WEDNESDAY, 11:28am: Paul Allen has interviewed four GM candidates in person and is currently conducting reference checks, the Blazers owner tweeted this morning. While earlier reports suggested Portland had narrowed its search to three finalists, it appears both DiLeo and Olshey are still in the running along with Bower and Morway, assuming those are the four interviewees to whom Allen is referring.
Tomorrow night's draft lottery will have huge implications for the Warriors and Jazz, writes the Deseret News' Jody Genessy. Here are a few more items from around the NBA:
- Hoopsworld.com's Stephen Brotherston asks what position the Raptors should be targeting as they head into the draft.
- On June 13, a hearing to determine whether the Knicks can re-sign Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak without using any of their exceptions will be held, writes Newsday's Al Iannazzone. The union is seeking the restoration of both players' Bird rights, and a decision will be made before July 1. The union is expected to lose the hearing.
- The Oregonian's Joe Freeman writes about the Trail Blazers working out two centers today: North Carolina's Tyler Zeller and Illinois' Meyers Leonard.
- Sources have told ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin that the Lakers are talking about making Los Angeles D-Fenders general manager Glenn Carraro their team's assistant general manager.
- ESPNDallas.com's Jeff Caplan writes about how tomorrow night's draft lottery could have an especially large impact on the Nets and Mavericks.
- FoxSports.com's Chris Tomasson says LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are doing more than enough to fill in for Chris Bosh's absence.
- CBSSports.com's Ken Berger writes that at a time he's badly needed by his team, there's something wrong with Ray Allen.
The Trail Blazers will take over the basketball operations of the D-League's Idaho Stampede in a "hybrid" partnership, the Blazers announced today (Twitter link). As Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside explains (via Twitter), Idaho will still control the business side of the franchise, but the Blazers will have full control of coaching staff, player roster, and other baskebtall operations.
The Stampede had previously been the D-League affiliate for the Nuggets and Jazz, as well as the Blazers, but the new agreement will make Portland the Stampede's sole NBA affiliate. Interim Blazers GM Chad Buchanan called the move a "great opportunity" for Portland to develop young players and coaches, according to Joe Freeman of the Oregonian.
"The benefits can be great," Buchanan said. "You have a coach you hire that’s going to mirror what we’re running up here with the Blazers. You’ve got a roster that you’ve put together that you want to see. If we want to send (this year’s) draft pick down, we can send him down for two weeks and play him 48 minutes a night, get him 25 touches and 30 shots a game. We have control over that."
The Blazers become the fourth team to enter a hybrid partnership with a D-League franchise, joining the Rockets, Nets, and Knicks.
We're just a little over 24 hours away from tomorrow night's draft lottery, aka the Anthony Davis sweepstakes. While fans of the Bobcats, Wizards, Cavaliers, Hornets, and the rest of the lottery teams hold their breath, let's round up a few of today's draft-related items:
- The Celtics may be trying to package their two first-round picks to move up in the draft, tweets SI.com's Zach Lowe.
- Damian Lillard appears to be a likely top-10 pick, writes ESPN.com's Chad Ford in an Insider-only piece that also touches on Terrence Ross, Arnett Moultrie, Fab Melo, and a number of other prospects.
- Ford also fielded draft questions in his weekly ESPN.com chat earlier this afternoon.
- Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio identifies his picks for the sleepers of this year's draft class.
- Seven-footers Tyler Zeller and Meyers Leonard highlighted the participants at the Trail Blazers' first draft workout today, and interim Kaleb Canales had compliments for both players, as Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com writes.
A number of this morning's items of note relate to overseas players, so let's round them up in one place:
- Stephon Marbury has high praise for the Chinese Basketball Association and doesn't intend to return to the NBA even if there's interest, according to Sina.com (Chinese link; translation via HoopsHype).
- British forward Joel Freeland, who was picked by the Trail Blazers in the first round of the 2006 draft, would cost $1.5MM for Portland to buy out, according to Cesar Nanclares of TuBasket.com (Spanish link; translation via HoopsHype). A number of international clubs are also interested in Freeland, though his buyout to play elsewhere would be even more expensive ($3.1MM).
- Nets' 2011 second-rounder Bojan Bogdanovic confirmed to Kosarka.org (Croatian link) that he met with GM Billy King, but says coming to the NBA isn't up to him, according to HoopsHype.
- Earlier this week, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando passed along an interview between Petteri Koponen and Il Corriere di Bologna, in which the point guard said he expects to talk to the Mavericks this summer. The Mavs own the rights to the 30th pick in the 2007 draft, and the Dallas Morning News looks at the possibility of Koponen coming to Dallas for next season.
Neither of L.A.'s two teams has played a game in a week's time, but that hasn't stopped the news from coming out of the City of Angels, as the Lakers and Clippers plot their offseason plans.
- Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com observes that Rich Cho, the last GM candidate who traveled abroad to speak with Blazers owner Paul Allen about the position, as Clippers GM Neil Olshey has reportedly done, wound up getting the job.
- We passed along today that Sam Smith of Bulls.com hears Pau Gasol would be interested in playing for the Bulls, but Kyler doesn't think Chicago would take on Gasol's contract, which has two seasons and close to $38.3MM left on it (Twitter link).
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld would be "more than shocked" if the Lakers fire coach Mike Brown, despite the team's first-round struggles and second-round ouster in the playoffs (Twitter link).
- Earlier this evening I examined the upcoming free agency of Lakers backup big man Jordan Hill.
Earlier today we rounded up the latest from Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld on the Magic's search for a new GM, and the news continues to come in from Orlando as well as from Portland, where the Blazers are also looking for a GM. Here's what we're hearing:
- Clippers GM Neil Olshey recently spoke to Blazers owner Paul Allen about Portland's GM position, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who notes Olshey is not under contract for next season (Twitter links).
- Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has emerged as the No. 1 candidate for the Blazers GM job and the team is awaiting his decision, Kyler tweets. Kyler says Chris Mullin is next in line if Kupchak turns Portland down, contradicting what we heard last week about Mullin suggesting he was not in the running.
- Kupchak is also a candidate for the Magic's GM position, but Kyler isn't sure he'd take that job, as he'd like to continue working with Andrew Bynum (Twitter link). That said, a swap of Bynum for Dwight Howard, as has been discussed, would allow Kupchak to bring the big man to Florida with him.
- Kyler said earlier that the Magic would have to move quickly if they wanted Kevin Pritchard for their GM job, and now Berger tweets that the team has reached out to him.
- Jeff Bower will interview for the Magic GM job this week, Berger reports (Twitter link). Bower interviewed earlier this month for same position with the Blazers.
Bulls.com scribe Sam Smith has a new column up today, which includes plenty of news, notes, and rumors from around the NBA. Let's dive in….
- Brooklyn is still considered the likeliest destination for Dwight Howard, though teams like the Rockets, Trail Blazers, and Warriors may be willing to risk renting D12 for a year. The Magic are expected to make another run at retaining Howard once the team has a new GM in place.
- Smith hears from "Lakers insiders" that Pau Gasol would be interested in playing for the Bulls. He adds that Gasol and Kobe Bryant were "constantly at odds" in Los Angeles this season.
- If the Bulls and Lakers were to discuss a Gasol deal, Luol Deng would have to be the centerpiece rather than Carlos Boozer, says Smith.
- NBA general managers previously rejected a rule that would allow players to touch the ball on the rim, but that idea could be revisited now that the league has introduced a new competition comittee.
- Kyle Lowry appears on his way out of Houston, according to Smith, who says the Rockets were "quietly shopping" the point guard before his injury this season. The Rockets would like to re-sign Goran Dragic, who isn't interested in returning as a backup.
Coveted head coach candidate Michael Malone has already interviewed with the Bobcats for their opening, and it likely won't be his last job interview this summer. For his part, the Warriors assistant could be eyeing one position in particular. According to Chris B. Haynes of CSNNW.com, Malone would have a "great deal" of interest in the Trail Blazers' head coaching job.
Malone's agent Steve Kauffman declined comment on his client's interest in the position, but acknowledged that the Portland job would be a desirable one: "The Blazers have great ownership, it's a beautiful diverse city and probably has the best fans in the NBA."
The Blazers haven't begun to search for a head coach in earnest yet, since the team is still interviewing general manager candidates, with the new GM expected to play a role in hiring a coach. Interim coach Kalab Canales currently holds the position, though it would be surprising if Portland didn't make an outside hire this summer.
Blazers president Larry Miller confirmed to Haynes that the team is focused primarily on finding a new GM. Miller added, however, that if a coach of interest is available, the Blazers won't hesitate to pursue him.
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Tuesday night:
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel speculates that the Magic will look for an experienced, patient general manager to replace Otis Smith.
- The Oregonian's John Canzano likes the idea of Stan Van Gundy as the coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, but cautions that on-court talent should be the team's main focus.
- Fred Kerber of the New York Post relays Nets coach Avery Johnson's optimism that the team will make the playoffs in 2012/13.