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Draft Notes: Smart, Adams, Vonleh, Gordon

May 16th, 2014 at 10:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Marcus Smart doesn’t regret returning to college for his sophomore season, writes Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Smart said, “The reason I came back is my freshman year was the first time I played point guard. I wanted to embrace that role and become a better point guard, learn the position before I take my talents to the NBA where guys have been playing that role their whole life.“

More on the draft:

    • Two big winners of the Draft combine so far are Noah Vonleh and Aaron Gordon, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
    • Teams need to remember Doug McDermott‘s statistics when observing him at the combine, writes Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. McDermott doesn’t have the type of measurements or athletic ability that jumps out scouts in combine settings, notes Brigham.
    • Marc D’Amico of NBA.com breaks down some of the best individual draft combine numbers of the day.
    • The Bulls are looking for shooters in this year’s NBA Draft, reports K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. Two names being mentioned in connection with the team are McDermott and Rodney Hood, per the article.
    • Thanasis Antetokounmpo interviewed with the Nets, Pacers, Pelicans, Wizards, Bobcats, Cavaliers, and Knicks while at the combine, tweets Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
    • Patric Young interviewed with the Knicks, Pelicans, and Grizzlies, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. On speaking with Phil Jackson, Young said, “He didn’t say much the first 20 minutes. He was just being calm and being himself. He would eat some chips while everyone else was asking questions. Then he popped in a question every now and then and made some comments. But it was good. It was great. They seemed to really like me and be really intrigued by me as a person.”
    • UCLA guards Zach LaVine and Jordan Adams did enough athletically at the combine to improve their draft stocks, writes Michael O’Brien of The Chicago Sun-Times.
    • The key to the Lakers offseason will be the draft lottery, writes Bill Oram of the Orange County Register. GM Mitch Kupchak said the team wouldn’t base their lottery selection by positional need, but rather the best overall player, notes Oram. Kupchak also said, “When you only have four or five guys on your roster, you really need seven to eight players, so we need to bring in players at every position really.”
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And-Ones: Draft, Sterling, Pippen

May 15th, 2014 at 11:02pm CST by Cray Allred

Doug McDermott came in at just over 6’6″ in height and 6’9″ in wingspan at the combine, measurements that a league executive tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News are “potentially disastrous” for the projected top-10 pick. Deveney thinks the forward will slip into the late lottery or worse. The measurements increase the concerns over his ability to defend at the wing we noted in our prospect profile of the Creighton All-American. Here’s a roundup of more of tonight’s notes from around the league:

  • Julius Randle, Noah Vonleh, Jerami Grant, Kyle Anderson, and DeAndre Daniels all turned out average or better measurements in wingspan, per Deveney. Randle’s length was of particular concern prior to the combine, as we noted in our prospect profile of the Kentucky forward.
  • Nik Stauskas unexpectedly sat out combine drills today, telling reporters including Brendan F. Quinn of MLive.com that he had little to gain by demonstrating his established shooting skills. Instead, the shooting guard hopes to prove his stock through physical testing and interviews at the combine.
  • The league likely won’t take action to strip the Clippers from Donald Sterling until after the season, reports Michael McMann of SI.com in a piece outlining the steps the NBA will take to perform the ouster.
  • McCann says that a divorce between the Sterlings, or any other attempts to complicate the legal process, likely won’t hinder the league’s efforts based on straightforward CBA provisions for ownership transition.
  • Donald Sterling’s lawyer sent a letter to the league, threatening to sue the NBA and informing the league of his client’s refusal to pay the $2.5MM fine levied against him by Adam Silver, McCann reports in a separate piece.
  • The fine was already past due, and failure to pay should actually bolster the league’s case, tweets Larry Coon of Basketball Insiders.
  • Scottie Pippen is considering an offer to work for the Knicks, possibly as an assistant coach, according to a report from Marc Berman of The New York Post.
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Draft Combine Updates: Thursday

May 15th, 2014 at 10:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Chicago draft combine is underway, and teams can meet with up to 18 players. With 30 teams, that means there could be as many as 540 interviews this week. We’ll try to keep track of as many as possible here, and we’ll update this post throughout the day as news filters in. Here’s the latest:

  • Ennis will meet with the Bobcats and at least four other teams in addition to the organizations listed below, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer reports.
  • Vonleh interviewed with the Wolves, Bucks, Lakers, and Blazers, tweets Robbins, who adds that the big man is scheduled to meet with the Sixers.

Earlier updates:

  • LaVine shot very well, and Seth Davis of SI.com hears that he may have helped his stock more than any other prospect today (Twitter link; H/T Wolstat).
  • In Exum’s extended quotes transcribed by Sean Deveney of The Sporting News regarding the point guard’s willingness to pressure certain teams not to draft him, Exum said he doesn’t see any of his potential destinations as a bad fit, and is willing to play behind an established point guard.
  • LaQuinton Ross will work out for the Cavs on Monday, tweets Jason Lloyd of Akron Beacon Journal.
  • The Raptors plan to meet with K.J. McDaniels, McDermott, Payton, Anderson, McDaniels, and possibly Hood, reports Wolstat (via Twitter).
  • Hood will meet with the Bulls on Friday, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
  • Randle interviewed with the Cavs and will do so with the Bucks, too, as the Plain Dealer and Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel note (Twitter links).
  • Patric Young spoke with the Pelicans and has a sit-down with the Grizzlies scheduled, according to Robbins (Twitter links).
  • Blakely adds Hood and Noah Vonleh to the Celtics interview list, while Randle and T.J. Warren are talking to Boston, too, according to Holmes (All Twitter links).
  • Vonleh says he also has an interview scheduled with the Magic, Robbins notes, adding that Orlando wanted to interview Stauskas, but his meeting schedule is too full (Twitter links). The Magic sat down with Randle on Wednesday, Robbins adds (on Twitter).
  • Aaron Gordon met with the Sixers on Wednesday, Pompey tweets.
  • Exum will also interview with the Kings, according to Howard-Cooper (on Twitter).
  • Julius Randle is meeting with the Sixers today, reports Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
  • Doug McDermott said he met Wednesday with the Bulls, Hawks and Timberwolves, Robbins observes, and McDermott added that he’s looking forward to a meeting with the Cavs, as Robbins and the Plain Dealer observe (Twitter links).
  • Rodney Hood is set to interview with the Wolves tonight, Zgoda tweets. Hood interviewed with the Bobcats on Wednesday, as Bonnell details (Twitter links).
  • Kyle Anderson met with the Celtics and he’ll also see the Wolves tonight, Washburn and Zgoda note (Twitter links).
  • The Pistons met with Glenn Robinson III on Wednesday, as he tells Langlois (Twitter link).
  • Add the Celtics and the Bucks to Exum’s interview agenda, as Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe and Matt Velazquez of the Journal Sentinel report (Twitter links). Exum thinks he’ll sit down with the Cavs, too, the Plain Dealer notes (on Twitter).
  • The Wolves will interview Lavine on Friday after having spoken with James Young on Wednesday, Zgoda tweets.
  • The Bobcats have expressed interest in P.J. Hairston, as he tells Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
  • Dante Exum‘s wingspan measured out at nearly 6’10”, and he’ll draw consideration for the No. 1 overall pick from some teams, ESPN’s Chad Ford said on the network’s combine coverage today, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv notes (Twitter link). He denied that he’s angling for the Lakers in the draft, but he wouldn’t rule out pressuring some teams not to take him, tweets Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Exum met with the Sixers, Pistons and Suns on Wednesday, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. The Celtics, Lakers, Magic and Jazz will also speak with him, report Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel and Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune (All four Twitter links).
  • Marcus Smart has interviewed with the Rockets, Raptors, Lakers, Suns and Nuggets, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. The Cavs, Jazz and Bucks are also on his agenda, as the Plain Dealer, Falk and Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times report (All Twitter links). The Timberwolves won’t interview Smart in Chicago, but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities hears the team is hoping to get him to come to Minnesota for a workout (Twitter link).
  • Ontario native Tyler Ennis is excited about the idea of playing for the Raptors and has interviewed with them, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. He’s also met with the Bobcats, Kings, Suns, Thunder and Nuggets, according to Kennedy (on Twitter).
  • Nik Stauskas has met with or will meet with the Kings, Pistons and Raptors, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com and Doug Smith of the Toronto Star (All Twitter links).
  • The Nuggets, Spurs, Warriors and Nets have met with Shabazz Napier, Kennedy tweets.
  • The Hawks, Spurs, Thunder, Raptors, Magic, Cavs and Timberwolves met Elfrid Payton, Kennedy reports (Twitter link).
  • Zach LaVine interviewed with the Celtics, among others, Wednesday, he tells Blakely (Twitter link).
  • Russ Smith sat down with the Suns, Celtics and Blazers, according to Kennedy (via Twitter).
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And-Ones: Cavs, Nets, T’Wolves

May 13th, 2014 at 11:16pm CST by Ryan Raroque

There are plenty of head coaching options for the Cavaliers to consider, as the league’s current list of free agent coaches includes Mike D’Antoni, Lionel Hollins, Mark Jackson, and George Karl. Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio briefly profiles each of the above-mentioned candidates according to their chances of landing in Cleveland next season. Additionally, Amico mentions Alvin Gentry, Jerry Sichting, Mark Price, Alex Jensen, and Steve Kerr as other names to keep in mind.

Here are some more miscellaneous news and notes to pass along tonight:

  • Despite talk that Kevin Garnett could potentially retire after this season, with Paul Pierce slated to hit unrestricted free agency, all signs point toward both returning to the Nets next year, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.
  • Timberwolves brass will be heading to Chicago tomorrow in preparation for the NBA’s pre-draft combine and are expected to request interviews with many players, including Michigan State’s Gary Harris, Michigan’s Nik Stauskas, Kentucky’s James Young, Creighton’s Doug McDermott, and Duke’s Rodney Hood, reports Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.
  • In the same piece, Zgoda writes that the Wolves are looking to acquire their own D-League affiliate.
  • Don’t be surprised if LeBron James chooses to distance himself from Roger Mason Jr.‘s recent comments about boycotting the 2014/15 season if Donald Sterling still owns the Clippers, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
  • Assuming he re-signs with the Thunder in 2016, Kevin Durant could earn somewhere around $143.75MM over five years, as Berry Tramel and Jon Hamm of NewsOK explain.
  • During an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Magic Johnson revealed that he declined an offer from Pistons owner Tom Gores to be part of his ownership group in Detroit (H/T to The Detroit News). Magic had been responding to the claim from Donald Sterling that the former Lakers star had been conspiring to purchase the Clippers.
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Prospect Profile: Doug McDermott

April 5th, 2014 at 9:39am CST by Cray Allred

Doug McDermott strongly considered entering last year’s draft, but opted to stay in school for one more year. As we detailed in our profile of Marcus Smart, a year can make quite a difference in a player’s draft value. While Smart’s stock has slipped from last year, when he declined to stay at Oklahoma State despite being projected near the very top of the draft, McDermott has seen his stock skyrocket after returning to Creighton for his senior year.

Last year, McDermott was seen as a late first-rounder or second-rounder at best, but he’s projected at No. 10 overall in the latest DraftExpress mock draft, and ranked No. 13 in ESPN Insider Chad Ford’s Top 100 prospects list. Ironically, McDermott didn’t even consider a lottery selection to be a possibility when making his decision to return for his senior year. McDermott sought Creighton alum Kyle Korver‘s advice, telling Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports at the time, “[The 2014 draft] looks stronger at the top 15 to 18 picks, but after that it’s about the same. But that’s probably not going to be my range this year or next year, anyway. That helped me [decide].”

McDermott played power forward in college, and is listed at 6’8″ and 225 lbs. A dynamic scorer, the 22-year-old averaged 21.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game with a slash line of .550/.458/.831 in his four years at Creighton. He upped his scoring average this year, but was actually a slightly more efficient scorer in his junior year. It’s possible that Creighton’s move from the Missouri Valley Conference to the Big East had a hand in raising his profile, validating his status as one of the nation’s premier scorers. McDermott is already an extremely decorated athlete, holding Creighton’s all-time scoring record with more than 1,000 points more than the next most prolific scoring Bluejay, ranking third in career rebounds at the school, and becoming one of just a dozen players to earn First-Team All American honors three times in the history of the award.

McDermott is probably a bit undersized to establish himself as exclusively a power forward in the NBA, and isn’t quick enough to guard many of the league’s small forwards. The dreaded “tweener” label isn’t always a death knell, especially in a league utilizing more and more small-ball and unconventional lineups. However, some young frontcourt players with positional ambiguity have indeed struggled, for example Anthony Bennett (6’8″, 259 lbs.; designated a small forward) and Derrick Williams (6’8″, 240 lbs.; designated a power forward).

McDermott’s greatest strengths have been shooting and rebounding, two skillsets that tend to translate well from college to pro hoops. However, some scouts have questions about his size and lack of athleticism. Whether McDermott can survive defensively in the NBA is a concern. McDermott’s athletic limitations don’t preclude him from finding ways to effectively spot-up or even create his shot consistently, but it’s a tougher task to overcome the same limitations on defense.

There are plenty of elite shooters and scorers in the NBA who thrive despite being liabilities on the defensive end, although it is easier to hide or even utilize a physically overmatched wing in a team defense scheme than it is to accommodate for a limited frontcourt defender. David Lee of the Warriors is close to McDermott’s size, and his poor defense makes his value as a starter arguably a net loss despite his knack for scoring and rebounding, depending on how you value certain advanced metrics. Still, McDermott would be a huge success as a late lottery pick if his career paralleled that of Lee.

Whichever team selects McDermott will see whether he can continue to find ways to make his game work, taking a chance in the hopes that he will be able to produce somewhere north of 15 points per game in a best-case scenario. McDermott, a coach’s son, will no doubt work to make that team’s gamble worthwhile. Even in the case that he doesn’t pan out as a top-shelf NBA talent, there are greater risks than drafting an established shooter.

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Draft Rumors: McDermott, Vonleh, Tournament

March 26th, 2014 at 8:12pm CST by Cray Allred

Former NBA team consultant Travis Heath writes at Basketball Insiders about being wrong as a scout. Watching a player like James Harden dominate in the NBA can be torture for him, since he was wrong about the Rockets star’s potential. Here’s a roundup of the rest of the night’s draft rumors:

  • A group post by several USA Today writers features their takes on tanking for this draft class, whether poor NCAA tournament performances from Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker hurt their draft stocks, and which players have boosted their draft stocks the most in the tournament. The USA Today scribes single out Kyle Anderson, Adreian Payne, and Shabazz Napier as players proving their NBA talent in March.
  • Doug McDermott has signed with agent Mark Bartelstein at Priority Sports, reports Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders posted his own mock draft, slotting Joel Embiid down at the five spot and putting Wiggins, Parker, Dante Exum, and Julius Randle ahead of him. 
  • An NBA scout tells Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe that Indiana’s Noah Vonleh will be a high lottery pick and expects the big man to have more success in the league than Randle, who sits a few spots ahead of Vonleh in most draft projections.
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Draft Rumors: Wiggins, Parker, Smart

March 24th, 2014 at 5:18pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we learned Ohio State small forward LaQuinton Ross is on the fence about entering the draft.  While he’s not one of the top talents available this June, Ross was ranked No. 32 by ESPN’s Chad Ford and that’s no small feat given the depth of this year’s class.  Here’s the latest draft news..

  • Projected lottery picks Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Doug McDermott some of their worst during NCAA tournament action the past few days. Still, their performances haven’t discouraged NBA team executives, who tell Chris Mannix of SI.com that this weekend’s results will do little to alter their draft stocks (Twitter link).
  • In today’s column, David Aldridge of NBA.com looks at the shallow pool of point guards in the 2014 draft.  While there’s a significant drop-off after Australian prospect Dante Exum, Oklahoma State sophomore Marcus Smart, and Syracuse freshman Tyler Ennis, Aldridge rightfully notes that it’s not a huge problem for most NBA teams.  The classic, pass-first floor general is nearly extinct thanks to rule changes over the years.
  • NBA scouts told Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post that they regarded 6’6″ Colorado point guard Spencer Dinwiddie a late first-round pick, at least, before he tore his ACL in January. Concerns about his recovery and the absence of a chance to take part in predraft workouts will make it easy for Dinwiddie to decide against entering this year’s draft, Dempsey believes.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

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Draft Notes: Minimum Age, Smith, McDermott

March 6th, 2014 at 8:35pm CST by Charlie Adams

Mark Cuban thinks the NBA would be wise to raise the minimum age for NBA players, but Tim Cowlishaw of SportsDayDFW opines it would be hard to justify to NCAA athletes that they need to wait to make their millions while athletes in other sports like golf can enter the pro circuit upon turning 18. Here’s the latest on a pair of senior prospects who have waited four years to enter the NBA draft by choice, not by rule:

  • Russ Smith’s draft stock is rising, but he still has a long way to go, writes Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. One Western Conference executive is wary of Smith because he doesn’t think Smith is the type of guard who makes his teammates better.
  • Another executive told Mannix that any comparisons of Smith to Nate Robinson are inaccurate since Robinson is much more athletic. “The guys that are small combo guards that make it work… are few and far between,” said the executive. “It takes a really special guy to be a small spark plug off the bench, and I don’t see it in [Smith].“
  • Creighton’s Doug McDermott is another player with a rising draft stock. The 6’8″ forward is one of the most efficient college scorers in recent memory, but his questionable defense is leaving some executives unsure about his potential to succeed at the next level. Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com have the details in the latest Insider piece,
  • Pelton and Ford see the Grizzlies as the best landing spot for McDermott. They suggest that should Zach Randolph leave, the defensive-minded duo of Marc Gasol and Kosta Koufos would be able to lock down the paint on defense while McDermott stretches the floor with his shooting. Pelton notes the Magic had a similar setup in Orlando with Ryan Anderson and Dwight Howard.
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Odds & Ends: Duncan, Oden, Wizards

February 19th, 2014 at 7:54am CST by Chuck Myron

ESPN analyst and former coach George Karl hears that Tim Duncan is thinking of retiring at season’s end, notes Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News, but Duncan isn’t sure how Karl got that impression. The Big Fundamental says he’s undecided, as he tells reporters, including Express-News scribe Mike Monroe (Twitter link). Fellow Express-News writer Jeff McDonald would be “shocked” if Duncan retired. The sense around the Spurs is that Duncan will keep playing as long as he feels he’s useful, McDonald says, pointing out that the big man is still under contract for next year (Twitter links). Here’s more from the Association:

  • Greg Oden considered a handful of teams last summer, but it came down to a decision between the Mavs and the Heat, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • Most reports have suggested the Wizards are looking for a backup point guard, but Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times hears they’re seeking a backup who can play both guard positions, suggesting Luke Ridnour as a possibility (Twitter link).
  • A veteran scout tells Woelfel that he has Creighton forward Doug McDermott No. 6 on his draft board, and Chris Mannix of SI.com examines a polarizing prospect who’s sparked a wide range of opinions in NBA front offices.
  • The Cavs had discussions with the Lakers about acquiring Chris Kaman, but those talks are no longer active, notes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
  • Free agent Malcolm Lee hasn’t played since December 2012 because of injury, but he’s about two weeks away from being ready to suit up for a team, USA Today’s Sam Amick tweets.
  • The Warriors on Tuesday recalled Ognjen Kuzmic from the D-League, the team announced. Kuzmic’s latest stint in Santa Cruz lasted one day.
  • Some members of the actors union are upset that executive director David White is a candidate for the same position with the National Basketball Players Association, observes Dave McNary of Variety.com.
  • Lionel Hollins explains the root of his raw feelings from the end of his tenure as Grizzlies coach to Mearl Purvis of WHBQ-TV in Memphis.
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Draft Updates: McDermott, Jean-Charles

April 25th, 2013 at 4:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Doug McDermott has elected to return to Creighton for his senior season, forgoing the 2013 NBA draft, reports Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com. McDemott had been weighing his options for weeks, but ultimately decided not to let the perception that 2013's class is weak affect his decision.

"If I'm going to play in the NBA, I'm going to play this year or next year," McDermott said. "I'm not buying into the fact that I had to go this year because the draft was considered weaker. [Kyle Korver] told me that I'm going to have to beat out guys whether I'm a first-rounder or I wind up going in the second round."

McDermott had been ranked 39th on Jonathan Givony's big board at DraftExpress.com and 50th on Chad Ford's at ESPN.com.

Meanwhile, a prospect that ranks slightly ahead of McDermott on both boards (35th and 47th respectively) has officially entered the 2013 draft. Agent Pedja Materic announced (via Twitter) that French Guyana native Livio Jean-Charles will go pro.

Jean-Charles recently turned heads at the Nike Hoop Summit, scoring 27 points and grabbing 13 boards in the World team's victory over the U.S. The 19-year-old power forward was named MVP of the game.

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