2018 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Dzanan Musa Enters 2018 NBA Draft

April 12th, 2018 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

Bosnian swingman Dzanan Musa has elected to enter his name in the 2018 NBA draft pool, according to a tweet from agent Misko Raznatovic (hat tip to Sportando).

Musa, a 6’9″ scorer who is currently playing for Cedevita Zagreb in the Croatian League, is considered the No. 22 player in the 2018 draft class by Jonathan Givony of ESPN. In his most recent mock draft, Givony had Musa coming off the board 21st overall, writing that the youngster’s “size, scoring instincts and aggressiveness could be intriguing” in the second half of the first round.

When he scouted Musa earlier this year, ESPN’s Mike Schmitz suggested that the 18-year-old is “in the conversation” for 2018’s best international prospect outside of Luka Doncic. In Schmitz’s view, Musa projects as a productive bench scorer for an NBA team, though his medical reports will be important — Musa has dealt with back issues since he was young, per Schmitz.

Born in 1999, Musa would have a few more opportunities to enter the draft in future years if he decides to withdraw this spring. With no NCAA eligibility to worry about, he’ll have until June 11 to make that call.

Details On Traded Picks, Upcoming Draft Tiebreakers

April 12th, 2018 at 12:20am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2017/18 NBA regular season in the books, the postseason matchups are set in both the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference.

More importantly for fans of most non-playoff teams, the end of the regular season means that the 2018 NBA draft picture is clearer than ever. The 2018 draft order is close to being set and – with a small handful of exceptions – most of this year’s traded draft picks with protections on them have now officially changed hands or officially stayed put.

However, there are still some major question marks surrounding the draft order, since several clubs finished the regular season with identical records, and draft tiebreakers don’t work like playoff tiebreakers do. In order to break these ties, the NBA will conduct random drawings this Friday, as Jonathan Givony of ESPN notes (via Twitter).

[RELATED: 2017/18 NBA Reverse Standings]

For lottery teams, such as the 24-58 Mavericks and Hawks, who finished tied for third in the lottery standings, the implications of those drawings are huge. Whichever team wins that tiebreaker will have ever-so-slightly better odds at the first overall pick (13.8% to 13.7%), and will be in position to claim the higher first-round pick if neither team lands in the top three.

For instance, if the Suns and Grizzlies remain at No. 1 and No. 2 in the lottery and another team leapfrogs the Mavs and Hawks, the winner of the tiebreaker between Dallas and Atlanta would claim the No. 4 overall pick — the loser would get No. 5. For the second round, the loser of the tiebreaker would receive the higher selection.

Here are the draft tiebreakers that will be conducted on Friday:

Mavericks vs. Hawks for Nos. 3, 4.
Kings vs. Bulls for Nos. 6, 7.
Bucks vs. Heat for Nos. 16, 17.
Spurs vs. Timberwolves for Nos. 18, 19.
Pacers vs. Pelicans vs. Thunder vs. Jazz for Nos. 20-23.

Several of those tiebreakers will also affect this year’s traded picks. Most notably, the Bucks/Heat drawing has massive implications for Milwaukee and Phoenix — the Bucks’ first-round pick will head to the Suns if it lands at No. 16, but Milwaukee would keep it if it ends up at No. 17. In other words, each team has a 50/50 shot at the pick. If the Bucks keep it, they’d owe their 2019 first-round selection to Phoenix, albeit with somewhat similar protections.

Here’s a breakdown of the traded first-round picks for 2018. A check mark indicates the pick will definitely be sent to the indicated team:

Nets pick to Cavaliers (✔️): Eighth in lottery standings
Lakers pick to Sixers (97.1%) or Celtics (2.9%): 10th in lottery standings
- Note: Celtics will receive pick if it lands at No. 2 or No. 3 via the lottery.
Pistons pick to Clippers (97.5%): 12th in lottery standings
- Note: Pistons will keep pick if it lands in top three via the lottery.
Heat pick to Suns (✔️): No. 16 or 17 (tie)
Bucks pick to Suns (50%): No. 16 or 17 (tie)
- Note: Bucks will keep pick if it lands at No. 17 via a random drawing.
Timberwolves pick to Hawks (✔️): No. 18 or 19 (tie)
Thunder pick to Timberwolves (✔️): No. 20, 21, 22, or 23 (four-way tie)
Pelicans pick to Bulls (✔️): No. 20, 21, 22, or 23 (four-way tie)
Cavaliers pick to Lakers (✔️): No. 25
Raptors pick to Nets (✔️): No. 29
Rockets pick to Hawks (✔️): No. 30

Here’s a breakdown of the traded second-round picks that will change hands in 2018:

Bulls pick to Knicks (✔️): No. 36 or 37 (tie)
Nets pick to Sixers (✔️): No. 38
Knicks pick to Sixers (✔️): No. 39
Lakers pick to Nets (✔️): No. 40
Hornets pick to Magic (✔️): No. 41
Clippers pick to Nuggets (✔️): No. 43
Bucks pick to Nets (✔️): No. 45 or 46 (tie)
Heat pick to Rockets (✔️): No. 45 or 46 (tie)
Nuggets pick to Lakers (✔️): No. 47
Trail Blazers pick to Mavericks (✔️): No. 54
Cavaliers pick to Hornets (✔️): No. 55
Celtics pick to Thunder (✔️): No. 57
Warriors pick to Nuggets (✔️): No. 58
Raptors pick to Suns (✔️): No. 59
Rockets pick to Sixers (✔️): No. 60

Elie Okobo Enters 2018 NBA Draft

April 11th, 2018 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

French guard Elie Okobo has become the latest top international prospect to enter his name in the 2018 NBA draft pool, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. Agent Herman Manakyan informs Givony that Okobo has submitted the necessary paperwork to make himself draft-eligible for 2018.

“This was not a difficult decision for me. I am confident in my abilities, and I am focused on my goal of playing in the NBA,” Okobo told ESPN. “As I look at the field, I am confident I am one of the best point guards in the draft.”

While Givony ranks several point guards ahead of Okobo on his big board, the 20-year-old comes in at No. 38, giving him a chance to be a first-round pick this June. Okobo has had a very productive season for Pau-Orthez in the French League, averaging 13.0 PPG and 4.3 APG in 27 games (26.4 MPG). He has also knocked down 38.9% of his three-point tries.

As Givony details, Okobo has excellent size and scoring instincts, and has attracted “significant attention” this year from NBA scouts. In 2017, Okobo entered the draft and later withdrew his name, but he looks like a good bet to remain in this year’s class, Givony writes.

“I am confident this is the right time for me, and I am already receiving very strong feedback from the teams that have come to see me play this season,” Okobo said. “I hope to land with a team that is serious about player development that will help me to continue improving my skills.”

Jalen Brunson Entering 2018 NBA Draft

April 11th, 2018 at 8:09am CST by Luke Adams

A day after word broke that Villanova’s Mikal Bridges will be leaving school to go pro, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that teammate Jalen Brunson will follow suit. According to Wojnarowski, Brunson will enter the 2018 NBA draft and will forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility.

“After careful consideration and prayer, I have decided to enter the June NBA draft and hire an agent,” Brunson wrote in an essay for ESPN.com.

Brunson, a two-time NCAA champion like Bridges, is coming off an incredibly productive junior year in which he averaged 18.9 PPG, 4.6 APG, and 3.1 RPG with a shooting line of .521/.408/.802. The performance earned him 2018’s Naismith and Wooden awards for College Player of the Year.

Although he’s just the 36th-ranked player on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com, Brunson boosted his stock in this year’s NCAA tournament, making an impression on NBA scouts with his leadership and toughness. Givony has the junior point guard coming off the board at No. 26 in his most recent mock draft.

Draft Updates: Hogg, Dorn, Wiley, Jogela

April 10th, 2018 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Texas A&M forward D.J. Hogg will enter the 2018 NBA draft and will sign with an agent, a source tells Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports (Twitter link). The move will see Hogg, who is coming off his junior season, forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility to go pro.

The 66th-ranked prospect on Jonathan Givony’s current big board at ESPN.com, Hogg averaged 11.1 PPG and 5.3 RPG for the Aggies in 2017/18. He also bumped up his shooting percentages a little, knocking down 41.0% of his attempts from the field, including 37.8% of his three-pointers.

Here are a few more draft-related notes:

NC State junior guard Torin Dorn has decided to test the draft waters without hiring an agent, sources tell ESPN’s Jeff Goodman (Twitter link). Dorn is coming off a solid season with the Wolfpack in which he averaged 13.9 PPG and 6.3 RPG with a .531 FG%.
Auburn center Austin Wiley will become the third Tigers underclassmen to enter his name in the 2018 NBA draft pool, announcing today that he’ll test the waters without an agent (Twitter link). Wiley didn’t play at all during his sophomore season, with Auburn opting to sit him out due to concerns about a link to former associate head coach Chuck Person, who was being investigated by the FBI. Wiley joins Jared Harper as Auburn players testing the waters, while teammate Mustapha Heron is going pro.
Lithuanian forward Matas Jogela has entered the draft, agent Tadas Bulotas informed Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Jogela currently ranks eighth on ESPN’s list of 1998-born international prospects. “I have three more years to get a chance in the NBA draft,” Jogela told Givony. “I feel like it is about time to get my name out there. It wasn’t really a hard decision, I have a chance to still take my name out this year and next.”
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders published an updated version of his mock draft today, headed by the usual duo of Deandre Ayton and Luka Doncic.

Mikal Bridges Entering 2018 NBA Draft

April 10th, 2018 at 7:52am CST by Luke Adams

Villanova forward Mikal Bridges has decided to forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility and enter this year’s draft, he tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

As Wojnarowski notes, Bridges is considered a probable lottery pick this year, and is viewed as one of the most talented two-way players in the 2018 class. A 6’7″ small forward, Bridges has the ability to defend multiple positions and to knock down three-pointers, making him an ideal NBA prospect on the wing.

“There’s space in the NBA on the floor, and there’s this move toward position-less basketball that I fit into,” Bridges told Wojnarowski. “I can shoot the ball. I can defend. I can move without the ball. I’m progressing in my game, getting better through work every day.”

Bridges took a major step forward during his junior year at Villanova, increasing his PPG from 9.8 in 2016/17 to 17.7 in 2017/18, en route to a second championship in three years. He also contributed 5.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG, and 1.1 BPG for the Wildcats this season, with a very efficient shooting line of .514/.435/.851.

In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has Bridges coming off the board at No. 10 to the Sixers, though Givony observes that the 21-year-old’s versatility makes him “an easy player to slot on almost any NBA roster.”

Kentucky Guard Gilgeous-Alexander Declares For Draft

April 9th, 2018 at 6:12pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kentucky freshman point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will enter the draft and sign with an agent, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s decision certainly comes as no surprise, given that he’s a projected lottery pick and could be the first college point guard off the board. He’s currently ranked No. 12 overall by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

That’s a few notches below the two other top college point guards, Oklahoma’s Trae Young (No. 8) and Alabama’s Collin Sexton (No. 9). But his stock could certainly rise during predraft workouts and he also has the versatile to swing over to the shooting guard spot.

At 6’6”, Gilgeous-Alexander has exceptional size for a point man.

In his lone college season, he averaged 14.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 5.1 APG and 1.6 SPG in 33.7 MPG. He shot a solid 48.5% from the field and 40.4% from long range, though he only attempted 57 3-pointers.

Gilgeous-Alexander posted 27 points, six rebounds and six assists in Kentucky’s opening-round NCAA Tournament win over Buffalo but was held to 15 points by Kansas State when the Wildcats were eliminated.

Khyri Thomas To Test 2018 NBA Draft Waters

April 9th, 2018 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Creighton shooting guard Khyri Thomas will enter the 2018 NBA draft, he confirmed to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman (Twitter link). However, for the time being, Thomas won’t hire an agent, maintaining the ability to withdraw his name later in the process and return to school.

Thomas is coming off a successful junior year with the Bluejays in which he averaged 15.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 2.8 APG. He also had the best shooting year of his college career, posting a .538/.411/.788 line.

Currently ranked the 23rd overall prospect on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com, Thomas also came off the board at No. 23 in Givony’s newest mock draft. ESPN’s draft expert refers to Thomas as “one of the better defenders in college basketball” who is also a “willing ball mover and a promising spot-up shooter.” If he stays in the draft, the youngster figures to be coveted by teams looking for a two-way wing prospect.

Thomas will have until May 30 to withdraw his name from the draft and retain his NCAA eligibility if he decides he wants to head back to Creighton for his senior year.

Bruce Brown Enters 2018 NBA Draft

April 9th, 2018 at 1:53pm CST by Luke Adams

APRIL 9: Brown will remain in the draft and will hire an agent, league sources tell Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link). By doing so, he’ll forgo the final two years of his NCAA eligibility.

MARCH 22: Miami sophomore Bruce Brown is the latest underclassman to declare his intent to enter the 2018 NBA draft, with the Hurricanes’ making it official via an announcement on Twitter. Brown won’t hire an agent immediately though, which will allow him to retain his NCAA eligibility in case he wants to withdraw from the draft this spring.

Brown, a 6’5″ guard, had a somewhat disappointing season for Miami. Despite a slight uptick in minutes, he saw his PPG (11.4), FG% (.415), 3PT% (.267), and FT% (.629) decline in his sophomore year, though he did increase his RPG (7.1) and APG (4.0). Brown’s season came to an early end due to a left foot injury — he played his last game on January 27.

Although he didn’t take a major step forward in his second college season, Brown is still viewed as a “willing passer, lockdown defender, and gritty rebounder,” according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, who adds that the youngster has the potential to develop an adequate jump shot too. Givony, who ranks Brown 29th on his 2018 big board, also has the Miami guard coming off the board at No. 29 in his most recent mock draft.

We’re tracking all of this year’s early entrants for the 2018 NBA draft right here.

Draft Notes: Adel, Doncic, Derrickson, Sims

April 9th, 2018 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

After announcing last month that he would test the 2018 NBA draft waters, Louisville forward Deng Adel has decided he won’t be withdrawing his name. Adel tells Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) that he’ll remain in the 2018 draft pool and will be hiring an agent as he begins his professional career.

Adel, who tested the draft waters in 2017, improved his numbers across the board in his junior year with the Cardinals, averaging 15.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 2.8 APG with a .448/.350/.786 shooting line. However, he doesn’t rank within the top 100 on Jonathan Givony’s 2018 big board at ESPN.com.

Here are a few more of today’s draft updates:

Speaking of Givony, he has a brand-new mock draft up at ESPN.com today (Insider-only link). The names at the top are familiar, with Deandre Ayton going No. 1 to the Suns and Luka Doncic going No. 2 to the Grizzlies. However, there are more changes further down in the first round, with this year’s draft class beginning to take shape.
Elsewhere at ESPN.com, Mina Kimes has an excellent in-depth feature on Doncic, the top international prospect in this year’s draft class. While Doncic hasn’t officially made an announcement indicating he’ll enter the 2018 draft, it’s viewed as a given, with his mother having previously said the Real Madrid star will be eligible.
Georgetown junior forward Marcus Derrickson announced today on his Instagram page that he will go pro. Derrickson, who averaged 15.9 PPG and 8.1 RPG with an impressive shooting line of .505/.465/.863 in 2017/18, intends to forgo his senior year and will hire an agent to make it official.
Chicago State guard Fred Sims Jr. has informed ESPN’s Jeff Goodman (Twitter link) that he’ll enter the draft and will seek out an agent, forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility. In his junior year, Sims put up 14.2 PPG, but struggled with his shot, making just 32.2% of his attempts from the floor.