Markelle Fultz Rumors | Hoops Rumors

East Notes: Hornets, Fultz, Jones, Celtics

June 11th, 2017 at 6:21pm CST by Austin Kent

The Hornets will audition a pair of potential lottery picks on Monday, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports, bringing Donovan Mitchell and Terrence Ferguson in for workouts with a batch of four other players.

Mitchell, a Louisville product pegged at No. 16 in NBADraft.net‘s latest mock draft, is a particularly intriguing combo guard with a 6’10” wingspan. Ferguson, a more traditional swingman, played professionally in Australia last season in lieu of a stint in the NCAA.

Joining Mitchell and Ferguson will be Bryce Alford, Cameron Oliver, Devin Robinson and Tai Webster. The Hornets pick 11th in this month’s draft.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference this evening:

Don’t expect the Celtics to hold Markelle Fultz‘s lack of team success at Washington against him ahead of the 2017 NBA Draft, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald writes. “We had determined who they were long before they got to their college situations,” general manager Danny Ainge said of Fultz [and also Jaylen Brown].
Having nearly equaled his annual income in technical foul fines this postseason, Dahntay Jones is the unlikely benefactor of some generosity from fans. Per Alysha Tsuji of USA Today, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help the Cavaliers veteran cover his costly habit.
The Celtics just aren’t a good fit for Lonzo Ball, LaVar Ball tells A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England. The eldest Ball envisions his son stepping up as a leader for the Lakers while the Celtics are already more established.

Markelle Fultz Will Not Work Out For Kings

June 9th, 2017 at 7:06pm CST by Luke Adams

7:06pm: Although he may swing by Sacramento for a meeting prior to the draft, Fultz is not expected to work out with the Kings after all, James Ham of NBC Sports California reports.

1:09pm: Voilin has followed up her initial report, tweeting that Fultz’s workout with the Kings is still likely to happen, but appears to have been pushed back closer to the draft.

11:46am: Multiple sources tell Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) that Fultz won’t visit the Kings on Sunday after all, shooting down The Bee’s earlier report. According to Jones, a visit is possible, but it’s not scheduled for this weekend.

10:08am: Despite rumblings that Markelle Fultz may only work out for the Celtics, the odds-on favorite for the No. 1 pick has reportedly lined up a meeting with another team for this weekend. According to Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link), Fultz is scheduled to participate in a workout with the Kings on Sunday.

The fact that Fultz is on track to work out for the Kings is somewhat unexpected. The general belief was that if the former Washington point guard were to audition for teams besides the Celtics, his logical next stops would be Los Angeles and Philadelphia, since the Lakers and Sixers hold the second and third overall picks, respectively. Sacramento has the fifth and 10th overall selections, and there’s virtually no chance that Fultz drops that far.

The Kings have allegedly had internal discussions about the possibility of packaging their two top-10 picks to move up in the draft, though their target in that scenario was believed to be Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox. Celtics GM Danny Ainge confirmed last week that multiple teams have contacted him to ask about the No. 1 pick, so it’s possible the Kings are one of those teams, and are doing their due diligence on Fultz in case a deal materializes. Still, a trade of that magnitude would be a surprise.

Even if the Kings don’t ultimately have a chance to draft Fultz, the fact that he’s willing to meet with the club is a great sign for a front office that has had a hard time attracting top prospects for workouts in recent years.

Lakers Notes: Ball, Fultz, Smith

June 9th, 2017 at 6:04pm CST by Austin Kent

The Lakers aren’t sold on Lonzo Ball and remain intrigued with Markelle Fultz and Josh Jackson, Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report writes. The UCLA product recently met with the franchise and worked out in a one-on-none scenario.

Although Ding notes that Ball’s biggest skill set – his ability to lead an offense and move the ball – isn’t exactly applicable in that sort of isolated practice situation, the guard didn’t separate himself from the rest of the potential top picks in the upcoming draft.

Over his two days with the team, Ding notes, Ball established himself as quiet and reserved, a far cry from his famously boisterous father. The other options that will likely be available when the Lakers pick, however, boast compelling characteristics of their own.

The Lakers are hopeful that they’ll be able to work out Fultz despite his apparent plan to only work out for the Celtics and have already traveled to Sacramento to scout Jackson. De’Aaron Fox, another potential player on their list, will be in Los Angeles to work out on Tuesday.

There’s more from the Lakers:

The Lakers will work out Dennis Smith Jr., Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog tweets. Smith Jr. is currently projected to go No. 7, according to NBADraft.net.
The Lakers are hopeful that they’ll be able to meet with Markelle Fultz next week, Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. He adds that it’s unclear whether this would be for a meeting or a work out.
The Lakers worked out a batch of players on Friday, including Damyean Dotson and P.J. Dozier, the team announced on its official website.
Although it can likely be taken with a grain of salt, Lavar Ball believes that all three of his sons will end up with the Lakers eventually, Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype relays.

Atlantic Notes: Smith, Fultz, Monk

June 6th, 2017 at 10:10pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Knicks are reportedly targeting wings and guards in the NBA Draft and North Carolina State product Dennis Smith Jr. will work out for the team tomorrow, ESPN’s Ian Begley reports.

With the eighth overall selection in New York’s possession, the team feels that Smith will likely still be on the board once their pick rolls around. The 19-year-old averaged 18.1 PPG, 6.2 APG, and 4.6 RPG in 32 games as a member of the Wolfpack.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that the Knicks feel Smith’s defensive deficiencies and torn ACL from two years ago will knock him down in the draft. Berman adds that Smith is also scheduled to workout for the Lakers, Celtics and Sixers — the top three teams in this year’s draft.

Begley’s report mentions Malik Monk and Frank Ntilikina are also targets of interests for the Knicks.

Here are additional notes around the Atlantic division:

Washington’s Markelle Fultz, who is expected to be drafted by the Celtics first overall, will only work out for Boston before the draft, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). While taking a tour of TD Garden on Tuesday, Fultz told ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, “It almost feels like I belong here.” With draft night later this month, the Fultz/Celtics union is looking more and more likely, though ESPN’s report suggests he hasn’t totally ruled out the idea of working out for teams besides Boston.
While many feel that Monk would be a safe pick for the Sixers, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer feels the team would be making a mistake by drafting the 6’3″ point guard. With an evolving NBA centered on versatility, Murphy opines that Monk would not be as great a fit as he’s advertised, faced with difficulties against top tier talents and teams in the league.

Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Horford, Celtics, 76ers

June 6th, 2017 at 6:18pm CST by Joshua Fischman

Celtics GM Danny Ainge was impressed by Markelle Fultz after the point guard spent two days in Boston, reports Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Boston owns the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft and is strongly considering using the pick on Fultz.

“It went well. I had dinner with him last night. He had a physical yesterday and he had a workout this morning with Brad [Stevens]. Everything went well. He’s very talented,” Ainge told Himmelsbach by phone Tuesday.

But that is not all going on in the Atlantic division:

Fresh off the first season of his sizable contract with the Celtics, Al Horford opens up about the high expectations and immense pressures he faces in an article from Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. Horford explains how he copes: “My biggest thing, and I learned this at an early stage in my career, was to not read any of that information or see anything, good or bad…One day people love you, the next they hate you, it’s really up and down, and my focus was making sure the team kept getting better as a group, and not worry about anything outside. One thing that helped me was not paying attention to a lot of things.”
76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo is not speeding up the team’s rebuild and instead appears to be patiently and strategically building a contender a la Sam Hinkie‘s “The Process,” writes Bob Cooney of Philly.com.
The 76ers will hold a pre-draft workout on Wednesday, reports Keith Pompey of Philly.com (link via Twitter). The scheduled participants are Jordan Bell (Oregon), Thomas Bryant (Indiana), Tyler Dorsey (Oregon), Elie Okobo (Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez), L.J. Peak (Georgetown), and Steve Vasturia (Notre Dame).

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.

Sixers Notes: Fultz, Ball, Embiid, Simmons, Korkmaz

June 5th, 2017 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

With the No. 3 pick in this month’s draft, the Sixers aren’t overly likely to have a chance to draft either Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball, but that doesn’t mean the team isn’t doing its due diligence on those top prospects. President of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo told reporters today, including Derek Bodner (Twitter link) that they’ve talked to Fultz’s reps about the possibility of working him out, though it seems like he may only audition for the Celtics.

Meanwhile, Colangelo said the Sixers haven’t yet met with Ball, but would still like to do so, as Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com tweets. With the exception of those two point guards, Philadelphia has workouts lined up for all of this year’s top prospects, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

Here’s more on the Sixers:

According to Colangelo, the Sixers have their eye on six or seven prospects with the No. 3 overall pick (Twitter link via Bodner). In addition to Fultz and Ball, I’d imagine guys like De’Aaron Fox, Jayson Tatum, Josh Jackson, and Malik Monk are under consideration.
Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons won’t participate in Summer League play for the Sixers, Colangelo confirmed today (Twitter link via Bodner). Both players are coming off season-ending injuries, so it seems the team will take it slow and look to get them ready for the fall.
2016 first-round pick Furkan Korkmaz, a draft-and-stash prospect, may play for the Sixers in the Summer League, depending on his international commitments (Twitter link via Bodner). For now, Korkmaz is traveling to Philadelphia to visit the Sixers and work out with some of the club’s players, per Pompey (Twitter link). The young shooting guard wants to come stateside for the 2017/18 season, but has a pricey buyout – $2MM, according to David Pick – and the 76ers may want to stash him for a little while longer.
Tyler Cavanaugh (George Washington), Derrick White (Colorado), Tahjere McCall (Tennessee State), Isaiah Briscoe (Kentucky), Reggie Upshaw Jr. (Middle Tennessee State), and Melo Trimble (Maryland) worked out today for the Sixers, as Pompey writes for The Inquirer.

Fultz To Work Out With Celtics This Week

June 4th, 2017 at 4:16pm CST by Austin Kent

The general consensus among draft pundits is that Markelle Fultz will be the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that the Celtics would like to get a good, long look at him. Per ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, the Washington product will be in Boston to work out this week.

The 19-year-old will under go a physical with the organization and spend time meeting with top Boston officials on Monday and Tuesday, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical adds in his own tweet. On Tuesday, the lengthy point guard and elite scorer will be at the team’s practice facility.

It remains to be seen what the Celtics will do with the first overall pick – we’ve recently written about how a number of teams have already contacted the franchise about a potential trade – but getting a better understanding of his personality and how he fits directly with Boston’s current culture will give them a better sense of what direction they would like to go.

Several Teams Contact Celtics About No. 1 Pick

May 31st, 2017 at 6:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

“A handful of teams” have already called Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge about deals involving the top overall pick in the draft, relays Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

Despite a near-consensus in the media that Washington point guard Markelle Fultz will be the first player selected, Ainge insists the Celtics are studying potential picks and aren’t leaning toward any player. They are also trying to determine the return that the selection will bring on the trade market.

“There’s two things that are happening,” Ainge said. “I think the value of [the pick] increases the closer you get to the draft is one, and two is we really need to know the value of the whole draft, because some of the conversations that you have are trading down in the draft and trading picks for players, moving backward and so forth.”

Boston began holding pre-draft workouts in early May, although Ainge says most of the players who have auditioned are being targeted with the team’s three second-round picks. Ainge and his staff are currently in Las Vegas for a workout and will travel to Los Angeles for another.

Most workouts involving top prospects are organized by agents, and Fultz hasn’t hired one yet. The Celtics held a private meeting with Fultz at the draft combine, and Ainge will try to set up a visit to Boston for the 19-year-old, who is doing most of his training in Washington, D.C.

UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, who may also be considered for the top pick, turned down an invitation to work out for the Celtics.

Ainge said he’s not offended by Ball’s decision, understanding his desire to play for the Lakers because he grew up in Los Angeles and has concerns about the number of established players already in Boston’s backcourt.

“We’ve followed him in the summer in the past and we’re prepared on who he is, and it wouldn’t affect us in any way,” Ainge said. “I certainly don’t hold it against him or take it personal.”

Draft Notes: J. Jackson, Ball, Fultz, Strategies To Avoid

May 30th, 2017 at 5:04pm CST by Joshua Fischman

Is Josh Jackson a better prospect than Lonzo Ball? In a fascinating detail-rich piece, Rob Dauster of NBC Sports tackles this question. The column focuses on Jackson, outlining his strengths and weaknesses. The Kansas product’s most prominent strengths include his length, superior athleticism, competitiveness, and versatility. Dauster considers the forward’s main weaknesses to be his jump shot and his tendency to make defensive lapses.

After a careful and extensive consideration of Jackson’s game, Dauster concludes that he is a better prospect than Ball and the second-best prospect in the draft. In fact, the writer contends that the gap between Markelle Fultz and Jackson is smaller than the gap between Jackson and Ball.

Here are a couple more draft-related items:

Speaking of Fultz, the point guard said Tuesday that he has had multiple conversations with Danny Ainge since the draft combine, reports Jeff Goodman of ESPN. Fultz told ESPN: “I want to be the No. 1 pick really bad. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little kid, and I feel like I would fit well in Boston.” The Washington freshman elaborated on his fit with the Celtics and star Isaiah Thomas: “We can both play on or off the ball. We can both score and also pass. I think we’d be great together. When we’ve talked since the lottery, we haven’t really talked about basketball much. He’s been through a lot lately.”
What are the most dangerous mistakes that NBA teams make during the draft? Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders describes the seven most common flawed strategies that can lead to “egregious error” in the draft. We strongly encourage you to read the full piece on the topic, as it includes juicy details, such as which players from this year’s draft class are potential busts based on each blunder from the list. Check out the piece to see Brigham’s full list.