Hawks Acquire No. 39 Pick Mouhamed Gueye From Celtics
JUNE 28: The trade is now official, according to press releases from the Celtics and Hawks.
JUNE 23: The Hawks are sending their 2027 second-round pick to Boston in exchange for the rights to Gueye, the Celtics announced in a press release.
JUNE 22: The Hawks are acquiring No. 39 pick Mouhamed Gueye in a trade, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
The 39th pick was originally held by Charlotte but was sent to Boston in an earlier deal, so the Celtics are the team sending it to Atlanta. According to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link), the Celtics are receiving a future second-round pick in the deal.
Gueye, a 6’11” power forward out of Washington State, was an All-Pac-12 First Team selection during his second and final NCAA season. Across 33 contests in 2022/23, he averaged 14.3 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.8 SPG and 0.8 BPG for the Cougars.
Who exactly will flank Gueye in Atlanta’s frontcourt this year remains a bit open-ended, as incumbent starting center Clint Capela and power forward John Collins have been involved in trade rumors so far this offseason. The Hawks also reportedly made progress on a trade that would have sent starting small forward De’Andre Hunter to the Pacers before talks broke down and the deal was scuttled.
Boston did ultimately still have a selection in the second round, nabbing the rights to the No. 38 pick, Arkansas swingman Jordan Walsh, via a deal with the Kings.
Hornets Acquire No. 31 Pick James Nnaji
JUNE 28: The trade is now official, according to the Hornets (Twitter link).
JUNE 22: Having already traded down from No. 25 to No. 31, the Celtics are moving down again, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), who reports that Boston is sending the first pick of the second round to the Hornets in exchange for Nos. 34 and 39.
Charlotte is using the No. 31 pick to draft Nigerian center James Nnaji, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Across 27 games of Liga ACB play with FC Barcelona during the 2022/23 season, the 6’11” big man averaged just 4.9 PPG on 67.1% field goal shooting, along with 3.0 RPG and 0.7 BPG.
Clearly a longer-term project, the 18-year-old must have impressed Charlotte scouts with his athleticism and size. He boasts a 7’5″ wingspan. The Hornets have enjoyed an active draft thus far, headlined by the selection of Alabama small forward Brandon Miller with the second pick this season.
The Celtics, meanwhile, subsequently flipped the No. 34 selection to the Kings and then moved the No. 39 selection to the Hawks for future draft equity. Boston did acquire one rookie in the second round, Arkansas forward Jordan Walsh, with the No. 38 pick acquired in a deal with the Kings.
Pistons’ Draft-Night Trade For Marcus Sasser Finalized
JUNE 28: The trade is now official, according to a tweet from the Pistons.
JUNE 23: The Celtics will receive the following future second-round picks from the Pistons as part of this trade, per a press release:
- The most favorable of the Pistons’, Warriors’, and Wizards’ 2025 second-rounders.
- The most favorable of the Timberwolves’, Pelicans’, Knicks’, and Trail Blazers’ 2026 second-round picks.
JUNE 22: The Celtics and Pistons are swapping draft picks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Detroit is moving up from No. 31 to No. 25 and selecting Houston guard Marcus Sasser.
Technically, the No. 25 pick is still held by the Grizzlies, but it’s being sent to Boston as part of the three-team Marcus Smart trade that was agreed to on Wednesday night. The Celtics will reroute it to the Pistons.
In return, Boston is set to receive both the first pick in the second round and multiple future second-round selections from Detroit, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). This could be a tactical money-saving move for the Celtics, in the short term.
Sasser, a 6’1″ combo guard, will join a talented young backcourt in Detroit. He will be fighting for bench minutes behind backcourt starters Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, two recent top-five lottery picks.
During his four-year NCAA career with the Cougars, Sasser was a two-time All-AAC selection and a consensus 2023 First Team All-American. In 2022/23, the 22-year-old averaged 16.8 PPG on .438/.384/.848 shooting splits. He also chipped in 3.1 APG, 2.8 RPG, and 1.6 SPG across 36 contests, all starts.
Luke Adams contributed to this report.
Timberwolves Sign Naz Reid To Three-Year Extension
JUNE 28: Reid’s three-year extension with the Timberwolves is official, the team confirmed in a press release.
JUNE 25: Days before he was slated to hit unrestricted free agency, Timberwolves center Naz Reid has agreed to sign a three-year, $42MM contract extension to stay in Minnesota, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Sean Kennedy inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Reid’s new deal will include a player option for 2025/26.
As Woj notes, Reid enjoyed a well-timed breakout season in 2022/23 as the Timberwolves’ third big man, averaging career bests of 11.5 PPG (on .537/.346/.677 shooting splits) and 4.9 RPG. He also chipped in 1.1 APG, 0.8 BPG, and 0.6 SPG across his 68 contests with the team.
The 23-year-old first joined Minnesota on a two-way contract after going undrafted out of LSU in 2019, and by his second season in 2020/21 had carved out a major rotation role with the team.
Reid’s reported new contract represents a massive pay upgrade for the 6’9″ reserve. The $1.9MM minimum salary he earned in 2022/23 had been his prior pay peak.
Based on Reid’s previous contract, the most Minnesota could offer in an extension prior to free agency was a starting salary of $12.95MM, which is 120% of this season’s estimated average salary. It appears the Wolves offered that full amount, so his deal will be worth just shy of $14MM in year two, with an option worth just over $15MM in year three.
According to Matt Williams of ESPN (Twitter link), Reid averaged 0.78 points per minute following the 2023 All-Star break, more than any other NBA center aside from MVP Joel Embiid.
Before Minnesota offloaded significant assets to Utah in a trade for former All-Star big man Rudy Gobert last summer, Reid had looked like he might be in line to form the team’s frontcourt of the future alongside maximum-salaried power forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns.
Reid had emerged as one of the premium big man prospects heading into free agency this summer, potentially capable of earning more money and a starting gig on another team given his upside, so it’s fascinating to see him opting to stick with his current team and role.
Blazers Notes: Scoot, Fit, Contention, Lillard
New Trail Blazers rookie point guard Scoot Henderson, selected with the third pick out of the G League Ignite on Thursday, raved about his fit in Portland and aspires to play alongside incumbent Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, writes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
“I feel like Portland was the best situation for me,” Henderson said. “[Former Ignite teammate] Pooh Jeter is there right now with the G League and stuff like that, and then me texting Dame two years ago. It all came full circle.”
“I think it would be great just to learn from him, just to sit back and really observe a great player,” Henderson said of Lillard. “Especially just being that close to him and going there. Especially just the guard he was coming into the league and how he was fearless. Fearless of anybody. And how he kind of came in and impacted the game at a high level. Yeah, just to learn from that, it would be great.”
There’s more out of Portland:
- Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin defended the club’s decision to draft Henderson in lieu of trading the selection for more experienced help, writes Jason Quick of The Athletic. “I would say we made the biggest move possible by drafting Scoot Henderson,” Cronin said. “He’s going to be better than any player that would maybe be perceived as that big move. And then you start to factor in other things that matter in this league — the salary cap, (Henderson) on a rookie scale — that allows us to build a lot more depth than we would have been able to otherwise.”
- No trade exists to transform Portland into a true title contender this season, Adrian Wojnarowksi of ESPN suggested during a TV appearance (Twitter video link). If he truly wants to win a title with the team that drafted him, Lillard will need to wait a bit longer, in Wojnarowski’s view. “There’s no magic trade out there for them [to carve out a championship path in 2023/24],” Woj said. “I think Portland did what was right by their organization, and their front office trading out of No. 3 for whatever the best available veteran would’ve been [instead of drafting Henderson], it would’ve been malpractice.”
- After Lillard was seen on his Instagram Live blasting Will Smith’s “Miami” on Friday, his agent Aaron Goodwin told Sam Amick of The Athletic that the song was in no way Lillard’s choice, and wasn’t an indication that he wants the Trail Blazers to move him to the Heat this summer. The seven-time All-Star was enjoying his offseason in a Parisian club when a local DJ decided to poke fun at his situation by playing the song, Goodwin explained. “The music was just a coincidence,” Goodwin told Amick. “Damian’s not disrespectful… That’s why he laughed (in the video). It’s a funny coincidence that a DJ would put that on.”
Wizards Notes: Coulibaly, First Impression, Fans, Future
In trading for the draft rights of raw Metropolitans 92 small forward Bilal Coulibaly with the No. 7 pick, the Wizards were gambling on his ceiling, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The 6’8″ swingman has tantalizing length and athleticism, but will probably require significant NBA run to fully marinate at the next level.
“It could take some time, but from where he went in a short amount of time to where we think he can go, that’s the exciting part,” Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said. “And we’ll embrace that. We’ll put resources around him, try to help him maximize himself. At the end of the day, he has the physical tools, but he’s also a very skilled player. So once that comes together, I think you’ll have the player we’re looking for and the reason why we drafted him so high.”
There’s more out of Washington:
- During an introductory news conference held by Wizards team officials, Coulibaly seemed impressively relaxed and confident, writes Robbins in a separate story. During a subsequent chat with Robbins, Coulibaly expounded on what he intends to accomplish in his NBA career. “I want to be a good two-way player,” Coulibaly said. “But, yeah, I want to be a franchise player by the next four years. I want to stay in D.C., give it all for the fans, for the city.”
- With the Wizards now seemingly fully pivoting to a youth movement after trading their two starriest veterans (Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis), fans will have to embrace the long view rather than expecting big things in the short-term future, writes David Aldridge of The Athletic.
- Under its previous management group, the Wizards had been reticent to fully rebuild. In doing so now, the team should at least able to truly move on from a half decade of fringe mediocrity, opines Kevin B. Blackistone of The Washington Post. The Wizards have made the playoffs in just one of the past five seasons, but haven’t truly bottomed out and landed a top-five pick during that time.
Pelicans Notes: Hawkins, Roster, Scoot, Miles
With the No. 14 pick in the lottery last night, the Pelicans opted to play it safe in drafting Connecticut shooting guard Jordan Hawkins. William Guillory of The Athletic considers the 6’5″ swingman, who won a title with the Huskies this past spring, the ideal new addition to the club heading into the 2023/24 season.
New Orleans had been floated in potential trade scenarios for the Trail Blazers’ eventual No. 3 pick Scoot Henderson, as the team has clearly been hamstrung by major injury issues plaguing star forwards Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
“He takes pride in what gets him on the court, and he understands what his game really is,” team president David Griffin said of Hawkins. “I think the winning nature of his background and the way he approaches the game really fits well with us. I know our coaching staff was really excited when they saw him work out.”
There’s more out of New Orleans:
- Pelicans general manager Trajan Langon is not anticipating major personnel changes this summer after the team opted to hold onto its draft pick, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “I don’t foresee a whole lot of change between now and then,” Langdon said. “I think we are happy with our roster.” Griffin, meanwhile, offered a hint into what skills New Orleans is looking to add during the rest of the offseason. “We were looking for rim protection and shooting [in assessing draft candidates],” Griffin said. “We feel like we certainly addressed part of that [during the draft]. But I think as we go through, if we’re able to address that other portion, we would.”
- New Trail Blazers point guard Henderson, the third pick in Thursday’s draft, explained his pre-draft meeting with the Pelicans, who reportedly had some interest in trading up to acquire him, per Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Henderson indicated that the encounter amounted to “just making sure I wasn’t missing on any opportunity or anything like that.”
- The Pelicans continue to build out their bench for 2023/24 behind third-year head coach Willie Green. Marc J. Spears of Andscape reports (Twitter link) that New Orleans is expected to hire ex-Celtics assistant coach Aaron Miles, a former colleague of Green’s when both were assistants on the Warriors.
Spurs To Sign Charles Bediako, Setric Millner Jr.
The Spurs are reportedly adding two new undrafted prospects to their comprehensive haul this week.
Former Alabama center Charles Bediako will sign a one-year deal with the Spurs, agent Daniel Green informs Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Terms of the agreement aren’t known, but it’ll likely be non-guaranteed, perhaps with Exhibit 10 language.
Ex-Toledo senior small forward Setric Millner Jr. is inking an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, sources tell Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress (via Twitter).
Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted to two-way deals or can put a player on track to receive a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived before the regular season and then spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate.
During a two-year college career, the seven-foot Bediako was named to the 2023 All-SEC Tourney and SEC All-Defense teams. Across his two college seasons with the Crimson Tide, he averaged 6.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 0.7 APG and 0.6 SPG during 19.3 MPG.
Millner averaged 15.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.7 APG, and 1.1 SPG during 2022/23. He was a two-time All-MAC and a 2023 All-MAC Tourney honoree. Chepkevich notes that the 6’6″ wing number among 64 seniors brought to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this spring.
San Antonio was of course the headliner in this week’s draft, as the team had the opportunity to select a potential generational talent, French big man Victor Wembanyama, with the top pick. The Spurs also added G League Ignite guard Sidy Cissoko in the second round.
Pacers To Sign Oscar Tshiebwe To Two-Way Deal
The Pacers will ink undrafted Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe to a two-way deal, sources inform Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).
The 6’9″ power forward/center was a consensus All-American Second Teamer with the Wildcats in 2023, but a consensus All-American First Teamer in 2022, probably his best college season.
That junior year in 2021/22, his first with Kentucky after spending his first two college seasons with West Virginia, Tshiebwe won the Kareem Abdul Jabbar Center of the Year Award and the Pete Newell Big Man Award. He was also named the SEC Player of the Year, an SEC All-Defensive Teamer, and the National College Player of the Year by a variety of organizations.
He was twice the NCAA’s rebounds leader, averaging 15.1 RPG in 2022 and 13.7 RPG in 2023, and a two-time All-SEC selection during his final two college seasons.
The 23-year-old averaged 16.5 PPG, the aforementioned 13.7 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, and 1.0 BPG across 32 contests in 2022/23.
Indiana also added several new young players during this week’s draft. The club acquired Houston forward Jarace Walker in the lottery and Belmont forward Ben Sheppard later in the first round. The Pacers then added G League Ignite guard Mojave King and Miami guard Isaiah Wong in the second round.
Thunder, Adam Flagler Agree To Deal
Undrafted Baylor shooting guard Adam Flagler will sign a contract with the Thunder, sources inform Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
After spending his first NCAA season at Presbyterian in 2018/19, Flagler became a key reserve on the NCAA title-winning Bears in 2020/21. While at Presbyterian, he was named the Big South Freshman of the Year in 2019. He was subsequently an All-Big 12 Second Team inclusion in 2021/22, and then was named an All-Big 12 First Teamer during the 2022/2023 season.
Last year, the 6’3″ swingman posted career bests of 15.6 PPG on .426/.400/.790 shooting splits. He also chipped in 4.6 APG, 2.4 RPG, and 1.2 BPG across 32 contests during his final collegiate season.
It is unclear at present what the exact nature of this contract is, though an Exhibit 10 agreement seems most likely.