Dedric Lawson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draft Notes: Lawson, M. Johnson, Baxter, Sibande

April 6th, 2019 at 8:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kansas forward Dedric Lawson, who projects as a second-round pick, will enter the NBA draft and sign with an agent, tweets Jeff Goodman of Stadium.

Lawson averaged 19.4 points and 10.4 rebounds as a junior. He is ranked as the 46th prospect overall and the 14th-best power forward on ESPN’s big board.

There are more draft decisions to pass along:

North Carolina State’s Markell Johnson will also test the draft waters, according to a press release from the school. The junior guard averaged 12.6 PPG and 4.2 APG this season while shooting 42.2% from 3-point range. He is not listed in ESPN’s Top 100.
Troy Baxter Jr. of Florida Gulf Coast will declare for the draft, the school announced (Twitter link). The sophomore forward was a four-star high school recruit who began at UNLV before transferring. In his lone season at FGCU, Baxter averaged 7.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. He is also not in ESPN’s Top 100.
Nike Sibande of Miami (Ohio) will enter the draft, the school announced in a news release. The sophomore guard was named MAC Freshman of the Year last season. He also falls outside the Top 100.

And-Ones: Lakers, Shaw, Brown

May 19th, 2016 at 10:46pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Lakers were able to keep their 2016 first-rounder when they landed the No.2 overall pick in Tuesday’s lottery. The team still owes Philadelphia and Orlando a first round pick each and Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders breaks down the possible pick exchanges in a series of tweets. Los Angeles sends its 2017 first-rounder to Philly if it falls outside the top-3. If the Sixers get the 2017 pick, then the Magic receive the Lakers’ unprotected 2019 selection. If it doesn’t convey in 2017, then the Lakers send their 2018 unprotected pick to Philly and they wouldn’t owe Orlando a first-rounder at all. Instead, the Magic would receive a 2017 second-rounder and a 2018 second-rounder. Los Angeles is in this predicament because of its 2012 trade for Dwight Howard and its 2012 trade for Steve Nash.

Here are some notes on the upcoming draft:

The Lakers have offered Brian Shaw a spot on their coaching staff, but the former Nuggets coach is still weighing his options, reports Bill Oram of The Los Angeles Daily News.
Jaylen Brown, who’s a projected top-10 pick, won’t sign an agent. Instead, he will use the NBPA to advise him on his rookie deal, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets.
Memphis’ Dedric Lawson has withdrawn from the draft, as his father tells Gary Parrish of CBS Sports (Twitter link).
Abdul-Malik Abu will withdraw from the draft and return to NC State, reports Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Jalen Moore will withdraw from the draft and return to Utah State, Goodman tweets.
The Bucks have worked out Tim Quarterman, Anthony Barber, Melo Trimble, Ron Baker, Anthony Gill and Devin Williams, per the team’s website.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Turner, 76ers, Draft

May 16th, 2016 at 8:39am CST by Luke Adams

With the Celtics preparing for a crucial draft, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe revisits one of the trades that helped Boston load up on picks for 2016, talking to Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck and general manager Danny Ainge about the team’s 2013 blockbuster with the Nets. Grousbeck admits he was keeping a close eye on Nets games throughout this season, and both he and Ainge acknowledge they were surprised by how high Brooklyn’s 2016 pick will land. “I thought Brooklyn was going to be good,” Ainge said. “I thought that maybe the 2018 pick might have a chance to be a decent pick, but I really didn’t believe that 2016 pick would be where it is. I thought they had a chance to be a good team — like, a really good team.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Speaking to CSN at a fundraising event on Sunday, Evan Turner indicated that he’d be open to taking a “hometown discount” to remaining with the Celtics, joking that this is the first time he’s left an exit interview believing that a team wanted him back. As A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com details, Turner is expected to draw interest from a handful of other suitors this summer, but the former second overall pick hopes to work something out with Boston.
The 76ers‘ workout group scheduled for Monday has undergone a pair of changes, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links), who reports that VCU guard Melvin Johnson and Temple forward Jaylen Bond will replace Cat Barber and Dedric Lawson.
The 76ers have become the first NBA team to officially announce a jersey sponsorship deal, and the club will get $5MM per year from its agreement with StubHub, tweets Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg News. Darren Rovell of ESPN.com hears from sources that Philadelphia has sold the next three seasons at that $5MM-per-year rate, while ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Twitter link) wonders if it might be time to push future salary cap projections slightly upward based on that price.
Iowa State forward Georges Niang, who had an interview lined up with the Sixers over the weekend, said he’d be interested in reuniting with his old Tilton Prep teammate Nerlens Noel in Philadelphia, writes Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com.

Sixers Notes: Colangelo, Long, Draft Plans

May 14th, 2016 at 6:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers are trying not to get too attached to any one player until they learn their fate in Tuesday’s draft lottery, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia earned a 26.9% chance at the top overall pick by posting the league’s worst record, but if the ping-pong balls bounce the wrong way, the Sixers could fall as far as fourth. They will get the Lakers’ pick if it drops out of the top three, so there are a lot of variables before the front office can form its draft strategy. Bryan Colangelo, Philly’s new president of basketball operation, said several teams have contacted the Sixers about dealing for one of their first-rounders. “With so much flexibility, we’re a team that everybody wants to talk to, because we’ve got good young developing pieces,” Colangelo said. “We’ve got draft picks, and those assets equal value.” Philadelphia also owns the Heat’s pick at No. 24 and the Thunder’s pick at No. 26.

There’s more pre-draft news out of Philadelphia:

Louisiana-Lafayette forward/center Shawn Long will work out Monday for the Sixers, Pompey relays in a separate piece. Memphis forward Dedric Lawson, St. Joseph’s swingman DeAndre’ Bembry, Villanova shooting guard Josh Hart and Seton Hall point guard Isaiah Whitehead will also participate in the Monday session, possibly along with North Carolina State point guard Cat Barber, whose is questionable after suffering a bruised thigh at the draft combine on Thursday.
The Sixers are improving their reputation with draft prospects, Pompey writes in another story. Syracuse shooting guard Malachi Richardson, Clemson forward Jaron Blossomgame and Providence point guard Kris Dunn are the latest prospects to say they would enjoy playing for the Sixers, who have won 19, 18 and 10 games over the past three seasons. “I could tell just by meeting everyone they were really into winning,” Richardson said. “It may not show on the court, but they’re definitely building pieces to get things done.”
Colangelo plans to put a heavy emphasis on character as he evaluates draft prospects, according to Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com. It’s a term that Colangelo has emphasized since his first day on the job. “Respecting the game of basketball is something that I think leads to success on the court for some individuals,” Colangelo said Friday at the draft combine.

Northwest Notes: Stotts, Brown, Poeltl

May 13th, 2016 at 5:47pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Mason Plumlee said Thursday that he’ll be “shocked” if the Trail Blazers don’t give Terry Stotts an extension, and Damian Lillard said a renewed deal for the coach “would mean everything to me,” notes Jay Allen of WPOJ-AM (Twitter links). Portland and representatives for the coach will reportedly explore the idea of an extension, and every Blazers player at exit interviews Thursday said they think Stotts is deserving of an extension and a raise, as KFXX-AM relays via Twitter.

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

Gerald Henderson confirmed hints that he’d like to re-sign with the Blazers, Allen tweets. “I can’t imagine a better place,” Henderson said. Maurice Harkless, headed for restricted free agency, also wants to return to Portland, KFXX-AM notes (Twitter link).
The Timberwolves interviewed Utah sophomore center Jakob Poeltl and UNLV freshman big man Stephen Zimmerman, Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune relays (Twitter links).
The Jazz have scheduled a workout with Memphis small forward Dedric Lawson and are expected to set up one with Purdue freshman forward Caleb Swanigan, Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune relays (Twitter links).
The Jazz interviewed Jaylen Brown (California) and Troy Williams (Indiana) today, and the team has scheduled meetings for Saturday with Malachi Richardson (Syracuse) and Isaiah Whitehead (Seton Hall), Jones relays in a series of tweets. The scribe also notes that Utah really likes freshman power forward Marquese Chriss (Washington), a potential lottery pick, and that the 18-year-old impressed the team during his interview.
The Wolves held a workout earlier this week that included Ben Bentil (Providence), Abdul Malik-Abu (North Carolina State), Abdel Nader (Iowa State), Trevon Bluiett (Xavier) and James Robinson (Pittsburgh), Zgoda tweets.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Dunn, Trimble, Wiltjer, Hart

May 12th, 2016 at 10:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Coach Brett Brown has promised Providence sophomore point guard Kris Dunn a chance to play right away if the Sixers draft him, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Dunn met with Sixers officials Wednesday and both he and the team appeared to come away impressed. “They made me feel like they really wanted me there,” he said. “We all were very engaged. We talked about a lot of things. I appreciate them having me.” Philadelphia notched the NBA’s worst record this season and has a 26.9% chance at landing the top overall pick. That will probably be LSU’s Ben Simmons or Duke’s Brandon Ingram, but the Sixers will also get the Lakers’ pick if it falls outside the top three, which is where they might take Dunn.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

The Sixers are interviewing a lot of guards, including Maryland sophomore point guard Melo Trimble, Pompey tweets.
Gonzaga senior power forward Kyle Wiltjer will work out for the Sixers later this month, Pompey tweets.
Villanova junior shooting guard Josh Hart plans a workout with the Sixers, tweets Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com. Hart is undecided on whether to stay in the draft or return to school. Philadelphia will also work out freshman small forward Dedric Lawson of Memphis on Monday (Twitter link).
The Celtics have met with several top prospects, including Ingram, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Other projected top-10 players that Boston has interviewed include Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield, Kentucky’s Jamal Murray and California’s Jaylen Brown. The team has also scheduled an interview with Utah center Jakob Poeltl. According to Himmelsbach, the Celtics have either met with or are planning interviews with Oakland’s Kay Felder, Maryland’s Diamond Stone, Vanderbilt’s Wade Baldwin, New Mexico State’s Pascal Siakam, Michigan State’s Deyonta Davis, China’s Zhou Qi, Syracuse’s Malachi Richardson, UNLV’s Patrick McCaw, Louisville’s Chinanu Onuaku, Vanderbilt’s Damian Jones, Mississippi State’s Malik Newman, North Carolina State’s Cat Barber, Kansas’ Cheick Diallo, Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes and high school prospect Thon Maker.
Seton Hall sophomore point guard Isaiah Whitehead, who has met with the Sixers, Celtics, Knicks and Nets among others, will “100%” leave college if a team offers him a first-round guarantee, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. “You can’t give up opportunities like that,” Whitehead said. “I mean, when they tell you it’s time to go, you just gotta go.”
Assistant GM Allan Houston conducted the Knicks‘ meeting with Whitehead as team president Phil Jackson apparently skipped the draft combine, Zagoria writes in a separate piece.
Diallo is scheduled to meet with the Knicks, Celtics and Raptors on Friday, Zagoria tweets.

Memphis SF Dedric Lawson To Test Draft Waters

April 20th, 2016 at 2:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

Memphis freshman small forward Dedric Lawson has entered this year’s draft in spite of an announcement from his school last week that he wouldn’t do so, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter links). The 6’8″ 18-year-old won’t hire an agent, Spears was told, so his college eligibility remains intact should he have another change of heart and withdraw by May 25th. Lawson is No. 46 in Chad Ford’s ESPN Insider rankings. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress doesn’t have him in his top 100 but pegs him as the 28th-best freshman.

Lawson was No. 32 in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index entering college. He led the American Athletic Conference with 9.3 rebounds per game and was third with 1.7 blocks per contest this year. He also excelled on offense, averaging 15.8 points, though his 3-point accuracy wasn’t spectacular at 35.0%.

He capped his season with a double-double in a conference tournament loss to Connecticut, scoring 21 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Still, he struggled with inconsistency, scoring at least 20 points 11 times and in single digits on seven occasions.

Memphis SF Dedric Lawson Opts Against Draft

April 13th, 2016 at 8:32am CST by Chuck Myron

University of Memphis freshman small forward Dedric Lawson won’t be in this year’s draft, the school announced (Twitter link). The school refers to the 6’8″ 18-year-old as having withdrawn from the draft, though it doesn’t appear as though he ever entered. In any case, it looks like he won’t take advantage of the new rules that would have allowed him to go through workouts with NBA teams and, if invited, take part in the NBA combine while retaining his college eligibility. That’s somewhat surprising, since he was a candidate to go in the middle of the second round, with Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranking him the 45th-best prospect. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress pegs Lawson as the 28th-best freshman.

Lawson put up strong numbers this season, with 15.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. His rebounding average led the American Athletic Conference, and he was third in the conference with 1.7 blocks per contest. He showed range, knocking down 35.0% of his 3-point attempts, but he committed a conference-leading 104 total turnovers over 33 games, so NBA types will surely look for improvement in that area when he returns to school for next season.

The native of Memphis entered his hometown school at No. 32 in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index. His impact was almost immediate, as he went for 22 points and 15 rebounds against eventual Final Four team Oklahoma in just the second game of the season.