Off season Rumors and Speculation

[Lance George]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Waiters looks like he has the potential to be something special to me. He's one of those guys that look like they're playing at a whole different speed than everyone else on the court. That's something that seems to strongly correlate with success to me. Calling him the next Dwyane Wade is a huge stretch considering Wade's on pace to become an all-time great, but he looks significantly more promising than the Randy Foyes and Brandon Knights of the world. I can see why teams are so intrigued by him.

[5_7_Clash]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Paddy Taninger, the Caddy Manager!

[cdash]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Earl Clark has length, size, and athleticism. If he could be gotten reasonably, I wouldn't be against the idea of signing him.

He does have all of those things--and he still isn't any good. Pass.

[PacersHomer]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Dion Waiters is going to go #1 overall at this pace.

[Heisenberg]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Dion Waiters is going to go #1 overall at this pace.

No kidding. Dude picked a great agent.

[Lance George]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

It looks like something fairly significant is brewing between Sacramento and Houston...

Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine
ESPN sources w/ @chadfordinsider: Rockets move into pole position to acquire No. 5 pick -- http://es.pn/OEEe1K

Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine
Kings won't decide whether to do deal w/Rockets until draft starts but sources say they'd be walking away from "a lot" if they pass

2012 NBA Draft -- Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings talking No. 5 pick, sources say - ESPN

Trade talks between the Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets have intensified in the hours leading up to Thursday night's NBA draft and have put the Rockets in position to acquire the Kings' No. 5 pick if Sacramento elects to trade it, according to sources close to the process.

One source said this is being "heavily discussed."

Sources told ESPN.com the Kings plan to wait as long as possible before committing to the trade to see who falls to them at No. 5. It's believed that Sacramento will walk away from the trade if Kansas' Thomas Robinson is still available after four picks are made.

Yet sources say the Kings, in that scenario, would be walking away from "a lot," suggesting the Rockets have offered even more than the widely reported package of versatile but disgruntled guard Kyle Lowry and multiple picks later in Thursday's first round. Houston holds the Nos. 12, 16 and 18 picks.

ESPN.com reported earlier this week that UConn center Andre Drummond -- who ranks as the second youngest player in the draft at just 18 -- is the player Houston wants at No. 5. Still unclear, though, is whether the Rockets would be drafting Drummond for themselves or if they want to acquire him to offer to Orlando in Houston's longstanding trade pursuit of Magic center Dwight Howard.

As ESPN.com reported Sunday night, Houston has been trying for weeks to acquire multiple top-10 picks to throw at new Magic general manager Rob Hennigan, believing that Hennigan -- after working alongside Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti for years -- would consider trading Howard even though he just got to Orlando if he could get two top lottery picks to start rebuilding his new team through the draft.

The Rockets' willingness to trade for Howard -- even without the All-Star center's signature on a contract extension -- is an open secret around the league. Howard has one season left on his Orlando contract after ending a months-long saga about his future by unexpectedly opting in for the 2012-13 campaign in March in conjunction with the NBA's annual trade deadline.

Houston has continued to aggressively pursue Sacramento's pick this week despite indications that Hennigan wants to take one more run at trying to convince Howard to sign an extension before the start of next season. ESPN.com reported earlier Thursday that the Magic have registered their interest in trying to trade for Atlanta's Josh Smith, who is one of Howard's closest friends and whose arrival in Orlando would presumably impact Howard's willingness to commit there for the long term.

As for Drummond, many scouts believe Drummond has the second highest upside of any player in the draft behind consensus No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis. The 7-foot, 279-pounder registered an impressive 7-foot-6 wingspan at the NBA draft combine earlier this month. Personnel experts regard Drummond as an elite athlete and shot-blocker who moves laterally especially well, but Drummond's inconsistent play as a freshman -- combined with questions about his passion for the game -- have made it difficult to project exactly where he'll be drafted in the lottery.

The tipoff that the Kings are planning to deal the No. 5 pick has been the handful of players they've brought in for draft workouts who are expected to be drafted in the middle of the first round. Sources say two of those players in particular -- North Carolina's John Henson and St. John's Moe Harkless -- are high on the Kings' draft board.

[Heisenberg]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Morey's going to get himself fired

[pacer4ever]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Morey's going to get himself fired

Think he is after Lillard. If he is he won't be getting fired IMO. Now if it's Drummond then yes.

[Heisenberg]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Think he is after Lillard. If he is he won't be getting fired IMO. Now if it's Drummond then yes.

I'm talking about if he's after Dwight. Guy's going to walk from them after a year.

[Dr. Awesome]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

He is after Dwight...

[Heisenberg]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Wojnarowski says PHX is going after Ray Allen. For some reason.

[Lance George]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Jonathan Givony @DraftExpress
The calm before the storm? Hearing lots of teams trying to get stuff done.We'll see if they can get their trade partners to pull the trigger

Some non-Draft news: Suns will pursue Celtics' Ray Allen - Yahoo! Sports

[Doddage]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Think he is after Lillard. If he is he won't be getting fired IMO. Now if it's Drummond then yes.

Don't think so, not if they plan on keeping Dragic (which I'd assume if they're trading Lowry). Morey's been aggressively after a center since Yao retired.

[cdash]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Morey realizes he's stuck in NBA purgatory and is determined to get out of it--for better or worse. I commend him for having the stones to get aggressive and wheel and deal. Whether or not it turns out well for him is another story.

[Heisenberg]

Re: Off season Rumors and Speculation

Oh I commend the guy for being on track to make it happen, you've got to be a really savvy exec to gather all those assets so quickly, I just think it's going to blow up in his face w/o a Dwight contract extension.