April 2014 Basketball Wiretap

Knicks Target Bucks, 76ers As Possible Trade Partners To Acquire Draft Pick

May 31, 2014 6:16 PM

The New York Knicks will attempt to trade for a second round draft pick by purchasing a selection.

Phil Jackson cited the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers are possible trade targets because those teams own multiple picks in the draft.

Jackson said the Knicks will not get in "a bidding war."

“Teams do sell draft picks," Jackson said. "If teams are willing to allow us to buy a draft pick for a player we want to have at a position, we’ll do it.’’

Marc Berman/New York Post

Tags: Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Dario Saric Will Come To NBA Immediately If Drafted By Celtics, Lakers

May 29, 2014 1:29 PM

Dario Saric reportedly is willing to come to the NBA immediately if he's drafted by either the Boston Celtics or Los Angeles Lakers, according to a report from David Pick.

Saric is a 20-year-old Croatian point forward.

Saric is currently slotted to go ninth overall in the latest DraftExpress mock.

Gary Dzen/Boston Globe

Tags: Dario Saric, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, International, NBA Draft General

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76ers Could Have Preferred Target Wiggins Fall To Them At No. 3

May 27, 2014 3:04 PM

The Milwaukee Bucks are not believed to have Andrew Wiggins in their top-two, preferring Joel Embiid and Jabari Parker.

But the Philadelphia 76ers have had Wiggins as their top target all season and could take him there if Embiid goes to the Cleveland Cavaliers with the top pick.

"I think he has the most star potential of anyone in the draft," one veteran NBA scout said, "and I think he goes and helps a team right away. He'll get on the floor for significant minutes right away because he can defend multiple positions. And when his offense catches up to his defense, I just don't see any way that this kid can fail. How do you pass on that if you are Cleveland? It's really the best of both worlds."

Chad Ford/ESPN

Tags: Andrew Wiggins, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Information Varies Widely On Who Cavaliers Like With No. 1 Pick

May 27, 2014 2:30 PM

The Cleveland Cavaliers don't appear to have a clear answer for who they prefer with the top overall selection as the pick changes depending on the source.

A Cavaliers' source said that Jabari Parker had been No. 1 on the board all year but felt that Andrew Wiggins would ultimately be the selection.

One source said that Wiggins' camp has been told by the Cavaliers that he's the front-runner. But another source with close access to the Cavs' front office believes Wiggins isn't even in the discussion, with the decision narrowed down to Embiid and Parker.

Chad Ford/ESPN

Tags: Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Joel Embiid, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Embiid Feeling 100 Percent Recovered From Back Injury

May 27, 2014 2:25 PM

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Joel Embiid's camp have been holding discussions on sending him there for a workout.

Both sides expect the Cavaliers to be able see Embiid.

Embiid said that his back was "100 percent" and that he was feeling no effects from his injury in March. Several sources that have been working with Embiid confirmed that he's been feeling healed.

"If anything, I think they were overcautious with him," one source said. "He could've played in the next round of the NCAA tournament had Kansas advanced. They were just making sure that the issue would completely go away. He's fine."

Chad Ford/ESPN

Tags: Joel Embiid, Cleveland Cavaliers, Kansas Jayhawks, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Wiggins Measures 6'8.75" In Shoes, 8'11" Standing Reach

May 25, 2014 8:18 PM

Andrew Wiggins was measured on Sunday with a height of 6'8.75" in shoes.

Wiggins has a wingspan of 7'0" and a standing reach of 8'11".

Wiggins also has one of the best verticals in the draft class.

Chad Ford/ESPN

Tags: Andrew Wiggins, Kansas Jayhawks, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Embiid Measures 7'1" in Shoes, 9'5.5" Standing Reach

May 25, 2014 7:57 PM

Joel Embiid was measured at a workout on Friday with a height of 7'1" in shoes.

Embiid has a 7'5.75" wingspan and 9'5.5" standing reach.

Embiid is expected to be one of the first three picks in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Chad Ford/ESPN

Tags: Joel Embiid, Kansas Jayhawks, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Spurs, Bulls, Grizzlies Have Highest Average Lottery Draw Since 1994

May 22, 2014 1:42 PM

The San Antonio Spurs have been in the lottery just once since 1994, but they made it count by winning it in 1997 to draft Tim Duncan.

The following list is the average pick of every team when they're in the lottery, which is of course dependent on order of finish along with whether they moved up or down.

San Antonio Spurs: 1.0
Chicago Bulls: 3.1
Memphis Grizzlies: 4.2
Atlanta Hawks: 5.1
Los Angeles Clippers: 5.6
Washington Wizards: 5.8
Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats: 6.2
Philadelphia 76ers: 6.4
New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets: 6.5
Minnesota Timberwolves: 6.7
Miami Heat: 6.8
Denver Nuggets: 6.9
Cleveland Cavaliers: 7.1
Toronto Raptors: 7.1
Boston Celtics: 7.5
Milwaukee Bucks: 7.5
Orlando Magic: 7.7
New York Knicks: 7.8
Portland Trail Blazers: 7.9
Detroit Pistons: 7.9
Golden State Warriors: 8.0
Sacramento Kings: 8.1
New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans: 8.4
Seattle SuperSonics/OKC Thunder: 8.5
Dallas Mavericks: 8.6
Los Angeles Lakers: 9.0
Phoenix Suns: 10.5
Utah Jazz: 10.8
Houston Rockets: 10.8
Indiana Pacers: 11.4

Matt Norlander/CBS Sports

Tags: Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NBA B-Ball IQ

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Cavaliers Began Receiving Trade Calls Immediately After Lottery

May 21, 2014 9:44 PM

The Cleveland Cavaliers began receiving calls for the first overall pick immediately after it was announced on Tuesday.

"I actually got calls right afterward, while I was standing there doing media," David Griffin said Wednesday during an interview on ESPN Cleveland's "The Really Big Show." "Teams were already reaching out and texting, so I think it will be an active period of time."

The Cavaliers are expected to choose between Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker.

"We're going to be open-minded to whatever it is that advances our cause the furthest."

ESPN

Tags: Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk To Attend Kansas

May 21, 2014 1:46 PM

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has decided to attend Kansas.

Mykhailiuk is only 16 years old and will be at Kansas for two seasons.

Mykhailiuk recently participated in the Nike Hoop Summit.

Jonathan Givony/Draft Express

Tags: Svi Mykhailiuk, Kansas Jayhawks, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NCAA Commitment, NCAA Misc Rumor

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NBA Lottery Ratings Up 26 Percent From 2013

RealGM Staff Report

New Report Indicates Cavaliers Prefer Joel Embiid

Jeff Goodman/ESPN

Cavs Don't See Clear-Cut No. 1 Pick, Want To Get Radically Better

Andrew Perna/RealGM

Kings To Put No. 8 Pick On Trade Block

Scott Howard-Cooper/NBA.com

Cavaliers Win NBA Lottery; Bucks Pick 2nd, 76ers 3rd

RealGM Staff Report

Knicks Have Traded/Swapped 1st Round Pick In 13 Of Past 27 Years

Alan Hahn/Newsday

Exec: Joel Embiid's Only Issue Is His Medical Status

David Aldridge/NBA.com

Jazz To Listen To Possibility Of Trading Draft Picks

Aaron Falk/Salt Lake Tribune

Bulls Seek To Acquire Shooters In NBA Draft

K.C. Johnson/Chicago Tribune

Andrew Wiggins' Superhuman Vertical Photo Goes Viral

RealGM Staff Report

Ainge: NBA Draft Combine 'Not As Informative As It Used To Be'

Mark Murphy/Boston Herald

Wiggins, Embiid, Parker Won't Attend Draft Combine

Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports

76ers Have Studied Dante Exum Intently

Bob Ford/Philadelphia Inquirer

Bucks Work Out Ben Brust, Jake Thomas, Mike Moser, Taylor Braun

RealGM Staff Report

Knight: Bucks' Top Pick Must Work Hard, Use 13-14 Season As Motivation

Charles F. Gardner/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Jazz To Work Out Six Draft Prospects Wednesday

RealGM Staff Report