More Draft Rumors: Thunder, Cavs, Raptors, Jazz
The Cavaliers will be on the clock in less than two hours, and we still don't know exactly what they'll do with that No. 1 pick. The rest of the first round only gets more uncertain, so it looks like we're in for a fun night. Here are the latest rumors and rumblings related to the 2013 draft:
- The Thunder tried to acquire the Cavs' first overall pick, but OKC's bid failed, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- According to ESPN.com's Andy Katz (via Twitter), the Cavs have made a decision on their first overall pick, assuming they hang onto it. Within the next 15 minutes or so, we'll know what that decision is.
- The Raptors are finding no traction in their efforts to acquire a lottery pick, tweets Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
- While the Wolves continue attempting to move up in the lottery, teams ahead of them are "hesitant" to move their picks, a source tells ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- While the Jazz could be seeking a point guard at No. 14, don't expect Michael Carter-Williams to fall to them, says Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
- The Cavs "definitely" have interest in Lucas Nogueira, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter).
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford is hearing that the Pistons will ride things out and keep the No. 8 pick (Twitter link).
- The Mavericks continue to shop the 13th pick "as hard as advertised," in hopes of landing a 2014 lottery pick, tweets Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com.
- In addition to the Suns (mentioned below), the Timberwolves also remain in play for the No. 1 pick, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- The Suns have offered the Cavs the Nos. 5 and 30 picks for the first overall pick, tweets ESPN.com's Chad Ford. Phoenix is after Nerlens Noel, according to Ford. But given how highly the Cavs seem to value that top pick, I doubt that offer gets it done.
- There's "little chance" that the Magic part with the No. 2 pick, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com.
- While the Timberwolves still have interest in trading up from No. 9, the price remains high, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. In the likely scenario that Minnesota remains at No. 9, the team is expected to target Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cody Zeller, and C.J. McCollum, in that order.
- The Cavs continue to explore trades involving the No. 1 pick, and Broussard says (via Twitter) that if they take anyone besides Alex Len, it could be part of a deal.
- Various reports indicate that the Raptors are looking to acquire a lottery pick. Broussard tweets that they could be trying to get as high as No. 2, while Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com is hearing (Twitter link) Toronto is targeting a late lottery pick with its eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
- The Suns are trying to acquire late-first-round picks, hoping to add more young players to the roster, tweets Broussard.
- Although the Trail Blazers would like to add veterans more than youth, indications are that they'll keep the No. 10 pick, tweets Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
- The possibility that the Thunder could draft Antetokounmpo at No. 12 probably scares the Hawks, who have long coveted the "Greek Freak," tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Odds & Ends: KG, Pierce, D12, McMillan, Kanter
Draft rumors are dominating headlines today, but there are a few other stories and links we don't want to let slip through the cracks. Let's round them up….
- As talks between the Celtics and Nets progress, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets that the C's also raised the Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce package to a Western Conference team, but few, if any, other clubs would go all-in like the Nets.
- Perhaps that Western Conference team was the Timberwolves? Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities hears that Garnett's name, at least, has come up in Minnesota (Twitter link).
- The Warriors are hoping to meet with Dwight Howard in free agency, and D12 figures to give them an audience, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com.
- Nate McMillan is finalizing an agreement to become the top assistant on Frank Vogel's Pacers staff, tweets Wojnarowski.
- Enes Kanter will not be traded tonight, tweets Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News gives the Mavericks a 28% chance of landing Howard this summer, and thinks Andrew Bynum and Monta Ellis could be among the team's backup plans.
- Ty Lawson and Brian Shaw met to discuss the Nuggets' future, as Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post details.
Draft Notes: Cavs, Kings, McLemore, Karasev
Here's the latest news as we get set for the Draft to get underway from the Barclays Center..
- The Cavs haven't found a taker for the No. 1 pick yet, but it's not for a lack of trying. One source tells Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (via Twitter) that they still haven't given up on finding a trade.
- The Kings have been aggressive in trying to move up from No. 7 in the draft, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Their likely target is Kansas guard Ben McLemore.
- The Kings could find a partner in the Suns who pick at No. 5 and are looking to drop back, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
- Sergey Karasev left private interviews in Russia confident that he'll be in the top 15 and hope that he'll be a top ten pick, a league source told Shams Charania of RealGM. Discussions with several teams continued even after the interviews and the Bucks’ apparent interest has fueled belief that the 19-year-old won’t last beyond No. 15.
- The Knicks remain enamored with German guard Dennis Schroeder at No. 24 but they understand that he's unlikely to slip to them, Wojnarowski tweets. The Jazz like Schroeder (14, 21) and there's little chance that the Nets (22) and Pacers (23) let him reach the Knicks (link).
- Teams are getting a clear message from the Wizards: they do not want to part with their No. 3 pick, tweets Berger.
- More from Berger (link), who tweets that Miami guard Shane Larkin has attracted the interest of the Jazz at No. 14 and Milwaukee at No. 15.
- After two workouts, N.C. State forward C.J. Leslie shut it down with teams and he's expected to be selected in the 30s, tweets Wojnarowski.
Ford On Antetokounmpo, Cavs, Jazz, Thunder
Chad Ford of ESPN.com has posted his latest draft day rumblings and we have the highlights..
- The excitement over Giannis Antetokounmpo might be fading a bit as teams want the raw prospect to stay in Greece for a couple of years while he wants to come to the NBA now. For GMs who don't think he's ready, that means that he will make for a very expensive D-League player.
- If the Cavs can't trade the No. 1 overall pick for a veteran plus a 2014 lottery pick, they'll keep attempting to move whomever they draft until all their options have been exercised. That could be a tall order since the hardest asset for a team to get right now is a 2014 lottery pick. Ford puts the odds at 95 percent that no potential 2014 lottery pick is moved tonight.
- The teams working hardest to move up higher in the lottery are the Jazz, Wolves and Thunder. The Jazz appear to be targeting Lehigh's C.J. McCollum and are offering picks No. 14 and 21, but they might have to give up Alec Burks as well to get high enough.
- The Wolves are also trying to get up very high in an attempt to land Victor Oladipo or Ben McLemore. As we've heard, they're dangling the No. 9 pick, No. 26 pick, and Derrick Williams.
- The Thunder want a big man – they like Nerlens Noel and Alex Len – but they don't have a ton to offer. Movable assets like Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones, and possibly Reggie Jackson don't have enormous trade value. Their own pick next year won't be high and the Mavs pick that they own is top-20 protected next year.
- The Bobcats (No. 4) and Kings (No. 7) look like the two teams most willing to move down.
- A ton of teams want the Mavs' No. 13 pick. The Cavs have been the most proactive but the Bucks, Hawks, and Nets are also in the mix. In virtually every case, the target is Sergey Karasev. Trouble is, the Sixers or Thunder could grab him before 13.
- The Celtics are trying to pick up a late-first or early-second-round pick and sources say their target is Missouri's Phil Pressey if they decide to go big with their first pick.
Offseason Outlook: Utah Jazz
Guaranteed Contracts
- Marvin Williams ($7,500,000)1
- Derrick Favors ($6,008,196)
- Enes Kanter ($4,505,280)
- Gordon Hayward ($3,452,183)
- Alec Burks ($2,202,000)
- Jeremy Evans ($1,660,257)
Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Contracts
- Jerel McNeal ($788,872)2
- Kevin Murphy ($788,872)3
Free Agents / Cap Holds
- Al Jefferson ($16,402,500)4
- Paul Millsap ($12,905,450)
- Mo Williams ($12,750,000)
- Randy Foye ($3,000,000)
- Earl Watson ($2,990,000)
- No. 14 pick ($1,572,600)
- No. 21 pick ($1,127,200)
- DeMarre Carroll ($884,293)
- Jamaal Tinsley ($884,293)
- (Greg Ostertag – $6,305,000)
- (Brevin Knight – $2,600,000)
Draft Picks
- 1st Round (14th overall)
- 1st Round (21st overall)
- 2nd Round (46th overall)
Cap Outlook
- Guaranteed Salary: $25,327,916
- Options: $0
- Non-Guaranteed Salary: $1,577,744
- Cap Holds: $61,421,336
- Total: $88,326,996
There's a school of thought that says no situation is worse for an NBA franchise than being annually stuck on the cusp of playoff contention — good enough to be in the mix for a postseason berth and perhaps good enough to even earn a spot, but not good enough to make a deep run. I'm not sure I totally buy that argument, but when a team gets stuck in that no man's land for years at a time, there comes a point when a drastic shift in one direction or the other may be necessary.
For the Jazz, that time may have arrived. Over the past eight seasons, Utah has placed between fourth and 11th in the Western Conference, earning a playoff berth in five of those eight years, but only advancing to the Western Finals once, back in 2006/07. The team's '12/13 season epitomzed the eight-year stretch, as Utah came within one game of making the postseason, finishing ninth in the Western Conference and scoring the worst pick in the lottery, 14th overall.
Years of landing those mid-first-round picks has made it difficult for the Jazz to add the impact players required to become a legit contender, but there are reasons to believe things could change for the team going forward. With Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Mo Williams, and Randy Foye among the veteran players ticketed for unrestricted free agency this offseason, it's possible, perhaps even likely, that the Jazz team we saw miss out on a playoff spot in '12/13 will be entirely different from the one we see take the floor in the fall. Marvin Williams is the only veteran still on the roster, while the club's other five players on guaranteed contracts have three years of experience or less.
With just over $25MM in guaranteed salaries, plus a pair of first-round picks (the Jazz have the Warriors' 21st overall pick in addition to their own), there will be plenty of options for the club this summer. The pursuit of a top-tier free agent like Dwight Howard or Chris Paul is unlikely, since none of those elite free agents have shown any inclination to sign with Utah. But the Jazz do have the inside track on Millsap and Jefferson, two players that probably rank among the top ten free agents available this summer.
Re-signing one or both of those free agent bigs may seem like more running in place for the Jazz, considering the limited postseason success they've had in recent years with Millsap and Jefferson leading the way. But with players Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter continuing to develop, a pair of first-round picks available to add prospects or use as trade chips, and the flexibility to add complementary players around the current core, the team could certainly believe there's room for continued improvement without making wholesale changes.
Another option would be to explore sign-and-trades for Millsap and Jefferson. The new CBA has de-incentivized sign-and-trade deals to a certain extent for both players and teams, but in specific scenarios, such a move can be mutually beneficial. If Utah could avoid adding any bad contracts, and was able to acquire a draft pick or two, or perhaps another young player, it would make sense for the club to at least explore sign-and-trade possibilities for its veteran free agents.
Letting Jefferson and Millsap walk to claim a huge chunk of cap space is another possibility for Utah, though as I alluded to earlier, even with room for a max contract, the Jazz are unlikely to recruit any impact free agents without overpaying. Pursuing a player like Josh Smith may make sense for a team like the Mavericks or Rockets, who already have another star in place, but someone like Smith probably wouldn't be a fit with Utah's young core.
It's more likely that the Jazz would use that hypothetical cap space the way the Cavs have for the last several years, accommodating salary-dumps and being rewarded with draft picks for their trouble. That sort of full-scale rebuild would allow the Jazz to give more minutes to their young players, figuring out which ones will be integral to the team's long-term plans. It would also likely mean a decline in the team's on-court results, which could lead to a higher lottery pick in 2014, perhaps even giving the club a chance to land a difference-maker like Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker.
With so much flexibility, the Jazz could go in any number of directions this summer, and the front office hasn't really tipped its hand on which way it's leaning. The safe play would be to re-sign one of Millsap or Jefferson, draft a point guard and a big, and perhaps target wing players in free agency or trades, hoping that further improvement from the young core would help the team return to the postseason. But for a club that has remained in the middle of the pack in the West for nearly a decade, a more extreme approach one way or the other has to at least be considered.
Additional notes:
- If the Jazz keep the 14th and 21st picks, I expect them to take a point guard and a big man — perhaps Dennis Schroeder and Mason Plumlee, or Lucas Nogueira and Isaiah Canaan, as our Alex Lee suggests in his latest mock draft. If it's possible though, I'd prefer to see the team package its two first-rounders, perhaps with Alec Burks, to move up and take one of the top point guards in the draft — Trey Burke, Michael Carter-Williams, or C.J. McCollum.
- Favors and Gordon Hayward will be extension-eligible this offseason, and when our Chuck Myron previewed extension candidates in the spring, he predicted that the team would reach an agreement with Favors, but not Hayward. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jazz worked out something with both players, but I expect them to try harder on Favors, since he'll be a strong candidate for a breakout year in 2013/14 if Jefferson and/or Millsap are gone. Utah could save itself a few dollars by getting him locked up early.
Cap footnotes:
- Williams had an early termination option for 2013/14, but has reportedly declined it, making his salary fully guaranteed for next season.
- McNeal's salary becomes fully guaranteed if he's not waived on or before October 31st.
- Murphy's salary becomes partially guaranteed for $75,000 if he's not waived on or before August 1st. He receives another $125,000 (for a $200,000 overall guarantee) if he's not waived on or before November 1st. His salary becomes fully guaranteed if he's not waived on or before January 7th, 2014.
- Jefferson's cap hold will be worth the maximum salary for a player with his experience (7-9 years). That amount is not yet known — the number listed was 2012/13's max salary, so it figures to be a little higher than that.
Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.
Several Teams Eyeing J.R. Smith, Chris Copeland
8:51pm: Zwerling and ESPN colleague Chris Broussard add the Suns to the list of teams interested in Smith, while the Mavs, Pacers, Lakers, Thunder, Raptors, Jazz and Wizards are in the market for Copeland, according to their report.
7:36pm: The Bucks have strong interest in J.R. Smith, and they're also interested in fellow Knicks free agent Chris Copeland, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. Milwaukee will have plenty of cap space, presuming the team doesn't re-sign many of its own free agents, so Milwaukee can outbid New York.
Fellow ESPNNewYork.com scribe Ian Begley noted Milwaukee's interest in Smith last night, pointing to the Pistons as another team eyeing the reigning Sixth Man of the Year. It's unclear whether the interest from either Smith or Copeland is mutual. Both have spoken about their desire to remain in New York, though John Spencer, Copeland's agent, said in May that money would be a key for his client this summer.
The taxpaying Knicks have Early Bird rights on Smith, but that limits them to a four year deal with a starting salary at either 175% of his previous salary, which would be $5,132,298, or 104.5% of the league average salary, whichever is greater. We won't know the league's official average salary calculation until July, but it's expected to be around that same amount.
While Smith is an unrestricted free agent, Copeland is on the restricted market, meaning the Knicks have the right to match offers after having extended him a qualifying offer today, worth $988,872 for one year. Copeland is a Non-Bird free agent, and the best the Knicks could do for him would be a four-year deal starting at $3.183MM via the taxpayer's mid-level exception. If the Knicks somehow find a way to dip below the tax apron, which appears unlikely, New York could get help via the Gilbert Arenas Provision, which limits other teams to offers with a starting salary of no more than the non-taxpayer's mid-level. The Pelicans are another team that's shown interest in the forward who's coming off a surprisingly impressive rookie year.
Ford’s Latest: Draft Rumors, Aldridge, Jazz, Pacers
ESPN.com's Chad Ford is staying busy as Thursday night nears, chatting with fans this afternoon and also publishing a new story with Marc Stein on the latest draft-related rumors and rumblings. Here are the highlights from both links:
- Stein reported earlier today that the Cavaliers were offering the No. 19 pick to the Rockets for Thomas Robinson, but that pick may also be necessary to complete another deal, whether it's a Shawn Marion trade with the Mavericks or a bigger move. If the Cavs can't finalize another trade though, they'd try to acquire Robinson with that pick, according to Stein and Ford.
- Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal is skeptical that the Cavs would really offer the 19th pick for Robinson, since the team didn't have much interest in him as of a couple weeks ago (Twitter link).
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (Twitter link) is also hearing, like Stein and Ford, that the Cavaliers are still trying to figure out a way to make a "mega-deal." Even if the Cavs are interested in such a move, they'd have to find a willing partner, which has been tricky so far. Ford notes in his chat that the Cavs would likely have to include Tristan Thompson along with the No. 1 pick to pull off something big.
- If the Rockets can make a Robinson trade with the Cavs or Bulls, they'd almost certainly use that first-round pick to draft-and-stash an international player, according to Ford and Stein. Sergey Karasev, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lucas Nogueira, Dennis Schroeder, and Rudy Gobert are potential targets.
- Ford wouldn't be shocked if the Bobcats traded down with the Wolves and used the No. 9 pick to draft Cody Zeller. Minnesota is attempting to trade into the top five.
- Positional need likely won't be a major priority for the Kings, according to Ford, who adds that he thinks Sacramento's roster will be significantly overhauled by opening night of 2013/14.
- Ford anticipates the Trail Blazers will "seriously listen" to LaMarcus Aldridge trade offers this summer.
- If the Jazz want to move into the top 10 to take a top point guard, they'll probably have to make Alec Burks available, rather than just the Nos. 14 and 21 picks, says Ford.
- The Pacers are trying to trade the No. 23 pick, and have been linked to both Robinson and Jimmer Fredette, according to Ford.
Draft Rumors: No. 1 Pick, Blazers, Kings
The draft is right around the corner and Chad Ford and Marc Stein of ESPN.com have the latest rumblings as we approach Thursday..
- The Cavaliers reached out to the Trail Blazers in an attempt to land LaMarcus Aldridge for the Nos. 1 and 19 picks but the Blazers quickly rebuffed them, sources say. Late Monday night, we heard that the Blazers, Thunder, and T-Wolves have been the most proactive in trying to deal for the No. 1 pick.
- The Kings want a second first-round pick and are using Jimmer Fredette as bait. Sources say Sacramento has reached out to several teams in the mid-to-late first round in an attempt to secure another pick and the Pacers and Jazz are potential destinations for the guard. Kings coach Mike Malone is high on Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tony Snell, but the Kings feel that they can get them much lower in the draft.
- In addition to the Pacers' Fredette discussions, sources say Indiana has made the No. 23 pick available in hopes that they can unload Gerald Green's contract.
- The Nets are shopping MarShon Brooks and sources say they want a first-round pick in return. If the T-Wolves give up the No. 26 pick, they'll probably have a deal on draft night. Yesterday it was reported that the two sides have discussed Brooks.
- The Wolves want to move higher up in the draft to select Victor Oladipo. They're offering Derrick Williams, the No. 9 and the No. 26 pick to move up, but so far haven't found a taker.
- The Rockets badly want to move Aaron Brooks or Carlos Delfino in conjunction with the draft before they have to just let them go in order to create as much cap space as possible for Dwight Howard.
Jazz Likely To Let Al Jefferson Walk?
A big offseason is set to get underway in Utah, where the Jazz have several key contributors headed for free agency, including Paul Millsap, Mo Williams, and Al Jefferson. While we haven't heard a whole lot about the team's plans for their free-agents-to-be, ESPN.com's Marc Stein says (via Twitter) there's a rising sense around the NBA that the Jazz will simply let Jefferson walk.
Responding to Stein's tweet, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld confirms (via Twitter) that he's hearing the same thing. In a second tweet, Kennedy adds that he heard shortly after the season ended that Jefferson was "packing his bags and expecting to walk elsewhere as a free agent."
While it may seem like poor asset management for the Jazz to let Jefferson walk in free agency without negotiating a sign-and-trade to get something in return, that's not necessarily the case. Unless Jefferson wants to go to an over-the-cap team, there's little incentive for him to agree to a sign-and-trade, since it could weaken the roster of the club with whom he lands.
Additionally, the Jazz would likely have to take on a good chunk of salary to make a sign-and-trade deal work, and the team may prefer to simply clear Jefferson's $16MM+ cap hold from their books and claim the cap space it creates.
Jefferson, 28, figures to be among the summer's most popular free agent targets. Given Andrew Bynum's health issues in 2012/13, Jefferson may have taken Bynum's place as the second-best center about to hit the open market.
Mavs, Raptors, Others Interested In Gal Mekel
After leading Maccabi Haifa to an upset win for the Israeli championship, Gal Mekel may be ticketed for an NBA roster this coming year. According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the list of NBA teams eyeing the Israeli point guard continues to grow, with the Raptors and Mavericks among the latest teams to show interest.
On the heels of what Stein's sources call an "eye-opening" workout with the Bucks, Mekel will audition for the Mavs today, according to Stein. It's not clear whether the 25-year-old has workouts lined up with the Raptors or any other team, but Stein says the Hawks, Pacers, and Grizzlies have also registered some level of interest. The Jazz, who invited Mekel to training camp last fall, continue to monitor his progress as well.
According to Stein, Mekel has begun to convince NBA talent evaluators that he could immediately produce as a rotation player, especially after Pablo Prigioni successfully made the leap to the Association last season after a career overseas. Mekel, a former Wichita State guard, averaged 13.3 PPG and 5.4 APG in Israel in 2012/13, earning league MVP honors for the second time in the last four years.