Jaden Ivey Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Ham, Lakers, Kings, Warriors

May 29th, 2022 at 1:52pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Newly-hired Lakers head coach Darvin Ham is earning high praise from those who know him, according to Broderick Turner and Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

Ham, who was a Lakers assistant coach from 2011-13 and won a title against L.A. as a player on the Pistons in 2004, has served as an assistant under head coach Mike Budenholzer with the Hawks and Bucks for the past nine seasons. The Bucks won the 2021 NBA championship with Ham on Budenholzer’s staff.

“His work ethic in practice and when we put him in the game, he always seemed to deliver,” former Knicks head coach and current Indiana University coach Mike Woodson said of Ham. “So, you knew that the fact he got into coaching, I knew it would work because that’s a big part of being a good coach. You got to work.”

Metta Sandiford-Artest, who played on the Lakers teams where Ham first cut his coaching teeth as a development assistant under Mike Brown, also had high praise for Ham. “He definitely understands modern basketball,” Sandiford-Artest said. “He also is capable of communicating in a way where you can receive it the right way.”

There’s more out of the Pacific Division:

The Lakers held workouts on Saturday for six NBA hopefuls, per Matthew Barrero of Lakers.com. Baylor guard James Akinjo, Connecticut guard Tyrese Martin, Syracuse forward Cole Swider, USC guard Drew Peterson, Texas A&M guard Quenton Jackson, and Alabama guard Keon Ellis all got a look from the L.A. front office brass. Though Los Angeles does not possess a draft pick this season, the team could trade into the second round or sign an undrafted rookie as a free agent. “There is a good side to it if you’re able to choose your team,” Ellis said. “Even if it happens to be myself, you can’t get too down on it or overthink it. There’s been guys who have gone undrafted and come back with great stories.”
The Kings, who possess the fourth pick in the 2022 draft, had at least two key representatives take a look at several high-level prospects during recent pro day workouts in Southern California, writes Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. Team owner Vivek Ranadive and GM Monte McNair attended a CAA pro day workout for Purdue shooting guard Jaden Ivey and Duke small forward AJ Griffin. McNair attended an additional pro day with another top-10-level player, Arizona shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin, Anderson notes, examining the potential fit of each player.
Injured Warriors role players Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr. and Andre Iguodala will be gradually included in team practices ahead of the 2022 NBA Finals this week as they continue to recuperate from their respective ailments, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link). The club has leaned on 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody for help in the absence of Payton, Porter and Iguodala.

Draft Notes: Ivey, Murray, Sharpe, Daniels, Roddy, Minott, Segu

May 26th, 2022 at 10:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

While Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith and Paolo Banchero are the consensus top three prospects in this year’s draft, it’s rare that the top three picks in a draft end up being the three players who enjoy the best pro careers, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz.

The ESPN duo identifies Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Shaedon Sharpe and Dyson Daniels as the other prospects who are the best bets to emerge as top-three players from the 2022 draft class, breaking down the strengths of that quartet and considering which lottery teams might benefit the most from their talents.

We have plenty of draft-related news to pass along:

Colorado State’s David Roddy has worked out for the Magic, Nuggets and Rockets, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. The power forward is ranked No. 47 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Memphis forward Josh Minott has workouts lined up with the Magic, Raptors, Hawks, Spurs, Bulls and Hornets, Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com tweets. Minott is ranked No. 48 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Buffalo guard Ronaldo Segu will continue to pursue professional opportunities and forgo his remaining year of college eligibility, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. He averaged 14.9 PPG and 5.1 APG last season.
Nathan Mensah is withdrawing from the draft and returning to San Diego State, the school announced in a press release. Mensah is the reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
Josh Mballa is pulling out of the draft and transferring from Buffalo to Ole Miss, Jeff Goodman tweets. Mballa averaged 13.0 PPG and 8.6 RPG last season.
Texas Tech guard Adonis Arms has workouts scheduled with the Nuggets, Pistons, Pelicans, Magic and Jazz, Keith Smith of Spotrac tweets.
Northern Colorado’s Bodie Hume will remain in the draft, Rothstein adds in another tweet. The senior forward averaged 11.0 PPG and 6.2 RPG last season.
Potential top-10 selection Johnny Davis wants to model his game after Devin Booker. Another potential top-10 pick, Daniels, believes he’s a combination of Tyrese Haliburton offensively and Alex Caruso or Lonzo Ball defensively. Numerous draft prospects told The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov which NBA players they most closely resemble or strive to be.

Eastern Notes: Cavs, Draft, Simmons, Knicks, Ivey

May 25th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers control three picks in next month’s draft — besides the No. 14 selection, the team also has No. 39 and No. 56. However, the odds of Cleveland drafting three rookies for the 2022/23 roster are low, says Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber-only link).

Multiple sources have told Fedor that the Cavaliers using the No. 39 pick on a player who will make next season’s team is a “50-50 proposition.” As for No. 56, Fedor suggests that pick is “highly likely” to be used on a prospect who could be stashed internationally with an eye toward the future.

If the Cavaliers don’t have a specific player they like at No. 39 or No. 56, it sounds like at least one of those picks for a future second-rounder or two will be a viable option. In that scenario, Cleveland would gain at least one extra pick that could be used as a sweetener in a future trade or to eventually draft a player when the roster has more openings and is in greater need of an injection of young talent.

Here’s more from around the East:

In a separate article for Cleveland.com, Fedor attempts determine which prospects the Cavaliers are most likely to target at No. 14. Fedor stresses that the Cavs are still doing their due diligence and that it’s impossible to know exactly who will be available at the end of the lottery, but identifies Ohio State’s Malaki Branham and LSU’s Tari Eason as two players to watch, adding that Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji would also be a logical fit.
Nets guard Ben Simmons is “progressing well” in his rehab from back surgery and is “in great spirits,” a source tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). It’s a somewhat generic update, but it’s still good news for the Nets that Simmons remains on track for training camp, given the injury setbacks he experienced this spring.
The Knicks are doing their homework on Purdue’s Jaden Ivey, having used one of their allotted 20 interviews on him at last week’s draft combine, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. While Berman suggests the meeting is a sign that New York has at least explored the idea of trading up from No. 11, he acknowledges that it’s not unusual for the Knicks to do their due diligence on players projected to be drafted outside of their range, if only to gather information for the future.

Eastern Draft Notes: Pistons, Pacers, Nets, Knicks

May 23rd, 2022 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams

Assuming Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, and Paolo Banchero are the top three picks in next month’s draft, the Pistons are expected to zero in on four potential targets at No. 5, sources tell James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Those players are Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Shaedon Sharpe, and Bennedict Mathurin.

All four prospects intrigue the Pistons, according to Edwards, who says that Murray is considered the most well-rounded of the four, while Sharpe is viewed as a “high-upside gamble.” Edwards adds that some sources believe Mathurin is the best wing in this year’s draft class, while there’s little consensus on Ivey, who is regarded as a top-three prospect by some evaluators and is outside the top five for others.

Here are a few more draft-related notes from around the Eastern Conference:

James Akinjo (Baylor), Keon Ellis (Alabama), Justin Lewis (Marquette), and David Roddy (Colorado State) are participating in a pre-draft workout with the Pacers on Monday, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter links). Gonzaga’s Andrew Nembhard and UCLA’s Johnny Juzang had also been scheduled to take part, but were unable to make it due to weather-related travel issues.
Villanova’s Collin Gillespie has worked out for the Nets and has about 10 more pre-draft workouts on tap following the draft combine, tweets Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com.
According to Zagoria (Twitter link), Michigan State’s Gabe Brown has workouts with the Hornets and Magic on tap this week after previously auditioning for the Celtics, Nets, and Knicks.
Marc Berman of The New York Post explores whether Malaki Branham could be a legitimate target at No. 11 for the Knicks, who met with the Ohio State sharpshooter at last week’s combine.

Draft Notes: Banchero, Harper, Withdrawals, Boeheim, Combine, Mock Drafts

May 18th, 2022 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Paolo Banchero is expected to be among the first names off the board in next month’s draft, and the Duke star did some campaigning to be the No. 1 overall pick in an interview with ESPN following Tuesday’s lottery (video link).

Banchero earned second-team All-America honors during his freshman season with the Blue Devils, averaging 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 39 games. Possessing exceptional passing skills and offensive versatility for his 6’10” size, Banchero told the ESPN crew he patterns his game after players such as LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Carmelo Anthony and said he’ll be ready to contribute right away to whichever team drafts him.

“From day one, they’ll get versatility for sure,” Banchero said. “There’s not a position on the court where I’m not comfortable, with the ball in my hands or the ball off my hands. I’m going to be all right. I’m going to be an immediate impact because I’m ready physically and I’m ready mentally. I am ready to get to work.”

There’s more on the draft:

Rutgers forward Ron Harper Jr. has signed with Roc Nation Sports, officially ending his college career, according to Brian Fonseca of NJ.com. The senior earned honorable mention All-America honors, was a two-time all-Big Ten selection and helped the Scarlet Knights reach the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons after a 30-year absence.
Kyle Lofton, formerly of St. Bonaventure, has decided to withdraw from the draft, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. He will transfer to Florida for next season.
Andre Kelly, who played the last four years for California, is also taking his name out of the draft, Rothstein adds (Twitter link). He will use his extra year of eligibility to transfer to UC Santa Barbara.
Hofstra’s Aaron Estrada also plans to exit the draft and return to school, according to Rothstein (Twitter link).
Syracuse guard Buddy Boeheim has worked out for the Knicks, Kings and Warriors and had an impressive showing at the G League Elite Camp, per Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog. Boeheim will hold a Pro Day in Chicago today.
Seven players from the Elite Camp were able to earn spots at the NBA’s draft combine, the G League announced on Twitter. They are LSU’s Darius Days, Louisiana Tech’s Kenneth Lofton Jr., Connecticut’s Tyrese Martin, Seton Hall’s Jared Rhoden, Houston’s Marcus Sasser, Texas Tech’s Bryson Williams and Kansas’ Jalen Wilson.
Auburn forward Jabari Smith is number one on the list of top 20 prospects by John Hollinger of The Athletic. Banchero is the only other prospect in Hollinger’s top tier, and he ranks Purdue guard Jaden Ivey and Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren right below them.
Several new mock drafts were released after Tuesday’s lottery. Jonathan Givony of ESPN and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic both have Smith going to the Magic at No. 1, followed by Holmgren to the Thunder at No. 2 and Banchero to the Rockets at No. 3. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer has Holmgren going to Orlando, Smith to Oklahoma City and Banchero to Houston.

Full List Of 2022 NBA Draft Combine Participants

May 10th, 2022 at 8:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has revealed its list of 76 players who have been invited – and who are expected to attend – next week’s draft combine in Chicago. The combine workouts will take place from May 18-20.

Over the course of the week, players will conduct interviews with NBA teams, participate in five-on-five games, and go through shooting, strength and agility drills.

While several of the prominent names at the top of the draft likely won’t participate in scrimmages, those top prospects are still expected to attend. That group includes Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero, and Jaden Ivey.

A handful of standout players from the G League Elite Camp could be invited to participate in the combine as well.

Here’s the full list of 76 names announced by the NBA today, in alphabetical order, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link):

Ochai Agbaji, G/F, Kansas (senior)
Patrick Baldwin Jr., F, Milwaukee (freshman)
Paolo Banchero, F, Duke (freshman)
Dominick Barlow, F, Overtime Elite (auto-eligible)
MarJon Beauchamp, G/F, G League Ignite (auto-eligible)
Hugo Besson, G, Australia (born 2001)
Malaki Branham, G/F, Ohio State (freshman)
Christian Braun, G, Kansas (junior)
Kendall Brown, F, Baylor (freshman)
John Butler Jr., F/C, Florida State (freshman)
Julian Champagnie, G/F, St. John’s (junior)
Kennedy Chandler, G, Tennessee (freshman)
Max Christie, G, Michigan State (freshman)
Kofi Cockburn, C, Illinois (junior)
Dyson Daniels, G, G League Ignite (auto-eligible)
Johnny Davis, G, Wisconsin (sophomore)
JD Davison, G, Alabama (freshman)
Moussa Diabate, F, Michigan (freshman)
Ousmane Dieng, F, Australia (born 2003)
Khalifa Diop, C, Spain (born 2002)
Jalen Duren, C, Memphis (freshman)
Tari Eason, F, LSU (sophomore)
Keon Ellis, G, Alabama (senior)
Michael Foster, F, G League Ignite (auto-eligible)
Collin Gillespie, G, Villanova (super-senior)
AJ Griffin, F, Duke (freshman)
Jaden Hardy, G, G League Ignite (auto-eligible)
Ron Harper Jr., F, Rutgers (senior)
Chet Holmgren, C, Gonzaga (freshman)
Harrison Ingram, F, Stanford (freshman)
Jaden Ivey, G, Purdue (sophomore)
Trayce Jackson-Davis, F, Indiana (junior)
Nikola Jovic, F, Serbia (born 2003)
Johnny Juzang, G, UCLA (junior)
Ismael Kamagate, C, France (born 2001)
Trevor Keels, G, Duke (freshman)
Walker Kessler, F/C, Auburn (sophomore)
Christian Koloko, C, Arizona (junior)
Jake LaRavia, F, Wake Forest (junior)
Justin Lewis, F, Marquette (sophomore)
E.J. Liddell, F, Ohio State (junior)
Bennedict Mathurin, G/F, Arizona (sophomore)
Matthew Mayer, F, Baylor (senior)
Bryce McGowens, G, Nebraska (freshman)
Leonard Miller, F, Canada (born 2003)
Josh Minott, F, Memphis (freshman)
Aminu Mohammed, G/F, Georgetown (freshman)
Iverson Molinar, G, Mississippi State (junior)
Jean Montero, G, Overtime Elite (auto-eligible)
Wendell Moore, F, Duke (junior)
Keegan Murray, F, Iowa (sophomore)
Andrew Nembhard, G, Gonzaga
Scotty Pippen Jr., G, Vanderbilt (junior)
Gabriele Procida, G/F, Italy (born 2002)
Orlando Robinson, F/C, Fresno State (junior)
David Roddy, F, Colorado State (junior)
Ryan Rollins, G, Toledo (sophomore)
Dereon Seabron, G, NC State (sophomore)
Shaedon Sharpe, G, Kentucky (freshman)
Jabari Smith, F, Auburn (freshman)
Terquavion Smith, G, NC State (freshman)
Jeremy Sochan, F, Baylor (freshman)
Matteo Spagnolo, G, Italy (born 2003)
Julian Strawther, G/F, Gonzaga (sophomore)
Dalen Terry, G, Arizona (sophomore)
Drew Timme, F, Gonzaga (junior)
Jabari Walker, F, Colorado (sophomore)
TyTy Washington Jr., G, Kentucky (freshman)
Peyton Watson, G/F, UCLA (freshman)
Blake Wesley, G, Notre Dame (freshman)
Alondes Williams, G, Wake Forest (super-senior)
Jalen Williams, G, Santa Clara (junior)
Jaylin Williams, F/C, Arkansas (sophomore)
Mark Williams, C, Duke (sophomore)
Trevion Williams, F/C, Purdue (senior)
Fanbo Zeng, F, G League Ignite (auto-eligible)

Central Notes: Caruso, Pistons Draft, Cavs Pick, Rubio

April 25th, 2022 at 5:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls’ already-depleted backcourt could be missing a key guard in Game 5 of their first-round series against Milwaukee. Alex Caruso is in concussion protocol and his status for Wednesday’s game is uncertain, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

“It’s probably going to be a day-to-day thing with him,” coach Billy Donovan said. “He’s obviously going to have to go through a series of tests before he’s cleared. I don’t know how long that would take and how long it would take for his symptoms to go away… We’ll find out more on Tuesday.”

Caruso sustained an inadvertent shot to the face from Bucks guard Jevon Carter during the second quarter of Game 4 as Milwaukee took a 3-1 lead in the series. Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White would absorb Caruso’s minutes if he can’t go.

We have more from the Central Division:

What will the Pistons do if they land the No. 1 pick for the second consecutive year? James Edwards III of The Athletic predicts they would draft Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren. Edwards lists Jabari Smith of Auburn and Paolo Banchero of Duke next on the team’s wish list. However, he doesn’t see Detroit drafting Purdue guard Jaden Ivey — No. 4 on ESPN’s Best Available list — higher than No. 7.
One of the consolations for the Cavaliers in their play-in tournament flameout is that it allowed them to retain their first-round pick. The next step is decide whether to use that pick or deal it away for an experienced rotation player, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. President of basketball operations Koby Altman is willing to bring in a rookie. “There’s nothing wrong with having another young player that you can develop,” he said. “I don’t want to say, ‘Let’s trade it again and get somebody else.’ I think there’s a nice niche here for a young prospect to really grow without a ton of expectation and grow into potentially a rotational player who can help down the road.”
In the same story, Fedor reports that at least one source believes a Cavaliers–Ricky Rubio reunion is “highly likely.” Rubio, on the mend from a torn ACL in his left knee, will be a free agent this summer. His expiring contract was traded to Indiana in February.

Draft Notes: Latest Mock, Senior Eligibility, Timme, Rollins, Williams, St. Hilaire, Sasser

April 7th, 2022 at 10:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Gonzaga freshman big man Chet Holmgren goes No. 1 to Houston in Jonathan Givony’s latest mock draft on ESPN. Givony projects Orlando taking Auburn freshman Jabari Smith with the second pick and Detroit selecting Duke’s Paolo Banchero in the No. 3 slot. Purdue guard Jaden Ivey and Iowa forward Keegan Murray round out the top five in the post-NCAA Tournament mock.

We have more draft-related notes:

As it did last year, the NBA will require fourth-year college seniors to declare themselves eligible for the draft, Givony confirms (via Twitter). Players can withdraw by June 1 in order to retain their NCAA eligibility.
Gonzaga junior forward Drew Timme has declared for the draft, he announced on Twitter. Timme, who is ranked No. 57 overall on ESPN’s Best Available rankings, averaged 18.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 2.8 APG this season for the Bulldogs. His announcement doesn’t say anything about maintaining his college eligibility, so it sounds like he’s prepared to go pro.
Toledo sophomore Ryan Rollins is entering the draft and will hire an agent, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. A shooting guard, Rollins is ranked No. 70 on ESPN’s Best Available list. He averaged 18.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 3.6 APG this season.
VCU forward Vince Williams has declared for the draft, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein tweets. Williams is ranked No. 92 on ESPN’s prospects list. He averaged 14.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 3.0 APG as a senior.
New Orleans guard Derek St. Hilaire has declared for the draft and will forgo his final year of eligibility, he revealed in a tweet. He averaged 20.1 PPG in his senior year.
Houston guard Marcus Sasser will test the draft waters but won’t hire an agent, Mark Berman of Fox 26 tweets. The junior averaged 17.7 PPG in 12 games for the Cougars before a toe injury sidelined him.

Draft Notes: Champagnie, Duruji, J. Smith, Banchero

April 2nd, 2022 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Julian Champagnie of St. John’s will give up his final two years of eligibility and enter the NBA draft, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Champagnie, who tested the draft waters last year before deciding to withdraw after injuring his wrist, called it “kind of a no-brainer” to try again this year.

He will retain agent Nick Blatchford of UNLTD Sports Group, who worked with him on NIL deals over the past year. Champagnie plans to head to Miami on Sunday to begin preparations for the draft. He is projected as a possible second-round pick and is listed at No. 59 on ESPN’s big board.

“I think last year was my time to be nervous,” said Champagnie, who averaged 19.2 PPG this season. “I’m happy, I’m ready for it. I came back last year and I’ve done enough. It’s my time to go. It’s an opportunity I have and an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime. It’s a matter of taking your opportunity and seeing where it gets you.”

There’s more draft news to pass along:

Florida’s Anthony Duruji has decided to skip his final year of eligibility and declare for the draft. In making the announcement on Twitter, Duruji stated that he will hire an agent and remain in the draft. Duruji, who averaged 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds for the Gators, is currently a long shot to be drafted and isn’t listed on the ESPN board.
Auburn’s Jabari Smith has returned to the top spot in the latest mock draft by Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. Vecenie makes it clear that there’s not a consensus No. 1 choice this year, but Smith seems to carry the least risk. Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, who was the first choice in Vecenie’s last mock, drops to No. 2 as Vecenie calls him “more polarizing” than Smith among NBA talent evaluators. Duke’s Paolo Banchero, Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and Iowa’s Keegan Murray round out the top five.
Banchero appears to have improved his draft stock during Duke’s NCAA Tournament run, per Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, who looks at draft-related stories to watch during the Final Four. Scouts have been impressed by Banchero’s abilities as an isolation scorer and a playmaker, according to Wasserman. Duke’s Mark Williams and AJ Griffin and Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji are also getting plenty of attention from scouts this weekend.

Projected Top-Five Pick Jaden Ivey Declares For Draft

March 31st, 2022 at 3:39pm CST by Rory Maher

Purdue guard Jaden Ivey plans to enter the 2022 NBA Draft, he announced on social media (via Twitter). He’s currently No. 4 on ESPN’s big board.

The sophomore standout didn’t specify whether he will hire an agent and thus lose his remaining college eligibility, but it would be shocking if he went back to school considering he’s projected to be a top-five pick in the draft.

After averaging 11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists on .399/.258/.726 shooting as a freshman (24 games, 24.2 minutes), Ivey emerged as one of the best players in the country this season, averaging 17.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 3.1 APG on .460/.358/.744 shooting (36 games, 31.4 minutes per contest).

Ivey helped lead Purdue to a 29-8 record and a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament in 2021/22, where they ultimately lost in the Sweet Sixteen to the historic No. 15 seed, Saint Peter’s.

Standing 6’4″ with a nearly 6’10” wingspan, Ivey is an electric athlete and considered one of the most physically gifted prospects in the draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Ivey improved his perimeter shooting and picked his spots better as a sophomore, but still struggled at times as a decision-maker.

Ivey’s physical tools theoretically point to great defensive potential, but Givony states that Ivey frequently lost focus on the less-glamorous end of the court, especially off the ball. Still, he’s a special athlete who’s able to shift gears and blow past opponents, which could translate well to the more open, pace-and-space NBA game.