Guerschon Yabusele Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Draft, Zhou, Weems, Yabusele

June 14th, 2016 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

With trade talks set to heat up next week as the 2016 draft approaches, ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider-only link) decided to create five hypothetical deals that he thinks should happen this offseason. Ford’s proposals include sending Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, Jahlil Okafor to the Pelicans, D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle to the Celtics, and Jeff Teague to the Kings. Ford also suggests a mammoth, three-team deal that would involve Carmelo Anthony, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Eric Bledsoe, and Brandon Knight. While we’ll likely see some major moves go down this summer, that particular proposal is probably a pipe dream.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:

With the deadline for international prospects to withdraw from the NBA draft having passed, Chinese big man Zhou Qi has kept his name in the draft, according to Ford (Twitter links). The ESPN.com scribe notes that Zhou’s stock is hard to gauge because some teams believe he’s three or four years older than his listed age of 20.
Sonny Weems‘ two-year, $3MM deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv is now official, tweets international basketball reporter David Pick. Weems played overseas for several seasons before getting another NBA look from the Suns and Sixers in 2015/16.
French prospect Guerschon Yabusele has looked very good in his pre-draft workouts, and could play his well into the back of the first round in next week’s draft, writes Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com. Within his latest piece for CBSSports.com, Rothstein also examines the Ben Simmons/Brandon Ingram debate and Marquese Chriss‘ rising stock.
Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders takes a look at Adonis Thomas‘ efforts to get back onto an NBA roster. Thomas, who is participating in several free agent mini-camps, was in training camp with the Pistons last season before a leg injury sidelined him.

And-Ones: Robinson, Bargnani, Draft, Dunn

June 13th, 2016 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA guard Nate Robinson, who has expressed interest in making the leap from the NBA to the NFL, is getting his first shot at an audition. According to Master Tesfatsion and Mike Jones of The Washington Post, Robinson is trying out for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks on Monday, getting a look from the team as a defensive back.

Robinson, who last appeared on an NBA court in a couple games for the Pelicans this past season, is only 5’9″ and turned 32 last month, so the idea of him earning a spot on an NFL roster seems far-fetched. However, the Seattle native did play football at the University of Washington in 2002, playing 13 games at cornerback. For more on Robinson’s pursuit of an NFL roster spot, check out the story from our sister site, Pro Football Rumors.

Here are a few more Monday odds and ends:

Former No. 1 pick Andrea Bargnani, who is expected to consider NBA and international opportunities this offseason, has some interest in playing in Spain next season, sources tell Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Bargnani is also drawing interest from Turkey’s Darussafaka Dogus, who are now being coached by David Blatt.
Spanish forward Juan Hernangomez, French power forward Guerschon Yabusele, and French wing Isaia Cordinier are keeping their names in the draft, reports ESPN’s Chad Ford (all Twitter links). Hernangomez and Yabusele could come off the board in the first round, while Cordinier, who hopes to play in the NBA right away, projects as a second-rounder.
As international early entrants make their decisions on whether or not to remain in the draft, one NCAA underclassmen has made an interesting decision of his own. According to Ford, Providence point guard Kris Dunn has refused to work out for NBA teams unless he’s given the opportunity to compete one-on-one against Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, or Jamal Murray. As such, Dunn has yet to work out for any clubs.
Dragan Bender‘s previously-reported workouts with the Timberwolves, Suns, and Celtics will take place on June 16th, 18th, and 21st, respectively, tweets international basketball reporter David Pick.
Brad Ames, a player agent working for Priority Sports & Entertainment, has relinquished his certification as an NBA player rep, the NBPA’s Daren Jenkins tells Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter link).

Southwest Notes: Morey, Durant, Pelicans, Grizzlies

June 12th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets already have several players on their roster who fit new coach Mike D’Antoni’s style, GM Daryl Morey told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Appearing as a guest on Wojnarowski’s podcast, Morey said D’Antoni has a very positive reputation with players and agents around the league because they know players can put up good offensive numbers in his system. “I think a lot of what we went through last year is guys weren’t as engaged on defense,” Morey said. “That’s because we were struggling from A to Z, and that impacted our defense overall.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

The Rockets are still hoping to meet with free agent Kevin Durant next month, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Stein reported this week that Houston isn’t among the teams that Durant is considering.
The Pelicans have workouts scheduled for 12 players Monday, according to John Reid of The Times-Picayune. On the list are French stars Isaia Cordinier and Guerschon Yabusele, along with Troy Williams of Indiana, Michael Gbinije of Syracuse, Jake Layman of Maryland, Wayne Seldon Jr. of Kansas, Gary Payton II of Oregon State, Yogi Ferrell of Indiana, Thomas Walkup of Stephen F. Austin, Kaleb Tarczewski of Arizona, Prince Ibeh of Texas and Perry Ellis of Kansas. New Orleans has the sixth pick in the first round and the 39th and 40th selections in the second round.
The Grizzlies held a workout today for Ben Bentil of Providence, Isaiah Cousins of Oklahoma, Brice Johnson of North Carolina, Payton, Malachi Richardson of Syracuse and Selden, according to Grizzlies.com. Memphis holds picks No. 17 and 57.
Johnson could be the young power forward the Grizzlies need, speculates Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. Zach Randolph will turn 35 this summer, and Jarell Martin and JaMychal Green haven’t shown they can handle the position, Tillery writes. At 6’10” and 210 pounds, Johnson has a mixture of size and skills that makes him an intriguing prospect.

Draft Notes: Labissiere, Poeltl, Murray

June 8th, 2016 at 10:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Here are the latest news and notes regarding the 2016 NBA Draft, which will be held on June 23rd in Brooklyn, New York:

The Nuggets have workouts scheduled on Thursday for Josh Adams (Wyoming), Kay Felder (Oakland), Brice Johnson, (North Carolina), Chris Obekpa, (UNLV), Malachi Richardson, (Syracuse) and Guershcon Yabusele (France), the team announced via press release.
The Suns held a group workout today for Johnson, Richardson, Alpha Kaba (France) and Maodo Lo (Columbia), the team announced in a series of tweets. Working out individually for Phoenix today was Skal Labissiere (Kentucky) and Jakob Poeltl (Utah).
Kentucky combo guard Jamal Murray said he intends to work out for just four teams: the Celtics, Suns, Timberwolves and Pelicans, Jay King of MassLive tweets. The teams on Murray’s list hold picks No. 3 to No. 6 in June’s draft, King notes.
The Wolves will bring in Damion Lee (Louisville) and Ryan Arcidiacono (Villanova) as part of a group workout on June 14th, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN notes (Twitter links).

Eastern Notes: Telfair, Pacers, Weaver

June 8th, 2016 at 5:33pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Despite possessing solid assets like Paul George and Myles Turner, the Pacers are a team in search of an identity entering the summer, Keith P. Smith of RealGM writes in his offseason primer for Indiana. Given the team’s stated desire to play at a faster speed on offense, the scribe questions the hiring of Nate McMillan as head coach since McMillan’s teams have consistently ranked near the bottom of the league in pace.

Smith also notes that Indiana would be better served to add a starting-caliber shooting guard this summer and shift Monta Ellis to a sixth man role, given his declining three-point shooting and diminishing trips to the foul line. Ellis, 30, still has three years and approximately $33.68MM remaining on his current deal.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

The Nets have hired Will Weaver, who served as a special assistant to Sixers coach Brett Brown the past two seasons, to work in the same capacity under new head coach Kenny Atkinson, NetsDaily relays.
The Raptors held workouts today for Daniel Hamilton (UConn), Kyle Collinsworth (BYU), Perry Ellis (Kansas), James Webb III (Boise State), Guerschon Yabusele (France) and Chinanu Onuaku (Louisville), the team announced.
The Pistons are holding free agent workouts this week and some notable attendees include Phil Pressey, Jordan Crawford, Greg Whittington and Chris Douglas-Roberts, Rod Beard of The Detroit News tweets.
The Nets brought in veteran point guard Sebastian Telfair for a workout on Tuesday, Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops relays (via Twitter). Telfair last played in the NBA during the 2014/15 campaign, appearing in 16 games for the Thunder.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Raptors, Knicks, Draft

June 6th, 2016 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics are extremely unlikely to use all eight picks they hold in this year’s NBA draft, but the fact that they have all those picks, including five in the second round, means Boston will be diligent about evaluating all sorts of prospects. The club is hosting 12 players for pre-draft workouts today, and the two six-man groups feature a handful of less recognizable names. Here’s the full list of the participants, per Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com (Twitter link): Isaia Cordinier (France), Perry Ellis (Kansas), Nick Faust (Long Beach State), Pascal Siakam (New Mexico State), Jarrod Uthoff (Iowa), Guerschon Yabusele (France), Kellen Dunham (Butler), Roosevelt Jones (Butler), Hunter Mickelson (Kansas), Dyshawn Pierre (Dayton), Tanner Plomb (Army), and Jordan Sakho (Spain).

Here’s more from around the Atlantic, including details on another team hosting a pre-draft workout today:

The Raptors will have an individual workout for Gonzaga big man Domantas Sabonis today, as Sportsnet’s Michael Grange tweets. Toronto will also be hosting a six-player workout that features Winston Shepard (San Diego State), Jake Layman (Maryland), Damian Jones (Vanderbilt), Diamond Stone (Maryland), and Stephen Zimmerman (UNLV). Brandon Austin, whose workout with the Raptors was previously reported, is also participating today.
In a weekend mailbag, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star tackles several Raptors-related questions, discussing potential outside free agent targets and predicting the odds of Toronto’s own free agents returning.
During an appearance on WFAN, new Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek confirmed that he’ll make the final call on his assistant coaches, per Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Kurt Rambis remains under consideration for one of the spots on Hornacek’s staff.
If the Celtics get a chance to make a pitch to Kevin Durant in free agency, they should play the history card, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com (video link), who says Boston could give Durant the opportunity to be the next star in a long line of greats that includes Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and many more.

Pacific Notes: Suns Arena, Draft Workouts, Kings

June 3rd, 2016 at 10:28pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Potential plans for a new arena in Phoenix for the Suns could take a hit as a result of a legal protest against a rental-car tax the city has used to fund various construction projects, Dustin Gardiner of The Arizona Republic writes. Three companies have filed a notice of claim demanding the city stop collecting the sales tax and refund approximately $34MM that they estimate has been collected from car-rental businesses citywide since 2012, Gardiner notes. “Our clients view it as an unconstitutional tax, and the government has no authority to keep an unconstitutional tax,” said Shawn Aiken, a Phoenix attorney representing the companies.

If the tax is ruled unconstitutional, the city could then be forced to find a new income source to help fund major downtown facilities. Losing the rental-car tax would also complicate efforts to potentially construct a new sports and entertainment arena for the Phoenix Suns — a prospect city officials and the NBA team are negotiating, the scribe adds.

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Suns held a workout today for A.J. Hammons (Purdue), Shaquille Harrison (Tulsa), Eric McClellan (Gonzaga), Georges Niang (Iowa State), Diamond Stone (Maryland) and Guerschon Yabusele (France), the team announced.
Former Oklahoma point guard Isaiah Cousins has a workout scheduled with the Clippers on June 6th and will visit with the Lakers on June 8th, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders relays (via Twitter).
The Kings officially announced Dave Joerger‘s coaching staff for the 2016/17 season. Elston Turner will be the lead assistant, with Duane Ticknor, Bryan Gates, Corliss Williamson, Nancy Lieberman and Jason March rounding out the staff. “We’ve united a tremendously dedicated, hard-working coaching staff with a unique, collective set of experiences and strengths that I’m confident will serve the team well moving forward,” said Joerger.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Collison, Suns, Clippers

June 2nd, 2016 at 12:52pm CST by Luke Adams

We heard last week that new Kings head coach Dave Joerger was targeting Bryan Gates as a potential assistant. Now, James Ham of CSN California hears from a source that Gates – a former Sacramento assistant who worked for Minnesota last year and the Pelicans before that – is indeed to set to come aboard Joerger’s staff. Last week’s report indicated that Joerger and the Kings were also pursuing Elston Turner, but there are no official updates yet on that front.

Here’s more from around the Pacific, including a couple more items out of Sacramento:

Kings point guard Darren Collison was arrested on a domestic violence charge earlier this week, but his lawyer, Bill Portanova, called it a “misunderstanding” that he’s “working to straighten out,” writes Andy Furillo of The Sacramento Bee. As Furillo observes, it makes sense to wait to see how the case plays out before predicting what it might mean for Collison or the Kings.
Emmanuel Malou, who was set to transfer to Iowa State before deciding to remain in the 2016 draft, recently worked out for the Kings, per The Sacramento Bee.
The Suns worked out a six-player group of prospects today that included Ryan Anderson (Arizona), Zach Auguste (Notre Dame), Ron Curry (James Madison), Cheick Diallo (Kansas), Lester Medford (Baylor), and Codi Miller-McIntyre (Wake Forest). Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer tweets that Diamond Stone (Maryland) is also heading to Phoenix for his next workout, while Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic tweets that Gonzaga’s Domantas Sabonis has a solo workout with the team today.
The Clippers‘ pre-draft workout group on Wednesday featured Daniel Hamilton (UConn), DeAndre’ Bembry (St. Joseph’s), Guerschon Yabusele (France), Cat Barber (N.C. State), Tyrone Wallace (California), and Zach Auguste (Notre Dame), according to the team.
In other Los Angeles workout news, Alex Poythress (Kentucky) has workouts lined up with both the Lakers and Clippers (Twitter link via Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com), Rosco Allen (Stanford) is set to work out for the Lakers tomorrow (Twitter link via Camerato), and Czech power forward Adam Pechacek will also participate in that Lakers workout on Friday (Twitter link via Orazio Cauchi of Sportando). Finally, veteran D-League forward Joel Wright is attending a Clippers mini-camp, a league source tells Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor (Twitter link).

French Forward Guerschon Yabusele To Enter Draft

April 18th, 2016 at 12:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Power forward Guerschon Yabusele will enter the draft, agent Andrew Morrison told Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). The 6’8” French native is considered a second-round prospect by ESPN Insider Chad Ford’s Big Board, which has him at No. 45 overall. Givony currently tabs Yabusele at No. 76 among his Top 100 Prospects.

The 20-year-old Yabusele averaged 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds for Rouen International this past season. According to his DraftExpress profile, Yobusele is a chiseled big man with long arms and excellent athleticism. He also possesses a soft touch around the rim, can finish strong on the interior and has flashed some ability to create off the dribble. His jump-shooting mechanics are a work in progress, Givony adds.

Ford notes similar characteristics, adding that Yabusele uses his body to create space and contact in the paint while also having shooting range out to the 3-point line. Yabusele is also considered a solid rebounder and shot-blocker but is undersized for his position, Ford adds.

In a recent ESPN update, several scouts singled out Yabusele as a possible late first-round sleeper who could go anywhere in the 20 to 45 range.