Brandon Miller Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Hornets, Quickley, Bulls, Dobner

June 29th, 2023 at 8:44am CST by Arthur Hill

A report last Thursday that the Hornets were giving renewed consideration to taking Scoot Henderson with the No. 2 pick was a late attempt to get the Trail Blazers to trade up, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports said on the Basketball Illuminati Podcast.

“I don’t think this was done (with) betting markets, conspiracy, blah, blah, blah,” Fischer said (hat tip to Real GM). “I think the Hornets tried to get a little savvy.”

Fischer points out that Charlotte general manager Mitch Kupchak tried a similar tactic in 2015 when he had the No. 2 pick as GM of the Lakers. Kupchak was deciding between D’Angelo Russell and Jahlil Okafor and didn’t communicate to their agents what he planned to do.

“I believe the Hornets did not tell Brandon Miller or Scoot until right on the clock that they were going either direction to continue that misdirection, mystery or whatever you call,” Fischer added. “I think it was a concerted effort by the Hornets to drum up some trade interest there.”

There’s more from the Eastern Conference:

An NBA executive tells Sean Deveney of Heavy.com that he thinks Immanuel Quickley will want “nine figures” over four years in his extension talks this summer. The Knicks guard helped his bargaining position with an outstanding third season that saw him finish second in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. “I can’t say the Knicks will go that high but they might have to,” the executive said. “He is not a guy you want to send to restricted free agency.”
The Bulls didn’t address their need for outside shooting in the draft, so they’re likely to look for shooters in free agency, per Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Chicago’s only pick was Julian Phillips, who shot 23.9% from behind the arc on 46 attempts last season at Tennessee. The Bulls ranked last in three-point attempts per game the past two years, and general manager Marc Eversley believes recently hired shooting coach Peter Patton will help. “Peter comes to us not only as a shooting coach but somebody who can oversee our player development function,” Eversley said. “… And we feel like he can help the overall look and feel of how we play the game and shoot the ball.”
Sidney Dobner will be the first female assistant coach in the history of the Bucks, the team stated in a press release announcing Adrian Griffin‘s staff. This will be Dobner’s sixth season with the franchise.

Hornets Notes: Miller, Ball, Bridges, Washington, Free Agency

June 23rd, 2023 at 1:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

For all the outside speculation about who the Hornets would take with their No. 2 pick, general manager Mitch Kupchak says the team never wavered in its commitment to Brandon Miller, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Kupchak admits serious consideration was given to G League Ignite star Scoot Henderson, as both players were brought in Monday for a second workout and a meeting with team owner Michael Jordan. Miller solidified his status at that session, Kupchak confirmed in a post-draft press conference Thursday night.

“It wasn’t the easiest of decisions, but Brandon was our favorite all along,” he said. “A lot of spirited discussion the last three or four days, which I welcome, and I think it’s good for the basketball department to discuss pros and cons, pluses and minuses, argue a little bit. So, obviously, our opinion from the beginning did not change.”

The Hornets were attracted to Miller because he’s a better fit alongside point guard LaMelo Ball and he gives the team another outside shooting threat, connecting at 38.4% from long distance at Alabama this season. Although Charlotte was firm in its decision to take the freshman forward, he wasn’t told before the pick was announced by Commissioner Adam Silver.

“I found out literally when they were calling my name,” Miller said. “I was still on the phone. My reaction was a lot of excitement, smiles, hugs and handshakes. I knew my mom was going to cry, she was going to shed a tear. But there’s nothing wrong with crying, I think it happens to the best.”

There’s more from Charlotte:

Kupchak also offered an update on Ball, who underwent surgery on March 1 for a fractured right ankle, Boone states in a separate story. “His rehab, the bone was probably 100% healed six weeks ago,” Kupchak said. “In terms of MRIs and X-rays, it’s 100% healed. He’s been on the basketball court for four to six weeks, running, shooting, jumping. He has not scrimmaged yet. He’s not played one-on-one, two-on-two. He could, but we are not even July 1 yet. What’s the rush? So, he’s … I can’t say ahead of schedule. This is exactly what the doctor expected, so we are good.”
Kupchak refused to talk about the possible return of Miles Bridges, who sat out all of last season after pleading no contest to felony domestic violence, Boone adds. However, Kupchak told reporters that re-signing free agent forward P.J. Washington remains a priority for the offseason.
The Hornets will try to find a veteran leader for their young team in free agency, tweets Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. Kupchak said there are players on the roster who can eventually grow into leaders, but he doesn’t see anyone who’s ready for that role yet.

Hornets Select Brandon Miller With No. 2 Pick

June 22nd, 2023 at 7:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Hornets have selected Alabama small forward Brandon Miller with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft.

Charlotte reportedly decided between Miller and G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson, who were widely considered the top two prospects in the draft behind Victor Wembanyama.

From a fit perspective, Miller – a 6’9″ wing – makes more sense for the Hornets than another ball-handling guard like Henderson. Incumbent Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball battled injuries this past season but made the 2022 All-Star team, so Miller was viewed for most of the process as the favorite to land in Charlotte.

Miller had a stellar freshman season on the court for the Crimson Tide. The 6’9″ prospect averaged 18.8 PPG on .430/.384/.859 shooting splits. He also notched 8.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.9 BPG across his 37 regular season contests.

For his efforts, the 20-year-old was named the SEC Player of the Year and an All-SEC First Teamer. He was also selected to the 2023 All-American Second Team.

Miller was widely considered to be the best freshman in the NCAA for 2022/23. Accordingly, he was named the SEC Rookie of the Year, the NABC Freshman of the Year, and the USBWA National Freshman of the Year.

Miller has faced scrutiny for his connection to a fatal January shooting in Tuscaloosa. He brought former Alabama teammate Darius Miles the gun that was used in the killing of young mother Jamea Jonae Harris, but has insisted that he didn’t know the weapon was in the car. He cooperated in the investigation and didn’t face any criminal charges.

Luke Adams contributed to this report.

Draft/Trade Rumors: Am. Thompson, Blazers, Beal, Brogdon, More

June 22nd, 2023 at 1:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Many view the 2023 NBA draft as having a “big three” of Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller, but league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer that Amen Thompson, who is ranked No. 4 on ESPN’s big board, is expected to receive consideration from the Trail Blazers at No. 3 if Henderson goes No. 2 to Charlotte.

Still, O’Connor has Portland selecting Miller in his latest mock draft, with Thompson heading to Houston at No. 4. As O’Connor writes, Thompson could make sense for the Blazers if they decide to trade Damian Lillard, but there’s been no indication that’s in the plans as of yet.

Here are a few more draft and trade-related rumors:

Multiple sources tell O’Connor that the Raptors registered interest in Bradley Beal while he was still with the Wizards, but the three-time All-Star preferred to go to the Suns. O’Connor doesn’t specify what Toronto may have offered for Beal or if the talks advanced at all.
According to Adam Himmselsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link), the Clippers decided to pull out of their three-team trade talks with the Celtics and Wizards because they didn’t have time to complete a physical on Malcolm Brogdon. The three sides were facing time constraints, as Kristaps Porzingis had a midnight ET deadline to pick up his $36MM player option as part of the trade (he wound up being sent to Boston anyway in a separate deal). Brogdon reportedly suffered a torn tendon in his right elbow during the Eastern Conference Finals and recently said he hoped to avoid surgery. Sources tell Himmelsbach that even if the 30-year-old does need surgery, there’s a belief that he’d be ready to go by the start of 2023/24.
In addition to the Raptors and Mavericks, the Hawks have also discussed trades with the Celtics, reports O’Connor. It’s unclear which players or draft picks may have been discussed. For what it’s worth, there’s a “strong belief” around the league that the Celtics aren’t done making moves, writes Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com.
O’Connor hears that Chris Livingston, who opted out of his remaining pre-draft workouts a couple weeks ago, impressed teams with his shooting ability prior to making that decision. O’Connor has the Kentucky wing going No. 43 to Portland.
Jordan Hawkins is a name worth monitoring for Lakers fans, according to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (Twitter link), who reports that Hawkins met with the team. The UConn wing is considered one of the best shooters in the draft and is currently No. 16 on ESPN’s board, while the Lakers control the Nos. 17 and 40 picks.

Hornets Leaning Towards Scoot Henderson At No. 2?

June 22nd, 2023 at 11:19am CST by Rory Maher

Several recent reports have stated that the Hornets were favoring Alabama’s Brandon Miller at No. 2 overall in tonight’s draft, but G League Ignite’s Scoot Henderson is building “serious momentum” with Charlotte for that selection, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Charania says the Hornets have been “torn” in the lead-up to the draft, with both players viewed as strong candidates. The organization has final meetings on Thursday to decide which prospect it will choose, Charania adds.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie recently placed Henderson at No. 2 in his latest mock draft, expressing skepticism that the Hornets were truly favoring Miller over Henderson.

President of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak said on Wednesday that the Hornets would be choosing between two players, and while he didn’t mention them by name, they’re widely expected to be Henderson and Miller. He also said they’d be taking the best player available approach, as David Newton of ESPN relays.

“I don’t think we’re at the stage where we’re good enough to focus on fit,” Kupchak said. “Next year, knock on wood, we’re healthy, we might be getting close where we could look a little bit more to fit.

“But right now, it’s about adding the best player that we could possibly add to the team. … We’re going to take the player that we feel is best for this organization going forward.”

Kupchak also said the team was open to trading the pick, though the offer would likely have to be overwhelming. As of yesterday, he anticipated keeping the valuable selection.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report is another talent evaluator who has been skeptical of the rumors that Miller was the leading candidate to go No. 2. He says many people seem to favor Henderson as the second-best prospect in the draft (Twitter links). According to Wasserman, league insiders haven’t been able to trace the source of Charlotte’s rumored preference for Miller, since the team is known for being pretty tight-lipped.

As Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports tweets, other lottery teams believe Henderson is still receiving strong consideration, buoyed by support from the Hornets’ new ownership group, which is led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, who are buying Michael Jordan‘s majority stake. However, Kupchak said at his press conference Wednesday that Jordan would have final say on basketball decisions, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

“Michael has the final say,” Kupchak said. “During the last month or two I would talk to Michael in the morning two or three times a week. With the sale of the organization, one of the new owners was in a couple of days ago and is in today, and I expect them to weigh in, whether it’s in-person or not.

“There’s a lot of texts going back and forth, there’s a lot of questions, there’s a lot of catch-up for a new owner. This is not a simple process. There’s a lot of research, testing, intel, opinion that goes into the decision. The new owners are catching up as quick as they can. So the debate will continue today, it might continue (Thursday), which is good. It’s healthy. I welcome that.”

Draft Rumors: Miller, Henderson, Pistons, Howard, Jaquez

June 22nd, 2023 at 10:10am CST by Arthur Hill

Numerous insiders have stated that the Hornets are leaning heavily toward taking Brandon Miller with the No. 2 pick in tonight’s draft, but Miller indicated Wednesday that he hasn’t been promised anything, writes Adam Zagoria of NJ.com.

“Probably when I get drafted is when I’ll know where I’m going,” Miller said. He added that he’ll be equally happy heading to Charlotte with the second pick or Portland at No. 3.

In an updated mock draft released this morning, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic moved G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson up to No. 2 ahead of Miller. Vecenie has been skeptical of rumors that Charlotte is leaning toward Miller because he’s a better fit, and he continues to doubt leaks that the Hornets have decided on Miller after bringing both players in for a second workout on Monday.

Vecenie points out that general manager Mitch Kupchak said at a news conference Wednesday that team officials didn’t get a lot of new information from that second visit. Vecenie adds that incoming owners Gabe Plotkin and Rich Schnall will be involved in the draft decision, and they may view Henderson as the better prospect.

There’s more draft news to pass along:

The Pistons are listening to offers for the No. 5 pick, but their asking price is “prohibitively high,” Jonathan Givony states in ESPN’s updated mock draft (subscription required). He cites the Jazz, who hold the ninth and 16th picks, as a team that would like to move up if Detroit eases its demands. Givony adds that Pistons’ ownership may be reluctant to trade down, hoping to add an exciting prospect after such a difficult season. Givony lists Ausar Thompson as his choice for Detroit, noting that Cam Whitmore has likely fallen into the 6-9 range.
Michigan’s Jett Howard tells Sean Deveney of Heavy.com that he worked out this week for the Lakers, who hold pick No. 17. Deveney points out that the freshman guard already has a connection with L.A. general manager Rob Pelinka, who played with Jett’s father, Juwan Howard, for two seasons with the Wolverines. “Rob was there, talked to him a little bit,” Howard said of the 30-minute session with the Lakers. “I have known him so long, it was kind of an organic conversation. And yeah, if they pick me, I would be more than happy to play for them.”
The Lakers, Heat (18) and Warriors (19) may all have interest in UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez, Deveney adds in a separate story. Jaquez credits strong workouts with helping to raise his draft stock. “I think I did well in the workouts, I went out there and showed what I can do, and hopefully teams saw what I was capable of,” he said. “There were question marks going into those workouts, I went into those workouts trying to answer those questions. I think that is why I got this invite here.”
Jaquez is one of the final additions to the Green Room list issued by the NBA (Twitter link), along with Brandin Podziemski and Rayan Rupert.

Draft Rumors: Miller, Hornets, Blazers, Pacers, Magic, More

June 21st, 2023 at 8:44pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hornets appear to be leaning toward selecting Alabama’s Brandon Miller with the second overall pick in tomorrow night’s draft, according to reports from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link via ClutchPoints), Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link), Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link) and Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Wojnarowski, Givony, and Woo have all heard from sources who say Miller performed much better in his second workout on Monday in front of Hornets brass, including owner Michael Jordan. Wojnarowski goes so far as to say Miller “further solidified his standing as Charlotte’s choice at No. 2.”

For his part, Miller said in a SiriusXM NBA Radio interview (Twitter video link) that he didn’t feel intimidated by working out in front of Jordan, noting that he didn’t grow up watching the Hall of Famer. He also said he had a “fun time” exchanging verbal jabs with Jordan.

Here are more rumors on the draft, which is less than 24 hours away:

It would take a “significant return” for the Trail Blazers to part with the No. 3 pick in a draft that many view as having a consensus top-three prospects, but they’ll continue to listen to offers up until it’s time to make a selection, Wojnarowski said on ESPN’s NBA Today (YouTube link). “Certainly, they want to build around Damian Lillard, Wojnarowski said, per RealGM. “That’s been their focus. Damian Lillard says he wants to continue to be in Portland. So I think they’ll go right up to the clock on Thursday night. Offers and outreach from teams tend to get more serious the closer you get to the deadline…Portland may not have gotten the best offers that will come to them, but they will here in the next 24 hours or so. This is a significant decision for this organization, for Damian Lillard’s future in Portland.” If Miller gets picked No. 2, the Blazers would almost certainly select Scoot Henderson, Woj added.
Fischer confirms a recent report that the Spurs are inquiring about adding a second lottery pick and have been linked to French wing Bilal Coulibaly, who played with projected No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama on Metropolitans 92. Interestingly, sources tell Woo that Coulibaly hasn’t unilaterally granted access to his medical details, indicating he may have a preferred destination in mind.
Cam Whitmore‘s stock may be falling due to medical concerns, sources tell Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, who has Whitmore going No. 9 to the Jazz in his latest mock draft. Whitmore had been viewed as an option for the Rockets (No. 4) or Pistons (No. 5).
Although Ausar Thompson canceled a workout with the Pacers (No. 7) last week, he still had a meeting with team officials, he told Fischer. Indiana sent a “select group” of personnel to Atlanta to meet with Thompson over the weekend, Fischer writes.
Anthony Black‘s camp “initially showed resistance” to the idea of working out for Orlando due to the Magic‘s guard depth, sources tell Fischer. However, he wound up leaving a strong impression on the team and now thinks he could be picked No. 6 overall, he told Fischer. If the Magic do pick a guard, they’ve given rivals the impression they’d consider trading Cole Anthony, who has a “great relationship” with the front office, or Jalen Suggs. “They didn’t tell me that,” Black said, “but that’s what I figured they’d do if they picked me.”
The Lakers have been exploring all kinds of options with their first-round pick (No. 17), including possibly moving up a few slots, Fischer writes. Keyonte George could be a target — the guard has also been linked to the Raptors at No. 13, per Fischer.
According to Fischer, Jarace Walker believes he could go as high as No. 5 (Pistons), with a floor possibly being Indiana (No. 7); Taylor Hendricks believes he could go anywhere from No. 5 to No. 12 (Thunder); and Dereck Lively II has been told he could be picked anywhere from No. 10 (Dallas) to No. 20 (Houston).

Draft Rumors: Hornets, Miller, Rockets, Whitmore, Sixers, Prosper

June 20th, 2023 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The prevailing thought among rival teams is that the Hornets are more likely to draft Brandon Miller than Scoot Henderson at No. 2, according to both Jeremy Woo of ESPN.com (subscription required) and Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Still, while Miller may be widely viewed as the favorite, it sounds like that intel is coming from outside the organization, with the Hornets not tipping their hand on their plans. According to Woo, not everyone around the league is convinced that Charlotte is zeroing in on Miller, especially since Henderson reportedly had a strong first workout with the team.

As draft day nears, it’s worth remembering that Jabari Smith – and not Paolo Banchero – was long considered by rival teams to be the pick at No. 1 in the weeks leading up to last year’s draft. We’ll see if the Hornets have a surprise in store for us this Thursday like Orlando did a year ago.

Here’s more on the 2023 NBA draft, which is just two days away:

The Rockets‘ No. 4 pick has been the subject of trade rumors this month, but opposing teams believe Houston will likely stand pat, writes Fischer. Overtime Elite guard Amen Thompson increasingly looks like the frontrunner to be selected at No. 4, according to both Fischer and Woo.
According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, sources in recent days have begun to discuss the possibility of Cam Whitmore sliding down the lottery due to poor workouts. Both O’Connor and ESPN have Whitmore at No. 9 in their latest mock drafts, though O’Connor admits that the latest rumors might be a smoke screen.
Sixers ownership has given president of basketball operations Daryl Morey the go-ahead to be aggressive as he attempts to trade into the 2023 draft, reports Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. The team, which currently doesn’t have a pick in 2023, would like to acquire a second-rounder. The most likely scenario is Philadelphia simply buying a pick for cash, Neubeck says.
Marquette’s Olivier-Maxence Prosper, whose stock has been on the rise in recent weeks, received a Green Room invite for draft night, a source tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). Prosper is the 22nd prospect to be invited to the Green Room (Twitter link).
In a pair of articles for The Athletic, David Aldridge spoke to several anonymous NBA coaches and executives to get their thoughts on this year’s top guard prospects and top forward prospects.

Blazers Rumors: No. 3 Pick, Lillard, Adebayo, George, Zion

June 20th, 2023 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

Like his ESPN colleague Jonathan Givony, Brian Windhorst has been hearing that the Trail Blazers haven’t been enamored with the trade offers they’ve been getting for the No. 3 pick in this Thursday’s draft. Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Tuesday (YouTube link), Windhorst discussed the situation in Portland and how it could affect star guard Damian Lillard.

“In discussions with teams in the last couple of days, the Blazers have started to maybe indicate that they won’t trade the No. 3 pick and that they may end up deciding to draft a player there, whether it be Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller, because they aren’t necessarily in love with the options they’re getting offer for No. 3,” Windhorst said.

As Windhorst notes, Lillard has repeatedly expressed his loyalty to the Trail Blazers, but he has also spoken in recent months about not wanting to be part of a rebuild in Portland and his hope that the team can add impact veterans.

“I checked in on the Lillard side of things about whether or not there’d been a change of heart there and I was told unequivocally, ‘No,'” Windhorst said. “Dame does not want a youth movement. He wants to play with veterans. He wants the team to upgrade fast and immediately with veteran players that can help him now.”

There are other ways besides trading the No. 3 pick for the Blazers to add veteran talent this summer, Windhorst acknowledges, so if Portland keeps and uses its lottery pick on Thursday, that doesn’t necessarily mean Lillard will immediately make a trade request.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports makes this point too, writing in his latest story that the Blazers “view this entire offseason as their canvas” to upgrade their roster around Lillard and don’t necessarily feel it has to happen entirely during the draft. For now, it still appears that Dame’s preference is to remain in Portland and that the club hasn’t shown any willingness to discuss trading Lillard, says Fischer.

Here’s more on the Blazers:

Portland is preparing what the front office considers a “compelling” offer for Heat big man Bam Adebayo, a source tells Fischer. While that may be true, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Miami would accept such a deal, given that the Heat view Adebayo as a long-term cornerstone and want to acquire Lillard themselves rather than help the Blazers keep him. For what it’s worth, Fischer suggests that any Portland offer for Adebayo would almost certainly have to include Shaedon Sharpe in addition to the No. 3 pick and Anfernee Simons to even get Miami to think about it.
While Adebayo may not be attainable, he’s the sort of “premium” player the Trail Blazers are targeting in talks involving their lottery pick, Fischer writes, naming Clippers forward Paul George as another example of a player the team would like to land.
League sources tell Fischer that the Blazers don’t “truly covet” either of the Raptors forwards they’ve been linked to (Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby) in a deal for the No. 3 selection. Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns also aren’t considered legitimate targets, Fischer adds.
The Blazers and Pelicans have discussed Zion Williamson, per Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, but New Orleans hasn’t made a formal offer involving Williamson and may want more than just the No. 3 pick for him, per Fischer.

Draft Rumors: Pelicans, Blazers, Pistons, Jazz, Wizards, Bufkin, Raptors, More

June 20th, 2023 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

The chatter about the possibility of the Pelicans moving into the top three of Thursday’s draft to select Scoot Henderson has “died down in recent days,” Jeremy Woo writes in ESPN’s latest mock draft (Insider link). While New Orleans could still look to make a deal involving the No. 14 pick, Woo says the team seems reluctant to move either Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram and the Hornets appear unlikely to move off of No. 2.

As for the Trail Blazers, they continue to talk to various teams about the No. 3 pick, but they also seem content to select whoever is available between Henderson and Brandon Miller, per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. Sources tell Givony that unless Portland gets an offer it can’t turn down, the club may just hang onto that pick.

Elsewhere in the top half of the lottery, the “intel has shifted” regarding the Pistons‘ pick at No. 5, according to Givony, who says Cam Whitmore no longer looks like a safe projection at that spot. A trade down seems increasingly viable, given that Detroit likes several players who would probably be a reach at No. 5, including Taylor Hendricks, Gradey Dick, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and Cason Wallace.

Givony identifies the Jazz – who hold the ninth, 16th, and 28th overall picks – as one possible trade partner for the Pistons, writing that Utah is exploring many trade scenarios and has been frequently linked to forward Jarace Walker. The Jazz would likely have to move ahead of the Pacers at No. 7 to have a shot at Walker, Givony adds.

Here’s more from ESPN’s draft experts:

Anthony Black returned to D.C. over the weekend for a second workout with the Wizards, Woo reports. Multiple recent reports have linked Black to the Wizards, who hold the No. 8 overall pick. Woo says he’s “strongly in the mix” but also names Ausar Thompson and “dark horse” Kobe Bufkin as targets to watch for Washington.
Bufkin is a hot name to watch in the back half of the lottery, according to Givony and Woo, who suggest there has been speculation that the Michigan guard received a promise from a team like the Raptors (No. 13). Speaking of Toronto, Givony has heard from sources that free agent center Jakob Poeltl prefers not to be on a rebuilding team next season. While the Raptors aren’t considered likely to blow up their roster this summer, that’s a factor to take into account as they weigh potential paths.
A “large swath” of the league has called the Mavericks about the No. 10 pick, according to Woo, who writes that Dallas is still weighing its options. The Mavs are fond of some prospects in that range and would like to stay in the draft but are also seeking win-now pieces, Woo notes.
The Hornets have “made overtures” to some wings projected to be picked before No. 27, which is an indication that they may be exploring a trade up from No. 27 using one or more of their second-round picks (Nos. 34, 39, 41), Givony writes. The franchise’s incoming owners aren’t expected to have a major impact on Charlotte’s draft selections, but Givony wonders if the new ownership group could influence Charlotte’s plan with restricted free agent Miles Bridges, who missed all of last season following domestic violence charges.