Brandon Ingram Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Ferrell, Hield, Scola

May 11th, 2016 at 7:37pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Knicks don’t own a pick in this year’s NBA draft, but the team is looking to acquire one from another franchise, Ian Begley of ESPN.com notes. One player New York may be targeting is former Indiana University point guard Yogi Ferrell, who has a workout scheduled with the team on June 10th, Begley notes. Ferrell is a potential second-rounder, with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress ranking him No. 66 overall, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com rates him 99th. The Knicks still have up to $3.3MM that they can spend to purchase a draft pick if they are unable to swing a deal involving a player for one.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Sixers have an interview scheduled with former Oklahoma shooting guard Buddy Hield for this evening and one on Thursday with Duke freshman small forward Brandon Ingram, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Team personnel will also sit down and speak with Syracuse freshman swingman Malachi Richardson on Friday, Pompey tweets.
Despite not having a pick in this year’s draft, the Nets have sent a large contingent of personnel to the scouting combine in Chicago, NetsDaily relays (Twitter link). Like the Knicks, Brooklyn could be looking to swing a deal to acquire a pick, the scribe notes.
Raptors power forward Luis Scola is struggling to find his place in the team’s playoff series versus Miami, which has been made more difficult by both teams going with smaller lineups due to numerous injuries, writes Bruce Arthur of The Toronto Star. “It’s not fun,” Scola admitted. “It’s not fun. I’m positive. I believe that you have to do the right thing every day, regardless of the situation. When it’s going well, it’s easy. Now it’s a little bit more difficult. It’s part of the challenge, it’s part of the growth, it’s part of the process. And to stick with it, to turn it around, it’s one of the things you enjoy as an athlete, as a professional basketball player.” Scola earned $2.8MM this season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

And-Ones: Maxiell, Sixers, Simmons

April 28th, 2016 at 10:24pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Much of the Sixers‘ offseason strategy depends on where the team’s picks end up after the draft lottery is held next month, but the franchise believes it has the opportunity to land a steal near the bottom of the first round, writes Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly. “We’ve got multiple options with what to do with those picks, and I do think though there will be some opportunity to find a player,” GM Bryan Colangelo said. “That’s what you have an extensive scouting staff for, that’s what the numbers and analytics team can sometimes derive, perhaps a diamond in the rough. You look for the player that’s going to be a sleeper at that number and you think about what that player might be a couple years down the road.”

Regarding free agency, Colangelo believes the availability of playing time, coupled with the team’s new practice facility, will be selling points to prospective targets, Camerato notes. “You have to differentiate yourself somehow, someway,” Colangelo said. “Some people could be looking for an opportunity to go somewhere and be a key player as opposed to being a complementary player. We’ve got that opportunity because we’ve got an open slate right now in that regard.”

Here’s more from around the NBA:

Former NBA player Jason Maxiell has inked a one month deal to play in Saudi Arabia, international journalist David Pick relays (via Twitter). The 33-year-old power forward last played in the NBA during the 2014/15 campaign when he appeared in 61 games for the Hornets and averaged 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per outing.
LSU freshman Ben Simmons remains atop the latest mock draft from Chad Ford of ESPN.com, though the scribe does note that the combo forward’s grip on the No. 1 overall spot is being eroded by the rise of Duke’s Brandon Ingram, who is slotted second. Simmons could reclaim a firm hold on being the consensus top pick if he impresses teams during his predraft workouts and interviews, Ford writes.

Draft Rumors: Zizic, Baldwin, Greene, Wizards

April 18th, 2016 at 9:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Croatian center Ante Zizic, who is under contract with Cibona Zagreb, is open to going the draft-and-stash route, according to international journalist David Pick (Twitter links). The 19-year-old, 6’11” Zizic is considered a first-round talent. He’s ranked No. 26 by DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony and No. 22 on ESPN Insider Chad Ford’s Big Board. Several international scouts have told Ford that Zizic, the fourth-ranked center, could be a steal in this year’s draft because of his low-post game, rebounding and toughness. Zizic declared for the draft earlier this month, but with his contract tying him to Cibona for another year, it’s either become a draft-and-stash pick or pull out of the draft by June 13th, Pick notes.

In other developments regarding the June 23rd draft:

Forwards Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram are the top two picks in ESPN Insider Chad Ford’s latest mock draft. Ford projects that the Sixers, who have the best odds of gaining the No. 1 selection, will grab Simmons because of the higher upside he has compared to Ingram, with the Lakers then taking the Duke freshman. Point guard Jamal Murray (Celtics) and power forwards Dragan Bender (Suns) and Henry Ellenson (Timberwolves) round out Ford’s top five.
Vanderbilt point guard Wade Baldwin has signed with Priority Sports, tweets ESPN’s Jeff Goodman. Baldwin was linked earlier this month to Priority Sports as his potential representative, according to a tweet from Pick. The 6’3” Baldwin is currently ranked No. 16 by Givony, while Ford pegs him at No. 23.
Kansas swingman Brannen Greene has signed with Sam Goldfeder of Excel, Goodman reports in a separate tweet. Greene barely cracks the Top 100 list by Givony at No. 99, while Ford doesn’t list him on his Big Board.
UNLV’s Derrick Jones is officially staying in the draft and has signed with Aaron Turner, Goodman reported in another tweet. The 6’6” small forward is not ranked in the Top 100 by either Givony or Ford.
The Wizards do not plan to trade into the draft despite the strong possibility they will lose their first-rounder, writes Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. Washington sent a top-nine protected pick to the Suns in the deadline deal for power forward Markieff Morris. Unless the Wizards get a top-three selection via the lottery, they’ll lose the pick. Team president Ernie Grunfeld told Castillo and other media members he’s not keen on making a draft-related deal. “We look at Markieff as being our draft pick, and I don’t think we’ll get a player where we’d be drafting that can do the kind of things that he can do, and be under contract for three years like that, and still be young but proven,” Grunfeld said.

Sixers Notes: Turner, Hinkie, Embiid, Colangelo

April 10th, 2016 at 9:50am CST by Arthur Hill

Ex-Sixer Evan Turner is defending former Philadelphia GM Sam Hinkie, who resigned Wednesday, writes Jay King of MassLive. Turner, now with the Celtics, spent nearly four years in Philadelphia before being traded to Indiana in 2014. He didn’t read Hinkie’s 13-page resignation letter but says he understood what the former executive was trying to accomplish. “One thing I didn’t know was [how well they’re set up for the draft],” Turner said. “That’s somewhat ingenious. That could set them up great for the future. It’s just in the NBA, I don’t know what he had with [76ers owner] Josh Harris, but typically jobs, unless you’re a legend, jobs don’t last seven or eight years for a plan. I think if it does work out then he did set them up great, you know?” Philadelphia, which has clinched the top spot in Hoops Rumors’ reverse standings, will have its own first-round pick in June, along with the Heat’s, the Thunder’s and the Lakers’ if it falls out of the top three.

There’s more this morning out of Philadelphia:

Turner still believes great things are ahead for Sixers center Joel Embiid, King writes in the same piece. Philadelphia took Embiid third overall in the 2014 draft, but a string of injuries has prevented him from playing. Calling him possibly the “next [Hakeem] Olajuwon,” Turner recalls watching Embiid in an early workout. “The kid went in-between-the-legs dunk at 7-feet,” Turner said. “Bigs are hard to find. That coordination, and I’ve seen him hit 15 straight threes from the top [of the arc]. Hopefully it works out for him because I’ve got so much respect for [76ers head coach] Brett [Brown], I’ve got so much respect for the staff that works there, and when Philly gets going like in the [Allen] Iverson days it can be a special city.”
The risks that Hinkie took were worthwhile, argues Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine. While acknowledging the potential downside of Hinkie’s moves, Bodner contends Embiid could be the Sixers’ best center since Moses Malone and Nerlens Noel is the team’s best interior defender since Dikembe Mutombo. In addition, Philadelphia has a 50-50 shot at landing a top two draft pick and selecting Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram.
Despite charges of nepotism, likely new GM Bryan Colangelo has a solid record, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey notes that Colangelo is a two-time Executive of the Year who has a history of making aggressive moves.

Draft Notes: Davis, Ingram, Hield, Trier

April 4th, 2016 at 6:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Michigan State freshman Deyonta Davis is “50-50” on entering the draft, his coach Tom Izzo told the Detroit News’ Matt Charboneau and other media members at the Final Four. Izzo isn’t sure if Davis is ready physically and mentally for the next level and believes he could benefit from staying in school, the story adds. The 6’10” big man is ranked No. 12 by ESPN Insider Chad Ford and No. 13 by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. “To me, if he is drafted 12 or 25, it doesn’t change my opinion,” Izzo said. “Maybe there is a little more money but I think it’s more what he can handle and what is good for him to get to the second contract. That’s how I’m going to give my final advice, but he’s gonna make his own decisions.”

In other news regarding this year’s NBA draft:

Duke freshman and potential top pick Brandon Ingram, who declared for the draft on Monday, isn’t quite the prospect that Kevin Durant was coming out of college but there are similarities, as Mike Schmitz of The Vertical examines in great detail. Ingram was more of a facilitator in his freshman year, though Durant has developed into a superior passer as a pro, Schmitz continues. Durant was a prolific scorer and threat from anywhere on the court at Texas while Ingram only showed flashes of taking over games in his season at Duke, Schmitz adds.
Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield gets the nod over Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine in NBA.com David Aldridge’s rankings of the top shooting guard prospects. Though scouts that Aldridge interviewed do not consider Hield a “turnaround kind of talent,” his shooting ability stands out among his peers. France’s Timothe Luwawu, who’s played in Serbia this season, is ranked third on Aldridge’s list.
Arizona shooting guard Allonzo Trier will return to school for his sophomore season, ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman tweets. The 6’5” Trier, who averaged 14.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in his freshman season, is rated No. 79 by Ford and No. 76 by Givony.

Brandon Ingram Declares For Draft

April 4th, 2016 at 11:26am CST by Chuck Myron

11:26am: Ingram expounds on his decision via The Players’ Tribune.

10:56am: Duke small forward and potential No. 1 overall pick Brandon Ingram told Evan Daniels of Scout.com he’s entering this year’s draft, as expected. The freshman is hiring an agent, Daniels adds, so he won’t be eligible to return to school. The 6’9″ 18-year-old eclipsed LSU combo forward Ben Simmons for the top spot in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings in the middle of last month while Chad Ford of ESPN.com still has Simmons No. 1 and Ingram No. 2.

Ingram’s shooting helps distinguish him from Simmons and others, as he nailed an impressive 41.0% of his looks from 3-point range on 5.4 attempts per game. Givony has also pointed to Ingram’s superior 7’3″ wingspan and 9’1.5″ standing reach, both of which manifested in his 6.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Ingram put up 17.3 points per outing, but that wasn’t enough to lead his own team, as Grayson Allen, a fringe first-round prospect, poured in 21.6. Still, Ingram scored at least 20 on 14 occasions, including all three of Duke’s NCAA Tournament games. Ford points to Ingram’s passing ability as a plus, but that didn’t show up on the stat sheet, as he averaged 2.0 assists and an identical 2.0 turnovers per contest.

The native of Kinston, North Carolina was just fourth in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index coming into college last year, though an outlier rating of 14th from analyst Van Coleman contributed to that. Most of the rest of the rating services had him third behind Simmons and Kentucky big man Skal Labissiere, who ultimately proved a disappointment. Ingram nonetheless showed improvement to his overall game throughout the season and has a strong chance to join Kyrie Irving and Elton Brand as the school’s third top overall selection since the end of the territorial draft in the 1960s.

Lakers Notes: World Peace, Bryant, Scott, Draft

April 3rd, 2016 at 10:47am CST by Arthur Hill

He has only appeared in 31 games this season, but 36-year-old Metta World Peace believes his NBA career is far from over, according to Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. World Peace, who earned a roster spot with the Lakers last fall after a year out of the league, hopes to play another two to four more seasons. Although he spent parts of last season in China and Italy, he doesn’t want to take his talents overseas again. “I think I can still play in the league,” World Peace said. “I feel good. I feel like I was able to guard and able to post. I feel like I answered a lot of questions.” He is making nearly $1.5MM this season and is averaging 4.5 points and 16.6 minutes per game.

There’s more Lakers news this morning:

After two decades as part of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry, Kobe Bryant will face Boston for the final time today, writes Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. Bryant says the loss to the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals changed the way he approaches the game. “In 2008 what I learned was that my leadership, I felt, was what failed us as a team,” Bryant recalled. “I had built our team to be a very strong, cohesive unit, but I hadn’t built our team to beat the toughness of the Celtics.”
The Lakers would like to revive that rivalry, but they understand they have a lot of work to do first, relays Jovan Buha of ESPN.com. L.A. is still early in its rebuilding process, stumbling to a 16-59 record while developing young players. The Celtics are much farther along, ranking among the East’s best teams at 44-32. “We have a lot of work, as far as that’s concerned,” said Lakers coach Byron Scott. “But I think a lot of these young guys, they don’t understand the rivalry. And the only way you can get that rivalry back is you have to have both teams be very competitive.”
The Lakers need a top two draft pick to be assured of getting an elite talent, contends Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times. Pincus tabs LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram as the only sure things in this year’s draft. L.A is second in Hoops Rumors’ reverse standings, meaning its odds are 19.9% for the first pick, 18.8% for the second and 17.1% for the third. If the Lakers’ pick falls any farther in the May 17th lottery, it will be sent to Philadelphia.

And-Ones: Jordan, Simmons, Draft, Johnson

March 21st, 2016 at 10:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Hornets owner Michael Jordan has become a powerful player in the NBA’s ongoing labor talks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. Jordan is a member of the owners’ labor-relations committee and has been leading the fight for small-market teams. His place on that powerful committee has been kept secret until now, and it’s a sign of his rising status among NBA owners. Other signs are the Hornets’ newfound success on the court and the upcoming All-Star Game in Charlotte next season. Wojnarowski says some players and agents complain that the Hornets cut expenses unnecessarily, but the organization’s reputation is improving in that area. The NBA and the union have divided into groups to discuss aspects of the collective bargaining agreement after weeks of covert negotiations between the sides, Wojnarowski reports. Either side can opt out of the current 10-year deal in 2017 and create a potential work stoppage.

There’s more from around the world of basketball:

LSU’s Ben Simmons, who officially declared for the NBA draft earlier today, has withdrawn from school and will move to Phoenix to prepare, reports Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. The 6’10” freshman has been projected as either the first or second pick in June’s draft.
Duke’s Brandon Ingram and Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield are the only top 13 prospects left in the NCAA Tournament, writes Chad Ford of ESPN.com (insider account). Ford notes that Ingram’s continued presence in the tourney will help his case for being the first player selected.
High school senior Jayson Tatum is the top pick in the 2017 mock draft posted by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. The 6’8″ Tatum, who projects as a small forward in the NBA, has committed to Duke for next season.
Restricted free agents could be the biggest beneficiaries of the shortening of the free agent moratorium, writes Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. This year’s moratorium was scheduled to run through July 11th, and with three days to match an offer, that would have left even the best restricted free agents in limbo for nearly two weeks.
Orlando Johnson, whose 10-day contract with the Pelicans expired over the weekend, is back with the Austin Spurs in the D-League, tweets Chris Reichert of Upside and Motor.

And-Ones: Horford, Howard, LeVert, Simmons

March 15th, 2016 at 3:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey is unsurprisingly a major fan of soon-to-be free agent big man Al Horford, as Jason Quick of CSNNW.com tweets. Horford will reportedly prioritize the fifth year that the Hawks, and no one else, can offer him in a new contract this summer, but he hasn’t made any commitments despite his fondness for Atlanta, and he reportedly has a degree of interest in the Magic. Portland wouldn’t offer the geographical advantage of no state income tax and proximity to his college home of the University of Florida that the Magic could, but the Blazers have an intriguing backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to showcase to Horford and other free agents this summer, when the team will have only about $47MM in guaranteed salary on the books against a salary cap expected to be twice that amount. See more from around the league:

Rockets GM Daryl Morey was mum when ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan asked him whether he planned to re-sign Dwight Howard this summer, as Matt Dollinger of SI.com notes in a roundup of last week’s MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. Agent David Falk regards Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf as the toughest negotiator he’s ever gone against, Dollinger notes in the same piece.
Positional versatility and a strong overall package make Michigan swingman Caris LeVert an intriguing prospect, but he looks ill-suited to become a go-to guy, and his history of injuries is a concern, write Josh Riddell and Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress.
Sean Deveney of The Sporting News sides with LSU combo forward Ben Simmons in the debate over whether Simmons or Duke small forward Brandon Ingram is the top prospect in this year’s draft, listing Simmons atop his first mock draft. Ingram follows, with European power forward Dragan Bender at No. 3.

Draft Notes: Ingram, Simmons, Dunn, Bentil

March 14th, 2016 at 3:18pm CST by Chuck Myron

Duke small forward Brandon Ingram is the new No. 1 crowning the list of top 2016 draft prospects that Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress compiles. Questions that dog LSU combo forward Ben Simmons about his shooting, competitiveness, character and whether he prefers to make highlights over sound fundamental plays have led Givony to make the change to Ingram, as the scribe details in a piece for The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. It’s a fluid process, naturally, and more than three months remain until the June 23rd draft. Still, given the hype surrounding Simmons, it’s a significant development. See more on the player Givony now lists No. 2 amid news on the draft:

Simmons plans to sign with Klutch Sports and agent Rich Paul, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. That comes as no surprise in the wake of a recruiting effort that’s gone on for years, as Wojnarowski details. Emily Bush, Simmons’ older sister, has been a Klutch employee since 2014, Wojnarowski notes.
Top-10 prospect Kris Dunn is leaning toward Roc Nation Sports to represent him, according to Jake Fischer of SI Now (Twitter link). The Providence point guard is No. 5 in Givony’s rankings and seventh with Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops looks at Dunn as well as other key prospects who took part in last week’s Big East tournament. A 38-point game from Dunn’s teammate, power forward Ben Bentil, stole the show, and one Eastern Conference executive told Scotto he’s hearing that Bentil would go in the late first or early second round if he declares.