Northwest Notes: Saunders, Jazz, Thunder
Wolves owner Glen Taylor expects Flip Saunders to return as coach next season, reports Charley Walters of The St. Paul Pioneer Press. Saunders, who also serves as president of basketball operations, led the team to a 16-66 record this year, which was the worst mark in the league and helped Minnesota land the top pick in the draft. However, the Wolves were hampered by injuries all season. “I think he worked so hard last year with all those problems that he wants an opportunity to see if we are healthy, if we really have the team he thought he had,” Taylor said. Saunders expects to hold pre-draft workouts with at least five players, including Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Duke’s Jahlil Okafor.
There’s more news from the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz will bring in six more players for pre-draft workouts Sunday [Twitter link]. The players are Andrew Harrison of Kentucky, Terry Rozier of Louisville, Vince Hunter of Texas-El Paso, J.P. Tokoto of North Carolina, Terran Petteway of Nebraska and Aaron White of Iowa.
- Re-signing free agents Enes Kanter and Kyle Singler is as much a business decision as a basketball decision for the Thunder, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. The columnist questions the wisdom of giving an eight-figure salary to a defensive liability like Kanter, but concedes that Oklahoma City has few options to replace the two players if they sign elsewhere.
- Anthony Morrow was the best free agent signing in Thunder history, Mayberry contends in a separate story. Morrow inked a three-year, $10MM deal last summer and gave Oklahoma City the outside shooting threat it needed. He connected on 43.4% of his shots from downtown and managed to lead the team in games played.
Western Notes: Jordan, Lakers, Nuggets
Now that the Clippers have been eliminated from the playoffs, the team needs to look toward the offseason and find a way to improve despite the franchise’s challenging salary cap situation, Fran Blinebury of NBA.com writes. According to coach/executive Doc Rivers, Los Angeles’ first order of business this summer will be re-signing center DeAndre Jordan, Blinebury notes. “Our first priority is D.J.,” Rivers said. “That’s obvious. I don’t know how much I can say there. Can you tamper with your own guy? If that’s true I’m going to go tamper right now.” The Clippers will have competition for the unrestricted free agent’s services, and Jordan has already expressed through back channels that he’ll be “extremely interested” in signing with the Mavs this summer.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Nuggets are taking their time looking for a new head coach, and a decision isn’t expected for another couple weeks, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes. “It’s exactly how we thought it would go,” team president Josh Kroenke said. “We’ve had several conversations with a lot of people. I think that it benefits us to talk to as many people as we can. We have some people in the back of our mind that we think would be great fits. I’ve talked to enough people, and going through the process before, your coaching hire is probably going to be your hardest hire because there’s so much that goes into that role in today’s sporting industry.”
- Kroenke also relayed that the Nuggets aren’t concerned about the length of time the coaching search has taken thus far, Dempsey adds. “It’s beneficial for us on some level to be patient,” Kroenke said. “I think more candidates have opened up since the end of the season. Based on different organizations wanting to go different directions with different guys, I think there was never a time when we wanted to rush into anything. Until you have that guy that you know is the one that you want, I think it really benefits you to talk to as many people as you can. Because also during the course of these interviews you’re getting to pick some of the best basketball minds that are out there. That’s an incredible benefit to the process.“
- The Lakers aren’t 100% set on drafting either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, and the team is intrigued by D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com tweets.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Divac, Draft, Warriors
The Lakers will look at D’Angelo Russell for the No. 2 overall pick, but preliminary indications are that they’ll take either Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns, depending on which one of those two is left after the Timberwolves pick, as Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times hears. Trading the pick is also an option, GM Mitch Kupchak says, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News tweets. In any case, the choices at No. 2 are a bit better than the Lakers would have had if the lottery had gone according to form and the team had ended up with the fourth pick. Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:
- Kings president of basketball and franchise operations Vlade Divac said his team should be open to trading its draft pick, but in comments that Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee relays, he distanced himself from the mechanics of any such move. “I’m leaving that to my basketball people,” Divac said. It’s an odd statement from the team’s top basketball executive. In any case, Chad Ford of ESPN.com identified the Kings, who pick sixth, among the teams most likely to trade their top-10 pick, along with the Magic, Pistons, Heat and Hornets, as Ford wrote in a chat with readers.
- The Kings and the Pacers are the teams with the most interest in Willie Cauley-Stein, Ford adds in the same piece.
- Andrew Bogut is a fan of the way Steve Kerr handles his assistant coaches, as the big man tells Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group a year after assistant coaches were squarely in the spotlight for Golden State. The departures of assistants Brian Scalabrine and Darren Erman from the Warriors bench last year were symbolic of the tumult near the end of Mark Jackson‘s time as Warriors coach. “In their own way, they all have free reign,” Bogut said of Kerr’s staff. “You see them talk to the media, which is something that wasn’t happening with us the last couple of years. There’s no agendas where a coach thinks, ‘Oh, he’s doing extra workouts with this guy, he’s trying to take my job, or vice-versa, or he’s trying to get himself a head-coaching job.’ We don’t have any of that. We have guys that say something when they need to say something and to be professional throughout.”
Northwest Notes: Okafor, Towns, Thunder, Gee
Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities believes Jahlil Okafor is the guy at No. 1 for the Timberwolves (Twitter link), who won last night’s lottery, though he cautions that nothing is set in stone. That jibes with the feeling Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune had as of a week ago, when he said he thought the Wolves would go with the Duke center. However Chad Ford of ESPN.com and Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress top their mock drafts with the Wolves picking Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns instead. Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders played coy Tuesday night, not even deigning to narrow the field to those two, Zgoda notes.
“It’s not that simple,” Saunders said. “We have an idea but there are a lot of different directions we can go. … We have to rely on our ability to select the right players. This will give us great flexibility. Every spot you move up in the draft, you have more control over what’s going to happen and you have more people talking to you.”
Saunders did make it clear that the team almost certainly won’t trade the pick, as Zgoda relays. Here’s more from the Northwest:
- Persistent rumors indicate that Jahlil Okafor has his heart set on becoming a Laker, according to Givony, who wonders if agent Bill Duffy, who also represents Andrew Wiggins and who is college buddies with Saunders, will let Okafor work out for the Wolves.
- Thunder GM Sam Presti is pleased with the depth of the draft and said that while he’ll have exploratory talks about trading the team’s pick, at No. 14 overall, with all sorts of teams, he’d probably wait until draft night to make a move if he indeed makes one. Presti made those comments and many others to Royce Young of Daily Thunder, who provides a full transcript of their conversation.
- Alonzo Gee has been on the roster of a half dozen NBA teams in the past 12 months, but Joe Freeman of The Oregonian will be surprised if he sticks in Portland with a tumultuous summer ahead for the Blazers, as Freeman writes in a roundtable piece examining Gee’s future. Gee becomes an unrestricted free agent in July.
Atlantic Notes: Towns, Marks, Qualls
Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns said that playing for the Knicks would be a childhood dream come true if the franchise selects him in the NBA Draft, Ian Begley of ESPN.com writes. “It would be an honor, not only as a player, but as a Knicks fan, to be able to play for that organization,” Towns said. “It’s gonna be, I guess a childhood dream — rooting for the Knicks all this time, and the next thing you know, you hear an organization call your name to go out there and give it your best shot. I think it would very cool, and really very honored and blessed to be able to play for them.” You can view our full prospect profile on Towns here.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Towns also indicated that he’s more than willing to learn the triangle offense if he becomes a member of the Knicks, Begley adds. “It’s a system that works. If you don’t believe it then say it to Phil Jackson’s rings,” Towns said. “I just feel like anyone going into the offense, it takes time. It’s a very complicated offense and you also have to be able to make stuff happen out of it. It just takes time. It would be an honor and blessing to play in that offense and I’d try my best at it.“
- Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks‘ contract option for 2015/16 wasn’t picked up by the team, and Brooklyn has now given Marks permission to explore other opportunities, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com tweets.
- Arkansas junior guard Michael Qualls, a projected second-rounder this June, believes he could make an impact on the Sixers next season if the team drafts him, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “I feel like I can help right now,” Qualls said. “I can be a force right away to help change that atmosphere and [turn] that program around.“
- The Knicks‘ front office is torn over whom to select in the draft should the team not snag one of the top two picks in June, Begley writes in a separate piece. “As of today, it looks like Jahlil Okafor would be the second choice. While he doesn’t have the defensive skills of Towns, his ability to play right away and his dominance on the offensive end will make him difficult to pass. After that, the Emmanuel Mudiay and D’Angelo Russell battle rages in the Knicks’ front office the same way it’s raging in front offices around the NBA,” ESPN Insider Chad Ford told Begley.
And-Ones: Payne, Lakers, Jaiteh
The Pacers are intrigued by Murray State guard Cameron Payne, Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star reports. Payne, who worked out for Indiana on Monday, has zoomed up to No. 11 — where the Pacers are currently slotted — on Chad Ford’s ESPN Insider Big Board. He’s No. 20 on Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress prospect list. “We followed him all year,” Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird told Buckner. “We know he can shoot it, he can drive it. He’s a playmaker. His size is against him a little bit but he’s a nice little player. He didn’t play against top schools but that doesn’t mean he can’t play.” Jerian Grant (Notre Dame), Olivier Hanlan (Boston College), Joseph Young (Oregon) Rakeem Christmas (Syracuse) and Richaun Holmes (Bowling Green) also worked out for the Pacers on Monday, according to Buckner. Payne hopes to jump into the top 10 in the draft, as he recently told Hoops Rumors’ Zach Links in a Q&A session.
In other news around the league:
- Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak does not anticipate having three rookies on his roster next season, even if the team retains its lottery pick, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register reports. The Lakers must stay in the top five when the lottery results are announced or they will have to convey their first-rounder to the Sixers. They also have the No. 27 and No. 34 overall picks but Kupchak may trade at least one of them. “It may be a little much to add three more young players,” Kupchak told the team’s beat reporters. Kupchak added that the team could bring in as many as 80 players for workouts, Oram adds.
- New Jersey native and top prospect Karl-Anthony Towns would be thrilled to be drafted by the Knicks since he grew up as a fan of the team, he told Steve Serby of the New York Post in a Q&A session. “It would be an honor, not only as a player, but as a Knicks fan, to be able to play for that organization,” Towns said. “It’s gonna be, I guess a childhood dream — rooting for the Knicks all this time, and the next thing you know, you hear an organization call your name to go out there and give it your best shot. I think it would very cool, and really very honored and blessed to be able to play for them.”
- International prospect Mouhammadou Jaiteh made a strong impression at the draft combine, NetsDaily.com tweets. The 6’11” center has moved up to the No. 34 on Ford’s board and No. 35 spot on Givony’s list.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Draft, Woodson
The Lakers have an 82.8% chance to secure a top five pick in this year’s NBA Draft lottery. But despite those excellent odds, Los Angeles’ GM Mitch Kupchak is stressed about the outcome, Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News writes. “It’s completely out of our control. But I’m somewhat of a worry-wart,” Kupchak said. “I know our percentage is very high that we end up with a top-five pick, but I have to prepare for if we don’t get it. We’ll be prepared either way.” The executive’s worries stem from the fact that if the pick falls out of the top five it will convey to the Sixers. “If we get a pick, that’s an asset,” Kupchak said. “That’s an asset you can use to trade or work to use it on the player in the draft. If we don’t, we’ll still be able to carry on and move forward.”
Here’s the latest out of the Pacific Division:
- Despite having a roster already loaded with outside shooters the Warriors met with Georgia State gunner R.J. Hunter at the draft combine, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweets.
- The Lakers interviewed Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns and Duke forward Justise Winslow at the combine, Medina relays (Twitter links).
- Mike Woodson, who is now an assistant with the Clippers, indicated he still hopes to land another spot as a head coach, Mark Berman of FOX 26 tweets. “I’ve been a head coach for nine years in this league. Hopefully I’ll get another opportunity,” Woodson said. The former Hawks and Knicks coach has a career record of 315-365.
- Kentucky products Willie Cauley-Stein and Trey Lyles interviewed with the Kings, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee relays (Twitter links).
- The Suns will consider taking Wisconsin’s Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky when making their draft selection this June, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes. “I feel like I can fit into multiple roles and help the team on the offensive end,” Kaminsky said. “I don’t think I have as many deficiencies on the defensive end as has been so kindly brought up by so many different people. I think I can fit in with just about any team.“
Draft Notes: Towns, Mudiay, Russell
Projected No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns has signed with Creative Artists Agency agents Leon Rose and Richie Felder tweets CBSSports.com’s Jon Rothstein, who cites a source. Towns recently spoke about how important it was to choose the right agent. “You only get one chance at that [picking an agent],” Towns said in a piece by John Pavia of SNY.tv. “You’ve got to make sure you get it right.” Hoops Rumors’ Eddie Scarito profiled Towns, who in 39 games for the Wildcats as a freshman, averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 21.1 minutes per contest.
Here’s more on the 2015 NBA draft:
- Emmanuel Mudiay, a 6’5″ point guard who is the No. 3 ranked player by both Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required), is the wild card of this year’s draft, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes in a list of top storylines. Playing with the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association instead of college ball left Mudiay shrouded in relative mystery, Bonnell adds.
- D’Angelo Russell‘s versatility and whether he should be labeled as a shooting guard or a point guard is another one of Bonnell’s top storylines. It may not matter, Bonnell notes, because there’s a good chance Russell excels in either role at the NBA level. Russell, who handles the ball well, produced 19.3 points per game on 45% from the field and 41% from 3-point range in his lone season with Ohio State. Russell is ranked fourth by ESPN.com and DraftExpress.
- Michael Frazier, who elected to enter this year’s draft following his junior season with Florida, has some potential as a spot-up shooter and plays well defensively, and will get an opportunity this summer even if he does not get drafted, Josh Riddell of DraftExpress writes in his profile of the player. ESPN.com slots Frazier at No. 51, while DraftExpress ranks him No. 55.
Prospect Profile: Karl-Anthony Towns
Kentucky freshman forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns enters the pre-draft process as the likely No. 1 overall pick after spending much of the season being ranked behind Duke big man Jahlil Okafor. While Towns would hardly be considered an under-the-radar recruit, he wasn’t projected to be a potential NBA franchise-changer upon graduating from high school. In fact, Towns was ranked as only the ninth best prospect in his class according to ESPN.com, and seventh in the RSCI overall. But what a difference one nearly undefeated NCAA season can make.
In 39 games for the Wildcats as a freshman, Towns averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 21.1 minutes per contest. His slash line was .566/.250/.813. But Towns’ stats can be somewhat misleading since his overall numbers were muted by Kentucky coach John Calipari‘s platoon system, as well as the Wildcats’ ridiculous frontcourt depth this past season. “You put Towns on any other team in college basketball, maybe with the exception of Duke, and everyone is talking about him as a legitimate player of the year candidate,” one NBA GM told Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required). “His stats, or lack thereof, aren’t an issue of talent, it’s an issue of so much talent on the floor that he can take a back seat.”
Towns possesses outstanding physical attributes for a big man, measuring 7’0″ in shoes with a 7’3 ½” wingspan, and his frame is NBA-ready. While he may not be a freak athletically, Towns is extremely agile, and shows remarkable coordination and dexterity for a still-developing player of his ample proportions. He also has demonstrated solid versatility on the floor, and is able to play both the center and power forward positions effectively, though he projects more as an NBA power forward than at the five spot.
Of course, it is almost impossible to discuss Towns without comparing him against Okafor. While the former Duke big man is by far the more polished of the two players offensively, Towns is the superior defender, has a much higher upside athletically, and is also a more versatile player on the offensive end of the hardwood. It is Towns’ sky-high upside and lock down defensive ability that has enabled him to leapfrog Okafor and take over the top spot in the prospect rankings, with both ESPN.com and DraftExpress slotting Towns as the alpha of the 2015 draft class.
Offensively, Towns was most frequently utilized in the paint while at Kentucky, with 43% of his touches coming with his back to the basket. Towns connected on 51% of his shots from the post area, and he proved himself adept at establishing and holding his position down low. He’ll need to bulk up to be able to match up against some of the stronger big men in the NBA, but Towns is still young, and should mature into an absolute beast physically in just a few seasons. “He’s huge and so skilled,” one GM told Ford. “I think he’s got a chance to be a more mature version of DeMarcus Cousins.”
Towns has shown himself to be comfortable operating from the high post and beyond, and has a high basketball IQ, which shows in his ability to execute in half court sets. His athleticism should allow him to become a force in the pick-and-roll, and his versatility and shooting range will allow him to play effectively alongside an interior-oriented center.
The 19-year-old Towns grew up as a perimeter oriented power forward who had no fear of firing away from beyond the three-point line, Givony notes. In fact, Towns led his high school team in 3-pointers made, and he drained 46% of his attempts as a 15-year old on the Dominican Republic under-17 team while attempting 5.5 threes per game, the DraftExpress scribe adds. Though Towns didn’t show his range that often while at Kentucky, only attempting eight three-pointers for the season, the big man has solid mechanics, and his outside game should travel along with him to the NBA.
The freshman’s post game needs improvement, especially in his footwork, which can be a tad awkward and predictable at times. Towns was prone to turnovers while operating in the paint area, giving away the ball on roughly 18% of his low post possessions. He also eschewed contact far too often for a player of his size and free throw prowess, though he did demonstrate more willingness to mix it up down low as the season wore on. Towns will need to be more aggressive with the ball in his hands in the NBA, as he won’t be able to solely rely on his athletic ability to carry him against the pros.
While Towns remains a work in progress on the offensive end of the court, his defensive ability is what separates him from the rest of the big men in this year’s NBA draft. He has the size and necessary strength to defend NBA centers, but Towns also possesses the mobility to guard most power forwards, which increases his overall value as a player.
Towns is a talented and instinctual shot-blocker, and his 4.4 blocks per-40 minutes ranks fifth amongst the top-100 prospects. His agility allows him to roam on defense, as well as to recover from mistakes. Towns is also athletic enough to stay with most wing players on switches, which is paramount in today’s NBA. The big man is also a solid rebounder, though he’ll need to improve upon his positioning in the NBA since his athleticism won’t be as pronounced against professional opponents. Towns also has a propensity for foul trouble, which will likely be his Achilles heel during his rookie campaign.
The 19-year-old is one of the more exciting big men to come out of the college ranks in quite some time. If NBA scouts and GMs wanted to create the prototypical power forward for today’s game, Towns would certainly be the model off which that player was based. He isn’t a complete player yet, and will certainly have his growing pains during his rookie campaign. Towns isn’t the type of player who will set the league on fire during his rookie season, but out of all the prospects in the 2015 NBA draft, he has the highest probability of turning into a superstar. It will take quite a showing in the pre-draft workouts from Okafor, Emmanuel Mudiay, or D’Angelo Russell to unseat Towns from being the first name called by commissioner Adam Silver on draft night.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Draft Notes: Mudiay, Towns, Mickey
Projected No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns is taking his time in choosing an agent to represent him, John Pavia of SNY.tv writes. “You only get one chance at that [picking an agent],” Towns said. “You’ve got to make sure you get it right. I’m taking my time with that process. The NBA Draft process, that’s one of the biggest things is all the things that come other than on the basketball court. You’ve got to take your time with these decisions. Make sure you make it right. You don’t want to be making multiple decisions quickly and then regret it.”
Here’s more notes regarding the 2015 NBA draft:
- Emmanuel Mudiay is considering attending the draft combine in Chicago next week, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports in a series of tweets. The young guard wishes to attend the college graduation of his brother, and will attempt to arrive for the event’s second day, Kyler adds. Mudiay is the No. 3 ranked player by both Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required).
- LSU sophomore power forward Jordan Mickey is a potential second round pick this June because of his shotblocking prowess and overall physical tools, Josh Riddell of DraftExpress writes in his profile of the player. ESPN.com slots Mickey as the No. 48 prospect while DraftExpress ranks the 20-year-old as 49th overall.
- While Georgia State’s R.J. Hunter did not have a strong junior season statistically, the 21-year-old plays the shallowest position in this year’s draft (shooting guard), and coupled with his ability to nail the deep shot, this makes him a likely first round choice in June, Givony and Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress write. Hunter is ranked No. 21 by Ford and No. 24 by Givony.
- Towns is the top power forward in David Aldridge of NBA.com‘s latest 2015 NBA draft power rankings. Rounding out Aldridge’s top five at the four spot are Kristaps Porzingis, Trey Lyles, Myles Turner, and Bobby Portis.