New York Knicks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Gay, Sterling, Shumpert

June 6th, 2014 at 10:34pm CST by Cray Allred

Keyboard warriors around the world took to Twitter last night to criticize Heat star LeBron James for exiting Game 1 of the Finals with leg cramps. After the game, Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas spoke with Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports and came to LeBron’s defense. “There is no athlete on the planet who could’ve played through those cramps,” Thomas said. “Michael Jordan absolutely couldn’t have played through those cramps. I absolutely couldn’t have played through those cramps. As an athlete, there’s nothing you could do.” More from around the league:

The Kings are bringing in Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond to help team leadership try and convince Rudy Gay to pick up his $19.3MM option for next season, sources tell Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Sacramento has already made known a desire to keep Gay, and is hoping to leverage the reputation of their former players with excitement about their future arena in persuading Gay to remain with the team that traded for him in-season.
Donald Sterling is having second thoughts about giving up his battle with the league because he had wrongly assumed a truce with the league would entail his lifetime ban being lifted, people familiar with the situation tell James Rainey and Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times.
Marc Berman of The New York Post thinks it’s likely the Knicks will want to revisit the talks with the Thunder that centered around Iman Shumpert this past trade deadline. Berman cites the New York’s desire to acquire a first round draft pick, and Oklahoma City’s willingness to trade away either of its two first round selections.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Draft Notes: Hood, Stokes, Jackson, Anderson

June 6th, 2014 at 9:42pm CST by Zachary Links

This morning, Hoops Rumors learned (Twitter link) that Duke sharpshooter Rodney Hood will audition for the Celtics, Kings, Hawks, and Hornets in the next few weeks. As previously reported, his future workout schedule will also include the Sixers and he has already worked out for the Bulls, Magic, Nuggets, and Suns. Back in May, Hood told Hoops Rumors that he could go as high as No. 6-12 and it sounds increasingly plausible as he has worked out for most of the top half teams. Here’s the latest draft news..

Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders explains why he thinks Noah Vonleh would have limited upside as a lottery pick. Duncan thinks Vonleh’s leaping ability has become overrated, and cites poor instincts on both ends of the floor as reason to temper expectations.
Robby Kalland of Hawks.com checked in with Brian Schroeder of Hardwood Paroxysm to get the goods on first round draft prospect Jusuf Nurkic. Schroeder raves about his size, relative mobility, rebounding, and scoring touch. Currently, the big man is slated to go No. 11 to the Nuggets in DraftExpress‘ mock draft.
Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders runs down some common mistakes teams make in the draft, highlighting players from this year’s pool that could produce similar letdowns.

Earlier updates:

Jabari Parker would have no issue with being drafted by the Bucks, his father Sonny and Duke teammate Hood tell Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times.
The Suns were expected to work out Adreian Payne, Jordan Adams, Markel Brown, Sean Kilpatrick, Daniel Miller, and C.J. Wilcox today, reports azcentral sports.
Shawn Glover worked out for the Jazz today, reports Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune, and both Payne and David Stockton will work out for Utah tomorrow, Falk tweets. Payne is projected near Utah’s No. 23 overall pick, but neither Glover or Stockton (son of Jazz legend John Stockton) are projected as either first or second round picks.
A source tells Hoops Rumors (Twitter link) that Clemson small forward K.J. McDaniels will work out for the Thunder tomorrow. McDaniels is projected as a mid-to-late first-round pick and while he figures to be in range, he could be gone by the time OKC picks at No. 21.
Hoops Rumors has also learned (via Twitter) that Stanford forward Josh Huestis auditioned for the Knicks this week and will be playing in front of the Magic today. The source adds that there aren’t enough days before the draft for Huestis to work out for every team that wants to see him (link).
In continuing their trend of working out point guards, the Magic will work out Tyler Ennis and Elfrid Payton over the next few days, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.
Hoops Rumors has also learned (via Twitter) that former Tennessee Volunteers big man Jarnell Stokes is one of the 12 players working out for the Jazz today. Stokes is projected to be a first round pick thanks to his tenacious rebounding and high motor.
A source tells Hoops Rumors (via Twitter) that Cincinnati forward Justin Jackson has worked out for the Bulls with the Mavs, Pacers, Hawks, Hornets, and Suns still on the docket. To learn more about Jackson, a second-round prospect, check out the interview we conducted with him last month as a part of our Prospect Profile series.
Former UCLA point guard Kyle Anderson will work out for the Thunder tomorrow and the Sixers on Monday, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.

Coaching Rumors: Jazz, Fisher, Cavs, Lakers

June 6th, 2014 at 5:27pm CST by Cray Allred

It’ll be a long time, if ever, before we see Coach Cal back in the NBA. John Calipari‘s new contract with the University of Kentucky, which takes him through 2021, doesn’t have a buyout, a source tells Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (on Twitter). Calipari coached the Nets to a 72-112 record over three seasons in the late 90s but has found himself linked to several high-profile jobs thanks to his success at UK. Here’s more from the coaching front:

Brad Jones will be hired as an assistant on Quin Snyder‘s coaching staff for the Jazz, tweets Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. Jones’ hiring was expected when news of Snyder landing the job surfaced earlier today.
While Alex Jensen is set to move up as an assistant with Snyder, Jody Genessy of Deseret News is hearing that other teams might make a play to hire Jensen away from the Jazz (Twitter link).
Right now, it seems like Knicks president Phil Jackson is only interested in coaching candidates who come from his inner circle, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Steve Kerr, of course, was Phil’s first choice and the current presumed frontrunner, Derek Fisher, has a long history with the Zen Master.
The Knicks hope to secure Fisher for head coaching duties next week, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
Stein adds that the Cavs are likely to make the next coaching hire after the Knicks, and that the Lakers are still “in no rush” to fill their vacancy.
Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders runs down the Lakers coaching candidates and attempts to identify the best fit for the job. Byron Scott and Lionel Hollins, in his view, should be considered strong candidates.
Jeff Van Gundy told KFAN 1003 that while he would have “loved to work for [Flip Saunders]” and live and coach in Minnesota, he couldn’t get past the idea that Saunders was the best coach for the Wolves, according to the T’Wolves PR Twitter account.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

New York Notes: Teletovic, Liggins, Knicks

June 6th, 2014 at 2:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Yesterday we heard that Knicks president Phil Jackson sought and obtained permission from the Thunder to interview Derek Fisher this week. It doesn’t sound as though talks have gotten serious yet, but it’s seems like a safe assumption that they will. At this stage, all signs point to Fisher being Jackson’s top choice. Here’s the latest out of NYC on a beautiful 77 degree day..

Tim Bontemps of the New York Post looks back at the season that Mirza Teletovic had after signing with the Nets as an unknown free agent two summers ago. Teletovic struggled mightily in the early goings but found his groove when the Nets switched to a smallball lineup. Now, the forward could wind up in Brooklyn’s starting lineup if the club loses Paul Pierce in free agency.
Former Kentucky big man DeAndre Liggins is working out for the Nets and seeking a second chance in the NBA, writes Lenn Robbins of BrooklynNets.com. Liggins allegedly struck his girlfriend in August of 2013, prompting the Thunder to waive him less than a week later. “I got into one off the court issue. On the court, I was always on time, always first on the bus. The whole year I was with OKC, off the court, no complaints. On the court, I played hard,” the 26-year-old said.
With the Clippers selling for $2 billion, it’s only natural to wonder how much the Knicks might be worth. Rich Tullo, an analyst at Albert Fried & Company, tells ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell that the Knicks are worth between $1.4 and $3 billion. Some Knicks fans might welcome a change in ownership, but there’s no indication that they’ll be on the market anytime soon.

Atlantic Notes: Fisher, Knicks, MCW, Rondo

June 5th, 2014 at 10:08pm CST by Charlie Adams

Knicks president Phil Jackson sought and obtained permission from Thunder GM Sam Presti to interview Derek Fisher this week, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. The pair spoke on Wednesday and plan to reconvene next week sometime, hears Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. It doesn’t sound as if the discourse has been formal, but talks may quickly pick up after this weekend when Fisher discusses with his family whether or not he’ll retire, suggests Wojnarowski. Here’s more from the Knicks and the Atlantic:

The Knicks worked out Florida guard Scottie Wilbekin yesterday, reveals Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).
Michael Carter-Williams is unfazed by a report indicating that the Sixers have considered trading him and hasn’t directed agent Jeff Schwartz to check with GM Sam Hinkie about the rumor, as the Rookie of the Year tells Tom Moore of Calkins Media.
Rajon Rondo appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America this morning and admitted that he hopes that the Celtics can make some big changes this offseason to improve the team (Instagram video link). He praised Danny Ainge‘s performance as an executive but also suggested he’s eager to be back playing in the finals soon.
Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com examines why Nick Johnson’s family ties make the projected second-round pick a good fit to play for the Celtics. Boston doesn’t currently own a second-round selection in the upcoming draft.
The uncertainty on whether or not upcoming free agent Kyle Lowry is going to return to Toronto will put the Raptors in a difficult decision come draft day, opines Eric Koreen of the National Post.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Four Favorites Emerge For Jazz Coaching Job

June 5th, 2014 at 3:00pm CST by Cray Allred

3:00pm: Snyder appears to be the front-runner, but the team likes Gentry, Griffin and Snyder, too, Genessy tweets.

THURSDAY, 2:48pm: Jazz assistant Brad Jones is also on the team’s “short list” for its head coaching job, along with Gentry, Griffin and Snyder, Genessy hears (Twitter link). Presumably, Jones is the unknown candidate whom Genessy referred to on Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY, 4:20pm: Gentry, Griffin and Snyder remain the top candidates for the job in the wake of their second interviews, while Boylen is no longer a candidate, reports Jody Genessy of the Salt Lake Tribune. There is an unknown fourth candidate in the mix, too, Genessy says (All Twitter links).

MONDAY, 10:43pm: Clippers associate head coach Alvin Gentry will have a second interview with the Jazz on Tuesday, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

SATURDAY, 5:18pm: Bulls assistant Adrian Griffin and Hawks assistant Quin Snyder will both interview a second time for the Jazz head coaching vacancy, sources tell Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. Snyder was already believed to be a front-runner for the job, and Griffin now joins him at the front of the pack. A third, unnamed candidate could also still be in the running, sources tell Jones.

Griffin, also linked with the Cavs opening, is gaining steam toward landing his first head coaching gig. Jones adds that the Knicks are now apparently interested in the defensive specialist’s services for their head coaching position. Snyder hasn’t been reported as a candidate for any other NBA teams.

This presumably leaves one or both of Clippers assistant Alvin Gentry and Spurs assistant Jim Boylen out of the running for Utah’s vacancy, depending on whether either represent the unnamed candidate still under consideration. Both Grififin and Snyder are young, up-and-coming coaches, and if the Jazz are narrowing their search to meet that profile, Gentry wouldn’t fit the bill. Boylen is working within the highly successful and respected coaching corps of Gregg Popovich, but there is some antipathy for him in Utah due to his unsuccessful run as head coach at the University of Utah. Other names that have been linked as potential candidates include Jazz assistant Brad Jones and European coach Ettore Messina.

Thunder GM On Brooks, Fisher, Jackson, Perkins

June 5th, 2014 at 12:16pm CST by Chuck Myron

It appears that Scott Brooks will remain coach of the Thunder, as GM Sam Presti said today that Brooks has done an “excellent job” and expressed optimism that the coach will perform even better next year, as The Oklahoman’s Darnell Mayberry notes (Twitter links). Mayberry has plenty more from the GM’s press conference, and we’ll pass along the highlights here:

Derek Fisher seems to have Presti’s blessing to chase head coaching jobs with other teams this summer. Presti said the free agent guard has no obligation to keep the Thunder informed of his plans and has to do what’s best for him, as Mayberry passes along (Twitter links). “The only thing we have a right to do is to support him,” Presti said.
Presti appeared to downplay the idea of an extension for Reggie Jackson this summer, though the GM cautioned that the team is not considering a trade that sends him out, reminiscent of the decision to trade James Harden rather than give him an extension. “Generally, these things don’t happen in July, and the trend now is they don’t happen by the October 31st deadline,” Presti said, according to Mayberry (Twitter links).
The team hasn’t given thought to amnestying Kendrick Perkins, Presti said, according to Mayberry (via Twitter).
Oklahoma City is open to trading its pair of first round picks, Presti said, as Mayberry tweets. The Thunder have reportedly promised Kristaps Porzingis that they’ll draft him in the first round.
The GM indicated that the club will exercise caution with long-term deals in free agency this summer to protect future flexibility, Mayberry tweets.
Presti gave Mayberry the impression that he won’t push to sign “draft-and-stash” players Tibor Pleiss and Alex Abrines. The GM suggested that he’ll examine it, but cap worries would likely forestall a deal with either of them, Mayberry believes (Twitter links). “A lot of it is timing for them,” Presti said.

Draft Notes: Gordon, Napier, Spurs, Raptors

June 5th, 2014 at 8:58am CST by Chuck Myron

The draft is three weeks from tonight, and players continue to travel around North America to show off for teams and make the best of their chances. Here’s the latest:

The Jazz are among the teams on Aaron Gordon‘s workout schedule, tweets Sean Cunningham of News10 Sacramento.
Shabazz Napier is set to audition for the Bulls today, reports Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
The Spurs are working out Cleanthony Early, Glenn Robinson III, and Isaiah Austin today, according to Goodman (via Twitter).
The previously unreported prospects showing off for the Raptors today are the similarly named DeAndre Kane, DeAndre Daniels, K.J. McDaniels and C.J. Fair, the team announced.
The Suns worked out Aaron Craft, Markel Starks, Tarik Black and Casey Prather on Wednesday, reports Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic (on Twitter).
Bryce Cotton will audition for the Sixers next week, as agent Harold B. Woolfalk tells Tyler R. Tynes of the Philadelphia Daily News.
The Knicks are set to get a look at Arkansas State forward Kirk Van Slyke today, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link).

Knicks Aggressively Seeking First-Round Pick

June 4th, 2014 at 1:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks are “desperately” seeking a first-round pick in this month’s draft and are attempting to strong-arm their way into the top 30 picks, according to Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links). The team is telling agents and prospects of its intentions, Hamilton adds. Knicks team president Phil Jackson has made plain his desire to trade for a pick of some kind, but the team’s apparent plan to workout P.J. Hairston on Thursday was the first strong indication that New York, which is without any picks as it stands now, wants in the first round.

Hairston is No. 23 in the latest rankings from Chad Ford of ESPN.com and No. 24 with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, though our Alex Lee has him going at No. 15 in the latest Hoops Rumors Mock Draft. Several teams hold more than one first-round pick, as Hamilton notes, and the Suns are reportedly shopping the 27th overall selection.

The Sixers have seven picks overall and the Bucks, Suns and Timberwolves have four apiece. Jackson cited Philadelphia and Milwaukee as potential trade targets for a pick. Jackson was referring to their second-rounders, so perhaps his sights have shifted. Still, the Knicks, like every NBA team, can only trade a maximum of $3.2MM in cash over the course of the season, so “buying” a pick won’t necessarily be easy, particularly when it comes to first-rounders.

The Knicks are under pressure to make their roster attractive for Carmelo Anthony, who can opt out and leave as a free agent this summer. New York will be capped out regardless of whether Anthony is on the roster, so the draft represents one of the team’s few avenues to an upgrade.

Eastern Rumors: Stephenson, Nets, Fisher

June 4th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

One GM tells Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops that Lance Stephenson is probably in line for a three year deal worth $8-10MM annually, adding that the “immaturity” he showed in the playoffs hurt his value to a degree. On talent alone, Stephenson would be worth between $10-12MM a year, the GM believes, according to Scotto. Still, another GM thinks the shooting guard is headed for annual salaries of $4-6MM, while two agents say he’s likely to receive deal along the lines of three years and $18MM, Scotto reports. Scotto also reiterates a February report that cast the Bulls and Hornets among likely suitors for Stephenson. Here’s more from the:

Nets GM Billy King won’t rule out trading for a late first-round pick, but Brooklyn’s more likely to end up with a second-rounder, observes Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link). King indicated earlier that the team is thinking about acquiring a selection.
The Nets will almost certainly decline their team option for 2015/16 on Marquis Teague‘s rookie scale contract, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. The deadline for a decision on the option, worth more than $2MM, is October 31st this year.
Derek Fisher‘s duties when he was union president made him familiar with Knicks owner James Dolan, and Fisher believes he can be successful within in the Knicks organization if he ends up coaching the team, a source tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
The Bucks have interviewed Dante Exum and will put him through a workout and a physical, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com reports in the latest version of his Insider-only Big Board.
Geron Johnson, Justin Simmons and Kendall Williams are among the second-round prospects working out for the Bucks today, the team announced (Twitter link). Milwaukee is also auditioning Devyn Marble, confirming Marble’s own Twitter report.