With Andrew Wiggins joining Kansas, the Jayhawks should stay at the Top of the Big 12. But the projection for West Virginia, Kansas St., and Oklahoma is entirely different from last season. Read More. Written by Dan Hanner on May 19, 2013
The event gives front offices the opportunity to evaluate D-League players with the possibility of offering Summer League or training camp invites. Read More.
Tyus Jones, the No. 2 overall recruit for 2014 and an excellent point guard, was selected by Paul Biancardi, Adam Finkelstein and John Stovall. Read More.
The Los Angeles Clippers have no interest in pursuing Dwight Howard this offseason, according to sources.
The Clippers have been reported as a possible destination, albeit a longshot, to end up with Howard.
The Clippers do not have cap space to sign Howard while also re-signing Chris Paul, which would have forced them to complete several complicated deals in order to acquire him.
After a breakout season in Europe, Gani Lawal has intrigued NBA teams and could receive consideration for a contract, league sources told RealGM.
Lawal has already scheduled workouts – private and as part of mini-camps – with the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic, sources said. Four to five other teams have discussed bringing him in to work out, too.
Lawal, the 6-foot-9 athletic, scrappy forward, had his best professional season with Italy’s Virtus Roma, averaging 13.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. Virtus Roma has gone 20-10 this season and ranks third in the league standings.
Since leaving the Phoenix Suns organization that drafted him in the second round in 2010, Lawal, 24, has lost weight and added strength. Lawal played one game with the Suns two seasons ago and was in the San Antonio Spurs’ training camp in 2011, but he was derailed by injuries and didn’t figure into a long-term plan. He was drafted after three years at Georgia Tech.
The New York Knicks could lose Chris Copeland this summer in restricted free agency.
Copeland will measure his market value after posting several strong performances in the Eastern Conference semifinals, including a 13 point, 4-rebound showing in the Knicks’ 85-75 win over the Pacers Thursday night.
The Knicks will extend a qualifying offer to Copeland, making him a restricted free agent, but they may be prohibited from matching any offer more than $3 million.
Richard Hamilton scored 15 points in 35 minutes of the Chicago Bulls' Game 5 loss to the Miami Heat, and he knows he likely does not have a future with the organization.
The Bulls will buy out Hamilton for $1 million this offseason.
Hamilton has said he hopes to play two more seasons.
"Even though the last two weeks have been hard, my teammates have been great," Hamilton said. "They were so supportive of me and dumbfounded by the situation. They kept me going."
The Dallas Mavericks have had two relatively difficult seasons since winning The Finals in 2011.
The Mavericks were eliminated in the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs and didn't qualify in 2013.
The Mavericks were unable to sign Deron Williams last offseason and are hoping to have better success this offseason in signing either Dwight Howard or Chris Paul.
"We'd love to get one of those two," said Dirk Nowitzki. "We'd love to get a player in here who can create his own shot and be a superstar-type player. It's still a long way to go until July. Those guys need to clear their minds a little bit and get away and then start thinking what they want to do with their futures. Hopefully, that's where we come in and put a great pitch out there and see what happens."
Nowitzki said he would like to be involved in the free agency pitch.
"I'll definitely be a little involved. But I'll be in the draft 'war room' for the first time ... order some pizza and talk some basketball. I got one year left on this deal and then I'm coming off the books. So if that helps for us to be better I'm going to take a paycut. That's part of the pitch. (Mark) Cuban and Donnie (Nelson) have got to be part of the pitch. I think Dallas and the fans here, the sellout streak, the city to live in is gorgeous and has gotta be in the top five in the league. Hopefully, some of those guys will decide to come, and if not, we've gotta have a plan B. If none of those top free agents come, we gotta make some moves with sign and trades or something. We want to get back to the playoffs and be a factor. We owe it to these fans who come out every single night to support us."
The Houston Rockets will not pick up the team option on Francisco Garcia's contract for next season, according to sources.
Garcia will be an unrestricted free agent in July.
Garcia's deal for next season was worth $6.4 million.
After coming to the Rockets in a trade from the Sacramento Kings, Garcia became a critical reserve and was one of Houston's primary defenders on Kevin Durant in the first round of the playoffs.
David West will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason but has not given free agency much thought. Even so, the Indiana Pacers want to keep West and believe they can afford him.
“I’ll address that at the end of the season and focus on finishing this year as best as possible,” West said Saturday after contributing 11 points and 12 rebounds to the Pacers’ 82-71 victory over New York at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. “But I love it here, love this group of guys, this environment, love the core group that we have. This group only has room to get better.”
West has established himself as the Pacers' veteran leader and integral starting power forward. The Pacers have $49 million committed in player salaries for next season.
“This group, the mix of young guys that we have," West said, "and obviously the character of these guys, what these guys are, it fits me, so …"
The Atlanta Hawks are pursuing Stan Van Gundy for their head coach vacancy.
Danny Ferry and Van Gundy have been in contact, but have yet to meet in person about the opportunity.
The Hawks also plan on pursuing Dwight Howard and there is a growing belief that a reunion would be of interest.
Sources say Van Gundy holds Ferry in high regard.
The Hawks have not made a final decision on Larry Drew, but it is assumed he won't be back unless they are unable to secure a deal with any of their top targets.
Pablo Prigioni is interested in returning to the New York Knicks for a second season.
Prigioni will become an unrestricted free agent in July.
"Pablo really enjoyed himself here, and he has interest in playing again next year," Bass said. "He's fallen in love with New York, there's no doubt. The Knicks are just a first-class organization, so it's been good all the way around."
Prigioni will likely test the free agent market.
"I do believe there will be other teams that will have interest in him, but you never know how much interest," Bass said. "If somebody came along and offered him more money, then that's a whole different story."
Despite speculation surrounding his future in the NBA, Gustavo Ayon expects the Bucks to pick up the team option on his contract for next season and is looking forward to returning, his agent Emilio Duran told RealGM.