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2016 NBA Draft

Malik Newman To Enter Draft

March 22nd, 2016 at 12:27pm CST by Chuck Myron

Mississippi State combo guard Malik Newman will enter this year’s NBA draft, as a source told Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com and Newman’s father confirmed to Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The freshman is the 46th-best prospect in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings and No. 55 with Chad Ford of ESPN.com, making him a second-round prospect. Newman won’t hire an agent, Rothstein hears, so he has until May 25th, 10 days after the end of the NBA draft combine, to withdraw and retain his college eligibility.

Newman was a top-flight prospect coming out of high school, ranking eighth in the final RSCI listing for 2015. His stock slipped this year, as he wasn’t a major scoring force for the Bulldogs, putting up only 11.3 points per game, even though he nailed 37.9% of his 3-point attempts. He isn’t an elite defender either, Ford writes in his profile, though the ESPN scribe is fond of his passing.

The 19-year-old’s best game this season was probably his 25-point outburst against in-state rival Mississippi on January 23rd. He didn’t have an outstanding team around him, as Mississippi State finished 14-17 and failed to qualify for postseason play.

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2016 NBA Draft Early Entrants List

March 21st, 2016 at 6:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

The college season ends two weeks from tonight, leaving the top American early-entry candidates for the NBA draft to face decisions about whether to turn pro. This year, that choice will be significantly easier, or at least more well-informed, because of NCAA rules changes that allow underclassmen to once more “test the waters.”

Players can declare for the draft until April 24th and withdraw any time until May 25th while maintaining their NCAA eligibility, as long as they don’t hire agents. Thus, the prospects can take part in the NBA draft combine from May 11th-15th, if invited, and they can work out for individual teams starting in late April. The NCAA withdrawal date came prior to the combine and workouts in the past few years, so when underclassmen entered the draft, it almost always meant they were there to stay and wouldn’t return to college ball. That’s different this year, when several are expected to gauge their stock as they go through the combine and workout experience and head back to college unless the feedback they get is particularly favorable.

So, the group of eligible draftees figures to change significantly between now and the end of May. It’ll undergo another set of adjustments on June 13th, the final day for international prospects and other non-NCAA players to withdraw. That’s 10 days before the June 23rd draft.

In the meantime, we’ll use this post to keep track of reports on prospects and their decisions. We’ll archive them all in a running list here, which will be accessible anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right sidebar.

The players below are in alphabetical order. Click on each name for a report about his decision to enter the draft. For an idea of how they stack up against one another, check out the lists of the top prospects on DraftExpress and ESPN.com. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.

Underclassmen

International
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Makai Mason To Enter Draft

March 21st, 2016 at 2:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Yale sophomore point guard Makai Mason will declare for this year’s NBA draft, reports Forbes contributor Darren Heitner (Twitter link). Mason’s father confirmed the news to Pete Thamel of SI Now (Twitter link). The 6’1″ sparkplug averaged 16.0 points per game this season, but he’s a long shot NBA prospect. It seems likely that he’s simply taking advantage of new rules that allow him to work out for NBA teams and later withdraw from the draft while retaining his college eligibility. He’s the 152nd-best prospect in the listings that Chad Ford of ESPN.com compiles, while Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress has him outside his rankings.

Mason burst onto the national scene with a 31-point game Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Baylor, leading Yale to the upset. He didn’t fare nearly as well in Saturday’s second-round game against Duke, going 2 for 12 from the floor for eight points to go along with seven assists and four turnovers as the Bulldogs season came to an end.

Questions about his size and his ability to defend will no doubt hamper whatever pro prospects he has, though entering the draft, a move that will allow him to work out in formal sessions against draft entrants with a better shot to hear their names called in June, gives him a chance to see just how large the gap is between his game and the NBA level. Chris Dudley, who played parts of 16 NBA seasons between 1987 and 2003, was the last player from Yale to appear in the NBA.

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Potential Top Pick Ben Simmons Headed to NBA

March 21st, 2016 at 8:45am CST by Dana Gauruder

LSU freshman Ben Simmons will hire an agent and enter the NBA draft, he told ESPN Insider Jeff Goodman. “I’m making it official,” Simmons told Goodman.

Simmons’ decision was a mere formality, as it was widely assumed he’d be a one-and-done prospect when he signed with the Tigers, who finished 19-14 and were not chosen for the NCAA Tournament.

The 6’10” Australia native averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game and has been at the top of most draft lists throughout the season, though he’s now vying for that honor with Duke freshman swingman Brandon Ingram.

Simmons has been compared to LeBron James and Magic Johnson because of his versatility and ballhandling skills, according to ESPN Insider Chad Ford, who still has Simmons atop his Big Board rankings. Simmons’ size, athleticism and passing ability will allow him to play multiple positions, anywhere from an oversized point guard to power forward. He prefers to play point forward, Ford adds, though there are questions about his motor.

Simmons’ best traits in the half-court revolve around his tremendous ballhandling and passing ability because of his court vision, as Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress notes in his in-depth analysis, though he hasn’t shown much range with his jump shot. Givony currently has Simmons ranked No. 2 behind Ingram.

Simmons plans to sign with Klutch Sports and agent Rich Paul, league sources recently told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. Paul is also James’ agent.

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And-Ones: Horford, Howard, LeVert, Simmons

March 15th, 2016 at 3:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey is unsurprisingly a major fan of soon-to-be free agent big man Al Horford, as Jason Quick of CSNNW.com tweets. Horford will reportedly prioritize the fifth year that the Hawks, and no one else, can offer him in a new contract this summer, but he hasn’t made any commitments despite his fondness for Atlanta, and he reportedly has a degree of interest in the Magic. Portland wouldn’t offer the geographical advantage of no state income tax and proximity to his college home of the University of Florida that the Magic could, but the Blazers have an intriguing backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to showcase to Horford and other free agents this summer, when the team will have only about $47MM in guaranteed salary on the books against a salary cap expected to be twice that amount. See more from around the league:

  • Rockets GM Daryl Morey was mum when ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan asked him whether he planned to re-sign Dwight Howard this summer, as Matt Dollinger of SI.com notes in a roundup of last week’s MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. Agent David Falk regards Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf as the toughest negotiator he’s ever gone against, Dollinger notes in the same piece.
  • Positional versatility and a strong overall package make Michigan swingman Caris LeVert an intriguing prospect, but he looks ill-suited to become a go-to guy, and his history of injuries is a concern, write Josh Riddell and Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress.
  • Sean Deveney of The Sporting News sides with LSU combo forward Ben Simmons in the debate over whether Simmons or Duke small forward Brandon Ingram is the top prospect in this year’s draft, listing Simmons atop his first mock draft. Ingram follows, with European power forward Dragan Bender at No. 3.
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Draft Notes: Ingram, Simmons, Dunn, Bentil

March 14th, 2016 at 3:18pm CST by Chuck Myron

Duke small forward Brandon Ingram is the new No. 1 crowning the list of top 2016 draft prospects that Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress compiles. Questions that dog LSU combo forward Ben Simmons about his shooting, competitiveness, character and whether he prefers to make highlights over sound fundamental plays have led Givony to make the change to Ingram, as the scribe details in a piece for The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. It’s a fluid process, naturally, and more than three months remain until the June 23rd draft. Still, given the hype surrounding Simmons, it’s a significant development. See more on the player Givony now lists No. 2 amid news on the draft:

  • Simmons plans to sign with Klutch Sports and agent Rich Paul, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports. That comes as no surprise in the wake of a recruiting effort that’s gone on for years, as Wojnarowski details. Emily Bush, Simmons’ older sister, has been a Klutch employee since 2014, Wojnarowski notes.
  • Top-10 prospect Kris Dunn is leaning toward Roc Nation Sports to represent him, according to Jake Fischer of SI Now (Twitter link). The Providence point guard is No. 5 in Givony’s rankings and seventh with Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
  • Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops looks at Dunn as well as other key prospects who took part in last week’s Big East tournament. A 38-point game from Dunn’s teammate, power forward Ben Bentil, stole the show, and one Eastern Conference executive told Scotto he’s hearing that Bentil would go in the late first or early second round if he declares.
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And-Ones: Anderson, Howard, Ellis

March 11th, 2016 at 10:25pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Southeast Missouri State freshman Tony Anderson intends to enter the 2016 NBA Draft, Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com reports. “This was the plan before I got to college,” Anderson told Goodman. “I don’t plan on playing college basketball again. I know it’s a rare situation, but my goal is to play in the NBA.” The league’s new rules allow underclassmen to again “test the waters” and take part in the NBA combine while still maintaining their college eligibility should they decide to withdraw from the draft. But it appears Anderson is set on leaving school, telling Goodman he has already withdrawn from classes and intends to hire an agent. The power forward did note that he hasn’t spoken with any potential representatives yet, the scribe adds. “I’m taking the process slow of getting an agent,” Anderson said. “I’m letting God lead me in that.”

If Anderson does hire an agent he won’t have the option to return to school, which could prove problematic if he goes undrafted in June, an outcome that is a distinct possibility, according to several NBA executives Goodman spoke with about the player. “He needs to go back to school,” one executive told Goodman. “With his numbers — on that team — he doesn’t have a chance.” The 18-year-old only notched 4.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per contest this season.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • If LeBron James can return to Cleveland and be embraced by the fans, the possibility exists that the same could happen for Dwight Howard in Orlando, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel posits. The scribe notes that a reunion, while improbable, has the potential to benefit both sides. Returning to a star-hungry Magic squad would allow Howard to be the primary option once again on offense, while Orlando would land itself an upper-tier player who could help attract other free agents, Schmitz adds. Howard’s firing of agent Dan Fegan could also help make a reunion happen, as Fegan’s relationship with the team was a contentious one, Schmitz also notes. The Rockets center is widely expected to turn down his player option and hit free agency this summer.
  • The Mavericks believe they will be better off in the long run having allowed Monta Ellis to depart as a free agent and adding Wesley Matthews in his stead, despite Matthews not yet providing the same production Ellis did during his two-year stint in Dallas, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes. Coach Rick Carlisle did note that he was pleased with Ellis’ play for the team and added that salary cap constraints factored heavily into the decision to not pursue the shooting guard last summer, Sefko relays.
  • The Suns, Nets, Wizards and Pelicans all saw disabled player exceptions expire Thursday, the leaguewide deadline to use them. Phoenix’s was worth $5.464MM to offset Eric Bledsoe‘s injury, Brooklyn had one worth $3.1MM for Jarrett Jack, Washington’s came in at $2,806,750 for Martell Webster, and New Orleans had one for $1,691,012 because of Quincy Pondexter‘s injury.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

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And-Ones: George Karl, Spurs Ownership, Draft

March 11th, 2016 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The overwhelming sense in the Kings organization is that George Karl is in his final weeks as coach, writes Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee. That jibes with earlier reporting that cast doubt on the idea of Karl remaining in his position beyond this season, even though he made it through a near-dismissal last month. Players say the 63-year-old doesn’t appear to have the energy or vocal cords necessary to continue to face the challenge of coaching DeMarcus Cousins, whom the Kings suspended Thursday for his latest verbal clash with Karl, Voisin adds. Karl nonetheless downplayed the implications of Thursday’s cancer treatment, which removed squamous cell carcinoma on the left side of his neck, as Voisin relays. The columnist proposes moving Karl into the front office as a solution, and it’s an idea to which GM Vlade Divac is open, Voisin notes. See more from around the NBA:

  • Peter Holt’s decision to step down as owner of the Spurs was surprising, and the timing was odd, coming in the midst of another run at a title, but it’s in line with the 67-year-old’s gradual tapering of his professional responsibilities, sources tell Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio-Express News. Holt’s past history of alcoholism wasn’t a factor in his decision, said new co-CEO Rick Pych, who promised that he doesn’t plan any significant change for the organization, given his longstanding history with Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford. New primary owner Julianna Hawn Holt, Peter Holt’s wife, long ago established herself with the team, minority-share owner Stephen Lang told Orsborn, lending further credence to the idea that no major overhaul is coming.
  • Louisville sophomore center Chinanu Onuaku will declare for the draft, coach Rick Pitino said, as Jeff Greer of The Courier-Journal notes. That doesn’t mean he’s necessarily draft-bound, as new rules allow underclassmen to again “test the waters” and take part in the NBA combine while still maintaining their college eligibility should they decide to withdraw from the draft. Onuaku, the younger brother of Arinze Onuaku, is the 51st-best prospect in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings and comes in 58th with Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
  • Ford gives his take on the most likely pick for each team currently slated for a lottery pick in an Insider-only piece.
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And-Ones: Anderson, Carter, Matthews

March 8th, 2016 at 10:41pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Ryan Anderson is strongly considering a change of scenery this summer when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, which makes the Pelicans‘ decision not to trade him prior to this season’s deadline puzzling, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders writes. Sources tell Kennedy that Anderson seems to be leaning toward signing with a team other than New Orleans. Teams expressing interest in Anderson leading up to the deadline included the Wizards, Pistons, Cavaliers, Clippers, Kings and Suns, Kennedy notes. It’s unclear just how many of those teams will pursue Anderson this summer, with Washington acquiring Markieff Morris, Detroit landing Tobias Harris, Channing Frye ending up in Cleveland and Jeff Green now a member of the Clippers as a result of various deadline trades.

The 27-year-old says he hasn’t discussed his pending free agency with the team yet, Kennedy notes. ”No conversations at all about it,” Anderson told reporters. ”Obviously I think they are in the same boat, so many things can happen they may have multiple pieces they are thinking about. A lot of stuff that I don’t know about obviously that they talk about behind closed doors. So I haven’t communicated at all with them.”

Here’s more from around the league:

  • Mavericks swingman Wesley Matthews scoffs at the notion that the Dallas roster is devoid of talent and places the blame for the team’s struggles this season on porous defense, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com relays (ESPN Now link). “A talent problem? No, we don’t have a talent problem,” Matthews told MacMahon. “If we don’t have a talent problem, then what’s the problem? We’re giving up too many points in transition. I just said it. I mean, you guys can pick apart our team all you want. We’ve got talent on this team. So y’all can miss me with that.“
  • Kentucky freshman center Skal Labissiere has played his way back into the lottery in the latest mock draft from Jonathan Givony of Draft Express. The young big man is currently projected to go 10th after plummeting toward the bottom of the first round in Givony’s previous projection. Labissiere is averaging 6.8 points and 3.2 rebounds on the season, and while he’s picked up his play as of late, scouts remain skeptical and want to see how well he performs in postseason tournaments before making their final judgments, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv relays.
  • One reason for the Trail Blazers‘ surprise success this season is that the players have fully embraced coach Terry Stotts and his combination of compassion, toughness and basketball IQ, Jason Quick of CSNNW.com writes.
  • Small forward Sampson Carter, who was with the Grizzlies during the preseason, has signed with the Mexican club Caballeros de Culiacan, the team announced (translation via Orazio Cauchi of Sportando).
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Prospect Profile: Denzel Valentine (Part 2)

March 7th, 2016 at 11:39am CST by Dana Gauruder

PROJECTED DRAFT RANGE: Michigan State senior swingman Denzel Valentine has some work to do during postseason evaluations to become a lottery pick. He’s currently ranked No. 22 on Chad Ford’s latest ESPN.com Big Board, while Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress pegs him at No. 18, so he’s projected as a mid-to-low first-rounder. ESPN lists him as the No. 4 small forward — though it’s a stretch to say he’ll play that position in the NBA — and No. 4 among players that DraftExpress lists primarily as shooting guards.

RISE/FALL: Valentine’s all-around game and maturity could help his draft status. He should be able to step into a team’s rotation, if not a starting role, in his first season. Scouts and front-office personnel will also be impressed by Valentine’s ability to raise his level of play against tough competition. He was the Spartans’ best player during their Final Four run last season, and early this season he lit up Kansas, the nation’s top-ranked team entering conference tournament play, with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Valentine is arguably the best and most polished passer in the draft, ahead of even the point guard prospects, and he has a well-above average jump shot to complement his distribution skills. The biggest thing he’ll have to prove is that he won’t be a major defensive liability. His instincts and basketball IQ can help him overcome that to an extent, but he’ll have to show he won’t consistently get beaten off the dribble. His below-average athleticism will keep him out of the Top 10, but it’s quite conceivable he’ll end up as a late lottery selection.

FIT: There are plenty of teams that could use another offensive facilitator and shooter at the wing spots. He’d be a nice fit for the Heat, as a backup or even eventual replacement for Dwyane Wade. The Hawks could certainly use a boost in that area, and he would seem to be an ideal fit for the Knicks’ triangle with his ability to read, react and shoot. He’d also be a nice offensive fit for half-court reliant Western Conference clubs like the Mavericks, Grizzlies and Jazz.

FINAL TAKE: Michigan State coach Tom Izzo doesn’t hide his affection for Valentine. As he recently told the assembled media, including Hoops Rumors, “I don’t know many guys that have improved in every aspect of the game like he has. He’s the closest thing to a player/coach that you could have.” I suspect Valentine’s NBA coaches will have similar feelings about him. He may not be a star in the NBA, but he should emerge as a rock solid starter who will have a better career than several of the players picked ahead of him.

(For Part 1 of our Denzel Valentine Draft Analysis, click here.)

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