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.
Eastern Rumors: Raptors, Price, Wall, Butler
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
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.
D-League Moves: Acy, Liggins, Orton
We'll track today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- Quincy Acy has been recalled from the Bakersfield Jam by the Raptors, the club announced today in a press release. In 13 D-League games this season, Acy has averaged 13.0 PPG and 7.7 RPG.
- The Thunder have once again assigned DeAndre Liggins and Daniel Orton to the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. When I looked at D-League assignment trends last week, Orton and Liggins ranked among the most-assigned players of the season, and this is the second time both players have been sent to the Tulsa 66ers since then. The 66ers will play the Rio Grande Valley Vipers tonight and tomorrow as they look to lock up a D-League playoff spot.
Kevin Martin Talks Free Agency, Thunder
Based on various reports this year, it appears there's at least some level of mutual interest between the Thunder and Kevin Martin in extending the shooting guard's stay in OKC beyond this season. However, according to Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman, there's a "growing sentiment" that the team may not need to re-sign Martin to continue contending.
In addition to offering three reasons for and against the Thunder bringing back the ex-Rocket, Mayberry spoke to Martin about his looming free agency. Here are a few of the notable quotes:
On what factors will play a role in Martin's free agent decision:
"I don't know. I can have a perception of what's going to go into it, but this is going to be my first time doing it. My perception would be happiness and a good fit basketball-wise. I'm in a situation that after nine years I don't have to chase money. So I think that part goes into a lot of guys' minds when it happens. But for me, I found a new happiness here when I got traded here. It feels like a good fit. But we'll see when it comes around."
On the possibility of joining a non-contender that could pay him more and provide a larger role:
"I think that's where it just comes down to, what would you be happy with? And I love being a major piece on a championship-caliber team. I'm enjoying the ride."
On what he expects from the free agent process:
"I guess that time for any player — especially one in my position where teams may still see me as a guy that can carry an offensive load for any team; and I still feel like I can score 20 just by waking up — is interesting. But it'll be fun also. Hopefully it's over as soon as possible and I'll be in a place where I'll want to be and where a team will want me."
On whether he's as happy in OKC now as he was when he first arrived:
"Oh, most definitely. And a lot of that goes beyond basketball. To me, basketball's the easy part. It's how the organization is ran, how the community is, just interacting with the players the past five months that I've been here. It's honestly one of the greatest basketball experiences I've had in my career. I've been on one of the worst teams record-wise, and now I'm on one of the best. I've been a focal point of the offense and now I'm like the third option."
D-League Moves: Jones, Liggins, Orton, Baynes
Want to keep up with the latest D-League moves? You can check out all of this year's D-League assignments and recalls with Hoops Rumors' running record for the 2012/13 season. Here's the latest..
- The Thunder announced that they have recalled forward Perry Jones, guard DeAndre Liggins, and center Daniel Orton from the Tulsa 66ers. The trio was demoted just yesterday to get some burn against the Iowa Energy.
- The Spurs announced that they have assigned center Aron Baynes to the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League. Baynes has appeared in five games for Austin this year, averaging 15.0 points and 8.2 rebounds in 24.6 minutes. The Australian native has appeared in 11 games for the Spurs this season, averaging 2.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 6.6 minutes.