Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bobcats Seriously Weighing Offer To Move Down

June 27th, 2013 at 4:42pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bobcats are seriously weighing an offer to trade down from the No. 4 spot, tweets Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. According to Deveney, the offer likely comes from the Timberwolves, who have been trying to trade up to select Victor Oladipo or Ben McLemore.

As I wrote when I previewed the Wolves' offseason, if Minnesota wants to dangle the 9th and 26th picks and Derrick Williams to move into the top five, the Bobcats, who have plenty of holes to fill, would represent a logical trade partner.

If Charlotte keeps its No. 4 pick, Alex Len and Cody Zeller are among the club's top targets, as we heard earlier today.

Wojnarowski On Draft, Len, Zeller, Bucks, Mavs

June 27th, 2013 at 2:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's the latest draft news from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, with all links going to Twitter..

It's becoming harder to see how Anthony Bennett won't take a tumble in tonight's draft and he could leave the Blazers with a choice to make at No. 10 (link).
Other lottery teams are supremely confident that the Magic will take Victor Oladipo at No. 2, but Orlando is still talking trade, tweets Wojnarowski.
The Cavs are choosing between Nerlens Noel and Alex Len at No. 1. If they pick Len, Noel could fall to the Suns at No. 5 (link).
Alex Len is still the favorite for the Bobcats if he's there at No. 4, but Cody Zeller has remained in constant dialogue, sources tell Wojnarowski.
Zeller is in strong consideration for the Bobcats at No. 4 and the Suns at No. 5, sources say. If C.J. McCollum goes to the Pelicans at No. 6 or the Kings at No. 7, then the Pistons, who pick 8th, have Zeller high on their board.
The Bucks have discussed swapping their No. 15 pick for the Mavs' No. 13 pick to solidify itself to take Russian swingman Sergey Karasev, according to sources. However, Milwaukee is worried that the 13th pick may not be high enough to grab Karasev (link). The 6'7" Russian appears to be a hot commodity as we heard that the Cavs would also like to get their hands on the Mavs' pick in order to take him.
League sources say that Celtics GM Danny Ainge brought guard Ray McCallum to Boston's facility for a workout yesterday in the event that he moves back from No. 16.
Some are shying away from North Texas forward Tony Mitchell but he could find a home with the T-Wolves at No. 26, according to league sources. Flip Saunders was impressed with his workout and there's no question that he has high-lottery talents (link).
Everyone in the lottery says that they are extremely impressed by the NBA readiness of IU products Zeller and Oladipo.

Kennedy On Magic, Noel, Len, McLemore, Cavs

June 27th, 2013 at 2:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's the latest draft buzz from Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (all links go to Twitter)..

It sounds like the Magic are really high on Nerlens Noel, Kennedy tweets. If the Cavaliers select Alex Len at No. 1, Orlando may go with Noel.
If Noel is gone, the Magic will likely select Ben McLemore or Victor Oladipo. Many people are assuming Oladipo will be the pick in that case, but Kennedy is not so sure.
Some sources tell Kennedy that Shabazz Muhammad will slip out of the lottery, which lines up with him not being invited to green room.
There are still questions about Oladipo and teams are intrigued by McLemore's upside. Kennedy has been told that the Indiana product could slip all the way to the Suns at No. 5.
The Mavs continue to shop the No. 13 pick. The Wolves and Thunder want to move up while the Grizzlies, Rockies, Warriors, and 76ers want to add a first-rounder.

Bucks Notes: Jennings, Udoh, Ridnour

June 27th, 2013 at 1:07pm CST by Zachary Links

This figures to be a very interesting offseason in Milwaukee following Monta Ellis' decision to opt out and several other moving parts. Here's the latest on the Bucks..

The Bucks are letting it be known that Brandon Jennings is available for the right price, tweets Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times (via Twitter). If the Bucks do decide to get rid of Jennings, Woelfel (Twitter link) expects them to make a major push for a point guard in free agency.
More from Woelfel, who hears that a swap involving the Bucks' Ekpe Udoh and the T'Wolves' Luke Ridnour is being discussed. Ridnour spent two seasons in Milwaukee prior to his last three in Minnesota.

Ford On Antetokounmpo, Cavs, Jazz, Thunder

June 27th, 2013 at 10:34am CST by Zachary Links

Chad Ford of ESPN.com has posted his latest draft day rumblings and we have the highlights..

The excitement over Giannis Antetokounmpo might be fading a bit as teams want the raw prospect to stay in Greece for a couple of years while he wants to come to the NBA now. For GMs who don't think he's ready, that means that he will make for a very expensive D-League player.
If the Cavs can't trade the No. 1 overall pick for a veteran plus a 2014 lottery pick, they'll keep attempting to move whomever they draft until all their options have been exercised. That could be a tall order since the hardest asset for a team to get right now is a 2014 lottery pick. Ford puts the odds at 95 percent that no potential 2014 lottery pick is moved tonight.
The teams working hardest to move up higher in the lottery are the Jazz, Wolves and Thunder. The Jazz appear to be targeting Lehigh's C.J. McCollum and are offering picks No. 14 and 21, but they might have to give up Alec Burks as well to get high enough.
The Wolves are also trying to get up very high in an attempt to land Victor Oladipo or Ben McLemore. As we've heard, they're dangling the No. 9 pick, No. 26 pick, and Derrick Williams.
The Thunder want a big man – they like Nerlens Noel and Alex Len – but they don't have a ton to offer. Movable assets like Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones, and possibly Reggie Jackson don't have enormous trade value. Their own pick next year won't be high and the Mavs pick that they own is top-20 protected next year.
The Bobcats (No. 4) and Kings (No. 7) look like the two teams most willing to move down.
A ton of teams want the Mavs' No. 13 pick. The Cavs have been the most proactive but the Bucks, Hawks, and Nets are also in the mix. In virtually every case, the target is Sergey Karasev. Trouble is, the Sixers or Thunder could grab him before 13.
The Celtics are trying to pick up a late-first or early-second-round pick and sources say their target is Missouri's Phil Pressey if they decide to go big with their first pick.

Draft Updates: Wednesday Evening

June 26th, 2013 at 11:31pm CST by Chuck Myron

On the night before the draft, three "people of importance" in the Cavs front office have differing views on whom the team should take first overall, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. This is shaping up as one of the most compelling drafts in years with all the unknowns, even if the talent at the top is subpar. Here's the latest draft-related scuttlebutt:

Nets GM Billy King tells Fred Kerber of the New York Post that there's "about a 60% chance" that the team will trade the No. 22 pick, perhaps in pursuit of a frontcourt player (Twitter link). The Nets are reportedly in three-way talks with the Cavs and Wolves.
Shabazz Muhammad has at least one fan in the Wolves front office, but it isn't anyone at the top of the organization, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities, who says he'll be surprised if the team takes the UCLA small forward.
The Cavs' first preference has been to trade the No. 1 overall pick, but failing that, it looks like it's down to Nerlens Noel and Alex Len, with Anthony Bennett as a dark horse, The Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer writes.
The Sixers worked out second-round hopeful Dwayne Davis on Wednesday, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Earlier updates:

The Kings, Pistons and Timberwolves like Shabazz Muhammad and may draft him earlier than most executives be believe he'll go, which is between Nos. 13 and 20, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
The Heat have been told they could possibly trade for a late lottery pick, but team president Pat Riley says if the team trades for a selection, it will be one of the early picks. "After the first 10 or 12 picks, I'm not so sure there's that player out there," Riley said, as Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel notes.
Sergey Karasev wants to play in the NBA next season, so he won't be a "draft-and-stash" pick, tweets Berger, who hears Karasev may go as high as No. 12 to the Thunder. Chad Ford of ESPN.com wrote earlier today that he could go to the Sixers at No. 11.
Several teams are trying to move up in order to draft Victor Oladipo, HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy hears (Twitter link). One of those teams appears to be the Timberwolves, as Marcus Fuller of the St. Paul Pioneer Press examines.
There's a "decent chance" the Warriors will try to trade cash for a pick in the middle of the second round, according to Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group.
Alex Lee unveiled the latest version of the Hoops Rumors Mock Draft earlier tonight.

Amico On Nets, Wolves, Cavs, Aldridge, Marion

June 26th, 2013 at 11:22pm CST by Chuck Myron

We've heard plenty already today from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who delivers yet more with a late-night batch of rumors. Let's dive in, with all links going to Twitter, unless otherwise noted:

A three-way trade between Nets, Timberwolves and Cavs involving MarShon Brooks, C.J. Miles and the 22nd and 26th picks is a "very real" possibility, Amico says. Presumably, Brooks would go to the Wolves and Miles would end up with the Nets. The Cavs may also simply swap Miles to the Nets for the 22nd pick, according to Amico, echoing an earlier report.
The Blazers are willing to trade LaMarcus Aldridge, but they'd want two first-round picks plus at least one player in return.
The Mavs won't take picks Nos. 31 and 33 from the Cavs in exchange for Shawn Marion. Amico also hears that Hawks GM Danny Ferry has spoken to Dallas, perhaps to offer picks Nos. 17 and 18.
The Kings have also spoken to the Mavs about the 13th pick, Amico.
Amico confirms that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has an affinity for Victor Oladipo, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com tweeted earlier. Still, Gilbert will let GM Chris Grant make the decision, Amico says.
The Cavs remain engaged in talks to package the 19th, 31st and 33rd picks plus a player in an effort to move up in the draft.
Just as the Cavs are trying to unload some of their four picks in tomorrow's draft, the Thunder continue to shop the 12th pick.

Timberwolves Interested In MarShon Brooks

June 26th, 2013 at 11:04pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 11:04pm: A source tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that the Wolves are "close" to acquiring Brooks (Twitter link).

MONDAY, 4:34pm: Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter) asked a source if anything was close on a Brooks deal and he was told that nothing is imminent. "Nope, they're calling everyone," said the source.

3:37pm: The Timberwolves have talked to the Nets about a potential deal involving Brooklyn guard MarShon Brooks, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. One source tells Bondy that talks haven't escalated to anything serious yet, but the Daily News scribe hears from another source that the Nets made Minnesota a proposal, and are waiting to hear back.

As Bondy notes, Minnesota has a glut of point guards on its roster, including Ricky Rubio, Jose Barea, Luke Ridnour, and Alexey Shved. With C.J. Watson having opted out of his contract with the Nets, Brooklyn is seeking a backup point guard, and would likely have interest in a player like Barea or Ridnour.

If the two sides were to reach an agreement, it would have to be more than just a one-to-one swap to work under CBA rules, since Brooks earns significantly less than either Ridnour or Barea. Both Wolves guards are earning $4MM+, while Brooks' rookie-scale contract pays him slightly over $1MM.

Wolves Unlikely To Trade Derrick Williams

June 26th, 2013 at 10:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

Derrick Williams has seemingly been a trade candidate since the Timberwolves drafted him second overall two years ago. Still, Wolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders insists the team is not shopping the 22-year-old power forward, as he tells Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune.

"I haven’t said anything about trading him," Saunders said. "That is something that has been speculative. That’s because last year it was pretty public, it came out of the organization that they were looking to trade him last year. It’s just a lot of speculation from the people, social media, everyone talking about trading him."

A report earlier this month indicated that the team believed Williams could be part of a package to move into the top three picks, but Saunders dismissed that idea. Wolves owner Glen Taylor also told Hartman recently that the team was cool on the idea of trading Williams. Still, rumors have persisted.

"Wilt Chamberlain was traded, guys like Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar got traded," Saunders said. "Anyone can be trade for the right price. But [Williams is] not a guy that we’re just out there looking to trade."

Odds & Ends: Fredette, Clippers, Terry, Oden

June 26th, 2013 at 2:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Following the hiring of Doc Rivers, the positive news keeps coming for Clippers fans. Rivers confirmed to the media today that he has spoken to Chris Paul since joining the franchise, which looks like a good sign for CP3's long-term future in Los Angeles (Twitter link via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com). The Clippers also appear poised to add Alvin Gentry to Rivers' staff, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter). Gentry had been deciding between assistant jobs with the Clippers and Lakers.

Here's more from around the NBA:

Despite reports to the contrary, Sam Amick of USA Today is hearing that the Kings haven't had talks about trading Jimmer Fredette. Amick adds that the new management group is willing to listen to anything, but there's no indication Fredette is being shopped or even discussed in trade talks at this point (Twitter links).
Appearing on KRLD-FM 105.3 in Dallas, Jason Terry said he hopes to wear a Mavericks uniform again before he retires. "You know what, I wear it every night anyway," Terry said (link via Dallas Morning News). "It's my home base. I'm with the Celtics for another two years. I would be more than happy to come back and put the Mavs jersey on and come back and get back on the runway for the Mavericks."
The Cavaliers have hired former Bucks head coach Jim Boylan to be the lead assistant on Mike Brown's staff, tweets Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Speaking to Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor acknowledged that the Trail Blazers could be a thorn in Minnesota's side as the team attempts to lock up Nikola Pekovic this summer. Re-signing Pekovic remains the club's top priority, as Walters writes.
Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck appeared on WEEI in Boston today to address the departure of Rivers and the next steps for the C's, and Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com passed along Grousbeck's comments.
In addition to discussing several of the team's own free agents, Heat president Pat Riley confirmed that Miami has interest in Greg Oden, as Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida outlines (via Sulia).