2016 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Maryland PF Robert Carter To Enter Draft

April 7th, 2016 at 1:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

Maryland junior power forward Robert Carter will enter this year’s draft, sources told Jeff Ermann of InsideMDSports.com. Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com confirms the report (Twitter link). Ermann heard he’ll likely sign with an agent, while Goodman reports he will indeed do so, a move that means he’s forfeiting his remaining college eligibility. The 6’8″ 22-year-old Carter is 57th in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings and 62nd on Chad Ford’s ESPN.com list.

The native of Thomasville, Georgia, played just one season at Maryland after transferring from Georgia Tech. He displayed more range with the Terrapins, nailing 33.3% of his 3-pointers this season, but while he’s a versatile scorer, notching 12.3 points per game this season, his defense is a major concern, as Givony wrote last month.

Carter’s rebounding declined to 6.9 boards per contest this season from 8.4 in his last year with the Yellow Jackets. He averaged 8.7 boards in three NCAA Tournament games this year but scored only in the single digits in each of those contests. He averaged 1.3 blocks per game but swatted only one shot in the tournament. Carter was 30th in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index coming out of high school.

Texas PG Isaiah Taylor To Test Draft Waters

April 7th, 2016 at 1:09pm CST by Chuck Myron

Texas junior point guard Isaiah Taylor will enter this year’s draft but hold off on hiring an agent, a source told Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The 6’3″ 21-year-old is the 66th-best prospect in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings but Chad Ford of ESPN.com lists him at only No. 151. Taylor will have a chance to gauge which projection is more accurate as he works out for NBA teams and perhaps take part in the NBA combine over the next several weeks, but he’ll be able to retain his college eligibility as long as he withdraws by May 25th and doesn’t hire an agent.

Taylor was 47th in Ford’s rankings and 76th in Givony’s when he decided against entering the draft last year, as we noted at the time. The Hayward, California, native showed improvement in just about every statistical category this season, averaging 15.0 points, 5.0 assists and 1.8 turnovers per game. His shooting also improved, to 42% from the floor and 30.6% from behind the arc, but his jumper could still use some work, Ford notes.

He wasn’t ranked in the top 100 of the Recruiting Services Consensus Index coming out of high school in 2013, but he’s started every game he’s played at Texas. He set a career high with 35 points in January against Texas Tech.

Indiana C Thomas Bryant Declines To Enter Draft

April 7th, 2016 at 9:09am CST by Chuck Myron

Indiana freshman center Thomas Bryant has decided against entering this year’s NBA draft, sources told Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The 6’10” 18-year-old had been a first-round prospect, coming in 23rd in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings and 26th with Chad Ford of ESPN.com. He figures to improve his stock with another year in college, as Givony has him eighth in his 2017 mock draft.

The relative youth of the Rochester, New York, native raised concern for one NBA executive, who told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv he doesn’t think Bryant is physically ready for the NBA. Still, it’s somewhat surprising that he didn’t at least enter the draft to go through workouts and the combine and gauge his stock, since prospects can do so and still retain their college eligibility if they withdraw from the draft by May 25th and refrain from hiring an agent. That said, prospects can only “test the waters” twice before they become automatically draft-eligible, so if Bryant had entered and withdrawn from the draft this year and again next year, he could be drafted after his junior year, ready or not.

Bryant was No. 25 in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index last year, but the Hoosiers limited his playing time this season to some degree as he averaged just 22.6 minutes per game. He posted 11.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per outing with 68.3% shooting.

And-Ones: Teletovic, Harrell, Draft

April 6th, 2016 at 10:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Mirza Teletovic has indicated that he wants to remain with the Suns beyond this season and that feeling is shared by the team, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 relays (via Twitter). Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough said the Suns will attempt to re-sign the power forward this summer and that the interest was mutual, Gambadoro adds. Teletovic, who is earning $5.5MM on a one-year pact, has appeared in 75 games this season and is averaging 11.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.8 minutes per outing.

Here’s more from around the league:

The NBPA is challenging the D-League’s decision to suspend Rockets rookie Montrezl Harrell for five games for shoving an official, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle notes (Twitter links). The NBPA is seeking to recoup Harrell’s lost pay and to change the precedent set by the ruling, Feigen adds.
Sophomore point guard Tyler Ulis intends to hire an agent and remain in the 2016 NBA Draft, the University of Kentucky announced (on Twitter). If Ulis does secure representation, it would eliminate the possibility of him returning to school for his junior season.
Duke freshman small forward Brandon Ingram has signed with Excel Sports Management and agent Jeff Schwartz, Liz Mullen of The Sports Business Journal reports (via Twitter). Ingram is the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.
UConn women’s coach Geno Auriemma, who on Tuesday won his 11th NCAA title, has interest in joining the NBA coaching ranks at some point in his career, sources inform Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. “Geno’s a great coach, he knows players and he knows X’s and O’s,” a source told Deveney. “I think he’d like to try the NBA eventually, either head coaching or part of a staff at first. Not tomorrow, but I think it is a matter of when and not if. Coaching is coaching, and the guy can coach.” The 62-year-old is under contract with UConn through the 2017/18 season.

Kris Jenkins, Josh Hart To Enter NBA Draft

April 6th, 2016 at 3:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Villanova combo forward Kris Jenkins and shooting guard Josh Hart will test the waters and enter the 2016 NBA draft, Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com reports (via Twitter). The players don’t appear to be hiring agents, which would allow them to withdraw prior to the May 25th deadline and return to school if they want.

Jenkins, a junior, connected on the game-winning shot Monday evening that gave Villanova the 2015/16 NCAA championship. He appeared in 40 games for the Wildcats this season and averaged 13.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists. His slash line on the campaign was .459/.386/.845. The 22-year-old entered school as the No. 74 overall prospect according to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index. He isn’t currently ranked among the top 100 prospects by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

Hart comes in at No. 36 overall according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com, though he’s only the 17th-best junior according to Givony, who tabs him 68th overall and projects him as a second-round pick in 2017. The 21-year-old was the No. 97 overall recruit in his class according to the RSCI. Hart made 40 appearances for the Wildcats this season, notching averages of 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists to accompany a shooting line of .513/.357/.752.

Dragan Bender Enters Draft

April 6th, 2016 at 11:40am CST by Chuck Myron

11:40am: Bender is unlikely to take part in any predraft workouts for NBA teams, Pick hears (Twitter link). The season for his team in Israel could stretch until June 9th, precisely two weeks prior to the draft, as Pick points out.

9:14am: The buyout in Bender’s Israel deal is in excess of $1MM, a source told Pick, who nonetheless adds that he still won’t become a draft-and-stash prospect (Twitter link).

8:46am: Elite European prospect Dragan Bender officially entered the draft this morning, agent Doug Neustadt says, according to Fran Fraschilla of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The 18-year-old power forward already told Maccabi Tel Aviv, the Israeli team he’s played for this season, that he intends to leave, tweets international journalist David Pick. Bender is the No. 3 prospect in the rankings that both Chad Ford of ESPN.com and Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress compile.

Officials from at least one NBA team believe the buyout clause in his contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv requires only $650K, precisely the amount an NBA can pay without it affecting his rookie scale contract, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reported earlier this week. That, combined with the news that he’s told the Israeli team he’s headed elsewhere, seems to make it clear that Bender won’t be a draft-and-stash player and will appear on NBA hardwoods this fall. If so, it’ll bring years of anticipation to a climax, though he doesn’t turn 19 until November, and his body isn’t close to ready for the NBA, Givony wrote in February.

Bender has nonetheless been the object of intrigue for quite some time despite his pedestrian stats overseas. He’s seen just 12.3 minutes per game for Tel Aviv so far this season, averaging 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds, though he’s shown an emerging 3-point stroke, hitting 39.7% of his 63 attempts. He can play small forward or center in addition to the four, as Ford notes in his profile, and that versatility comes with an underrated toughness, according to Givony.

Duke SG Grayson Allen Declines To Enter Draft

April 6th, 2016 at 10:52am CST by Chuck Myron

Duke sophomore shooting guard Grayson Allen has decided against entering this year’s draft, the school announced. The leading scorer for the Blue Devils was a fringe first-round prospect, ranking 30th in Chad Ford’s ESPN Insider listings and 34th with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.

The 20-year-old broke out in a major way this season, averaging 21.6 points in 36.6 minutes per game after seeing single digits in both categories last year on a richly talented Duke squad that won the national championship. Still, Allen made his presence felt with 16 points in the 2015 title game. This year’s Blue Devils fell in the third round of this year’s NCAA Tournament despite the presence of Allen and Brandon Ingram, a strong candidate for the No. 1 overall selection. Allen’s size is an issue for NBA scouts, according to Ford, who lists him at 6’5″. Givony pegs him as only 6’4″. Allen led the Blue Devils with 3.5 assists per game this season and can play the point, according to Ford, so that could ultimately ease size concerns.

It’s somewhat surprising to see Allen decide against the draft, particularly given the ability prospects have this year to take part in workouts for NBA teams, as well as the combine, while still retaining their college eligibility if they refrain from hiring an agent and withdraw by May 25th. Allen could have shown NBA teams what he can do at the point, though he figures to have an opportunity to do the same with next season’s Blue Devils, who are positioned as the favorites for the 2017 title with another strong recruiting class coming in.

Gonzaga F/C Domantas Sabonis To Enter Draft

April 6th, 2016 at 7:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Gonzaga sophomore forward/center Domantas Sabonis will enter this year’s draft, sources told Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The son of Hall-of-Famer Arvydas Sabonis is likely to sign with an agent, Goodman adds. If he does so, he’ll be unable to withdraw from the draft and retain his college eligibility. The 6’10” 20-year-old is the 15th-best prospect in Chad Ford’s ESPN Insider rankings and No. 19 on Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress list.

This was a breakout season for Sabonis, who averaged 17.6 points on 61.1% shooting. His 11.8 rebounds per contest were the sixth-most in NCAA Division I. He raised his game even further in the NCAA Tournament last month, averaging 19.7 points and 14.3 boards in three outings. Ford compliments his passing, a trait passed down from his father, though his 1.8 assists per game for the Bulldogs this season weren’t eye-popping. He lacks an outside game, attempting only 14 3-pointers all season, though he made five of them.

The Portland, Oregon, native was 26th in the 247Sports recruiting rankings in 2014, one of the ratings used in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index, but he went to high school in Spain instead of the United States, keeping him out of the other ratings. In any case, he spent his freshman year at Gonzaga as a bench player, but his career took off following his insertion into the starting lineup in an early December game against Washington State this season. He scored a career-high 36 points against Tennessee a few weeks later.

Oakland PG Kay Felder To Enter Draft

April 6th, 2016 at 7:46am CST by Chuck Myron

WEDNESDAY, 7:46am: Felder is actively seeking an agent and doesn’t plan to return to school, as he tells Tony Paul of The Detroit News, adding that the only way he would go back to Oakland is if he can’t find an agent he’s comfortable with.

TUESDAY, 10:26am: Oakland University point guard Kay Felder will enter this year’s draft without an agent, sources told Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). The 21-year-old junior can return to school for another year if he withdraws by May 25th and doesn’t sign with an agent. Felder has a legitimate chance to be drafted in spite of his diminutive 5’9″ height, as he ranks 69th in Chad Ford’s ESPN Insider rankings. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress pegs him 72nd.

That’s in part because of his impressive numbers. He led NCAA Division I with 9.3 assists per game and was third in scoring average at 24.4, though he did so against mediocre competition. Oakland, part of the Horizon League, played only the 182nd-strongest schedule among Division I teams, according to Sports Reference. Still, Felder delivered against top competition when he had the chance, scoring 37, one off his season-high, against Michigan State, which earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and 30 points against eventual NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed Virginia.

He’s also a strong rebounder for his height, having grabbed 4.3 per game this season, and he kept his turnovers relatively low at 3.4 per contest. The most significant questions surrounding Felder involve his defense, though his sometimes listless performance on that end of the floor is in part because of the energy he had to expend on offense for Oakland, Givony writes. The Golden Grizzlies needed all they could get from Felder, as they finished second in the Horizon during the regular season but lost their first conference tournament game and were relegated to the Las Vegas 16, a first-year postseason tournament.

Felder entered college outside the top 100 in the 2013 Recruiting Services Consensus Index, and while he won Horizon Freshman of the Year honors, he didn’t become a scoring force until he was a sophomore, lifting his points per game from 9.5 to 18.1.

And-Ones: Jersey Ads, Ellenson, Valentine

April 5th, 2016 at 10:17pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The NBA is giving serious consideration to allowing advertising on the jerseys of teams beginning in 2017/18 and the Raptors have suggested to potential advertisers that the on-jersey ads will cost between $4MM and $5MM per season, Rick Westhead of TSN.ca relays. During their sales pitches, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment executives have discussed the prospect of ads of about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, which would be the same size as the Kia Motors Corp. ad that appeared on the NBA All-Star Game jerseys this year in Toronto, Westhead notes. MLSE is looking to set the precedent that advertisements are worth as much as $5MM per season because officials are concerned that marketers might try to use contract values secured by smaller-market teams as a bargaining chip, the TSN scribe adds.

It remains unclear how on-jersey ads would affect the revenue sharing around the league. One possible scenario drawing mention would see teams keep 50% of the revenue they generate from such ads and put the other half into a league-wide fund that is split equally between franchises, Westhead writes.

Here’s more from around the league:

Marquette power forward Henry Ellenson has not officially chosen an agent yet, but the freshman is likely to sign with Roc Nation, relays Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times (Twitter links). The 6’10” Ellenson is initially expected to play the four in the NBA, but a number of scouts project that his best position will eventually be center, Woelfel adds. Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress list of the top 100 prospects ranks Ellenson ninth overall, while Chad Ford has him sixth in his latest ESPN Insider rankings.
Michigan State senior shooting guard Denzel Valentine has signed with the Wasserman Media Group and agent B.J. Armstrong, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated tweets. Dana Gauruder of Hoops Rumors profiled Valentine last month.
UConn small forward Daniel Hamilton, who’s planning to enter this year’s draft, intends to hire an agent, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv reports (Twitter link). If the sophomore does secure representation, it would prevent him from withdrawing from the draft and returning to school for his junior campaign.