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Draft Rumors: Risacher, Buzelis, Salaun, Carter

June 8th, 2024 at 6:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

Zaccharie Risacher could be the first selection in this year’s draft, but most American fans aren’t familiar with the French forward’s game. Risacher sought to clear up some of the mystery in a Zoom session with the media this week, writes Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports.

The 19-year-old plays for JL Bourg in the LNB Pro A league, where he impressed scouts with his soft shooting touch and 6’8″ frame. He’s a career 40.7% three-point shooter during his three-year career in France and connected at 56.1% from beyond the arc in this year’s playoffs, often with NBA scouts and executives in attendance.

“I think my best skill is probably my shooting ability. I’m really comfortable with it and I know it’s not perfect, I still got a lot of work to do. But that’s the part of my game I feel like is my best skill that I have,” Risacher told reporters. “And the part of my game that I need to work on is probably my dribbling ability, the way to handle contact with dribbling. But I know I can do it. I will say that’s the next step.”

Hughes notes that Risacher is projected to go to Atlanta with the No. 1 pick in the latest mock drafts from Yahoo Sports, ESPN and The Ringer. He’s listed as the second selection by The Athletic and Bleacher Report.

Risacher mentioned Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Jayson Tatum and Ray Allen as players he studied while developing his game. He’s also considered to be a high-level defender, so whoever drafts him won’t be getting a one-dimensional player.

“I take pleasure in [impacting] both sides of the court. [I like] defending small guards, big guards, big men,” Risacher said. “I think that’s something that I can like translate in the NBA.”

There’s more draft news to pass along:

G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis is under consideration by teams in the top five, sources tell Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Wasserman has Buzelis going to San Antonio at No. 4 in his latest mock draft, noting that the team should be able to fill its need for a point guard with the eighth pick. He hears the Spurs are interested in Providence guard Devin Carter, who may get the edge over Nikola Topic because of Topic’s ACL injury.
Wasserman also hears that French forward Tidjane Salaun, who has been rising up draft boards, will hold a pre-draft workout with the Thunder, who have the No. 12 pick. That’s in addition to sessions with teams in the top 10 such as the Spurs, Pistons and Trail Blazers.
Following a report that Carter has received a promise from a team in the lottery, Rylan Stiles speculates in a Sports Illustrated article about which club might have given that promise, writing that the Grizzlies and Thunder both have incentives to add Carter.

2024 NBA Draft Picks By Team

June 7th, 2024 at 6:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs and Trail Blazers were among the winners on last month’s draft lottery day, with the results on May 12 ensuring that both teams would have a pair of lottery picks in 2024. San Antonio received Toronto’s top-six protected first-rounder when it dropped to No. 8, while Portland was assured of receiving Golden State’s top-four protected first-rounder when it remained at No. 14. Both clubs’ own picks are in the top seven.

Besides being the only NBA teams to control two lottery picks this year, San Antonio and Portland have something else in common — they’re the only two clubs that own more than three total 2024 draft picks. In addition to No. 4 and No. 8, the Spurs have Nos. 35 and 48, while Portland has a pair of early second-rounders (Nos. 34 and 40) to go with its No. 7 and No. 14 picks.

Many of this year’s draft picks have changed hands at some point, with only 24 of 58 total selections held by their original owner, but they’re still a little more evenly distributed than usual. A year ago, 11 teams controlled three or more picks at this time, whereas this year only seven clubs hold more than two picks apiece.

In addition to those seven teams with three or more picks, 13 more clubs own a pair of draft selections, while another nine control one apiece. That leaves just a single NBA team without a draft pick this year: the Nets. Brooklyn traded both of its 2024 picks back in 2021, sending out its first-rounder in a package for James Harden and including its second-rounder later that year in a Sekou Doumbouya salary dump. The Nets could still trade into this draft, but for now they’re the only team on track to sit it out.

To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2024 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 58 selections by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…

Teams with more than two picks:

San Antonio Spurs (4): 4, 8, 35, 48
Portland Trail Blazers (4): 7, 14, 34, 40
Washington Wizards (3): 2, 26, 51
Memphis Grizzlies (3): 9, 39, 57
Utah Jazz (3): 10, 29, 32
New York Knicks (3): 24, 25, 38
Indiana Pacers (3): 36, 49, 50

Teams with two picks:

Houston Rockets: 3, 44
Detroit Pistons: 5, 53
Charlotte Hornets: 6, 42
Sacramento Kings: 13, 45
Miami Heat: 15, 43
Philadelphia 76ers: 16, 41
Los Angeles Lakers: 17, 55
Orlando Magic: 18, 47
Toronto Raptors: 19, 31
Milwaukee Bucks: 23, 33
Minnesota Timberwolves: 27, 37
Denver Nuggets: 28, 56
Boston Celtics: 30, 54

Teams with one pick:

Atlanta Hawks: 1
Chicago Bulls: 11
Oklahoma City Thunder: 12
Cleveland Cavaliers: 20
New Orleans Pelicans: 21
Phoenix Suns: 22
Los Angeles Clippers: 46
Golden State Warriors: 52
Dallas Mavericks: 58

Teams with no picks:

Brooklyn Nets

And-Ones: Poland, Sochan, M. James, J. Porter, More

June 7th, 2024 at 5:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Polish national team has formally announced a 17-man preliminary roster for next month’s Olympic qualifying tournament in Valencia, Spain (hat tip to Eurohoops). Poland will be grouped with Finland and the Bahamas in that tournament and will vie with Angola, Lebanon, and Spain for the right to compete in the 12-team men’s basketball tournament at the Olympics in Paris.

Poland’s roster doesn’t feature much NBA talent, but there is one player currently active in the league: Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan was named to the 17-man squad, which will be trimmed to 12 players for the qualifying tournament Sochan previously won a gold medal with Poland at an under-16 championship in 2019 and also represented the country at the EuroBasket 2022 qualifiers.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

On the heels of being named this season’s EuroLeague MVP, former NBA guard Mike James appears to be on the verge of signing a contract extension with AS Monaco. As Johnny Askounis relays for Eurohoops, a report from Gabriel Pantel-Jouve of BeBasket indicates that James and Monaco are set to complete a three-year deal that will increase the guard’s annual salary to three million Euros per season.
A total of four men have now been charged by federal prosecutors in the sports betting scandal related to Jontay Porter‘s lifetime ban from the NBA, reports Jennifer Peltz of The Associated Press. The defendants are being accused of profiting from prop bets based on the knowledge that Porter would exit a pair of games early. The complaint also alleges that Porter – who isn’t identified by name but fits the description of the player described – was supposed to receive a portion of the winnings.
In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks of ESPN identifies five teams who may not receive as much attention this summer as high-profile franchise like the Lakers and Sixers, but who could have eventful and important offseason ahead of them. Marks’ picks? The Bulls, Trail Blazers, Jazz, Pelicans, and Spurs.
With the Lakers reportedly in pursuit of UConn head coach Dan Hurley, Alex Andrejev of The Athletic considers the history of accomplished college coaches making the leap to the NBA and evaluates how several of the most notable names – including Billy Donovan, Larry Brown, and Rick Pitino – fared at the professional level.

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.

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+.

Draft Notes: Sarr, Risacher, Clingan, Withdrawals

June 5th, 2024 at 7:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

Alexandre Sarr holds the top spot in the latest mock draft from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, but he cautions that the Hawks are a long way from deciding what they’re going to do with the No. 1 pick. Atlanta faced long odds for landing the first selection before moving up nine spots in the lottery, so its scouts weren’t as informed about the top prospects as some rival teams. Sources tell Vecenie that the Hawks are still in “information-gathering” mode as they sort through their options.

He notes that several members of the front office recently traveled to France to watch Zaccharie Risacher in a playoff game. Sarr and Risacher are widely expected to be the first two players off the board, but Vecenie hears that UConn center Donovan Clingan is in the mix as well.

Risacher, who goes to the Wizards at No. 2 in Vecenie’s mock draft, helped to solidify his status with a strong performance in the French League playoffs, averaging 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Risacher’s stock had been slipping due to a prolonged shooting slump, but Vecenie’s sources are now confident that he’ll be taken somewhere in the top four.

Clingan is a candidate to be selected anywhere from No. 1 to No. 3, but he could also slide if that doesn’t happen, Vecenie adds, because the next three teams — the Spurs, Pistons and Hornets — don’t have an immediate need for center help. That’s the scenario in Vecenie’s mock draft, with Clingan going to the Trail Blazers at No. 7. However, he notes that many teams would have interest in trading up for Clingan if he does start to fall.

There’s more draft news to pass along:

In the same piece, Vecenie speculates that one of the reasons 93 players withdrew from the draft is increased uncertainty at the top of the second round. With the draft broken up into two days, there could be a significant shakeup in the draft order throughout the 30s. Teams that might be willing to trade include the Trail Blazers, who have two of the first 10 picks in the second round as well as two lottery selections; the Spurs, who pick twice in the lottery and hold No. 35; the Knicks, who own picks No. 24, 25 and 38; and the Jazz, who have No. 32 after picking twice in the first round. Vecenie also points to the Bucks (33), Pacers (36), Timberwolves (37) and Grizzlies (39) as win-now teams who would likely prefer other assets instead of second-round selections. There’s also an expectation that the Raptors could receive significant offers for the first pick of the second night, Vecenie adds.
Iowa’s Payton Sandfort is the best player who pulled his name out of the draft, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Without a firm first-round commitment, the 6’7″ guard opted to return to the Hawkeyes for his senior season. Wake Forest guard Hunter Sallis, UConn forward Alex Karaban, Alabama guard Mark Sears and Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile round out Scotto’s top five.
Hofstra’s Tyler Thomas has workouts scheduled this week with the Lakers and Clippers, tweets Adam Zagoria.
Taran Armstrong, an All-Camp Team selection at the adidas Eurocamp, has completed workouts with the Kings and Lakers, according to Olgun Uluc of ESPN (Twitter link). Armstrong has upcoming sessions with the Magic, Pistons, Wizards, Nets, Mavericks, Clippers and Pacers, and more teams may be added to that list.
Latvian guard Roberts Blums has withdrawn from the draft and will play for Davidson this season, confirms Jon Chepkevich of Draft Express (Twitter link). June 16 is the deadline for international players to remove their names from the draft pool.

McCain, Five Other Prospects Work Out

June 4th, 2024 at 7:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Trail Blazers hosted six draft prospects on Tuesday — Daniss Jenkins (St. John’s), Dillon Jones (Weber State), Spencer Jones (Stanford), Jared McCain (Duke), Noah Penda (JA Vichy-Clermont) and Armel Traore (Ada Blois), Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report tweets. Out of that group, McCain is the most highly regarded by draft pundits. The point guard is currently rated No. 15 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list. Portland controls the seventh and 14th overall picks, along with No. 34 and No. 40.

Celtics Notes: Holiday, Porzingis, Horford, Tatum

June 3rd, 2024 at 9:12am CST by Arthur Hill

Jrue Holiday‘s season began with a shocking trade to Portland and is ending with a trip to the NBA Finals. Brian Windhorst of ESPN retraces the steps of the deals that turned a player who described himself as a “Buck for life” into an indispensable part of the Celtics‘ quest for a title.

Milwaukee was looking for a roster upgrade to convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign an extension, and even though the Bucks were barely mentioned in Damian Lillard trade talks throughout the summer, they emerged as the favorites in late September. Holiday was sent to the Trail Blazers, who notified the rest of the league that he was going back on the trade market.

Portland was determined to separate the trades into two separate transactions, which meant the Bucks had no say in where Holiday would ultimately end up. The Blazers also worked closely with Holiday, who wanted to go to a team that was willing to give him an extension.

Holiday compiled a list of five or six preferred destinations, according to Windhorst, who hears that several teams, including the Knicks and Pacers, made offers loaded with draft assets but were told they weren’t on Holiday’s list. The bidding ultimately came down to the Clippers and Celtics, and Boston landed him by giving up its unprotected first-round pick in 2029 and the Warriors’ first-round selection this year, along with Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams.

“There’s a list of guys in the league that you always think you’ve never had a real chance to get that you think are perfect fits,” team president Brad Stevens said after the deal was finalized. “And Jrue is one of those guys.”

There’s more from Boston:

Kristaps Porzingis had been labeled as a bad teammate in the past, so he was determined to make a good first impression after the Celtics acquired him from Washington last summer, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “They were open to me here. There was not any kind of tension,” Porziņgis recalled. “I told them from Day 1, I’m coming in here to help you guys win. That’s all I’m here for and whatever it takes. If it takes me sitting on the bench or coming off the bench or whatever, then I’m here for it.”
Chad Finn of The Boston Globe looks back at Al Horford‘s decision to leave the Celtics in free agency in 2019, stating that it seemed like the heart of the team was lost when he signed with the rival Sixers. Finn adds that it “felt like a wrong had been righted” when Boston brought Horford back in a 2021 trade with Oklahoma City.
After closing out the Eastern Conference Finals on May 27, the Celtics are in the unusual position of having more than a week to rest and prepare for Dallas, notes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. It’s a huge difference from 2022 when Boston won a seventh game at Miami and faced a quick turnaround for the start of the NBA Finals in San Francisco. “Having nine days off is kind of good for your body, for everybody to get healthy,” Jayson Tatum said. “But we’re in the NBA Finals and we’re also anxious and excited to play. I wish it did start a little bit earlier. A lot of guys have been here before. We understand the magnitude of the moment, guys starting sharp, guys staying fresh.”

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.

Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers

June 1st, 2024 at 12:13pm CST by Rory Maher

If Kentavious Caldwell-Pope picks up his $15.4MM player option or declines it and signs a new, more lucrative deal with Denver, the Nuggets will be over the second tax apron in 2024/25. That means they would be limited to offering free agents minimum-salary contracts.

With that in mind, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports lists 10 ring-chasing veterans who might be able to help the Nuggets next season (the players have to be at least 30 years old in ’24/25 and potentially available for the minimum). Some players on Wind’s list include Gary Harris (a former Nugget), Gordon Hayward and Jae Crowder.

According to both Wind and Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscriber link), several people within the organization are fans of Hayward’s game, though it’s unclear if he’d actually accept a minimum deal after making $33.3MM last season. The 34-year-old was largely a non-factor with Oklahoma City and has a lengthy injury history, however, so his market is tricky to gauge.

Durando answers a handful of offseason questions related to the Nuggets, writing that the team will likely make small tweaks to the edges of the rotation instead of doing anything drastic.

Here’s more from the Northwest:

Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune (subscription required) argues the Timberwolves should pay the luxury tax to keep the core of the current roster together for next season no matter which ownership group ultimately prevails in their ongoing dispute for majority control. As Souhan writes, the Wolves just made the Western Conference finals for the second time in franchise history, and this team is much better positioned for continued success than the group from 2004.
The Timberwolves‘ roster should look similar in ’24/25, assuming ownership is willing to spend, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (subscriber link). “They’ve been nothing but supportive with us,” head coach Chris Finch said of the team’s owners. “In many ways, this run that we’ve been on has pushed all of that to the background, and they’ve been 100 percent committed to the team, the team’s efforts and enjoying the success. That stuff will be what it will be. They’ve all pledged that no matter how it shakes out, that they’re going to give us every opportunity to be successful and continue to build, build a winner and a champion and all the things that we’re all trying to do together.”
The Trail Blazers held a pre-draft workout with six prospects on Thursday, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. Those players were French wing Melvin Ajinca (No. 48 on ESPN’s big board), Minnesota guard Cam Christie (No. 34), G League Ignite guard Thierry Darlan (No. 85), Michigan State forward Malik Hall (unranked), North Carolina forward Harrison Ingram (No. 42) and Arizona forward Keshad Johnson (No. 49). Portland controls four picks in the 2024 draft, including a pair of second-rounders (No. 34 and No. 40).