Markelle Fultz Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Notes: Point Guard Search, Rose, Thomas

March 3rd, 2017 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks will have a hard time finding their next point guard either through the draft or free agency, writes Fred Kerber of The New York Post. With Derrick Rose unlikely to return next season, getting a replacement will be an offseason priority. However, Kerber notes that New York’s draft pick won’t be high enough to snag one of the elite point guards available, and the top free agents are likely to stay where they are.

The Knicks are currently in a three-way tie for eighth in our latest Reverse Standings, giving them just a remote shot at a top two pick that will probably be necessary to draft Washington’s Markelle Fultz or UCLA’s Lonzo Ball. That leaves lower-tier options such as De’Aaron Fox of Kentucky or international standout Frank Ntilikina.

The problem is similar in free agency, where the Knicks will have about $25MM to spend, but the best available players — Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry and George Hill — are all expected to remain with their current teams. Kerber says the Knicks might target Jrue Holiday or Jeff Teague, but the Pelicans and Pacers with both have Bird rights and the advantages of being able to offer more money and more years.

There’s more this morning from New York:

Rose is optimistic about reaching the playoffs despite the Knicks’ 25-36 record, and says he plans to unleash his 3-point shot in the postseason, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. “I’m trying to put pieces of my game together,” Rose said. “I’m not shooting 3s yet. Hopefully I’ll start shooting them in the playoffs. It’s going to take a lot of sacrifice and dedication to get there. I’m just adding pieces to my game throughout the season.”
One positive for Rose this season has been his health, Berman notes in the same piece. Rose has appeared in 52 of the team’s 61 games, and if he plays 15 more it will be the most in a season since his ACL tear in 2012. “Two times, three times a day, the entire summer,” Rose said of his offseason workout schedule. “I worked on my game and body. That’s one of the reasons my body is holding up.”
The Knicks’ defense has improved significantly since Lance Thomas returned six games ago, Berman writes in a separate story. Thomas missed about a month after taking an elbow to the face in a January game and breaking the orbital bone. The time off also allowed Thomas to overcome plantar fasciitis that had been affecting him since training camp.

Celtics Notes: Thomas, Trade Deadline, Draft

February 18th, 2017 at 9:09am CST by Austin Kent

A panel of CSN New England reporters agreed yesterday that the Celtics were unlikely to make a big trade before the February 23 trade deadline. Citing lofty “in-season” price tags, Chris Forsberg went so far as to say that there was “no way,” general manager Danny Ainge would give away too many assets for one star player.

When the conversation shifted to Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler in particular, there was consensus among the scribes that Chicago may be asking too much. “It’s going to take a godfather offer [from the Celtics],” Abby Chin explained, “including two of the Nets picks.”

Over the course of the last few seasons, the Celtics have shown patience in their rebuild and that pattern, they say, is unlikely to end.

There’s more Celtics news:

Despite the impending trade deadline Celtics head coach Brad Stevens doesn’t anticipate significant changes to his roster. “When we have a team like we have now, I don’t anticipate a ton of change but you never know what comes to the table,” Stevens told Kyle Draper of CSN New England. “Those are discussions that Danny and his staff will have and they’ll bring anything serious to my table.”
The Celtics need a better scorer to take some pressure off of Isaiah Thomas in the playoffs, says Bob Ryan of CSN New England, in addition to a role playing rebounder. The scribe echoes a popular sentiment that trading away the Nets’ 2017 first-rounder pick for a player of marginal impact, however, would be unwise. Ryan goes on to acknowledge Jimmy Butler’s strengths as a two-way player but says that the player he would want the C’s to pursue most is DeMarcus Cousins.
When Isaiah Thomas participates in All-Star festivities this weekend, he’ll be doing so with an ulterior motive. “I’m going to see what guys are talking about and dip my head in there and hopefully bring some more talent to Boston,” the guard told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England.
The Celtics will have plenty of decisions to make in the next six months, long after the trade deadline comes and goes. One such decision will involve which rookie to draft with the Nets’ 2017 first-round pick writes Johnny Auping of RealGM. Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball, “two ball-dominant guards with unusually developed skillsets for freshmen,” sit atop most mock drafts at this point in the season.
The forthcoming trade deadline will give the NBA community a clear sense of whether the Celtics plan to win-now or build for the future, writes Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. Hamilton writes that, given the age of their core, the C’s may not want to wait three-to-four years for their young players (and a possible 2017 lottery pick) to develop.

And-Ones: Christmas, Calderon, Fultz, Parker, Dolan

February 10th, 2017 at 8:35pm CST by Milo Taibi

A right Achilles tendon rupture has brought an end to Dionte Christmas‘ season, Jonathan Tannenwald of Philly.com reports. It’s an unfortunate development for the 30-year-old, as Christmas had averaged 14.9 points with 3.2 assists in 31 games with the Delaware 87ers. Delaware’s GM, Brandon Williams, lauded Christmas’ efforts in a team statement:

“[Christmas] has been a consummate professional, positive influence on the development of our young roster, and vital to our energy and drive. We will certainly miss his leadership on the court, but are inspired by his confidence as he attacks the next steps on the road to recovery.”

Lakers Notes: Magic, Jim Buss, Walton, Draft

February 3rd, 2017 at 12:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Magic Johnson will have the freedom to do whatever he wants in his new role as an advisor to the Lakers, writes Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. A news release issued by the team listed Johnson’s duties as “advising ownership on all business and basketball matters,” and Bontemps believes he will have a significant role in crafting the team’s future. That could include an ouster of executive vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss, whom Johnson has frequently criticized in the past. Johnson offered an olive branch to Buss on Thursday, saying, “Jim is calling the shots, and I want him to understand, I’m just here to lend advice,” but Bontemps says no one in the organization believes that.

There’s more news from Los Angeles:

Johnson’s hiring signals a major shakeup and the likely end of Jim Buss’ time with the team, according to Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times. Plaschke predicts the Lakers will become more attractive to free agents as Johnson brings in someone new to run the organization. The writer also expects Luke Walton to be kept as head coach and Mitch Kupchak to be replaced as general manager, but remain with the team as an advisor.
Walton hopes to build the Lakers in the image of a team that was once their greatest rival, relays Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. Growing up, the first-year head coach was greatly influenced by the 1985/86 champion Celtics that his father Bill was part of. “Everything that I’ve seen of basketball I thought should be played the way that Celtics team played,” Luke Walton said. “That was the standard of how basketball should be played — fast-paced, free-flowing, passing, high-scoring type of basketball. It was beautiful and historic.”
The Lakers shouldn’t hesitate to take an elite point guard in this year’s draft even though they already have D’Angelo Russell, according to Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com [Insider account]. Ford sees either Washington’s Markelle Fultz or UCLA’s Lonzo Ball as an upgrade, while Pelton notes Russell’s ability as a shooter and suggests that he could be moved to the two guard position.

And-Ones: Draft, Doncic, Villanueva, BIG3

February 1st, 2017 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

In the view of NBA general managers and scouts, The league’s 2017 draft is poised to be the strongest in a decade, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider-only link), who has updated his big board with profiles of this year’s top 30 prospects. Washington guard Markelle Fultz remains atop Ford’s board, though he acknowledges that it’s no slam dunk that Fultz will be the No. 1 pick in June. Lonzo Ball and Josh Jackson, other candidates for that top spot, held their respective positions at Nos. 2 and 3, while Dennis Smith and Jonathan Isaac moved up to round out Ford’s top five.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Givony’s latest prospect profiles for The Vertical include a player who may be the early frontrunner to come off the board first in the 2018 draft. According to Givony, 17-year-old Luka Doncic is making waves in Europe with his play for Real Madrid this season, having become the youngest player to secure a rotation spot for a Euroleague team since Ricky Rubio in 2007. And so far, Doncic’s production is blowing away Rubio’s, Givony writes.

Let’s round up a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world…

After appearing in 62 games last season for the Mavericks, longtime NBA big man Charlie Villanueva didn’t re-sign with Dallas or land with a new team in free agency. However, Villanueva doesn’t appear to be ready for retirement yet. The 11-year veteran issued the following tweet on Tuesday: “I want back in #NBAcomeback.”
Rashard Lewis and Jason Williams will co-captain one of the eight BIG3 teams this summer, according to a press release from the league. The team featuring Lewis, Williams, and three additional players will be known as the 3 Headed Monsters.
Cliff Alexander, who was in camp with the Magic in the fall and has spent the season with Orlando’s D-League affiliate, was traded on Tuesday. According to a press release, the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBADL affiliate, acquired Alexander from the Erie BayHawks in exchange for Long Island’s third-round pick in 2017. In 22 D-League games this season for Erie, the Kansas product has recorded 11.9 PPG and 8.0 RPG.

Maverick Notes: Draft, Ntilikina, Matthews

January 28th, 2017 at 7:01pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Mavericks currently own the fourth spot in our Reverse Standings, meaning if the season ended today, they would have an 11.2% chance at the No. 1 overall pick. Chad Ford of ESPN.com believes there’s a good chance the team opts to take a point guard with its first round selection. If the franchise ends up picking in the 6-10 range, a source tells Ford that the Mavs are very high on France’s Frank Ntilikina. The scribe hears that Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball are the only point guards higher than Ntilikina on their board.

Here’s more from Dallas:

The Mavs haven’t been successful in the draft in quite some time due to the team trading away first-round picks in foolish deals, Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News writes. Cowlishaw adds that the team hasn’t nailed many of the picks it hasn’t dealt away but he believes this year will be different because of the talent at the top of the draft.
The Mavs should deal Wes Matthews if the price is right, Cowlishaw contends. The scribe also argues that the team should trade Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut for whatever it can get back in return.
Bogut reiterated that he’s not looking to be traded as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News relays. “My agent said [a trade] probably [is] not going to happen, but I’m not the right guy to ask,” Bogut said. “The only thing I can tell you is I’m not banging on [Mark] Cuban’s door or Donnie’s [Nelson] door asking for a trade, contrary to what was [written] last month.”
Coach Rick Carlisle is pleased with Bogut’s game lately, as Sefko passes along in the same piece. “I really like the way he’s played the last two nights,” Carlisle said. “He’s a big positive when he’s in the game because of his impact defensively, and he’s doing some good things on offense. All in all, I’m very pleased with where he is right now.”

Draft Notes: Fultz, Ball, Smith, Jackson, Monk

January 12th, 2017 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2017 NBA draft is still more than five months away, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to start looking ahead to see which players might come off the board first. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders did just that today, publishing his first mock draft of the year. It’s a bare-bones edition of the 2017 mock, since there’s still plenty of time for players to improve their draft stock, and for teams to move up or down in the draft lottery standings. Nonetheless, Kyler’s first mock has Markelle Fultz coming off the board at No. 1, with Dennis Smith Jr. and Lonzo Ball right behind him.

Here are a few more draft-related items to pass along:

Although Fultz went first in Kyler’s mock draft, ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider link) suggests that the field for that top pick is “wide open.” According to Ford, he has heard from executives and scouts that seven different prospects hold the No. 1 spot on at least one NBA team’s draft board. Ford and ESPN’s Kevin Pelton have Fultz and Ball first and second on their respective boards, in some order, with Smith, Josh Jackson, Malik Monk, and Jayson Tatum also earning top-five consideration.
Fultz, Ball, Smith, and top prospect De’Aaron Fox are all point guards, creating a deep and talented draft class at that position. ESPN’s Jeff Goodman spoke to 15 NBA executives about the group, and passed along some of the more interesting comments. “It’s not an easy decision,” one NBA general manager said of the top four point guards. “They could all go in the top 10. Whoever gets any of them has a chance to have a guy you can build around.”
Bobby Marks of The Vertical examines how the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will impact first-round picks — Marks focuses on both future first-rounders and players selected in the top 30 in recent years.
Be sure to check out our Reverse Standings feature to see how the 2017 draft class currently looks.

Mavericks Notes: Barnes, Tanking, Fultz

December 8th, 2016 at 10:25pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Mavs will need several offseasons to address their lack of talent, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes. MacMahon cites the team’s failures in the draft as well as the decision to include Jae Crowder in the ill-fated Rajon Rondo deal as reasons to why the team won’t be competing for a title anytime soon.

There’s more from Dallas:

Harrison Barnes has been a bright spot during the Mavs’ horrendous season, MacMahon adds in the same piece. Barnes, who signed a four-year max contract with the team this offseason, is averaging career highs in points (20.4) and rebounds (5.7) per game.
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News doesn’t believe the Mavs should start dealing away productive players in order to tank. The scribe cautions that teams bottoming out tend to stay near the bottom of the standings for several years.
The Mavs were impressed with Washington’s Markelle Fultz during a recent scouting trip, Sefko adds in the same piece. Fultz is currently the top-ranked point guard and the second-ranked player overall, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
Dwight Powell, who signed a four-year, $37MM deal with the Mavs over the summer, will see increased playing time as a result of Andrew Bogut‘s injury and the team believes he can handle the additional workload, MacMahon relays (ESPN Now link). “He’s progressing game to game, no question about it,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s gaining experience, recognition of situation, teammates being on the same wavelength with him. Many, many positives.”

And-Ones: Labor Talks, Draft, D-League, McGrath

November 29th, 2016 at 9:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA’s $24 billion in television money has helped to preserve labor peace in the league, writes TNT’s David Aldridge. The TV contract, which runs through 2025, removed the financial incentive for either the owners or the players to force a work stoppage. The salary cap has nearly doubled over the past three years and the league just came off a summer of free agency with unprecedented levels of spending. Not only are player salaries rising, but so are the valuations of teams. Aldridge cites a recent Forbes Magazine article that estimates the value of all 30 teams at $1.25 billion, up 13 percent from a year ago. Both sides have the right to opt out of the current deal until December 15th, but all indications are that talks are going well and a new CBA will be announced soon.

There’s more basketball news tonight:

Kansas forward Josh Jackson remains on top of the list of top 100 draft prospects compiled by ESPN’s Chad Ford. He describes the 6’8″ freshman as a “super athletic wing” with a high basketball IQ. Rounding out Ford’s top five are Washington point guard Markelle Fultz, UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball, North Carolina State point guard Dennis Smith and Duke power forward Harry Giles.
Sioux Falls point guard Briante Weber is the most likely D-League player to get an NBA callup, according to Chris Reichert of Fansided. The 23-year-old is known for his energy and defense, although shooting remains an issue. Weber played six games with Memphis and one with Miami last season. The Heat waived Weber in the preseason, but promised to monitor his progress in the D-League.
Donnie McGrath of the Nets’ D-League affiliate in Long Island has turned down overseas offers to remain with the team, tweets international basketball writer David Pick. The 32-year-old has attracted interest from Spanish teams Fuenlabrada and Betis.

And-Ones: Dunn, Murray, Coaches

April 12th, 2016 at 3:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

Former Providence point guard Kris Dunn has hired Ty Sullivan of the Creative Artists Agency to represent him, as Dunn told Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Sullivan represents Elfrid Payton, among other NBA players. Jamal Murray, Dunn’s primary competition to become the first point guard drafted this year, has hired Mike George of Excel Sports to be his agent, sources told Goodman (Twitter link). International journalist David Pick reported earlier that Excel was the overwhelming favorite to land Murray, the former Kentucky standout. George has recently drafted standouts Tyler Ennis and Dwight Powell among his clients. See more on the representation for some of this year’s draft prospects amid a look at other future-focused NBA items:

Former St. Joseph’s small forward DeAndre’ Bembry has hired Pensack Sports, which has also partnered with former Iowa combo forward and fellow second-round prospect Jarrod Uthoff, Goodman reports (Twitter links). Adam Pensack will represent Uthoff, though it’s unclear who’ll be the primary agent for Bembry. N.C. State point guard Cat Barber is going with Sunny Shah of Paramount Sports (Twitter link) and former Iowa State combo forward Georges Niang will sign with Thad Foucher and Makhtar Ndiaye of Wasserman (Twitter link), Goodman also reports, while Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal hears former Syracuse swingman Michael Gbinije has signed with Rich Kleiman of Roc Nation Sports (Twitter link).
Swingman Josh Jackson, who chose Kansas for his college this week, tops the early look at 2017 draft prospects that Chad Ford of ESPN.com compiled for an Insider-only piece. Incoming Duke power forward Harry Giles is No. 2 and soon-to-be Washington point guard Markelle Fultz is No. 3. Jayson Tatum, a small forward who’s headed to Duke, is No. 1 on Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress 2017 mock draft but No. 4 on Ford’s list.
A panel including GMs, coaches, veteran players, agents, scouts and executives named assistant coaches Nate Tibbetts of the Trail Blazers, Jarron Collins of the Warriors, Nick Nurse of the Raptors, Chris Finch of the Rockets, Stephen Silas of the Hornets and Sean Sweeney of the Bucks as strong candidates to eventually become NBA head coaches, as Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com details.