- Markelle Fultz‘s willingness to visit the Kings is a sign that Sacramento no longer has a toxic reputation among potential draftees, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. The Kings, who own picks No. 5 and 10, were only able to bring in one first-rounder, Vanderbilt’s Wade Baldwin, in last year’s pre-draft workouts. The team has already had sessions with Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox, North Carolina’s Justin Jackson and Louisville’s Donovan Mitchell.
- Texas center Jarrett Allen, another potential lottery pick, will have a private workout with the Kings today, the team announced on its website. Also on today’s schedule is a group session with SMU’s Semi Ojeleye, St. Mary’s Joe Rahon, Loyola’s Milton Doyle, Texas A&M Corpus Christie’s Rashawn Thomas, BYU’s Eric Mika and Central Florida’s Matt Williams.
7:06pm: Although he may swing by Sacramento for a meeting prior to the draft, Fultz is not expected to work out with the Kings after all, James Ham of NBC Sports California reports.
1:09pm: Voilin has followed up her initial report, tweeting that Fultz’s workout with the Kings is still likely to happen, but appears to have been pushed back closer to the draft.
11:46am: Multiple sources tell Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) that Fultz won’t visit the Kings on Sunday after all, shooting down The Bee’s earlier report. According to Jones, a visit is possible, but it’s not scheduled for this weekend.
10:08am: Despite rumblings that Markelle Fultz may only work out for the Celtics, the odds-on favorite for the No. 1 pick has reportedly lined up a meeting with another team for this weekend. According to Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link), Fultz is scheduled to participate in a workout with the Kings on Sunday.
The fact that Fultz is on track to work out for the Kings is somewhat unexpected. The general belief was that if the former Washington point guard were to audition for teams besides the Celtics, his logical next stops would be Los Angeles and Philadelphia, since the Lakers and Sixers hold the second and third overall picks, respectively. Sacramento has the fifth and 10th overall selections, and there’s virtually no chance that Fultz drops that far.
The Kings have allegedly had internal discussions about the possibility of packaging their two top-10 picks to move up in the draft, though their target in that scenario was believed to be Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox. Celtics GM Danny Ainge confirmed last week that multiple teams have contacted him to ask about the No. 1 pick, so it’s possible the Kings are one of those teams, and are doing their due diligence on Fultz in case a deal materializes. Still, a trade of that magnitude would be a surprise.
Even if the Kings don’t ultimately have a chance to draft Fultz, the fact that he’s willing to meet with the club is a great sign for a front office that has had a hard time attracting top prospects for workouts in recent years.
We’re back with a fresh batch of the best content from around the NBA blogosphere. This is where we take a break from the typical news cycle to shine a light on original, entertaining content from bloggers just like you. Yes, you.
Be sure to nominate the best article you read this week (even if you wrote it yourself) by dropping me a line on Twitter (@AustinKent), emailing HoopsRumorsTips@Sports.ws or simply yelling into your router loud enough that it makes it all the way to Canada.
If hoops fans weren’t too busy trying to pinpoint the last remaining Thon Maker birth certificate joke that hasn’t been made yet, they’d have seen just how scary the 7’1″ Bucks rookie really was. In the playoffs in particular, Maker’s surprising fluidity and absurd length were on full display. In a full feature at Behind The Buck Pass, Paul Headley broke down just what makes the 20-year-old such a tantalizing piece of Milwaukee’s future.
Rating: 9 out 10 Stale Reddit Memes
Author: Paul Headley – @PaulHeadleyNBA
Link: Thon Maker’s future
While he may not be the biggest name, the Hawks landed a gem in new general manager Travis Schlenk. Jack O’Donnell of Soaring Down South recently rallied support for the new shot caller, citing Schlenk’s breadth of experience, including 12 years behind the scenes with the most dominant franchise in the league, most recently as the Warriors‘ assistant general manager.
Rating: 8 out of 10 More Agonizing Weeks of Paul Millsap Speculation
Author: Jack O’Donnell – @SoaringDwnSouth
Link: Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk
If what you’re looking for is an elaborate fan fiction account of Rick Carlisle‘s secret side mission as an espionage agent with a pilot’s license, you’ve come to the right place. Doyle Rader of Mavs Moneyball put together an explanation for why the Mavs head coach was really at Game 2 of the NBA Finals. (Can you tell these guys aren’t used to missing the playoffs?).
Rating: 8 out of 10 Long Offseasons
Author: Doyle Rader – @TheKobeBeef
Link: Why was Rick Carlisle at Game 2?
It would be unwise for the Nuggets to sign Danilo Gallinari to a max contract, Matthew Huff of Nugg Love says. The scoring forward doesn’t do enough on the defensive end, clogs Denver’s depth chart and would limit the team’s financial flexibility. At the right price, bringing the Rooster back could be worth exploring, but he figures to have plenty of suitors when free agency begins.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Next Chapters
Author: Matthew Huff – @Huff_Melo7
Link: Danilo Gallinari max contract
It’s no secret that Spencer Dinwiddie is a low-key guy and a natural when it comes to social media, but a recent feature published by Jorge Sierra over at HoopsHype raises the bar altogether. Read through a transcript of text messages Sierra and the Nets guard sent each other throughout Game 2 of the NBA Finals for a candid look into a conversation that ranged from GOATs to Iron Man.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Grown Adults Using Emojis
Author: Jorge Sierra – @HoopsHype
Link: Spencer Dinwiddie texting
A quick look at Jayson Tatum‘s highlight reel reveals an eerie similarity to Paul Pierce, Adam Miller says at Hardwood Houdini. Miller collect video showcasing the forward’s skill set, including a heavily used mid-range game, but stops short of saying that the Duke product will go on to piece together a career as successful as the Celtics legend.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Dopplegangers
Author: Adam Miller – @AMillerSports
Link: Jayson Tatum, Paul Pierce similarities
Basketball fans have had a tough time processing Kevin Durant‘s decision to join the Warriors, but that wasn’t the case for one 16 Wins a Ring scribe. Dylan Hughes has heard all the flak that Durant has had to endure his first year in Golden State, but still elects to openly root for him anyway. Hughes may be right when he says that we shouldn’t hate on the guy for doing something that makes him happy… but we probably will anyway.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Lifelong Grudges
Author: Dylan Hughes – @16WinsARing
Link: Don’t hate on Kevin Durant
Are we overthinking the changes that we’ve seen in the NBA over the course of the past half decade? Ben McLemore suggests as much. In an interview with Kimani Okearah of Sactown Royalty, the veteran downplays the notion that the league is heading in a new direction. Come for the chance to get in a few low-hanging-fruit Kings jokes, stay for the original photography.
Rating: 8 out of 10 Triple Threats
Author: Kimani Okearah – @TheKimansta
Link: Ben McLemore interview
It seems likely that Zhou Qi will arrive with the Rockets next season so Darren Yuvan of The Dream Shake took a look at what that might entail. While it’s hard not to be intrigued by the 7’2″ prospect, it’s not clear whether he’ll have a big enough frame to make much of a difference at the next level.
Rating: 7 out of 10 Tall Men
Author: Darren Yuvan – @DarrenYuvan
Link: Zhou Qi Rockets 2017-18
With free agency right around the corner, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will get his fair share of attention. It’s about time, then, that we get a better understanding of the path that’s led him from Greenville, Georgia to the Pistons. David Ramil’s comprehensive long-read published at The Step Back will answer any questions you may have about the potential $20MM man.
Rating: 9 out of 10 Hometown Heroes
Author: David Ramil – @DRamil13
Link: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope biography
Wondering how many picks your team has? Check out our 2017 NBA Draft Picks page. The Sixers have the most selections with five, though they are looking to deal at least one of their second-rounders. The draft is just two weeks away. As we wait for the big night, check out some notes on some of the prospects expecting to hear their name called on June 22:
- Harry Giles has plans to work out for the Pistons, Bulls, Heat, and Pacers before the draft, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian tweets. The Duke product has already met with the Kings and Blazers.
- Jarrett Allen will work out for the Nuggets on Friday, Nick Kosmider of The Denver Post tweets. Allen is the 17th best prospect in the upcoming draft, per Jonathan Givony of Draft Express.
- Allen will go through drills with the Kings on Saturday, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee passes along (Twitter link).
- Nick Kosmider of The Denver Post chronicles the hurdles that Caleb Swanigan has had to overcome to make his dream of playing basketball professionally a reality. The Purdue big man is expected to be taken in the second round of this year’s draft.
- Swanigan is scheduled to work out for his hometown Jazz on Saturday, sources tell Tony Jones of the Salt Lake City Tribune (Twitter link).
Selecting Malik Monk is the Sixers‘ best option at No. 3, Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer contends. While taking Monk so high may be considered a reach, Ford doesn’t see it that way. He argues that front office should disregard expert rankings and pick the player who would fit in best with the team.
Only five teams were worse than the Sixers from long-range last season, as I mentioned in the franchise’s offseason preview. The Sixers’ greatness need may be shooting and Monk, who Jonathan Givony of Draft Express ranks as the eighth best prospect in the draft, made 39.7% of his attempts from behind the arc during his lone season in Kentucky.
Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau said other teams have been trying to acquire the No. 7 overall pick, ESPN’s Nick Friedell tweets. Thibs added that he believes there will be high demand for many picks in the draft.
- Jordan Bell had an impressive workout with the Sixers, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “For a Dennis Rodman-like player who has the ability to play across a few positions, mainly defensively, we sat with him, had a great interview as we’ve learned more about him,” Sixers executive Brandon Williams said. If Bell falls in the draft, Philadelphia could be a team to watch out for since it has four selections in the second round.
- The Knicks worked out Ike Iroegbu and Trevor Thompson, Marc Berman of the New York Post passes along (Twitter link).
- Elie Okobo worked out for the Sixers today, Jessica Camerato of Comcast Sports relays (Twitter link). Okobo previously worked out for the Jazz and he plans to meet with the Nets and Hawks.
The Nets worked out several prospects today, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Jaron Blossomgame, Devin Robinson, Wesley Iwundu, Damyean Dotson, London Perrantes and Tarik Phillip all participated in drills for Brooklyn.
There’s more news on prospects meeting with teams. Here’s the latest:
- The Bulls had Luke Kennard, Shane Hammink, Isaiah Briscoe and Isaiah Hicks in for a workout today, Scotto tweets. Chicago owns the No. 16 and No. 38 overall draft selections.
- Jawun Evans will work out for the Blazers on Thursday and the Thunder on Friday, according to Scotto (Twitter link). The scribe adds that Evans will meet with the Jazz on Saturday.
- Tyler Dorsey worked out for the Sixers today, Jessica Camerato of Comcast Sportsnet tweets. Dorsey will also work out for the Blazers, Kings, Pelicans, Hornets, and Spurs before the June 22 draft.
- Sindarius Thornwell, Dotson, P.J. Dozier, Johnathan Motley, Semi Ojeleye and L.J. Rose will all work out for the Lakers on Friday, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times relays (Twitter link).
The Kings may be willing to trade both their No. 5 and No. 10 picks to move up in the draft so that they can move up to select De’Aaron Fox, according to Chad Ford of ESPN (link via Sporting News’ Joe Rodgers). Sacramento has apparently become infatuated with Fox and does not believe that he will be available at No. 5, prompting internal discussions about the possibility of trading up.
Here is more from the Pacific division:
- On Wednesday, the Kings will host their fifth pre-draft workout, per the team’s official website. Attendees will be Donovan Mitchell (Louisville), Dominique Hawkins (Kentucky), Caleb Swanigan (Purdue), Cameron Oliver (Nevada), Erik McCree (Louisiana Tech), and Jabari Bird (California).
- Beyond bringing back the Warriors‘ core, “every non-core player might end up elsewhere if the price is too high,” writes Tim Kawakami of The San Jose Mercury News. As Kawakami states, the Dubs have shown in the past “they can be fairly cut-throat in evaluating the middle-to-bottom of their roster.” The Kawakami piece also includes +/- statistics for the Warriors and Cavaliers this postseason, this year’s NBA Finals, and the Finals from a year ago.
- Malik Monk worked out for the Suns on Tuesday, per the team’s official Twitter account.
- Yoan Granvorka will work out for the Suns on Wednesday, according to Sportando (link via Twitter).
- The Lakers worked out point guard Jawun Evans and are considering him at No. 28, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com reports (link via Twitter). Howard-Cooper adds that Evans is “getting interest in the 20s, including from the Blazers with two in that range.”
The Kings entered the 2016/17 season with playoff aspirations, and flirted with the No. 8 spot for much of the first half, with new head coach Dave Joerger opting to lean on his veterans at the expense of regular minutes for many of the team’s young players. After Rudy Gay went down with an Achilles injury and DeMarcus Cousins was traded to the Pelicans, Sacramento’s rebuild began in earnest, and Joerger will likely make sure his youngsters see more action in 2017/18.
The Cousins trade was widely viewed as a mistake by the Kings at the time, with many pundits arguing that the club dumped the All-NBA center for 25 cents on the dollar. However, Buddy Hield looked good down the stretch, and the Pelicans’ inability to make a late-season run ensured that Sacramento landed a second top-10 pick as a result of the deal. Even if neither Hield nor this year’s No. 10 pick develop into the sort of impact player that Cousins has become, they can be solid building blocks for the new-look Kings.
With the rebuild underway, here are five key questions facing the Kings this offseason:
1. Is the front office stable?
Reports on the Kings’ front office in recent years have suggested that there are too many cooks in the kitchen, with rival teams uncertain of who to call to discuss trades and who has the authority to sign off on moves.
The team’s handling of the Cousins situation reflected that front office uncertainty — the move came shortly after Cousins’ camp was assured he wouldn’t be going anywhere, and reports indicated that Hield was acquired because of owner Vivek Ranadive‘s fondness for him, despite the fact that GM Vlade Divac ostensibly has the final say on basketball decisions.
The Kings solidified their front office a little in April by adding respected veteran exec Scott Perry to the mix as an executive VP of basketball operations. Perry is believed to be taking over some day-to-day duties from Divac, and it’s worth wondering if his presence has contributed to the Kings getting a few more first-round prospects in for workouts this spring than they have in past years.
2. What will the Kings do with their two top-10 picks?
- There’s some talk within the Kings‘ organization about packaging the 5th and 10th overall picks to move up and land Fox, who is viewed as a strong complement to Buddy Hield. However, that would be a steep price to pay, as Ford notes.
[SOURCE LINK]
Projected high lottery pick De’Aaron Fox worked out for the Kings on Monday and will visit three other teams with a Top 5 pick over the next week, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com tweets. The University of Kentucky point guard will work out for the Suns, who hold the No. 4 pick, later this week, Howard-Cooper continues. Fox will work out next week for the Sixers, who have the No. 3 pick, and the Lakers, slotted at No. 2, Howard-Cooper adds.
Fox, who averaged 16.7 PPG and 4.6 APG in his lone season with the Wildcats, is ranked No. 5 by DraftExpress and ESPN’s Chad Ford. That’s where the Kings sit on the draft board, and they certainly have a need at the position. The same could be said about the Lakers and Sixers, though most mock drafts predict Los Angeles will go with UCLA point man Lonzo Ball and Philadelphia will target Kansas small forward Josh Jackson.