Month: November 2024

Draft Notes: Cavs, Parker, Wiggins, Embiid

June 25th, 2014 at 11:50pm CST by Chuck Myron

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert wants the team to draft Andrew Wiggins first overall, but the front office prefers Jabari Parker, report Jeff Goodman and Chad Ford of ESPN.com. That’s somewhat surprising, considering that Parker is seemingly the better of the two for Gilbert’s desire to win now. It’s unclear if Gilbert will let GM David Griffin and company take Parker, but after letting his executives make the call on Anthony Bennett at No. 1 last year, Gilbert will at least have a “stronger voice” this time around, Ford tweets. Here’s more on the eve of the draft:

Andrew Wiggins wants to play for the Sixers, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Sixers would take Wiggins at No. 1 if they were to move up, but the Bucks, Magic, Jazz, and Celtics would all select Jabari Parker if they wound up at the top of the draft, tweets Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
Multiple teams are trying to buy copies of Joel Embiid‘s medical records, a source tells Jake Fischer of The Boston Globe. Other sources tell Fischer that the buying of draftees’ medical records is common practice. (Twitter links)
James Young says his workout with the Sixers went well, and gets the sense that he could be selected by Philadelphia with the No. 10 pick, tweets Pompey.
Julius Randle passed on a second workout with the Celtics, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.
Marcus Smart did perform a second workout with the Celtics, and also worked out for the Magic a second time, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders,
Zach LaVine tells Andrew Perna of RealGM he has worked out for every team holding picks six through 17 (Twitter link). The Sixers, Magic, and Bulls are teams in that range that had not been linked to a workout with LaVine previously.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo worked out for the Knicks, tweets Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Knicks acquired two second round picks earlier today.
Bogdan Bogdanovic has come stateside to work out for the Spurs and Clippers, and Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress tweets that the Serbian wing is gaining steam as a potential pick late in the first round.
Alec Brown has worked out for the Bulls, Cavs, Mavs, Clippers, Knicks, Sixers, and Raptors, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
Tim Bontemps of The New York Post thinks it’s likely that the Nets can pick up a second round pick, and opines that they could even make their way into the late first round, where multiple teams would like to trade out of.

Earlier updates

Dan Gilbert tweeted out his insistence that he and the Cavs front office are not split (hat tip to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel).
An opposing GM told Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio that the Cavs are entertaining “everything,” because they are in the driver’s seat (Twitter link).
It’s still unknown if Dante Exum will work out for the Cavs at their request, but Andy Katz of ESPN.com reports that the guard is unlikely to cooperate without an assurance that there is a deal in place for Cleveland to move down and select him.
The Hornets have shown sporadic interest in dealing away their No. 24 pick, but those talks have cooled recently, tweets Chris Mannix of SI.com.
The Celtics face tough odds of moving up in the draft because “lots” of other teams with better players to offer are trying to do the same, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
One such team could be the Kings, who sources tell Ken Berger of CSBSports.com are trying to move up from No. 8 to have a chance at landing Joel Embiid.
Rival GMs believe that Nuggets GM Tim Connelly is in “deal-making mode” with Denver’s No. 11 pick, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Nuggets have been reportedly shopping the pick for some time now.
Noah Vonleh is expected to be selected first of the power forward grouping including Vonleh, Aaron Gordon, and Julius Randle, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Gordon is not expected to drop any lower than the eighth selection, per Spears’ source.
Nets GM Billy King told Rod Boone of Newsday that the asking price to acquire a first round draft pick is likely too high for Brooklyn, and that a second round pick seems more possible (Twitter link).
Jusuf Nurkic has a buyout to leave his international club and join the NBA this season, tweets Wojnarowski. There was some confusion as to Nurkic’s willingness and ability to join an NBA team immediately before this revelation, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.
Joel Embiid is in “strong consideration” for the Sixers at No. 3, and it’s highly unlikely he slides past the Lakers at No. 7, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). The Sixers have obtained Embiid’s medical information, as Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com reports.
The NBA buyout in the extension that Walter Tavares signed with his Spanish team is $600K, agent Andy Miller tells Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, and that’s precisely the amount NBA teams can pay without it counting against the cap. There were representatives from 11 NBA teams at a private workout Tavares held on Tuesday, and Raptors GM Masai Ujiri and executives from the Knicks and Nets were among them, Zagoria reports. Zagoria also adds the Spurs to the list of teams that have brought the 22-year-old center in for an audition.
Fellow European prospect Vasilije Micic prefers to stay overseas regardless of whether he’s drafted on Thursday, as he told Rigas Dardalis of Eurohoops.net.
The Hawks were the last of a dozen teams to work out Zach LaVine, observes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link).
Andre Dawkins auditioned for the Kings, as Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report notes within his broader look at the draft. Dawkins tells Zwerling that the Cavs, Pistons and Wizards have expressed interest in him.
Jordan Adams wasn’t able to get to Memphis in time as the Grizzlies scrambled to put together a last-minute audition, so Michael Dixon is taking his place in the four-man workout group, tweets Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal.

Rockets To Trade Asik To Pelicans

June 25th, 2014 at 10:53pm CST by Cray Allred

10:53pm: The pick is protected so that it will only convey to the Rockets next year if it falls between the No. 4 and 20 selections, tweets Feigen.

9:25pm: The Rockets have a deal in place to send Omer Asik to the Pelicans, sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The Pelicans will send a protected 2015 first round pick to Houston, who is moving Asik to clear cap space in pursuit of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony (all Twitter links). Sam Amick of USA Today first reported that Houston will also send cash to New Orleans as part of the deal, and Windhorst reports that the amount is $1.5MM (via Twitter).

The Rockets were reported to have deals in place for both Asik and Jeremy Lin, so this is not a shocking development. While a source tells Amick that Lin won’t be moved until the Rockets have a marquee free agent lined up to sign, Asik’s overlapping skill set with starter Dwight Howard makes him a less risky player to part with preemptively. The Turkish big man was shopped by the Rockets last season, but the balloon payment on the upcoming final year of his contract cooled teams from acquiring the elite defender. Of course, Houston was interested in getting back a player to help in their playoff run at the time, which wasn’t a factor in this trade.

The pick from New Orleans has layers of protection, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Feigen says it will likely end up going to the Rockets in the late lottery or as high as No. 20 next year, depending on the Pelicans’ regular season performance. Since New Orleans doesn’t own its 2014 first round pick, the trade would need to be finalized following tomorrow’s draft since teams are prohibited from being without a first round pick in two consecutive seasons.

Amick reports that the teams plan to make the deal official in July, suggesting after the July moratorium, when New Orleans would presumably send back contracts to match the roughly $8.4MM cap hit that accompanies Asik. Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times notes that the nonguaranteed contracts on New Orleans’ roster would not equal enough in salary to match Asik’s number and stay under the cap for a valid trade. The Pelicans will have to clear more salary in advance of finalizing the deal, since it would be self-defeating for Houston to take back significant salary as part of the deal (Twitter links).

Jazz Extend Qualifying Offer To Hayward

June 25th, 2014 at 10:35pm CST by Cray Allred

10:58pm: The Jazz announced their move in a team release (H/T Adi Joseph of USA Today).

10:35pm: The Jazz have extended a qualifying offer to Gordon Hayward, making him a restricted free agent, tweets Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. The move was expected, and gives Utah the ability to match any offers for the small forward. The team has maintained their confidence in bringing back the former No. 9 pick, and still intend to re-sign Hayward per a tweet from Jody Genessy of Deseret News.

There is mutual interest for Hayward to stay in Utah for the long run, as we detailed in his free agent stock watch post. The Priority Sports & Entertainment client came in sixth in our most recent free agent power rankings, and is sure to generate plenty of interest on the open market. Hayward averaged a career high 16.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 5.2 APG this season, but it came in a year that he experienced by far the most losing as a pro, as the Jazz went just 25-57.

Rudy Gay To Opt In With Kings

June 25th, 2014 at 7:56pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 7:56pm: Gay has opted in as expected, the team announced.

SUNDAY, 1:35pm: Kings forward Rudy Gay will exercise his $19.3MM contract option for the 2014-15 season, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Meanwhile, Gay will table extension talks until later this summer.

The Kings want to re-sign Gay to a new, long-term deal and they’re expected to sit down with agent Alex Saratsis of Octagon in the near future to get that going. Gay has waffled on his desire to remain in Sacramento but sources tell Wojnarowski that he has been impressed with the commitment of new owner Vivek Ranadive to build a contending team.

By re-upping his deal, Gay will give himself a hefty guaranteed payday while also getting a chance to see how the Kings’ proposed rebuild looks over the course of the next year. If things pan out to Gay’s liking, he can extend his contract with the club through the 2017/18 season, providing he signs the extension after the calendar flips to July. If Gay isn’t confident in the team’s direction, he can pack his bags and go elsewhere in the summer of 2015.

Gay enjoyed something of a mini-resurgence during his time with the Kings last season. In 55 games, the forward averaged 20.1 PPG off of 48.2% shooting from the floor. He also put up a career-high PER of 19.6 after years of criticism from the stats-conscious community over his lack of efficiency.

Latest On Kevin Love

June 25th, 2014 at 7:35pm CST by Chuck Myron

7:35pm: The talks between Minnesota and Golden State are not dead, Chad Ford of ESPN.com said as a guest on ESPN 710 LA (transcription via Basketball Insiders). A trade built around Love, Lee, and Thompson could still be worked out prior to free agency, since the Warriors would likely see themselves as credible suitors for LeBron James with a Stephen Curry/Love foundation.

3:57pm: The formal structure of a deal was never in place between the Cavs and Wolves, but Cleveland had been “fiercely determined” to trade for Love, Wojnarowski writes. Wojnarowski suggests that the No. 1 pick was a part of the talks, even if there was no offer, per se. Cleveland’s pursuit ended when agent Jeff Schwartz warned that Love wouldn’t re-sign, according to Wojnarowski. Love’s wish list is narrow, and Saunders has put trade discussions involving him “in neutral,” Wojnarowski hears.

2:33pm: Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio hears that the negotiations between Cleveland and Minnesota have been exploratory and “not yet serious enough to kill” (Twitter link).

2:00pm: The Cavs have yet to offer the top pick for Love, as Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press hears. Still, Krawczynski suggests there’s a decent chance that Love indeed made it clear he wouldn’t remain in Cleveland if traded there, discouraging the Cavs from making such an offer (Twitter links).

1:06pm: One day out from the draft, and Kevin Love trade discussions appear to be slow-going, at best. The Cavs made a push to deal the No. 1 pick for Love, but he would refuse to re-sign with Cleveland, and that’s halted those talks, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). At least one member of the Warriors braintrust wouldn’t be on board with a one-for-one trade of Love for Klay Thompson if it were a possibility, tweets Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. The prevailing logic within the Warriors front office is that an upgrade at power forward over David Lee that would break up the backcourt of Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry isn’t worth it, the Bay Area News Group scribe adds.

Minnesota meanwhile has an eye toward waiting to see the offers from teams who miss out on Carmelo Anthony this summer, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders would prefer to try to convince Love to stay rather than take a trade offer that’s less than ideal, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Saunders is optimistic that his team will improve this coming season, but even “strong improvement” wouldn’t be enough to convince Love to stay, Bulpett hears.

The Wolves are wary of Boston’s reported proposal of Kelly Olynyk, picks Nos. 6 and 17 in this year’s draft, and a future first-round pick since it would require the Wolves to take back additional, likely player-friendly, contracts to make the salaries match, Bulpett writes. The Celtics are willing to discuss including the first-round picks the Nets owe them, according to Bulpett.

Wolves Give Zach LaVine Promise At No. 13?

June 25th, 2014 at 7:18pm CST by Chuck Myron

7:18pm: While the Wolves do have interest in LaVine, Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press tweets that there is no evidence a draft promise has been made.

3:15pm: Sources tell Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders that they believe the Wolves have given former UCLA guard Zach LaVine a promise to draft him with the 13th overall pick (Twitter link). Such promises aren’t binding, but it does appear to indicate that Minnesota isn’t planning to use the pick in a trade involving Kevin Love.

LaVine is among the players the Wolves have worked out in advance of the draft. He’s No. 13 in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings and No. 14 with Chad Ford of ESPN.com, so it seems he’s right in line for Minnesota.

Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors suggested that the club that ends up with LaVine wouldn’t be getting a finished product and must show patience, given LaVine’s raw ability. That would seem to conflict with the desire of Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders to compete immediately.

Knicks, Mavs Swap Chandler, Calderon

June 25th, 2014 at 7:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

7:02pm: The Knicks have officially announced the deal. The only picks changing hands are the two second-rounders for this year moving from Dallas to New York.

4:50pm: The Knicks and Mavs have reached agreement on their rumored trade, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). The deal sends Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to Dallas in exchange for Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, Shane Larkin, Wayne Ellington, picks Nos. 34 and 51 in Thursday’s draft, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports detailed in earlier reports. It’s unclear if future second-round draft consideration will also head New York’s way.

The Mavs had planned a summer pursuit of Chandler, the center on their 2011 title team, three years after letting him go. Knicks president Phil Jackson seemed to dismiss the notion that he told Felton to expect to be traded, but other reports have indicated the Knicks were in the market for an upgrade at the point, which Calderon provides. Felton slumped this past season, and this week he agreed this week to plead guilty to a felony gun charge in a plea agreement that will allow him to avoid jail time.

The deal removes some of New York’s flexibility for the summer of 2015, since Calderon’s contract calls for him to make in excess of $7.4MM in 2015/16 and more than $7.7MM in 2016/17. J.R. Smith has a player option worth nearly $6.4MM for 2015/16, but the Knicks otherwise don’t have commitments for that season. The trade would allow Dallas more cap flexibility for that summer, since Chandler’s contract is up after next season and Felton’s player option for 2015/16 is about $3.95MM.

Dalembert’s approximately $3.867MM salary is partially guaranteed for $1.8MM next season. He also has a 15% trade kicker on his deal that the Mavs would be responsible for paying. Chandler would receive $500K from the Knicks thanks to a trade kicker in his deal.

Hoops Rumors Mock Draft 4.0

June 25th, 2014 at 6:57pm CST by Alex Lee

The 2014 NBA Draft is almost here. What started as one of the most highly anticipated drafts in recent memory has quickly morphed into one of the most action-packed. Joel Embiid went under the knife and is expected to miss four to six months, but he remains a tantalizing seven-foot talent. Meanwhile, there is an even mix of teams at the top of the draft that either tanked to get there or have a mandate to win now. This makes Embiid’s landing spot doubly hard to predict. Where will risk and reward intersect?

Behind Embiid, there are arguably seven prospects that would have been the No. 1 overall selection in last year’s draft. This has made the draft’s top selections simultaneously invaluable and expendable, as some teams eye veteran superstars while others reportedly consider trading back since there is so much quality depth. Throw in post-lottery variables like the position-less T.J Warren and Kyle Anderson and the news that Dario Saric will be overseas for at least two more seasons, and Thursday night should be wild.

Below is our fourth and final attempt to predict how things will play out at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. We have mixed in some trade commentary due to the overwhelming amount of rumors that are floating around. Beyond that, these picks are based on what we’re hearing around the league, our player evaluations, and what we perceive to be a team’s draft needs. Whether you’re an aspiring draft pundit or merely an excited fan, we welcome your opinion in the comments section.

Cleveland Cavaliers – Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins entered his freshman season at Kansas as the favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick. Whether Cleveland trades this pick or decides he is a better fit than Jabari Parker, I am betting he still ends up here. The defensive potential and athleticism of Wiggins better compliment franchise centerpiece Kyrie Irving.
Milwaukee Bucks – Jabari Parker. If the Bucks have truly narrowed their selection down to Wiggins or Parker, then they should have a stress-free start to Thursday night. The Bucks and Parker, a Chicago native, have had a mutual interest all along according to reports. Milwaukee is seemingly the only team in the top eight that hasn’t had serious discussions to trade their selection, though it sounds like most of the roster would be available.
Philadelphia 76ers – Dante Exum. The Sixers are trying to trade up while simultaneously thinking about trading Michael Carter-Williams in hopes of landing another top-10 selection. They also still may have interest in Embiid at three. It’s going to be a busy night for GM Sam Hinkie. If they stay put, my guess is they take Exum and either pair him with MCW or move the reigning Rookie of the Year. Even if they swap picks with the Cavs, Exum could still be the pick here.
Orlando Magic – Joel Embiid. There is doubt that the Magic want to take a prospect here who might not get on the floor this season, even one with the talent of Embiid.
Unless Philly includes its No. 10 selection, the Magic also seemingly have the most enticing trade package for Cleveland. However this shakes out, I don’t buy that Embiid will fall much beyond No. 4. Maybe Hennigan rolls the dice, maybe the Cavs move back for him or maybe someone like Boston moves up, but this is the spot for Embiid.
Utah Jazz – Noah Vonleh. Parker’s Mormon faith makes him an enticing target for Utah. If the Jazz make a move happen, expect them to do so for the Duke product. Should the Jazz stay at five, Vonleh is the pick with Exum already in Philly. Should the Magic opt for Vonleh at four, the Jazz would likely decide between Aaron Gordon and Marcus Smart. Look for them to address their backcourt with their other first-rounder.
Boston Celtics – Aaron Gordon. Danny Ainge is not one to maintain the status quo. He will likely either add a Kevin Love type to go with Rajon Rondo or move Rondo and start over with youth. Boston has been a popular destination for Embiid since the news of his injury. With the Kansas center going to Orlando here, the C’s will snatch the uber-athletic Gordon. Smart would be the other potential pick for Boston.
Los Angeles Lakers – Julius Randle. If the Lakers can ship this pick to Philly for MCW and Thaddeus Young, I don’t see why they wouldn’t. That would give Mitch Kupchak the best of both worlds: youth for the long term and help for Kobe Bryant now. Randle would also help the Lakers next year and makes sense for Philly too after they took a guard at No. 3.
Sacramento Kings – Marcus Smart. It sounds like the Kings are trading this selection in hopes of making a playoff push next year. If they’re shrewd, they’ll stay put in this scenario and scoop up Smart, who would be a steal at No. 8. This is also the highest Elfrid Payton could go. Both are high-character types who would be great additions to the Sacramento locker room.
Charlotte Hornets – Doug McDermott. The Hornets need shooters, making McDermott, Nik Stauskas or Gary Harris the most likely selections here. McDermott offers a little bit of Josh McRoberts insurance as well, though Charlotte would use the two differently. The priority at No. 9 is to get Al Jefferson some immediate help on the offensive end.
Philadelphia 76ers – Nik Stauskas. News that Saric will stay in Europe for at least two more seasons makes Philly a less likely destination for him at No. 10, though I still wouldn’t rule it out. In theory, what happens with their first pick (or two if they move MCW) will affect this selection. But I think Hinkie is just as concerned with obtaining valuable assets as he is with putting together pieces that fit. Stauskas and Harris are the top options here.
Denver Nuggets – Gary Harris. I’ve had Harris going to Denver in the last two mocks and I’m sticking with it. This is right around where he is on most big boards. He perfectly aligns with the Nuggets’ needs and he even makes sense if this pick is dealt to Chicago. This is the part of the draft where names like Zach LaVine, James Young and Rodney Hood will start to pop up.
Orlando Magic – Elfrid Payton. Unless they somehow nab Exum with their first pick, the Magic will be looking point guard here. Payton apparently went toe-to-toe with Smart in workouts and destroyed every other guard he faced, resulting in his rise up draft boards. Pairing him with Victor Oladipo gives them a backcourt duo chock full of intangibles. Moving Arron Afflalo will open up a hole on the wing, bringing Young and LaVine into the mix.
Minnesota Timberwolves – Adreian Payne. If Klay Thompson or Harrison Barnes (or both?) is Minnesota-bound, it will mollify the Wolves’ need for wing shooting to go with Ricky Rubio. Payne’s ability to stretch defenses from the four will also help on O, while his size and toughness should bolster an anemic interior defensive unit.
Phoenix Suns – Dario Saric. Saric’s commitment to Anadolu Efes will make him a tempting option for every team picking in the teens. There’d be little reason why Phoenix, which has three first round picks, wouldn’t take him here. It would be awfully risky to hope he’s there at No. 18. The Suns were a good bet to stash a prospect from overseas, and now the best one not named Exum might fall right into their lap.
Atlanta Hawks – Zach LaVine. Some believe Mike Budenholzer is destined to make the Hawks the Spurs of the Eastern Conference. Could Kyle Anderson go here as a Boris Diaw type? Could the Hawks overlook T.J. Warren’s positional questions and pull the trigger on the N.C. State star? Maybe, but I think LaVine has too much upside to pass on at No. 15.
Chicago Bulls – P.J. Hairston. The Bulls are in on all the available NBA stars, whether via trade or free agency. They also have interest in moving up to grab a shooter. Payne would fit great if he falls to 16. Hairston would be a reach at No. 16 according to most draftniks, but I love him, especially for Chicago. He gives the Bulls a shooter/scorer and adds more toughness to a roster full of it.
Boston Celtics – James Young. There haven’t been many reports linking the Celtics to Young, but at No. 17 they’d be hard-pressed not to take him. He already possesses a polished offensive arsenal, making him a nice compliment to Gordon (whom the C’s added at No. 6). If Ainge opts to go into full rebuild mode, Boston could target Tyler Ennis or Shabazz Napier here to replace Rondo.
Phoenix Suns – Rodney Hood. The Suns are one of few teams to have had Hood in for two workouts, suggesting that they’re serious about drafting the Duke product. He fills Phoenix’s need on the wing and provides mid-to-long range shooting. Young would fit here and I think the Suns are a sleeper for Warren, too.
Chicago Bulls – Shabazz Napier. It’s well-documented that the Bulls need shooting, but they need point guard help, too. Whether it is Love, Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James, Chicago is a good bet to land a major piece who will help their offensive woes. I think the team’s need to back up Derrick Rose with a legitimate point guard is underrated, and at least one report says the Bulls prefer Napier to Ennis.
Toronto Raptors – Tyler Ennis. A week ago I had Payton in this spot, but he has since rocketed up draft boards. Smart, Payton and Napier have all outshined Ennis in workouts. Jordan Clarkson could also pass him, but taking a local product who fits a need makes a lot of sense at No. 20 for the Raptors. Ennis might be boring, but his steadiness makes him a good bet to stick in the league.
Oklahoma City Thunder – Jusuf Nurkic. Many projections have the 280-pound Bosnian going much earlier than this, a trend that started in the last week or so. I still believe Saric will be the first European off the board, though I concede that Nurkic probably won’t fall beyond No. 21. Teams with multiple first rounders — like the Thunder, Bulls, Suns, Celtics and Jazz — all are potential landing spots for him.
Memphis Grizzlies – T.J Warren. K.J. McDaniels and Jarnell Stokes are tailor-made for the “grit and grind” in Memphis and Anderson would be an intriguing addition for a team without much offensive creativity. That said, Warren should be the pick if he’s available at No. 22. He just knows how to score and is ready to play right now, making him a steal for the Grizz.
Utah Jazz – Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson makes sense whether the Jazz land Vonleh or trade up to add Parker. The Mizzou product would give the Jazz two guards who can play both positions and, most importantly, provide the type of shot-making their roster lacks. Hairston fits if he’s on the board here, as does Jordan Adams.
Charlotte Hornets – Mitch McGary. Charlotte has perhaps promised McGary it will take him at No. 24. While it’s certainly not a binding commitment, the Michigan big does make sense here for the Hornets, who are intent on adding size after securing a shooter at No. 9. If he’s healthy, he’s a nice combination of safety and upside.
Houston Rockets – K.J. McDaniels. The Rockets could use some more bulk, making Stokes a possibility here. They also need another defender, which is where McDaniels comes in. Patrick Beverley is great, but his size and offensive limitations necessitate another option to help compensate for the defensive indifference of James Harden.
Miami Heat – Kyle Anderson. Pat Riley sounds confident he’ll retain his three superstars, so it’s safe to assume he will draft accordingly. Erik Spoelstra has already shown he can blend talented pieces, which should soften any reservations about grabbing Anderson. No one seems sure how he’ll play offense or if he’ll play defense, but this is a highly skilled player.
Phoenix Suns – Cleanthony Early. I had Clint Capela pegged to Phoenix here last week, but after stealing Saric at No. 14, that becomes unlikely. The Suns are sure to use one of their three picks on an international player they can stash and the other two on wings. Early will help next year and offers a completely different skill set than Hood, whom they took at No. 18.
Los Angeles Clippers – Jarnell Stokes. Stokes is a personal favorite and it wouldn’t be surprising if he went in the early 20s. He has NBA-ready bulk and skill but some question how he will handle length. At 6’9″ and 260 pounds, he has the same measurements as Jared Sullinger. His physicality would fit nicely behind the explosiveness of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
Oklahoma City Thunder – Jordan Adams. After securing Nurkic at No. 21, the Thunder are likely to seek perimeter help and someone who can contribute soon at No. 29. Adams lacks athleticism but that isn’t a huge problem in a backcourt with Russell Westbrook. Shooting guard is a need in OKC with Thabo Sefolosha a long shot to return.
San Antonio Spurs – Clint Capela. The Spurs will have most of their championship core back, enabling a number of possibilities to close out the first round. Capela is well worth a flier at 30, as is 7’3″ Walter Taveras. If the Spurs opt for a college player, Jerami Grant and Glenn Robinson III are potential fits.

Raptors Plan To Waive Salmons

June 25th, 2014 at 6:32pm CST by Cray Allred

The Raptors will waive John Salmons if they can’t find a trade suitor for the veteran guard by June 30, tweets Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. That is the date that Salmons’ contract becomes fully guaranteed, going from a $1MM cap hit to a $7MM figure. The Raptors are interested in moving both Salmons and Tyler Hansbrough, whose contract is also partially guaranteed at $1MM until June 29. A source tells Wolstat that it is unlikely Toronto finds a willing partner (Twitter link).

The Raptors could snag an asset from a team looking to shed cap space by acquiring and then waiving Salmons, or they could save the $6MM by cutting him themselves. Toronto is preparing to try and re-sign Kyle Lowry, who will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The point guard already has suitors lining up, and Toronto might need to use any savings they can manage to make their offer sweet enough to keep him around.

Rockets Eye Lowry As Fallback Option

June 25th, 2014 at 6:30pm CST by Cray Allred

The Rockets will pursue Kyle Lowry in free agency if they fail in their quest to sign a superstar this summer, sources tell Sam Amick of USA Today. While the point guard has been rumored as a potential addition for the Heat alongside LeBron James, Amick suggests that Lowry is likely to be rewarded by a team that misses out on James and is still looking to sign an elite player. The USA Today scribe says that the Rockets’ cap-clearing plans to trade Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin would be pursued in order to secure Lowry, as well as the bigger names on Houston’s radar.

Amick includes the Lakers as a potential landing spot for Lowry, which echoes earlier reports of LA’s interest in the point guard. The Rockets traded Lowry to the Raptors for the 2012/13 season, but tried to reacquire him before the most recent trade deadline. The Raptors were close to sending Lowry to the Knicks, but ultimately retained him and enjoyed a playoff run due largely to his performance.

The ASM Sports client had a career year this season and is expected to net salaries upwards of $10MM per year on any new deal. While Lowry has earned a big payday, he has expressed a fondness for Toronto while surveying his options.

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