LaMelo Ball, a candidate to be the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, reportedly met virtually with New York and Golden State earlier in the year and had an in-person visit with the Timberwolves this week. He’s also expected to meet with the Hornets, Bulls, and Warriors (again) next week.
While Ball has been getting familiar with the teams at the very top of the draft, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer said during an appearance on Sports Radio WFNZ this week that he has heard from multiple sources that Ball “is not performing very well at job interviews.”
“He is not improving his perception via job interview,” Bonnell said, per Dan Feldman of NBC Sports. “There are people drafting later in the top ten who were not preparing for the possibility of Ball still being around. And I’m not saying that he will not be a top-three pick. I am saying that I know for a fact that there are teams later in the top ten who are doing more research on him, because they no longer think it’s a given he will.”
With the 2020 NBA draft less than three weeks away, we’re knee-deep in smokescreen season, so it’s difficult to know how seriously to take reports like these. Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic dug into the “art of subterfuge” in a new article, noting that the Timberwolves and Warriors – both of whom are said to be interested in trading down – are taking different approaches during the pre-draft process.
While Golden State has been rumored to have real interest in over a half-dozen prospects, Minnesota has been very tight-lipped about the No. 1 pick. In each case, teams that might be interested in trading up haven’t been able to get a clear sense of whether or not the Wolves or Warriors will take the player they want.
Here’s more on the draft:
- NBA scouts and executives weren’t allowed to be in the gym for the televised Pro Day for Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Maxey on Thursday, as Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. A source tells Berman that some agents were unhappy with the setup, feeling as if it was “unwarranted exposure” for Rich Paul‘s clients. The Knicks were among the teams watching the event on TV, Berman adds.
- Former Georgetown big man Omer Yurtseven has had virtual meetings with 19 teams, he told Keith Smith of RealGM. However, he’s disappointed he hasn’t got a chance to conduct in-person workouts for all those clubs. “It’s been tough to not be able to work out directly for teams,” Yurtseven said. “I’ve spent a lot of time working on my lateral quickness. I know I needed to be quicker to play in the NBA. I worked on that a lot and can’t wait to show teams.”
- Eamonn Brennan of The Athletic identifies five prospects he thinks are sleepers in the 2020 draft, including Kansas center Udoka Azubuike, Michigan State guard Cassius Winston, and Charleston guard Grant Riller.
The GSW has been according to all these experts to pick 6 different draft prospects. So what they are saying nobody knows. Just like the Wolves who will either pick anyone or trade the draft pick. What I am more surprised about is none of the team 3 or below in picking is not making offers to move up to #1 or #2 spot.
What makes you think they aren’t trying to make a trade? It makes sense for Minn and GSW to wait.
Charlotte couldn’t be more obvious trying to put poison on Ball so he drops and they can take him. This red herring smells fishy to me. Ball will easily go at number 1 because he is one of the most talented on the board.
Charlotte doesn’t want Ball, they want Wiseman. If anything, this poison is being put out by Minnesota or Golden State to force the Hornets to trade up for Wiseman.
Great point…not. Charlotte clearly wants Ball, and the fanbase is speaking up via local media channels. Too bad they’ll be out of luck (Ball is going early, like Cinderella…get it?). Not sure what they are trading to get him either, Terry Rozier? When you wake up from your dream you can leave an actual comment.
Lol you’re smart
I hope you enjoy the 6th grade. I remember it being a lot of fun.
Maybe if you were focused on learning instead of having fun you’d have something intelligent go say. I’ll wait…
I’m intelligent enough to not fall for your trolling. Have a nice day.
I think “little_dunker_45” miss spelt their name. Shouldn’t it be “little_drunker_45”?
I think 45 is missing a source attribution. Not even sure what the “fanbase is speaking up” about.
You’re just trying to poison hiflew so he drops and you can take him
All top-8 draft pick teams plan to make trade but nobody makes offers
In February deadline Knicks offer young talents in Smith and Knox etc to Warriors for DLo and did not attach picks
Now it should be the same？
I doubt it, sorry.
Knicks never made offer. When will ever just read the facts not opinions or rumors. Technology today has facts available to all of us. If Knicks were smart. Which last hierarchy were not. They would have signed Russell as a FA. Definitely blew that one.
Per this article Knicks are interested in both Edwards and Maxey？
What’s your point?
He has no point .
As others have said, the GSW will do whatever they can to motivate other teams to make them an offer. The local scribes feel that GSW sees more value in trading down to 8-12 and getting a wing and additional picks than using the #2. If they can’t get a good offer, they’ll simply take Wiseman and then focus on signing FA’s for the bench.
Has anyone seen nbadraft.net lately? What is that garbage?? Wiseman going #9 overall? Uh, no.
Sounds about right, dude is ridiculously overrated.
Sounds like he is going #1 overall
Ball and the hype, drama. Is not for everyone. He is not valued by all teams. This has been out there for the longest. If you actually watch him. He plays no D. He has grown has good size for a guard. But he’s still not thick yet. He will get pushed around. That sometimes stunts growth as player. He is not a PG at best a combo guard. He does have upside. But I would not waste a top 10 pick on him. Only Hornets might take him. Considering they need any hype they can get. Plus need a guard. No way they pass on Wiseman if he’s still on board. I actually believe Hornets could trade with Minny to get Wiseman. Wiseman instantly upgrades team and future. If Hornets don’t take Ball he could slide to 7. I doubt Pistons pass on him. I pray he’s not there at 8. Cause then there will be plenty pressure for Knicks to take him. At 8 Toppin, Okongwu, Halliburton, Okoro, Hayes, Vassell. I take all of them ahead of Ball, in that order.
Agree with most of your observations. I suspect that GSW may end up doing something with either Charlotte or the Knicks depending on what the Wolves do at the top.
Where have you seen him? There’s only highlight or workout tapes.
Sorry, meant to say Atlanta and not Charlotte.
I am not a Rich Paul fan at all, but I don’t want to hear about other agents complaining about what he does. He is doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing, getting his clients exposure. They are just jealous because he is better at his job than they are at theirs.
What possible purpose does it serve to lock out NBA scouts from a public workout?
You can control what they see and what they don’t.
As of now, I have Azubuike at 25, Riller at 37, and Winston at 44…so pretty much all in that same range. Not sure what “sleeper” is referring to in that situation. As I’ve said, I think there are similarities and small differences through the 45thish pick
*35
I think you are too high on Azubuike. ESPN and CBS both have him in the late 50s/early 60s range. Of course those rankings are arbitrary, but then again so are everyone’s. I think he could be a decent rotational big man in the NBA if he lands in the right place, but hes not a good enough prospect for the early 2nd.
I feel like a lot of good bigs will be mostly off the board by then, and he would fit Sacramento at that spot, although, especially in the 2nd round, chances are boards get blown up with all the trades or how the board may have gone earlier.
LaMelo’s online interviews probably consist of his dad yelling answers from just off screen
“… some agents were unhappy with the setup, feeling as if it was “unwarranted exposure” for Rich Paul‘s clients.”
Agents yuck. Why can’t we have more of these, and with more advance notice!