Eastern Notes: Wizards, Brown, Celtics, Pacers
The Wizards have won 15, 18, and 17 games in the past three seasons, but team owner Ted Leonsis has no regrets about pivoting to a full roster tear-down – or, as he calls it, a “deconstruction” – after several years mired in mediocrity, he tells Barry Svrluga of The Athletic. Leonsis indicated that he’s happy with the job team president Michael Winger has done to position the Wizards for a more promising future.
“(Winger) said to me three or four times, ‘You know, this could take four or five years,'” Leonsis said. “And I said, ‘I totally understand. I’ve been through the deconstructing stage with the (NHL’s Washington Capitals). I lived through it the first time with the Wizards. I’m prepared. … I don’t see any other path to get out of where we are than deconstruct.’ And they executed it very, very well.”
Of course, the Wizards’ future looks much more positive after the May 10 draft lottery than it did before it — armed with the No. 1 overall pick in a loaded 2026 draft, Washington is in position to add a long-term franchise cornerstone to its young core. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Wizards will become a contender overnight. Leonsis told Svrluga that he considers the rebuild to be “just starting” rather than ending.
“I think it’s an important point on this long, long journey that we’ll be on.” the Wizards’ owner said, before pausing and adding, “The deconstruction, though, is over.”
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- So what exactly should the Wizards do with that first overall pick? One rival front office official told Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic that figuring that out is a “great (expletive) problem to have.” Of the 13 executives and scouts who spoke to Robbins and Aldridge, seven said they’d take AJ Dybantsa, two expressed a preference for Darryn Peterson, one said he’d want Cameron Boozer, and three didn’t commit to a specific prospect.
- While Jaylen Brown will technically be eligible for a contract extension as of July 26, Brian Robb of MassLive.com notes that the Celtics will likely feel no sense of urgency to get a new deal done at this point, given that there are still three years left on Brown’s current super-max contract. Robb doesn’t expect a Brown extension to be among Brad Stevens‘ offseason priorities.
- Observing that the Celtics want to get more athletic and add another ball-handler this summer, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscription required) explores whether the club might be able to address either of those needs with the No. 27 overall pick in the draft. Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie, Duke forward Isaiah Evans, and Texas wing Dailyn Swain are among the prospects Washburn considers as possible targets for Boston.
- After losing their first-round pick on lottery night, what’s next for the Pacers this summer? Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) attempts to answer that question, noting that the team may want to add another wing with size. Dopirak examines which trade and free agent targets might be realistic for Indiana and weighs whether it would make sense for the club to trade back into the draft, likely in the second round.
Draft Notes: Dybantsa, Wizards, Mocks, Jazz, Tanner, More
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa has been the prospect most frequently cited as the frontrunner to go No. 1 overall, and he reacted to the Wizards landing the top pick at the draft lottery, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter video link).
“Obviously I’ve been betting on myself for a little while to be a No. 1 pick,” Dybantsa said. “So initially just thinking like how I would fit into the team. I think I’m pretty versatile, adaptable, so I think I can play anywhere.”
Asked about what he knew about Washington, D.C., Dybantsa said he “knew a little bit.”
“The Jordan Brand Classic was there last year,” the 6’9″ forward said. “I got to tour their facility a little bit. I know a couple of their players. Tre Johnson, played against him at length (in high school/AAU). I’ve been watching AD (Anthony Davis) for a long, long time. Trae Young, even when he was at Oklahoma. So I know a couple of guys there.”
An anonymous NBA general manager told Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68 that he thinks the Wizards will end up taking Dybantsa (Twitter link).
“I don’t they can take the risk with (Darryn) Peterson even though I think his upside is even higher than Dybantsa,” the GM said. “I think Washington will go with Dybantsa because it’s a safer pick and they can’t afford to screw this up.”
Monumental basketball president Michael Winger, who was the Wizards’ lottery-drawing representative, released a statement after Washington won the lottery.
“Today is another encouraging day for Wizards fans and our entire organization,” said Winger. “To choose first among this inspiring group of athletes is a welcomed opportunity, and challenge, for our group. We look forward to adding another high performing young player to our ascending team.”
Here’s more on the 2026 NBA draft:
- Just like in the recent mocks from ESPN and Yahoo Sports, Dybantsa goes No. 1 overall to the Wizards in the updated 2026 mock drafts from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic and Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. The mocks from Vecenie and Wasserman are actually identical for the first nine picks, with Peterson (Jazz), Cameron Boozer (Grizzlies), Caleb Wilson (Bulls), Keaton Wagler (Clippers), Darius Acuff (Nets), Kingston Flemings (Kings), Mikel Brown (Hawks) and Brayden Burries (Mavericks) selected two through nine. Vecenie is a little lower on New Zealand Breakers forward Karim Lopez than other evaluators. Vecenie has Lopez going 20th to the Spurs, while Wasserman has him at 10th (Bucks). Interestingly, all four mocks have the Thunder taking Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 12 and three of the four have the Heat selecting Labaron Philon at No. 13, while two have the Bulls drafting Jayden Quaintance at No. 15.
- The Jazz moved up in the draft lottery for the first time in franchise history, according to Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune, who thinks the future is looking bright in Utah after the team added Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline to a core featuring Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen and restricted free agent Walker Kessler. The Jazz will be selecting second overall, up from fourth in the pre-lottery odds. “It feels great, a big relief,” president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said, per Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. “It’s a really important tool for us to help build this winning team. So, couldn’t be more happy.” Ainge told the Deseret News it would be easier selecting second than fifth or seventh. “For sure, a lot easier,” Ainge said. “We just have to figure out who believe is No. 1 and No. 2… It’s much easier, but we still have to get it right.”
- Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner, who is testing the draft waters, tells Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link) he’ll be competing in the scrimmages at this week’s combine as he looks to boost his stock. “I’ll do whatever it takes to stay in the draft. I’m not running from anything. I love to play,” Tanner said. The sophomore guard said he’s focused on getting drafted “as high as I can,” addressed his size (he’s listed at 6’0″) being a perceived weakness, and listed his goal during the pre-draft process (All Twitter links). “My goal is to play in the NBA. Always has been since I was a kid,” Tanner told Givony. “I’m fully focused on making it. This is another opportunity to show what I can do. The way I make those around me better and raise the level of my teammates. I’ve always built my game on that.”
- One GM told Goodman he doesn’t think there’s much difference between the first and ninth picks in what’s viewed as a deep class (Twitter link). “I don’t see much disparity from No. 1 to the No. 8 or 9 pick,” the GM told the Field of 68. “I think the No. 3 or 4 pick may be the best because you won’t get crucified for not taking Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer or Wilson down the line. The decision will be made for you.”
Anthony Davis Discusses Wizards In First D.C. Media Session
Monday marked the first time Anthony Davis was made available to speak to the media since the Wizards traded for him ahead of the February deadline, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. As Robbins observes, the Wizards held a press conference after they traded for Trae Young in early January, but didn’t do the same for Davis a month later.
According to Robbins, the 33-year-old big man raised doubts on Monday about the Wizards’ ability to quickly transition from the NBA’s worst team to a contender. Davis made it clear he wants to have lengthy talks with president Michael Winger and GM Will Dawkins this offseason about how Washington intends to become a championship-caliber team in 2026/27 or ’27/28.
“I’ve been in this league a long time, and I’ve been with losing teams, been on losing teams,” Davis said. “It’s very hard to be a losing team and then a championship contender, right? I think one team has only done it: Boston in ’08. The only team, right? Even when I was in New Orleans and we had two losing seasons, then we made the playoffs our third year — that, within itself, is a huge jump: showing that you want to be on a path to winning.
“And that’s what it takes. So, if something comes out of the conversation where that’s the path — and, obviously, you won’t know until the season starts — that’s what I would like to see. What is our plan for winning going into next season? And how? Not like this is a plan, but how do we execute that? And based on that, we’ll kind of see what happens.”
As Robbins notes, the “see what happens” comment raised some eyebrows and led to a follow-up question asking whether Davis expected to be on the roster to open next season. The 10-time All-Star will earn a guaranteed $58.5MM in ’26/27, followed by a $62.8MM player option for ’27/28.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m under contract,” Davis replied. ” … Whether we figure something out in the summer (that’s) good or bad, whatever … if it doesn’t get figured out, then come October, mid-October, late October, I will have a Washington Wizards uniform on, and I will go out there, and I will do everything I can to win a basketball game. That’s never going to change.
“ … In the summer, right now, I’m going to compete, train and have the mindset that I will be here next year. Not only because I’m under contract, but also, I like these young guys. I ain’t going to lie. I feel like they’re all my children.”
Davis was complimentary of the Wizards’ young players as well as the franchise as a whole, saying his previous (negative) perception of the franchise wasn’t accurate, Robbins adds.
“The organization is a very good organization. Ted [Leonsis] is a great owner, the coaching staff and the players, their development. Obviously, the city is phenomenal,” Davis said, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network.
Because the Wizards had the worst record in the league, they can finish no worse than fifth in the draft lottery, with a 52.1% chance at a top-four pick, including 14.0% odds at selecting No. 1 overall. They also have young players like Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George who are considered part of the team’s core, Robbins writes.
Still, Davis made it clear he’s on the fence about Washington’s short-term direction, per Robbins. The 10-time All-Star appeared in a career-low 20 games this season due to a variety of injuries, including ligament damage in his left hand that prevented him from making his Wizards debut in ’25/26.
Wizards’ Michael Winger Talks Trae, Cap Room, Keefe, More
During a media session on Thursday, Wizards president Michael Winger said he’s not “setting some kind of barometer” for what he expects from his team in 2026/27 (Twitter link via Ben Strober of 106.7 The Fan). However, he anticipates that a full season of point guard Trae Young should put a young roster in position to take a step forward.
“My expectation is that particularly with Trae Young on the basketball team and the development of our young players … we are going to be better next season than we are this season,” Winger said, according to Gene Wang of The Washington Post. “How much better remains to be seen, but I think that we all would expect us to be better, more competitive next season, and Trae by himself will put us in more competitive basketball games.”
Despite adding a veteran point guard who has earned four All-Star nods, the Wizards will continue to exercise patience as they build their roster and won’t skip any steps in that process, according to Winger. He referred to the acquisition of Young as a move that has “gas-pedal implications,” but stressed that the front office isn’t putting its full weight on that gas pedal yet and will continue to be “opportunistic” as it weighs next steps.
Winger added that the club plans to spend the next six-to-18 months evaluating which of its young players on rookie contracts appears capable of making “material contributions to our eventual contention” (Twitter link via Strober). Figuring out what to do with their 2026 cap room is another item that’s high on the Wizards’ to-do list, he acknowledged.
“Whatever we do with that cap space, it might evaporate in the next two weeks,” Winger said, per Wang. “We just don’t know, but we’ll do something creative with that cap space, whether that be acquiring players, trading for a player, signing some of our own players. We’re working through all those scenarios right now.”
Here’s more from Winger on the Wizards:
- One reason why Winger is reluctant to accelerate the rebuild too aggressively is a desire not to compromise the Wizards’ future flexibility unless the roster has legitimate championship upside. “We are not pursuing short-term success,” he explained (Twitter link via Strober). “We believe that mediocrity is frankly easily achievable, but there’s a very low ceiling of hope.”
- Brian Keefe has a dismal 36-128 (.220) record since taking over the head coaching job in 2024, but Winger said he likes the job Keefe has done, citing his player development work and the culture of competitiveness he has instilled (Twitter link via Strober).
- Since the Wizards traded Deni Avdija to the Trail Blazers in 2024 for two first-round picks (one became Bub Carrington), two second-round picks, and Malcolm Brogdon, Avdija has emerged as a star in Portland. Does Winger think it was a mistake to part ways with Avdija after signing him to one of the NBA’s most team-friendly contracts? “No, not a mistake,” Winger said, per Strober (Twitter link). “We did it for the reasons we said then, which is to in effect take us back a couple years so that we could reset the roster.”
Wizards Notes: Whitmore, T. Johnson, Sarr, Front Office
Starting wings Bilal Coulibaly (lower left leg tightness) and Kyshawn George (illness) missed Friday’s game against Cleveland, creating an opportunity for other young players, but Cam Whitmore only played about five minutes in the Wizards‘ blowout loss to Cleveland, with all of his playing time coming in the first quarter, observes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post (Twitter links).
It’s the fourth straight game in which Whitmore’s minutes have declined, Shankar notes.
Head coach Brian Keefe claimed prior to Friday’s contest that the drop in Whitmore’s playing time wasn’t due to his performance, saying, “Cam’s going to continue to play, he’s doing good.” Yet fellow reserve wings Jamir Watkins (20 minutes), Corey Kispert (20 minutes), Justin Champagnie (19 minutes) and Will Riley (10 minutes) all saw more action against the Cavs than Whitmore.
Keefe said after the game he wanted to see how other players — particularly Watkins — would perform with rotation minutes, according to Shankar (Twitter link).
The Wizards traded a pair of second-round picks to Houston over the summer in order to acquire Whitmore, who was selected 20th overall in the 2023 draft. The 21-year-old small forward will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next offseason.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- Rookie guard Tre Johnson received his first career start on Friday with Coulibaly and George sidelined, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The sixth overall pick in this year’s draft finished with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting in 29 minutes.
- While the team’s 1-8 start has been disappointing, the early play of second-year big man Alex Sarr has been highly encouraging, Shankar writes for The Washington Post (subscriber link). Through eight games, the French center held averages of 19.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.3 blocks, with a shooting line of .540/.455/.800 — all of those figures represent significant jumps from his rookie campaign.
- Longtime former Thunder executives Michael Winger (now the Wizards’ president) and Will Dawkins (general manager) have made numerous positive changes behind the scenes even if the Wizards’ on-court product still leaves something to be desired, per Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required). Kispert, one of only two holdovers from the previous front office regime, appreciates the new amenities, such as a traveling chef and more travel accommodations for players’ family members. “Everything changed when (Winger and Dawkins) showed up,” Kispert told The Oklahoman. “It adds up to a lot. Ultimately, the little things are what make the player experience special. … A lot of organizations do the same things across the board, but it’s that little stuff in the margins that make the difference.”
Eastern Notes: George, Kuzma, Valanciunas, Ingram, Butler, Wiggins
Paul George thought he’d be competing for a championship this season when he signed with the Sixers. Instead, the star forward has spent his first season in Philadelphia battling injuries. He has been sidelined by knee, groin, ankle and finger injuries that have limited him to 31 games.
“It’s super frustrating,” George told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Super frustrating, especially, coming in with big goals and what I wanted to accomplish and what the team wants to accomplish, and then to always have these setbacks. It’s super frustrating, I for sure feel it. But you know all the bad luck, something has to change. That’s all I can kind of weigh on is, things will change. There are positives in all of it. I just got to weather the storm.”
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- Trading away Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valanciunas continues the Wizards’ necessary strategy in a tear-down rebuild, Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes. The roster has been almost completely made over since president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins took over the top front office jobs. Those trades continue the Wizards’ aim of accumulating draft picks and providing young players with heavy minutes.
- Trading for Brandon Ingram is an unusual step for a seemingly rebuilding team like the Raptors, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. While Ingram is a mid-range ace, his overall game is flawed and the Raptors gave up valuable assets for him, according to Koreen, who believes it’s likely they’ll make a strong offer, probably at least $35MM per season, to retain him when he enters free agency this offseason.
- As Sportsnet’s Michael Grange details, the Raptors were looking for a significant piece to pair with franchise player Scottie Barnes and wouldn’t have had the cap space necessary this summer to get a top free agent like Barnes. In the big picture, the Raptors believe Ingram can help them be competitive next season and beyond.
- With the Jimmy Butler standoff finally in the rear mirror, Heat players expressed not only relief but also excitement that Andrew Wiggins was part of the package from Golden State, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “I think it’s going to take a huge weight off everybody’s shoulders once we can move forward from everything, once it’s over with,” Terry Rozier said. “Who we got and we can move forward with that, and try to put it together and get ready for the playoffs. I think it’s a huge lift for everybody, just clarity… Obviously, we’ve been the talk of the town for probably the last month. I think it’s going to be huge for our locker room just knowing what we got going out there. It’s going to be a huge help for us.”
Troy Weaver To Join Wizards As Senior Advisor
Former Pistons general manager Troy Weaver will become a senior advisor with the Wizards, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
As rumored last week, Weaver will reunite with Monumental Sports/Wizards president Michael Winger and GM Will Dawkins, who took over the team last summer. The three executives spent more than a decade together in Oklahoma City’s front office.
Wojnarowski hears that Weaver’s agent, Andy Miller of Klutch Sports, is finalizing a contract to have Weaver in place in time for Wednesday’s draft and the start of free agency this weekend. A team executive tells Woj that Winger and Dawkins consider Weaver to be a “truth teller” who is willing to challenge them regarding difficult decisions.
Weaver is also viewed as an expert on prospect evaluation and player development, according to Wojnarowski, who cites his role in creating the powerful Thunder team built around Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
Weaver is a Washington, D.C., native, and Wojnarowski notes that he launched his career as head coach of DC Assault, a successful AAU program. That led to assistant coaching jobs in the college ranks with Pittsburgh, New Mexico and Syracuse and eventually an NBA opportunity as the head scout in Utah.
Weaver and the Pistons parted ways in what was termed a “mutual decision” earlier this month as part of an organizational housecleaning after Trajan Langdon was hired as head of basketball operations. Detroit also dismissed head coach Monty Williams and is still searching for his replacement.
Although he didn’t produce much on-court success during his four years with the Pistons, Weaver assembled a promising collection of young talent. Draft picks during his tenure produced Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson.
Scotto’s Latest: J. Smith, Toppin, Weaver, Hartenstein, Huerter, O’Neale, More
Early indications suggest that Pacers power forward Jalen Smith will decline his $5.4MM player option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports in his latest aggregate mock draft. Sources tell Scotto that a final decision hasn’t been made, but Smith appears to be leaning toward testing the free agency waters. He has a June 29 deadline to opt in for 2024/25.
Smith, 24, appeared in 61 games this season and posted a career high in scoring at 9.9 PPG, along with 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 17.2 minutes per night. He was selected 10th overall by Phoenix in the 2020 draft and was acquired by Indiana at the 2022 trade deadline.
Scotto notes that rival teams are watching to see whether the Pacers will re-sign restricted free agent Obi Toppin. If the fourth-year power forward reaches a new deal, there’s a belief that Indiana might be willing to trade Jarace Walker, who was a lottery pick last June.
Scotto shares more inside information in his aggregate draft:
- Washington is believed to be a potential destination for former Pistons general manager Troy Weaver, who recently parted ways with the team, Scotto writes, noting that Weaver was once part of Oklahoma City’s front office along with Wizards executives Michael Winger and Will Dawkins.
- Scotto talked with some NBA executives who believe the Magic should be considered a threat to sign Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein. Orlando could have close to $50MM in cap space to work with.
- Executives also expect the Kings to explore deals involving Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes, Scotto adds.
- The Raptors plan to work out an extension with Scottie Barnes this summer, sources tell Scotto. The versatile swingman made his first All-Star appearance this year.
- Scotto echoes other reports in stating that Royce O’Neale is likely to reach a new contract with the Suns. The 31-year-old forward, who was acquired from Brooklyn at the trade deadline, is expected to receive about $10MM per year, according to Scotto.
- Vice president of basketball operations Brent Barry isn’t expected to return to the Spurs next season, sources tell Scotto. The longtime NBA player has been an executive with San Antonio since 2018.
- Assistant coach Jason Love will likely leave the Sixers and join Doc Rivers’ staff with the Bucks, Scotto states. Love previously worked for Rivers in Philadelphia.
- The Hornets are assembling a staff of assistants for new head coach Charles Lee. Scotto hears it will include Lamar Skeeter, Josh Longstaff, Chris Jent, Ryan Frazier, Zach Peterson, Matt Hill and Blaine Mueller.
Wizards Notes: Beal Trade, Winger, Porzingis, Black
The Wizards‘ decision to trade Bradley Beal is a smart move that probably should have been made four years ago, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Robbins argues that Washington could have gotten much more in return for Beal in 2019 after John Wall suffered an Achilles injury that altered the future of the franchise. Beal had just finished his second All-Star season, and although the deal would have been controversial, the Wizards could have demanded a significantly higher price than what they’re getting from Phoenix.
Beal had become frustrated with the organization’s lack of progress, and former team president Tommy Sheppard had considered trading him at the 2022 deadline, according to Robbins. That plan fell through when Beal suffered a season-ending ligament tear in his left wrist, and Robbins speculates that Sheppard might still be running the team if he could have moved Beal at that point.
Sources tell Robbins that the Wizards are willing to work with the Suns to expand the trade if Chris Paul wants to be shipped to a contending team. The Clippers have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Paul, and Robbins believes Washington might be able to pick up at least one useful player and a draft pick in such a deal.
There’s more from Washington:
- New president of basketball operations Michael Winger made a similar trade when he was with the Clippers, sending Blake Griffin to Detroit when L.A.’s front office decided his contract was an impediment to building a contender, notes Ben Golliver of The Washington Post. Golliver believes trading Beal was the right move, even if the Wizards didn’t get much in return, because the franchise now has financial flexibility and a commitment to start rebuilding. Golliver expects Winger to focus on developing players and collecting draft assets, the same way he did when he worked for the Thunder.
- Kristaps Porzingis would become a valuable trade asset if he picks up his $36MM player option for next season, observes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Porzingis is accomplished both as an outside shooter and rim protector, connecting at 38.5% from long distance this season while averaging 1.5 blocks per game. He has become a more effective post scorer and may have moved past his health concerns by appearing in 65 games. Porzingis is only 27 and might not have a future in Washington if Winger is serious about a long-term rebuild.
- The Wizards appear to be targeting Arkansas’ Anthony Black with the No. 8 pick in the draft, tweets Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports. Multiple sources told her that Black was impressive during his workout and interview in Washington.
Southeast Notes: Beal, Wizards, Hornets, Curry, Hawks
Bradley Beal‘s future in Washington has become a popular subject of speculation around the NBA since it was revealed that new Wizards president of basketball operations Michael Winger has been given the power to launch a rebuild if he so chooses, Brian Windhorst stated during a Tuesday appearance on ESPN’s Get Up (YouTube video link).
“Michael Winger said he has not made up his mind yet,” Windhorst said. “But that indecision has led teams to keep a very close eye on the Wizards. They not only have Beal, but big free agents Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis.”
As Windhorst observes, if Winger and the Wizards were to consider moving Beal, trade negotiations would be complicated by the fact that the guard has a full no-trade clause and could veto any deal to an unfavorable destination. That will restrict Washington’s ability to maximize its return for the three-time All-Star.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Winger is at the top of the Wizards‘ new front office hierarchy, but he fully intends to delegate to his top lieutenants when it comes to draft preparation, as he tells Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “I hope not,” Winger replied when asked if he intends to go on the road to scout players in his new role. “If I’m doing that, something has gone terribly wrong with Travis (Schlenk) and Will (Dawkins). They’re just much better than I am.”
- Asked whether he’d consider joining the Hornets in free agency, Seth Curry didn’t rule out the possibility of signing with his hometown team, according to Sam Albuquerque of The Greenville News. Curry was born in Charlotte, where his father Dell Curry played for 10 seasons and is currently a color commentator on Hornets broadcasts. “You always think about it,” Seth said. “Growing up a Hornets fan, watching my dad play, you always think about one of us wearing that No. 30 Hornets jersey in the modern era. But like I always say, you never know in this league.”
- The Hawks, who hold the 15th and 46th overall picks in next week’s draft, are continuing their busy pre-draft workout schedule this week. Malcolm Cazalon (KK Mega), Bryce Griggs (Overtime Elite), Uros Plavsic (Tennessee), JT Shumate (Toledo), Terquavion Smith (NC State), and K.J. Williams (LSU) visited the team on Tuesday, with Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State), Jarkel Joiner (NC State), David Singleton (UCLA), and Malachi Smith (Gonzaga) set to join Jamarius Burton and Osun Osunniyi at Wednesday’s workout.