New York Notes: Tucker, Thor, Duarte, Knicks Front Office, Martin
After winning a title with the Bucks this week, free agent forward P.J. Tucker seems unlikely to pursue another with the Nets, according to NetsDaily.com. The Athletic’s Alex Schiffer has indicated the Nets were interested in the veteran forward even before the James Harden trade and Tucker is also good friends with Harden and Kevin Durant. However, Brooklyn will likely be limited to the taxpayer mid-level exception and Tucker is expected to command more in the open market. Milwaukee also holds Tucker’s Bird rights and wants to retain him despite luxury tax concerns.
We have more on the Nets and Knicks:
- Count both New York clubs among the 11 teams that have brought in JT Thor for a workout, Mike Mazzeo tweets. The Auburn power forward is ranked No. 28 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list. Brooklyn owns the No. 27 pick and three second-rounders, the earliest at No. 44, while New York has picks No. 19, 21 and 32.
- Chris Duarte worked out for the Knicks on Friday, Adam Zagoria of the New York Times tweets, and it was a solo workout, Ian Begley of SNY.TV tweets. The Oregon shooting guard is ranked No. 23 on ESPN’s list but others have Duarte going much higher, Begley points out. The Knicks are seeking to move up into the late lottery, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report said on the Knicks Film School podcast (Twitter link). Today’s workout could indicate Duarte is the target.
- While the Knicks have agreed to a two-year extension with Scott Perry, multiple Western Conference teams have expressed interest in other members of the front office, according to Begley. The contracts of several of those executives expire at the end of the month, Begley adds.
- Point guard Jeremiah Martin will join the Knicks’ summer league team in Las Vegas, Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw tweets. Martin played with the Cavaliers in the closing weeks of the season on a two-way deal.
Draft Notes: Giddey, I. Jackson, Jokubaitis, Barnes, Kuminga
Due in large part to his obligations with the Australian national team, Josh Giddey hasn’t worked out for any NBA clubs leading up to the draft, tweets James Ham of NBC Sports California. Giddey has been limited to interviews during the pre-draft process. The 6’8″ guard is still viewed as a potential lottery pick, however, ranking 11th on ESPN’s big board.
Here are a few more draft-related notes:
- Kentucky center Isaiah Jackson told reporters today that he has worked out for the Hawks, Nets, Kings, Thunder, Rockets, and Spurs, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic (Twitter link). He also confirmed that he auditioned for New York, Indiana, and Charlotte, as was previously reported.
- Rokas Jokubaitis, one of eight international early entrants who kept his name in the 2021 NBA draft, signed a four-year contract with Barcelona this week, as Alessandro Maggi of Sportando relays. As a BasketNews.com report explains, an NBA team could still draft Jokubaitis and bring him stateside immediately, but would have to pay a $750K buyout to his old team, Zalgiris Kaunas. If he remains in Europe, Barcelona would pay Zalgiris Kaunas a more modest buyout.
- Sam Vecenie of The Athletic takes a look at each team’s biggest need, then considers which prospects each club should target with its first draft pick to address that need.
- Several coaches and executives at various levels (NBA, G League, and college) shared their thoughts on a handful of draft prospects with David Aldridge of The Athletic. Among the topics Aldridge explored: The Scottie Barnes vs. Jonathan Kuminga debate — the two forwards are the best bets to be drafted fifth and sixth overall in some order, and both have fans among NBA executives.
Northwest Notes: Jazz, Grimes, OKC, Moody, Wolves, Nuggets
The Jazz are hosting a pre-draft workout on Thursday that will includes Houston’s Quentin Grimes, Providence’s David Duke, and San Diego State’s Matt Mitchell, sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic.
Jones categorizes it as an important session for the Jazz, who like Grimes as a potential target at No. 30 and want to get a closer look at Mitchell, who has worked out for more than 10 teams and is considered a draft riser.
Sources tell Jones that other prospects the Jazz are eyeing as possibilities at No. 30 include Nah’Shon Hyland, Ayo Dosunmu, Miles McBride, Herb Jones, Joel Ayayi from Gonzaga, Joshua Primo, and Jared Butler.
- Arkansas wing Moses Moody visited the Thunder in Oklahoma City earlier this week, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee tweets. Moody is the 16th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s big board, so he could play be in play for OKC at No. 16 or 18 next Thursday.
- Now that Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore have formally been approved as minority stakeholders in the Timberwolves, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic examines the challenges facing A-Rod and Lore, who will assume majority control of the franchise by 2023. As Krawczynski observes, there are similarities between the Wolves’ current situation and the one that Marc Lasry, Wes Edens and Jamie Dinan inherited in 2014 when they bought the Bucks, though it’s probably unrealistic to expect the next seven years in Minnesota to play out like the last seven in Milwaukee.
- The Nuggets put forth a “full, all-hands-on-deck organizational effort” to ensure longtime assistant Wes Unseld Jr. got a head coaching job, Denver’s president of basketball operations Tim Connelly told Fred Katz of The Athletic. Connelly said he informed the Wizards that Unseld “is one of the brightest minds I’ve ever been around.”
- South Carolina wing A.J. Lawson worked out today for the Nuggets, according to Adam Zagoria of Forbes (Twitter link).
Draft Notes: Garza, Cooper, Pacers, Mock Drafts
The Sixers, who are in the market for a reserve center, worked out a pair of big men today, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Iowa’s Luka Garza, the two-time national player of the year, was in Philadelphia, along with Utah State’s Neemias Queta.
Garza, who is projected to be taken anywhere from the end of the first round to the middle of the second round, has dropped weight since the college season ended in an effort to become more mobile on defense. Queta was named Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference and was a finalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year honors.
With Dwight Howard entering free agency, Pompey notes that the Sixers don’t have a reliable backup to Joel Embiid. Philadelphia holds the 28th and 50th selections in next week’s draft.
There’s more draft news to pass along:
- The Knicks have been seeking information on Auburn point guard Sharife Cooper, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Cooper only played 12 games as a freshman because of an NCAA investigation into his eligibility, and some scouts believe he’ll be selected much higher than his current rating of 17th on ESPN’s big board. Begley isn’t sure if New York has worked out Cooper yet, but he notes that point guard is a strong position of need.
- The Pacers hosted several projected first-round picks in a workout today, according to a story on the team’s website. Oregon’s Chris Duarte, Virginia’s Sam Hauser, Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert, LSU’s Cameron Thomas, Stanford’s Ziaire Williams and Colorado’s McKinley Wright all participated. Indiana has the No. 13 pick.
- With the draft eight days away, the top of the lottery appears set. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs and Scottie Barnes are the first five off the board in new mock drafts from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic and Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Their first difference comes at No. 6, where Vecenie has the Thunder taking Jonathan Kuminga, while Wasserman has James Bouknight going to OKC. Vecenie also released his final draft rankings, which list Cunningham, Suggs, Mobley, Green and Kuminga as the top five prospects.
Southeast Notes: Magic, Kuminga, Unseld, Oladipo, Hawks
Projected top-eight pick Jonathan Kuminga worked out for the Magic on Tuesday, writes Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com. Kuminga has also worked out for the Cavaliers, Raptors and Thunder, and has an upcoming workout with the Warriors.
According to Chris Hays of The Orlando Sentinel, Kuminga said that the workout with Orlando went well and that his shooting is better than he showed during his time with the G League Ignite.
“I’m not for sure if I’m a top-five pick, but I’m not worried about that,” Kuminga said. “That’s just the rankings. We don’t know where I might end up, so I don’t really be concerned about draft picks.”
We have more from around the Southeast Division:
- New head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has already been in touch with Wizards stars Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “I felt like I was talking to the same person, and I say that because the message was clear: They want to be coached, they are looking for the accountability,” Unseld said. According to David Aldridge of The Athletic, Unseld has spent his years as an assistant learning how to balance his natural calm with the ability to challenge star players and stand his ground when necessary.
- Heat unrestricted free agent Victor Oladipo has changed agents, reports Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. He will now be represented by Jeff Schwartz and Javon Phillips of Excel Sports Management. Oladipo is currently rehabbing from surgery on his right quad.
- Jason Preston, Matt Mitchell, DJ Funderburk, DeJon Jarreau, Herb Jones, Austin Reaves, and Ariel Hukporti are among the prospects the Hawks have worked out, tweets The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner. Hukporti has since withdrawn from the draft.
- Darren Wolfson of SKOR North tweets that the Hawks will also work out Boston College forward Steffon Mitchell before the draft.
Official Early Entrants List For 2021 NBA Draft
The NBA has officially announced that 217 early entrant prospects will be eligible to be selected in the 2021 NBA draft next Thursday. Of those early entrants, 209 are players from college or other educational institutions, while the remaining eight are international prospects.
That’s a massive number of early entrants that easily dwarfs the previous record, but there’s a reason for that — due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA granted seniors an extra year of college eligibility, meaning that any senior who declared for this year’s draft is technically considered an early entrant.
Of the 209 college early entrants who remain in this year’s draft pool, 137 are seniors and just 72 are underclassmen. In a typical year, the full early entry list would be comprised of those 72 underclassmen and the eight international prospects, for a total of 80 players. That would be more in line with the usual total.
Here’s the complete list of early entrant prospects eligible for the 2021 NBA draft:
College Seniors:
- Derrick Alston Jr., G/F, Boise State
- Jose Alvarado, G, Georgia Tech
- Jonah Antonio, G, Wake Forest
- Jonathan Baehre, F, Clemson
- Mitch Ballock, G, Creighton
- Troy Baxter Jr., F, Morgan State
- Chudier Bile, F, Georgetown
- Jahvon Blair, G, Georgetown
- Isaac Bonton, G, Washington State
- Chaundee Brown, G, Michigan
- Marcus Burk, G, IUPUI
- Jordan Burns, G, Colgate
- Manny Camper, G/F, Siena
- Nahziah Carter, G, Washington
- Arinze Chidom, F, UC-Riverside
- Matt Coleman III, G, Texas
- Trevion Crews, G, Bethel (IN)
- T.J. Crockett, G, Lindenwood (MO)
- Jalen Crutcher, G, Dayton
- Oscar Da Silva, F, Stanford
- Ryan Daly, G, St. Joseph’s
- Zaccheus Darko-Kelly, G/F, Univ. of Providence (MT)
- Cartier Diarra, G, Virginia Tech
- Marek Dolezaj, F, Syracuse
- Chris Duarte, G, Oregon
- Ian DuBose, G, Wake Forest
- Juwan Durham, F, Notre Dame
- Tahj Eaddy, G, USC
- Lydell Elmore, F, High Point
- Romeao Ferguson, G, Lipscomb
- LJ Figueroa, G, Oregon
- Aleem Ford, F, Wisconsin
- Blake Francis, G, Richmond
- Hasahn French, F, Saint Louis
- DJ Funderburk, F, N.C. State
- Ty Gadsden, G, UNC Wilmington
- Gorjok Gak, C, California Baptist
- Marcus Garrett, G, Kansas
- Luka Garza, C, Iowa
- Samson George, F, Central Arkansas
- Asante Gist, G, Iona
- Terrell Gomez, G, San Diego State
- Jordan Goodwin, G, Saint Louis
- Justin Gorham, F, Houston
- Elyjah Goss, F, IUPUI
- Jayvon Graves, G, Buffalo
- Quade Green, G, Washington
- Dou Gueye, F, Louisiana
- Matt Haarms, C, BYU
- Javion Hamlet, G, North Texas
- Deion Hammond, G, Monmouth
- Amauri Hardy, G, Oregon
- Romio Harvey, G, Harding University (AR)
- Sam Hauser, F, Virginia
- Kashaun Hicks, G/F, Norfolk State
- Taveion Hollingsworth, G, Western Kentucky
- Jay Huff, F/C, Virginia
- Anthony Hughes Jr., G, Millsaps College (MS)
- Jhivvan Jackson, G, UTSA
- Loren Cristian Jackson, G, Akron
- Casdon Jardine, G/F, Hawaii
- DeJon Jarreau, G, Houston
- Tristan Jarrett, G, Jackson State
- Justin Jaworski, G, Lafayette
- Damien Jefferson, G/F, Creighton
- Bryson Johnson, G, Univ. of The Ozarks (AR)
- Carlik Jones, G, Louisville
- Herb Jones, F, Alabama
- Corey Kispert, F, Gonzaga
- Cameron Krutwig, C, Loyola Chicago
- Matt Lewis, G, James Madison
- Spencer Littleson, G, Toledo
- Isaiah Livers, F, Michigan
- Denzel Mahoney, G/F, Creighton
- Makuach Maluach, G/F, New Mexico
- Sandro Mamukelashvili, F/C, Seton Hall
- Kyle Mangas, G, Indiana Wesleyan
- JaQuori McLaughlin, G, UCSB
- Jadyn Michael, F, Colorado Christian
- Asbjorn Midtgaard, C, Grand Canyon
- Isaiah Miller, G, UNC Greensboro
- Damek Mitchell, G, Lewis-Clark State College (ID)
- Matt Mitchell, F, San Diego State
- Steffon Mitchell, F, Boston College
- Ruot Monyyong, F/C, Little Rock
- Clay Mounce, F, Furman
- Matthew Moyer, F, George Washington
- Obadiah Noel, G, UMass-Lowell
- Kobi Nwandu, F, Niagara
- Eugene Omoruyi, F, Oregon
- EJ Onu, F, Shawnee State (OH)
- Chris Parker, G, Liberty
- Jock Perry, C, UC-Riverside
- John Petty Jr., G, Alabama
- Jamorko Pickett, F, Georgetown
- Danny Pippen, F, Kent State
- Yves Pons, G/F, Tennessee
- Micah Potter, F/C, Wisconsin
- Brandon Rachal, G/F, Tulsa
- Austin Reaves, G, Oklahoma
- Alex Reese, F, Alabama
- Nate Reuvers, F, Wisconsin
- Elvin Rodriguez, G, Science & Arts of Oklahoma
- Colbey Ross, G, Pepperdine
- Olivier Sarr, C, Kentucky
- Jordan Schakel, G, San Diego State
- Taz Sherman, G, West Virginia
- Devontae Shuler, G, Ole Miss
- Aamir Simms, F, Clemson
- Jericho Sims, F/C, Texas
- Chris Smith, F, UCLA
- Dru Smith, G, Missouri
- Justin Smith, F, Arkansas
- Mike Smith, G, Michigan
- Anthony Tarke, G/F, Coppin State
- Jalen Tate, G, Arkansas
- Terry Taylor, G/F, Austin Peay
- MaCio Teague, G, Baylor
- Christian Terrell, G, Sacramento State
- Koby Thomas, G/F, Coppin State
- Ethan Thompson, G, Oregon State
- Jeremiah Tilmon, C, Missouri
- D’Mitrik Trice, G, Wisconsin
- Jordy Tshimanga, C, Dayton
- Justin Turner, G, Bowling Green
- Chandler Vaudrin, F, Winthrop
- Eric Vila, F, UTEP
- Mark Vital, G/F, Baylor
- M.J. Walker, G, Florida State
- Keaton Wallace, G, UTSA
- Josh Washburn, G, Carthage (WI)
- Isaiah Washington, G, Long Beach State
- Ibi Watson, G, Dayton
- Romello White, F, Mississippi
- Devin Whitfield, G, Lincoln Memorial Univ. (TN)
- McKinley Wright IV, G, Colorado
- Moses Wright, F, Georgia Tech
College Underclassmen:
- Santi Aldama, F, Loyola Maryland (sophomore)
- Joel Ayayi, G, Gonzaga (junior)
- Dalano Banton, G, Nebraska (sophomore)
- Scottie Barnes, F, Florida State (freshman)
- Charles Bassey, C, Western Kentucky (junior)
- Giorgi Bezhanishvili, F, Illinois (junior)
- Brandon Boston Jr., G/F, Kentucky (freshman)
- James Bouknight, G, UConn (sophomore)
- Pedro Bradshaw, G/F, Bellarmine (junior)
- Greg Brown, F, Texas (freshman)
- Jared Butler, G, Baylor (junior)
- D.J. Carton, G, Marquette (sophomore)
- Justin Champagnie, G/F, Pittsburgh (sophomore)
- Josh Christopher, G, Arizona State (freshman)
- Sharife Cooper, G, Auburn (freshman)
- Derek Culver, F/C, West Virginia (junior)
- Sam Cunliffe, G/F, Evansville (junior)
- Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State (freshman)
- Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois (junior)
- David Duke, G, Providence (junior)
- Nojel Eastern, G, Howard (junior)
- Kessler Edwards, F, Pepperdine (junior)
- RaiQuan Gray, F, Florida State (junior)
- Alan Griffin, G/F, Syracuse (junior)
- Quentin Grimes, G, Houston (junior)
- Aaron Henry, G/F, Michigan State (junior)
- Feron Hunt, F, SMU (junior)
- Matthew Hurt, F, Duke (sophomore)
- Nah’Shon Hyland, G, VCU (sophomore)
- Isaiah Jackson, F, Kentucky (freshman)
- David Johnson, G, Louisville (sophomore)
- Jalen Johnson, F, Duke (freshman)
- Keon Johnson, G, Tennessee (freshman)
- Kai Jones, F, Texas (sophomore)
- Balsa Koprivica, C, Florida State (sophomore)
- A.J. Lawson, G, South Carolina (junior)
- Scottie Lewis, G, Florida (sophomore)
- Sterling Manley, F/C, North Carolina (junior)
- Tre Mann, G, Florida (sophomore)
- Miles McBride, G, West Virginia (sophomore)
- Mac McClung, G, Texas Tech (junior)
- Davion Mitchell, G, Baylor (junior)
- Evan Mobley, F/C, USC (freshman)
- Moses Moody, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- Trey Murphy III, G, Virginia (junior)
- RJ Nembhard, G, TCU (junior)
- Joel Ntambwe, F, Texas Tech (sophomore)
- Jason Preston, G, Ohio (junior)
- Joshua Primo, G, Alabama (freshman)
- Neemias Queta, C, Utah State (junior)
- Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, F, Villanova (sophomore)
- Damion Rosser, G, New Orleans (junior)
- Day’Ron Sharpe, F/C, North Carolina (freshman)
- Javonte Smart, G, LSU (junior)
- Jaden Springer, G, Tennessee (freshman)
- TJ Starks, G, Cal State Northridge (junior)
- DJ Steward, G, Duke (freshman)
- D.J. Stewart, G, Mississippi State (sophomore)
- Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga (freshman)
- Cameron Thomas, G, LSU (freshman)
- JT Thor, F, Auburn (freshman)
- Franz Wagner, G/F, Michigan (sophomore)
- Kyree Walker, G/F, Hillcrest Prep Academy (AZ) (post-graduate)
- Duane Washington, G, Ohio State (junior)
- Trendon Watford, F, LSU (sophomore)
- Romeo Weems, F, DePaul (sophomore)
- Joe Wieskamp, G/F, Iowa (junior)
- Aaron Wiggins, G, Maryland (junior)
- Brandon Williams, G, Arizona (sophomore)
- Ziaire Williams, F, Stanford (freshman)
- Bryce Wills, G/F, Stanford (junior)
- Marcus Zegarowski, G, Creighton (junior)
International Players:
Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.
- Juhann Begarin, G/F, France (born 2002)
- Vrenz Bleijenbergh, G/F, Belgium (born 2000)
- Biram Faye, F/C, Spain (born 2000)
- Usman Garuba, F/C, Spain (born 2002)
- Josh Giddey, G, Australia (born 2002)
- Rokas Jokubaitis, G, Lithuania (born 2000)
- Alperen Sengun, C, Turkey (born 2002)
- Amar Sylla, F/C, Belgium (born 2001)
For details on which other prospects originally declared for the draft, then withdrew their names, be sure to check out our previous unofficial early entrant list.
Draft Notes: Green Room Invites, Makur, Taylor, Draft Intel
The NBA has finalized the list of 20 prospects who will be invited to the Green Room on draft night, writes ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. While 15 of the names had already been reported, the final five players were identified over the last two days: Chris Duarte, Cameron Thomas, Isaiah Jackson, Alperen Sengun and Ziaire Williams will round out the group.
While an invitation to the Green Room is no guarantee of being drafted in the top 20, the decision is considered to be an indication of teams’ thinking, as the invitations are determined through a series of conversations with general managers and a voting process where teams vote on the 25 prospects most likely to have their name called first, Givony writes.
We have more news from around the draft world:
- Howard University’s Makur Maker has withdrawn from the draft, tweets draft analyst Chad Ford. The 6’11 forward flashed versatility at the NBA Combine, but his draft stock was still hazy. Because he missed the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline, Maker will likely pursue professional options, whether in the G League, Australia’s NBL, or elsewhere.
- Terry Taylor worked out with the Bucks yesterday and the Nuggets today, tweets Adam Zagoria of Forbes. Taylor has workouts lined up with the Nets, Cavaliers and Mavericks this week, and already worked out for the Knicks, Warriors, Kings, Pacers, Grizzlies, Bulls, Spurs and Pelicans. The 6’5″ wing led the country in double-doubles, Zagoria notes.
- Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo released his latest mock draft today, sharing some pieces of intel gathered from sources. Within his mock, Woo confirms that the prevailing notion is that the Rockets prefer Jalen Green to Evan Mobley, that the Thunder are being increasingly linked to James Bouknight, that the Magic covet Scottie Barnes, and that Jonathan Kuminga‘s range seems to be settling around six-to-eight, rather than being a top-five pick.
Knicks Notes: Noel, Payne, Grimes, Murphy
Nerlens Noel was a revelation for the Knicks this season. Signed to a one-year, $5MM deal to back up Mitchell Robinson, Noel stepped up to fill the starting spot for a majority of the season after multiple injuries kept Robinson out of the lineup, and was one of the best defensive centers in the league during that time.
Now, Noel is hitting unrestricted free agency once again and he spoke to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype about the decision he’ll face.
“Whether it’s a team that has or hasn’t been to the playoffs, I just want to help the team overall with my playing style and wreaking havoc defensively and catching lobs,” Noel said. “It’s about finding the right fit. Guard play that can help a big man excel. Small things like that I think will be an ideal fit. ”
Scotto writes that Noel could potentially double his 2020/21 earnings next year in whatever deal he signs. The Hornets, Mavericks, Nets and Raptors have been rumored to have interest in his services.
We have more news and notes on the Knicks:
- Cameron Payne has had a remarkable last season-and-a-half for the Suns, which could put him in a position to secure a $10MM+ deal in this summer’s free agency, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The Knicks, who are looking for answers at point guard and will have the most cap room of any team, could be a suitor for Payne, Berman writes. If Chris Paul stays in Phoenix, it will be difficult financially for the Suns to retain Payne.
- The Knicks are considering Quentin Grimes with one of their two first-round picks, writes Berman in a separate article. The 6’4″ guard’s stock has risen considerably over the most recent season and the pre-draft process, and the Knicks were reportedly “wowed” by his combination of shot-making and defense during workouts.
- Berman writes that the team also worked out Virginia’s Trey Murphy III on Tuesday. Murphy isn’t considered a high-ceiling prospect, but he fits head coach Tom Thibodeau‘s edict of getting “wings and guys who can shoot.” Berman reports that Oregon’s Chris Duarte is under consideration as well, and that the Lakers, picking one slot after the Knicks, have also shown interest in Murphy.
Kings Notes: Holmes, Trade Ambitions, Workouts
Richaun Holmes had a breakout season with the Kings this year, averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, assists and blocks and emerging as one of the better defensive centers in the league. But the 27-year-old is entering unrestricted free agency, and as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes, it may be difficult for the Kings to retain him without freeing up cap space via a trade of Harrison Barnes or Buddy Hield.
Anderson takes a look at some of the options GM Monte McNair could choose from to address the massive hole Holmes’ departure would leave, both in the draft – where the Kings have the ninth overall pick – and in free agency, where cheap but productive veterans such as Nerlens Noel, Daniel Theis, and others could come into play.
Jason Jones of The Athletic has similar concerns, and details why the Kings may want to look at centers Alperen Sengun and Kai Jones in this year’s draft.
We have more from out of Sacramento:
- The Kings have been reported to be one of the more aggressive suitors for Blazers star Damian Lillard, but even if a deal between the Kings and Blazers doesn’t materialize, McNair may look to get involved from a different angle, Anderson writes. The Kings have also been linked to Sixers point guard Ben Simmons, and are generally expected to be aggressive pursuing upgrades this summer. If they don’t believe they’re in a position to land Lillard, they could try to facilitate a deal with the Blazers and Sixers, Anderson writes, in order to land Simmons in a blockbuster three-team trade.
- The Kings worked out Isaiah Todd and Jaden Springer on Sunday, tweets James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area. While neither are expected to be in play for the ninth pick, Todd could be available at No. 39 and Springer could be a trade-up candidate. Todd, a gifted shot-creator at 6’10”, could hold interest as a home-run swing in the second round if he’s still on the board.
- The Kings are also working out potential undrafted free agent targets. Scottie Lewis, a defensive specialist out of Florida and Jose Alvarado, the 2020/21 ACC DPoY worked out on Monday, according to Jason Jones of The Athletic, and Jason Anderson reports that the Kings will work out sharpshooter Marcus Burk on Wednesday.
Pistons To Work Out Jalen Green, Jalen Suggs
After hosting Cade Cunningham for a visit, the Pistons are set to bring in two more top prospects – Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs – for private workouts in the coming days, according to Jonathan Givony and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Sources tell ESPN’s duo that Detroit would also like to bring in Evan Mobley, but the team has yet to schedule a visit for the USC big man.
The fact that the Pistons are conducting workouts with top prospects besides Cunningham shouldn’t come as a surprise. While the Oklahoma State star is widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in the draft, general manager Troy Weaver is doing his due diligence on all possibilities, including trading down from No. 1.
Even if Detroit has already decided to stay put and select Cunningham, it doesn’t hurt to bring in other top prospects — if Green, Suggs, and Mobley end up with other teams, this will be the only opportunity the Pistons have for years to meet with them and gather first-hand information on them.
According to Givony and Wojnarowski, Cunningham doesn’t intend to meet with any other teams besides the Pistons, while Green’s only other workout will be with the Rockets, who hold the No. 2 pick.