- Patrick Reusse of the Star Tribune: "Rambis and Kahn are on different planets as to how they see the game and this team. And even if Kahn had the giant brain in vocabulary and Rambis had the big brain in basketball, Kahn was smart enough to know bad defense, and Rambis' teams specialized in that for two seasons. Kahn decided to hold his season wrapup with the media early on April 13, the day of the final game. In that 40-minute concert of verbiage, he did all but announce Rambis' firing. 'This is a very different team than we had a year ago, but this is two years in a row for whatever reason the team didn't improve as the season went on ... ' Kahn said. 'I think you can make a fair argument ... that a young team should show even more improvement as the season winds down as opposed to an older team.' He then added: 'I don't have anything to say about our coaching situation, and frankly anything of that matter in terms of the future.' Wrong, David. You just said you were going to fire the coach. And it only took until Wednesday for a report to surface (presumably on info from the Rambis camp) that the coach had been told he won't be back. Very good, Mr. Kahn. Why announce a decision that you've already made in 10 sentences and five minutes, when you can speak hundreds of sentences of eloquent hogwash and take 10 weeks for the inevitable to become reality?"
- Broderick Turner of Los Angeles Times: "Armed with only second-round draft picks in the NBA draft and an aging roster, the Lakers unsuccessfully tried to trade for the Minnesota Timberwolves' No. 2 overall pick in the first round. The Lakers offered sixth man of the year Lamar Odom for Minnesota's No. 2 pick, according to two NBA officials who were not authorized to speak publically on the matter, but L.A. was turned down. The Lakers wanted to use the second pick on Arizona's Derrick Williams, an athletic 6-foot-8, 248-pound forward, both officials said. When the Odom deal was rebuffed by Minnesota, the Timberwolves then inquired about trying to acquire All-Star forward Pau Gasol or center Andrew Bynum from the Lakers, both officials said. Because the Lakers were not interested in trading Gasol or Bynum, talks broke down between L.A. and Minnesota, and the teams stopped talking, an NBA official said."
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: "Of all the rumors, perhaps none carries more weight than the one linking the Magic to the Hawks, who are listening to offers for forward Josh Smith, Howard's childhood friend and former AAU teammate. The 25-year-old
Atlanta forward would make Orlando more athletic, and pairing him with Howard would give the Magic the NBA's best tandem defensively at the power forward and center positions. Asked whether there's a potential trade to be made for the Hawks forward, the Magic's general manager said he would not discuss trade scenarios -- real or imagined -- involving specific players on other teams. Left unsaid is that, besides Howard, the Magic have only four tradable assets on their current roster: power forwards Ryan Anderson and Brandon Bass, point guard Jameer Nelson and shooting guard J.J. Redick. And even if the Hawks do want to unload their talented young forward, it's difficult to see Atlanta trading him to a division rival for any combination of Anderson, Bass, Nelson and Redick." - Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "t’s true the Hawks have gauged trade interest in Smoove [Josh Smith], just like they did at the deadline. It makes sense because he’s probably their best chance to get a real player in return (though remember Josh has a trade kicker that’s now valued at about $4 million). None of this means that a deal is imminent or even probable. The Hawks keep downplaying Smoove’s unhappiness, and he hasn’t asked them for a trade. He’s long been a favorite of ownership, too. I just don’t see the Hawks dumping Smoove in a weak trade just because he feels he’s taking too much blame. He’s too valuable for that."
- Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "Jason Kidd was drafted No. 2 overall by Dallas in 1994, he went to play 11 seasons in Phoenix and New Jersey before returning to the Mavericks on Feb. 13, 2008, via a trade. The other 14 players on the Mavericks' roster were all acquired through trades or free agency, which is a clear sign that the draft is really not the only way to build a championship team. ... A pair of first-round picks were included in the deal to acquire Kidd. And some Mavericks fans have forgotten that Dirk Nowitzki came from the Milwaukee Bucks in a draft-day trade Dallas engineered in 1998 that involved the late Robert 'Tractor' Traylor. Through free agency, the Mavs acquired J.J. Barea, Corey Brewer, Brian Cardinal, Ian Mahinmi and Peja Stojakovic. Via trades, they acquired Caron Butler, Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood, Shawn Marion, DeShawn Stevenson and Jason Terry. Draft-day trades brought them Rodrigue Beaubois and Dominique Jones. Thus, the Mavs built their championship the old-fashioned way. Not through the draft."
- Alan Hahn of Newsday: "Donnie Walsh's contract ends on June 30, as does most of his basketball operations staff, with the exception of Grunwald, who has been tapped to serve as interim general manager, and Houston, who has been promoted from assistant general manager to GM of the team's D-League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks. Warkentien signed a short-term deal when he arrived in February but is expected to be retained, according to a source. Just about all of the scouts, however, will be looking for jobs at the end of the month since their contracts will expire. Walsh admitted that while he's technically still in charge, he's not going to be the ultimate decision-maker. 'I'm not going to just come in and dictate,' he said. 'Let's put it that way.' So whatever the choice is tonight, Walsh said it'll be a decision reached by committee, with those who are likely to remain with the franchise having the most influence. At this point, as it is nearly every year, the Knicks have come up in a host of trade rumors but nothing that appears close to fruition."
- Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal: "When Commissioner David Stern steps to the podium tonight to begin the 2011 NBA Draft, he is really opening the pearly gates to the NBA and allowing you back inside. Finally, the Cavaliers are escaping purgatory. It has been a long, painful year since it all came crashing down last summer. By the time LeBron James departed, the Cavs didn't have enough time to salvage the season. They were left with a collection of spark plugs, tires and windshield wipers, but no engine to drive the franchise. Now with two of the first four picks in this draft, all of that is changing. Tonight, officially, the Cavaliers' rebuilding project begins. Regardless of whom they take, the Cavs will have two good, young pieces in place to begin what will be a lengthy process. There might not be another LeBron or Kevin Durant awaiting them, but ultimately that might not be as horrific as it sounds."
- Doug Smith of Toronto Star: "Colangelo seems to have narrowed his list of possibilities to four -- Biyombo, Leonard, Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight and Lithuanian centre Jonas Valanciunas -- with Czech forward Jan Vesely and Connecticut point guard Kemba Walker as fallback positions. But as much as he’d like to add a young player to a core he’s okay with, if the possibility of making a trade comes up, Colangelo is willing to listen. Reports on Wednesday suggested the Raptors were among the teams the San Antonio Spurs were calling in an effort to move near the top of the draft. And Colangelo himself suggested trade talk will likely continue right up until draft time. 'I’ve been asked to move back a couple of spots and it’s something I think we have to look at and consider if there’s a package that nets us more value,' he said. There are, however, limits to what he’ll do. The draft is hardly full of star power and impact players, and the Raptors have no interest in picking up someone late in the first round."
- Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee: "In light of the fact this is the craziest, most unpredictable NBA draft in years, I want to submit a late-game approach that is completely crazy and unpredictable, but one that makes perfect sense. Confused yet? Good, because Tyreke Evans continues to baffle everyone who spends time inside Power Balance Pavilion, including his bosses. Two years after drafting the talented freshman out of Memphis and anointing him the team's point guard of the future, the Kings are pursuing trades and analyzing prospects in an ongoing search for their … point guard of the future. That is not Tyreke. That was never going to be Tyreke. Game over. That doesn't mean we don't like Tyreke, that Tyreke isn't a good player, that Tyreke isn't a potential All-Star. It simply means throwing out the old script and casting the third-year guard into a different role -- that of an elite, perhaps even formidable defender who creates scoring opportunities with steals, deflections and rebounds and often is the recipient on the fast break. In other words, reverse the priorities. Take the ball out of his hands. Be daring, be creative. Establish Evans as a major defensive contributor, then fixate on incorporating his unique scoring skills within a broader team concept, possibly as a hybrid at shooting guard or small forward."
- Michael Lee of The Washington Post: "The Washington Wizards could go a number of ways with the sixth pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, but the problem is they don’t know, and won’t know, what they will do until five other teams make their selections. Until then, Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld and other members of the basketball operations staff continue to finalize their draft board with the knowledge that they will either have to make a choice -- or take whatever is left. The primary focus for the Wizards going into the draft is coming out with more size. The past few weeks have helped make the options clearer for the Wizards, as they have had the opportunity to spend time with Jan Vesely of the Czech Republic and Turkish big man Enes Kanter during individual workouts and meetings; and they also sat down with Lithuanian forward Jonas Valanciunas during a trip to Treviso, Italy, earlier this month. All three said they could see themselves playing alongside Wall next season, but none was more adamant about his desire to play in Washington than Kanter, who reiterated that he’d be a Wizard if it were up to him."
- Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer: "It's the 'who knows' factor that makes this draft particularly intriguing. After the first three or four selections, it becomes somewhat a blur who should be chosen when. The player chosen seventh won't be all that different from the one picked 12th. And picks 10 through 20 are virtually interchangeable. That makes this an 'eye of the beholder' process, and there could be a lot of jockeying of draft spots before the night is over. With two picks in the first 20 selections, the Bobcats are fielding offers. Sources confirm they've been talking to the Houston Rockets, among other potential trade partners. 'We've had tons of interest in all three of our picks,' Higgins said Wednesday, following the team's final player workout. 'Now it's up to us to figure out what's real and what's not.' Higgins said that to justify trading one of those first-rounders for a player, the Bobcats would almost certainly have to get back a young veteran with starter potential. Trading a 2011 pick for a first-round pick in 2012 might make some sense, since the Bobcats might owe their 2012 pick to the Chicago Bulls as a result of the Tyrus Thomas trade."
- Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: "The Rockets are among several teams looking to move up. The teams with the top six picks have been talking at length to each other, seeking ways to jockey for position and still get what they want, though Kyrie Irving's place as the first pick by Cleveland seems to have solidified. There also have been some discussions about the top picks being exchanged for established players. The Rockets have been in talks with the Kings, Pistons, Bobcats and Bucks about deals that would move them into the top 10. The Spurs and Nuggets also were working to move to those picks, with San Antonio apparently targeting shooting guard Klay Thompson. Milwaukee, currently holding the No. 10 pick, might be able to move back to the Rockets' spot at 14 and still get the scorer it wants, along with an extra pick this season. Charlotte, at No. 9, might be able to get one of the power forwards slipping into the Rockets' range and a pick next season the Bobcats want."
- Charles F. Gardner of th Journal Sentinel: "A number of teams have been looking to acquire the No.?10 pick, league sources indicated Wednesday. Houston, which has the Nos.?14 and 23 picks, has talked to the Bucks about a possible deal, sources said. It's a mighty fluid situation for the lottery teams in the 2011 draft. 'We're not sure what's going to happen above us,' Bucks director of scouting Billy McKinney said. 'From seven down to 10, there could be some surprises in the draft that could impact us in a very good way. We're doing all our homework on players' backgrounds and their skill sets, and we'll be ready to roll with whatever happens.' Sacramento has the No.?7 pick and could go in several directions, including selecting small forward Kawhi Leonard of San Diego State or possibly Walker or Brigham Young scoring sensation Jimmer Fredette. Detroit is at No.?8 and is thought to be interested in grabbing a big man, with international prospect Bismack Biyombo and Texas forward Tristan Thompson on the Pistons' radar. At No. 9, Charlotte could be hunting for a small forward to replace Gerald Wallace, who was traded to Portland last season. Florida State defensive stalwart Chris Singleton, who worked out for the Bucks on Tuesday and the Bobcats on Wednesday, could be Charlotte's pick. That scenario would likely leave the Bucks with their shooting guard options on the table in Burks and Klay Thompson."
- John Gonzalez of The Philadelphia Inquirer: "The Sixers are at a critical juncture in the organization's history. The team is allegedly up for sale. The NBA draft is Thursday night. And there have been countless reports and rumors about potential trades involving Andre Iguodala - though the longer he remains a Sixer, the more you start to wonder whether he'll ever get that plane ticket out of town. What happens (or doesn't happen) between now and whenever the next season begins might very well determine the future of the franchise for many years to come. Improve and move closer to Miami. Fall back and flounder with Milwaukee for who knows how long. You could see it going either way for the Sixers. The period allotted for Thorn and Stefanski to catch up and reminisce about their greatest hits in New Jersey is over. The duo can't do anything about who owns the team and signs their paychecks, but the basketball issues at hand are very much theirs for the moment, and it's long past time for them to make some tough calls. The Sixers may have progressed under Doug Collins, but you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who sees this squad as a legitimate championship contender. Changes must be made."
- Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post: "It's possible the Nuggets could trade Felton during the NBA draft tonight, perhaps receiving a better first-round pick or a quality player already in the league. But it's worth remembering that the best move in the short term sometimes is no move. 'The draft gives you lots of options, but patience is another option there,' said Nuggets executive Masai Ujiri, whose team could use the No. 22 overall pick tonight to acquire Kenneth Faried of Morehead State, Tobias Harris of Tennessee or Jordan Hamilton of Texas. 'We're not in a hurry to do anything (in regards to a trade). And as much as teams call about our players, we call about other players, you have to do that. That's our job. The draft gives you different looks. ... Instinctively, you have to see what's best for your team.' As for patience, consider that if the Nuggets had traded Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks in January, they probably wouldn't have received Timofey Mozgov. The Knicks added Mozgov to the deal in February. He is expected to average more than 20 minutes a game for Denver next season. The Nuggets have made it clear to Felton, who is under contract for next season, that they like him in their system. So the Nuggets could keep him through next season or see how they're doing come the NBA trade deadline -- and probably get more for Felton then. As for immediate help, look for the Nuggets to get bigger tonight. Faried would be an en-ticing draft pick. He's a 6-foot-8, 225-pound rebounding machine."
- Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman: "Who is Kyle Singler? Is he the perfect player for the Thunder to select with the 24th overall pick in Thursday night's NBA Draft? Or is he just another smoke screen, the latest in a long line of prospects that prognosticators have fallen for before general manager Sam Presti suckered them with a pump fake and went in another direction? We're finally just a few hours from finding out. But of all the players over the past four drafts who have widely been pegged to get plucked by the Thunder franchise, Singler, the 6-9 forward from Duke, might just be the most accurate projection since Kevin Durant was the no-brainer second overall choice in 2007. If we've learned anything over the years when it comes to the Thunder during the draft, it's that we know nothing about what the front office is liable to do."
- K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune: "Storms knocked out power at the Berto Center late Tuesday, forcing the Bulls to move their draft headquarters to the United Center for Thursday night's festivities. Each year, players in the NBA draft get hyped beyond recognition, which is why Bulls general manager Gar Forman's bluntness sounded so refreshing this week. 'If you study the draft with those late picks at 28 and 30, more times than not it's not going to be an impact guy,' Forman said Tuesday. 'We hope we can get an impact guy. Even if he isn't, we want to get someone who fits us and in two or three years can be a rotation guy.' It's hard to drive matters from so late in the first round, which is why the Bulls' attempts to package picks Nos. 28 and 30 and move up in the draft have been rebuffed thus far. The Bulls will continue to work a dry-for-now trade landscape, but Forman sounded like somebody prepared to use both first-round picks Thursday night, along with the 43rd overall selection in the second round. At least it beats the boredom of 2005, when the Bulls owned no draft picks for the only time in franchise history."
- Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times: "The Clippers are spending more time working on deals to get an established player rather than making a trade to move up in the draft. What makes Kaman such a valuable trade commodity is his expiring contract, one year remaining at $12.2 million. Working against the 29-year-old is the fact he was limited to 32 games last season because of a lingering high-ankle sprain and played in 139 games over the last three seasons. Apparently, this was enough for the 76ers not to pursue a deal or even present a counteroffer to an early-May proposal of Kaman and Clippers small forward Ryan Gomes in exchange for small forward Andre Iguodala and power forward Marreese Speights. Rod Thorn, 76ers president, told reporters in Philadelphia that there has been dialogue about Iguodala, not specifying any teams, adding that no trade was 'imminent.' Internally, the Clippers have set Thursday as an unofficial trade deadline, moving day, if you will. Most NBA teams are approaching it that way because in the off-season a player has seven days to report after a trade. With a potential NBA lockout looming July 1, teams would want to have the physicals and other evaluations completed by June 30."
- Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register: "New Lakers coach Mike Brown was definitely listening when Vanessa Bryant was breaking down the ins and outs of Orange County for him. Brown and his star player Kobe Bryant will be fellow Orange County residents. Brown is buying a house in Anaheim Hills -- and it’s a lot of house at 9,500 square feet -- and will brave the commute from the intersection of the 91 and 55 freeways to El Segundo for practice and downtown Los Angeles for games. According to Google Maps, that’ll be 45 minutes to practice without traffic (but an hour and 20 minutes with traffic) and 43 minutes to Staples without traffic (but an hour and 40 minutes with traffic.) Brown is sacrificing proximity to his Lakers work to be close to Santa Ana’s Mater Dei High. That’s where son Elijah will play basketball and son Cameron will play football; the Browns are also taking guardianship of Nirra Fields, who will live with them and be a girls’ basketball standout for Mater Dei."
- Howard Beck of The New York Times: "In a hastily called meeting with a handful of reporters, union leaders also disclosed that the N.B.A. is seeking the return of $160 million earned by players in the 2010-11 season -- money that was committed under the current labor deal. 'That’s money that players have already earned, worked for this past season,' said Derek Fisher, the president of the National Basketball Players Association. 'That’s off the table, as far as we’re concerned. To me, it speaks to the arrogance that they feel in approaching us with their proposal, to be able to go back and reach for those dollars.' Responding to Fisher’s comments, Commissioner David Stern said: 'Players have benefited from the current system more than the teams. For them it has been a much better partnership. We are sorry that the players union feels that way since it doesn’t seem designed to get us to the agreement that is so important to the teams, and we had hoped, the players.' The $160 million in question is part of a withholding account, based on a deduction of 8 percent of players’ earnings; it is a mechanism to ensure that player salaries do not exceed 57 percent of league revenues. With salaries expected to fall well below that threshold this season, the players anticipate a full refund in August."
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