Eastern Notes: Rambis, Jefferson, Snell, Sixers
The Lakers have granted the Knicks permission to interview assistant coach Kurt Rambis for a job on head coach Derek Fisher‘s staff, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Rambis is willing to listen, Medina hears. Rambis also remains a candidate for the Lakers head coaching job, but it’s uncertain whether he’d be retained as a Lakers assistant if they go with someone else for the head job, as Medina points out. Here’s more news related to Eastern Conference teams:
- Al Jefferson is recruiting free agents to come to Charlotte, and Hornets coach Steve Clifford is confident that the mere presence of the Third-Team All-NBA center makes the Hornets more attractive to potential signees, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
- The Bulls remain sold on Tony Snell as a rotation-caliber talent, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune details in his latest mailbag column. Johnson also says he’d be “shocked” if the Bulls don’t address their shooting via the draft.
- The New Jersey state government gave the OK this morning for the Sixers to build a practice facility in Camden, reports Julia Terruso of the Philadelphia Inquirer, prompting the team to announce plans for the facility. GM Sam Hinkie and coach Brett Brown have contended that the facility will be key to attracting free agents.
- The Celtics are among the teams that have worked out draft lottery prospect Doug McDermott, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com notes in his Insider-only mock draft.
- Isaiah Austin and Cory Jefferson will audition for the Pistons, tweets Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- The Wizards will work out LaQuinton Ross, Devyn Marble, Jarell Eddie, Okaro White and Kendall Williams, the team announced.
- Semaj Christon, DeAndre Kane, Drew Crawford, Sebastian Koch and Talib Zanna are among those who’ll perform for the Hornets on Wednesday, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links). Crawford was also scheduled to show off for the team last week.
- Alex Kirk is working out for the Hornets this week, too, and he’ll also do so for the Raptors, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
Draft Notes: MJ, Embiid, Hairston, Maker
If the Rockets didn’t tank in 1984, Michael Jordan would have been a member of the Sixers, writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. The Sixers owned the Clippers’ pick that year and had the Rockets not tanked down the stretch, they would have landed either the No. 1 or 2 pick in a coin flip. Instead, that pick became the No. 5 choice and that’s where the Sixers selected Charles Barkley. Fast forwarding thirty years later, here’s today’s draft news..
- One NBA scout tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports that if there are no serious back issues, Kansas center Joel Embiid has a chance to be a franchise superstar. Embiid holds the No. 1 spot in Spears’ mock draft, followed by Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, Dante Exum, and Aaron Gordon.
- New Mexico State center Sim Bhullar will work out for the Raptors on Wednesday, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. During his second season as an Aggie, Bhullar put up 10.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per night while averaging just over 26 minutes every contest.
- Scott Rafferty of Ridiculous Upside wonders if P.J. Hairston has done enough to cement himself as a surefire first round pick in the draft. Hairston proved himself as one of the best scorers in the D-League last season but concerns about his attitude remain.
- Elite 7-foot prospect Thon Maker is “50-50” on whether to reclassify himself to the high school graduating class of 2015, which would make him eligible for the 2016 draft, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY. The Carlisle School (VA) standout is currently slated to graduate in 2016 but he would likely be the top talent in the 2015 class as well. If you’ve yet to see Maker play, take a look at this widely circulated mixtape on YouTube (though you should dial down your volume if you’re watching at work).
Atlantic Notes: Fisher, Knicks, MCW, Rondo
Knicks president Phil Jackson sought and obtained permission from Thunder GM Sam Presti to interview Derek Fisher this week, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. The pair spoke on Wednesday and plan to reconvene next week sometime, hears Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. It doesn’t sound as if the discourse has been formal, but talks may quickly pick up after this weekend when Fisher discusses with his family whether or not he’ll retire, suggests Wojnarowski. Here’s more from the Knicks and the Atlantic:
- The Knicks worked out Florida guard Scottie Wilbekin yesterday, reveals Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).
- Michael Carter-Williams is unfazed by a report indicating that the Sixers have considered trading him and hasn’t directed agent Jeff Schwartz to check with GM Sam Hinkie about the rumor, as the Rookie of the Year tells Tom Moore of Calkins Media.
- Rajon Rondo appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America this morning and admitted that he hopes that the Celtics can make some big changes this offseason to improve the team (Instagram video link). He praised Danny Ainge‘s performance as an executive but also suggested he’s eager to be back playing in the finals soon.
- Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com examines why Nick Johnson’s family ties make the projected second-round pick a good fit to play for the Celtics. Boston doesn’t currently own a second-round selection in the upcoming draft.
- The uncertainty on whether or not upcoming free agent Kyle Lowry is going to return to Toronto will put the Raptors in a difficult decision come draft day, opines Eric Koreen of the National Post.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Draft Notes: Gordon, Napier, Spurs, Raptors
The draft is three weeks from tonight, and players continue to travel around North America to show off for teams and make the best of their chances. Here’s the latest:
- The Jazz are among the teams on Aaron Gordon‘s workout schedule, tweets Sean Cunningham of News10 Sacramento.
- Shabazz Napier is set to audition for the Bulls today, reports Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Spurs are working out Cleanthony Early, Glenn Robinson III, and Isaiah Austin today, according to Goodman (via Twitter).
- The previously unreported prospects showing off for the Raptors today are the similarly named DeAndre Kane, DeAndre Daniels, K.J. McDaniels and C.J. Fair, the team announced.
- The Suns worked out Aaron Craft, Markel Starks, Tarik Black and Casey Prather on Wednesday, reports Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic (on Twitter).
- Bryce Cotton will audition for the Sixers next week, as agent Harold B. Woolfalk tells Tyler R. Tynes of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- The Knicks are set to get a look at Arkansas State forward Kirk Van Slyke today, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link).
Ford’s Latest: Cavs, Embiid, Trades, Payton
It’s unlikely the Cavs will promise any player they’ll draft him at No. 1, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com, who writes in an Insider-only piece. That means there’s a strong chance that Joel Embiid, who’s scheduled to work out and take a physical for the team, will go through the same with the Bucks and perhaps others. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is pushing new GM David Griffin to make the playoffs next season, Ford hears, adding that he believes Cleveland would prefer to trade the top pick. There’s more from Ford’s piece amid this afternoon’s look at the draft, and we’ll hit the highlights here:
- An NBA GM tells Ford that he’s surprised at the number of picks available via trade, seconding what others have told the ESPN.com scribe. The Celtics, Lakers, Kings, Hornets, Wolves and Suns are all at least open to the idea of trading their lottery picks, Ford hears, though he says via Twitter that the teams are “shopping” those picks, suggesting that they’re actively seeking deals and not just sitting back and listening to offers. In contrast, the Bucks, Sixers, Magic and Jazz are likely to retain their picks, Ford also writes.
- The Bucks, Hawks, Mavs, Blazers and Raptors will probably look to acquire additional first-rounders, Ford adds.
- Sources tell Ford that Elfrid Payton is “in the mix” to go to the Kings at No. 8 overall.
- Ford adds the Bulls to the list of teams that have worked out Jordan Clarkson.
Eastern Rumors: Heat, Stephenson, Draft
Chris Bosh made comments in March that seemed to indicate that he knew LeBron James would remain with the Heat for next season, but Dwyane Wade said Monday that the team’s trio of stars haven’t spoken with each other about this summer’s free agency. Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press has that and more, including the latest from Bosh, who reiterated his own plans, once more making his intention to stay with the Heat clear.
“I want to come back. That’s OK to say, I think,” Bosh said. “I can’t speak for anything else and I don’t want to take away from the subject at hand, but I like it here. It’s Miami. Enough said. People are dying to get here.”
While we wait to see if James and Wade are just as enthusiastic about Miami as Bosh is, here’s the latest from around the Eastern Conference:
- Lance Stephenson‘s agent, Alberto Ebanks, is hopeful that he and the Pacers will reach agreement on a new deal this summer, as Ebanks tells Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. Still, Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird said Monday that while he wants Stephenson back, he added that the team will set a price point for the shooting guard and won’t exceed it, Zagoria notes.
- K.J. McDaniels, Jabari Brown, Drew Crawford, Lamar Patterson and Scottie Wilbekin are among the prospects scheduled to work out for the Hornets on Wednesday, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Wilbekin returns for a second time after performing for the team Monday as part of a group that included Justin Cobbs, Langston Hall, Sean Kilpatrick and Ian Miller, as Bonnell also notes. (All Twitter links).
- An ankle injury scrubbed Jahii Carson‘s scheduled audition for the Raptors today, observes Holly MacKenzie of Sportsnet (Twitter link).
Draft Notes: Jazz, Gordon, Ennis, Napier
The Jazz aren’t looking at potential replacements for Gordon Hayward in the draft because the team is confident the soon-to-be restricted free agent will be back with Utah next season. That’s what Jazz vice president of player personnel Walt Perrin told reporters, including Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. It jibes with longstanding mutual interest between Hayward and the team, with a nod to the inherent control that clubs have over restricted free agents, but it also demonstrates the link between the draft and free agency. Both are on the horizon, so here’s the latest on the draft as prospects demonstrate what they can do for teams:
- Monday’s Kings audition for Aaron Gordon didn’t really amount to a workout in the team’s eyes, notes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter links). The power forward simply took a few shots and met with owner Vivek Ranadive and GM Pete D’Alessandro, according to Jones.
- Tyler Ennis will work out for the Hawks, Hornets and Nuggets, notes Jonathan Santiago of Cowbell Kingdom.
- Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com adds Shabazz Napier to the list of those working out for the Suns (Twitter link).
- P.J. Hairston will perform for the Sixers next week, agent Juan Murrow tells Tyler R. Tynes of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- Russ Smith, Nick Johnson, Jahii Carson and Sam Dower are among the players showing off for the Raptors today, the team announced (on Twitter).
- Artem Klimenko is working out for the Mavs, Heat and Clippers, tweets David Pick of Eurobasket.com.
And-Ones: Jackson, Hayward, Fisher
Thunder guard Reggie Jackson made it clear that he wants to start and seems to want to do so at point guard, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. Coach Scott Brooks was non-committal when asked about the possibility of adding Jackson, under contract through next season, to the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Thabo Sefolosha spoke of his time with the Thunder in the past tense and it seems likely that he’ll wind up elsewhere next season. More from around the league..
- Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets that the Jazz front office fully expects Gordon Hayward to be with the team going forward. Hayward is a restricted free agent this summer and there is mutual interest in a return.
- The Lakers haven’t reached out to the Thunder about getting permission to talk to Derek Fisher just yet, but that could be subject to change, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
- Former Nuggets coach George Karl had an informal phone conversation with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak but has yet to have a formal interview, Medina tweets.
- Marist announced the resignation of Jeff Bower, tweets Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit Free Press. That should be the first step towards him taking over as Pistons GM.
- UCLA guard Jordan Adams was in Houston working out for the Rockets today, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.
- The Nuggets will host Rodney Hood for a private workout tomorrow, a source told Goodman of ESPN (on Twitter).
- The Raptors will host Jordan Clarkson and Canadian Khem Birch for workouts tomorrow, sources tell Goodman (on Twitter).
- A source told Goodman (on Twitter) that Elfrid Payton held his own in front of the Kings in a workout today against Marcus Smart. Aaron Gordon worked out for Sacramento but did not go head-to-head with Noah Vonleh. He instead matched up with Eric Moreland (link).
- The Lakers will be very busy on Wednesday as they audition many of this year’s top prospects, as Goodman tweets. Among the names not previously reported are Payton, Gordon, Tyler Ennis, Zach LaVine, James Young, and Rodney Hood.
Draft Notes: McRae, Hood, Young, Suns, Smart
Earlier today, our own Zach Links (Twitter links) spoke with Tennesee guard Jordan McRae who told Hoops Rumors that he has worked out for the Heat, Pistons, and 76ers in addition to his previously reported audition with the Bulls. Still on the docket for McRae are workouts with the Bucks, Raptors, Mavericks, Wizards, Pacers, and Rockets. In total, McRae says he has “about nine” workouts to go, so there should be even more clubs on the horizon for him (link). DraftExpress currently has McRae pegged to go to Toronto at No. 59 in their mock draft. Here’s the latest draft news from around the league..
- Rodney Hood, James Young, Zach LaVine, and Clint Capela are among those working out for the Suns today whom we hadn’t previously heard about. Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic has the details (Twitter links).
- Marcus Smart says he’ll work out a second time for the Magic, tweets Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
- The Knicks will audition Patric Young, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com hears (Twitter link). They brought Markel Starks in for a look this weekend, reports Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
- Orlando Sanchez has already shown off for Kings, and he’ll also do so for Pacers, as Josh Newman of SNY.tv chronicles.
- The Bucks brought Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Cameron Clark, Josh Huestis, Melvin Johnson, Ovie Soko, and Fuquan Edwin in for auditions today, the team announced. Our own Zach Links interviewed Huestis in April as a part of our Prospect Profile series.
- Edwin also has the Suns on his agenda, and he’s already worked out for the Spurs, Sixers, Kings and Clippers, reports Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel adds the Knicks and Sixers to the list of teams for which Antetokounmpo auditioned (Twitter link).
- Bryce Cotton is headed for a workout with the Mavs on Wednesday, tweets Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal.
- DeAndre Kane, Jake Odum, Jakarr Sampson, and Okaro White are among those performing for the Grizzlies today, as Michael Cohen of The Commercial Appeal details in a subscription-only piece.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Draft Notes: Knicks, Suns, Raptors, Randle
The Knicks find themselves without a selection in the upcoming draft, but Phil Jackson admitted he will try to buy a second-round pick from the Bucks or the Sixers, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. Teams are allowed to exchange draft picks for cash, and Jackson sees Milwaukee and Philadelphia as the two teams who could most easily stand to part with some of their selections. Let’s round up the latest on the draft:
- We already heard that the Suns worked out Lamar Patterson, De’Mon Brooks, and Kendall Williams yesterday, but the team watched another three seniors show their skills off as well, writes Paul Coro of AZ Central. Phoenix also observed Dwight Powell, Russ Smith, and Andre Dawkins.
- Stephen Holt, John Bohannon, Eric Moreland, and Brendan Lane are scheduled to work out for the Kings, according to a team press release. Moreland has the most potential in the group according to the rankings of Chad Ford from ESPN, who has the Oregon State big man slotted at No. 77 on his list of top prospects.
- Although Masai Ujiri considers second-round selections to be valuable, the Raptors GM said he would consider all of his options on draft night, ostensibly implying he wouldn’t be opposed to trading one or both of his second-rounders to move up. Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun has the full story.
- League scouts and executives tell Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders that Julius Randle is a safe bet to be a solid contributor in the league and that he has the potential to “wreak havoc” and excel in the post at the level of Zach Randolph.
Cray Allred contributed to this post.