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Lakers Waive Vincent Valerio-Bodon, Damion Baugh, Scotty Pippen Jr.

October 16th, 2023 at 6:25pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Lakers have waived forward Vincent Valerio-Bodon and guards Damion Baugh and Scotty Pippen Jr, according to a team press release relayed by The Athletic’s Jovan Buha (Twitter link).

Pippen, 22, is the son of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen and spent last season, his rookie year, with the Lakers on a two-way contract after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt. He averaged 21.4 points, 5.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds with the South Bay Lakers in 19 regular season G League games. Pippen appeared in two preseason contests with the Lakers this year and averaged 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

Baugh, 23, appeared in one game with the Lakers in the preseason. He joined the team after going undrafted out of TCU, where he averaged 12.6 points and 5.8 assists per game in his senior season.

Valerio-Bodon, 22, made one preseason appearance for the Lakers. The 6’10” forward averaged 8.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per night in the Hungarian NBIA last season.

All three players are likely to end up with the South Bay Lakers if they go unclaimed on waivers, given that they signed Exhibit 10 deals. If that happens, they’ll be eligible for a bonus worth up to $75K if they stay with South Bay for at least 60 days.

The Lakers have 14 players on standard contracts and three on two-way contracts. Given that they’ll likely save the 15th spot on their standard roster for flexibility purposes, their roster is pretty set for opening night. It’s possible the Lakers shuffle out players on Exhibit 10 deals in the coming days to funnel them to the G League.

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Lakers Sign Four Players To Exhibit 10 Contracts

September 8th, 2023 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers have officially signed guards Scotty Pippen Jr., Bryce Hamilton, and Damion Baugh, along with forward Vincent Valerio-Bodon, the team announced in a press release.

All four players received Exhibit 10 contracts, according to the Lakers. Exhibit 10 contracts are non-guaranteed minimum-salary deals that can be converted to two-way contracts before the regular season begins or can make a player eligible for a bonus worth up to $75K if he’s waived and then spends 60 or more days with the team’s G League affiliate.

Pippen, the son of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, spent his rookie year in 2022/23 on a two-way deal with the Lakers after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt. He logged just 32 total minutes in six games at the NBA level, but played regularly for the South Bay Lakers, averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game across 19 NBAGL regular season appearances.

Hamilton also played for South Bay as an undrafted rookie last season, putting up 14.1 PPG and 4.6 RPG on .514/.385/.679 shooting in 29 contests (28.2 MPG).

Baugh opted to forgo his final year of college eligibility this spring to go pro after spending the last two seasons at TCU and the two before that at Memphis. He made the All-Big 12 second team earlier this year after averaging 12.6 PPG, 5.8 APG, and 4.7 RPG in 29 games (35.0 MPG) for the Horned Frogs.

Valerio-Bodon, a 6’10” forward who is 22 years old, has been playing professionally in his home country of Hungary. He averaged 8.2 PPG and 4.1 RPG with a .503/.412/.879 shooting line in 30 games (all starts) last season for Sopron KC in the Hungarian NBIA.

The Lakers now have a full 21-man offseason roster. They’re carrying 14 players on guaranteed contracts and will likely open the season with an open spot on their 15-man roster to maximize their flexibility. Their three two-way slots are also full, so unless one of the four new additions makes a very strong impression in the preseason, Pippen, Hamilton, Baugh, and Valerio-Bodon are good bets to be waived and to report to South Bay this fall.

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Pacific Notes: Sabonis, Beal, Murray, Lakers’ Workout, Hachimura

June 19th, 2023 at 9:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kings big man Domantas Sabonis is unlikely to play in the FIBA World Cup, according to Lithuanian national team head coach Kazys Maksvytis. “We all hope that Domantas will play,” Maksvytis said in the Zalgiris on Air podcast, as relayed by BasketNews.com. “However, we all know the valid reasons [that could prevent him from playing]. If I had to say on his chances today, I’d say those chances are less than 50 percent.”

Sabonis said earlier this month he may need surgery on his right thumb. The Kings and Sabonis could also pursue an extension this offseason.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Kings were among the teams to inquire about a trade for Wizards wing Bradley Beal but — not surprisingly — Sacramento balked when Washington asked about last year’s lottery pick, Keegan Murray, according to David Aldridge of The Athletic. The Wizards were interested in drafting Murray and tried to move up from the No. 10 pick to select the versatile forward, Aldridge adds.
  • Gonzaga big man Drew Timme was among the draft prospects who worked out for the Lakers on Monday, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets. Damion Baugh (TCU), Alex Fudge (Florida), Colin Castleton (Florida), Sincere Carry (Kent State) and Hunter Tyson (Clemson) joined Timme at the workout.
  • Rui Hachimura‘s market value is projected to be in the $12-18MM starting range, multiple executives told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. While a majority of teams won’t have more than the $12.2MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception to offer Hachimura, at least seven teams project to have the cap room to put together a substantial offer sheet. Since Hachimura is a restricted free agent, the Lakers can match any offer.
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Draft Notes: Ausar Thompson, Nnaji, Hornets, Hawks, Wizards

June 17th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ausar Thompson pulled out of a scheduled workout with the Pacers on Friday, according to an Indianapolis Star story. No official reason was given, but it’s possible that the Overtime Elite star has received information that he’s likely to be selected before Indiana picks at No. 7. The article also suggests that Thompson may prefer to be drafted by a team picking later in the lottery.

The canceled workout doesn’t mean the Pacers wouldn’t consider Thompson if he’s still on the board, as he would provide a defensive boost to a team that ranked 29th in that category this season. The Star story notes that president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard is looking for a player with a “high ceiling” in the draft, and Thompson appears to fit that description.

Indiana holds five picks and has brought in more than 60 players during the pre-draft process. Most have been in group sessions, but projected lottery picks such as Thompson have been given individual workouts. The Pacers have already hosted Villanova’s Cam Whitmore, Houston’s Jarace Walker, Central Florida’s Taylor Hendricks and Kansas’ Gradey Dick.

There’s more on the draft:

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Draft Notes: K. Murray, Rankings, Prosper, Wolves, W. Green

June 17th, 2023 at 9:25am CST by Luke Adams

Iowa forward Kris Murray, the twin brother of Keegan Murray, received an invite to the NBA draft’s Green Room next Thursday, a source tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). However, Murray has decided to turn down the invite, opting to watch the draft at home with his family rather than attending the event in person, per Givony.

Here’s more on the 2023 NBA draft:

  • Sam Vecenie of The Athletic published his final pre-draft rankings this week, listing the top 100 players in the 2023 class and providing full scouting reports for the top 75. Vecenie’s 179-page PDF draft guide is incredibly in depth and is worth checking out for anyone with a subscription to The Athletic. The most notable deviation from the norm at the top of Vecenie’s draft board is his decision to rank Cam Whitmore at No. 3, one spot ahead of Brandon Miller.
  • Marquette forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper, the No. 29 player on ESPN’s big board and the No. 24 prospect in Vecenie’s rankings, tells Givony (Twitter link) that there’s “no reason” he shouldn’t be a first-round pick. “My game translates really well to the NBA,” Prosper said. “It’s a positionless league, and wings like me who can guard multiple positions, finish in transition and make threes find ways to make winning plays and impact games.”
  • The Timberwolves hosted a pre-draft workout on Friday that featured Damion Baugh (TCU) Marcellus Earlington (San Diego) Caleb McConnell (Rutgers) Mike Miles Jr. (TCU) Justyn Mutts (Virginia Tech), and Race Thompson (Indiana), according to the team (Twitter link). The Nets are among the other teams to have worked out Thompson, adds Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link).
  • Former Auburn guard Wendell Green worked out for the Rockets this week, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
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Lakers Notes: Davis, Russell, Paul, Draft

June 8th, 2023 at 2:23pm CST by Rory Maher

A primary goal for the Lakers this offseason will be signing Anthony Davis to an extension, Brian Windhorst of ESPN said earlier this week on Get Up (YouTube link).

As Windhorst notes, Davis won’t be extension-eligible until August, at which point the Lakers could offer him a three-year contract worth a projected $167.5MM. If the two sides can’t reach an agreement on a new deal, Davis could enter unrestricted free agency in 2024 if he declines his $43.2MM player option for 2024/25.

At this time, Windhorst also believes the Lakers will continue on their stated path of re-signing their own key free agents — including Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura — instead of creating cap room in pursuit of Kyrie Irving. Windhorst thinks the mostly outcome for Irving is re-signing with the Mavericks, noting that they can pay him much more money than L.A. can.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

  • Guard D’Angelo Russell‘s stock seems to have taken a hit after a poor showing in the Western Conference Finals against the Nuggets. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension (he’s eligible for a two-year deal). While he might not be the Lakers’ top priority, ESPN’s Zach Lowe suggested on his podcast that a reunion may still be in the cards (hat tip to RealGM). “I actually think there are corners of the organization that would still like D’Angelo Russell back just because they have a void at that position,” Lowe said. “They need a point guard.” Jovan Buha of The Athletic said last week that he thought Russell would most likely end up back in L.A., perhaps on a two- or three-year deal worth around $20MM annually, though it’s far from a lock.
  • Chris Paul‘s uncertain status with the Suns has rivals speculating about his future, and the Lakers are atop the list of his possible suitors, multiple league executives tell Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. “Lakers first,” one Eastern Conference GM texted. “It’s not definite, a lot can happen. But you’d have to start there. He always had (the) dream of being a Laker (and) playing with LBJ (LeBron James).” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski recently cited the Lakers as a potential destination as well, noting that Paul lives in Los Angeles during the offseason.
  • The Lakers will be hosting a pre-draft workout on Thursday, tweets Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times. The six featured prospects are D’Moi Hodge (Missouri), Caleb McConnell (Rutgers), JT Shumate (Toledo), Logan Johnson (Saint Mary’s), Damion Baugh (TCU) and Matthew Mayer (Illinois). The Lakers currently control two picks in the 2023 NBA draft, Nos. 17 and 47.
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NCAA’s Draft Withdrawal Deadline For Early Entrants Has Passed

June 1st, 2023 at 7:56am CST by Luke Adams

Now that we’ve flipped the calendar from May to June, the deadline for early entrants to withdraw their names from the 2023 NBA draft and retain their NCAA eligibility has passed. Prospects had until 11:59 pm Eastern time on May 31 to make their decisions and meet the NCAA’s deadline.

The NBA’s own draft withdrawal deadline isn’t until June 12, but college players typically make their decisions in advance of the NCAA’s deadline so that they’re able to return to school.

[RELATED: 2023 NBA Draft Dates, Deadlines To Watch]

We passed along many last-minute draft decisions on Wednesday, but a few slipped through the cracks or weren’t reported until this morning. Most notably, Ohio State’s Brice Sensabaugh, a projected first-round pick, opted to keep his name in the draft as expected, per Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch.

Washington State’s Justin Powell, TCU’s Damion Baugh, and Demetrius Mims of Gannon University will also remain in the 2023 draft, according to reports from Jonathan Givony of ESPN, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, and Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com (all Twitter links).

Here are some of the players who decided to opt out of the draft:

Our early entrant tracker has been updated to reflect the latest reports and announcements. However, we’re still awaiting clarity on a number of players, and it’s worth stressing that our list is very unofficial.

The NBA won’t issue a full, final list of early entrants in the 2023 draft until after the June 12 withdrawal deadline. But last year the league provided an update following the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline, so we could get a similar announcement on Thursday or Friday.

By our count, at least 100 of the 242 players who initially declared for the draft as early entrants have pulled out.

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Villanova’s Cam Whitmore Enters 2023 NBA Draft

April 11th, 2023 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

Villanova freshman forward Cam Whitmore is entering the 2023 NBA draft, he said in an interview with Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link).

Whitmore projects as a top-10 pick in this year’s draft, currently coming in at No. 7 on ESPN’s big board.

As Jonathan Givony of ESPN notes in his scouting report of Whitmore, the 6’7″ forward had an up-and-down freshman year, finishing the season with averages of 12.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.4 SPG on .478/.343/.703 shooting in 26 games (27.3 MPG). However, he doesn’t turn 19 until July and is viewed as one of the higher-upside players in the 2023 draft class.

There’s no indication, based on Whitmore’s conversation with Charania, that he’s leaving the door open for a return to Villanova, so it appears he intends to forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility and go pro.

Here are a few more draft-related updates:

  • After averaging 15.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game as a freshman, Duke center Kyle Filipowski announced on Tuesday that he’ll return to the Blue Devils for at least one more season (Twitter video link). Filipowski ranked at No. 16 on ESPN’s top-100 list, but wasn’t ready to leave college yet and is dealing with an injury, according to Givony (Twitter link), who believes that Filipowski could be a top-five pick in 2024 with a strong sophomore showing.
  • Texas Tech senior guard De’Vion Harmon (Twitter link), Florida Atlantic junior guard Johnell Davis (Instagram link), and San Diego State junior guard Lamont Butler (Twitter link) announced that they’re entering the 2023 draft. Davis and Butler are maintaining their NCAA eligibility, but Harmon said he’s “immersing myself in the pursuit of a pro basketball career.”
  • We’ve added a few more seniors to our early entrant list: Oral Roberts center Connor Vanover, TCU guard Damion Baugh, Dayto forward Toumani Camara, and UCLA guard Tyger Campbell all have a year of college eligibility left, but are on the list of participants for the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, signaling that they’re at least testing the draft waters (hat tip to Jon Chepkevich of Rookie Scale).
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Draft Notes: J. Williams, Ingram, Baugh, Grandison

May 29th, 2022 at 9:21am CST by Arthur Hill

Arkansas forward/center Jaylin Williams has decided to remain in the draft, making his announcement on Twitter. The sophomore opted to test the draft waters in early April, but didn’t sign with an agent to give himself the option of returning to school.

“From a very young age my dream was always to play in the NBA,” Williams wrote. “That said, after careful consideration and many talks with my family, I have decided to forgo my remaining NCAA eligibility and pursue my lifetime goal of competing in the NBA.”

Williams was an All-SEC selection after averaging 10.9 points and 9.8 rebounds in 37 games. Williams participated in this month’s Draft Combine in Chicago, and performed so well on the first day that he sat out the second day of scrimmages, according to Bob Holt of Whole Hog Sports. Holt adds that Williams has been conducting workouts for NBA teams, including the Hawks and Hornets.

Projected as a second-round pick, Williams is 42nd on ESPN’s big board, which ranks him as the sixth-best center prospect in the draft.

“Jaylin had a really good two years, and all of us are very happy for him and wish him the best of luck,” Razorbacks coach Eric Musselman said in a text message to Holt.

A few more early entrants have reached their draft decisions ahead of the June 1 deadline to maintain their college eligibility if they withdraw:

  • Pac 12 Freshman of the Year Harrison Ingram will take his name out of the draft and return to Stanford for another season, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. A 6’7″ forward, Ingram averaged 10.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in his first collegiate season. He is ranked 73rd by ESPN and would have been a marginal prospect if he had remained in the draft.
  • Damion Baugh will return to TCU for another season, according to Rothstein (Twitter link). The junior guard was the Horned Frogs’ second-leading scorer this year at 10.6 PPG after playing his first two seasons at Memphis.
  • Jacob Grandison of Illinois will also pull out of the draft and will return to college for a fifth season, tweets Rothstein. The 24-year-old guard averaged 9.6 PPG this year.
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Draft Notes: Strawther, Spagnolo, Pippen, Baugh, Zugic

April 19th, 2022 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

Gonzaga sophomore wing Julian Strawther has declared for the 2022 NBA draft, he announced on Twitter. While Strawther doesn’t explicitly say that he’s forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility and going pro, his statement also doesn’t really leave the door open for a return to college, so it sounds like he’s not just testing the draft waters.

Strawther was a key contributor for a top-seeded Gonzaga team, averaging 11.8 PPG and 5.4 RPG with a .498/.365/.705 shooting line in 32 games (31 starts; 26.8 MPG). He’s currently the No. 71 prospect on ESPN’s list of the top 100 prospects for 2022, making him a candidate to be drafted, but hardly a lock.

Strawther is the second early entrant from Gonzaga to declare for the draft this spring, joining teammate Drew Timme.

Here are a few more updates on players entering the draft:

  • Italian guard Matteo Spagnolo has entered his name in the 2022 draft pool, according to his agents at Sigma Sports (Instagram link). The 19-year-old, who is the No. 53 prospect on ESPN’s big board, has enjoyed a breakout season for Vanoli Cremona in Italy, averaging 12.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.6 APG with a .441 3PT% in 25 games (27.0 MPG).
  • After testing the draft waters in 2021, Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen Jr. has once again entered the draft and will be hiring an agent and going pro this time around, he announced on Twitter. As a junior in 2021/22, the 6’1″ guard averaged 20.4 PPG, 4.5 APG, and 3.6 RPG on .416/.325/.749 shooting in 36 games (33.1 MPG). He’s the No. 97 prospect on ESPN’s top-100 list.
  • TCU junior guard Damion Baugh has decided to enter the 2022 draft, though he’ll just be testing the waters while maintaining his NCAA eligibility, he announced on Twitter. Baugh averaged 10.6 PPG, 4.5 APG, and 4.4 RPG in 31 games (31.1 MPG) for the Horned Frogs in 2021/22 after transferring from Memphis.
  • Montengrin shooting guard Fedor Zugic has declared for the NBA draft, according to his agency, BDA Sports (via Twitter). The 18-year-old Zugic, who has been playing for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany, doesn’t have to worry about losing college eligibility, so he’ll be able to wait until as late as June 13 before making a final decision on whether to stay in the draft or withdraw.
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