Western Notes: Lakers, Blazers, Jazz
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak says the team might look to acquire an additional first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft, reports Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. Kupchak said, “We may look to get a pick some other way because we have guys we interviewed who aren’t going to be gone before the second round, but they’ll be around after [our current pick]. You only get so many assets in this league. Draft picks are an asset. There’s cap room, draft picks and players. Those are assets you can use to rebuild a team.”
More from out west:
- Mike Tokito of The Oregonian looks at the busy summer a number of Trail Blazers have ahead of them. LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard will be occupied with Team USA, and at least six players on their current roster are expected to participate in the summer league.
- The biggest improvement in the Blazers roster needs to come from within, writes Jason Quick of The Oregonian. The team needs growth from players like C.J. McCollum, Thomas Robinson, and Will Barton if they are to become serious contenders, opines Quick.
- The Jazz will be looking to add a star with their lottery pick, but will look to add depth with their second pick in the first-round, as well as with their second-round pick, number 35 overall, writes Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune. Jazz VP of Player Personnel Walt Perrin said, “Franchise players. All-Stars. That’s what we’re looking to get. But we also understand that we need depth. We need rotation players. And we have a lot of needs in terms of shooting, in terms of defense and rebounding.”
Blazers Notes: Claver, Stotts, Aldridge
Victor Claver does not plan on seeking a buyout from the Trail Blazers, reports Joe Freeman of The Oregonian (Twitter link). Claver said, “I have one more year on my contract and I want to play one more year.“ He has been unhappy with his playing time, having seen his minutes cut from 16.6 last year to 8.8 per game this season. Claver is scheduled to be paid $1.37MM for the 2014/15 season.
More from Portland:
- LaMarcus Aldridge was pleased with Blazers coach Terry Stotts‘ extension, reports Mike Tokito of The Oregonian (Twitter link). Aldridge said, “I thought every guy responded for him and played well.“
- Portland GM Neil Olshey was also pleased with Stotts’ deal, notes Tokito (Twitter link). Olshey said, “As much of a no-brainer as any contract extension that I’ve done.”
- In a separate tweet Tokito notes that Olshey said that the extension was about the team heading in the right direction, not about winning playoff series.
- When discussing the Blazers summer goals, Olshey said, “We’re out of the talent-acquisition mode … now we’re about winning games,” tweets Freeman.
- In a separate tweet by Freeman, Olshey said of Aldridge, “Everybody, including LaMarcus knows, he’s the No. 1 priority in the organization.”
- Will Barton‘s contract becomes fully guaranteed on July 31st, unless he’s released by the team, which Olshey said would not happen, reports Tokito (Twitter link). Barton is set to make $915,243 next season.
Blazers Sign Terry Stotts To Multiyear Deal
11:35pm: Portland picked up its 2014/15 option on Stotts and added two years to the deal, the last of which is a team option for the 2016/17 season, reports Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. That conflicts with Wojnarowski’s initial report that the team would decline next year’s option in favor of an entirely new contract.
5:08pm: The Blazers have signed Stotts to a multiyear contract extension, according to a team release. No terms of the deal have been released.
2:14pm: The Blazers have held off on exercising the 2014/15 option on their contract with coach Terry Stotts, but they’re close to an agreement on a new multiyear contract that will wipe out the option season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. GM Neil Olshey opposes the idea of negotiating during the season, but as Portland made strides this year, concern grew among the Blazers staff and seemingly with Stotts himself as his fate for next season remained unresolved. There was speculation that his future would hinge on the team’s success in the playoffs, but an appearance in the second round left little doubt that Stotts would be sticking around, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com wrote earlier today.
Stotts had a rough start in Portland after the Blazers hired him two years ago, inheriting a team that had taken a step back, and he managed just a 33-49 record in 2012/13. The Blazers used a strong start to surge to 54-28 this season, earning the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs and a first-round date with the Rockets, whom they dispatched in six games before falling to San Antonio in round two. The resurgence helped solidify the team’s shaky relationship with LaMarcus Aldridge, who’s considering an extension with the club as he nears his 2015 free agency.
The client of coaching super-agent Warren LeGarie has also overseen the development of Damian Lillard, who won Rookie of the Year last season and took a step forward in year two, with his series-clinching three-pointer against Houston a defining moment. This past season was by far the best in Stotts’ six-year head coaching career, as it was the first time he’d piloted a team to a winning record.
Draft Combine Updates: Thursday
The Chicago draft combine is underway, and teams can meet with up to 18 players. With 30 teams, that means there could be as many as 540 interviews this week. We’ll try to keep track of as many as possible here, and we’ll update this post throughout the day as news filters in. Here’s the latest:
- Ennis will meet with the Bobcats and at least four other teams in addition to the organizations listed below, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer reports.
- Vonleh interviewed with the Wolves, Bucks, Lakers, and Blazers, tweets Robbins, who adds that the big man is scheduled to meet with the Sixers.
Earlier updates:
- LaVine shot very well, and Seth Davis of SI.com hears that he may have helped his stock more than any other prospect today (Twitter link; H/T Wolstat).
- In Exum’s extended quotes transcribed by Sean Deveney of The Sporting News regarding the point guard’s willingness to pressure certain teams not to draft him, Exum said he doesn’t see any of his potential destinations as a bad fit, and is willing to play behind an established point guard.
- LaQuinton Ross will work out for the Cavs on Monday, tweets Jason Lloyd of Akron Beacon Journal.
- The Raptors plan to meet with K.J. McDaniels, McDermott, Payton, Anderson, McDaniels, and possibly Hood, reports Wolstat (via Twitter).
- Hood will meet with the Bulls on Friday, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
- Randle interviewed with the Cavs and will do so with the Bucks, too, as the Plain Dealer and Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel note (Twitter links).
- Patric Young spoke with the Pelicans and has a sit-down with the Grizzlies scheduled, according to Robbins (Twitter links).
- Blakely adds Hood and Noah Vonleh to the Celtics interview list, while Randle and T.J. Warren are talking to Boston, too, according to Holmes (All Twitter links).
- Vonleh says he also has an interview scheduled with the Magic, Robbins notes, adding that Orlando wanted to interview Stauskas, but his meeting schedule is too full (Twitter links). The Magic sat down with Randle on Wednesday, Robbins adds (on Twitter).
- Aaron Gordon met with the Sixers on Wednesday, Pompey tweets.
- Exum will also interview with the Kings, according to Howard-Cooper (on Twitter).
- Julius Randle is meeting with the Sixers today, reports Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
- Doug McDermott said he met Wednesday with the Bulls, Hawks and Timberwolves, Robbins observes, and McDermott added that he’s looking forward to a meeting with the Cavs, as Robbins and the Plain Dealer observe (Twitter links).
- Rodney Hood is set to interview with the Wolves tonight, Zgoda tweets. Hood interviewed with the Bobcats on Wednesday, as Bonnell details (Twitter links).
- Kyle Anderson met with the Celtics and he’ll also see the Wolves tonight, Washburn and Zgoda note (Twitter links).
- The Pistons met with Glenn Robinson III on Wednesday, as he tells Langlois (Twitter link).
- Add the Celtics and the Bucks to Exum’s interview agenda, as Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe and Matt Velazquez of the Journal Sentinel report (Twitter links). Exum thinks he’ll sit down with the Cavs, too, the Plain Dealer notes (on Twitter).
- The Wolves will interview Lavine on Friday after having spoken with James Young on Wednesday, Zgoda tweets.
- The Bobcats have expressed interest in P.J. Hairston, as he tells Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
- Dante Exum‘s wingspan measured out at nearly 6’10”, and he’ll draw consideration for the No. 1 overall pick from some teams, ESPN’s Chad Ford said on the network’s combine coverage today, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv notes (Twitter link). He denied that he’s angling for the Lakers in the draft, but he wouldn’t rule out pressuring some teams not to take him, tweets Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Exum met with the Sixers, Pistons and Suns on Wednesday, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. The Celtics, Lakers, Magic and Jazz will also speak with him, report Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel and Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune (All four Twitter links).
- Marcus Smart has interviewed with the Rockets, Raptors, Lakers, Suns and Nuggets, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. The Cavs, Jazz and Bucks are also on his agenda, as the Plain Dealer, Falk and Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times report (All Twitter links). The Timberwolves won’t interview Smart in Chicago, but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities hears the team is hoping to get him to come to Minnesota for a workout (Twitter link).
- Ontario native Tyler Ennis is excited about the idea of playing for the Raptors and has interviewed with them, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. He’s also met with the Bobcats, Kings, Suns, Thunder and Nuggets, according to Kennedy (on Twitter).
- Nik Stauskas has met with or will meet with the Kings, Pistons and Raptors, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com and Doug Smith of the Toronto Star (All Twitter links).
- The Nuggets, Spurs, Warriors and Nets have met with Shabazz Napier, Kennedy tweets.
- The Hawks, Spurs, Thunder, Raptors, Magic, Cavs and Timberwolves met Elfrid Payton, Kennedy reports (Twitter link).
- Zach LaVine interviewed with the Celtics, among others, Wednesday, he tells Blakely (Twitter link).
- Russ Smith sat down with the Suns, Celtics and Blazers, according to Kennedy (via Twitter).
Western Notes: Kerr, Trail Blazers, Rockets
The Warriors are growing increasingly pessimistic about their chances of convincing Steve Kerr to turn down the Knicks in favor of Golden State’s coaching job, report Ian Begley and Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Warriors fear Kerr is “too deep” into talks with the Knicks at this point, according to the article. Begley and Stein also note that their sources also stressed that Stan Van Gundy is actually the closest thing to a top target at this early stage of Golden State’s search. This feeling is based on the premise that an experienced coach can ensure that the Warriors maintain upward momentum in the competitive Western Conference, per the article.
More from out west:
- The Trail Blazers should have utilized the NBA D-League to better develop their young players, writes Chris Reichert of SB Nation. Instead of getting players like C.J. McCollum, Meyers Leonard, Victor Claver, and Will Barton some experience and playing time, the team let them sit on the end of the bench, notes Reichert, who believes this is hurting the team’s playoff chances.
- The Rockets have fired assistant coach Dean Cooper, citing problems with the team’s defense, reports Fran Blineberry of NBA.com (Twitter link). The Rockets ranked 23rd in the league this season in points allowed, giving up an average of 103.1 per contest.
- The writers at The Commercial Appeal (subscription required) look at the Grizzlies core and the offseason ahead from a GM’s perspective.
Draft Rumors: Blazers, Bucks, International
The Blazers won’t hold pre-draft workouts, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Portland doesn’t own any 2014 draft picks, and will opt to travel to observe workouts instead. Here are more of tonight’s draft rumors:
- The Bucks have begun working out deep draft prospects, vice president of player personnel Dave Babcock tells Jim Hoehn of The Associated Press. “With four draft picks, and we’ve [already] got some young guys that are going to play for us that are already on our team…we’ll have to see how that goes,” said Babcock.
- Hoehn adds that the Bucks have worked out Ben Brust, Jake Thomas, Tyler Braun, and Mike Moser, all of whom are projected as second rounders at best.
- Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders profiles some of the top international prospects from the 2014 draft class.
Western Notes: Stotts, Blazers, Kings
The Blazers are riding high after eliminating the Rockets on last night’s incredible, last-second shot from second year point guard Damian Lillard. The Portland franchise, plagued with draft misfortunes and teams of promise that seem to always sink back to mediocrity, is reveling in actual playoff success behind Lillard, who Nicolas Batum deemed the city’s next Brandon Roy, per a tweet from Jason Quick of The Oregonian. Here’s a Western Conference roundup, including more from Rip City:
- Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that he thinks the Blazers are likely to pick up their team option for coach Terry Stotts now that Portland has advanced to the second round.
- Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee points out that Kings personnel mistakes from recent years are obvious when watching the Blazers thrive in the playoffs (via Twitter). Sacramento selected Thomas Robinson ahead of the buzzer-beating Lillard, and didn’t obtain Robin Lopez in a three-way trade with the Blazers and Pelicans that brought in Greivis Vasquez last summer.
- Voisin adds in another tweet that she’s heard the Kings passed on Lillard because they thought Isaiah Thomas, who they planned on snagging late in the draft, was equally talented. While Thomas was a great find, he hasn’t played at near the level of Lillard.
And-Ones: Daniels, Robinson, Mills
Hoops Rumors readers are some of the few wise enough to keep close track of the D-League’s impact on the NBA game, but last night the D-League made a big splash on the national stage. Troy Daniels, recalled by the Rockets two weeks ago, stepped up and hit a game-winning three to keep Houston from going down 0-3 to the Blazers. “To be honest, the D-League has prepared me for this moment,” Daniels told reporters after the game, including Sam Amick of USA Today Sports. “You can say whatever you want about the D-League, but I wouldn’t have hit that shot if I wasn’t in the D-League a couple weeks ago… It’s a dream come true. Plain and simple.” Here’s more from around the league:
- League sources tell Shams Charania of RealGM that the Bulls, Bucks, and Magic all closely monitored Daniels as a prospect, but Rockets GM Daryl Morey made the necessary moves to accommodate bringing the unproven guard’s talents to Houston.
- Thomas Robinson tells Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle that he is happy to play his current role with the Blazers, but won’t be content until he improves his game. “Right now, I do what I’m supposed to do for my team,” Robinson said. “My game will evolve. I love what I am right now. It’s not what I’m going to settle for. That’s when the summer time comes in. I can stay in the league doing what I do now, but I want to be at the top of the league by progressing, improving my game. I plan to be an All-Star.”
- The NBPA isn’t close to hiring an executive director, and Steve Mills is just one candidate among many at this point, per a tweet from Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Mills re-emerged as a strong candidate for the job yesterday.
- Ethan Skolnick of Bleacher Report talked with Isiah Thomas about the decision players face each postseason: to play hurt in high-stakes playoff games and jeopardize their long-term health, or to rest and hurt their team’s chances to advance.
Coaching Rumors: Jazz, D’Antoni, Boylen
Executives, coaches and other league insiders struggle to come up with names of intriguing coaching candidates after last year’s record volume of new hires, but Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com was able to pry the identities of a few well-regarded potential hires. Some of them have been in rumors in recent weeks, but University of Virginia head coach Tony Bennett, Bulls assistant Ed Pinckney, and Blazers assistant David Vanterpool are the names we haven’t heard. Potential head coaches with ties to the Spurs were already popular, and they’ve grown even more so this year, Arnovitz hears. Here’s more from the coaching rumor mill:
- The Jazz plan to interview more than 20 candidates fitting virtually every description, team president Randy Rigby said Wednesday on The Zone Sports Network radio, notes Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. Though a few candidates have reportedly emerged, Rigby insists the club hasn’t identified any potential targets. He also said the decision will be a group effort and won’t lie solely with GM Dennis Lindsey.
- Mike D’Antoni won’t be coaching Marshall University next season, but his brother Dan D’Antoni will be, the school announced. Dan D’Antoni is leaving his job as a Lakers assistant coach to take the new gig.
- The Pacers weren’t pleased when former assistant coach and current Jazz head coaching candidate Jim Boylen left last year to become a Spurs assistant, tweets Scott Agness of Pacers.com. “He did us dirty,” one Pacers player told Agness.
- Knicks president Phil Jackson said Wednesday that his coaching search could extend into July, but he adds that it’s not because he’s waiting around to see which, if any, coaches working in the playoffs become available, notes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).
- Nets GM Billy King said on NBA TV that he, and not coach Jason Kidd, made the decision to reassign assistant coach Lawrence Frank earlier this season, fellow ESPNNewYork.com scribe Mike Mazzeo observes.
Northwest Notes: Jazz, Corbin, Trail Blazers
Trail Blazers star point guard Damian Lillard is rarely rattled on the basketball court, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. “[Sunday night] was a Damian Lillard performance,” Head coach Terry Stotts said. “Damian rises to the occasion. For all those people who were wanting to know if he was ready for the playoffs, I think he answered that question, so we don’t have to answer that anymore. He made big plays. The three was big, getting to the rim was big, making free throws – it was a big time performance.” The latest out of the Northwest Division..
- Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (on Twitter) says that Tyrone Corbin had some support from Jazz leadership but not enough in basketball operations to get an extension with the team.
- In an afternoon press conference, Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey called Corbin “a man of dignity, class, and integrity,” tweets Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. Lindsey also explained that he hasn’t picked out a successor yet (link). “Literally we haven’t had one conversation with regards to other names. … Now that the decisions closed we’ll meet quickly,” said the GM.
- Even though Jim Boylen might fit Lindsey’s vision and is an outstanding coach, he’d be a very tough sell for Jazz fans, opines Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune (on Twitter). He also wouldn’t have a honeymoon period and would be expected to deliver wins off the bat.
- Guard Dee Bost, who was waived by the Trail Blazers in October, signed a deal in Venezuela with Trotamundos de Carabobo, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The player spent the season in D-League with the Idaho Stampede averaging 15.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 2.1 steals in 50 games.