Odds & Ends: Jackson, Wall, Hunt, Sixers
Here are a few more miscellaneous notes to pass along tonight:
- With the Nets basketball operations staff on expiring deals, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (via Twitter) wonders if Mikhail Prokhorov is preparing to offer Phil Jackson an offer to run the team and make his own hires.
- Wizards guard John Wall tells J. Michael of CSN Washington that he won't be one to recruit free agents, and would rather have players want to join his team.
- RealGM's Sham Charania mentions Nuggets assistant coach Melvin Hunt as someone who could draw interest from teams with head coaching vacancies (Twitter link).
- Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs outlines a list of potential coaching candidates for the 76ers, mentioning team assistant Aaron Mckie, Villanova coach Jay Wright, Michael Curry (who will be interviewed for the head coaching job), Warriors assistant Mike Malone, and Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer as names that could be considered.
- Grantland's Bill Simmons says that when Thunder GM Sam Presti was quietly shopping James Harden last October, he was quickly rebuffed after calling the Raptors to inquire about a deal involving a package centered on Jonas Valanciunas.
D-League Moves: Jones, Lamb, Liggins, Melo
Today's D-League assignments and recalls are listed here, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day. Our complete list of 2012/13 D-League assignments and recalls can be found right here….
- The Thunder have recalled Perry Jones, Jeremy Lamb, and DeAndre Liggins from the Tulsa 66ers, the team announced today in a press release. Unlike Melo's Maine Red Claws, the 66ers won their first-round series in the D-League playoffs, topping the Canton Charge in three games. The OKC trio will rejoin the NBA squad for tonight's game, but perhaps they'll be headed back to Tulsa for the next round of the D-League postseason.
Earlier updates:
- The Celtics have recalled rookie center Fab Melo from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. Melo almost certainly won't be a part of Boston's postseason rotation, but he'll available if needed. The 22-year-old had been playing with the Maine Red Claws for the last several weeks. However, the club was eliminated from the D-League playoffs over the weekend, losing in the first round to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets' affiliate. Melo averaged 8.5 PPG and 7.5 RPG in Maine's two postseason losses.
Thunder, Bulls, Hawks May Pursue Nolan Smith
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.