2020 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wolves’ Gupta On Draft: “We’re Ready To Pick”

October 28th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A week ago, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas acknowledged that the 2020 draft class features no clear-cut top choice. However, it sounds like the team is comfortable with its options. On a Wednesday conference call with reporters, including Chris Hine of The Star Tribune, executive VP Sachin Gupta said the Wolves are prepared to make the first overall selection.

“We feel pretty good about where we’re at. We’re ready to pick,” Gupta said. “There is still information flowing in from different prospects. The NBA is doing a great job trying to salvage the draft combine process and pre-draft process. … But we feel really good about where we’re at the at the top of the draft and are ready to pick if we have to.”

As Gupta alluded to, teams still have a few weeks to conduct up to a total of 10 private, in-person workouts with prospects, and those sessions may influence draft-day decisions. Still, it sounds as if the Wolves have a pretty good sense of which player they’ll draft first overall if they keep the pick. Trading out of No. 1 also remains a possibility, according to Gupta.

“We’re having conversations and by those conversations, we’ll get a better sense of what (the No. 1 pick is) worth,” he said. “Those conversations are happening and will continue to happen, and we’re wide open. But I know we’re very happy picking at the top, but certainly teams are inquiring and we’ll get back to them.”

Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball have been identified most frequently as presumed Minnesota targets at No. 1, though there’s no guarantee the team will opt for one of those two guards. The Wolves have been keeping their cards close to the vest, and this year feels a little like 2013, when four or five prospects were still in play for the No. 1 pick leading up to draft day. We’ll find out in three weeks what the club ultimately decides.

Hornets Reportedly Willing To Trade Up For James Wiseman

October 28th, 2020 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hornets are targeting former Memphis center James Wiseman in the draft and are willing to trade up to make sure they get him, two sources told Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Bonnell says the sources are with rival teams that hold top-10 picks.

Charlotte has an obvious need at center, with Cody Zeller as the only big man currently under contract for 2020/21. Bismack Biyombo and Willy Hernangomez are both free agents, and none of the three was able to seize the starting job last season.

The 7’1″ Wiseman is expected to be the top center off the board in the November 18 draft, with scouts raving about his combination of size and athleticism. Bonnell notes that the Hornets were last in the league in defensive rebounding percentage and are looking for a reliable rim protector. Wiseman averaged three blocks per game in his brief time at Memphis.

“High-ranking Charlotte decision-makers” recently watched Wiseman work out, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv.

Charlotte holds the No. 3 pick, behind the Timberwolves and Warriors, who also have interest in Wiseman, according to a report from Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Both teams appear willing to deal their picks, so there might be an opportunity for the Hornets. Bonnell notes that Charlotte can also offer the 32nd selection this year, along with future picks, and has plenty of young talent with six players on its roster who were in their first or second NBA season.

One of the sources told Bonnell that Georgia guard Anthony Edwards is the Hornets’ backup plan if they can’t move up to get Wiseman. Edwards would also fill a need, Bonnell observes, as Charlotte moved Terry Rozier to shooting guard last season after Dwayne Bacon fell out of the rotation. Charlotte owner Michael Jordan was seen last week at one of Edwards’ workouts.

Central Notes: Pistons Draft, Bucks Moves, Bulls Draft

October 27th, 2020 at 6:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons can be reasonably certain about five prospects who won’t drop to them at the No. 7 overall pick, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. From the way the draft is shaping up, Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball, Obi Toppin and Deni Avdija — in no particular order — will be off the board. The player that Detroit drafts could be predicated by which player goes at the No. 6 pick, which the Hawks currently own. Although the Pistons are open to trading up or down, those deals are difficult to pull off for teams picking in the middle of the lottery, Langlois adds.

We have more from the Central Division:

While Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s decision on whether to sign an extension looms over the Bucks franchise, Milwaukee has several other issues to ponder this offseason and it seeks ways to advance deeper into the playoffs. The Athletic’s Danny Leroux takes a look at the team’s cap and roster situation and concludes that the front office will be seeking depth players and young talent in free agency and potential trades. Retaining Wesley Matthews, who is likely to decline his $2.69MM option, is another priority, Leroux adds.
Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas should try his best to trade down in the draft, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago opines. With Edwards, Wiseman and Ball likely to go in the first three picks, the Bulls are in a pivotal position at No. 4. If another team covets a player at that spot, they could pick up another asset or two in a trade. With the likelihood of having 12 guaranteed contracts along with decisions to make on three restricted free agents, Chicago also has roster issues to consider, Johnson adds.
Toppin appears to be high on the Cavaliers’ draft board. Get the details here.

Bulls Notes: Draft, Vassell, Young, Satoransky

October 27th, 2020 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls are likely targeting a “lead play-maker” with their lottery pick in this year’s draft, league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

With the No. 4 pick, Chicago probably won’t have a chance to select LaMelo Ball — O’Connor does have Ball going to the Bulls in his latest mock draft, but the younger brother of Lonzo Ball is widely expected to be a top-three selection.

If Ball is off the board, there still should be a number of intriguing alternatives in play for the Bulls. Killian Hayes, who spent last season playing for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany, is O’Connor top-ranked prospect in this year’s class and would be a viable option at No. 4. Former Iowa State standout Tyrese Haliburton is also considered a very creative play-maker with strong vision, as O’Connor writes.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Taking into account that Ball, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman are considered the most likely players to be drafted in the top three, Sam Smith of Bulls.com explores whether any of those prospects figure to be available for the Bulls at No. 4 — and whether the team should select them if they are.
Focusing on the top wing prospects in the draft rather than the backcourt play-makers, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic considers whether trading down and selecting Florida State sharpshooter Devin Vassell might be the right play for the Bulls.
A year after signing with the Bulls as free agents, Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky stand out as possible trade candidates, given the club’s roster construction, Mayberry writes in a separate story for The Athletic. While Mayberry thinks the two veterans could be good fits for the rotation under new head coach Billy Donovan, he notes that the new-look front office hasn’t been shy about transforming the coaching staff and might take a similar approach with the non-core pieces on the roster.

Hawks Shopping No. 6 Pick, Will Push For Playoffs In 2021

October 27th, 2020 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks are shopping the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 draft and intend to make a push for the postseason in 2020/21, multiple league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

The report doesn’t come as a surprise. Multiple Hawks players and franchise leaders have talked in recent months about a strong desire to make the playoffs next season, while previous reports have indicated they’d be open to moving their lottery pick.

In Monday’s edition of his Lowe Post podcast, ESPN’s Zach Lowe made a similar point, telling colleague Bobby Marks that the Hawks are “yearning” to earn a postseason berth in 2021 and suggesting that – as a result – the team will be more open to win-now moves this fall.

While the Hawks are apparently open to trading down or out of the draft, they don’t necessarily have to move that No. 6 pick in order to upgrade their roster. The club projects to have between $40-45MM in cap room when free agency opens, which will likely be more than any other team has available.

General manager Travis Schlenk told reporters in the spring that the Hawks may be more “assertive” in free agency this year than they have been in recent offseasons. Since Schlenk’s arrival, Atlanta has mostly made signings in the second or third wave of free agency, looking to identify bargains once the top players are off the board. However, the Hawks are expected to be more aggressive this time around, according to O’Connor, who says the organization wants to “capitalize on Trae Young‘s emergence.”

That cap room will also give the Hawks plenty of options on the trade market, especially if the No. 6 pick is on the table. The team has frequently used its cap space in recent years to take on unwanted contracts in order to acquire extra draft assets, but figures to tweak that approach this year — Schlenk will likely be targeting productive veterans in any trade talks, rather than mere salary-dump candidates.

Atlantic Notes: Bullock, Harris, Richardson, Horford, Raptors

October 26th, 2020 at 6:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks guard Reggie Bullock has a team-friendly, non-guaranteed $4.2MM contract for next season and there are good reasons to retain him, including his friendship with Chris Paul, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.

Bullock provides a veteran presence along with his reputation for being a 3-and-D wing. New York would still take a cap hit of $1MM if it doesn’t guarantee Bullock’s contract prior to free agency. Bullock’s close friendship with Paul, a potential trade target for his former agent and current Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose, also works in his favor.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Nets can’t afford to let wing Joe Harris in free agency, Mike Mazzeo of Forbes.com opines. The Nets own Harris’ Bird rights, so they can make him a substantial offer even if it pushes them deeper into luxury tax territory. If they let him walk, they’d only have the taxpayers’ mid-level exception to replace him. Brooklyn is expected to have competition for Harris’ services with estimates that it would need to offer Harris a $15MM starting salary to retain him.
Josh Richardson and Al Horford will be traded this offseason, The Athletic duo of Rich Hofmann and Derek Bodner project in an examination of the Sixers‘ roster. In other predictions, they believe young defensive stalwart Matisse Thybulle could be added a trade sweetener in a deal involving Richardson or Horford, while Alec Burks will leave in free agency.
San Diego State guard Malachi Flynn and Kansas guard Devon Dotson worked out for the Raptors on Sunday, Marc Spears of ESPN’s The Undefeated tweets. Colorado forward Tyler Bey also worked out for Toronto, Alex Kennedy of Basketball News tweets. In ESPN’s ranking of best available prospects, Bey is slotted at No. 28 with Dotson at No. 33 and Flynn at No. 38. The Raptors own the No. 29 pick.

Cavaliers To Work Out Obi Toppin

October 26th, 2020 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers will send a contingent to New Jersey this week to conduct a private, in-person workout with former Dayton forward Obi Toppin, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. According to Fedor, the Cavs intend to dine with Toppin as part of the visit to get to know him better.

General manager Koby Altman, assistant GM Mike Gansey, and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff will be part of Cleveland’s traveling party as the team takes a closer look at Toppin and other top prospects this week, Fedor writes. It’s not yet clear which other players the group will be visiting, but Isaac Okoro, Onyeka Okongwu, James Wiseman, and Deni Avdija are among the other players the Cavs have done plenty of homework on, per Fedor.

While some teams may not take advantage of the change to the pre-draft rules that allows clubs to conduct up to a total of 10 in-person workouts prior to next month’s draft, the Cavs view it as a “vital part of the process,” according to Fedor, who notes that in-person visits played important roles when the team drafted Collin Sexton in 2018 and Darius Garland in 2019.

Fedor has reiterated throughout the pre-draft process that Toppin is very much in play for the Cavs, who hold the No. 5 pick in the 2020 draft. The former Flyer is already 22 years old and there are some concerns about his defense, as well as where he fits into a crowded Cleveland frontcourt. However, Fedor says that some members of the organization think the roster could use another long-term frontcourt piece, with Tristan Thompson facing free agency and Andre Drummond on an expiring deal. Additionally, Toppin’s defensive shortcomings aren’t considered a deal-breaker.

“It’s certainly not a strength, but is he a liability on that end? I won’t go that far,” one source told Fedor.

Draft Notes: Okongwu, Stewart, Woodard, Bane

October 25th, 2020 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

He’s unlikely to be the first center taken in next month’s draft, but USC’s Onyeka Okongwu believes he can become the best big man in the 2020 class, writes Mike Schmitz of ESPN. Most mock drafts have former Memphis center James Wiseman going in the top three with Okongwu slotted a few picks later. The former Trojan has confidence in what he can offer an NBA team.

“I feel like I’m higher than all of them,” Okongwu said. “I just do all the little things well. I just play basketball. I know how to win. … I just want to be impactful and have an essential role in helping a team win.”

Okongwu was USC’s best player in his lone season at the school, averaging 16.2 points and 8.6 rebounds in 28 games. He also had a true shooting percentage over 65% and ranked 10th in the NCAA in player efficiency. His defensive versatility, particularly his ability to disrupt the pick-and-roll, should translate well to the next level.

“It’s natural,” Okongwu said. “My AAU coach used to tell me, ‘You can have a bad day on offense but never a bad day on defense.’ When he told me that, it always stuck with me the rest of my life and now it shows.”

There’s more draft news to pass along:

Washington’s Isaiah Stewart considers himself “the biggest sleeper in the draft,” according to Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype. Stewart has slid in draft projections since the start of last season and is now considered a late first-rounder. He believes the disrupted pre-draft process, including the lack of a traditional draft combine, cost him an opportunity to show teams what he can do. “People forgot who I am,” Stewart said. “I’m not sure if it’s because we had a losing season or not. But these guys that they have in the draft over me are guys I’ve been beating my whole life.”
In a separate story, Mississippi State’s Robert Woodard tells Kalbrosky he’s been getting feedback from NBA teams that puts him in a range between the 25th and 40th pick. “A lot of teams are pretty interested in my game,” Woodard said. “It’s just a matter of being able to prove myself, whether it be through the virtual combine or otherwise. … I want to prove myself and establish who I am for the teams because a lot of teams are very interested in me, but they just don’t know my full potential yet.”
TCU’s Desmond Bane will have met with all 30 NBA teams by the end of the month and is making an impression with his character and work ethic, notes CJ Moore of The Athletic. The 22-year-old is among the oldest players in the draft and brings a cerebral approach to the game.

Knicks Notes: Childs, Toppin, Hayes, Draft Preparation

October 24th, 2020 at 6:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks recently interviewed BYU’s Yoeli Childs and could have interest in the power forward/center as a second-round pick, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. New York has talked to several prospects in that range, Begley adds, but Childs should be considered part of the group receiving consideration for the team’s selection at No. 38.

Childs has been reportedly been impressive during interviews with teams that own picks in upper half of the second round. He averaged 22.2 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Cougars during his senior season and was a finalist for the Karl Malone Award, which recognizes the best power forward in college basketball. Childs is also a threat from beyond the arc, hitting 48.9% of his 3-point attempts last season.

There’s more from New York City:

Alex Smith of SNY.tv examines the pros and cons for the Knicks of selecting Dayton forward Obi Toppin if he falls to the eighth slot. Toppin was the NCAA’s best player last season, averaging 20.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and winning the Naismith Trophy. He’s athletic at 6’9″, loves to drive to the basket and as a Brooklyn native, he would be a fan favorite at Madison Square Garden. However, he doesn’t fill the team’s top priority, which is finding a point guard, and there might not be a clear position for him in the NBA.
French point guard Killian Hayes goes to the Knicks in the latest mock draft from Brian Lewis of The New York Post. A report earlier this week listed Hayes as the second point guard on New York’s draft board, behind only LaMelo Ball. Lewis has Ball going to Minnesota with the No. 1 pick.
With three selections, the Knicks face difficult choices about which players to see in person, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. The Timberwolves and Warriors have indicated that their picks might be available in trade, so New York needs to be well versed in all the top prospects in case the club gets an opportunity to move up. But there are also plenty of players to study for choices at No. 27 and 38. Without a traditional draft combine this year, the league is allowing teams to watch players in person from October 16 to November 16.

Eastern Notes: Raptors’ Home, Hornets, Hayes, Maxey

October 23rd, 2020 at 7:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Despite travel restriction and protocols due to the pandemic, the Raptors remain hopeful they’ll play in Toronto next season, Josh Lewenberg of TSN tweets. The organization has discussed several contingency options but it is not interested in moving games to Louisville, refuting a report earlier this week.

We have more from around the Eastern Conference:

The league’s Board of Governors is pondering a Christmas-time start to next season and that could benefit the Hornets, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. The free agency period would be sped up and Charlotte, which will be significantly below the cap, could make bargain signings and acquire future assets while providing trade partners relief by taking on cumbersome contracts. The Hornets, who weren’t invited to the restart, would also like to get next season started sooner rather than later, Bonnell adds.
Killian Hayes might be a great fit for the Pistons with their lottery pick, Matt Babcock of BabcockHoops.com tells Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. The overseas prospect is ranked No. 9 by ESPN and Detroit has the No. 7 pick but Hayes would fill a need at the point. “I think he’s a guy that could end up being sort of a lead playmaker, primary ball-handler and somewhat of a dynamic player,” Babcock told Sankofa.
The Sixers own the No. 21 pick and Kentucky combo guard Tyrese Maxey could develop into a rotation player if he slips to that spot, according to Derek Bodner of The Athletic. Maxey projects as a jack-of-all-trades type of player but needs to develop his shot to be a factor. The shooting guard is currently ranked No. 15 by ESPN.