By Ryan Raroque |
at June 9, 2012 10:31 pm
According to an ESPN report via The Associated Press, Eric Gordon has set a high priority on securing a long-term destination this summer as he hits free agency and still considers New Orleans a viable landing spot. The three-year veteran was seen as a key piece in the Chris Paul deal with the Clippers, but only managaged to play nine games this season while dealing with injury. With about three more weeks to go until free agency begins, here's the rest of tonight's news…
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- Although the Bucks are pretty much set in the back court, Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel explored the idea of Austin Rivers being selected 12th overall by Milwaukee. The 6'5'' combo guard played for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke this year and told reporters at the draft combine that he tries to pattern his game after Russell Westbrook, Tony Parker, Deron Williams, and Derrick Rose.
- Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress gives a preview of the Adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy. With the exception of Evan Fournier projected as first-round pick, Givony says that the assembly of talent includes a group of players who he feels are draft-eligible second round prospects.
- Eddie Sefko of SportsDay DFW began a series of articles covering ten free agents from the upcoming summer that would fit well with the Mavericks. At number 10 is Chris Kaman, a player who should be familiar playing alongside Dirk Nowitzki from their experience together on the German national team.
- Joe Freeman of The Oregonian delves into the mind of newly namedTrail Blazers GM Neil Olshey as he prepares for what he calls "one of the most important Trail Blazers drafts ever." Freeman highlighted Olshey's philosphy of drafting the best available player versus drafting according to need, also mentioning that Neil is open to the possibility of dealing the picks in order to move up or trade for an established veteran player.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer contrasts the personalities of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Thomas Robinson, referring to Kidd-Gilchrist as a soft-spoken player with potential who will remind fans of Gerald Wallace and Robinson as a can't-miss prospect with a lower ceiling and a brooding personality.
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By Ryan Raroque |
at June 9, 2012 9:18 pm
In a video interview with HoopsWorld,
Thomas Robinson elaborated on his thoughts leading up to the draft as well as what he believes he can bring to the table. When asked about the possibility of being drafted by the
Bobcats, he
replied that he can bring a winning mentality and that his competitiveness will make him an enticing prospect for them to consider selecting. Robinson also pointed out that his faceup game and ability to defend any position on the floor as things that he'd like to focus on improving. Here are some more links to HoopsWorld's recent interviews with other draft prospects…
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- Meyers Leonard envisions his contributions as a rookie to entail being a defensive presence, impacting the game with his athleticism, blocking shots, and finishing around the rim. He mentions Joakim Noah and Tyson Chandler as current players that he tries to model his game after, also talking about his goal to someday be as skilled as Pau Gasol in the post. DraftExpress currently has Leonard going number 12 in their mock draft.
- Will Barton may not be a projected lottery pick on some mock drafts, but he certainly is not lacking in the confidence department. The 6'6'' guard out of Memphis believes that he's the best player in the draft, saying that his ability to play multiple roles will help him translate into a solid contributor on the next level.
- Scott Machado appeared very resolute in talking about his skills as a floor general and acknowledged that his defense and shooting are the biggest misconceptions about his game.
- Charlie Westbrook took a moment to speak about his experiences as he trains for the NBA Draft at the IMG Academy. The 6'4'' guard out of the University of South Dakota said that he's mostly working on pick-and-roll plays, shooting from three-point range, and ultimately wants to show teams that he's capable of playing the point guard position.
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By Zachary Links |
at June 9, 2012 3:38 pm
Even as his Celtics gear up for Game Seven tonight against the Heat, we learned yesterday that head coach Doc Rivers is still helping son Austin Rivers through the draft process. If the C's want to tab the Duke standout, they'll likely have to move up on the board. Boston currently holds the No. 21 and 22 picks in the draft. Do you have the draft on your brain despite tonight's big game as well? Don't worry, we've got you covered..
- One general manager says Quincy Miller could go in the top 10, while another executive doesn't think he's a first-rounder, reports NBA.com's Scott Howard Cooper, who says the truth is somewhere in the middle. Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com has the Baylor small forward going 22nd to the Celtics in his latest mock draft.
- The itinerary for North Carolina power forward John Henson reveals he's working out for teams picking fifth through 15th, as Susan Bible of HoopsWorld writes.
Earlier updates:
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- Mississippi State's Arnett Moultrie says that the Pistons, picking ninth, and the Hornets, at No. 10, would be the best fits for him, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. When it comes to the Pistons, Moultrie believes that his game makes for a great complement to Greg Monroe.
- Ohio State center Jared Sullinger has heard a lot of criticism about his weight and conditioning, but the big man looked to be in great shape in Chicago, Ellis writes. Jim Jackson, currently working as an analyst for the Big Ten Network, believes that Sullinger's overall skill set makes up for his lack of explosive athleticism.
- Andre Drummond isn't the most PR-savvy prospect in this year's draft but the UConn product might be the best available pick at No. 5, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
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By Zachary Links |
at June 9, 2012 12:00 pm
When the Thunder bench starts firing in the NBA Finals, it will be a case of what could have been for the Heat, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. For the Heat, Derek Fisher is the one that got away while Daequan Cook was given away. In order to create cap space in the summer of 2010, Miami sent Cook and the No. 18 pick to the Thunder for the No. 32 pick. Fisher, meanwhile, rejected the Heat that summer in order to re-up with the Lakers. More items from around the Association..
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- The spread provision in center Brendan Haywood's contract could make the Mavericks center a sweetner in trade talks, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Any team that waives Haywood can spread out the payments for the remainder of his contract until 2026, meaning that they would be on the hook for no more than $2MM per year over the next 14 years.
- Despite David Morway’s best efforts to work together, newly-minted Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard consistently went behind his back to upper management to cut him out, sources tell Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld. Pritchard was apparently the catalyst behind the George Hill and Leandro Barbosa trades.
- It appears that the Pistons will have two workouts for big men, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (via Twitter). The first workout will take place on Tuesday with top names like Arnett Moultrie and some less-heralded prospects like Kyle O'Quinn of Norfolk State.
- Alabama's JaMychal Green has been improving his draft stock in recent weeks, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Green was a top-20 player coming out of high school but didn't quite play up to his potential in college.
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By Chuck Myron |
at June 8, 2012 9:43 pm
The Bulls, who hold the 29th pick, met with small forward Harrison Barnes on Thursday at the draft combine in Chicago, leading K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune to allude to the possibility that the team is thinking of trading up in the draft. That doesn't mean the team is interested in such a deal, of course — the Bulls could simply be trying to get a feel for as many players as they can — but as Johnson notes, Barnes would come in handy as a replacement for Luol Deng if he misses time next season because of his wrist injury. There's been plenty of other draft news from the rest of the Central as well.
Earlier updates:
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- Bucks officials interviewed 7-footers Tyler Zeller and Meyers Leonard and have workouts scheduled for both, reports Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Bucks, picking 12th, could use a true center to replace former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Bogut, as Gardner observes.
- The Cavs met with Jared Sullinger, who seems to be growing tired of the scrutiny he's been facing, as Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. Despite the meeting, Lloyd doesn't see a fit for Sullinger and the Cavs with either of the team's first-round picks, at No. 4 and 24.
- MLive's David Mayo looks at what makes Perry Jones III a polarizing figure in the draft and a tantalizing possibility for the Pistons at pick No. 9.
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By Chuck Myron |
at June 8, 2012 9:01 pm
Tomorrow night, the Celtics will either advance to the NBA Finals or face a summer of uncertainty, with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen as unrestricted free agents. Win or lose, this "big three" will go down as a success for Celtics executive Danny Ainge, writes Paul Flannery of WEEI.com. If the Celtics win tomorrow and advance to face the Thunder, it will set up an interesting referendum on Ainge's trade that sent Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City. There's plenty of other news swirling around the Atlantic as the draft and free agency near, including a promise for the son of the Celtics coach.
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- Even as his team is challenging the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, Celtics coach Doc Rivers is actively helping son Austin Rivers through the draft process, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports observes. A source tells Spears that a team picking late in the lottery has promised the younger Rivers they will take him. The Celtics have two first round picks, at No. 21 and 22, and Doc Rivers is open to the possibility of the team trading up to draft his son.
- Rivers could be picked as high as No. 8 by the Raptors, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer suggests, via Twitter.
- The Raps met with Rivers, Harrison Barnes and Damian Lillard this week, but with so much unsettled about who will go where in the lottery, the team is "more reactive than active" at the moment, writes Doug Smith of the Toronto Star.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com identifies some possible minimum-salary free agent targets for the Knicks, including point guards Gary Neal, Kirk Hinrich, and Jonny Flynn, and shooting guards Anthony Parker, Randy Foye and Nate Robinson.
- John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer says it's not certain the Sixers will use the amnesty clause on Elton Brand, as we noted earlier, but several NBA executives believe the team may indeed wipe out his $18.16MM salary for next season, HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy says (via Twitter).
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By Chuck Myron |
at June 8, 2012 7:04 pm
Tons of NBA executives have been in Chicago the past two days for the NBA pre-draft combine, and we've been following the updates throughout. Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com was on hand for the event, which wasn't nearly as revelatory as it could have been, he says, since several top prospects didn't participate in on-court action. Still, teams learned plenty about the draft-eligible field, and Goodman shares his list of winners and losers from the camp.
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Here are the highlights:
- Damian Lillard tops Goodman's list of winners, further distinguishing himself at the draft's top point guard. His perimeter shooting was the best in the camp.
- No one was more impressive in interviews than Iowa State power forward Royce White, NBA sources told Goodman. White has suffered from an anxiety disorder, but Fred Hoiberg, White's college coach, told Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that White's fear of flying "never affected the way he played" (Twitter link).
- Measurements dispelled concerns about height for Jared Sullinger, Thomas Robinson, Austin Rivers and Bradley Beal, all of whom wound up on the tall side of estimates.
- Agent Derek LaFayette pulled Arnett Moultrie out of the workout portion of the combine. Goodman was surprised by this move and counts it as a negative for Moultrie, but earlier today we heard the Pistons are giving Moultrie strong consideration for the No. 9 pick.
- It was a rough camp for Big East players, as Connecticut guard Jeremy Lamb looked disinterested in interviews, sources told Goodman, while Jae Crowder and Kevin Jones, the conference's top two finishers for its player of the year award, struggled on the court.
- Combo guard J'Covan Brown had the highest body fat percentage of anyone at the camp, at 12.5%.
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By Luke Adams |
at June 8, 2012 4:32 pm
The Heat are certainly in better position to advance to the NBA Finals than they were 24 hours ago, but they aren't out of the woods yet, with a Game 7 looming. Given the high expectations in Miami, ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (Twitter link) polled 27 NBA executives on 20 clubs on whether they'd fire Erik Spoelstra if the Heat lose the series to the Celtics — 17 said no, while 10 said yes. While we await tomorrow's winner-take-all matchup and prepare for a night without NBA action, let's check in on some other updates from around the Association….
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- Lakers trainer Gary Vitti confirmed to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com that both Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum are expected to travel to Germany to undergo platelet-rich plasma therapy this summer. According to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld, Bryant may head overseas for his treatment as soon as this weekend.
- Former NBA veteran Nenad Krstic told HoopsHype that he's unsure whether or not he'll return to the league or continue playing for CSKA Moscow next season.
- Kendall Marshall is hearing that he could be a late lottery pick, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld attempts to uncover a few potential free agent bargains at the point guard position.
- Nick Calathes has spoken to the Mavericks and indicated that he'd like to make the jump to the NBA, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. We heard earlier this week that the 23-year-old was considering such a move, though he was still drawing heavy interest from European teams.
- Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com examines possible free agent fits for the Warriors.
- The Warriors, picking seventh overall, appear to be "especially high" on Jared Sullinger, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
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By Luke Adams |
at June 8, 2012 10:38 am
It figures to be an eventful summer for the 76ers, who hold three picks in the draft, should receive plenty of inquiries on Andre Iguodala, and could use the amnesty clause to clear Elton Brand's $18MM+ salary from their books. I previewed the Sixers' offseason last week, but as the draft and free agency approach, we'll gain a better understanding of their plans. In the meantime, let's check in on the latest items out of Philadelphia….
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- The 76ers will probably target a big man with their 15th overall pick, according to John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mitchell lists Jared Sullinger, Tyler Zeller, John Henson, Arnett Moultrie, Fab Melo, and Kyle O'Quinn as players who may interest in the Sixers, though not all of them are expected to be available at No. 15.
- The Sixers figure to draft a scoring guard with one of their two second-round picks, says Mitchell.
- Brand is "not a lock" to be amnestied, according to Mitchell.
- Mitchell adds that Lou Williams is still expected to decline his player option for 2012/13.
- Jack McCarthy of the Philadelphia Daily News takes a look at a pair of North Carolina big men, Zeller and Henson, that the Sixers wouldn't mind landing on June 28th. Both players have workouts scheduled with Philadelphia.
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By Luke Adams |
at June 8, 2012 10:03 am
Earlier today, we passed along tweets from HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler on Dion Waiters' possible draft-day guarantee. Kyler is hearing that the Suns may have made promised Waiters they'll draft him at 13th overall, resulting in the Syracuse guard shutting down his workouts. That wasn't Kyler's only update of interest this morning, however, as he tweeted a few more notes from the draft combine. Let's round them up….
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- The Bobcats are shopping the second overall pick, but they "want a lot for it," according to one executive. Charlotte may simply be testing the pick's trade value.
- Most NBA teams aren't as interested in the on-court action at the combine as they are in the medicals and interviews with prospects.
- The Warriors have four picks in the draft, as our breakdown of picks by team shows, but they won't be keeping all four. Kyler hears that Golden State may emerge from the draft having selected one player to help immediately and one player to stash overseas. Presumably that means they're looking to trade the other two.
- Kyler is hearing conflicting reports on the Magic's GM search. One source says the Spurs' Dennis Lindsey is the frontrunner with Jeff Bower as another strong option. Another source says the Magic will interview Lindsey, Tom Penn, and the Thunder's Troy Weaver this week. The general consensus suggests Lindsey is Orlando's top choice if he wants the job.
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