Draft Notes: Henderson, Top Prospects, Magic, Pacers, Jazz
In a short written piece alongside a longer video for The Players’ Tribune, G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson details how his father helped him develop into the player he has become. Henderson, who is projected a top-three pick for the upcoming 2023 NBA draft, also explains his desire to achieve greatness.
“I want this,” Henderson writes. “I don’t ever want somebody to think they’re better than me. All of my idols have a killer mentality. Kobe (Bryant), (Russell) Westbrook, (Stephen) Curry…. I’ve always admired players with a drive that takes them beyond what the average person is willing to do to succeed. I think you have to be kind of crazy, if I’m being honest. All the greats are. And my dad wanted me to know that.
“I want to go beyond what it takes to be in the league. I’m not just looking for a roster spot — I’m searching for greatness. So, no, actually … with all respect to my dad…. I don’t just want this. I need this. See you at the draft.”
Here are a few more notes on the draft:
- While Victor Wembanyama, Henderson and Brandon Miller are widely considered the draft’s “big three,” that doesn’t mean they’ll ultimately be the three best NBA players. Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN.com (Insider link) examine four prospects who could feasibly become one of the draft’s top three players down the line, weighing the pros and cons of each player as well as their ideal fits with teams. At the top of the list is Overtime Elite’s Amen Thompson, whose explosive athleticism, body control, ability to change speeds, vision and defensive flashes give him the highest upside in the draft outside of Wembanyama, according to Givony. Thompson is ranked No. 4 on ESPN’s big board, but Givony believes the Wizards (No. 8) or Jazz (No. 9) might be the best long-term situations for the young guard.
- In the latest aggregate mock draft for HoopsHype, Michael Scotto reports that rival teams believe the Magic might be open to packaging their two lottery picks (Nos. 6 and 11) in order to move into the 3-5 range. According to Scotto, the Pacers might gauge the value of the No. 7 pick in a potential win-now move for a forward, while the Mavericks have been shopping their own lottery pick, 10th overall, in an effort to find an impact veteran.
- As Rafael Barlowe of NBA Big Board writes, although rivals front offices have been expecting the Jazz to pursue a point guard with their lottery pick, there are rumors they might target French wing Bilal Coulibaly instead. Coulibaly has been shining in the LNB Pro A playoffs alongside his Metropolitans 92 teammate, Wembanyama. Barlowe also hears the Jazz are high on Tennessee wing Julian Phillips, whose stock is rising after strong measurements and athletic testing at the draft combine. Utah controls three first-rounders: Nos. 9, 16 and 28.
Wizards Hire Will Dawkins As No. 2 Basketball Executive
JUNE 8: The Wizards have announced the hirings of Dawkins and Schlenk, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
In addition, former Providence and Georgetown coach John Thompson III was promoted to senior VP of Monumental Basketball and will “be focused on exploring and implementing best practices for the Wizards, Mystics and Go-Go while ensuring accountability for excellence across the organization.” (Twitter link).
JUNE 5: New Wizards president Michael Winger plans to hire Will Dawkins to be his second in command of the basketball operations department, report Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Ava Wallace of The Washington Post confirms the news (via Twitter). Marc Stein was first to report that Dawkins was a “strong candidate” to join the Wizards’ new-look front office.
Dawkins is currently the Thunder‘s vice president of basketball operations and has been with Oklahoma City since 2008. He initially got his start as an intern and steadily worked his way up to be a high-level executive.
Winger and Dawkins worked together from 2010-17 while with the Thunder. Winger was the Clippers’ GM from 2017 until May, when he was hired away to run Washington’s front office. Dawkins will report directly to Winger and will be tasked with overseeing the Wizards’ roster in a general manager-type role.
Dawkins is the second major hire Winger has made in the past week, joining senior vice president of player personnel Travis Schlenk. Schlenk, who was formerly the Hawks’ president of basketball operations, will oversee Washington’s player evaluation work at all levels (amateur, international, and professional).
Winger’s previous work has focused less on player evaluation and more on bigger-picture roster construction and strategy, as well as navigating the CBA and salary cap, so he reportedly wants to ensure he’s surrounded by strong player evaluators. Now he has two experienced executives to work alongside.
Nuggets’ Jokic, Murray Make History In Game 3 Win
Hoops Rumors ordinarily doesn’t cover this sort of thing, at least not directly. But the historic performances tonight by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in the Nuggets‘ 109-94 Game 3 victory over the Heat are worth highlighting.
Jokic and Murray became the first teammates in NBA history — regular season or playoffs — to record 30-point triple-doubles in the same game, the league announced (via Twitter). And it came on the biggest stage, during the NBA Finals.
Jokic, the two-time MVP, finished with 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists, which made him the first player to record a 30-20-10 game in the Finals, ESPN Stats & Info tweets. That marks his third career 30-20-10 playoff game; there have only been two other postseason instances of that stat line, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain recording one apiece.
Murray also made individual history, becoming the first player to record 10-plus assists in his each of his first three Finals games, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk (Twitter link). The 26-year-old finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said it was “by far their greatest performance as a duo,” according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link).
As impressive as the victory was, it was still only one game, and the series is far from over. The Nuggets now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1, with Game 4 set for Friday night in Miami.
Draft Notes: Walker, Pacers, Bates, Pistons
Houston’s Jarace Walker is a projected top-10 pick, currently ranked No. 7 on ESPN’s big board. As Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files writes, Walker’s workout on Wednesday with the Pacers, who control the No. 7 overall pick, was actually his first with an NBA team, but he has upcoming workouts with the Pistons (No. 5) and Jazz (No. 9).
A strong, long-armed forward who is viewed as one of the best defenders in the draft, Walker could fill an immediate need for Indiana at the four if he’s available on draft night, Agness notes. The Pacers are reportedly searching for a starting power forward and need help defensively.
“I think my biggest asset is my defense, just my versatility there,” Walker said, stressing that he wants to show that he’s more than a good defender. “That’s what people focus on, but there’s so many other things on the floor that I can do.”
The 19-year-old cited Luguentz Dort and Jrue Holiday as a couple of burly defenders he looks up to, according to Agness.
Here are a few more notes on the 2023 NBA draft, which will take place June 22:
- The Pacers have been extremely busy hosting prospects for workouts, and that will continue on Thursday, Agness tweets. Tyger Campbell (UCLA), Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite), Markquis Nowell (Kansas State), Ben Sheppard (Belmont), Hunter Tyson (Clemson) and Jalen Wilson (Kansas) will be the six participants. Sheppard is currently the highest-rated of the group on ESPN’s list, coming in at No. 37. In addition to No. 7, Indiana also controls the Nos. 26, 29, 32 and 55 picks
- Eastern Michigan wing Emoni Bates has had a busy schedule leading up to the draft, reportedly working out for nearly half the league already. A source tells Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (Twitter link) that Bates will be visiting the Bucks on Friday. He’s currently No. 51 on ESPN’s board.
- While much ink has (understandably) been spilled about what the Pistons might do at No. 5, they control the 31st pick in the draft as well. Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link) examines six 3-and-D wings who might be available with the second-rounder, including Xavier’s Colby Jones (No. 28 on ESPN’s board) UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez (No. 30), and Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis (No. 32).
Western Notes: CP3, LeBron, Mavs, Jeter, Blazers
The Suns “would like to find a way to financially keep Chris Paul” on their roster, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link).
That said, if Phoenix is unable to find a better alternative and winds up releasing Paul, the longtime veteran would be “very coveted” on the open market, Wojnarowski says. Woj names the Lakers and Clippers as two teams that would be interested in Paul’s services, noting that the veteran point guard lives in Los Angeles in the offseason.
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated speculates (via Twitter) that the Grizzlies, Celtics and Heat could be among the other teams calling Paul’s agents if he hits unrestricted free agency.
Here’s more from the Western Conference
- LeBron James hinted at retirement after the Lakers were swept by the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whom James passed this season to become the league’s all-time leading scorer, recently touched on the possibility of James retiring, as Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times writes. “At the end of the year, after all that, LeBron and most of the guys looked like they’d been through two seasons, you know? But they still gave it an awesome effort,” Abdul-Jabbar said Monday. “I think it’s up to him. Certainly doesn’t have to prove anything. And it’s just what he wants to do at this point.”
- Kyrie Irving reportedly wants the Mavericks to pursue James, but that’s certainly far-fetched. Even if they could pull it off, Tim Cato of The Athletic argues that adding James wouldn’t make the Mavs a title contender, as having three players on max (or near max) deals while trading away all their remaining assets would make it incredibly difficult to build out the rest of the roster. Cato also notes that James’ defensive effort comes and goes at this stage of his career and he isn’t a reliable spot-up shooter to complement Luka Doncic.
- Former NBA guard Pooh Jeter is retiring as a player, reports Marc J. Spears of Andscape (via Twitter). Jeter played for the G League Ignite this past season and mentored Scoot Henderson. The 39-year-old has already found a new gig, reaching an agreement in principle to become an assistant GM for the Trail Blazers‘ new G League affiliate. Jeter will also serve as a player development coach for the Blazers, according to Spears.
Latest On Suns, Chris Paul
There are conflicting reports on what the Suns intend to do with future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul.
Although Chris Haynes recently reported that the Suns plan to waive Paul’s partially guaranteed contract, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic hears from sources who say Phoenix is still evaluating its options with the veteran point guard. Paul remains on the roster for now.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Suns spoke to Paul’s agent on Wednesday and let him know they want to find a mutually beneficial resolution. Charania reports that a trade, waiving and stretching Paul’s contract, and waiving Paul outright and possibly re-signing him are among the options being considered.
One notable option that Charania did not mention is fully guaranteeing Paul’s $30.8MM contract for 2023/24, which is currently partially guaranteed for $15.8MM (it’s non-guaranteed for $30MM in ’24/25). The 38-year-old’s salary would become fully guaranteed if he’s not waived on or before June 28, but that doesn’t sound like it’s on the table for the Suns.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Suns intend to explore trade possibilities for Paul and Deandre Ayton, which could obviously have a profound impact on the team’s roster.
As of now, sources tell Wojnarowski that Paul wants to return to Phoenix and play with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. However, Paul and his representatives would like the Suns to find a quick solution, particularly if he’s waived, even though they’re technically under no obligation to do so.
There’s an expectation that the Suns will use the stretch provision on Paul’s deal if he does end up getting cut, Wojnarowski writes. That would spread his $15.8MM cap hit over five seasons, for annual charge of $3.16MM. Paul would be ineligible to re-sign with Phoenix in that scenario.
Plugged-in local radio host John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM also disputes Haynes’ report, tweeting that the Suns haven’t yet decided what they’re going to do with Paul.
Suns Reportedly Plan To Waive Chris Paul
The Suns plan to waive point guard Chris Paul, whose $30.8MM contract for 2023/24 is partially guaranteed at $15.8MM, sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter link).
In a recent podcast appearance with Zach Lowe, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested the Suns might waive Paul instead of guaranteeing the remainder of his salary. He also predicted Paul would still be on the roster next season (YouTube link).
“Stretch Chris Paul?” asked Lowe (hat tip to RealGM)
“There are other things that can be done,” said Windhorst.
“I might be dumb, but I think Chris Paul is still good,” replied Lowe.
“I think Chris Paul will be a Sun next year, but what if he’s a Sun and they don’t have to pay him $30 million,” said Windhorst.
As Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype tweets, the Suns could stretch Paul’s $15.8MM cap hit over five years, which would equal $3.16MM annually. However, if they go that route, they would be ineligible to re-sign Paul over that same time frame.
If they simply release his contract and he clears waivers, Paul will become an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team, including Phoenix. In a thin free agent market, he will be one of the best players available, despite his advancing age (he turned 38 last month).
As we noted in our Offseason Preview, if the Suns were to guarantee Paul’s salary, they would have been in danger of exceeding the second tax apron, which is a pseudo-hard cap in the new CBA. Waiving (or waiving and stretching) Paul would make it easier to stay below that threshold and give Phoenix more options to work with, but the team would also risk losing him for nothing.
The 12-time All-Star plans to play “several” more seasons and is enthusiastic about helping a team contend for a title, according to Haynes (Twitter link). Haynes reported last month that the Suns were considered likely to guarantee the remainder of Paul’s contract, but obviously there was a change of plans.
Paul is coming off another disappointing playoff exit that was related to injuries. This time, he suffered a left groin strain in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Nuggets that sidelined him for the rest of the series.
Paul, who has led the league in steals six times and assists five times, is widely considered one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, as well as one of the best players to have never won a championship. In his first season with Phoenix back in ’20/21, he helped the team reach the Finals, ultimately falling to the Bucks in six games.
In 59 regular season games (32.0 minutes) in ’22/23, he averaged 13.9 points, 8.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals on .440/.375/.831 shooting. He holds career averages of 17.9 points, 9.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals on .472/.369/.870 shooting in 1214 games (34.4 MPG).
Rockets Rumors: Coaches, VanVleet, Lopez, C. Johnson, Brooks
The Rockets are in strong pursuit of Celtics assistant coach Aaron Miles, who worked under Ime Udoka until he was suspended by Boston before the 2022/23 season started, Kelly Iko reports in his latest mailbag for The Athletic. Sources tell Iko that Udoka, who was hired by Houston after the team declined its option on Stephen Silas‘ contract, is also looking for a non-Celtics assistant to join his staff.
Iko’s reporting came in the context of a reader asking about how adding multiple assistants might impact current Rockets assistants John Lucas II and Mahmoud Abdelfattah. Lucas has been running pre-draft workouts for the team, which seems like a strong sign he’ll be sticking around, whether it’s as an assistant or in some other capacity. As for Abdelfattah, Iko says the assistant coach has drawn “legitimate interest” from rival teams, and suggests he might have a new job if Udoka hires both targets he’s pursuing.
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- They plan to be aggressive in signing veteran free agents with their projected $60MM+ in cap room. Houston is emphasizing a lead ball-handler first, with James Harden their top target, according to multiple reporters. But what happens if he stays with Philadelphia? According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Raptors guard Fred VanVleet has “often been linked” to the Rockets as a fall-back option.
- Beyond a point guard, the Rockets are looking for help on the wing and in the middle, sources tell Fischer. They have been connected to Khris Middleton, but that seems unlikely now, as rivals believe he’ll stay with the Bucks. However, sources tell Fischer the Rockets are interested in his teammate, center Brook Lopez, who is set for unrestricted free agency if he doesn’t sign an extension first. Iko reported a few weeks ago that Lopez, who was runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year in 2022/23, could be among the Rockets’ targets.
- Fischer also confirms Iko’s reporting that the Rockets like forward Cameron Johnson, but hears the Nets have signaled they plan to match any “realistic” offer sheet for the restricted free agent. Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks is another player the Rockets like, and Fischer suggests he might be a more practical option.
Fischer’s Latest: Hornets, Blazers, Sharpe, Middleton, Pacers
Many league executives believe the 2023 NBA draft could feature several first-round trades, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Fischer writes that there is widespread uncertainty surrounding the draft outside of Victor Wembanyama at No. 1, and examines the situations for the Nos. 2-10 picks.
The Hornets, who control the No. 2 pick, will be hosting Overtime Elite twins Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson for workouts on Friday, followed by G League Ignite’s Scoot Henderson on Sunday and Alabama’s Brandon Miller next Tuesday, league sources tell Fischer.
Charlotte is widely expected to ultimately choose between Miller or Henderson, with the twins ranking just behind them on ESPN’s big board. However, it’s certainly not a consensus like No. 1.
The Hornets have an additional layer of certainty as well, with rumors that owner Michael Jordan might look to sell his majority stake in the franchise. A new ownership group could look to hire a new president of basketball operations and head coach.
That has some Charlotte staffers wondering about the fates of Mitch Kupchak and Steve Clifford, as they each only have one guaranteed season left on their respective contracts, per Fischer.
Here’s more from Fischer on the draft and free agency:
- Rival front offices are skeptical that the Trail Blazers will have a deal lined up to trade No. 3 before they’re on the clock on June 22, Fischer writes. Part of that is the uncertainty at No. 2, because a team trading up to No. 3 would presumably be targeting either Miller or Henderson, and they don’t yet know who will be available. In early trade talks, the Blazers are sending signals to rivals that Shaedon Sharpe will not be part of a possible package with the No. 3 pick, per Fischer’s sources. Sharpe was the No. 7 overall pick last year and showed flashes of brilliance with his incredible athleticism and smooth shot-making, but he’s inconsistent and just turned 20 years old, while star Damian Lillard is 32.
- Although he has been linked to the Rockets, who are fielding offers for No. 4, looking to improve, and project to have the most cap room in the league this summer, rival executives believe Bucks wing Khris Middleton is likely to sign a long-term contract with Milwaukee this summer, according to Fischer. The three-time All-Star has a $40.4MM player option for next season. As Fischer notes, Middleton reportedly met with finalists for the Bucks’ coaching vacancy before they hired Adrian Griffin.
- The Pacers continue to express interest in finding a starting power forward, sources tell Fischer. Indiana controls five picks in the upcoming draft, including No. 7 overall.
And-Ones: Coach Contracts, Options, Star Trades, Glickman
Monty Williams‘ record-setting six-year, $78.5MM contract with the Pistons will have a major impact on some of the league’s top coaches, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said on NBA Countdown (YouTube link).
“It’s going to significantly impact the head coaching landscape for high-level coaches, including (the Heat‘s) Erik Spoelstra and (the Warriors‘) Steve Kerr,” said Wojnarowski (hat tip to RealGM). “Both of those coaches have one year left, next season, on their deals. Both, I’m told, in the $8 million annual range right now. Both coaches, when you talk to owners and executives around the league, if they were on the open market might be able to get what (Denver Broncos coach) Sean Payton got: in the neighborhood of $20 million per year.
“It’s hard to imagine Erik Spoelstra leaving a Miami organization where he started 28 years ago as a video intern, where he’s spent 15 years as a head coach with two championships.
“Steve Kerr is going to be a different situation. His president/GM Bob Myers announced last week that he’s leaving. This is an aging roster. The worldview for Steve Kerr may look different. Watch his negotiations this summer on an extension.
“One other coach who is going to benefit from Monty Williams changing the pay structure of NBA head coach is Clippers coach Tyronn Lue.”
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- Which players are likely to exercise their player options? Which teams will exercise their options on players’ contracts? Which players on partially guaranteed and non-guaranteed contracts will be waived before free agency? John Hollinger of The Athletic predicts all of those decisions. The former Grizzlies executive believes Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker ($11MM) will decline his option and test free agency, writing that his age (22) could help him get a new contract for the full mid-level exception or better. According to Hollinger, the Lakers will likely decline their $16.6MM team option on guard Malik Beasley, while the Magic will retain Gary Harris‘ $13MM deal, which is currently non-guaranteed (it will become guaranteed if he’s still on the roster July 1).
- Mike Vorkunov, Fred Katz and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic draft the NBA teams they think have the top assets to offer in hypothetical trades for star players this offseason, with two caveats: The team’s best player cannot be included for the star, and the outgoing pieces will be both players and draft picks. The Thunder are selected No. 1 by Vorkunov, followed by the Magic at No. 2 (Katz), and surprisingly the Trail Blazers at No. 3 (Edwards).
- Marshall Glickman, the acting CEO of the EuroLeague, announced he will step down from his post when his contract expires at the end of July, tweets Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. As BasketNews relays, a previous report indicated that Glickman’s work relationship with EuroLeague president Dejan Bodiroga was strained, which made have contributed to the decision. Glickman has been acting CEO since last September.