- LSU’s Shareef O’Neal — son of Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal — has an upcoming workout scheduled with the Lakers, as relayed by Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Shaq played with the Lakers from 1996-2004, winning three NBA championships. Shareef is a 6’10” big man who also recently worked out for the Heat, another team his father won a title with.
- John Hollinger and Jovan Buha of The Athletic analyze the Lakers‘ offseason, exploring Russell Westbrook‘s future, the team’s free agency outlook and more. Los Angeles is coming off an injury-riddled season, finishing with the fifth-worst record in the Western Conference at 33-49.
Hawks assistant coach Chris Jent is a candidate to become an assistant under new Lakers head coach Darvin Ham, sources tell Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
Jent, 52, had a short playing career after four seasons at Ohio State, winning a championship with Houston in 1993/94. He’s a long-time NBA assistant, with stints in Philadelphia, Orlando (where he was briefly an interim head coach in ’04/05), Cleveland, Sacramento and now Atlanta.
He was a Cavs assistant from 2006-11, with four seasons of overlap with star LeBron James, so the two are obviously familiar with each other. Jent has been with Atlanta for the past five seasons and served as acting head coach earlier this season when Nate McMillan was placed in the league’s health and safety protocols.
Ham and Jent also have experience together, as they were both assistants with the Hawks under Mike Budenholzer in ’17/18.
Echoing an earlier report from Shams Charania of The Athletic, Turner says Rasheed Wallace remains a candidate to become an assistant coach as well.
The Mavericks are hiring Quinton Crawford to be an assistant coach under Jason Kidd, sources tell Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
Crawford, 31, has been an assistant coach with the Lakers for the past three seasons, getting his start during the team’s championship season in 2019/20. He’s viewed as an “up-and-coming, bright coach,” according to Turner.
Crawford was an assistant under former L.A. head coach Frank Vogel, who was fired after the season and subsequently replaced by Darvin Ham. With Ham looking to bring in his own staff, it’s not surprising that Crawford may have been given permission to look for other opportunities, assuming he was still under contract.
Kidd and Crawford have experience working together, as Kidd was also an assistant on Vogel’s staff from 2019-21. Kidd departed when he got the head coaching job in Dallas last June.
Crawford was the head video coordinator and a player development coach for Charlotte and Orlando the two seasons prior to joining the Lakers.
By the time the draft rolls around next Thursday, G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels will have worked out for every team picking between No. 4 and No. 11, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, who suggests within his latest mock draft that Daniels’ maturity has stood out to teams during interviews. The 19-year-old is increasingly being viewed as the sort of player whose versatility and high floor makes him one of the safest picks in the mid-lottery, Wasserman adds.
Here are a few more draft-related notes:
- Jeremy Woo of SI.com has published his final big board for 2022’s draft class, featuring a top three of Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero, and Jaden Ivey.
- David Aldridge of The Athletic spoke to several coaches and executives to get their thoughts on this year’s top draft-eligible forwards, including Smith, Banchero, Keegan Murray, and AJ Griffin. One college assistant coach who talked to Aldridge said it was “a joke” that Banchero had to go to college for a year, since he was NBA-ready after high school.
- The Bucks, Bulls, and Lakers are among the teams Gonzaga’s Andrew Nembhard has worked out for so far in the pre-draft process, he said today following a workout with the Pacers (Twitter link via James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star). Nembhard still has auditions on tap with the Thunder, Heat, and Timberwolves.
- As part of a Q&A with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Wake Forest wing Jake LaRavia said he has workouts coming up with the Timberwolves, Warriors, and Pacers.
The Kings worked out Michigan center Moussa Diabate on Tuesday, per Andrew Slater of Pro Insight (via Twitter). Sacramento holds the Nos. 4, 37 and 49 picks in next week’s 2022 draft. Diabate is ranked as the No. 70 prospect on the ESPN big board.
The 6’11” big man was voted onto the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in his lone NCAA year. Slater adds that Diabate logged the best vertical of all center prospects, 36.5″, at the pre-draft combine in Chicago. Through 32 games with the Wolverines, Diabate averaged 9.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 0.9 BPG during 24.9 MPG during the 2021/22 season.
There’s more out of California:
- Among first-round candidates, Baylor forward Jeremy Sochan worked out for the Kings on Sunday, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. Anderson notes that the 19-year-old is among the top defensive players in the 2022 draft. During his lone college season, the 6’9″ combo forward averaged 9.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.3 SPG and 0.7 BPG in 30 contests. ESPN lists Sochan as the No. 15 pro prospect on its latest big board.
- Lakers rookie Austin Reaves had quite the first NBA season. After going undrafted in 2021 out of Oklahoma, he latched on with L.A. and soon found himself earning the praise of All-NBA forward LeBron James. Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times takes an in-depth look at the development of the 6’5″ shooting guard. Though Woike writes that Reaves had received some interest in the second round of the draft, Reaves and his representation demanded a guaranteed contract from any team with interest in taking him. His preferred destination was Los Angeles, and when he fell out of the draft, Reaves eventually signed with the Lakers on a two-way contract. The team promoted Reaves ahead of the regular season to a standard two-year deal. “When you have an opportunity to see the arc of a player, to discover him in the scouting process, bringing him in for workouts, acquiring him, developing him and bringing him along, seeing that arc is really satisfying,” team president Rob Pelinka said. Through 61 games, including 19 starts, Reaves averaged 7.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 1.8 APG in 23.2 MPG for the Lakers.
- All-Star Warriors forward Draymond Green played a big part in Golden State’s critical 104-94 Game 5 Finals win over the Celtics on Monday thanks to his disruptive defensive pressure and offensive court sense, per Marcus Thompson II. Though Green scored just eight points on a respectable 3-of-6 shooting from the floor, he also notched eight rebounds, six assists, and a steal. Thompson reports that Boston players converted just 7-of-23 (30.4%) of their looks with Green defending them during the series’ past two contests, both Warriors wins. Those players otherwise connect on 49.3% of their attempts from the floor. “I felt more like myself… aggressive on both ends of the ball,” the 32-year-old Green said. “I look forward to going into Game 6 with the same energy and effort.”
The Pacers are pursuing trade talks involving Myles Turner and Malcolm Brogdon, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Indiana is exploring what it can get in return for both veteran players as it focuses on becoming younger and rebuilding the roster around Tyrese Haliburton.
Turner was available before the February deadline, but the Pacers couldn’t work out a deal and the 26-year-old center’s season was ultimately cut short by a stress reaction in his left foot. Sources tell Fischer that the team is again considering trading Turner, who has a $17.5MM expiring contract for next season and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2023. Fischer states that the Hornets have interest in Turner and have let it be known that they’re willing to part with the 15th pick in next week’s draft. Fischer cites the Raptors and Knicks as other teams to watch.
New York also has interest in Brogdon, Fischer adds. The Knicks would like to trade up and draft Purdue guard Jaden Ivey, but league executives are skeptical of that happening, according to Fischer. He states that if Knicks executives decide they’re not likely to sign Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, they could view Brogdon as the best alternative.
The Pacers, who own the No. 6 pick in the draft, would like to acquire an extra first-round selection, Fischer adds. They’re willing to offer the 31st pick and the Cavaliers’ first-rounder in 2023.
There’s more from Fischer:
- After picking up the No. 30 pick in a reported trade with the Thunder, the Nuggets are expected to focus on finding a backup point guard, possibly Gonzaga’s Andrew Nembhard. Denver has already talked to several teams about trading Monte Morris, Fischer adds. He also notes that rival executives believed Oklahoma City might have included Vasilije Micic in the Denver deal. The 28-year-old, who was named EuroLeague MVP this season, has received interest from a number of playoff teams, including the Bucks and Bulls, according to Fischer.
- Two other teams looking to move their first-round picks are the Mavericks at No. 26 and the Warriors at No. 28. Dallas and Golden State prefer to avoid adding another guaranteed salary to already-expensive rosters and would be looking for future draft assets in return. Fischer believes both teams may target draft-and-stash players if they can’t work out trades.
- The Lakers, who currently don’t have any picks in the draft, are hoping to trade into the second round. Sources tell Fischer that the Hawks‘ selection at No. 44 and the Pistons‘ pick at No. 46 are believed to be available.
Despite rumors that Zach LaVine plans to talk with other teams in free agency, the most likely scenario has him re-signing with the Bulls, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
LaVine is expected to receive a new five-year contract valued at around $200MM, according to Fischer, who notes that the only significant point of contention is the status of the final year of the deal. It could be fully or partially guaranteed, or LaVine could be given a player option.
The Trail Blazers, Spurs, Hawks and Lakers are all expected to reach out to LaVine, but Fischer doesn’t believe any of those teams can provide the two-time All-Star with a better situation than what he has in Chicago. LaVine wants to be the sole focal point of the offense, which hasn’t happened since the Bulls added DeMar DeRozan last summer, but he wouldn’t get that in Portland, Atlanta or L.A. It’s something San Antonio could offer, but the Spurs aren’t among the top contenders in the West.
Upgrading the frontcourt will be an offseason priority in Chicago, according to Fischer. His sources say the team is listening to offers for Nikola Vucevic, who has a $22MM expiring contract, and has expressed interest in Jazz center Rudy Gobert, although the club’s reluctance to part with Patrick Williams may prevent a deal from being worked out with Utah.
The Bulls are also exploring trades involving third-year point guard Coby White, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension, and the No. 18 pick in next week’s draft, Fischer adds.
Echoing comments made last week by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article that Suns center Deandre Ayton – a restricted free agent this summer – may be the biggest name to change teams in the coming weeks.
Phoenix is “increasingly expected” to explore sign-and-trade scenarios involving Ayton, according to Stein, who says there’s plenty of skepticism around the NBA about the team’s desire to make a significant financial commitment to the young center.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report conveys a similar sentiment in his latest round-up of NBA rumors, suggesting there’s “considerable skepticism” that the Suns will re-sign Ayton. The Pistons, Spurs, Trail Blazers, Hawks, and Raptors have all been mentioned as possible suitors for the former No. 1 overall pick, Stein notes.
Here are a few more updates from Stein and Pincus on some of this year’s top free agents and trade candidates:
- According to Pincus, some sources believe that the Spurs (Jakob Poeltl), Bulls (Nikola Vucevic), Hawks (Clint Capela/John Collins), and Pacers (Myles Turner) are among the teams that could be willing to move their current centers in a package for one of the offseason’s top available big men (Ayton, Rudy Gobert, etc.). Grizzlies center Steven Adams also may be a summer trade candidate, though he’s well-liked in the locker room, says Pincus.
- While both Pincus and Stein have talked to sources who believe the Pacers are likely to keep Myles Turner, Stein notes that the situation could change if the big man wants to play out his expiring contract rather than agreeing to an extension, since Indiana may not want to risk losing him for nothing next year.
- According to Stein, one or two teams hopeful of landing Bradley Beal believe the All-Star guard wants to be the Dirk Nowitzki of D.C., sticking with the Wizards for his entire career.
- While Dario Saric‘s $9.24MM expiring contract makes him an obvious trade candidate, Pincus writes that the Suns are hopeful the forward can return to form after missing last season due to an ACL tear, and may not be looking to move him.
- If the Lakers have any hope of trading Russell Westbrook without including a first-round pick, they’ll likely have to take on at least one or two players earning $15-25MM annually on multiyear deals, Pincus writes, citing veterans like Davis Bertans and Duncan Robinson as hypothetical examples. Rival executives and agents don’t expect the Lakers to get clarity from LeBron James on his long-term intentions before the draft or free agency, which will complicate L.A.’s decision-making process — the team would be more comfortable taking on pricey multiyear contracts with a guarantee that LeBron is sticking around long-term, Pincus observes.
There were no surprises in the 11 green room invitations forwarded to the draft’s top prospects. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony confirmed that the list includes Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Shaedon Sharpe, Dyson Daniels, Bennedict Mathurin, AJ Griffin, Jalen Duren and Johnny Davis. Approximately four more green room invites will be sent out next week, a source tells Givony.
We have more draft news:
- Michigan’s Caleb Houstan and Gonzaga’s Andrew Nembhard, who both hail from Canada, will work out for the Raptors on Friday, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. They’re both considered late first-round or second-round prospects and Toronto has the No. 33 overall pick.
- LSU forward Shareef O’Neal, son of Shaquille O’Neal, worked out for the Bucks on Thursday, Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweets. The younger O’Neal will visit the Lakers, Cavaliers, Hawks and Wizards in the very near future.
- Villanova guard Collin Gillespie also worked out for the Bucks on Thursday, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. He’ll soon visit the Suns, Nuggets, Jazz and Trail Blazers. Gillespie is ranked at No. 64 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
- The Lakers have shifted their public statements about Russell Westbrook over the past two months and now seem resigned to having him on the roster next season, notes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Darvin Ham talked to Westbrook about the need to sacrifice for the good of the team, but Goon points out that Westbrook is in a position to undermine the first-time head coach if he doesn’t heed Ham’s advice.
- Former Wisconsin forward Vitto Brown, who played in Spain this season, was among the players at the Lakers‘ free agent mini-camp this week, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.