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And-Ones: Jackson, Hayward, Fisher

June 2nd, 2014 at 10:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Thunder guard Reggie Jackson made it clear that he wants to start and seems to want to do so at point guard, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman.  Coach Scott Brooks was non-committal when asked about the possibility of adding Jackson, under contract through next season, to the starting lineup.  Meanwhile, Thabo Sefolosha spoke of his time with the Thunder in the past tense and it seems likely that he’ll wind up elsewhere next season.  More from around the league..

  • Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets that the Jazz front office fully expects Gordon Hayward to be with the team going forward.  Hayward is a restricted free agent this summer and there is mutual interest in a return.
  • The Lakers haven’t reached out to the Thunder about getting permission to talk to Derek Fisher just yet, but that could be subject to change, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
  • Former Nuggets coach George Karl had an informal phone conversation with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak but has yet to have a formal interview, Medina tweets.
  • Marist announced the resignation of Jeff Bower, tweets Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit Free Press.  That should be the first step towards him taking over as Pistons GM.
  • UCLA guard Jordan Adams was in Houston working out for the Rockets today, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.
  • The Nuggets will host Rodney Hood for a private workout tomorrow, a source told Goodman of ESPN (on Twitter).
  • The Raptors will host Jordan Clarkson and Canadian Khem Birch for workouts tomorrow, sources tell Goodman (on Twitter).
  • A source told Goodman (on Twitter) that Elfrid Payton held his own in front of the Kings in a workout today against Marcus Smart.  Aaron Gordon worked out for Sacramento but did not go head-to-head with Noah Vonleh.  He instead matched up with Eric Moreland (link).
  • The Lakers will be very busy on Wednesday as they audition many of this year’s top prospects, as Goodman tweets.  Among the names not previously reported are Payton, Gordon, Tyler Ennis, Zach LaVine, James Young, and Rodney Hood.
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Joakim Noah Leads All-Defensive Team

June 2nd, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah, Paul George, Chris Paul, Serge Ibaka and Andre Iguodala make up this year’s All-Defensive First Team, the NBA announced in a press release. LeBron James, Patrick Beverley, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard and Roy Hibbert are on the second team. The news is a boon for the Bulls, who would have had to pay Taj Gibson a $250K bonus for making either the first or second All-Defensive teams. Chicago scrambled late in the season to avoid the possibility that such a bonus for Gibson would force the team to pay the luxury tax. Earning the bonus would have pushed Gibson’s salary cap figure higher for next season, too, since it would have been considered a “likely” bonus for next season.

Noah received 105 first-place votes, far outdistancing George, who with 65 first-place votes earned the second most. Iguodala and James received an identical number of first-place votes (57), but Iguodala’s 34 second-team votes were better than the four-time MVP’s 20, allowing Golden State’s swingman to take the final position on the first team.

Clippers center DeAndre Jordan was the highest vote-getter who missed the cut for the second team, followed by Anthony Davis and Tony Allen. Tim Duncan and Dwight Howard were next, directly in front of Gibson.

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And-Ones: Rockets, Melo, Fisher, Corbin

June 1st, 2014 at 9:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Rockets owner Les Alexander says he wants to make a “big splash” this summer but wanting to doesn’t make it so, writes Bill Ingram of Basketball Insiders.  Carmelo Anthony is clearly target number one for Houston, but he is also the least likely to get Houston beyond the second round.  Scoring was not the Rockets’ problem in 2013/14, so adding Anthony wouldn’t make them substantially better, Ingram argues.  Others possible targets like Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving could make a huge difference, but it’ll be hard to land either one for different reasons. More from around the NBA..

  • Derek Fisher told reporters, including Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman (on Twitter), that it’s too early to determine if he’s going to retire.  Of course, if the Thunder veteran steps away from playing, he’ll find himself among the hottest coaching candidates in the league with vacancies on the Lakers and Knicks benches.
  • Croatian forward Damjan Rudez will workout for the Cavaliers in the coming days, according to a report from Gigantes passed along by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.  Rudez, who went undrafted in 2008, ended his season with CAI Zaragoza averaging 10.4 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.  He is under contract with the club but he does have a buyout clause.
  • Former Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin is set to interview for an assistant coaching gig with the Kings, a source tells Jody Genessy of the Deseret News.  Corbin had spent the past ten years with Utah in various capacities.
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Northwest Notes: Wolves, Love, Perkins

June 1st, 2014 at 3:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Syracuse star Jerami Grant is feeling confident after his workout today for the Wolves, according to the team’s Twitter account.  Meanwhile, he says he needs to work on his shooting consistency to take the next step (link).  The small forward is currently slated to go No. 25 in DraftExpress’ mock draft.  The Wolves own the No. 13 pick in the first round.  More out of the Northwest Division..

  • Kevin Love may be vacationing in Boston, but Wolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders told reporters, including The Associated Press, that he expects the All-Star back in Minnesota next season.  Love declined comment when asked if he was scouting out the city as a possible destination, but that hasn’t helped to quell any of the speculation that he wants to join the C’s.
  • When asked if it’s time to turn the page on Kendrick Perkins, Thunder coach Scott Brooks replied, “That remains to be seen. There’s a lot of work to be done this summer,” tweets Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman.  Perkins is entering the final year of his deal and is set to earn $9.15MM.
  • Pending free agent Thabo Sefolosha says that he has “no clue” if he’ll be back with the Thunder next year, Mayberry tweets.
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And-Ones: Hairston, Embiid, Draft

June 1st, 2014 at 12:34pm CST by Eddie Scarito

P.J. Hairston‘s journey to the NBA is a unique one, and may open the door for others to take a similar path in the future, writes Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. On leaving North Carolina to play in the NBA D-League, Hairston said, “It wasn’t my choice to play in the D-League. I ended up there, and I wanted to be able to graduate, so I was in the D-League and took all of my courses. For some guys, it’s there for them if they want to. Some guys want to stay in college and graduate. It’s up to that person.”

More from around the league:

  • With the NBA moving toward smaller lineups, the traditional center position is changing, but Joel Embiid might be able to reverse the trend, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post.
  • Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com proposes five tweaks for the NBA Draft lottery that could improve the process.
  • With the Thunder falling short of the NBA Finals again, Bradford Doolittle and Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) look at the roster moves the team might make this summer, as well as opine on the team’s ideal rotation.
  •  Steve Ballmer’s $2 billion offer for the Clippers is nearly four times the record sale for an NBA team, and has experts puzzled over how the former Microsoft chief plans to make any money on the deal, write Charles Fleming, Walter Hamilton, and Andrea Chang of The Los Angeles Times.
  • Roscoe Smith will have pre-draft workouts this week with the Jazz, Bulls, and Suns, reports Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Smith is projected as a second-round pick in this June’s draft.
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Latest On Derek Fisher

June 1st, 2014 at 8:56am CST by Eddie Scarito

Derek Fisher doesn’t plan on taking long to decide his next step and will discuss the matter with his family before making any decision, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Fisher said, “Obviously, there are a number of people that are going to be impacted by the decision I do make whether I continue to play or [if] I decide to do something else within the game. Whatever it is, there is a lot at stake. I’m not going to rush. I’m not going to be emotional. Right now there is a lot of emotion. As soon as possible, I’m going to try to take the best next steps.”

More on Fisher:

  • Fisher says he hasn’t had any contact with Phil Jackson or any other NBA executives in terms of coaching jobs, tweets Spears.
  • With the Thunder having been eliminated from the playoffs, the focus will now turn to whether or not Fisher will become the next coach of the Knicks. Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv looks at where Jackson might turn if Fisher turns the team down. According to Zagoria, the next two candidates on the list may be Tyronn Lue and Bill Cartwright.
  • The Lakers may have some interest in Fisher for their head coaching vacancy, writes Mitch Lawrence of The New York Daily News. The interest is primarily because of Fisher’s close relationship with Kobe Bryant, notes Lawrence. On the Lakers potential interest, Fisher said, “I’ve obviously heard things and been asked questions. But I’ve had to control the external noise. I’ve learned through experience to hold those things at bay. Over the next couple of days I will continue with that. There’s a right way to wrap this season up and show it the proper respect it deserves.”
  • He realizes the Knicks are waiting to meet with him about their coaching vacancy but Fisher hasn’t confirmed if he will interview with the team, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Fisher said, “I’ll try to [do] that as soon as possible for all parties involved and can make the decisions that need to be made. Interview is a strong word at this point. I haven’t had any direct conversations with any executives — Phil Jackson, the Lakers. I think interview is a strong word. There’ll be conversations at some point. This is still pretty raw and fresh — at least for the next day or two.” According to Berman, Jackson confirmed  he “definitely’’ will speak with Fisher, but added there are “lots of unknowns” on whether Fisher will take the job, primarily referring to Fisher’s young children in Los Angeles.
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Western Notes: Lakers, Draft, Nuggets

May 28th, 2014 at 9:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report breaks down the various candidates who have been mentioned in connection with the Lakers coaching search thus far. Ding believes Derek Fisher may be the most interesting name on the list, but also notes that the Thunder might also be in the running for Fisher’s services if the team decides to part ways with current coach Scott Brooks.

More from the west:

  • Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post examines if the Nuggets should select a point guard in the upcoming NBA Draft. The Nuggets hold the 11th pick in the first round, and currently have point guards Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson on the roster for next season.
  • Chris Udofia has scheduled workout sessions in June with the Mavericks and Rockets, tweets David Pick of Eurobasket.com. The 6’6″ small forward is projected as a late second rounder.
  • Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders looks at the most likely draft candidates available when the Lakers select at 7th overall. Blancarte says it’s unlikely Dante Exum will slide that far, but he is the ideal player for the team to select this June.
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Draft Rumors: Exum, Warren, Young

May 28th, 2014 at 12:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

The allure of Dante Exum is prompting the Sixers to think about trading Michael Carter-Williams, and it appears as though Exum will indeed be available when Philadelphia picks third overall next month. Exum isn’t in the mix for the Cavs at No. 1 overall, and while the Bucks are high on him, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com writes in an Insider-only piece, the uncertain future of GM John Hammond and his staff makes it less likely the point guard ends up in Milwaukee. Here’s more draft-related news:

  • Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com adds the Hawks and Suns to the list of teams that have workouts scheduled with T.J. Warren (Twitter link).
  • Patric Young is performing for the Suns today and will work out for the Spurs on Friday, Goodman tweets.
  • Dwight Powell is auditioning for the Thunder today and will do so for the Suns and Wolves later this week, Goodman reports (on Twitter).
  • The Hawks worked out Jahii Carson, as the Arizona State sophomore revealed on Twitter (hat tip to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). He’s auditioning for the Suns today, notes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. He’ll join Isaiah Austin, whom the Suns are also working out today, Goodman hears (Twitter link).
  • Khem Birch worked out for the Sixers on Monday and will do so for the Heat next week, according to Goodman (Twitter link).
  • Ronald Roberts Jr. will show off for the Raptors, Sixers and Pistons this week, reports Tyler R. Tynes of the Philadelphia Daily News.
  • Javon McCrea is working out with the Bulls today and the Sixers and Raptors next week, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv has learned (Twitter link).
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Coaching Rumors: Cavs, Joerger, Fisher

May 27th, 2014 at 7:07pm CST by Cray Allred

The Cavs would improve their chances of retaining Luol Deng if they hired Bulls assistant Adrian Griffin as head coach, sources tell Adrian Wojnarwoski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Griffin, a candidate for the job, worked with Deng in Chicago, and although Deng’s departure has essentially been a foregone conclusion, it will be interesting to see if Cleveland re-calibrates their free agency goals after unexpectedly landing the first overall pick. Here’s more of the night’s coaching notes:

  • Dave Joerger acknowledged in a radio interview with Eli Savoie of Sports 56 that he was offered the Wolves coaching job before smoothing things out with Grizzlies owner Robert Pera. Joerger added that his contract extension was not a condition for staying with Memphis (Twitter links; H/T Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities).
  • Joerger said that three teams called the Grizzlies to request permission to speak with him, but only the Wolves were granted the opportunity, according to a report from The Associated Press (H/T The Star Tribune).
  • The Lakers are curious to see if Derek Fisher is a good fit for their head coaching vacancy, but will wait until his season with the Thunder is over, reports Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times. This jibes with earlier reports that have marked Fisher as a candidate for both the Lakers and Knicks coaching jobs.
  • While continuing to downplay his talks with NBA teams, Billy Donovan explained to Edgar Thompson of The Orlando Sentinel that he won’t rule out leaving his coaching job at Florida for the pros. “I’ve seen a lot of coaches over the years come out and say, ‘No, no, no, no, I’m not going anywhere, I’m not going anywhere,’ and then all of a sudden they go somewhere and it’s like, ‘Well, this guy is a complete liar,'” said Donovan. “I don’t want to get into that situation. There (have) been some teams that have called, but that’s really it.”
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Draft Rumors: Hood, Stokes, Fair, Hairston

May 26th, 2014 at 10:22pm CST by Chuck Myron

The draft takes place one month from tonight, and teams are beginning to ramp up their schedule of workouts with prospects. Busy draft hopefuls include Rodney Hood, who’ll audition for eight lottery teams, and Jarnell Stokes, who’s working out for 11 teams drafting in the back half of the first round, as Zach Links of Hoops Rumors has learned (Twitter links). One of those teams is the Magic, as we passed along Sunday, and Hood will also work out for the Sixers and Bulls, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. The Wolves are on Hood’s schedule, too, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). Stokes will show off for the Heat and Sixers, Goodman also tweets. Here’s more on an evolving draft landscape:

  • Stokes will also audition for the Hawks and Bulls in addition to Miami and Philadelphia, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv tweets.
  • The Bucks will audition Washington’s C.J. Wilcox, Iowa’s Devyn Marble, Pittsburgh’s Lamar Patterson, Virginia’s Joe Harris, and Missouri’s Jabari Brown on Tuesday, tweets Gery Woelfel of the Journal-Times.
  • C.J. Fair will work out for the Bulls on Wednesday, the Bucks on Thursday, and the Hornets on Friday, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.
  • P.J. Hairston, DeAndre Kane and Markel Brown are also among those auditioning for Minnesota, Wolfson reports in the same tweet in which he passed along the Hood news. Nick Johnson will join that group, and the Wolves are eyeing Melvin Ejim and Chane Behanan for workouts, too, Wolfson adds (on Twitter).
  • Behanan will audition for the Sixers and Wolves, as well, Goodman reports via Twitter, seconding his earlier dispatch about Behanan’s workout with the Mavs. Russ Smith, Behanan’s former Louisville teammate, is slated to work out for the Heat, Thunder and Suns, Goodman tweets.
  • Johnson will also work out for the Magic, Goodman notes (via Twitter). He’ll join Smart and Hood in Orlando, as previously reported.
  • The Lakers are set to work out Marcus Smart and Noah Vonleh, while Vonleh will also audition for the Celtics and Kings, according to Goodman (Twitter links).
  • Goodman adds the Raptors to the teams working out Kyle Anderson (Twitter link).
  • The ESPN.com scribe also reports additional workouts for DeAndre Daniels, who’s set to get a look-see from the Hornets and Hawks (Twitter link).
  • The Bulls, Suns and Grizzlies are on the workout agenda of Scottie Wilbekin, Goodman reports (on Twitter). The Suns, along with the Bucks and Lakers, are also among the trio of teams auditioning Joe Harris, Goodman tweets.
  • Johnny O’Bryant III will work out for the Hawks, Raptors, Suns and Spurs, according to Goodman (Twitter link).
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