Draft Notes: Cavs, Kings, McLemore, Karasev
Here's the latest news as we get set for the Draft to get underway from the Barclays Center..
- The Cavs haven't found a taker for the No. 1 pick yet, but it's not for a lack of trying. One source tells Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (via Twitter) that they still haven't given up on finding a trade.
- The Kings have been aggressive in trying to move up from No. 7 in the draft, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Their likely target is Kansas guard Ben McLemore.
- The Kings could find a partner in the Suns who pick at No. 5 and are looking to drop back, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
- Sergey Karasev left private interviews in Russia confident that he'll be in the top 15 and hope that he'll be a top ten pick, a league source told Shams Charania of RealGM. Discussions with several teams continued even after the interviews and the Bucks’ apparent interest has fueled belief that the 19-year-old won’t last beyond No. 15.
- The Knicks remain enamored with German guard Dennis Schroeder at No. 24 but they understand that he's unlikely to slip to them, Wojnarowski tweets. The Jazz like Schroeder (14, 21) and there's little chance that the Nets (22) and Pacers (23) let him reach the Knicks (link).
- Teams are getting a clear message from the Wizards: they do not want to part with their No. 3 pick, tweets Berger.
- More from Berger (link), who tweets that Miami guard Shane Larkin has attracted the interest of the Jazz at No. 14 and Milwaukee at No. 15.
- After two workouts, N.C. State forward C.J. Leslie shut it down with teams and he's expected to be selected in the 30s, tweets Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski On Draft, Len, Zeller, Bucks, Mavs
Here's the latest draft news from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, with all links going to Twitter..
- It's becoming harder to see how Anthony Bennett won't take a tumble in tonight's draft and he could leave the Blazers with a choice to make at No. 10 (link).
- Other lottery teams are supremely confident that the Magic will take Victor Oladipo at No. 2, but Orlando is still talking trade, tweets Wojnarowski.
- The Cavs are choosing between Nerlens Noel and Alex Len at No. 1. If they pick Len, Noel could fall to the Suns at No. 5 (link).
- Alex Len is still the favorite for the Bobcats if he's there at No. 4, but Cody Zeller has remained in constant dialogue, sources tell Wojnarowski.
- Zeller is in strong consideration for the Bobcats at No. 4 and the Suns at No. 5, sources say. If C.J. McCollum goes to the Pelicans at No. 6 or the Kings at No. 7, then the Pistons, who pick 8th, have Zeller high on their board.
- The Bucks have discussed swapping their No. 15 pick for the Mavs' No. 13 pick to solidify itself to take Russian swingman Sergey Karasev, according to sources. However, Milwaukee is worried that the 13th pick may not be high enough to grab Karasev (link). The 6'7" Russian appears to be a hot commodity as we heard that the Cavs would also like to get their hands on the Mavs' pick in order to take him.
- League sources say that Celtics GM Danny Ainge brought guard Ray McCallum to Boston's facility for a workout yesterday in the event that he moves back from No. 16.
- Some are shying away from North Texas forward Tony Mitchell but he could find a home with the T-Wolves at No. 26, according to league sources. Flip Saunders was impressed with his workout and there's no question that he has high-lottery talents (link).
- Everyone in the lottery says that they are extremely impressed by the NBA readiness of IU products Zeller and Oladipo.
Several Teams Eyeing J.R. Smith, Chris Copeland
8:51pm: Zwerling and ESPN colleague Chris Broussard add the Suns to the list of teams interested in Smith, while the Mavs, Pacers, Lakers, Thunder, Raptors, Jazz and Wizards are in the market for Copeland, according to their report.
7:36pm: The Bucks have strong interest in J.R. Smith, and they're also interested in fellow Knicks free agent Chris Copeland, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. Milwaukee will have plenty of cap space, presuming the team doesn't re-sign many of its own free agents, so Milwaukee can outbid New York.
Fellow ESPNNewYork.com scribe Ian Begley noted Milwaukee's interest in Smith last night, pointing to the Pistons as another team eyeing the reigning Sixth Man of the Year. It's unclear whether the interest from either Smith or Copeland is mutual. Both have spoken about their desire to remain in New York, though John Spencer, Copeland's agent, said in May that money would be a key for his client this summer.
The taxpaying Knicks have Early Bird rights on Smith, but that limits them to a four year deal with a starting salary at either 175% of his previous salary, which would be $5,132,298, or 104.5% of the league average salary, whichever is greater. We won't know the league's official average salary calculation until July, but it's expected to be around that same amount.
While Smith is an unrestricted free agent, Copeland is on the restricted market, meaning the Knicks have the right to match offers after having extended him a qualifying offer today, worth $988,872 for one year. Copeland is a Non-Bird free agent, and the best the Knicks could do for him would be a four-year deal starting at $3.183MM via the taxpayer's mid-level exception. If the Knicks somehow find a way to dip below the tax apron, which appears unlikely, New York could get help via the Gilbert Arenas Provision, which limits other teams to offers with a starting salary of no more than the non-taxpayer's mid-level. The Pelicans are another team that's shown interest in the forward who's coming off a surprisingly impressive rookie year.
Odds & Ends: McLemore, Draft, Kings, Jackson
A few random notes from around the league.
- Ben McLemore has hired Rodney Blackstock as his agent, according to a tweet from SportsBusinessJournal.com's Liz Mullen.
- Hoopsworld.com's Alex Kennedy details several draft prospects who're watching their stock rise in the days before the draft.
- The Kings have added Brendan Malone to be their coaching staff, according to the team. He's the father of head coach Mike Malone.
- According to Yahoo! NBA reporter Marc J. Spears, the Suns are interested in using the 30th overall pick on Baylor guard Pierre Jackson. Other teams that worked him out are the Celtics, Knicks, Clippers, Spurs, and Blazers.
- The Mavericks have shown interest in signing Israeli point guard Gal Mekel, according to the Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Suns, Jordan
A few notes from around the league's Pacific Division.
- Lakers.com reporter Mike Trudell sat down with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak to discuss how the team is attacking the offseason. When asked about Dwight Howard, Kupchak called the free agent center "our future."
- According to a tweet from SI.com's Chris Mannix, the Suns have officially added Jerry Sichting, Mike Longabardi, Kenny Gattison, and Mark West to head coach Jeff Hornacek's coaching staff.
- Clippers center DeAndre Jordan was rumored to be headed to the Celtics in exchange for Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett last week. Now that the NBA has made such a deal impossible, Jordan says he hopes Rivers accepts him as his center instead of Garnett, tweets Los Angeles Times scribe Brad Turner.
Ford’s Latest: Cavs, Magic, Wizards, Suns, Kings
ESPN.com's Chad Ford has published version 6.0 of his 2013 mock draft, with just over 48 hours remaining until draft night. As he has been for all six of Ford's mocks, Nerlens Noel remains in the No. 1 spot. The ESPN.com scribe wrote a lengthy piece last night on why he thinks the Cavaliers are still likely to select Noel, and provides details on plenty of other first-round teams in his new mock, so let's check out the highlights….
- The Magic are prepared to leap on Noel if he's there at No. 2, but if the Cavs take him, Orlando's choice becomes trickier. Ford continues to hear that the Magic are leaning toward Victor Oladipo over Ben McLemore and others., though Cody Zeller could be a dark horse.
- Otto Porter appears to be ahead of Anthony Bennett for the Wizards at No. 3.
- Although Ford has the Suns selecting McLemore at No. 5, he says Phoenix prefers Oladipo and also likes Zeller and Michael Carter-Williams.
- If Porter or Alex Len are still on the board at No. 6, the Pelicans will probably draft one of the two, but if not, the team may target a point guard like Carter-Williams or Trey Burke, says Ford.
- C.J. McCollum has emerged as a potential selection for the Kings at No. 7.
- The Trail Blazers wouldn't be opposed to drafting Carter-Williams if he slides to No. 10, since he has the necessary to play alongside Damian Lillard, according to Ford.
- If the Cavs end up acquiring the Mavericks' 13th overall pick, Cleveland would probably use it to draft Sergey Karasev.
- Ford has Shabazz Muhammad slipping all the way to No. 18 (Hawks) in this version of his mock.
Odds & Ends: Bynum, Ginobili, Heat, Joerger
It's already been a busy day of news and rumors, and things don't figure to slow down anytime soon. With the draft fast approaching and free agency to follow shortly thereafter, the NBA's roster-movement season is in full swing. As we try not to let anything slip through the cracks, let's round up a few Tuesday odds and ends from around the Association:
- Free-agent-to-be Andrew Bynum has completed rehab on his knee and is set to resume basketball workouts next week, writes Dan Gelston of the Associated Press. Agent David Lee indicated there's "not a concern in the world" that Bynum will be ready for training camp, and said he expects to meet with a couple teams when free agency opens next week.
- While it appeared during the playoffs that Manu Ginobili would consider retiring this offseason, the longtime Spur wrote in Argentinian newspaper La Nacion that he can't imagine not continuing his playing career. Mike Monroe and Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News have the details.
- Asked about the opt-out clauses the Heat's Big Three have in their contracts for 2014, Dwyane Wade echoed LeBron James' comments, indicating that it wasn't something he'd seriously considered or discussed yet (link via Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald).
- Dave Joerger's contract as head coach of the Grizzlies will have at least three guaranteed years, and could end up being for four years, tweets Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- If Channing Frye were unable to play for the Suns again next season after missing last year due to a heart condition, the team would receive salary-cap relief, but Frye tells Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic that he's "extremely hopeful and optimistic" about his future and plans to return to action in 2013/14.
- In his latest mailbag for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman addresses the possibility of Ray Allen opting out and the Heat signing Greg Oden.
- Pelicans GM Dell Demps has met with draft prospects Ben McLemore, Anthony Bennett, and Victor Oladipo, Demps confirmed today to Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
- Glen Rice Jr., who is working out for the Bucks for a second time, and Allen Crabbe headline Milwaukee's list of workout participants today (Twitter links via the team's official PR account).
- Agent Marc Cornstein spoke to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News about Metta World Peace's decision to opt in for 2013/14.
Offseason Outlook: Phoenix Suns
Guaranteed Contracts
- Marcin Gortat ($7,727,280)
- Goran Dragic ($7,500,000)
- Channing Frye ($6,400,000)
- Michael Beasley ($6,000,000)
- Luis Scola ($4,508,504)
- Jared Dudley ($4,250,000)
- Markieff Morris ($2,091,840)
- Kendall Marshall ($2,005,560)
- Marcus Morris ($1,987,320)
Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Contracts
- Shannon Brown ($3,500,000; guaranteed for $1,750,000)1
- Hamed Haddadi ($1,397,500; guaranteed for $200,000)1
- P.J. Tucker ($884,293)2
Free Agents / Cap Holds
- Wesley Johnson ($5,421,233)
- No. 5 pick ($2,910,600)
- Diante Garrett ($988,872)3
- Jermaine O'Neal ($884,293)
- No. 30 pick ($880,600)
Draft Picks
- 1st Round (5th overall)
- 1st Round (30th overall)
- 2nd Round (57th overall)
Cap Outlook
- Guaranteed Salary: $44,420,504
- Options: $0
- Non-Guaranteed Salary: $3,831,793
- Cap Holds: $11,085,598
- Total: $59,337,895
The Suns didn't waste time in making changes this offseason as they became the first NBA club to can their GM. Lance Blanks was shown the door on April 24th and a few weeks later, the Suns found their next decision maker in Ryan McDonough. Blanks didn't have the easiest job with the Suns as he joined the club in the summer of 2010, shortly after Amar'e Stoudemire left for the Knicks. The Suns went from a Western Conference finalist in 2010 to a mediocre team the next two seasons, capped off by a 25-57 mark this year. McDonough's job won't be easy, but he doesn't necessarily have a tough act to follow.
We saw multiple coaches under contract given the greenlight to look elsewhere this offseason – Larry Drew, Lionel Hollins, Doc Rivers - but the Suns did that before it was cool. Lindsey Hunter was still technically the club's interim head coach this summer and while Phoenix mulled their options, they gave the former guard a chance to explore his options elsewhere. That didn't officially spell the end of Hunter's tenure with the Suns, but it more or less sealed his fate and made way for new head coach Jeff Hornacek.
One would expect a team as young and, sorry, as unimpressive as the Suns to have enough cap room to ink someone to a max deal, but that's just not the case. The club has two deals that are only partially guaranteed in Shannon Brown and Hamed Haddadi plus a non-guaranteed pact with P.J. Tucker, but the team will still have more than $44MM committed to nine players for next season if they were to cut bait with those three. When you couple that with the two first-round picks that the Suns have in the June draft, there's just no way that they can throw someone max money. Even if they could, the Suns aren't in a position to court an elite player and overpaying for a near-max type like Andre Iguodala or Monta Ellis doesn't fit their gameplan since they aren't going to contend right away.
The Suns hold two first-round picks in this Thursday's draft (No. 5 and No. 30) and no matter how the top of the board shakes out, the Suns figure to come away with a quality talent. The latest mock draft from DraftExpress has the Suns taking Victor Oladipo but the Indiana high flyer may not be available and could even be in the mix at No. 1. In a draft that is said to be short on stars, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic hears that they'll be in best player available mode, which could even mean taking a point guard, despite having Goran Dragic under contract for the next three years and 2012 first-rounder Kendall Marshall. I don't think the Suns are enamored enough by Trey Burke to overload themselves at the one-guard position and even if their not drafting for need, it's hard to rule out the appeal of Ben McLemore. The Suns need perimeter shooting and athleticism and the Kansas product provides both.
Two of this year's top prospects are centers (Nerlens Noel and Alex Len) and neither player would seem to fit a need for the Suns, but that could change if they were to part with Marcin Gortat. The Blazers have interest in the 29-year-old and if the Suns can get one of those prospects at No. 5 (Len is far more likely than Noel), they could be thinking big with their highest pick since 1968/69. With the late first-rounder or their second-round selection, the Suns could be thinking international since they're building for the future.
Additional notes:
- P.J. Tucker's $884K salary is non-guaranteed for 2013/14, but he's a mortal lock to return. There weren't a whole lot of bright spots for the Suns last season, but Tucker's hard-nosed style of play was one of them.
- The Nos. 5, 30, and 57 selections in the draft may not be enough for the Suns. They're reportedly open to adding another first-round pick and for a forward-thinking franchise, that possibility can't be ruled out. It sounds as though we'll see a lot of movement on draft night and the Suns are one of the clubs to keep an eye on.
Cap footnotes:
- Brown's and Haddadi's salaries become fully guaranteed if they're not waived on or before June 29th.
- Tucker's salary becomes fully guaranteed if he's not waived on or before July 1st.
- $988,872 is the amount of Garrett's potential qualifying offer. If the Suns don't extend a QO, Garrett's cap hold will be reduced to $788,872.
Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.
Western Notes: Warriors, Suns, Nuggets
A few notes from around the NBA's Western Conference.
- Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com tweets that Warriors assistant coach Bob Beyer is going to the Bobcats.
- The Suns could be interested in selecting a point guard with the fifth overall pick in this week's draft, writes AZCentral.com's Paul Coro. The team already has Goran Dragic, who they signed to a four-year deal last summer, and drafted Kendall Marshall with their first round pick last season.
- The Nuggets reached out to Boston over the weekend to discuss making Rivers their head coach by dangling a first round pick, but Rivers had no interest in coaching that team, tweets SI.com's Chris Mannix.
Blazers Have Interest In Marcin Gortat
The Trail Blazers have interest in Suns center Marcin Gortat, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, amidst a report on Phoenix's draft prospects. It's not clear from Coro's piece how recent or how intense Portland's interest in the 29-year-old center is, but Coro speculates that the Suns could be more willing to part with Gortat if they take a big man with the fifth overall pick in Thursday's draft.
Gortat was a trade candidate for much of the past season, and the Suns were reportedly discussing a proposal involving him as part of a package for Josh Smith at the deadline. He stopped short of asking for a trade during 2012/13, but he vented his frustration about the Suns rebuilding process to a reporter in his native Poland. Gortat is set to make $7,727,280 in the final season of his contract this year after turning down an extension last summer.
When I examined Gortat's trade candidacy before the deadline, I figured that if the Suns didn't trade him this past season, they'd revisit the possibility in 2013/14, given his poor fit in the team's rebuilding. The six-year veteran saw many of his numbers decline this year from career highs in 2011/12.
The Blazers could make sense as a destination, since J.J. Hickson, the incumbent starter at center in Portland, is hitting free agency. Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors, in looking at the Blazers offseason, speculated that the team would go after a veteran center to pair with Meyers Leonard, their first-round pick from 2012. Phoenix is open to acquiring another first-round pick in this year's draft, and the Blazers are reportedly interested in trading this year's first-rounder, No. 10 overall. Coro believes the Suns could draft a center to replace Gortat with that pick if they acquire it in a deal for Gortat.
The Suns are taking a best-player-available approach to the No. 5 pick, Coro writes, but the Suns won't take another player at the same position with pick No. 30, he adds. Regardless, new GM Ryan McDonough and company expect to be able to find a player capable of joining their rotation with the final pick of the first round.