Maurice Harkless Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draft Updates: Monday

June 25th, 2012 at 6:51pm CST by Luke Adams

A number of the rumors we've already covered today involve the draft in some way, whether it's the Rockets looking to acquire top-10 picks to flip for Dwight Howard, or the Bulls' disinterest in trading Luol Deng for a package that includes the Warriors' No. 7 pick. But there are still so many draft-related odds and ends out there that we'll continue to publish daily Draft Updates posts this week, for the latest news on workouts and rumors about what teams are thinking. Here are today's items, with the newest additions added to the top of the page throughout the day….

New Bobcats head coach Mike Dunlap thinks trading the team's No. 2 pick to strengthen its roster with multiple players makes sense, according to an Associated Press report (via ESPN.com).
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle says Rockets head coach Kevin McHale is pleased with the depth of talent available in the draft but would like to add another veteran to his current roster.

Earlier updates:

It sounds like John Henson was the standout of the Pistons' workout today, which included Meyers Leonard, Tyler Zeller, Jared Sullinger, Perry Jones III, and Terrence Jones, says Chad Ford of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com publishes his latest mock draft, which includes both rounds, and has a separate piece up on potential under-the-radar prospects.
Although earlier today he heard from one general manager (linked below) who was bearish on Jared Sullinger, Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio talks to another GM who says Sullinger's slide has been greatly exaggerated (Twitter link). "Sullinger will lead all rookies in rebounding," one GM told Amico. "So yeah, please, let him drop to us" (Twitter link).
In a pair of tweets, the Timberwolves announced the participants in their Tuesday workout, which will include Fab Melo.
Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv hears from a source close to Moe Harkless that he thinks the Trail Blazers will select Harkless at No. 11.
Speaking to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, Raptors executive Ed Stefanski expressed excitement about last year's fifth overall pick Jonas Valanciunas. Stefanski also conceded that the Raps could take more of a long-term project at No. 8 this year if they so choose, since the team will essentially be adding two lottery picks.
If Jared Sullinger somehow fell to No. 29, he'd be a terrific fit for the Bulls, says ESPN.com's David Thorpe (Insider link).
Meyers Leonard will work out for the Sixers tomorrow, the team announced in a press release.
A GM drafting in the 20s said he probably wouldn't take Jared Sullinger if he were available, tweets Sam Amico. Amico also published his third of four mock drafts today at FOX Sports Ohio.
Today's Trail Blazers workout is headlined by Jeremy Lamb, as Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com tweets.
In the "Nobody Asked Me, But…" section of his weekly column for NBA.com, TNT's David Aldridge runs through the top 15 picks of the draft and passes along what he's hearing. There's a lot of good info in the piece, which is worth checking out, but here's one highlight: The Cavs are dangling Anderson Varejao and the No. 24 pick in an attempt to land a second top-five pick, but the Bobcats, Wizards, and Kings don't appear to have any interest.
Version 9.0 of Chad Ford's mock draft is up at ESPN.com, and it includes both the first and second rounds (Insider-only links).
Within a column at Bulls.com, Sam Smith writes of "suspicion around the league" that reports of Jared Sullinger's medical issues were pushed by a team in the mid-first-round, in hopes that Sullinger would slip. For what it's worth, ESPN's Andy Katz reports that the league didn't invite Sullinger to the Green Room for the draft, based on rumblings that he won't go in the top 15 (Twitter link).
Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld examines which members of this year's draft class, besides Anthony Davis, have the potential to be franchise players.
The Sixers are still deciding whether they want to draft a big man or a shooter like Terrence Ross, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
The official sites for the Bucks and Raptors list the prospects working out for the two teams today. Most are second-round candidates.

—–

Amick’s Latest: Rockets, Hawks, Bucks, Nets

June 25th, 2012 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

SI.com's Sam Amick says he'd be surprised if there weren't a few trades finalized this week, particularly on draft night. Amick points to the Rockets, who own the 14th and 16th overall picks in the first round, as a prime candidate to be involved in draft-day deals, confirming ESPN.com's report that the Kings are among the teams talking to Houston. Amick shares a number of other draft-related updates, and one non-draft rumor via Sulia. Here are the highlights….

Draft Updates: Sunday

June 24th, 2012 at 10:24pm CST by Daniel Seco

With the draft just four days away, teams are scurrying to get their plans in order before Thursday evening's big event in Newark, NJ. Saturday saw another full slate of draft rumors and Sunday's already shaping up to look the same. Ft. Worth Star-Telegram's Dwain Price reports the Mavs will be looking to add a rotation-type player with the 17th pick. We'll keep track of all of the day's latest draft news and happenings with the most recent information on top.

The Rockets are looking to move into the top 10, dangling some combination of picks 14, 16 and Kyle Lowry, says Chad Ford. Ford suspects that the Rockets are eyeing UConn's Andre Drummond and could be speaking with the Kings at pick 5 and the Raptors at pick 8.
Jodie Valade addresses the comparisons between Bradley Beal and Ray Allen in a story for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, implying that Beal could be more versatile than Allen.
Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group takes a look at potential Warriors targets Moe Harkless, Terrence Ross and Quincy Miller and where the selection of the three wings would make sense for Golden State.

Earlier updates:

The Jazz have a history of striking gold in the second round, writes Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune. The Jazz pick 47th on Thursday, the same pick they have found second round steals Paul Millsap and Mo Williams with in recent drafts.
Matt Steinmetz from CSN Bay Area has more on Moe Harkless' workout with the Warriors, including video of him answering questions from the media.
Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops revealed a number of draft related items via Twitter/Sulia feed, including that the Wizards are looking to swap picks with the Bobcats to ensure they land Bradley Beal.
ESPN's David Thorpe, in an insider piece, takes a look at what the Warriors and Magic should be looking for. Golden State picks seventh and Orlando 19th.
Frank Fitzpatrick of the Philadelphia Inquirer put together a profile on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who went to high school in New Jersey.
Kevin Massoth of USA Today examines the tough decision Bradley Beal faced on entering the draft versus returning for his sophomore season at Florida.
Sam Amick of SI.com tweets that Moe Harkless, after working out for the Warriors (pick seven), will work out for the Kings (pick five) who are showing serious interest. Terrence Ross was supposed to work out against Harkless in Golden State, but couldn't because of an ankle injury (via Rusty Simmons on Twitter).
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune says Royce White, while blessed with immense talent, could be the hardest player to project given his star-crossed journey to the NBA draft.
The Knicks will work out Erving Walker, Oscar Bellfield, Marcus Denmon and Harouna Mutombo on Monday, tweets Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com.
The Cavs are currently trying to trade for the Bobcats' No. 2 pick, but FOX Sports Ohio's Sam Amico says he would be surprised if a deal came to fruition (via Twitter).
The News-Herald's Bob Finnan has the latest news on the Cavs' draft plans and rumors from around the league.
The Sixers plan to draft for talent rather than to fill a specific need, writes John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal says to look for the Grizzlies to select a shooting guard such as Vanderbilt's John Jenkins with the 25th pick in the draft.
This year's draft will have more of an American feel as executives have seemingly cooled on the international talent pool, suggests Dwain Price of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram.
The Sacramento Bee's Ailene Voisin says the Kings will have numerous options to consider as they head into Thursday's draft armed with the fifth overall pick.

—–

Draft Updates: Saturday

June 23rd, 2012 at 8:37pm CST by Chuck Myron

We've already covered a few draft rumors today, and Zach Links went in-depth on West Virginia power forward Kevin Jones in our latest Prospect Profile. There's plenty more going on as the draft approaches, including news from John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the Sixers put point guard Marquis Teague through an "exhaustive" individual workout this morning. Bookmark this post for the rest of the day's draft news, with latest on top.

Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star has an article on the Pacers' scouting staff as they prepare to pick 26th overall in Thursday's draft.
Kurt Helin of NBC Sports looks at several players with the potential to become the second-best talents in the draft.
Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News suggests Meyers Leonard as a possible fit for the Warriors.
The Lakers are in talks to acquire a first-round pick, and could be after the Heat's selection at No. 27, Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweets.
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer offers his thoughts on the implications of a rumored swap of the second and fourth picks by the Bobcats and Cavs.
Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group thinks the Warriors could trade down from No. 7 and still get the player they want, unless it's Damian Lillard or Dion Waiters. He also believes the team will give serious consideration to Andre Drummond (Twitter links).
We have the latest from Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com in a separate post.

Earlier updates:

Howard-Cooper On Harkless, Centers, Warriors

June 23rd, 2012 at 4:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

We're tracking most of today's draft updates here, but Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com has a piece that deserves some extra attention. Howard-Cooper also wrote about the pressure on new Warriors GM Bob Myers today, as we noted, and he has more here on potential choices for Golden State at No. 7 and a player whose stock is on the rise.

Ford On Pistons, Bucks, Lamb, White, Rockets

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

We've already linked one Friday piece from ESPN.com's Chad Ford in our daily Draft Updates post, but Ford is back with another Insider-only column full of draft news and rumors. Here are his newest items on the Pistons, Bucks, Rockets, and more….

Woelfel On Draft, Trades, Jennings

June 16th, 2012 at 8:53am CST by Chuck Myron

Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweeted last night about the workout the Bucks have scheduled today for wing players Will Barton and Evan Fournier, as we noted in our roundup of Friday's draft rumors. Woelfel has a full report today on those two and fringe draft pick Ramone Moore, who's also working out for the Bucks today. He also shares news from around the league on a possible extension for Brandon Jennings, teams willing to trade draft picks, and rising and falling draft stocks.

Draft Updates: Thursday

June 14th, 2012 at 8:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The countdown until the 2012 draft is down to two weeks, and this week has been heavy on workouts and trade speculation. We'll track the latest news and rumors on both fronts, along with a handful of other draft-related items, right here. New updates will be added to the top of the page throughout the day….

According to their official website, the Pacers will work out Evan Fournier, Ashton Gibbs, Travis Hyman, John Jenkins, Josh Owens, and Tony Wroten Jr. on Friday.

Earlier updates:

Charles F. Gardner Journal Sentinel reported that the Bucks hosted a pre-draft workout today which featured Tyler Zeller, Meyers Leonard, Fab Melo, and Kyle O'Quinn.
Aside from Anthony Davis, ESPN's Ric Bucher thinks that this year's draft still contains big men with star potential, focusing specifically on Andre Drummond, Meyers Leonard, and Thomas Robinson (Insiders only).
Sean Meagher of The Oregonian presents the video interview of Perry Jones III after his workout for the Trail Blazers.
Nate Mulberg of CSN Philly discusses the mutual interest between the 76ers and Terrence Ross.
Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld quoted an NBA executive who thinks that the lottery is loaded with impact rotation players, but not impact starters. Pincus also offered highlights from interviews with JaMychal Green and Kevin Jones.
Tomorrow's workout schedule for the Wizards includes Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Austin Rivers, Terrence Ross, and Tomas Satoransky, according to Michael Lee of The Washington Post (Twitter link). Gene Wang, also of The Washington Post, wrote about today's workout with Hollis Thompson.
Stephen Hewitt of WEEI.com provided a breakdown of Mitchell Watt, a 6'10'' forward out of Buffalo who could be a realistic target for the Celtics' second round pick (51st overall).
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com wrote an interesting piece on the mental toughness of 27-year-old draft hopeful Bernard James, a 6'10'' power forward who served in the Air Force and did tours in Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq before starring at Florida State. Howard-Cooper also tweeted an update on John Henson, saying that he has no plans to rest his injured ankle in the midst of upcoming workouts with the Suns, Rockets, Bucks, Cavaliers, Raptors, Pistons, and 76ers.
Darren Heitner of Sports Agent Blog briefly documents the separation of Renardo Sidney and his agent, Johnny Foster.
Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld believes John Jenkins and the Bulls could be a perfect fit at pick No. 29.
Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com published the second version of his mock draft today.
Thomas Robinson will work out for the Bobcats on June 22nd, according to SI.com's Sam Amick (Sulia link). Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com calls Robinson the "clear frontrunner" to be picked second overall (Twitter link).
Jeremy Lamb turned an ankle at his Raptors workout this morning, but it's not serious, tweets Sam Amick of SI. According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (via Twitter), the ankle is sprained, and Lamb will cancel at least his workout with the Blazers.
The Sixers announced in a press release today that they'll work out Moe Harkless and Hollis Thompson tomorrow.
Arnett Moultrie is the biggest name among the six players working out for the Trail Blazers today, tweets Joe Freeman of the Oregonian.
Harrison Barnes and Bradley Beal will work out against one another for the Cavaliers on Saturday, according to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The two players are the most likely candidates to be picked at No. 4 by Cleveland, so that will be an intriguing workout.
Discussing potential targets for the Bobcats if they trade their No. 2 pick, Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com names James Harden as a possibility. It's not clear of Goodman's source, who says Harden "could be in play," means the Bobcats will pursue Harden or the Thunder could make him available. Either way, I'm skeptical about how realistic that scenario is. Even with the long-term cap restraints facing the Thunder, overhauling the roster mere days after making the Finals seems unlikely.
SI.com's Sam Amick examines the question marks surrounding John Henson and the rising stock of Miles Plumlee in his latest draft piece.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld compares Perry Jones III to Jordan Hamilton, who slipped to 26th overall last year because most teams thought the risk outweighed the upside. Within the same piece, Kyler also says the odds the Bobcats keep a player the select at No. 2 overall are "extremely slim."
The Raptors have a big day of workouts scheduled, with Jeremy Lamb highlighting the first session, Austin Rivers in the second, and Harrison Barnes in an individual workout. Jay Satur of Raptors.com has the details. Unfortunately, Eric Koreen of the National Post passes along a bit of bad news from the first session, tweeting that Lamb left the workout with an apparent injury.
Chad Ford tries his hand at predicting where the players on the first-round bubble will land in an Insider piece for ESPN.com.
Will Barton and five other prospects will work out for the Pacers today, according to Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
The Pistons' workouts so far suggest they're eyeing big men not just with their first-round pick but in the second round as well, says Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
Bucks.com profiles the prospects that Milwaukee will be working out today.
Damian Lillard thinks he's ready to be an NBA starter, but he probably won't be a fit for the Kings at No. 5, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.

—–

Draft Rumors: Tuesday

June 12th, 2012 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll track the day's draft-related news and rumors here, with the newest updates up top:

Jonathon Givony of DraftExpress has measurements from Chicago's draft combine, including max verticals for all the prospects in attendance.
Neither Perry Jones III or Terrence Jones blew away Warriors management when they worked out for Golden State, writes Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. The Warriors continue to hope they can use their lottery pick to upgrade at small forward, and both Joneses project as power forwards.

Ford’s Latest: Cavs, Bobcats, Waiters, Rivers

June 11th, 2012 at 12:27pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll be following most of today's draft notes here, but the latest column from ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) featured enough items of interest that it required its own post. Here are some of the highlights from ESPN.com's draft guru: