Would Mavs Draft Dennis Smith Jr. Over Frank Ntilikina?
- Although the Mavericks have scouted French point guard Frank Ntilikina more than any other team in the NBA, Ford believes it would be hard for Dallas to pass up Dennis Smith Jr. if he’s available at No. 9.
[SOURCE LINK]
Draft Notes: Lakers, Ball, Artis, Briscoe, D. White
Despite multiple reports suggesting that the Lakers aren’t sold on the idea of using the No. 2 overall pick on Lonzo Ball, NBA executives are skeptical. As Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com writes, several execs told him that they don’t buy those reports, and one suggested that the Lakers may be trying to convince teams they like Josh Jackson in the hopes that someone will trade up to No. 2 for Jackson and allow the Lakers to move down while still landing Ball or De’Aaron Fox.
I’m also skeptical that the Lakers would pass on Ball, though I think the explanation could be simpler than that. While Magic Johnson has said publicly that Ball’s outspoken father LaVar Ball won’t affect the team’s decision at all, it’s possible that the club has some private concerns. In that scenario, it could make sense to leak word of those concerns in the hopes that LaVar, not wanting to alienate the Lakers, will dial back on his public comments a little.
While we wait to see how Ball’s meeting with the Lakers goes this week, let’s round up a few more draft-related items…
- Pittsburgh wing Jamel Artis has workouts on tap with the Spurs, Clippers, and Mavericks this week, league sources inform Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Ian Begley of ESPN.com adds the Knicks to the list of clubs Artis will audition for in the coming days, writing that Artis and UVA’s London Perrantes are scheduled to work out for New York on Friday.
- Kentucky’s Isaiah Briscoe has a busy pre-draft workout schedule, according to Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter link), who says sessions with the Trail Blazers, Pistons, Bulls, and Lakers are still on tap for Briscoe. Camerato also adds the Raptors and Rockets to the list of teams Briscoe has already auditioned for.
- Camerato also provides workout details for a couple more prospects who visited Philadelphia today, reporting that Derrick White (Colorado) will audition for the Pelicans, Jazz, and Hornets, while Melo Trimble (Maryland) will work out for the Rockets, Trail Blazers, Pelicans, and Knicks (Twitter links).
- The Kings will work out Duke’s Harry Giles on Tuesday, Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com tweets. The 6’11” center, whose lone college season was marred by knee injuries, is ranked No. 12 overall by ESPN’s Chad Ford, though he’s just No. 33 on DraftExpress’ board. Sacramento holds the No. 5, No. 10 and No. 34 picks in the draft.
Jan Vesely Drawing Interest From NBA Teams
Former sixth overall pick Jan Vesely is drawing interest from NBA teams exploring the idea of bringing him back stateside, reports Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders. According to Scotto, the Nets, Sixers, and Mavericks have expressed interest in Vesely.
Selected sixth overall by the Wizards in 2011, Vesely appeared in 162 total NBA regular season games for Washington and Denver over the course of three years, struggling to make an impact. He averaged just 3.6 PPG and 3.5 RPG during his three NBA seasons.
Since then, the 27-year-old power forward has played for Turkish club Fenerbahce, regaining his confidence and helping to lead the team to three straight Euroleague Final Four appearances. In 2016/17, Vesely averaged 10.7 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 29 Turkish League games, as well as 9.6 PPG and 4.5 RPG in 34 Euroleague contests, playing alongside former and future NBAers like Ekpe Udoh, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Pero Antic.
While Vesely is drawing interest from NBA teams and has a contract that gives him an out to explore NBA opportunities, there’s no guarantee he’ll return to North America. He still doesn’t have much of an outside shot in his game, making him a less than ideal fit as a modern NBA big man, and a report last summer suggested he may be seeking an eight-figure salary to play in the NBA. He may be worth a flier for a team willing to roll the dice, but likely not at that price.
Southwest Notes: Mavs, N. Kerr, Ntilikina
A recent Dallas Morning News report has rounded up a number of mock drafts and two common themes prevail as possibilities for the Mavs: Dallas could either draft point guard Frank Ntilikina to ultimately man the franchise’s playmaking duties or take a gamble on Lauri Markkanen, a sharp-shooting forward being likened to Dirk Nowitzki.
In Ntilikina the Mavs could get a potential point guard of the future, one that the team is said to have actively scouted thus far. The guard is being hailed for his perimeter defense, although the rest of the 18-year-old’s game may take time to develop.
Markkanen, in contrast, represents a different course of action for the Mavs. The modern-day stretch four is celebrated for his already impressive ability to shoot the ball and would benefit from the tutelage of Nowitzki.
Other potential Mavs target that come up in the report are Dennis Smith Jr., Jonathan Jeanne and Jonathan Isaac.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Nick Kerr will be serving in a video role with the Spurs after this season, Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News confirms. Nick is the son of Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
- Vanderbilt center Luke Kornet is expected to work out with the Spurs on Monday, Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News tweets. The 7’1″ senior could be a potential second-round target.
- Consider Frank Ntilikina a safer bet than Dennis Smith Jr., says Matt Mosley of the Dallas Morning News. The scribe also mentions that he would be disappointed if the Mavs drafted Lauri Markkanen, citing the difficulties he could have replacing Dirk Nowitzki.
- Another Dallas Morning News report takes a good, long look at Frank Ntilikina, collecting analysis published around the web. There’s an element of risk at play if the Mavs draft him, Dallas Morning News reporter Eddie Sefko says.
Hoops Links Vol. 7: Fan Loyalty, International Coups, More
After joyously celebrating Smush Parker‘s June 1 birthday, we’re back to honor the best NBA content from around the blogosphere a day later than typically scheduled. This week we shine a light on what’s going on the league in a 100% Warriors– and Cavaliers-free link dump.
If you have a feature you think deserves recognition, hit me up on Twitter this week (@AustinKent) or send your tips directly to Hoops Rumors at HoopsRumorsTips@Sports.ws. Remember, the best submissions are almost always about Darko Milicic unique and entertaining.
The Pelicans would be wise to bring in certified hard-ass Sam Mitchell to lead Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins to new heights, Oleh Kosel of The Bird Writes suggests. Mitchell has a reputation for being sharply outspoken and unafraid to challenge his most talented players. The connection to Kevin Garnett, Kosel adds, could further help the highly anticipated frontcourt duo improve in 2017/18.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Alleged Vince Carter Body Slams
Author: Oleh Kosel – @RedHopeful
Link: Sam Mitchell should coach the Pelicans
Findings from a recent Harvard study suggest that the Mavericks may have the most loyal fan base in the NBA. Per John Howe of Mavs Moneyball, the results don’t definitively put the organization on a pedestal but do reveal that attendance at the American Airlines Center across the last 15 seasons is the least dependent on winning percentage in the league. The club on the other end of the spectrum? According to the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective: the Clippers.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Promotional Mark Cuban Schemes
Author: John Howe – @JohnHowe_NBA
Link: NBA fan loyalty
It’s hard to get a good read on Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s potential and as a result it’s hard to gauge what sort of deal he might land in free agency. Xavier Cooper of Soaring Down South recently noted that the swingman has made strides over the course of the past few seasons, most recently with the Hawks, and appears as committed to improving as ever. One question remains, however: what is the streaky guard’s ceiling?
Rating: 7 out of 10 Run TMC Progeny
Author: Xavier Cooper – @XQuartezCooper
Link: Tim Hardaway Jr. improvement
When given the opportunity to play a meaningful role in the Raptors rotation, Lucas Nogueira showed that he was up to the task, providing many of the things that his predecessor Bismack Biyombo did during Toronto’s 2015/16 playoff run. The Serge Ibaka deal, however, bumped the 24-year-old down the organization’s depth chart and into a form of professional limbo. Count Blake Murphy of Raptors Republic among those high on the third-string center, but skeptical that he’ll see a bigger role in Toronto any time soon.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Unique Ways To Tuck In Your Jersey
Author: Blake Murphy – @BlakeMurphyODC
Link: Lucas Nogueira Raptors depth chart
The Bulls should start talking to Dwyane Wade about stepping into a sixth man role prior to his player option deadline later this month, Tyler Pleiss of Blog a Bull suggests. If Fred Hoiberg waits to have that conversation until after he commits, unnecessary friction could spill over into the 2017/18 campaign. Chicago, don’t forget, went on their late-season surge to the postseason with Wade on the sidelines altogether.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Awkward Conversations
Author: Tyler Pleiss – @Tyler_Pleiss
Link: Dwyane Wade sixth man role
The Lakers made a mistake signing Luol Deng to a four-year, $72MM contract last season and now the new executive regime in Los Angeles can try to fix it. In the eyes of Nick Ziegler of Lake Show Life, Deng’s presence only impedes Brandon Ingram‘s progress, and the veteran forward should be dealt even if it involves dangling other assets as bait in a possible salary dump.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Mulligans
Author: Nick Ziegler – @NickZiegler20
Link: Lakers should trade Luol Deng
There are plenty of ways to quantify Aron Baynes‘ impact on the Pistons, but skewing his value as free agency approaches are a lower-than-expected 2017/18 salary cap and the lackluster results of the reserves who signed big contracts last summer, Duncan Smith of Piston Powered writes. Baynes can pick up his player option to remain with the Pistons at $6.5MM or decline it and look for more on the open market.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Unfortunate Hairstyles
Author: Duncan Smith – @DuncanSmithNBA
Link: Pistons free agent Aron Baynes
The most underrated story line in the NBA this year is that of Enes Kanter and his relationship with Turkey. We’re not just talking about the recent passport cancellation either. On Thursday, Yaron Weitzman published a must-read Bleacher Report feature that breaks down the saga that has played out between the Thunder big man and his home country over the course of the past year.
Rating: 10 out of 10 Geopolitical Homework Assignments
Author: Yaron Weitzman – @YaronWeitzman
Link: Enes Kanter and Turkey
The Nets should make a push to land free agent Danilo Gallinari this offseason, Leo Mar of Nothin’ But Nets writes. Head coach Kenny Atkinson worked previously with the Italian forward during Gallinari’s rookie season back in 2008. More importantly, Mar adds, Gallinari’s offense would pair well with Brook Lopez‘s so long as he is able to stay reasonably healthy.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Roosters
Author: Leo Mar – @Leo_Mar8824
Link: Nets should sign Danilo Gallinari
Having agreed to part ways with the Heat, Chris Bosh will set his sights on suiting up for another NBA team in 2017/18. Kevin Haswell of Hot Hot Hoops, however, doesn’t think that the big man will find his way into a team’s lineup despite his established talent. Haswell cites a David Aldridge feature that gauged the interest league executives had in the free-agent-to-be.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Moral Dilemmas
Author: Kevin Haswell – @KevinRHaswell
Link: Will anybody sign Chris Bosh?
Barea To Coach In Puerto Rico; Mavs Eyeing SIG Strasbourg Pair?
Mavericks guard J.J. Barea aspires to be a basketball coach when his playing career over, and this summer he’ll get a shot to coach a team even before he retires a player. As Tim MacMahon of ESPN details, Barea has been hired as the head coach of Indios de Mayaguez in the Puerto Rican league for the rest of the season, which runs about another month. Barea received clearance from Mark Cuban, Rick Carlisle, and the Mavs, and is excited about the opportunity.
- A report from French outlet L’Equipe suggests that the Mavericks are exploring the possibility of adding SIG Strasbourg head coach Vincent Collet to their Summer League coaching staff. As Emiliano Carchia of Sportando observes, such a union would make a lot of sense if Dallas drafts point guard Frank Ntilikina ninth overall in June’s draft — Ntilikina has played under Collet in France for the last two seasons.
Draft Notes: Knicks, J. Jackson, Suns, Lakers
There are a number of potential player/team matches in the top 10 of this year’s draft that might make sense on paper, but should be avoided in reality, according to the staff at The Ringer. Danny Chau identifies De’Aaron Fox as a less than ideal fit for the Sixers, while Jonathan Tjarks makes the case for why the Knicks should steer clear of Dennis Smith Jr.
Other picks to be avoided, in the views of The Ringer’s NBA writers? The Mavericks and Lauri Markkanen; the Kings and Jayson Tatum; and the Magic and Jonathan Isaac.
Here are a few more draft-related items from around the basketball world:
- Former North Carolina swingman Justin Jackson is scheduled to work out for the Knicks on June 13, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. New York has the No. 8 pick, and most experts don’t expect Jackson to come off the board quite that early, but the ACC Player of the Year is viewed as a potential lottery pick.
- The Suns are kicking off their pre-draft workouts today by taking a look at a handful of intriguing prospects, including Kyle Kuzma (Utah), Johnathan Motley (Baylor), Kobi Simmons (Arizona), and Josh Hart (Villanova). Troy Caupain (Cincinnati) and Tidjan Keita (France) round out the team’s Monday workout group (Twitter link).
- Another Pacific team, the Lakers, is working out a handful of draft prospects on Memorial Day. According to a press release from the club, the Lakers are taking a closer look at Dwayne Bacon (Florida State), Jordan Bell (Oregon), Amida Brimah (Connecticut), Kennedy Meeks (UNC), Derrick Walton Jr. (Michigan), and local prospect Bryce Alford (UCLA).
2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks have been a perennial playoff team for most of the last two decades, but after posting their worst record (33-49) since 1998/99, they finally seem ready to retool — even as Dirk Nowitzki‘s career nears its end. While the Mavs don’t have any players eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer, they have nine players on team options, on non-guaranteed contracts, or eligible for restricted free agency. That should create plenty of opportunity for roster turnover in Dallas in the coming weeks and months.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Mavericks financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:
Guaranteed Salary
- Harrison Barnes ($23,112,004)
- Wesley Matthews ($17,884,176)
- Dwight Powell ($9,003,125)
- J.J. Barea ($3,903,900)
- Seth Curry ($3,028,410)
- Devin Harris ($1,339,662) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.
- A.J. Hammons ($1,312,611)
- Gal Mekel ($315,758) — Waived via stretch provision.
- Total: $59,899,646
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- Dirk Nowitzki ($25,000,000)
- DeAndre Liggins ($1,577,230)1
- Yogi Ferrell ($1,312,611)
- Total: $27,889,841
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Devin Harris ($3,062,884) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.
- Salah Mejri ($1,471,382)2
- Nicolas Brussino ($1,312,611)3
- Dorian Finney-Smith ($1,312,611)4
- Jarrod Uthoff ($1,312,611)5
- Total: $8,472,099
Restricted Free Agents
- Nerlens Noel ($4,187,598 qualifying offer / $10,961,225 cap hold)
- Total: $10,961,225
Cap Holds
- No. 9 overall pick ($2,681,900)
- Total: $2,681,900
Trade Exceptions
- Andrew Bogut TPE ($6,642,537) — Expires 2/23/18
- Justin Anderson TPE ($1,514,160) — Expires 2/23/18
Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000
Maximum Cap Room: $34,340,379
- The Mavericks have six fully guaranteed contracts on their books. Adding cap charges for their first-round pick and five empty roster spots brings their total team salary to $66,659,621. That would create enough flexibility to pursue a maximum salary player, but it also doesn’t account for players like Noel or Nowitzki, who will almost certainly be back. So, barring cost-cutting trades, Dallas figures to have less cap room than that when July begins.
Footnotes:
- Merji’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 12.
- Liggins’ salary becomes partially guaranteed ($26,773) after June 24 if team option is exercised.
- Brussino’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 6.
- Finney-Smith’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($100,000) after July 6.
- Uthoff’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($200,000) after July 30.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.
Teague Might Be Dallas' Most Realistic Free Agent Option
The Mavericks own the No. 9 pick in the upcoming draft and if they go with a frontcourt player, it could signal that the team is planning on adding a point guard this offseason. Jeff Teague could be a realistic option for Dallas this summer, the staff at The Dallas Morning News speculates. Teague will turn 29 next month and he could help Dirk Nowitzki make the playoffs one last time before leading the team’s younger players for the next few seasons.
Texas Notes: Ntilikina, Mudiay, Paul, Rockets
Several Mavericks executives have traveled to Europe over the past month to watch French point guard Frank Ntilikina, relays Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. At 6’5″, Ntilikina is among the bigger point guards in the draft, and he possesses athleticism and skill to go with his size. Dallas is believed to be targeting point guards after waiving Deron Williams in February so he could sign with a contender. The Mavericks hold the No. 9 pick, and Sefko expects Ntilikina to be among the players considered, along with North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith Jr., Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen and Gonzaga’s Zach Collins.
There’s more news today out of Texas:
- The Mavericks have a better shot at solving their point guard problems through the draft than by trading for someone like Emmanuel Mudiay, writes Matt Mosley of The Dallas Morning News. The seventh pick in the 2015 draft, Mudiay was a heralded prospect but has experienced shooting problems through his first two NBA seasons. He is a 37% shooter from the field and was stuck behind Jameer Nelson in the Nuggets’ rotation. Mosley says Ntilikina or Markkanen would be a better gamble with the No. 9 pick.
- Signing Chris Paul may not get the Spurs any closer to challenging the Warriors for Western Conference supremacy, argues Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Adding the All-Star point guard would requiring sacrificing someone like LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol or Danny Green in a trade, and it would destroy the salary flexibility the team has set up for next summer.
- North Carolina center Kennedy Meeks was the biggest name to attend a pre-draft workout for the Rockets this week, relays Tom Miller of The Grand Forks Herald. Also at the session were Quinton Hooker of North Dakota, Paris Lee of Illinois State, JaJuan Johnson of Marquette, Kavin Gilder-Tilbury of Texas State and Tacko Fall of Central Florida, who decided to withdraw from the draft and return to school. “My agent hadn’t said anything about the Rockets’ interest,” Hooker said. “I was anticipating at least one [NBA tryout]. But for the last month, I’ve just been waiting. It was definitely a humbling experience to get that first one and show my talents.” The Rockets own picks 43 and 45 in next month’s draft.