Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Ford’s Latest: Len, Oladipo, McLemore, Schroeder

June 11th, 2013 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Chad Ford's latest big board at ESPN.com sees Alex Len leap into the top five after being ranked at ninth in Ford's previous update. According to Ford, of the two injured big men near the top of draft boards, Len is viewed as being more polished offensively and having more upside than Nerlens Noel. Len is in the discussion for the Cavaliers' No. 1 pick, and is also drawing serious interest from the Bobcats, Suns, and Pelicans, says Ford. Here's more from the ESPN.com draft expert:

Victor Oladipo has moved into the Cavs' conversation for first overall, along with Noel, Len, and Otto Porter, according to Ford.
Porter will work out for the Cavs, Magic, and Wizards in the coming days, and that's it. It seems he's confident he won't slip out of the top three — if he does, there's "no way" he gets past the Pelicans at No. 6, says Ford.
Virtually every team near the top of the draft is still considering Ben McLemore, but during a workout with the Suns, he declined to compete against Oladipo and Shabazz Muhammad, which didn't sit well with some evaluators. "He needs to compete," said a GM whose team has a lottery pick. "Or it's only going to reinforce our biggest fears about him. There is no consensus in this draft. He's got to come and earn it."
The Kings may prefer Michael Carter-Williams to Trey Burke, if they draft a point guard.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had a "terrific" workout with the Timberwolves, and could be the team's sleeper at No. 9 overall, says Ford.
Dennis Schroeder's stock may have been negatively affected by his workouts. "He looked frustrated," said a scout for one team that worked out Schroeder. "His body language wasn't great. He's a very good talent and I wouldn't read too much into the workout, but it didn't really help him."
The Knicks are "especially high" on Tony Mitchell, according to Ford.

Odds & Ends: Team USA, Wolves, Rivers, Bulls

June 10th, 2013 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Last month, we heard that Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan wouldn't be returning to Team USA for the 2016 Olympics as assistant coaches. Today, Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press reveals (via Twitter) that Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and Pelicans coach Monty Williams will be the new additions to Mike Krzyzewski's staff. Here are a few more Monday odds and ends from around the NBA:

Timberwolves president Flip Saunders tells Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com that every indication points to Rick Adelman returning as the team's head coach next season. Saunders also addresses Nikola Pekovic's free agency ("We plan on signing him") and Andrei Kirilenko's player option ("We don't have a gut feel [what he'll decide]") within the piece.
Celtics head coach Doc Rivers has yet to officially state whether he'll return to Boston's bench next season, telling Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that he'd address his future soon.
In his weekend notes column for the Boston Globe, Washburn speculated that the Bobcats could be interested in trying to trade for Chris Bosh this summer, but Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer doesn't see Bosh as a fit for Charlotte.
Asked about a potential Luol Deng trade, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld tweets that he has heard the Bulls don't intend to change their core significantly this summer. With Deng and others coming off the books in the summer of 2014, the roster figures to see more turnover a year from now.
CSKA Moscow assistant Quin Snyder has officially left the team to return stateside, the club announced today (English link via Sportando). Last week, ESPN.com's Marc Stein named Snyder as a potential under-the-radar candidate for the Nuggets' head coaching job, but I think it's probably more likely that Snyder ends up as an NBA assistant somewhere.
Last June, Mike Miller's injury problems had him contemplating the possibility of retirement, but he's certainly feeling better a year later. Miller tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com that he feels like he has four or five seasons left in him.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today attempts to determine why there have been so many head coaching changes in the NBA this offseason, while TNT's David Aldridge tackles the same topic in his own column at NBA.com. Aldridge also examines new Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer and asks Danny Granger about being the subject of frequent trade rumors.

Cavs Rumors: McLemore, Bynum, Oden, Granger

June 10th, 2013 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio leads off his latest column by going into more detail on Friday's report, which suggested the Cavaliers were weighing the possibility of drafting Ben McLemore first overall. With Dion Waiters already on board, the fit wouldn't necessarily be ideal, so it remains just one of many options Cleveland is considering. Amico has plenty more notes on the Cavs, so let's check out the highlights from his piece….

Due to concerns about Anderson Varejao's ability to stay healthy, the Cavs are expected to focus on adding frontcourt depth this summer.
Amico hints that Al Horford and Nikola Pekovic could be among the Cavs' offseason targets as the club looks to add another big man, though the Timberwolves will have the ability to match an offer sheet for the restricted Pekovic, and I'd be surprised if the Hawks traded Horford.
Andrew Bynum isn't on Cleveland's radar, but the team is still eyeing Greg Oden, in spite of some skepticism about the health of his knees.
The Cavs also have reservations about Danny Granger's knee problems, but still have interest if the Pacers consider moving him, which it sounds like they will.
The Mavericks continue to "intensely" shop the No. 13 overall pick, with one offer asking for the Cavs' 31st and 33rd overall picks, along with a 2014 selection, in exchange for the 13th pick and Shawn Marion. Cleveland turned down that proposal, but the club remains a willing trade partner, with only Kyrie Irving viewed as untouchable.
Cleveland remains interested in Alex Len and Otto Porter, but would probably want to trade down a little to draft either player, rather than selecting one of them first overall. However, trading down a few spots "appears very unlikely," according to Amico.

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Karl, Wolves

June 7th, 2013 at 10:22pm CST by Zachary Links

What does a guy have to do to keep his job in Denver? After being named the NBA's Coach of the Year, George Karl was dismissed from the Nuggets and left to find a place for himself on this offseason's coaching carousel. The move did not go without criticism from fans and people inside basketball, and Nugs president Josh Kroenke addressed the media today to explain his decision. Here's highlights from that and more out of the Northwest Division..

Kroneke had to decide between giving Karl the extension he was seeking or letting him go, and he told reporters, including Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post, that there was only one way to go. "We talked about our future, we talked about our different desires for the organization," said Kroenke. "We both sat down and tried to figure out the best ways for both of us moving forward. My worst-case scenario that I kept coming back to was we're obviously going to start next season without (injured forward Danilo) Gallinari, and it would be a tough situation to put George in knowing that he might want to restructure his contract already."
The Nuggets president added that he doesn't have a timetable for replacing Karl or outgoing General Manager Masai Ujiri, Dempsey writes.
Dwight Howard might be the big name in free agency, but a number of teams would love to get their hands on Wolves standout Nikola Pekovic, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. While retaining Pekovic and having a healthy club in 2013/14 should go a long way for Minnesota, they would like to accomplish much more this summer.
Cody Zeller told Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com (via Twitter) that it was his agent's idea to work out individually for clubs. The Indiana product auditioned for the Blazers earlier today.
Earlier tonight, we learned that Kevin Durant has opted to change agencies and is expected to join Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports.

Wolves Rumors: Oladipo, Mayo, Kirilenko, Pekovic

June 7th, 2013 at 8:37am CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, Timberwolves president Flip Saunders made multiple radio appearances, stressing that he wouldn't trade Kevin Love and that the team wasn't about to just give anyone away in order to move up in the draft. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities has more today on the T-Wolves' offseason plans, so let's dive in and check out the highlights from Wolfson's latest Scoops column….

The Wolves still have "strong interest" in drafting Victor Oladipo, but Oladipo's representatives have been reluctant to set up a workout for their client until the club shows it has the ability to trade into the top five, says Wolfson.
While the Wolves appear unlikely to pursue Kevin Martin, who Rick Adelman coached in Houston, O.J. Mayo remains a "big-time free agent priority" for the team, according to Wolfson.
Wolfson passes along a recent quote from Andrei Kirilenko, in which Kirilenko discusses his $10.22MM player option, adding that it sounds as if the veteran forward is seriously considering opting out. According to Wolfson, the Wolves would like to bring back the Russian, but aren't in love with the idea of paying him $10MM+.
Restricted free-agent-to-be Nikola Pekovic will meet with Saunders in Italy this weekend.
The team option the Wolves hold on Dante Cunningham is essentially a lock to be exercised, says Wolfson.
As I noted in Hoops Rumors' timeline of contract guarantee dates, Greg Stiemsma's and Mickael Gelabale's deals for next season don't become guaranteed until July 17th and July 22nd, respectively. Wolfson points out that both players could be useful trade chips in the next few weeks, since their deals are essentially set to expire in July.

Draft Workout Updates: Thursday

June 6th, 2013 at 9:37pm CST by Luke Adams

We're now just three weeks away from the 2013 draft, so teams are busy bringing in prospects to meet with them and work them out, while we do our best to keep tabs on as many of those workouts as we can. Here's the latest:

Tom Housenick of The Morning Call reported that C.J. McCollum will visit Portland at some point for a workout before June 20th.
Chris Haynes of CSNNW tweets that Trevor Mbakwe will visit the Trail Blazers tomorrow.
The Kings released a list of players who have worked out for them via their team website, noting that guards Will Cherry, Travis Releford, Brandon Triche, forward Chris Evans, and centers Rudy Gobert and Aziz N'Diaye took part in workouts this past Monday. Former Michigan star Trey Burke is scheduled to come in tomorrow.
The Wizards plan to bring in C.J. Aiken, Junior Cadougan, Ella Ellis, Lamont Jones, A.J. Matthews, and Mike Muscala in for Friday workouts, as per the team's official website.
Jody Genessy of the Deseret News tweets that Steven Adams, Jack Cooley, Richard Howell, Kenny Kadji, Dennis Schroeder, and Peyton Siva are all scheduled for a pre-draft workout with the Jazz on Friday.

Earlier updates:

Mason Plumlee, Shabazz Muhammad, Kelly Olynyk, Norvel Pelle, and Scott Wood worked out for the Sixers today, tweets Tyler R. Tynes of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Plumlee will also work out for the Trail Blazers on June 19th and for the Pistons on June 21st, agent Mark Bartelstein tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com and Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports that Otto Porter will work out for the Wizards on June 14th.
The Timberwolves expect to bring in C.J. McCollum for a workout, says Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (via Twitter).
Working out for the Suns today, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter): McCollum, Trey Burke, Michael Carter-Williams, Mouhammadou Jaiteh, Shane Larkin, Zeke Marshall, and Korie Lucious.
Gorgui Dieng's agent confirms that his client will work out for both the Nets and Knicks, as Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com details.
The Grizzlies announced in a press release that James Southerland, Will Clyburn, B.J. Young, Dewayne Dedmon, Colton Iverson, and Sherwood Brown will work out for the club tomorrow.
The Knicks will work out the following prospects tomorrow, per the team's Twitter feed: Ricky Ledo, Tahj Tate, Adonis Thomas, Christian Watford, Tony Mitchell, and Grant Jerrett.
Jeff Withey worked out for the Bulls yesterday, according to Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com (via Twitter).

Odds & Ends: Clippers, Collins, Shaw, Karl

June 6th, 2013 at 8:05pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports that Lionel Hollins met with the Clippers today and engaged in a lengthy conversation about their head coaching job. Turner also relays that Brian Shaw is expected to interview with team brass on either Monday or Tuesday next week (Twitter links). As for George Karl, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles tweets that while the Clippers haven't spoken to him directly, they have been in contact with his representative. Both ESPN's Marc Stein and Shelburne report that Karl and Shaw have emerged as the team's top two candidates for the job.

As we gear up for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, here are a few miscellaneous notes to share from around the league tonight:

As far as his next contract goes, Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki says that it'll probably be a two- or three-year deal (Jon Machota of SportsDayDFW).
Sam Amick of USA Today hears that the Grizzlies reached out to Karl almost immediately after he was let go in Denver today. The Nuggets had to grant permission to Memphis in order to reach out to Karl because the severance agreement hasn't been finalized and the 62-year-old coach is still under contract.
Amick notes that the Grizzlies had their sights set on assistant Dave Joerger as their top candidate to replace Hollins, but made that option contingent on whether or not Karl would become available.
Sportando.net's Emiliano Carchia tweets that former NBA player Andres Nocioni is in talks regarding a contract extension with Baskonia, a Spanish ballclub that participates in the ACB and Euroleague.
Flip Saunders confirmed on KFAN radio in Minnesota that the Timberwolves currently have Victor Oladipo ahead of Ben McLemore on their draft board, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
ESPN Insider Chad Ford says that many teams are bummed that Dario Saric is considering withdrawing his name from this year's draft, adding that several NBA executives had him ranked in their top five or top seven prospects. He also mentions that there are other teams who had no intention of drafting Saric that aren't thrilled with the news either, considering the notion that the draft gets weaker when talent leaves. Interestingly enough, Ford says he wouldn't be surprised if some NBA teams that are currently in Italy for the Eurocamp will try to travel to Croatia in order to make an attempt to persuade Saric to keep his name in consideration this year (All Twitter links).
Ricky Ledo's agent, Seth Cohen, tells SNY.tv's Adam Zagoria that his client will not work out for the Thunder (Twitter link).
For whatever it's worth, Shaquille O'Neal said that he and Chris Webber would like to own the Kings (Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram noted the comment via Twitter).

Western Notes: Hollins, Clippers, Iguodala, Love

June 6th, 2013 at 5:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on her report this morning which indicated that negotiations between the Grizzlies and Lionel Hollins had become "dormant," Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com took to Twitter to add a couple more details.

According to Shelburne, talks between the two sides never really even got to money or terms, since there was a sense that the short-term deal the team wanted was a sign to Hollins that he wasn't really wanted back. Although Hollins wanted to return, coming back on a two-year contract with increased expectations and perhaps a lesser roster was a problematic scenario, says Shelburne.

Here are a few more notes from around the Western Conference:

One source told Shelburne that Hollins was scheduled to speak with the Clippers this afternoon (Twitter link).
Michael Lee of the Washington Post tweets that the Suns have named Pat Connelly – the former Wizards' director of player personnel – as an assistant GM. Ken Berger of CBS Sports added that Phoenix also hired Ronnie Lester – formerly the scouting director of the Lakers – as a scout along with promoting Trevor Bukstein as another assistant GM (Twitter links).
According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the Clippers' front office loves Brian Shaw as a head coaching candidate, while owner Donald Sterling may prefer George Karl.
Asked by TNT's David Aldridge what effect Karl's ouster in Denver would have on his odds of re-signing with the Nuggets, Andre Iguodala replied, "Good question. Need some time to let it sink in."
Ten years after the Spurs nearly landed Jason Kidd in free agency, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports looks back on a summer that would have changed the futures of two points guards, one (Kidd) who retired this week, and another (Tony Parker) who is playing in his fourth NBA Finals.
Appearing on ESPN's Sportscenter today (link via ESPN.com), Kevin Love said he had "absolutely" moved past any negativity he felt toward the Timberwolves and is looking forward to seeing what Flip Saunders will do as the team's new head of basketball operations.
John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune wonders if Danny Granger would make sense as a trade target for the Pelicans.

Flip Saunders Talks Kevin Love, Roster, Draft

June 6th, 2013 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

New Timberwolves head of basketball operations Flip Saunders made appearances today on ESPN's Mike and Mike as well as 830 WCCO in Minneapolis, and addressed a few topics of note. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweeted out a few of the highlights from the conversations, so let's jump in and take a look (all links go to Twitter)….

Saunders stressed that he has no intention of trading star forward Kevin Love, adding, "Maybe people will stop calling me now."
The T-Wolves need to find a way to balance their roster, according to Saunders, who suggested the team is currently carrying five point guards. Zgoda surmises that besides Ricky Rubio, J.J. Barea, and Luke Ridnour, Saunders is referring to Malcolm Lee and Alexey Shved.
In addressing the odds of Minnesota trading up in the draft, Saunders said that the team is "not just going to give players away."
The Wolves plan to take the best player available if they stay at ninth overall, rather than drafting for need, according to Saunders. Zgoda follows up on that point by saying that the more he hears from the GM, the more he expects the Wolves to draft whichever top prospect slides to them, whether that's Alex Len, Shabazz Muhammad, Cody Zeller, or someone else.

Odds & Ends: Hollins, Nets, Allen, Raptors, Pacers

June 5th, 2013 at 10:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

Game One of the NBA Finals will be ending about 24 hours from now, and while the Spurs will provide more evidence for the rest-versus-rust debate, many expect them to find their rhythm before long. The majority of Hoops Rumors readers who voted in today's poll say San Antonio will beat the Heat. While we wait to see if they're right, here's more from around the NBA:

The Grizzlies rebuffed the Nets when they asked for permission to interview Lionel Hollins the day after the Western Conference Finals ended, but Memphis would likely grant that permission now if Brooklyn inquired again, TNT's David Aldridge hears (Twitter link).
Ray Allen feels his return to the Finals with the Heat provides a measure of vindication for his decision to sign with Miami last summer, observes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun looks at what Tim Leiweke and Masai Ujiri have done and said since arriving in town and concludes that the Raptors will soon be rebuilding.
Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star, writing for USA Today, details five key questions the Pacers must answer this summer.
The shakeup continues for the Kings, as Jerry Reynolds will step down as the team's director of player development, he tells Chris Riva of KCRA-TV.
The Knicks worked out Deshaun Thomas today and will get another look at him Friday, reports Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link), who also notes that Cody Zeller will work out Thursday for the Suns. Thomas will also work out later this month for the Timberwolves, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, apparently clearing up earlier confusion involving Adonis Thomas.
The Sixers auditioned Steven Adams, Colton Iverson, Alex Oriakhi, Mouhammadou Jaiteh and Jamelle Hagins today, tweets Jake L. Fischer of SLAM Online.
Ray McCallum, who will work out sometime this month for the Pistons, has also worked out with the Spurs, Rockets and Pacers, notes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.