NBA Rumors Round-Up

NBA Rumors: Jabari Parker Undecided on Future

Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Updated15 Oct 2021

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Jabari Parker Still Undecided

Duke freshman star Jabari Parker said Friday he still hasn’t decided whether he will enter the NBA draft and will meet with coach Mike Krzyzewski next week to discuss his situation.

“It’s a very tough decision, especially potentially leaving behind my coach and the program that really helped me out this year, so I really have to keep them in consideration in this whole process,” Parker said Friday on ESPNLA 710. “My parents, they come from different backgrounds. They don’t even value money. My situation isn’t the best, but they’re not complaining and I’ve been going on this long so why can’t I wait another year? That’s the mindset in my head that keeps me moving.”

via ESPN

Jabari Parker, one of the best players in college last season, is still deciding whether he will return to Duke for his sophomore season or make the jump to the NBA. After Mercer upset Duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Parker said his college career was “incomplete.”

Parker, along with Doug McDermott of Creighton, told ESPNLA 710 in a radio interview that they would be happy to play for the Los Angeles Lakers if selected by the franchise.

“We come from the midwest where our weather is kind of terrible, so being here would be a blessing,” Parker said. “You don’t have any excuse not to work out at any time of day. It would be a very great opportunity.”

While Parker is unsure of what he will decide, money will not be a major factor, as Parker stated. He averaged 19.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and shot 50.3 percent from the field this season. Parker plans to meet with Krzyzewski soon to discuss the situation and come to a final decision before next week’s Tuesday deadline. If Parker does declare for the draft, he could potentially be taken first overall. Earlier this week, there was a rumor that Parker had applied for sophomore housing at Duke, but he refuted that report on SportsNation saying “that’s a lie.”

If Parker returns to Duke, he will join a star-studded incoming class of recruits, including Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, Justise Winslow and Grayson Allen. Jones, who has been writing a Team USA diary, recently wrote that he’s looking forward to playing with Parker in the fall, which has some people thinking that Parker is leaning toward returning to college for his sophomore season.

Fred Hoiberg Gets Salary Increase

Fred Hoiberg is getting a raise.

The Iowa State men’s basketball coach agreed to new terms with the school this week that will raise his annual compensation through the life of his contract to $2.6 million, the school announced Friday.

“I’d love to end my career here,” Hoiberg said in a phone interview with the Ames Tribune. “I’ve got something special in Ames. My kids get to see their grandparents every day if they want to and that’s stuff you can’t replace. To look up in the crowd (during games) and there’s my parents, my in-laws, my brother, my sister-in-law, my other brother drives over from Omaha a lot, just to have that family support, you can’t replace that.”

via Travis Hines of the Ames Tribune

Freid Hoiberg has experienced a great deal of success at Iowa State, especially this past season, going 28-8 and advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. The NBA has taken notice and rumors have recently connected Hoiberg to teams like the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves among others. Hoiberg played 10 seasons in the NBA, two of which were with the Timberwolves, and in 2006 he joined the Timberwolves front office.

It sounds like Hoiberg is content staying at Iowa State, so there’s no guarantee that he’ll be jumping to the NBA. Hoiberg’s buyout price remains the same despite the bump-up in salary. If he takes a coaching position with another college program, he will owe Iowa State $2 million. If he moves to the NBA, he will owe the university $500,000.

It’s interesting that Iowa State did not insist on raising Hoiberg’s buyout rate to go to the NBA considering the recent speculation and the university’s decision to increase his salary. Given the relatively low buyout number, expect rumors connecting Hoiberg to vacant coaching positions in the NBA to continue.

Knicks to Offer Odom a Contract This Season?

The New York Knicks have expressed interest in signing veteran free agent Lamar Odom, according to sources close to the situation.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Knicks, at the behest of new team president Phil Jackson, have been looking into the possibility of signing Odom since the 34-year-old’s short stint playing in Spain ended and are weighing whether to go through with adding the Queens native to their roster before the regular season ends.

via Marc Stein of ESPN

Last week, it was reported by the New York Post that New York Knicks team president Phil Jackson met with Lamar Odom at halftime during the recent Knicks-Nets game. It was unclear at the time whether the meeting was personal or an initial step toward signing Odom.

This latest report from ESPN indicates that Jackson is interested in finding out how much Odom has left in the tank and whether he can be a piece for next year’s roster. According to Stein, the Knicks may offer a contract with a team option for next year to allow the Knicks to work with Odom during the offseason. This shows that the Knicks want Odom to prove throughout the offseason that he is focused and worth keeping on for next season.

While Odom’s best days are behind him, he is still an intriguing player when engaged. This potential acquisition suggests that Jackson will look to implement the Triangle Offense next season, the system that Odom played in during the best years of his career.