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Draft Updates: Thursday

By Luke Adams | at June 14, 2012 8:46 pm

The countdown until the 2012 draft is down to two weeks, and this week has been heavy on workouts and trade speculation. We'll track the latest news and rumors on both fronts, along with a handful of other draft-related items, right here. New updates will be added to the top of the page throughout the day….

According to their official website, the Pacers will work out Evan Fournier, Ashton Gibbs, Travis Hyman, John Jenkins, Josh Owens, and Tony Wroten Jr. on Friday.

Earlier updates:

Charles F. Gardner Journal Sentinel reported that the Bucks hosted a pre-draft workout today which featured Tyler Zeller, Meyers Leonard, Fab Melo, and Kyle O'Quinn.
Aside from Anthony Davis, ESPN's Ric Bucher thinks that this year's draft still contains big men with star potential, focusing specifically on Andre Drummond, Meyers Leonard, and Thomas Robinson (Insiders only).
Sean Meagher of The Oregonian presents the video interview of Perry Jones III after his workout for the Trail Blazers.
Nate Mulberg of CSN Philly discusses the mutual interest between the 76ers and Terrence Ross.
Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld quoted an NBA executive who thinks that the lottery is loaded with impact rotation players, but not impact starters. Pincus also offered highlights from interviews with JaMychal Green and Kevin Jones.
Tomorrow's workout schedule for the Wizards includes Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Austin Rivers, Terrence Ross, and Tomas Satoransky, according to Michael Lee of The Washington Post (Twitter link). Gene Wang, also of The Washington Post, wrote about today's workout with Hollis Thompson.
Stephen Hewitt of WEEI.com provided a breakdown of Mitchell Watt, a 6'10'' forward out of Buffalo who could be a realistic target for the Celtics' second round pick (51st overall).
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com wrote an interesting piece on the mental toughness of 27-year-old draft hopeful Bernard James, a 6'10'' power forward who served in the Air Force and did tours in Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq before starring at Florida State. Howard-Cooper also tweeted an update on John Henson, saying that he has no plans to rest his injured ankle in the midst of upcoming workouts with the Suns, Rockets, Bucks, Cavaliers, Raptors, Pistons, and 76ers.
Darren Heitner of Sports Agent Blog briefly documents the separation of Renardo Sidney and his agent, Johnny Foster.
Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld believes John Jenkins and the Bulls could be a perfect fit at pick No. 29.
Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com published the second version of his mock draft today.
Thomas Robinson will work out for the Bobcats on June 22nd, according to SI.com's Sam Amick (Sulia link). Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com calls Robinson the "clear frontrunner" to be picked second overall (Twitter link).
Jeremy Lamb turned an ankle at his Raptors workout this morning, but it's not serious, tweets Sam Amick of SI. According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (via Twitter), the ankle is sprained, and Lamb will cancel at least his workout with the Blazers.
The Sixers announced in a press release today that they'll work out Moe Harkless and Hollis Thompson tomorrow.
Arnett Moultrie is the biggest name among the six players working out for the Trail Blazers today, tweets Joe Freeman of the Oregonian.
Harrison Barnes and Bradley Beal will work out against one another for the Cavaliers on Saturday, according to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The two players are the most likely candidates to be picked at No. 4 by Cleveland, so that will be an intriguing workout.
Discussing potential targets for the Bobcats if they trade their No. 2 pick, Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com names James Harden as a possibility. It's not clear of Goodman's source, who says Harden "could be in play," means the Bobcats will pursue Harden or the Thunder could make him available. Either way, I'm skeptical about how realistic that scenario is. Even with the long-term cap restraints facing the Thunder, overhauling the roster mere days after making the Finals seems unlikely.
SI.com's Sam Amick examines the question marks surrounding John Henson and the rising stock of Miles Plumlee in his latest draft piece.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld compares Perry Jones III to Jordan Hamilton, who slipped to 26th overall last year because most teams thought the risk outweighed the upside. Within the same piece, Kyler also says the odds the Bobcats keep a player the select at No. 2 overall are "extremely slim."
The Raptors have a big day of workouts scheduled, with Jeremy Lamb highlighting the first session, Austin Rivers in the second, and Harrison Barnes in an individual workout. Jay Satur of Raptors.com has the details. Unfortunately, Eric Koreen of the National Post passes along a bit of bad news from the first session, tweeting that Lamb left the workout with an apparent injury.
Chad Ford tries his hand at predicting where the players on the first-round bubble will land in an Insider piece for ESPN.com.
Will Barton and five other prospects will work out for the Pacers today, according to Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
The Pistons' workouts so far suggest they're eyeing big men not just with their first-round pick but in the second round as well, says Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
Bucks.com profiles the prospects that Milwaukee will be working out today.
Damian Lillard thinks he's ready to be an NBA starter, but he probably won't be a fit for the Kings at No. 5, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.

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Odds & Ends: Noel, Spurs Prospects, Thunder

By Ryan Raroque | at June 14, 2012 6:27 pm

It has been extremely rare for a college basketball team to deliver a number one pick in consecutive years. However, with incoming freshman Nerlens Noel already being touted as the top selection of the 2013 NBA Draft, Kentucky could be the first program to do it since 1955 and 1956, when Duquesne’s Dick Ricketts and Sihugo Green were each selected number one overall on draft day in those respective years. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld provides some background on Noel, from his early beginnings as strictly a defensive minded player to now, a time when some marvel at the possibility of him being the NBA’s next great big man.

Here's more of what we've heard this evening, including two possible international gems whose draft rights are owned by the Spurs, an offseason dilemma for the Thunder, and some insight on two former Dream Team members looking for work in the NBA…

0 comments 2013 NBA Draft Oklahoma City Thunder Philadelphia 76ers Erazem Lorbek James Harden Nando De Colo Nerlens Noel Patrick Ewing Serge Ibaka

Offseason Outlook: Oklahoma City Thunder

By Luke Adams | at June 14, 2012 1:20 pm

Guaranteed Contracts

Kevin Durant ($16,669,629)
Russell Westbrook ($12,922,194)
Kendrick Perkins ($7,800,531)
James Harden ($5,820,417)
Thabo Sefolosha ($3,600,000)
Daequan Cook ($3,090,942)
Nick Collison ($2,929,332)
Cole Aldrich ($2,445,480)
Eric Maynor ($2,338,721)
Serge Ibaka ($2,253,062)
Reggie Jackson ($1,208,400)
Lazar Hayward ($1,174,080)

Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

None

Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Nazr Mohammed ($7,125,000)
Derek Fisher ($2,790,000)
Royal Ivey ($1,560,000)

Draft Picks

1st Round (28th overall)

Cap Outlook

Guaranteed Salary: $62,252,788
Cap Holds: $11,475,000
Total (not including draft picks): $73,727,788

As Oklahoma City made its run to the 2012 Finals, the traditional narrative suggested the team wasn't supposed to be this good this soon. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are only 23 years old. James Harden and Serge Ibaka are 22. There are a handful of veterans on the club, most notably the 37-year-old Derek Fisher, but the nucleus of the championship roster is incredibly young.

Unfortunately, due to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, this won't necessarily be the start of a Thunder dynasty. Durant and Westbrook are locked up to long-term deals, but the status of the rest of the team's core is up in the air. Harden and Ibaka are entering the final year of their rookie contracts, and will be eligible for extensions this offseason, but it's not clear if the Thunder has the financial means to extend both players.

To be clear, the Thunder aren't in the same situation as a team like New York — the Knicks could afford to re-sign all their own free agents and pursue others as well, but cap restrictions will likely prevent them from doing so, even if they have money to spend. For Oklahoma City, cap rules wouldn't stop them from extending both Harden and Ibaka for up to maximum-salary contracts. But as a small market team, the Thunder may not be able to afford such expenditures. The team already has $45MM committed to team salaries in 2014/15, for instance. Eight-figure salaries for Harden and Ibaka would push that number up near $70MM, with the Thunder still needing to fill their remaining roster spots. With more punitive luxury tax penalties on the way, retaining all their stars would almost certainly make the Thunder an annual taxpayer, something they may want to avoid.

The Thunder's potential spending limitations also explain why using the amnesty clause on someone like Kendrick Perkins to create room for extensions probably wouldn't work. While the Thunder might be able to sneak below the tax line if they were to amnesty Perkins and re-sign Harden and Ibaka, the team would still be paying significant money for Perkins not to play for them, which is feasible for big-market teams like the Knicks, but less so for Oklahoma City.

If it seems like I'm focusing too much on the Thunder's future and not on this summer, that's because all the club's moves in the coming months will be made with an eye on that future. Using the mid-level exception to sign a second- or third-tier free agent to a multiyear deal is probably a long shot, for example, since that long-term salary would compromise the Thunder's ability to eventually re-sign Harden and Ibaka. Trading either player is unlikely as well. Even if the Thunder decide they can't keep both players, they can still play another season with the current core and try to get back to the Finals before possibly losing one in free agency next summer.

I expect the Thunder to explore extensions with both Harden and Ibaka this offseason, and perhaps they'll even lock up one of the two, particularly if either player is willing to accept a slight discount. But it's more likely that the Thunder will have a quiet summer, adding a cheap free agent or two and perhaps a rookie with their late first-round pick.

GM Sam Presti has been creative in the way he's constructed the Thunder to date, and it has paid off in a big way this season. Now that he's built a championship contender, he'll face a challenge that could be just as difficult: Finding a way to keep the core of that title contender intact.

Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.

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0 comments Offseason Preview Oklahoma City Thunder

Woelfel On Bucks, Phil Jackson, Kwame Brown

By Luke Adams | at June 14, 2012 8:32 am

It was easy to miss in the midst of our flurry of draft updates on Wednesday, but Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times weighed in yesterday to discuss the Bucks' options with the 12th overall pick. According to Woelfel, Milwaukee has zeroed in on a short list of prospects, mostly big men, for pick No. 12 — Meyers Leonard, Tyler Zeller, John Henson, Perry Jones III, and Terrence Ross are among the team's targets.

Woelfel also shared a few more tidbits from around the NBA in his column, so let's dive in….

0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Milwaukee Bucks Oklahoma City Thunder Phoenix Suns Anthony Davis Dion Waiters John Henson Kwame Brown Meyers Leonard Perry Jones III Phil Jackson Scott Brooks Terrence Ross Tyler Zeller

How The Thunder Were Built

By Luke Adams | at June 13, 2012 11:13 am

The Oklahoma City Thunder may have become the odds-on favorites for the NBA title earlier than expected, but the team's roster wasn't constructed overnight. Some members of the Thunder have been on the team long enough to have played in Seattle as the SuperSonics, while others were just added within the last few months. With the Thunder holding a 1-0 lead over the Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals, let's take a look at how GM Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City front office built the 2011/12 Thunder, from Nick Collison in 2003 to Derek Fisher in 2012:

1 comment Oklahoma City Thunder

Odds & Ends: Thunder, Hinrich, D-Will, Garnett

By Luke Adams | at June 12, 2012 4:50 pm

We're just hours away from Game 1 of the 2012 NBA Finals, and much of the coverage leading up to the series has focused on how this may be just the first of many title shots for the Thunder. However, Steve Perrin of SBNation.com doesn't necessarily see it that way, noting that the new CBA that was supposed to help small-market teams compete will work against Oklahoma City when James Harden and Serge Ibaka become free agents. The title window for the Thunder may not be as big as you'd think, at least with the current roster, says Perrin.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA, as we await tonight's opening tip….

0 comments Boston Celtics Dallas Mavericks New York Knicks Oklahoma City Thunder Charlie Villanueva Deron Williams Kirk Hinrich

Odds & Ends: Bosh, Battier, Harden, Sixers

By Michael Pina | at June 11, 2012 8:30 pm

One of the most highly anticipated NBA Finals in recent history doesn't kick off until tomorrow night, but here are a few links relating to both teams involved—as well as some that, unfortunately for them, are not.

0 comments Miami Heat Oklahoma City Thunder Philadelphia 76ers Chris Bosh James Harden Kevin Durant LeBron James Lou Williams Shane Battier

Odds & Ends: Calathes, Rockets, U.S. Select Team

By Daniel Seco | at June 6, 2012 12:41 pm

The Thunder have an opportunity to make it four wins in a row tonight against the Spurs as the series heads back to Oklahoma City for Game 6. A victory would send Kevin Durant and company to the NBA Finals and further validate general manager Sam Presti's experiment in which the team has generally been constructed through NBA lottery picks like Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Let's check in around the league to catch up on the latest news and stories making headlines on this Wednesday afternoon…

0 comments 2012 Olympics Dallas Mavericks Houston Rockets Oklahoma City Thunder Greg Stiemsma Lance Thomas Nick Calathes Ryan Anderson

Odds & Ends: Draft, Sloan, King, Playoffs

By Daniel Seco | at June 3, 2012 3:12 pm

The Chris Bosh-less Heat and Celtics resume battle this evening in a pivotal Game 4 in Boston. A win for the Celtics would continue a Conference Finals streak of the home team coming away with a victory. The Thunder brought their series with the Spurs to a tie as they beat San Antonio 109-103 in Oklahoma City on Saturday night. Let's catch up on the latest news and happenings making headlines from around the league…

0 comments Brooklyn Nets Miami Heat Oklahoma City Thunder Orlando Magic Philadelphia 76ers San Antonio Spurs Billy King Jerry Sloan Scoop Jardine Tyler Zeller

Odds & Ends: Raptors, Bobcats, Wroten

By Ryan Raroque | at June 2, 2012 10:34 pm

With the eighth, 37th, and 56th selections in this upcoming NBA Draft, the Raptors could potentially draft three rookies in addition to bringing last year's draft pick, Jonas Valanciunas, into the fold for next season. Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld spoke with GM Bryan Colangelo, who is looking to explore multiple scenarios with his second round picks. Colangelo admits that bringing in three rookies may not be the best scenario, and that he will consider packaging picks in order to move up the draft board or possibly make a second round selection with the intention of developing that prospect in Europe for a few years. Here's more of what we're hearing from around the league this evening, including an update of the Bobcats head coaching search.

1 comment 2012 NBA Draft Charlotte Hornets New Orleans Pelicans Oklahoma City Thunder Portland Trail Blazers Toronto Raptors Washington Wizards James Harden LaMarcus Aldridge Quin Snyder Randy Wittman Russell Westbrook Tony Wroten

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