And-Ones: Jackson, Hayward, Fisher
Thunder guard Reggie Jackson made it clear that he wants to start and seems to want to do so at point guard, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. Coach Scott Brooks was non-committal when asked about the possibility of adding Jackson, under contract through next season, to the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Thabo Sefolosha spoke of his time with the Thunder in the past tense and it seems likely that he’ll wind up elsewhere next season. More from around the league..
- Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets that the Jazz front office fully expects Gordon Hayward to be with the team going forward. Hayward is a restricted free agent this summer and there is mutual interest in a return.
- The Lakers haven’t reached out to the Thunder about getting permission to talk to Derek Fisher just yet, but that could be subject to change, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
- Former Nuggets coach George Karl had an informal phone conversation with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak but has yet to have a formal interview, Medina tweets.
- Marist announced the resignation of Jeff Bower, tweets Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit Free Press. That should be the first step towards him taking over as Pistons GM.
- UCLA guard Jordan Adams was in Houston working out for the Rockets today, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.
- The Nuggets will host Rodney Hood for a private workout tomorrow, a source told Goodman of ESPN (on Twitter).
- The Raptors will host Jordan Clarkson and Canadian Khem Birch for workouts tomorrow, sources tell Goodman (on Twitter).
- A source told Goodman (on Twitter) that Elfrid Payton held his own in front of the Kings in a workout today against Marcus Smart. Aaron Gordon worked out for Sacramento but did not go head-to-head with Noah Vonleh. He instead matched up with Eric Moreland (link).
- The Lakers will be very busy on Wednesday as they audition many of this year’s top prospects, as Goodman tweets. Among the names not previously reported are Payton, Gordon, Tyler Ennis, Zach LaVine, James Young, and Rodney Hood.
Draft Notes: Robinson III, Gordon, Williams
The 2014 NBA Draft is less than a month away. Here are the latest notes:
- The Timberwolves will be holding pre-draft workouts for Keith Appling, Nedim Buza, Jabari Brown, Jerami Grant, Dwight Powell and Scottie Wilbekin, the team tweeted.
- Aaron Gordon tweeted that he’d be returning to Boston in a “couple of weeks” for a pre-draft workout with the Celtics. The forward out of Arizona is a projected lottery pick and Boston holds the sixth and 17th overall picks in June’s draft.
- Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders runs down the worst first-overall draft choices in NBA history.
- Kendall Williams participated in a pre-draft workout for the Suns today, reports Zac Walberer of NBA.com. The point guard out of New Mexico is projected as a possible late second round draft pick.
- Glenn Robinson III has workouts scheduled for next week with the Rockets and Suns, reports Mark Snyder of The Detroit Free Press. Robinson is projected as a late first round selection.
- HoopsHype released their latest Mock Draft.
- Noah Vonleh, Elfrid Payton, Tyler Ennis and Marcus Smart are scheduled to work out for the Kings next week, reports Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links).
- Ronald Roberts worked out for the Sixers today, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. The power forward out of St. Joe’s is a projected second rounder in this year’s draft.
- Chaz Williams is scheduled to work out for the Raptors next Wednesday, reports Josh Newman of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
Kings Want Love Even Without Re-Sign Promise
TUESDAY, 8:29am: Sacramento’s pitch would probably only interest the Wolves if Minnesota feels confident that either Julius Randle or Noah Vonleh will be available with the eighth overall pick, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. The Wolves prefer those two to Aaron Gordon among top-ranked power forward prospects, Wolfson adds.
MONDAY, 9:57pm: If the Wolves aren’t willing to take the gamble that Kevin Love will re-sign with them at the end of the year, the Kings are. A league source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports that the Kings would pull the trigger on a deal for the All-Star big man without any assurance that he’d sign a new deal.
The Kings are willing to give up their No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft and a combination of players for Love, even though he would not be expected to sign a contract extension with Sacramento, the source said. The Kings know it’s a gamble on convincing Love to re-sign, given that the franchise is rebuilding and Love is looking to go to the postseason for the first time. They’ll also have to vie with suitors from bigger markets including the Celtics, Lakers, Knicks, Warriors, Rockets and Bulls. While Love doesn’t have a no-trade clause (few do), he figures to wield a good amount of influence over where he lines up.
If the Kings can land the All-Star, they’ll have a very dangerous frontcourt with Love, DeMarcus Cousins, and Rudy Gay, if he exercises his player option. Sacramento struggled to a 28-54 record last season and missed the playoffs for the eighth straight season, but there’s a new regime in charge that’s hoping to right the ship quickly. The Kings expect to begin playing in a new downtown Sacramento arena in 2016.
Western Notes: Van Gundy, Jazz, Blazers
The Grizzlies might have interest in hiring Jeff Van Gundy to be their coach and head of basketball operations in a deal similar to the one that Stan Van Gundy received from the Pistons, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.com. This would be in the event that current coach Dave Joerger takes the Timberwolves coaching position, an occurrence that Stein’s sources classify as an “inevitability.” The article also notes that team owner Robert Pera doesn’t want Joerger back no matter what happens with Minnesota.
More from out west:
- Alvin Gentry and Adrian Griffin are at the top of the list of candidates the Jazz are considering to become their next head coach, writes Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune.
- With only two roster spots potentially open, Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey will have to get creative if he wants to upgrade his roster this offseason, writes John Canzano of The Oregonian. Olshey will also have to decide if C.J. McCollum is a rotation player, and to convince LaMarcus Aldridge to re-sign with the team when he becomes a free agent after next season, notes Canzano.
- The Lakers had a large presence at the BDA Sports pre-draft workouts of Aaron Gordon and Zach Lavine, writes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. The Lakers have the seventh overall selection in this year’s NBA Draft. Gordon is currently projected to be a top-ten pick, and LaVine is projected as a middle of the first round selection.
- What the Jazz need most in the draft is to find a “generational star,” writes Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune. The article looks at the team’s draft options with the fifth overall pick.
- With all the turmoil in their front office, the next coach the Grizzlies hire will need to bring some stability to the franchise, writes Geoff Calkins of The Commercial Appeal.
Draft Rumors: Embiid, Lavine, Gordon
BDA Sports Management held workouts today for NBA teams to view some of the top prospects in this year’s draft. Here’s a roundup of tonight’s draft notes:
- Joel Embiid took the first step in assuaging concerns about his back, working out for NBA scouts and executives to demonstrate his health, per Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. Embiid impressed, leading one scout to tell Zagoria he belongs at the top of the draft. “He looks great. Running, jumping, dunking, bent up like a pretzel in warmups and stretching exercises,” the scout said. “He passed the eyeball test big time. Move him up.”
- The Warriors were well represented in watching Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon at the workouts, tweets Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times. Golden State was a notable presence, since they do not currently possess a first-round draft pick.
- Pincus relays in a separate tweet that the buzz around LaVine puts his floor in the 10-14 range of the lottery, and that he could get picked in the top 10.
- One executive told Pincus that he prefers Gordon over Noah Vonleh and Julius Randle, the Los Angeles Times scribe relays in another tweet.
Draft Rumors: Harris, Young, Robinson, Smart
NBA executives are gathered in Southern California for a series of workouts involving draft hopefuls, and Chad Ford of ESPN.com passes along some intel in an Insider-only piece. Gary Harris has used hot shooting to impress and he’s a likely top-10 pick, Ford believes. He’ll work out for the Celtics and Bulls. among other teams, according to Ford. James Young is drawing interest from a slew of teams, including the Hornets, Sixers, Nuggets, Magic, Timberwolves and Suns, while many clubs are high on Glenn Robinson III after he performed well in a workout for the Bulls this past Monday, Ford writes. Here’s more on the draft:
- Marcus Smart has workouts scheduled with the Magic and Celtics, reports Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
- Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times adds the Nuggets to the list of teams that interviewed Aaron Gordon at last week’s draft combine in Chicago.
- The Clippers, Pacers, Pistons and Wizards are among the clubs interested in Virginia swingman Joe Harris, Woelfel writes in the same piece, reiterating that the Bucks are eyeing him, too. Harris spoke to Zach Links of Hoops Rumors recently for our Prospect Profile series.
- Chane Behanan will work out for the Mavs next month, Goodman also tweets.
Kyler’s Latest: Lee, Magic, Cavs, Bucks, Sixers
The Magic aren’t quite as high on David Lee as a report earlier this week made it appear, sources tell Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, who suggests trading for him is one of a number of options the team is considering. Kyler concentrates most of the rest of his NBA AM piece on the draft, and we’ll round up some of the highlights here:
- The Cavs regard Jabari Parker as a notch below Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins, Kyler hears.
- Parker and Dante Exum are the top two prospects in the eyes of the Bucks, according to Kyler. That conflicts with Wednesday’s report from Chad Ford of ESPN.com, who identified Embiid, Wiggins and Exum as the first three on Milwaukee’s list.
- The Sixers are “lukewarm” on Embiid, sources tell Kyler, who notes that Philadelphia is high on Wiggins and Exum. Noah Vonleh and Aaron Gordon are players who intrigue the team, too, Kyler writes, though the Sixers would probably have to trade up from No. 10 or down from No. 3 if they were to draft either of those two.
- Wiggins, Parker and Exum seem like the Magic‘s top three targets, as Kyler indicates.
- The Jazz appear to be among the most flexible teams, willing to trade up, down or out of the draft altogether, according to Kyler.
Chad Ford On NBA Draft
With the draft order now set, the speculation can truly begin as to what each team will do in June’s NBA Draft. Chad Ford of ESPN.com held his weekly chat and here are some of the highlights:
- Though the Cavaliers currently have Jabari Parker at the top of their draft board, Ford believes they will end up selecting Andrew Wiggins with the first overall pick.
- The only way the Cavs trade the top pick is for a young, star-caliber player like Kevin Love, opines Ford.
- The top three players on the Bucks draft board are Joel Embiid, Wiggins, and Dante Exum, per Ford.
- The Magic are looking at taking a point guard with the number four overall pick, reports Ford. The team’s top two choices would be Exum and Marcus Smart. Ford also believes that with the 12th pick, the team will focus on acquiring outside shooting.
- Ford believes the Jazz are likely to select Noah Vonleh with the fifth selection, unless they attempt to trade up to snag Exum.
- Being slotted sixth makes the Celtics more likely to try and trade their pick for established talent, notes Ford. If they keep the pick, he believes that Aaron Gordon would be the choice of GM Danny Ainge.
- The Lakers are in a similar position to the Celtics in regard to trading their pick, opines Ford. If they keep the pick, he sees either Julius Randle, Smart, or Dario Saric being their favorites.
- Ford’s sleeper picks for the draft are Mitch McGary, Jarnell Stokes, and Elfrid Payton.
Draft Notes: Ross, Adams, Gordon, McAdoo
Celtcis GM Danny Ainge tells Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald that he isn’t sure that the team could find a premier scorer in this year’s draft. “There are a lot of good players in this draft, guys that can be starters and guys that can play major roles on really good teams,” Ainge said. “But I’m not sure that there are those 20-to-25-point-a-game guys.” Here’s more from the draft:
- Adi Joseph of USA Today notes some of the more remarkable measurements taken at the combine. Joseph thinks LaQuinton Ross‘s draft stock will take a hit due to his poor conditioning being evident in drills and tests
- UCLA guard Jordan Adams interviewed with the Magic at the combine today, reports Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
- NBA scouts are high enough on Aaron Gordon for Paul Coro of azcentral.com to consider the forward a “surefire” lottery pick.
- Numerous NBA sources lead Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com to believe that James McAdoo could slide out of the draft completely. McAdoo is currently projected as a late second-rounder.
- Noah Vonleh has been generating positive buzz during the combine, but Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders tweets that he hasn’t gotten the sense that Julius Randle is in danger of being surpassed by the fellow big on teams’ draft boards.
- Mark Deeks of Hoop365.com looks at the factors leading a player like the 7’5″ Sim Bhullar to leave school early and declare for the draft, despite not being projected to be selected.
- While some of the scouting benefits of the pre-draft combine are diminished when elite prospects skip the event, Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer says that the gathering still holds value as a networking event for front office executives looking to discuss trades and make hires.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.
Draft Notes: Smart, Adams, Vonleh, Gordon
Marcus Smart doesn’t regret returning to college for his sophomore season, writes Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Smart said, “The reason I came back is my freshman year was the first time I played point guard. I wanted to embrace that role and become a better point guard, learn the position before I take my talents to the NBA where guys have been playing that role their whole life.“
More on the draft:
- Two big winners of the Draft combine so far are Noah Vonleh and Aaron Gordon, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
- Teams need to remember Doug McDermott‘s statistics when observing him at the combine, writes Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. McDermott doesn’t have the type of measurements or athletic ability that jumps out scouts in combine settings, notes Brigham.
- Marc D’Amico of NBA.com breaks down some of the best individual draft combine numbers of the day.
- The Bulls are looking for shooters in this year’s NBA Draft, reports K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Two names being mentioned in connection with the team are McDermott and Rodney Hood, per the article.
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo interviewed with the Nets, Pacers, Pelicans, Wizards, Bobcats, Cavaliers, and Knicks while at the combine, tweets Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Patric Young interviewed with the Knicks, Pelicans, and Grizzlies, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. On speaking with Phil Jackson, Young said, “He didn’t say much the first 20 minutes. He was just being calm and being himself. He would eat some chips while everyone else was asking questions. Then he popped in a question every now and then and made some comments. But it was good. It was great. They seemed to really like me and be really intrigued by me as a person.”
- UCLA guards Zach LaVine and Jordan Adams did enough athletically at the combine to improve their draft stocks, writes Michael O’Brien of The Chicago Sun-Times.
- The key to the Lakers offseason will be the draft lottery, writes Bill Oram of the Orange County Register. GM Mitch Kupchak said the team wouldn’t base their lottery selection by positional need, but rather the best overall player, notes Oram. Kupchak also said, “When you only have four or five guys on your roster, you really need seven to eight players, so we need to bring in players at every position really.”