Trail Blazers Rumors

2015 NBA Draft Grades: Northwest Division

September 26th, 2015 at 12:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2015 NBA Draft is squarely in the rearview and a number of draftees have already provided a taste of what is to come with their summer league play. I held off on my grades until now because I wanted a better context in which to evaluate each team’s selections, with free agency and summer league providing greater perspective. Sometimes, selecting the best available player isn’t the best course of action and it is wiser to nab a player who fits a clear need, which should always be considered when rating how each front office fared in the draft. I’ve already run down my thoughts on the Atlantic, Central, Southeast, and Pacific divisions, and next up is a look at the Northwest Division:

Denver Nuggets

Team Needs: Point guard. Talent and depth.

Draft Picks:

No. 7 Overall — Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, Guangdong
No. 57 Overall — Nikola Radicevic, PG, Serbia

The Nuggets entered the 2015 draft with a number of glaring holes, which isn’t a surprise for a team coming off a 30-win campaign. Denver’s primary need was a point guard to replace Ty Lawson, whose tenure with the team came to an end when he was unceremoniously dealt to the Rockets this summer. Denver certainly addressed that need when it nabbed Emmanuel Mudiay, the second-ranked point guard in this year’s draft, with the No. 7 overall pick.

Landing a player of Mudiay’s potential outside of the top five picks has to be considered a win for the Nuggets, though he doesn’t arrive without some question marks attached. Having bypassed playing college ball at SMU in order to head overseas to China, the young guard is a bit of a wild card, which is likely why he was still on the board when it was Denver’s turn on the clock. Mudiay has an NBA-ready frame, an abundance of athleticism, as well as a lofty ceiling as far as his NBA potential goes, but like any young guard, he still has a lot to learn about being an NBA playmaker. There are also concerns about Mudiay’s jump shot and if he’ll be able to keep defenses honest by draining his outside shots consistently.

Mudiay is likely to have a rough first season, not only because of his expected rookie growing pains, but also due to the lack of talent surrounding him. But regardless of how his initial campaign in the NBA goes, Denver made the right call by selecting Mudiay, and not just because he fills an obvious need. He may also emerge as one of the top talents in the entire draft. He’ll certainly take his lumps this season, but Mudiay could end up being an All-Star by his third or fourth year in the league.

Overall Draft Grade: A. While Mudiay is a bit of a wild card, he has a wealth of talent and potential, and should give Nuggets fans reason to hope for a better tomorrow. An excellent pick by GM Tim Connelly.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Team Needs: Depth in the frontcourt and point guard, outside shooting.

Draft Picks:

No. 1 Overall — Karl-Anthony Towns, F/C, Kentucky
No. 24 Overall — Tyus Jones, PG, Duke*

*Acquired from Cavaliers in exchange for the rights to Cedi Osman and Rakeem Christmas as well as a 2019 second-rounder.

It’s natural to think that possessing the top selection in the draft and having the pick of the litter of the player pool should ensure that a team gets it right. But looking back over past drafts, that’s not always the case, with the most recent example being Anthony Bennett, who reached a buyout arrangement with Minnesota this week after two unspectacular seasons in the NBA. Time will tell if Flip Saunders made the right call by nabbing Towns over D’Angelo Russell and Jahlil Okafor, but I’m a big believer that Minnesota absolutely nailed it with this pick.

Towns didn’t have eye-popping stats during his lone season at Kentucky, but that was a result of the Wildcats’ ridiculous depth and effective platoon system. He would have been a shoo-in for NCAA Player of the Year honors on almost any other college squad. Few players come along who possess Towns’ brilliant combination of size, speed, skill, and athleticism, and Timberwolves fans should be truly excited about the possibilities heading forward, not only for Towns, but the franchise as a whole.

But despite all my gushing over Towns, I do need to dial down fans’ expectations a bit for the coming season. He is still very much a work in progress, and though he should be a solid contributor from the outset, I don’t expect his rookie season to be an easy ride. Towns still needs work on his post moves and outside shot, and he’ll need time to adjust to the bigger, stronger players at the professional level. Keep in mind that Anthony Davis, who is well on his way to becoming the best player in the NBA, notched averages of “only” 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per contest his rookie year.

I would have raved about Minnesota’s draft if it ended with Towns, but acquiring the No. 24 pick from Cleveland to nab Duke point guard Tyus Jones was an excellent follow-up move. Jones has the potential to develop into an absolute steal for Minnesota, and he also fills the Wolves’ need for depth at the point. Given the unknowns regarding the health and future of incumbent starter Ricky Rubio with the franchise, and Zach LaVine not being a true point guard, adding Jones was a wise move. Jones lacks elite athleticism and speed, but he has virtually every other skill and intangible that one would desire from a point guard. I don’t expect much from Jones this coming season, but he could become a big part of Minnesota’s future if the team develops him properly.

Overall Draft Grade: A+. It’s hard to find any fault with Minnesota landing the most talented player in the draft in Towns, who has the potential to become a superstar. I also love the addition of the underrated Jones late in the first round.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Team Needs: Backcourt depth.

Draft Picks:

No. 14 Overall — Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
No. 48 Overall — Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky

OKC filled its biggest need with the selection of Cameron Payne, who, hopefully for the Thunder, won’t become the next talented guard the team will deal away rather than sign to an extension. Following in the footsteps of James Harden and Reggie Jackson, Payne, who shot up draft boards late in the process, will be asked to provide scoring off the bench and be an insurance policy in the event that Russell Westbrook suffers another injury.

Payne is a versatile guard who is a tantalizing blend of scorer and playmaker. He has excellent fundamentals and a high basketball IQ, and while he doesn’t possess blazing speed, Payne is deceptively quick. He is an excellent mid-range shooter, a skill that seems to be quickly becoming a lost art around the league, and he’ll also keep defenses honest from beyond the arc. There is quite a bit to like about Payne as a player, and while he’ll need some time to acclimate to the speed of the NBA game, he has the potential to become a special player in the league.

I also like the team nabbing Kentucky center Dakari Johnson late in the second round. He was buried on Kentucky’s depth chart and his stats suffered as a result. Johnson is not likely to be a starter in the league anytime soon, but the team can certainly develop him into a solid rotation big. He will sign with the team’s D-League affiliate this season, which is great for the Thunder, as they will still retain his NBA rights, and the young big will get some time to develop away from the bright lights of the NBA.

Overall Draft Grade: A. A very solid draft for the Thunder who landed a talented guard in Payne, as well as an intriguing prospect in Johnson.

Portland Trailblazers

Team Needs: Talent. Depth in the frontcourt and at the wing.

Draft Picks:

No. 41 Overall — Pat Connaughton, SG, Notre Dame*
No. 54 Overall — Daniel Diez, SF, Spain**

*Acquired from Nets along with Mason Plumlee in exchange for the draft rights to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Steve Blake.

**Acquired from Jazz for cash.

Portland traded away its 2015 first-rounder along with Blake for Plumlee, who was the No. 22 overall pick back in 2013, and a second round pick, which they used to select Connaughton. The Blazers decided to go with a more known quantity in Plumlee, whom they will task with helping to replace LaMarcus Aldridge, rather than trying to strike gold with a rookie via the draft.

Plumlee, 25, has shown promise, though he wasn’t necessarily utilized well during his time in Brooklyn, and a change of scenery, coaches, and systems should benefit the third-year player. The only negatives regarding this deal that I see are that Plumlee, whose contract includes a team option for the 2016/17 season, can hit restricted free agency in two years, whereas a player selected in this year’s draft would come with up to four years of complete team control, and that Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, whom the Nets grabbed with Portland’s pick, would have been a nice replacement for Wesley Matthews, who signed with Dallas this offseason.

The addition of Connaughton in the second round is an intriguing pick for the team. The 22-year-old out of Notre Dame is a freak athletically, and his predraft workouts were rather impressive in that regard. Connaughton is a project who will take some time to develop, but he was a good gamble for a team that could use some luck for a change. He’s not likely to become a starter in the NBA, but he has the potential to be an impact player off the bench at some point.

Overall Draft Grade: B. I like Portland adding a more established player in Plumlee, who should benefit by the change of scenery, via trade, though Hollis-Jefferson would have been a nice fit in Rip City as well.

Utah Jazz

Team Needs: Backcourt depth, stretch four, scoring.

Draft Picks:

No. 12 Overall — Trey Lyles, F, Kentucky
No. 42 Overall — Olivier Hanlan, G, Boston College

Utah has quietly accumulated a very solid collection of talent over the past couple of seasons, and the team entered the draft without any glaring holes to fill. This allowed GM Dennis Lindsey to focus on fine-tuning his rotation and looking for specific skillsets to complement his existing roster. One need that the Jazz do possess is a stretch four to replace Enes Kanter, whom they dealt to Oklahoma City last season, and Lyles is the man they are counting on to fill that void.

Lyles is a solid and athletic forward whose game is quite versatile, and he should fit Utah’s system perfectly. As was the case with Towns, Lyles’ college numbers weren’t all that impressive, thanks to Kentucky’s depth, but he showed more than enough promise to justify having been a lottery pick. He will also benefit greatly from playing behind Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward, which should give Lyles ample time to ease into the league without receiving undue pressure to perform immediately. I’m a big fan of this pick, and a number of front office types whose teams selected ahead of Utah may end up kicking themselves over allowing Lyles to slip past them.

The Jazz didn’t fare as well as in the second round, selecting Boston College point guard Olivier Hanlan at No. 42 overall. Hanlan has some potential, thanks to his size and scoring ability, but I’m not sold on him being an NBA point guard. He has the look of a player who is ticketed for overseas play or the D-League, and I think Utah would have been better served to instead take Oregon’s Joseph Young, who went to the Pacers with the very next pick. Young isn’t a pure point guard either, but he is a more explosive scorer than Hanlan is, and I believe he’ll have a more successful NBA career than the BC playmaker.

Overall Draft Grade: B+. Utah adds another solid young piece to its roster in Lyles, but the team could have done better in the second round than it did with Hanlan.

Blazers Sign Omari Johnson

September 25th, 2015 at 7:42pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Trail Blazers released their official training camp roster, and it indicates that Portland has signed forward Omari Johnson, whose name appears on the team’s official rundown of players. No details regarding his contract have been reported, though it is likely a minimum salary arrangement that includes little or no guaranteed salary, but that is merely my speculation.

Johnson, 25, went undrafted out of Oregon State back in 2011 after averaging 7.2 points and 6.2 rebounds as a senior. His career NCAA numbers were 6.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 0.7 assists to accompany a slash line of .418/.293/.600. The 6’9″ forward spent the 2014/15 campaign playing for the Celtics’ D-League affiliate in Maine where he made 49 appearances, and notched averages of 15.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 1.3 APG in 26.2 minutes per night.

The addition of Johnson increases Portland’s preseason roster count to 18 players, including 13 possessing fully guaranteed salaries.

Sixers, Blazers, Raptors Eye Anthony Bennett

September 25th, 2015 at 3:49pm CST by Chuck Myron

3:49pm: The Cavaliers, Blazers, and Jazz will also pass on claiming Bennett, Wojnarowski relays (Twitter link).

FRIDAY, 3:40pm: The Sixers don’t intend on making a waiver claim on Bennett, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports tweets.

2:31pm: A “growing suspicion” around the league is that Bennett will end up with the Blazers, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (All Twitter links). Portland would like to sign him in free agency instead of claiming him off waivers, though given their deficit beneath the $63MM salary floor, absorbing Bennett’s full salary wouldn’t necessarily cost the Blazers extra money, Stein points out. A waiver claim would surely be Minnesota’s preference, too, since the team would be off the hook for any money to Bennett in that situation.

11:58am: The Sixers, just like the Blazers, plan to carefully study the possibility of claiming Bennett, Wojnarowski reports in a new full piece. Bennett’s camp would prefer that he hit free agency so that he can choose his next team, Wojnarowski adds.

TUESDAY, 11:21am: The Trail Blazers are expected to pursue No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett once he hits waivers following his Timberwolves buyout deal, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Bennett and the Wolves have agreed to the buyout, and the team will release him soon, Charania reported minutes ago. Portland has enough cap room to claim Bennett off waivers, but it’s not immediately clear if the Blazers plan to do so or prefer to chase him in free agency. The Sixers also have the cap room necessary to claim him, and the Cavaliers have a trade exception large enough to snag him off waivers, too, though it’s not clear if either of those teams have any such inclination. The Jazz can clear the requisite cap space if they cut some non-guaranteed money, but they are unlikely to have interest, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported Monday.

Portland employs Canadian national team head coach Jay Triano as an assistant coach, as Charania alluded to and as former Nets executive Bobby Marks points out (Twitter link). The Raptors also have interest, as Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities has heard, though Toronto could only end up with him if he hits free agency first, and the Raptors would be limited to paying him the minimum salary, since they used up their cap space and spent their room exception on Bismack Biyombo.

The Blazers have only 13 fully guaranteed contracts, plus four more without full guarantees, as our roster count shows. They have a league-low of nearly $48MM in guaranteed money, so they would have no trouble fitting Bennett on the roster. The trick would be in finding playing time for him at power forward, where Portland has Meyers Leonard and Noah Vonleh, whose presence Jabari Young of Comcast SportsNet Northwest cited to Hoops Rumors when he suggested reasons why the team hasn’t signed Tristan Thompson to an offer sheet. The addition of Bennett, if it takes place, would ostensibly extinguish any hint that Portland would circle back to Thompson before the start of the season, though that’s just my speculation.

Toronto doesn’t have a clear-cut starter at power forward, seemingly Bennett’s best position, since the Raptors appear poised to take a small-ball approach with free agent signee DeMarre Carroll at the four, where the alternative would be starting Patrick Patterson. Still, the presence of Luis Scola and James Johnson would complicate Bennett’s chances at minutes.

The Sixers already have signed contracts or verbal deals with 20 players for camp, so they’d have to get out of one of them to add Bennett. Only 13 Sixers have fully guaranteed pacts, including Nerlens Noel, who was the front-runner to become the No. 1 pick in 2013 before an injury cleared the way for Bennett. Noel is the presumptive starter at the power forward position, though the rotation at the four is settled beyond him.

What do you think would be the best landing spot for Bennett? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Northwest Notes: Rubio, Donovan, Matthews

September 25th, 2015 at 12:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

Timberwolves GM Milt Newton poured cold water on persistent Ricky Rubio trade rumors, telling Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press that the front office is “not talking to anybody about trading Ricky” and that the team expects the point guard to play an integral role.

“He’s one of the best facilitators in the NBA,” Newton said. “We’ve got a young team of guys that are athletic, that are going to get up and down. And we’re going to utilize those talents that they have. Who better than Ricky to be the one leading the charge, pushing the pace, pushing the ball and getting our guys easy opportunities and getting the ball where they can be their best? We’re looking to him to be that person.”

Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher said earlier this month that the Wolves had lost faith in Rubio and had gauged the market for him, though Bucher added that he heard trade talks weren’t ongoing. Since then, Newton assumed control of the front office from the ailing Flip Saunders, who’s on a leave of absence as he recovers from cancer treatments. See more from the Northwest Division:

Thunder GM Sam Presti said this week that he didn’t have any influence in Billy Donovan‘s assistant coaching hires, moves that complement the first-year NBA head coach with veterans Monty Williams and Maurice Cheeks, as The Oklahoman’s Berry Tramel details. “Billy, great quality about him, he did not know Monty, and he did not know Maurice Cheeks,” Presti said. “He interviewed those guys. He really liked them. He felt like they could help. He was totally aligned with our vision for an organization. One of the things that make him able to do that, he naturally and intrinsically gravitates to those kinds of people. Those guys have been great together. We’re grateful those guys were willing to jump in. Both those guys have accomplished a lot.”
The Trail Blazers had no reason to pay a premium to retain Wesley Matthews once LaMarcus Aldridge left, given Matthews’ torn Achilles and the rebuilding phase that Portland is entering, contends Shaun Powell of NBA.com in his review of the team’s offseason. Jabari Young of Comcast SportsNet Northwest presented a different take on that in our latest installment of The Beat.
The max deal Matthews signed with the Mavs appears on the list of the five worst contracts for the future that Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports compiled. Also on the list is Enes Kanter, who signed an offer sheet with the Blazers that the Thunder matched, and former Thunder point guard Reggie Jackson, now on a five-year, $80MM deal with the Pistons.

Northwest Notes: Bennett, Waiters, Leonard

September 24th, 2015 at 2:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Timberwolves shopped Anthony Bennett all around the league, even offering him in exchange for a top-55 protected second-round pick that would be unlikely ever to end up in Minnesota, but nobody had interest, several league sources tell Grantland’s Zach Lowe. A trade would have put a team on the hook for his entire salary of nearly $5.804MM for this season, and the same would be true if a team claims him off waivers. However, if the former No. 1 overall pick hits free agency, he would be a worthwhile investment on the minimum salary, Lowe argues. See more from around the Northwest Division:

Royce Young of Daily Thunder transcribes several key comments that Thunder GM Sam Presti made Wednesday, including a hint that he sees Steven Adams as a long-term core player and his thoughts on extension candidate Dion Waiters. “This is a guy that at 23 years old has some tools that are not easily found,” Presti said of Waiters. “That is one of the reasons that we went to acquire him. At the same time, he has got work to do and he will be the first to tell you that. Some slight adjustments with this guy’s game could lead to some pretty significant impact. I think he has the tools to be an impact player.”
Meyers Leonard, another extension-eligible player, is in line for a starting spot with the Blazers, or at least a significant rotation role of the sort he’s yet to have since he became the 11th overall pick in 2012, as The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman examines. His rookie scale contract is set to expire at season’s end.
The Wolves officially hired Bryan Gates as an assistant coach and promoted Calvin Booth, who had been a scout and director of player programs, to player personnel director, the team announced along with other staff moves. Shooting coach Mike Penberthy, whom Flip Saunders had said would continue with the team, instead decided to leave, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link), though he’ll still work with Ricky Rubio, with whom he was close, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.

The Beat: Jabari Young On Blazers, Spurs

September 22nd, 2015 at 10:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Jabari Young

Nobody knows NBA teams better than beat writers, save for those who draw paychecks with an NBA owner’s signature on them. The reporters who are with the teams they cover every day gain an intimate knowledge of the players, coaches and executives they write about and develop sources who help them break news and stay on top of rumors.

We at Hoops Rumors will be chatting with beat writers from around the league and sharing their responses to give you a better perspective on how and why teams make some of their most significant moves. Last time, we spoke with Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group about the Warriors. Click here to see all of the previous editions of this series.

Today, we gain insight on the Spurs and the Trail Blazers from Jabari Young, who’s moving from Comcast SportsNet Northwest to the San Antonio Express-News. You can follow Jabari on Twitter at @JabariJYoung, and check out his archive of material for Comcast SportsNet Northwest right here.

Hoops Rumors: You spent the past season covering the Blazers and LaMarcus Aldridge, and now you’re following his footsteps to San Antonio to once more cover the Spurs. So, given your unique insight here, what do you think he found so appealing about the Spurs, and what persuaded him to change his mind about staying with the Trail Blazers?

Jabari Young: It’s well-known LaMarcus has always been intrigued by the Spurs. His respect for Tim Duncan is also well-documented. I think his decision to end his tenure in Portland was a mixture of an opportunity to learn from Tim firsthand, be coached by Gregg Popovich, be closer to winning a championship than any point of his career, and return to Texas (his home state). He likes the team’s unselfish style, and will not try to emulate Tim one bit, but leave his own mark with the Spurs playing his game and becoming a part of their championship history. The Spurs have everything Aldridge needs from top to bottom to finally win a ring, which is important to him. After all, he took less money to join the Spurs.

Hoops Rumors: The last time the Spurs made a free agent signing nearly as splashy, it was Richard Jefferson, and that didn’t go so well. What have the Spurs learned since then that will help them incorporate a star like Aldridge into their system?

Jabari Young: With Popovich at the helm, the Spurs have learned not to fall in love with just any big name. It has to be someone they feel will enter the organization and fit right into the way they do things, led by Popovich/Duncan. LaMarcus was the perfect fit because of his willingness to adapt to this philosophy, but at the same time play his game. I feel the Spurs will allow Aldridge to play his style and he’ll also adjust. Plain and simple, Aldridge is arguably the best power forward in the NBA and wanted to be in San Antonio. It’s not every day the Spurs experience a top free agent like Aldridge wanting to join. With Duncan possibly in his final year(s), Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili on their last run, Aldridge, along with Kawhi Leonard, will be handed the keys to usher the Spurs into a new era. The Spurs trust that Aldridge has the right tools to help them stay afloat after the “Big Three” have departed. He has the basketball IQ and wants to win at this point in his career. It should be a good fit for both parties.

Hoops Rumors: Why do you think the Blazers signed Enes Kanter to a max offer sheet but haven’t done so, at least so far, with Tristan Thompson?

Jabari Young: The Blazers wanted to add a more established offensive threat in Enes Kanter to the mix. It’s not that they aren’t high on Mason Plumlee, but adding Kanter would’ve helped take pressure off Damian Lillard on offense. Tristan Thompson doesn’t pose the same threat on offense as Kanter does, and the Blazers are invested in power forwards Meyers Leonard and Noah Vonleh. Adding Thompson would only disturb the progress of Leonard and Vonleh. Kanter, as a center, would’ve been a different type of signing.

Hoops Rumors: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and David West won’t make as much put together this season as Danny Green will on his $10MM salary, and Green probably could have signed elsewhere for more money. What is it about the Spurs that convinces all these guys to make financial sacrifices?

Jabari Young: For a player like Danny Green, I feel he’s learned the grass isn’t always greener (see what I did there :-) ) on the other side. Take less money, be in contention for another championship, no pressure as being an overpaid signing. He’ll still earn more money than last season and already has a solid role within the Spurs system. Most guys would chase the money, ignoring everything else. Those players who have taken less to stay put realize they will not only be taken care of financially, but personally, and have the opportunity to win championships. Add that to the fact the Spurs are well-known for protecting their players, and the community support, some just feel it’s better to remain and take less than to take more, be on a bad team, have a bad role, and no real chance to win. Sometimes less is more, but it takes a certain player to realize this. Danny Green is that type of player.

Hoops Rumors: The Blazers had seven free agents at the end of the season, including Aldridge, and they didn’t re-sign any of them. Is there any one of them who you’re surprised they didn’t bring back once they learned Aldridge was going elsewhere?

Jabari Young: So much was depending on the future of Aldridge that once he walked, even if all their free agents were still available, it would’ve been hard to see them re-signing. What Blazers GM Neil Olshey did was alter the face of the franchise with Lillard at the helm, adding younger players who will buy into it being Lillard’s team. With that said, you would think Wesley Matthews, with all he’s given the Blazers over the years and the respect he’s earned among the fans in Portland, would have gotten some kind of offer from the Blazers. His injury was serious, so it’s hard to knock the Blazers for not pursuing his services again, but the injury did occur in a Portland uniform; hence, one would think the Blazers would take care of him. But it’s a business, and they treated it like one by moving on.

Hoops Rumors: Does Jimmer Fredette have what it takes to stick with the Spurs?

Jabari Young: He’s a shooter, which is always welcome in San Antonio (see Matt Bonner). Thing is, will he make enough of an impact to stay? The Spurs will not just give him a roster spot. He’ll have to earn it. How bad he wants to be a part of this team, time will tell. But if he makes the opening night roster, he could be a threat. Right now, I’d say it’s 50/50 he sticks.

And-Ones: Nets, Clippers, Blazers

September 20th, 2015 at 8:34pm CST by Will Joseph

The non-guaranteed deal that 11-year veteran Dahntay Jones signed with the Nets earlier this month doesn’t fit with the rest of the team’s offseason signings, NetsDaily writes, because he is the oldest Net at 34 and averaged less than a point, less than a rebound and less than an assist per game in a mere 33 games for the Clippers. Jones, however, is known for his toughness and leadership and those are the kind of qualities coaches like on a contender, not a rebuilding team, NetsDaily adds.

Here’s more from around the league:

D’Angelo Russell, whom the Lakers chose with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, believes he can win the Rookie of the Year award this season and that the Lakers will be in the playoffs, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders writes.
With size, strength and athleticism, there’s a decent chance Cliff Alexander, who has a non-guaranteed contract worth a reported $525,093, will be a low-risk, high-reward building block for the Blazers‘ future, Mike Richman of The Oregonian writes.
Former Mavs center Greg Smith did not have an impressive showing in a workout for the Guangdong Tigers, international correspondent David Pick reports (via Twitter).
The Kentucky Wildcats will showcase their players to league executives in a combine on October 11th, tweets Basketball Insiders’ Alex Kennedy, who cites sources.
After a productive offseason that was highlighted by the re-signing of DeAndre Jordan and the additions of Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson, Josh Smith and Pablo Prigioni, the 2015/16 version of the Clippers is the most talented team the franchise has ever assembled, Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders opines.

Western Notes: Williams, Pressey, Blazers

September 20th, 2015 at 4:15pm CST by Will Joseph

While Deron Williams was regarded as one of the league’s top point guards not too long ago, just being a serviceable option seems to be the goal nowadays for the former All-Star, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com writes in a lengthy explanatory piece on Williams’ decline. The Mavs signed Williams to a low-risk, two-year contract worth about $10MM with the hopes that the 31-year-old will regain some form.

“I don’t think he’ll be an All-Star again because of how good the West guards are,” one longtime executive told Berger. “I don’t think he’s a top-15 point guard right now, but I think he can eventually get there.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Entering his third NBA season, Phil Pressey will begin his first season with the Blazers and enter another training camp competing with Tim Frazier for a backup point guard role, Mike Richman of The Oregonian writes. Both young guards will compete for minutes behind All-Star Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. In his assessment of the player, Richman writes that Pressey is a pure point guard with natural passing instincts who struggles to shoot the ball. Pressey, as Richman points out, has a non-guaranteed contract worth $947,276.
Frazier, who has a non-guaranteed contract worth $845,059, has a shot for more playing time, according to Richman in another story, because he loves to push the pace in transition and is a natural, willing passer.

Northwest Notes: Faried, Bennett, Kaman

September 18th, 2015 at 11:45am CST by Chuck Myron

People close to the Nuggets have indicated that Kenneth Faried played a larger role in the downfall of former coach Brian Shaw than publicly known, according to Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders. Trade rumors surrounded Faried for much of the past year, and many people around the league expect Denver will deal him away. Still, Dowsett takes Shaw to task for his performance as a coach last season and calls the hiring of Michael Malone the team’s best offseason addition. See more from the Northwest Division:

Anthony Bennett looked strong playing for the Canadian national team during the summer, and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor downplayed the idea that the Wolves will trade the former No. 1 overall pick, telling Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities, “We shouldn’t assume he’d go” (Twitter link). The Wolves have reportedly been willing to move Bennett for the right return.
Chris Kaman would probably fit best on a contender, but he enjoyed playing for the Trail Blazers last season, and Kaman’s level of contentment has had much to do with whether he’s been successful over the past few seasons, as The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman examines. Kaman will make $5.016MM this season in the last year of his contract.
The exodus of so many of last season’s Trail Blazers has C.J. McCollum excited about the more prominent role he’s poised to take on this year, one reminiscent of his time as a scoring force in college at Lehigh, as he tells Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. McCollum is hopeful that he can continue to work with Steve Nash, who helped him with his game this summer, even though Nash is reportedly finalizing a deal to become a part-time player development consultant for the Warriors.

Western Notes: Jazz, Nash, Mavs, Crabbe

September 15th, 2015 at 1:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Jazz are content to play through the preseason, at least, with the point guards they have now, rather than trading for a Dante Exum replacement, reports Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. Utah won’t turn down an overwhelming offer, but the team isn’t pushing for a deal as Exum recovers from surgery two weeks ago on the torn ACL in his left knee, as Jones details. The team was reportedly interested in dealing for Garrett Temple and pursued Jason Terry before he re-signed with the Rockets, but Jones and Tribune colleague Aaron Falk wrote shortly after Exum’s injury last month that the Jazz would probably replace him in-house with Trey Burke, Raul Neto and Bryce Cotton. See more from the Western Conference here:

Steve Nash is finalizing a deal with the Warriors to become a part-time player development consultant for the team, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The two-time MVP, now 41 years old, announced his retirement this spring. Warriors coach Steve Kerr was Suns GM during Nash’s time in Phoenix.
Point guard isn’t an issue for the Mavericks, who again feature four players at that position, as Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com notes. The team replaced Rajon Rondo with Deron Williams, re-signed J.J. Barea and, though the Mavs reportedly planned to shop Raymond Felton, he remains in Dallas.
Allen Crabbe‘s 35.3% three-point shooting last season was respectable but far from elite, and this year is the last on his contract, so the former 31st overall pick spent much of the summer working on his shot with Blazers assistant coach Nate Tibbetts, as Joe Freeman of The Oregonian details. Portland kept Crabbe past the point this summer when his minimum salary for the season ahead became guaranteed.