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McCants Is First Overall Pick In BIG3 Draft

April 30th, 2017 at 7:25pm CST by Austin Kent

If you had Rashad McCants in your office BIG3 Draft Pool, today is your lucky day. The 32-year-old former Timberwolves guard was the first player drafted in the initial three-on-three league roster draft.

To Kenyon Martin‘s Trilogy the explosive shooting guard goes hoping to replicate the 2007/08 campaign that saw him average 14.9 points per game.

The second overall draft pick was Andre Owens, a now-36-year-old point guard whose NBA resume is limited to two partial seasons with the Jazz and Pacers.

Notable names taken high in the first round include Reggie Evans (third overall), Kwame Brown (fifth overall) and Jerome Williams (sixth overall).

Other notable players taken later include Larry Hughes (14th overall), Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (17th overall) and Ruben Patterson (21st overall).

Worth noting is that several marquee players said to have been available didn’t end up getting drafted, this includes Latrell Sprewell, Steve Francis and Isaiah Rider, among others.

For a complete list of of the draft results, check out the league’s official site.

For a continually updated list of the rosters – including a list of the players who were announced but did not get drafted – check out our own BIG3 player database.

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Wizards Notes: Horford, Mahinmi, Smith, BIG3

April 30th, 2017 at 12:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Boston’s Al Horford could have been in the visiting locker room as the Eastern Conference semifinals get under way this afternoon, writes J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic. Before signing a four-year, $113MM deal with the Celtics last summer, Horford narrowed his list to three finalists that also included the Wizards and Rockets. Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld and VP of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard flew to Atlanta to make a personalized pitch to Horford. Point guard John Wall also joined in the recruiting process.

“Me and him had a great conversation,” Wall recalled. “He told me it was down to [us], them and I think Houston. He made his final decision after that, you’ve got to move on. It would’ve been great to have him on our team, but he’s with the Celtics. They had a great season this year. He had a heck of a season and we’re competing against him now so all that texting, all we had is out the window.” 

There’s more today out of Washington:

  • The Wizards have announced that back-up center Ian Mahinmi won’t be available for today’s game (Twitter link). That isn’t suprising, Michael tweets, because Mahinmi hasn’t gone through a full practice since straining his left calf two weeks ago. He has ramped up his individual workouts over the past week, but isn’t ready for game action. Mahinmi played just 31 regular season games after signing a four-year, $64MM deal last offseason, as knee problems limited him to just five games before the All-Star break.
  • There’s better news about reserve big man Jason Smith, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Coach Scott Brooks said Smith will be ready for today’s game. He has been dealing with a left calf strain, but played 11 minutes in Friday’s closeout game against the Hawks.
  • Four former Wizards players are hoping to be part of the BIG3 league this summer, relays CSNMidAtlantic. Etan Thomas tweeted Saturday that he was at the league’s draft combine along with DeShawn Stevenson, Kwame Brown and Michael Ruffin. The new league, which features three-on-three competition among former NBA players, will hold its draft today in Las Vegas.
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BIG3 Notes: Calendar, Locations, Scalabrine

April 22nd, 2017 at 3:36pm CST by Austin Kent

Important dates for the upcoming BIG3 league have been revealed, with the eight-team draft lottery scheduled for April 28, followed by the draft combine the next day and the formal three-on-three draft on April 30. The organization revealed as much to the Associated Press earlier this week.

The league will tip off on June 25 and has now published its full calendar, including game locations, on its website terminating with a championship game in Las Vegas on August 26.

Although it hasn’t been formally reported, the schedule post provides the name for the final club, the Ball Hogs. The other seven teams had been previously announced and are outlined in our BIG3 Roster Database.

In addition, the schedule announcement lists Brian Scalabrine as the Ball Hog’s team captain. They’ll be coached by Rick Barry and co-captained by a player to be named later. Scalabrine’s inclusion had already been made public but this is the first time he’s been linked to a captaincy.

Also worth noting is that this, the most recent press release published, mentions how games will be decided. Rather than being based on a typical game clock, the winner will be the first team to reach 60 points. The full list of game rules, however, had been published previously.

For a complete, updated, list of all the players expected to be in the draft pool, check out our BIG3 Roster Database.

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Kevin Garnett Talks Wolves, Glen Taylor, BIG3

April 19th, 2017 at 9:37am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Adi Joseph of USA Today, future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett explains that he received multiple TV offers following his retirement as a player, but opted to join TNT because Turner was the only network willing to give him the kind of unique role he sought, rather than having him become a panelist on a studio show.

Although Garnett’s conversation with Joseph focused in part on KG’s analyst role with TNT, the longtime NBA big man also weighed in on a few other topics of note, including why he doesn’t currently have a role with the Timberwolves. Here are a few notable Garnett quotes from the piece, which is worth reading in full:

On whether he might return to the Wolves as a front office exec or minority owner:

“It seemed like it was perfect for how Flip [Saunders] organized and put it together and designed it. Obviously when he left us, [team owner] Glen [Taylor] saw differently and wanted to go a different way. I’ve always said I wanted to be a part of an organization that is about winning more progressively, in that direction. Minnesota seemed like a perfect fit for that. That has changed. I don’t see myself doing that any time soon, but that still is a goal of mine. I would like to be part of an organization that is part of winning, that I can help the young guys progress. So that’s still a dream but not a priority at this point.”

On whether it was disappointing that the possibility of taking on a role with the Wolves became less viable:

“A little bit. A little bit. To say Debbie Downer is an understatement. It was a huge disappointment and one that showed me the true Glen Taylor. It showed me how he really feels. When this guy got the team, it was worth $90MM. When I left it, it was worth somewhere in the $400 [millions]. That was never taken into account in my value or none of that. I guess I served my purpose, and I was on to the next. So it’s all good. So it’s all good. I’m moving on and taking my ball and playing somewhere else. (Laughs.)”

On whether he has the urge to keep playing basketball, possibly in Ice Cube’s BIG3 league:

“Before I walked away from the Timberwolves, I was prepared to play a couple years. So when I walked away from that, I hung my shoes up for good and put the glass on it. And I have not had an itch to be out there at all. So, no. Ice Cube’s people called me from the [BIG3] — three-on-three doesn’t do it for me, bruh, I’m sorry.”

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And-Ones: Melli, Sonics, Teodosic

April 13th, 2017 at 11:01pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Nicolo Melli is drawing interest from Real Madrid in the Euroleague, but he also has the attention of several NBA teams. Niki Bakouli of Sport24 reports (Twitter links) that the Rockets and Nets are among the teams interested in adding the power forward.

Melli said playing in the NBA is “a dream,” but added that his decision on where to go will depend on what kind of offers he receives.

“I don’t rule out any possibility but I don’t like to talk about the future” Melli said, (via E. Carchia of Sportando). “It is great to draw interest from other teams [Real Madrid is one of the teams] but I did not talk with anyone. My agent and I will think about the future after the season talking with Bamberg. NBA? It is a dream. But it will depend on the offers because I love too much being on the court and playing.” 

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Two different groups are each preparing to spend over $500MM to renovate the Key-Arena in Seattle with hopes of attracting an NBA or NHL team, Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times reports. “Today is an important day in our goal of bringing the Sonics home and the NHL to Seattle,” Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said. “Two well-known organizations submitted proposals to redevelop Key­Arena, totaling more than $1 billion in investments between them. Their interest shows how Seattle has become one of the most desirable cities in America for sports and entertainment.”
  • Nets GM Sean Marks is heading back to Moscow to get another look at Milos Teodosic, sources tell international journalist David Pick (Twitter link). It was previously reported that the point guard was unlikely to sign with Brooklyn since the team has not been competitive.
  • Amy Trask has been named the CEO of the BIG3, according to the league’s website. Trask previously spent nearly 30 years working the Oakland Raiders organization.
  • Mo Alie-Cox, who played basketball at VCU, is trying to break into the NFL and he’s scheduled to meet with six teams, as Zach Links of Pro Football Rumors writes. Be sure to stay tuned to PFR for the latest news and notes on the NFL.
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And-Ones: Robinson, Billups, Schedule, Alie-Cox

April 7th, 2017 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

After briefly seeing some action for the Pelicans in two games last season, Nate Robinson hasn’t caught on with an NBA team in 2016/17. That doesn’t mean he has given up on the possibility of continuing his career though. Robinson, who is still just 32 years old (33 next month), tells Nina Mandell of USA Today Sports that he believes there’s no shortage of teams right now that could use him, including one of his former clubs.

“Playoff teams, that could use me right now: The Chicago Bulls for sure, I’m going to say them first because that was one of my favorite places to play,” Robinson said. “I was just disappointed they didn’t give me a contract that they should have after I helped them get to the playoffs (in 2013) and did everything that I did.”

While the odds of Robinson catching on with an NBA team this season are very slim, it’s possible a club will take a shot on the veteran free agent in the offseason — as he tells Mandell, Robinson is “not a money guy” and would play for free if he could, so he’d represent an inexpensive flier. For now, the 5’9″ guard continues to work out two or three times a day in hopes of attracting NBA interest.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Over at ESPN.com, Zach Lowe has an interesting piece on an outside-the-box proposal that would change the way late-game basketball situations played out, potentially reducing intentional fouling and speeding up the endings of games. The NBA isn’t ready to try the idea, even in the D-League, but the league will have an eye on The Basketball Tournament as it experiments with the new rule this summer.
  • In a conversation with Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, Chauncey Billups discusses how the point guard position has changed since his NBA heyday, and shared his excitement about the new BIG3 league. As our comprehensive list shows, Billups will be playing on a BIG3 team this summer with Stephen Jackson and Charles Oakley.
  • NBA commissioner Adam Silver said today that the league hasn’t seriously discussed the idea of shortening the 82-game regular season, but ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh lays out the case for why it might be the league’s best move.
  • Former VCU basketball standout Mo Alie-Cox is attempting to earn a spot on an NFL roster. Zach Links has the story over at our sister site, Pro Football Rumors.
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And-Ones: BIG3, Francis, Coaching Candidates

March 29th, 2017 at 5:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The BIG3 basketball league, which will make its debut in less than three months, continues to add notable former NBA players to its ranks. According to a press release from the league, former star guard Steve Francis headlines the latest round of additions to the draft pool, along with Kendall Gill, DeShawn Stevenson, Joe Smith, Hakim Warrick, and others.

Meanwhile, one of Francis’ teammates from their Rockets days will be a co-captain on a new team called Power, per a press release. According to the announcement, Cuttino Mobley is joining forces with Corey Maggette on the club, which is one of seven to be confirmed so far. When BIG3 games get underway this June, the league will feature eight teams.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • In a piece for ESPN.com, Kevin Arnovitz identifies five head coaching prospects to watch, including Raptors 905 coach Jerry Stackhouse, Hawks assistant Darvin Ham, and TNT analyst Brent Barry.
  • Speaking of future head coaches, commissioner Adam Silver believes a woman will coach an NBA team at some point, and wouldn’t mind seeing it happen sooner rather than later, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com outlines. Spurs assistant Becky Hammon is currently viewed as the top candidate to break that barrier.
  • Silver got involved last week in the league-wide debate over resting healthy players, calling it a “significant issue” and suggesting that there will be penalties for teams who don’t provide sufficient notice when resting stars. In the view of Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, Silver’s involvement in the issue could create a “slippery slope” that contributes to undermining relationships around the NBA. Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com has the details, including the quotes from Popovich.
  • An ESPN.com panel is ranking each of the NBA’s front offices, assigning grades to each club’s coach, GM, and owner. The full list can be found right here, from the Spurs at No. 1 to the Knicks at No. 30.
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And-Ones: B. Roy, Blatt, BIG3, Amundson

March 22nd, 2017 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

Brandon Roy, a former sixth overall pick who earned three All-Star nods before injuries derailed his NBA career, is enjoying success in a new role. As Molly Blue of The Oregonian writes, Roy has remade himself as a high school basketball coach at Seattle’s Nathan Hale High School. After taking over a team that had gone 3-18 a year before, Roy led the school to a 29-0 run this season. Nathan Hale High School won Washington’s Class 3A state title, and the former Trail Blazers star was named the 2017 Naismith High School Coach of the Year. At age 32, Roy would probably prefer to still be playing in the NBA, but it’s good to see him continuing to thrive in the sport in a new way.

Here are a few more odds and ends from across the basketball world:

  • Former Cavaliers head coach David Blatt has been coaching in Turkey this season, and has no plans to return to the NBA for 2017/18, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando details. In an interview with Match TV, Blatt said that he’s not going anywhere and intends to remain with Darussafaka Dogus next season.
  • The BIG3, Ice Cube‘s half-court, three-on-three league that will debut in June, has a broadcast television deal. The league announced today that it has partnered with FOX Sports and FS1. For more on the BIG3, be sure to check out our breakdown of the players and coaches participating in the league.
  • Veteran NBA center Lou Amundson, who appeared in 29 games for the Knicks last season, appears to be headed to the Philippines. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando writes that Amundson is close to signing a deal with TNT, after international basketball journalist David Pick reported (via Twitter) that the 34-year-old would land with a team in the Philippines.
  • Free agent point guard Greivis Vasquez and Lakers guard David Nwaba have new representation, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal, who reports (via Twitter) that Glushon Sports Management recently signed the duo.
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And-Ones: BIG3, Hairston, Jefferson, Extensions

March 15th, 2017 at 5:09pm CST by Luke Adams

A number of players who have been traded at the trade deadline or during the NBA season spoke to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype about the experience, with Cavaliers wing Iman Shumpert providing some of the more interesting quotes. As Shumpert explains, he was injured when he was sent to Cleveland by the Knicks, and had mixed feelings about the move.

“I just remember the feeling [sucked],” Shumpert said. “It was like, ‘Ah, I’m hurt, we’ve lost a bunch of games in a row and then I’m traded.’ Then, shortly after we walk in and we get to playing with the Cavs, we go on a long winning streak. I kept thinking back to my old teammates like, ‘Damn, I was hurt and we were losing. Now I come here and I’m playing well and the energy is great.’ I just felt like they kind of grabbed me out of hell. And every game was being showcased on TV and we’re winning. It was just crazy. I was happy, but I felt bad too.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from across the league:

  • As first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter), former NBA star Julius Erving has committed to coaching a team in the BIG3 this summer, the league confirmed in a press release. Erving will join Gary Payton, George Gervin, Clyde Drexler, and others as BIG3 coaches. Check out our comprehensive players/coaches list for the full breakdown.
  • Former NBA wing P.J. Hairston, who was in camp with the Rockets last fall, has been suspended for five NBADL games for violating the D-League’s anti-drug policy, according to a press release. Hairston is currently playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s affiliate.
  • In other D-League news, former NBA power forward Cory Jefferson has left the Austin Spurs to play in the Philippines, tweets Chris Reichert of The Step Back. International basketball journalist David Pick adds (via Twitter) that Jefferson, who is signing with the Alaska Aces, has multiple Euroleague offers for the 2017/18 season.
  • Keith Smith of RealGM takes an early look at the market for rookie-scale extensions this coming offseason, making his predictions on which players will get new deals before they reach restricted free agency. As I outlined last week, a few of this year’s key rookie-scale extension negotiations will be complicated by major injuries.
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Comprehensive BIG3 Rosters/Player List

March 11th, 2017 at 1:57pm CST by Austin Kent

The BIG3 Draft is in the rearview mirror and now we can get a sense of the players that will play on each of the eight squads.

Below the rosters is a list of players who were announced to be available for the draft but who ultimately went undrafted.

(Note: Mobile and Trade Rumors app users, be sure to turn your phone sideways to view the tables in full).

Read more

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