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Western Draft Rumors: Rockets, Sheppard, Spurs, Castle, Nuggets, More

June 19th, 2024 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Both Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report and Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN.com (Insider link) have Reed Sheppard going to the Rockets at No. 3 in their most recent mock drafts. According to ESPN’s duo, Houston has shown “serious interest” in the former Kentucky guard, with both the front office and team ownership intrigued by his potential fit as a shooter and play-maker in the team’s rotation.

While that pick continues to be viewed as one that could get traded, the minimal perceived difference between No. 3 and picks latter in the lottery will make it difficult for the Rockets to get good value for it, Wasserman writes. But if a team does move up to No. 3 to nab a different player – perhaps Donovan Clingan – Sheppard shouldn’t fall much further than that, says Woo. The Spurs, who hold the No. 4 pick, are also believed to have interest in the former Wildcat, as are the Hornets at No. 6.

Here are some more draft notes and rumors from around the Western Conference:

According to Givony, Zaccharie Risacher and Sheppard looked like the Spurs‘ top two targets, but if they’re both picked in the top three, San Antonio may target a pair of guards at No. 4 and No. 8. Both ESPN and Bleacher Report have UConn’s Stephon Castle going to the Spurs fourth overall.
Sources tell Wasserman that the Spurs are also high on Providence guard Devin Carter, who has recently worked out for the Kings and Bulls. According to Woo, Carter has been one of the “hottest names on the workout circuit” and some teams now think he’ll be drafted in the top 10. Every team in the 8-to-11 range looks like a potential landing spot and there has been chatter suggesting a non-lottery team may try to trade up to land him, Woo adds.
Most teams are operating under the assumption that DaRon Holmes II has received a draft promise from the Nuggets, according to Givony, who says “several smoking guns” have pointed to Denver since the Dayton forward/center canceled multiple workouts and that it’s similar to what happened with Jalen Pickett a year ago. The Nuggets hold the No. 28 pick, though they might try to move back a few spots to draft Holmes for cap/tax reasons, Givony writes.
The Kings have explored trade options with the No. 13 pick in the draft, according to Woo. Sacramento’s 2025 first-rounder is owed to Atlanta, so while the Kings could agreed to a deal involving No. 13 on draft night, they’d have to select a player before officially moving it.
The Jazz, Trail Blazers, and Kings are among the teams that Purdue center Zach Edey has worked out for recently, and a visit to the Lakers may still be coming before draft night, says Givony.

Central Notes: Bulls Workout, Pistons, Vinson, Djurisic

June 18th, 2024 at 8:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls held a pre-draft workout on Monday that included Ron Holland, Terrence Shannon Jr, Ryan Dunn, Kyle Filipowski, Adem Bona and Justin Moore, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic tweets.

The Bulls hold the No. 11 pick in the first round with Holland ranking as a potential selection with that lottery pick, Mayberry notes. Holland, who played for the G League Ignite, is rated No. 11 on ESPN’s Best Available list.

Shannon, a high-scoring guard out of Illinois, was recently found not guilty on felony charges of first-degree rape and sexual aggravated battery in Kansas. He’s moved up to No. 26 on ESPN’s list and could continue to climb, making him another possible option for the Bulls.

We have more from the Central Division:

Could the No. 5 overall pick help the Pistons acquire Kyle Kuzma, Jerami Grant or a future first-rounder? Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press explores three potential trade scenarios that could produce one of those outcomes.
The addition of Fred Vinson, a renowned shooting coach, to the Pistons’ staff could signal what new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon plans to do this summer, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic. It’s logical that Vinson was brought in to help the young core with its shooting, rather than moving some of those players for veteran help. Edwards believes Detroit will use its ample cap space to bring in a few proven players via free agency to raise the team’s floor, while allowing young players like Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and its lottery pick to be rotation pieces.
Shooting guard Nikola Djurisic worked out for the Pacers on Tuesday but that wasn’t the first time he visited their practice facility, Zion Brown of the Indianapolis Star notes. Djurisic also worked out for Indiana last year before withdrawing from the draft. He’s currently ranked No. 48 by ESPN and could be a consideration with one of the Pacers’ three second-round picks. “Last year, I wasn’t mature,” Djurisic said. “This year, I’m still a kid in my head. I think I grew as a person and as a basketball player.”

Bulls Have Fielded Numerous Offers For Caruso

June 17th, 2024 at 7:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls have fielded numerous inquiries and proposals regarding guard Alex Caruso, says Will Gottlieb of AllCHGO.com. According to Gottlieb, Chicago was offered multiple protected first-round picks ahead of this year’s trade deadline, with the Warriors among the teams who made a strong offer for Caruso. One of those proposed deals included a 2024 pick that ended up being a top-10 selection, per Gottlieb.

However, the Bulls have thus far resisted moving Caruso, with ownership pushing the front office to continue competing for the postseason rather than undergoing a major rebuild. Caruso is extension-eligible this summer.

Eastern Notes: Cavaliers, Nets, Bulls, Dawkins

June 15th, 2024 at 1:18pm CST by Luke Adams

In a conversation this week on the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reiterated several points that they and other reporters have made in recent weeks, telling listeners that there’s optimism in Cleveland about a Donovan Mitchell extension, the Cavaliers aren’t looking to trade any of their four core players, and James Borrego and Kenny Atkinson look like the top candidates for the Cavs’ head coaching job.

Addressing Mitchell’s contract situation, Scotto notes that the star guard might sign a shorter-term maximum-salary contract that would set him up to get his next deal in 2027 once he has 10 years of NBA service under his belt and qualifies for a maximum salary worth 35% of the cap instead of 30%.

Mitchell isn’t the only Cavalier who could sign a big-money extension this offseason. Within a discussion about a potential rookie scale extension for Evan Mobley, Fedor predicts that the Cavs will put a maximum-salary offer on the table for the big man.

“He hasn’t played to that (max) level yet, but there’s so much belief in Evan as a person and him as a player inside this organization,” Fedor said. “… They understand that he’s already one of the elite defensive players in the NBA. That’s already where he’s at, and they believe he can get to a point offensively where he becomes the unicorn type of player they’ve talked about him being since he came into the NBA. I don’t think the Cavaliers are going to hesitate to offer him the max extension.”

Even if Mitchell and Mobley are extended, the Cavaliers would likely have to be “blown away” to consider moving Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, according to Fedor. While the Pelicans have been widely viewed as a potential trade partner Cleveland, Scotto says he doesn’t get the sense Cleveland is all that excited about the idea of trading for Brandon Ingram and then having to sign him to a lucrative new contract.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Despite not having any picks in the 2024 draft and no cap room this offseason, the Nets have several important decisions to make, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required), who examines Nic Claxton‘s free agency, Mikal Bridges‘ future, and the possibility of trading into the draft. According to Lewis, the Nets aren’t interested in acquiring a draft pick just to have one, but they figure to monitor specific targets and prepare to pounce if any of those targets drop past their expected draft range.
Given how many different directions the Bulls‘ offseason could take, there’s no shortage of prospects who might make sense for the team with the No. 11 pick in the draft, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley examines several of those options, including Ron Holland, Cody Williams, and Dalton Knecht. He also mentions center Donovan Clingan, citing a source who says the Bulls have discussed the possibility of trading up from No. 11.
Wizards general manager Will Dawkins spoke to Marc J. Spears of Andscape about being accused of shoplifting at a Saks Fifth Avenue in Miami last fall. Dawkins was briefly detained by a security guard and local police before they realized they had the wrong person. Saks issued a formal apology to Dawkins on Thursday.

Maurice Cheeks Joining Knicks As Assistant Coach

June 13th, 2024 at 6:53pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran Bulls assistant coach Maurice Cheeks is switching Eastern Conference franchises. He’s joining the Knicks as an assistant coach under head coach Tom Thibodeau, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter).

According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link), Cheeks had intended to step into more of an advisory position with Chicago before the Knicks opportunity emerged. Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets that Thibodeau and Cheeks are longtime friends.

Cheeks, a Hall of Fame point guard and 1983 champion with the Sixers, has served as the head coach of the Trail Blazers, Sixers, and Pistons. He has a 305-315 overall record in the regular season across those three head coaching stints, having made the playoffs in three of his nine seasons.

Since 2015, Cheeks has worked on the staffs of head coach Billy Donovan, first with the Thunder through 2020, and since with the Bulls.

Now, after two years of play-in tournament futility in Chicago, Cheeks will be joining Thibodeau on a New York club that seems poised to be an East contender for years to come, with plenty of draft assets and movable contracts with which it can conceivably improve its personnel.

During Thibodeau’s four seasons with the Knicks, New York has gone 175-143 in the regular season and 14-15 in the playoffs, reaching the second round twice. Thibodeau was named the 2020/21 Coach of the Year during his inaugural season leading the team. This year, beset by a growing injury report, New York fell in a seven-game conference semifinal series to the Pacers.

Central Notes: Pistons, Ham, Bucks, Cavaliers

June 10th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Reports that the Bulls, Trail Blazers and Grizzlies are all interested in moving up in the draft could create some trade options for the Pistons with the No. 5 pick, writes James L. Edwards of The Athletic. He explores potential deals with all three teams that would still leave Detroit with a first-round selection.

Edwards’ proposed trade with Chicago is a swap for No. 11 in this year’s draft, plus a top-four protected pick in 2027. That would allow the Pistons to pick up some future draft capital and still wind up with a prospect such as Colorado’s Cody Williams, G League wing Ron Holland or French forward Tidjane Salaun.

Edwards suggests helping Portland clear cap space by taking Jerami Grant, the No. 14 pick and possibly Matisse Thybulle in exchange for No. 5. That could speed up the Blazers’ rebuilding process by giving them two selections in this year’s top seven while saving them about $40MM next season.

With Memphis, Edwards proposes parting with the fifth pick in exchange for the ninth choice in this year’s draft and a top-four protected pick in 2025. That gives Detroit an extra selection in what’s projected to be a stronger draft next near, while Memphis has a better shot to land a center such as UConn’s Donovan Clingan.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Darvin Ham, who was fired by the Lakers last month after their first-round playoff loss, will rejoin the Bucks as the top assistant to Doc Rivers, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Before being hired by L.A., Ham spent four years in Milwaukee, where he built a reputation as one of the league’s top assistant coaches.
Eric Nehm of The Athletic kicks off a series of Bucks draft previews by looking at guards who could still be on the board at No. 23 and 33. Nehm profiles Pitt’s Carlton Carrington, Marquette’s Tyler Kolek, A.J. Johnson, who played in Australia this season, UC Santa Barbara’s Ajay Mitchell, Creighton’s Trey Alexander, Houston’s Jamal Shead, UConn’s Cam Spencer and Colorado’s KJ Simpson.
Speaking on the Wine and Gold podcast, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said he doesn’t expect Dan Hurley‘s decision on the Lakers‘ coaching job to impact the Cavaliers‘ search. Fedor considers James Borrego to be the current front-runner in Cleveland, and he speculates L.A. will turn to J.J. Redick if Hurley declines the team’s offer.

Hall of Famer Chet Walker Passes Away

June 8th, 2024 at 8:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Hall of Famer Chet Walker has died at age 84, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. His death was announced by the National Basketball Players Association.

Walker was a seven-time All-Star who played 13 NBA seasons from 1962-75.

After starring at Bradley University, he was selected by the Syracuse Nationals with the 14th pick in the 1962 draft and remained with the team when it moved to Philadelphia a year later and became the Sixers. He was the starting small forward on the 1966/67 team that won the championship and set a league record at the time with 68 regular season victories.

Walker was traded to the Bulls in 1969, and he finished his career with six seasons in Chicago. Earlier this year, he was among the first 13 members inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor.

Walker appeared in 1,032 games and compiled career averages of 18.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest. He was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Our condolences go out to Chet’s family and friends.

2024 NBA Draft Picks By Team

June 7th, 2024 at 6:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs and Trail Blazers were among the winners on last month’s draft lottery day, with the results on May 12 ensuring that both teams would have a pair of lottery picks in 2024. San Antonio received Toronto’s top-six protected first-rounder when it dropped to No. 8, while Portland was assured of receiving Golden State’s top-four protected first-rounder when it remained at No. 14. Both clubs’ own picks are in the top seven.

Besides being the only NBA teams to control two lottery picks this year, San Antonio and Portland have something else in common — they’re the only two clubs that own more than three total 2024 draft picks. In addition to No. 4 and No. 8, the Spurs have Nos. 35 and 48, while Portland has a pair of early second-rounders (Nos. 34 and 40) to go with its No. 7 and No. 14 picks.

Many of this year’s draft picks have changed hands at some point, with only 24 of 58 total selections held by their original owner, but they’re still a little more evenly distributed than usual. A year ago, 11 teams controlled three or more picks at this time, whereas this year only seven clubs hold more than two picks apiece.

In addition to those seven teams with three or more picks, 13 more clubs own a pair of draft selections, while another nine control one apiece. That leaves just a single NBA team without a draft pick this year: the Nets. Brooklyn traded both of its 2024 picks back in 2021, sending out its first-rounder in a package for James Harden and including its second-rounder later that year in a Sekou Doumbouya salary dump. The Nets could still trade into this draft, but for now they’re the only team on track to sit it out.

To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2024 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 58 selections by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…

Teams with more than two picks:

San Antonio Spurs (4): 4, 8, 35, 48
Portland Trail Blazers (4): 7, 14, 34, 40
Washington Wizards (3): 2, 26, 51
Memphis Grizzlies (3): 9, 39, 57
Utah Jazz (3): 10, 29, 32
New York Knicks (3): 24, 25, 38
Indiana Pacers (3): 36, 49, 50

Teams with two picks:

Houston Rockets: 3, 44
Detroit Pistons: 5, 53
Charlotte Hornets: 6, 42
Sacramento Kings: 13, 45
Miami Heat: 15, 43
Philadelphia 76ers: 16, 41
Los Angeles Lakers: 17, 55
Orlando Magic: 18, 47
Toronto Raptors: 19, 31
Milwaukee Bucks: 23, 33
Minnesota Timberwolves: 27, 37
Denver Nuggets: 28, 56
Boston Celtics: 30, 54

Teams with one pick:

Atlanta Hawks: 1
Chicago Bulls: 11
Oklahoma City Thunder: 12
Cleveland Cavaliers: 20
New Orleans Pelicans: 21
Phoenix Suns: 22
Los Angeles Clippers: 46
Golden State Warriors: 52
Dallas Mavericks: 58

Teams with no picks:

Brooklyn Nets

And-Ones: Poland, Sochan, M. James, J. Porter, More

June 7th, 2024 at 5:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Polish national team has formally announced a 17-man preliminary roster for next month’s Olympic qualifying tournament in Valencia, Spain (hat tip to Eurohoops). Poland will be grouped with Finland and the Bahamas in that tournament and will vie with Angola, Lebanon, and Spain for the right to compete in the 12-team men’s basketball tournament at the Olympics in Paris.

Poland’s roster doesn’t feature much NBA talent, but there is one player currently active in the league: Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan was named to the 17-man squad, which will be trimmed to 12 players for the qualifying tournament Sochan previously won a gold medal with Poland at an under-16 championship in 2019 and also represented the country at the EuroBasket 2022 qualifiers.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

On the heels of being named this season’s EuroLeague MVP, former NBA guard Mike James appears to be on the verge of signing a contract extension with AS Monaco. As Johnny Askounis relays for Eurohoops, a report from Gabriel Pantel-Jouve of BeBasket indicates that James and Monaco are set to complete a three-year deal that will increase the guard’s annual salary to three million Euros per season.
A total of four men have now been charged by federal prosecutors in the sports betting scandal related to Jontay Porter‘s lifetime ban from the NBA, reports Jennifer Peltz of The Associated Press. The defendants are being accused of profiting from prop bets based on the knowledge that Porter would exit a pair of games early. The complaint also alleges that Porter – who isn’t identified by name but fits the description of the player described – was supposed to receive a portion of the winnings.
In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks of ESPN identifies five teams who may not receive as much attention this summer as high-profile franchise like the Lakers and Sixers, but who could have eventful and important offseason ahead of them. Marks’ picks? The Bulls, Trail Blazers, Jazz, Pelicans, and Spurs.
With the Lakers reportedly in pursuit of UConn head coach Dan Hurley, Alex Andrejev of The Athletic considers the history of accomplished college coaches making the leap to the NBA and evaluates how several of the most notable names – including Billy Donovan, Larry Brown, and Rick Pitino – fared at the professional level.

Draft Rumors: Buzelis, Clingan, Dillingham, Topic, More

June 7th, 2024 at 11:00am CST by Rory Maher

Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN recently updated their top-100 list, with several new tidbits of information on prospects ranked in the top 25 (subscription required).

Sources tell Givony that G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis “will work out for almost every team in the top five.” As Givony writes, teams are intrigued by Buzelis’ size, skills, versatility and long-term upside.

They don’t control a top-five pick, but sources tell Givony that Chicago — Buzelis’ hometown team — watched the 19-year-old in a private workout in Los Angeles “early in the pre-draft process.” The Bulls have explored the viability of moving up from No. 11 overall if the price is right, according to Givony, who adds that head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is very familiar with Buzelis and his game (they’re also both Lithuanian).

Here are some more rumors and updates from Givony and Woo:

ESPN previously reported that rival teams think the Bulls, Grizzlies and Trail Blazers could be interested in moving up to select UConn center Donovan Clingan, whom Givony describes as a “top-three prospect who might experience a minor drop on draft night because teams that are in the Nos. 3-6 range already have starting centers in place.” The Thunder and Jazz are also viewed as teams who could consider trading up for the 20-year-old. Clingan is still in the Hawks‘ conversation at No. 1, while Atlanta has also explored the possibility of trading down, Givony reports. The Blazers, who recently hosted Clingan for a private workout, are viewed as the big man’s floor at No. 7 overall.
Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham, the No. 7 prospect on ESPN’s board, is targeting a mid-June return following an ankle injury, sources tell Givony. That means the 19-year-old will likely only have time “for a handful of workouts” before the first round begins on June 26. Dillingham is on the radar of teams drafting in the top 10 who need a point guard, according to Givony, who suggests trades might need to transpire for him to go early.
Nikola Topic, long considered a probable lottery pick, was recently diagnosed with a partially torn ACL in his left knee, as ESPN reported on Wednesday. However, he has only dropped one spot — No. 9 to No. 10 — on ESPN’s latest update, with Givony pointing to Topic’s age (he turns 19 in August) and upside (he was once in consideration for No. 1) as reasons why the Serbian guard is unlikely to have a drastic fall. The Spurs (No. 8), Jazz (No. 10), Thunder (No. 12) and Trail Blazers (No. 14) are viewed as potential landing spots for Topic, depending on how his medicals are evaluated.
According to Woo and Givony, Tenneesee wing Dalton Knecht, who comes in at No. 8, has drawn “strong interest” from every team selecting in the 6-10 range (Hornets, Trail Blazers, Spurs, Grizzlies, Jazz). French forward Tidjane Salaun, the No. 9 prospect on ESPN’s board, is expected to draw suitors in the 4-14 range.
G League Ignite wing Ron Holland, who ranks No. 11, has either worked out for or will work out for the Heat (No. 15) and Lakers (No. 17), per ESPN. Providence guard Devin Carter recently worked out for the Lakers as well, and his range is expected to be anywhere from No. 8 to No. 15. According to Woo, “playoff-caliber teams” will likely have interest in Carter, 22, if they decide to trade up.
Back-to-back college Player of the Year Zach Edey, who ranks No. 16, has an upcoming workout with the Lakers, but it’s possible he could land quite a bit higher than No. 17. According to Givony, the Grizzlies, Jazz, Bulls, Thunder, Trail Blazers and Heat are viewed as viable landing spots for the Canadian big man, who recently worked out for his hometown Raptors as well. Toronto (picking at No. 19) is viewed as Edey’s floor.
The Grizzlies and Kings are among the lottery teams with interest in Colorado’s Tristan Da Silva, per Woo. An older prospect, the German combo forward is viewed as a player who can contribute right away but has a lower ceiling than younger players in the class, Woo adds.
Givony and Woo have more information on the possible ranges of several other potential first-round picks. The whole article is worth checking out for those who subscribe to ESPN+.