Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Several Teams Interested In Collin Sexton

June 4th, 2022 at 9:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers are confident about keeping Collin Sexton, but he’ll have multiple suitors when he hits restricted free agency next month, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

Although the Cavs can match any offer that Sexton receives, there may be a point where he becomes too expensive. Multiple sources tell Fedor that Sexton and his representatives are asking for “starting guard money” in a new contract, which would begin at around $20MM per season.

Fedor adds that Sexton and the team discussed a rookie scale extension last summer that wasn’t quite that high, but they couldn’t reach an agreement before the deadline. With Rich Paul of Klutch Sports now representing Sexton and several teams reportedly interested in signing him, this year’s negotiations will have a new starting point, according to Fedor.

Sexton has been a starting guard for virtually his entire time in the NBA, but he played just 11 games this season before having knee surgery. Cleveland became a surprise contender in the East before fading amid late-season injuries, and it’s not clear what Sexton’s role will look like if he does return.

Sources tell Fedor there will be plenty of interest in Sexton once he hits the open market, with the Pistons and Pacers considered to be the top threats. Both teams can pair him with taller guards and won’t have to rely on him as their primary playmaker. A member of the Cavs’ front office speculated to Fedor that Detroit may make Sexton its top offseason priority, particularly if Jalen Brunson remains in Dallas.

The Pistons and Pacers are two of the five teams with enough cap space to extend a significant offer to Sexton, and Fedor hears the Spurs may be interested as well. The others, the Trail Blazers and Magic, aren’t expected to pursue Sexton, but Fedor states that the Wizards may have interest in a sign-and-trade.

Trading No. 5 Pick For Three Picks Might Work

June 4th, 2022 at 8:27am CST by Dana Gauruder

Would the Pistons move off the No. 5 spot in the lottery for three first-round selections? Keith Langlois of Pistons.com believes if the Spurs offered the No. 9, 20 and 25 picks, Detroit might go along with it. The draft is deep enough that adding three first-rounders would bring more value that the No. 5 pick alone, in Langlois’ assessment.

Draft Notes: 2022 Mocks, J. Davis, Montero

June 3rd, 2022 at 7:38pm CST by Rory Maher

In the most recent update to their 2022 NBA mock draft, BasketballNews.com has G League Ignite guard/forward Dyson Daniels, who has been rising up draft boards of late, going to Indiana at No. 6, and fellow G League Ignite players MarJon Beauchamp and Jaden Hardy go off the board at Nos. 21 and 23, respectively.

Ohio State’s Malaki Branham, another draft riser, goes to Oklahoma City at No. 12. The mock has three Duke players going in the lottery, which has been pretty common lately. A fourth, Trevor Keels, is the final pick of the first round, and a fifth, Wendell Moore Jr., is at No. 37.

Michigan’s Caleb Houstan, who is rumored to have received a first-round promise, goes to Memphis at No. 29.

Here are a few more draft-related notes:

Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis has been projected to go to the Wizards at No. 10 in several recent mock drafts, including BasketballNews’, and he had a solo workout in front of all of Washington’s major decision-makers on Thursday. He told Josh Robbins of The Athletic that he thinks he’d be a good fit with the Wizards. “Especially with the projections and all that right now, I feel like this is a spot I could land at and be able to come in and make an impact right away,” Davis said. “I just wanted to be able to show the whole front office and the coaches that I can hoop.” Davis also told Robbins that he has workouts next week with the Pistons (No. 5) and the Spurs (No. 9).
Overtime Elite guard Jean Montero, who recently worked out for the Hornets and Wizards, has upcoming workouts with the Cavaliers, Hawks, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, and Bulls, Robbins tweets. Montero is a projected second-round pick, and all of those teams except Chicago currently control at least one second-rounder.
The NCAA’s withdrawal deadline passed on June 1, so Rafael Barlowe of NBA Big Board updated all of his projected second-round picks following last-minute decisions from several prospects.

Shaedon Sharpe Expected To Visit Soon

June 2nd, 2022 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Keegan Murray, Jaden Ivey, Bennedict Mathurin and Shaedon Sharpe are the potential candidates to be chosen by the Pistons with their lottery pick, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes. One of those names, most likely Ivey, will be off the board by the time the Pistons are on the clock.

Sharpe is a mystery candidate since he didn’t play college ball despite attending Kentucky last season. The Pistons could get a better read on him soon. Sharpe will be working out in Detroit within the next 10 days, Edwards reports via his sources.

The Pistons not only have the No. 5 pick, they hold the No. 46 overall selection in the second round, thanks to a trade with the Nets last year. Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press looks at potential targets with that pick, including Michigan State’s Max Christie and Colorado State’s David Roddy.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, 10 Offseason Questions, Liddell, Minott

June 2nd, 2022 at 12:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Two-time All-Star Zach LaVine is no longer considered a lock to return to the Bulls, with “league gossip” linking him to rival teams, as reported by K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago a couple of weeks ago. With that in mind, Frank Urbina of HoopsHype explores four potential teams who might pursue the 27-year-old in unrestricted free agency this summer.

The Lakers would obviously have interest, but acquiring LaVine would be complicated because it would require moving Russell Westbrook first, or him to be involved in a sign-and-trade. They’d also be hard-capped at that point and only able to sign minimum-salaried players to fill out the rest of the roster, per HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan.

Lavine makes sense as a fit next to Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, according to Urbina, and Detroit has the ability to create enough cap space to sign him outright. However, after reaching the postseason for the first time in his career in 2021/22, I’m skeptical LaVine would be interested in joining a rebuilding club.

The Heat and Hawks are two other sign-and-trade possibilities, but Urbina notes that HoopsHype and other publications still believe LaVine returning to Chicago is the most likely outcome, as the Bulls can re-sign LaVine for up to $212.3MM over five years, while rival teams will be limited to four years at $157.4MM.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic lists 10 offseason questions looming over Chicago this summer. Mayberry wonders how the Bulls can go from good to great, whether they’ll be able to re-sign LaVine, where things stand with Lonzo Ball‘s balky knee, how to improve the team’s depth, and whether or not it’s the right time to deal away guard Coby White (who’s eligible for a rookie scale extension on July 1), among several other questions.
The Bulls worked out former Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell on Wednesday, as Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago relays (via Twitter). The Bulls control the No. 18 pick and Liddell is currently No. 20 on ESPN’s big board, so he could be a realistic target at that spot. Liddell had an impressive junior season for the Buckeyes, averaging 19.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 2.6 BPG on .490/.374/.765 shooting in 32 games (33.2 MPG).
Memphis forward Josh Minott will also work out for Chicago on Thursday, tweets Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. Minott is currently No. 48 on ESPN’s board and averaged 6.6 PPG and 3.8 RPG in a limited role as a freshman (33 games, 14.6 MPG).

Central Notes: Grant, Weaver, Pacers, Sexton

May 31st, 2022 at 10:29pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran Pistons forward Jerami Grant could be one of the NBA’s most intriguing trade candidates this summer. The 28-year-old Grant may not fit the timeline of the rebuilding Pistons, who will be looking to add another blue-chip prospect with the No. 5 pick in the 2022 draft alongside 2021 No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham.

Grant, who has one year remaining on his current contract, is extension-eligible this offseason, but figures to be a trade chip if the Pistons aren’t prepared to extend him. Sources inform James L. Edwards III and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic that the Hawks were interested in dealing for Grant during the 2021/22 season, and suggest that that remains the case, exploring what a deal between Detroit and Atlanta might look like.

The Hawks have a need for a defensive-oriented player who can guard along the perimeter and handle. Edwards and Kirschner believe Atlanta’s most viable offer for Grant would likely include Bogdan Bogdanovic and the team’s No. 16 pick.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

When it comes to the draft, Pistons general manager Troy Weaver prioritizes hard-working competitors, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Langlois views this year’s draft, which will be Weaver’s third in his lead role for the Detroit front office, as an interesting opportunity to gauge the level of risk Weaver is willing to take. Detroit possesses the fifth pick in the 2022 draft. Langlois notes that the club could draft a 22-year-old with several years of college experience in Iowa forward Keegan Murray, or, on the other end of the spectrum, a 19-year-old who never suited up for his college team in Shaedon Sharpe.
The Pacers, owners of the No. 6 pick in the 2022 draft, held a pre-draft workout on Tuesday for several guard prospects, per James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Boyd notes that Oral Roberts guard Max Abmas, Kansas shooting guard Christian Braun, Arizona guard Dalen Terry, Purdue shooting guard Sasha Stefanovic, Belmont point guard Grayson Murphy, and Northern Iowa guard AJ Green worked out for Indiana.
Following an exciting 2021/22 season, the Cavaliers face an uncertain offseason. Cleveland went 44-38, but did not advance out of the play-in tournament. In a new mailbag, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link) addresses the market for restricted free agent guard Collin Sexton, potential trade candidates that could help Cleveland take the next step in the East, and other topics. Fedor hears from sources that the Spurs, in particular, “have some Sexton fans in their front office.”

D’Angelo Russell May Be Option In Knicks’ Point Guard Search

May 31st, 2022 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

If the Knicks can’t get their preferred choices at point guard, the Timberwolves‘ D’Angelo Russell could become an option this summer, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

New York has a strong connection to Russell in Gersson Rosas, who was recently named senior basketball advisor after spending time with the organization as a consultant. Fischer notes that when Rosas was president of basketball operations in Minnesota, he traded Andrew Wiggins and a lottery pick to the Warriors for Russell in 2020 after missing out on him in free agency.

Russell, who has a $31.4MM expiring contract next season, took some heat after a disappointing performance in the Wolves’ brief playoff run. The emergence of other backcourt options in Minnesota might make him expendable as the team looks to the future.

Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell remains the Knicks’ dream choice, but getting him appears unlikely even if Utah decides to shake up its roster, Fischer writes. He cites “healthy skepticism” around the league that New York can make the best offer for Mitchell, noting that Miami could potentially put together a deal centered around Tyler Herro and multiple first-round picks.

The Knicks have also been linked to Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, who is headed toward free agency, but Fischer hears there’s a “growing sense” around the league that Brunson will remain in Dallas. Fischer expects Brunson’s new contract to top $20MM per season and says John Collins‘ five-year, $125MM extension could be a good comparison.

New York can only offer four years to Brunson and would need to clear out significant cap space first. Sources tell Fischer that the Knicks unsuccessfully tried to move Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel ahead of the trade deadline to begin opening cap room. Fischer cites league executives who believe New York would have to include either the No. 11 pick in this year’s draft or Immanuel Quickley in any deal to unload salary.

Fischer adds that one factor working in the Knicks’ favor in their pursuit of Brunson is that they can offer him the chance to be the undisputed leader of the offense, which he won’t have in Dallas playing alongside Luka Doncic. Fischer notes that if Brunson signs with the Pistons, who are also reported to be interested, he would be in the same situation with Cade Cunningham.

Sources also tell Fischer that New York won’t be among the teams pursuing Cavaliers free agent guard Collin Sexton. Cleveland is interested in keeping him, but it could be difficult considering the team’s salary commitment to other players. Fischer hears that the Pacers, Pistons and Wizards will all be in the market for Sexton.

Raptors May Make OG Anunoby Available In Trade Talks

May 31st, 2022 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Raptors swingman OG Anunoby may be a name to watch as offseason trade talks begin to heat up, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Anunoby reportedly grew frustrated at times this season as much of his ball-handling responsibility in Toronto’s offense was taken over by Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes.

However, two sources told Fischer that Anunoby hasn’t informed the front office that he wants out and there is speculation that any rumors are coming from teams hoping to acquire him. Even so, the addition of Barnes could make Anunoby expendable if the Raptors are hoping to make an impactful move this summer.

According to Fischer’s sources, Toronto told teams at the trade deadline that it wasn’t willing to move any of its top six players: Anunoby, Barnes, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. and Precious Achiuwa. But the organization’s desire to land a top center could change that stance. After pursuing Jarrett Allen last offseason, the Raptors talked to the Pacers about Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis ahead of this year’s trade deadline and reached out to the Spurs about Jakob Poeltl, Fischer adds.

The Jazz and Trail Blazers would reportedly be among the most interested teams if Toronto decides to part with Anunoby, who has two more guaranteed seasons left on his contract, plus a $19.9MM player option for 2024/25.

Sources tell Fischer that Rudy Gobert is one of the Raptors’ prime targets for upgrading at center. Utah’s management is divided on whether to part with Gobert, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and an elite rim protector, but it could become necessary as the Jazz look to improve on the wing. Fischer notes that Toronto might have to offer Trent along with Anunoby to match Gobert’s salary, which would mean parting with one of the team’s only reliable outside shooters.

The Blazers are expected to offer the No. 7 pick to try to revamp its roster and Fischer states that Anunoby is one of their main targets, along with Pistons forward Jerami Grant. He notes that the Blazers have a decision to make next month on whether to guarantee Josh Hart‘s $12.9MM contract for 2022/23, but states that Hart and the lottery pick wouldn’t be enough for Toronto to move Anunoby. Fischer adds that Anunoby is seen as more valuable than Grant, for whom Detroit is seeking two first-round picks or a first-rounder and a promising player on a rookie-scale contract.

Detroit Likely To Have Interest In Deandre Ayton

May 29th, 2022 at 10:40am CST by Arthur Hill

Expect the Pistons to be among the teams pursuing Suns center Deandre Ayton, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press states in a mailbag column. Ayton will be a restricted free agent, and Sankofa suggests Detroit might use Jerami Grant to facilitate a sign-and-trade deal. Grant is entering the final year of his current contract and is eligible for a four-year extension worth $112MM.

Draft Notes: Ivey, Murray, Sharpe, Daniels, Roddy, Minott, Segu

May 26th, 2022 at 10:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

While Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero are the consensus top three prospects in this year’s draft, it’s rare that the top three picks in a draft end up being the three players who enjoy the best pro careers, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz.

The ESPN duo identifies Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Shaedon Sharpe and Dyson Daniels as the other prospects who are the best bets to emerge as top-three players from the 2022 draft class, breaking down the strengths of that quartet and considering which lottery teams might benefit the most from their talents.

We have plenty of draft-related news to pass along:

Colorado State’s David Roddy has worked out for the Magic, Nuggets and Rockets, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. The power forward is ranked No. 47 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Memphis forward Josh Minott has workouts lined up with the Magic, Raptors, Hawks, Spurs, Bulls and Hornets, Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com tweets. Minott is ranked No. 48 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Buffalo guard Ronaldo Segu will continue to pursue professional opportunities and forgo his remaining year of college eligibility, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. He averaged 14.9 PPG and 5.1 APG last season.
Nathan Mensah is withdrawing from the draft and returning to San Diego State, the school announced in a press release. Mensah is the reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
Josh Mballa is pulling out of the draft and transferring from Buffalo to Ole Miss, Jeff Goodman tweets. Mballa averaged 13.0 PPG and 8.6 RPG last season.
Texas Tech guard Adonis Arms has workouts scheduled with the Nuggets, Pistons, Pelicans, Magic and Jazz, Keith Smith of Spotrac tweets.
Northern Colorado’s Bodie Hume will remain in the draft, Rothstein adds in another tweet. The senior forward averaged 11.0 PPG and 6.2 RPG last season.
Potential top-10 selection Johnny Davis wants to model his game after Devin Booker. Another potential top-10 pick, Daniels, believes he’s a combination of Tyrese Haliburton offensively and Alex Caruso or Lonzo Ball defensively. Numerous draft prospects told The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov which NBA players they most closely resemble or strive to be.