It figures to be an eventful summer for the 76ers, who hold three picks in the draft, should receive plenty of inquiries on Andre Iguodala, and could use the amnesty clause to clear Elton Brand's $18MM+ salary from their books. I previewed the Sixers' offseason last week, but as the draft and free agency approach, we'll gain a better understanding of their plans. In the meantime, let's check in on the latest items out of Philadelphia….
The Nets may be looking to find a way into the first round of this month's draft, but a number of teams are considering moving their first-rounders. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter), every club besides the Cavs that has multiple first-round picks is trying to trade one of them for a young player. The Blazers, Celtics, Warriors, Rockets, and Hornets all fit the bill, with two first-rounders each. Let's round up a few more of today's draft rumors….
- Teams inquiring on the 10th overall pick are being told by the Hornets that taking on a contract like Emeka Okafor's or Trevor Ariza's won't be enough to land the pick, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
As the Thunder prepare tonight for a possible Game 6 victory that could push them one step closer to their first championship since moving to Oklahoma City, rival owners and team executives marvel at a roster that was mostly built through brilliant draft day picks.
With the draft just a few weeks away, here are a few notes regarding some players and teams that looking to emulate the Thunder's success.
The Southwest Division champion Spurs resume their series vs. the Thunder tonight, looking to hold serve at home in San Antonio. As ESPN.com's John Hollinger writes, the Spurs are very familiar with this situation, having entered a Game 5 with the series tied nine times already in the Tim Duncan era. Hollinger wonders what adjustments Gregg Popovich will make tonight, speculating that the team's changes could involve the use of Manu Ginobili and Matt Bonner. Here are a few more Monday updates out of the Southwest….
Following the Hornets' lottery win, ESPN.com's Chad Ford published his newest mock draft, which includes a handful of interesting scenarios, including Dion Waiters jumping to eighth overall and Austin Rivers slipping to 18th. With less than four weeks until draft day, Ford continues to talk to sources and visit workouts to get a better sense of how things will play out on June 28th. His latest draft blog (Insider link) explores potential options for the top 10 picks and is chock-full of interesting tidbits. Let's round up some of the highlights….
With a loss tonight against the Heat, the Pacers' season will end. Hoopsworld.com's Joel Brigham believes that even if that happens, Indiana has established themselves as a franchise to contend with.
- With Celtics guard Avery Bradley out for the playoffs, CSNNE.com's Rich Levine asks if the team could get any production out of Sasha Pavlovic.
- ESPN.com's J.A. Adande writes that in order for them to arrive back at the elite level they're most familiar with, the Lakers need to move away from their current strength (size) and shift towards the league's current trend (speed).
- Hoopsworld.com's Eric Pincus discusses some serious tax issues the Lakers are facing in the immediate future, and how it could shape important personnel decisions.
- Through conversations with several NBA general managers and scouts, FoxSports.com's Sam Amico takes a look at North Carolina big man John Henson, a possible lottery pick in this year's draft.
In 2008, North Carolina celebrated the commitment of 6'11" forward John Henson, an ultra-slender high school junior out of Tampa, Florida. Weighing in at just 185 pounds, Henson was viewed as having sky-high upside potential and was ranked in the tier just below the likes of John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Derrick Favors by most scouting services. While those players would all come off of the board in the top 5 of the 2010 draft, Henson played three seasons at UNC and made major strides in all areas of his game. However, the forward has yet to truly harness all of his potential.
You don't need to watch film of Henson to know that the youngster's primary flaw is his lack of bulk. The big man has put on size since the day that he arrived at Chapel Hill but is still extremely slim at 220 pounds. Henson turned into a dominating presence on defense for the Tarheels over time, thanks in large part to his freakish 7'6" wingspan. However, one has to imagine that he will be easily out-muscled early on in his NBA career by opposing 4s and 5s. One area where he can make an instant impact, however, will be on the perimeter. The combination of length and quickness that Henson possesses is rare and the big man has shown that he can clog passing lanes with ease.
Even though Henson's strengths skew more towards defense, the 21-year-old will have to work to develop his offensive skill set. Henson has become more and more comfortable with the ball in his hands over the course of his collegiate career and averaged 13.7 points per contest off of 50% shooting in his final year. Henson got a great deal of his points off of finesse moves with his back to the basket. While he doesn't have the strength to bully opponents in the 7'0" range at the next level just yet, smaller defenders will struggle to keep him contained in the post. One area where he'll surely shine is in the transition game, where his long arms can lead to turnovers and easy baskets going the other way.
Henson also has the potential to become a truly dominant rebounder in the Association. The forward averaged 10 RPG across his sophomore and junior seasons as he cleaned the glass with his uncanny leaping ability. Henson's dimensions and vertical leap are actually reminiscent of another talented rebounder – JaVale McGee. A key difference between the two, however, is overall character and a strong mental aptitude for the game. Proponents of Henson's potential would argue that, unlike McGee, he has the dedication to become a rebounding force on a nightly basis. With solid workouts prior to the draft, Henson could easily join teammates Harrison Barnes and Tyler Zeller in the lottery.
Some Wednesday afternoon items from around the NBA:
- Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News identifies John Henson as a potential fit for the Pistons in the draft and explores the team's upcoming amnesty-related decision.
- Prior to last season's blood-platelet therapy, Kobe Bryant was seriously questioning his basketball future, says Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- In addition to conducting a Cavaliers-centric chat this afternoon, Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio examined a few potential NBA coaching openings.
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com also answered questions in a chat that featured a number of interesting draft tidbits.
- The Magic and their fans shouldn't let the Dwight Howard saga overshadow Jameer Nelson's future in Orlando, argues Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
- Michael Lee of the Washington Post writes about the positive influence Nene had on the Wizards' young players following the deal that sent him to Washington in March. When I previewed the Wizards' offseason yesterday, I noted that finding another strong veteran presence like Nene could have a strong impact on the team's young nucleus.
- Fred Kerber of the New York Post wonders which of the Nets' free agents will be re-signed this summer.
Here are a few of today's draft-related updates, including the latest players to declare their intent, and a few first-round tidbits courtesy of ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link):
- Albany junior Gerardo Suero has declared his intent for the draft, according to the school's website. Suero, who isn't ranked among this year's top prospects by Ford or DraftExpress.com, is a long shot to be drafted, but he's looking to begin his professional career, "whether it be in the NBA or overseas."
- The majority of teams have UConn's Andre Drummond ranked between third and fifth on their boards, with a handful of clubs placing him as high as second.
- Some veteran scouts think Perry Jones III is the best player in the draft besides Anthony Davis, and believe he'll be Rudy Gay at worst. However, other personnel people say they wouldn't take Jones in the top ten.
- There are a few teams that consider North Carolina's John Henson a better prospect than Drummond or Jones, but a greater number of clubs don't like him as a lottery pick.
- Austin Rivers of Duke seems like a love-him-or-hate-him player, with evaluations very divided. Some teams like him in the 6-10 range, while others have him down between 20 and 30.
- Teams are "scared to death" of Tony Wroten Jr., who could end up being selected after even Marquis Teague on draft night.
Tuesday afternoon links from around the NBA….
- David Pingalore of Local 6 in Orlando, who reported earlier this month that Dwight Howard had asked the Magic to fire Stan Van Gundy, says Howard no longer wants to play for Van Gundy. This situation may end up working itself out: Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel argued yesterday that the Magic should shut down Howard for the rest of the year, and Van Gundy is unlikely to remain the team's coach for next season.
- The latest mock draft from ESPN.com's Chad Ford has received plenty of feedback from NBA scouts and executives, Ford writes. Mississippi State's Arnett Moultrie and Dion Waiters of Syracuse were among the players Ford's sources felt were ranked too low — the latest ESPN.com mock had them coming off the board at 19th and 23rd respectively.
- North Carolina's John Henson has hired Jim Tanner as his agent, reports Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (via Twitter). The junior forward announced in late March that he was entering the NBA draft.
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld explores the direction of the Hornets now that the team is under new ownership.
- Having been officially eliminated from the playoffs, the Trail Blazers now look like a good bet to score two lottery picks, as Mike Tokito of the Oregonian writes.