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Month: November 2024

Odds & Ends: Nets, Lopez, Suns, Scalabrine

May 19th, 2012 at 12:59pm CST by Zachary Links

A look around the league as we await Game 3 of Spurs–Clippers..

  • Nets General Manager Billy King says that center Brook Lopez's recovery is underway, but the big man is not yet up to running or jumping, tweets Andy Vasquez of the Star-Ledger.  Lopez, 24, is a restricted free agent this summer.
  • The Suns plan to match offers to restricted free agent Robin Lopez but will have someone different mentoring the center if he returns. After four seasons with the Suns, assistant coach Bill Cartwright's contract will not be renewed, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic.
  • Bulls forward Brian Scalabrine, who is set to hit free agency, told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald that he plans to play in the NBA for as long as he can.  The 34-year-old fan favorite would also like to explore coaching and color commentary after his playing career is through.
  • The Nets' draft combine at their practice facility is jam-packed with team executives and coaches but many prospects declined their invitation and missed a great opportunity for exposure, says Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter links).
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Prospect Profile: Damian Lillard

May 19th, 2012 at 10:31am CST by Zachary Links

Yesterday, Sam Amick of SportsIllustrated.com ran down the "safe bets" of the 2012 draft class, a list of eleven prospects including Weber State's Damian Lillard.  The point guard might not be the next Deron Williams or Chris Paul, but he has a proven track record of success and, as his inclusion on the list implies, doesn't seem likely to backfire in the face of the GM who tabs him.  While the Big Sky conference isn't known for pumping out top-notch NBA talent each year, Lillard is unquestionably a first-round talent.  Exactly how high can Lillard go?  In a draft class devoid of elite one-guards, the 6'2" slasher could go inside of the top ten.

Lillard wasn't featured on national television on a weekly basis like many of his peers in the top half of mock drafts, but the guard made himself known as one of the nation's top scorers with 24.5 points off of 46.7% shooting.  The junior seems to have a knack for finding the smallest of seams and attack the basket but can also sit back at knock down the long-range shot when given enough breathing room.  Lillard was always an adept three-point shooter but in 2011/12, he shot 40.9% from downtown, a collegiate career best. 

Scoring is what Lillard does exceptionally well, but his distribution skills could use a little bit more seasoning.  Like a quarterback, a one-guard has to be able to evaluate multiple options at once, rather than lock on to just one recipient.  That's not to say that Lillard is overly turnover prone, but his passing game would improve by leaps and bounds with greater peripheral vision.  Lillard turned the ball over 2.8 times per contest in his sophomore season but chiseled that number down to a more economical 2.3 per game in his junior campaign.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a draft expert that doesn't consider Lillard to be one of the two best point guards in the 2012 class.  The Weber State standout was also loved by John Hollinger's favorite metric as he had the second-highest PER in the nation to go along with being the No. 2 scorer.  It's a two-horse race between Lillard and Kendall Marshall to be the first one-guard off of the board – expect to see the little guy beat to beat out the North Carolina floor general.

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Hoops Links: Mavs, Spurs, Vesely, Rockets

May 19th, 2012 at 9:06am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 1928, Dolph Schayes was born in New York City.  Twenty years later, Schayes would be tabbed by the Syracuse Nationals of the NBL where he used his height (6'8") to tower over most of his opposition.  The forward captured the Rookie of the Year award in 1949 and in 1955 he led his team to an NBA championship.  Schayes made the All-NBA First-Team six times, the All-NBA Second-Team six times, and amassed 19,249 points over the course of his career.  The New York native was shoe-in for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1972 and also earned the unofficial title of the best Jewish basketball player ever.

Do you have a great blog piece that needs to be a part of Hoops Links?  If so, send me an email at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.  This week's links..

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.

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Odds & Ends: Oden, Magic, Jones, Bucks, Bosh

May 18th, 2012 at 10:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Links from around the league..

  • Earlier today we learned that Greg Oden will be undergoing a radical knee procedure to revive his career, but Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge (via Twitter) points out that the Trail Blazers were considering the operation way back in February.
  • Some out of the box thinking from Alex Kennedy of Hoops World (via Twitter) as he suggests that the Magic look into trading for Dwyane Wade or LeBron James this summer.  However, Kennedy doesn't envision the Heat being forced to blow everything up.
  • Kentucky's Terrence Jones would give the Bucks some badly needed toughness, writes David Thorpe of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required).
  • Chris Bosh may have seemed like a third wheel to some, but the Heat are really missing the forward now, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
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Pacific Notes: Lakers, Warriors, Suns, Clippers

May 18th, 2012 at 8:24pm CST by Zachary Links

After blowing a seven-point lead on Wednesday night, the Lakers will look to come out strong in tonight's Game 3 against the Thunder to avoid going down 3-0.  Los Angeles has seen a great deal of turnover in recent years and while the Lakers have more playoff experience, Kobe Bryant recently noted that the Thunder have been playing together as a group for longer.  Let's head out west for a look at items out of the Pacific Division..

  • The Lakers only have one pick in the 2012 Draft (No. 60), but it sounds like they want to acquire another second-round pick, tweets Alex Kennedy of Hoops World.  The Cavaliers own the Lakers' first-round pick this year (No. 24) thanks to the Ramon Sessions trade.
  • Kennedy also notes (via Twitter) that the Lakers worked out several draft prospects last week including guards Tu Holloway, Marcus Denmon, and Charlie Westbrook.
  • For the Warriors to have a real breakthrough, they'll have to overcome inexperience both on- and off-the-court, writes Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com.  While head coach Mark Jackson enjoyed a 17-year playing career and GM Bob Myers was an NBA agent for more than a dozen years, both men are neophytes to their current roles.
  • David Thorpe of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) looks at the Suns draft needs, with and without Steve Nash at point guard.
  • In a piece for ESPNLosAngeles.com, Justin Verrier talks with Clippers forward Reggie Evans about his career as a rebounding specialist and unlikely success story as an undrafted free agent.
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Atlantic Notes: Howard, Nets, Lin, Knicks, Celtics

May 18th, 2012 at 7:28pm CST by Zachary Links

The Celtics and 76ers are underway in Philadelphia as the C's look to go up 3-1 in their second-round series.  Here's the latest out of the Atlantic Division..

  • Despite all of the ups-and-downs of the Dwight Howard saga, Alex Kennedy of Hoops World (via Twitter) still expects to see the Magic big man land in Brooklyn with the Nets this summer.
  • The Knicks should prioritize signing Steve Nash this summer rather than re-signing point guard Jeremy Lin, opines Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops.  Although Nash will turn 39 years old next season, Hamilton argues that he is a known and proven commodity.
  • Even though some have questioned the Celtics' ability to make a deep run in the playoffs due to their advanced age, Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com writes that head coach Doc Rivers isn't worried about his team's condition over the long-haul.  Win or lose this year, Boston appears likely to seek out a youth infusion this summer.
  • The Celtics will be holding a pre-draft workout in the next few days and will bring in a bunch of big men, sources tell Kennedy (via Twitter).
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Prospect Profile: Arnett Moultrie

May 18th, 2012 at 6:09pm CST by Zachary Links

If you're not overly familiar with the work of Mississippi State's Arnett Moultrie, you're probably not alone.  The 6-foot-11, 200 pound big man might not have the mass appeal of others in this year's draft class but his stock appears to be on the rise.  As of today, Moultrie is slated to go No. 25 on DraftExpress' mock draft and Chad Ford of ESPN.com has him pegged at No. 16 to the Rockets.  Ford goes a step further, even suggesting that the Pistons could snag him all the way at No. 9 (if they land there after the lottery).  So, what is Moultrie all about and why does he have NBA scouts drooling over his upside?

Moultrie lost a season after transferring from UTEP to Mississippi State but showed few, if any, signs of rust in his junior year.  The forward/center averaged 16.4 PPG, 10.5 RPG, and anchored the Bulldogs' frontline with just under 36 minutes of play per contest.  While there have been plenty of question marks surrounding teammate Renardo Sidney, few scouts have doubted Moultrie's on-court intensity.  The center has shown that he has a knack for hunting down the loose ball and a strong desire to win the one-on-one battles on the offensive glass. 

Moultrie's post-game looked to be adequate at the college level but he'll have to build on his repertoire significantly at the next level.  He's also shown that he can knock down mid-range shots in stretches, but he'll have to turn that into a go-to weapon with time.  The big man loves to rely on the two-handed slam to finish off a play, as evidenced by his 55% field goal percentage, but he'll obviously need more ways to score. 

The junior has also made strides in his defensive game but his lanky frame is likely to take a beating in the Association if he doesn't add on some weight.  Until he grows into his 6'11" frame, his future team would be best served by grooming him to play the power forward position.  He has the speed to get up and down the floor in a hurry and could do some serious damage in a fast-paced offense.  It wouldn't be surprising to see a team that's high on Moultrie trade up to the early teens to nab the 21-year-old if he escapes the top ten.

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Blazers Notes: Lin, Oden, Batum, Hickson

May 18th, 2012 at 3:59pm CST by Zachary Links

It's a huge offseason for the Trail Blazers as they look to hire their next general manager and build from the ground up.  Earlier this week, Luke Adams gave us an overview of what Portland will be facing this summer.  Here's a look at the latest on the Blazers…

  • Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com wonders if the Blazers will go after point guard Jeremy Lin.  Lin is likely to be retained by the Knicks but could be handcuffed by keeping him if the NBA players association's argument does not go in their favor.
  • Former Blazers center Greg Oden recently underwent the controversial knee procedure that Kobe Bryant underwent, sources told Chris Broussard of ESPN.com.  Bryant has credited the operation with taking years of wear off of his body.  Oden is not considering retirement, and while it's possible he could play by the middle of next season, there is no timetable for his return.
  • Team president Larry Miller joined Chad Doing on 750 AM The Game this morning and Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge has the goods.  Miller discussed the futures of Nicolas Batum and J.J. Hickson and the club's ownership situation.
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Draft Links: Lillard, Zeller, Sullinger, Papanikolaou

May 18th, 2012 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up a few updates on this year's draft prospects as the May 30th lottery inches a little closer….

  • Sam Amick of SI.com completes his week-long look at the top draft prospects by examining the "safe bets," a list highlighted by Damian Lillard, Tyler Zeller, and Jared Sullinger.
  • Amick also notes (via Sulia) that Michael Jordan's former agent David Falk hasn't exactly fallen off the map, and continues to recruit young players. Sullinger and Austin Rivers are among Falk's clients in this year's draft class.
  • General managers who spoke to ESPN.com's Chad Ford identified Perry Jones III, Terrence Jones, Terrence Ross, Quincy Miller, and Andrew Nicholson as five players whose stocks could rise in pre-draft workouts.
  • Ford adds that a number of NBA scouts returned from the Euroleague Final Four talking about Greek forward Kostas Papanikolaou. If the 22-year-old were a better shooter or athlete, he'd have a chance to be a first-round pick, but he'll likely come off the board in the second round, according to Ford.
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Spurs Notes: Duncan, Buford, Diaw

May 18th, 2012 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs have become the odds-on favorites to win the NBA title, according to Vegas, and for good reason. The last time San Antonio lost a game was on April 11th, more than five weeks ago. As the Spurs look to continue their postseason dominance, here's the latest out of San Antonio:

  • The "whispered belief in Spurs circles" is that Tim Duncan will likely re-sign with the team on a multiyear contract this offseason, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Duncan has called his health "unbelievable" and said it's been four or five years since he felt this good.
  • General manager R.C. Buford talks to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports about how the Spurs got swept up in an NBA "arms race" three years ago, and how the organization learned from that mistake.
  • Boris Diaw has been a crucial addition for this Spurs team, says Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News. Diaw signed with the Spurs in March after being bought out by the Bobcats.
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