Mar 14, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Ben McLemore (23) shoots a jumpshot in the first half of the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second round of the Big 12 tournament at the Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder will keep the Toronto Raptors’ draft pick as they end up with the 12th overall selection in the upcoming draft.

The Raptors would have kept the pick had the lottery slotted them in the top three, but there was only about a one percent chance of the happening.

This was pretty much expected for the Thunder. The Thunder will have a lot of options come draft day.

The Cleveland Cavaliers won the lottery and will be selecting first overall. The Cavs had a 15.6 percent chance to win the lottery.

The Orlando Magic, who had the best chance to win the lottery at 25 percent, will be selecting second overall.

The Washington Wizards, who had just the eighth best chance of picking first overall, snuck into the top three and will get the third overall pick.

Here is the official NBA Draft Lottery results:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Orlando Magic
3. Washington Wizards
4. Charlotte Bobcats
5. Phoenix Suns
6. New Orleans Pelicans
7. Sacramento Kings
8. Detroit Pistons
9. Minnesota Timberwolves
10. Portland Trail Blazers
11. Philadelphia 76ers
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Dallas Mavericks
14. Utah Jazz

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder late Saturday night with a 115-110 victory.

Irving led the way with 35 points and 13 of those coming in the final three minutes of the game.

The Thunder shot nearly 50 percent for the game but made just 7-of-21 threes while the Cavs made half of their threes.

Cleveland also got a big lift from Marreese Speights off the bench who had 21 points and 10 rebounds.

The Thunder are off tonight and will play next Monday night at home vs. the Dallas Mavericks.

Here are the Game Grades:

Kevin Durant – 37 minutes, 32 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists – B

Durant struggled from the field quite a bit last night. He wasn’t knocking down jumpers quite as often as he normally does and missed four of his 17 free throw attempts. He still put up big numbers but then late you expected him to take over and match Irving shot for shot and that didn’t happen.

Russell Westbrook – 35 minutes, 28 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds – B+

Westbrook was great offensively and defensively until the final three minutes of the game. He had Irving in check for most of the night but then couldn’t contain him in the pick-and-roll in the final minutes. Irving was simply feeling it so you can’t put all of the blame on Westbrook. Westbrook shot 12-for-22 from the field for the game which is great from him.

Serge Ibaka – 30 minutes, 18 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks – A

Ibaka had his best game in awhile last night. He made six of his first seven shots then just one of his last five. The key was how aggressively Ibaka attacked the offensive glass early on. It got him a few easy baskets and trips to the free throw line. He finished with six offensive boards in the game.

Kevin Martin – 32 minutes, 15 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists – B

Martin never stopped shooting and was aggressive for most of the game. He went 3-for-4 from two-point range in the game and 3-for-9 from three. He scored on a couple of nice backdoor cuts where Nick Collison found him. When he’s scoring in ways other than just spot-up threes, it’s a very good thing for OKC.

Kendrick Perkins – 30 minutes, 6 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks – A

Perkins has been playing great lately. Last night was a very good outing for him as he stuffed the stat sheet. The amazing thing is he is starting to make these little shots around the rim that he used to almost always miss.

Thabo Sefolosha – 24 minutes, 0 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals – C

Sefolosha only took two shots and one three in the game and did not score. The Thunder might have wanted to use him more on Irving late but since he wasn’t scoring at all, he wasn’t in the game then.

Nick Collison – 23 minutes, 2 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists – B+

A key stat for the Thunder is always assists for Collison. He gets a lot of opportunities to make plays with the second unit and getting four dimes last night was pretty nice. He also had three offensive rebounds and drew a charge.

Reggie Jackson – 11 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal – B

Jackson had a couple of nice buckets including a three from the wing but the Thunder were outscored by 15 while he was out there. He didn’t pick up any assists which is something he still needs to work on.

Hasheem Thabeet – 11 minutes, 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block – B+

Thabeet made 2-of-3 shots and got an offensive rebound and a block. Once again, you can’t ask for much more from him in 11 minutes.

Perry Jones, III – 5 minutes, 0 points – C

Jones played five minutes in the first half and did not record a stat. The interesting part is that Scott Brooks played him at the three with Collison and Thabeet for a few minutes. Not sure if we will be seeing a lot more of this.

DeAndre Liggins – 2 minutes, 0 points, 1 steal – C+

Liggins barely played but of course got a steal while he was out there.

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Kyrie Irving scored 13 points in the final three minutes to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Oklahoma City Thunder 115-110 Saturday night.

Irving scored 35 points in the game with 23 coming in the second half.

The Cavaliers got hot shooting from the outside to start the fourth quarter. Newly acquired forward Marreese Speights helped lead the charge with 21 points and 10 rebounds off the bench including 10 points in the fourth.

The Thunder tied the game at 108 when Kevin Durant made a 3-pointer with 1:25 left.

Irving then came back down and made a driving layup then Durant missed an 18-foot jumper on the Thunder’s next possession.

Durant finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds to lead OKC but went just 8-for-21 from the field and 13-for-17 from the free throw line.

Russell Westbrook had the better game scoring 28 points on 12-for-22 shooting to go with five dimes as well.

Early in the game it was Serge Ibaka who had the hot hand for OKC. He would finish with 18 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks. He made six of his first seven shots then just one of his final five.

The Thunder could have easily won this game and normally win ones like this. Irving went to another level though and the Thunder weren’t ready to match it.

The Thunder fall to 35-12 on the year. They will play their next game Monday at home against the Dallas Mavericks.

Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder are back on the road again tonight vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This is the second time this season the Thunder will play the Cavaliers. They beat them 106-91 in Oklahoma City back on Nov. 11.

Russell Westbrook had 27 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and four steals in that game while Cleveland’s All-Star point guard had 20 points and five assists.

Kevin Durant scored 26 points to go with eight boards in that win. Serge Ibaka scored 14 and Kevin Martin had 16. Kendrick Perkins had a big game with 10 points.

The Thunder shot 54.8 percent from the field that night which is very concerning for the Cavaliers who have allowed 53.9 percent by their opponents in their last two games, which have both been losses.

Irving scored just 14 points in each of the Cavaliers’ last two games after averaging 35.7 points per game in the previous three which were all won by the Cavs.

The Thunder won their last game back on Thursday night at home vs. the Memphis Grizzlies on national television. Despite the win, Westbrook’s outburst was the only thing anyone wanted to talk about afterward.

All eyes will definitely be on the point guard matchup tonight to see how Westbrook plays following his outburst and if Irving can go odd and keep the Cavs in the game.

The Cavs have lost Anderson Varejao for the season which is a big blow to their team. They recently acquired Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby in a trade with the Grizzlies.

Cleveland comes in the game with the 27th ranked offense and 28th ranked defense. The Thunder are first in the league in offense and seventh in defense.

This is not a good matchup for Cleveland and they will certainly need a huge game from Irving to compete.

The game will tip-off at 7:30 p.m. EST tonight.

Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James will be eligible to opt out of his contract with the Miami Heat after next season. Teams are already starting to prepare for this by making sure they have max cap space available in the summer of 2014.

According to the Akron Beacon Journal, the Cleveland Cavaliers are one team that plans to have the cap space available in 2014 to go after a max player like LeBron.

Could LeBron possibly return to Cleveland in a little over one year? It sounds crazy at first but then again it sounds like something LeBron would maybe consider.

We know LeBron isn’t necessarily loyal to the team he plays for. That obviously isn’t the case because he already left Cleveland. We also know that LeBron wants to win as many titles as possible before he retires and he is willing to go to the team with the best chance to do so. That’s why he picked Miami a few summers ago.

After next season, Cleveland may be in a very good position to compete for a title if they were to add LeBron. Kyrie Irving will be entering his fourth season in the NBA that summer and he has already shown signs of becoming the elite point guard of the future.

The Cavaliers also have young building blocks like Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller on their roster right now. If just one of those players blossoms into a near All-Star caliber player then Cleveland could be a perfect landing spot for LeBron in 2014.

Isn’t there also a part of LeBron that has to want to make things right with his hometown again?

It would make sense for LeBron to stay in the Eastern Conference as well, which has been much weaker than the West for some time now. And when you look around the rest of the East now, there aren’t many young teams on the verge of becoming title contenders.

Of course it will probably be tough for a team like Cleveland to look more appetizing for LeBron than Miami in just two years. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh still aren’t that old yet and will likely be at near All-Star levels still in 2014.

But if they do start to drop off and the Heat are doing nothing more than filling out their roster with veteran minimum contracts over the next two years, that could change LeBron’s mind about his title hopes in Miami.

It will also be hard for LeBron to consider leaving if Miami wins another title or two before that summer. He’s probably not one to leave a team who has made it to the NBA Finals in four straight seasons and won a few championships.

LeBron will be still only 29 years old in 2014. If he stays in Miami for the final two years of his current contract, he won’t be signing another contract until he is 31. LeBron will definitely be one of the two best players in the league still at age 29 but by 31, maybe he will start to drop off. And signing a max contract at age 29 will mean he can probably get another max contract before his career is over, while waiting to sign a max contract at age 31 will mean it is likely his last.

Basically, LeBron might be able to maximize his NBA salary earnings by leaving Miami in 2014.

There is a lot of time between now and the summer of 2014 and a lot of things that could happen for LeBron. It’s never too early to start preparing for the future though and Cleveland will quickly forget how LeBron left them if he decides to come back home.

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Trade talks surrounding Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao have been gaining steam ever since he decided he was going to have a career year this season.

Varejao is leading the league in rebounding this year averaging 14.4 boards per game to go with 14.1 points and 3.4 assists.

The idea the Cavaliers have is trading the 30-year old veteran to a contender in need and capitalize on his sky rocketing trade value this season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have not come out and said anything about the possibilities of a Varejao trade but they are definitely the type of team that could be a major player with the assets they have.

The Thunder could package Kendrick Perkins along with Perry Jones III, Jeremy Lamb or Eric Maynor as well as a few of the three 2013 first round draft picks they possess.

As much as a Varejao trade makes sense for the Thunder, there is a very low chance of it happening.

If there is one thing we have learned about the Thunder, it’s that they stick to their guns. Right now, that means Kendrick Perkins.

Perkins basically shouldn’t be playing for the Thunder as far as statistics go. He’s one of the worst offensive big men in the league and defensively his impact is being lost as the Thunder’s small lineups perform just as well as when he’s on the floor.

But the impact Perkins makes as a leader and in the locker room is valued very much by the Thunder. That’s why he still plays so much and that’s why that’s not going to change any time soon.

The other part of this trade that makes it very unlikely is the Thunder’s hypothetical unloading of assets.

When the Thunder made the very tough decision to trade James Harden before the start of this season, it was partly made easier because they were now going to have all of these assets and be set for the next decade to form a contender year after year.

The Thunder didn’t trade Harden to get assets that they can flip into a 30-year old center having a career year this season. That’s just the truth and the Thunder aren’t going to abandon their plan anytime soon.

At the end of the day, Varejao just isn’t a big enough piece right now for the Thunder to pursue, especially when they are already happy with Perkins, as hard as that can be to believe.

There are newer rumors out there saying that if the Thunder are to consider making a trade this season, it would be for a bigger, younger name like Atlanta’s Josh Smith or even Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins. But both of those scenarios seem even more unlikely than Varejao right now since keeping either long-term would be near impossible for OKC.

It’s fun to think of trades that can help your team but the Thunder aren’t a team looking to overhaul anything right now. They have close to the best record in the league, the most efficient offense in the league and an improving defense nearing elite. That’s good enough for now and might even be good enough for a title this year.

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

One of the biggest trade targets this season is Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao. Varejao is playing the best basketball of his career, looking like an All-Star averaging 14.0 points and 14.9 rebounds per game so far this season.

But the Cavaliers aren’t winning and with Varejao playing this well, they may be interested in capitalizing on the high trade value Varejao now possesses and send him to a contender.

The Oklahoma City Thunder make sense as a possible destination for Varejao, although they haven’t come out and said they are interested or not yet.

The Cavs, sources say, want multiple young assets in return for the 30-year-old, who is averaging 14.3 points and 14.8 rebounds and possesses a very manageable contract that calls for Varejao to receive $9.1 million next season with a $9.8 million team option in 2014-15. The Thunder are the rare title contender also blessed with the sort of youth/stashed draft picks to appeal to Cleveland, but sources say OKC has shown little interest to date.

via ESPN.com

A potential trade between the Thunder and Cavaliers involving Varejao would have to include Thunder center Kendrick Perkins to match up the salaries. The Thunder then also have rookies Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones III who the Cavs might be interested in as well as multiple first round draft picks next year.

It would be the kind of move that would really help the Thunder this year and the next few. Part of the plan in trading James Harden before the start of the season was to ensure the Thunder could be a contender for the next decade by stockpiling young talent and draft picks.

Trading for Varejao like this would go against that philosophy somewhat.

But it is an opportunity that the Thunder definitely need to think about. OKC has the best record in the league right now and would definitely be the NBA title favorite if they could essentially swap Perkins for Varejao. They wouldn’t have to worry about the Lakers (not that they are right now anyway) and they would be better suited to match up with the Spurs, Heat, Clippers and Grizzlies.

Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Anderson Varejao has been playing the best basketball of his career this season. At age 30, he’s averaging career-highs in points (15.1) and rebounds per game (15.3).

The Cleveland Cavaliers are not winning games though. They are just 4-12 on the season so far and their best player, Kyrie Irving, has missed the last six games with an injury.

The Cavaliers are in a situation where they have to make a decision on what to do with Varejao, whose trade value is soaring through the roof right now.

Varejao has three years left on his contract and any team would love to have him so it would be hard for the Cavaliers to let him go. But with playoff berths seemingly a long way away, capitalizing on trading Varejao now might be a good idea.

One team that could use Varejao and offer Cleveland a good deal in exchange for him is the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Thunder would have to deal Kendrick Perkins in any package for Varejao and they also have young talented rookie in Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones III to include in a deal as well as three first round draft picks and Charlotte’s second-round draft pick next year. Maybe the Cavaliers can also throw in Daniel Gibson who is in the final year of his contract to sweeten the deal for OKC.

If the Cavaliers commit to the idea of trading Varejao, this would be a pretty good return for him. They already have young talent in Irving, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller. If they could add Lamb or Jones III and get some draft picks as well, that’s a decent haul.

The Thunder obviously wouldn’t say no to exchanging Perkins for Varejao no matter how much everyone in OKC loves Perkins. Varejao is a better defender especially in the pick-and-roll and can give a lot more offense as well without needing the ball.

The tough decision is whether the Thunder would also be willing to trade Jones III or Lamb or both as well. Part of the Thunder’s plan in trading James Harden this season was being ready to compete for a title for years to come and having young talent on the roster is a big part of that.

The Thunder could be in a tough spot if they have to give up Lamb in this potential trade and they also are unable to re-sign Kevin Martin after the season. After this year, the bench unit would take a major hit in terms of its scoring punch and the Thunder would have to find a way to replace that.

But acquiring Varejao would be just too good to pass up if it could be possible for the Thunder. The Thunder are already big time title contenders right now and Varejao would make them the favorites in the Western Conference for sure.

There would be an end to the stagnant offense from OKC’s starting five by exchanging Perkins for Varejao and the Thunder would likely turn into an absolute monster on both ends of the floor.

You can even imagine Varejao being a much better fit vs. the Miami Heat in a potential NBA Finals matchup. He’s so active on defense that the Thunder wouldn’t have to worry as much about the Heat’s small ball.

You can’t say this would guarantee the Thunder winning a title but it would be the closest they could get to that.

So the Thunder would get Varejao for this season and the next two. After that, it might be tough keeping him but at the age of 33 by that time, Varejao seems like the kind of guy who would take less money to stay in OKC especially if the Thunder have won a title or two by that time.

Right now the Thunder are saying they are not interested in making a trade this season. That makes sense since they have started the year off so great but if an opportunity like this presents itself, GM Sam Presti has proven he is willing to pull the trigger quickly on deals he likes.

Varejao has always been a player that would seemingly be a perfect fit with the Thunder. To think they may actually have a chance of acquiring him now during a time where he is playing so well is scary to think about.

Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

When Russell Westbrook gets hot, it sure is something else.

Westbrook made four straight 3-pointers in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 106-91 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday night and finished with 27 points and 10 assists.

Westbrook ended the third quarter with a heave from just inside halfcourt that struck backboard then through the net and the Thunder led 79-63.

Kevin Durant added 26 on the night to go with eight boards.

The Thunder were at their best with Kevin Martin on the floor outscoring Cleveland by 25 in his 30 minutes. Martin scored 16 in the game on 6-of-9 shooting to go with five boards and three assists.

The Thunder were over 50 percent from the field for the second straight game tonight shooting 54.8 percent while holding Cleveland to 41.0 percent. OKC turned the ball over 21 times but it didn’t matter once Westbrook got hot.

The marquee matchup tonight was the point guard one as Kyrie Irving in just his second year in the league showed why he was a No. 1 overall selection in the NBA Draft. He was cool as a veteran dropping 20 points and five assists in 34 minutes.

Irving and the Cavs got the best of the Thunder last year in their lone meeting at the Peake but that was not the case tonight.

Serge Ibaka continued his strong play with 14 points to go with seven boards and seven blocks. He missed both of his 3-point attempts from the corner as his progression with that shot is taking longer than some expected.

The Thunder are now 5-2 on the year, a fine record with the Pistons up next again tomorrow night.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder will look for their fourth straight win tonight as they host the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7 p.m. EST.

The Thunder most recently won both games of a back-to-back in Chicago on Thursday night then at home vs. the Detroit Pistons Friday night.

Kevin Durant has been steady this season averaging 22.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game but it has been the emergence of Serge Ibaka recently that has helped OKC the most.

Ibaka scored 20 or more points in consecutive games for the first time in his career Thursday and Friday night. He had 21 points and nine boards vs. the Bulls then a career-high 25 points and seven boards vs. Detroit.

Ibaka is shooting 56.3 percent from the field on the year. He has been the best on catch-and-shoots as the pick-and-roll man scoring 0.95 points per possession. He is shooting 50 percent on midrange jumpers and is shooting 72.7 percent on shots at the rim.

Russell Westbrook is off to a slow start for OKC and he will have the tough task of staying with second-year point guard Kyrie Irving tonight. Westbrook is shooting just 36.4 percent from the field this season but is averaging 7.7 assists per game while turning the rock over just 2.7 times.

Irving is off to a great start averaging 23.3 points and 6.5 assists per game. Irving is second in the league scoring 0.92 PPP on isolation plays and he is third in the league scoring 1.02 PPP on pick-and-roll plays.

The Cavaliers rely on the pick-and-roll for 26.18 percent of their offense and are 11th in the league scoring 0.87 PPP on those plays. The Thunder know their focus starts with Cleveland’s pick-and-roll but OKC is just 17th in the league so far defending the pick-and-roll.

Another key contributor for the Cavs is rookie Dion Waiters who has been a pleasant surprise starting alongside Irving, averaging 16.7 points per game and shooting 53.3 percent from downtown. Waiters has made 8-of-9 spot-up threes so far this season.

The Thunder have been great rebounding on the defensive end so far this season as they are 5th in the league in defensive rebound rate. Cleveland is 9th in the league in offensive rebound rate thanks mostly to Anderson Varejao who is averaging 14.0 rebounds per game this season with 4.6 of them coming on the offensive end.

Varejao is also one of the best pick-and-roll defenders in the league and the Cavs are 5th in the league defending the pick-and-roll so far this season. OKC gets most of their offense from the pick-and-roll but if they can find alternative ways to get offense vs. Cleveland, they should be in good shape since the Cavs are 29th overall allowing 0.97 PPP this year.

It’s no secret that the Thunder have one of the best home crowds in the NBA and they play their best basketball there. They’re shooting 49.7 percent at home compared to 43.3 percent on the road and their assists-to-turnover ratio 1.30 at home compared to 1.03 on the road.

OKC is favored tonight but the Cavs snuck up on them and beat them in a similar setting last season. The Thunder remember that meeting though and don’t want to let that happen again.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Cleveland Cavaliers Team Overview

The Cavaliers entered their second season post-LeBron James with a little more hope last year. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2011 NBA Draft, Kyrie Irving, emerged as one of the best young players in the league and went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award.

Irving averaged 18.5 points and 5.4 assists while shooting 40 percent from three. He played just 30.5 minutes per game in 51 games and had a 21.49 PER. The Cavaliers finished the season with a 21-45 record but their future looks bright with Irving.

The Cavaliers ended up with the No. 4 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft and surprised some by selecting Dion Waiters from Syracuse. Waiters didn’t even start in college but really saw his draft stock rise after the season in team workouts.

Cleveland then went all-in to move up in the draft and take Tyler Zeller from North Carolina later in the first round. The Cavs now have a nice young core of Irving, Waiters, Zeller and Tristan Thompson.

The Cavs also added Jon Leuer, Luke Harangody, Kelenna Azubuike and Jeremy Pargo in the offseason. They will be parting ways with Antawn Jamison, Anthony Parker, Manny Harris and Semih Erden.

Last year

The Oklahoma City Thunder played the Cavaliers once last season at home on March 9. The Cavs surprised a lot of people and beat the Thunder on their home floor 96-90 to snap the Thunder’s 14-game home winning streak.

Jamison led the Cavs with 21 points on 9-for-25 shooting. Irving had nine points and 12 assists in 31 minutes.

Kevin Durant had 23 points, eight assists and eight rebounds. Russell Westbrook had 19 points and James Harden 15.

The Cavs really outworked the Thunder on the glass claiming 21 offensive rebounds in the game and 11 more boards in total. That made up for the Cavs shooting 41.8 percent from the field. The Thunder also struggled from deep going just 6-for-24 with Durant 1-for-7.

The matchup

The Cavs only had the 28th best offense in the league in terms of points per possession last season while the Thunder defense was fifth best.

The Cavs have no real advantage vs. the Thunder defense but they were decent on isolation plays, 14th best in the league. Irving was their best isolation player scoring 1.03 PPP. Irving was below average scoring in the pick-and-roll however scoring 0.82 PPP.

Cleveland wasn’t much better on defense at 27th best in the league while the Thunder offense was second best. The Cavaliers were last against spot-up shooting and the pick-and-roll which should have made things pretty easy for the Thunder.

The Cavs were second best with their transition defense which would give them the advantage over the Thunder who was sixth best in the league on the fast break.

Next year

The Thunder and Cavaliers will play twice next season with their first meeting coming early in the season in Oklahoma City on Nov. 11. Then the Thunder will travel to Cleveland Feb. 2.

Cleveland should be improved next season but nothing drastic. They still won’t be expected to make the playoffs barring a tremendous leap by Irving. Irving had a cap on his minutes per game last season because of an injury he suffered in college and we’ll see how he handles more minutes next season.

There’s something about Cleveland that matched up well with the Thunder last season and players don’t forget that. There will be some confidence for the Cavaliers when they play the Thunder because of their win over them last season.

The key matchup will be at the point guard position and if Irving can outplay Westbrook, he could definitely give the Cavs a chance to upset the Thunder.

Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder might be interested in another free agent. According to Sam Amico of Fox Sports, the Thunder and Denver Nuggets have shown some interest in free agent point guard Lester Hudson.

Hudson played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies last season a combined total of 16 games and averaged 10.9 points per game and shot 25 percent from beyond the arc.

Hudson is 27 years old and point guard isn’t exactly a need for the Thunder right now seeing as they already have three on their roster in Russell Westbrook, Eric Maynor and Reggie Jackson.

Hudson showed some promise last season during a three game stretch in which he scored 23, 26 then 25 points for Cleveland including going 6-for-12 from three in one of those games. Hudson’s the kind of energy scorer from the guard position a lot of teams wouldn’t mind having on their roster.

The Thunder simply don’t have much need for anyone else and being that Hudson isn’t a big name, it feels unlikely that OKC will seriously consider going after him.

The Thunder have filled a 15-man roster for next season anyway. They are losing Derek Fisher, Nazr Mohammed and Royal Ivey from last year’s team and have so far replaced them with rookies Perry Jones and Hollis Thompson and free agent Hasheem Thabeet.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

The Dallas Mavericks may become the frontrunner to land Dwight Howard next summer if he is not traded to the Lakers or Nets and becomes a free agent instead, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

Howard has said before he would like to test free agency next summer making this point even more impactful for Dallas. Howard does not want to sign an extension with any team he is traded to but would be willing to re-sign if it is the Lakers or Nets.

Dallas owner Mark Cuban broke up a championship team a year ago in hopes of being able to lure Howard and Deron Williams to Dallas in the near future. Cuban struck out with Williams who signed an extension with the Nets this summer and now will focus all of his attention on Howard next summer if he is available.

Orlando Magic GM Rob Hennigan met with Howard Wednesday to discuss his future. Howard made it very clear he does not want to remain part of the Magic organization saying he would “never sign another contract with the Magic,” according to RealGM.

Howard said he would like to either be traded to the Lakers soon, traded to Brooklyn in January or simply become a free agent after the season ends.

The Magic certainly want to get something back for Howard and all his drama and would prefer to trade him. The potential trade with the Lakers would involve the Cleveland Cavaliers as a third team. The Houston Rockets have also still not given up on trying to trade for Howard.

The Lakers would send Andrew Bynum to Cleveland in the potential trade. Bynum was rumored to be meeting with the Lakers to discuss a contract extension for himself but his agent has since denied any such meeting. Bynum seems to have been left in the dark as far as trade talks have gone which may be an indicator of how far away a deal is to be being done.

If somehow Howard is not traded and remains with the Magic for all of next season then the Mavericks will really have a chance to sign him in the summer. But if Howard is dealt to either the Lakers or Nets, we can fully expect him to stay with that team beyond next season.

The Rockets destination would be the only other scenario for Howard to get traded too then still test free agency in the summer. GM Daryl Morey is very willing to risk trading for Howard and convincing him to stay past one season despite Howard being open about not wanting to play there.

Talks about who would be the favorite to sign Howard next summer may be a bad sign for him getting moved anytime soon. Orlando has said they aren’t necessarily in a hurry to trade Howard but everyone knows they’d love to rid themselves of Dwight’s drama as soon as possible.

Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

The Los Angeles Lakers have emerged as the frontrunner to trade for Dwight Howard this summer. But the Orlando Magic are in no rush to deal the All-Star center, according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard.

The Magic have stood their ground on trading Howard. They aren’t going to give him up for nothing and now maybe won’t give him up at all.

Sources told Broussard that the Magic may be willing to wait until after the season starts and all the way until the trading deadline in February before trading Howard. They are waiting for the best possible deal and their recent trade talks with the Lakers may be to try and get other teams to jump in with a better offer.

The potential trade between Orlando and the Lakers would also include the Cleveland Cavaliers as the third wheel. Howard would go to L.A., Andrew Bynum would go to Cleveland and the Magic would receive a slew of picks and some young prospects.

The most recent news surrounding that potential trade was Howard saying he does not plan on signing an extension no matter where he is next season. He wants to test free agency at least somewhat next summer but whichever team he ends up on will be able to offer him the longest contract worth the most money.

On paper, this deal still seems not quite as good as the potential package the Houston Rockets would be willing to send Orlando. Houston GM Daryl Morey has been going “all-in” to try and acquire Howard by stockpiling picks and first round draft picks from this year’s draft to try and entice the Magic to pull the trigger on a deal.

Houston is confident too that they would be able to convince Howard to stay with the team beyond next season.

The Rockets have signed this offseason two restricted free agents in Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik. They are paying each quite a bit of money but the signings of both shouldn’t impede their attempts to trade for Howard.

The fact of the matter is that the Magic still have plenty of time before deciding what they want to do with Howard and they intend to take that time. It’s a smart move as the landscape of the NBA and potential trade partners can change on a daily basis.

The Brooklyn Nets who first appeared to be the frontrunners for Howard this summer and were the team that Howard said he wanted to be traded to, would be back in the hunt if Howard is still on the Magic by Jan. 15, 2013.

When the Nets extended center Brook Lopez, who would have been an integral piece in a Howard trade, it meant they couldn’t trade Lopez until Jan. 15 of next season. Brooklyn had essentially moved on from trying to trade for Howard or maybe they knew Howard wasn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.

Orlando dragging out the Howard saga may seem like a bad idea and many people would like to see the Magic trade him and rid themselves of his drama but it may be smarter for them to hold out for the best possible deal, even if that means waiting until next February.

Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Oklahoma City Thunder free agent Nazr Mohammed will sign with the Chicago Bulls, according to a report by Peter Vecsey.

Mohammed was reportedly meeting with the Bulls and Brooklyn Nets and will now choose the Bulls.

The Thunder filled out their roster shortly after free agency officially started. They are letting go of Mohammed, Derek Fisher and Royal Ivey and replacing them with rookies Perry Jones and Hollis Thompson and also Hasheem Thabeet.

The Bulls signing Mohammed all but assures they will not match the Houston Rockets’ offer sheet they agreed to with Omer Asik for three years, $25.1 million.

The Rockets will not have signed restricted free agents Jeremy Lin and Asik this offseason to pretty heft contracts.

The No. 1 priority for Houston still is to trade for Dwight Howard. Having Lin and Asik on the books will give them less cap room but it shouldn’t impede their attempts to go after Howard. Lin and Asik at least will be something of a consolation if they do not get Howard.

The Los Angeles Lakers are still considered the frontrunner to trade for Howard. The rumored deal that could go down right now will include a third team in the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Andrew Bynum would be dealt to Cleveland although he has not been notified of this possibility and the Cavaliers would want Bynum to agree to extending with them beyond next season if they were to trade for him.

Howard will unlikely extend with anyone next season and instead plans to test free agency next summer. Whichever team he ends up with will be able to offer him the best contract to try and keep him however.

Thunder free agents Mohammed and Ivey have found new homes now this summer leaving just Fisher who is still in search of a new team. Fisher has also been rumored to have met with the Bulls and Nets as well as Dallas.

Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic are still working on a deal that would send Dwight Howard to L.A.

Howard, who previously said the Brooklyn Nets was the only team he would extend with beyond next season, is now committed to an extension with the Lakers as well, according to Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.

The potential trade between the Lakers and Magic would more than likely have to involve a third team. Right now the team trying to be the third wheel in a Howard deal is the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In the potential trade between these three teams, the Cavaliers would receive Bynum and the Magic would get Anderson Varejao and multiple draft picks.

Howard going to the Lakers has really always been the move that made the most sense for him. If he wants a ring, given the current landscape of the league and potential destinations for him, the Lakers are the right spot.

There were some rumors that Howard would not want to go to the Lakers because he would be the second-fiddle to Kobe Bryant but that doesn’t look to be the case anymore.

After acquiring Steve Nash earlier this month, the Lakers could possibly be considered title favorites with Nash, Kobe, Howard and Pau Gasol.

Howard’s health is still a concern though and he might not be ready to play by the start of next season. That isn’t the end of the world for the Lakers if he goes there but he’d definitely have to get to 100 percent for them to compete for a title with him.

Howard sent direct messages on Twitter a few days ago describing how he can barely walk right now and Orlando is not being totally forthright about his injury.

The Lakers are ready to make this trade and the Cavaliers probably are too and would love to team Bynum up with their young core of Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson.

Orlando is likely the team that will be last to say “yes” on this. The Houston Rockets still consider themselves very much in the mix to trade for Howard and still could muster up a better package of young players and picks to send the Magic.

Orlando has said before too that they are not in any hurry to get a deal done soon. So while the Lakers may be anxious to finalize this soon, we may have to wait a little longer before we see where Howard will end up.

The Knicks were believed all along to be planning to match the offer sheet Jeremy Lin signed with the Houston Rockets for three years, $25 million but now trading for Felton makes it seem like the Knicks will pass on Lin.

The Knicks would incur some pretty steep luxury tax penalties if they were to match Houston’s offer for Lin but many believe the value of Lin in New York and his effect on ticket/jersey sales would be able to make up for it.

Lin played in 35 games for the Knicks this season and averaged 14.6 points and 6.2 assists per game. Felton played for the Knicks in the 2010-11 season and averaged 17.1 points and 9.0 assists per game.

The deal between New York and Portland will also involve the Knicks sending Jared Jeffries and Dan Gadzuric to the Blazers for Kurt Thomas along with Felton. Felton will be set to make around $10 million over the next three years with New York.

The Knicks could still potentially match Houston’s offer for Lin but after also trading for Jason Kidd this offseason, acquiring a third point guard in Lin doesn’t seem to make much sense.

The Rockets will be happy to get Lin although their main priority is still Dwight Howard. Lin thrived in the pick-and-roll under Mike D’Antoni and Houston is a system that loves their point guards in the pick-and-roll with Kyle Lowry and Goran Dragic doing so well in it last year.

The latest rumors on Howard’s potential movement now involve a 3-team trade between Orlando, Cleveland and the Lakers that would send Howard to L.A. and Andrew Bynum to Cleveland.

Although now that deal looks to not be happening either, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports.

The Magic would make out of the deal with a package of picks and prospects, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. This potential deal is very far from being done but does seem the most likely trade Howard would accept.

It is unlikely that any team would be able to offer a greater package of picks and prospects than Houston though.

Howard trade rumors are different every few days but many still believe the Lakers have the best chance of getting him like they’ve done so many times before with the NBA’s best centers.

A 3-way trade has been proposed between the Magic, Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers that would involve 10 different players.

• Brooklyn would receive Howard, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark.
• Orlando would receive Brook Lopez, Damion James, Sheldon Williams, three first round picks and Luke Walton from Cleveland.
• Cleveland would receive Quentin Richardson, Sundiata Gaines, Kris Humphries, a first round pick and $3 million cash from Brooklyn.

The Nets are also looking to add another first round pick in the trade to send to Orlando by trading MarShon Brooks.

This deal does not look any more appetizing for the Magic than some of the previous deals they reportedly were not interested in.

This proposed deal feels a little similar to when the New York Knicks were said to be the frontrunner for Steve Nash and then he suddenly ended up being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Maybe the Lakers swoop in again out of nowhere to add another superstar?

The Lakers still want to trade Andrew Bynum to the Magic in a deal for Howard but the Magic are hesitant since Bynum has not said he would re-sign with Orlando following the 2012-13 season.

Orlando would be able to offer Bynum a 5-year, $100 million deal next summer which would be tough for him to turn down.

Source w/knowledge of situation says Nets & Magic have exchanged medical records for Dwight Howard & Brook Lopez (via @RicBucher)

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 9, 2012

The Cavaliers can help facilitate the trade by taking on Kris Humphries in a sign-and-trade as well as possibly MarShon Brooks. The Magic would receive Brook Lopez along with three first round draft picks.

The deal for Orlando does not seem much better than the ones rumored between them and the Nets earlier that the Magic were not interested in. However, it is rumored that this deal could be done by the end of the day today.

Brooklyn would suffer harsh luxury tax penalties over the next four seasons if they do get Howard. The penalties could amount to over $100 million in four years but they still seem determined to get Howard.

“You can talk about the new (luxury) tax all you want, but if the Lakers get Nash and the Nets get Howard, then what did the new CBA accomplish?” one GM told ESPN. “You have to realize part of long-term planning is making sure you don’t help create teams you can’t beat.”

The Nets are not limiting themselves to Cleveland as the third wheel in a Howard trade and are shopping Humphries around the rest of the league as well.

The Magic agreed to another trade yesterday sending last year’s Most Improved Player, Ryan Anderson, to New Orleans in a sign-and-trade for Gustavo Ayon. Anderson will receive a 4-year, $36 million deal.

Anderson benefited greatly from playing alongside Howard as a spot-up four getting a ton of open looks from three. We will see if he can still be effective in a different landscape without Howard.

The Hornets are happy to get a good rebounder and shooter to put alongside No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis for next season.

The Chicago Bulls also made moves yesterday bringing back Kirk Hinrich to a 2-year, $6 million deal. The Bulls now have to decide if they will match Houston’s 3-year, $25 million offer sheet for Omer Asik.

Derrick Rose may not be recovered from his torn ACL until well after next season has started for Chicago. The Bulls are likely parting ways with C.J. Watson so signing Hinrich here is a big move for them.

July 11 is the first day that free agents can officially sign. Teams will have three days to match offer sheets their restricted free agents signed elsewhere.

Jeremy Lin, Eric Gordon and Roy Hibbert are three of the biggest named restricted free agents that signed offer sheets with other teams. All three are expected to have those offers matched by their former teams.

Here are draft grades for every team:

New Orleans Hornets
No. 1 overall – Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
No. 10 overall – Austin Rivers, G, Duke
No. 46 overall – Darius Miller, G/F, Kentucky

The Hornets really couldn’t go wrong possessing the first overall pick in the draft and chance to take Anthony Davis. Davis has a chance to be a franchise changer and playing alongside Eric Gordon in New Orleans is a good start. The Hornets took Rivers 10th overall which is what they wanted to do. The Hornets believe Rivers can play some point for them although he is a scoring guard at heart. Gordon is a good playmaker himself though so the two may be able to share ball handling duties a la Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry. The Darius Miller pick is nice too. He is an athlete that could make it in the NBA and was a teammate of Davis’ at Kentucky.

Grade: A+

Oklahoma City Thunder
No. 28 overall – Perry Jones, III, F, Baylor

To win a championship, sometimes it takes a little luck. The Thunder got the steal of the 2012 NBA Draft with the No. 28 pick. Perry Jones III we knew was going to fall because of concerns mainly surrounding his knee but sliding this far to a franchise that is perfect for him just seems unfair to the rest of the league. It was a Spurs-like snag for OKC and they know it already. Jones III has lottery talent and top-5 pick potential. One knock on him is that he never really stepped up and dominated and was more of a supporting role type of mindset and player. Well, come on down to OKC that sounds just fine!

Grade: A+

Charlotte Bobcats
No. 2 overall – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
No. 31 overall – Jeffrey Taylor, G/F, Vanderbilt

The Bobcats were supposed to either trade the No. 2 pick or take Thomas Robinson if they couldn’t. Instead, they shocked everyone selecting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist second overall. MKG is a player that will shine no matter where he plays, even in Charlotte. He has the potential to be the second best player in this draft class and it was a wise choice to make here by Michael Jordan. Jeffrey Taylor is a good pick too in the second round. Taylor was projected to go a little earlier in the draft and is a nice value find at 31.

Grade: A

Washington Wizards
No. 3 overall – Bradley Beal, SG, Florida
No. 32 overall – Tomas Satoransky, G, Czech Republic

The Wizards got the man they wanted at No. 3 but had to hold their breath and pray before doing so. As the Bobcats were shopping the No. 2 pick, any team that may have gotten it was probably going to take Bradley Beal second overall. The Wizards desperately wanted an elite shooter and wing to place alongside John Wall and they believe Beal is that guy. Beal measured just under 6-foot-5 so he’s not huge but he is physical and can do a lot of things on a basketball court. Tomas Satoranksy in the second round apparently is friends with Jan Vesely which makes that pick awesome too.

Grade: A

Sacramento Kings
No. 5 overall – Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

It was impossible not to fall in love with Thomas Robinson watching him break down after being selected fifth overall by the Kings. He won over a lot of fans with that reaction. Robinson is touted as one of the surest things at the top of this draft. The Kings wanted him bad too at No. 5, more than anybody else. Sacramento was going to pull off a trade with this pick with Houston if Robinson was off the board but obviously that didn’t happen. Robinson and DeMarcus Cousins are going to be able to get a lot of rebounds playing together.

Grade: A

Detroit Pistons
No. 9 overall – Andre Drummond, PF/C, Connecticut
No. 39 overall – Khris Middleton, SF, Texas A&M

The Pistons are extremely happy that Andre Drummond fell to them. Before the draft, they were hoping for this but planning to settle on John Henson. Drummond has as much upside as anyone in this draft. There are questions surrounding him but he is very young. It was the right pick here for Detroit without question. Khris Middleton isn’t someone that jumps out as a great pick here but at No. 39, there’s not a lot to expect.

Grade: A

Milwaukee Bucks
No. 14 overall – John Henson, PF, North Carolina
No. 42 overall – Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

The Bucks were pretty happy to see John Henson at No. 14 especially after trading down from 12 with Houston. Henson is the kind of guy Milwaukee wanted and someone who will block a lot of shots and grab some rebounds but really needs to put on some weight first. Doron Lamb is another player they were happy to see at No. 42. He could have gone in the first round and is an irrational confidence guy who can shoot and play some D too.

Grade: B+

Cleveland Cavaliers
No. 4 overall – Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
No. 17 overall – Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

It wasn’t a huge shocker that Cleveland took Dion Waiters No. 4. They were planning on possibly doing so and after being unable to trade up to No. 2 and take Beal, Waiters was the next guy on their list, probably just ahead of Harrison Barnes. It wasn’t an overly popular pick but Waiters has an NBA-ready body and next to Kyrie Irving should do well. With Tyler Zeller sliding in the draft, the Cavaliers pulled the trigger on a trade with Dallas to get to No. 17 and take the North Carolina center. They gave up three picks for Zeller so they must really like him. Now with a core of Irving, Waiters, Thompson and Zeller, Cleveland’s future looks kind of alright.

Grade: B

Portland Trailblazers
No. 6 overall – Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
No. 11 overall – Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
No. 40 overall – Will Barton, SG, Memphis

Before the Draft, Portland was intent on keeping their 6th and 11th picks and they also loved Damian Lillard. Six may sound high for Lillard but Portland did something smart: picking their favorite guy and not caring where they did it. They then filled a need at 11 with Meyers Leonard, the center from Illinois. Portland was projected in some mocks to take Andre Drummond and either Austin Rivers or Jeremy Lamb. That sounds a little better than what they ended up with. They get Will Barton at No. 40 which is another solid value pick as he was projected late-first by many.

Grade: B

Golden State Warriors
No. 7 overall – Harrison Barnes, G/F, North Carolina
No. 30 overall – Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt
No. 35 overall – Draymond Green, F, Michigan State
No. 52 overall – Ognjen Kuzmic, C, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Despite his overall disappointing feeling, many still feel Harrison Barnes can be an All-Star in the NBA. Getting him at No. 7 was a pretty solid pick for the Warriors, who are starting new next year post-Monta Ellis and with Andrew Bogut. Festus Ezeli with the last pick of the first round is understandable too and he is a high-character guy who will work hard for them. Draymond Green is another good pick to get in the second round. The Warriors didn’t have a flashy draft but they made some value picks and that’s always a good strategy.

Grade: B

Houston Rockets
No. 12 overall – Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
No. 16 overall – Royce White, F, Iowa State
No. 18 overall – Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky

The Rockets were stockpiling draft picks with one thing on their mind: Dwight Howard. That hasn’t happened yet and now feels like it won’t. They were hoping to move up to No. 5 to take Andre Drummond but since Thomas Robinson fell to the Kings there, they weren’t trading that pick. The Rockets will settle for three pretty solid players starting with Jeremy Lamb at No. 12 who has a lot of pro potential as a scorer. When they took Royce White at No. 16, you knew they weren’t trading their picks anymore. White has gotten a lot of buzz this draft as a more athletic Boris Diaw who plays a little like Charles Barkley too. Terrence Jones two picks later is another talented forward that can do a variety of things. You always feel players Daryl Morey drafts are guys who can find a spot in the NBA. The Rockets just had bigger sights for this draft than this.

Grade: B

Phoenix Suns
No. 13 overall – Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

It’s just about official now that Steve Nash is on his way out in Phoenix. Kendall Marshall is their point guard of the future. Marshall was one of the best assists men in college the past two seasons and has drawn comparisons to Mark Jackson and Andre Miller so yeah, he’s not quick. He’s fun to play with and will make the players around him better. They like that in Phoenix.

Grade: B

Chicago Bulls
No. 29 overall – Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

The Bulls were either going backup point here or combo-guard shooter. Marquis Teague is a talented player with this pick and someone who may be able to play alongside Derrick Rose some. It’s nothing special for the Bulls but a good pick nonetheless. Bulls fans were dying for Perry Jones III to slip one more pick into their laps.

Grade: B

Toronto Raptors
No. 8 overall – Terrence Ross, SG, Washington
No. 37 overall – Quincy Acy, PF, Baylor
No. 56 overall – Tomislav Zubcic, PF, Croatia

The Raptors would have loved to see Harrison Barnes fall one more pick into their laps. They would have loved even more to move up and snag Dion Waiters. They settle for Terrence Ross who can do things that will make him have a solid NBA career: shoot threes and defend. Quincy Acy in Round 2 could be a Reggie Evans type which is something this franchise has experience with. Tomislav Zubcic will not come over right away. If Toronto gets Steve Nash, a lot of their problems will appear solved.

Grade: C+

Orlando Magic
No. 19 overall – Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure
No. 49 overall – Kyle O’Quinn, C, Norfolk State

The Magic are in a weird situation and have been ever since Dwight Howard started pouting. Howard ran their head coach and GM out of town and still wants out himself. He hasn’t gotten it yet but it’s really only a matter of time. Orlando’s picks of Andrew Nicholson and Kyle O’Quinn may have been logical, but they won’t make their fans feel better yet

Grade: C+

Boston Celtics
No. 21 overall – Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
No. 22 overall – Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
No. 51 overall – Kris Joseph, SF, Syracuse

We knew Jared Sullinger would drop, we just didn’t know how far. The Celtics are in a rebuilding stage now and looking to bulk up their front court with Sullinger and Fab Melo. The Celtics were hoping for Royce White here or to trade up and take Doc Rivers’ son Austin Rivers in the lottery. The best case scenario for Kris Joseph (taken No. 51 overall) is Gary Forbes, according to DraftExpress.

Grade: C+

Philadelphia 76ers
No. 15 overall – Maurice Harkless, SF, St. John’s
No. 27 overall – Arnett Moultrie, PF/C, Mississippi State

Philadelphia fans are not happy with the decision to take Maurice “don’t call me Moe” Harkless 15th overall. When you draft a guy who plays the same position as your best player at No. 15, it never feels like it makes sense. Harkless came out after just one year at St. John’s and is said to have some pro potential but he’s nothing special. The 76ers traded up with Miami to get Arnett Moultrie at No. 27. It’s just another lateral move here for Philly. Their fans want more than that.

Grade: C

Denver Nuggets
No. 20 overall – Evan Fournier, SG, France
No. 38 overall – Quincy Miller, G/F, Baylor
No. 50 overall – Izzet Turkyilmaz, PF, Turkey

The Nuggets surprisingly went with Evan Fournier at No. 20 despite some talent sitting on the board. Fournier will not come over to the NBA next season but was the highest rated international prospect of the draft. The Nuggets clearly weren’t looking to try and strike gold with late first round picks this year. They’ve already accomplished that with Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried. Their pick at No. 38 felt a little better. Some fans wanted Quincy Miller with the 20th pick so getting him this late is a win in that sense. Miller is young with a ton of potential but has the usual question marks. Denver went with another international product late in the second round that we won’t see in the NBA right away.

Grade: C

Atlanta Hawks
No. 23 overall – John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
No. 43 overall – Mike Scott, F, Virginia

Nothing special here for Atlanta. John Jenkins could be decent but he won’t turn any heads. He can really shoot it though and might get some run for the Hawks where Josh Smith is on the way out. It would have been great if Atlanta had decided to draft Marquis Teague here and run an all-Teague backcourt with his brother Jeff. Love the Mike Scott pick.

Grade: C

Dallas Mavericks
No. 24 overall – Jared Cunningham, G, Oregon State
No. 33 overall – Bernard James, C, Florida State
No. 34 overall – Jae Crowder, F, Marquette

It doesn’t seem like Dallas was trying to do a ton in this draft. They dealt their 17th overall pick to Cleveland probably because there was no one they were in love with. They got three picks back for it and didn’t do anything crazy with them. One of the cooler moments in the draft though was Bernard James having his name called and walking to the podium. The crowd started chanting “U-S-A” because James served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dallas’ main priority this offseason is wooing Deron Williams and/or Dwight Howard.

Grade: C

Memphis Grizzlies
No. 25 overall – Tony Wroten, Jr., PG, Washington

The Grizzlies wanted a point guard and a lot of mocks had them going with Marquis Teague but they choose Tony Wroten, Jr. instead. Jay Bilas calls Wroten, Jr. a taller Rajon Rondo. That means he’s a good passer and can’t shoot a lick. Maybe it’s what Memphis needs and there is some upside there.

Grade: C

Utah Jazz
No. 47 overall – Kevin Murphy, SG, Tennessee Tech

Utah has enough young players from the last few drafts that they didn’t care too much about this year. Kevin Murphy is the only player from this draft to score 50 or more points in game last year in college. Why not?

Grade: C

Miami Heat
No. 45 overall – Justin Hamilton, C, LSU

Miami could have had Perry Jones III at No. 27 and it would have been just as scary as OKC getting him if not more so. They just didn’t want to have to pay a first rounder this year. Their cap space will be tight the next few seasons. They trade down here and get a 7-footer which they need. Something tells me we won’t see a ton of Justin Hamilton playing for the defending champs.

Grade: C

San Antonio Spurs
No. 59 overall – Marcus Denmon, G, Missouri

The Spurs drafted him so he’ll be an All-Star in four years. Marcus Denmon feels a little Patty Mills/James Anderson. The Spurs probably aren’t expecting too much from Denmon though.

Grade: C

New York Knicks
No. 48 overall – Kostas Papanikolaou, F, Greece

Not doing anything here. The home crowd really loved this pick at least.

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Clippers
No. 53 overall – Furkan Aldemir, PF, Turkey

Love this pick. He may never play in the NBA but he is a great rebounder and can only score on putbacks, according to Fran Fraschilla. What’s not to love?

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Lakers
No. 55 overall – Darius Johnson-Odom, SG, Marquette
No. 60 overall – Robert Sacre, C, Gonzaga

Darius Johnson-Odom plays the wrong sport. He’d be an awesome football player and used that to his advantage in college for Marquette. He will look a lot smaller in the NBA. If Robert Sacre is playing for the Lakers next season, it won’t be a good thing.

Grade: C-

Brooklyn Nets
No. 41 overall – Tyshawn Taylor, PG, Kansas
No. 54 overall – Tornike Shengelia, PF, Georgia
No. 57 overall – Ilkan Karaman, PF, Turkey

Brooklyn not trying to go crazy here. They are just praying for Deron Williams and Dwight Howard to hookup in their new city. Tyshawn Taylor might make it as a backup point in this league but nothing more. Tornike Shengelia goes by “Toko” and is a 6-foot-9 scorer who is good at attacking and can score around the rim well but has no jumper. Ilkan Karamen has a ton of tattoos and may “never play in the NBA” according to Fran Fraschilla.

Grade: C-

Minnesota Timberwolves
No. 58 overall – Robbie Hummel, SF, Purdue

Kevin Love, Chase Budinger and now Robbie Hummel. Good luck rest of league.

Grade: C-

Indiana Pacers
No. 26 overall – Miles Plumlee, PF, Duke
No. 36 overall – Orlando Johnson, SG, UCSB

This may have been the worst draft pick ever, worse than Sam Bowie. With names like Perry Jones III, Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli on the board, Indiana elects to take the worst Plumlee brother, Miles. If they weren’t Indiana and known for their white hoopsters, this would be an even worse pick. It’s still so horrible though words can’t describe it. There’s nothing that could make this pick ever make sense. They get Orlando Johnson from UCSB in the second round who was a 20-point scorer last year and might do something for them.

Grade: F

• The Boston Celtics have expressed interest in moving up into the lottery. The Celtics have the 21st and 22nd picks in the first round. Their number one target is reportedly Duke guard Austin Rivers, son of Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.
• The New Orleans Hornets also have Rivers atop their list for the No. 10 pick. This means that Boston would have to try and move into the top nine to take Rivers. The only teams who could conceivably move out of the top 10 are the Sacramento Kings or the Golden State Warriors although neither seems likely.
• Kings and Rockets trade talks for the No. 5 pick have intensified. The Rockets are looking to get the fifth pick to take Andre Drummond. Sacramento doesn’t seem to be sold on any player to draft except for Thomas Robinson. Once Robinson is drafted, if it is before No. 5, the Kings will likely pull the trigger on trading the fifth pick to Houston for a few of their first round picks and Kyle Lowry.
• The Charlotte Bobcats who have been shopping their No. 2 overall pick for awhile now have reportedly narrowed down the candidates to the Cavaliers and Rockets. The Rockets number one mission is to get pieces to send Orlando’s way for Dwight Howard. The Cavs have the 4th and 24th pick in the first round and any deal for the No. 2 pick with Charlotte would include both of those.
• This means the Thunder are 99% not trading James Harden. It never felt like it was really going to happen anyway.
• The player most teams seem to want to get at No. 2 is Bradley Beal, unless the pick stays with Charlotte in which case they’d likely pick Thomas Robinson. Beal will not drop past Washington at No. 3.
• If Beal is off the board at No. 3, the Wizards would still likely look for a shooter as opposed to picking Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. They went into the draft many believed having Harrison Barnes high on their board and would also possibly take Dion Waiters instead of MKG.
• The Portland Trailblazers really want Damian Lillard. They have the 6th and 11th overall picks. They have heard that Lillard will not be available at 11 so they may have to take him at 6.
• The Detroit Pistons will reportedly select John Henson at No. 9 if he is there. Drummond may drop to No. 9 but if he doesn’t, Detroit is probably going with Henson.
• The Thunder aren’t necessarily looking to pick a player at No. 28 that will play next year. That means they could be leaning toward Evan Fournier from France and also now Kostas Papanikolaou of Greece.

The only certainty about tonight so far is that Anthony Davis will be the No. 1 overall draft choice. After that just about every team is open to trades involving their picks.

• The Houston Rockets have been making the most moves so far. They have acquired the 12th, 16th and 18th picks in the first round. Their ultimate goal is to somehow trade with Orlando for Dwight Howard. The first step towards getting Howard to Houston is trading with the Kings first. The Rockets first offered Sacramento Kyle Lowry and two of their first rounders for Tyreke Evans and the 5th overall pick. The Kings turned down that offer.
• The Kings aren’t sold on any prospect yet at No. 5. They are hoping that Thomas Robinson could fall to that spot although that is pretty unlikely. Robinson is currently projected No. 2 overall to the Bobcats but the Bobcats reportedly have five offers on the table for that pick. The Kings were earlier rumored to have been eyeing Harrison Barnes with the fifth pick but now are possibly thinking Andre Drummond instead.
• The Bobcats have been shopping their No. 2 overall pick for awhile now. We first heard of them targeting James Harden for the pick. The Thunder have expressed interest in Bradley Beal but would have to part ways with Harden to move high up enough to draft him making that very unlikely.
• The Timberwolves have reportedly offered Charlotte Derrick Williams – last year’s No. 2 overall pick – for this year’s No. 2 overall pick. Williams wasn’t terrible this season but the idea of possibly pairing Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio alongside Beal or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is enticing.
• The most likely deal to be made with Charlotte for the No. 2 pick would involve Cleveland and their No. 4 and No. 24 picks in the first round. The Cavs would most likely want to move up to jump Washington so they can pick Beal but it has been reported that Cleveland is considering Dion Waiters with the No. 4 pick as well.
• Waiters has been shooting up draft boards a ton these past few weeks. Now the Toronto Raptors are also interested in moving up to pick Waiters. Toronto has the No. 8 pick and has been projected to select a shooting guard with that pick from day one. If Waiters is not there for them, they could choose between Austin Rivers and Jeremy Lamb with the pick.
• Kidd-Gilchrist is considered by a lot of experts to have the second most potential of any player in this draft behind Davis. The Bobcats have showed little interest in him and he has been rumored to potentially slide as far down as No. 5 for Sacramento.
• The Los Angeles Lakers have put Pau Gasol on the market the past few days and have expressed some interest in MKG as well.
• The Atlanta Hawks are interested in dealing Josh Smith for Gasol but the Lakers haven’t shown much interest in that yet.
• Drummond is another prospect with tons of potential but also considered a risk. He could go in the top five or drop as low as nine. The Rockets would like to use some of their picks to move up to No. 7 if Drummond is there and trade with the Warriors.
• The Warriors are looking for a player to be an immediate impact. It would be hard to consider anyone other than Davis as an immediate impact player in this draft but if Barnes slips, the Warriors could try and move up to draft him.
• The Portland Trailblazers have two lottery picks at No. 6 and No. 11 and they intend to use both as opposed to packaging the two to move into the top five.
• The Boston Celtics would like to move into the lottery. They currently have the No. 21 and No. 22 picks in the first round. They were rumored also to have promised Royce White that they would draft him at that time if he is still available.

This is just the tip of the ice berg so far today in terms of NBA Draft rumors. We are just over five hours until the draft will begin and there will surely be plenty more stories developing until that time.

Soobum-Im-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder have found themselves in a tough spot. Being down 0-2 in an NBA Playoff series is not a good place to be.

In the history of the NBA, only 14 teams have comeback from a 0-2 deficit to win a playoff series. Three times it happened in the NBA Finals, three times it happened in the Conference Finals and three times it happened in a 5-game series.

The Thunder will have to do just that against the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals if they don’t want their season to end.

The problem is that the Spurs are playing like the best team in the NBA right now. They’ve won 20-straight games, which is tied for the third most ever in the NBA, and haven’t lost since April 11.

But it has happened before and if there is one thing you can say about the Thunder it is that they never give up and stop fighting.

How do teams come back from a 0-2 deficit? What usually happens?

The Thunder can look at a couple of teams that may show them a possible blue print.

2007 ECF: Cavaliers beat the Pistons 4-2

LeBron James and Cleveland lose the first two games 79-76 each time in Detroit. Those weren’t fun games to watch.

Then LeBron makes the leap. He has the memorable 48-point game five and it feels like the NBA will never be the same because LeBron is becoming the most unstoppable force ever.

The Cavaliers would lose to the Spurs in the NBA Finals but LeBron gave us a glimpse of just how talented he could become.

Kevin Durant has a chance to do exactly what LeBron did in 2007 in this series. It’s time for him to step up and have a huge playoff series. Only once in his career has he averaged more than 30 per game in a playoff series.

Durant may need to suddenly jump to another level of greatness for the Thunder to win.

2006 Finals: Heat beat Mavericks 4-2

Dallas proves why they are a much better team than Miami in Games 1 and 2 then Dwyane Wade and the referees take over the rest of the series.

Wade shoots 739 free throws in the final four games of the series and puts up historic NBA Finals numbers.

The Thunder are a team with a ton of bogus-foul calls potential. Couldn’t you see Durant, Westbrook and Harden start flailing their bodies into the Spurs over the next four games and getting every call?

Doesn’t David Stern and the NBA want to see LeBron vs. Durant in the Finals? Let’s make this happen.

1993 ECF: Bulls beat Knicks 4-2

The Thunder are reminiscent in many ways of the late-80’s, early-90’s Chicago Bulls teams. They may not have a Michael Jordan but overall they look comparable from time to time.

The Bulls lost the first two games on the road to the Knicks in this 1993 series. Those games were physical and the Bulls were not in their usual rhythm until they returned home and showed why the more talented team won the series.

The Thunder and Spurs games haven’t been especially physical but the Thunder have been out of rhythm so far in the series and haven’t been playing to their potential yet.

There is a ton of potential for this series to look a lot different when it gets to OKC on Thursday and that could propel a Thunder comeback.

Conclusion

It is possible but very unlikely for an NBA team to come back from a 0-2 deficit in a playoff series. It is even harder when you are playing a team as good as the Spurs.

But if you were going to pick a team to do this wouldn’t it be a team like this Thunder team? A team on the rise who shows tons of potential but not all the time? A team with the best player in this series who is on the verge of “making the leap?”

There’s still hope.

Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST on ESPN before Game 2 between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.

Anthony Davis will be mentioned a few times tonight.

Davis is the coveted, without question number one pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and tonight we will all find out where he will be headed.

The Charlotte Bobcats had the worst record in the NBA this season, the worst winning percentage in a season ever and are rewarded with a 25 percent chance of landing the number one pick and Davis.

The next few teams with the best chance of snagging Davis are the Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Hornets.

The Bobcats are by no means guaranteed winning the top pick. Since the lottery began in 1985, only four times has the team with the worst record in the league won the first pick with the last time being in 2004 when the Orlando Magic ended up with Dwight Howard.

While most of the attention will be surrounding the first overall pick, there are a few other important storylines to not overlook especially with this draft being considered such a deep one.

The Brooklyn Nets acquired Gerald Wallace this year trading away their first round pick which is top-3 protected. That pick has a 7.5 percent chance of being the number one selection but it is more likely Portland will end up with two lottery picks.

The Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors are also both very interested in tonight’s results. The Warriors had the seventh worst record this season and if they fall with a top-7 pick in the lottery, they will keep that pick. If not, Utah gets it and after making the playoffs this year with a promising young core, it could really be a huge pick for them.

If you want to see a simulation of how the lottery might unfold, head on over to ESPN’s Lottery Mock Draft machine.

Irving is expected to be named the 2011-12 Rookie of the Year early this week. Irving played in 51 games this season and averaged 18.5 points and 5.4 assists per game. He only played 30.5 minutes per game and was very efficient shooting .469 from the field and .399 from three.

It was a solid rookie class this season but Irving had little competition for this award.

Ricky Rubio was the talk of the league at the beginning of the season but he leveled out after a great start and then went down with a season-ending injury.

Kenneth Faried and Isaiah Thomas came on strong late but their resumes weren’t as impressive as Irving’s.

Irving will become the first Cleveland Cavaliers player to win the award since LeBron James.

The Cavaliers finished the season with a 21-45 record, third worst in the Eastern Conference. With a deep draft coming up the Cavaliers will have a chance to pair Irving up with another lottery pick.