2015 NBA Draft

Draft History: Neil Olshey

May 9th, 2015 at 2:50pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2015 NBA draft is less than two months away, and for teams that aren’t still participating in the NBA playoffs, the focus is on using that event to build toward a better future. The exact draft order won’t be known until the May 19th lottery, when the simple bounce of a ping-pong ball can alter the fate of a franchise. Of course, having one of the top selections in any draft doesn’t guarantee that a team will snag a future All-Star. Team executives and scouts still have the difficult task of making the correct call with their picks.

With this in mind we at Hoops Rumors will be taking a look back at the draft history of the primary basketball executive for each NBA team. Their names, reputations, and possibly employment will be on the line as a result of the decisions to come on June 25th, and we’ll be examining what they’ve done in previous years in charge of a club’s front office. Note that many of them have played other sorts of roles within a team’s executive structure, but this won’t take that into account. We’ll continue onward with a look back at the calls made by former Clippers GM and current Trail Blazers President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey…

Clippers (March 2010-June 2012)

2010 Draft

No. 8 Overall — Al-Farouq Aminu: 377 games, 6.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.1 APG. .437/.286/.726.
No. 54 Overall — Willie Warren: 19 games, 1.9 PPG, 0.6 RPG, 1.4 APG. .371/.333/.750.

Notable players passed over: Gordon Hayward (No. 9), Eric Bledsoe (No. 18), Hassan Whiteside (No. 33), and Lance Stephenson (No. 40).

2011 Draft

No first-rounder. Pick (No.1 overall) owned by Cavs as result of Baron Davis/Mo Williams trade.
No. 37 Overall — Trey Thompkins: 24 games, 2.4 PPG, 0.4 RPG, 1.0 APG. .393/.308/.714.
No. 47 Overall — Travis Leslie: 10 games, 1.4 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.5 APG. .357/.000/.444.

Notable players passed over/available at original draft slot: Kyrie Irving (No. 1), Klay Thompson (No. 11), Kawhi Leonard (No. 15), Tobias Harris (No. 19), Kenneth Faried (No. 22), Nikola Mirotic (No. 23), Reggie Jackson (No. 24), Jimmy Butler (No. 30), Chandler Parsons (No. 38), and Isaiah Thomas (No. 60).

Trail Blazers (June 2012-Present)

2012 Draft

No. 6 Overall — Damian Lillard: 246 games, 20.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.1 APG. .429/.368/.861.
No. 11 Overall — Meyers Leonard: 164 games, 4.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.5 APG. .517/.400/.831.
No. 40 Overall — Will Barton: 172 games, 5.0 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.0 APG. .407/.230/.785.

Notable players passed over: Andre Drummond (No. 9), Draymond Green (No. 35), and Khris Middleton (No. 39).

Note: Selected Tyshawn Taylor with the No. 41 overall pick, who was later dealt to the Nets for cash.

2013 Draft

No. 10 Overall — C.J. McCollum: 100 games, 6.3 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.9 APG. .429/.388/.692.
No. 39 Overall — Jeff Withey: 95 games, 3.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.7 BPG. .523/.000/.699.
No. 45 Overall — Marko Todorovic: No NBA regular season appearances.

Notable players passed over: Michael Carter-Williams (No. 11), Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 15), and Rudy Gobert (No. 27).

2014 Draft

First round pick (No. 24) owned by Hornets and traded to Heat.
Second-rounder (No. 56) owned by Nuggets and dealt to Magic.

Notable players available at draft slot: Shabazz Napier (No. 24), K.J. McDaniels (No. 32), and Jordan Clarkson (No. 46).

Eastern Notes: Thompson, Wizards, Hawkins

May 9th, 2015 at 12:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The connection between LeBron James and Tristan Thompson, who share Klutch Sports agent Rich Paul, could make Thompson’s pending free agency more interesting given James’ obvious influence on the Cavaliers‘ personnel decisions, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes. The dynamic between the three men has also helped heal the wounds in the Cavs organization that stemmed from “The Decision” James had made back in 2010 to join the Heat, McMenamin adds. Thompson can become a restricted free agent this summer provided Cleveland tenders him a qualifying offer worth $6,777,589.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Wizards coach Randy Wittman took exception during a press conference to a report that point guard John Wall clashed with the team’s medical staff over the diagnosis of his injured hand, RealGM.com relays. “I have to get this off my chest,” said Wittman. “You guys that know me know I’m completely honest with you guys. I don’t always tell you everything, but I don’t ever come out here and tell you a lie. And what was reported today by Michael Lee [of the Washington Post] was a flat-out lie about John clashing with doctors and the training staff. That’s unfair to this kid. That is so far from the truth, I’ve got to say something. Your inside source is obviously not on the inside. Our doctors are busting their [expletive] to have something like that said. That’s not right. I have to stand up for those people in there.”
As for Wall, who was diagnosed with five displaced fracture in his left hand and wrist, there isn’t much optimism that the star can return to action for the Wizards during the 2014/15 NBA playoffs, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today tweets.
UC Davis senior guard Corey Hawkins worked out for the Sixers this past week, an event which was confirmed by Hawkins himself via his Twitter account. The 6’3″ guard is the No. 97 overall prospect according to DraftExpress.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Teletovic, Saric

May 8th, 2015 at 7:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

This year’s crop of international players isn’t an especially deep group, and if the Celtics decide to try and strike gold by drafting a player from overseas, the team is more likely to do so in the second round, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. Boston currently owns the No. 33 and No. 48 overall selections in the second round, and potential international targets could include Timothe Luwawu (France), Cedi Osman (Turkey), and Aleksander Vezenkov (Bulgaria), Blakley opines.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Mirza Teletovic, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent this summer if the Nets tender him a qualifying offer worth $4,210,125, indicated that he strongly wishes to remain in Brooklyn, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily writes. “I like Brooklyn, people are great, I know the team and everyone, especially doctors, treated me great when all that happened. I really would like to stay in Brooklyn,” said Teletovic, referring to the multiple blood clots found in in his lungs in January. “I know my teammates and everything is really great. I do not know what will be, but I’ll know more in June when free agent market starts.“
The 29-year-old forward also expressed the importance for the Nets to have continuity heading into the 2015/16 campaign, Windrem adds. “I think we had a good season, given the fact that they changed the coach and teammates,” Teletovic said. “Deron [Williams], Brook [Lopez], Joe [Johnson] and I are the only players who have not changed. I think it is important for the Nets to stay with the same system. Some changes good and some bad … but it is very difficult when there are a lot of changes.“
Sixers draft-and-stash pick Dario Saric has impressed a number of scouts and journalists who have watched the 21-year-old Croatian play this season, Tom Moore of Calkins Media writes. Saric’s overseas contract doesn’t include a buyout provision until after the second season, so it’s unlikely that Philadelphia’s fans will see him in a Sixers jersey until the 2016/17 campaign at the earliest, Moore notes.

Prospect Profile: Karl-Anthony Towns

May 8th, 2015 at 4:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kentucky freshman forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns enters the pre-draft process as the likely No. 1 overall pick after spending much of the season being ranked behind Duke big man Jahlil Okafor. While Towns would hardly be considered an under-the-radar recruit, he wasn’t projected to be a potential NBA franchise-changer upon graduating from high school. In fact, Towns was ranked as only the ninth best prospect in his class according to ESPN.com, and seventh in the RSCI overall. But what a difference one nearly undefeated NCAA season can make.

In 39 games for the Wildcats as a freshman, Towns averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 21.1 minutes per contest. His slash line was .566/.250/.813. But Towns’ stats can be somewhat misleading since his overall numbers were muted by Kentucky coach John Calipari‘s platoon system, as well as the Wildcats’ ridiculous frontcourt depth this past season. “You put Towns on any other team in college basketball, maybe with the exception of Duke, and everyone is talking about him as a legitimate player of the year candidate,” one NBA GM told Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required). “His stats, or lack thereof, aren’t an issue of talent, it’s an issue of so much talent on the floor that he can take a back seat.”

Towns possesses outstanding physical attributes for a big man, measuring 7’0″ in shoes with a 7’3 ½” wingspan, and his frame is NBA-ready. While he may not be a freak athletically, Towns is extremely agile, and shows remarkable coordination and dexterity for a still-developing player of his ample proportions. He also has demonstrated solid versatility on the floor, and is able to play both the center and power forward positions effectively, though he projects more as an NBA power forward than at the five spot.

Of course, it is almost impossible to discuss Towns without comparing him against Okafor. While the former Duke big man is by far the more polished of the two players offensively, Towns is the superior defender, has a much higher upside athletically, and is also a more versatile player on the offensive end of the hardwood. It is Towns’ sky-high upside and lock down defensive ability that has enabled him to leapfrog Okafor and take over the top spot in the prospect rankings, with both ESPN.com and DraftExpress slotting Towns as the alpha of the 2015 draft class.

Offensively, Towns was most frequently utilized in the paint while at Kentucky, with 43% of his touches coming with his back to the basket. Towns connected on 51% of his shots from the post area, and he proved himself adept at establishing and holding his position down low. He’ll need to bulk up to be able to match up against some of the stronger big men in the NBA, but Towns is still young, and should mature into an absolute beast physically in just a few seasons. “He’s huge and so skilled,” one GM told Ford. “I think he’s got a chance to be a more mature version of DeMarcus Cousins.”

Towns has shown himself to be comfortable operating from the high post and beyond, and has a high basketball IQ, which shows in his ability to execute in half court sets. His athleticism should allow him to become a force in the pick-and-roll, and his versatility and shooting range will allow him to play effectively alongside an interior-oriented center.

The 19-year-old Towns grew up as a perimeter oriented power forward who had no fear of firing away from beyond the three-point line, Givony notes. In fact, Towns led his high school team in 3-pointers made, and he drained 46% of his attempts as a 15-year old on the Dominican Republic under-17 team while attempting 5.5 threes per game, the DraftExpress scribe adds. Though Towns didn’t show his range that often while at Kentucky, only attempting eight three-pointers for the season, the big man has solid mechanics, and his outside game should travel along with him to the NBA.

The freshman’s post game needs improvement, especially in his footwork, which can be a tad awkward and predictable at times. Towns was prone to turnovers while operating in the paint area, giving away the ball on roughly 18% of his low post possessions. He also eschewed contact far too often for a player of his size and free throw prowess, though he did demonstrate more willingness to mix it up down low as the season wore on. Towns will need to be more aggressive with the ball in his hands in the NBA, as he won’t be able to solely rely on his athletic ability to carry him against the pros.

While Towns remains a work in progress on the offensive end of the court, his defensive ability is what separates him from the rest of the big men in this year’s NBA draft. He has the size and necessary strength to defend NBA centers, but Towns also possesses the mobility to guard most power forwards, which increases his overall value as a player.

Towns is a talented and instinctual shot-blocker, and his 4.4 blocks per-40 minutes ranks fifth amongst the top-100 prospects. His agility allows him to roam on defense, as well as to recover from mistakes. Towns is also athletic enough to stay with most wing players on switches, which is paramount in today’s NBA. The big man is also a solid rebounder, though he’ll need to improve upon his positioning in the NBA since his athleticism won’t be as pronounced against professional opponents. Towns also has a propensity for foul trouble, which will likely be his Achilles heel during his rookie campaign.

The 19-year-old is one of the more exciting big men to come out of the college ranks in quite some time. If NBA scouts and GMs wanted to create the prototypical power forward for today’s game, Towns would certainly be the model off which that player was based. He isn’t a complete player yet, and will certainly have his growing pains during his rookie campaign. Towns isn’t the type of player who will set the league on fire during his rookie season, but out of all the prospects in the 2015 NBA draft, he has the highest probability of turning into a superstar. It will take quite a showing in the pre-draft workouts from Okafor, Emmanuel Mudiay, or D’Angelo Russell to unseat Towns from being the first name called by commissioner Adam Silver on draft night.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Q&A With Lottery Hopeful Cameron Payne

May 8th, 2015 at 9:00am CST by Zachary Links

Throughout the spring and summer, Hoops Rumors will be talking with some of the most intriguing prospects in the 2015 NBA Draft. The Hoops Rumors Draft Prospect Q&A series continues with Murray State guard Cameron Payne, whom Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks No. 15 in this year’s class and Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress rates 20th.

Cameron Payne’s individual stats are impressive: he averaged 20.2 points and 5.7 assists while shooting 37.7% from beyond the arc in 2014/15. Perhaps more impressive than that, however, is that Payne helped lead Murray State to a 25-game winning streak in his final year on campus.

In a draft with several intriguing point guards, Payne is one of the very best in the bunch and quickly rising up draft boards. The Murray State star made his mark in his freshman year and took another seismic leap forward this season in his sophomore year, cementing himself as a first-round talent who could very well prove to be a lottery pick. Payne, a client of Relativity Sports agent Travis King, spoke with Hoops Rumors earlier this week about his NBA future.

Zach Links: We first heard that you were probably going pro towards the end of March. When did you first really start leaning toward entering the draft?

Cameron Payne: For me, the possibility of it became very real after the [Ohio Valley Conference tournament semifinal] game we played against Morehead State. Afterwards, I heard from a lot of people there that I played a great game (Payne led the way with 25 points) and I felt like, man, this would be a perfect time for me to make the jump.

ZL: Were you pretty much off the national recruiting radar coming out of high school?

CP: Well, the team I played on in AAU, we had a lot of big-name players and I came off the bench, so I might have been overshadowed at the time. I just played my role there and then I got the opportunity to play at Murray State. They were the first school to recruit me and everything worked out for the best. It was a great fit for me. I became a better player at Murray State and now it looks like I’m going to get drafted pretty early.

ZL: You’ve had NBA scouts at your games for a long time now. Did you ever find it hard to stay focused on the task at hand rather than look ahead to the NBA?

CP: Not really, because I was so focused on winning and focused on trying to get our school and our team exposure in the tournament. I’m 20 [years old] and getting this attention, so I was definitely thinking about it, but all in all it was about winning as a team because the more that we won, the more attention we all got. It was all about my team and Murray State, so I wasn’t worried during the season.

ZL: When word came out that you would be going pro, you were projected as a fringe or late first-round pick. Since then, you’ve been steadily climbing up those mock drafts. What do you attribute that to?

CP: I think people are starting to watch me, that’s what I think it is, because, before then, no one really watched me. They would just see me on ESPN here and there. They’d say, “He’s pretty good and he got his team pretty far,” but after the season, people were starting to watch game film on me and seeing what kind of person and player I am on and off the court. Everything is working out for the best in the end because, man, I’ve moved up now from being a late first-round guy to earlier; some say I’ll go in the lottery.

ZL: Elfrid Payton was another underclassman out of a small school last year who shot up draft boards in similar fashion. Have you been hearing his name brought up to you a lot?

CP: I’ve definitely heard that a few times now. Elfrid came out of a mid-major and so am I. He was a late first type that climbed up the same way I’m climbing up.

ZL: Coming out of high school, what other colleges were you considering before committing to Murray State?

CP: I definitely considered Wichita State. It was between Wichita State and Murray State and, at the end, I chose to stay a little closer to home. Murray came at me early and they were close enough for my family to come see me play.

ZL: Do you think that going to a smaller school gave you a better chance to develop than a bigger school might have?

CP: Yeah, it did give me a better platform. At Murray State, I was getting minutes as a freshman; they let me mature and play through mistakes and at a mid-major they allow you to do that. It helped me grow as a player. My coach told me that I grew up faster than he ever expected me to and I think that’s because of all of the in-game experience I got.

ZL: What have you improved on since you first arrived on campus?

CP: I’ve improved on my decision making. I know that my shot selection was a problem in my freshman year and in my sophomore year that improved so much. My defense has also gotten much better because I was only 165 pounds as a freshman.

ZL: What’s your weight right now?

CP: I’m 186 pounds but still trying to get bigger. I want to be at least around 190 or 195 [pounds].

ZL: Would you say you’re a leader on the court?

CP: Absolutely. I’m a leader and I’m a selfless teammate. I want to win so bad and anything I can do to help my team win, that’s what I’ll do. If it means giving my teammate the ball because he’s hot, I’m going to keep feeding him. When it comes to being a leader, you know, I can’t be out there messing around because I’m setting the example for everyone else.

ZL: What would you say your greatest strength is on the floor?

CP: This goes back to my leadership ability, but I feel like I can have a big impact on the court, with or without the ball in my hands. I’m a really good talker and I can keep everybody involved in the game.

ZL: What NBA point guard, past or present, would you compare yourself to?

CP: He’s not a point guard but growing up I wanted to be like Kobe Bryant. That’s my guy, but I grew into a different kind of player. I think Tony Parker would be the best to compare me to if you were to compare me to someone. We do the same thing. He gets the teammates involved, he wins; that’s the main thing I like about him.

ZL: Do you have an idea as to where you’ll be drafted? What’s your floor and what’s your ceiling?

CP: To be honest, I think my ceiling … I haven’t really seen the top of it yet. I think it can really rise past even [No.] 11 or 12, but from looking at the board, i could see myself going 11 to 25 because a lot of teams in the draft can use a point guard and I’d be a perfect fit for most or all of them. I’ve worked hard to put myself in a great situation and I’m gonna work as hard as I can to move up. My goal is to get up to [No.] 7, 8, or 9. Where ever I go, though, I’ll be happy. My goal is just to get to shake the commissioner’s hand. That’s always been my dream.

ZL: Why was Travis King and the Relativity Sports agency the right fit for you?

CP: I kind of knew Travis a little bit before this NBA stuff started happening. He’s a really good guy. I like the agency and the program. They’re very loyal to their players and they’re very trustworthy. They’ve done a great job with their players and knowing Travis a bit just made it an even easier decision for me.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eastern Notes: Nets, Draft, Pierce

May 7th, 2015 at 9:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Nets GM Billy King said that the franchise’s draft strategy would be to go for the best player available rather than to try and fill a specific need, Thomas Duffy of NetsDaily relays. “We’re not going to just target a position because we might miss on somebody else,” King said. “And I will say that we’re trying to move up in the draft. We’ll explore options to get higher. … We already know of some teams who maybe want to move their pick so we’ll be talking to them next week.” Brooklyn currently owns the No. 29 and No. 41 overall selections in June’s draft.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

While the Nets have dealt away quite a few of their future draft picks, King believes there are moves he can make to offset this handicap, Duffy notes. “I think there are ways to get around [the team’s lack of future draft picks],” King said. “I’ll use my own experience for example. In Philadelphia in 2005, we didn’t have a first-round pick, but we were able to come out of the draft with Kyle Korver and Willie Green. And the next year it was Louis Williams in the second round. It’s incumbent on us, when you don’t have those picks, to be creative and come up with others ways to do it. It’s a challenge, but it’s doable… [Not having picks] doesn’t mean you can’t add quality players to your roster.”
One of the things that Paul Pierce enjoys about playing for the Wizards is the opportunity he has to mentor the team’s younger players, Ben Standig of CSNWashington.com writes. “I feel like even if it’s one year, two years, or three years I’m here, I feel like I’m going to have a relationship with these guys for a long, long time even after basketball,” Pierce said. “It seems like we connect, and I connected with the city.” The veteran forward has a player option for 2015/16 worth $5,543,725 he can opt out of this offseason.
The Bucks improved their win total from 15 during the 2013/14 campaign to 41 and a playoff berth this season. Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel grades how the team and each individual player performed during the 2014/15 season.

Draft History: Bob Myers

May 7th, 2015 at 8:03pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With this in mind we at Hoops Rumors will be taking a look back at the draft history of the primary basketball executive for each NBA team. Their names, reputations, and possibly employment will be on the line as a result of the decisions to come on June 25th, and we’ll be examining what they’ve done in previous years in charge of a club’s front office. Note that many of them have played other sorts of roles within a team’s executive structure, but this won’t take that into account. We’ll begin with a look back at the calls made by the NBA Executive of the Year, Warriors GM Bob Myers…

Warriors (April 2012-Present)

2012 Draft

No. 7 Overall — Harrison Barnes: 241 games, 6.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.4 APG. .440/.373/.733.
No. 30 Overall — Festus Ezeli: 124 games, 3.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.9 BPG. .487/.000/.579.
No. 35 Overall — Draymond Green: 240 games, 6.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.1 APG. .412/.321/.685.
No. 52 Overall — Ognjen Kuzmic: 37 games, 0.9 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.2 APG. .520/.000/.600.

Notable players passed over: Andre Drummond (No. 9) and Khris Middleton (No. 39).

2013 Draft

No. 30 Overall — Nemanja Nedovic *: 24 games, 1.1 PPG, 0.6 RPG, 0.5 APG. .205/.167/.875.

* The Warriors traded cash and a 2014 second-rounder (No. 53 Alessandro Gentile) to the Wolves for Malcolm Lee and the No. 26 overall pick (Andre Roberson). Golden State then dealt the rights to Roberson to the Thunder for the No. 29 overall pick (Archie Goodwin) and cash. The Warriors then completed this chain of events when they dealt the rights to Goodwin and Lee to Phoenix for the rights to Nedovic.

Notable player(s) passed over: Rudy Gobert (No. 27).

2014 Draft

The No. 23 Overall Pick (Rodney Hood) was dealt to Jazz as part of three-team sign-and-trade arrangement that brought Andre Iguodala to Golden State.

Notable players available at draft slot: Shabazz Napier (No. 24), K.J. McDaniels (No. 32), and Jordan Clarkson (No. 46).

2015 NBA Draft Combine Attendees

May 7th, 2015 at 5:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2015 NBA Draft combine will take place from May 12th through May 17th in Chicago. The invite-only event is a showcase where players can show their basketball skills to league personnel, as well as undergo medical tests and attend interviews with team executives and coaches. The full list of attendees has been confirmed by Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Twitter links), though the full roster of players participating in five-on-five drills is still being finalized. The rosters below are broken down by players who will be participating in five-on-five play, and those who will skip the on court work and just receive medical exams.

Here is the roster of confirmed players who will only undergo medical testing:

Cliff Alexander — F/C (Kansas)
Justin Anderson — SF (Virginia)
Devin Booker — SG (Kentucky)
Willie Cauley-Stein — F/C (Kentucky)
Sam Dekker — F (Wisconsin)
Montrezl Harrell — PF (Louisville)
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson — G/F (Arizona)
R.J. Hunter — SG (Georgia State)
Stanley Johnson — SF (Arizona)
Tyus Jones — PG (Duke)
Frank Kaminsky — PF (Wisconsin)
Kevon Looney — PF (UCLA)
Trey Lyles — F (Kentucky)
Jarell Martin — F (LSU)
Chris McCullough — F (Syracuse)
Kelly Oubre — G/F (Kansas)
Cameron Payne — PG (Murray State)
Bobby Portis — PF (Arkansas)
Myles Turner — F/C (Texas)
Rashad Vaughn — SG (UNLV)
Justise Winslow — G/F (Duke)
Christian Wood — F/C (UNLV)
Delon Wright — PG (Utah)

Here is the roster of players who are confirmed to be participating in five-on-five drills:

Brandon Ashley — F (Arizona)
Ryan Boatright — PG (UConn)
Anthony Brown — SG (Stanford)
Rakeem Christmas — F/C (Syracuse)
Pat Connaughton — G/F (Notre Dame)
Quinn Cook — PG (Duke)
Branden Dawson — F (Michigan State)
George de Paula — PG (Brazil)
Michael Frazier II — SG (Florida)
Olivier Hanlan — G (Boston College)
Aaron Harrison — G (Kentucky)
Andrew Harrison — G (Kentucky)
Tyler Harvey — G (Eastern Washington)
Corey Hawkins — G (UC Davis)
Jonathan Holmes — SF (Texas)
Richaun Holmes — F (Bowling Green)
Vincent Hunter — F (UTEP)
Traveon Graham — SG (VCU)
Mouhammadou Jaiteh — F/C (France)
Larry Nance — F (Wyoming)
Terran Petteway — G/F (Nebraska)
Norman Powell — SG (UCLA)
Michael Qualls — G/F (Arkansas)
Chasson Randle — G (Stanford)
Keifer Sykes — PG (University of Wisconsin-Green Bay)
TaShawn Thomas — F (Oklahoma)
Marcus Thornton —SG (William & Mary)
Robert Upshaw — C (Washington)
Chris Walker — F (Florida)
Dez Wells — SG (Maryland)
Aaron White — F (Iowa)
Alan Williams — PF (UCSB)
Joseph Young — G (Oregon)

Categories:
2015 NBA Draft

And-Ones: Coaches, Jokic, Payne, Draft

May 7th, 2015 at 1:06pm CST by Chuck Myron

Most of the college coaches who’ve come into the NBA over the past two decades have either left basketball schools that gave them wide autonomy, joined NBA teams with little hope of success, or both, observes Phil Taylor of Sports Illustrated. Brad Stevens doesn’t fit either category, and neither does new Thunder hire Billy Donovan, Taylor argues, suggesting that the success Stevens has found with the Celtics is an auspicious omen for Donovan and a signal that more college coaches are on their way to the league. In any case, Stevens is the only college head coach to jump directly to the NBA since 2000 to guide his NBA team to the playoffs, as I pointed out. Here’s more from around the Association:

The Nuggets are expected to sign 2014 second-round pick Nikola Jokic prior to summer league in July, according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. It’s not entirely clear whether the deal will cover only summer league or will formally bring the 6’11” draft-and-stash prospect onto the roster for training camp in the fall. However, the Nuggets are anxious to see last year’s 41st overall pick compete against NBA-caliber talent, Dempsey writes. The 20-year-old center averaged 14.9 points and 9.0 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game this season for KK Mega Vizura in his native Serbia.
It’s Murray State point guard Cameron Payne‘s dual threat of scoring and passing that truly distinguishes him as a top prospect, but his ability to perform on defense is a question mark, as Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress examine. Givony ranks Payne as the 20th-best draft hopeful.
Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com, in an Insider-only piece, debate the avenues the Nuggets, Heat, Pacers and Jazz have to improve via the draft, sharing conflicting viewpoints on whether it would behoove Utah to spend a third consecutive lottery pick on a point guard.

Western Notes: Pondexter, Draft, Jazz

May 6th, 2015 at 10:34pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Jazz aren’t expecting to nab a franchise saving player in this year’s NBA draft, Jody Genessy of The Deseret News notes (Twitter links). “I don’t see a lot of so-called NBA superstars, if any,” said Utah’s VP of player personnel Walt Perrin. “But that’s not to say somebody may not jump forward and become the next Stephen Curry or somebody like that.” While the exact draft order won’t be known until May 19th when the lottery order is determined, the Jazz are sitting at No. 11 in Hoops Rumors’ reverse standings, and the franchise possesses a 0.8% chance at snagging the top overall pick in June’s big event.

Here’s more from the NBA’s Western Conference:

Pelicans forward Quincy Pondexter has undergone successful surgery to repair damage to his left knee, the team announced. No timetable was provided for when the 27-year-old can return to basketball activities. Pondexter was acquired by New Orleans in January as part of a three team trade with the Celtics and Grizzlies.
The Jazz have workouts scheduled on Thursday for Virginia forward Darion Atkins, Murray State guard T.J. Sapp, Bowling Green forward Richaun Holmes, Ohio State guard Shannon Scott, Western Kentucky guard T.J. Price, and Wisconsin guard Traevon Jackson, the team announced via Twitter.
Utah’s GM Dennis Lindsey sees value in these pre-draft workouts despite the majority of the players likely being ticketed to play in the NBA D-League or overseas next season, Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune writes. The Jazz are looking for diamonds in the rough similar to Bryce Cotton, who turned a 10-day contract into a multiyear arrangement with his play this past season, Jones notes.

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