Cedric Coward Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Celtics Notes: Centers, Horford, Kornet, Tatum, Draft

June 14th, 2025 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics should be in the market for center help this summer, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Kristaps Porzingis is a prime candidate to be traded because of his $30.7MM salary for next season, while Al Horford and Luke Kornet are both headed to free agency. There’s no guarantee that Horford, who turned 39 earlier this month, will continue playing as Boston may take a step back from title contention in the wake of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tear.

Robb notes that the Celtics will miss Tatum’s rebounding prowess next season, as none of the team’s current options in the middle are particularly strong on the boards. Tatum averaged 8.7 rebounds this year, and Boston was dominated off the glass without him in its Game 6 loss to New York.

Robb adds that the Celtics will have to take back some salary in the expected deals involving Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and possibly others, so that may be an avenue to find help in the middle. Boston would be limited to veteran’s minimum offers in free agency, and Robb suggests that would involve players in the class of Mason Plumlee, Jaxson Hayes or Paul Reed.

There’s more on the Celtics:

Steven Adams‘ new contract in Houston takes a prominent center off the free agent market and could increase the value of Horford and Kornet, Robb adds in a separate piece. Once the top names such as Myles Turner and Naz Reid are off the board, Robb suggests that Horford and Kornet could get offers at the taxpayer midlevel exception ($5.7MM) or higher. The Celtics hold Bird Rights on both players.
Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins could serve as an inspiration for Tatum as he works his way back from the Achilles injury, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Wilkins ruptured his Achilles in January of 1992 when it was considered a potential career-ending injury, but he was able to return for opening night of the 1992/93 season and averaged 29.9 PPG while finishing fifth in the MVP voting. “That injury is a serious injury,” Wilkins told Washburn. “And Jayson had the same type of injury I had, meaning he had a complete tear because there is no way you could walk off the floor. That’s a devastating injury, but the thing is the work he puts in is going to determine what he gets out of it. I worked twice a day every day for nine months and came back quicker than anybody. But it was my level of commitment and Jayson is a kid that loves the game and I have a lot of respect and am a fan of his. I have no doubt that he’s going to put in the work to get back to the same level he was.”
Justin Quinn of Celtics Wire takes a look at all the players the team has hosted for pre-draft workouts, including prominent names such as Cedric Coward and Drake Powell. Boston has the 28th and 32nd picks in this year’s draft.

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.

Draft Notes: Player Comps, Fit/Value, Guide, Withdrawals

June 12th, 2025 at 12:07pm CST by Rory Maher

In a story for ESPN.com, Jeremy Woo lists both the high- and low-end comparisons for each player mocked by ESPN to go in the top 15 of the 2025 draft, which will begin on June 25. Woo writes that the likely outcome for the comparisons typically falls somewhere in the middle.

For consensus top prospect Cooper Flagg, Woo says Jayson Tatum with more defense would be a best-case outcome, with his low-end comp being Andre Iguodala with more offense. How about Dylan Harper, widely viewed as the second-best player in the class? According to Woo, Harper has a chance to become a Jalen Brunson-type player with more size, while a career like D’Angelo Russell‘s may be his floor.

As the draft gets closer to the back end of the lottery, there’s a wider range of outcomes. For instance, if Collin Murray-Boyles improves his jump shot, Woo thinks he could develop into a player like Al Horford. But if he doesn’t, he might just be a frontcourt depth option with solid defense, similar to Xavier Tillman.

Derik Queen (Alperen Sengun/Sandro Mamukelashvili), Joan Beringer (Clint Capela/Jaxson Hayes) and Noa Essengue (Pascal Siakam/Jarred Vanderbilt) are among the prospects mentioned in the teens.

Here are a few more notes on the upcoming draft:

ESPN’s latest mock draft focuses on the first round, with Jonathan Givony selecting a player who fills each team’s biggest need, while Woo chooses the prospects who offer the best value. While there’s a decent amount of overlap between the fit and value picks, there are also some major differences, starting at No. 2, where Givony views Kon Knueppel as the best fit for the Spurs (Harper is the best available).
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic recently released his comprehensive draft guide, featuring in-depth scouting reports on 75 players and ranking his top 100 prospects. Vecenie is extremely bullish on Flagg, believing him to be the second-best prospect in the past decade, only behind Victor Wembanyama, and is also high on Harper. However, he’s not as optimistic about the rest of the draft, with those two in separate tiers of their own. Notably, Vecenie is much lower on Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears (No. 18 vs. No. 7) than ESPN. The same is true of BYU’s Egor Demin (No. 25 vs. No. 11). By contrast, he’s much higher on Cedric Coward (No. 10 vs No. 29) and Noah Penda (No. 15 vs. No. 28) than ESPN’s experts. The guide is well worth checking out in full if you subscribe to The Athletic.
A pair of international prospects are withdrawing from the draft, according to Givony of ESPN and Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress (Twitter links). Croatian forward/center Michael Ruzic, the 44th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s big board, has withdrawn from consideration, agents Bill Duffy and Sasa Zagorac tell Givony. Meanwhile, Bassala Bagayoko, a 6’9″ big man from Mali, will return to Spanish club Bilbao for the 2025/26 season, Chekpkevich reports. June 15 is the final deadline for early entrants to withdraw from the draft.

Draft Rumors: Maluach, Raynaud, Niederhauser, Coward

June 5th, 2025 at 4:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Duke center Khaman Maluach may be moving up draft boards after a “wildly positive” pro day in which he showcased his shooting touch, writes Jonathan Wasserman of Hoops HQ.

According to Wasserman, some NBA scouts believe that Maluach has a chance to be selected in the top five of this month’s draft, perhaps by the Hornets (No. 4) or Jazz (No. 5). The South Sudanese big man is ranked No. 6 on ESPN’s best available prospects list.

Here are a few more draft rumors from Wasserman:

Stanford center Maxime Raynaud was one of the big winners of the pre-draft process, excelling in the first day of scrimmages and measuring better than some other big men in the class. While scouts initially thought Raynaud had moved himself into late first-round territory after the combine, they now think he could be selected in the teens or early 20s, Wasserman writes.
Penn State big man Yanic Konan Niederhauser is another player who shined during the pre-draft process, particularly at the G League Elite Camp. According to Wasserman, Niederhauser was largely off NBA radars a month ago, but now teams believe he will receive legitimate consideration late in the first round. There have been rumors that the Swiss center may have received a promise after he decided to keep his name in the draft, Wasserman notes, though that hasn’t been confirmed. Niederhauser is ranked No. 34 on ESPN’s board.
Cedric Coward, the 29th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s list, appears to have a wide draft range. Some NBA personnel Wasserman has spoken to have a lottery projection for the Washington State wing, while others think he’s only a potential first-round pick. Coward only played six games for the Cougars due to an injury and was relatively unheralded until this season, but he had excellent physical measurements and tested very well at the combine, making him the “ultimate high-risk, high-reward” prospect, per Wasserman.

‘No Untouchables’ On Pelicans’ Roster?

May 31st, 2025 at 9:35am CST by Rory Maher

Kevin O’Connor’s latest 2025 mock draft for Yahoo Sports features a few interesting tidbits. Citing league sources, O’Connor writes that there are “no untouchables” on the Pelicans, who are gauging the trade value of every player on their roster.

O’Connor cautions that major roster changes in New Orleans may not be in the works, but at the very least the team seems open to listening to offers for core players and could decide to shake things up if an attractive opportunity presents itself.

Assuming it’s accurate, the news doesn’t come as a major surprise. The Pelicans are coming off disappointing, injury-plagued season in which they won just 21 games, leading to an overhaul in the front office. Former Pistons executive Joe Dumars now runs the basketball operations department, with Troy Weaver also in a prominent position.

Star forward Zion Williamson has been floated as a possible trade candidate, though an offseason deal is reportedly considered “very unlikely.” Trey Murphy, Herbert Jones and Yves Missi are among the other Pelicans who would likely receive significant interest on the market.

O’Connor also updated his 2025 big board, with several noteworthy differences compared to ESPN’s.

For instance, O’Connor is very high on Washington State wing Cedric Coward (No. 5), Stanford center Maxime Raynaud (No. 14), and North Carolina wing Drake Powell (No. 16), who are ranked 29th, 24th, and 31st, respectively, on ESPN’s list, respectively. O’Connor is also relatively lower on some prospects, including BYU’s Egor Demin (No. 22 vs. No. 11 on ESPN), Michigan’s Danny Wolf (No. 32 vs. No. 19) and French big man Joan Beringer (No. 34 vs. No. 15).

Draft Notes: Trail Blazers, Mock, Coward, Nets, More

May 29th, 2025 at 7:21pm CST by Rory Maher

The Trail Blazers hosted a pre-draft workout on Thursday with six high-level prospects, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (subscriber link).

Michigan State guard Jase Richardson (No. 14 on ESPN’s big board), Illinois wing Will Riley (No. 15), Georgia forward/center Asa Newell (No. 19), UConn wing Liam McNeeley (No. 21) and Saint Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming (No. 28) are all potential first-round picks, while Chinese center Hansen Yang — a combine standout — is viewed as a possible second-rounder, coming in at No. 67 on ESPN’s list.

As Highkin notes, Portland currently controls one pick in June’s draft, No. 11 overall. The team’s previous workouts mainly focused on less heralded players, but some of today’s group could be in contention for the lottery selection.

Richardson, who says he emulates Mike Conley, is out to prove he can orchestrate an NBA offense.

“There are a lot of questions about what position I can play at the next level,” Richardson said. “Playing at Michigan State, I was a two, because coach [Tom Izzo] wanted me to score. But I want to show teams I’m a point guard and I can facilitate.”

In addition to Portland’s front office and coaches, three players on the current roster — Scoot Henderson, Justin Minaya and Jabari Walker — also attended Thursday’s workout. According to Highkin, Newell thinks he’d fit in well with the Blazers.

“They like to [push] the pace a lot with Scoot and [Donovan] Clingan,” Newell said. “He cleans up anything down low. I think I’d be a plug-and-play player.”

Here are a few more notes related to June’s draft:

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report updated his mock draft following Wednesday’s deadline for early entrants to withdraw in order to their NCAA eligibility. Wasserman, who has the Trail Blazers selecting Newell at No. 11, says Washington State forward Cedric Coward appears to be one of the big winners of the pre-draft process, with one scout comparing his rise to that of Jalen Williams, who went No. 12 overall in 2022. Coward goes No. 14 to San Antonio in Wasserman’s mock.
Freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford was voted by four of his peers as the “most underrated” prospect in the 2025 class, according to ESPN, but he wound up withdrawing and returning to Auburn prior to yesterday’s deadline. Arizona forward Carter Bryant (three votes) and North Carolina guard/forward Drake Powell (two) also received multiple votes. “Carter Bryant is super underrated,” Newell told ESPN. “I just feel like his game translates to the NBA really well. He’s got the size, he’s got the touch, he’s got the 3-point ability. And seeing him, he can definitely be a versatile defender.”
The Nets held a pre-draft workout on Thursday with six prospects, including Colorado State wing Nique Clifford and Tennessee guards Chaz Lanier and Jahmai Mashack, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post (via Twitter). According to Lewis, the Nets — who control a league-high five picks (all in the top 35) — also have an upcoming workout scheduled with Duke wing Kon Knueppel (Twitter link). Knueppell (No. 8 on ESPN’s board) and Clifford (No. 24) are projected first-round picks, while sharpshooter Lanier (No. 40) is viewed as a second-rounder.

Thunder Notes: Caruso, Jalen Williams, Holmgren, Coward

May 24th, 2025 at 7:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Thunder‘s relentless defense has been the biggest factor in making the Western Conference Finals seem like a mismatch through the first two games, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City has the depth to attack opposing offenses no matter who’s in the game and has posted a 52-20 advantage over Minnesota in points off turnovers.

“Our intensity and aggressiveness can wear on you,” Alex Caruso said. “Whether you’re physically aware of it or mentally aware of it. By the time we bring in our second unit, first unit’s already pushing. And then you bring in me, Cason (Wallace), and keep one of the bigs out there. It’s like you have a whole new starting five defensively.”

Lorenzi notes that few teams can stand up to OKC’s constant pressure for 48 minutes. The Timberwolves showed signs of irritation throughout Game 2, culminating with a flagrant foul whistled against Jaden McDaniels for a two-handed shove of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the fourth quarter.

“That’s frustration,” Caruso said. “Like, that’s clear as day. That’s just him being frustrated. So yeah, for sure, being able to use that. I mean, playoffs are emotional ups and downs, and usually the team that can stay the most even keel throughout the series and playoffs has the upper hand.”

There’s more on the Thunder:

In an interview with Mark Medina of RG, trainer Packie Turner said he recognized Jalen Williams as a lottery pick during the pre-draft process in 2022. Williams originally wasn’t heralded coming out of Santa Clara, but he moved up draft boards as he began working out for teams and was eventually taken by Oklahoma City at No. 12. “There are not many guys where for every single month of their career, they have gotten better,” Turner said. “But if you statistically look at Jalen, it has nearly been that. This year, some numbers took a dip. But the volume is up. So for what it is, it is still really good. That’s what is so impressive. Now defenses are keying in on him more. The position that he’s in now, he’s still delivering at that level. That’s what is so impressive. He really hasn’t wavered. I think he has risen to every occasion.”
Chet Holmgren was a Timberwolves fan while growing up in Minnesota, but he made it clear that he’s now “rocking with the Thunder” (video link from Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman). Holmgren notes that the Wolves weren’t often successful when he was following them, so he’s happy for the franchise and the state. Alec Lewis of The Athletic takes a look at Holmgren’s roots in Minnesota and examines how the experience prepared him for the NBA.
Cedric Coward, who has decided to remain in next month’s draft, visited the Thunder for a private workout, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Coward conducted a similar session with Boston and auditioned for seven other teams in Los Angeles. Coward’s chances of being taken in the first round appear to be growing, and he could be on the board for Oklahoma City’s picks at No. 15 and 24.

Cedric Coward Staying In 2025 NBA Draft

May 24th, 2025 at 11:19am CST by Earnest Marshall

Washington State forward Cedric Coward is officially keeping his name in the 2025 NBA Draft, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter link).

Reports during and after the draft combine indicated this was the expected outcome for Coward, but it’s notable for a couple of reasons. For starters, he had committed to playing next season at Duke but will no longer do so as he heads to the pros.

Secondly, it is perhaps indicative that Coward has first-round value to teams. He currently ranks 35th on ESPN’s list of top 100 prospects, but after an impressive combine, this decision seems to indicate he’s expecting to be taken in the first. He was the 30th player off the board in ESPN’s most recent mock draft.

Coward played six games at Washington State in 2024/25 before suffering a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the remainder of his senior season. He averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 55.7% from the floor and 40.0% on three-pointers during his abridged stint with the Cougars.

Before transferring to Washington State, he played two years at Eastern Washington, averaging 11.3 PPG and 6.1 RPG in 66 games. He spent his freshman season at Willamette University in Oregon.

Draft Notes: Raynaud, Coward, Combine, Chinyelu, Demary

May 19th, 2025 at 10:33am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the NBA’s 2025 draft combine, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have updated their mock draft, taking into account which prospects saw their stock rise – or decline – as a result of their performances in Chicago.

While there weren’t any major changes at the top of ESPN’s latest mock, there were some movers further down the draft order. Stanford big man Maxime Raynaud, for instance, was considered one of the big winners of the combine due to his strong play during scrimmages. After coming in at No. 34 in ESPN’s mock draft last Monday, Raynaud has jumped to No. 24 in the newest version.

Forward Cedric Coward was another prospect who moved up from the second round (No. 35) in ESPN’s previous mock draft to the first round (No. 30) in today’s update. Although Coward has committed to transferring from Washington State to Duke, signs are pointing to him keeping his name in the draft and going pro, according to Woo.

Coward, whose 2024/25 season was cut short due to a shoulder injury, has limited reps against high-level competition despite spending four seasons in college, which is a concern for some NBA teams who are “hesitant about his surprising rise,” Woo adds.

Here are a few more draft-related notes:

A panel of ESPN draft experts and analysts share their takeaways from last week’s combine, while Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype identifies his winners and losers from the event. His list of winners includes prospects like UNC’s Drake Powell, UConn’s Liam McNeeley, and Rasheer Fleming of St. Joseph’s, while Maryland’s Derik Queen, Michigan State’s Jase Richardson, and Michigan’s Vladislav Goldin are among his losers.
John Hollinger of The Athletic has also shared his impressions from the combine, including the best and worst performers in scrimmages, as well as the player measurements that stood out for better (like Thomas Sorber‘s 7’6″ wingspan) or worse (Richardson’s height coming in below 6’1″).
After declaring for the 2025 NBA draft as an early entrant, Florida center Rueben Chinyelu has decided to pull out and return to school for his junior season, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Chinyelu was a full-time starter for the national champions in 2024/25, averaging 6.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 19.0 minutes per game across 40 outings.
According to Rothstein (Twitter link), sophomore guard Silas Demary Jr. is also withdrawing from the draft after testing the waters as an early entrant. Demary, who is transferring to UConn for his junior year, spent his first two college seasons with Georgia, averaging 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in 33 starts for the team last season. He made just 39.6% of his shots from the floor, but had a solid 37.4% mark on three-pointers.

Southeast Notes: Wizards, Heat, Jovic, Harris

May 16th, 2025 at 5:12pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Wizards fell to No. 6 on lottery night after finishing the season with the second-worst record in the league, taking them out of the Cooper Flagg conversation and forcing them to confront a draft picture that’s far less certain to deliver a star.

One option, according to Varun Shankar of the Washington Post is center Derik Queen, who, like last year’s 14th overall pick Bub Carrington, is a Baltimore native. The two even briefly played together in high school, Queen told Shankar (Instagram link). The 6’10” big man has some athletic limitations, but would make for an interesting fit with last year’s number two pick, Alex Sarr.

Egor Demin and Cedric Coward could also potentially be in play for the Wizards, Shankar writes. Demin, a 19-year-old 6’9″ point guard, met with the Wizards during a pre-draft process that has seemingly gone well for him. He struggled with his shot in his lone season at BYU but has impressed scouts with his shooting drills at the NBA combine.

Coward is one of the draft’s big potential risers after playing just six games for Washington State with a shoulder injury and could be under consideration at No. 18. The 6’6″ wing boasts a 7’2″ wingspan and shows promise as both a shooter and a defender, which would fit in with the team’s draft track record, according to Shankar.

Here’s more from around the Southwest division:

Wizards owner Ted Leonsis rebukes the idea that his team was tanking this year. “We weren’t tanking. We were developing players. It’s a little different than maybe what some of the other teams’ strategy was,” he told Front Office Sports editor in chief Dan Roberts, as reported by Colin Salao. However, Salao notes that Jordan Poole‘s late-season minutes drop-off, as well as the moves to trade established players such as Deni Avdija last summer, point to a team intentionally limiting the minutes of its impactful veteran players.
The Heat don’t have a specific type when it comes to drafting, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez, and Kel’el Ware all represent very different age and experience ranges. With the 20th pick in the 2025 draft, the Heat will have to figure out what they’re prioritizing. “We talk about looking for upside, but we’ve seen players that are four-year seniors that get drafted lower that turn out to be Hall of Famers, and you see guys that are drafted younger that have upside that don’t pan out,” Heat VP of basketball operations Adam Simon told Winderman. He went on to add that the goal would be to find a player who can contribute immediately, similar to Ware and Jaquez.
Speaking of Jovic, the 21-year-old forward had an up-and-down third season in the NBA for the Heat, going from starter to out of the rotation to key reserve. A year out from restricted free agency, he’s looking forward to an offseason of work, according to Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang. “I have a solid three months to work on something,” Jovic said. “What that something will be, I don’t know yet. I still have to connect with the coaches and think about it a little bit. But I feel like this might be the first summer that I actually have some time to improve my game.”
Gary Harris is no stranger to adapting to changing roles for the Magic, writes Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. Dealing with injuries throughout the year, Harris found himself as the veteran mentor of a young, up-and-coming Magic team. His contract has a 2025/26 team option for next season that Orlando must decide on by June 29. “… All I can do is control what I can, continue to put the work in [and] stay ready for whatever the future may hold,” Harris said. “But I definitely love my time here in Orlando, so we’ll see if it continues.”