2014 NBA Draft

Raptors Sign Bruno Caboclo

July 9th, 2014 at 6:50pm CST by Chuck Myron

6:50pm: Toronto has made the signing official in a team release. Whether Caboclo received the full 120% rookie scale salary has yet to be revealed, but presumably that’s the case.

11:13am: The Raptors have signed surprise No. 20 overall pick Bruno Caboclo, as Caboclo revealed on his verified Twitter account (hat tip to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun). He’s likely in line for a salary worth $1.458MM this season, assuming he signs for the standard 120% of the rookie scale, as our chart of salaries for 2014 first-round picks shows.

Wolstat wrote last week that the 18-year-old Caboclo was likely to join the team for the coming season, even though there seemed to be a strong chance the unheralded small forward would remain out of the NBA for another year or two. The 6’8″ Brazilian wasn’t on Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress final rankings of the top 100 prospects in the 2014 draft. Still, the Jazz and Suns were reportedly interested in him as well, and though the Raptors had promised to draft him 37th overall, they did so at No. 20 to get the jump on Phoenix and Utah.

The Raptors are also likely to add another recent first-round pick from Brazil for next season after acquiring the rights to 7-footer Lucas Nogueira from the Hawks late last month.

Timberwolves Sign Zach LaVine

July 8th, 2014 at 2:06pm CST by Chuck Myron

2:06pm: The Wolves have officially signed LaVine, the team announced (Twitter link).

11:28am: LaVine indeed signed for the standard 120% of the rookie scale, Wolfson tweets.

11:16am: No. 13 overall pick Zach LaVine has signed his rookie scale contract with the Wolves, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). He’s likely receiving nearly $2.056MM for the coming season, assuming he signed for the standard 120% of the rookie scale, as our table of salaries for this year’s first-round picks shows.

There were conflicting reports that Minnesota had given LaVine a promise that they would select him 13th, though the 6’6″ UCLA shooting guard wound up with the Wolves regardless of whether it was preordained. He was one of three players from his school to go in this year’s first round, as Jordan Adams followed at No. 22 to the Grizzlies and the Spurs spent the 30th pick on Kyle Anderson.

LaVine, 19, averaged 9.4 points and shot 37.5% from three-point range in 24.4 minutes per game during his freshman season with the Bruins this year. He’s a raw prospect who’ll require patience from the Wolves, as Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors detailed.

2014 Draft Pick Signings

July 8th, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

Teams commonly show their newly minted draft picks off to the public in the days following the event, even going to the trouble of printing up jerseys for them to hold for the cameras. Yet unlike free agency, when such displays only happen after contracts are officially signed, most teams wait a while to finalize their deals with draft picks. In some cases, the players never wind up wearing those jerseys in a game, and that’s especially true of second-rounders.

Still, most first-rounders ending up signing at some point, and the predetermined rookie scale contracts they sign eliminate most of the negotiation. I recently ran down the likely salary for each first-round pick, and that’s what the first-rounders with “signed” by their names are getting, unless otherwise noted. There’s no scale for second-rounders, so they wind up signing deals of varying structure and worth. As we update this post throughout the offseason, you’ll see details on the contracts for each second-rounder who signs with his NBA club.

Each player is listed next to the team that holds his rights, which isn’t necessarily the team that drafted him, since so many picks change hands on draft night. We’ll update this post whenever there’s news of a signing, and you’ll be able to find a link to it under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar so you can keep up to date throughout the summer.

First Round

Cavaliers: Andrew Wiggins — signed
Bucks: Jabari Parker — signed
Sixers: Joel Embiid — signed
Magic: Aaron Gordon — signed
Jazz: Dante Exum — signed
Celtics: Marcus Smart — signed
Lakers: Julius Randle — signed
Kings: Nik Stauskas — signed
Hornets: Noah Vonleh — signed
Magic: Elfrid Payton — signed
Bulls: Doug McDermott — signed
Sixers: Dario Saric — playing overseas
Timberwolves: Zach LaVine — signed
Suns: T.J. Warren — signed
Hawks: Adreian Payne — signed
Nuggets: Jusuf Nurkic — signed
Celtics: James Young — signed
Suns: Tyler Ennis — signed
Nuggets: Gary Harris — signed
Raptors: Bruno Caboclo — signed
Thunder: Mitch McGary — signed
Grizzlies: Jordan Adams — signed
Jazz: Rodney Hood — signed
Heat: Shabazz Napier — signed
Rockets: Clint Capela — signed
Hornets: P.J. Hairston — signed
Suns: Bogdan Bogdanovic — playing overseas
Clippers: C.J. Wilcox — signed
Thunder: Josh Huestis — agreed to sign with the D-League
Spurs: Kyle Anderson — signed

Second Round

Bucks: Damien Inglis — signed to a three-year, $2,650,431 deal
Sixers: K.J. McDaniels — signed to a one-year deal for the minimum salary
Cavaliers: Joe Harris — signed to a three-year, $2,710,369 deal
Knicks: Cleanthony Early — signed to a minimum-salary deal
Grizzlies: Jarnell Stokes — signed to a three-year, $2,550,490 deal
Bucks: Johnny O’Bryant III — signed to a three-year, $2,425,490 deal
Raptors: DeAndre Daniels — playing overseas
Pistons: Spencer Dinwiddie — signed to a three-year, $2,525,490 deal
Sixers: Jerami Grant — signed to a four-year, $3,761,614 deal
Timberwolves: Glenn Robinson III — signed to a one-year deal for the minimum salary
Nuggets: Nikola Jokic — playing overseas
Rockets: Nick Johnson — signed to a fully guaranteed three-year minimum-salary deal
Hawks: Walter Tavares — playing overseas
Nets: Markel Brown — signed to two-year deal for the minimum salary
Cavaliers: Dwight Powell — signed to a two-year deal for the minimum salary
Lakers: Jordan Clarkson — signed to a two-year deal for the minimum salary
Pelicans: Russ Smith — signed to a three-year deal for the minimum salary
Hawks: Lamar Patterson — playing overseas
Bulls: Cameron Bairstow — signed to a three-year deal for the minimum salary
Suns: Alec Brown — unsigned
Knicks: Thanasis Antetokounmpo — agreed to sign with the D-League
Sixers: Vasilije Micic — playing overseas
Rockets: Alessandro Gentile — playing overseas
Spurs: Nemanja Dangubic — playing overseas
Thunder: Semaj Christon — agreed to sign with the D-League
Magic: Devyn Marble — signed to a three-year, $2,710,369 deal
Knicks: Louis Labeyrie — playing overseas
Sixers: Jordan McRae — playing overseas
Nets: Xavier Thames — playing overseas
Nets: Cory Jefferson —signed to a two-year deal for the minimum salary

Thunder Sign Mitch McGary

July 5th, 2014 at 12:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Thunder have signed first-round pick Mitch McGary, according to a press release from the club.

Taken by the Thunder with the No. 21 selection, McGary appeared in 47 games during his two years at Michigan where he averaged 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per game. During his freshman season, McGary was named to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team after helping lead the Wolverines to the National Title game. During tournament play, McGary averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.7 blocks while shooting .678 percent from the field.

Several teams had their eye on the energetic big man, but OKC reportedly promised to take him at No. 21. He’s likely in line for a salary slightly more than $1.4MM, as our table of salaries for first-round draft picks shows. I took a closer look at McGary in a prospect profile.

Draft Grades: Southwest Division

June 29th, 2014 at 6:43pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the 2014 NBA Draft officially in the books, it’s time to take a look back and see how each team used the draft to make improvements and fill needs. I’ve already run down the picks for the Atlantic, Central, Northwest, Pacific, and Southeast Divisions. We’ll finish up with a look at the Southwest Division:

Dallas Mavericks

Team Needs: Small Forward, Point Guard, Depth

Draft Picks:

No picks

The Mavs owed this year’s first-round pick to the Thunder. They also traded last year’s first round selection, Shane Larkin, to the Knicks in the deal last week that netted them Tyson Chandler. Dallas is in win-now mode, and their biggest goal on draft night was to not burn up any cap space that they envision needing to lure Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James to the city. Dallas has tried this plan before and has so far been unable to get a second star or two to pair alongside Dirk Nowitzki.

It’s doubtful the Mavs will miss the second rounder they traded away, but the team has a hole at the point guard spot thanks to the Chandler deal, and the Dallas roster is getting up there in years. Sooner or later they’ll need to acquire some young, cheap depth.

Overall Draft Grade: D — No picks to work with, but getting Chandler back, two seasons too late though it may be, might ease the sting a little.

Houston Rockets

Team Needs: Defense, Power Forward, Point Guard, Center

Draft Picks:

No. 25 Clint Capela (Power Forward)
No. 42 Nick Johnson (Shooting Guard)

The Rockets are another franchise trying to clear cap space for a run at James or Anthony. Taking Capela, who will continue to play overseas for the next couple of seasons, was a smart pick. Capela is incredibly raw, but has off-the-charts athleticism, and has been compared to Serge Ibaka. Capela is a player I was very high on heading into the draft, and he might turn out to be a valuable addition or trade piece in the future.

Johnson was a solid pick. He’s very athletic, can shoot a bit, but he’ll spend more time in the D-League than with the first string this year.

Overall Draft Grade: C- — Capela is an intriguing prospect and Johnson was a good value pick. The team could have been a bigger player on draft night but instead is hanging its hopes on adding another star to the lineup instead.

Memphis Grizzlies

Team Needs: Small Forward, Point Guard, Scoring

Draft Picks:

No. 22 Jordan Adams (Shooting Guard)
No. 35 Jarnell Stokes (Power Forward)*

*Acquired via trade with Jazz for a future second round pick.

I’m not a fan of what the Grizzlies did on draft night. The team badly needs scoring and some athleticism. Adams could provide the scoring, but he won’t blow anyone away with his physical tools. I don’t know if Adams will be able to defend enough to stay on the court, and his lack of speed will make it difficult to get off his own shot. With some of the other players available at No. 22, such as Rodney Hood and P.J. Hairston, I can’t help but think the team overshot on Adams.

Stokes is a punishing inside presence, and should work his way into the team’s rotation by the end of the year. He’ll fit right in with Memphis’ style of play.

Overall Draft Grade: C — Not a fan of the Adams pick, but the team had him ranked fifth on its draft board, so maybe they know something others don’t. Stokes was a solid pick and should become a useful addition.

New Orleans Pelicans

Team Needs: Small Forward, Point Guard, Depth

Draft Picks:

No. 47 Russ Smith (Point Guard)*

*Acquired in trade with Sixers that sent them the rights to Pierre Jackson.

The Pelicans dealt away their first-rounder to the Sixers in the Jrue Holiday trade last year. They also traded last year’s second-round pick, Jackson, for Smith. This begs the question, what do the Pelicans have against Jackson? Smith is almost an identical player to Jackson, and with work he could become a decent reserve guard when the team needs a change of pace.

Overall Draft Grade: D — The team could have had Elfrid Payton with the pick it traded for Holiday. Holiday has a proven track record, but has battled injuries and is more expensive. I also don’t get the logic in trading Jackson for Smith, so that was no help. Thankfully the Pelicans picked up Omer Asik via trade, so that will be their big addition for now.

San Antonio Spurs

Team Needs: Youth, Depth, Power Forward

Draft Picks:

No. 30 Kyle Anderson (Small Forward)

The best organization in the league might have done it again. Anderson is a flawed player, for sure. He’s slow, not very athletic, and will have issues on defense. But he’s also a player who in the right system can make others around him better. That sounds like the prototypical Spurs player to me.

Anderson has been compared to Boris Diaw, who was a very effective and valuable piece for the team’s championship run. Heading into the draft my feeling was that Anderson needed to end up with a heavy ball movement team in order to be of any value. He would be a great fit in the triangle offense, but should benefit equally from San Antonio’s offensive scheme as well.

Overall Draft Grade: A- — With the last pick of the first round, the Spurs nab a player who fits their system perfectly. Anderson should develop nicely into a productive role player. The rich get richer it seems.

Draft Grades: Southeast Division

June 29th, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the 2014 NBA Draft officially in the books, it’s time to take a look back and see how each team used the draft to make improvements and fill needs. I’ve already run down the picks for the Atlantic, Central, Northwest, and Pacific Divisions. We’ll continue on with a look at the Southeast Division:

Atlanta Hawks

Team Needs: Small Forward, Center, Point Guard

Draft Picks:

No. 15 Adreian Payne (Power Forward)
No. 43 Walter Tavares (Center)
No. 48 Lamar Patterson (Shooting Guard)*

*Acquired from Bucks for a future second-round pick.

The Hawks were a team that was hoping to use their first round pick as part of a trade package that would net them a more established player. Unable to do that, the team picked up a nice player in Payne, a stretch four who can help the team out in a number of areas. He’s a bit of a luxury pick for next season considering Paul Millsap is still around, but he’s unlikely to sign as team friendly a deal on his next contract, so in Payne they nab a competent replacement. The only real knock on Payne is that he’s 23 years old, which doesn’t give him as high a ceiling as some of the other prospects in the draft.

If you look up project in the dictionary you very well might see a picture of Tavares. He’s got tremendous size but has only been playing the game a few years. He has an enormous wingspan, huge hands, and a solid frame–all building blocks of successful big men. Whether he can develop into more than a project is definitely up for debate. Tavares will continue to play overseas for the next few seasons and the Hawks hope to benefit from the selection sometime down the line. Tavares is already 23, which means his window for NBA production will be a small one at best.

Patterson is a hard working swingman who does a little of everything, but doesn’t translate to more than a reserve at best. He’ll get some minutes this season, but might not be in the league by 2015/16.

Overall Draft Grade: B- — The Hawks went the safe route with Payne, but he’s NBA ready and should become an immediate contributor. Tavares probably won’t bear fruit, and Patterson might contribute something off the bench, but won’t be much of a factor in the franchise’s future.

Charlotte Hornets

Team Needs: Shooting, Point Guard, Power Forward

Draft Picks:

No. 9 Noah Vonleh (Power Forward)
No. 26 P.J. Hairston (Shooting Guard)

*Came via trade from Heat with the No. 55 overall pick, a 2019 second-round pick and cash for the No. 24 pick. Charlotte later sent the 55th pick to the Thunder for cash.

**Traded the 45th pick and Brendan Haywood to the Cavaliers for Alonzo Gee and cash.

One of the biggest surprise teams from last season, albeit in a weak Eastern Conference, managed to improve themselves for next season and long term on draft night. The Hornets most likely cursed aloud when the Kings made Nik Stauskas their pick at No. 8. I have to think that was the player that Charlotte was targeting all along, especially since they passed on drafting Doug McDermott at No. 9.

But things might have worked out for the men from Charlotte after all. Grabbing Vonleh ninth, when he was projected by most to be a top-5 selection, was a good value. The knock on Vonleh has nothing to do with his talent or athleticism, which he has more than enough of. The problem is with Vonleh’s motor and work ethic. Quite a few promising careers were derailed because of players not willing to put in the proper amount of sweat. Vonleh is still young so he gets the benefit of the doubt. The bigger issue is his redundant skill set alongside Cody Zeller.

The pick of Vonleh looks better when you consider the team nabbing Hairston, who was a steal at No. 26. Hairston might not be the shooter that Stauskas is, but he’s a more complete player who will contribute just as much next season. The biggest second guessing the Hornets will have is for passing on McDermott. The team desperately needs scoring, and if McDermott lights it up in Chicago, then Hornets fans will have something to gripe about.

Overall Draft Grade: A- — The team might not have addressed its biggest need, but they did grab two players who were both steals where they were selected.

Miami Heat

Team Needs: Point Guard, Depth, Center

Draft Picks:

No. 24 Shabazz Napier (Point Guard)*

* Came via trade with Hornets for the 26th and 55th overall picks in Thursday’s draft plus a 2019 second-rounder and cash.

The Heat get their man. Who will he be playing with next season? That’s very much up in the air right now. Assuming that Miami will put a similar amount of talent on the floor next year, then Napier is a solid pick. After getting next to nothing in the Finals from Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers, it was painfully obvious the team needed an upgrade at the point.

While the team probably could benefit more from a veteran upgrade, like say, Jose Calderon, Napier has all the makings of a winner. It’s doubtful he’ll ever be an all-star, but he is the type of player that winning teams need. He’s a solid leader, plays harder than anyone, and is absolutely fearless when games are on the line. If LeBron James returns, one of the selling points will be Napier’s presence.

Overall Draft Grade: B — The team gets a solid player at a “need” position.

Orlando Magic

Team Needs: Point Guard, Power Forward, Depth, Shooting Guard

Draft Picks:

No. 4 Aaron Gordon (Power Forward)
No. 10 Elfrid Payton (Point Guard)*
No. 56 Devyn Marble (Shooting Guard)

*Came via trade with Sixers. Orlando received Payton, and Philadelphia got Dario Saric, a 2015 second-round pick, and a 2017 first-round pick.

The Magic will be exciting running the fast break next season–that’s the good news. The bad news–the team trying to score when playing halfcourt basketball. Remember, Arron Afflalo was traded away, and he was the team’s best outside threat.

The selection of Gordon is the curious one. There’s no debating his upside, and experts project Gordon’s ceiling as being somewhere between Shawn Marion and Blake Griffin. But for a team in need of scoring, passing on Exum might be something the franchise will regret.

On the positive side, Gordon does bring an enormous amount of potential and physical gifts to the table. But he can’t shoot very well, and is an abysmal free throw shooter. His offensive arsenal right now consists primarily of scoring in transition, off pick-and-rolls, and from lobs. It will take time, but Gordon will improve in those areas. It might take two or three seasons to happen, but Gordon should turn out to be a star.

I really like the selection of Payton, the best pure point guard in the draft. He’s not a good shooter, and some scouts have predicted his mechanics are too broken to be fixed. But as a facilitator and defender, he’s top-notch. His presence will also allow Victor Oladipo to go back to shooting guard, a position he is better suited for.

Overall Draft Grade: A — I considered giving a lower grade since the team didn’t address its glaring need for a shooter, but the Magic nabbed two long-term starters, and at least one potential star. Hard to find too much fault in that.

Washington Wizards

Team Needs: Center, Point Guard, Power Forward, Small Forward

Draft Picks:

No picks

*Traded No. 46 pick to the Lakers for cash.

The Wizards traded their first-round pick to the Suns for Marcin Gortat. Given Gortat’s play for the Wizards last season, it’s not too bad a return for the pick. If the team re-signs him then it was a good trade. If they let him leave for nothing in return, then not so much. Without Gortat they would have most likely been picking higher in the draft, and could have nabbed a valuable building block.

Overall Draft Grade: B- — That grade is if Gortat re-signs. If he leaves then one playoff appearance wasn’t worth the sacrifice, and this grade gets bumped down to a D-.

Eastern Notes: Sixers, Pistons, Nets

June 29th, 2014 at 2:27pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Sixers fans need to prepare themselves for another tough season of rebuilding, writes Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Moore opines that while GM Sam Hinkie‘s draft strategy could pay off in the long term, the franchise isn’t currently much improved over last season.

Draft Grades: Northwest Division

June 29th, 2014 at 10:57am CST by Eddie Scarito

With the 2014 NBA Draft officially in the books, it’s time to take a look back and see how each team used the draft to make improvements and fill needs. I’ve already run down the picks for the Atlantic, Central, and Pacific Divisions. We’ll continue on with a look at the Northwest Division:

Denver Nuggets

Team Needs: Frontcourt Depth, Shooting Guard, Point Guard

Draft Picks:

No. 16 Jusuf Nurkic (Center)*
No.19 Gary Harris (Shooting Guard)*
No. 41 Nikola Jokic (Center)

*Acquired from Bulls in trade for 11th overall pick (Doug McDermott).

The biggest news for the Nuggets on draft day was the trade for Arron Afflalo, which added a much-needed outside shooter to the team’s lineup. Denver then decided to turn their one first-rounder into two by trading with the Bulls, who snatched up McDermott.

The Nuggets used two of their selections on foreign born big men, neither of whom is expected to play in the league next season. Nurkic is huge, as well as being a skilled post player. If he can stay healthy and continue to develop, he could be an impact player in a few years. Jokic is also talented, but extremely raw. Jokic is more of an outside shooter at this point, and needs to add bulk and improve his rebounding and defense if he wants to make it in the NBA.

I like the selection of Harris, but with the trade for Afflalo, he becomes a luxury pick instead of a need. Harris was mentioned as a potential lottery pick by most scouts, so he’s a definite value selection at No. 19. Harris slid because of his size, but he is one of the more polished two-way players in the draft, and his defense will earn him minutes immediately.

Overall Draft Grade: B —I like the Nuggets turning their one first round pick into two. The selection of Harris was a definite value add, and Jokic was a decent selection, considering what else was available at that spot. Nurkic could turn out to be a good player down the line, but the team did pass on the chance to nab McDermott, Zach LaVine, T.J. Warren, and Adreian Payne by making the trade. All those players could have a much higher ceiling than Nurkic or Harris.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Team Needs: Small Forward, Power Forward, Point Guard

Draft Picks:

No. 13 Zach LaVine (Shooting Guard)
No. 40 Glenn Robinson III (Small Forward)

*Traded 44th overall pick to Nets for cash.
**Traded 53rd pick to Rockets for cash.

The Wolves certainly got more athletic on draft night. LaVine is an intriguing prospect who could turn out to be a bargain at that spot. He’s very raw and doesn’t have a defined position yet. He’s been compared to Russell Westbrook quite a bit when scouts discuss his potential. He can play the point, but it’s not his natural position. He’ll likely begin his career at shooting guard, potentially taking some of the ball handling duties on the second team. LaVine has a ways to go, but he’s a freak athlete who has star potential, though he isn’t guaranteed to fully realize all those physical tools.

Robinson is a very raw talent who will need some serious D-League time his first season, but he has the potential to develop into a very useful reserve. I really like this pick, and a good value at No. 40, especially since some experts had Robinson potentially sneaking into the end of the first round.

Overall Draft Grade: B- —The Timberwolves need players that who contribute right away. Not sure that either of these selections fits that bill, but in a couple of years, if both selections live up to their potential, this draft could be looked back at rather fondly.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Team Needs: Swingman, Point Guard, Size

Draft Picks:

No. 21 Mitch McGary (Center)
No. 29 Josh Huestis (Small Forward)
No. 55 Semaj Christon (Point Guard)*

*Acquired via trade with Hornets via Heat.

I can almost swear that the team did this same draft last year when they selected Steven Adams and Andre Roberson. Either the Thunder were very happy with how that worked out, or they figured they needed more of the same.

This isn’t a knock against taking McGary, a player that has a much higher upside than Adams. If his back is OK, he’ll be an immediate contributor. McGary would have been selected much higher if he entered last year’s draft, but an injury-shortened season that also saw him facing a suspension for marijuana use lowered his stock. The Thunder should be very happy with his mixture of athleticism, passing, and offensive potential. He could be a starter by year two.

Huestis is a scrappy player who plays tough defense but doesn’t project to be a regular rotation player. He’ll make a nice 11th or 12th man, but there were better options on the board at the same position. Christon is a project who will need D-League time before he can hope to contribute at the NBA level.

Overall Draft Grade: C+ —The Thunder got some value with the McGary pick, who if healthy can be an immediate contributor. I’m not a fan of the Huestis pick, especially considering that Kyle Anderson, K.J. McDaniels, and Cleanthony Early were all on the board at the time.

Portland Trailblazers

Team Needs: Center, Defense, Depth

Draft Picks:

No picks

The Blazers had traded their first rounder as part of the Gerald Wallace deal a few years back. The fact that he’s not on the team and they don’t have much to show in return has to hurt a bit, but the presence of Damian Lillard is more than a decent consolation prize. Granted, there weren’t any franchise changing players available at No. 24, but there were still a few useful pieces the team could have chosen from.

Overall Draft Grade: D- —Trading your first round pick is always a risky proposition, and the team has nothing from that trade that will help the franchise next season, other than Lillard, who was acquired in a follow-up swap. The team better hope C.J. McCollum improves in his second year, otherwise it will be status quo in Rip City.

Utah Jazz

Team Needs: Small Forward, Power Forward, Point Guard

Draft Picks:

No. 5 Dante Exum (Point Guard/Shooting Guard)
No. 23 Rodney Hood (Small Forward)

Despite not having a shot to take their dream player in Jabari Parker, you have to really like what the Jazz were able to accomplish on draft night. Exum was being discussed as a potential top-3 pick, and having him slip to the Jazz at No. 5 was a win. The book is still out on Exum, and it has to be seen how he will handle the much-tougher NBA competition. But physically and athletically, Exum has the makings of a star.

He will most likely begin his career as a shooting guard, playing alongside last year’s top pick, Trey Burke. But Burke’s lack of elite athleticism and speed might force the team to transition to Exum at the point. Wherever he ends up playing, Utah is gambling that he’ll be a top-10 player in the league in a few years. Exum could make the Magic kick themselves for passing over him to nab Aaron Gordon.

Hood at No. 23 was a tremendous value, and he has the potential to become a productive starting player. The Jazz will benefit from Hood’s ability to drain it from deep, and if he can develop into a better defender and rebounder, Hood will end up being a steal for the franchise.

Overall Draft Grade: A —The Jazz came away with two potential starters, both of whom should see plenty of minutes next season. This could become the draft that gets the franchise turned around. Jazz fans have a lot to be excited about going into next season.

And-Ones: Hinkie, Anthony, Jazz

June 28th, 2014 at 11:50pm CST by Cray Allred

Many NBA stars are having discussions of teaming up now and in the future, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders tweets. Here’s more from around the NBA:

Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer details how Sixers GM Sam Hinkie pounced on the Magic‘s needs by drafting Elfrid Payton at No. 10 and then trading him to Orlando, receiving back the 2015 first-rounder Philadelphia owed to the Magic.
A Knicks player that recently spoke with Carmelo Anthony told Marc Berman of The New York Post that the star forward gave no indication of leaving New York.
The Jazz will most likely let 2013 draft pick Raul Neto spend another year developing overseas, reports Jody Genessy of Deseret News.
Utah has yet to decide what to do with 2008 draft selection Ante Tomic, per Genessy. The Jazz could buy out his overseas contract and bring the center over to contribute this season, trade his rights, or simply wait another year.
Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald tweets that Ray Allen is still in the Heat‘s plans going forward. Allen has been leaning toward returning to play another year alongside LeBron James.

Western Notes: Love, Wolves, Grizzlies

June 28th, 2014 at 10:31pm CST by Cray Allred

Kevin Love, Klay Thompson, and David Lee will attend Team USA training camp starting on July 27, and Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that he thinks the Wolves and Warriors view that date as an unofficial deadline to complete a trade involving those players. Here’s more from out West:

Flip Saunders defended the Wolves‘ choice to sell two second round draft picks to Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune, saying the moves don’t signify a lack of commitment to winning at all costs. “If you don’t have a player who you think will be in your program, I’m not going to draft somebody just to say we drafted him,” said Saunders. “When I look at our salary cap, we’re up in the high [$60 millions] and, I think, last year were the highest salary-cap team that didn’t make the playoffs. I look at the commitment that [owner Glen Taylor] has made last year and moving forward, we’re committed to winning. Those picks had nothing to do with trying to get money.” Saunders’ assertion is incorrect: the Knicks, Celtics, and Lakers all had higher team salaries than Minnesota and did not make the playoffs.
Unrestricted free agents James Johnson and Beno Udrih appear unlikely to re-sign with the Grizzlies, writes Ronald Tillery of Commercial Appeal.
However, the Grizzlies are poised to make a strong pitch for free agent Mike Miller to re-sign with the team, the Commercial Appeal scribe reports.
Tillery adds that Memphis is likely to retain Kosta Koufos‘s partially-guaranteed $3MM contract for 2014/15.

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