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Draft Notes: Wolves, Kings, Pistons

June 12th, 2019 at 9:03pm CST by clarkcrum

We’re continuing to pass along workout schedules for NBA teams in advance of the 2019 NBA Draft on June 20. See below for some additional workout notes from Minneapolis, Sacramento, and Detroit.

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Central Draft Notes: Pacers, Cavs, Bucks, Pistons

June 6th, 2019 at 3:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Holding the 18th and 50th overall picks in the 2019 NBA draft, the Pacers should have a wide variety of options available to them in both the first and second rounds, so they’re doing plenty of homework in the weeks leading up to the draft.

On Wednesday, the Pacers held a pre-draft workout that featured Shizz Alston Jr. (Temple), Ky Bowman (Boston College), Tacko Fall (UCF), Mfiondu Kabengele (Florida State), Juwan Morgan (Indiana), and Elijah Thomas (Clemson), according to the team. Fall’s ability to participate in that session was limited after he rolled an ankle, as we noted yesterday.

Today, the Pacers are working out six more prospects, announcing that Luguentz Dort (Arizona State), Kyle Guy (Virginia), Amir Hinton (Shaw), Talen Horton-Tucker (Iowa State), Cody Martin (Nevada), and Josh Reaves (Penn State) are in town.

The Pacers will audition six more prospects on Friday, per the club’s latest press release. Ignas Brazdeikis (Michigan), Jon Elmore (Marshall), Aric Holman (Mississippi State), Luke Maye (UNC), Miye Oni (Yale), and Admiral Schofield (Tennessee) will attend that session.

Here are more updates on pre-draft workouts from around the Central:

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Bulls Notes: Point Guard, Cap Room, Workouts

June 6th, 2019 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

Finding a solution at point guard and making savvy additions in free agency will be among the Bulls‘ goals this offseason, writes Bobby Marks of ESPN.com (Insider link) in his preview of the team’s summer.

In Marks’ view, there’s a role for Kris Dunn in Chicago, but he’s probably not the long-term solution at point guard, so the club needs to use its No. 7 overall pick or a chunk of its cap space to address the position. Coby White as a possible option at No. 7, according to Marks, who says that if Chicago doesn’t draft a point guard, the club should set aside about $13-14MM of its cap room to try to get one in free agency.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

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Draft Notes: Culver, Fall, Edwards, Clarke

June 5th, 2019 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver made his case to be drafted third overall during a workout today with the Knicks, relays Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Calling himself “an elite two-way player,” Culver told reporters his defensive abilities separate him from other top prospects.

“Nowadays, it’s hard to find people who take pride in defense. But I’m one of them,” he said. “I take pride in defense. Being at Texas Tech taught me a lot, so I feel like on the defensive side I’m elite.”

Most mock drafts have Duke’s R.J. Barrett headed to New York, following Duke’s Zion Williamson and Murray State’s Ja Morant off the board. Culver said he’s confident in what he has to offer and doesn’t compare himself to Barrett.

“I feel like we’re great players, both of us,” Culver said. “He has a lot of talent, I have a lot of talent. And at the end of the day it’s not our choice where we go, it’s for everybody else to choose. So we just put in the work. I know he’s working hard, I’m working hard. So it is what it is.”

Culver already had a workout with the Lakers, who hold the No. 4 selection, and he has sessions scheduled with the next three teams in the draft, the Cavaliers, Suns and Bulls.

There’s more draft news tonight:

  • Central Florida’s Tacko Fall wasn’t able to participate in shooting drills with the Pacers today after rolling his ankle earlier in the workout, writes Wheat Hotchkiss of NBA.com. The injury doesn’t sound serious and the 7’7″ center made an impression by towering over his workout partners. “Whenever people see me, it’s like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s tall, but can he play?,'” Fall said. “It’s something that I had to work on. I have worked really hard. I have great people around me that have helped me become the player I am today. I just have to keep working.” Others at the session included Indiana’s Juwan Morgan, Florida State’s Mfiondu Kabengele and Clemson’s Elijah Thomas.
  • Purdue’s Carsen Edwards, who worked out for the Sixers today, has also been through sessions with the Pacers, Jazz and Nets, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He has upcoming workouts set with the Bucks, Celtics and Thunder.
  • Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke has worked out for several teams already and has sessions scheduled with the Celtics, Nets, Bulls, Pistons and Timberwolves, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).
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Draft Workouts: Reid, Dort, Fernando, Poirier

June 1st, 2019 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2019 NBA draft just 19 days away, teams around the league are ramping up their workout schedules, bringing in draft-eligible prospects to get a first-hand look at those players in action before they make their final decisions. Here are some of the latest workout updates from across the NBA:

  • LSU big man Naz Reid said on Friday that he has worked out for the Celtics and also has sessions on tap with the Nets, Cavaliers, Sixers, and Spurs, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Previous reports indicated that Reid also auditioned for Detroit, Utah, and Orlando.
  • In addition to bringing in Reid on Monday, the Sixers will also work out Arizona State guard Luguentz Dort, per Keith Pompey of Philly.com (via Twitter). Dort ranks 26th on ESPN’s big board, which could make him a candidate for Philadelphia’s picks at 24, 33, and 34.
  • Maryland’s Bruno Fernando, who also projects as a potential first-round pick, also worked out for the Celtics, and will do the same for the Hawks, Pacers, Timberwolves, Spurs, and Jazz, tweets Robbins. Workouts with Charlotte, Detroit, and Orlando had been previously reported for Fernando.
  • Florida State big man Mfiondu Kabengele has worked out for the Celtics too, according to Robbins (via Twitter).
  • After visiting the Lakers on Friday, French center Darel Poirier had workouts lined up with the Heat, Sixers, Jazz, and Timberwolves, according to Nicola Lupo of Sportando (Twitter link). Poirier played in the G League in 2018/19 with Washington’s affiliate, but remains draft-eligible for 2019.
  • According to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (via Twitter), the workout list for Indiana forward Juwan Morgan includes the Suns, Pacers, Bulls, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Jazz, and Kings.
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Draft Decisions: Ward, Morgan, Edwards, Waters

May 29th, 2018 at 10:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Michigan State sophomore center Nick Ward has decided to return to school, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. He averaged 12.4 PPG and 7.1 RPG for the Spartans last season. The Bulls, Knicks, Thunder and Pistons were among the teams that worked him out this month.

We have more draft decisions with Wednesday’s deadline fast approaching:

  • Indiana forward Juwan Morgan revealed he’s going back to school via his Instagram page, Rothstein tweets. Morgan averaged 16.5 PPG and 7.4 RPG as a junior.
  • Purdue’s Carsen Edwards is removing his name from the draft, Boilermakers coach Matt Painter told Nathan Baird of the Lafayette Journal and Courier (Twitter link). Edwards, a 6-foot point guard, was ranked No. 70 by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. Edwards posted averages of 18.5 PPG and 2.8 APG as a sophomore.
  • LSU’s Tremont Waters posted on Instagram that he will return to college for his sophomore season, Cody Worsham of Tiger Rag tweets. The 5’11” guard averaged 15.9 PPG and 6.0 APG in an impressive college debut.
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East Draft Notes: Hawks, Wizards, Raptors, Nets

May 24th, 2018 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

UCLA point guard Aaron Holiday and Villanova floor leader Jalen Brunson headline the list of six players the Hawks will work out on Friday, according to a team press release. Holiday is ranked No. 17 by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, while Brunson is rated No. 26 overall.

Gary Clark (Cincinnati), Rawle Alkins (Arizona), Juwan Morgan (Indiana) and Tony Carr (Penn State) are the other players trying to make a favorable impression. The Hawks hosted Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova), Ben Lammers (Georgia Tech), Jalen McDaniels (San Diego State), Markis McDuffie (Wichita State), Doral Moore (Wake Forest) and Brandon Sampson (LSU) on Thursday.

In other draft workouts by Eastern Conference clubs:

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Draft Updates: Bitadze, Sampson, Weatherspoon

April 12th, 2018 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

In addition to Dzanan Musa, whose early entry into the 2018 NBA draft we noted earlier today, another Misko Raznatovic client is declaring for the draft early. Georgian center Goga Bitadze has entered the 2018 draft, per a tweet from Raznatovic (hat tip to Sportando).

While Bitadze probably isn’t a first-round option like Musa, he ranks 65th on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com, making him a viable candidate to be drafted, assuming he doesn’t withdraw his name. The young big man is currently playing for Mega Bemax in Serbia.

Here are a few more draft updates:

  • LSU guard Brandon Sampson has signed with an agent and declared for the NBA draft, a source tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN (Twitter link). A top-50 recruit coming out of high school, Sampson saw his playing time reduced in his junior year, averaging 7.7 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 18.9 MPG.
  • After initially indicating that he would test the draft waters this spring, Nick Weatherspoon announced on Wednesday that he’ll return to Mississipi State for his sophomore year (Twitter link). That’s probably the right move for the guard, who posted 10.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 2.1 APG during his freshman season with the Bulldogs.
  • Indiana junior forward Juwan Morgan is entering the 2018 draft without hiring an agent, the program announced today in a press release. Morgan had a breakout season for the Hoosiers in 2017/18, increasing his averages to 16.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 1.4 BPG.
  • Auburn junior guard Bryce Brown will test the draft waters this spring, according to a press release from the school. “I had a dream to play in the NBA one day and I want to pursue that dream,” Brown said. “Testing the waters will be a great opportunity for me and my family to see where I’m at in the process.”
  • Georgetown junior center Jessie Govan announced in a post on his Instagram account that he’ll enter the draft without an agent. Govan averaged a double-double for the Hoyas in 2017/18, with 17.9 PPG and 10.0 RPG.
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