2015 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Hawks, Wade, Woods

June 6th, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Eddie Scarito

With the sale of the Hawks nearly completed, the situation regarding embattled GM Danny Ferry is still waiting a definitive resolution, Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. Schultz predicts the most likely outcome is that Ferry simply resigns and Atlanta gives coach Mike Budenholzer a new contract and more autonomy, and places assistant GM Wes Wilcox in charge of the basketball operations department, at least for the 2015/16 campaign.

Here’s the latest from the Eastern Conference:

The Cavaliers announced that point guard Kyrie Irving suffered a fractured left kneecap during the first game of the NBA Finals, and he will require surgery to repair the damage that will keep him out of action for a minimum of three to four months.
In his weekly mailbag, a reader asked Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel if he felt that the Heat‘s personnel mistakes have fueled Dwyane Wade‘s concern moving forward. Winderman believes that Wade has lost a good amount of trust in the front office and if the team was winning now, salary might not be such a sticking point for him. The question is whether the Heat are “all in” for 2015/16 and, at present, Winderman isn’t sure that’s the case.
The Magic have expressed interest in Butler big man Kameron Woods, who is not projected to be picked in the upcoming NBA Draft, David Woods of The Indianapolis Star writes. The team interviewed Woods last week, and could be looking to sign the forward as a free agent after the draft, the Indy Star scribe adds.
The Pistons are holding workouts today for Bobby Portis (Arkansas), Kevon Looney (UCLA), Sir’Dominic Pointer (St. John’s), D.J. Newbill (Penn State), Will Cummings (Temple), and Juwan Howard Jr. (Detroit), Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops tweets.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Clark, Cauley-Stein, Erman

June 5th, 2015 at 8:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Earl Clark‘s future with the Nets still remains unclear even after the forward spoke with GM Billy King, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders relays (Twitter links). The 27-year-old wishes to remain with Brooklyn, but realizes his non-guaranteed salary for next season could make him expendable, Kennedy notes. Clark, who is scheduled to earn $1,185,784 during the 2015/16 campaign, indicated he would likely play in an NBA summer league if he is let go by the Nets, the Basketball Insiders scribe adds.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

NBA commissioner Adam Silver told reporters, including Rod Boone of Newsday (on Twitter), that he has talked to Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov about how to drum up more interest in the NBA over in Russia.
Kentucky big man Willie Cauley-Stein has a workout scheduled with the Knicks on June 16th, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv tweets.
Celtics assistant coach Darren Erman departed for a post on Alvin Gentry‘s coaching staff in New Orleans because the Pelicans offered him a spot as a member of the bench staff, something Boston could not, Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald writes. “We heard rumors about the connections Erman had made in Golden State, where Alvin is now, though Alvin wasn’t in Golden State with Erman,” Celtics executive Danny Ainge said. “The people at Golden State, including a few of the players, were encouraging Alvin that if he got the job, Erman was the guy he needed to hire. . . . We didn’t want to lose him. We just didn’t have a spot on the bench for him here.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Prospect Profile: Emmanuel Mudiay

June 5th, 2015 at 7:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

19-year-old Emmanuel Mudiay enters the 2015 NBA draft as a mystery man to many around the NBA. Possessing a résumé that only encompasses 12 contests worth of non-high school scouting data, and owning a wealth of physical potential and skills, Mudiay is perhaps the biggest risk versus reward player in this year’s draft. While he is almost assuredly going to be a top five pick come June, his selection certainly comes with some risk attached to it. Mudiay is currently ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in this year’s draft by both Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) and Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Mudiay eschewed an opportunity to play college ball for coach Larry Brown at Southern Methodist University during the 2014/15 campaign, and instead signed a one-year, $1.2MM agreement with Guangdong of the Chinese Basketball Association. It remains to be seen if the non-traditional path Mudiay has taken will pay off for him in the long run, and if the lack of competing against NCAA players this past season will hurt his short-term development.

An ankle injury that Mudiay suffered back in November cut his season short, depriving him of some needed growth opportunities on the court. But as a testament to his talent and ability, Mudiay did return to the hardwood during the playoffs, and despite not competing in any games for over three months, the 19-year-old scored 17 points in the first half and finished with a total of 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals in his first game back in action. It is that kind of difference-maker ability that has numerous NBA teams intrigued by Mudiay’s potential as a player.

His numbers overseas were solid in an admittedly miniscule sample size, averaging 18.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.6 steals in 31.5 minutes per contest. Mudiay’s shooting percentages were .478/.342/.574. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton projects those numbers to translate to 11.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per 36 minutes in the NBA, which compare favorably to Celtics rookie Marcus Smart, who averaged 10.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds per 36 minutes this past season.

Mudiay’s decision to skip the draft combine didn’t sit well with many NBA scouts since that venue would have been the first opportunity for many around the league to see him perform live, Ford writes. His absence at that showcase has impacted his draft stock a bit, with more than one GM asking how they could be expected to rank Mudiay higher than Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell, when Russell has done more to prove himself worthy of being a top three pick, the ESPN scribe relays. The young guard is not without his supporters, and a number of scouts have him ranked as the second best player in the draft behind Karl-Anthony Towns. One such scout told Ford, “Mudiay was regarded by everyone as a much better prospect than Russell this time last year. Russell went to Ohio State, was put into a lead role on a high-profile team, and wowed us. He’s improved and we all saw it. But I suspect Mudiay improved too and we just didn’t see it. We’re judging Russell now versus Mudiay one year ago. This is such a huge developmental time for everyone; I suspect he’s gotten better. When teams in the top five see him in workouts, their decision will get much harder.”

The 19-year-old is a combo guard, and there will be a learning curve involved if the team drafting him wants to utilize Mudiay as a full-time point guard. He certainly has the ability to be a dominant playmaker, but it will take some time for his basketball IQ to catch up with his ample physical tools. Mudiay, like many young ball-handlers, has a tendency to over-dribble, as well as force the issue when a simple pass would make all the difference. He’s not a selfish player who will frustrate his teammates by being a ball-stopper though, and his effectiveness at the point will increase along with his knowledge of the game. Mudiay will need to cut down on his turnovers, which have been a persistent issue for him in high school, AAU ball, as well as during his time spent overseas.

Mudiay’s outside game is still a work in progress. His mechanics are sound, which bodes well for future improvement, though his shot selection will need some adjustment. Mudiay also needs to quicken his release, and he often appeared uncomfortable when defenders closed in on him while he was getting his shot off. He has the ability to score from anywhere on the court, but Mudiay is most effective in transition. With his size and athleticism, Mudiay is virtually unstoppable when he takes it to the rack with a full head of steam. He is a devastating finisher at the rim, and will likely become a highlight reel regular with his dunking ability. Mudiay doesn’t get to the foul line as often as he should, which is perhaps a good thing, seeing as he only drained 57.4% of his shots from the charity stripe. That will require immediate improvement or Mudiay will spend quite a bit of time on the bench during the waning minutes of close contests.

The young guard is able to defend both backcourt positions, which will increase his value, as well as keep him on the court during tougher defensive assignments, since his coach can employ more switches on defense. Mudiay is not a good pick and roll defender yet, but that is more a result of his inexperience than it is a reflection on his overall ability. His rebounding skills also stand out, and he’ll be a player who will post a few triple doubles in his career as a result.

Mudiay is certainly a special talent, though how well he will adapt to the NBA game still remains to be seen. His lack of experience will certainly be a factor, though his time spent playing abroad will provide him with a level of maturity that many young players lack when they first step onto the court in the pros. A number of NBA scouts have compared Mudiay’s game and upside to that of Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and John Wall, while some scouts who were less enamored with him used Tyreke Evans as a template for what teams can expect from Mudiay. If he can come close to the production of any of those named players, then Mudiay will certainly be worth nabbing in the draft lottery. He’ll likely be the second guard off the board behind Russell, and should hear commissioner Adam Silver intone his name sometime during the first five picks on draft night.

Draft Notes: Mudiay, T’Wolves, Rozier

June 5th, 2015 at 3:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The T’Wolves have convinced Emmanuel Mudiay that he is in consideration for the No. 1 overall pick, according to Shams Charania of RealGM. Mudiay has workouts scheduled with the Lakers (Saturday), the Timberwolves (June 20th or possibly sooner), and Marc Berman of the New York Post adds the Knicks (Monday) to the list. Recently, SMU coach Larry Brown said that Mudiay will audition for the Sixers as well, rounding out the top four. Here’s a look at the latest draft news..

Louisville guard Terry Rozier has an upcoming workout scheduled with the Hornets, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter). Rozier, 21, is currently ranked No. 50 by DraftExpress and No. 27 by Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
UNLV’s Rashad Vaughn will work out for the Suns today and has auditions scheduled with the Bulls and Wizards, according to Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (on Twitter).
The Suns will bring in UNLV’s Christian Wood as a part of a group workout today, league sources tell Scotto (on Twitter).
Want to familiarize yourself with some of the most interesting prospects in this year’s class? Check out the entries in the Hoops Rumors NBA Draft Prospect Q&A Series! Over the last month, Hoops Rumors has spoken with Jerian Grant, Cameron Payne, Richaun Holmes, and many more notable names.

Q&A With Duke Guard Quinn Cook

June 5th, 2015 at 1:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Leading up to the draft, Hoops Rumors will be talking with some of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s class. Today, the Hoops Rumors Draft Prospect Q&A series continues with Duke guard Quinn Cook, who is ranked No. 62 in this year’s class by both Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com.

After helping Duke win the National Championship, Quinn Cook couldn’t have asked for a better way to end his collegiate career. Now, he’s busting his tail on the draft circuit in order to solidify his place on draft boards around the league. Cook told Hoops Rumors (Twitter link) that he has the Nets, Knicks, Jazz, Lakers, Clippers, and Thunder all on his workout schedule and there could be even more to come. The speedy point guard spoke with Hoops Rumors recently about Coach K, making funny faces during games, and his draft stock heading into June 25th.

Zach Links: How much did it mean to you to end your college career in the best way possible, with a National Championship?

Quinn Cook: It meant a lot to me to end my college career as a champion. I had some tough losses in my four-year career at Duke. To leave winning the tournament, that’s the best thing you can do as a college player. I’m just really proud of my team.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

ZL: Do you think you might be better prepared for the NBA than other guys in this year’s class thanks to your time spent playing for Mike Krzyzewski?

QC: Definitely. He’s the best coach of all-time and for him to have the respect of guys like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, KD [Kevin Durant], it just shows how great he is. He has coached everybody, but he has also learned from these guys. He learns from other coaches too like Tom Thibodeau and Monty Williams. He prepares us very well. Guys who leave our program have a leg up going into the pros because we’ve been around Coach K. He’s a pro’s pro.

ZL: At 6’2″, you’ve shown that you can give taller opponents trouble. Is that something you pride yourself on?

QC: That’s going to be my niche in the league. I think I’m going to be a guy who comes off the bench and causes havoc for the guys on the other side of the ball.

ZL: At your banquet ceremony this year, you spoke a bit about becoming the leader of your Duke team. When did you really start embracing that leadership role and what do you think makes for a great leader in a locker room?

QC: I started embracing that after we were eliminated from the tournament in my junior year. From March 2014 onward, I was determined to be a leader.

To be a leader I think you first have to lead by example. Some guys are more vocal than others, but I think the leader has to be there every day and lead by example more than anything. You can be a “rah rah guy,” as we say at Duke, but the leader has to be the first one in and the last one to leave, setting the tone for everybody.

ZL: What’s the main thing you want to work on?

QC: Everything. I want to just get better in every aspect of the game. I want to be a more consistent shooter off the dribble, finish around rim better, and defend the ball better.

ZL: Do you have an idea of where you might be drafted?

QC: I’m a second round guy. It could be anywhere in the second round. I was a champion and an All-American at Duke, I think I have a solid resume and I think I performed really well at the combine. Hopefully, I’ll get my name called.

ZL: You spent your first three years of high school at DeMatha before transferring to another high school powerhouse in Oak Hill Academy. What was the reason for that change?

QC: I just wanted a new challenge. My best friends, Jerian Grant and Victor Oladipo, they were at DeMatha with me and that was a lot of fun, but I needed a new challenge. My mom had a great relationship with [Oak Hill head coach] Steve Smith so I decided to go there and team up with Ben McLemore.

ZL: You enjoyed some internet attention during the tournament for your unique facial expressions. What was your reaction to inadvertently walking into a new kind of fame?

QC: It was fun! You kind of forget how big the NCAA tournament is and how many people pay attention to it. It was cool to see a few pics go viral and for me to become Instagram and Twitter famous. My teammates kept sending me new pictures that popped up and my friends were too, so that was funny.

ZL: Why Tandem and Jim Tanner?

QC: They’re first class. Jim is first class and everybody in the office is first class. I was comfortable with them…It was a tough decision but I made the right one.

Texas Notes: Ellis, Rockets, Mavs

June 5th, 2015 at 11:09am CST by Zachary Links

Did you miss out on some of Boris Diaw‘s social media highlights from the past year? Well, the good news is that the staff at Spurs.com compiled some of the Spurs forward’s greatest hits on Twitter and Instagram, including his flirtation with Movember. While you flip through that, here’s a look at more out of the Lone Star State..

The expectation remains that Mavericks guard Monta Ellis will opt out of the final season of his contract, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com tweets. However, the Mavs have yet to get word from him on his final decision. Ellis has until June 24th to decide on his $8.72MM player option for next season. Last year, the 29-year-old averaged 18. 9 PPG and 4.1 APG in 33.7 minutes per contest.
The Rockets would like to sign draft-and-stash prospect Sergio Llull, but it doesn’t sound like that’s in the cards for this summer. “I’m flattered that there’s talk about me, but I’m happy in Madrid and I have a multi-year contract,” Llull told Spanish outlet Piratas del Basket (translation via HoopsHype). Kevin McHale has made no secret about his desire to coach Llull in Houston, but it’s believed that he’s less-than-thrilled about the prospect of playing a backup role.
Georgetown product Josh Smith auditioned for the Mavericks recently, as Mark Medina of the Daily News writes. Within the article, Smith admitted that his effort was lacking through his first three years of college at UCLA and Georgetown but said that his senior season was indicative of the performance he’ll give at the next level.

Q&A With San Diego State Forward Dwayne Polee

June 5th, 2015 at 9:52am CST by Zachary Links

Over the next few weeks, Hoops Rumors will be talking with some of the most intriguing prospects in the 2015 NBA Draft. Today, the Hoops Rumors Draft Prospect Q&A series continues with San Diego State forward Dwayne Polee.

A product of Los Angeles powerhouse Westchester High School, Dwayne Polee arrived at St. John’s in 2010 with a great deal of hype. The small forward thrived under first-year head coach Steve Lavin, but an illness at home prompted him to relocate back to the West Coast. Leaving St. John’s was a difficult decision for Polee, but he landed with another solid program in San Diego State, where he enjoyed multiple appearances in the NCAA tournament. The 23-year-old is now auditioning for teams in hopes of hearing his name called later this month. Recently, Polee took some time out of his schedule to chat with Hoops Rumors about his career going forward.

Zach Links: This year, San Diego State made the NCAA tournament and your first game was against St. John’s. Was it strange facing your old teammates in such a high stakes game?

Dwayne Polee: No it wasn’t awkward or anything because I still keep in touch with so many of those guys. I loved my time at St. John’s. I have a very close bond with my teammates that I played with in that year. Steve Lavin and that whole coaching staff was great to me. It was just a great experience all around.

Mar 7, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego State Aztecs forward Dwayne Polee II (5) dunks during the second half against the Nevada Wolf Pack at Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Photo courtesy of USA TODAY Sports Images.

ZL: Have you bumped into Phil Greene or any of your former Red Storm teammates on the draft workout circuit?

DP: Nope, not yet. Could happen over the next few weeks though.

ZL: What do you feel like your greatest strengths are on the court? What do you want to work on?

DP: I think my greatest strengths are probably my defense, athleticism, and length. With my wingspan I can clog the passing lanes and pressure ball handlers a lot more than other guys can. I want to become a more consistent shooter and a more consistent ball handler.

ZL: Your father played professionally and was drafted in the third round by the Clippers. What sort of advice has he given you about the draft process?

DP: He just told me just go out there and play like you’re in the backyard. He told me to play as though there are no GMs or scouts are watching me, because that can be a big distraction. I just go out there and play my hardest like nobody is watching.

ZL: What NBA player would you compare yourself to?

DP: I think I would compare myself to a Jeff Green or a Tony Allen type of player. They play great defense and they’re solid athletes. They can nail the open shots and they just bring their team a lot of energy.

ZL: What workouts have you had so far?

DP: Dallas and the Clippers.

ZL: What are you hearing about your chances of getting drafted?

DP: I haven’t really talked about that with my agent too much just yet, but [Jim Tanner] is just telling me to go out there and play hard. He’s pretty sure that I’ll be able to shock some teams.

ZL: Late last year in a game against UC-Riverside, you had a scary moment where you collapsed mid-game and had to be taken off the court on a gurney. I know that doctors held you out of practice for a while and you weren’t allowed to return to the court until February. We’ve heard players talk about their trepidation in cutting on a surgically-repaired knee or ankle for the first time – what was it like coming back from this incident?

DP: It was kind of weird mentally because you got to get back to the business of basketball. Being with your teammates, running the plays, the rhythm and everything…I would say that was the most challenging part for me. The rest of it didn’t stress me out too much. The way I play is that even if I don’t score a single point, I still go out there and play hard and give it my best.

ZL: What led you to choose Jim Tanner as your agent?

DP: For me, everything is just based on vibes, you know. Jim, when I met with him, he just gave me a great vibe and I just felt comfortable signing with [Tandem Sports and Entertainment]. Since then, everyone I’ve come across tells me that I picked the best agency. I’m very comfortable with the decision that I made.

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Blatt, Lalanne, Celtics

June 4th, 2015 at 10:27pm CST by Charlie Adams

The Nets will swap picks with the Hawks in the upcoming draft as a result of the Joe Johnson trade, meaning they’ll be selecting at 29th. Still, Brooklyn director of player personnel Gregg Polinsky doesn’t sound like he’s too worried about picking so low, as Roderick Boone of Newsday passes along, since Polinsky believes GM Billy King’s creativity will help the Nets land a difference maker late in the first.

Lakers Rumors: Second Pick, Russell, Kobe

June 4th, 2015 at 9:48pm CST by Charlie Adams

The growing feeling around the league is that the Lakers will be willing to move the second overall pick in the upcoming draft if it means they get back a younger veteran who can make an immediate impact, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com writes in his latest chat with readers. Los Angeles isn’t keen on rebuilding, according to Ford, and he believes the right offer could mean the club parting ways with the chance to select either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor. Nothing is certain yet, but the Lakers are in a good position whether they choose to keep the pick or deal it. Let’s round up some more on LA..

Ford writes in the same chat that it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that the Lakers select D’Angelo Russell over Okafor, should the club choose to retain its pick and Towns is selected first.
The Lakers will bring in St. John’s product D’Angelo Harrison as part of a workout group on Friday, a league source tells Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (on Twitter). Harrison is represented by Bernie Lee of Lee Basketball Services.
Free agents are said to be leery of playing with Lakers star Kobe Bryant, but some of this year’s draft prospects seem excited about the possibility, as Bill Oram of the OC Register writes. “I would probably sleep over at his house every night,” UNLV guard Rashad Vaughn said on Wednesday. “I’m serious; on his lawn. He’d probably have to kick me out. I think would be great to be able to come here and learn under him.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Draft Notes: Bucks, Mudiay, Jones, Powell

June 4th, 2015 at 9:16pm CST by Charlie Adams

There’s talk among NBA front offices that the Bucks have their sights set on a pair of shooting guards as potential targets for the 17th pick in the upcoming draft, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times, who identifies Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Arizona) and Rashad Vaughn (UNLV) as the two players Milwaukee will be targeting. As Woelfel points out, both members of the pair are represented by Jeff Schwartz, who works at the same agency that serves Michael Carter-Williams, Tyler Ennis, Khris Middleton and Jason Kidd. We’ve got more on the Bucks and the upcoming draft below:

Bobby Portis (Arkansas), Cameron Payne (Murray State), Justin Anderson (Virginia), Kevon Looney (UCLA), Jerian Grant (Notre Dame) and R.J. Hunter (Georgia State) will work out for the Bucks, Woelfel notes in the piece linked above. He also mentions that Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky have declined to work out for Milwaukee. Prevailing word around the league is that neither player will drop out of the lottery, according to Woelfel.
Emmanuel Mudiay is scheduled to work out for the Timberwolves in addition to the Lakers, Sixers, and Knicks, as SMU coach Larry Brown tells Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Brown had already told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that the highly touted point guard would be putting his skills on display for the latter three of the group mentioned before. Of course, those four teams hold the top four picks in the draft.
Duke freshman Tyus Jones won’t be showing off for any more teams in the near future, as Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN hears that the national-champion point guard’s back acted up during a workout with the Rockets (Twitter link). Still, Wolfson and Woelfel both note the Mavs have interest Jones with the 21st pick.
The Knicks have almost “no idea” what to do with the fourth selection in the upcoming draft, a person close to the organization tells Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders for a mock draft piece. New York is willing to trade back, according to Hamilton, since there are teams who would potentially be interested in getting the fourth pick to nab Willie Cauley-Stein.
UCLA senior shooting guard Norman Powell is touting his ability to play the point and his four years of college experience as he makes the pre-draft workout rounds, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News details. He’s already auditioned for the Bulls, Rockets, Spurs and Sixers, Medina notes.

Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.