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Draft Combine Update: Friday Morning

May 13th, 2016 at 10:29am CST by Chuck Myron

Skal Labissiere‘s impressive private workout on Wednesday didn’t quite measure up to the hype, contends Chad Ford of ESPN.com in an Insider-only piece, who pegs the draft range for the Kentucky big man as No. 9 to No. 20. The Suns and Kings are among the teams Labissiere has interviewed with at the combine, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, echoing previous reports about interviews with Philadelphia and New Orleans. Ford’s sources remain solidly in the camp of Ben Simmons over Brandon Ingram for the top overall pick, while it appears it’s a battle between Jamal Murray and Kris Dunn for the No. 3 pick, Ford hears. Still, no one had a more impressive combine showing Thursday than Cheick Diallo, a high second-round prospect, according to Ford. Both his strengths and weaknesses were on display, as Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress detail. The Kansas center/forward says he’ll probably remain in the draft, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv details, adding the Warriors, Mavericks, Nets, Sixers, Knicks and Raptors to the list of teams he’s interviewing with at the combine.

See more updates as the combine continues:

The Lakers interviewed Ingram, notes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
The Bulls, Hawks, Kings, Spurs and Rockets are among the teams interviewing Cal swingman Jaylen Brown, as he told reporters and as Basketball Insiders relays in a video. Also on the list are Boston and Minnesota, as we passed along earlier.
UNLV shooting guard Patrick McCaw listed the Raptors, Bucks, Hornets, Cavaliers and Heat, as well as a previously reported meeting with Boston, among his interviews, as Basketball Insiders relays in another video.
Wisconsin power forward Nigel Hayes will work out for the Suns, Celtics and Knicks, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News (Twitter link). Ford heard some negativity surrounding his performance Thursday.
The Pelicans, Knicks, Mavericks, Hornets and Lakers are the previously unreported teams on the interview list for Maryland point guard Melo Trimble, as J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic relays. Ford heard from NBA types down on Trimble’s showing Thursday.
Former Iona combo guard A.J. English met with the Pelicans and will do so with the Wizards and Nets, Zagoria tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
The Spurs, Warriors, Nuggets and Grizzlies are the previously unreported teams interviewing Seton Hall shooting guard Isaiah Whitehead, Zagoria relays (Twitter link). He’ll work out for the Sixers on Monday, the Pacers on Wednesday, the Celtics on May 20th and the Bulls on May 23rd, a source tells Zach Braziller of the New York Post (Twitter links). Boston, Indiana and Chicago are particularly interested in him, Braziller hears.

Atlantic Notes: Dunn, Trimble, Wiltjer, Hart

May 12th, 2016 at 10:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Coach Brett Brown has promised Providence sophomore point guard Kris Dunn a chance to play right away if the Sixers draft him, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Dunn met with Sixers officials Wednesday and both he and the team appeared to come away impressed. “They made me feel like they really wanted me there,” he said. “We all were very engaged. We talked about a lot of things. I appreciate them having me.” Philadelphia notched the NBA’s worst record this season and has a 26.9% chance at landing the top overall pick. That will probably be LSU’s Ben Simmons or Duke’s Brandon Ingram, but the Sixers will also get the Lakers’ pick if it falls outside the top three, which is where they might take Dunn.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

The Sixers are interviewing a lot of guards, including Maryland sophomore point guard Melo Trimble, Pompey tweets.
Gonzaga senior power forward Kyle Wiltjer will work out for the Sixers later this month, Pompey tweets.
Villanova junior shooting guard Josh Hart plans a workout with the Sixers, tweets Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com. Hart is undecided on whether to stay in the draft or return to school. Philadelphia will also work out freshman small forward Dedric Lawson of Memphis on Monday (Twitter link).
The Celtics have met with several top prospects, including Ingram, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Other projected top-10 players that Boston has interviewed include Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield, Kentucky’s Jamal Murray and California’s Jaylen Brown. The team has also scheduled an interview with Utah center Jakob Poeltl. According to Himmelsbach, the Celtics have either met with or are planning interviews with Oakland’s Kay Felder, Maryland’s Diamond Stone, Vanderbilt’s Wade Baldwin, New Mexico State’s Pascal Siakam, Michigan State’s Deyonta Davis, China’s Zhou Qi, Syracuse’s Malachi Richardson, UNLV’s Patrick McCaw, Louisville’s Chinanu Onuaku, Vanderbilt’s Damian Jones, Mississippi State’s Malik Newman, North Carolina State’s Cat Barber, Kansas’ Cheick Diallo, Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes and high school prospect Thon Maker.
Seton Hall sophomore point guard Isaiah Whitehead, who has met with the Sixers, Celtics, Knicks and Nets among others, will “100%” leave college if a team offers him a first-round guarantee, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. “You can’t give up opportunities like that,” Whitehead said. “I mean, when they tell you it’s time to go, you just gotta go.”
Assistant GM Allan Houston conducted the Knicks‘ meeting with Whitehead as team president Phil Jackson apparently skipped the draft combine, Zagoria writes in a separate piece.
Diallo is scheduled to meet with the Knicks, Celtics and Raptors on Friday, Zagoria tweets.

Atlantic Notes: Dunn, Ulis, Jackson

May 12th, 2016 at 5:13pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Despite the reports that interim coach Kurt Rambis is team president Phil Jackson‘s choice to lead the Knicks next season, league sources have informed Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that the competition for the post is still wide open. It’s also notable that Rambis is in attendance at the scouting combine this week but Jackson is not in Chicago for the event, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv relays. “When Larry Bird took over for the Pacers, he was the first guy in the gym in Chicago,” a league executive told Zagoria. “Jerry West was always in the gym. Those guys are not on ranches in Montana. Phil obviously doesn’t worry or care about that.” While the Knicks don’t currently own a pick in this year’s NBA Draft, the team could look to acquire one from another team.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics interviewed Duke freshman forward Brandon Ingram today, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com relays. Boston also interviewed Syracuse freshman swingman Malachi Richardson, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (via Twitter).
The Sixers interviewed Florida State freshman shooting guard Malik Beasley, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays (via Twitter). The swingman noted that Philadelphia intends to bring him in for a workout, Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com adds (Twitter links). The team has an interview scheduled for Friday with Michigan State freshman big man Deyonta Davis, Camerato also reports.
The Sixers met with Clemson junior small forward Jaron Blossomgame on Wednesday and have a workout scheduled with him on May 20th, Camerato tweets. Philly also met with former Weber State power forward Joel Bolomboy today, Camerato notes. Also sitting down with team personnel today were Providence junior point guard Kris Dunn and Notre Dame’s Demetrius Jackson, Camerato adds (Twitter links).
North Carolina State point guard Cat Barber has a workout scheduled with the Sixers on Monday, Pompey relays (on Twitter).
Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo indicated that the team is open to trading away some of its draft picks this year in exchange for veteran players, Jake Fischer of Liberty Ballers tweets. “You can only have so many developing players,” Colangelo told Andy Katz of ESPN. “We may be in play with some of those picks.“
The Sixers met with Kentucky sophomore point guard Tyler Ulis today and intend to bring him in for a workout in the near future, Camerato tweets.
Vanderbilt sophomore point guard Wade Baldwin interviewed with the Celtics today, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe tweets, Baldwin also met with the Sixers, Camerato notes (on Twitter).
Former Syracuse swingman Michael Gbinije will interview with the Sixers on Friday or Saturday, Pompey relays (via Twitter). Gbinije is also scheduled to meet with the Knicks, Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal tweets.

Draft Combine Updates: Thursday Afternoon

May 12th, 2016 at 1:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

The NBA draft combine began Wednesday and kicks into high gear today. The players have been measured, with the the NBA releasing the results on its website, and drills and five-on-five action will take place for willing participants. The general rule is this: The more highly regarded the prospect, the fewer combine events in which he takes part. Cameron Payne was the only eventual 2015 lottery pick who did any basketball activity at last year’s combine, notes Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). Top-pick contender Ben Simmons is among those who are skipping the combine altogether, while lottery prospects Kris Dunn and Deyonta Davis will be limited participants, Givony and Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com report (Twitter links). Interviews with teams are a key part of the combine, as The Vertical’s Bobby Marks details, but teams don’t directly select the players they interview, as Marks explains.

Here’s more news on the draft:

Givony, writing for The Vertical, said the private workout Skal Labissiere had Wednesday was one of the best he’s ever seen. The big man from Kentucky also interviewed with the Sixers on Wednesday, a source told Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly (Twitter link).
Top-10 prospects Brandon Ingram, Buddy Hield and Jamal Murray are among those interviewing with the Celtics, reports Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).
First-round prospect DeAndre’ Bembry will work out for the Sixers on Monday, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The small forward from St. Joseph’s met with the Nets on Wednesday, according to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link), and Bembry also interviewed with the Thunder, Wizards, Spurs, Pelicans and Knicks, Pompey adds (via Twitter).
St. Joseph’s power forward Isaiah Miles worked out for the Celtics this week and will do so for the Nets on May 19th, Pompey also reports. The Mavericks, Spurs, Rockets, Bucks and Knicks will also work him out, according to Pompey, who adds that he’ll interview with the Pacers and Wizards at the combine and previously interviewed with the Mavs, Spurs, Magic and Grizzlies at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a showcase for seniors.
The Nets are among the teams working out Kentucky combo guard Isaiah Briscoe, sources tell Evan Daniels of Scout.com (Twitter link), who also echoes previous reports of his workouts with three other teams.
Oklahoma senior shooting guard Isaiah Cousins will work out Tuesday for the Pacers, Zagoria tweets.
Oakland University point guard Kay Felder met Wednesday with the Suns, Pelicans, Jazz, Nuggets, Cavaliers, Celtics and Nets, reports Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
Evansville center Egidijus Mockevicius will work out for the Nets, Bulls and Pacers, reports Daniel Allar of the Courier & Press (Twitter links). The Nuggets, Cavaliers and Magic are also interested in scheduling workouts with him, Allar adds.

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.