Isaiah Hartenstein Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Rumors: Gallinari, Blazers, Monk, Timberwolves

June 19th, 2017 at 6:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari doesn’t consider Denver his preferred choice in free agency, according to a Premium Sport interview that was relayed by Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia. Gallinari, who will decline his $16.1MM player option in order to enter the market, says the Nuggets are “exactly at the same level” as any other team that pursues him. The only thing in Denver’s favor is that it can offer an extra year, Gallinari adds in the interview.

In other news around the Northwest Division:

North Carolina swingman Justin Jackson was among six players the Trail Blazers brought in for pre-draft workouts on Monday, the team’s website reports. Considered a potential late-lottery selection, Jackson is currently ranked No. 16 on DraftExpress’ list of Top 100 prospects. A trio of big men with first-round potential were also at the workout, including Isaiah Hartenstein (No. 19), who played in Lithuania last season; University of California’s Ivan Rabb (No. 30); and Oregon’s Jordan Bell (No. 35).
The Timberwolves will have a tough decision if Kentucky shooting guard Malik Monk is still available when their turn comes up in the lottery, as Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune details. Monk could turn into a prolific scorer in the mold of the Trail Blazers’ C.J. McCollum, Zgoda continues. Alternatively, Minnesota might conclude that the 6’3” Monk will end up being an off-the-bench scorer because of his lack of size and length for his position, Zgoda adds. Minnesota holds the No. 7 overall pick.
Along with the well-documented Jimmy Butler rumors, the Timberwolves could pursue a number of pricey veterans in trades, Zgoda writes in a separate piece. LaMarcus Aldridge, Dwight Howard, Eric Bledsoe and Wes Matthews are among the players that Zgoda speculates could be potential trade targets for Minnesota.

Atlantic Notes: Colangelo, Smith, Ibeh, Hartenstein

June 4th, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers advisor Jerry Colangelo believes the team has a sharper plan for the future than it did under former GM Sam Hinkie, relays Andrew Porter of CBS Philly. In an interview on The Carlin & Reese Show, Colangelo gave Hinkie credit for thinking “outside the box” and building the team using analytics, but he believes the organization is in better hands now that his son Bryan is in charge. “Since the change in management there’s much more of a defined game plan, in terms of going forward, and that’s very positive in my opinion for the franchise,” he said. “Sam left some good stuff in place, no question about that. Along the line there was a lot of pain in terms of incredible losing and that could only be sustained for a period of time. And I think in Philly’s case, I think he probably ran out of time.”

There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:

Point guard Dennis Smith Jr. of North Carolina State has a workout set for the Celtics on Wednesday, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Boston owns the No. 1 pick, so the team is probably just doing its homework in case it receives an attractive offer to trade down. Smith has already worked out for the Magic, who own the sixth pick, and has tentative sessions set up with the Lakers and Knicks.
The Nets continue to have interest in former Texas center Prince Ibeh, according to NetsDaily. The 23-year-old has been practicing with the team this summer and may have a future in Brooklyn. The Nets signed him to a D-League contract in February, promising him a 10-day deal later in the season. They weren’t able to fit him on the roster, but late in the season they gave him a 10-day contract before releasing him the next day. That move gives Ibeh a year of NBA service, which will qualify him as a second-year player rather than a rookie when he signs his next contract.
Brooklyn’s front office is looking closely at German power forward Isaiah Hartenstein, NetsDaily notes in the same piece. There’s already a strong connection, as Nets assistant Chris Fleming serves as coach of the German national team. The 7’1″ Hartenstein is projected as a late first-rounder, and Brooklyn holds picks No. 22 and 27. The Nets have also scouted center Anzejus Pasecniks and small forward Rodions Kurucs, both of Latvia, power forward Mathias Lessort of the French West Indies and center Viny Okuou of the Congo. International prospects younger than 21 have a June 12th deadline to withdraw from the draft.

Draft Updates: Hartenstein, Flaccadori, Diallo

April 24th, 2017 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

German power forward Isaiah Hartenstein has entered the 2017 NBA draft, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Hartenstein, who is ranked as the 19th-best prospect on DraftExpress’ big board, will be represented by agent B.J. Armstrong. At just 18 years old, Hartenstein is “clearly not ready for the NBA” yet, according to ESPN’s Chad Ford. However, assuming the big man remains in the draft, he could make an intriguing draft-and-stash project for an NBA team.

Here’s more news on early entrants for this year’s draft:

Lithuanian forward Arnoldas Kulboka is testing the draft waters, per international basketball reporter David Pick (via Twitter). Pick suggests that NBA general managers will head to Bamberg to scout the 6’9″ Kulboka, who has some long-term upside and currently ranks 50th on DraftExpress’ big board.
Italian shooting guard Diego Flaccadori has declared for the 2017 NBA draft, according to sports management and marketing firm Sigma Sports (Twitter link). Like other international early entrants, Flaccadori will have until June 12 to withdraw his name from this year’s draft pool.
18-year-old shooting guard Hamidou Diallo, a top recruit who enrolled early at the University of Kentucky, will test the NBA draft waters before playing his first game for the Wildcats, he announced in a statement (Twitter link).
Today is the deadline for early entrants to formally enter this year’s draft pool. Our early entrant list, which currently features 123 names, can be found right here.