Emmanuel Mudiay

Western Notes: Jordan, Lakers, Nuggets

May 21st, 2015 at 10:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Now that the Clippers have been eliminated from the playoffs, the team needs to look toward the offseason and find a way to improve despite the franchise’s challenging salary cap situation, Fran Blinebury of NBA.com writes. According to coach/executive Doc Rivers, Los Angeles’ first order of business this summer will be re-signing center DeAndre Jordan, Blinebury notes. “Our first priority is D.J.,” Rivers said. “That’s obvious. I don’t know how much I can say there. Can you tamper with your own guy? If that’s true I’m going to go tamper right now.” The Clippers will have competition for the unrestricted free agent’s services, and Jordan has already expressed through back channels that he’ll be “extremely interested” in signing with the Mavs this summer.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

The Nuggets are taking their time looking for a new head coach, and a decision isn’t expected for another couple weeks, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes. “It’s exactly how we thought it would go,” team president Josh Kroenke said. “We’ve had several conversations with a lot of people. I think that it benefits us to talk to as many people as we can. We have some people in the back of our mind that we think would be great fits. I’ve talked to enough people, and going through the process before, your coaching hire is probably going to be your hardest hire because there’s so much that goes into that role in today’s sporting industry.”
Kroenke also relayed that the Nuggets aren’t concerned about the length of time the coaching search has taken thus far, Dempsey adds. “It’s beneficial for us on some level to be patient,” Kroenke said. “I think more candidates have opened up since the end of the season. Based on different organizations wanting to go different directions with different guys, I think there was never a time when we wanted to rush into anything. Until you have that guy that you know is the one that you want, I think it really benefits you to talk to as many people as you can. Because also during the course of these interviews you’re getting to pick some of the best basketball minds that are out there. That’s an incredible benefit to the process.“
The Lakers aren’t 100% set on drafting either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, and the team is intrigued by D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com tweets.

Knicks Notes: Cauley-Stein, Russell, Mudiay

May 21st, 2015 at 1:22pm CST by Chuck Myron

The consensus among executives, agents and scouts around the league is that the Knicks will actively seek to trade the No. 4 overall pick for a veteran, reports Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Still, Marc Berman of the New York Post finds consensus among execs who say the Knicks will ultimately decide to keep it. One of those execs who spoke with Berman described the notion of the Knicks talking to other teams about trading the pick as a matter of due diligence. Team sources tell Berman that the Knicks don’t consider trading down a priority, but if they do move to a lower pick, they’d like to receive a 2016 first-rounder in return, Berman adds. Here’s more from New York:

Isola sees signs that point to Willie Cauley-Stein as the team’s target, noting Cauley-Stein fits the description of sort of defender team president Phil Jackson wants and that Jackson has told confidants that he likes the Kentucky center. Some people within the Knicks “absolutely love” D’Angelo Russell, a league source told Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, but the Sixers, who pick third, also seem enamored with him, leaving Emmanuel Mudiay as the next best choice, many scouts and draft experts say, as Begley writes.
Mudiay’s ability to get to the line would help the Knicks, who ranked last in the league in free throw rate this past season, but his tendency to ball-watch on defense is a trait some Knicks already share, as Chris Herring of The Wall-Street Journal examines.
GM Steve Mills said after the lottery that whomever the Knicks draft will have a “big impact” on the free agents the team targets, Begley observes in a separate piece. Mills also made a remark indicating that the team’s belief about which free agents will be most obtainable will affect the club’s draft decision, as Begley relays. “We’ll look at what kind of guys we think are going to move in free agency and have our draft plans accordingly,” Mills said.

Atlantic Notes: Mudiay, Sixers, Celtics

May 20th, 2015 at 7:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

While at the draft lottery, Sixers GM Sam Hinkie was asked if the team looked at Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel as franchise cornerstones, and how he sold the midseason trade of Michael Carter-Williams to the two big men, Zach Lowe of Grantland relays. “If your question is more about a particular trade we made, and how that might make [Noel and Embiid] feel, I called them immediately as we traded that person. Immediately,” said Hinkie. “I explained to them about how they should think about things — how some things spill over into others, and some don’t. That they shouldn’t read too much into these things. And I talked to them in exit interviews about what kind of program we were trying to build, and where they might fit in. And how the way they might fit has as much to do with them as it does with any grand design — with how they step into a particular void. Sometimes those voids — voids of leadership, of who the best player is, or voids in play — don’t stay open very long. Someone steps into it. They’ll have the first two chances at that, but there are gonna be maybe six more guys right behind them that will be looking to get theirs, too.”

Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Many insiders around the NBA believe that it is a foregone conclusion that the Sixers will select Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell with the No. 3 overall pick this June, Derek Bodner of DraftExpress tweets.
With the Knicks being the only team in the draft lottery to fall to a lower than projected pick, New York will likely be in line to select Emmanuel Mudiay this June, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv writes. Knicks GM Steve Mills already spoke with the young guard while at the NBA Draft lottery, Zagoria notes. “Mudiay is potentially a good player,” Mills said. “We haven’t worked him out yet, but he’s a guy that we think will obviously be in the mix, but we will look at all of our options and we will feel good about whoever we end up selecting.”
The Celtics have workouts scheduled today with Aaron Thomas (Florida State), Anthony Brown (Stanford), Dez Wells (Maryland), Malcolm Miller (Holy Cross), Julian Washburn (UTEP), SirDominic Pointer (St. John’s), Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com relays (Twitter link).

Atlantic Notes: Towns, Marks, Qualls

May 19th, 2015 at 5:35pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns said that playing for the Knicks would be a childhood dream come true if the franchise selects him in the NBA Draft, Ian Begley of ESPN.com writes. “It would be an honor, not only as a player, but as a Knicks fan, to be able to play for that organization,” Towns said. “It’s gonna be, I guess a childhood dream — rooting for the Knicks all this time, and the next thing you know, you hear an organization call your name to go out there and give it your best shot. I think it would very cool, and really very honored and blessed to be able to play for them.” You can view our full prospect profile on Towns here.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Towns also indicated that he’s more than willing to learn the triangle offense if he becomes a member of the Knicks, Begley adds. “It’s a system that works. If you don’t believe it then say it to Phil Jackson’s rings,” Towns said. “I just feel like anyone going into the offense, it takes time. It’s a very complicated offense and you also have to be able to make stuff happen out of it. It just takes time. It would be an honor and blessing to play in that offense and I’d try my best at it.“
Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks‘ contract option for 2015/16 wasn’t picked up by the team, and Brooklyn has now given Marks permission to explore other opportunities, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com tweets.
Arkansas junior guard Michael Qualls, a projected second-rounder this June, believes he could make an impact on the Sixers next season if the team drafts him, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “I feel like I can help right now,” Qualls said. “I can be a force right away to help change that atmosphere and [turn] that program around.“
The Knicks‘ front office is torn over whom to select in the draft should the team not snag one of the top two picks in June, Begley writes in a separate piece. “As of today, it looks like Jahlil Okafor would be the second choice. While he doesn’t have the defensive skills of Towns, his ability to play right away and his dominance on the offensive end will make him difficult to pass. After that, the Emmanuel Mudiay and D’Angelo Russell battle rages in the Knicks’ front office the same way it’s raging in front offices around the NBA,” ESPN Insider Chad Ford told Begley.

Draft Notes: Towns, Mudiay, Russell

May 10th, 2015 at 10:39pm CST by Will Joseph

Projected No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns has signed with Creative Artists Agency agents Leon Rose and Richie Felder tweets CBSSports.com’s Jon Rothstein, who cites a source. Towns recently spoke about how important it was to choose the right agent. “You only get one chance at that [picking an agent],” Towns said in a piece by John Pavia of SNY.tv. “You’ve got to make sure you get it right.” Hoops Rumors’ Eddie Scarito profiled Towns, who in 39 games for the Wildcats as a freshman, averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 21.1 minutes per contest.

Here’s more on the 2015 NBA draft:

Emmanuel Mudiay, a 6’5″ point guard who is the No. 3 ranked player by both Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required), is the wild card of this year’s draft, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes in a list of top storylines. Playing with the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association instead of college ball left Mudiay shrouded in relative mystery, Bonnell adds.
D’Angelo Russell‘s versatility and whether he should be labeled as a shooting guard or a point guard is another one of Bonnell’s top storylines. It may not matter, Bonnell notes, because there’s a good chance Russell excels in either role at the NBA level. Russell, who handles the ball well, produced 19.3 points per game on 45% from the field and 41% from 3-point range in his lone season with Ohio State. Russell is ranked fourth by ESPN.com and DraftExpress.
Michael Frazier, who elected to enter this year’s draft following his junior season with Florida, has some potential as a spot-up shooter and plays well defensively, and will get an opportunity this summer even if he does not get drafted, Josh Riddell of DraftExpress writes in his profile of the player. ESPN.com slots Frazier at No. 51, while DraftExpress ranks him No. 55.

Draft Notes: Mudiay, Towns, Mickey

May 5th, 2015 at 7:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Projected No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns is taking his time in choosing an agent to represent him, John Pavia of SNY.tv writes. “You only get one chance at that [picking an agent],” Towns said. “You’ve got to make sure you get it right. I’m taking my time with that process. The NBA Draft process, that’s one of the biggest things is all the things that come other than on the basketball court. You’ve got to take your time with these decisions. Make sure you make it right. You don’t want to be making multiple decisions quickly and then regret it.”

Here’s more notes regarding the 2015 NBA draft:

Emmanuel Mudiay is considering attending the draft combine in Chicago next week, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reports in a series of tweets. The young guard wishes to attend the college graduation of his brother, and will attempt to arrive for the event’s second day, Kyler adds. Mudiay is the No. 3 ranked player by both Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required).
LSU sophomore power forward Jordan Mickey is a potential second round pick this June because of his shotblocking prowess and overall physical tools, Josh Riddell of DraftExpress writes in his profile of the player. ESPN.com slots Mickey as the No. 48 prospect while DraftExpress ranks the 20-year-old as 49th overall.
While Georgia State’s R.J. Hunter did not have a strong junior season statistically, the 21-year-old plays the shallowest position in this year’s draft (shooting guard), and coupled with his ability to nail the deep shot, this makes him a likely first round choice in June, Givony and Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress write. Hunter is ranked No. 21 by Ford and No. 24 by Givony.
Towns is the top power forward in David Aldridge of NBA.com‘s latest 2015 NBA draft power rankings. Rounding out Aldridge’s top five at the four spot are Kristaps Porzingis, Trey Lyles, Myles Turner, and Bobby Portis.

And-Ones: Labor, Wolves, Mudiay, Combine

May 4th, 2015 at 4:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Commissioner Adam Silver hinted vaguely on Sunday that the NBA would push for a hard cap, shorter contracts with smaller raises and maybe even the elimination of guaranteed deals if the union opts out of the labor deal in 2017, according to Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck. Silver didn’t mention the measures specifically, but they were concessions the league sought during the last round of collective bargaining in 2011. Roberts has said that it’s likely the union will opt out and that it’s preparing to do so.

“And if they do, we’ll deal with that,” Silver said on Bleacher Report Radio, as Beck relays. “There were a lot of things we left on the table [in 2011]. We went into collective bargaining seeking — I don’t want to get into it now — but a number of things that we didn’t accomplish. And we compromised. And they compromised as well. If there’s a feeling that we should reopen the collective bargaining agreement … hopefully, just as we have in the past, we’ll work through all those issues and there won’t be any disruptions in the season.”

The deadline for either the union or the league, which can also opt out of the collective bargaining agreement, to give notice that it will do so is December 15th, 2016, Beck notes, so while we hope for a peaceful resolution, here’s more from around the league:

Timberwolves draft-and-stash prospect Nemanja Bjelica wants a “serious offer” of somewhere around $5MM to $7MM a year if he’s to jump to the NBA this coming offseason, according to David Pick of Basketball Insiders, who writes in a chat with readers. A report from March indicated that there was mutual interest between the 26-year-old power forward and the Wolves, but Pick isn’t so sure Bjelica signs with the team this summer. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities speculated earlier this month that it would take an offer similar to the three-year deal for more than $16.6MM that Nikola Mirotic got from the Bulls this past offseason, and that would fall in line with Pick’s numbers.
Emmanuel Mudiay isn’t planning on accepting his invitation to take part in the NBA’s draft combine next week in Chicago and will instead continue training on the West Coast, a source tells Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter links). Still, Mudiay has yet to officially decline the invitation and it’s conceivable that he makes some sort of appearance there, Charania cautions.
Mudiay is one of some 30 prospects who’ve been invited, while the NBA is eyeing about 55 others, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (All Twitter links). The NBA will likely bring most of those approximately 55 players in as long as they consent to playing in five-on-five scrimmages at the showcase, Givony adds. Former University of Washington center Robert Upshaw and ex-Kentucky guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison are among those planning to participate in the five-on-five combine scrimmages, Givony hears.

2015 NBA Draft Prospect Power Rankings 5.0

April 17th, 2015 at 6:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2015 NBA draft is a little over two months away and underclassmen are still in the process of declaring their intentions for June’s big event. Front offices and scouting departments throughout the NBA are hard at work trying to determine which players they will pin the future of their franchises on, and Hoops Rumors will be doing the same all the way up until the draft. Here are my current top 20 players in descending order with last month’s ranking in parentheses:

1 (4) Karl-Anthony Towns-PF/C (Kentucky/Freshman)

-7’0″, 250 pounds

–DraftExpress Rank: No. 1

–ESPN Rank: No. 1

–Stats: 10.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 2.3 BPG. .566/.250/.813.

Towns has officially declared himself eligible for the 2015 NBA draft and it was likely an easy decision for him to make. The talented big man has overtaken Jahlil Okafor as the player projected by most experts to be selected No. 1 overall. This ascent is more about what Towns has shown scouts and executives, and less about what Okafor has not. Towns possesses a much higher upside than Okafor, and his athleticism is far superior as well. The big man’s stats were negatively impacted by Kentucky’s depth and platoon system, but he showed more than enough to make NBA personnel drool at the thought of adding him to their squads.

2 (1) Jahlil Okafor-C (Duke/Freshman)

-6’11”, 272 pounds

–DraftExpress Rank: No. 2

–ESPN Rank: No. 2

–Stats: 17.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. .664/.000/.510.

While Okafor could still easily be the No. 1 overall selection in June, his lack of explosive athleticism and defensive limitations has opened the door for Towns to usurp him as the alpha of the 2015 draft. Okafor is still one of the most offensively polished big men to come along in quite some time, which should make any team that nabs him very happy. The big man is likely to produce earlier in his career than Towns, but he will also likely plateau quicker.

3 (3) D’Angelo Russell-SG/PG (Ohio State/Freshman)

-6’5″, 176 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 4

-ESPN Rank: No. 4

-Stats: 19.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 5.0 APG. .449/.411/.756.

No player has improved his draft stock more than Russell since the beginning of the college season. The lefty didn’t have a great NCAA tournament, and his lack of explosiveness was exposed by fellow draft prospect Rondae Hollis-Jefferson during Ohio State’s loss to Arizona. This quieted the Russell as the possible No. 1 overall pick talks a bit, but the versatile guard is almost assuredly a top four selection. When choosing between him and Emmanuel Mudiay, teams will need to weigh Mudiay’s higher ceiling and superior athletic skills to Russell’s excellent outside shooting and intangibles. I’m rating Russell higher because of his ability to play both guard spots, and him being the better known prospect right now around NBA circles. However, things could change rapidly when individual workouts begin and Mudiay is able to show off his wares. You can check out my expanded profile on Russell here.

4 (4) Emmanuel Mudiay-PG (Guangdong)

-6’5″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 3

-ESPN Rank: No. 3

-Stats: 18.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 6.3 APG. .493/.321/.586

Mudiay, despite barely having played in months due to an ankle injury, is still considered the most physically talented guard in the draft. Not playing college ball didn’t hurt Dante Exum prior to the 2014 draft, and Mudiay is a more NBA-ready prospect than he was, and it wouldn’t be a complete shock for him to go No. 1 overall, depending on the team selecting first and its needs (ie: the Sixers). The young guard also demonstrated great maturity during his time overseas, something not likely lost on NBA executives. Mudiay is almost sure to dazzle in his pre-draft workouts, and he’ll definitely be selected in the top five.

5 (8) Justise Winslow-SF (Duke/Freshman)

-6’6″, 221 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 5

-ESPN Rank: No. 6

-Stats: 12.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 2.1 APG. .486/.418/.641.

Winslow cemented himself as an early lottery pick with his stellar play during the NCAA tournament. For much of the season there wasn’t much separating the numerous wings slotted to enter June’s draft, but Winslow has finally overtaken all the rest. His physical skills are tantalizing and he appears to have just scratched the surface on his ample talent. Winslow’s a player who could easily sneak into the top three depending on how the draft lottery shakes out. The wing also may just become the jewel of the class of 2015 in a few short seasons.

6 (5) Willie Cauley-Stein-C (Kentucky/Junior)

-7’0″, 244 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 6

-ESPN Rank: No. 7

-Stats: 8.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.7 BPG. .572/.000/.617.

Cauley-Stein’s decision to return to Kentucky for his junior season has paid off handsomely for him. He is an absolute defensive monster, and can step into an NBA rotation immediately. The big man is still limited offensively, and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. I project Cauley-Stein to produce similar numbers to Tyson Chandler, which isn’t a bad thing at all. While he may be close to his ceiling as a prospect, the big man is easily the most NBA-ready in the entire draft. If the Knicks fall out of the top three selections in the draft I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them nab Cauley-Stein with their pick.

7 (7) Kristaps Porzingis-PF (Baloncesto Sevilla)

-7’0″, 220 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 8

-ESPN Rank: No. 5

-Stats: 10.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 0.9 BPG. .560/.328/.750.

Porzingis is a likely top five pick, but I still remain unimpressed with his game. He has excellent athleticism, and is a talented three-point shooter, but Porzingis hasn’t necessarily dominated in European competition, which raises all kinds of red flags with me. There have been plenty of European players who have entered the league with high expectations based on their physical skills, only to turn out to be draft busts. Porzingis is a project with an extremely high upside, but I would think twice about taking him in the top five. My first instinct was to rank him outside the top 10, but it’s almost assured that some team will take a gamble on him near the top of the draft. Porzingis is being compared to Nikola Mirotic by some scouts, though I don’t believe he has the same level of polish that the Bulls rookie had at the same age.

8 (6) Stanley Johnson-SF (Arizona/Freshman)

-6’7″, 237 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 9

-ESPN Rank: No. 11

-Stats: 13.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 1.5 SPG. .446/.371/.742.

Johnson is an absolute man-child with an NBA-ready body and excellent strength. He reminds me a bit of Larry Johnson (no relation), though he is nowhere near as polished on the offensive end as the elder Johnson was coming out of UNLV. Where the freshman will be selected is still a bit of a puzzle. As far as wings go in this draft: Winslow is more athletic and has a much higher upside; Mario Hezonja’s outside game is more highly regarded; and Kelly Oubre is also rated as a superior outside shooter, with his upside also projected to exceed that of Johnson’s. I still like Johnson’s chances to be a lottery pick, but he’s the most likely of my current top 10 to slide lower in the draft.

9 (9) Kevon Looney-PF (UCLA/Freshman)

-6’9″, 220 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 20

-ESPN Rank: No. 10

-Stats: 11.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 0.9 BPG. .470/.415/.626.

Looney’s production tailed off toward the end of the season, though his mediocre NCAA tournament numbers can be attributed to him dealing with the effects of a facial fracture that he suffered during the PAC-12 tournament. The freshman is a bit of a tweener, similar to Aaron Gordon a year ago in that respect, but he has a far more polished offensive game than Gordon did at Arizona last season. Looney’s potential as a player is off-the-charts, but he’ll need to find an NBA position in order to carve out a place in a rotation for himself. He’s a player that could be looked back on as a steal if he slides toward the middle of the draft.

10 (11) Myles Turner-C (Texas/Freshman)

-6’11”, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 12

-ESPN Rank: No. 9

-Stats: 10.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 2.6 BPG. .455/.274/.839.

Turner is a project, but he’s one who could pay dividends for a patient team. He’s a good scorer with range out to the three-point line, but he lacks aggressiveness. Turner is a solid shot blocker, but he needs to improve as a rebounder if he wants to be more than just a rotation player in the NBA. There are also some legitimate concerns regarding his knees due to his odd way of running. Big men tend to break down faster than players at other positions, so long-term health is a definite concern with Turner. The big man isn’t as talented as Okafor and Towns, nor is he as polished as Cauley-Stein, but if a team is looking for a potential late lottery steal whose upside compares with LaMarcus Aldridge, then Turner could fit the bill. Patience will be required with the 19-year-old, and some serious D-League time will be needed during his rookie season. You can check out my expanded profile on Turner here.

11 (10) Mario Hezonja-SG (Barcelona Regal)

-6’7″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 7

-ESPN Rank: No. 8

-Stats: 8.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.1 APG. .475/.406/.739.

Hezonja is a projected lottery selection, but I’m not sold on his long-term future in the NBA. He’s a possible draft-and-stash pick, which could benefit him since he needs quite a bit more development before making the jump to the NBA. Hezonja is very athletic and can light it up from the outside when he’s “on,” but he’s a poor defender, which doesn’t help his value. He also isn’t putting up eye-catching numbers overseas, which doesn’t bode well for his NBA fortunes. There have also been some red flags raised about his attitude, ability to accept coaching, and overall maturity. These concerns could serve to lower Hezonja’s draft stock around the league.

12 (12) Kelly Oubre-SF (Kansas/Freshman)

-6’6″, 204 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 13

-ESPN Rank: No. 12

-Stats: 9.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 0.8 APG. .444/.358/.718.

Oubre’s draft stock has taken a hit since the beginning of the season when he was a projected top 5 pick in this year’s draft. The swingman has shown growth since the beginning of the campaign, but he’s still far too inconsistent a player for my liking. Oubre would benefit immensely from another year in school, and he’d likely work his way into the top seven picks in 2016 if he did return to Kansas. But with Oubre declaring his intent to enter this year’s draft, that is now a moot point. Oubre needs quite a bit of polish, but he is a talented defender who can nail three-pointers quite well. Players like that can usually find consistent work in the NBA, which makes Oubre worth the gamble toward the end of the lottery. You can check out my expanded profile on Oubre here.

13 (-) Sam Dekker-SF (Wisconsin/Junior)

-6’9″, 230 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 15

-ESPN Rank: No. 15

-Stats: 13.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.2 APG. .525/.331/.708.

Dekker’s play during the NCAA tournament boosted his draft stock mightily. Prior to March’s big dance, the 20-year-old was a projected mid-to-late first-rounder, and now he’s a potential lottery pick. The forward brings a lot of versatility to the court, and could be valuable as a stretch four off of the bench in the NBA. I’m taking his late season excellence as an outlier, and expect Dekker’s NBA performance to be more in line with the player who only shot 32% from deep the last two seasons. Dekker also carries the dreaded tweener tag, and will likely struggle on defense no matter which forward spot he mans. As a mid first-round pick I like Dekker, but don’t be blinded by a few excellent performances in March as to his true ability level.

14 (18) Jakob Poeltl-C (Utah/Freshman)

-7’0″, 230 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 11

-ESPN Rank: No. 14

-Stats: 9.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 1.9 BPG. .681/.000/.4.

Poeltl’s play cooled off after a strong start to the season, but he did impress with his play against Okafor in the NCAA tournament. There were, and perhaps still are, concerns about Poeltl being able to hold his ground in the post against bigger, more athletic players. But the freshman gave Okafor fits, and in the process cemented himself as a mid first-rounder. Poeltl hasn’t declared for the draft yet, and is reportedly considering returning to Utah for another season. The seven-footer could definitely use more polish, so another year in college would be a wise move for his long-term development. The Austrian could be a lottery pick next season if he resists the lure of NBA money this year.

15 (17) Frank Kaminsky-C (Wisconsin/Senior)

-7’0″, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 10

-ESPN Rank: No. 13

-Stats: 18.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 1.5 BPG. .547/.416/.780.

Kaminsky isn’t likely to become a star in the NBA, nor even an effective starter. But he’ll be able to contribute on the offensive end immediately for whichever team selects him. Kaminsky reminds me quite a bit of the Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk offensively, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Unfortunately, he also shares Olynyk’s weaknesses as a rebounder and defender. As a mid first-rounder, Kaminsky would be a solid pick, though he will have a limited ceiling thanks to his athletic shortcomings.

16 (13) Devin Booker-SG (Kentucky/Freshman)

-6’6″, 195 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 17

-ESPN Rank: No. 18

-Stats: 10.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.1 APG. .470/.411/.828.

Booker has certainly come on since the beginning of the season, and he made a name for himself during conference play for Kentucky. He is by far one of the best 3-point shooters in the entire draft, and he has remarkable shot selection for a player his age. Booker isn’t a freakish athlete though, which makes him more of a one-dimensional threat. But with the NBA placing a premium on players who can stretch the floor, that could aid Booker and possibly sneak him into being a lottery pick.

17 (15) Bobby Portis-PF (Arkansas/Sophomore)

-6’11″, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 18

-ESPN Rank: No. 16

-Stats: 17.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. .536/.467/.737.

Portis emerged as a potential mid first round pick since the beginning of the season. The big man isn’t an elite athlete, but he’s good enough to have a solid NBA career if he improves his defense and footwork in the post. Portis prefers to launch jump shots rather than mix-it-up in the paint, but with the NBA falling in love with stretch fours, this isn’t necessarily the negative it used to be when profiling big men. I’ve become more enamored with him as a player lately, and as a mid first-rounder he’ll be a good value pick, though he’ll need D-League seasoning before he’ll be ready to step into an NBA rotation.

18 (20) Tyus Jones-PG (Duke/Freshman)

-6’1″, 184 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 21

-ESPN Rank: No. 23

-Stats: 11.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 5.6 APG. .417/.379/.889.

The 18-year-old Jones has shown remarkable poise as a freshman, and he reminds me quite a bit of Tyler Ennis, another player I was extremely high on heading into the 2014 draft. Jones lacks elite athleticism, needs to work on his outside shot, and won’t be ready to play significant minutes his rookie campaign. But his court vision and basketball IQ will make him a valuable rotation piece in a couple of seasons. Jones’ turnover rate had increased significantly since conference play began, but he still displayed remarkable on court leadership for a freshman. Jones is the type of player whose value doesn’t always show up in the box score, and he is overshadowed by Okafor and Winslow on a talented Duke squad. But this kid has the potential to be an effective pro, and a mid first round gem for a patient team.

19 (14) Jerian Grant-PG (Notre Dame/Senior)

-6’5″, 185 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 16

-ESPN Rank: No. 21

-Stats: 16.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 6.7 APG. .478/.316/.780.

Grant had himself a heck of a season, and may just be the best all-around point guard in the draft. His age (22) may work against him a bit, such is the NBA world we live in nowadays. But his combination of size, skill, and leadership makes him a solid mid first round selection. Grant needs to improve on his jump shot consistency, and despite his 16.8 PPG average, is more of a pass-first point man at heart. He’ll definitely need to bulk up to be able to defend NBA guards, but whichever team nabs him in June will be getting a very solid player. A veteran team in need of a solid backup would do well to snag Grant. The Bulls perhaps…..

20 (16) Montrezl Harrell-PF (Louisville/Junior)

-6’8″, 243 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 23

-ESPN Rank: No. 24

-Stats: 15.7 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 1.4 APG. .566/.243/.597.

It was surprising to see Harrell return to Louisville for his junior season, but the move will likely reward him with a higher draft selection than he would have garnered in 2014. There’s a lot to like about Harrell’s game, but he’s another of those tweeners. He’s neither a true power forward nor a classic small forward, but Harrell can score from almost anywhere on the floor and has a high motor. He’s also a very good rebounder and a physical defender. But Harrell lacks a defined NBA position (ie: Derrick Williams and Thomas Robinson), which could end up lowering his draft stock as well as his ceiling as a player.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Notes: Mudiay, Maker, Russell, Looney

March 27th, 2015 at 3:09pm CST by Chuck Myron

Emmanuel Mudiay isn’t sure he’d recommend playing overseas to other top draft prospects, particularly those who wouldn’t merit the kind of high-dollar deal he received, but he has no regrets about his decision to play in China instead of at SMU, as he tells Evan Daniels of Scout.com.

“I was playing against 30-year old men that are trying to feed their family,” he said, answering affirmatively when Daniels asked if he feels he has an edge on prospects from the NCAA. “In college, they are trying to get an education and try to get a job after that. I was put in a job position.

Mudiay told Daniels that he’s heard that elite 2016 draft prospect Thon Maker is thinking about playing overseas, though Mudiay’s not sure if that’s the case. Either way, here’s more on the draft, with just 12 teams remaining in the NCAA tournament:

Chris Mannix of SI.com looks at Ohio State freshman D’Angelo Russell, Mudiay’s primary challenger to become the first point guard drafted in June and a prospect who’s impressed at least one NBA GM with a level of court awareness beyond his years.
There’s a wide range of opinion on the draft stock of UCLA power forward Kevon Looney, whom Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks as the seventh most well-regarded prospect while Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress has him 19th. Ford and ESPN.com colleague Kevin Pelton debate the merits of the 19-year-old who’ll probably take a while to develop regardless of his potential, as they write in an Insider-only piece.
Stanley Johnson doesn’t have flashy numbers, but he and his game have matured in his freshman season at Arizona, as Zach Hefland of the Los Angeles Times examines. The small forward is the No. 6 prospect in Givony’s rankings and No. 12 with Ford. Eddie Scarito of Hoops Rumors has him sixth in our Draft Prospect Power Rankings.
Nigel Williams-Goss makes a habit of outperforming expectations, and while he isn’t a highly regarded NBA prospect, there are at least a few people around the game who are confident he can make it in the pros, as Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group details. The University of Washington sophomore told Haynes that he isn’t sure whether he’ll stay in college another year or declare for the draft.

And-Ones: Mudiay, Thomas, Orton

March 26th, 2015 at 9:05pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Goran Dragic was a bit shocked that the Suns dealt his former teammate Isaiah Thomas to the Celtics at this season’s trade deadline, Ben Rohrbach of WEEI 93.7 FM writes. “If I’m honest, I was a little bit surprised, especially because I asked for the trade,” said Dragic. “But that’s how the NBA goes. It’s a business. Unfortunately, we had three point guards at the same position and only one ball, so it’s kind of hard to satisfy everybody.”

Presumably, Dragic was talking about his request that the Suns trade him, as they ultimately did when they sent him to the Heat, rather than suggesting that he asked the Suns to trade Thomas, though that’s not entirely clear. Here’s more from around the league:

Metta World Peace‘s deal for the remainder of the season with Italy’s Pallacanestro Cantù is worth approximately $40K plus bonuses, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando reports.
Projected 2015 lottery pick Emmanuel Mudiay has parted ways with agent Raymond Brothers, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress reports (Twitter link). The guard will now be represented by Jason Martin and Dwon Clifton of Rival Sports Group, Givony adds. Mudiay is currently the No. 3 ranked prospect according to DraftExpress and ESPN.com.
Daniel Orton, who appeared in 22 contest for the Sixers during the 2013/14 campaign, doesn’t look back at his time in Philadelphia fondly, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Orton discussed what it was like to go from the Thunder organization to the Sixers’, saying, “Leaving the Thunder, you see the greater side of the NBA. I went into Philly and a situation where it was the total opposite. You got a team just trying to rebuild basically from scratch and blowing up anytime you had something going good. So you definitely learn the business side of it.” Orton has played in China and the Philippines this season after attending training camp with the Wizards.

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