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2013 NBA Draft

Odds & Ends: Thompson, Ellis, Hollins, Turkoglu

May 9th, 2013 at 10:54pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski looks back to June 2011, when Warriors' GM Bob Myers had worries about not being able to select Klay Thompson knowing that either the Spurs could possibly trade up in the draft to get him or that the Bucks were planning to select him with the 10th overall pick. As it would turn out, San Antonio would wind up trading for the 15th pick (Kawhi Leonard) and the Kings landed the 10th pick to select Jimmer Fredette, leaving the sharpshooting Washington State forward right into the hands of Golden State. Here are a few more miscellaneous notes to share along this evening: 

  • AJ Mitnick of Sheridan Hoops fills us in on the "best of the bunch" in terms of international prospects in this year's draft. 
  • The 76ers aren't expected to hold most of their interviews for their head coaching search until after the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, writes Tom Moore of phillyBurbs.com, although there is a possibility that the team could conduct some during camp. 
  • According to this report by the Detroit Free Press, the Pistons are widely known to be seeking perimeter help heading into the draft but could look to add more to their frontcourt. 
  • Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reports that the Lakers have granted the Cavaliers permission to interview Phil Handy about joining Mike Brown's coaching staff in Cleveland. 
  • When asked about the trade that sent Monta Ellis to Milwaukee for Andrew Bogut, Warriors head coach Mark Jackson told reporters that letting Ellis go helped change the culture of the team, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (Sulia link). 
  • ESPN's Chris Broussard tweets that Lionel Hollins will be highly coveted if the Grizzlies opt to not re-sign him this summer, adding that the Nets would figure to be among the interested teams. 
  • Heat owner Mickey Arison engaged in some civil discourse with a fan on Twitter regarding the possibility that Seattle loses out on their bid for the Kings (credit goes to SportsRadioKJR.com). Arison made it clear that he believes that the city of Sacramento has done enough to warrant keeping the team, and refuted the notion that Seattle had put forth the same effort in 2008 before the Sonics franchise ultimately moved to Oklahoma City.
  • John Denton of NBA.com writes that Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu understands the current youth movement of the franchise and that his time in Orlando could be over within the next coming months. 
  • Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter) reports that Lakers big man Pau Gasol will be held out of basketball activities for the next three months after undergoing an operation on his knee today.  
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Draft Updates: Agents, Oladipo, Larkin, Burke

May 9th, 2013 at 7:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Hoops Rumors Agency Database isn't just for current NBA players. Several draft prospects have already selected their agents, and we'll keep track of them in the database as well. We'll also pass along the news in a regular post whenever a player changes agents or chooses one for the first time. That's what we're doing here as we round up the latest on the draft ahead of next week's Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago:

  • Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports tweets that Nerlens Noel and Alex Len are expected to show up, although neither are expected to do much of anything. 
  • Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com shared the list of players invited to the pre-draft camp (Sulia link). ESPN's Chad Ford tweets that James Ennis and Norvel Pelle are among the most interesting names on the list, and that it'll be surprising if Rudy Gobert and Dennis Schroeder show up, on account of the rarity of international prospects making the trip in years past.  
  • Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times tweets that potential lottery pick Dario Saric will not be attending the Pre-Draft Camp, as he is still playing overseas. 
  • Former Indiana shooting guard Victor Oladipo is going with Raymond Brothers of IAM Sports & Entertainment, tweets Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com. Brothers' list of NBA clients includes Zach Randolph and Caron Butler. 
  • Happy Walters of Relativity Sports is expected to sign Shane Larkin, Goodman reports via Twitter.
  • Trey Burke's father, Benji, will represent his son, opening up a basketball division of his family's agency to do, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. The agency, Infinite Sports, specializes in football (Twitter links).
  • In his NBA AM piece, Lang Greene of HoopsWorld explores the question of whether highly touted underclassmen should stay in school, like Marcus Smart, or enter the draft. Greene also passes along a video interview with first-round hopeful Jamaal Franklin. 
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Odds & Ends: Draft, Ewing, Sloan, Kings

May 8th, 2013 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Two nights after the Bulls shocked the Heat in Miami and the Spurs outlasted the Warriors in a double-OT thriller, all four teams are back in action tonight. As we look forward to an encore of Monday's incredible doubleheader, let's check out a few odds and ends from around the NBA:

  • ESPN.com's Chad Ford provided plenty of new draft-related content today, unveiling version 2.0 of his mock and chatting with ESPN.com readers about next month's draft. Of note: Ford believes Trey Burke's stock continues to rise and that the Michigan guard could go as high as first overall.
  • With so many teams seeking a new head coach, Patrick Ewing tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that he's disappointed not to be receiving any interest for the open positions.
  • While it appears no teams have contacted Ewing, former head coach Jerry Sloan has fielded calls from "a couple" teams, as Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune writes. Sloan characterized those calls as exploratory, with no offers forthcoming at the moment. He also added that he hasn't been contacted by the Nets, meaning there's "no reason to talk about" a potential reunion with Deron Williams.
  • Speaking to reporters yesterday, Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson suggested that Chris Hansen "take a step back" from his pursuit of the Kings and start exploring other ways to bring a team to Seattle. Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee has the details.
  • In his latest mailbag, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com answered questions about potential targets in the draft and free agency for the Pistons.
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Odds & Ends: Lee, 76ers, Blake, Len, Draft Risers

May 7th, 2013 at 9:32pm CST by Alex Lee

The Knicks have evened their conference semifinal against the Pacers at one.  While the Grizzlies try to do the same, here are some news and notes from around the league:

  • ESPN Boston's Chris Forberg examines the chances that Courtney Lee will stick in Boston as the Celtics head into their offseason.  After being traded three of the last four summers, Lee struggled to carve out a role in his first year as a Celtic despite being given every chance to do so.  Lee is under contract and the Celts coveted him a year ago, so it would make sense if they gave him another year to assimilate. 
  • Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com has a litany of Sixers coaching updates in his latest story.  According to Moore, the team won't interview Michael Malone or Jeff Hornacek until next week at the earliest.  Moore reiterates the team's interst in Brian Shaw and Michael Curry, while also adding a new name, Quin Snyder, to the coaching mix in Philadelphia.  Snyder coached on Doug Collins' staff in Philly during the 2010-11 season and was mentioned earlier tonight as a possible fit in Atlanta.
  • While Steve Blake is one of four Lakers to be amnesty eligible, his strong play this season as a role player makes it unlikely that he will be the one to go, writes Eric Pincus of the L.A. Times.  Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace and Pau Gasol are his other three amnesty eligible teammates. 
  • Alex Len and his agent, Michael Lelchitski, contemplated delaying last week's ankle surgery until after pre-draft workouts in an attempt to move into the conversation for the No. 1 pick, writes RealGM's Shams Charania.  “If he had a chance to work out, I truly believe he could have moved up and gone No. 1,” Lelchitski said of the Maryland center.  While it was clearly the right decision, Len's injury will certainly affect his draft stock, as it will sideline him for anywhere from four to six months.
  • In an Insider-only blog, ESPN's Fran Fraschilla breaks down five underrated draft prospects he believes will rise up boards as team's get a better look at them in the coming weeks.  Among them, Frachilla lists Murray State's Isaiah Canaan, Cal's Allen Crabbe, Brazil's Lucas Nogueira, NC State's Lorenzo Brown and Baylor's Pierre Jackson.
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Odds & Ends: Nets, C’s, Bennett, Pacers, Mavs

May 7th, 2013 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

There are plenty of names being thrown into the mix for the Nets' head coaching opening and seemingly just as many being taken out of the equation. Sam Amick of USA Today is the latest to chime in on the subject, reporting that Scott Skiles is among Brooklyn's candidates, but that the chatter about a Jerry Sloan/Deron Williams reunion probably shouldn't be taken seriously. Here are a few more Tuesday odds and ends from around the NBA:

  • As he tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, Celtics president Danny Ainge hasn't sat down with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Doc Rivers yet to talk about their respective futures. "I don’t really pay much attention to what anybody says in the first week after the season," said Ainge, referring to comments made by the Celtics leaders immediately after last week's elimination.
  • Likely lottery pick Anthony Bennett will undergo rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder tomorrow, agent Jeff Schwartz tells ESPN.com's Chad Ford. Bennett, who will miss about four months, becomes the third top prospect that will miss the summer with an injury, along with Nerlens Noel and Alex Len. However, two GMs who spoke to Ford don't think the procedure will affect Bennett's draft stock.
  • Pacers president Donnie Walsh told Marc Berman of the New York Post that he's unsure whether he'll remain in his current role next season. According to Berman, Walsh still believes there's a chance Larry Bird will unretire and assume his old position for the Pacers.
  • Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com examines the ways in which the Mavericks could add a maximum-salary free agent without breaking up their veteran core.
  • With the Thunder and Grizzlies squaring off in the Western Conference Semifinals, Shaun Powell of Sports on Earth wonders if either team will end up regretting its blockbuster trade — James Harden for the Thunder and Rudy Gay for the Grizz.
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Draft Updates: Saric, Karasev, Len

May 3rd, 2013 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Today's round of draft-related links has an international feel, with updates on a French forward, a Russian shooting guard, and a Ukranian-born big man….

  • The top international prospect on Chad Ford's board at ESPN.com is Dario Saric, who is the subject of Ford's latest Insider-only blog entry. Scouts and GMs rave about Saric's upside, and the 19-year-old is expected to immediately come stateside when he's drafted, according to Ford, who notes that there will be a buyout of $1.2 million euros for Saric.
  • According to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter link), the draft's fastest riser is Sergey Karasev, who currently ranks 25th on Ford's big board. At least two NBA executives believe Karasev may end up being a lottery pick, according to Woelfel.
  • Potential lottery pick Alex Len has undergone surgery to stabilize a stress fracture in his ankle and will miss four to six months, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets. Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com wonders (via Twitter) how much the big man's stock will be affected, noting that his game would have translated well to predraft works. Meanwhile, Chris Mannix of SI.com suggests (via Twitter) that a late-lottery team could end up with a steal if Len slips on draft night.
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Draft Notes: Magic, Hornets, Noel, Len

May 2nd, 2013 at 1:04pm CST by Luke Adams

While fans of playoff teams are watching to see if their favorite clubs can make it through to the second round, fans of lottery teams are still playing the waiting game. May 21st's draft lottery is still almost three weeks away, but at least this year's draft class has been finalized, with the NBA announcing this year's complete list of early entrants yesterday. As lottery teams continue to look ahead to the combine and lottery on the way later this month, here are a few draft-related updates:

  • Sources around the NBA have told Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com that the Magic and Pelicans would "strongly" consider trading down if either team were to win the draft lottery and land the No. 1 pick. We didn't see any top-10 picks traded last June, but perhaps that will change this year, given the general belief that the 2013 class is significantly weaker.
  • Speaking of that first overall pick, Nerlens Noel continues to be ranked No. 1 on Chad Ford's big board at ESPN.com (Insider-only link), though there are plenty of other changes in Ford's list. C.J. McCollum, Dario Saric, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are among the risers, with all three ranked in lottery territory now.
  • Although Noel remains atop Ford's list, fellow ESPN.com scribe Fran Fraschilla (Insider link) makes the case for taking Maryland big man Alex Len over the Kentucky center.
  • Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com explains why McCollum and Gorgui Dieng could make sense as draft targets for the Mavericks.
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Odds & Ends: Pistons, Kings, Draft, Balkman

May 1st, 2013 at 11:04pm CST by Chuck Myron

Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game reported in March that the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas is adopting a tournament-style format this year, and the league confirmed the news today. The games will take place between July 12th and July 22nd, and while the move promises excitement, the contests won't necessarily have much meaning. Damian Lillard won the circuit's co-MVP honors last summer to kick off his Rookie of the Year campaign, but the other co-MVP was Josh Selby, who's been out of the NBA since March. While we wait to see how the revamped summer league shakes out, there's plenty of other NBA news: 

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Official Early Entrant List For 2013 NBA Draft

May 1st, 2013 at 9:56am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA officially announced the list of early entrants for the 2013 draft this morning, with 77 players declaring their intent. 46 of those are U.S. players, while the other 31 are international prospects. Here's the complete list:

Alex Abrines, Spain
Steven Adams, Pittsburgh (Freshman)
Giannis Adetokunbo, Greece
Francois Affia, Slovenia
C.J. Aiken, Saint Joseph's (Junior)
Anthony Bennett, UNLV (Freshman)
Nemanja Besovic, Serbia
Vander Blue, Marquette (Junior)
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia
Matias Bortolin, Austria
Lorenzo Brown, North Carolina State (Junior)
Reggie Bullock, North Carolina (Junior)
Trey Burke, Michigan (Sophomore)
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia (Sophomore)
Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse (Sophomore)
Linos Chrysikopoulos, Greece
Adrien Coleman, Bethune-Cookman (Junior)
Allen Crabbe, California (Junior)
DeWayne Dedmon, USC (Junior)
Gorgui Dieng, Louisville (Junior)
Laszlo Dobos, Spain
Dorde Drenovac, Italy
Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State (Junior)
Viktor Gaddefors, Italy
Rudy Gobert, France
Archie Goodwin, Kentucky (Freshman)
Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan (Junior)
Mouhammadou Jaiteh, France
Livio Jean-Charles, France
Grant Jerrett, Arizona (Freshman)
Christian Kabongo, New Mexico State (Sophomore)
Myck Kabongo, Texas (Sophomore)
Sergey Karasev, Russia
Louis Labeyrie, France
Shane Larkin, Miami (Sophomore)
Ricky Ledo, Providence College (Freshman)
Alex Len, Maryland (Sophomore)
C.J. Leslie, North Carolina State (Junior)
Nurideen Lindsey, Rider (Junior)
Amath M'Baye, Oklahoma (Junior)
Ray McCallum, Detroit (Junior)
Ben McLemore, Kansas (Freshman)
Tony Mitchell, North Texas (Sophomore)
Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA (Freshman)
Raul Neto, Spain
Philip Neumann, Germany
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky (Freshman)
Lucas Nogueira, Brazil
Victor Oladipo, Indiana (Junior)
Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga (Junior)
Alexandre Paranhos, Brazil
Norvel Pelle, L.A. City Prep
Otto Porter, Georgetown (Sophomore)
Marshawn Powell, Arkansas (Junior)
Phil Pressey, Missouri (Junior)
Artem Pustovyi, Ukraine
Bogdan Radosavljevic, Germany
Marko Ramljak, Croatia
Andre Roberson, Colorado (Junior)
Dario Saric, Croatia
Dennis Schroeder, Germany
Joshua Simmons, Spartanburg Methodist (Freshman)
Trevis Simpson, North Carolina-Greensboro (Junior)
Tony Snell, New Mexico (Junior)
Strahinja Stojacic, Serbia
Tahj Tate, Delaware State (Sophomore)
Walter Tavares, Spain
John Taylor, Fresno Pacific (Junior)
Daniel Theis, Germany
Adonis Thomas, Memphis (Sophomore)
Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State (Junior)
Janis Timma, Latvia
Marko Todorovic, Spain
Axel Toupane, France
Adin Vrabac, Bosnia
B.J. Young, Arkansas (Sophomore)
Cody Zeller, Indiana (Sophomore)

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Odds & Ends: Sixers, Draft, Timberwolves

April 30th, 2013 at 8:51pm CST by Alex Lee

With the Nuggets in control in Denver and Grizz-Clips set for the late game in Los Angeles, let's round up some odds and ends from around the league here on Tuesday night:

  • Regarding any Dwight Howard to the Sixers speculation, Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com agrees with our Luke Adams, tweeting that the team doesn't have the cap space to sign Howard.  Moore also adds that Howard would probably not want to come to Philadelphia even if they did.
  • Jeff Goodman and the CBS Sports crew unveil their latest mock draft, which shows Trey Burke (No. 4) and Shane Larkin (No. 14) as the latest risers.  We are exactly three weeks away from the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery.
  • In a phone conversation on Tuesday evening, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said he will have a major announcement regarding the ownership of the team within the next week, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.  Taylor didn't elaborate much, only suggesting that the news will likely be surprising.  Taylor said Rick Adelman's return "looks very favorable," but wouldn't comment on the job security of David Kahn or any rumors about Flip Saunders or Phil Jackson. 
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