Reed Sheppard Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Rockets, Clingan, Castle, Grizzlies

June 10th, 2024 at 9:23am CST by Arthur Hill

A wing player with size would be the perfect addition to the Rockets‘ current roster, Kelly Iko of The Athletic states in a mailbag column. He adds that the ideal player would be someone who can drive to the basket and create offense for himself and his teammates, pointing to San Antonio’s Keldon Johnson and Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan as examples, although they may not be obtainable.

Among realistic free agent targets, Iko names Nuggets shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Raptors swingman Bruce Brown. Both are veterans who can space the floor and fit into coach Ime Udoka’s defensive system, Iko writes. Brown dropped to 32.3% from three-point range this season after shooting 40.4% and 35.8% the previous two years, but Iko notes that Houston assistant coaches Royal Ivey and Tiago Splitter both worked with Brown in Brooklyn and may be able to help him regain his form. Iko contends Caldwell-Pope was worthy of an All-Defense nod this year.

Toronto holds a $23MM team option on Brown that has to be picked up by June 28, so there’s no guarantee he’ll be available in free agency. Caldwell-Pope has a $15.4MM player option with a June 29 deadline, and even if he tests the market, Denver figures to make a strong effort to retain one of the key members of its 2022/23 title team.

There’s more from the Southwest Division, all from Iko:

UConn center Donovan Clingan has been listed as the Rockets‘ pick at No. 3 in several mock drafts, but Iko isn’t convinced that he’s the best choice. Even though Clingan is a potential defensive anchor with a soft touch around the basket, Iko questions his fit alongside Alperen Sengun because neither is a proven three-point shooter. Iko notes that Houston had a top-10 defense this season without a reliable shot blocker, and Udoka likes having defensive versatility so he can adapt to the opponent. Even with the addition of Steven Adams, Iko expects the Rockets to employ smaller lineups next season with Jabari Smith seeing time at center.
According to Iko, the Spurs‘ perfect draft would include UConn guard Stephon Castle as No. 4 and a larger wing at No. 8, providing two more young talents to develop alongside Victor Wembanyama. Iko is concerned about Nikola Topic‘s latest ACL injury and says G League forward Matas Buzelis would be a much safer choice if he’s still on the board. Iko also likes Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard for San Antonio, but adds that an ideal situation would involve using the eighth and 35th picks to acquire a veteran guard like Dejounte Murray.
Iko advises the Grizzlies to trade down rather than trying to solve their need for a center by taking a project like Indiana’s Kel’el Ware at No. 9. Iko compares Ware to Christian Wood and suggests that Duke’s Kyle Filipowski could be a better fit later in the draft. Iko also considers a pair of potential trade scenarios with the Trail Blazers to land Robert Williams or Malcolm Brogdon.

Draft Rumors: Grizzlies, Rockets, Bridges, Hawks, Carter, Furphy, Nunez

June 4th, 2024 at 3:29pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies are exploring the possibility of trading up in the 2024 NBA draft and have talked to the Rockets about the No. 3 pick, league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. In O’Connor’s view, if Memphis or another team makes a trade with Houston for that third overall pick, UConn center Donovan Clingan is the likeliest target.

The Rockets, according to O’Connor, are holding out hope that the Nets would be open to moving Mikal Bridges for a package that includes that No. 3 pick, but Brooklyn’s preference is to retain Bridges and add pieces around him.

If Houston ultimately stays put at No. 3, O’Connor believes that either Clingan or Reed Sheppard is the best bet to come off the board in that spot.

Here are a few more draft-related notes and rumors:

While none of the top prospects in this year’s class have visited the Hawks yet, there’s an expectation that will change as the draft nears, writes O’Connor. Zaccharie Risacher told reporters today that he’ll travel to the U.S. soon to visit NBA teams, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic (Twitter link), who speculates that Atlanta could be the first stop for the French forward.
O’Connor’s sources say that Providence guard Devin Carter, the No. 13 player on ESPN’s big board, has received a promise somewhere in the lottery. However, O’Connor isn’t sure which team may have made that promise — he has Carter going to Chicago at No. 11 in his latest mock draft.
O’Connor refers to Kansas’ Johnny Furphy as one of the “biggest risers of the pre-draft process.” Furphy is up to No. 18 on ESPN’s big board, though O’Connor has him at No. 24 in his mock draft.
Spanish point guard Juan Nunez, who declared for the draft as an early entrant, remains undecided on whether or not he’ll withdraw before the NBA’s June 16 deadline, but says he’s leaning toward staying in, tweets Jonathan Givony of ESPN. The No. 37 prospect on ESPN’s board, Nunez added that he has worked out for the Timberwolves and Bucks so far.

Draft Notes: 2024 Mocks, Withdrawals, Sheppard, Traore

June 1st, 2024 at 3:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link) recently published a new 2024 mock draft that features lots of interesting information.

Former Dayton star DaRon Holmes II has canceled several upcoming workouts, sources tell Woo, “raising strong suspicions that he has secured a guarantee in the back part of the first round.” The mock has Holmes, who is ranked No. 45 on ESPN’s big board, going No. 28 overall to the Nuggets.

According to Givony, rival teams think the Trail Blazers, Grizzlies and Bulls have interest in moving up in the draft — possibly to No. 3, a pick the Rockets control — to select UConn center Donovan Clingan.

While the Hawks haven’t made their intentions known regarding the No. 1 pick, each team in the top five has “significant interest” in French forward Zaccharie Risacher, who looks “highly unlikely” to fall past the Wizards at No. 2, per Givony. ESPN’s mock has Atlanta selecting Risacher first overall.

The entire mock draft is worth reading in full for those who subscribe to ESPN+.

Here are a few more draft notes:

In a separate article for ESPN (Insider link), Givony and Woo answer questions related to the early-entrant withdrawal deadline for college players to maintain their NCAA eligibility. That deadline passed on Wednesday night. Of the players who withdrew from the draft, Givony thinks Michael Ajayi (transferring to Gonzaga) has a great chance to improve his stock in 2025, while Woo views Alabama’s Jarin Stevenson as a player who could move up boards next year.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report also updated his mock draft after the withdrawal deadline. While the top-three picks (Risacher, Alexandre Sarr and Reed Sheppard) are the same on both mocks, there are also some major differences. For example, ESPN’s mock has Colorado’s Cody Williams landing with Portland at No. 14, but Wasserman has Detroit selecting Williams at No. 5. Kel’el Ware (No. 23 in ESPN’s mock, No. 14 in Bleacher Report’s) is another player with a seemingly wide draft range.
Kentucky guard Sheppard recently sat down for an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter video link), answering questions about his family background, NBA players he looks up to, and more.
French guard Nolan Traore, who spent this season with Saint-Quentin in France’s top basketball division, has signed a two-year extension, the team announced (via Twitter). ESPN’s Givony was the first to report the news, writing that Traore was being recruited by major colleges as well as other professional teams from around the world. “Basketball-wise, it’s the best situation for me,” Traore told Givony. “I can play with a coach that I know, that gave me the confidence to play in the playoffs. I liked the first experience that I had with them. Playing in the FIBA Champions League [BCL] group stage next season will be exciting and was a big positive.” The 17-year-old is a projected lottery pick in 2025, according to Givony, who adds that Traore will be ranked in the top five when ESPN updates its mock draft for next year.

Draft Notes: Bronny, Hawks, Sheppard, Thomas, Felton

May 24th, 2024 at 6:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns will hold a workout with Bronny James at some point before next month’s draft, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Charania, James has received workout invitations from over 10 teams but is expected to visit only a handful of clubs, including Phoenix and the Lakers.

The Suns hold just one pick in the 2024 draft and it’s a first-rounder, at No. 22. Charania suggests that James is among the players in consideration with that pick, but Doug Haller of The Athletic is skeptical that Phoenix will use its first-rounder on Bronny, given that the team probably needs to turn that pick into a player who has a better chance of contributing immediately, whether that’s in the draft or on the trade market. The former USC guard is ranked 54th on ESPN’s big board of 2024 prospects.

Speaking to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, James’ agent Rich Paul stressed that his client won’t sign a two-way contract and expressed a belief that Bronny going as high as No. 22 isn’t out of the question.

“Bronny’s range has been all over. Some teams think he goes 20 to 40, some say 30-50, and some teams think he’ll go undrafted,” Paul said. “It just takes one team. This is something I do every year during the draft process. This is not Bronny-centric. He’s a part of our draft class. I have to try to help find the right fit for all my guys as well as the right deal. So that’s how I’m looking at it.”

Here are a few more draft-related notes:

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have updated their list of the top 100 prospects for the 2024 draft and shared new intel (Insider link) on their top 25 players. Among the notable tidbits from their latest update: Givony and Woo say that Zaccharie Risacher, Alexandre Sarr, and Donovan Clingan are among the players on the Hawks‘ short list at the top of the draft, with Clingan believed to have some fans within Atlanta’s front office. Givony adds that it’s hard to see Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard falling further than No. 5 in the draft.
After testing the draft waters this spring, former Northern Colorado forward Saint Thomas will transfer to USC and continue playing college ball, a source tells Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Thomas had a breakout junior year that saw him average 19.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game for the Bears across 32 starts.
East Carolina guard RJ Felton has withdrawn from the NBA draft pool as well, tweets Rothstein. Felton, who has spent the last three seasons with the Pirates, will remain at East Carolina for his senior year.

Southwest Notes: Castle, Spurs, Pelicans, T. Allen, Grizzlies

May 24th, 2024 at 9:15am CST by Rory Maher

Stephon Castle, a projected lottery pick who is ranked No. 6 on ESPN’s best available prospects list, has been telling NBA teams he wants to play point guard after primarily playing off the ball at UConn, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link).

“I feel my true position is point guard, and I feel the last few months I had to sacrifice for the betterment of the team,” Castle said. “It worked out for us, so it’s not anything to harp on or be bitter about.”

As Orborn writes, while Castle struggled with his shot at times in college, converting just 26.7% of his three-pointers, he brings plenty of attributes the Spurs look for in prospects, with plus size (he’s 6’6″ with a 6’9″ wingspan and weighs 210 pounds), all-around versatility, and strong defense. The Spurs also have a noteworthy void at point guard, with Tre Jones the only true floor general on the roster.

San Antonio controls two lottery picks, Nos. 4 and 8, and the team is indeed believed to be interested in Castle, league sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

“I’m more of a two-way point guard,” Castle said, per Orsborn. “I really like to pass the ball. And I like to shoot off the dribble a lot. That’s what my game really consists of, being on the ball, getting my teammates involved, scoring whenever I need to and defending at a high level.”

Here’s more from the Southwest:

Should the Spurs draft Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard with one of their two lottery picks? LJ Ellis of SpursTalk.com explores that question, writing that Sheppard has plenty of desirable attributes, including excellent shooting and strong play-making on defense, but his lack of length might be a turn-off for the team. Sheppard is No. 4 on ESPN’s board.
The Pelicans have elected to part ways with assistant athletic trainer Jana Austin, who has been with the team since 2020, league sources tell Christian Clark of The Times-Picayune. A former Nets employee, Austin worked closely with star forward Zion Williamson, according to Clark.
In an interview with Kelly Iko of The Athletic, former defensive ace Tony Allen says having his No. 9 jersey retired next season is a “dream come true.” “This is every hooper’s dream and I’m very thankful,” Allen said. “Big shout out to the Grizzlies for always holding it down for me. Embracing me. Acknowledging the fact that I struck a match to the organization with my phrase ‘Grit-n-Grind’ and that lives forever.” Memphis originally planned to retire Allen’s number during the 2021/22 season, but the veteran guard asked the team to postpone the ceremony due to his legal issues.

Draft Notes: Omier, Roach, Shulga, Diarra, Warrick, More

May 22nd, 2024 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

After spending their senior years at Miami and Duke, respectively, forward Norchad Omier and guard Jeremy Roach entered the 2024 NBA draft pool this spring. However, as Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets, both Omier and Roach have opted to withdraw from the draft and take advantage of their extra year of NCAA eligibility by playing at Baylor as “super-seniors” in 2024/25.

Omier, who began his college career at Arkansas State, has averaged a double-double in each of his four seasons, including putting up 17.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game for the Hurricanes last season. A Miami Herald report last month stated that Omier had hired an agent and was expected to go pro, but his representative (Adam Godes) is NCAA-certified, which allowed the forward to test the waters and remove his name from the draft without forgoing his final year of college eligibility.

Roach, meanwhile, enjoyed the best season of his college career in 2023/24, averaging 14.0 PPG, 3.3 APG, and 2.5 RPG on .468/.429/.844 shooting in 35 games (32.7 MPG) for the Blue Devils.

Here’s more on the 2024 draft:

Guard Max Shulga, who spent his senior season at VCU in 2023/24, is withdrawing from the draft and will return to the Rams rather than transferring, despite reports that he had committed to Villanova, according to Rothstein (Twitter link). Shulga, VCU’s leading scorer with 14.0 PPG last season, will be automatically draft-eligible in 2025.
North Carolina State forward Mohamed Diarra will remain in the 2024 draft and go pro, a source tells Rothstein (Twitter link). That was the expectation for Diarra, who didn’t say anything about maintaining his college eligibility when he announced last month that he was entering the draft.
Marques Warrick, a four-time All-Horizon guard at Northern Kentucky, is pulling out of the draft and transferring to Missouri for his final college season, tweets Rothstein.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (Insider link) have published their post-combine mock draft, with Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher in the top two spots, followed by Kentucky teammates Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. Givony and Woo have former No. 1 prospect Ron Holland slipping to 11th overall and going to the Bulls.
Former Illinois big man Coleman Hawkins will work out for the Warriors on Thursday and the Kings on Friday, according to Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento (Twitter link).

Rockets Rumors: No. 3 Pick, Mitchell, Tate, Green, Landale, Beasley

May 21st, 2024 at 12:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Prior to the draft lottery, a report indicated that the Rockets were interested in trading their 2024 first-rounder for future draft assets. That’s still a possibility, but after moving up from No. 9 to No. 3 on lottery day, Houston has a more valuable asset on its hands and will consider all potential paths with that pick, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Team and league sources tell Iko that a handful of clubs have already expressed interest in the Rockets’ No. 3 overall selection, either in a trade-up scenario or by trading into the first round altogether. Houston is open to the idea of moving back and acquiring extra assets, Iko notes, though at the draft combine, the club was doing its homework on potential top-five picks. Team officials spoke to prospects like Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, Reed Sheppard, and Matas Buzelis, according to Iko, who hears from a source that Buzelis’ interview, in particular, was “excellent.”

Including that No. 3 pick in a trade package for an impact player is another avenue the Rockets figure to explore, and league sources tell Iko that Houston is among the teams with interest in Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, having monitored his situation for the last several months. Mitchell wouldn’t be available if he ends up signing an extension to remain in Cleveland, but if he’s on the trade block, the All-NBA guard would be a more “suitable” target for the Rockets than players like Brandon Ingram or Mikal Bridges, opines Iko.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

Confirming a report from The Houston Chronicle, Iko says the Rockets have interest in the future Suns draft picks controlled by the Nets. Houston, which controls a handful of Brooklyn’s draft assets, is expected to reengage the Nets in trade talks prior to next month’s draft, team sources tell Iko.
According to Iko, “all signs point toward” the Rockets exercising their team options on Jae’Sean Tate ($7.07MM) and Jeff Green ($9.6MM) for 2024/25. That’s somewhat surprising, given that Tate’s role declined significantly last season and Green would be extremely unlikely to match his option salary as a free agent. But those expiring contracts for Tate and Green would perhaps have some value as salary-matching pieces in a trade. For what it’s worth, Houston could pick up Green’s option and then waive him by July 11 to avoid being on the hook for his ’24/25 salary.
Iko also suggests that the Rockets may retain Jock Landale, whose $8MM salary for 2024/25 is non-guaranteed until June 29. Landale played better in the second half of his first season in Houston, especially after Alperen Sengun went down, but he’s another player who wouldn’t be a bargain on his current deal and might have more value as a trade chip. He has non-guaranteed $8MM salaries for ’25/26 and ’26/27 too, so his contract could be treated as an expiring deal. If they hang onto Tate, Green, and Landale on their current contracts, the Rockets would still have plenty of breathing room below the projected luxury tax line, with access to the full mid-level exception.
Houston’s front office recognizes that outside shooting and floor spacing are areas of need this summer and has some interest in Bucks sharpshooter Malik Beasley, according to Iko, who hears from sources that Beasley is also generating early interest from the Magic and the Warriors.

Texas Notes: Sheppard, Knecht, Kentucky, Doncic, Game 5

May 16th, 2024 at 9:17pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Spurs hold two picks in the top eight (No. 4 and No. 8) of this year’s NBA draft. A fresh mock draft from Nick Moyle of The San Antonio Express-News sees San Antonio adding a pair of talented shooters by selecting Kentucky combo guard Reed Sheppard and Tennessee swingman Dalton Knecht.

Sheppard, Moyle contends, could help as both a passer and shooter, though he may have limitations as a lead ball-handler at the pro level. Moyle approves of Knecht’s versatile scoring acumen, and thinks he’d complement Rookie of the Year center Victor Wembanyama and power forward Jeremy Sochan offensively, while cautioning he may struggle defensively.

Knecht, 23, aspires to be a day-one contributor to whichever club drafts him, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.

“I can definitely be a guy to plug right in and be able to produce,” Knecht said.

There’s more out of the Lone Star State:

The Spurs are keeping tabs on both Kentucky lottery prospects, Sheppard and backcourt colleague Rob Dillingham, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “I learned a lot from Reed,” Dillingham said of his teammate. “He taught me about being poised and helping my teammates, the little things.”
All-NBA Mavericks guard Luka Doncic played through a nagging knee injury to record an impactful 31-point triple-double and secure a key Game 5 win against the Thunder on Wednesday night, writes Tim Cato of The Athletic. “I just (went) out there and had fun,” Doncic said. “It was the old Luka.” Dallas now leads their series 3-2.
Following the Mavericks’ 104-92 Game 5 victory, Doncic reflected on how his teammates elevated their play alongside him, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “This team is special,” Doncic said. “We’ve only been together for what, five months? I’ve been having a lot of fun with this team.” Forward Derrick Jones Jr., who submitted 19 points of his own, revealed postgame that he could tell Doncic was in a rhythm even before Game 5 tipped off. “He came out earlier and was knocking down shots and I was just sitting back saying, ‘It’s going to be a long day for them,’” Jones said.

Draft Notes: Topic, Top Five Picks, Combine, Bronny

May 14th, 2024 at 8:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Projected top-10 pick Nikola Topic avoided a serious injury after a scary incident during the Adriatic League finals, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reports (Twitter link).

Topic suffered a non-contact injury, with an initial diagnosis of a sprained left knee that will likely rule him out for the remainder of the Adriatic League tournament. However, he should be a full participant in NBA pre-draft activities in June, Givony adds. The Serbian point guard is currently ranked No. 5 on ESPN’s Best Available list.

We have more draft-related tidbits:

How will the top five picks shake out now that the lottery is behind us? The Athletic’s trio of Kelly Iko, Josh Robbins and James Edwards III put their heads together and took educated guesses on that topic. They have 7’1” Alexandre Sarr going No. 1 to the Hawks, wing Zaccharie Risacher at No. 2 to the Wizards and forward Matas Buzelis heading to the Rockets.
The combine is going on full tilt and Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report shares his early observations on Donovan Clingan, Sarr, Zach Edey, Reed Sheppard, Dalton Knecht and several other top prospects. Bronny James, Edey and Devin Carter were among the prospects who stood out on Monday, the first day of the combine, according to ESPN’s Insiders.
Speaking of LeBron James‘ son, Bronny is focused on getting to the NBA but not necessarily to play with his father, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic tweets (video link). “My dream has always just been to put my name out, make a name for myself, and, of course, get to the NBA. Which is what everyone’s end goal is here. I’ve never thought about playing with my dad, but of course he’s brought it up a couple of times,” he said.

Central Notes: Mitchell, Allen, LeVert, Bulls, Sheppard, Beverley

May 14th, 2024 at 7:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With the season on the line, the Cavaliers have plenty of question marks heading into Game 5 at Boston on Wednesday. Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert are all listed as questionable with their team down 3-1 in the series, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps tweets.

Mitchell missed Game 4 due to a calf strain. Allen hasn’t played in the series due to a rib injury, while LeVert is dealing with a bone bruise in his knee. LeVert, who reportedly aggravated his knee issue on Monday, scored 19 points in 39 minutes while starting in place of Mitchell.

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bulls are looking for more than draft help at the combine this week. Coach Billy Donovan is seeking a lead assistant with head coaching experience, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reports. They’re looking for a replacement for Chris Fleming, who was not retained after the season. The Bulls also have another vacancy to fill since Josh Longstaff is leaving to join Charles Lee‘s staff in Charlotte.
Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard could be the best option for the Pistons at the No. 5 pick, according to Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press. Sheppard would provide much needed scoring punch alongside franchise player Cade Cunningham. He made 52.1% of his 3-point attempts during his lone college season.
On his podcast (video link), veteran guard Patrick Beverley said his preference would be to re-sign with the Bucks. Whether Milwaukee will pursue Beverley, who will turn 36 this summer, is a big question mark. His season ended in controversy, as he fired a basketball multiple times at Indiana spectators and received a four-game suspension that he’ll serve next season. Beverley will be an unrestricted free agent.