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Draft Notes: Sixers’ Plans, Heat Workouts, Sorber, Mock

June 14th, 2025 at 9:56am CST by Earnest Marshall

Confirming a recent report that stated the Sixers have talked to the Spurs about the possibility about the No. 2 overall pick, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer notes that moving up to draft Dylan Harper would give Philadelphia the sort of point guard the team has long coveted. Harper would pair nicely with Tyrese Maxey while Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes could split on/off-ball duties.

If the Sixers don’t make a deal for the No. 2 pick, it remains unclear whether they’ll stick at No. 3 or trade down. The third pick feels like an early turning point in the draft, with the Sixers reportedly impressed by Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe and, according to Pompey, split on Harper’s Rutgers teammate Ace Bailey.

In 30 games last year, Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

We have more rumors related to the draft:

San Francisco guard Marcus Williams and Kansas guard Zeke Mayo have worked out for the Heat, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Neither player is projected to be drafted, but Miami has a strong history of developing overlooked players. Williams averaged 15.1 points and 4.3 assists per game last year while Mayo averaged 14.6 PPG. Both players shot over 40.0% from three. Rounding up recent mocks, Jackson writes that Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf and Rasheer Fleming are among popular picks for the Heat if they stick with their 20th overall selection.
Georgetown center Thomas Sorber visited with the Jazz, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones (Twitter link). Sorber is recovering from a season-ending foot injury, so he didn’t work out but instead had dinner with team officials and underwent a medical evaluation. Sorber is ESPN’s 18th best-available prospect and the Jazz hold picks Nos. 5, 21, 43 and 53.
HoopsHype updated its aggregate mock draft that combines evaluations from 10 major sites to provide a consensus prediction. Bailey remains at No. 3 with Edgecombe going fourth to the Hornets. Jeremiah Fears (mocked sixth to the Wizards) and Cedric Coward (mocked 15th to the Thunder) are among the notable risers.

Trade Rumors: Celtics, Durant, Knicks, Pelicans, Spurs, Magic

June 12th, 2025 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics won’t be actively looking to move Jaylen Brown or Derrick White this offseason, but they also don’t necessarily view either player as untouchable, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on Wednesday during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (YouTube link).

“The primary focus, from my understanding, with the Celtics’ offseason has been Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, (and) Sam Hauser, their trade markets,” Charania said. “Now, are teams making big offers and calling about Jaylen Brown and Derrick White? 100 percent. The Celtics prefer not to trade them, from my understanding. But if they get a big offer, they have to look at everything.”

Asked by McAfee if it’s accurate to say that everyone except Jayson Tatum, who will spent most or all of the 2025/26 season recovering from an Achilles tear, is theoretically in play, Charania replied, “Essentially.”

As has been reported repeatedly since Boston was eliminated from the playoffs last month, the club will be looking to reduce its luxury tax bill and get below the second tax apron in 2025/26, since Tatum’s injury figures to significantly reduce the odds of the Celtics seriously contending for another title next season.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors from around the NBA:

Brian Windhorst said during a Thursday appearance on ESPN’s Get Up (YouTube link) that he thinks Kevin Durant “definitely” has interest in the Knicks as a potential landing spot. However, after Stefan Bondy of The New York Post reported on Wednesday that the Knicks aren’t expected to pursue Durant, Steve Popper of Newsday has echoed that report, citing a league source who says New York isn’t interested in making a deal for the star forward.
Within his latest mock draft, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports says league sources continue to mention the Pelicans as a team with interest in moving up in the draft. According to O’Connor, multiple front office executives believe New Orleans, which controls the No. 7 overall pick, has interest in Rutgers’ Ace Bailey, who could be picked as early as No. 3, so Yahoo’s latest mock include a hypothetical trade between the Pelicans and Sixers.
The latest mock draft from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic also includes some sourced information related to potential trade scenarios. According to Vecenie, league sources believe the Spurs could move their No. 14 overall pick if a preferred target isn’t on the board and think the Magic will explore using at least one of their two first-rounders in a trade for offensive help.

Sixers Have Talked To Spurs About No. 2 Pick

June 12th, 2025 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers have engaged in discussions with the Spurs about the possibility of moving up in the draft from No. 3 to No. 2, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

With Cooper Flagg viewed as a lock to be the first player drafted on June 25, Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper is widely considered the second-best prospect in this year’s class, making him the heavy favorite to be the No. 2 pick. However, it’s unclear how enthusiastic San Antonio is about the idea of adding Harper to a backcourt that already features former All-Star De’Aaron Fox and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle.

The Sixers have no shortage of talent at guard either, with Tyrese Maxey locked up to a long-term deal and Jared McCain making a strong first impression last season before a knee injury prematurely ended his rookie year. But Maxey and McCain are more reliable outside shooters than Fox and Castle, which should make them better suited to operate alongside another ball-handler.

If the Sixers do end up staying at No. 3, they’re zeroing in on four potential candidates for that pick, according to Scotto. A Wednesday report indicated that guard V.J. Edgecombe has made a strong case for consideration at No. 3, while forward Ace Bailey is also scheduled to make a pre-draft visit to Philadelphia for a private workout, so it seems safe to assume those are two of the four prospects in the mix.

A trade down has also been rumored as an option for the 76ers, though the team reportedly wants to add young talent to its roster and therefore isn’t looking to trade out of the first round entirely.

In addition to the No. 3 overall pick, Philadelphia holds the No. 35 selection in 2025. The club has traded away its own 2026 and 2028 first-rounders, but holds other future draft assets it could dangle in an effort to move up to No. 2, including the Clippers’ 2028 first-round pick, swap rights with the Clippers in 2029, their own first-rounders in 2030 and 2032, and an excess of second-rounders.

V.J. Edgecombe Making Strong Case For No. 3 Pick

June 11th, 2025 at 8:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

With the first night of the draft two weeks away, V.J. Edgecombe appears to be in good position to be selected with the third pick, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

Sources tell Fischer that the Baylor guard impressed Sixers officials with his “work ethic, personality and interviews” during a visit to Philadelphia last week. He went to dinner with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and other team executives, and star guard Tyrese Maxey flew in to meet with Edgecombe.

Fischer states that the Sixers view Edgecombe as a strong defensive complement to Maxey in their backcourt. He also brings obvious offensive skills after scoring 15.0 points per game and shooting 34% from three-point range during his freshman season with the Bears.

Sources tell Fischer that the Philadelphia workout is believed to be the only one Edgecombe has conducted so far. He adds that some teams believe it will be Edgecombe’s only pre-draft visit, although he could change his mind as the draft gets closer.

Rutgers forward Ace Bailey, who has been linked to the Sixers in several mock drafts, is also scheduling a private workout in Philadelphia, Fischer tweets.

If Edgecombe isn’t taken at No. 3, rival teams believe the Hornets will grab him with the fourth pick or offer the selection to teams looking to move up in the draft, sources tell Fischer.

Fischer identifies the Wizards as a team to watch in a trade-up scenario for Edgecombe, noting that with picks No. 6 and 18, Washington has the assets to swing a deal with either Philadelphia or Charlotte.

NBA Invites 13 Prospects To Draft Green Room

June 10th, 2025 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

A total of 13 draft-eligible players have been invited to the NBA’s green room for the 2025 draft so far, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Those players are as follows, sorted by their rank on ESPN’s big board:

Cooper Flagg (Duke)
Dylan Harper (Rutgers)
Ace Bailey (Rutgers)
V.J. Edgecombe (Baylor)
Tre Johnson (Texas)
Khaman Maluach (Duke)
Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma)
Kon Knueppel (Duke)
Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois)
Egor Demin (BYU)
Carter Bryant (Arizona)
Derik Queen (Maryland)
Asa Newell (Georgia)

As Givony observes, 12 of the top 13 players on ESPN’s board have received invitations so far, with the only exception being French forward Noa Essengue, who comes in at No. 9. The 18-year-old is still playing in Germany for Ratiopharm Ulm as the team vies for a spot in the Basketball Bundesliga Finals.

Essengue’s season could be over as soon as later this week, in which case he’d have no problem attending the draft and would likely get a green room invite. However, it’s also possible his season might extend beyond June 25 (day one of the draft) if Ulm makes the BBL Finals and the series requires the maximum five games — in that scenario, Game 5 would be played on June 26.

Another 11 green room invitations are expected to be sent out to prospects prior to the draft, a source tells Givony. The players invited to the green room can usually feel pretty confident about their chances to be first-round picks, since the league only decides who to invite after asking teams to vote on the 25 prospects they expect to come off the board first.

Still, there are occasionally instances in which players in the green room slip further than expected. Last season, Givony notes, Kyle Filipowski and Johnny Furphy received green room invites but weren’t selected until the second round, which was held a day later for the first time.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Sixers, Nets Draft

June 1st, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

After acquiring Brandon Ingram at the February trade deadline, the Raptors are viewed by teams around the league as a candidate to make another major move this offseason, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (hat tip to RealGM).

“Toronto is one of those teams that is sitting there on the balls of its feet, which is interesting,” Windhorst said on the latest episode of the Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link).

Eric Koreen of The Athletic added that the state of the Eastern Conference should push the Raptors to be slightly more aggressive, as the bottom of the conference is likely to be weak, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo departs for the Western Conference.

However, Koreen adds that his instinct is that the core five Raptors, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, and Brandon Ingram, will likely remain with the team heading into next season.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

After a season that went much worse than expected, the Sixers are faced with a multitude of questions, writes Keith Pompey of The Inquirer. The first domino is the third overall pick in the 2025 draft. If they do use the No. 3 pick, don’t expect standout trade addition Quentin Grimes‘ impending free agency to impact the selection, says Pompey, who emphasizes the need to select the best player available. Pompey writes within the same story that another lackluster year from Philadelphia could spell the end of team president Daryl Morey‘s tenure as the lead decision-maker.
Speaking of the third pick in the 2025 draft, count Sixers star Paul George as a firm believer in Ace Bailey, Pompey writes in a separate story. Pompey reports that George has hyped up the 6’9″ wing three different times leading into the offseason. Recently, George said, “If there was no Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey would have been an even bigger name that people would have been talking about in this draft. … I think he’s going to come into the league and make noise right away.” Carmelo Anthony and DeMarcus Cousins are two other former players who have raved about the shot-making wing, but others believe that the three-to-six or -seven range in the draft is basically interchangeable from a talent perspective.
The Nets missed out on the Flagg sweepstakes, but they still have five picks in the top 36 of the 2025 draft. Collin Helwig of NetsDaily rounded up a list of players who have been confirmed to have worked out for the franchise, a list that doesn’t yet include Jeremiah Fears or Kon Knueppel. Colorado State’s Nique Clifford is the highest-ranked name known to have worked out for the team so far, along with Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier. Helwig notes that St. John’s Aaron Scott and Temple’s Steve Settle both worked out in Brooklyn, as did Wake Forest guard Hunter Sallis and West Virginia’s Javon Small. Finally, Helwig writes that international players Noa Essengue, Ben Saraf, and Hugo Gonzalez will not be working out for the team, as they finish their seasons overseas.

Fischer’s Latest: Sixers’ Draft Plans, George, Spurs, Durant, Holiday

May 21st, 2025 at 12:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers will listen to offers for the No. 3 pick in next month’s draft, but they aren’t expected to part with it unless they get another high selection in return, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reports in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

There has been speculation that president of basketball operations Daryl Morey might be interested in moving the pick in exchange for a veteran who could offer immediate help to a team that’s coming off a 24-58 season. However, Fischer states that the front office recognizes the value of having young players on rookie-scale contracts in the apron era.

Jared McCain, last year’s first-round pick, got off to a strong start before tearing his meniscus in December and undergoing season-ending surgery. Morey is counting on McCain to return and form a solid young core with Tyrese Maxey and this year’s pick that will fit well alongside Joel Embiid and Paul George.

Fischer indicates that rival teams with interest in trading for the No. 3 pick are split over whether Rutgers forward Ace Bailey or Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe is the better selection. He adds that Texas guard Tre Johnson may also be in that mix.

Fischer shares more inside information from around the NBA:

The Sixers aren’t trying to get rid of George, and Fischer calls recent reports that they might package the No. 3 pick to unload his contract a “misread” of the situation. Fischer states that the team understands George’s value is at a low point coming off an injury-plagued season, and teams will be wary of taking his contract, which has three years and $162.4MM remaining. Fischer adds that Philadelphia is unlikely to pursue a George trade unless he requests it.
“Numerous rival teams” have told Fischer that they expect the Spurs to hold onto the No. 2 selection and draft Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, even though he’s not a perfect fit with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.
The Suns haven’t started trade discussions involving Kevin Durant, and Fischer cautions that it’s not a sure thing he’ll be moved this summer. New general manager Brian Gregory has been focused on finding a head coach, trimming the list of candidates down to nine over the weekend. Fischer reports that Phoenix will be in the market for a starting-level center during the offseason.
Jrue Holiday has been a popular name in trade rumors, but Fischer hears that the Celtics may not have an easy time moving him. Multiple rival executives have told Fischer that Boston will have to include a sweetener, likely in the form of draft picks, to get anyone to take on the $104MM that the 34-year-old Holiday is owed over the next three years.

Sixers Notes: Yabusele, Embiid, George, Bailey

May 17th, 2025 at 6:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is making it known that re-signing free agent forward Guerschon Yabusele will be an offseason priority. In a recent appearance on the Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast, Morey was asked if he had a message for Yabusele, who was slated to join the hosts on draft lottery night (hat tip to HoopsHype).

“He’s really embraced Philly, which is exciting,” Morey responded. “He’s going to have many great options—I mean, he’s very valued around the league. So, hopefully he understands how important he is to us and to the fans of Philly. Him being at your event—I think you might actually help us in free agency by having him there.”

Morey delivered a similar message with “Kincade and Salciunas” on 97.5 The Fanatic (hat tip to Sportando), saying, “Yabusele’s an unrestricted free agent so we will look to re-sign him, but historically in the league, that tends to be a harder situation, but it would be awesome if we could get him back.”

Yabusele played two years in Boston, then spent five seasons in Europe before rekindling NBA interest with a strong performance in the Summer Olympics. He signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia last August and was one of the few bright spots in an injury-filled season, averaging 11.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per night in 70 games.

The Sixers only hold Yabusele’s Non-Bird rights, so they’re limited to offering him a 120% raise above his minimum salary unless they use part of their mid-level exception. He has expressed a desire to remain in Philadelphia, but he may get better offers on the open market.

There’s more on the Sixers:

Morey has expressed optimism that Joel Embiid can return to his MVP form, but the odds are against it, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer states in a mailbag column. Embiid, 32, is coming off two significant operations on his left knee within 14 months. The star center’s recovery progress this summer will be closely watched, but it’s possible that knee issues will continue to bother him for the rest of his career.
There won’t be much of a market if the team tries to unload Paul George‘s contract during the offseason, Pompey predicts in the same piece. Injuries limited George to 41 games this season, and he still has three years and $162.3MM left on the contract he signed as a free agent last summer. Age is another concern as he turned 35 earlier this month, and Pompey notes that any executive would be risking his job by trading for George if it doesn’t work out.
Ace Bailey, who’s considered a strong possibility to be selected by the Sixers with the No. 3 pick, listed George as one of his player comparisons in an interview at the draft combine (Twitter video link from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype). “Big three. KD (Kevin Durant), Paul George and Jayson Tatum,” Bailey said. “George and Tatum, their creation for them to get their shot off is unbelievable. I see myself doing the same thing. KD in the mid post with one, two dribbles, or less is straight buckets.”

Draft Rumors: Spurs, Giannis, Bucks, Sixers, Coward, More

May 16th, 2025 at 9:07am CST by Rory Maher

The Spurs moved up from No. 8 to No. 2 in the NBA draft lottery on Monday. As Sam Vecenie of The Athletic writes, Rutgers guard Dylan Harper is “nearly unanimously” viewed by league executives and scouts as the second-best prospect in the 2025 class.

However, San Antonio just traded for star point guard De’Aaron Fox in February and also has Rookie of the Year winner Stephon Castle. All three guards are at their best with the ball in their hands, which may make Harper’s fit a little awkward at first. For what it’s worth, he recently expressed confidence about the possibility of playing alongside Fox and Castle.

The majority of the NBA sources Vecenie has spoken to believe the “most likely outcome” is that San Antonio will keep the No. 2 pick and select Harper. But the value of that pick — and having Harper on a rookie scale contract for the next four years — could open another possibility: a potential trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, should he become available.

“If the Spurs paired Giannis and (Victor Wembanyama), they would be the favorite to win the title next year,” one Eastern Conference executive told Vecenie. “They’d have two guys who might be top-five players in the league next year on the same team. Plus, they fit. They’d have a dominant defense that no one would be able to score against inside, and they’d have the ability to play five-out in an even more devastating way than the Bucks did with Brook Lopez if they surrounded Giannis and Wemby with the right wings.”

Here are some more draft-related rumors, mostly from Vecenie:

Vecenie hears the Bucks still want to keep Antetokounmpo, but it’s unclear if he will seek a change of scenery after spending his first 12 NBA seasons in Milwaukee. If Giannis does request a trade, the draft lottery results could be a boon for the Bucks. As Vecenie explains, while it isn’t known if the Spurs would actually offer the No. 2 pick as part of a package for Antetokounmpo, people around the league are very high on Harper, and Milwaukee could leverage his possible inclusion in a trade to try and create a bidding a war between San Antonio and any other interested suitors, with the Rockets viewed as another possible landing spot. According to Vecenie, Harper as a centerpiece to an offer would hold more league-wide appeal than Castle, who is a more polarizing prospect due to question marks about his shooting.
The Sixers landing the No. 3 pick in the lottery could also be beneficial to the Bucks, Vecenie writes, since president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has historically been one of the most aggressive suitors for star players. The third pick doesn’t have as much value as the second in this draft, but it’s still an asset that Milwaukee could try to leverage in negotiations.
Vecenie hears the Sixers are expected to be aggressive in looking for roster upgrades after acquiring the No. 3 pick and are expected to listen to offers from teams interested in moving up in the draft. However, if Philadelphia stands pat, it’s not yet clear which prospect it would prioritize. Ace Bailey is viewed as more of a long-term project instead of a player who can help a team win right now, Vecenie notes, and there are question marks about the fit and/or value of selecting V.J. Edgecombe, Tre Johnson or Kon Knueppel at No. 3.
According to Vecenie, there appears to be a “dead zone” outside of the top eight for point guards who aren’t great at playing off the ball at this stage in their development, with the majority of the teams in the nine-to-18 range already having lead guards. Vecenie suggests that prospects like Jeremiah Fears, Nolan Traore and Jase Richardson have a chance to slide on draft night if they aren’t selected in top eight.
Former Washington State forward Cedric Coward seems to be leaning toward keeping his name in the draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). Coward plans to transfer to Duke if he stays in college, but that possibility sounds “increasingly unlikely,” says Givony. Coward, who started his college career at Willamette University, a Division III school, is ranked No. 35 on ESPN’s big board. He recently sat down for an extensive interview with Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports (YouTube link).

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Maluach, Sixers, Bailey, Nets, Fears

May 15th, 2025 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

While they didn’t fall as far as teams like Utah or Washington, the Raptors were among the clubs to slide multiple spots in Monday’s draft lottery. They entered the night with the seventh-best odds, but will be picking ninth overall in this year’s draft.

As Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes, that lack of lottery luck diminishes the odds of Toronto adding a difference-maker in this year’s draft after the team spent much of the season angling for a better draft position. While that will raise the level of difficulty as Masai Ujiri looks to build another title-contending team, the Raptors president indicated on lottery night that he wasn’t fazed by the results, pointing to the organization’s positive history with the No. 9 overall pick.

“Tracy McGrady. DeMar DeRozan. Jakob Poeltl,” Ujiri said. “We’ll be fine. I guarantee you we’ll be fine. … We have all our picks going forward. I think we continue this rebuild and grow as a team. And honestly, I’m as optimistic as I was (before the lottery).

“I believe that the NBA has become (about) movement, movement, movement. You just wait for your turn (for a big transaction that makes sense). It will come: patience and (we will) see if that’s the way. But I think for this team, we’re just going to keep growing. And (we have) young players. We’ll be fine adding another one.”

As for which prospects the Raptors might target at No. 9, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca points to Duke big man Khaman Maluach as one possible fit, noting that the club will be seeking center depth behind Poeltl. According to Grange, some league sources have told him Maluach is high on Toronto’s radar, while other sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking have pushed back on that notion.

The Raptors, who also hold 39th overall pick in this year’s draft, have a workout scheduled with Australian forward Alex Toohey, tweets Grange. Toohey is the No. 39 prospect on ESPN’s big board.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Confirming a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that assistant coach Coby Karl has been let go by the Sixers. Karl is one of several staffers the team is parting ways with, according to Pompey, who identifies associate player development coach Terrel Harris, senior physical therapist and assistant athletic trainer John Tooher, and director of coaching operations Michelle Bell as a few of the others exiting the organization.
In a column for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pompey makes the case that the Sixers should use the No. 3 overall pick on Rutgers’ Ace Bailey, assuming Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are off the board. However, if they do select Bailey, the 76ers will need to make sure they “focus on making him a real contributor from day one,” Pompey contends, rather than possibly stunting his growth by making him a fourth option or role player.
Could Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears be the right fit for the Nets at No. 8 in this year’s draft? Noting that Fears shows up at that spot in multiple mock drafts, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes that the lottery prospect has worked out for Brooklyn and the Wizards so far and received some positive feedback from the Nets. “Yes, I met with Brooklyn. I worked out for Brooklyn as well,” Fears said. “The conversations were great. They were just telling me how they think I could fit within their system and be an overall good piece for them.”