The NBA has invited 14 players to the 2012 NBA Draft Green Room, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com. The Green Room allows some of the draft's best prospects to sit with their agents and families just off the stage as they await to be selected by a team. Players are extended an opportunity to attend based upon how they are projected to be picked in the draft in order to avoid an awkward situation where a player finds himself sitting around deep into the first round. Notable omissions from the Green Room include UNC's Kendall Marshall and Ohio State's Jared Sullinger, who has seen his stock drop due to health concerns.
With the 2012 draft just three days away, Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey spoke to Portland media today about his plans for Thursday, along with a few other topics. Among the tidbits Olshey dropped: The team has agreed to a new multiyear contract with salary cap guru Joe Cronin, whose old deal was set to expire this weekend (Twitter link via Joe Freeman of the Oregonian). Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge provides a transcript of Olshey's comments, so let's dive in and pick out a few more key quotes….
SI.com's Sam Amick says he'd be surprised if there weren't a few trades finalized this week, particularly on draft night. Amick points to the Rockets, who own the 14th and 16th overall picks in the first round, as a prime candidate to be involved in draft-day deals, confirming ESPN.com's report that the Kings are among the teams talking to Houston. Amick shares a number of other draft-related updates, and one non-draft rumor via Sulia. Here are the highlights….
Luol Deng's decision to play in this summer's Olympics rather than immediately undergoing wrist surgery has created some tension between the player and his NBA team, and Deng said this weekend that he wouldn't be shocked if the Bulls traded him. Both Alex Kennedy and Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld looked at the possibility of a deal, with Kennedy noting that the Bulls would "love to add a young star" in the draft lottery. Kyler adds that Deng's trade value takes a bit of a hit since he's expected to miss the start of the season, but says the Raptors and Warriors have shown "more than a passing interest."
Here are a few more Monday morning notes from the pair of HoopsWorld scribes on potential trades that could be consummated this week:
In the months since Brandon Jennings talked about "doing his homework" on large-market teams to prepare for free agency, the Bucks guard has become more amenable to a long-term extension in Milwaukee, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. The 22-year-old talked to Woelfel about wanting to become the face of the franchise, and indicated a willingness to work out a contract extension in the near future.
"If everything is right, why not?" Jennings said of an extension. "If my agent (Bill Duffy) comes back and says this is what we should do, I’m going to do it."
Woelfel also shares a few more updates in a second piece for the Journal Times, so let's round those up….
With the draft just four days away, teams are scurrying to get their plans in order before Thursday evening's big event in Newark, NJ. Saturday saw another full slate of draft rumors and Sunday's already shaping up to look the same. Ft. Worth Star-Telegram's Dwain Price reports the Mavs will be looking to add a rotation-type player with the 17th pick. We'll keep track of all of the day's latest draft news and happenings with the most recent information on top.
- The Rockets are looking to move into the top 10, dangling some combination of picks 14, 16 and Kyle Lowry, says Chad Ford. Ford suspects that the Rockets are eyeing UConn's Andre Drummond and could be speaking with the Kings at pick 5 and the Raptors at pick 8.
- Jodie Valade addresses the comparisons between Bradley Beal and Ray Allen in a story for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, implying that Beal could be more versatile than Allen.
- Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group takes a look at potential Warriors targets Moe Harkless, Terrence Ross and Quincy Miller and where the selection of the three wings would make sense for Golden State.
We've already covered a few draft rumors today, and Zach Links went in-depth on West Virginia power forward Kevin Jones in our latest Prospect Profile. There's plenty more going on as the draft approaches, including news from John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the Sixers put point guard Marquis Teague through an "exhaustive" individual workout this morning. Bookmark this post for the rest of the day's draft news, with latest on top.
- Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star has an article on the Pacers' scouting staff as they prepare to pick 26th overall in Thursday's draft.
- Kurt Helin of NBC Sports looks at several players with the potential to become the second-best talents in the draft.
- Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News suggests Meyers Leonard as a possible fit for the Warriors.
- The Lakers are in talks to acquire a first-round pick, and could be after the Heat's selection at No. 27, Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweets.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer offers his thoughts on the implications of a rumored swap of the second and fourth picks by the Bobcats and Cavs.
- Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group thinks the Warriors could trade down from No. 7 and still get the player they want, unless it's Damian Lillard or Dion Waiters. He also believes the team will give serious consideration to Andre Drummond (Twitter links).
- We have the latest from Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com in a separate post.
Earlier updates:
We're less than a week away from the NBA Draft, and the Raptors big board doesn't seem to be getting any clearer, writes Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. However, multiple team sources say that the club was impressed with North Carolina power forward John Henson’s workout on Thursday. More draft news and other odds and ends on this Sunday afternoon..
Even though the Heat captured the 2012 NBA championship on Thursday night, their roster may look very different entering next season, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. The team’s core obviously stay, but they’ll have to re-sign or replace a number of players who were key during their title run. Here's Kennedy on what's next for Miami and more..
The second, third and fourth overall picks in the 2001 draft (Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, and now Eddy Curry) have won titles in consecutive years since 2009, HoopsHype notes (via Twitter). The draft's top pick, Kwame Brown, continues to wait. Here's tonight's look around the Association..