Isaiah Canaan

Draft Combine Updates: Thursday Evening

9:03pm: We'll post any remaining evening updates from Chicago here:
  • Hoopsworld's Alex Kennedy tweets that international prospect Mouhammadou Jaiteh will forego Eurocamp and will work out for NBA teams instead, possibly as early as a group workout with Minnesota. 
  • The Oregonian's Jason Quick reports that the Trail Blazers met with James Southerland yesterday.

2:47pm: More afternoon combine updates from Chicago:

  • Ben McLemore has already interviewed with the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, and Pelicans, according to SI.com's Chris Mannix (via Twitter). McLemore expects to meet with the Bobcats, Magic, and Pistons tonight, according to various reports (all Twitter links).
  • Victor Oladipo will also meet with the Pistons tonight, tweets Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.
  • Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (via Twitter) adds Otto Porter to the list of prospects interviewed by the Timberwolves, but says the T-Wolves won't get a chance to meet with Oladipo, who was on the team's wish list.
  • Jamaal Franklin tells Jason Quick of the Oregonian that when he met with the Trail Blazers yesterday, the whole meeting consisted of a psychological test (Twitter link).
  • Andre Roberson met with the Magic yesterday, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter).
  • Shams Charania of RealGM.com has a list of the 12 prospects the Bulls plan to work out on Monday (Twitter link).
  • Jeff Withey is "extremely excited" to be meeting with the Sixers, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

1:35pm: We covered the Thursday morning updates from Chicago's predraft camp earlier today, but with so many tidbits surfacing throughout the day, we're starting an afternoon post to round up the latest notes:

  • ESPN.com's Chad Ford hears that two international prospects have received first-round guarantees: Dennis Schroeder and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Twitter link).
  • Michael Carter-Williams has met with several teams, including the Trail Blazers, Bobcats, Pistons, Timberwolves, and Thunder, according to various reports (all links go to Twitter). Carter-Williams is hearing he could be drafted anywhere between third and 15th overall, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
  • We heard this morning that the Celtics had spoken to Cody Zeller and Glen Rice Jr. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe adds a few more names to the list of Boston interviewees (via Twitter): Mason Plumlee, Rudy Gobert, and Victor Oladipo.
  • C.J. McCollum won't meet with the Trail Blazers this week, according to Jason Quick of the Oregonian (Twitter link). However, he will meet with the Pistons tomorrow, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com (via Twitter), and has already interviewed with the Magic, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter). SI.com's Chris Mannix (Twitter link) adds the Thunder, Nuggets, and Cavaliers to the list of teams who have spoekn to McCollum, who has 15 total interviews scheduled.
  • Robbins notes in a separate tweet that the Magic also met with Myck Kabongo.
  • Isaiah Canaan will meet with the Wizards on Friday, tweets J. Michael of CSNWashington.com.
  • Canaan, Andre Roberson, and Grant Jerrett all met with the Pistons last night, tweets Langlois.
  • Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (via Twitter) that the Bucks met with Shane Larkin yesterday and will work him out later this month.
  • Erik Murphy has interviews lined up with the Grizzlies, Clippers, and possibly the Pacers, tweets Robbins.
  • Seth Curry will meet today with the Lakers, Rockets, and Knicks, tweets Bonnell.

Odds & Ends: Lee, 76ers, Blake, Len, Draft Risers

The Knicks have evened their conference semifinal against the Pacers at one.  While the Grizzlies try to do the same, here are some news and notes from around the league:

  • ESPN Boston's Chris Forberg examines the chances that Courtney Lee will stick in Boston as the Celtics head into their offseason.  After being traded three of the last four summers, Lee struggled to carve out a role in his first year as a Celtic despite being given every chance to do so.  Lee is under contract and the Celts coveted him a year ago, so it would make sense if they gave him another year to assimilate. 
  • Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com has a litany of Sixers coaching updates in his latest story.  According to Moore, the team won't interview Michael Malone or Jeff Hornacek until next week at the earliest.  Moore reiterates the team's interst in Brian Shaw and Michael Curry, while also adding a new name, Quin Snyder, to the coaching mix in Philadelphia.  Snyder coached on Doug Collins' staff in Philly during the 2010-11 season and was mentioned earlier tonight as a possible fit in Atlanta.
  • While Steve Blake is one of four Lakers to be amnesty eligible, his strong play this season as a role player makes it unlikely that he will be the one to go, writes Eric Pincus of the L.A. TimesKobe Bryant, Metta World Peace and Pau Gasol are his other three amnesty eligible teammates. 
  • Alex Len and his agent, Michael Lelchitski, contemplated delaying last week's ankle surgery until after pre-draft workouts in an attempt to move into the conversation for the No. 1 pick, writes RealGM's Shams Charania“If he had a chance to work out, I truly believe he could have moved up and gone No. 1,” Lelchitski said of the Maryland center.  While it was clearly the right decision, Len's injury will certainly affect his draft stock, as it will sideline him for anywhere from four to six months.
  • In an Insider-only blog, ESPN's Fran Fraschilla breaks down five underrated draft prospects he believes will rise up boards as team's get a better look at them in the coming weeks.  Among them, Frachilla lists Murray State's Isaiah Canaan, Cal's Allen Crabbe, Brazil's Lucas Nogueira, NC State's Lorenzo Brown and Baylor's Pierre Jackson.

Draft Notes: Len, Plumlee, Hardaway, Saric

A 2013 draft that was already considered weak may have gotten even weaker when Sunday's early entry deadline passed without a few top underclassmen declaring their intent, says Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. Taking into account the prospects that will be in this year's draft class, Deveney tries his hand at forecasting the first round in his latest mock draft. Here are a few more of Tuesday's draft-related links, courtesy of Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com:

  • Likely lottery pick Alex Len will be represented by Michael Lelchitski of Sports International Group, Inc., tweets Givony.
  • Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports has picked up another handful of clients, adding Mason Plumlee, Tim Hardaway Jr., Isaiah Canaan, and Jackie Carmichael to his agency, tweets Givony. Priority Sports has also added Gonzaga's Elias Harris, who will be represented by Brad Ames, Givony adds.
  • Nick Young of DraftExpress.com spoke to Dario Saric about entering the draft and what his future holds. Saric is considered the top international prospect in the draft by ESPN.com's Chad Ford.

Draft Update: Melo, McAdoo, Canaan

The latest news about the 2012 NBA draft from around the web:

  • The Associated Press reports (via ESPN) that Syracuse center Fab Melo will enter the draft, as expected.
  • North Carolina forward James Michael McAdoo will return to UNC for his sophomore season, TarHeelBlue.com reports.
  • Isaiah Canaan is also returning to Murray State for his senior season, tweets Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com.
  • HoopsWorld's Yannis Koutroupis lists Iowa State forward Royce White, St. Bonaventure forward Andrew Nicholson, and Kentucky guard Marquis Teague among several other players who may have played themselves into first-round pick status over the course of the NCAA tournament.