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Draft Notes: Briscoe, Fox, Ferguson, Artis

June 18th, 2017 at 11:13am CST by Arthur Hill

Kentucky guard Isaiah Briscoe had to cancel his remaining workouts because of an ankle injury, according to Adam Zagoria of FanRagSports. The scheduled sessions were with the Lakers, Kings, Bucks and Pacers. Briscoe had reportedly been impressive in workouts with the Knicks, Sixers and a few other teams. DraftExpress lists Briscoe 71st in its list of top 100 prospects.

There’s more draft-related news as the clock winds down toward Thursday:

De’Aaron Fox, Briscoe’s backcourt partner at Kentucky, is intrigued by the prospect of joining former Wildcats Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker in Phoenix, writes Andrew Sharp of Sports Illustrated. The Suns hold the No. 4 pick, but seem unlikely to take another guard unless they make a trade to clear out their already overcrowded backcourt. Fox, who is considered a top five pick, sees the Lakers at No. 2 as another possibility. “I’ve heard they’re trying to move D’Angelo [Russell] to the 2,” he says. “Even if he does play point, I feel like we could play together. A lot of teams play two point guards anyway.” Fox touches on several other subjects, including his rivalry with UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, in a wide-ranging piece.
Regardless of the order, the first five picks in the draft appear to be set, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Turner talked to several league executives and found a consensus. After Washington’s Markelle Fultz is taken at No. 1, Ball, Fox, Kansas’ Josh Jackson and Duke’s Jayson Tatum will round out the top five. However, some believe Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac has a shot at being the fifth pick.
Terrance Ferguson, who is projected as the Nets‘ pick at No. 27 in the latest mock drafts from DraftExpress and Chad Ford of ESPN.com, will work out for Brooklyn today, according to NetsDaily.com (Twitter link).
Pitt’s Jamel Artis has scheduled workouts today with the Pistons and Monday with the Thunder, tweets Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders.
The Jazz held a workout Saturday that could be their last one before the draft, relays Ryan McDonald of The Deseret News. Baylor’s Johnathan Motley was the highest-ranked prospect on hand, joined by Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss, Houston’s Damyean Dotson, North Carolina’s Isaiah Hicks, La Salle’s Jordan Price and Southeast Missouri State’s Antonius Cleveland. “It was great,” Motley said. “Played with a lot of energy, played good defensively and shot the ball well during the workout. I think I did pretty good.”

Latest On Celtics-Sixers Deal

June 18th, 2017 at 9:18am CST by Arthur Hill

Saturday’s blockbuster deal that will allow the Sixers to draft Markelle Fultz validates “the process” that former GM Sam Hinkie brought to Philadelphia, writes Tim Cato of SB Nation. The Sixers were able to get the No. 1 pick from Boston in exchange for their own selection at No. 3 and the Lakers’ first-rounder next year, which will be conveyed only if it falls between No. 2 and No. 5, or the Kings’ first-rounder the following year. Hinkie’s philosophy of getting high draft picks and collecting assets gave Philadelphia the ammunition to make the deal, Cato notes. The Sixers now have a promising core of Fultz, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons to build their future around.

There’s a lot more this morning as writers weigh in on the trade:

The Sixers held a private workout with Fultz Saturday night before agreeing to the deal, and the Celtics weren’t notified that the trade was done before the news became public, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. He notes that the Celtics’ already crowded backcourt factored into their decision to pass on Fultz (Twitter link). Potential Boston draftees Josh Jackson and Lonzo Ball both turned down workouts with the team, so the Celtics haven’t seen either player in person (Twitter link). They watched Jayson Tatum during a session in Los Angeles.
The trade happened five days before the draft because the Sixers and Celtics are both hoping to make other deals, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Fultz, who grew up in Maryland, told Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that he likes the idea of playing relatively close to home and being with a rising team like the Sixers. Sources told Pompey that Fultz was disappointed when Philadelphia failed to land the top pick at the lottery. “They have a young team, and I think the upside of it would be crazy,” Fultz said. “I’m close to home. So a lot of my family can come out and just show love, and this city has great fans.”
The Celtics could have seven first-rounders over the next three drafts, tweets ESPN.com’s Chris Forsberg, who details the picks.
On his website, Derek Bodner examines how the Sixers acquired the assets they used to land Fultz.

Draft Notes: Tatum, Kennard, Jefferson, Allen

June 10th, 2017 at 10:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Duke’s Jayson Tatum worked out today in Los Angeles for the Suns, who will give him strong consideration with their No. 4 pick, writes Doug Haller of The Arizona Republic. The 6’8″ forward may be the most offensively talented player in the draft, but he has shortcomings on defense, which is the prime concern in Phoenix. Still, he is ranked fourth or fifth in most mock drafts and could easily wind up in a Suns uniform.

There’s more news from a busy day of draft workouts:

Duke’s Luke Kennard wants teams to think of him as more than just a shooter. In a video posted on The Detroit News website, Kennard tells reporters he can handle the ball and has the physical strength to play in the NBA. He worked out for the Pistons today and has upcoming sessions with the Magic, Knicks, Mavericks and Hornets.
Duke teammate Amile Jefferson is going through a workout marathon, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Jefferson, who was part of a six-player session with the Hornets today, hopes to work out for about half the league’s 30 teams before draft day. “I love every minute of it,” Jefferson said. “This is the only chance you get to do something like this. From state to state, really introduce yourself and show off your talents to 15 or more teams in the NBA. I’m cherishing all these places. I’m really thankful for this opportunity.” He has also held workouts for the Timberwolves, Jazz, Knicks, Rockets and Nuggets, with six more on his schedule.
Texas center Jarrett Allen, who worked out for the Kings today, is trying to develop a more consistent outside shot, relays Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Allen watched Game 4 of the NBA Finals with team officials Friday night and said he enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere. “I like how they understand it’s a really busy time,” Allen said, “so they’re just trying to get into a relaxed situation; it helps us out a lot more than people think.” Sacramento also held a six-player workout today with Joe Rahon of Saint Mary’s, Milton Doyle of Loyola, Matt Williams of Central Florida, Semi Ojeleye of SMU, RaShawn Thomas of Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Eric Mika of BYU. Zach Collins of Gonzaga is scheduled for a session on Sunday.
Terrance Ferguson, who committed to Alabama and Arizona before playing last season in Australia, was among the players who worked out for the Trail Blazers today, relays Mike Richman of The Oregonian. He is considered to be a first-round talent who can contribute as a “3 and D” wing player. “Every NBA teams needs shooting,” he said. “…Shooting and a coachable player and defense. I think I can bring that to the table.” Ferguson has also worked out for the Lakers, Pacers, Bulls and Nuggets and has visits remaining with the Hornets, Heat, Pistons, Nets and Bucks.

Atlantic Notes: Olynyk, Monk, Draft

June 9th, 2017 at 8:01pm CST by Austin Kent

A big time signing could jeopardize Kelly Olynyk‘s future with the Celtics, Jay King of Massachusetts Live writes. The organization would need to explore renouncing the restricted free agent’s contract in order to free up cap space.

Still, King writes, it’s possible that the franchise could free up money in other ways that don’t involve parting ways with the sharp shooting big man. The British Columbia native averaged 9.0 points per game in 75 contests with Boston this season.

Olynyk could yield as much as $10-$12MM this summer, his value no doubt inflated by the NBA’s growing emphasis on outside shooting, but whether or not the C’s will be in a position to retain him depends on the rest of their plans over the course of a busy offseason.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks will bring Kentucky’s Malik Monk in for a workout early next week, Ian Begley of ESPN writes. New York picks eighth in this month’s draft and NBADraft.net actually slots Monk in at the No. 8 spot in their latest mock draft.
While there will be plenty of intriguing options available to the Sixers when they select third in the NBA Draft particularly Justin Jackson and De’Aaron Fox, Keith Pompey of the Inquirer says not to overlook Duke product Jayson Tatum.
The latest list of free agents and rookies to be worked out by the Nets has been published by Nets Daily.
The Raptors auditioned a number of draft prospects this week, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun wrote about their workouts.

Ford’s Latest: Celtics, Lakers, Sixers, Suns

June 6th, 2017 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

ESPN’s Chad Ford has updated his mock draft, publishing the sixth version of 2017’s mock on ESPN.com today (Insider link). According to Ford, Markelle Fultz is the top player on the Celtics‘ board, as expected, but he’s not the only player the team is considering. Sources tell Ford that Lonzo Ball, De’Aaron Fox, Josh Jackson, and Jayson Tatum are also on Boston’s radar, though a strong workout and interview with the C’s will likely seal the deal for Fultz.

Here are several more tidbits of note from Ford’s mock:

The Lakers are “going out of their way” to downplay the idea that they’ve landed on Lonzo Ball. While that’s partly about controlling the narrative, the team’s front office is also somewhat split on the pick, according to Ford, who says L.A. hasn’t ruled out De’Aaron Fox or Josh Jackson.
There’s an ongoing debate between the Sixers front office and coaching staff about which player they should take at No. 3, says Ford. If the team opts for the best player available, that probably means selecting Jackson or Fox, despite the fact that Malik Monk or Dennis Smith Jr. would be a better fit.
The Suns are hoping Ball falls to them at No. 4, but will likely end up picking between Josh Jackson, De’Aaron Fox, and Jayson Tatum, per Ford.
There’s some talk within the Kings‘ organization about packaging the 5th and 10th overall picks to move up and land Fox, who is viewed as a strong complement to Buddy Hield. However, that would be a steep price to pay, as Ford notes.
Although the Mavericks have scouted French point guard Frank Ntilikina more than any other team in the NBA, Ford believes it would be hard for Dallas to pass up Dennis Smith Jr. if he’s available at No. 9.
Former Duke sharpshooter Luke Kennard is drawing interest from teams picking as high as No. 8 (Knicks), and is a strong candidate for Detroit at No. 12, since the Pistons will likely target a shooter if they keep the pick.

Pacific Notes: J. Jackson, Isaac, Tatum, Thompson

May 30th, 2017 at 9:47pm CST by Joshua Fischman

The Suns potentially have a difficult decision to make when they find themselves on the clock with the fourth overall pick, writes Doug Haller of AZCentral Sports. Three talented freshman small forwards could be available: Josh Jackson, Jonathan Isaac, and Jayson Tatum. Defense and three-point shooting are likely the Suns’ two most glaring weaknesses, and one of these athletes could certainly help.

Haller writes that Jackson’s real impact could come defensively. The scribe adds that, while Tatum is nowhere near the defender that Jackson is, the Duke freshman may be the most polished scorer in the draft. As for Isaac, he can play both forward positions, with many believing that he will also be able to man the center position when his body fills out. Furthermore, the departing Seminole would contribute defensive versatility, having defended all over the floor for Florida State.

Here are some more pertinent notes from the Pacific division:

On Tuesday, the Suns were set to host two pre-draft workouts, per the club’s official Twitter page. The announced participants were Zak Irvin, Wesley Iwundu, Luke Kornet, Kennedy Meeks, Semi Ojeleye, Devin Robinson, and Jarrett Allen.
The Kings will hold two pre-draft workouts on Wednesday, reports Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. The first group is full of big names: Justin Jackson, Jordan Bell, Frank Mason, Kyle Kuzma, London Perrantes, and Devin Robinson. Jones points out that, prior to last year’s draft, the Kings convinced just once first-round pick to visit the team, even though Sacramento held the eighth overall selection. To find out which players are part of the second group that is working out for the Kings on Wednesday, check out Jones’ full story.
Ivan Rabb does not regret returning for his sophomore season at Cal despite falling from a likely lottery pick in the last draft to an expected low first-round selection this time around, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. On the contrary, Rabb believes that staying in school an additional season will help him at the next level. Rabb was one of six players to work out for the Lakers on Tuesday. The others were Jaron Blossomgame, Sterling Brown, Tyler Dorsey, Cameron Oliver, and Xavier Rathan-Mayes.
Klay Thompson‘s historic Game 6 against the Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals had a transformative effect on basketball history, chronicles Tim Kawakami of The San Jose Mercury News. Although Thompson’s performance that night did not lead to a second-straight Warriors championship, without it, Kevin Durant very well may not have joined Golden State during the ensuing offseason.

Eastern Draft Notes: Tatum, Fultz, Knicks

May 25th, 2017 at 7:48pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Scouts and GMs who spoke with ESPN’s Chad Ford at this year’s combine peg Jayson Tatum as the favorite to win 2018 Rookie of the Year award. Tatum is one of most polished prospects in the upcoming draft and many scouts believe the Celtics would be the best fit for the small forward. He’s unlikely to go No. 1, but could Boston ostensibly trade down and select him at No. 3.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference on the upcoming draft:

All signs point to the Celtics taking Markelle Fultz with the top selection in the draft, Ford writes in the same piece. Lonzo Ball, who is widely regarded as the only threat to Fultz at No. 1, announced that he will not work out for Boston.
ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla believes the Knicks would have a good draft if they selected either Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina with the No. 8 pick in the upcoming draft, as Al Iannazzone of Newsday relays. “They both have very good long-term upside. They have NBA guard characteristics. They’re both athletic. They’re both reasonably well put together. It’s going to be a matter of do you like vanilla or chocolate, and how they come in and interview and work out with the teams,” Fraschilla said.
Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan could be an option for the Bulls at No. 38, Mark Strotman of Comcast Sportsnet writes. Nikola Mirotic will be a restricted free agent this summer and if Chicago plans on letting him walk, the franchise could look for frontcourt depth in the draft.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, D. Smith, Sixers, Celtics

May 18th, 2017 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

While top point guard prospects like Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, and De’Aaron Fox may be off the board by the time the Knicks pick at No. 8 in the draft, North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith Jr. has “landed squarely in their crosshairs,” according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Berman takes a closer look at Smith, and speaks to his college coach Mark Gottfried, who is skeptical that the young point guard will still be available at No. 8.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

In the wake of Tuesday night’s draft lottery results, Joel Embiid shared his thoughts on the potential No. 3 pick for the Sixers, per Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com. Embiid acknowledged that Fultz and Ball will likely be gone by the time Philadelphia picks, but identified Josh Jackson and Jayson Tatum as two targets for his team.
Last week, we heard that Furkan Korkmaz would like to join the Sixers for the 2017/18 season, but that report came with the caveat that Philadelphia is “in no rush” to bring over the 2016 first-rounder. President of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo essentially confirmed as much on Wednesday, suggesting that the 19-year-old may not be physically ready for the NBA, and adding that Korkmaz’ buyout also complicates the situation. Tom Moore of The Bucks County Courier Times has the details and the quotes from Colangelo.
Iowa State’s Deonte Burton will work out for the Knicks on Wednesday and the Celtics next Friday, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com adds another Boston-related workout note, tweeting that the C’s auditioned Kentucky’s Hamidou Diallo prior to the combine.
Earlier today, we rounded up a few Celtics-related items and examined the Sixers‘ salary cap situation for 2017/18.

Pacific Notes: Kerr, Pachulia, Ball, Suns

May 17th, 2017 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Steve Kerr isn’t expected to coach the Warriors in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, but he will accompany the team on its trip to San Antonio, according to Connor Letourneau of SFGate. GM Bob Myers relayed the news in a radio interview today. It’s the latest sign of improving health for Kerr, who watched from the locker room during Game 2 in Oakland. He has been out of action since health problems stemming from his 2015 back surgery forced him to leave the team midway through its first-round series. Lead assistant Mike Brown has guided the team to an 8-0 record in his place.

There’s more tonight from the Pacific Division:

Spurs fans may get a chance to vent their anger at Warriors center Zaza Pachulia after all. Pachulia, who became a villain in San Antonio after his collision with Kawhi Leonard in Game 1 aggravated the Spurs star’s sprained ankle, left Game 2 in the first quarter with a right heel contusion. Pachulia underwent an MRI today, which came back negative, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN.com. Pachulia is listed as day-to-day.
Many experts believe the Lakers should grab Lonzo Ball with their No. 2 pick, writes Mark Medina of The Orange County Register. Although Washington’s Markelle Fultz is considered a standout choice to be taken first, Ball is “potentially a transformational-type point guard,” according to Stu Jackson of Turner Sports. “What makes him special are the same qualities that made a guy like Magic Johnson or Jason Kidd special,” Jackson said. “Lonzo sees plays most players don’t see.”
The Suns were among the losers in Tuesday’s lottery, but they still have plenty of attractive draft options, according to Doug Haller of The Arizona Republic. Phoenix entered the night with the second-best shot at a No. 1 pick, but slid to fourth as the Lakers and Sixers both moved up. Haller states that Suns fans can console themselves with the possible addition of Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox, Kansas’ Josh Jackson, Duke’s Jayson Tatum or Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac. Opting for Fox, Haller notes, would probably make Eric Bledsoe expendable in a trade.

Lonzo Ball May Only Work Out For Lakers

May 17th, 2017 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

The 2017 NBA draft lottery couldn’t have worked out much better for Lonzo Ball and his father LaVar, who have long expressed a desire for Lonzo to end up with the Lakers. In the wake of L.A. landing the No. 2 overall pick on Tuesday night, LaVar Ball told Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation that Lonzo may not audition for any other teams at or near the top of the draft.

“Just the Lakers,” LaVar said. “There’s nobody else that we need to work out for.”

[RELATED: 2017 NBA draft lottery results]

While LaVar’s comments sounded pretty declarative, a source close to Ball tells ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that Lonzo remains undecided on whether he’ll work out for teams besides the Lakers. That source admitted that Los Angeles is the preferred destination for the Ball camp, but said a decision would be made “closer to June” on whether the former UCLA point guard will work out for any other teams.

Both Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka indicated to ESPN that there are several options available to them with that No. 2 pick, suggesting that the team won’t necessarily just take whoever is left after the Celtics select Ball or Markelle Fultz. A Lakers source tells ESPN that players under consideration for the team at No. 2 include De’Aaron Fox, Josh Jackson, and Jayson Tatum, in addition to Ball and Fultz.

Still, it seems likely that the Lakers will ultimately land on one of those top two point guards, assuming they don’t trade the pick. And Pelinka says a trade probably won’t happen, according to ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.

“That doesn’t mean we don’t explore it,” Pelinka said of the possibility of trading the No. 2 selection. “But this pick has extraordinary value.”

The Lakers didn’t interview Ball at last week’s draft combine, but intend to have him in for a workout in the coming weeks, Johnson confirmed, according to Mark Medina of The O.C. Register. The new Lakers president also said the club will work out Jackson, per Medina.