NBA Rumors: Rounding Up Latest Trade, 2017 Draft and Free-Agent Chatter
On Tuesday, the NBA draft lottery will piece together the early selection order, which potentially adds more fuel to trade rumors and clarity to free-agent targets during the summer.
Even teams with a less likely chance at picking within the top three have to consider options on moving forward in the upcoming offseason. Front offices with poor reputations, specifically known for uncertainty in franchise direction have to scramble to get their acts together.
During the NBA Draft Combine, team executives have been able to interact with and scout prospects, who fit their rosters. Now, it's time to compare and contrast talents with selection placement in mind. Before the pingpong balls set the official order, we'll dig into the latest chatter among teams looking to reload and rebuild for the future.
Knicks Prefer Markelle Fultz Over Lonzo Ball
New York Knicks team president Phil Jackson can clean up the mess in the Big Apple with a quality draft pick and by convincing Carmelo Anthony to waive his no-trade clause. The latter falls out of the executive's control, but he'll have the opportunity to add onto his draft genius after selecting Kristaps Porzingis at No. 4 overall in 2015.
According to ESPN.com's Chad Ford, the Knicks prefer Washington product Markelle Fultz over UCLA's Lonzo Ball. New York would have to defy the odds for the No. 1 pick to contemplate this tough decision between the two dynamic point guards.
The Knickerbockers have a 5.3 percent chance at securing the No. 1 overall pick and an 18.3 percent probability at a top-three selection on Tuesday, per Tankathon.com.
With De'Aaron Fox gaining traction and potentially passing Ball in draft consideration, per Ford, the Knicks may be able to acquire a dynamic point guard with the No. 4 overall pick as well.
"There also seems to be a growing movement among teams to rank Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox ahead of Ball," Ford wrote. "No one helped himself more in March than Fox did. He has a chance to go as high as No. 2 or No. 3 in this draft."
Kansas product Josh Jackson could push either Ball or Fox into the No. 4 slot. As it stands, New York holds a tie with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the highest probability of picking sixth overall, which means the Knicks should consider sharpshooter Malik Monk or another big point guard in Frank Ntilikina from France.
Agents Wary of Sacramento Kings' Front-Office Dysfunction
Since the 2011-12 season, six head coaches, including one interim, have attempted to lead the Sacramento Kings in the right direction. This club hasn't finished with a winning record since the 2005-06 campaign under Rick Adelman.
Vlade Divac assumed the vice-president of basketball and franchise operations role in March 2015 and added the general manager position to his resume nearly five months later. After cycling through head coaches in the recent past and trading away a star player in DeMarcus Cousins during the previous year, the Kings will likely start a young roster under Dave Joerger for the 2017-18 campaign.
Unfortunately, the Kings' frequent changes and the unstable plans have sent a poor message to agents, who've decided to steer their clients away from the organization. According to an agent, via Ford, Sacramento's housekeeping sticks out as a major turnoff.
"It would be malpractice to let my clients play for them," one longtime agent said. "I've had clients there. It's still the most dysfunctional front office in the league, by a mile. How can you trust those guys with one of your players? It's going to take a long time to build that trust."
In Ford's report, he delved into agents' efforts to deny the Kings access to medical records and influence prospects to avoid working out for the team. With a roster full of young talent and multiple veterans on expiring contracts, where does Divac lead this franchise?
The Kings will have to study the film to ensure they're selecting the right prospects for the roster on draft day. This organization has become the black hole franchise of the league.
Dallas Mavericks Won't Trade Draft Pick
For the first time since the 1999-00 campaign, the Dallas Mavericks finished with a record below .500. Typically, this club earns a playoff spot, but this year marks the second time this team failed to qualify for the postseason.
Young new faces such as Seth Curry, Yogi Ferrell and Harrison Barnes logged extensive minutes on a team that's going to slowly phase out their most recognizable player, Dirk Nowitzki, as the focal point on offense. The career-long Maverick turns 39 years old in June.
Even though Nowitzki feels good enough to return for his 20th season, per Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter Dwain Price, Dallas needs to pivot the roster toward the future.
According to Dallas Morning News reporter Eddie Sefko, there's an 81.3 percent chance the team sticks to the No. 9 slot, but placement won't change the organization's decision to keep the draft pick.
It's an incoming class with plenty of talent. The Mavericks can pick up a quality player to pair with Barnes and ease the transition away from Nowitzki playing more than 25 minutes per game. Expect Dallas to target a point guard for the long-term future.
Stats provided by NBA.com and Basketball Reference unless otherwise noted.
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