Week In Review: 4/28/14 – 5/4/14
This has been as thrilling of a first round as you could ask for, but this week has not been about basketball. Instead, the NBA (and the country as a whole) has been focused on Donald Sterling‘s ugly piece of audio. Here’s a look at this week’s fallout from the recording and, thankfully, things that had nothing to do with the embattled Clippers owner..
- With the support of owners from across the league, commissioner Adam Silver acted quickly and decisively, banning Sterling from the NBA for life. While Sterling still technically owns the team, he is barred from attending games and practices under the suspension. Sterling will be forced to sell the Clippers if three-fourths of the league’s owners vote him out and it sounds like it’ll be a clean sweep or very close to one.
- Sterling, who has a litigious past, won’t go down quietly.
- Clippers president Andy Roeser has been in charge since Silver banned Sterling, but the NBA will likely appoint a trustee to run the team.
- Doc Rivers reportedly wouldn’t return to the team next year if Sterling remained, which could have led to the team’s stars demanding trades.
- Phil Jackson told Carmelo Anthony that he expects to hire Steve Kerr as the Knicks’ next coach. The Knicks reportedly want to hire Kerr after the first round is finished but Kerr might have a different timetable.
- Kevin Durant will be named league MVP.
- Mike D’Antoni resigned as Lakers coach when the club declined to exercise his 2015/16 option. D’Antoni had concerns about having a lame duck status next season and when Mitch Kupchak & Co. wouldn’t give him security beyond this upcoming season, he decided to go elsewhere.
- D’Antoni walked away from the Lakers in part because the team is likely to attempt to re-sign Pau Gasol this summer, according to one report.
- The Kings intend to keep Rudy Gay.
- The Bulls are likely to try and move Carlos Boozer.
- The Mavs and Shawn Marion are interested in a new deal.
- The Magic decided to exercise their 2015/16 team options on GM Rob Hennigan and coach Jacque Vaughn.
- Jamal Crawford is your Sixth Man of the Year.
- The Bulls and point guard D.J. Augustin have mutual interest in a new deal this summer.
- Stan Van Gundy isn’t interested in the Wolves’ coaching job and some still see Flip Saunders as a possibility.
- The Rockets will pick up their team option for coach Kevin McHale.
- Michael Carter-Williams has been voted Rookie of the Year.
- There’s talk that Mark Jackson‘s job could be on the line in Golden State.
- Tom Izzo won’t coach in the NBA next season.
- Lakers coaching candidate Kevin Ollie has begun talks about a new deal with Connecticut.
- The Suns are likely to have their own D-League affiliate.
- Here’s the official early entrant list for the 2014 draft.
- Belgian league shooting guard Mateusz Ponitka is entering the draft.
- Three Spanish league prospects are going into the draft: Kristaps Porzingis, Marcus Eriksson, and Devon Van Oostrum.
- Spanish league swingman Mario Hezonja won’t enter the draft.
Prospect Profile: Jarnell Stokes
There are plenty of talented big men in this year’s draft, but few can haul in rebounds like Tennessee’s Jarnell Stokes. The 6’9″ forward is coming off of a season in which he averaged 13.7 RPG per 40 minutes and an eye-popping 6.0 offensive boards per 40 minutes. The takeaway from most observers is that Stokes is able to clean the glass thanks to his phenomenal strength. While his ability to push people around definitely helps, the forward says that doesn’t tell the whole story. 
“Really, it was one thing that happened to me my sophomore year. I didn’t know that people take stats of how many rebounds you don’t go for. So, my mission my junior year was to go for every rebound and once I started doing that, I got better and hungrier. I have a knack for the ball but I also have somewhat of a defensive end type of skill set at making moves to get rebounds,” Stokes told Hoops Rumors.
Stokes, projected to be a late-first round pick by ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider sub. req’d), put up averages of 15.1 PPG and 10.6 RPG off of 53.1% shooting from the field in 2013/14, helping to lead the Volunteers to the Sweet Sixteen. The forward humbly believes that both his numbers and his play should place him higher in the draft and he’s intent on making that a reality through workouts.
“I think my rebounding numbers set me apart and my numbers period this year set me apart. If you look at my numbers and a lot of guys who are considered lottery types, my numbers are right there, if not better,” Stokes said. “I think in college I was somewhat hurt by having to dominate the paint, so sometimes people don’t exactly understand that I was just doing what my coach instructed me to do.”
For the good of the team, coach Cuonzo Martin positioned Stokes in the post on offense and watched him overpower weaker opponents for easy baskets. Some have criticized Stokes’ lack of a mid-range game, but the 20-year-old says his jumper is just fine. The reason why he hasn’t knocked down many mid-range shots isn’t a matter of ability, but rather a matter of opportunity.
“I definitely feel like I’ve got a solid mid-range game. In fact, if you watch my high school highlights, you’ll see that I was projected to be a small forward. Ultimately, my coaches started putting me at the five and that’s kind of where I focused my game. I don’t mind playing like an undersized center again, but I look at guys like David West and Carlos Boozer and I feel like I can do most of the things that they’re doing,” explained Stokes.
There’s no doubt that his aforementioned strength coupled with his 7’1″ wingspan will help make his transition to the NBA easier. While he doesn’t have a tremendous vertical leap, his reach will help him grab loose balls and help him disrupt shots on defense.
Despite his wingspan, scouts may have concern about his size and how that’ll translate to the next level. At 6’9″, critics argue that larger opponents can get the better of him in the post and quicker players will be able to get around him on the perimeter. For all of his hustle and grit, the biggest knock on Stokes is that his lateral quickness leaves a lot to be desired. As he shows off his 15-footer in workouts, he’ll also look to display his east-to-west speed for scouts.
Even though Stokes turned in a fantastic campaign, a lot of talented underclassmen in similar positions chose to stay in school for another year rather than dive into the ultra-talented 2014 pool. Stokes understands that he has a lot of hard work ahead of him, but he’s also confident that he is ready for the challenge.
“I’ve played against the elite college guys, guys like [Florida’s] Patric Young, I’ve grown up with or played against the best out there. I want to say this as humbly as possible, I can be one of the best bigs in the draft, provided that I can show that certain things can translate.
“I did what my coach needed me to do and what my team needed me to do to win, and I’m glad I did. But there’s much more to my game than what everyone has seen.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Prospect Profile: Justin Jackson
Some might ask what position Cincinnati senior Justin Jackson — a slender 6’8″ forward — would be best suited for in the NBA. Others, like Jackson himself, don’t spend too much time thinking about that.
“I don’t really give myself a size, I’m just a ballplayer,” Jackson explained to Hoops Rumors. “I can be a one up to a five. I’m just going to do whatever is asked of me, like Tony Allen. He’s 6’4″ and he’ll guard someone like Kevin Durant. It’s a big size difference but he knows how to guard him. I’m the same way. I’m 6’8″ but I can move like a guard and guard up to a five,”
The reigning AAC Defensive Player of the Year has spent four years proving to observers that he’s capable of pesky D on the inside and on the perimeter. With a 7’1″ wingspan, Jackson has long limbs that are designed for disrupting a ball handler and clogging passing lanes. He excelled in standard defensive measurements (2.9 blocks per game, 1.6 steals per game), and his play also inspired the sports information department at UC to keep track of his pass deflections per game and leaps into press row. The question he expects to get peppered with a lot between now and June is whether he can be a contributor on offense, as well.
Showing off a mid-range game will be important for Jackson, who was asked to score most of his points off of putbacks in college. Bearcats coach Mick Cronin told Sports Illustrated’s Kelli Anderson earlier this year that his message this season was, “I don’t need you to take more shots; I need you to score more points.” Cronin pushed the senior to tailor his game so it would look more like that of Bearcats alum Kenyon Martin, which led Jackson to play with more power on the offensive end. NBA prospects could do a whole lot worse than taking after the former No. 1 overall pick, but Jackson knows the jumper is still essential at the next level.
“I can hit open jumpers and I’m a great passer. I’m not going to say that I’m Durant with the basketball, but I’m the guy who when KD breaks their man down and you need an open 15 footer knocked down, I can do that. I’m a great role player,” the 23-year-old said.
Jackson was able to back that up at the Portsmouth Invitational just a few weeks ago, averaging a double-double in front of a litany of NBA scouts. His solid performance, he says, has only made him more eager for his next showcase. Jackson’s mission is to show that he’s not only well-rounded, but also mature and ready to help a team win immediately.
Because there are still folks who worry about Jackson’s size, he’s hard at work near his hometown in Florida putting on weight. The forward played this year at around 230 pounds and he hopes that when it gets closer to draft time, he’ll tip the scales at 240. Expect Jackson to get a lot of looks later in the second round, especially if he gets the opportunity to defend against different positions in workouts.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Prospect Profile: Josh Huestis
Every year, the second round is full of project picks, but you’ll also find players who come ready to hit the ground running. Stanford’s Josh Huestis is out to show teams that after four years of facing tough competition, he has the experience necessary to make an immediate impact. Tough defense is the 22-year-old’s calling card but his mission is to show teams that he can be a factor on the other end of the floor as well.
“I’m definitely somebody who can be aggressive on the boards. I see offensive rebounding as my strong suit. I averaged 2.5 offensive rebounds per game in college,” Huestis told Hoops Rumors, referring to his numbers in his senior year. “I can shoot the ball better than people think, too, and with more opportunities, I can do more than people think. I’m working on ball handling and by the time the season rolls around I’ll be more comfortable attacking the basket.”
The 6’7″ forward believes that because he was asked to be a defensive anchor for the Cardinal throughout his time there, he didn’t get many chances to show what he can do with the basketball. Some scouting reports, including a recent writeup from Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, have knocked Huestis’ shooting range, but he’s determined to shed that rap over the next few months. An improved shooting stroke will help inflate his stock for sure, but his value will continue to lie primarily in his defense.
“I feel like I can guard whoever anybody wants me to,” said Huestis, who has great size for the small forward position and could conceivably play the four in a smaller lineup. “I can be somebody who can guard twos and threes and fours. I think I’m a really versatile defender.”
Huestis is coming off a performance at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament where he feels that he displayed his trademark D but didn’t do as much as he wanted to offensively. Even though things didn’t go perfectly, a number of teams reached out to Huestis and showed active interest over the course of the week. Since then, he’s been refining all parts of his game at the Impact Basketball Academy in Las Vegas and going up against stiff competition. Every day, Huestis works out with and against training partners like Pittsburgh product Lamar Patterson and former All-American Mike Moser.
Draft sites are quick to offer up NBA comparisons for prospects, and when asked to come up with his own, Huestis said that his game most closely resembles that of Kawhi Leonard. Like the Spurs swingman, the Stanford standout can guard multiple positions on the floor, be a “really good glue guy,” and grab the tough rebounds. While using a second-round choice on a draft-and-stash candidate may be enticing, it’ll be hard for teams to take a pass on a player like Huestis who can help fortify a bench immediately.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
And-Ones: McGary, Daniels, Rockets, Raptors
There were a lot of no-brainer decisions when it came to early entry players in the 2014 Draft, but it was questionable for others. Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) looks at who made the right call and who didn’t. Michigan’s Mitch McGary, Syracuse’s Tyler Ennis, and UCLA’s Kyle Anderson get the thumbs up. JaKarr Sampson of St. John’s, Alex Kirk of New Mexico, and New Mexico State’s Sim Bhullar are among the players who Goodman thinks should have stayed in school. More from around the Association..
- Rockets owner Leslie Alexander has an idea for ridding the NBA of Clippers owner Donald Sterling: letting all of his players become free agents. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle has the goods.
- The Hawks, Bulls, Cavs, Bucks and Magic all had interest in Troy Daniels this February before the Rockets inked the sudden playoff hero shortly after the trade deadline, according to Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling. Daniels was close to taking an offer from Australia for $70K last fall, Zwerling tweets. His agent advised him to instead dominate in the D-League to get an NBA offer and his gameplan worked.
- Toney Douglas tells Zwerling for the same piece that the Heat had interest in him ever since he came out of college. Miami acquired Douglas via trade in January.
- It’s in Kyle Lowry‘s best interests to re-sign with the Raptors, writes Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun. Lowry has never been happier, never played better, and never meant more to any of his teams at any time. The veteran guard hasn’t said much about his future, but Simmons thinks it would be best for him to stay put in Toronto.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Latest On Donald Sterling, Clippers
ESPN.com legal analyst Lester Munson is one of the few who’s been given access to the NBA’s constitution, and he interprets the document to give commissioner Adam Silver the power to force Donald Sterling out with the consent of three-fourths of the other owners. Munson appears to suggest that it would require the termination of the Clippers franchise, noting that it would be a drastic step. Still, Munson asserts that Sterling would have no effective legal recourse to appeal the NBA’s decision, so the NBA has leverage if the league wants him out at all costs, Munson believes. More out of L.A..
- Team player reps will have a conference call tonight to discuss Sterling, tweets Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram.
- Two-thirds of the league’s owners would be required to start the process to remove Sterling as an owner and 15 owners have already gone on the record blasting him, notes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter).
- It’s time for the NBA to bounce Sterling, opines David Aldridge of NBA.com. The handling of this situation will shape Silver’s legacy, even though he’s only a couple of months into his tenure. Aldridge goes on to tell the story of his first interaction with the Clippers owner and while it’s unsettling, it’s consistent with what we heard from the leaked audio.
- Where does the league go from here? Ken Berger of CBSSports.com has a question and answer session to explain how things might play out.
- Head coach Doc Rivers released a statement this evening that was published on the Clippers’ website. Several team execs and owners followed suit and released statements of their own before the tip of tonight’s game between the Clippers and Warriors.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Prospect Profile: Dante Exum
Last year, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart was widely viewed as the top player eligible for the 2013 draft. This time around, he’s not being seen by most as the best player at his position. By and large, Australia’s Dante Exum is being looked at as the best point guard in the 2014 draft.
At 6’6″, Exum has tremendous size for the one guard position with a frame reminiscent of Shaun Livingston. On top of that, the 18-year-old (19 in July) has a wingspan that is slightly larger at 6’9″. That size helps to make Exum a legitimate threat to score in the low post and gives him the ability to see the rim in a lot of positions that your typical point guard couldn’t. From close range, your average-sized one guard is likely to get burned. Exum can force a lot of switches, opening things up for the entire offense.
Exum also boasts a lightning-quick first step and overseas opponents have been struggling to stay in front of him at every level. He’s also a very adept ball handler who can change direction in no time, allowing him to seemingly penetrate at will. No guard in this year’s class can slash to the basket better than Exum which is why he is expected to be the first backcourt player off the board.
The Australian is more than a scorer, of course, as he’s proven himself to be a very solid floor general, both in transition and in the halfcourt set. A quick scan through YouTube shows Exum dishing crisp passes to open teammates, putting them in prime position to score. He’ll also trigger a fast break in no time, whether the rest of his squad is ready to get out and run or not. Often times, you’ll see Exum take the ball wire-to-wire and finish on the other end with nine guys left in the dust.
As we’ve established, Exum is quick, athletic, and very capable of scoring at the rim, but his shooting definitely leaves something to be desired. The book on Exum over the past few years has been that his shot is somewhat flat and doesn’t have enough of an arc to regularly find a home in the basket. He’s made strides with it as of late, but he’s no Stephen Curry. His off-the-dribble shot leaves much to be desired and he’ll have to improve that if he wants to be a true triple threat at the next level.
Exum’s shot selection has also been questionable in the past. For a so-so outside shooter, he has fallen in love with his downtown shot at times, like when he hoisted up 7.7 three-pointers per 40 minutes at the FIBA Under-19 Championships in 2013 and knocked down just 33.3%. He’s also been known to force up low-probability shots closer to the rim when he’s smothered by the defense, rather than kicking out. While these aren’t irreparable problems, they are adjustments that will have to be made.
Opinions on many of this year’s top prospects have shifted over the course of the last year, but Exum’s standing as one of the very best players in the 2014 class seems to have held up. DraftExpress has Exum ranked as the No. 5 prospect out of this group and ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider sub. req’d) rates him as the fourth-best, but he could go in the top three depending on how the ping-pong balls fall. The Bucks (owners of the league’s worst record), Magic (third-worst), Jazz (fourth-worst), and Lakers (sixth-worst) are all reportedly high on the guard and there’s no reason why one of those teams couldn’t tap him before Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker, or Julius Randle.
New York Notes: Knicks, Jackson, Kerr, Johnson
Longtime Phil Jackson assistant Frank Hambien says he would gladly work for the Zen Master again, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. “Absolutely,” Hamblen said when asked of the possibility. “I’m bored to death..Opportunity is an amazing thing. I know Phil was sitting in Playa Del Rey bored to death, itching to get back in. I don’t know if he’ll even call. I don’t know what’s going through his mind. But he has my number.” Hambien also gave a strong endorsement for Kerr as a possible coach of the Knicks. More from NYC..
- Steve Kerr says that he met with Jackson on Friday to discuss the Knicks‘ head coaching vacancy and publicly stated his interest in the job, tweets Peter Botte of the New York Daily News. Kerr went on to say that there will be future meetings between himself and his former coach. The former guard turned TNT analyst has long been believed to be the frontrunner for the Knicks’ job.
- “We share a lot of the same philosophies,” Kerr said when asked about Jackson’s triangle, according to Barbara Barker of Newsday. “I learned a lot of my basketball from him and Tex Winter. It is safe to say that we have a lot of the same ideas . . . Obviously, there’s a strong connection between us and our beliefs.“
- Joe Johnson‘s contract was an albatross with the Hawks but he has transformed himself to the Nets‘ most consistent player, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Tonight wasn’t a shining example of that, however, as Johnson went 2-7 for 7 points across 42 minutes of play.
Hoops Links: Azubuike, Jefferson, Bulls
On this date in 1984, Isiah Thomas and Bernard King engaged in a great playoff shoot-out in Game 5 of the first round matchup between the Knicks and Pistons. King scored 12 of his game-high 44 points in the final five minutes and change in the fourth quarter but Thomas stole his thunder by tallying Detroit’s final 14 points in a span of just 1:34 to send the game into overtime where each star had four points. Ultimately, New York went on to win 127-123.
Do you have a great basketball blog post that you want featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. This week’s look around the basketball blogosphere..
- Sheridan Hoops previews tomorrow’s stars, including 14-year-old Udoka Azubuike.
- Sports Injury Alert looks at the Bobcats with and without Al Jefferson.
- The Daily Dribble says the Bulls are just one player away.
- All Sports discussed the first round.
You can send your submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Originals
A look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- Chuck Myron thinks that Rudy Gay will opt out of his deal and sign a new, long-term deal with the Kings.
- Cray Allred checked in on the free agent stock of Heat veteran Dwyane Wade.
- Eddie Scarito profiled Kentucky standout James Young.
- Alex Lee looked at late first-round possibility Cleanthony Early.
- I profiled Michigan big man Mitch McGary.
- Keeping with the Wolverines theme, I also profiled guard Nik Stauskas.
- Here’s a look at 10-day contract trends, courtesy of Chuck.
- Charlie Adams examined Shabazz Napier, whose draft stock is pretty hard to nail down.
- With the offseason underway for most of the NBA, Chuck gave us a refresher on Bird Rights.
- If you missed this week’s chat, you can get caught up with the transcript here.
- Hoops Rumors readers believe that the Knicks will have to throw in an asset to move J.R. Smith.
- We featured the best of your comments in Hoops Rumors Featured Feedback.
- Here are the teams with the most 2014 picks.
- Most of you picked Warriors over Clippers as the most likely first-round upset.
- Here’s how you can follow Hoops Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, and RSS.