season. That means that he has likely played the last game of his Pistons career as he isn’t expected to be retained this summer, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- If things go off the rails this summer, the smartest thing for the Lakers could be to accelerate the post-Kobe Bryant rebuild while Kobe is still on the team, opines Bryan Kamenetzky of Land O’ Lakers.