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Several More Players Invited To Green Room For 2024 Draft

June 14th, 2024 at 5:36pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Eight additional players have received green room invites for this month’s 2024 draft.

Sources have informed Jonathan Givony of ESPN (via these various and sundry Twitter links here) that Kentucky point guard Rob Dillingham, EuroLeague point guard Nikola Topic, Duke guard Jared McCain and power forward Kyle Filipowski, Miami swingman Kyshawn George, USC point guard Isaiah Collier, Kansas wing Johnny Furphy, and Baylor center Yves Missi have all been invited to attend the draft in person.

Givony notes that Dillingham, a 6’3″ All-SEC Second Teamer in 2023/24 as a freshman, earned the invitation after he wrapped up his NBA Combine prerequisites on Friday morning, at the Lakers’ El Segundo practice facility.

Among the latest invitees, Dillingham is the highest-ranked player on ESPN’s big board, where he comes in at No. 7 overall. Missi is the lowest-ranked prospect of the eight, as he’s ranked at No. 23.

All-American Purdue center Zach Edey also received an invite, Givony tweets, though he is opting to watch the draft at Purdue instead, with his family, coaches, and Boilermakers teammates in attendance.

This group is joining the 12 other likely first round draft picks whose green room invitations were previously reported.

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Heat Notes: Edey, Markkanen, Jovic, Offseason

June 14th, 2024 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Zach Edey could be an option with the 15th pick if the Heat are looking to add size in the draft, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The Purdue center, who had a workout in Miami earlier this month, stands 7’4″ and weighs nearly 300 pounds. He would ensure that the Heat aren’t physically overmatched in the middle whenever Bam Adebayo is resting.

“Every team needs someone to hold down the paint,” Edey said. “You need someone to grab the rebound. You need somebody to block shots. You need someone to finish lobs. You need someone to do all those things. Like not everything has to be with me having the ball in my hands in a post-up. I think I can do a lot of things. Obviously at Purdue, we used a lot of post-ups. But if you really watch the games there’s a lot of ball screens and that’s what they run in the NBA, ball screens, seals, re-posts.”

The two-time Player of the Year in the NCAA hears that his potential draft spot is “between 10 and 25.” Several teams in Miami’s range could be in the market for size, so it’s not certain that Edey will still be on the board at No. 15. He said at the draft combine that he hopes to prove to teams that he’s capable of doing more in the NBA than just clogging the paint.

“Obviously I need to show people I can shoot the way I believe I can,” Edey said. “But I think for the most part I know what I’m good at. Like if teams have tons of film on me, obviously I think I’m quicker than teams think I am, I think I can shoot better than teams think I can. I have to show that. I’ve been in college for four years. They’ve got a lot of film on me. They kind of know what I can do.”

There’s more from Miami:

  • The Heat could have interest in trading for Lauri Markkanen, but getting Jimmy Butler in return is unlikely to appeal to the Jazz, Winderman states in a mailbag column. At 34, Butler doesn’t fit Utah’s timeline, Winderman notes, and his injury history and desire for an extension make him especially risky. A deal involving Tyler Herro and other pieces could be more realistic, but Winderman describes the Jazz as “lukewarm” to that possibility.
  • Nikola Jovic will be reevaluated in two weeks after suffering a minor left ankle sprain, sources tell Winderman (Twitter link). The Heat forward is still expected to be able to play for Serbia in the Olympics.
  • Responding to questions from readers, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald examines Butler’s future, negotiations with the Heat’s soon-to-be free agents and potential moves for the summer.
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Pelicans Notes: Front Office, Borrego, Edey, No. 21 Pick

June 11th, 2024 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans have some holes to fill in their basketball operations department following a mini-exodus this spring, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. General manager Trajan Langdon left New Orleans to become the head of basketball operations in Detroit and he’ll be taking Michael Blackstone along with him, as reported on Monday. Blackstone was “heavily involved behind the scenes” as a Pelicans strategist and was close with executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin, per Clark.

In addition to those two executives who left to join the Pistons, the Pelicans also lost senior director of basketball operations Michael Hartman, who is joining the Wizards’ front office.

According to Clark, the Pelicans began conducting interviews last week with candidates who could replace those departed front office personnel men. League sources tell NOLA.com that those interviews are continuing this week, with the club focused on hiring someone who has “salary cap and strategy expertise.”

We have more on the Pelicans, via Clark:

  • There’s a “sense of resignation” within the organization that associate head coach James Borrego won’t be back on Willie Green‘s staff next season, says Clark. Borrego is considered a legitimate candidate for both the Lakers’ and Cavaliers’ head coaching openings, though he faces competition for each position. While Green is a more defensive-minded coach, Borrego was brought in for his offensive acumen, so if he departs, maintaining – and improving – the offense’s production going forward will be a priority.
  • Purdue center Zach Edey is among the players who will visit the Pelicans for a workout prior to the June 26 draft, notes Clark. With Jonas Valanciunas headed to free agency, New Orleans is in the market for help up front, though Edey may not be available by the time the team picks at No. 21 and probably wouldn’t be ready to step into a starting role.
  • If the Pelicans aren’t particularly high on any of the prospects available at No. 21, they may look to trade it for future draft assets, sources tell NOLA.com. According to Clark, New Orleans would have interest in restocking its second-round draft capital, since the team doesn’t currently control a second-rounder until 2030.
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Northwest Notes: Knecht, Bjorkgren, Blazers, Jazz, Wolves

June 7th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Rory Maher

Tennessee star Dalton Knecht had a solo pre-draft workout with the Trail Blazers on Thursday, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. The 23-year-old wing is ranked No. 8 on ESPN’s big board, while Portland controls a pair of lottery picks (Nos. 7 and 14) and two second-rounders (Nos. 34 and 40).

ESPN recently reported that each team in the 6-10 range holds “strong interest” in Knecht, who averaged 21.7 points and 4.9 rebounds on .458/.397/.772 shooting in 36 games for the Volunteers in 2023/24 (30.6 minutes per contest).

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears the Blazers will host a 3-on-3 workout next week “that’s supposed to feature” G League Ignite wing Ron Holland, French forward Tidjane Salaun, Virginia wing Ryan Dunn, Purdue center Zach Edey, Baylor center Yves Missi, and Miami guard Kyshawn George. Five of those prospects are projected first-round picks — the only exception is Dunn, who is No. 34 on ESPN’s board.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

  • Nate Bjorkgren, who went 34-38 as head coach of the Pacers in 2020/21, has been attending Portland’s recent pre-draft workouts, according to Highkin, who points out (via Twitter) that the Trail Blazers have some vacancies on their coaching staff. Bjorkgren had two stints as an assistant with Toronto, most recently in ’22/23.
  • In a press release, the Jazz announced several members of their basketball operations staff have been promoted to new positions. Shane Fenske, who previously served as VP of analytics and insights, is now an assistant GM. Assistant coach Sean Sheldon will move to the front of head coach Will Hardy‘s bench, as previously reported. Andrew Warren, who has been an assistant video coordinator the past two seasons, is now an assistant coach. Several other basketball operations employees have new positions as well.
  • Chris Hine of The Star Tribune examines which players on the Timberwolves‘ roster will return in 2024/25, while John Hollinger of The Athletic wonders if “really good” can be good enough for Wolves guard Anthony Edwards.
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Draft Rumors: Buzelis, Clingan, Dillingham, Topic, More

June 7th, 2024 at 11:00am CST by Rory Maher

Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN recently updated their top-100 list, with several new tidbits of information on prospects ranked in the top 25 (subscription required).

Sources tell Givony that G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis “will work out for almost every team in the top five.” As Givony writes, teams are intrigued by Buzelis’ size, skills, versatility and long-term upside.

They don’t control a top-five pick, but sources tell Givony that Chicago — Buzelis’ hometown team — watched the 19-year-old in a private workout in Los Angeles “early in the pre-draft process.” The Bulls have explored the viability of moving up from No. 11 overall if the price is right, according to Givony, who adds that head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is very familiar with Buzelis and his game (they’re also both Lithuanian).

Here are some more rumors and updates from Givony and Woo:

  • ESPN previously reported that rival teams think the Bulls, Grizzlies and Trail Blazers could be interested in moving up to select UConn center Donovan Clingan, whom Givony describes as a “top-three prospect who might experience a minor drop on draft night because teams that are in the Nos. 3-6 range already have starting centers in place.” The Thunder and Jazz are also viewed as teams who could consider trading up for the 20-year-old. Clingan is still in the Hawks‘ conversation at No. 1, while Atlanta has also explored the possibility of trading down, Givony reports. The Blazers, who recently hosted Clingan for a private workout, are viewed as the big man’s floor at No. 7 overall.
  • Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham, the No. 7 prospect on ESPN’s board, is targeting a mid-June return following an ankle injury, sources tell Givony. That means the 19-year-old will likely only have time “for a handful of workouts” before the first round begins on June 26. Dillingham is on the radar of teams drafting in the top 10 who need a point guard, according to Givony, who suggests trades might need to transpire for him to go early.
  • Nikola Topic, long considered a probable lottery pick, was recently diagnosed with a partially torn ACL in his left knee, as ESPN reported on Wednesday. However, he has only dropped one spot — No. 9 to No. 10 — on ESPN’s latest update, with Givony pointing to Topic’s age (he turns 19 in August) and upside (he was once in consideration for No. 1) as reasons why the Serbian guard is unlikely to have a drastic fall. The Spurs (No. 8), Jazz (No. 10), Thunder (No. 12) and Trail Blazers (No. 14) are viewed as potential landing spots for Topic, depending on how his medicals are evaluated.
  • According to Woo and Givony, Tenneesee wing Dalton Knecht, who comes in at No. 8, has drawn “strong interest” from every team selecting in the 6-10 range (Hornets, Trail Blazers, Spurs, Grizzlies, Jazz). French forward Tidjane Salaun, the No. 9 prospect on ESPN’s board, is expected to draw suitors in the 4-14 range.
  • G League Ignite wing Ron Holland, who ranks No. 11, has either worked out for or will work out for the Heat (No. 15) and Lakers (No. 17), per ESPN. Providence guard Devin Carter recently worked out for the Lakers as well, and his range is expected to be anywhere from No. 8 to No. 15. According to Woo, “playoff-caliber teams” will likely have interest in Carter, 22, if they decide to trade up.
  • Back-to-back college Player of the Year Zach Edey, who ranks No. 16, has an upcoming workout with the Lakers, but it’s possible he could land quite a bit higher than No. 17. According to Givony, the Grizzlies, Jazz, Bulls, Thunder, Trail Blazers and Heat are viewed as viable landing spots for the Canadian big man, who recently worked out for his hometown Raptors as well. Toronto (picking at No. 19) is viewed as Edey’s floor.
  • The Grizzlies and Kings are among the lottery teams with interest in Colorado’s Tristan Da Silva, per Woo. An older prospect, the German combo forward is viewed as a player who can contribute right away but has a lower ceiling than younger players in the class, Woo adds.
  • Givony and Woo have more information on the possible ranges of several other potential first-round picks. The whole article is worth checking out for those who subscribe to ESPN+.
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Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Hartenstein, Raptors, Edey, Nets

June 3rd, 2024 at 4:20pm CST by Rory Maher

Fred Katz and Danny Leroux of The Athletic answer several CBA-related offseason questions for the Knicks, including why they’ll be limited to offering Isaiah Hartenstein a four-year, $72.5MM contract in free agency.

As The Athletic’s authors explain, New York only holds Hartenstein’s Early Bird rights because he has only spent the past two years with the Knicks. One recent report said the 26-year-old could receive $80-$100MM on a new deal from a team with cap room.

Katz and Leroux also cover several other topics, including why the Knicks are in a much better position to potentially trade for a star during the 2024/25 league year instead of in ’25/26 (they could be over the second tax apron at that point).

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

  • Cap expert Yossi Gozlan explores a few cap room teams that reportedly could be threats to sign Hartenstein away from the Knicks (YouTube link). Gozlan views Orlando as the most logical potential (external) suitor for the big man, but he thinks Hartenstein will ultimately re-sign with New York.
  • The Raptors are hosting six prospects for a pre-draft workout on Monday, including Purdue star center Zach Edey, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Edey, who won back-to-back college Player of the Year awards, is ranked No. 16 on ESPN’s top-100 list. The other five players are Keion Brooks Jr. (Washington), Joseph Girard III (Clemson), Emanuel Miller (TCU), Tyrese Samuel (Florida) and Jahmir Young (Maryland). Edey, Miller and Samuel are all natives of Canada. The Raptors control the No. 19 and No. 31 picks in the 2024 draft.
  • Speaking to reporters on Monday, new Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez discussed his staff of assistants, which was made official last week (Twitter links via Brian Lewis of The New York Post). “Common thread is bringing energy on the court, a lot of player development-oriented coaches,” Fernandez said. “And also coaches with a lot of experience as players…I was not a pro…so it’s important that we have enough guys that have done it.”
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Heat Notes: Highsmith, Jovic, Bam, Mailbag, Offseason

May 24th, 2024 at 2:25pm CST by Rory Maher

Three-and-D wing Haywood Highsmith will be one of the Heat‘s key unrestricted free agents this summer after averaging 6.1 PPG and 3.2 RPG while shooting 39.6% from deep in 66 regular season games (20.7 MPG),

Speaking to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the 27-year-old said that – in an ideal world – he’d like to re-sign with the Heat. That outcome is far from certain though, as Miami projects to have one of the league’s highest payrolls in 2024/25.

“I’d love to stay in Miami for sure,” Highsmith told Scotto. “I feel like I’ve built a great life out here. My daughter lives out here as well. If all things are close, I definitely would love to stay in Miami, but we’ll see when that time comes. I’ll still be the same person no matter how much I get paid or whatever happens. I’ll still be in the gym locked in and trying to win a championship.”

Highsmith also touched on his atypical career journey, the team’s culture, and playing for head coach Erik Spoelstra, among other subjects. As far as individual goals, Highsmith said he’d like to earn some hardware in the future.

“I definitely want to be on the All-Defensive Team or a Defensive Player of the Year candidate,” he said. “I think I have the ability to do something like that.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

  • No player on the Miami’s roster showed more progress in ’23/24 than second-year forward Nikola Jovic, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. After appearing in just four of the team’s first 30 games, Jovic started all 32 games he appeared in down the stretch (including the playoffs), impressing his teammates and coach in the process. “He’s 20. So I always do need to remind myself of that,” Spoelstra said. “I hold him to an incredibly high standard because our standards are not going to change. Our expectations are always going to be championship-level expectations. Yes, I’m expecting him to rise to that. Is he there now? No. Am I going to stop driving him and pushing him? No. But I’ve been very encouraged by the progress that he’s made, in particular in the last 12 months.”
  • Although he finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting and made the All-Defensive First Team for the first time, Bam Adebayo only appeared on five All-NBA ballots. As Chiang writes (subscriber link), that means Adebayo won’t be eligible for a super-max extension this summer, but he could still become eligible in 2025 if he makes an All-NBA team or wins DPOY next season.
  • In a mailbag article, Chiang considers whether Purdue center Zach Edey could be a fit for the Heat with the 15th pick (probably not). He also answers questions about what the team needs to improve on this offseason and what certain players might do with their impending options.
  • Cap expert Yossi Gozlan explores the Heat’s offseason, including whether they have the financial flexibility to try and trade for a third star like Donovan Mitchell (YouTube link).
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Northwest Notes: Edwards, Murray, Nuggets, Kessler

May 19th, 2024 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Never mind momentum, home-court advantage, or the tactical adjustments that have led to four blowouts in the first six games of an unpredictable series. Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards sees a simple calculation for tonight’s Game 7 at Denver, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic.

“I think we’re confident just because we’re a great team,” Edwards told reporters on Saturday. “And we’re going against another great team, (but) we feel like we’re just the better team. That’s all the confidence that we need. The two previous games don’t mean anything because they beat our a– on our home court (in Game 3 and 4). That don’t mean anything. Right now, it’s just about who’s going to play better tomorrow.”

If Minnesota does prevail, Edwards figures to be a main reason, Amick adds. He’s averaging 29.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in the series while playing 40 minutes per night. He’s also shooting 55.1% from the field and 41.5% from beyond the arc and serving as a key component of a defense that has often overwhelmed the Nuggets. Throughout the series, the Wolves are plus-32 with him on the court and minus-4 when he’s resting.

“First of all, he’s a competitor,” assistant coach Elston Turner said of Edwards. “He is a competitor. You can tell that from the amount of times that he’s tweaked an ankle, hurt his back, got banged up, but he never leaves the f—ing game. He never leaves the game. So I expect him to compete (in Game 7).”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

  • Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Jamal Murray is “feeling great” after participating in a full practice on Saturday, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Murray, who hurt his right elbow when he ran into a screen early in Game 6, stayed late after practice for extra shooting.
  • After storming through the playoffs on their way to an NBA title last year, the Nuggets are already facing an elimination game in round two this year, notes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Denver is hoping its edge in postseason experience works to its advantage, and Malone told his players to try to have fun, hoping to change their mindset coming off a 45-point loss in Game 6. “I think experience is a great teacher,” he said. “I think that Game 7s can be too big for some. But I don’t think there’s any doubt that we are going to be ready to go in front of a great crowd. We want to enjoy the moment because a Game 7 represents the two best words in sports. You play all season to get a Game 7 at home, and we’re excited for it and hopefully, we can take advantage of it.”
  • The Jazz interviewed centers Zach Edey and Donovan Clingan at the draft combine, but that doesn’t mean they’re looking for a replacement for Walker Kessler, explains Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. She states that the team remains “invested” in Kessler’s future and was just doing due diligence by talking to the best players at every position. Team sources told Todd that they’re closely monitoring several wing players with their lottery pick.
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Draft Notes: Bronny, Combine, Edey, Withdrawals

May 17th, 2024 at 5:30pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Bronny James‘ NBA draft stock continues to be one of the top storylines of the class, and he looked determined to establish himself as more than just a name at the combine. In the second day of scrimmage play, the USC guard led his team in scoring with 13 points in 23 minutes.

Bronny told reporters he’s trying to earn a roster spot individually of who his father is, according to Yahoo Sports’ Krysten Peek.

“Honestly, I feel like this is a serious business,” Bronny said. “I don’t think there would be a thought of, ‘I’m just drafting this kid because I’m going to get his dad.’ I don’t think a GM would really allow that. I think I’ve put in the work and if I get drafted it will be because of not only the player but also the person I am.”

According to The Los Angeles Times’ Dan Woike, the Lakers’ No. 55 pick in the draft appears to be the floor for Bronny’s stock, which would allow him to play next to LeBron. However, there’s a chance he could go even higher than that.

According to Peek, the Jazz have expressed an interest in bringing Bronny in for an individual workout and could look to select him with their No. 32 overall pick. Peek also identifies Miami (No. 43 pick), San Antonio (No. 35) and Oklahoma City (who doesn’t own a pick past No. 12) as potential landing spots, though those appear to be more based in speculation than the Utah report.

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has moved Bronny up to No. 54 on his best available list (Twitter link). He was previously at No. 98.

We have more notes on the 2024 draft:

  • ESPN draft experts Givony, Jeremy Woo, Jamal Collier and Bobby Marks teamed up to analyze days two and three of the combine, assessing major takeaways and standouts. Illawara’s AJ Johnson and Colorado’s KJ Simpson were the only two players to make the scrimmage standouts list in back-to-back days. All of ESPN’s analysts agreed it was a general positive for scouts to see more high-level players than usual participate in scrimmages.
  • Former Purdue big man Zach Edey recognizes there are questions about how his game will translate to the next level, according to The Associated Press’s Andrew Seligman. Seligman writes that, despite Edey’s college dominance (25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds last season), the 7’4″ center is viewed as a slow-footed defender who isn’t much of a floor stretcher. Edey said he knows he needs to reinvent aspects of his game at the next level. “I think I need to show people I can shoot the way I believe I can,” Edey said. “But I think, for the most part, teams kind of know what I’m good at. Teams have tons of film on me. Obviously, I think I’m quicker than teams think I am. I think I can shoot better than teams think I can. I have to show that. I’ve been in college four years. They’ve got a lot of film on me. They kind of know what I can do.” Edey is ranked as ESPN’s 15th-best prospect in the class on its best available list.
  • Former Tennessee big man Jonas Aidoo is withdrawing from the 2024 draft and will play for Arkansas next season, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein (Twitter link). He averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks on 51.5% shooting from the floor last season for Tennessee.
  • Arizona’s KJ Lewis, a bright, young defender, is withdrawing from the draft and returning to play for the Wildcats next season, Rothstein reports (Twitter link). He averaged 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 18.3 minutes in his freshman season.
  • Seton Hall’s Scotty Middleton (transfer from Ohio State) and Notre Dame’s Markus Burton, two impressive freshmen, are also withdrawing from the draft (Twitter links via Rothstein). Middleton was a four-star recruit and averaged 4.4 points in 15.3 minutes at Ohio State. Burton was highly productive in his first season, averaging 17.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists for the Fighting Irish.
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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:

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