HoopsHype.com Draft Rumors

Wednesday, July 9

Arizona signee Brandon Jennings will pursue a professional basketball career in Europe, backing out on his commitment to the Wildcats. "Over the course of the last two months I have consulted a number of people in basketball before coming to this decision," Jennings said in a statement released Tuesday night through his attorney, Jeff Valle. "I would like to thank the University of Arizona for their interest and support through this process." AP

He had been awaiting the results of a third college entrance exam, but decided instead to give up his scholarship, Valle said in a phone interview Tuesday night from his Los Angeles office. "We don't know the results of the test," Valle said. "He's been trying to make this decision as he waited through the eligibility process." Jennings was rated one of the top point guard recruits in the country and was expected to start for the Wildcats this season. Jennings could not jump to the NBA, which requires players to be at least one year removed from their high school classes graduation before being eligible to play in the league. AP

Valle said several European teams have expressed interest in Jennings, but would not reveal where his client might be headed. AP

Sunday, July 6

Miami wasn't. Heat general manager Randy Pfund said he tried to trade for a late first-round pick to grab Chalmers. The Heat, which took forward Michael Beasley with the second overall pick and was set to select again at No. 52, contacted every team that held picks No. 27 through 34 before striking a deal. Minnesota drafted Chalmers and traded him to Miami, which gave up two future second-round picks and cash. ''I don't think we thought we'd be in position to add him -- that's why we gave up a lot,'' Pfund said. ``We were fortunate. We saw all along his strengths fit our needs.'' Chalmers' determination has always been his biggest strength, which is why he jokes that he loves to pick fights. He said he's now going ''after Boozer's title'' as the best player ever from Alaska. Miami Herald

Chalmers' journey from Anchorage to AmericanAirlines Arena turned out a lot smoother than expected. ''The Heat said they were really happy to have me,'' he said. ``That eased the pain a lot. That just showed me how much Miami loved me, how much they were willing to sacrifice, how much confidence they have in me. Anytime someone does that, you have no choice but to go in, work hard and not disappoint them.'' Miami Herald

It looks like Brandon Jennings will have to wait a few more days to see if his SAT scores qualify him to play at Arizona. According to Kelly Williams, a family friend and mentor to Jennings, the point guard has been informed that those handling the testing won't have the results until Friday, July 11. Tucson Citizen / July 5

"Brandon will be all right," said Kelly Williams, a family friend. "He'll continue to wait. He was flagged last time; I'm sure they will closely scrutinize things this time." Jennings is currently working out in New Jersey with Marcus Williams of the New Jersey Nets, a close friend from his native California. Jennings, who is undecided about his basketball future, said he'd consider a jump to the professional ranks regardless if he receives the necessary scores. He plans to enter the 2009 NBA draft. He turns 19 on Sept. 23 and would need to spend one year out of high school and be 19 to be eligible for the 2009 draft. "It would take a perfect situation," Jennings said earlier of playing in Europe. "I need a team that needs a point guard, a coach who would take the time to work with me, an American on the team who could show me the ropes and playing time to show off my game." ESPN.com / July 5

Friday, July 4

Spanish talent Ricky Rubio will earn only less than 80,000 euros ($120,000 dollars) next season. El Periodico / July 3

Wednesday, July 2

The bizarre Brandon Jennings saga took another unexpected twist Monday. Arizona’s top incoming recruit is currently awaiting the results from this third trip through the SAT exam, but a passing grade might not be enough to convince him to come to Tucson. In fact, Jennings said he hasn’t ruled out a European detour on his way to the NBA. Jennings, ranked No. 1 by ESPN.com and No. 4 by Rivals.com, is considering a one-year stint with a professional European basketball club prior to declaring his eligibility for the 2009 draft. Green Valley News & Sun

Aran Smith, president of NBADraft.net, has followed the situation closely and said this could be one of those rare situations with no positive outcomes. If Jennings elects to skip his freshman year at Arizona, he said, the Wildcats go from one of the preseason favorites in the Pac-10 to a bubble team when the NCAA Tournament selection committee meets. “Not only was he being counted on to be their floor general, he was going to complete the team and make guys like [Chase] Budinger better, as well,” Smith said. In addition, Jennings’ NBA draft stock would likely take a massive hit if he decided to spend a season overseas. The European system focuses on immediate team success ahead of individual player improvement. A teenager like Jennings would not only struggle to separate himself, his playing time would fluctuate. “As quick and talented as he is, I just don’t think his brand of basketball is close to what they play in Europe, Smith said. “There isn’t as much one-on-one isolation and there is a lot more off-the-ball movement — a stronger team game.” Green Valley News & Sun

Monday, June 30

Bill Self did everything that he could for his former student-athlete when he noticed that Darrell Arthur was getting passed over for what he felt was absolutely no reason. He made calls to NBA team management and knew immediately that somebody dropped the ball. When Self found out that teams were ignoring Arthur’s name because “doctors wouldn’t let them take him” over a mysterious “kidney problem”, frustration and disappointment set in. SportsAgentBlog.com

So, the question remains, who is to blame? Who dropped the ball? My first inclination was to point my finger at Darrell Arthur’s agent, Jerry Hicks. Darrell was recently tested by the Wizards, when nothing was found to be wrong with his kidney. The first thing that his agent should have done is make sure that every single NBA GM, President, scout, coach, and floor sweeper knew that Darrell was healthy and ready to wreck havoc in the paint. SportsAgentBlog.com

Sunday, June 29

Q: Was the draft exciting for you (as far as) being involved in the decision-making? Michael Heisley: I was up until 2 a.m. the night before the draft trying to get Michael Beasley or O.J. Mayo. We did everything we could. I'd be a liar if I didn't say we tried everything we could to originally get Beasley. We couldn't get Beasley, so then we tried to get Mayo. Memphis Commercial Appeal

Love's life changed with one little telephone call placed from Memphis to Minneapolis just as the first round of Thursday's draft concluded. Minneapolis Star Tribune

Wolves assistant GM Fred Hoiberg addressed the team's fans gathered downstairs at Target Center and told them the team was thrilled to acquire Mayo. "When we picked O.J. Mayo, we picked him to be on our team next year," said Hoiberg, who arrived at work Friday morning greeted by e-mails accusing him of lying to fans. Wallace called suddenly, presumably spurred on by an owner who wanted both to enliven a moribund franchise by dealing for a famous name and also to save some money in the short term. Wallace asked to revive the deal and reeled off a list of names that included one Mike Miller. "No one was more surprised than we were when the deal came back," McHale said. "We were all sitting around and looking at each other like, 'Wow.' Mike Miller was a hinging point for us and actually a deal-breaker for them. When they called back and included him, I said, 'Oooh, yeah, we'll do that.' " Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Twenty minutes and Mayo and Marko and everybody was gone," McHale said. "That was the way it worked. We almost wanted to call Miami and see if we could take [Chalmers] back, but I don't think that would have worked." The Grizzlies have a glut of guards. McHale thought about asking for a guard back in the deal, then reconsidered. "At that point, muddying up the deal was not going to help," McHale said. "I really had a feeling there was a huge contingency in Memphis who didn't want to do it. In fact, I know that. They told me that." Minneapolis Star Tribune

During his senior year, Mayo spent most mornings before school at the High Intensity Training Center, working on his strength, speed and conditioning. The team often practiced at 3:30 p.m. Afterward, Mayo would head to Marshall University to find an open basket. Jumper after jumper, all by himself. Mayo understood better than most, McGuffin said, that those long, solitary hours were the bridge to greatness. Kids today? They want to play pick-up games, race up and down the court. But Mayo? He was, and is, the classic gym rat, according to those close to him. "He figured it out," McGuffin said. "If you're really going to be better than everybody else, you have to do a lot by yourself." When Mayo took his official visit to Southern Cal, members of the team wanted to take him out one evening. Mayo declined the offer and asked a member of the coaching staff if he could get into the gym. At midnight. "True story," Woelfel said. "He's a throwback." Memphis Commercial Appeal

Only problem: The Grizzlies didn't save money in the Mayo deal. They came out a little bit ahead in the next two years, but cost themselves money the year after that. Sam Smith, a distinguished and entertaining NBA writer who really should be above this sort of thing, criticized the Grizzlies for taking Kevin Love ("you must have been scratching your head") and then criticized the Grizzlies for trading Love for Mayo ("the next best possible cheap box office attraction.") Memphis Commercial Appeal

The Dallas Mavericks received plenty of grief for not moving up in the NBA draft, but for those who have doubts that the cost was prohibitive, Mark Cuban has an explanation. "One of the teams drafting very high in the second round called and told us we could have their pick for $2 million and a second-rounder," Cuban said Saturday. "It was outrageous. A team offered us half-a-million for [pick] 51, and we turned it down. People were asking, 'Why aren't you buying up?' We turned down half-a-million because we really, really like Shan." Dallas Morning News

Cuban said the Mavericks ended up getting three players they had targeted with the 51st pick. It was a little like the 2003 draft that produced Marquis Daniels as an undrafted free agent. He said it is telling that teams were trying to sell a lot of second-round picks. "Why were they offering? They're not stupid," Cuban said. "It was a deep draft going in. Then, there were a lot of name players that fell. We thought there might be five guys that we'd trade up for. A couple went and then Shan fell to us. Another one we were looking at [Tennessee's] JaJuan Smith [didn't get drafted and] is coming into camp. Reggie Williams [Virginia Military] is another. "We always look for the blur of the draft. JaJuan was the fastest guy, the best defender of the point, and Shan was the best shooter." Dallas Morning News

Chris Douglas-Roberts’ slide to the Nets at No. 40 in the second round of Thursday’s NBA draft confounded everyone. “Chris Douglas-Roberts going where he went was a surprise for me,” said Minnesota Timberwolves general manager Kevin McHale. “He’s a guy who can really put the ball in the hole.” A significant number of experts were also convinced the Celtics would take the high-scoring swingman from Memphis with their first-round pick at No. 30. Boston Herald

A number of players were drafted later than expected because of their refusal to work out for certain teams. Douglas-Roberts, whose skinny frame and ability to score in bunches is reminiscent of Richard Hamilton's game, refused to work out for the Pistons despite being considered a late first-round pick. He was under the impression that he would be gone by the time No. 29 was on the clock. Oops. So when the Pistons traded out of the first round and had pick No. 32 and Douglas-Roberts was still on the board, it didn't matter. Detroit had no plans to draft him. And so he continued to fall before ultimately being scooped up by New Jersey with the 40th pick. Douglas-Roberts has talent and clearly a high opinion of himself. But when you allow your ego to ride shotgun on the eve of your professional career, you're doomed to crash sooner or later. Booth Newspapers

The Spurs took Dragic for the Suns at No. 45 in return for the No. 48 pick, a 2009 second-round pick owed to Phoenix by Golden State and $500,000. "And we didn't even have to give them 750 ($750,000)," Kerr said in the video to Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver. "250! Let's go to Cabo tonight," Sarver said. Arizona Republic

With a poise and confidence perhaps reflecting his 24 years, Ewing characterized recent events as one contiguous, joyous blur. He graduates from college one month, is drafted the next. His mother is eager finally to visit California, his father delighted that he was selected by the Kings. Appropriately, he learned his destination just before it was announced on ESPN, when his father called from Orlando. "We were in the war room," the senior Ewing related, "and because of the (telecast) delay, I knew Patrick was going to Sacramento. I called and told him he got picked by the Kings. He thought I was pulling his leg. I told him I think he has something to offer that they need. Yes, I do. But I'd be proud of my son even if he didn't get drafted, or if he doesn't make it in the league. He graduated from college. He's a great kid, a wonderful person. You'll see (laugh). He makes friends easier than me." Sacramento Bee

Saturday, June 28

It turns out that the caller (CDR's friend) was right on the money. Douglas-Roberts believed that there was no way he would drop to #29 and likely felt like it was an insult to even believe that he would be available to play for a team like Detroit drafting that low. I talked to someone who knows CDR and he told me that Douglas-Roberts thought he was a top 20 lock. In addition, the Pistons did call CDR's people and offered to work him out. There was no workout. He did not come to the Palace. Now you know the story and the kid ended up going to New Jersey at #40. WDFN.com

Would the Pistons have taken Douglas-Roberts at No. 32? Who knows. But his refusal to even give the Pistons a chance to work him out, made the decision to blow him off at No. 32, an easy one to make. Booth Newspapers

A person with knowledge of the situation said Walsh also made an effort to pick up an extra draft pick to snatch Kansas guard Mario Chalmers, the MVP of the Final Four, who to some surprise slipped out of the first round. But before Walsh could get a second-round pick, Chalmers was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the fourth pick of the second round, 34th overall. Minnesota later flipped Chalmers to the Miami Heat for two future second-round picks and cash. Newsday

Grunfeld considered trades that would have moved the Wizards up or down in the first-round draft order Thursday night. A league source said Grunfeld dangled the 18th pick -- as well as the conditional future first-round pick Washington has coming from Memphis because of the Juan Carlos Navarro trade -- to teams that picked higher in the round. However, he found no takers. Washington Post

The biggest question for Koufos had been whether that next level would take him to Europe or the NBA. He was contacted regularly by Greek teams in the last year, some asking if he would consider leaving Ohio State in the middle of the season. "We sat and talked about it, thought about it, but not much," said the Rev. Dan Rogich, who runs the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Koufos' hometown of Canton, Ohio, and has been a mentor since childhood. "He said, 'My dream is to play in America. Greece is always going to be there.'" Salt Lake Tribune

The Cleveland Cavaliers confirmed Friday they acquired the draft rights of the Kansas tandem of Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun in Thursday's NBA Draft. The Cavaliers traded a future second-round pick to Miami to get Jackson, a 6-foot, 8-inch, 250-pound power forward who averaged 11.2 points on 62.6 percent shooting. The Heat picked Jackson, 22, with the 52nd overall pick. GoErie.com

League sources claim Kaun most likely will not play in the NBA this year because he has a contract to play overseas. The Cavaliers didn't have a second-round pick in the draft. They used their first-round selection to take N.C. State power forward J.J. Hickson. With the Cavaliers being an NBA affiliate of the Erie BayHawks, Hickson might end up playing with the expansion franchise if Cleveland chooses to make him more of a developmental player. GoErie.com

The Sonics plan to send the 18-year-old back to Spain, saving some money by allowing him to continue playing in the professional league there, with the hope Ibaka develops into an NBA-ready player in the near future. Ibaka supports the idea. “Both my family and my whole country are very happy that I’m being drafted,” Ibaka said through a Spanish translator. “It’s definitely a dream come true, but also it is only the beginning of something. It’s not the only thing I want to accomplish. It’s only the beginning of what I want to become, which is a good NBA player. This is only the first step.” Tacoma News Tribune

A buyout will cost Goran Dragic, a second round pick, more than $1.5M US dollars after the Suns kick in the allowed $500,000, making it unlikely that Phoenix will see their newest point guard next season, the East Valley Tribune is reporting. “We’re going to try. We’ll do what we can,” David Griffin said. “This year, we can only do what we can do. It’s a lot of money, and the exchange rate doesn’t help. Maybe it takes a year.” East Valley Tribune

Going overseas would be OK with Washington. "It's an opportunity that I need to get my foot in the door," he said. "I'll be just fine with that. As long as I'm playing professional basketball somewhere next year, I'm happy with it -- and still being able to know that I have the opportunity to get back in the league." The Pistons will retain Washington's rights, so they can still put him on their roster after one or two seasons overseas -- even though he wouldn't be under contract with Detroit until then. Roanoke Times

Mayo, in Manhattan for the draft, didn't learn that the cap he had been wearing when he shook hands with Commissioner David Stern was already a collector's item until he reached a party at hip-hop mogul Jay Z's 40/40 club. Told by friends at the Manhattan nightspot that he had been traded, Mayo said he "thought they were cracking a joke." A report on a television in the club's lounge confirmed it was no joke. "It's crazy," Mayo said Friday afternoon. "Everything's about Minnesota, and then, two hours later, everything is about Memphis. You have to switch your state of mind, but everything's OK." Los Angeles Times

Arthur, who spent two seasons at Kansas, said he had no idea where he would eventually land after a frustrating draft that saw him slip to the bottom of the first round because of reported kidney problems. ''They told me I was going to get traded to Portland, then, after that, I didn't know what was going to happen,'' Arthur said. ''I got traded to Houston, then back to here. It was a crazy (Thursday) night for me. I had a lot of calls asking 'Where are you going? Where are you going?' ''I'm kind of glad to be in Memphis where it's kind of warm. I'm just happy to be part of a young team. O.J. is a very athletic guard. It's an athletic team with Rudy Gay on the wing and Mike Conley playing point. I think it's going to be an up-and-coming team.'' Memphis Commercial Appeal

Three years ago, Kevin Wilson got a call from a coaching friend in Italy. You have to come here and see this kid, the friend insisted. So Wilson, the Knicks' director of international scouting, went to watch what appeared to be just another big young kid with basketball skills. Wilson kept an eye on the kid, anyway - "I keep an eye on everybody," he said - and little by little, the kid grew and grew. So did his game. Last summer, he had Glen Grunwald take a look at him for future reference. And late this past Italian League season, Wilson was convinced that Danilo Gallinari was ready. "It wasn't until the second half of the season when I really zeroed in on how big his heart was, how hard he worked and how much of an improvement he made, how good he could become, because he's not a finished product," Wilson said. "Sometimes the light comes on and they jump up from one level to the next ... This kid, you could see he jumped from plane one to plane two." Newsday

Another point that might make some Knicks fans wary is that Isiah Thomas played a role - albeit small - in the Gallinari decision. Walsh dispatched Thomas to Europe in May to watch Gallinari and he came back with a glowing report. "The kid won't back down," Thomas said. Newsday

Jerryd Bayless is headed to an up-and-coming Portland team, but a question seemingly will continue to dog him after he slipped to No. 11 in the NBA draft: Is the former Arizona star a shooting or a point guard? "I think they are crazy," Bayless said when asked what he would say to people who don't think he can play both guard spots. "That's what I think." Tucson Citizen

Sharpe held a teleconference with local media Friday morning, and besides describing his game -- which he said others have compared to Lamar Odom's -- he explained some of his background issues, especially his sleep disorder. That's a problem he said is in his past, thanks to a daily dose of medication that has helped him turn his life around. "It's definitely behind me," Sharpe said. "My worst days are behind me and my best days ahead of me." Sharpe said he was diagnosed with the disorder last fall. It came after his college coach, Mike Davis, urged him to take part in a sleep study. Before then, he said his habits of being extremely sleepy and unfocused were written off as character flaws. "Nobody thought I had narcolepsy," Sharpe said. "People thought I was just lazy and slept a lot." Detroit Free Press

The medication has helped, although he has found on very busy days -- game days or days of tests -- he had to double his dosage. He also wouldn't pin all his troubles on the disorder. "I can't completely blame it on narcolepsy," Sharpe said. "I'd just say that some things I could have done better." One thing that seems unrelated was an arrest last August for disorderly conduct, a charge that has been dropped, Sharpe said. The incident came when he and four UAB teammates got into an altercation at a dance club. All five players were arrested. "I think it wasn't just me -- it was a team thing," Sharpe said. "I'm part of a team, and if one of us gets into something or whatever, we're the type of team that all the guys respond." Sharpe said he doesn't think he needs any kind of mentor or counseling to make a successful transition to the NBA. And his game, in his and Dumars' opinion, should translate just fine. Detroit Free Press

Despite his skills, size, quickness and athleticism, Marreese Speights appeared on Internet NBA draft sites accompanied by red flags warning about a less-than-stellar work ethic and devotion to conditioning. But after noted trainer Joe Abunassar welcomed Speights to his camp in late April, he saw no signs of either. Abunassar has conducted the Impact Basketball program in Las Vegas for prospective NBA draftees and veteran players for 11 years. "I was told there were concerns about Marreese, but he was excellent," Abunassar said yesterday. "I never had any problem with him. He did an excellent job with everything. He was in here from 9 to 5 every day. Whatever the rap . . . it was never an issue from Day 1." Philadelphia Inquirer

The morning after their names were not called in the NBA draft, Temple's Mark Tyndale, Drexel's Frank Elegar and Niagara's Charron Fisher were on a plane to Cleveland yesterday for a weekend of workouts with the Cavaliers. All three are represented by Philadelphia-based agent Andre Buck of CAA Sports in Pennsauken. Buck's goal now is to find a place for his players on an NBA summer-league team. "Obviously, everybody gets caught up in the draft, but there are three more months to make your mark," said Buck, who also has former Strawberry Mansion High and George Washington guard Maureece Rice as a client. "I'm not sure they're going to make the NBA. But they will get a chance." Philadelphia Inquirer

NBA teams will spend the next two weeks finalizing their rosters for summer leagues that take place in Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Orlando starting in mid-July. Brumbaugh could also be a candidate to be assigned to the NBA Developmental League, or he could look to play overseas next season. Daytona Beach News-Jounal

Former Nebraska basketball player Aleks Maric, who wasn’t selected in Thursday’s NBA Draft, remains an unsigned free agent as of Friday, said his agent, Andrew Vye. The 6-foot-11, 265-pound Maric will participate in the NBA’s Orlando summer league with the Indiana Pacers, Vye said. That league begins play July 2. Lincoln Journal Star

The Lakers used one of their second-round picks last year to draft China's Sun Yue, a 6-8 point guard. Kupchak said the Lakers saw Sun play this season and are optimistic he'll be on their 2009-10 roster. Sun is playing for China's national team. "He is a player that we are intrigued in," Kupchak said. "We think he has the talent to play at the NBA level." Riverside Press-Enterprise

Indeed, nobody wants to be struck in a Tiago Splitter situation, as he virtually had to play for free if he wanted to fulfill his NBA dream, while he will earn close to MLE money in Europe this upcoming season. Meanwhile, a second round pick like Marc Gasol, free of the extremely restrictive first-round scale, supposedly agreed to terms with the Grizzlies for about three million a year. So players and agents have wised up, and some guys such as Ibaka, Pekovic and Asik just scared teams away by broaching contract issues and buyouts. In the African’s case, apparently it didn’t work, although it’s not clear whether this was some unconventional maneuvering to dress Ibaka with a Sonics jersey, as he might have a promise from them dating back to the EuroCamp. Pekovic and Asik saw their wish fulfilled. I don’t think this trend is going to end anytime soon, and we will likely see more players trying to skip the late first round in the near future. DraftExpress.com

Friday, June 27

The summer leagues also display small school players transitioning to play against better competition. In particular George Hill, J.R. Giddens, and Jason Thompson are names to watch. Each comes from a small school with strong Win Score marks and few games against top NCAA programs. Were their high marks illusions built against weak competition or are they truly quality NBA players in waiting? Finally, a handful of undrafted players will compete for NBA jobs. Win Score favorites Chris Lofton, Aleks Maric, Reggie Williams, and Pat Calathes did not hear their names called on draft night and will have to fight for a roster spot through the summer and preseason. Can they beat the odds and make a roster? DraftExpress.com

Neitzel and his agent, Doug Newstadt, of Washington, D.C., agreed early Friday morning to a free-agent contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Negotiations between the Timberwolves and Neitzel's camp began immediately following Thursday night's NBA draft. The deal allows the former star guard at Wyoming Park and Michigan State to train with the Timberwolves program and to participate with Minnesota in next month's NBA summer leagues in Las Vegas, Nev., while gaining exposure in front of other NBA coaches, general managers and scouts. "It's a great situation," Neitzel said Friday afternoon. "The Timberwolves called me right after the draft to get me to play in their summer league. They definitely want me. Booth Newspapers

Since his childhood, the 6-foot Neitzel has overcome questions about his height or speed or defensive skills or shooting to succeed at every competitive level. If he does not make an NBA roster, Neitzel will look overseas to begin his professional career. "If I don't play in the NBA, I'll be making good money somewhere playing basketball," he said. Booth Newspapers

As expected, former three-time Advertiser State Player of the Year Derrick Low was not among the 60 players selected in yesterday's NBA Draft, but his dream of becoming the first Hawai'i-grown player to make an NBA roster since the 1950s is still alive. Low — a 2004 'Iolani School graduate from Honolulu and standout at Washington State University — has been invited to play for the Dallas Mavericks' summer league teams in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City next month. Low's agent, Sam Goldfeder, notified him shortly after the draft ended last night and Donnie Nelson, Dallas' president of basketball operations, called Low at about 8:15 p.m. to personally extend the invitation. Honolulu Advertiser

Low had personal workouts with five NBA teams prior to the draft: the Mavericks, New Jersey Nets, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Seattle SuperSonics. "Donnie Nelson said, 'We selected you with the 61st pick,' " Low said. "He said they're looking forward to having me join them and he likes the kind of player I am, he said I know how to play basketball. He said he has me (labeled) as an NBA player, so I'm glad he has that trust and faith in me." Goldfeder, a Beverly Hills, Calif.-based agent whose Excel Sports Management firm already has several NBA clients, said the Mavericks "are very excited to have" Low. "With Derrick's talent and perseverance, especially his doggedness, he's always got a shot," Goldfeder said. "He'll be playing in both the Las Vegas and Rocky Mountain Review leagues, so he'll have a long summer to show his wares. Derrick will always play hard, so that will always result in good things." Honolulu Advertiser

The Wolves cleared more salary cap space down the road, enough that general manager Jim Stack predicted they will become “a major player” in the free agent market in 2010. “It really set us up on so many levels,” Stack said. “This was a deal we couldn’t pass up.” Stack also said of Love: "This guy is not getting his just due as an athlete." Minneapolis Star Tribune

McHale said the teams had talked basic parameters for a deal it the two days before the draft, but said the talks went no further because neither club knew if Miami was going to take Michael Beasley with the second pick. Discussion was revived during the day Thursday, but McHale said the trade died after Memphis picked Love with the fifth pick. For about 90 minutes that is. Memphis called back as the first round ended and asked to revive the trade. “Actually, no one was more surprised than we were when the deal came back,” McHale said. “We were all sitting around and looking at each other, like, `Wow!’ There were just too many components to it that fit our needs too well not to do it.” Minneapolis Star Tribune

Five hours after more than 2,000 draft-party participants cheered the arrival of Mayo, their NBA hometown team made the midnight deal that reshaped its roster. Love and McHale are appearing this afternoon at a 1p.m. news conference. "This is where I wanted to be," Love said today at Target Center. Minneapolis Star Tribune

Wilson was responsible for the Maciej Lampe pick (No. 30) but not for Frederic Weis in 1999. That was Ed Tapscott despite urgings from former Knicks European scout Tim Shea not to do it. In fact, Wilson said an interesting thing today. He said one of his jobs is to know when not to pick a European, when to tell the GM to pass. Wilson said it wasn't until the second half of Gallinari's Italian league season he knew he was ready to be drafted by the Knicks. "We're going to have to wait on him, work with him, encourage him, play him and let him take his lumps,'' Wilson said. New York Post

Walsh said he got a strong recommendation from former coach Isiah Thomas after a European scouting trip, citing Gallinari's poise in crunch time at such a young age. "Basically at the end of games, they gave him the ball and he made the plays," Walsh said. "For a guy that's that big, that's unusual." SI.com

At the end of the night, the Pacers in two days had acquired seven players: Portland point guard Jarrett Jack, forward Josh McRoberts and first-round draft pick Brandon Rush; and Toronto point guard T.J. Ford, center Rasho Nesterovic, forward Maceo Baston and first-round pick Roy Hibbert. The Pacers drafted Arizona freshman point guard Jerryd Bayless with the 11th pick, but sent his rights along with forward Ike Diogu to Portland for the three Blazers. In the second round, the Pacers drafted 6-10 Nathan Jawai, but he is headed to Toronto as part of the trade sending Jermaine O'Neal to the Raptors. "I think we got more athletic," Bird said. "I think we got some size, or Toronto got some size, and next year we got some cap space." Indianapolis Star

Ivan Carter: I heard that Ernie was trying to package the 18th pick and the future conditional first-rounder he has coming to him from Memphis via the Juan Carlos Navarro deal to move up but he couldn't find any takers. He also conidered moving down but once it became clear that McGee was going to be there, they took him. Washington Post

Everyone expected "Shady," as he's known to friends and teammates, to go much higher in the first round, near or perhaps even ahead of teammate Brandon Rush, whose own NBA dream was realized when he was taken 13th. But persistent concerns of the unspecified kidney issue apparently scared everyone off, until, finally, New Orleans took him 27th. Like so many other of the draftees on a wild night in New York, Arthur's rights were traded and he'll wind up going to Memphis. Arthur, who had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the victory over Memphis that gave Kansas the NCAA title, never missed a game in two years with the Jayhawks. He said he recently was tested by the Washington Wizards and no kidney problem was found. But that news, somehow, did not get circulated around the league by his representatives. AP

Friday morning, Self was still seething. "There's no way that he should have fallen outside of 15. No way," Self said. "I was talking to NBA teams last night that were picking in the next three minutes that were saying 'Bill, what's up, can you get me stuff?' We were telling them, "Call the Wizards. Call the Wizards."' AP

But now, with no guaranteed money, he'll have to compete with everyone else for a job. Did he make a mistake? "It's a tough lesson for all these kids to learn," Self said. "The lesson is that there's 60 first round draft picks out there. There were seven or eight guys picked in the first round that I guarantee you none of our players had any idea that they would go in the first round, and that's the uncertainty of the business. "It's not anyone's place to second-guess after the fact. I think he did get favorable reports back but I do think its a valuable learning experience for everybody." AP

It didn't end up happening, but now it appears as though Brandon Jennings, arguably the top incoming freshman in the country, could become a trendsetter of sorts and opt for overseas money over a one-year college experience at Arizona. "He's definitely considering it," said Kelly Williams, the father of New Jersey Nets point guard Marcus Williams and also a close advisor to the Jennings family. "Why wouldn't he?" "If it's a sweet enough deal, why wouldn't he look into it?" Williams added. "But there's nothing definitive right now. They are in the process of investigating it, but he's not going to go just to become the first kid to go overseas. We're not going to put him in a bad situation. We'd try and put him in a situation where he can grow and develop." FOXSports.com

If that occurs, it may force the NBA to re-evaluate its current rule which states a player must be 19 years old and one year removed from high school. Ideally, it'd force the league to change it to give kids the option of going to the NBA directly from high school or force them to remain in college for at least two years once they sign that letter of intent. Renardo Sidney, considered one of the elite players in the Class of 2009, will likely explore the possibility of going overseas as well. "Brandon's decision will definitely have an effect on the younger kids," said Sidney's father, Renardo Sidney Sr. "For us, it's definitely an option." The elder Sidney said he feels it's unfair that the NCAA earns revenue off its players, while the players get little in return. "Kids feel like they're a victim of the NCAA and I don't think anyone is happy with it," he said. "You can't have someone buy a kid a hamburger, but you can sell their jerseys and fill the arenas and it's fine." FOXSports.com

The '09 draft should be richer in point guards than the '08 draft. Led by Arizona's Brandon Jennings and Spain's Ricky Rubio, 11 point guards are ranked in my top 30. The crop of small forwards also seems enticing. Eight of the 30 slots in my first-round projections are occupied by small forwards, led by Gonzaga's Austin Daye. But the center and power forward positions are terrible. I have only four power forwards and four centers in my top 30 at the moment. ESPN.com

In 2008, seven freshmen -- Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo, Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, Jerryd Bayless and Anthony Randolph -- went in the lottery. This year I'm projecting only four high school prospects as lottery picks -- USC's Demar DeRozan, Ohio State's B.J. Mullens, Arizona's Brandon Jennings, and UCLA's Jru Holiday. ESPN.com

Here are college basketball's top 30 prospects for the 2009 NBA Draft. 1. Blake Griffin (Oklahoma) Griffin would've been a top 10 pick this year, probably as high as fifth to the Grizzlies. He's a big, strong, athletic power forward who averaged 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds last season, and he'll have the Sooners competing for a Big 12 title in 2008-09. 2. DeMar DeRozan (Southern California) At 6-foot-6, DeRozan has an NBA frame and great athleticism to boot. He'll make USC a Pac-10 contender as a freshman, and as long as he stays away from Rodney Guillory, his only year in college should go smoothly. 3. B.J. Mullens (Ohio State) Mullens was famously up-and-down on the AAU circuit, drifting back and forth between great and ordinary, and Thad Matta must fix that when the 7-foot-1 center enrolls at OSU. Either way, I'm a believer, probably because when I saw Mullens last summer he was spectacular, just grabbing and dunking everything in sight. CBSSports.com

4. Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut) I realize people are still down on Thabeet, waiting for him to be what he should be. But he showed flashes of brilliance last season, particularly when he averaged 5.6 blocks in his final 12 outings. In other words, what we have here is a 7-foot-3 shot blocking center, and those guys are commodities in the NBA. For proof, consider that Thabeet would've gone in the top 20 of this draft, and the guess here is that he'll be in the top five of the next draft after leading the Huskies to a possible Big East title. 5. Brandon Jennings (Arizona/Europe) Jennings is included on this list because there's still a chance he could play in college, though it seems more likely every day that he's going to spend the next year playing professional basketball overseas. If so, he'll be the trendsetter Sonny Vaccaro has always wanted, and it'll be a huge hit to Arizona's dreams of a Pac-10 championship. CBSSports.com

In 2009, the talent is even weaker. Spanish point guard sensation Ricky Rubio is widely seen as a top-10 pick, but no one else is a lock for the first round. A few interesting international prospects, such as Spain's Victor Claver, Israel's Omri Casspi and Lithuania's Dontas Motiejunas, will get close looks. But they'll need big seasons with their clubs to move off the first-round bubble. Overall, the draft class of 2009 will probably be better than it looks now. Some players that I'm not talking about will rise -- they always do. Russell Westbrook, for example, wasn't in my top 50 a year ago. Ditto for Anthony Randolph. As the Nike and ABCD camps and international tournaments get underway, look for further reports, including my stock watch. ESPN.com

Currently projected as number 1, International player Ricky Rubio has a lot of things going for him. While only 17 years old, Rubio already has played professionally for three years. Over his career, his numbers have shown growth and already appear very intriguing for a guard. In 2007-2008, Rubio posted a 2.7 PAWS/40 in the ACB and a 4.7 in the ULEB. Given their PG status, it will be intriguing to watch Rubio’s mock projections against Derrick Rose’s performance over the coming season. DraftExpress.com

Before Beasley, Bayless and Love were hyped N.B.A. prospects — they were selected among the first 11 picks in Thursday’s draft — they were hyped teenage basketball stars, their names known only to the nation’s most dedicated hoop junkies. Those three were among two dozen prospects who played in the inaugural Elite 24 high school game at Rucker Park in Harlem two years ago. In a nice bit of symmetry, their pro careers were launched not far from the court that helped fuel their stardom. The Elite game became the basis for a 90-minute documentary, “Gunnin’ for That #1 Spot,” which opens Friday in theaters in six cities, including New York. New York Times

The film, directed and produced by Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, tells the stories of eight fresh-faced prospects. Four were first-round picks Thursday, including Love’s future teammate, Donte’ Greene, the Syracuse forward who was chosen 28th over all by Memphis. The other four could be on their way soon: Lance Stephenson, who has one year left at Brooklyn’s Lincoln High; Brandon Jennings of Compton, Calif., who has committed to Arizona but has talked about playing in Europe; Tyreke Evans of Chester, Pa., who has committed to Memphis; and Kyle Singler of Portland, Ore., who will be a sophomore at Duke. Rucker Park provides the backdrop. The players provide the eye-popping moves. Their friends and family provide the personal insights as “Gunnin’ ” takes the viewer to each player’s hometown. New York Times

In the film, Bayless, Love and Beasley are still boyish high school seniors who have yet to adopt the corporate clichés of professional athletes. Their guard is down, and their personalities are on full display. Especially Beasley’s. Minutes into the film, a wide-eyed Beasley motions for the camera to zoom in as he sneaks behind Bayless and yanks his shorts down. “Is he on my team?” Bayless, looking unamused, asks Kris Stone, the game’s founder and the associate editor of Rise magazine. “I’m freezing him out if he’s on my team.” New York Times

The Minnesota Timberwolves aren't holding on to O.J. Mayo for long. Two league sources told ESPN.com that the Wolves have reached an agreement in principle with the Memphis Grizzlies that will send the draft rights to Mayo, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner to the Grizzlies in return for the draft rights to Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins. The deal is a blockbuster for both teams. ESPN.com reported on Tuesday that Wolves GM Kevin McHale was infatuated with Love, but felt that the team had to select Mayo and use him to acquire more assets. Love, a fundamentally-sound post player, should mesh well with the Timberwolves' budding star Al Jefferson. ESPN.com

In addition to landing Love, the Wolves get a sharpshooting swingman in Miller who can help carry the scoring load from the perimeter. The deal is also a financial boon for the Timberwolves, who get the bad contract of Jaric (three years, $21 million) off the books. Walker's and Buckner's contracts are not guaranteed after this season. Timberwolves fans will likely be reminded of another lottery-swapping move two years ago, when Minnesota selected Brandon Roy, then traded him to Portland for Randy Foye and cash. ESPN.com

A league source said Memphis had conversations with at least six teams about trading the fifth pick before agreeing to the trade with Minnesota. HoopsWorld.com

Hoiberg said the Wolves’ decision-makers thought there was a “very realistic chance” the Heat would take Mayo and leave Beasley available with the third pick. In an ESPN interview, Riley, who reportedly is concerned about Beasley’s immaturity, said his scouting staff “got me in a room and made sure Mr. Beasley was going to be part of the Miami Heat.” That left Mayo, who says he set aim for Thursday night when he was 9 years old. That’s when his mother asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up and he opted for “NBA player” over a fireman, policeman or astronaut. Minneapolis Star Tribune

Meawhile, I still believe that O.J. Mayo is like a moth, and big cities like New York, L.A., and Miami are the flames. Remember how Pat Riley went on and on about Mayo through the draft process, saying he was in the mix for the second pick? Remember that we heard the Grizzlies were desperate for Michael Beasley? I don't think it will happen, but mark it down as one of the trades that should happen. Miami could get, say, Mayo, a backup point guard like Lowry, and/or next year's pick for Beasley. Memphis could get more playing time for Mike Conley, massive improvement on the front line, a long-term big man to play with Rudy Gay, and a little savings not having to pay Lowry and/or next year's first-rounder. This trade is a figment of my imagination, but I can't imagine some follow-up trade isn't in the works to make this all make more sense. ESPN.com

Hoiberg said the Wolves never came close to making a trade. The truth of the matter is they think so much of Mayo that they wanted him on the team. "Our people thought that Mayo had far more upside than Love," Wolves owner Glen Taylor said. "And very important was the fact that Fred played for Tim Floyd at Iowa State, and we knew Floyd [who coached Mayo at Southern California] was going to give an honest scouting report on Mayo." Minneapolis Star Tribune / June 26

In between, Pritchard made his biggest splash, acquiring Bayless, one of the Blazers' top draft targets and among the top freshman guards in college basketball last season. The Blazers landed Bayless -- and fourth-year forward Ike Diogu -- by trading reserve point guard Jarrett Jack, reserve forward Josh McRoberts and the draft rights to the No. 13 pick (Brandon Rush of Kansas) to Indiana. Oregonian

In a proposed trade waiting to be finalized, Indiana agreed to send Bayless to Portland for No. 13 pick Brandon Rush of Kansas, Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts. The Pacers also would send former Arizona State forward Ike Diogu to Portland. "(Portland) is a great team already," Bayless told ESPN while wearing a Pacers cap. "They may be missing one or two parts. They are definitely a playoff-contention team. Tucson Citizen

“"Very exciting day," Blazers General Manager Kevin Pritchard said. “"We're on cloud nine. We feel like we really improved our team. We were very active. A lot of things are going to come out in the future. And that, literally, was about as much as Pritchard could say. The silence is required, a source said, because the teams had to use the players’ salaries for next season — the only way they would match and fulfill the requirements of the collective bargaining agreement. Those salaries will not take affect until after July 1, so the trade can not become official until then. And because of the league’s moratorium on trades and free-agent signings, an announcement can not be made until July 9. Columbian

The Bulls selected Rose over Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley, a player they liked so much sources confirmed they made trade overtures to the Heat for the second overall selection. Those were rebuffed, and the Bulls, who also received intriguing offers for the top pick, agreed on Rose. "He's a special talent," general manager John Paxson said. "The point guard position is really tough to come by. He has a strength and speed component that a lot of point guards in this league don't have. "But this isn't going to be Derrick coming in the first day and everything being great. It's going to take time. We have guys who can play with him who will allow him to grow. We feel for the next 10-12 years, we have a position covered that is really important." Chicago Tribune

Were the Grizzlies going to take Danilo Gallinari at No. 5? A source told me that Memphis was dissuaded in no small part by Gallinari's ability to remain in the Euroleague with his team in Milan, Italy. So Memphis chose Love instead, leaving New York to take Gallinari, who was booed by the Knicks fans who were attending the draft. Apparently they wanted the Knicks to take Joe Alexander instead. SI.com

The unthinkable scenario of not getting Westbrook or Gallinari may have been closer to reality than Walsh would like to know. A person with knowledge of the situation said the Nets - having already pulled off the trade of the day by sending Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons - explored moving into the fifth spot in a deal with Memphis that didn't materialize. Their intentions weren't confirmed, but it is believed that they wanted to leapfrog the Knicks to steal Gallinari. "No deal," the source said, and Gallinari was still there for Walsh at No. 6 after Memphis selected UCLA forward Kevin Love. Newsday

Walsh said he and head coach Mike D'Antoni agreed completely on the pick, dispelling any notion that D'Antoni had an emotional reason for picking him, because he happens to be the son of D'Antoni's roommate in Milan, Vittorio Gallinari. "Mike and I agreed on it. It took a long time," Walsh said. "It wasn't easy for him to say, 'Yeah, this is the guy.' And I was with him. I thought this was the guy we should take, particularly with a four-man, and this young man will be able to play the four." Newark Star-Ledger

D'Antoni said his relationship with Gallinari's father had nothing to do with the pick. "Our scouts loved him," the coach said. "As a matter of fact I had to be talked into it. I can vouch for his family. We think he has the potential to develop him into a good player." At least Gallinari won't have any problems communicating with his new coach. A 19-year-old with a scorer's attitude and a confident swagger, Gallinari is known to take it to the hole, shoot from the outside, run well and push the ball. But is also a bit of a project, and D'Antoni acknowledged he isn't much of a defender. "Hopefully somebody can teach him how to play defense," D'Antoni said. Newark Star-Ledger

As quickly as last season ended for the Knicks, the theatre became a mob of fans ready to direct their built-up frustration at the 6-foot-9 Italian. Hats were ripped off and shot to the ground, replica jerseys were tugged and twisted and echoes of "this can't be happening" filled the theatre. But even with the barrage of boos being sent his way, the Italian remained unfazed. Gallinari walked right up to Stern, shook his hand, posed for a picture and continued on, impervious to the boos that shook the walls of the theatre. "It's a dream for me and I really don't know what to say," Gallinari said. "I'm so excited and happy to be here." He doesn't blame the Knicks fans for booing him, saying "It's a part of the game, all of the players have got to hear this. Not every time you can hear good things. So it's normal here." ESPN.com

The Cavs selected the 19-year-old freshman from North Carolina State with the 19th pick in Thursday night's NBA draft. League sources also indicated the Cavs made two trades in the second round, obtaining the rights to two Kansas Jayhawks - No. 52 Darnell Jackson from the Heat and No. 56 Sasha Kaun from Seattle, pending league approval. Cleveland Plain Dealer

The Warriors did not use their trade exception Thursday to move up, but that doesn't mean they won't use it. Golden State has until Monday to add another player or combination of players worth $10 million, and Mullin wouldn't close the door to that possibility: "A lot of conversations that I had could go through the weekend." Contra Costa Times

Either way, it was exactly the result the Clippers had hoped for. Before the draft, they'd settled on Westbrook and Gordon. If there was a chance to trade up for Mayo, they would haved considered it. Several reports came out early in the day linking the Clippers to Seattle's No. 4 pick, but according to a team source, it was never very close to happening because Minnesota seemed set on taking Mayo at No. 3. Still, Gordon does create a bit of a logjam in the Clippers backcourt. Cuttino Mobley is still under contract for two more years and $18.9 million. But Dunleavy said the competition would be good. "Anytime you can add depth at a position, that's good. We had a lot of injuries last year," Dunleavy said. "Now we have an older, veteran guy and a younger guy behind him." Los Angeles Daily News

With the 46th pick, the Pistons took Trent Plaisted, a 6-11, 245 pound power forward from Brigham Young. He played four seasons at BYU, averaging 13.3 points and 6.8 rebounds. He earned first team All-Mountain West honors last year, averaging 15.6 points and 7.7 rebounds. With the 59th pick, the Pistons took Deron Washington, a 6-6, 199-pound small forward from Virginia Tech. Both have agreed to play in Europe next season. "When none of the guys you want fell down, what you look for is talent that shouldn't be there that late in the draft," Dumars said. "This guy has real talent. And after finding out a lot about his background and all he's gone through and how he's persevered, it really says a lot about him." Detroit News

With the No. 59 pick, the Pistons added Virginia Tech senior guard Deron Washington, a 6-foot-6, 190-pound defensive specialist. Dumars said both Plaisted and Washington will spend the summer with the Pistons and then head overseas for seasoning. "We make a list of all the kids who say yes (to playing in Europe) who we like," Dumars said. "Those two kids were kids who said yes." Detroit Free Press

“He's a really solid player at both ends of the court,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I honestly believe he will make our team better right off the bat.” Hill's selection marked the beginning of an unusually busy draft night for the Spurs, who had two second-round picks to use as well. San Antonio Express-News

What happened? How did a player projected by many to go in the teens barely squeeze into the first round? Why did he wait hours for his name to be called, then had it called again and again and again as he went from New Orleans to Portland to Houston before landing in Memphis. I assume the Grizzlies are his final stop of the week. Check back later. The easy explanation is the kidney. Nothing showed up on the NBA's physical. Arthur played with this undisclosed condition at Kansas. But when teams heard about it and requested lab work, Arthur declined. Red flags were raised. The former South Oak Cliff star relented and allowed Washington's medical staff to do a complete workup. He was cleared. It came too late. As one general manager told me late Wednesday evening, Arthur was, "dropping like a stone." But there is more to this. French forward Nicolas Batum failed a stress test in one of his workouts and was forced to undergo a battery of cardiological tests. He went two spots ahead of Arthur. Dallas Morning News

Mississippi State junior Jamont Gordon and USC freshman Davon Jefferson got a tough lesson on Thursday. After leaving school early, both failed to be selected in the NBA draft. They flushed away their college eligibility, they lost their amateur status and now they'll be trying to make a team as a free agent. Last month, Gordon chose to turn down an invitation to the Orlando pre-draft camp. The word was that he thought he would go in the first round. Jefferson went to Orlando and at the time said that he felt he was ready to make the jump to the NBA. Both players better hope they get to the D-League and somehow make the NBA the hard way. ESPN.com

Former Colorado standout Richard Roby's inability to do workouts for NBA teams hurt him Thursday as the guard was not selected in the draft. "It's disappointing," Roby said after the draft. "It was unexpected, but it's just an obstacle. But I'm used to those, so I'll figure something out." Denver Post

Former Hillsborough Community College forwards Othello Hunter and Keith Brumbaugh were expected to go in the second round, but were not selected. Before transferring to Ohio State, Hunter earned honorable mention NJCAA All-America honors while at HCC his sophomore year, averaging 16.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. This past season, Brumbaugh, a sophomore, led the national junior c