Trail Blazers To Acquire Allen Crabbe
After being drafted 31st overall by the Cavaliers, Allen Crabbe will be sent to the Trail Blazers, according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Cavs will receive a pair of future second-round picks from Portland, reports Goodman (via Twitter).
You can check out tonight's full draft results, including trades, right here.
Draft Updates: Raptors, Bucks, Mavs, Cavs
As the first round continues to roll along in Brooklyn, let's round up a few odds and ends from draft night….
- The Raptors "went hard" after the 13th overall pick, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun (via Twitter). However, it doesn't look like the Raps will be trading into the draft now, says Wolstat (via Twitter).
- The Bucks don't intend to stash Giannis Antetokounmpo overseas, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who says (via Twitter) that Milwaukee will bring the "Greek Freak" stateside immediately.
- The Mavericks intend to keep No. 18 pick Shane Larkin, tweets Chris Mannix of SI.com. Dallas wanted to avoid the cap hold attached to a first-round pick, but that cap hold was made marginally smaller by the move down from No. 13. The team also shed some salary by sending Jared Cunningham to Atlanta.
- A source tells Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio that Cavaliers GM Chris Grant's "need to fleece teams in trades has cost him tonight" (Twitter link). Although they were rumored to be discussing a ton of deals, the Cavs haven't been active so far tonight.
Mid-Draft Rumors: Noel, 76ers, Warriors, Suns
You can follow tonight's draft picks right here, but we're hearing plenty of other rumblings outside of the picks themselves. Let's round up a few….
- One executive whose team passed on Nerlens Noel told Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that the Kentucky big man is actually healthier than Anthony Bennett or Alex Len, so injury concerns weren't the reason Noel slipped.
- The blockbuster trade the Sixers made, acquiring Noel and a 2014 first-rounder for Jrue Holiday, signals one reason the team hasn't hired a coach yet, tweets Broussard. With a rebuild seemingly on the way, the 76ers wanted a new head coach to know what he was getting into.
- The Warriors are receiving calls on Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes, but value both players "very, very, very highly," according to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News (via Twitter).
- The Suns drafted Alex Len to keep him, and have no deals in place, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
- A Luke Ridnour/Ekpe Udoh swap between the Timberwolves and Bucks won't happen tonight, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
- The Cavs are in the process of trying to move up from No. 19, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
Cavaliers Select Anthony Bennett First Overall
Although there was uncertainty all the way up until draft day on what the Cavaliers would do with the first overall pick, the team still managed to find a way to surprise. The Cavs kept the selection and have used it to make Anthony Bennett the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NBA draft. Chad Ford of ESPN.com was the first to report the decision (via Twitter), while ESPN.com's Andy Katz says (via Twitter) that the Cavs plan to hang onto Bennett.
Bennett, 20, wasn't viewed as the top prospect in this year's group, so the Cavaliers were expected to choose between Nerlens Noel and Alex Len. Victor Oladipo, Ben McLemore, and Otto Porter were also thought to be in the mix for the top pick in the weeks leading up to tonight
In his freshman year at UNLV, Bennett averaged 16.1 PPG and 8.1 RPG. Our Zach Links examined Bennett more closely in April as part of our Prospect Profile series.
You can follow the rest of tonight's draft results right here.
More Draft Rumors: Thunder, Cavs, Raptors, Jazz
The Cavaliers will be on the clock in less than two hours, and we still don't know exactly what they'll do with that No. 1 pick. The rest of the first round only gets more uncertain, so it looks like we're in for a fun night. Here are the latest rumors and rumblings related to the 2013 draft:
- The Thunder tried to acquire the Cavs' first overall pick, but OKC's bid failed, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- According to ESPN.com's Andy Katz (via Twitter), the Cavs have made a decision on their first overall pick, assuming they hang onto it. Within the next 15 minutes or so, we'll know what that decision is.
- The Raptors are finding no traction in their efforts to acquire a lottery pick, tweets Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
- While the Wolves continue attempting to move up in the lottery, teams ahead of them are "hesitant" to move their picks, a source tells ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- While the Jazz could be seeking a point guard at No. 14, don't expect Michael Carter-Williams to fall to them, says Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
- The Cavs "definitely" have interest in Lucas Nogueira, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter).
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford is hearing that the Pistons will ride things out and keep the No. 8 pick (Twitter link).
- The Mavericks continue to shop the 13th pick "as hard as advertised," in hopes of landing a 2014 lottery pick, tweets Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com.
- In addition to the Suns (mentioned below), the Timberwolves also remain in play for the No. 1 pick, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- The Suns have offered the Cavs the Nos. 5 and 30 picks for the first overall pick, tweets ESPN.com's Chad Ford. Phoenix is after Nerlens Noel, according to Ford. But given how highly the Cavs seem to value that top pick, I doubt that offer gets it done.
- There's "little chance" that the Magic part with the No. 2 pick, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com.
- While the Timberwolves still have interest in trading up from No. 9, the price remains high, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. In the likely scenario that Minnesota remains at No. 9, the team is expected to target Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cody Zeller, and C.J. McCollum, in that order.
- The Cavs continue to explore trades involving the No. 1 pick, and Broussard says (via Twitter) that if they take anyone besides Alex Len, it could be part of a deal.
- Various reports indicate that the Raptors are looking to acquire a lottery pick. Broussard tweets that they could be trying to get as high as No. 2, while Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com is hearing (Twitter link) Toronto is targeting a late lottery pick with its eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
- The Suns are trying to acquire late-first-round picks, hoping to add more young players to the roster, tweets Broussard.
- Although the Trail Blazers would like to add veterans more than youth, indications are that they'll keep the No. 10 pick, tweets Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
- The possibility that the Thunder could draft Antetokounmpo at No. 12 probably scares the Hawks, who have long coveted the "Greek Freak," tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Draft Notes: Cavs, Kings, McLemore, Karasev
Here's the latest news as we get set for the Draft to get underway from the Barclays Center..
- The Cavs haven't found a taker for the No. 1 pick yet, but it's not for a lack of trying. One source tells Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (via Twitter) that they still haven't given up on finding a trade.
- The Kings have been aggressive in trying to move up from No. 7 in the draft, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Their likely target is Kansas guard Ben McLemore.
- The Kings could find a partner in the Suns who pick at No. 5 and are looking to drop back, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
- Sergey Karasev left private interviews in Russia confident that he'll be in the top 15 and hope that he'll be a top ten pick, a league source told Shams Charania of RealGM. Discussions with several teams continued even after the interviews and the Bucks’ apparent interest has fueled belief that the 19-year-old won’t last beyond No. 15.
- The Knicks remain enamored with German guard Dennis Schroeder at No. 24 but they understand that he's unlikely to slip to them, Wojnarowski tweets. The Jazz like Schroeder (14, 21) and there's little chance that the Nets (22) and Pacers (23) let him reach the Knicks (link).
- Teams are getting a clear message from the Wizards: they do not want to part with their No. 3 pick, tweets Berger.
- More from Berger (link), who tweets that Miami guard Shane Larkin has attracted the interest of the Jazz at No. 14 and Milwaukee at No. 15.
- After two workouts, N.C. State forward C.J. Leslie shut it down with teams and he's expected to be selected in the 30s, tweets Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski On Draft, Len, Zeller, Bucks, Mavs
Here's the latest draft news from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, with all links going to Twitter..
- It's becoming harder to see how Anthony Bennett won't take a tumble in tonight's draft and he could leave the Blazers with a choice to make at No. 10 (link).
- Other lottery teams are supremely confident that the Magic will take Victor Oladipo at No. 2, but Orlando is still talking trade, tweets Wojnarowski.
- The Cavs are choosing between Nerlens Noel and Alex Len at No. 1. If they pick Len, Noel could fall to the Suns at No. 5 (link).
- Alex Len is still the favorite for the Bobcats if he's there at No. 4, but Cody Zeller has remained in constant dialogue, sources tell Wojnarowski.
- Zeller is in strong consideration for the Bobcats at No. 4 and the Suns at No. 5, sources say. If C.J. McCollum goes to the Pelicans at No. 6 or the Kings at No. 7, then the Pistons, who pick 8th, have Zeller high on their board.
- The Bucks have discussed swapping their No. 15 pick for the Mavs' No. 13 pick to solidify itself to take Russian swingman Sergey Karasev, according to sources. However, Milwaukee is worried that the 13th pick may not be high enough to grab Karasev (link). The 6'7" Russian appears to be a hot commodity as we heard that the Cavs would also like to get their hands on the Mavs' pick in order to take him.
- League sources say that Celtics GM Danny Ainge brought guard Ray McCallum to Boston's facility for a workout yesterday in the event that he moves back from No. 16.
- Some are shying away from North Texas forward Tony Mitchell but he could find a home with the T-Wolves at No. 26, according to league sources. Flip Saunders was impressed with his workout and there's no question that he has high-lottery talents (link).
- Everyone in the lottery says that they are extremely impressed by the NBA readiness of IU products Zeller and Oladipo.
Kennedy On Magic, Noel, Len, McLemore, Cavs
Here's the latest draft buzz from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (all links go to Twitter)..
- It sounds like the Magic are really high on Nerlens Noel, Kennedy tweets. If the Cavaliers select Alex Len at No. 1, Orlando may go with Noel.
- If Noel is gone, the Magic will likely select Ben McLemore or Victor Oladipo. Many people are assuming Oladipo will be the pick in that case, but Kennedy is not so sure.
- Some sources tell Kennedy that Shabazz Muhammad will slip out of the lottery, which lines up with him not being invited to green room.
- There are still questions about Oladipo and teams are intrigued by McLemore's upside. Kennedy has been told that the Indiana product could slip all the way to the Suns at No. 5.
- The Mavs continue to shop the No. 13 pick. The Wolves and Thunder want to move up while the Grizzlies, Rockies, Warriors, and 76ers want to add a first-rounder.
Atlantic Notes: Frank, Celtics, Knicks, Rivers
After taking a look at the Knicks and Nets earlier today, we learned that the Celtics are discussing a blockbuster that could send Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn. Here’s the latest out of the Atlantic Division..
- Lawrence Frank has agreed to join the Nets as an assistant on Jason Kidd‘s staff, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Steve Novak might be the one guy that the Knicks could move tonight in order to move up in the draft or acquire second-round picks, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. The sharpshooter is owed roughly $11MM over the next three seasons.
- Doc Rivers claims that he didn’t push the Celtics to pull the trigger on the deal that sent him to the Clippers, writes Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe.
- In a less-sexy transaction, the Celtics would like to pick up an additional second-round pick, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Target teams include the Blazers, Hawks, and Cavs.
- The Knicks will be hard-pressed to find a key contributor with the No. 24 pick, but they better choose wisely as financial constraints will hurt their ability to add to the roster going forward, writes Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal.
Ford On Antetokounmpo, Cavs, Jazz, Thunder
Chad Ford of ESPN.com has posted his latest draft day rumblings and we have the highlights..
- The excitement over Giannis Antetokounmpo might be fading a bit as teams want the raw prospect to stay in Greece for a couple of years while he wants to come to the NBA now. For GMs who don't think he's ready, that means that he will make for a very expensive D-League player.
- If the Cavs can't trade the No. 1 overall pick for a veteran plus a 2014 lottery pick, they'll keep attempting to move whomever they draft until all their options have been exercised. That could be a tall order since the hardest asset for a team to get right now is a 2014 lottery pick. Ford puts the odds at 95 percent that no potential 2014 lottery pick is moved tonight.
- The teams working hardest to move up higher in the lottery are the Jazz, Wolves and Thunder. The Jazz appear to be targeting Lehigh's C.J. McCollum and are offering picks No. 14 and 21, but they might have to give up Alec Burks as well to get high enough.
- The Wolves are also trying to get up very high in an attempt to land Victor Oladipo or Ben McLemore. As we've heard, they're dangling the No. 9 pick, No. 26 pick, and Derrick Williams.
- The Thunder want a big man – they like Nerlens Noel and Alex Len – but they don't have a ton to offer. Movable assets like Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones, and possibly Reggie Jackson don't have enormous trade value. Their own pick next year won't be high and the Mavs pick that they own is top-20 protected next year.
- The Bobcats (No. 4) and Kings (No. 7) look like the two teams most willing to move down.
- A ton of teams want the Mavs' No. 13 pick. The Cavs have been the most proactive but the Bucks, Hawks, and Nets are also in the mix. In virtually every case, the target is Sergey Karasev. Trouble is, the Sixers or Thunder could grab him before 13.
- The Celtics are trying to pick up a late-first or early-second-round pick and sources say their target is Missouri's Phil Pressey if they decide to go big with their first pick.