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Thunder, Bulls, Hawks May Pursue Nolan Smith

April 14th, 2013 at 9:12am CST by Chuck Myron

The Trail Blazers aren't going to re-sign Nolan Smith, but sources close to the combo guard tell Joe Freeman of The Oregonian that the Bulls, Hawks and Thunder lead a pack of teams that are likely have interest this summer. The Blazers drafted Smith with the 21st overall pick in the 2011 draft, but after his rookie season, they declined the third-year option on his rookie-scale contract, making him an unrestricted free agent at season's end.

Thunder coach Scott Brooks is Smith's godfather, Freeman points out, and Brooks has expressed confidence in Smith's ability to make it as an NBA player, despite the former Duke standout's inability to consistently become a part of Portland's rotation. Still, Oklahoma City seems well-stocked with backup guards, as they have Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Lamb on guaranteed contracts for next season, along with DeAndre Liggins on a non-guaranteed deal. The Thunder will need to either re-sign or replace Kevin Martin, but Smith probably isn't someone they'd want to fill Martin's sixth-man role.

The Bulls and Hawks will probably have more room for Smith, who could have trouble commanding a salary much higher than the minimum. He's averaged just 3.3 points in 9.9 minutes per game for his career, numbers that have dipped to 2.8 PPG and 7.2 MPG this year. A team may be willing to use a portion of its mid-level exception on him, given his potential as a former first-round draft pick and first-team All-American in college, but he can't expect too much of a raise on the $1.366MM he's earning this season.

Traded 2013 Draft Picks Still Up In The Air

April 11th, 2013 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

With just a handful of games remaining in the 2012/13 regular season, most traded 2013 draft picks that included some sort of protection have been locked in, with teams' records ensuring those picks will either change hands or stay put. The Bulls, for instance, obviously aren't getting the Bobcats' top-12-protected pick, while the Jazz know definitively that they will receive Golden State's top-six-protected first-rounder.

There are still a handful of picks whose fate remains up in the air, however. For instance, the Suns and Cavaliers are watching the Lakers' place in the standings anxiously, since Phoenix will get L.A.'s pick if the Lakers miss the playoffs, while the Cavs will grab it if the Lakers earn a postseason berth. With the help of our projected draft order, here are the details on that pick and the rest of the selections that still may or may not change hands:

Team: Raptors (30-48)
Protection details: First-round pick sent to Thunder if not between 1-3 or 15-30.
Projected landing spot: 10th
Current outlook: The Raptors have a chance to jump into the top three in the draft lottery to keep their pick, but it's a real long shot. Assuming they finish with the league's 10th-worst record, the Raps' odds of landing a top-three pick will be about 4%.

Team: Trail Blazers (33-45)
Protection details: First-round pick sent to Bobcats if not in top 12.
Projected landing spot: 12th
Current outlook: With Dallas five games ahead of them in the standings, the Trail Blazers will finish with no better than the league's 12th-worst record. That bodes well for their chances of keeping their first-rounder, since the odds of the 13th and/or 14th teams leapfrogging the Blazers in the lottery (pushing them out of the top 12) are only about 4%.

Team: Lakers (42-37)
Protection details: First-round pick sent to Suns if in top 14. If not in top 14, Cavaliers can swap Heat first-round pick with Lakers first-rounder; Lakers then send Heat pick to Suns.
Projected landing spot: 15th
Current outlook: A game up on the Jazz, the Lakers are in the driver's seat in the race for the final Western Conference playoff spot, but they'll host the Warriors, Spurs, and Rockets in their last three games, so it won't be a cakewalk. The Jazz hold the playoff tiebreaker and finish with games against the Timberwolves (twice) and Grizzlies. John Hollinger's playoffs odds give the Lakers 73.5% odds to earn the 8th seed, but this could still go either way.

Team: Trail Blazers (33-45)
Protection details: Second-round pick sent to Nuggets if not in top 40.
Projected landing spot: 42nd
Current outlook: Unlike the team's first-rounder, Portland isn't likely to keep this pick. Even if the Blazers' losing streak continues and they don't win another game this season, two of the Raptors, Sixers, and Timberwolves would have to finish the year with a handful of wins to push Portland's pick into the top 40. That means the Nuggets will probably receive it.

Team: Clippers (52-26)
Protection details: Second-round pick sent to Pistons if not in top 55.
Projected landing spot: 55th
Current outlook: The Clippers are a half-game up on the Knicks in the NBA standings and are within a game of the Grizzlies and two games of the Nuggets, so this pick remains unsettled. If the Pistons land it, it'd be one more very small asset in an offseason where the team is expected to have a lottery pick and a ton of cap space.

Team: Grizzlies (53-25)
Protection details: Second-round pick sent to Lakers if not in top 55.
Projected landing spot: 56th
Current outlook: A late-season loss or two for the Grizz could mean this pick ends up in the top 55 and remains in their control, but I don't think either team is losing much sleep over it.

D-League Moves: Jones, Lamb, Liggins, Ohlbrecht

April 9th, 2013 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams

Here are today's D-League assignments and recalls, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

Perry Jones, Jeremy Lamb, and DeAndre Liggins have been assigned to the D-League by the Thunder, the team announced today in a press release. Jones, Lamb, and Liggins, who all rank among this season's most-assigned players, are expected to be in uniform tomorrow night when the Tulsa 66ers open up their playoff series against the Canton Charge.

Earlier updates:

The Rockets have assigned Tim Ohlbrecht to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the team announced today in a press release. As I noted last month, no NBA team has assigned more players to its D-League affiliate than the Rockets — Ohlbrecht becomes the eight player to be sent to Rio Grande Valley this season. The big man, who played with the Vipers for a good chunk of the season, will presumably be in uniform when the team begins its first-round playoff series with the Maine Red Claws on Thursday.

Thunder Recall Jeremy Lamb, DeAndre Liggins

April 7th, 2013 at 9:23am CST by Chuck Myron

We'll track today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any additional moves added to the top:

The Thunder have recalled Jeremy Lamb and DeAndre Liggins from the D-League, the team announced via press release. The pair were sent down just yesterday, and both were in the starting lineup for the Tulsa 66ers last night. Lamb scored 12 points despite missing all seven of his three-point attempts, while Liggins had six points, 14 rebounds and nine assists to help the 66ers close out their regular season with a win. Tulsa qualified for the D-League playoffs, so the Thunder may continue to frequently shuttle players back and forth between Oklahoma City and their wholly owned D-League affiliate as they've done all season.

Odds & Ends: Wizards, Pistons, Greene, Kings

April 5th, 2013 at 4:46pm CST by Luke Adams

As we prepare for a busy 12-game evening slate, let's check out a few Friday afternoon odds and ends from around the Association:

The Wizards have discussed adding a player from the D-League in the wake of Bradley Beal's season-ending injury, but head coach Randy Wittman tells J. Michael of CSNWashington.com that a signing is unlikely (Twitter link).
If Kevin Martin wants to remain with the Thunder next season, he'll likely have to accept a significant pay cut, says John Rohde of the Oklahoman in a chat. Rohde estimates that Martin would get no more than $7MM annually from the Thunder, who will be aiming to avoid the luxury tax.
The Pistons have a pair of solid building blocks in Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe, but the moves Joe Dumars makes this summer will have a significant impact on the direction of the club, writes Paul Flannery of SBNation.com.
Donte Greene, who was set to sign with the Nets last summer before fracturing his ankle, will join Puerto Rico's Brujos de Guayama, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com has an interesting profile on Celtics guard Terrence Williams, who says he understands he still needs to display consistency in the NBA. Williams' deal with the C's includes a non-guaranteed team option for 2013/14.
The final stretch of the Kings saga may come down to whether Sacramento or Seattle has the better arena plan, according to Tony Bizjak, Dale Kasler, and Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee.

Draft Notes: McGary, Risers, Adams, Thunder

April 2nd, 2013 at 9:31pm CST by Alex Lee

As more draft news pours in, be sure to check out our Early Entrants tracker which will be continuously updated as more underclassmen declare for the draft. Here are the latest news and notes on the NBA Draft:

Goodman also tweets that all signs still point toward Nerlens Noel entering the NBA Draft. Noel's rehab is "well ahead of schedule" according to Goodman, who adds that he doesn't envision Noel making an announcement by the April 16 NCAA deadline. Since he will likely sit out next season regardless, Noel has the luxury of being able to wait until the April 28 NBA deadline to make dis decision.

Earlier updates:

Despite his exploding draft stock, Michigan freshman sensation Mitch McGary will return to Ann Arbor for his sophomore season regardless of what happens in the Final Four, he told MLive.com's Kyle Meinke on Tuesday. McGary and Trey Burke have fueled the Wolverines run this March, and some draft experts think his performance was impressive enough to have moved him into the first round conversation.
In an Insiders Only piece, Chad Ford of ESPN included McGary in his list of five draft prospects who gave NBA scouts and GMs something positive to think about with their play in the NCAA Tournament. Also included are Louisville's Russ Smith, Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas and LaQuinton Ross, and Syracuse's C.J. Fair.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh 7-footer Steven Adams has decided to enter the NBA Draft, writes Jeff Goodman, adding that NBA executives have indicated to CBS Sports that Adams will be a first round pick. Adams, from New Zealand, averaged 7.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and two blocks per game as a freshman Panther. Goodman is told that Adams primary motivation is to provide for his family. Adams and his 18 siblings lost their father when he was 14.
Royce Young of Daily Thunder breaks down the draft odds for the Thunder, who stand an excellent chance of being able to utilize the protected pick they received in the James Harden deal now that the Raptors have been officially eliminated from playoff contention. The pick is top-3 and 15-30 protected and Toronto is currently tied for the seventh worst record. Young outlines who should be available at seven or eight, according to an assortment of big boards and mock drafts.
Here are a handful of early entry draft trackers, courtesy of Draft Express, ESPN and HoopsWorld.

Woelfel On Heisley, Josh Smith, Bucks, Hornets

April 2nd, 2013 at 4:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times touches on several juicy topics from around the league in his latest piece. We'll hit the highlights here:

Former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley has been in a coma for more than a month, and prospects for his recovery from a February stroke are "extremely bleak," Woelfel reports. Heisley was nearing a deal to join the Bucks ownership group with the intention of becoming the primary owner in a few years, but current primary owner Herb Kohl backed out of the deal, according to Woelfel, who adds that Kohl is still open to finding a partner.
We heard before the deadline that the Hawks wanted a "quality young center" in return for Josh Smith, but the Bucks deemed Larry Sanders and power forwards Ersan Ilyasova and John Henson off-limits as the teams engaged in talks.
Woelfel heard from Smith, who adds the Hornets to the lengthy list of teams that were after him at the deadline.
The Bucks would have made additional trades if they had acquired Smith, and they had interest in Eric Maynor, who wound up going from the Thunder to the Blazers.
Woelfel spoke to Kyle Korver, who indicates the Hawks are in the driver's seat when he hits free agency this summer. "I’m definitely hoping to stay here (with Atlanta)," Korver said. "It’s been a great experience. And we have an awesome coach (Larry Drew) to play for."
Some NBA scouts believe Georgia shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could wind up being drafted at the back end of the lottery this year. He's listed as No. 38 on the DraftExpress top-100 prospects list, and No. 20 in ESPN's rankings.

D-League Moves: Baynes, Liggins, Orton

March 31st, 2013 at 4:29pm CST by Zachary Links

We'll keep track of today's D-League assignments and recalls here. You can take a look at all of this year's D-League moves with Hoops Rumors' running log..

The Spurs announced that they have recalled center Aron Baynes from the Austin Toros. Baynes, who just made his fourth stint with the Toros this season, has appeared in nine games with Austin, averaging 12.2 points and 8.0 rebounds in 25.4 minutes.
The Thunder announced that they have recalled guard DeAndre Liggins and center Daniel Orton from the Tulsa 66ers. Liggins has played in 18 games for the 66ers, averaging 11.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 34.2 minutes per game. Orton has appeared in 29 games this season in the D-League while averaging 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 28.3 minutes per game.

Eastern Rumors: Raptors, Price, Wall, Butler

March 28th, 2013 at 8:38pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bucks take on the Lakers tonight in a battle of teams currently occupying eighth place in their respective conferences, and while it seems the Lakers are the only team in the matchup that has to worry about making the postseason, the Bucks aren't moving any closer to clinching their spot. Milwaukee lost to the ninth-place Sixers last night, and Philadelphia could move within six games of the Bucks if the Lakers win tonight. Of course, six games back with 11 to play is quite a hill to climb, but the Bucks would surely feel more confident if they could break their four-game losing streak. Here's more on another team that's backsliding and more from around the East:

While it appeared to be a near-lock that the Thunder would receive the Raptors' 2013 first-round pick, Toronto's recent slide may improve their odds of keeping it, writes Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. The pick is protected from 1-3 and 15-30, and if the Raptors keep losing, it's not out of the question that they finish with the league's fourth- or fifth-worst record, says Wolstat. As our tentative draft order shows, the Raps are currently tied for the NBA's ninth-worst mark.
A.J. Price has been out for more than two weeks with a groin strain, and with just 11 games left in the season for the Wizards, the point guard is worried he won't get another chance to improve his free agent stock, as J. Michael of CSNWashington.com details. "It adds to the frustration but what can you do? What can you do? Injuries are part of the game. Just trying to get myself back to form as quick as possible so I can showcase what I can do for everybody and make a statement," he said."I’m really trying to get back on the court."
John Wall, heading into a summer when he'll be eligible for an extension from the Wizards, has been drawing plenty of praise of late, observes USA Today's Sean Highkin.
If Jimmy Butler continues to show the improvement he's displayed of late, the Bulls could have a tough decision in the summer of 2014, when Luol Deng will be a free agent and Butler will be eligible for an extension, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Southwest Rumors: Grizzlies, White, Brewer

March 27th, 2013 at 6:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Mavericks are one of only two NBA teams sitting the night out, but the Grizzlies appear to be especially busy, juxtaposing a tough road game against the Knicks tonight with reports that they're apparently seeking a point guard. There's more on that and other news from Southwest Division teams, as we round up here:

In a piece chronicling the Mavs' run at a playoff spot, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld wonders whether D-League center Jerome Jordan could be a fit for the Grizzlies. With starting center Marc Gasol back from injury and the team linked to Keyon Dooling and Jonny Flynn, there may not be much call for Jordan in Memphis.
Royce White had his best showing as a pro Tuesday, with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his return to the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers, but he plans on leaving the Rockets' affiliate again when the regular season is over, as he tells David Hinojosa of The Monitor. "I’ll be here until the end of the regular season," the rookie said. "The playoff schedule and how hectic it is in the D-League probably ain’t going be the best thing for me. Going to the playoffs, I want them to have a team that’s going to stick together."
Corey Brewer says he wants to return to the Nuggets as a free agent in the offseason, but the swingman also reveals that he came close to signing with the Spurs before inking his current deal, notes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post. The Celtics were also in the running for Brewer before the Mavs scooped him up and later traded him to the Nuggets.
Giannis Antetokoumpo of Greece, who plays point guard despite his 6'10" height and 7'3" wingspan, has drawn interest from Rockets GM Daryl Morey, among others, reports Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com. Bryan Colangelo of the Raptors, Masai Ujiri of the Nuggets, and Sam Presti of the Thunder are the other GMs who've traveled to scout Antetokoumpo, who has an affordable buyout clause in his contract for next season with Zaragoza of Spain, according to Sheridan. While there appears to be some confusion about the spelling of his last name, he's No. 32 on the DraftExpress list of the top 100 draft prospects.