NBA Teams – Page 1009 – NBA Blog

Grizzlies trade for draft rights of Jarnell Stokes

The Memphis Grizzlies acquired the draft rights to University of Tennessee forward/center and native Memphian Jarnell Stokes, who was selected with the No. 35 overall pick in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft, from the Utah Jazz for a 2016 second round draft pick, the team announced tonight.

Stokes (6-9, 263) played three collegiate seasons at the University of Tennessee, averaging 13.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.08 blocks on .530 shooting in 29.7 minutes in 87 games. The 20-year-old leaves the Volunteers ranked fourth in school history in double-doubles (40), eighth in total rebounds (836) and 14th in blocks (94). He led the Southeastern Conference in offensive rebounding in each of his final two years in Knoxville.

A First Team All-SEC selection as a junior last season, Stokes posted 15.1 points and a conference-best 10.6 rebounds on .531 shooting in 32.4 minutes in 37 games, guiding Tennessee to three NCAA Tournament victories and a trip the the Sweet 16. He upped his averages to 18.0 points and 12.8 rebounds in four tournament games, including a 26-point, 14-rebound performance on March 21, 2014 vs. Massachusetts.

Stokes was named Second Team All-SEC after posting 12.4 points and 9.6 rebounds on .528 shooting in 28.8 minutes in 33 games as a sophomore and earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors after averaging 9.6 points and 7.4 rebounds on .534 shooting in 25.6 minutes in 17 games in his first collegiate season.

Magic, Sixers trade Elfrid Payton, Dario Saric on draft night

The Orlando Magic have acquired the draft rights to guard Elfrid Payton (10th overall pick) from Philadelphia in exchange for the draft rights to Dario Saric (12th overall pick), a second round pick in 2015 and a future first round pick (the pick that was acquired by Orlando from Philadelphia in the Dwight Howard trade), General Manager Rob Hennigan announced tonight.

Payton (6’3”, 190, 2/22/94) played in 100 career games during three years at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, averaging 14.3 ppg., 5.1 rpg., 4.9 apg. and 1.97 stlpg. in 31.6 minpg. He is the school’s all-time leader in steals with 197.

As a junior (2013-14), Payton played and started all 35 games, averaging a team-high 19.2 ppg., 6.0 rpg., 5.9 apg. and 2.29 stlpg. in 35.9 minpg., while shooting .509 (237-466) from the floor. He led the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 23-12 record and their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005. Payton was named the 2013-14 Lefty Driesell National Defensive Player of the Year and a Lou Henson All-American. He earned First Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors for the second straight season and was the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Payton led the conference in steals for the second straight year with 80. He scored 20+ points 14 times, had 30-or-more points four times and attempted a school-record 302 free throws (second in the nation). Payton was also one of only ten NCAA Division I players to record a triple-double with 34 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists on Jan. 4 vs. Lousiana-Monroe.

During his sophomore season (2012-13), Payton played and started all 33 games, averaging a team-high 15.9 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 5.5 apg. and 2.42 stlpg. in 35.5 minpg., earning First Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors. He was the only player in NCAA Division I to average 15.0 ppg., 5.0 rpg., 5.0 apg. and 2.00 stlpg. Payton led the Sun Belt Conference in assists and steals, ranked second in minutes played, third in scoring, fifth in assists-to-turnover ratio (1.60) and ninth in field goal percentage (.475).

As a freshman (2011-12), Payton played in all 32 games (11 starts), averaging 7.2 ppg., 3.6 rpg., 3.0 apg. and 1.16 stlpg. in 22.7 minpg., leading the team in assists.

Zach LaVine drafted by Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves tonight selected guard Zach LaVine from UCLA with the 13th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

LaVine, a 6-5 guard, appeared in all 37 games, making one start, as a freshman at UCLA this past season. He averaged 9.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, earning Pac 12 All-Freshman honors. He connected on 37.5% from three-point range, finishing the year with 48 made three-pointers, the second-highest made three-pointers by a UCLA freshman in school history. LaVine scored in double figures in 17 games, including nine of his first 10 contests.

Originally from Seattle, Wash., LaVine was a three-year varsity basketball letterwinner at Bothell High School. He was named the 2013 Associated Press Washington state player of the year after averaging 28.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game as a senior. His play earned him Class 4A All-State honors, in addition to being named Washington’s Mr. Basketball by the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association.

Orlando Magic draft Aaron Gordon 4th overall

The Orlando Magic selected forward Aaron Gordon in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft.

Gordon (6’9”, 225, 9/16/95) played and started in all 38 games during his only season at the University of Arizona, averaging 12.4 ppg., 8.0 rpg., 2.0 apg. and 1.03 blkpg. in 31.2 minpg. He helped the Wildcats to a 33-5 record, a Pac-12 regular season championship and an Elite Eight appearance in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Gordon led Arizona in rebounding (seventh in conference), while ranking second in both scoring and blocked shots (11th in conference).

Gordon was named First Team All-Pac-12 and the 2013-14 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Gordon also earned Third Team All-American honors by The Sporting News and Honorable Mention by The Associated Press. He was one of six finalists for the Wayman Tisdale National Freshman of the Year Award.

Andrew Wiggins selected first in 2014 NBA Draft

With the first pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected… Andrew Wiggins.

Hopefully Cavs star Kyrie Irving is pleased with the selection. Wiggins was expected to go in the two few picks, and was a strong favorite to go first overall, so this is not a surprise.

Here’s Wiggins, in the black/white blazer, black bow tie and a smile:

Jazz extend qualifying offer to Gordon Hayward

The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has extended a qualifying offer to guard/forward Gordon Hayward.

Hayward (6-8, 220, Butler) appeared in 77 games (all starts) for the Jazz in 2013-14, averaging career-highs of 16.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 36.4 minutes to become just the second player in Jazz history to average at least 16 points, with five-or-more rebounds and assists in a season (Pete Maravich in 1974-75 and 1976-77). Hayward registered nine double-doubles on the season (seven points/rebounds, two points/assists), posting seven double-digit rebound performances, and six games with 10+ assists. He scored in double figures 63 times, reaching 20-plus points on 22 occasions.

The 24-year-old Jazzman was originally selected by the Jazz in the first round (ninth overall selection) of the 2010 NBA Draft, and has appeared in 287 career games (179 starts) and owns averages of 12.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 28.4 minutes.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.

Rudy Gay exercises option to stay with Kings for 2014-15 season

Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay has exercised his contract option for the 2014-15 season, General Manager Pete D’Alessandro announced today.

“We’re thrilled that Rudy will return to Sacramento next season,” said Kings Chairman and Majority Owner Vivek Ranadivé. “He quickly demonstrated consistency both on the court and in the community, and we regard him as a valuable member of our organization moving forward.”

In his eighth NBA season, Gay was acquired by the Kings along with Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Chuck Hayes, Patrick Patterson, John Salmons and Greivis Vasquez on December 9, 2013. With the Kings, Gay averaged 20.1 points (.482 FG%, .312 3pt%, .836 FT%), 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.22 steals and 34.4 minutes per game in starting all 55 games he played in. Gay finished the 2013-14 season with averages of 20.0 points (.455 FG%, .330 3pt%, a career-high .822 FT%), 6.0 rebounds, a career-high 2.9 assists, 1.30 steals and 34.7 minutes per game in starting all 73 games he played with Sacramento and Toronto.

Gay is averaging 18.2 points (.451 FG%, .342 3pt%, .784 FT%), 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.35 steals and 35.9 minutes per game in 585 career contests.

Nick Young decides to become free agent

The Los Angeles Lakers were informed today by agent Mark Bartelstein that his client Nick Young will not be exercising his option to extend his contract, making him a free agent.

“We anticipated and expected that Nick would choose to become a free agent,” said Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak. “We very much appreciate his contributions to last season’s team, and we will hopefully be able to bring him back. However, he, his agent and the market will dictate his future direction.”

In 64 games (nine starts) during the 2013-14 season, his first with the Lakers, Young averaged a career-high 17.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 28.3 minutes per game. The Los Angeles native maintained the highest scoring average (18.8 points per game off the bench) for a reserve in the NBA and scored 40+ points as a member of the second unit two times.

Cavs are expected to pursue LeBron James in free agency

Here’s the Akron Beacon Journal reporting on LeBron James free agency and the Cleveland Cavaliers:

The Cavs, of course, are expected to aggressively pursue James. They’ll have the cap space to sign him and potentially other free agents and still retain Kyrie Irving — although doubts remain about how much the Cavs’ former and current stars want to play together.

The Cavs have a number of non-guaranteed contracts for next season, including Anderson Varejao’s partially guaranteed deal. General Manager David Griffin said after the season ended the Cavs could clear $26 million this summer with little maneuvering and could easily get that figure over $30 million, so cap space won’t be a problem.

Convincing James to return, however, might still be tricky. The relationship between James and the Cavs is markedly better than it was in the days after he left four years ago, but one league source with knowledge of the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity given the sensitive nature of negotiations, said James still harbors resentment toward owner Dan Gilbert over the infamous letter he wrote in the hours after James departed. The Cavs also might not have a roster ready to contend for a championship immediately, even with the addition of James.

“LeBron doesn’t want to play with a bunch of kids,” one source with knowledge of James’ thinking said in recent weeks. “He wants to win.”

Cavs hope to meet with Dante Exum

The 2014 NBA Draft is tomorrow, and teams are attempting to finalize their list of players they hope to select. And with the first pick, the Cavs will pick… somebody. Could Dante Exum be in the mix for that very top spot? Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

The Cleveland Cavaliers are making an 11th-hour push to get Australian guard Dante Exum into Cleveland for an interview and a possible workout, a source with direct knowledge told ESPN.

Exum, in New York on Wednesday for Thursday night’s NBA draft, said he has worked out for the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic, who have picks No. 2-4, respectively.

The Cavaliers, who already have All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, are unlikely to take Exum with the No. 1 pick, but he could be an option for the team if it trades down in the draft.