Possible Lottery Pick Ousmane Dieng Entering Draft
French forward Ousmane Dieng is entering the 2022 NBA draft, he told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony.
[RELATED: 2022 NBA Draft Early Entrants List]
Dieng is viewed by ESPN as the No. 12 prospect in this year’s class, according to the report from Wojnarowski and Givony, though he currently shows up at No. 18 on ESPN’s actual top-100 list. Either way, he’s considered a potential lottery pick after a promising season with the New Zealand Breakers.
The first European star to take advantage of the National Basketball League’s Next Stars program for young prospects, Dieng faced older, more seasoned competition in 2021/22 and acquitted himself well, according to Givony.
“Playing in a tough league with really good players was really good for me,” Dieng told ESPN. “I learned a lot. The transition was significant, going up against much better players than I saw in France. The game is faster. Everyone is more physical.”
Dieng, who got better as the NBL season progressed, is considered a very strong passer and defender, with the versatility to guard multiple positions, says Givony. The 18-year-old told ESPN that Scottie Barnes and fellow Frenchman Nicolas Batum are among the players he has studied and whose games he believes he can emulate.
Draft Notes: Ellis, Murray, Roberts, Early Entrants
Alabama guard Keon Ellis, who has one year of college eligibility remaining, will go pro rather than staying in school for another year. Ellis has hired EZ Sports Group for representation, the agency announced earlier this week (via Instagram), making him draft-eligible this June.
The No. 48 prospect on ESPN’s big board, Ellis averaged 12.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 1.9 SPG in 33 games (30.9 MPG) in 2021/22 for the Crimson Tide and earned a spot on the SEC’s All-Defense team.
Another prospect in ESPN’s top 100, Iowa sophomore forward Kris Murray, has also declared for the 2022 NBA draft, but he’ll maintain his college eligibility and just test the waters for now, he announced on Twitter.
Murray, who comes in at No. 98 on ESPN’s board, barely played in his freshman year, but emerged as a rotation player in 2021/22, averaging 9.7 PPG and 4.3 RPG on .479/.387/.645 shooting in 35 games (17.9 MPG). His twin brother Keegan Murray, a projected top-10 pick, declared for the draft last month.
Here’s more on the draft:
- Jeremy Woo of SI.com, who shared his latest 2022 mock draft this week, has Jabari Smith going to Houston at No. 1 overall, followed by Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren.
- Stony Brook junior guard Anthony Roberts will forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the draft, he announced (Twitter link). Playing for his third program in three years, Roberts was the Seawolves’ leading scorer in 2021/22 with 16.3 PPG.
- Agent Misko Raznatovic has announced that two of his Croatian clients – point guard Lovro Gnjidic and forward Leo Menalo – have declared for the draft (Twitter links). Neither player is a top-100 prospect, per ESPN. They’ll have until June 13 to withdraw from the draft, if they so choose.
- Here are some other players who recently announced they intend to test the draft waters this spring:
- Efe Abogidi, C, Washington State (sophomore) (Twitter link)
- Keve Aluma, F, Virgina Tech (senior) (link via Mark Berman of The Roanoke Times)
- Khalif Battle, G, Temple (sophomore) (Twitter link)
- Donald Carey, G, Georgetown (senior) (Instagram link)
- Jalen Cook, G, Tulane (sophomore) (Twitter link)
- Kevin Easley Jr., F, Duquesne (junior) (Twitter link)
- Gideon George, F, BYU (senior) (Twitter link)
- Ques Glover, G, Samford (junior) (Twitter link)
- Andre Kelly, F, California (senior) (Instagram link)
- DeMarr Langford Jr., G, Boston College (sophomore) (Twitter link via Jason Smith)
- KC Ndefo, F, St. Peter’s (senior) (link via Adam Zagoria of NJ.com)
- DeAndre Williams, F, Memphis (senior) (Instagram link)
Wizards Notes: Point Guard, Avdija, Beal, KP, Defense
After evaluating which point guards had the most success and fit in best this season with the Wizards, general manager Tommy Sheppard said this week that he has a good sense of what sort of player the team will be targeting this offseason to fortify the position, according to Jackson Filyo of WashingtonWizards.com.
“I think we need somebody that is a pass-first point guard; somebody that will be able to contain the dribble on the defensive end and help us keep people out of the paint,” Sheppard said. “Those are some of the prerequisites we are going to be looking for.”
It remains to be seen whether the Wizards’ optimal path for acquiring a starting-caliber point guard will come via free agency, the trade market, or even the draft. Sheppard left the door open to all three possibilities, noting that one of the biggest keys of the offseason will be exercising patience and waiting for various markets to develop.
“There is going to be buyer frenzy once you get to the draft,” the GM said, per Filyo. “There is so little money this summer in the marketplace for free agents. There are going to be a lot of teams that want to shuffle. There are going to be some teams that do a little bit on the side and there are going to be teams that do complete restructuring. To know ahead of time what our needs are going to be, where we can fill those needs and then being patient to get the best possible deal – that’s not a challenge like I am worried about, that’s just something we embrace.”
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- In his end-of-season press conference, Sheppard expressed enthusiasm about the idea of Deni Avdija playing for Israel in EuroBasket this offseason, referring to those contests as “high-level” games. “I believe he will get more out of that,” Sheppard said. “Being one of the key players for Israel will give him the kind of pressure we want him to have that probably doesn’t exist in Summer League.”
- Sheppard also expressed confidence that Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, who have yet to play together, will complement each other well. “One of the easiest problems I have to solve is talent playing with talent,” Sheppard said, according to Filyo. “That works itself out. I think Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis will be great in the two-man game. I think both of them are creative with the ball. Both of them know how to score, both of them have great court vision. “
- The Wizards showed improvement on defense near the end of the 2020/21 season and at the start of ’21/22, but ultimately ended up with only the NBA’s 25th-best defensive rating this season. Personnel changes and strategy tweaks could help upgrade the club’s performance on that side of the ball in ’22/23, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, noting that Sheppard referred to the defense as something that will be a “focus” this offseason.
- Josh Robbins of The Athletic takes a look at why the Wizards couldn’t maintain their momentum after getting off to a 10-3 start and what’s next for the club.
Southwest Notes: McCollum, Pelicans, Spurs, Rockets
The Pelicans still have to win one more game in Los Angeles on Friday night in order to secure a playoff spot, but veteran guard CJ McCollum expressed confidence after New Orleans’ first play-in win over San Antonio on Wednesday that the team is pointed in the right direction in both the short- and long-term.
“This is the start of something special, for sure,” McCollum said, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN. “You see the energy. Feel the energy. My mother is in town; I have some family in town. When we go out to eat, you can feel the city is excited about basketball, as they should [be]. There’s a lot of talent here. We’re playing the game the right way. It’s going to be a lot of winning in our future.”
If the Pelicans can clinch the No. 8 seed, they’d be significant underdogs against the NBA-best Suns, with Zion Williamson still not expected to be available, so their playoff run could be brief. Still, McCollum is optimistic about what the future holds, according to Lopez, who writes that the 30-year-old says he plans to visit Williamson and other teammates at their houses this offseason to get to know them better.
“I think that’s how you build chemistry,” McCollum said. “That’s how you build cohesiveness.”
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Herbert Jones may not get any Rookie of the Year votes, but the first-year Pelicans forward helped spark a defensive turnaround in New Orleans this season, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com.
- In his latest Substack article, Marc Stein says his best read on the Spurs‘ coaching situation is that Celtics assistant Will Hardy – who was formerly an assistant in San Antonio – could be at the front of the line to succeed Gregg Popovich if the longtime Spurs coach decides to step down this offseason.
- After being named the G League MVP for 2021/22, Rockets two-way player Trevelin Queen also took home the Finals MVP award, averaging 34.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 3.5 APG on 56.1% shooting in a pair of Rio Grande Valley Vipers victories over the Delaware Blue Coats. Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle takes a closer look at Queen’s path to the NBA and explores what’s next for him. “I got emotional (signing a two-way contract earlier this season) because I’ve been waiting my whole life, but I just know there’s more work to do,” Queen said. “I know I can do more than the two-way, so I just want to let them know.”
- In a mailbag for The Athletic, Kelly Iko answers readers’ questions about the Rockets‘ long-term view of a Jalen Green/Kevin Porter Jr. backcourt, the prospects Houston should target with Brooklyn’s first-round pick, and which free agents might be of interest to the team.
Paul George Out Friday Due To Positive COVID-19 Test
Clippers forward Paul George has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and will miss Friday’s win-or-go-home play-in game against the Pelicans, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim Bontemps (Twitter link).
George has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said that George started not to feel well on Thursday and registered a positive test on Friday morning (Twitter link via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN).
It’s a brutal blow for the Clippers, who appeared to be getting healthier at just the right time entering the postseason. George recently returned from an elbow injury that caused him to miss three months, while Norman Powell came back last week after being sidelined for nearly two months due to a broken bone in his foot.
The Clippers will still have Powell available for Friday’s play-in game, but star forwards George and Kawhi Leonard, who continues to make his way back from ACL surgery, will both be on the shelf, opening the door wider for the Pelicans to clinch the No. 8 seed.
Of course, head coach Tyronn Lue kept the Clippers competitive and in the playoff picture with both of his All-Star forwards unavailable for much of the season, so it’s certainly not a given that George’s absence will result in a home loss on Friday.
If L.A. pulls out a victory tonight, George should be able to return by Game 3 of a first-round series vs. the Suns. If not, Tuesday’s loss in Minnesota will end up being his final game of the 2021/22 season.
George’s positive COVID-19 test could also be bad news for the Trail Blazers. Portland will receive the Pelicans’ top-four protected 2022 first-round pick if it falls between No. 5 and No. 14, but that pick would land at No. 15 and would be sent to the Hornets if New Orleans wins tonight. In that scenario, the Blazers would instead receive Milwaukee’s 2025 first-round pick (top-four protected).
Potential 2022 RFAs Whose Qualifying Offers Will Be Impacted By Starter Criteria
The NBA’s rookie scale, which determines how much first-round picks earn during their first four NBA seasons, also dictates how much the qualifying offers will be worth for those players when they reach restricted free agency after year four. However, the value of those qualifying offers can fluctuate depending on whether or not a player has met the “starter criteria.”
Here’s how the starter criteria works in a typical year:
- A player who is eligible for restricted free agency is considered to have met the starter criteria if he plays at least 2,000 minutes or starts 41 games in the season before he reaches free agency.
- A player can also meet the criteria if he averages either of those marks in the two seasons prior to his restricted free agency. For instance, if a player started 50 games one year and 32 the next, he’d meet the starter criteria, since his average number of starts over the last two seasons is 41.
The thresholds for the starter criteria this year are a little different due to the truncated nature of the 2020/21 season. We outlined those tweaks at the start of the season.
A player’s ability or inability to meet the starter criteria can affect the value of the qualifying offer he receives as a restricted free agent, as follows:
- A top-14 pick who does not meet the starter criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to the amount the 15th overall pick would receive if he signed for 120% of the rookie scale.
- A player picked between 10th and 30th who meets the criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to the amount the ninth overall pick would receive if he signed for 120% of the rookie scale.
- A second-round pick or undrafted player who meets the criteria will receive a qualifying offer equal to the amount the 21st overall pick would receive if he signed for 100% of the rookie scale.
- For all other RFAs, the standard criteria determine the amounts of their qualifying offers.
Extending a qualifying offer to a player eligible for restricted free agency officially makes that player an RFA, ensuring that his team has the right of first refusal if he signs an offer sheet with another club. It also gives the player the option of signing that one-year QO.
Generally, the value of a restricted free agent’s qualifying offer isn’t hugely important, since very few RFAs accept those offers outright. There are exceptions though.
Last offseason, for instance, Bruce Brown met the starter criteria heading into restricted free agency, increasing the value of his qualifying offer to $4,736,102. The Nets decided to issue that qualifying offer and he accepted it. Had he fallen short of the starter criteria, Brown only would have been eligible for a qualifying offer worth around $2MM and his free agency could have played out very differently.
Top-14 picks who failed to meet starter criteria:
With all that in mind, let’s check in on how this year’s RFAs-to-be will be impacted by the starter criteria. Listed below are the former top-14 picks on track for restricted free agency who did not meet the starter criteria. These players will be eligible for qualifying offers worth $7,228,448.
- Marvin Bagley III (Pistons)
- Collin Sexton (Cavaliers)
- Kevin Knox (Hawks)
Seven of the 14 players selected with lottery picks in the 2018 draft signed rookie scale extensions in 2021, meaning they won’t have to worry about the value of their qualifying offers this offseason.
Of the other seven, the three players listed above failed to meet the criteria. Bagley is the biggest loser in the trio — his qualifying offer would’ve been worth approximately $14.76MM if he had met the starter criteria. Sexton’s would’ve been about $8.56MM, while Knox’s would’ve been $7.92MM.
Even with the amount of his qualifying offer lowered a little, Knox likely won’t receive a QO at all, making him an unrestricted free agent. Bagley and Sexton are much safer bets for QOs.
Top-14 picks Deandre Ayton (Suns) and Mohamed Bamba (Magic), each met the starter criteria, locking in their QO amounts at $16.42MM and $10.1MM, respectively. Miles Bridges (Hornets) also met the starter criteria, as detailed in the next section.
Jerome Robinson was the only top-14 pick from ’18 who was waived before completing his rookie contract — he’s no longer on an NBA roster and won’t be eligible for a qualifying offer this summer.
First-round picks between 10-30 who met starter criteria:
A player who fell into this category would see the amount of his qualifying offer increase to $7,921,300. Bridges, the No. 12 overall pick, was the only player to qualify.
As a result of meeting the starter criteria, Bridges’ qualifying offer will increase from about $7.46MM to $7.92MM, a modest bump. It shouldn’t change the outlook of his free agency, since he’ll almost certainly receive a lucrative long-term offer.
Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons looked like one of the best candidates to join Bridges in this group. He needed to make 41 starts this season for Portland, but only got to 30 before he was shut down for the season with a left knee injury. His qualifying offer will remain at $5.76MM, but that shouldn’t have a major impact on his free agency, since he’ll likely work out a multiyear deal with the Blazers.
Meanwhile, because Kings wing Donte DiVincenzo was a full-time starter for the Bucks in 2020/21, he only needed to make seven starts this season to meet the starter criteria. However, he ultimately started just once for Milwaukee and Sacramento, even when he was playing heavy minutes down the stretch for the Kings.
DiVincenzo’s qualifying offer will remain at $6.6MM, which actually could have a tangible effect on his free agency — if he doesn’t get a multiyear offer with a starting salary much higher than his qualifying offer, accepting the QO and reaching unrestricted free agency in 2023 may be DiVincenzo’s best option. Presumably, that’s why his camp reportedly wasn’t thrilled that he was still coming off the bench at the end of the season.
Second-round picks and UDFAs who met starter criteria:
The players listed below signed as second-round picks or undrafted free agents, but met the starter criteria and are now eligible for a qualifying offer worth $4,869,012.
Luguentz Dort (Thunder)- Jae’Sean Tate (Rockets)
Of course, it’s very possible neither Dort nor Tate will even become a free agent this summer, since their contracts both include team options for 2022/23.
The Thunder could decide to turn down Dort’s minimum-salary option for next season in order to make him a restricted free agent this year instead of an unrestricted free agent next year, but there’s no guarantee they’ll go that route. If they do, his QO would be worth $4.87MM instead of $2.22MM.
Meanwhile, there’s no incentive for the Rockets to decline Tate’s option, since he’ll still be eligible for restricted free agency in 2023, so the amount of his potential qualifying offer this summer will be rendered moot.
Among other second-round picks and undrafted free agents, Hornets wing Cody Martin (1,866 minutes), Clippers swingman Amir Coffey (30 starts), and Trail Blazers forward CJ Elleby (28 starts) are a few who were in the ballpark of the starter criteria, but none got there. Martin, Coffey, Elleby, and the rest of this year’s restricted free agents won’t have their projected qualifying offers impacted by the starter criteria.
Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan Declaring For NBA Draft
Baylor freshman forward Jeremy Sochan has decided to enter the 2022 NBA draft and will forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility by hiring representation, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN. According to Givony, Sochan will sign with Jim Tanner and Deirunas Visockas of Tandem Sports.
Sochan only started one of his 30 games in his first and only college season, but made an impact off the bench, averaging 9.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.3 SPG in 25.1 minutes per contest and earning Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year honors. Sochan, who won’t turn 19 until next month, also established himself as one of the best defenders at the college level, says Givony.
Although Baylor claimed a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, the Bears didn’t last long, having been eliminated in the second round by North Carolina. Despite the disappointing end to his season, Sochan made a strong impression on NBA scouts and projects as a potential lottery pick, according to Givony, who ranks him No. 13 on ESPN’s big board.
“I always knew that I’ll be in the NBA, whether it took one year or four,” Sochan said, adding that he’s looking forward to showing teams how mature his game is for his age. “I have my own game that takes from many different players and positions. Some players that I think I can learn a lot from are Mikal Bridges, Bam Adebayo, Draymond Green, Jaylen Brown, Aaron Gordon, Boris Diaw, just to name a few.”
Sochan is the third Baylor prospect to declare for this year’s draft, joining teammates Kendall Brown and James Akinjo.
Nets Notes: Simmons, Durant, Nash, Irving, Harden, Tsai
As we relayed on Thursday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during a TV appearance that Ben Simmons is aiming to return between Games 4 and 6 of the Nets‘ first-round series vs. the Celtics — Shams Charania of The Athletic later echoed that report (via Twitter).
However, despite the apparent optimism about Simmons’ playoff availability, Nets forward Kevin Durant isn’t counting on the three-time All-Star to play in the Boston series, telling reporters on Thursday that he doesn’t want to put any extra expectations on his new teammate.
“No, I’m not expecting him to play,” Durant said, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. “That’s easier for me. I’m not putting any pressure on Ben to come out and hoop. I’m not expecting him to do anything except get his body right and get healthy as fast as he can. I’m preparing as if we’re playing with the team we have.”
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Although the Nets’ 44-38 record this season fell fall short of their preseason projections, head coach Steve Nash shouldn’t shoulder the blame for the fact that the team ended up outside of the East’s top six, according to Durant. “I think he’s done a great job. The last two years, he’s been dealt a wild hand,” Durant said of Nash, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “Injuries, trades, disgruntled players, guys in and out of the lineup, stuff that he can’t control. … This is his first real opportunity as a coach, so I think he’s handled it all perfectly to be honest with you.”
- Since arriving in Brooklyn in 2019, Kyrie Irving has appeared in just 103 of 226 total regular season games due to injuries, sabbaticals, and his vaccine-related ineligibility. Ahead of Irving’s potential free agency, the 2022 playoffs will go a long way toward determining whether the mercurial guard has been worth the trouble for the Nets, argues Ian O’Connor of The New York Post.
- Speaking to Zion Olojede of Complex.com, former Net guard James Harden said there were “a lot of ups and downs” during his time in Brooklyn leading up his trade to Philadelphia. “I think my happiness is the most important thing, so I had to make the best decision for myself and for my family,” Harden said.
- In an interesting report for ESPN.com, Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru take a deep dive into Joe Tsai‘s business ties to – and occasional defenses of – the Chinese government and explore how the Nets owner has become the face of the NBA’s uneasy relationship with China.
Poll: Friday’s Play-In Games
Through four games, there have been no upsets in the NBA’s 2022 play-in tournament. Both No. 7 seeds won on Tuesday and both No. 9 seeds were victorious on Wednesday, setting up a pair of No. 8 vs. No. 9 showdowns on Friday.
In the East, it’ll be the No. 9 Hawks visiting the No. 8 Cavaliers, and for the first time in this year’s play-in tournament, the road team will enter the game as the betting favorite. The Hawks are currently favored by 2.5 points on BetOnline.ag.
Although the Hawks finished the season a game behind the Cavaliers in the standings, Atlanta was clearly the better team in the second half. While the Hawks finished the season on a 26-14 run, the Cavs struggled to hold their spot in the Eastern Conference standings after a hot start and went 9-17 down the stretch. The two teams’ play-in results so far reflect that second-half momentum — Cleveland never led against Brooklyn on Tuesday, while Atlanta controlled Wednesday’s game against Charlotte for nearly the entire night.
Cleveland’s home-court advantage will be a boon. And if Jarrett Allen is able to return from his finger injury while John Collins‘ own finger and foot injuries keep him sidelined, the Cavs should have an advantage in the frontcourt. But there’s a real possibility that after holding a top-six spot for much of the season, Cleveland could miss the playoffs altogether.
[Note: The following section on the Western play-in game was written before word broke that Paul George will miss the game due to a positive COVID-19 test.]
In the West, the No. 8 Clippers will host the No. 9 Pelicans, with L.A. listed as a four-point favorite, per BetOnline.ag.
The Clippers finished the year six games ahead of the Pelicans in the standings, but those end-of-season records are somewhat misleading. Since November 17, New Orleans has actually been better (34-32) than Los Angeles (33-35), and the Pelicans have taken another step forward since acquiring CJ McCollum at the trade deadline.
Of course, that’s not to say that the Clippers were spiraling when the regular season ended — they’d just gotten Paul George and Norman Powell back in their lineup following lengthy injury absences and won their last five games of the year before losing a tight one in Minnesota on Tuesday.
Friday’s do-or-die late game would be can’t-miss TV if injured forwards Kawhi Leonard (ACL) and Zion Williamson (foot) were available, but even without those stars on the court, these are two talented, well-coached teams who each look capable of securing the No. 8 spot in the West.
We want to know what you think. Which teams will claim the final two playoff spots on Friday, and which two clubs are headed home?
Vote in our poll before Friday night, then head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts and predictions!
Who will win Friday's play-in games?
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Hawks and Clippers 40% (313)
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Hawks and Pelicans 30% (235)
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Cavaliers and Clippers 18% (142)
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Cavaliers and Pelicans 12% (90)
Total votes: 780
Spurs Notes: Hammon, Popovich, Walker, Offseason
Having been hired as the head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces back in December, Spurs assistant Becky Hammon finished the regular season with San Antonio, but left the team this week, head coach Gregg Popovich confirmed before Wednesday’s play-in game vs. the Pelicans.
“She had to go,” Popovich said, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “They had the draft on Monday and camp is going to start. She has to get ready. That’s not a good thing for us.”
When the Spurs’ season came to an end with a loss in New Orleans on Wednesday, the focus shifted to Popovich’s own future. He hasn’t offered any hints about how much longer he’ll coach the Spurs and told reporters it was “inappropriate” to ask about his plans immediately after the club’s season ended on Wednesday.
According to veteran reporter Marc Stein (Twitter link), some people in Spurs circles believe the 73-year-old will coach the team for at least one more season, but they all acknowledge that only Popovich knows for sure.
In a column for The Express-News, Mike Finger writes that when Popovich does decide to call it a career, he’ll probably only make a brief announcement and retire immediately rather than embarking on a year-long farewell tour. But, like everyone else, Finger isn’t sure if that will happen this spring, or a year or two down the road.
Here’s more on the Spurs:
- Asked after Wednesday’s game about his upcoming restricted free agency, Lonnie Walker said he’s “hopeful to be back,” but indicated he’ll leave those conversations up to his representatives (Twitter link via Matthew Tynan). Walker is San Antonio’s only major free agent this summer — their other four FAs are either coming off two-way contracts (D.J. Stewart Jr., Robert Woodard II) or spent most of the season on two-way deals (Joe Wieskamp, Devontae Cacok).
- Although the Spurs have missed the playoffs for three straight seasons, this will likely be the first year since 1997 that they’ll have a top-10 pick, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Their first-rounder will almost certainly land at No. 9 or 10 if it doesn’t move into the top four. The Spurs can’t expect to do as well as they did in ’97 (when they drafted Tim Duncan), but that pick should give them a chance to land a cornerstone player, and they’ll also control two other 2022 first-rounders, from Toronto and Boston.
- In his preview of the team’s offseason, ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) identifies rebounding as one of the Spurs’ biggest needs and explores their cap situation. Outside of Walker’s free agency, San Antonio also faces an important decision on Keldon Johnson, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension.