March 2011 Basketball Wiretap

Agent Says Cavaliers Are Irving's Top Priority

May 31, 2011 7:42 PM

There's a chance Duke point guard Kyrie Irving's pre-draft tour might consist of one stop.

"Our priority is Cleveland," agent Jeff Wechsler said from his office in Florida on Tuesday.

Irving, 19, might work out only for the Cavaliers. Don't expect him to work out with any other players.

"For my safety, I'm not going to work out with anyone else," he said at the NBA draft combine in Chicago on May 20.


Bob Finnan/News-Herald

Tags: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers, Duke Blue Devils, Atlantic Coast Conference, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Valanciunas' Buyout To Be Raised To At Least $3M

May 31, 2011 3:46 PM

The buyout in the contract of Jonas Valanciunas with Lietuvos Rytas will be raised to at least $3 million USD, sources confirmed to RealGM.

Valanciunas has widely been projected to become a top-five pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, but a more financially difficult buyout would surely impact his draft status.

During the 2010-11 Euroleague season, Valanciunas averaged 7.7 points and 5.8 rebounds in just over 15 minutes per game.

Erildas Budraitis/RealGM

Tags: Jonas Valanciunas, Euroleague, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, International, NBA Draft General, International League

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Leonard Compares Himself To Worthy

May 31, 2011 10:10 AM

Kawhi Leonard is one of 30 potential draft prospects -- including Maryland sophomore Jordan Williams – training in Las Vegas with Joe Abunassar at Impact Basketball.

He has been working hard on improving his ballhandling and his jumper by finding the proper balance on his release and landing.

“I want to do a lot of things on the court. I just want to be a complete basketball player. Dribble, pass, shoot, be a leader, play defense, block shots, steals. I’m trying to do it all,” Leonard said. “I think my comparison would be like to one of the throwback type of players. James Worthy, versatile, could do a lot of stuff on the court.”

Michael Lee/Washington Post

Tags: Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State Aztecs, Mountain West Conference, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Cavaliers In Trade Talks With Timberwolves, Pistons For No. 2 Pick

May 28, 2011 4:03 PM

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in discussions with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons about a three-team trade that would give Cleveland the top two picks of next month's NBA draft.

The Cavaliers would use the picks to select Duke point guard Kyrie Irving and Arizona forward Derrick Williams, the sources said.

In the trade being discussed, Cleveland would absorb Detroit's Richard Hamilton into the $14.6 million trade exception it received in last summer's LeBron James sign-and-trade with Miami, while also receiving the Pistons' No. 8 pick. The Cavaliers would then send that pick, along with their fourth pick, to Minnesota for the Timberwolves' second pick.

Cleveland would then buy Hamilton out of the $25 million remaining in the last two years on his contract, leaving the veteran shooting guard free to sign with another club as a free agent.

Chris Broussard/ESPN The Magazine

Tags: Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams, Richard Hamilton, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Humbled Selby Eager To Prove He Belongs In NBA

May 28, 2011 2:29 PM

Former Kansas University combo guard Josh Selby, who worked out for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday and Indiana Pacers on Thursday, has taken a humble, low-key approach into a month’s worth of individual drills with NBA teams.

“The biggest thing I need to show is I deserve to be here like everyone else,” Selby told nba.com after Thursday’s workout with Purdue’s JaJuan Johnson, Villanova’s Corey Fisher, Richmond’s Justin Harper, Michigan’s Darius Morris and Georgetown’s Chris Wright in Indianapolis.

“People were questioning me because of what happened at Kansas. I need to show what happened at Kansas wasn’t the real me. I was going through things, of course the injury (to foot) and suspension (nine games to start season). I’m just trying to showcase my game.”

Selby, who averaged 7.9 points, 2.2 assists and 2.2 rebounds a game during his freshman season, is completely healthy now. He showed that by recording an amazing vertical leap of 42 inches at last week’s NBA combine.

Gary Bedore/Lawrence Journal World

Tags: Josh Selby, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Kansas Jayhawks, Big 12 Conference, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Markieff Morris Says Derrick Williams 'Not As Good As Advertised'

May 27, 2011 5:19 PM

Derrick Williams has a high opinion of his talents, and Kyrie Irving even said, “his transition to the NBA game will be easy.”

But Kansas forward Markieff Morris wasn’t completely sold on Williams, who had 27 points and seven rebounds in a loss to Kansas last season. “I didn’t think he was as good as advertised,” Morris said. “He got the benefit of the calls from the ref and we had to guard him different. He definitely had a good game against us, because we couldn’t guard him how we wanted to guard him, and that’s what happened.”

So when he hears that Williams is a lock to go in the top two, Morris said, “It’s still surprises me. What he did to Duke, he wouldn’t do that to me or my brother [Marcus]. I’m dead serious. He wouldn’t. At all. He’s good. But if we was to work out, I would go at him and I would be able to stop him more than people would expect, you know what I mean.”

Michael Lee/Washington Post

Tags: Markieff Morris, Derrick Williams, Kansas Jayhawks, Arizona Wildcats, Big 12 Conference, Pacific-12 Conference, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Tristan Thompson Signs With Leon Rose

May 27, 2011 12:35 AM

Tristan Thompson will be represented by Leon Rose of Creative Artists Agency, whose clients include LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.

Thompson averaged 16.7 points and 10 rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted in his lone season at Texas.

He is projected as a lottery pick in this year's draft.

Toronto Sun

Tags: Tristan Thompson, Texas Longhorns, Big 12 Conference, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Perry Jones Aims To Be No. 1 Pick In 2012 Draft

May 27, 2011 12:29 AM

Baylor coach Scott Drew is anticipating Perry Jones could make a freshman-to-sophomore leap like Blake Griffin did at Oklahoma. If that occurs, who knows, maybe Jones will go even higher in the 2012 draft than he would've in 2011.

For what it's worth, Jones said he wants to go No. 1.

"All the potential is there,'' Drew said. "He has to work on being aggressive and consistent. Some people think he takes a back seat or coasts. He has to keep his motor at a high level. I know his perimeter game will keep improving like Derrick Williams' did [at Arizona]."

As for Jones, he will be in the gym most of the summer.

"Somebody tweeted me that I could be top eight in the draft,'' he said. "I tweeted back, 'I want to be No. 1.' That's where the hard work and dedication come in.''

Andy Katz/ESPN.com

Tags: Perry Jones, Baylor Bears, Big 12 Conference, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Pacers To Hold Pre-Draft Workout Without Vogel

May 26, 2011 10:27 AM

The Indiana Pacers will host their first pre-draft workout today at Conseco Fieldhouse, without interim coach Frank Vogel.

Purdue's JaJuan Johnson, a Franklin Central graduate, highlights a group that also includes Corey Fisher (Villanova), Justin Harper (Richmond), Darius Morris (Michigan), Josh Selby (Kansas) and Chris Wright (Georgetown).

The Pacers  have the Nos. 15 and 42 picks in the June 23 draft.

"One of four guys I like will get to us (at No. 15)," Pacers president Larry Bird said. "They're all different sizes. I think we can use some help in every area. We're going to get a player that will help us."

Mike Wells/Indianapolis Star

Tags: Indiana Pacers, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Agent Denies Kanter Stood Up Bucks

May 25, 2011 10:17 AM

Agent Max Ergul adamantly denied that Enes Kanter intentionally blew off a meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks.

"Here's what happened," Ergul said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I really thought we had let Milwaukee know six or seven hours before the meeting that he (Kanter) wouldn't be there.

"I told the people from the NBA when I got the list for interviews that we wouldn't do it (with Milwaukee). That memo didn't get to the Bucks.

"Mr. (Dave) Babcock (the Bucks' player personnel director) called me later and said, ‘Where's your guy?' I then tried to explain to him what happened."

Ergul said neither he nor Kanter harbored any negative vibes toward the Bucks or the city of Milwaukee. Rather, Ergul said he reached his decision to turn down the Bucks' request for an interview because of several factors related to the draft and to the Bucks' roster.

"It was nothing against the Bucks," Ergul said. "It was where they are positioned in the draft and where Enes is projected to go.

Gery Woelfel/Racine Journal Times

Tags: Enes Freedom, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Kanter Tests Well At Combine, Will Interview With Jazz, Raptors

Sam Amick/SI.com

Taylor: Timberwolves To Keep No. 2 Pick

Sid Hartman/Minneapolis Star Tribune

Texas' Thompson Embraces Possibility Of Playing For Hometown Raptors

Chris Tomasson/Star-Ledger

Calipari: Kanter Worthy Of No. 1 Pick

Jerry Tipton/Lexington Herald-Leader

Knight Thinks He Can Have Similar Impact As Wall, Rose

Chris Tomasson/Miami Herald

Burks Likens Himself To McGrady

Charlotte Observer

Self Denies Criticizing Selby's Athleticism

Jeff Eisenberg/Yahoo! Sports

Kanter Declines Pre-Draft Interviews With Jazz, Raptors, Bucks

Ben Golliver/CBSSports.com

Irving, Williams Measure At 10 Percent Body Fat

Rick Bonnell/Charlotte Observer

Williams Does Not See Himself As Power Forward

Jerry Zgoda/Minneapolis Star Tribune

Jazz Will Select Best Available Player

Sports Radio Interviews

Burks Drawing Interest Of Bucks

Charles F. Gardner/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Fredette Intrigued By Knicks' Style Of Play

Marc Berman/New York Post

Kanter Hopes To Be Drafted By Wizards

Michael Lee/Washington Post

Irving Denies Being Recruited By LRMR

Mary Schmitt Boyer/Plain Dealer

Derrick Williams Thinks He Can Replace LeBron In Cleveland

Greg Esposito/ArizonaSports.com

Irving Skips Combine Workouts

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Nets Looking To Move Up In Draft

Fred Kerber/New York Post

Gilbert: Cavs Winning Lottery Was Karma

Bob Finnan/News-Herald

LeBron Happy For Cavs, Fans After Draft Lottery

Ira Winderman/South Florida Sun Sentinel