New York Knicks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Knicks, Wade, Bucks

June 10th, 2015 at 8:06pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Knicks are involved in active discussions to acquire a late first round or early second round pick in this year’s NBA Draft, Shams Charania of RealGM.com reports. New York is offering cash considerations in return for any available selections, Charania notes. The team has worked out several players, including France’s Mouhammadou Jaiteh, selling the potential that the team will push hard to acquire a pick in their projected draft range, the RealGM scribe adds.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

A friend of Dwyane Wade has said that the Heat‘s preference is to sign the guard to a three year deal worth $36MM, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes. The salary structure would be $16MM for 2015/16, and then $10MM for each of the remaining seasons, Jackson adds. These figures are quite a difference from the three-year, $60MM deal that Wade is reported to be seeking, the Herald scribe notes.
Arizona forward Stanley Johnson has a workout scheduled on Saturday with the Knicks, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com relays (All Twitter links).
The Bucks held workouts today for Troran Brown (University of Montevallo), Nedim Buza (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Lucas Dias (Brazil), Alex Marzette (Robert Morris), Aaron Thomas (Florida State), and Greg Whittington (Georgetown), the team announced.
Bucks coach Jason Kidd still holds a small ownership stake in the Nets a year after parting ways with the franchise, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily relays (Twitter links). Though Kidd owns less than 1% of the team, the league still wants him to dispose of the stock, Windrem adds.
Notre Dame forward Pat Connaughton has a workout scheduled with the Knicks, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweets.

Draft Notes: Okafor, Russell, Lyles, McCullough

June 10th, 2015 at 2:28pm CST by Chuck Myron

Duke center Jahlil Okafor was atop most draft rankings for most of the season, but Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns eclipsed him during the NCAA Tournament, and now Ohio State combo guard D’Angelo Russell has leapfrogged him for No. 2 on Chad Ford’s ESPN Insider Board. There isn’t unanimity on Russell’s ascension, as Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress has him going fourth to the Knicks, with the Sixers taking Latvian power forward Kristaps Porzingis third. More clear is that this year’s draft isn’t hurting for intrigue with two weeks and one day to go before teams start picking. Here’s the latest:

The Pistons, who hold the eighth selection, are the team picking highest among those interested in Kentucky power forward Trey Lyles, Ford hears and writes within his rankings (linked above). There’s almost no chance that Syracuse power forward Chris McCullough slips past the Nets at pick No. 29, Ford also hears.
Slovenian center Ziga Dimec has worked out for the Sixers and will do so for the Mavericks, Celtics and Bucks, according to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia. Dimec, who’s automatically draft-eligible as a 22-year-old from overseas, is Ford‘s No. 96 prospect, but he’s outside the top 100 for Givony, who has him as the 19th-best international prospect born in 1993.
Josh Newman of SNY.tv adds the Jazz, Nuggets, Rockets, Wizards, Cavaliers and Bulls to the list of teams reportedly working out Syracuse big man Rakeem Christmas.

Atlantic Notes: Winslow, Celtics, Raptors

June 10th, 2015 at 11:16am CST by Chuck Myron

Duke small forward Justise Winslow is “definitely in play” for the Knicks, who pick fourth overall, league sources tell Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. The Knicks gave Winslow positive feedback after his workout with the team Monday, Begley hears. A more conventional candidate for the fourth pick, D’Angelo Russell, will work out for the Knicks soon, as Russell told reporters in Los Angeles, Begley notes. The team also has tentative plans to work out Wisconsin power forward Frank Kaminsky, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link), another possible sign the Knicks are thinking of trading down. Not surprisingly, many sources have indicated to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders that the Knicks remain torn over their multitude of options for the pick (Twitter link). While the Knicks mull just what to do come June 25th, there’s plenty more draft news from around the Atlantic Division:

Winslow will also work out for the Sixers, who hold pick No. 3, sources told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
The Celtics would like to move into the lottery and are offering their pair of first-rounders, at Nos. 16 and 28, to make that happen, league sources tell Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times. Boston also has the 33rd and 45th picks and continues to audition non-lottery prospects. Kentucky center Dakari Johnson, Italian small forward Simone Fontecchio, Xavier center Matt Stainbrook, Villanova small forward Darrun Hilliard and Baylor small forward Royce O’Neale are working out for the Celtics today, as the team announced and as Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston relays (Twitter link). They join previously reported participant Pat Connaughton, a small forward from Notre Dame.
The Raptors today will audition UCLA shooting guard Norman Powell, Wisconsin forward Duje Dukan, and power forwards Christian Wood of UNLV, Michale Kyser of Louisiana Tech and Darion Atkins of Virginia, the team announced (on Twitter). They’ll join UNLV shooting guard Rashad Vaughn, a previously reported participant.

Atlantic Notes: Jackson, Casey, Knicks

June 9th, 2015 at 9:03pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Warriors consultant Jerry West is not impressed with the work of Knicks team president Phil Jackson thus far, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com relays. West questioned the trades Jackson has made with the Knicks and wondered about his ability to succeed in a front office role, Begley notes. In an interview on SiriusXM Bleacher Report Radio’s “NBA Sunday Tip,” West said, “It’s a little easier for [Heat president Pat Riley]. He’s had a lot more experience on both sides in coaching and now in the front office. With Phil, it’s going to be interesting to see what happens back there. They didn’t have the kind of year I’m sure they wanted to have. Everyone in the league feels like they made two trades that helped Cleveland tremendously and one that helped Dallas this year.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Raptors coach Dwane Casey says that he wasn’t concerned about his job security for next season, despite his squad getting swept in the first round of this year’s NBA Playoffs, Steven Loung of Sportsnet.ca writes. “I wasn’t worried about my job, never have been, never will be,” Casey said during an appearance on Sportsnet 590 the FAN’s “Brady and Walker” program. “[GM] Masai [Ujiri] has every right to look at the entire organization, [like] the coaching staff, and evaluate everything that we’ve done as a staff and as a team but I think, if we’re all honest with ourselves and look where we come from and look how the growth process is going, we’re going in the right direction. I think that’s what the evaluation process shows. Did we make mistakes as a coaching staff? Yes. Did we make mistakes as an organization and players making mistakes as players? Yes. We all do. We all are accountable for everything that goes on, but again, big picture, we’re going in the right direction from where we started last year.“
The Knicks held workouts this past Friday for Andrew Harrison (Kentucky), Quinn Cook (Duke), Jordan Sibert (Dayton), and Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga), Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv relays.
Notre Dame swingman Pat Connaughton is scheduled to work out for the Celtics on Wednesday, Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald tweets.

Mavs Biggest Threat To Sign LaMarcus Aldridge

June 9th, 2015 at 2:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Mavericks are the “biggest threat” to sign LaMarcus Aldridge away from the Trail Blazers this summer, writes Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher, citing league sources who nonetheless add that it’s the idea of returning to his native Texas, and not any specific team, that appeals him. Still, the Spurs are either no longer among his preferred destinations or rank low among them, several sources tell Bucher. The Rockets, unlike Dallas and San Antonio, haven’t drawn frequent mention as an Aldridge suitor. The Lakers and Knicks, two other teams that planned to go after Aldridge, aren’t viable options because of their status as rebuilding teams, Bucher hears, while league sources who spoke with Bucher are skeptical that the Celtics, another suitor, hold much appeal.

Still, it’s unclear if Aldridge sits atop the list of priorities for the Mavs, according to Bucher. Dallas, which has apparently been planning to pursue the Arn Tellem client since at least November, also reportedly intends to pursue DeAndre Jordan this summer.

Aldridge doesn’t feel the same way as he did a year ago when he pledged to re-sign with the Blazers as a free agent this July, and the idea that it’s time for a change is driving his desire to look elsewhere, sources tell Bucher. The All-Star power forward can be fickle, as The Oregonian’s Jason Quick wrote several weeks ago, and that’s evidenced not only by his apparent change of heart regarding a long-term commitment to the Blazers but also his apparent waning interest in the Spurs. San Antonio was “near or at” the top of Aldridge’s wish list, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com wrote earlier in the offseason. Bucher reiterates his earlier report that the Spurs are tentatively planning for Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili to return, a scenario that would make it more difficult for the Spurs to go after Aldridge or another max-salary free agent. That nonetheless conflicts with what Ken Berger of CBSSports.com wrote a few weeks ago when he heard that the prevailing belief within the Spurs organization was that Duncan would likely be back and Ginobili would probably retire.

In any case, uncertainty surrounding Wesley Matthews, who’s recovering from a torn left Achilles tendon, “changes everything” for Aldridge, a league exec tells Bucher. The Bleacher Report scribe speculates that Aldridge may be worried about Portland’s commitment to re-signing Matthews, a close friend of Aldridge’s. Bucher mentions Aldridge’s cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that he was diagnosed with years ago, as a reason that teams may be somewhat wary of a deal with him, though it would seem as though the No. 3 player on the Hoops Rumors Free Agent Power Rankings will remain a highly sought-after commodity. Bucher suggests the Blazers are concerned that Aldridge doesn’t feel as though the franchise appreciates him as its marquee star, pointing to evidence indicating that Portland has indeed made him its pre-eminent figure.

Atlantic Notes: Okafor, Nets, Connaughton

June 8th, 2015 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jahlil Okafor might still be on the board when the Knicks’ turn comes up in the draft, an unnamed Western Conference executive told Keith Schlosser of SNY.tv. The executive has Karl-Anthony Towns going to the Timberwolves as expected, followed by two surprises, with the Lakers selecting D’Angelo Russell and the Sixers choosing Justise Winslow. That would allow the Knicks to grab Okafor. The Knicks have been exploring trade possibilities to move down since they dropped from No. 2 to No. 4 in the lottery, Schlosser continues, but they could wind up with one of their original targets in that scenario.

In other news around the Atlantic Division:

The Nets are scheduled to work out six prospects on Wednesday, according to their official website. The list includes guards Shannon Scott (Ohio State), Darian Hooker (New York Tech), Tyler Harvey (Eastern Washington) and Josh Richardson (Tennessee), forward Rakeem Christmas (Syracuse) and center Youssou Ndoye (St. Bonaventure). Christmas is the most highly-regarded of the group, ranked No. 39 by ESPN Insider Chad Ford and No. 36 by DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony on their top 100 prospects lists.
Notre Dame shooting guard Pat Connaughton is scheduled to work out for the Celtics on Wednesday and the Knicks on Saturday, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe tweets. A second-round prospect, Connaughton is ranked No. 47 by Ford and No. 76 by Givony. The Celtics have two second-rounders (No. 33 and 45) but the Knicks don’t have any.
Texas combo forward Jonathan Holmes added the Sixers to the previously reported list of teams for which he’s worked out, as he revealed today to reporters, including Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).

Draft Notes: Payne, Mudiay, Wood, Upshaw

June 8th, 2015 at 2:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks are giving serious thought to drafting Murray State point guard Cameron Payne, league sources tell Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. That’s sign that the team is also strongly considering trading down from the fourth pick, since Payne isn’t widely considered a top-four prospect, Begley surmises. The notion that Payne has a promise from a team late in the lottery doesn’t hold too much water, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com writes in an Insider-only piece, suggesting that Payne has a decent chance to rise all the way to the Kings at the No. 6 spot. That would exceed Payne’s goal of going as high as seventh that the point guard told Zach Links of Hoops Rumors that he’d set for himself. Here’s more from around the draft:

It appears that No. 6 is the floor for Emmanuel Mudiay, as a source tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that the Kings would snap him up if he were still available when they pick.
UNLV power forward Christian Wood‘s stock is taking a beating, as Ford writes in the above-linked piece, suggesting that Wood is in danger of falling out of the first round. Ford also speculates that the back injury that is to keep Tyus Jones from working out for a while is cover for a promise from the Rockets at pick No. 18.
Former University of Washington center Robert Upshaw is optimistic that a heart issue that prompted him to stop workouts last week isn’t serious, citing similar scares in the past, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Upshaw is expected to be cleared to resume predraft prep this week, Howard-Cooper adds (Twitter links).
The Mavericks, Spurs, Rockets, Celtics and Kings are among the teams interested in Indian-born center Satnam Singh, according to Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times. Boston had him in for a workout, but it’s unclear if the other teams have or plan to do so.

Q&A With First-Round Prospect Kevon Looney

June 8th, 2015 at 1:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Leading up to the draft, Hoops Rumors will be talking with some of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s class. Today, the Hoops Rumors Draft Prospect Q&A series continues with UCLA forward Kevon Looney, who is ranked No. 19 in this year’s class by Chad Ford of ESPN.com and No. 20 by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

Coming out of high school, scouting services collectively had Kevon Looney as the No. 11 player in the nation and he had offers from just about every elite program under the sun. Now, after one year at UCLA, Looney is making the jump to the pros and is widely projected to be a first-round selection.

Looney is blessed with great size for the power forward position at the next level. Standing at a shade over 6’9″ in shoes, Looney boasts an almost freakish wingspan of 7’3.5″. With that length, Looney can grab loose rebounds with the best of ’em and has the potential to grow by leaps and bounds on the defensive end. On offense, Looney showed last season that he’s getting more and more comfortable with his jump shot, a skill that helped to spread out the floor for the Bruins.

On Saturday, Hoops Rumors caught up with the very busy 19-year-old between flights to talk about his stock heading into June 25th, and his NBA future.

Zach Links: What was it like coming to UCLA as a freshman and immediately jumping into a starring role?

Kevon Looney: It was a great experience for me and a great learning experience for me. I think I got better as both a player and as a person. I made a lot of strides and I made a lot of friends while I was there.

ZL: What were some of the strides you made on the court?

KL: I would say my biggest improvement was probably my shooting. As the year went on, I shot better and it continued to get better. I don’t know if I got better at rebounding, but I showed that I could do it for sure. I proved that I could do it in high school but to show that to the world in college was important to me. That was probably my greatest strength this year.

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

ZL: Did you consider staying for another year?

KL: Yes, a little bit. I figured I could stay at UCLA for another year and get better. I mean, everyone wants to win a college National Championship and I felt like if I came back, we could have won even more as a team. But, at the end of the day, I wanted to pursue my dream and become a first-round draft pick.

ZL: You’ve shown that you can rebound over bigger and stronger opponents. What’s your secret?

KL: It’s just something I always had a knack for. I’m really long and I have good timing for it. I’ve always been good at it and I’ve always wanted to be the best at it.

ZL: Are you looking to add muscle to your frame? How much weight are you looking to put on?

KL: I’m not sure what my goal weight is. Right now I’m playing so much that it’s hard to get in the weight room. But, as soon as I’m done with the draft, I’ll talk to whatever team drafts me and get a plan for my body. I’ve never had a problem putting on weight before, so I think I’ll be able to put on weight pretty fast.

ZL: What workouts have you had so far and what workouts are coming up?

KL: So far, I’ve worked out for the Thunder, Suns, Jazz, and Pistons. Coming up, I’ve got the Hawks, Heat, Bucks, Raptors, Hornets, Celtics, and Knicks.

ZL: Do you have an idea of where you might get drafted?

KL: My agent tells me anywhere from No. 7 to No. 20. That’s my range right now.

ZL: What NBA player would you compare yourself to?

KL: I don’t know if I’m all that similar to anyone but I can tell you that I try to play like Anthony Davis and LaMarcus Aldridge. I don’t know if I’m exactly like them but I’m trying to be [laughs].

ZL: You shot the ball well from three-point range (41.5%) last season, but you only attempted 53 three pointers in total. Could you see yourself shooting from outside more at the next level?

KL: Yeah, I think I’m comfortable shooting from NBA range and I think I’ll be called upon to spread the floor out. That’s one of my strong suits, and I really zoned in on that this offseason.

ZL: It seems like there’s a perception that you have a good amount of upside but that you’re still a little green and won’t make a big impact right away. Do you disagree with that assessment?

KL: I think so. I don’t think I’m that far away from making an impact at all. I know I have a lot of work to do, but once I get stronger, I’ll be much better. I know I can gain weight fast and once I get stronger, I know that I can make an instant impact.

ZL: What kind of things are you doing day to day to get ready for what’s ahead?

KL: Before I got busy with all these team workouts, I was doing yoga in the morning and then going to the track to do sprints. Then I would run a couple miles and come back and play some basketball.

ZL: How long have you been doing yoga?

KL: I did yoga in high school, I did some at UCLA, and I’ve been doing it every day ever since the season ended. It helps me a lot. I do hot yoga all the time and that helps me to keep my core strong and helps my breathing for some reason. I learned how to breathe and get rid of tension pent up my lungs.

ZL: What led you to choose Aaron Goodwin and Todd Ramasar to represent you?

KL: I let my parents pick out a few people that would be the best for me and I met with the people that they picked. Those two guys were the best fit for me. … When you look at someone like Aaron, he has some big-name people there but he also has time for me. He’s a great guy with vision and I really feel like I’m going to benefit from his experience.

ZL: What are your plans for draft night?

KL: Hopefully I’ll get an invite to the green room! Even if I don’t, I’ll probably end up going to New York to get the full experience.

Central Notes: Prigioni, Bucks Arena, Draft

June 8th, 2015 at 11:28am CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavaliers made an aggressive play at trading for Pablo Prigioni at the deadline, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. Instead, the Knicks sent him to the Rockets instead, leaving Cleveland’s backup point guard duties to Matthew Dellavedova. That worked out just fine for the Cavs on Sunday, when Dellavedova, set for restricted free agency this summer, started in place of the injured Kyrie Irving and hit the game-winning free throws. There’s more on the Cavs, who’ll look to take the lead in the Finals on Tuesday, amid the latest from the Central Division:

The deal that state, county and city leaders struck last week for a new Bucks arena must still meet Wisconsin Legislature and Milwaukee Common Council approval, so construction remains far from assured, as Tom Daykin of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel points out. Still, the Bucks have promised to pay for operating and maintenance costs by selling naming rights, as Daykin examines. The NBA is pressuring the sides to ensure a new building, lest the league exercise its right to buy the team and move it to another city.
UNLV power forward Christian Wood will be among those working out for the Cavs today, league sources tell Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops (Twitter link).
Scotto also hears that Syracuse big man Rakeem Christmas will show off for the Pistons today (Twitter link). North Carolina shooting guard J.P. Tokoto, Virginia power forward Darion Atkins, Georgetown small forward Greg Whittington, and point guards Marcus Thornton from William & Mary and Pierria Henry of Charlotte will be in Detroit’s workout, too, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (Twitter links).

And-Ones: Nets, Rondo, Draft

June 7th, 2015 at 10:31pm CST by Will Joseph

There is no truth to the report that the Nets are among the teams interested in trading for Euroleague MVP Nemanja Bjelica, tweets NetsDaily’s Robert Windrem, who cites league sources. The Wolves acquired the rights to Bjelica on draft night in 2010 after the Wizards made him the 35th overall pick. He has a contract with Turkey’s Fenerbahce Ulker that runs out after next season, but an opt-out clause would allow him to join the NBA this summer. Earlier today, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities listed (in a tweet) the Mavericks, Spurs, Heat, Nets and Bulls as teams that would be interested in Bjelica, if he were made available.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe labels the Kings as a darkhorse team to land Rajon Rondo in free agency this summer, citing Sacramento’s need for a premiere point guard in a pivotal year for the franchise. Rondo spurned Sacramento the last time he was a free agent, as Washburn points out. However, Washburn adds, Rondo is close friends with Kings forward Rudy Gay, and that could make it a more desirable location this time around.
Wolves coach and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders confirmed on SI.com’s Chris Mannix’s radio show that Kevin Garnett will be part of the draft process and will meet with in person and/or talk on the phone with players, Wolfson relays in a tweet.
Former Arizona swingman Stanley Johnson believes that the Thunder are enamored with his versatility and added the team has scouted him since high school, Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman writes. “I think they think I’m the best two-way player in the draft,” Johnson said. “And that’s appealing to them, as it is to most people. They really like me.”
Former Murray State point guard Cameron Payne will work out for the Knicks and Lakers, who both own top five picks in the draft, tweets Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears, who cites a source.
Darion Atkins, Wayne Blackshear, Marcus Burton, Michael Frazier, Terry Rozier and Matt Stainbrook all worked out for the Hornets, according to the team’s official website.