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Draft Rumors: Grizzlies, Bamba, Kings, Huerter

June 19th, 2018 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

One draft-related storyline worth watching on Thursday will be whether top prospects’ apparent efforts to steer themselves to – or away from – certain teams will pay off.

Appearing on 92.9FM in Memphis today, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony suggested that Mohamed Bamba has declined to work out for the Grizzlies, refusing to share his medicals with the team and saying openly that he’d rather not land in Memphis (Twitter link via John Martin). The Grizzlies are the only team in the top half of the lottery with a standout veteran center already on the roster, so it makes some sense that Bamba would prefer to end up elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Givony said during an appearance on Zach Lowe’s ESPN podcast that multiple top prospects may be trying to avoid the Kings (link via Dan Feldman of NBC Sports). According to Givony, Bamba, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Luka Doncic haven’t provided medical information to Sacramento. However, Marvin Bagley III – who wants to be picked as high as possible – seems to have no reservations about landing with the Kings, which may be one reason why the Bagley-to-Sacramento rumors are picking up steam this week.

Here are several more draft-related rumors:

  • Givony’s latest mock draft at ESPN.com includes some interesting changes, particularly in the back half of the lottery, where Trae Young falls all the way to the Clippers at No. 12. Givony also notes that there “seems to be a significant market” for Kevin Knox in the 7-11 range.
  • Jeremy Woo of SI.com has a new mock draft of his own up today, and it’s filled with intriguing tidbits. Among them: Maryland’s Kevin Huerter shut down his workouts weeks ago, and league sources tell Woo that the Lakers are the team that gave him a promise at No. 25. Whether or not that’s true, Woo doesn’t think Huerter will be available that late in the first round.
  • After winning an ACB championship today with Real Madrid, Luka Doncic‘s season is over, freeing him up to attend the NBA draft this Thursday. Doncic will be present in the Green Room for the event, tweets Givony.
  • Armed with four second-round picks in this year’s draft, the Sixers figure to trade at least one or two of those selections. If they do, they’d prefer future second-rounders in return rather than cash, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Appearing on ESPN Radio this week, Michael Porter Jr. said that he’s “feeling great” and that concerns about his health have been overblown. ESPN.com has the story and the quotes from the Missouri forward.
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Kyler’s Latest: Bamba, Kings, Magic, Mavs, Grizzlies

June 19th, 2018 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Mohamed Bamba may be a candidate to slip a little further than expected in the 2018 NBA draft, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes in his latest round-up of draft rumors. According to Kyler, Bamba is “in the mix” for a handful of clubs in the top seven, but it’s not clear if any of those teams view him as their first or second option.

As Kyler explains, Bamba is widely expected to be a strong defender at the NBA level, but there are questions about his offensive potential. Since many of the other big men at the top of the draft are considered more well-rounded prospects, they may come off the board before Bamba, creating some uncertainty about the Longhorn’s potential landing spot.

Here’s more from Kyler’s article, which is worth checking out in full:

  • The Kings appear likely to keep their pick at No. 2, but Kyler’s sources remain skeptical that the club will draft Luka Doncic in that spot. While Sacramento has taken a “long look” at Michael Porter Jr., it’s looking more and more as if the club will opt for the less risky option, Marvin Bagley III, Kyler writes.
  • If there are no surprises in the top five picks, there’s a very real chance that Collin Sexton will be the Magic‘s man at No. 6, per Kyler. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has also suggested that Orlando is high on the Alabama point guard.
  • League sources tell Kyler that the Mavericks don’t intend to move the No. 5 pick unless they can land an All-Star or would-be All-Star.
  • While it remains to be seen if the Grizzlies will make a trade involving the No. 4 selection and Chandler Parsons, they’ve received some offers that include lower picks and expiring contracts, according to Kyler, who says the club should have options it if wants to pull the trigger on a deal.
  • The Lakers and Celtics have expressed some interest during the pre-draft process in moving up significantly in the draft, but neither team seems eager at this point to part with assets necessary to make such a jump, says Kyler.
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Kings Don’t Want Clippers’ Lottery Picks

June 18th, 2018 at 7:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings are not interested in trading the No. 2 overall pick for the Clippers’ back-to-back selections at No. 12 and No. 13, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets.

The Kings reportedly are willing to move down to acquire additional assets but apparently they’re not keen to drop out of the Top 10 for two late lottery selections. The Clippers, who didn’t make the playoffs, acquired an additional first-round selection in the deal that sent Blake Griffin to the Pistons.

Sacramento is reportedly willing to do business with the Spurs and include the pick in a trade for Kawhi Leonard, though that seems to be a longshot since Leonard can exercise an early termination option on his contract after next season.

What Turner’s tweet confirms is that the Clippers are actively seeking to package the picks and move into the Top 5. That reinforces a Yahoo Sports report earlier this month that also claimed they have their eyes on Euroleague guard Luka Doncic.

If the Kings hold onto their pick, it’s a near lock they’ll pick Duke big man Marvin Bagley III, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Eddie Sefko (Twitter link).

What should the Kings do with their pick? Voice your opinion in our latest Community Shootaround topic.

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Draft Rumors: Doncic, Kings, Porter, Brunson

June 18th, 2018 at 11:28am CST by Luke Adams

While Luka Doncic is no longer considered a lock to be a top-three pick, the Suns, Kings, and Hawks have each traveled to Europe recently to meet him, league sources tell Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. Doncic’s eventual landing spot remains a mystery, as Phoenix is widely expected to select Deandre Ayton with the No. 1 overall pick and Sacramento has focused on adding a perimeter big throughout the pre-draft process, Charania writes.

As Charania notes, the Kings view last year’s top-five pick, De’Aaron Fox, as their point guard of the future. While Doncic won’t necessarily slot in at the point once he arrives in the NBA, that’s the position he views as the best fit for himself.

“Honestly, I really prefer to play point guard, to have the ball in my hands and play for other people,” Doncic told Charania. “Playing from the one to the four, that’s the strength that I have over everyone. I want to play for my teammates and make them better. I really prefer to have the ball in my hands, and play for everybody else. I will do anything for my team. I’m happy when I can play point. It’s easier for me. I can fight more in the post and create for my teammates.

“From the beginning when I came to Real Madrid, I saw that I loved to create for others,” Doncic continued. “I like to play pick-and-roll with the ball and pass from everywhere. From the beginning, I wanted to be the point guard.”

Here are more draft notes and rumors, with the big night just three days away:

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Suns Notes: Trades, Bagley, Coaching

June 17th, 2018 at 6:54pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Deandre Ayton is expected to be the selection for the Suns with the No. 1 pick, but Greg Moore of The Arizona Republic believes there’s a case to be made for the team to select Marvin Bagley III either with the top selection or as a result of trading down.

Moore suggests the team could send the No. 1 pick to Atlanta for the No. 3 and Dennis Schroder if Phoenix wants to get creative. In addition to the top choice, the Suns own the 16th, 31st, and 59th overall selections.

Here’s more from the franchise:

  • Suns GM Ryan McDonough recently compared Bagley to four-time All-Star Shawn Marion, Moore relays in the same piece.“We’ve seen a lot of that in our in-person scouting and on film,” McDonough said. “He’s really bouncy.” 
  • The Suns will add Jason Staudt as an assistant coach, John Gambadoro of Arizona’s 98.7 FM reports (Twitter link). Staudt has previously worked in various roles with the Magic, Blazers, and Rockets.
  • Devin Smith will join the Suns as a player development coach, Gambadoro adds in the same tweet.
  • We learned over the weekend that Phoenix won’t consider including the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft in any attempts to acquire Kawhi Leonard. The 2016/17 MVP candidate reportedly wants to the Spurs to trade him.
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Draft Updates: Green Room, Sexton, Gilgeous-Alexander, Shamet

June 16th, 2018 at 3:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The names of several green room invitees for Thursday night’s draft have been leaked, relays Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Only college players will be in the room this year, as Luka Doncic is still involved with his season for Real Madrid.

The projected top picks will be well represented with Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson Jr., Texas’ Mo Bamba, Alabama’s Collin Sexton, Oklahoma’s Trae Young, Duke’s Wendell Carter Jr., Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr., Villanova’s Mikal Bridges, Kentucky’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Michigan State’s Miles Bridges all on hand.

Joining them will be Kentucky’s Kevin Knox, Texas A&M’s Robert Williams, Miami’s Lonnie Walker, Villanova’s Donte DiVincenzo, Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith, Boston College’s Jerome Robinson, Boise State’s Chandler Hutchison and UCLA’s Aaron Holiday.

There’s more pre-draft news to pass along:

  • Sexton doesn’t have any more workouts on his schedule after completing today’s session with the Magic, tweets Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Sexton has been limiting his workouts to teams in his projected range, as the only others were for the Cavaliers (No. 8 pick), Knicks (No. 9) and Hornets (No. 11).
  • Gilgeous-Alexander is a rare mid-level prospect who hasn’t conducted a single publicized workout, notes Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype. Although a team or two may have brought him in for a secret session, there are also organizations that tried to work him out but were denied. Kalbrosky speculates Gilgeous-Alexander’s representatives may be trying to steer him to a large-market team like the Clippers, who hold the 12th and 13th picks.
  • The Sixers will work out Wichita State’s Landry Shamet on Tuesday, Kalbroksy tweets, adding that Philadelphia may consider him at No. 26.
  • The Suns held a workout today with Texas Tech’s Smith as the biggest name in the group. Also participating, according to a tweet from the team, were Georgia Tech’s Josh Okogie, Notre Dame’s Bonzie Colson, Wake Forest’s Bryant Crawford, Oregon State’s Drew Eubanks and Bosnia’s Markus Loncar. This is the Suns’ final scheduled session before the draft, tweets Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic.
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Draft Notes: Bagley, DiVincenzo, Sexton, Brunson, Gabriel, Bates-Diop

June 14th, 2018 at 7:30pm CST by marksuleymanov

Duke University product Marvin Bagley III is expected to sign an endorsement deal with Puma, tweets JonKrawczynski of The Athletic. The deal is over five years and is expected to be the largest shoe deal signed by a rookie since Kevin Durant inked a seven-year, $60MM deal with Nike, Krawczynski adds.

The deal is historic as Puma has not represented an NBA player in nearly two decades. The last time Puma signed an NBA player was Vince Carter in 1998, per Yahoo! Sports. Bagley is widely expected to one of the top five picks in the draft.

Puma has also expressed interest in Oklahoma point guard Trae Young, another likely top-10 pick, per ESPN’s Nick DePaula.

Check out more draft notes below:

  • Villanova guard Donte DiVincenzo is in Phoenix to interview with the Suns, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7. DiVincenzo has already worked out for the Timberwolves, Bulls, Pacers, and several other clubs.
  • Fellow Villanova guard Jalen Brunson completed a previously-reported workout with the Pacers on Thursday, tweets Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports. Brunson now has scheduled visits with the Spurs and Celtics.
  • Alabama point guard Collin Sexton, who has been selective with the teams he works out for, is scheduled to meet with the Magic on Saturday, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
  • Possible first-round pick Keita Bates-Diop will work out for the Hawks soon, tweets Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. The Ohio State forward worked out for the Wizards on Thursday.
  • After working out for the Raptors on Thursday, Wenyen Gabriel has scheduled visits with the Sixers, Pistons, and Hornets on tap, tweets Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com.
  • The Hornets will work out six players on Friday, the team announced in a press release. The scheduled participants include Xavier’s Trevon Bluiett, Mississipi’s Markel Crawford, Oregon State’s Drew Eubanks, Nebraska’s Anton Gill, Virginia’s Nigel Johnson, and Wichita State’s Shaquille Morris.
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Draft Updates: Porter, Doncic, Bagley, Bamba

June 14th, 2018 at 9:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Teams that had planned to attend Michael Porter Jr.‘s workout tomorrow are being told it will be held at another time, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Porter’s representatives canceled the session late Wednesday night without providing an explanation.

The move has led to speculation that Porter’s surgically repaired back may be bothering him, but it’s also possible he has received a guarantee that would make a group workout unnecessary. Porter’s camp may be rethinking his status and devoting time just to teams at the top of the draft, according to Tom Ziller of SB Nation, who adds that they now believe he will be taken in the top four.

There’s “a very real chance” that the Kings will use their No. 2 pick on Porter, Amick adds, but it’s not certain at this point whether last night’s news will impact their decision. The organization may request more medical information and take another look at Porter in action before making a commitment.

There’s more draft-related news this morning:

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Draft Notes: R. Williams, Nuggets, Clips, Wizards

June 13th, 2018 at 11:18am CST by Luke Adams

Texas A&M center Robert Williams, who previously worked out for the Bulls, Hornets, and Knicks, continues to earn looks from teams picking in the top half of the first round. According to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News (Twitter link), Williams still has workouts on tap with the Clippers, Nuggets, Wizards, who hold the picks from 12 through 15.

Williams’ session with the Nuggets will take place today, according to a press release from the club. In addition to scheduling an individual session with Williams, Denver has also lined up a group workout which will feature Hayden Dalton (Wyoming), Jacob Evans (Cincinnati), Arnoldas Kulboka (Capo d’Orlando), Dzanan Musa (Cedevita), Ajdin Penava (Marshall), and Johnathan Williams (Gonzaga).

Meanwhile, the Bucks – who hold the No. 17 selection – also wanted to bring in Williams for a workout, but he expects to be off the board before Milwaukee picks and has passed on the team’s invitation, per Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times. According to Woelfel, Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith, another good bet to be drafted in the top 16, also won’t work out for the Bucks.

Here’s more on the 2018 NBA draft:

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Suns Rumors: Draft, Doncic, Trades, Jackson

June 10th, 2018 at 10:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Having brought in Deandre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, Mohamed Bamba, and Jaren Jackson Jr. for workouts, the Suns are done auditioning players for the No. 1 overall pick, according to general manager Ryan McDonough. As Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic details, those four players and Luka Doncic all remain in the mix for the top pick in this year’s draft.

“There’s not a bad player in that group,” McDonough said of the players who visited the Suns. “We couldn’t go wrong with any of the four guys we brought in.”

As for Doncic, while the team won’t get a chance to put him through an individual workout, McDonough says the Suns “still want to spend a lot of time” on the EuroLeague MVP.

Here’s more from the Suns’ GM on the team’s draft options, via Bordow:

  • Given that the Suns seem to like several prospects at the top of the draft, trading down is a possibility. “[We’ll] see if there are teams that want to blow us away with an offer for No. 1 because I think in this draft we’d be comfortable picking lower than that,” McDonough confirmed.
  • However, as McDonough said last month, he believes that a trade involving the No. 1 pick is “unlikely,” warning people not to overreact to his comments about a potential deal. If the Suns do trade down, they wouldn’t want to go any lower than No. 6, according to the GM.
  • A trade up from No. 16 is probably more likely than a trade down from No. 1, Bordow writes. Although McDonough doesn’t anticipate getting back into the top five, he didn’t rule out a more modest move. “If we could get into the late lottery or maybe the mid-lottery that’s something we will definitely look at,” McDonough said.
  • The Suns will be reluctant to include their own 2019 first-round pick or the Heat’s unprotected 2021 first-rounder in any trade offer. “That’s extremely valuable,” McDonough said of Miami’s 2021 selection, acquired in the Goran Dragic deal. “And our own pick, that’s potentially valuable as well. … We’d have to get a lot to give up one of those assets.”
  • Following Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s workout for the Suns, McDonough said the Michigan State big man shouldn’t “take a backseat” to any other prospect in the draft, calling him the best shooter among the bigs who worked out for Phoenix. “He has a case to be up there with just about anybody,” McDonough said of Jackson. “He’s just not getting as much buzz as some of the other guys.”
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