NBA Draft 2011: The Latest Buzz and Rumors for Every Team
Now that the Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks have defeated LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the rest of the Miami Heat for the ability to claim supremacy in the NBA, it's time for the rumor mill to start churning away.
In professional basketball, the summer is the season of speculation. Stars can change uniforms via trades or free agency, and new talent is added into the league through the draft every summer.
It's an exciting time for all involved and rumors are just one way that the excitement is fueled.
Read on for the latest rumors dealing with each and every team in the league.
Atlanta Hawks
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Right now, a potential deal for Monta Ellis is the biggest trade rumor swirling around in the ears of Hawks fans, but there is absolutely no guarantee that the free-shooting guard will end up in an Atlanta jersey at all.
On the draft front though, no one has really made any noise on the Hawks' boards. There is some speculation that the Hawks will try to trade up from their current spot at No. 48, but once more, there is no guarantee.
In fact, the only rumor that seems like it will definitely come true is the one saying that Josh Smith has played his last game as a member of this Atlanta squad.
The Hawks' management has been quite inept when it comes to the draft in recent years, and it's quite difficult to predict who the team will add in the offseason.
Boston Celtics
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The Boston Celtics are going to do everything they can to trade away the No. 25 pick in the draft, leaving them with just one pick at No. 55 late in the second round.
Here are a few quotes from general manager Danny Ainge:
"It's not a strong draft. There's not a lot of players who could change a franchise. We need more bigs than smalls."
"Historically, the odds of a No. 25 draft pick breaking into a rotation is like six percent."
"The last thing I wanna do...because we're trying to win...is put inexperienced players under Doc. It's a delicate balance."
"We're as good as the teams playing in the Finals right now. We have a great chance with our guys right now."
Sounds to me like the Celtics don't feel as though it's necessary to do much in the upcoming draft.
Charlotte Bobcats
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With two picks in the first round, No. nine and No. 19, the Charlotte Bobcats have enough ammunition to offer a very tempting trade package if they want to move up higher into the lottery portion of the draft.
One potential trading partner is the Minnesota Timberwolves. If no better deals are offered, the Bobcats could very well move up to No. two in the draft and bolster their frontcourt with the addition of Arizona Wildcats small forward, Derrick Williams.
Chicago Bulls
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Another potential landing place for Monta Ellis (get used to seeing that), Chicago has been the subject of trade rumors ranging from feasible, ones that include Joakim Noah, to absolutely ridiculous ones that include reigning MVP Derrick Rose.
As for the draft, it seems as though the Chicago Bulls will be targeting a shooting guard to help out Rose in his quest to light up the scoreboard. With two late picks in the first round, the Bulls could potentially trade up and take someone like Klay Thompson or be content to take a couple of mediocre prospects and hope that one pans out.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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It seems to be fairly certain that the Cleveland Cavaliers will be selecting Duke point guard Kyrie Irving with the No. one overall pick of the upcoming NBA draft, so that's really not much of a rumor anymore.
The one flying around now is that Dan Gilbert's team is attempting to move up from No. four to No. two so that they can add both Irving and Derrick Williams to their team.
Regardless, the Cavs are in good shape with two of the first four picks in the draft. This could be the start of the post-LeBron James turnaround whether or not that aforementioned trade comes to fruition.
Dallas Mavericks
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I'm not sure anyone reading this slide from Dallas really cares what it says. They're still way too busy enjoying themselves in the aftermath of the Mavericks' six-game series victory over the Miami Heat to win the NBA Finals.
Dallas has the No. 26 pick right now, but with all the hype generated by Dirk Nowitzki's historic performance during the playoffs, no one is talking about what they're going to do with that pick.
The rumors for Dallas really don't exist quite yet.
Denver Nuggets
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The Denver Nuggets are one of the few teams looking to move up in this rather weak draft. By sending away either Al Harrington or Raymond Felton, Denver would love to have a high enough draft pick to ensure drafting one of three players.
Those players are Morehead State power forward/center Kenneth Faried, Tennessee forward Tobias Harris and Washington State shooting guard Klay Thompson.
Rumors dealing with Faried have encircled this team for quite some time and they're still hovering.
Detroit Pistons
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After the Detroit Pistons shot down a potential three-team deal between themselves, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Cleveland Cavaliers, it appears as though they'll be content to remain at their current No. 8 slot in the NBA draft.
All indications point towards the Pistons taking one of three international players, either Jonas Valanciunas, Bismack Biyombo or Jan Vesely, though that is not necessarily the order that Detroit has them set up on their board.
Right now, it appears as tough Valanciunas is the favorite to become the newest Piston.
Golden State Warriors
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Monta Ellis, Monta Ellis, Monta Ellis.
Right now, everything in Golden State revolves around the high-scoring guard. It seems as though each of the other 29 teams in the league have made an offer at some point, and the Warriors will basically have to decide which is the most intriguing package they could get in return.
Interestingly enough though, the Warriors have yet to even publicly say that they will trade Ellis. He may very well team up with Stephen Curry once more to form a potent backcourt.
With all that offense, plus David Lee, the Warriors should take Chris Singleton if they can. I haven't heard many rumors about that selection, but it appears to be a good fit for Mark Jackson's new team.
Houston Rockets
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With Yao Ming set to leave Houston either in free agency or through an early retirement, the Rockets are going to be in dire need of a new center.
In this class, there is no better center than Turkish big man Enes Kanter. He's as close to a complete center prospect as we have in this weak field.
Houston, though, only has the No. 14 pick in this draft, and I can guarantee that Kanter will be long gone by then. Look for the Rockets to try to trade up and take their coveted prospect.
Indiana Pacers
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It doesn't appear as though the Pacers will be able to trade up to draft Brandon Knight, so instead they'll have to settle for drafting a different guard with the No. 15 pick in the draft.
If he falls that far, don't be surprised to see the nation's leading scorer and reigning Player of the Year end up in Indiana. Jimmer Fredette has been rumored to be a target of the Pacers brass.
Los Angeles Clippers
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The biggest rumor surrounding the Los Angeles Clippers right now is a potential acquisition of Andre Iguodala from the Philadelphia 76ers. In return, the Clippers would have to give up some combination of the following: Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and their rights to the Minnesota Timberwolve's unprotected 2012 pick, which will likely be in the lottery of a stacked draft.
As for the draft itself, the Clippers currently hold the No. 37 and No. 47 pick, but may be looking to trade up into the latter portions of the first round. If they aren't able to, they'll simply be picking the best player available regardless of whether or not he fills a need.
Los Angeles Lakers
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With new head coach Mike Brown and a newfound defensive emphasis firmly in place, it will be interesting to see if the Lakers try to trade away either Lamar Odom or Pau Gasol, as some sources have them rumored to be doing.
Then there's the never-ending rumor about Dwight Howard, who seems destined to eventually join Kobe and company in LA.
The only way these deals will affect the Lakers draft hopes, though, is if the management can convince their potential trading partners that a lottery pick and a player are necessary returns for either Odom or Gasol.
Memphis Grizzlies
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With absolutely no draft picks to speak of on June 23rd, the Memphis Grizzlies have no real draft rumors to speak of.
That could change though if Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo or Marc Gasol is shipped out of Memphis. General manager Mike Heisley has fervently denied that this will happen, but the rumors exist nonetheless.
Miami Heat
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In a typical overreacting fashion, many people are already calling for the Miami nucleus to be broken up. After all, if LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade couldn't win it all in their first season together, one of them has to go.
How does that saying go again? If it ain't broke don't fix it?
Remember that the trio made it all the way to the Finals in their first season together. I have no doubt that this team will be back on the big stage again soon.
Milwaukee Bucks
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The Milwaukee Bucks are the proud owners of the No. ten pick in the upcoming NBA draft. The biggest need for the franchise is another scorer to pair with Brandon Jennings in the hopes of making the playoffs in the next season.
With the tenth pick, the most realistic scoring option is Colorado Buffaloes shooting guard Alec Burks. The 6'6" high-flyer is extraordinarily talented and has long been one of my favorite players in this draft class.
According to many sources, Milwaukee is convinced of his talents as well and appears to be poised to select him if he's still on the board.
Minnesota Timberwolves
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The Minnesota Timberwolves lost out on the No. 1 pick in the draft and instead had to settle for the No. 2 pick, which they're now trying to shop to whoever will offer the most.
In a lot of ways, this draft will be defined by who gets the second pick from Minnesota. The Timberwolves would like a veteran big man in return, but the reality is most likely that they'll take whatever they can get.
Derrick Williams is a great player, but he has no place in Minnesota's lineup. It wouldn't make much sense at all for them to keep him.
New Jersey Nets
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There are a few rumors clogging up the New Jersey Nets blogosphere right now.
Even though I really couldn't care less, it wouldn't be right if I didn't mention that there are rumors regarding a down-spiraling in the relationship of Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian.
On the other hand, I do care about the fact that the Nets may still be interested in moving up in the draft.
New Orleans Hornets
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Hornets general manager Dell Demps recently said that he and Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti haven't even discussed the rumored deal that would swap Chris Paul for Russell Westbrook. Basically, that's not going to happen.
The Hornets don't have a single pick in the upcoming draft, so rumors about Paul may be all that happens until after the draft occurs and free agency kicks up.
New York Knicks
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The New York Knicks have just one pick in the 2011 NBA draft, the 17th overall selection, but rest assured that the rumor mill is still churning in the city that never sleeps.
This is Donnie Walsh's last chance to make an impact, and rumor has it that he's looking at five players: Washington State shooting guard Klay Thompson, BYU point guard Jimmer Fredette, Kansas shooting guard Josh Selby, Providence guard Marshon Brooks and Morehead State forward Kenneth Faried.
No longer worried about just making the safe pick, it seems as though Walsh is leaning towards taking the high-risk, high-reward option and drafting Selby.
Oklahoma City Thunder
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Oklahoma City fans, don't get excited about swapping Russell Westbrook for fellow All-Star guard Chris Paul. It isn't happening.
Now that we've dealt with that and given the Nate Robinson public urination trouble a brief mention, it's time to move on to the important stuff.
Nikola Mirotic recently decided to remain in the draft, something that he would only do if he received a first-round guarantee from some team. The speculation is that the promise came from Sam Presti's Thunder.
Orlando Magic
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Now that Dwight Howard has turned down a contract extension with the Orlando Magic, it is becoming increasingly clear that he will be traded this summer.
Will it be Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York or even Miami? Maybe, but you can't really count out any team at this point.
With only the 53rd pick in the draft, this is all anyone is talking about in Orlando.
Philadelphia 76ers
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The rumor season all started when word leaked of a potential deal between the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers a few weeks ago.
That deal involved Andre Iguodala going west to California and Monta Ellis moving to Philly in return.
Rumors are still swirling that Iguodala could no longer be a part of the 76ers. Similarly, Ellis may still be moving to Philadelphia.
Philadelphia has the No. 16 pick in the draft, but right now everyone is only discussing the potential trades.
Phoenix Suns
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A few rumors have made their way into the public that Steve Nash could be on his way out of Phoenix via a trade, but the President of the Suns, Rick Welts, has ensured that this will not be the case. So you can forget about Nash spending the 2011-12 season anywhere but the desert.
Rumor also has it that the Suns are targeting a shooting guard with their No. 13 pick. If Alec Burks, Klay Thompson or Jimmer Fredette is still available that late in the lottery, don't be surprised to see them wind up in the same backcourt as Nash.
Portland Trail Blazers
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Another potential landing spot for Golden State shooting guard Monta Ellis, Portland has perhaps the most to offer the Warriors in return for the tatted-up scorer.
Gerald Wallace, Brandon Roy, Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews are all possibilities to be shipped out of Portland, but the Trail Blazers would be hesitant to give away Roy.
One more rumor I've heard dealing with the Trail Blazers is that they may be interested in trading one of the aforementioned players to move up in the draft and select Kemba Walker.
Sacramento Kings
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The Sacramento Kings top priority in the upcoming draft is going to be to use their seventh overall pick to land a point guard. That way they can shift Tyreke Evans to his more natural shooting guard position.
Most likely, Brandon Knight and Kyrie Irving will be long gone by the time it's Sacramento's turn to phone in their selection. Because of that, the options dwindle to Kemba Walker and Jimmer Fredette.
With Walker spurning the Kings during workouts and Jimmer impressing the brass, it looks like we could be seeing the nation's leading scorer drafted a lot higher than originally expected.
San Antonio Spurs
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About a week ago, Davis Bertans informed us that he would withdraw his name from the pool of selections in this year's draft if he wasn't guaranteed to be a first-round draft pick.
Well, the deadline has now come and gone and Bertans is still eligible to be picked. His agent will not disclose whether or not he knows where Bertans will be drafted.
My guess is San Antonio, who would love to add the Latvian small forward to their squad at No. 29.
Toronto Raptors
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The Toronto Raptors' drafting situation seems to one of the clearest ones in the league. Everything points towards the Raptors adding Connecticut's Kemba Walker with the fifth pick of the draft.
Walker would be a great fit for the team and is very tough to bet against on the heels of his incredible run through college basketball's postseason.
The only other rumor dealing with Toronto right now is that Leandro Barbosa may leave the NBA for his home country of Brazil.
Utah Jazz
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With Devin Harris most likely on his way out of Utah, the Jazz are going to need to completely re-tool their backcourt. Fortunately for their fans, they have two selections in the lottery of the upcoming draft.
Using their first selection, the third-overall pick, the Jazz appear to be targeting Kentucky freshman Brandon Knight, a score-first, pass-second guard who exploded in the spotlight of March Madness.
Then, with the second pick at No. 12, Utah appears to be leaning towards taking Jimmer Fredette, a move that the local fans would most assuredly love.
Washington Wizards
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There was a rumor at one point that Washington was interested in swapping JaVale McGee for the Minnesota Timberwolves' No. 2 pick and a chance to draft Derrick Williams, but in the end it proved to be...well...just a rumor.
Now it looks like the Wizards will be content to wait until No. six and select San Diego State's do-everything forward, Kawhi Leonard.
