NBA notebook: T-wolves reportedly will pick Towns at No. 1 – KSPR
There will be little drama Thursday night when the Minnesota Timberwolves get ready to make the first pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
The Timberwolves have told Karl-Anthony Towns that he will be their pick, according to ZagsBlog.com
In just a little more than 21 minutes per game last year, Towns averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in his only season at Kentucky.
Towns would join the past two No. 1 picks, Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, who were acquired from Cleveland in the Kevin Love trade.
—Paul Pierce will opt out of his contract with the Washington Wizards and could land in Los Angeles to play with the Clippers and former coach Doc Rivers, according to reports.
The Washington Post and ESPN reported that the opportunity to play in Los Angeles with a chance to get back to the NBA Finals might be a strong enough lure for the 37-year-old small forward to leave the Wizards.
In his first season with the Wizards, Pierce logged career lows in minutes, points and rebounds per game.
—Miami guard Dwyane Wade can opt out of his current deal and become a free agent, and he reportedly is considering leaving the Heat if a long-term deal cannot be reached.
While working the NBA Finals as an analyst, Wade referred to his 12-year career in the past tense.
A possible landing spot for Wade could be Los Angeles, where he would play next to Kobe Bryant, the New York Post reported Monday.
The Lakers have the cap space to sign Wade to a maximum deal. Wade is due $16.1 million this season if he opts in with the Heat.
—The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to acquire All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins from the Sacramento Kings, ESPN reported Monday.
The Lakers have been trying for several weeks to forge a deal that would be strong enough for the Kings to consider parting with Cousins, sources told ESPN.
Kings vice president Vlade Divac told the Sacramento Bee on Sunday that he will not trade Cousins, who averaged 24.1 points and 12.7 rebounds last season. Despite Divac’s denial, ESPN reported that the Lakers and Kings have discussed a deal involving the Orlando Magic that would send Cousins to Los Angeles.
—Brooklyn forward Thaddeus Young will forgo his final year with the Nets and become an unrestricted free agent.
The Nets acquired Young at the trade deadline from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Kevin Garnett.
Young, who turned 27 on Sunday, averaged 13.8 points per game and shot 49.5 percent for the Nets.
—Portland forward Aaron Afflalo will opt out of his final season with the Trail Blazers and become an unrestricted free agent.
TNT reported Afflalo will forgo a guaranteed $7.75 million deal to test free agency.
He was acquired from Denver in a trade-deadline transaction as Portland looked to strengthen its bench. But, a week later, the Trail Blazers lost shooting guard Wesley Matthews with a season-ending injury, thrusting Afflalo into the starting rotation.
—Forward Dario Saric, the 12th overall pick in last year’s draft, will not suit up for the Philadelphia 76ers next season.
Saric, a 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward acquired in a draft-night trade last year, is under contract with Anadolu Efes in Turkey.
The Sixers were unable to reach a buyout with Anadolu earlier this month, which leaves Saric in Turkey for at least the upcoming season.
—The 2017 NBA All-Star Game will be played in Charlotte, N.C.
A formal announcement will be made Tuesday morning, with commissioner Adam Silver and team owner Michael Jordan expected to be on hand.
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.
