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Warriors Notes: Paul, Curry, Jackson-Davis, Baldwin

June 24th, 2023 at 12:01am CST by Rory Maher

Chris Paul‘s deliberate, often ball-dominant style seems like a strange fit with how the Warriors operate offensively, but it could be just strange enough to work, opines Seerat Sohi of The Ringer.

As Sohi details, the contrasting styles between Paul and Golden State were on display multiple times in the Western Conference playoffs, with the Warriors prevailing on two of those three occasions (Paul’s Clippers defeated the upstart Warriors in the first round in 2013/14).

However, the Warriors have also had success with high IQ veterans who can control the tempo, Sohi notes, particularly former swingman Shaun Livingston. Paul may be able to help get Golden State’s young players easy shots on the second unit, according to Sohi, and allow Stephen Curry to play more off the ball when they’re paired.

Obviously it’s a risk since Paul is 38 years old and he could be backing up another older player who has been injured a lot the past few seasons in Curry. But the Warriors might be better next season with Paul instead of Jordan Poole, and shedding Poole’s long-term contract while picking up Paul’s non-guaranteed deal for ’24/25 gives the team financial savings in the future, Sohi writes.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

  • Paul and Curry are excited to be teammates, with the two-time MVP blessing the blockbuster trade, sources tell Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Thompson takes a look at the shared history between the two former rivals.
  • New general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. says the team plans to have Trayce Jackson-Davis on the 15-man roster, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter video link). The Warriors traded cash considerations to Washington to land the No. 57 pick in last night’s draft, which they used on the Indiana big man. “We’re not overly loaded in the frontcourt,” Dunleavy said, adding the Warriors had him much higher on their draft board.
  • As Slater writes for The Athletic, agreeing to include 2022 first-rounder Patrick Baldwin in the Poole/Paul trade created considerable tax savings, but it was also a bet on Jackson-Davis being more ready to contribute next season. Dunleavy’s brother, James Dunleavy, is Jackson-Davis’ agent, and the sides worked together to ensure he wouldn’t get picked until the Warriors could select him. Getting a guaranteed minimum-salary contract is rare for a player chosen late in the second round, Slater notes, but that’s the intention for the forward/center.
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Wizards Trade No. 57 Pick Trayce Jackson-Davis To Warriors

June 23rd, 2023 at 1:20am CST by Dana Gauruder

JUNE 23: The Warriors and Wizards have completed the Jackson-Davis trade separately from their larger Paul/Poole deal. According to a press release, Golden State acquired Jackson-Davis’ rights in exchange for cash considerations.

As noted below, Baldwin will be included in the Paul/Poole trade rather than this one.

JUNE 22: The Warriors are acquiring the No. 57 pick from the Wizards and drafting Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

The same two teams agreed to a much bigger trade on Thursday, with the Warriors trading Jordan Poole and future draft picks to the Wizards for Chris Paul. The Wizards are also acquiring Patrick Baldwin as part of that deal, according to Charania (Twitter link). It’s unclear whether Golden State’s acquisition of the No. 57 pick will be folded into the larger trade as well.

Jackson-Davis, a 6’9” forward, was one of the most productive college players in the nation last season, averaging  20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists for the Hoosiers.

Baldwin Jr. was Golden State’s first-round pick last season and appeared in 31 regular-season games.

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Trade Rumors: G. Williams, Hunter, Nuggets, Wizards, Ayton, More

June 21st, 2023 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks are among the teams that have spoken to the Celtics about the idea of a Grant Williams sign-and-trade, a league source tells Tim Cato of The Athletic. While it’s not easy to envision a deal that gets Williams to Dallas and appeals to both teams, the Mavs are just one of many potential suitors for the restricted free agent forward.

According to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, there have been more than a half-dozen teams to inquire with the Celtics about the possibility of signing-and-trading for Williams. At this point, Boston is conveying that it wants to retain Williams, per Weiss, who notes that new Celtics assistant coach Charles Lee is a fan of the forward and could help get more out of him in 2023/24 and beyond.

Within his story, Weiss also notes that veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon, who is optimistic he can avoid surgery on a torn tendon in his left elbow, would like to remain in Boston. Brogdon’s name has come up in trade rumors early in the offseason as the Celtics reportedly explore ways to clear a backcourt logjam.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors and notes from around the NBA:

  • Within his latest mock draft, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report cites league sources who say the Hawks have explored the trade market for forward De’Andre Hunter. One motivating factor, Wasserman explains, would be opening up more playing time for promising young wing AJ Griffin.
  • The Nuggets, who worked out Trayce Jackson-Davis, Andre Jackson, Jordan Walsh, Kobe Brown, Drew Timme, and Tyree Appleby on Tuesday, continue to actively explore deals that would get them into the first round of Thursday’s draft, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post (subscription required), who says Denver is talking to multiple teams.
  • The Wizards asked for Suns center Deandre Ayton when the two teams were negotiating their Bradley Beal trade, but Phoenix was unwilling to include him, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
  • Gambadoro said this week during an appearance on the HoopsHype podcast that he has been told the Heat weren’t all that interested in pushing for Beal. Reports have indicated that Beal would have approved a move to Miami, and it seems as though the Heat could’ve put a stronger package on the table than the one the Wizards got from the Suns if they’d been so inclined.
  • While it comes as no surprise, the heads of basketball operations for the Hornets (Mitch Kupchak) and Pacers (Kevin Pritchard) both said they don’t anticipate keeping and using all of the 2023 draft picks they own, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link) and Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. The two teams, who each figure to make at least one draft-night trade, control five picks apiece — Indiana has three in the first round and two in the second, while Charlotte has a pair of first-rounders and three early seconds.
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Southeast Notes: Wizards, Hornets, Butler

June 11th, 2023 at 3:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Wizards have been taking a thorough look at a wealth of NBA prospects in recent days. Washington possesses three picks in this year’s draft: the eighth selection in the lottery and the Nos. 42 and 57 picks in the second round.

The team announced (Twitter link) that it was auditioning six prospects in a pre-draft workout on Friday: Texas forward Timmy Allen, North Carolina forward Leaky Black, San Diego State forward Nathan Mensah, Connecticut forward Adama Sanogo, Ohio State forward Justice Sueing, and Indiana forward Race Thompson.

According to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (via Twitter) another five league hopefuls participated in a a pre-draft workout Saturday. Virginia guard Kihei Clark, Missouri guard D’Moi Hodge, North Carolina State guard Jarkel Joiner, University of North Carolina at Greensboro swingman Keondre Kennedy, and Princeton forward Tosan Evbuomwan comprised that group.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

  • The Hornets possess a whopping five selections in this year’s draft, headlined by the second pick in the lottery. Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link) builds out the club’s ideal draft, suggesting Charlotte should select Alabama swingman Brandon Miller over G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson with the No. 2 pick. The club also has the No. 27 pick in the first round at its disposal, as well as three second-round selections. Givony suggests those picks would be best used on Santa Clara’s Brandin Podziemski, UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez, Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Missouri’s Kobe Brown.
  • The Hornets brought in six NBA hopefuls for their latest pre-draft workout Saturday. Per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link), G League Ignite wing Sidy Cissoko, Detroit Mercy combo guard Antoine Davis, guard Jazian Gortman of Overtime Elite, Oklahoma big man Tanner Groves, Jackson-Davis, and Jaquez participated in the audition.
  • Even if Jimmy Butler‘s Heat fall short of a championship, his legendary playoff run deserves to be remembered forever, opines John Hollinger of The Athletic. Hollinger notes that Butler’s regular season accolades pale in comparison to his postseason impact, especially when it comes to clutch scoring and play-making.
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Pacers Notes: Walker, Hendricks, Clowney, Jackson-Davis, Forwards

June 6th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers hold the No. 7 pick in the lottery and they’ll host two high-level prospects for solo workouts on Wednesday. Houston Cougars forward Jarace Walker and UCF forward Taylor Hendricks will visit separately, the team’s PR department tweets (Twitter links). Walker is listed right at No. 7 on ESPN’s Best Available list; Hendricks sits at No. 9.

We have more on the Pacers:

  • Alabama’s Noah Clowney, who visited the Pacers in a six-player workout on Tuesday, said he can be a defensive force in the NBA, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star writes. “I can guard, but I want people to know I can guard multiple ways,” Clowney said. “I can contain people, but I can also push people a certain way, guard multiple people, guard multiple positions. … I’d imagine when I first start practicing, I’m going to struggle guarding smaller guys. … As far as protecting the rim, that doesn’t really change.” Clowney is ranked No. 20 by ESPN; the Pacers also own picks No. 26, No. 29, No. 32 and No. 55.
  • Marcus Bagley (Arizona State), Josh Bannan (Montana), Alex Gross (Morehead State), G.G. Jackson (South Carolina), and JT Shumate (Toledo) also visited the Pacers on Tuesday, according to a team press release.
  • Indiana University star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis visited on Monday and said he’s been working on his perimeter shooting, according to Dopirak. “I’ve been in Los Angeles working on my game, working on my 3-point shot,” Jackson-Davis said. “It’s something that I’ve showcased in these workouts. The hard work that I’ve put in is paying off. I’ve been able to shoot 3s and hit them in live settings and that’s something I’m going to have to do at the next level. … They’ve never seen me do it. No one could know if I could shoot the ball.” He’s ranked No. 28 by ESPN.
  • The Pacers will likely look to upgrade at forward via either free agency or trade this offseason. Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype believes they could target either Jerami Grant or Kyle Kuzma in unrestricted free agency or put together an offer sheet for either Cameron Johnson and Rui Hachimura. On the trade front, they could make a run at either of the Raptors’ starters, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby.
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Central Notes: LeVert, Mitchell, Pacers’ Workouts, Vucevic

June 4th, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A short-term contract might work for both the Cavaliers and one of their free agents, Caris LeVert, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer opines. LeVert settled into the role of sixth man as the season went along and he wants to re-sign.

Cleveland won’t find a better player with its $12.2MM mid-level exception, according to Fedor, so it makes sense for the Cavs to bring back LeVert and then use the exception to add another rotation piece.

We have more from the Central Division:

  • Donovan Mitchell recently expressed on social media his frustration at not being All-NBA First Team. In an “Sideline Stroll w/Ros” interview (video link), Mitchell spoke about the perceived snub in greater detail. “I just felt I should have been First Team,” he said. “So that’s one of my goals next year, is to be First Team. And I felt like I was good enough. But obviously the media members did not.” Mitchell did make the Second Team.
  • The Pacers will host six draft prospects on Monday, including Indiana University star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, according ot a team press release. Emmanuel Akot (Western Kentucky), Tyree Appleby (Wake Forest), Chris Livingston (Kentucky), Terquavion Smith (NC State) and Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona) will join him at the Pacers’ practice facility.
  • The Bulls are looking to lock up Nikola Vucevic for the next three seasons, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. A report that an extension was being discussed with the center, who will otherwise be a free agent next month, surfaced on Wednesday. The Bulls are apparently not looking to take “big swings” this summer and Cowley disagrees with that strategy for a franchise wallowing in mediocrity.
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Kings Notes: Sabonis, Mitchell, Vezenkov, Draft

June 3rd, 2023 at 7:57am CST by Luke Adams

Kings star Domantas Sabonis told Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento (Twitter video link) on Thursday that he was about to get another scan on his right thumb to assess how his avulsion fracture has healed following treatment. While there’s hope that Sabonis will be able to avoid undergoing surgery on the thumb this offseason, that possibility hasn’t yet been ruled out, according to the big man.

Asked about whether or not he’ll be able to play for Lithuania in this year’s World Cup, Sabonis said it will depend on the results of his latest scan and the treatment plan for his thumb going forward.

Here’s more on the Kings:

  • Kings guard Davion Mitchell has new representation, having made the move from CAA to Octagon Basketball — Octagon posted a tweet welcoming Mitchell to the agency. The former lottery pick will be extension-eligible during the 2024 offseason and would become a restricted free agent in 2025 if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.
  • Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee takes a closer look at the Kings’ potential next steps with EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov, whose NBA rights are controlled by Sacramento. According to Anderson, the team’s offer for the 27-year-old will likely start in the neighborhood of $3-4MM. That would be roughly equivalent to the first-year salary for a player drafted between Nos. 15-21 in 2023.
  • In a separate story for The Sacramento Bee, Anderson examines a few prospects who could be targets for the Kings at No. 24 in this month’s draft. As Anderson notes, general manager Monte McNair has a track record of selecting older college players with Sacramento’s first-round picks, so forwards like Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kris Murray (Keegan Murray‘s twin brother) could be on the team’s radar.
  • In case you missed it, Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez is believed to be one of the finalists in the Raptors’ head coaching search. Toronto is expected to make a decision is relatively soon.
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Draft Notes: L. Butler, Jaquez, B. Miller, Kings

May 29th, 2023 at 3:23pm CST by Rory Maher

San Diego State guard Lamont Butler hit one of the most memorable shots of the 2022/23 college basketball season, converting the Final Four game-winner over Florida Atlantic to put the Aztecs into the championship game. He had been testing the draft waters, but the junior announced on Twitter that he’s withdrawing and returning to school.

Butler, who averaged 8.8 points, 3.2 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals on .421/.342/.731 shooting in 39 games (25.9 minutes) last season, is not ranked on ESPN’s top-100 prospects list.

Here are a few more draft notes:

  • UCLA wing Jaime Jaquez spoke to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com and ESPN about his preparation for the draft (Twitter video link). Jaquez, who is ranked No. 30 on ESPN’s board, believes he has plenty of upside left after playing four college seasons, noting his consistent improvement with the Bruins. He averaged 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals on .481/.317/.770 shooting as a senior.
  • Alabama wing Brandon Miller, a projected top-three pick, recently had an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter video link), discussing a number of topics. On Victor Wembanyama and being the No. 1 pick: “I feel like I’m No. 1, but you can’t beat 7-5, 8-foot wingspan,” Miller said.
  • The Kings are hosting a pre-draft workout Monday headlined by Indiana big man Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kansas forward Jalen Wilson, a league source tells Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 KTXL (Twitter link). Jackson-Davis is No. 33 on ESPN’s board, while Wilson is No. 40. The Kings control the Nos. 24, 38 and 54 picks. Jackson-Davis put up huge numbers as a senior for the Hoosiers, averaging 20.9 points, 10.8 boards, 4.0 assists and 2.9 blocks in 32 games (34.5 minutes).
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Central Notes: Mannion, Bucks, LaVine, Cavs, Pistons

May 27th, 2023 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

Former Warriors guard Nico Mannion, who has spent the past two seasons in Europe, is expected to play for the Bucks‘ Summer League team this July, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.

The No. 48 pick in the 2020 draft, Mannion spent just one season in Golden State, logging limited minutes in 30 games, before returning to his home country of Italy to play for Virtus Bologna. The former Arizona Wildcat is still just 22 years old, so there’s plenty of time for him to take another shot at the NBA.

However, it’s worth noting that Mannion wouldn’t be able to sign outright with the Bucks or another team, since the Warriors have tendered him a two-way qualifying offer in each of the last two offseasons, ensuring they still have his rights as a restricted free agent. If Golden State reissues that QO this summer, Mannion would once again be an RFA, giving the Warriors the ability to control his NBA free agency.

Here’s more from around the Central:

  • According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, while the Knicks‘ reported interest at the trade deadline was overstated, a number of rival executives around the NBA are “skeptical about the long-term marriage” between the Bulls and Zach LaVine. Johnson cautions that the Bulls have backed LaVine at every opportunity and have shown no indications that they intend to move on from him anytime soon, but says the speculation about an eventual break-up that he heard at the combine was “prevalent enough to acknowledge.”
  • Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com names Malik Beasley, Seth Curry, Yuta Watanabe, Terrence Ross, and Justin Holiday as some potential free agents who could be of interest to the Cavaliers this summer as the team seeks shooting help.
  • In a mock draft for The Detroit News (subscription required), Mike Curtis has the Pistons selecting Houston forward Jarace Walker at No. 5 overall, noting that the pick may not be the most exciting one Detroit could make, but arguing it would instantly make the team “more formidable” on defense. Curtis’ pick for the Pistons at No. 31 is Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis.
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Western Notes: Jazz Picks, Warriors, Bridges, Suns

May 26th, 2023 at 8:47pm CST by Rory Maher

The Jazz currently control the Nos. 9, 16 and 28 picks in the upcoming draft, though it isn’t certain they’ll actually retain all three first-rounders. A lead ball-handler is reportedly high on their list of targets.

With that in mind, Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune (subscriber link) lists six prospects the Jazz may be interested in with their lottery pick, including Arkansas guard Anthony Black, Kansas wing Gradey Dick, and UCF forward Taylor Hendricks. Walden concedes some of the players on his list may not be available at No. 9.

Here’s more from the West:

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