Travis Trice

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Wells, Celtics

In a letter sent to Nets season ticket-holders regarding the team’s future, CEO Brett Yormark and GM Billy King failed to mention Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, or Jarrett Jack, which could be a major sign that the franchise intends to part ways with the trio this offseason, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily writes. “We are committed to keeping our core leadership together by re-signing Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young. At the same time, we will continue to build on our emerging young core of players, such as Mason Plumlee, Bojan Bogdanovic, Markel Brown, and Sergey Karasev,” Yormark and King wrote.

The team also relayed in the letter that it will try to purchase additional draft picks to use this June, Windrem adds. The organization wrote, “[W]e are pleased to own the No. 29 and No. 41 picks. While we are identifying potential selections, we are even open to purchasing additional draft picks if the right opportunity presents itself. Furthermore, this summer, we are planning to be active in pursuing trades that would fill important needs.”

Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Maryland guard Dez Wells relayed that he has a workout scheduled with the Nets in June, Windrem tweets.
  • The Celtics held workouts on Friday for Corey Walden (Eastern Kentucky), Gerard Coleman (Georgetown-Kentucky), Keifer Sykes (Wisconsin-Green Bay), Scott Eatherton (Northeastern), Travis Trice (Michigan State), and Yanick Moreira (SMU), Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com notes (Twitter link).
  • Wyoming forward Larry Nance Jr. said that he will work out for the Nets in the coming weeks, Windrem notes ((via Twitter).

Eastern Notes: Heat, Hezonja, Celtics

With the Heat‘s need to add an outside shooter in this year’s NBA Draft, Kentucky shooting guard Devin Booker certainly fits the bill, and could be available when the team selects at No. 10 overall, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes. Team president Pat Riley is also looking to emulate the versatility of the Warriors’ backcourt, Winderman adds. “If you watch Golden State,” Riley said, “they don’t have a plethora of 3-point shooters beyond Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, they’re everything. They’re the most complete backcourt in the league. Not only are they the ballhandlers, catch-and-shoot players, the playmakers, but they’re both the main long-distance weapon for that team.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

  • Croatian swingman Mario Hezonja could fit the bill as the outside threat that the Pistons need, Brendan Savage of MLive.com writes. “He’s got a little swagger to him,” a Southeastern Division executive said of Hezonja. “I think those Euro kids have to have some of that coming over here. He’s awfully gifted. He can guard okay, and he’s a capable shooter and a good passer. He checks off a lot of boxes that you’re looking for in a wing. He allows how he’s playing on the offensive end to determine how much effort he’s going to give you defensively. But he’s big. Agile for his size. He has a little nastiness to him that will serve him well if he decides to compete at the defensive end.
  • Their wealth of picks in the 2015 draft is making it easy for the Celtics to secure players for individual workouts, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. “These guys [draft prospects] can’t work out for all 30 teams,Austin Ainge, Boston’s director of player personnel, told Blakely. “So agents try to limit it to your range. So that’s probably the biggest advantage in our wide net is we have a pick for every range, almost. We’re able to get more guys in which is even more important than what we’re trying to get.
  • The Sixers held workouts today for Trevor Lacey, Wesley Saunders, Rakeem Christmas, David Laury, and Travis Trice, Jake Fischer of LibertyBallers.com tweets.