2018 May | Hoops Rumors

Budenholzer Seeks To Unlock Bucks’ Defensive Potential

May 21st, 2018 at 7:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mike Budenholzer will prioritize improving the Bucks’ defense, Genaro C. Armas of the Associated Press reports. Budenholzer, who agreed to a four-year contract last week to become the team’s head coach, feels Milwaukee’s roster has plenty of good defensive pieces and it’s his task to put them together. “I think with the individual talents we have in Milwaukee … I think one of the words I used in the interview process was, ‘How can we unlock this talent defensively?'” Budenholzer said during his introductory press conference on Monday. “I just think there’s so much to work with.” Milwaukee finished 17th in the league’s defensive ratings last season, 21st in defensive field-goal percentage, 22nd in opponents’ second-chance points and 23rd in points allowed in the paint.

In other notable items from the press conference:

Budenholzer believes he can help All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo expand his game. He has already had breakfast with the team’s superstar and Khris Middleton. “He’s a smart player,” Budenholzer said. “I think together, he and I will probably push each other. But I look forward to pushing him. He believes it, I believe it. He’s going to get a lot better.”
GM Jon Horst interviewed at least seven candidates, according to Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Horst wanted to find someone with whom he could engage in casual, productive conversations. “It was just an enjoyable time the entire period of time,” Horst said of his initial interview with the ex-Hawks coach.
Budenholzer wants to his staff to be mainly comprised of former Hawks assistants. “I’m very hopeful that the majority of my staff will come with me,” Budenholzer said. “I’m a huge believer in my group that’s been with me the last five years.”

Draft Notes: Battle, Porter, Silva, Taylor, Munnings

May 21st, 2018 at 5:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Syracuse swingman Tyus Battle is likely to remain in the draft, a source informed Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com. The 6’6” Battle averaged 19.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 2.1 APG while rarely coming off the court for the Orangemen as a sophomore. Battle is rated No. 32 by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony in his latest Top 100 list. Battle has already worked out for the Clippers and has four more scheduled workouts this month, Zagoria adds.

In other draft-related comings and goings:

Missouri big man Jontay Porter is leaning toward returning to school, T.J. Moe of St. Louis’ 590 The Fan tweets. The 6’10” Porter is ranked No. 36 by Givony. The brother of likely lottery pick Michael Porter Jr. averaged 9.9 PPG and 6.8 RPG in 24.5 MPG as a freshman last season.
South Carolina forward Chris Silva has decided to return to school for his senior season, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. The 6’9” Silva averaged 14.3 PPG and 8.0 RPG as a junior.
Fresno State Deshon Taylor is returning to school for his senior year, Jeff Goodman of ESPN tweets. The 6’2” Taylor averaged 17.8 PPG and 2.6 APG as a junior.
Louisiana-Monroe forward Travis Munnings has withdrawn from the draft, Goodman tweets. Munnings averaged 15.9 PPG and 7.3 RPG as a junior.
Marshall guard C.J. Burks will head back to school for his senior season, Rothstein tweets. The 6’3” Burks averaged 20.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 3.1 APG as a junior.
Bethune-Cookman forward Shawntrez Davis has opted to return to school for his senior campaign, Rothstein adds in another tweet. The 6’9” Davis averaged 14.7 PPG and 8.7 RPG last season.

Gentry: Pelicans Organization Wants Cousins Back

May 21st, 2018 at 4:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Everyone in the Pelicans organization wants DeMarcus Cousins to re-sign with the club, coach Alvin Gentry told ESPN’s Mike Triplett and other reporters on Monday.

The Pelicans made the playoffs despite Cousins’ season-ending Achilles tendon injury in January and then advanced to the conference semifinals by sweeping the Trail Blazers in the opening round. That hasn’t changed the team’s desire to retain the Twin Towers pairing of Cousins and Anthony Davis. Cousins is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

“I don’t really talk about free agency. But the bottom line is that obviously we’d like to have him back on our team,” Gentry said. “Anyone that thinks you’re better having a guy that averaged [big numbers] not on your team is really kind of not in tune to what it takes to win in this league. So there’s just so many factors that enter into it. But there’s not one single person, player or coach or in the basketball ops department or ownership that doesn’t want him back.”

Cousins indicated in an extensive interview last week that he hadn’t spoken with anyone in the front office “in awhile.” That hinted at a potential disconnect between the two parties, or even that the Pelicans might let him walk without an offer.

Gentry’s comments debunked that notion. Cousins did say in the same interview he was interested in re-signing with them, though he’d let the process play itself out.

Whether the Pelicans or any other team offers Cousins a max contract remains a mystery, given that Cousins is coming off a major injury, along with his reputation as one of the league’s most temperamental players. The Pelicans reportedly had internal discussions about offering Cousins a two- or three-year contract worth less than the max. It’s also expected that most of the teams with significant cap space this summer won’t pursue him.

Donte DiVincenzo Expected To Remain In Draft

May 21st, 2018 at 1:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Villanova sophomore guard Donte DiVincenzo is expected to remain the draft barring an injury or significant change in performance during workouts, according to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.

DiVincenzo’s stock soared during last week’s draft combine, according to Scott Gleeson of USA Today. He tied the combine’s best with a 42-inch vertical leap, Gleeson notes. He also hustled, defended well, made pinpoint passes and showed playmaking ability, Gleeson adds.

The 6’5” combo guard was ranked No. 33 on ESPN Jonathan Givony’s Top 100 prospects list prior to the combine and has now proven himself to be a first-round talent.

DiVincenzo worked out for the Celtics on Monday, Adam Zagoria of the New York Times tweets. Boston owns the No. 27 overall pick.

DiVincenzo was the breakout star in the national championship game against Michigan, pouring in 31 points and draining five 3-pointers. He averaged 13.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 3.5 APG in 29.3 MPG during the Wildcats’ championship season while making 40.1% of his 3-pointers.

DiVincenzo is showing that he can do more than just fill up the net, as he told Charania.

“I’m more than just a shooter,” he said. “I want to show teams that I can do more. Playing point guard is one big thing that teams want to see — if I can control the tempo, get into the offense, get shots and pocket passes.”

Raptors Interview Jerry Stackhouse For Coaching Job

May 21st, 2018 at 12:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Raptors interviewed their G League head coach, Jerry Stackhouse, for their head coaching job last week in Chicago, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets.

Familiarity could work in Stackhouse’s favor. He moved into a coaching two years after he retired in 2013, serving as an assistant to former coach Dwane Casey. He took over the head coaching job with Raptors 905 prior to the 2016-17 season and guided them to a championship. They lost in the finals to Austin this past season.

The Raptors were reportedly interested in hiring ex-Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer before he selected the Bucks. Stackhouse is just one of three in-house candidates being considered as Casey’s replacement. Nick Nurse and Rex Kalamian also fall into that category.

Stackhouse is also considered a candidate for the Pistons’ head coaching position. Detroit was one of the teams Stackhouse played for during his long NBA career. He was one of many candidates interviewed by the Knicks before they chose former Grizzlies head man David Fizdale.

Josh Okogie Opts To Stay In Draft

May 21st, 2018 at 12:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Georgia Tech shooting guard Josh Okogie has decided to remain in the draft, he announced in a Twitter statement.

Okogie is ranked N0. 50 among ESPN’s Jonathan Givony’s Top 100 prospects. The 6’4” sophomore averaged 18.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 2.5 APG in his final college season.

He also showed a good stroke from long range, making 38% of his 100 attempts, and displayed quick hands by averaging 1.8 SPG. As a freshman, he posted 16.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 1.6 APG.

Okogie was influenced by his good showing last week at the draft combine, as Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets. Okogie may even have a shot at getting picked in the first round.

He was one of the players that improved his stock at the combine, according to Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. Woo noted, “His strong build and athletic tools are ideal for his role as an off-guard who plays both ends of the floor and adds a little bit of everything. After spending the season anchoring a struggling Georgia Tech team in a large role, it was positive to see Okogie rise to the level of talent around him.”

Julius Randle Unsure Of His Importance To Lakers

May 21st, 2018 at 11:55am CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers still may bring back Julius Randle, but for now the team and his representatives can’t agree on how serious negotiations have been, relays Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times.

GM Rob Pelinka insists the front office has made frequent calls to Randle’s agents and they have engaged in “a mutual exchange of interest and hoping that we can work something out for both sides.” Randle’s camp tells a much different story.

“We still have no indication of where Julius stands among the Lakers’ priorities, or if he is a priority at all,” said Aaron Mintz, Randle’s agent. “We are looking forward to the marketplace in July, when we will get a clear picture of Julius’ future.”

The Lakers have until June 30 to extend a qualifying offer to Randle, making him restricted when free agency begins July 1 and enabling the team to match any offer sheet. Randle has said he would like to remain in L.A., but the Lakers will be pursuing higher-profile targets with their cap space and a decision on Randle will be tied to their success. They would almost certainly need to renounce their rights to Randle to offer two max contracts.

Randle is coming off the best offensive season of his four-year career, averaging 16.1 points per game and shooting .558 from the floor. The Lakers declined to offer him an extension in October because they didn’t want to tie up any more future salary.

“The work that he put into it is what people don’t see and I think it was an enormous effort on his part,” Pelinka said. “The fact that it worked and translated to being one of his best seasons as a Lakers player really was not only great for him individually but was great for other guys to see, ‘Hey if we put in that work and you change your body it leads to good things for your performance.’ So I think that was an amazing process for us to see.”

Combine Notes: Porter, Bamba, Young, Hutchison

May 21st, 2018 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers have their eyes on Michael Porter Jr. and are hoping to use their picks at No. 12 and 13 to trade up in the draft, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. The Missouri forward, who missed almost the entire season with a back injury, could give L.A. a reliable scorer in the frontcourt. O’Connor notes that team owner Steve Ballmer stopped his session with the media at the combine to listen to Porter’s interview.

Porter, who is projected at No. 8 to the Cavaliers in the latest mock draft by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, told reporters he had combine interviews scheduled with 13 teams, including the Clippers. He also stated that he believes he’s “the best player in the draft.”

L.A.’s challenge is finding a team willing to trade down. O’Connor cites the Grizzlies, Mavericks, Magic and Bulls — who hold picks four through seven — as teams in need of multiple assets. However, it’s not clear if any of them is willing to move back in the draft, and O’Connor has heard that Memphis is planning to keep its No. 4 pick. The Grizzlies are looking for size, O’Connor adds, but are the only team in the top eight not to ask for a meeting with Texas center Mo Bamba.

O’Connor’s recap on the combine is filled with interesting tidbits. Here are a few of the highlights:

Bamba believes he could form a dangerous combination with Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith Jr., but Dallas may not be interested. With Dirk Nowitzki returning for another season, the Mavs will try to rebuild quickly to put a contending team around him. That means targeting a free agent big man such as DeAndre Jordan, DeMarcus Cousins or Julius Randle, which would make a scorer like Porter more attractive in the draft. O’Connor notes that Cousins’ agent, Jarinn Akana, has strong ties to the Mavericks. Of his 12 clients, five have played in Dallas and another was with its G League affiliate, Jaleel Cousins, who is DeMarcus’ brother.
The Knicks are interested in Oklahoma point guard Trae Young if he falls to the ninth pick. They see him as a good fit alongside last year’s first-rounder, Frank Ntilikina, who can take on the tougher defensive matchup and help space the floor for Young to drive to the basket. However, the Magic at No. 6 and the Cavaliers at No. 8 both need point guards, so Young could be off the board before New York’s selection.
It still isn’t clear who made a draft promise to Boise State forward Chandler Hutchison, but O’Connor was told he won’t drop into the late first round. Hutchison, who is expected to be taken between the 18th and 24th pick, held workouts for the Timberwolves and Bulls before withdrawing from the combine. It may or may not be a clue, but Hutchison’s agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, is a friend of Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and has represented many Chicago players.
Kostas Antetokounmpo showed a lot of similarities to his older brother Giannis Antetokounmpo in his combine workouts. Kostas, 2o, could be a second-round pick and may be a valuable asset for a team to have when Giannis hits free agency in 2021.

Knicks Notes: Ntilikina, Fizdale, T. Young, Bridges

May 21st, 2018 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina has returned from France and will meet new coach David Fizdale for the first time today, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Fizdale said he wants to establish “great relationships with his players,” which is an area where management thought former coach Jeff Hornacek was lacking.

Ntilikina will participate in an informal workout today along with fellow point guards Emmanuel Mudiay and Trey Burke, shooting guard Damyean Dotson and forward Troy Williams, who spent time in Memphis with Fizdale.

Ntilikina plans to remain in the United States for the rest of the offseason and will play with the Knicks’ summer league team in Las Vegas, Berman adds. He was held out of the league last year because of soreness in his left knee that occurred in the French League playoffs. Ntilikina has been working with a Knicks trainer while in France and has added muscle and weight.

There’s more this morning out of New York:

The Knicks are well stocked at point guard, but may be interested in Oklahoma’s Trae Young if he falls to No. 9, Berman adds in the same story.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is lobbying for the Knicks to draft Miles Bridges, Berman reports in a separate piece. GM Scott Perry talked to Izzo about Bridges during the season and plans to meet with him again next week. Also, assistant GM Gerald Madkins recently went to Lansing to discuss Bridges with the Michigan State coaching staff. Bridges was considered to be a lottery pick as a freshman last year, but decided to return to the Spartans for his sophomore season. “I see a guy who can play a lot of positions and defend them with his strength and rebounding,’’ Izzo said. “What I’d like to see him get better at? Continually improving getting shots off the dribble. He’s a phenomenal 85 percent free-throw shooter. I’d like to see him get to the line more. He’ll get better because he’s a gym rat — in there at 6:30 a.m., in there at night. How many guys love the game, how many guys like the game.”
Teams were limited to 30 minutes with each prospect at the draft combine, which Perry considers to be opening interviews, writes Chris Iseman of North Jersey.com. The Knicks will get more in depth when individual workouts begin. “With some of them, this may be the first round of interviews because I’m sure a number of the guys that we would interview here we’ll also bring to New York for a longer visit,” Perry said, “trying to get a better feel for who these guys are when we have them for 48 hours versus a 30-minute interview that we’re going to have at the combine.”

Larry Brown Gets Job Offer In Italy

May 21st, 2018 at 8:56am CST by Arthur Hill

Former NBA coach Larry Brown has received an offer to become a senior assistant with Fiat Torino, according to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando.

The 77-year-old hasn’t coached since resigning at Southern Methodist two years ago. Fiat head coach Paolo Galbiati hopes to add someone with experience to his staff and sees Brown as a good fit, according to reports from La Stampa and Tuttosport.

Brown is expected to make a decision on the offer soon, but seems more interested in another head coaching opportunity than becoming an assistant, Cauchi relays. He has been linked to the Italian league before, being contacted by Pallacanestro Cantù.

During a coaching career that spanned more than 40 years, Brown became famous for helping his teams become successful, then quickly leaving for other jobs. He led the Pistons to a championship in 2004 and compiled a 1327-1011 record as head coach of nine NBA teams and two ABA squads.

Brown also made his mark in the college ranks, coaching at UCLA and Kansas before coming to SMU. He guided the Jayhawks to a national title in 1988, then left two months later for a job with the Spurs, shortly before the NCAA sanctioned the program.

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