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Combine Notes: Bridges, Sixers, DiVincenzo, Sexton

May 18th, 2018 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Michigan State wing Miles Bridges, a probable lottery pick, interviewed with the Bulls, Pacers, Kings, Cavaliers, Spurs, Nuggets, and Clippers earlier this week, and was set to meet with the Sixers, Hornets, and Knicks on Friday, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Bridges is one of several intriguing prospects the Sixers are meeting with in Chicago this week, according to Pompey, who adds Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr., Michigan State power forward Jaren Jackson Jr., and IMG Academy guard Anfernee Simons to that list. Kentucky’s Hamidou Diallo was also scheduled to interview with Philadelphia on Friday, Pompey tweets.

Finally, Pompey has details on Villanova’s Donte DiVincenzo, who has been impressing NBA evaluators at this week’s combine and says he’s received plenty of “positive feedback.” According to Pompey, DiVincenzo has had meetings with the Lakers, Magic, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Cavaliers, Spurs, Hawks, and Grizzlies in Chicago.

Here’s more on meetings taking place at the combine:

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Draft Notes: Porter, Bamba, Sexton, Allen

May 17th, 2018 at 8:43pm CST by marksuleymanov

Missouri standout Michael Porter Jr. spoke to reporters at the draft combine in Chicago today and confirmed he has met with the Knicks, Mavericks, Sixers, Suns, Cavaliers, Hawks, Grizzlies, Rockets and Clippers, tweets Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. He will have another set of interviews tomorrow as he is scheduled to meet with the Kings, Hornets, Thunder and Celtics.

Porter, 19, missed most of his freshman campaign after he suffered a serious back injury just two minutes into the season. Porter underwent surgery –a microdiscectomy of the L3-L4 spinal discs — which sidelined him until the SEC tournament later in the season. In total, Porter appeared in three games with the Tigers, averaging 10.0 PPG and 6.7 RPG. However, Porter spoke confidently about his abilities and how he compares to other talents in this year’s draft pool.

“I know without a doubt that I’m the — I played against all these guys, they’re all great players — but I’m the best player in this draft,” Porter said. “And I just can’t wait to show what I’m capable of.”

Check out more notes related to the draft below:

  • We relayed earlier that Texas big man Mohamed Bamba measured in with a staggering 7’10” wingspan at the combine. Bamba would have the longest wingspan of any player coming into the NBA since 2000. Speaking to reporters, including Madeline Kenney of the Chicago-Sun Times, Bamba addressed his strongest attribute.“I’d say my biggest strength right now, just one word to summarize it all, is just my presence,” Bamba said. “Both offensively and defensively, the presence that I have is pretty profound. I don’t think any other prospect has this presence. I do more but require less. That’s both on the court and off the court. I feel I’m the most efficient guy in this draft class.” Bamba confirmed he has met with 13 teams, tweets ESPN’s Nick Friedell.
  • Alabama point guard Collin Sexton is at the draft combine and has already met with five teams, Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. Sexton has yet to interview with the Mavericks but that could happen by Friday. Sexton did meet with the Knicks, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
  • The Timberwolves are set to interview Duke shooting guard Grayson Allen, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
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Atlantic Notes: Fizdale, Porzingis, Eisley, Stevens

May 17th, 2018 at 7:55pm CST by marksuleymanov

David Fizdale becoming the Knicks’ head coach means he will need to cultivate a strong relationship with the team’s Latvian All-Star, Kristaps Porzingis. While Porzingis is recovering from a torn ACL, and is not expected till Christmas at the earliest, he will nonetheless be the key piece the Knicks will build around.

Speaking to reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post, from the draft combine in Chicago, Fizdale said he plans on visiting Porzingis multiple times in his native Latvia. The former Grizzlies coach added that he hopes to establish a solid relationship with the former Skills Champion.

“Multiple times maybe over the course of the summer. I want him to feel something different,” Fizdale said. “I want him to feel something that when he comes back here, it’s going to be special for him. He’s walking back into a culture and environment that’s set up for winning. That’s my biggest goal this summer, is to really bond with him and connect with him and get insight from him.”

Check out more Atlantic Division notes:
  • In a separate story, Berman notes that assistant coach Howard Eisley, who is in Chicago representing the Knicks, is likely to be retained as part of Fizdale’s staff. We noted last week that Eisley may be one of the few coaches from ex-head coach Jeff Hornacek’s staff to be retained. Also, Nick Van Exel, who was rumored to be New York-bound, will remain with the Grizzlies.
  • Celtics head coach Brad Stevens is highly regarded around the league, especially by his players and front office. Nick Schwartz of USA TODAY Sports examines whether or not Stevens may be getting too much credit, thus discounting the effort of the players and organization for the Celtics’ success.
  • Stevens’ coaching and the front office aside, the players’ performance on the court, especially in the midst of numerous injuries, has catapulted the Celtics to the brink of the NBA Finals. A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston examines the biggest winners during the Celtics’ improbable run.
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2018 NBA Draft Picks By Team

May 17th, 2018 at 10:49am CST by Luke Adams

While the Sixers were knocked out of the 2018 playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals by the underdog Celtics, few teams are better positioned in this year’s draft than Philadelphia. The 76ers own six of the 60 picks in the 2018 NBA draft, including a pair of first-rounders.

As our full 2018 draft order shows, the Sixers are one of seven NBA teams that holds more than two selections in this year’s draft. On the other end of the spectrum, eight teams have just one pick in 2018, while two teams – the Heat and Raptors – don’t have any selections.

To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2018 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 60 picks by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…

Teams with more than two picks:

  • Philadelphia 76ers (5): 10, 26, 38, 56, 60
  • Phoenix Suns (4): 1, 16, 31, 59
  • Atlanta Hawks (4): 3, 19, 30, 34
  • Dallas Mavericks (3): 5, 33, 54
  • Orlando Magic (3): 6, 35, 41
  • Charlotte Hornets (3): 11, 45, 55
  • Denver Nuggets (3): 14, 43, 58
  • Los Angeles Lakers (3): 25, 39, 47

Teams with two picks:

  • Sacramento Kings: 2, 37
  • Memphis Grizzlies: 4, 32
  • Chicago Bulls: 7, 22
  • New York Knicks: 9, 36
  • Los Angeles Clippers: 12, 13
  • Washington Wizards: 15, 44
  • San Antonio Spurs: 18, 49
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: 20, 48
  • Utah Jazz: 21, 52
  • Indiana Pacers: 23, 50
  • Brooklyn Nets : 29, 40
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: 53, 57

Teams with fewer than two picks:

  • Cleveland Cavaliers (1): 8
  • Milwaukee Bucks (1): 17
  • Portland Trail Blazers (1): 24
  • Boston Celtics (1): 27
  • Golden State Warriors (1): 28
  • Detroit Pistons (1): 42
  • Houston Rockets (1): 46
  • New Orleans Pelicans (1): 51
  • Miami Heat (0)
  • Toronto Raptors (0)
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Central Notes: Cavs, Bulls, Pistons, Bogdanovic

May 16th, 2018 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Cavaliers could still land an impact player with the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick (No. 8 overall), the on-court results from the Kyrie Irving trade have been extremely underwhelming to date. Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder were ineffective in Cleveland and were flipped at the deadline for players like Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, and Larry Nance, who haven’t made an impact in the postseason.

As Jason Lloyd of The Athletic writes, at least one Cavaliers player was ready to call the Irving blockbuster a net negative for Cleveland several months ago. After one bad loss during the winter, the unnamed player turned to Lloyd and said, “Danny Ainge is a f***ing thief.” Given the results of the Eastern Conference Finals so far, with the Irving-less Celtics up 2-0 on the Cavs, that player probably isn’t alone in his view.

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • While Bulls executive John Paxson acknowledged that versatile wings are more important than ever in today’s NBA, that doesn’t mean the club is zeroed in on acquiring such a player with the No. 7 pick. As Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago writes, Paxson said the Bulls intend to take the best available player. Paxson added that the club won’t rule out the possibility of trading up, though he admitted that’s “hard to do.”
  • In a separate article for NBC Sports Chicago, Strotman lays out a case for why the Bulls should use the No. 7 pick to select Missouri prospect Michael Porter Jr., who is recovering from back surgery.
  • The Pistons no longer have their 2018 first-round pick, but they’ll be on the lookout for second-round options at this week’s combine. Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press identifies five names to watch, while Keith Langlois of Pistons.com details why the club could draft a player at any position.
  • Speaking of the Pistons, they don’t yet have a new head of basketball operations in place, so GM Jeff Bower continues to run the front office — despite the fact that his contract is set to expire on June 30. Writing for The Detroit Free Press, Ellis has the story on Bower’s unusual situation.
  • Count Pacers forward Bojan Bogdanovic among the players who intends to represent his country during this summer’s 2019 World Cup qualifiers. As he tells FIBA.basketball, Bogdanovic will look to turn things around for Croatia after the squad went 1-3 in the first two sets of qualifiers.
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Co-Owner Wyc Grousbeck Confident About Celtics’ Future

May 15th, 2018 at 5:06pm CST by clarkcrum

Celtics co-owner, managing partner, and CEO Wyc Grousbeck appeared today on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston before tonight’s Game 2 between the Celtics and Cavaliers to discuss a bevy of topics, as relayed by Adam Kaufman of WBZ-AM NewsRadio 1030 (click here for links).

Perhaps most interestingly, Grousbeck uncovered the fact that the Cavs were interested in obtaining/would have accepted Jayson Tatum instead of the Nets’ upcoming pick in the 2018 NBA Draft in last summer’s blockbuster trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Celtics. Ultimately, the Celtics preferred to send the pick instead of their prized rookie, which sure appears to have been the right decision as we sit here today.

Faced with the upcoming free agency of Marcus Smart this summer and the potential free agency of Irving, Al Horford, and Terry Rozier next summer, Grousbeck was also asked to discuss the Celtics’ willingness to dip into the luxury tax if necessary. Per Kaufman, Grousbeck said the Celtics are prepared to “pay for performance” and “to do whatever it takes to win again.”

As for Irving’s knee injury that has kept him out of this year’s postseason, Grousbeck said that he has no long-term concerns about Irving’s knee, which parallels the report from about a month ago that Irving was already seen walking around without a noticeable limp just a little over a week after his surgery.

Given Irving’s positive prognosis, the relative youth of the Celtics’ roster and head coach, and the prowess the team has exhibited so far this postseason without Irving, Gordon Hayward, or Daniel Theis, it’s no surprise that Grousbeck feels very confident about his team’s future, even going as far as to say he’d be disappointed if the Celtics aren’t back in the same position they’re in now for the next five years.

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Community Shootaround: Draft Lottery Scenarios

May 15th, 2018 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2018 NBA draft lottery will take place on Tuesday night, as we noted in our lottery primer earlier today. While the odds favor the Suns, there are 14 NBA teams that could ultimately end up with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, creating some fascinating drama.

In a piece for The Ringer on Monday, Paolo Uggetti broke down some of the most interesting potential scenarios for the draft lottery. As Uggetti observes, the two teams still alive in the Eastern Conference Finals have a chance to get some great news before they take the court on Tuesday, since the Cavaliers own the Nets’ first-round pick, while the Celtics will own the Lakers’ first-rounder if it lands at No. 2 or No. 3 overall. The possibility of one or both of those teams landing a top-three pick at the same time they’re looking to advance to the NBA Finals isn’t good news for the rest of the league.

Of course, the Sixers would keep that Lakers pick if it moves all the way up to No. 1. It’s currently 10th in the lottery standings, so the odds of it becoming a top-three pick are slim, but it would create some terrific drama if it lands in the top three, since the balance of power in the Eastern Conference could shift significantly depending on whether the pick ends up at No. 1 (Sixers) or Nos. 2 or 3 (Celtics).

Uggetti’s other intriguing scenarios include big-market teams like the Knicks and Clippers getting a top pick — L.A. could theoretically move into the top three while keeping a second lottery selection, courtesy of the Pistons. Uggetti points to the Magic or Kings getting the No. 1 pick as interesting scenarios too, since neither of those clubs has had much lottery luck in the last few years — despite several appearances near the top of the draft.

Outside of the teams we’ve already mentioned, the Grizzlies, Mavericks, Hawks, Bulls, Hornets, Pistons, and Nuggets all have a chance to land a top pick.

What do you think? What would be the most interesting draft lottery scenario? Which team deserves some good luck the most (or least)? Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

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Jay Larranaga Met With Bucks About HC Job

May 14th, 2018 at 2:08pm CST by Luke Adams

We can add another name to the list of candidates for the Bucks’ head coaching job, as Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) reports that Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga met with Milwaukee on Friday. The meeting took place between the end of the second round and the start of Boston’s third-round series against Cleveland.

The Bucks interviewed several candidates last week as part of their first round of meetings for the team’s head coaching vacancy. In addition to interviewing interim coach Joe Prunty for the permanent job, Milwaukee also spoke to Ettore Messina, Steve Clifford, David Blatt, Becky Hammon, Monty Williams, and Mike Budenholzer.

The Bucks reportedly intend to narrow down their search to three or four finalists, potentially bringing back those finalists to meet with ownership at some point this week. So far, the only candidate known to get a second meeting is Budenholzer, who is believed to be the frontrunner. He’ll meet with team ownership on Tuesday.

[RELATED: 2018 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker]

If Larranaga doesn’t land the Bucks’ job, it will be the fourth time this spring he has interviewed for a head coaching position and seen that team hire someone else. Previously, he met with the Hawks, Hornets, and Knicks. He was believed to be a finalist for the Hornets’ job before Charlotte chose James Borrego.

Having been considered in the past for head coaching jobs with the the Celtics, Sixers, and Grizzlies, Larranaga would seem to be due for an opportunity to run an NBA team of his own. Still, if Larranaga isn’t hired by another team this offseason, the Celtics will certainly be happy to have him back, as he has been a key part of Boston’s staff since 2012.

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Community Shootaround: Boston’s Point Guard Depth

May 13th, 2018 at 5:59pm CST by Austin Kent

While the absence of ex-Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving may detract from some drama in the Eastern Conference Finals, it didn’t slow the Celtics down en route to a convincing victory over his former team in Game 1 of the series on Sunday.

As a matter of fact, the Celtics have thrived despite the Irving injury all postseason thanks in no small part to the contributions of two other point guards on the roster.

In a starter’s workload this postseason, which includes 37.3 minutes per game, third-year guard Terry Rozier has averaged 18.2 points and 5.5 assists per game. The 24-year-old may not star alongside Nick Kroll in an upcoming feature film this June* like Irving will but he’s looked every bit as capable at the helm, piloting the C’s through two playoff series already.

Another major component at play this postseason, a third asset that rounds out Boston’s elite point guard depth chart, is Marcus Smart. While Smart’s playing style has always been unique, the 10.3 points and 4.4 assists per game that he brings along with his toughness and other intangibles, have made him invaluable.

Regardless of how the Celtics fare this postseason, they’ll happily welcome Irving, a bonafide star, back into the starter’s role next season. That, unsurprisingly, could put a squeeze on the rest of the players at the position. Sure, Smart’s role as a reserve combo guard allows him to slot in alongside Irving, but Rozier saw just 24.4 minutes of nightly action in the regular season prior to the opportunity created by Irving.

Our question for you this evening is which of the two guards you’d value more heading into the 2018 offseason?

Should the C’s make bringing restricted free agent Smart back this summer a top priority or could they get by with Rozier and another third-string guard? Alternatively, should Danny Ainge potentially look to deal Rozier instead given that there’s more of an overlap between him and Irving than there is between Smart and Irving?

Is there room for all three long-term?

Consider Boston’s success this postseason proof that a surplus of point guard talent is a pleasant conundrum to have. Weigh in with how you think the situation will develop below.

*Hi film studio, all commissions happily accepted.

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