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Chad Ford On NBA Draft

May 21st, 2014 at 6:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

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.

Cavs Rumors: Draft, Love, Coaches

May 21st, 2014 at 2:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavs have Joel Embiid atop their wish list as long as they can determine his back is healthy, sources tell Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. Agent Arn Tellem is still deciding whether to let Cleveland’s doctors examine his client, a source tells fellow ESPN.com scribe Andy Katz, as Goodman notes in his piece. Still, Chad Ford of ESPN.com reported Tuesday night that the Cavs liked Jabari Parker best before hearing that Andrew Wiggins was the team’s most likely choice. There’s little clarity on whom the Cavs want to draft, or even if they intend to keep their pick, as we detail amid the latest on the lottery winners:

The Cavs have legitimate interest in trading for Kevin Love, just as they did last season, but the Timberwolves don’t think that Cleveland is willing to include the top pick, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
Cleveland is nonetheless likely to gauge what they can get for the No. 1 overall pick, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com notes amid the latest on LeBron James, and GM David Griffin is already getting inquiries about the pick from other teams, as Griffin told ESPN Cleveland. The GM expressed a willingness to trade the top draft choice, but he’s far more likely to retain it, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
Deveney casts Mark Jackson, George Karl and Lionel Hollins as the leading contenders for the Cavs coaching job, though the team will also look at Clippers assistant Tyronn Lue among other previously reported candidates, as Deveney writes in the same piece. The Cavs are strongly considering college coaches as they conduct their search, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, but the idea that they’ll hire Kentucky’s John Calipari is “almost pure imagination,” Deveney writes.
The vast majority of the scouts who’ve spoken with Sam Smith of Bulls.com say the top pick will be either Embiid or Parker. Smith runs down Cleveland’s trade options with the No. 1 overall choice.

And-Ones: Love, Celts, Cavs, Blatche, Clips, Grizz

May 20th, 2014 at 9:02pm CST by Alex Lee

Some thought tonight’s NBA Draft Lottery results could have major Kevin Love implications, though salary cap guru Larry Coon of ESPN doesn’t believe the Timberwolves star can be moved before the draft. According to Coon, such a deal would require cap room that teams will not have before July (Twitter links here).

The Celtics, who pick sixth, are a “sleeper” team in the Love sweepstakes, but owner Wyc Grousbeck says he isn’t hurrying the rebuilding effort, as he tells Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe. “That KG deal might be once in a lifetime, but I think over the next four or five years, we will get back to being contenders, if not three years,” he said. “I think we can get back there. I think this summer, one way or another, we’ll take positive steps, whether we just draft two players and continue to build, or whether we make a blockbuster deal.”

Here is what else is going on around the Association tonight, as the Heat and Pacers battle it out in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals:

ESPN’s Chad Ford considers Andrew Wiggins the favorite to land in Cleveland after the Cavaliers won Tuesday night’s lottery (via Twitter). Ford tweeted before the results were in that the Cavs preferred Jabari Parker, however he indicated afterwards (also on Twitter) that he was a corrected by a trusted source in Cleveland.
The admirable play of Andray Blatche down the stretch and into the postseason for the Nets could set him up for a decent pay day, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. Blatche has said he will opt out of his one-year player option for next season, though Brooklyn controls his Early Bird Rights according to Bontemps.
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News provides the transcript of today’s post-television interview session with new Warriors coach Steve Kerr, which is a bit juicier than what we relayed earlier on. Per Kawakami, Kerr covets a big man that can shoot. Meanwhile, Golden State GM Bob Myers also indicated the team will pursue shooting this summer, tweets Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group.
Speaking before the lottery proceedings, commissioner Adam Silver detailed the process that comes with a forced sale of the Clippers. However, Silver did indicate that he will continue to urge owner Donald Sterling to sell the team on his own, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Though he hasn’t been assured that his role is permanent by Grizzlies owner Robert Pera, GM Chris Wallace said at a Thursday afternoon press conference that he believes Memphis can win the NBA title next season, writes Zack McMillin of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “We’re a very formidable team. We just have to find a way to make that next step. Is it easy? No, but it’s attainable and we’re not going to rest until we hang that championship banner and have this parage this town deserves,” Wallace said.

Draft Notes: Combine, Parker, Embiid

May 11th, 2014 at 5:29pm CST by Charlie Adams

Next week’s predraft combine in Chicago will give prospects a chance to show off their skills for NBA clubs. Two players who have a chance of being the first selection in the draft, Jabari Parker and Joel Embiid, declined their invites to participate in the combine, a league source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Their absence isn’t likely to dramatically hinder their stock, but it does raise questions about Embiid’s back injury, Wojnarowski says. Here’s more on the combine and the 2014 draft:

Front offices around the league took note that Parker wasn’t in great shape last season, so his absence from the combine might be a concern, relays Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (via Twitter).
Andrew Wiggins is also unlikely to accept his combine invitation, passes along Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).
Chane Behanan, Sim Bhullar, Eric Moreland, Jakarr Sampson, and Roscoe Smith are some notable early entrants that weren’t invited to the combine, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.
David Nurse of Perfect Shots Shooting breaks down Embiid’s game and discusses his immense potential, noting he has the tools to excel at the next level but will need to work to refine his offensive game.

Draft Notes: Saric, Parker, Wiggins, Magic

May 10th, 2014 at 3:52pm CST by Charlie Adams

The 2014 draft is a little over a month away, and there’s no shortage of news and notes on this year’s deep class. Let’s round up the latest:

Dario Saric might be the most versatile offensive player in the 2014 draft, writes Jonathan Givony in his profile of the Croatian forward. However, Saric’s lack of a true position and perceived attitude issues might hinder his stock, says Givony.
Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com debate whether Jabari Parker should be the number one overall pick in the draft. They both think Parker would be the safe first-overall selection, but that Andrew Wiggins has a higher ceiling (Insider link).
The Magic place a high value on character, and they will utilize the pre-draft interviews to evaluate whether or not a potential draftee is compatible with their team, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (subscribers only). Orlando GM Rob Hennigan was impressed with how Victor Oladipo performed in his interview last summer, writes Robbins.

Cray Allred contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Embiid, Huestis, Agents

May 8th, 2014 at 8:30pm CST by Cray Allred

While the NFL draft has the sports world’s attention this evening, the NBA draft lottery is less than two weeks away. Here’s a look at all the latest surrounding the draft:

Joel Embiid is the No. 1 prospect in ESPN Insider Chad Ford‘s [subscription only] ranking of the top 10 big man players in this year’s draft.
Draft prospect Josh Huestis is being worked out by the Jazz, and says he would revel in an opportunity to play for Utah. Huestis tells Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune that he’s transitioning from a frontcourt player to a small forward to find a role in the NBA. “I’ve been trying to get my handle down, and I think it can still be tighter,” Huestis said. “I’ve gone from never leaving the paint in high school to playing strictly small forward. It’s been a process.” Huestis told Hoops Rumors more about his draft preparation last week.
Jabari Parker has signed with Wasserman Media Group, tweets Darren Rovell of ESPN.com (H/T Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv). He will work specifically with agents B.J. Armstrong and Arn Tellem, per another tweet from Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. This contradicts an earlier report that the potential No. 1 pick had agreed to be represented by the Klutch Sports Group agency.
Both Patric Young and James McAdoo have signed with agent Jim Tanner of Tandem Sports, reports Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (via Twitter).

And-Ones: NBPA, Draft, Rockets, Clippers

May 3rd, 2014 at 10:35pm CST by Cray Allred

In an email to NBA players, Kevin Johnson says that he hopes to present finalists for the NBPA’s vacant executive director position in late July, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link). Here’s more from around the Association:

Since the Grizzlies playoff run lasted seven games, Nick Calathes will serve 13 games of his 20 game suspension to begin next season, Tom Ziller of SB Nation points out (via Twitter).
Shabazz Napier has signed with Rob Pelinka of Landmark Sports Agency, Inc., reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (via Twitter).
Jabari Parker has agreed to be represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, reports Bill Reiter of Fox Sports (on Twitter). Klutch Sports also represents LeBron James and Eric Bledsoe, among others, as the Hoops Rumors Agency Database shows.
Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle looks at the decisions facing the Rockets this offseason, including Chandler Parsons‘ option, potential free agent targets, and the likelihood that Omer Asik and/or Jeremy Lin get traded.
In the same piece, Feigen grades each player on the Rockets roster, noting their contract situation with the team.
Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside thinks that Troy Daniels‘ surprisingly strong play during the playoffs means he’ll walk away from the postseason as a winner, even though the Rockets suffered a first-round exit.
Shelly Sterling, wife of Donald Sterling and co-owner of the Clippers, voiced her support of Adam Silver‘s plan of action regarding the team (H/T Sam Amick of USA Today). “I spoke with Commissioner Adam Silver this week to tell him that I fully supported his recent swift and decisive action,” she said. “We also agreed at that time that, as a next step, both the league and the team should work together to find some fresh, accomplished executive leadership for the Clippers. I welcome his active involvement in the search for a person of the utmost character. As a co-owner, I am fully committed to taking the necessary steps to make the Clippers the best team in the NBA.”
The CEO chosen to run the Clippers during their ownership transition will have the authority to decide whether team president Andy Roeser remains with the franchise, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.
Jim Peltz of The Los Angeles Times profiles the owners of every NBA team, excluding Sterling.

Charlie Adams contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Parker, Embiid, Wiggins

April 22nd, 2014 at 11:05am CST by Chuck Myron

Many have assumed that the top overall pick in the draft will be Kansas star Andrew Wiggins or teammate Joel Embiid, but ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman, for an Insider-only piece, surveyed 30 NBA execs and Duke’s Jabari Parker came out on top. Parker got 17 votes while Embiid got eight and Wiggins took home five. The uncertainty surrounding the top of the draft makes for plenty of intrigue with the June 26th event just a little more than two months away. Here’s the latest:

Mouhammadou Jaiteh is withdrawing from this year’s draft, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM, who reported last month that the French center was entering the field. It’s a little surprising to see the 19-year-old withdraw this early, before he had a chance to work out for NBA teams, as he did when he tested the waters last year. He’s ranked No. 63 with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, and 98th with Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
Spanish league big man Kristaps Porzingis won’t enter the draft this year, he tells Kārlis Krēgers of Latvian website LETA (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). That sets him up with a strong chance to become a first-round pick in 2015, as he’s ranked No. 15 on Givony’s 2015 mock. Ford has Porzingas as the 65th-best prospect for this year.
There are plenty of high-scoring small forwards available in this year’s class, writes NBA.com’s David Aldridge. Aldridge’s list starts with the obvious (Wiggins, Parker) but goes on to highlight mid-first round types like Duke’s Rodney Hood, N.C. State’s T.J. Warren, and Syracuse’s Jerami Grant.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com ranks the top point guards and summarizes their strengths, topping the list with Dante Exum.

Jabari Parker Declares For Draft

April 17th, 2014 at 11:35am CST by Chuck Myron

Jabari Parker has decided to enter this year’s draft, as he writes on SI.com in a piece with Jeff Benedict. There was less clarity about Parker’s decision than with anyone else projected to go in the top half of the lottery, as the possibility of playing with AAU teammate and top 2015 prospect Jahlil Okafor at Duke next season tugged at his heart. Ultimately, Parker, the No. 2 prospect in the rankings of Chad Ford of ESPN.com and the third-best with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, has opted to head to the NBA after his freshman year.

Parker says the decision came down to his conclusion that the NBA gives him the best opportunity for growth on and off the court, as he writes in the piece. He also acknowledges that he considered going on a two-year Mormon mission rather than playing basketball, but he’s chosen not to do that.

The combo forward averaged 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds in 30.7 minutes per game for Duke, which suffered an upset loss to Mercer in the NCAA tournament. Teams consider Parker and the Kansas duo of Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid as the primary contenders for the No. 1 overall pick, though many prefer the greater upside that Wiggins and Embiid have, as our Charlie Adams noted when he examined Parker’s stock last month.

In any case, today’s news is a relief to teams with significant chances at one of the top two or three picks in the draft, as well as those farther down the lottery order, since the absence of Parker from the draft would further commoditize the other top prospects. Parker notes in his piece that he’s sent official paperwork to the NBA, and Wednesday was the final day that underclassmen could withdraw from the draft and still retain their college eligibility, so there’s finally clarity surrounding the top of the 2014 draft.

Draft Notes: Parker, Saric, Ennis, Gordon

April 17th, 2014 at 10:32am CST by Chuck Myron

There were dozens of scenarios in play for June’s draft order entering the final night of the regular season, as I outlined Wednesday, but many of them remain unresolved. Random drawings set for Friday will break the four ties shown in our Reverse Standings, while the May 20th draft lottery looms for the top of the order. Until then, here’s the latest on a handful of the top prospects:

Jabari Parker would go right to the top of the 2015 prospect rankings if he chooses to stay at Duke for his sophomore year, opines Chad Ford of ESPN.com, who answered reader questions in a chat Wednesday.
Dario Saric’s agent said the matter of whether his client will remain in the draft or withdraw will have much to do with their confidence that he’d be drafted in the top 10 or 14 picks. However, most teams would want to know for sure that he’d play in the NBA next season before committing a top-10 pick to him, as Ford writes in the same chat.
Syracuse point guard Tyler Ennis is going with agent Mike George of Excel Sports Management for his representation, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
Another projected lottery pick, Arizona forward Aaron Gordon, is set to sign with BDA Sports, reports Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star (Twitter link).
Purdue sophomore A.J. Hammons will return to school rather than entering this year’s draft, the Boilermakers announced. The center is the 40th-best prospect on the list that Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress compiles, while Ford puts him 72nd.