Joel Embiid Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Messina, Embiid, Gordon

June 10th, 2014 at 10:56pm CST by Cray Allred

Fort Wayne Mad Ants president Jeff Potter is under the impression that his club will indeed have affiliations, with 13 NBA teams this coming season, as he tells Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Mad Ants will feature no more than four players on assignment from the NBA at any a time, with the spots alloted to NBA clubs on a first-come, first-served basis, Potter adds. Here’s more from around the league:

Spurs GM R.C. Buford denied an earlier report that claimed Ettore Messina was joining San Antonio’s coaching staff as an assistant, telling Mike Monroe of San Antonio Express-News that there has been no contact made with Messina, let alone a hire. “Is someone leaving our staff that I don’t know about?” Buford said. “We have not had one conversation with anyone about a coaching position for next season.”
Joel Embiid is in Cleveland to undergo a physical with Cavs doctors in the hopes of alleviating concerns about his back, but Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider only) says that it will take more than medical clearance for Embiid to land at No. 1 in the draft. Ford writes that owner Dan Gilbert’s anxiousness to win immediately has influenced Cleveland’s draft choices in recent years. While scouts tell Ford that Embiid has the most potential of any 2014 prospect, they don’t expect him to be a steady contributor in his rookie season.
Dirk Nowitzki tells Dwain Price of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he is likely to meet with Mavs owner Mark Cuban hastily regarding his impending free agency (Twitter link).
The Celtics will work out Isaiah Austin and Sam Dower tomorrow, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.
The Wolves have been trying unsuccessfully to arrange a workout with Aaron Gordon, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. The Wolves are struggling to convince top tier prospects to work out in general. Wolfson notes that the Wolves think more highly of Noah Vonleh and Julius Randle than they do Gordon (all Twitter links).
John Calipari acknowledged that he had been approached by multiple NBA teams before signing an extension to stay with Kentucky in an interview with Kentucky Sports Radio (transcription via Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News). “It was significantly more money for me to leave than to stay,” Calipari said. “It kind of tells you where my mind is.”

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Ford On Sixers, Nuggets, Bulls, Lakers, Kings

June 10th, 2014 at 12:18pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Sixers inquired with the Cavs about the No. 1 overall pick, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com reveals in his latest Insider-only mock draft. Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio wrote last week that a team with a top-three pick had done so, so it was either Philadelphia or Milwaukee. The Sixers aren’t willing to give up picks Nos. 3 and 10 to acquire the top selection, Ford writes. The ESPN.com scribe adds that it’s possible the team would offer Thaddeus Young and the No. 3 pick, though it’s unclear whether that’s just speculation. Andrew Wiggins is Philly’s prime target in the draft, but if they can’t take him at No. 3, they’ll go with either Joel Embiid or Jabari Parker, Ford hears, adding that while Dante Exum “isn’t out of the question” for that pick, he’d need to “wow” the team in his workout to get the nod. Ford has more significant news from the draft and elsewhere, as we detail here:

The Nuggets and Bulls have had serious talks about a trade that would send the No. 11 pick to Chicago in exchange for the 16th and 19th overall selections, Ford hears. The Bulls want to move up in the draft so they can take a top-flight shooter, Ford says. Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post first reported that Denver was shopping the 11th pick last week.
The Lakers are shopping the No. 7 pick, according to Ford, but the Kings are merely listening to offers for the eighth selection, Ford writes, clarifying his report from last week. The No. 8 selection has been linked to rumors involving Kevin Love.
Sacramento is interested in point guards Dennis Schröder of the Hawks and Brandon Knight of the Bucks, Ford reports.

Draft Notes: MJ, Embiid, Hairston, Maker

June 9th, 2014 at 11:50am CST by Zachary Links

If the Rockets didn’t tank in 1984, Michael Jordan would have been a member of the Sixers, writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. The Sixers owned the Clippers’ pick that year and had the Rockets not tanked down the stretch, they would have landed either the No. 1 or 2 pick in a coin flip. Instead, that pick became the No. 5 choice and that’s where the Sixers selected Charles Barkley. Fast forwarding thirty years later, here’s today’s draft news..

One NBA scout tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports that if there are no serious back issues, Kansas center Joel Embiid has a chance to be a franchise superstar. Embiid holds the No. 1 spot in Spears’ mock draft, followed by Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, Dante Exum, and Aaron Gordon.
New Mexico State center Sim Bhullar will work out for the Raptors on Wednesday, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. During his second season as an Aggie, Bhullar put up 10.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per night while averaging just over 26 minutes every contest.
Scott Rafferty of Ridiculous Upside wonders if P.J. Hairston has done enough to cement himself as a surefire first round pick in the draft. Hairston proved himself as one of the best scorers in the D-League last season but concerns about his attitude remain.
Elite 7-foot prospect Thon Maker is “50-50” on whether to reclassify himself to the high school graduating class of 2015, which would make him eligible for the 2016 draft, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY. The Carlisle School (VA) standout is currently slated to graduate in 2016 but he would likely be the top talent in the 2015 class as well. If you’ve yet to see Maker play, take a look at this widely circulated mixtape on YouTube (though you should dial down your volume if you’re watching at work).

Draft Rumors: Embiid, Wiggins, Gordon, Suns

June 4th, 2014 at 9:39am CST by Chuck Myron

Chris Mannix of SI.com hears from sources who maintain their belief that the Cavs are deciding between Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins, as Mannix writes in his latest mock draft. The Sixers hope that Embiid and Jabari Parker go with the first two picks, since they covet Wiggins, as Mannix hears. There’s more from Mannix amid our latest look at the draft:

Danny Ainge is “locked in” on Aaron Gordon at No. 6 for the Celtics, several sources tell Mannix, who nonetheless points to the distinct possibility that Ainge will trade the pick.
The Suns are shopping the 27th overall pick, rival executives tell Mannix.
The Wolves are listening to offers for the 13th overall selection, but they aren’t actively seeking deals, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
Clint Capela, Eric Moreland, Victor Rudd and Akeem Williams are the previously unreported names on the list of players working out for the Celtics today, as Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com details.
The Raptors are auditioning Deonte Burton and Niels Giffey today among others we’d already heard about, the team announced.
Chaz Williams has the Warriors, Bucks, and Cavs on his workout agenda, as he tells Daniel Malone of MassLive.
It appears as though Devyn Marble has set up another workout for the Bucks today after having to call off last week’s plans, as he tweeted that he would be auditioning for Milwaukee today after performing for the Spurs on Tuesday (hat tip to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).

Ford’s Latest: Cavs, Embiid, Trades, Payton

June 3rd, 2014 at 4:21pm CST by Chuck Myron

It’s unlikely the Cavs will promise any player they’ll draft him at No. 1, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com, who writes in an Insider-only piece. That means there’s a strong chance that Joel Embiid, who’s scheduled to work out and take a physical for the team, will go through the same with the Bucks and perhaps others. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is pushing new GM David Griffin to make the playoffs next season, Ford hears, adding that he believes Cleveland would prefer to trade the top pick. There’s more from Ford’s piece amid this afternoon’s look at the draft, and we’ll hit the highlights here:

An NBA GM tells Ford that he’s surprised at the number of picks available via trade, seconding what others have told the ESPN.com scribe. The Celtics, Lakers, Kings, Hornets, Wolves and Suns are all at least open to the idea of trading their lottery picks, Ford hears, though he says via Twitter that the teams are “shopping” those picks, suggesting that they’re actively seeking deals and not just sitting back and listening to offers. In contrast, the Bucks, Sixers, Magic and Jazz are likely to retain their picks, Ford also writes.
The Bucks, Hawks, Mavs, Blazers and Raptors will probably look to acquire additional first-rounders, Ford adds.
Sources tell Ford that Elfrid Payton is “in the mix” to go to the Kings at No. 8 overall.
Ford adds the Bulls to the list of teams that have worked out Jordan Clarkson.

And-Ones: Hairston, Embiid, Draft

June 1st, 2014 at 12:34pm CST by Eddie Scarito

P.J. Hairston‘s journey to the NBA is a unique one, and may open the door for others to take a similar path in the future, writes Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. On leaving North Carolina to play in the NBA D-League, Hairston said, “It wasn’t my choice to play in the D-League. I ended up there, and I wanted to be able to graduate, so I was in the D-League and took all of my courses. For some guys, it’s there for them if they want to. Some guys want to stay in college and graduate. It’s up to that person.”

Eastern Notes: Cavs, LeBron, Hornets

June 1st, 2014 at 11:33am CST by Eddie Scarito

Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (hat tip to Henry Green of Fox Sports Ohio) doesn’t think the Cavaliers will hire a new head coach prior to the NBA Draft. Amico also believes that GM David Griffin is looking to hire an offensive minded coach and that the team will select Joel Embiid with the first-overall pick in the draft.

Draft Notes: Cavs, Grizzlies, Randle

May 28th, 2014 at 6:40pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Cavaliers will visit with Joel Embiid in the coming weeks and perform a full physical on the potential first overall selection, reports Andy Katz of ESPN.com. The article notes that Embiid won’t visit another team until the Cavs are given a chance to determine if they will select him with the top pick. Embiid’s representatives and the Cavs are working toward finding an appropriate date, time and place to conduct the interview and physical, notes Katz. Cleveland could still deal the No. 1 pick, which is the primary reason why Embiid’s representatives want to see where the team stands before scheduling further visits or interviews, per the article.

And-Ones: Draft, Yao, LeBron

May 27th, 2014 at 10:44pm CST by Cray Allred

James McAdoo, Roscoe Smith, James Bell, Chris Fouch, Luke Hancock, and Niels Giffey all worked out for the Sixers today, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. All project to be selected in the second round at best, where Philadelphia owns five draft picks. Here’s a roundup of the night’s news, including plenty from the draft:

The Bucks are having some difficulty scheduling pre-draft workouts with Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, and Jabari Parker, director of scouting Billy McKinney tells Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel. “I still think there’s a lot of thinking on their agents’ part of, ‘Hey, he’s not going to be there [at No. 2].'” McKinney said. “We’re going to have to be a little creative…which you have to do certain times to go out and get your private discussion and workouts in. That’s all part of it.”
C.J. Fair will workout for the Bucks and Hornets this week, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
Wally Judge will work out for the Jazz, tweets Zagoria.
A front office executive tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest that P.J. Hairston is expected to go either late in the first round, or early in the second.
Former Pelicans forward Lance Thomas will be among players participating in a mini-camp at the Nets facility next week, Zagoria reports (via Twitter).
Yao Ming earlier denied reports that he was assembling an investment group to purchase the Clippers, but told news outlets including ChinaDaily USA that he won’t rule out the possibility he will. “I know there are a lot of rumors, but I don’t think I have time to clarify the rumors one by one,” Yao said. “Nowadays, sports are globalized, and anything is possible, but so far, there is nothing substantial.”
In the case that LeBron James decides to opt out and leave the Heat in the offseason, Dwyane Wade doesn’t want the blame to be laid on his performance or health issues, he told Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. “Just don’t solely put it on me,” Wade said, laughing. “That’s what I’m saying. Don’t put the X on me… There’s a lot that goes into [the decision], so just don’t say, ‘If Dwyane Wade doesn’t have the year that we’re accustomed to, it’s over.'”

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Embiid, Parker, Wiggins, Ennis

May 27th, 2014 at 5:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

Several around the league believe Joel Embiid will only work out for the Cavs and Bucks as confidence grows that he won’t slip to the Sixers at No. 3, according to Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins will likely audition only for the teams with the top three picks, a source tells Holmes, though that’s much less noteworthy than the Embiid news, which signals that concerns about the health of his back are abating. Still, it appears as though Nuggets GM Tim Connelly would prefer Parker to Embiid and Wiggins if he somehow managed to have a choice, observes Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post (on Twitter). Here’s more from a busy afternoon of draft-related news:

Toronto native Tyler Ennis will work out for the Raptors on Thursday, the team announced.
Glenn Robinson III is auditioning for the Hawks today and the Hornets later this week, and he expects to do so for the Spurs, Bulls and Bucks sometime soon, as he tells MLive’s Brendan F. Quinn (hat tip to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution).
Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com adds T.J. Warren, Cleanthony Early and K.J. McDaniels to the players working out on June 3rd for the Celtics (Twitter link).
The Bulls will play host to workouts for Jordan McRae, Devyn Marble and C.J. Fair on Wednesday, Goodman tweets, adding their names to Rodney Hood‘s, which Goodman reported Monday.
Marble pulled out of his workout with the Bucks today, but the two sides will reschedule, according to Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times (on Twitter).
The Suns are auditioning Keith Appling, Alec Brown, Deonte Burton, Artem Klimenko, Jakarr Sampson and Jamil Wilson today, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Appling will also show off this week for the Pistons, Raptors and Wolves, agent Michael Silverman tells Matt Charboneau of The Detroit News.
The Knicks will work out Ian Chiles, a source tells Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia.
Xavier Thames auditioned for the Heat today, and he’s set to do so with the Bucks, Bulls, Celtics, Hornets, Knicks, Jazz, Mavericks and Pacers, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).