NBA Rumors: Post-2021 Lottery Draft Buzz on Cade Cunningham, Warriors and More
Numerous teams had plenty to gain and plenty to lose on Tuesday night.
The 2021 NBA draft lottery offered some interesting scenarios for multiple clubs. Teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Orlando Magic had the chance to land multiple top picks, while the Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves all stood to lose their first-round choices.
When the dust settled, though, the story of the night was the Detroit Pistons landing the No. 1 overall pick and presumably having the opportunity to draft Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham.
Here is the latest on Cunningham's approach to the predraft process, in addition to how the Golden State Warriors might proceed with their first-round picks and more.
Cunningham Only Planning to Meet with Pistons
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Perhaps no single collegiate player commanded the stage quite like Cade Cunningham.
No, the 19-year-old wasn't able to lead the Oklahoma State Cowboys to a national title. However, he showed advanced scoring and playmaking abilities especially for a freshman. His upside was evident, and now he is primed to be the No. 1 pick.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Cunningham is only planning to meet with a single team prior to the draft. Naturally, that team is the Detroit Pistons.
This will almost certainly mark the second straight year in which the Pistons use their top pick to take a guard. Detroit selected Killian Hayes last season and can now supplement the backcourt with Cunningham.
In many ways, he is a perfect fit next to Hayes. He can be the shot-creator the Pistons need, a three-level scorer who can feed off Hayes' ability to create for teammates off the dribble and get to the basket. Cunningham is pretty adept at carving out driving lanes himself and is not shy about seeking out contact.
Cunningham and Hayes would give Detroit a young and promising backcourt. Even more notably, Cunningham could give the Pistons the name recognition and star power the franchise has lacked for years.
Assessing Golden State's Options
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The Golden State Warriors were another team with plenty to gain on Tuesday night.
They had the chance to obtain the Minnesota Timberwolves' first-round pick if they fell out of the top three, with that protected pick going to the Dubs as part of the D'Angelo Russell trade. The Warriors already had their own pick at No. 14 but also stared down adding another top pick to the stockpile.
The T-Wolves fell to the No. 7 spot and conveyed their pick to the Warriors. The question for president of basketball operations Bob Myers and Co. seemingly becomes: now what?
A couple of executives told Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report they feel Golden State might look to package the two picks so as to possibly add a premium asset. One assistant general manager said he wonders whether the Warriors should make the picks and James Wiseman available to see what they can get.
There has not been any indication the Dubs will trade Wiseman. Actually, Myers has suggested the 2020 No. 2 overall pick is part of Golden State's immediate and long-term plans. Still, the Warriors figure to be in win-now mode this offseason. It might be worth dangling Wiseman and the picks to see what kind of returns can be had.
Alternatively, maybe the Dubs try to trade up if they become enamored especially with top guard prospects Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs and feel one of them could bolster the current roster while also being a piece for the future.
Mavs Will Not Seek Compensation from Team That Hires Rick Carlisle
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Rick Carlisle resigned as Dallas Mavericks head coach with two seasons still left on his contract. The Mavs and governor Mark Cuban will seemingly let bygones be bygones.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN reported Dallas will not seek compensation from whichever team elects to hire Carlisle. MacMahon noted Cuban does not want to "complicate" Carlisle's situation as the veteran coach seeks other opportunities.
Recent questions had been developing regarding Carlisle's influence in devising game plans as well as his relationship with Luka Doncic. Tim Cato and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported the Carlisle-Doncic relationship had been "publicly scrutinized," with Carlisle in particular having to adjust his coaching style.
Ultimately, Carlisle followed longtime Mavs executive Donnie Nelson out the door. He did, however, say he intended to keep coaching in a statement to ESPN.
Carlisle might end up being a top candidate for any number of head coaching opportunities. His former employer will not hold him back by publicly stating a desire to be compensated.
