Mavericks Sign Jae Crowder
The Mavericks have officially signed second-round pick Jae Crowder, according to a team release. Crowder was the third of three Dallas picks in June's draft, taken 34th overall with one of the selections acquired from Cleveland in the trade for 17th overall pick Tyler Zeller.
Crowder, a 6'7" forward, averaged 17.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in his final season at Marquette. Terms of his contract weren't disclosed, but he'll likely earn something close to the rookie minimum this year, with at least some guaranteed money included in the deal.
Draft Rumors: Tuesday
With two days remaining until the 2012 draft, we've seen a first-round pick change hands for the first time this offseason, as the Timberwolves agreed to send the 18th overall pick to Houston in exchange for Chase Budinger and the rights to Lior Eliyahu. The general consensus is that the move is the precursor to a bigger deal for the Rockets, and Houston isn't the only team rumored to be shopping picks. Here are today's draft-related rumors, with the newest updates added to the top of the page throughout the day….
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweeted that the Bucks are looking to move into the top 10, and are supposedly targeting John Henson.
- Kennedy says that the Rockets are still trying to acquire another first round pick, most recently in discussions with the Hornets about the 10th pick before talks broke down (Twitter link). He also tweeted that the Lakers and Nets are both looking to acquire a first rounder.
Goodman On Draft Combine Winners, Losers
Tons of NBA executives have been in Chicago the past two days for the NBA pre-draft combine, and we've been following the updates throughout. Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com was on hand for the event, which wasn't nearly as revelatory as it could have been, he says, since several top prospects didn't participate in on-court action. Still, teams learned plenty about the draft-eligible field, and Goodman shares his list of winners and losers from the camp.