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Pacific Notes: Murray, Lakers Workout, Kuminga, Moody, Warriors’ Pick

June 20th, 2022 at 10:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jaden Ivey, the top rated point guard in the draft, hasn’t worked out for the Kings, who hold the fourth overall pick. It may be a moot point, as Sacramento’s brass is high on Iowa forward Keegan Murray, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. The Kings arranged for the prospect to have dinner with the team stars, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, during his visit. Murray was one of top scorers in Division I last season at 23.5 PPG along with 8.7 RPG.

If he’s selected fourth overall, Murray could slot into the Kings’ frontcourt alongside Sabonis and Harrison Barnes.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Lakers continued to do their homework despite not owning a draft pick, as they worked out six prospects on Monday, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets. That group included Javante McCoy (Boston University), Keve Aluma (Virginia Tech), Khalifa Diop (Gran Canaria), Jeenathan Williams (Buffalo), Malik Osborne (Florida State) and Danko Brankovic (Cibona).
  • Lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody got the rare experience of playing on a championship team in their first year. Though they didn’t play large roles in the postseason, the Warriors rookies got invaluable experience as their playing time grows in future seasons, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes. “I never really worry about whether we’re playing, not playing,” Kuminga said. “As long as I’m still here, learning, getting better every day. When my moments get called, I know I’ll be ready. … Everybody here [is] just helping me, way more than dudes [other rookies around the league] are, wherever they are right now.”
  • The Warriors hold the No. 28 pick but they might not add an rookie, according to Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. The Warriors are looking to trade the pick, in part because of their huge payroll and also because they’ve already got a trio of young players — James Wiseman, Kuminga and Moody — fighting for rotation minutes next season.
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Pacific Notes: Wiggins, Lakers, O’Neal, Murray, Kings

June 18th, 2022 at 1:35pm CST by JD Shaw

Warriors star Andrew Wiggins finished a transformation from underachiever to champion when Golden State won the NBA title on Thursday, Jon Krawczynski writes for The Athletic. Wiggins failed to consistently improve during his time with Minnesota from 2014-20, but the former No. 1 pick found his niche with the Warriors this season.

“It’s a feeling I can’t describe,” Wiggins said. “Every day, that stuff is motivating. That put fire in my eyes. I just wanted to prove everyone wrong. Now I’m a world champion. Everyone is going to have something to say, regardless. Whatever they say, they gotta say I’m a world champion, too.”

Wiggins averaged 17.2 points per game this season — the second-lowest mark of his career — and an argument could be made for or against him making his first All-Star Team. However, his improved shooting, defense and unselfishness were key reasons why Golden State won the championship. He shot 47% from the floor and a career-high 39% from deep.

Here are some other notes from the Pacific:

  • LSU’s Shareef O’Neal — son of Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal — has an upcoming workout scheduled with the Lakers, as relayed by Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Shaq played with the Lakers from 1996-2004, winning three NBA championships. Shareef is a 6’10” big man who also recently worked out for the Heat, another team his father won a title with.
  • John Hollinger and Jovan Buha of The Athletic analyze the Lakers‘ offseason, exploring Russell Westbrook‘s future, the team’s free agency outlook and more. Los Angeles is coming off an injury-riddled season, finishing with the fifth-worst record in the Western Conference at 33-49.
  • Projected top-five pick Keegan Murray likes the way he would fit in with the Kings, writes Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. The Kings own the No. 4 pick in the draft. “I’ve visited with them, met with them, talked to them, so I think just me fitting in with them, kind of being another guy who’s versatile, knows the game, and I think I just kind of bring a winning culture,” Murray said. “I feel like I have a winning mentality; not really that many distractions. Just focus on the task at hand and try to get that job done. I think I just fit in with all the other guys and bring in that winning mindset.”
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Central Notes: Pistons Draft, Davis, Gobert, Eason

June 16th, 2022 at 8:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jaden Ivey‘s lack of a mid-range game might give the Pistons some pause if he’s available with No. 5 pick, James Edwards III of The Athletic opines. Keegan Murray may not be flashy but he’s an efficient scorer who be a great option for playmaker Cade Cunningham, according to Edwards, who examines the fit of the options at the No. 5 pick.

We have more from the Central Division:

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Draft Rumors: Top 3, Kings, Sharpe, Wizards, OKC, Hornets, Bulls

June 15th, 2022 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest 2022 mock draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Insider link) still has Jabari Smith going to the Magic, Chet Holmgren to the Thunder, and Paolo Banchero to the Rockets.

Givony says the Magic continue to cast a wide net as they evaluate their options at No. 1, but rival executives “overwhelmingly” expect them to ultimately land on Smith. The Rockets, meanwhile, watched Banchero work out in Memphis and then brought him to Houston for an individual workout, according to Givony, who writes that the team seems “high on (his) talent, skill, and fit.”

While Givony’s newest mock doesn’t include a shake-up in the top three, there are some changes elsewhere in the lottery and further down in the first round. ESPN’s draft guru also shares a handful of draft-related tidbits. Here are some of the highlights:

  • According to Givony, Keegan Murray‘s chances of being the No. 4 pick may be gaining momentum, since Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and incoming head coach Mike Brown reportedly like him and Sacramento isn’t Jaden Ivey‘s preferred landing spot. However, Givony notes that the Kings have been willing in past years to draft players they haven’t worked out — plus, the pick is considered to be available via trade if there’s a team that wants to move up to snag Ivey.
  • Although Shaedon Sharpe is viewed as a legitimate candidate to be selected at No. 5 by the Pistons, he didn’t separate himself in a recent 3-on-3 workout that also included Bennedict Mathurin and Dyson Daniels, Givony writes. ESPN’s new mock has Mathurin and Daniels going sixth and seventh overall, ahead of Sharpe at No. 8.
  • The Wizards‘ lottery pick (No. 10) is widely thought to be available in a deal that would send a “proven backcourt player” to D.C., per Givony.
  • The Thunder are reportedly looking to trade up from No. 12 to acquire another pick in the top half of the lottery, according to Givony, who says Ivey and Sharpe may be among Oklahoma City’s targets.
  • Rival teams don’t believe the Hornets will keep both the 13th and 15th overall picks. Givony has also heard from rival clubs that the Bulls don’t love their options at No. 18 and are open to trading that pick, possibly in a package with guard Coby White.
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Central Notes: Pistons Prospects, Griffin, Bucks Wings, Chandler

June 14th, 2022 at 8:36pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Pistons could go in a variety of directions with the No. 5 pick in the upcoming draft, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. According to Edwards, while Purdue guard Jaden Ivey or Iowa forward Keegan Murray seem most likely to be selected, Arizona swingman Bennedict Mathurin enjoyed a good workout with the club and has impressed Detroit’s front office personnel.

Edwards considers the 6’4″ Ivey, a consensus All-American and a 2021/22 All-Big Ten selection, to have the highest ceiling among this trio. In 36 college contests, Ivey averaged 17.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.1 APG and 0.9 SPG with a shooting line of .460/.358/.744.

Edwards acknowledges that the versatile Murray seems more readily capable of contributing at the next level than Ivey. The 6’8″ forward, himself a consensus All-American and 2021/22 All-Big Ten honoree while with the Hawkeyes, averaged 23.5 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 BPG, 1.5 APG and 1.3 SPG across 35 games.

Mathurin projects to be a solid long-range shooter and wing defender, Edwards writes. Mathurin was a consensus All-American and the 2021/22 Pac-12 Player of the Year during his second season with the Wildcats, averaging 17.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 2.5 APG. During his sophomore season, the 6’7″ guard boasted shooting averages of .450/.369/.764.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

  • Former Duke small forward AJ Griffin believes he would be a good match for the Pacers, per James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star. The Pacers possess the sixth pick in the 2022 draft. “I think I would fit perfectly,” Griffin said. “Just being able to play with guys who look for their open teammates and get your teammates going, I think I would fit perfectly… I love [guard Tyrese Haliburton]’s game.” Though Griffin averaged a fairly modest 10.4 PPG and 3.9 RPG as a one-and-done freshman for the Blue Devils, he proved to be a promising three-point shooter, connecting on 44.7% of his 4.1 long-range looks per night. The 18-year-old is currently listed as the ninth-best player on ESPN’s big board.
  • Though the Bucks did not defend their 2021 title in the 2022 postseason, the team’s rotation wings performed at a high level during the 2021/22 season, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Nehm grades the on-court play of All-Star small forward Khris Middleton, swingman Wesley Matthews, guard Pat Connaughton, guard Grayson Allen, and the rest of Milwaukee’s perimeter players.
  • The Cavaliers are set to work out Tennessee point guard Kennedy Chandler on Wednesday, according to Andrew Slater of Pro Insight (Twitter link). Cleveland possesses the No. 14 pick at the end of the 2022 draft lottery. Chandler was the MVP of the 2022 SEC Tournament. A 2022 All-SEC Second Team selection, the 6’0″ guard averaged 13.9 PPG, 4.7 APG and 3.2 RPG on .464/.383/.606 shooting for the Volunteers. Chandler is listed as the No. 19 prospect on the latest ESPN board.
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Draft Notes: Green Room, Draft Targets, Comps, Mock, Minott

June 14th, 2022 at 2:42pm CST by Rory Maher

The list of prospects invited to the green room on draft night has expanded to 16, tweets ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. The list includes all of the top-16 ranked players on ESPN’s big board: Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Dyson Daniels, Shaedon Sharpe, Bennedict Mathurin, AJ Griffin, Jalen Duren, Johnny Davis, Ousmane Dieng, Malaki Branham, Mark Williams, Jeremy Sochan and Ochai Agbaji.

A source tells Givony that the list could expand further, with four more invites still a possibility. The draft is nine days away.

Here are some more draft-related notes:

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Draft Notes: Green Room, Houstan, Nembhard, O’Neal, Gillespie

June 9th, 2022 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There were no surprises in the 11 green room invitations forwarded to the draft’s top prospects. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony confirmed that the list includes Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Shaedon Sharpe, Dyson Daniels, Bennedict Mathurin, AJ Griffin, Jalen Duren and Johnny Davis. Approximately four more green room invites will be sent out next week, a source tells Givony.

We have more draft news:

  • Michigan’s Caleb Houstan and Gonzaga’s Andrew Nembhard, who both hail from Canada, will work out for the Raptors on Friday, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. They’re both considered late first-round or second-round prospects and Toronto has the No. 33 overall pick.
  • LSU forward Shareef O’Neal, son of Shaquille O’Neal, worked out for the Bucks on Thursday, Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweets. The younger O’Neal will visit the Lakers, Cavaliers, Hawks and Wizards in the very near future.
  • Villanova guard Collin Gillespie also worked out for the Bucks on Thursday, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. He’ll soon visit the Suns, Nuggets, Jazz and Trail Blazers. Gillespie is ranked at No. 64 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
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Draft Rumors: Magic, Smith, Pacers, Sharpe, Jovic, More

June 6th, 2022 at 1:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Echoing what ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported last month, Jeremy Woo of SI.com says the “general expectation” around the league is that Jabari Smith is the favorite to be picked first overall by the Magic in the 2022 NBA draft. Woo notes that Orlando is doing its due diligence on several prospects at the top of this year’s draft class, but his “gut feeling” is that the team will ultimately land on Smith.

Woo’s latest mock draft for SI.com includes several other interesting tidbits. Here are a few highlights:

  • Keegan Murray and Jaden Ivey are the two prospects most frequently linked to the Pacers by rival teams, though it’s unclear if either of them will still be available when Indiana picks at No. 6, Woo writes, adding that No. 6 appears to be Murray’s floor.
  • Shaedon Sharpe earned some buzz at last month’s draft combine, but “some of that excitement has turned to trepidation” since teams left Chicago, according to Woo who suggests that Sharpe’s individual workouts will go a long way toward determining how he’s regarded by lottery teams.
  • Woo has heard that Serbian wing Nikola Jovic would like to come to the NBA right away, so he won’t necessarily be a draft-and-stash pick.
  • Some people around the NBA believe the Thunder may look to package their No. 12 pick and a future pick or two to acquire a second top-10 selection, says Woo. Oklahoma City also controls the second overall pick.
  • Rival teams believe the Knicks will likely target a point guard or a big man at No. 11, per Woo, who believes it’s possible both Mark Williams and Jalen Duren will be available at that spot. TyTy Washington‘s name has also come up in Woo’s conversations as a player to watch at No. 11.Washington worked out on Monday for the Knicks and told reporters, including Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) that he also workouts on tap with the Pelicans (No. 8), Spurs (No. 9), Wizards (No. 10), and Cavaliers (No. 14).
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Western Notes: Payton II, Warriors, Kings, Murray, Spurs

June 4th, 2022 at 4:20pm CST by JD Shaw

Warriors coach Steve Kerr opted not to play Gary Payton II in Game 1 because he thought Payton’s elbow needed more time, as relayed by Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link). Payton was active in Game 1 for the first time in nearly a month.

Payton suffered a fractured left elbow against Memphis in the Western Conference Semifinals after appearing in just 25 minutes that series. He has served as a key cog off Golden State’s bench this season, averaging 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 17.6 minutes per game.

Although he was held out of Game 1, Payton could still receive playing time in Game 2, Kerr said. The Celtics scored 120 points to win Game 1 on the road, shooting 51% from the floor and three-point range. The team’s fourth-quarter spark was led by Jaylen Brown — who could be matched up against Payton as the series progresses.

There’s more from around the Western Conference today:

  • Tim Kawakami of The Athletic explores how the Warriors could improve their chances of winning Game 2. Golden State led for most of Game 1, but Boston surged in the final period mostly due to hot shooting. The Celtics won the fourth quarter 40-16 after losing the previous three 92-80.
  • Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee makes a case for why the Kings should draft Keegan Murray with the No. 4 pick later this month. Murray, a 21-year-old forward, averaged 23.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game with Iowa last season.
  • Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link) constructs a mock draft for the Spurs, who own the No. 9, No. 20, No. 25 and No. 38 picks in the event. San Antonio is one of four teams with multiple first-round picks. Givony believes the team should target Memphis big man Jalen Duren at No. 9 overall.
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Central Notes: Sharpe, Christie, Cockburn, Plummer, Kiss

June 2nd, 2022 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Keegan Murray, Jaden Ivey, Bennedict Mathurin and Shaedon Sharpe are the potential candidates to be chosen by the Pistons with their lottery pick, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes. One of those names, most likely Ivey, will be off the board by the time the Pistons are on the clock.

Sharpe is a mystery candidate since he didn’t play college ball despite attending Kentucky last season. The Pistons could get a better read on him soon. Sharpe will be working out in Detroit within the next 10 days, Edwards reports via his sources.

We have more from the Central Division:

  • The Pistons not only have the No. 5 pick, they hold the No. 46 overall selection in the second round, thanks to a trade with the Nets last year. Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press looks at potential targets with that pick, including Michigan State’s Max Christie and Colorado State’s David Roddy.
  • Illinois big man Kofi Cockburn, considered a second-round prospect, has been busy working out for a variety of teams this week. He’ll visit the Bucks in the near future, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets.
  • Another Illinois player, wing Alfonso Plummer, visited the Cavaliers on Thursday, James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star tweets. Bryant College guard Peter Kiss, who led Division I in scoring last season, visited the Cavaliers on Tuesday, Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com tweets.
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