Alec Burks Available As Jazz Seek To Trade Up
Alec Burks can be had in the right deal that would allow the Jazz to move up to draft Jabari Parker, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders hears. Kyler also indicates that there’s a decent chance the team is willing to give up some of the draft picks it acquired as part of last year’s three-team trade with Golden State and Denver.
The Jazz’s affection for Parker is well-documented, as Parker is of the Mormon faith that’s predominant in Utah, making him a naturally marketable centerpiece. The small forward from Duke is also widely regarded as one of the top three players available in the draft, so it’s unlikely that he winds up slipping to the Jazz at the No. 5 pick.
Burks showed improvement in a greater amount of playing time this past season, his third since the Jazz drafted him 12th overall in 2011. The shooting guard averaged 14.0 points in 28.1 minutes per game with a 15.8 PER, all career highs. Still, he shot just 35.0% from behind the three-point arc, making it tough for the Jazz to pair him with Gordon Hayward, who shot just 30.4% from three-point range in 2013/14. Burks is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.
The Jazz have the No. 23 pick in this year’s draft from the Warriors as a result of last year’s trade, and Golden State also owes them a 2017 first-rounder. Utah also netted a trio of second-round picks in that deal. Still, the top three players in this year’s draft appear to be a cut above the rest, and it seems a long shot that any team would want to give up a potential star for Burks and draft picks that are either in the late first round or at least two years away from being conveyed.
Draft Notes: Jazz, Kings, Warren, Nurkic, LaVine
The latest draft news from around the league..
- In addition to Indiana big man Noah Vonleh, today’s Jazz work out included George Mason guard Bryon Allen, Oklahoma State guard Markel Brown, Syracuse forward C.J. Fair, UCLA forward David Wear, and Marquette forward Jamil Wilson, according to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News.
- Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro, assistant GM Mike Bratz, and advisor Chris Mullin are meeting with prospects Doug McDermott and Nik Stauskas right now in Chicago, tweets Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee.
- N.C. State forward T.J. Warren was slated to work out for the Nuggets today but he’s a late scratch, according to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post (on Twitter). Taking his place will be Trevor Wages of Colorado School of Mines (link).
- The Nuggets are bringing in Jusuf Nurkic for medical exams and perhaps a workout, reports David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter link). Nurkic is currently slated to go No. 12 to the Magic in DraftExpress’ mock.
- UCLA’s Zach LaVine will work out for the Timberwolves, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. Minnesota likes him at two guard and they’ll think about him at No. 13 along with Stauskas and Adreian Payne.
- The Raptors will audition Payne tomorrow, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.
- Meanwhile, Clemson’s K.J. McDaniels wasn’t able to work out for the Timberwolves, tweets Wolfson. The small forward got stuck in South Carolina due to bad weather.
- The Celtics will have more workouts on Thursday, highlighted by UCLA guard Jordan Adams, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
And-Ones: Knicks, Blatt, Vonleh, Wiggins
The latest from around the league as the Spurs hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy..
- Heat guard Ray Allen told reporters he will see where his “true heart lies” in a couple of days in terms of playing or retiring, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo.
- Phil Jackson will look to re-tool the Knicks‘ roster this summer, but new coach Derek Fisher told ESPN 98.7 that he believes the team can improve by 8-10 wins as currently constructed, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. “In my opinion, I believe that success and failure are not as far apart as people think. It’s pretty close. And when you think about [the Knicks] winning 37 games a year ago, there are a number of things that you can isolate with the same exact roster that can provide 8-10 more wins without a change of any kind,” Fisher said last week.
- Last week we learned that David Blatt will interview with the Cavs and today, we learned the date. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports hears that the former Maccabi Tel Aviv coach will meet with Cleveland on Wednesday.
- Indiana big man Noah Vonleh will work out for the Jazz tomorrow, tweets Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune. Utah owns the No. 5 pick and DraftExpress has them pegged to draft the soon-to-be 19-year-old.
- Executives see the Magic as the team most likely to shake up the draft, tweets Chris Mannix of NBC Sports. The question now is whether they like Marcus Smart, Dante Exum, Vonleh, or someone else in the draft.
- The Sixers are slated to work out Andrew Wiggins on Tuesday in Philadelphia, a source told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Philly, of course, owns the No. 3 pick.
- No surprise here, but Bosnian big man Jusuf Nurkic will keep his name in the draft, tweets Chad Ford of ESPN.com. Nurkic is projected to go somewhere between 12 and 21 in Ford’s view.
- The Celtics are eyeing guard prospects such as Xavier Thames, Semaj Christon, and Russ Smith, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Last week, Austin Ainge told Washburn that the C’s are looking into trading back into the second round and Boston might do that with one of those three in mind.
- Aaron Gordon is a lock for the lottery thanks to his athleticism and defense, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. The 6’9″ forward out of Arizona is more athletic than Julius Randle and Noah Vonleh and is also a better defender.
And-Ones: NBPA, Anthony, Bower
Kevin Johnson sent out a memo to the players regarding the search for the next head of the National Basketball Players Association, reports Sam Amick of USA Today. In the memo, Johnson informed the players that six candidates were interviewed on May 16th, with more scheduled for late June, and six more in mid-July. The names of the candidates were not made public yet.
More from around the league:
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday weighs in on the meeting between Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks front office, as well as the possibility of ‘Melo leaving New York.
- In an interview with Michael Rand of The Star Tribune, former NBA player and current analyst Dennis Scott opined that the Wolves need to trade Kevin Love. Scott said, “You have to move him. You have to be like Utah when they traded Deron Williams. The owners and general managers at the end of the day still have the final say-so. You cannot hold a franchise hostage like that. Flip needs to have a man-to-man conversation with Love real soon.”
- Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press relays some facts about the new Pistons GM Jeff Bower.
- Russian center Artem Klimenko has decided to stay in NBA Draft, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link). Klimenko has a workout scheduled for Monday with the Thunder, and is seen as a possible draft-and-stash selection, notes Charania.
Pacers, Raps, Jazz, Cavs Monitor Damjan Rudez
SUNDAY, 9:30am: The Cavs are working on a deal to sign Rudez, writes David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter link).
WEDNESDAY, 3:44pm: The Pacers, Raptors, Jazz and Cavs are among several NBA teams considering Spanish league power forward Damjan Rudez as a free agent addition this summer, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Rudez has been working out with the Cavs this week, and while many teams audition free agents this year with only summer league in mind, it appears there’s a higher level of interest in Rudez.
The 27-year-old Rudez averaged 10.7 points in 24.7 minutes per game for CAI Zaragoza in Spain this year, but what has NBA types intrigued is the 47.3% three-point shooting stroke he displayed this year, as Wojnarowski details. He’s 6’8″, somewhat undersized for a power forward, but his outside shooting stretches the floor.
Wojnarowski identifies him as a low-cost option for NBA clubs, though the widespread interest suggests he’d be in line for more than the minimum salary. He’s under contract in Spain for next season, and while he has an NBA escape clause in his deal, it’s unclear just how much it would take to buy him out.
Draft Rumors: Bucks, Parker Exum, Randle
There’s no truth to the that idea Bucks GM John Hammond would be reluctant to draft Dante Exum because he’s concerned about losing his job, a source tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. It’s not clear whether Milwaukee, which picks second overall, is sold on taking the Australian guard, but the team won’t hesitate to do so if the front office determines he’s worthy, Deveney’s source adds. Here’s more chatter surrounding the draft:
- Jabari Parker will work out for the Cavs a week from today, the Plain Dealer reports (on Twitter). The tweet also makes note of Andrew Wiggins‘ audition for the team next week, echoing an earlier report that he was set to work out for the club close to draft time.
Earlier updates:
- Julius Randle said today that no NBA teams expressed a desire at last month’s draft combine for him to have surgery on his right foot even though they knew that he’d broken the foot as a high school senior, observes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com (on Twitter). Still, Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com insists multiple clubs are worried about the foot becoming an issue in the future, believing that the foot didn’t heal correctly (Twitter link). However, the Jazz aren’t among the teams with worries, tweets Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Randle is nonetheless taking a cautious approach, telling reporters, including Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com, that he worked out solo for the Celtics instead of against competition to lessen the chance of injury. Gary Harris, Jordan Clarkson and Elfrid Payton are the previously unreported names taking part in today’s group audition for the Celtics, Forsberg tweets.
- Baylor big man Isaiah Austin was red-flagged with several medical issues at last month’s draft combine, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com reports in an Insider-only piece. Austin’s lack of sight in one eye is well-documented, but it appears as though that isn’t his only malady.
- Doug McDermott is the marquee name set to perform Saturday for the Hornets, who’ll also audition T.J. Warren, Travis Wear, Jermaine Marshall, Roberto Nelson and Brandon Young, the team announced in a press release.
- Zach LaVine is set to work out Saturday for the Nuggets, Blakely tweets.
- Shabazz Napier highlighted a Wolves audition today that also included LaQuinton Ross, Eric Moreland, Ronald Roberts Jr., Tim Frazier and Rion Brown, the team announced (via Twitter). Adreian Payne will show off for Minnesota on Saturday, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
Western Notes: Kerr, Fernandez, Draft
Money wasn’t the issue for Steve Kerr when he chose the Warriors over the Knicks, as Howard Beck of Bleacher Report hears that New York would have met whatever salary demand he made, as Beck said on the Knickerblogger Podcast. Robert Silverman of KnickerBlogger.net provides the transcription.
More from out west:
- A source close to Rudy Fernandez told The Oklahoman’s Darnell Mayberry that there wasn’t anything to a February report that the Thunder were interested in the four-year NBA veteran, as Mayberry writes amid a chat with readers.
- The Grizzlies announced they will be holding workouts this Monday for Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Jahii Carson, Bryce Cotton, Cleanthony Early, Geron Johnson, and Glenn Robinson III.
- The Jazz have workouts scheduled on Friday with Kyle Anderson, Devin Oliver, Melvin Johnson III, Tyler Stone, Jeronne Maymon, and Davon Usher, the team announced via Twitter.
- Darvin Ham is being considered by the Jazz for an assistant coaching position on Quin Snyder‘s staff, reports Jody Genessy of The Deseret News.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Northwest Rumors: Love, Abrines, Nuggets
Kevin Love‘s comments Wednesday painted a gloomy picture for the Timberwolves, but he did have some encouraging remarks about Flip Saunders, as Andy Nesbitt of Fox Sports details. Love spoke in response to Saunders’ assertion that the star power forward doesn’t have a right to feel frustrated about Minnesota’s lack of success.
“What some people don’t know is that Flip and I have a great relationship, and we’ve been constantly speaking about my situation,” Love said. “Flip is going to be a tremendous coach again for the Timberwolves; he did a great job last year with our team, even throughout all the injuries and different things that we had. But that’s the way of Flip of getting people motivated, whether it’s me or people you don’t even know about. Am I happy he said those things? I think he’s supposed to come out and say that because it’s a team game, not about one singular player.”
There’s more on Love amid the latest Northwest Division news:
- An executive from a team other than the Timberwolves suggested to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities that there’s been some “chatter” involving Love and the Heat (Twitter link). Wolfson doesn’t give much weight to the notion that Miami is pursuing Love, but he believes there is a team in the mix that has yet to be reported.
- The Jazz are reportedly interested in Thunder “draft-and-stash” prospect Alex Abrines, the 32nd pick in last year’s draft, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman, who nonetheless categorizes the prospect of the Thunder sending him to Utah as a longshot. Mayberry, whose piece examines possibilities for the Thunder’s $6.5MM trade exception, speculates that a deal involving Iman Shumpert is the most likely scenario.
- The Nuggets would like to sign 2013 second-round pick Joffrey Lauvergne this summer, Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia reports. Agent Misko Raznatovic confirmed the interest from Denver to Djordje Matic of Novosti (translation via Carchia). Last year’s 55th overall pick is under contract with KK Partizan in Serbia for next season, and the European club’s financial trouble could make it tough for Denver to strike a buyout agreement, Carchia adds.
- It seems unlikely that the Thunder will end up re-signing Caron Butler, Mayberry writes in a separate article, pointing to Butler’s postseason shooting slump and the way his minutes cut into the playing time of Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones III.
Draft Notes: Celtics, Lakers, Kings, Randle
We rounded up the latest on draft workouts around the league this morning, but updates continue to pour in, so we’ll pass along draft-related news from this afternoon here:
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com, in a chat with readers, identifies the Celtics, Lakers and Kings as the three teams most likely to trade their top-10 picks.
- Julius Randle will have an individual workout with the Celtics, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
- Nik Stauskas is set to work out for the Suns, in addition to previously reported workouts with the Hornets, Celtics, and Lakers, reports Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, who hears that those will be the only auditions Stauskas will do (Twitter links).
- Gary Harris, T.J. Warren, K.J. McDaniels are among those showing off for the Sixers today, according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Jazz will interview Spencer Dinwiddie next week, a source tells Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. Dinwiddie is recovering from a torn ACL and can’t work out, as Jones points out (Twitter links).
- James Michael McAdoo, Jake Odum, Ronald Roberts Jr. and Scottie Wilbekin are scheduled to work out Thursday for the Pacers, the team announced (on Twitter).
- Jordan Clarkson, David Stockton, Cameron Clark, Davante Gardner, Richard Solomon and Tyler Stone are auditioning for the Suns today, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press adds Jordan Bachynski and Dwight Powell to the list of players working out for the Pistons. Okaro White is also showing off for the Pistons, as well as the Warriors, as Natalie Pierre of the Tallahassee Democrat details (hat tip to Ellis).
Draft Notes: Gordon, Kings, Napier, Stauskas
Aaron Gordon reveals some of the experiences he had while working out for the Kings, Lakers, and Jazz to Tzvi Twersky of SLAM Magazine. Gordon mentions shooting alongside Chris Mullin and playing defense against Doug McDermott among other details. Here’s a rundown of tonight’s other draft notes:
- Cleanthony Earl and Glenn Robinson III will work out for the Kings next week, reports Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal (subscription only).
- Xavier Thames will work out for the Kings and Pacers, tweets Sean Cunningham of News10 Sacramento.
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com adds the Thunder, Grizzlies, and Celtics to the list of teams that have auditioned Shabazz Napier (Insider only).
- Nik Stauskas has rescheduled his scrubbed workout with the Lakers, the ESPN scribe adds.
- The Wolves will be working out K.J. McDaniels, Rodney Hood, and P.J. Hairston this weekend, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. Wolfson adds that more players could be lined up for workouts in Minnesota in addition to those three.
- Stephen Holt will work out for the Warriors, tweets Diamond Leung of Bay Area News Group.