Speaking on Boston's WEEI Radio this afternoon, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge answered several questions regarding where his team plans to attack free agency this offseason. Not surprisingly, Kevin Garnett was a major talking point.
Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles looked at some specific names that could surface on the Lakers' radar if Ramon Sessions is not on the roster next season, mentioning Aaron Brooks, Raymond Felton, and Kirk Hinrich as guards who could be available for the team's mini mid-level exception. You can read more of tonight's miscellaneous links here, including rumblings about Atlanta's offseason activity, a minor update on Derrick Rose, and an in-depth look at Charlotte's new head coach…
The NBA TV's recent "Dream Team" documentary revisited the developments that earned NBA players the right to compete in the Olympics 20 years ago, something that continues today. But there's a chance that the 2012 games in London will be the last time the Association's biggest stars participate in Olympic play. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, David Stern and the league are pushing for an under-23 Olympic team, with NBA players only participating in a rebranded world championships, called the World Cup of Basketball. A World Cup would allow the NBA to benefit finanically from letting its players play internationally, Wojnarowski explains.
Here are a few more Tuesday odds and ends from around the NBA:
When Patrick Mills returned from China this season, he signed a two-year deal with the Spurs that included a player option for the second year. Mills will have to make a decision soon, and tells Chris Dutton of The Age that he wants to finalize his NBA future before heading to the Olympics.
"I feel like I need to do my due diligence and really go and see what there is, to make sure I explore every option," Mills said. ''But in saying that, I really enjoy being in San Antonio and being part of that program."
Mills' decision could have an effect on whether or not the Spurs need to pursue a point guard in free agency, as I discussed in my preview of the team's offseason earlier this afternoon. Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:
We're still not entirely sure whether the Celtics will look to re-sign most of their own free agents this summer or whether more significant changes are in store, but Sam Smith of Bulls.com suggests one potential target for Boston. According to Smith, the Celtics are considering making a "strong offer" to restricted free agent Omer Asik.
We've already heard today from Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer about the Bobcats' draft history and how important it is to capitalize on top five picks when you have them. In an Odds & Ends post, the Pistons and Hawks draft prospects were also discussed. As tonight's start time for Game 3 of the NBA Finals approaches, we will keep all draft-related links in this post, with the latest news on top.
- Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com examines the possibility of Austin Rivers being drafted by the Celtics and playing for his father. While he deems the chances remote, it sounds like something both parties would be up for.
Kevin Durant and the Thunder take on the Heat in a pivotal Game 3 this evening in Miami with the series tied at one game a piece. With his 68 points through the first two games of the Finals, Durant trails only Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan for the most points in a player's first two career Finals games. Let's check in on the latest news and stories making headlines from around the league as the Heat look to improve on their 1-2 record in Games 3s during the 2012 playoffs…
Jeff Green's combination of youth and athleticism has numerous teams inquiring about his impending unrestricted free agency later this summer, writes Sam Amick of SI.com. The former Georgetown star missed the entire 2011/2012 season after suffering from an aortic aneurysm in December and undergoing surgery in January. Green's agent David Falk considers his client to be back to 100% health as he heads into the offseason as possibly the No. 2 free agent with 10-12 teams inquiring about his interest in taking his talents to their respective cities.
Harrison Barnes and Bradley Beal go head-to-head in a workout today for the Cavs that could determine who the team takes with the fourth overall pick. We'll be keeping an eye on that, as well as all other draft-related news with a dozen days to go until teams make their selections. Already today we've heard some news regarding teams shopping their picks from Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times, and there's plenty more to share here. We'll update this post throughout the day, with the latest news on top.
Earlier updates:
- Syracuse center Fab Melo tells HoopsWorld's Stephen Litel that he is emulating Tim Duncan in his style of play.
- Morley Quatroche of WEEI.com looks at Miles Plumlee as a potential draft target for the Celtics.
- Paul Coro of AZCentral.com says that the Suns are looking to improve their offense in the draft.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel looks at a handful of guards who have worked out for the Bucks recently.
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld.com talks to Iona's Scott Machado, who is attempting to raise his profile ahead of the draft.
HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy has the day's major story so far, about the return of Brandon Roy. While Roy suffers from a degenerative condition in his knees, Kennedy is confident that Roy can not only come back to play in the NBA, but do so at a high level. Kennedy recalls a conversation with Jamal Crawford, who said Roy looked dominant in pickup games against NBA players right before he retired. There will be plenty of suitors for Roy, Kennedy opines, believing he'd fit in as a sixth man with the Heat or the Lakers. There are several rumors on other topics around the league in Kennedy's latest chat transcript, and we'll hit the highlights here.