Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Have Worked Out For Thunder
Michigan big men Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. are among the prospects who have had individual pre-draft workouts with the Thunder, according to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required).
Lendeborg ranks 12th on ESPN’s big board, while Johnson comes two spots behind at 14th. The Thunder currently control two first-round picks (Nos. 12 and 17) and one second-rounder (No. 37) in this month’s draft, which will take place on June 23 and June 24.
Projected lottery pick Nate Ament, who previously confirmed he worked out for Oklahoma City, is also on Martinez’s list, as are Santa Clara forward Allen Graves and Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance. Graves and Quaintance are considered likely first-round picks, ranking 17th and 22nd on ESPN’s board, respectively.
The Thunder have also hosted several other players during the pre-draft process, per Martinez, including Alex Karaban (No. 30 on ESPN’s board), Emanuel Sharp (No. 45), Izaiyah Nelson (No. 47), Tamin Lipsey (No. 69) and Rafael Castro (No. 73).
Pacers Notes: Zubac, First-Round Picks, Sharp, Taylor
The Pacers saw a big hole in their lineup after Myles Turner signed with Milwaukee. That’s why they acquired center Ivica Zubac from the Clippers in February, even though they wound up losing a lottery pick in this year’s draft.
“You look at these teams that are still playing (in the playoffs), they all have very, very good starting fives. You’ve gotta have five good starters to go deep into the playoffs,” Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan told The Ride With JMV (107.5 The Fan) as relayed by Tony East of Forbes.com. “We can’t go out there with maybe a hole at one of those positions and expect to compete for a championship.”
The fact that Zubac has a cap hit under $22MM to next two seasons and the Pacers didn’t have to give up any core players in the deal made the move more attractive to Indiana’s brass, according to Buchanan.
“This was all of us on board with this (trade). Like I said, we’re still excited about this group. Nothing’s changed,” he said. “Some of the other options moving forward, if (we’d) have waited until this summer, (were) going to require (us), because of where we’re at cap wise, to sacrifice some of (our) core players. And we just didn’t want to do that. With Tyrese (Haliburton) coming back and Pascal (Siakam) still in his prime, we didn’t want to keep the status quo going into next year,” he added. “We’re big fans of Zu. Still are. That’s why we made the trade.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- While Indiana lost its lottery pick, the team still has five first-rounders over the next six seasons to use as bargaining chips in a trade –they own first-rounders in 2027, 2028, 2030, 2031, and 2032, East points out. The Pacers cannot trade their 2027 first-round pick right now, but will be able to do so after this month’s draft is over. Also, once the draft ends, teams will be able to move their 2033 first-round picks. “We have some flexibility. We have five of our next six years [of first-round draft picks],” president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said. “Some of those trades where it’s four and five and six picks, they’re out. They’re done. They’ve shoved their chips in and they’re done. And we’ve got a full slate, five out of six.”
- Speaking of this year’s draft, Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp visited the Pacers for a workout last weekend, East tweets. The Pacers currently don’t own a pick, but that didn’t dissuade Sharp from working out for the club. “Everywhere you go, you’re being evaluated. That’s how I approach it. It’s not whether the team has a draft pick,” he said. Sharp is ranked No. 45 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list.
- The Pacers’ G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom, announced Monday that assistant coach Bryce Taylor has been promoted to head coach, the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak reports. He succeeds Tom Hankins, who has coached the team since 2021 when it was still the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Taylor has been an assistant with the G League affiliate for the last three seasons.
Central Notes: Harden, Pacers, Giddey, Pistons
Speaking to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Cavaliers guard James Harden admitted he’s “starting to think about” life after basketball but believes he’s still a little ways away from retirement, noting that he “definitely” wants to play 20 seasons. The former MVP will be entering his 18th year in the NBA in 2026/27.
Harden, who said in his post-game media session after the Cavaliers’ season came to an end on Monday that he wants to stay in Cleveland, expressed the same sentiment to Spears. The veteran guard is confident that the Cavs can be even better next season after he has a full offseason and training camp with the club.
“I told the guys I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” Harden said to Spears. “So, if I got to play off the ball, less shots, I’m willing to do it. I have no problem with that. You can come talk to me about anything and I’m willing to do it. That was the mindset. … I think having a full year will definitely help coming off this push. … Coming into my 18th year, I don’t have no pride. I just want to win.”
We have more from around the Central:
- The Pacers are holding a pair of pre-draft workouts this week, with Nimari Burnett (Michigan), Tucker DeVries (Indiana), Sam Hoiberg (Nebraska), Emanuel Sharp (Houston), Peter Suder (Miami), and Seth Trimble (UNC) visiting the team on Thursday and MJ Collins (Utah State), Barry Dunning (Pitt), Nate Johnson (Kansas State), Jaxon Kohler (Michigan State), Kowacie Reeves (Georgia Tech), and Ernest Udeh (Miami) participating in Friday’s session, the team announced in a press release. Indiana doesn’t currently own a 2026 draft pick, but the team is doing its due diligence since it could trade back into the draft and will likely add a few undrafted free agents to its training camp roster.
- Josh Giddey signed a four-year, $100MM contract with the Bulls last summer and is owed more long-term guaranteed money than anyone else on the roster. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the 23-year-old is viewed as a franchise cornerstone, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, who suggests we need more time to get a better sense of how highly new head of basketball operations Bryson Graham values Chicago’s point guard.
- Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) evaluates the Pistons‘ upcoming offseason, considering whether or not it would make sense for the team to operate under the cap to try to pursue an impact free agent, given the trade-offs that would accompany that approach. Gozlan also explores how the team could add more offensive help with two non-shooters – Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson – about to get more expensive.
Pacific Notes: Pelinka, Kings Workouts, Suns Workouts, Butler
The playoff sweep by Oklahoma City convinced the Lakers that they need to add more talent and depth to their roster, Benjamin Royer of The Orange County Register writes in a subscriber-only piece. General manager Rob Pelinka was especially struck by the development of Ajay Mitchell, a second-round pick in 2024 who started his career on a two-way contract and averaged 22.5 PPG in the series against L.A.
“There’s ways to add to your roster if you commit to doing the hard work and commit to the process of adding the right pieces,” Pelinka said at his end-of-season press conference last week. “We’ll be doing that through the draft and free agency and through trades. We’ve got to find a way to have a roster that will compete with any team in the NBA.”
Pelinka added that the Lakers, who hold the 25th pick this year, plan to bring in more than 20 players for pre-draft workouts with an emphasis on finding more depth, athleticism and youth. He stated that competitiveness and basketball IQ will also be prioritized, noting that player development has become more important than ever with the current salary structure.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Kings were focused on their second-round picks at No. 34 and 45 when they held their first pre-draft workout on Friday, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (subscription required). Taking part were Houston shooting guard Emanuel Sharp, Duke center Maliq Brown, Auburn power forward Keyshawn Hall, Louisville shooting guard Isaac McKneely, Grand Canyon small forward Jaden Henley and Xavier power forward Tre Carroll, who are all projected to be taken the second round or go undrafted. Sharp talked to reporters about what he can offer an NBA team (Twitter video link from Michelle Dapper of KCRA).
- Florida State point guard Robert McCray has worked out for the Suns, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Louisville guard Ryan Conwell and St. John’s forward Bryce Hopkins are scheduled to visit Phoenix next week, Gambadoro adds (Twitter link).
- The Warriors‘ Jimmy Butler may not return to the court until after mid-season, but he was able to entertain at the BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival on Friday (Instagram video), relays Kalan Hooks of ESPN. Butler, who underwent ACL reconstruction surgery in February, performed a few songs while jumping around the stage. “Don’t show this to (coach) Steve (Kerr); I got a torn ACL,” he told the crowd.
Pacific Notes: Williams, Kings, Draymond, Clippers
Will the Suns re-sign Mark Williams as a restricted free agent this summer? Gerald Bourguet of Sports360AZ.com tackles that question in depth, writing that he can envision a scenario in which Phoenix’s starting center departs this offseason, especially if another team is willing to pay him in the range of $20-25MM annually.
However, if there’s not much of a market for Williams, it’s more likely he’ll either work out a new multiyear deal with the Suns or accept his one-year, $9.6MM qualifying offer and try his luck in unrestricted free agency in 2027.
[RELATED: 2026 NBA Offseason Preview: Phoenix Suns]
As Bourguet writes, the fact that 2025 lottery pick Khaman Maluach projects to be the Suns’ center of the future figures to factor into the front office’s decision on Williams. While Maluach may not be ready to start on opening night in 2026/27, one source told Bourguet they believe last year’s No. 10 overall pick could overtake Williams for that role by the end of next season. If the Suns feel the same way, they may only view Williams as a “temporary stopgap,” Bourguet notes.
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Houston guard Emanuel Sharp, Louisville guard Isaac McKneely, Grand Canyon forward Jaden Henley, Auburn forward Keyshawn Hall, Xavier forward Tre Carroll, and Duke center Maliq Brown are taking part in a pre-draft workout with the Kings on Friday, according to James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link). None of those prospects shows up within the top 70 players on ESPN’s big board.
- Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area takes a closer look at what the offseason might hold for Draymond Green, whose value around the NBA appears to be on the decline as he weighs a decision on a player option worth $27.7MM. Green seems more likely than not to stick with the Warriors, Poole writes, though it remains to be seen whether that means opting in or negotiating a new contract with the team.
- Keith Smith of Spotrac takes a look at some of the key decisions facing the Clippers this summer, including whether to trade or potentially extend star forward Kawhi Leonard and whether or not to re-sign potential restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin. Smith views $50MM over three years as a reasonable deal for Mathurin.
Warriors Notes: Roster, Offseason, Draft Workouts, Armstrong
The Warriors got their most pressing bit of offseason business done early when they extended head coach Steve Kerr for two more years. Now, their focus will turn to shaping a more competitive version of the roster.
General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. previously expressed confidence in the roster the team put out this year from a talent standpoint. That could mean that improvements will be more in the form of marginal adjustments, rather than wholesale changes.
There’s a 70% chance of Draymond Green returning next season, The Athletic’s Nick Fridell predicts within a preview of who could be on the move. He gives Al Horford a 65% chance of remaining with the Warriors and suggests there’s a 50/50 chance that Kristaps Porzingis is back. Lowest on Friedell’s list is soon-to-be third-year center Quinten Post (15%). Post has gotten a number of opportunities, but he fell out of the rotation at times and his status will likely depend on what happens with Horford and Porzingis.
While the big names at the top of the depth chart might not change much this summer, Kerr and the team know that this marks a transition point for the organization, Dalton Johnson writes for NBC Sports Bay Area.
“We can’t legitimately look at our roster, look at our injuries, look at the Spurs, at OKC and Minnesota — we can’t sit here and say we are a championship contender right now,” Kerr said. “This is going to require some personnel moves. It’s going to require rethinking how we’re operating. … There’s a lot to fix this summer, and before we can even begin to talk about playoffs and championships, we’ve got a big challenge ahead, and we’re excited about it.”
We have more on the Warriors:
- Game 1 between the Thunder and Spurs was a clear message of what the Warriors need to focus on adding this offseason: namely, dynamic athleticism, Johnson writes. Dunleavy is aware of the team’s deficiencies in that regard, especially with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody expected to miss a portion of the season while recovering from major injuries. “That’s a huge hole in generally your most athletic position,” he said. “We’ll always look to add athletically — length, size, skill, all those things. But, watching the playoffs, you learn a lot. You see the teams where they’re at, where you need to go, and it’s good to see.” Dunleavy also wants to prioritize players who take care of the ball and don’t turn it over.
- Golden State hosted a pre-draft workout on Wednesday, the team announced (via Twitter). The group included Maliq Brown (Duke), Ryan Conwell (Louisville), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee), Robert McCray V (Florida State), Emanuel Sharp (Houston), and Ernest Udeh (Miami). The Warriors have the 11th and 54th in the 2026 draft. The players who worked out on Wednesday are potential second-round targets.
- Warriors two-way restricted free agent Taran Armstrong has signed a two-year deal with the Tasmania JackJumpers, per ESPN’s Olgun Uluc (Twitter link). The second year of the deal is a player option. Armstrong spent this past season with a loaded Dubai team featuring Davis Bertans, Dwayne Bacon, Matt Ryan, and other former NBA players, averaging 2.9 points in 15.9 minutes per game. Before that, he played for the Cairns Taipans in Australia’s NBL, where he averaged 17.1 points and 4.7 assists per game. The Australian guard never actually appeared in a regular season game for Golden State, but finished the 2024/25 season on a two-way deal with the Warriors and was tendered a qualifying offer last offseason, allowing the Warriors to retain his RFA rights.
Combine Notes: Top Four, Flemings, Carr, Winners
Although BYU’s AJ Dybantsa appears to be the frontrunner to be selected first overall in next month’s draft, John Hollinger of The Athletic says the consensus among NBA executives he spoke to at the combine was that there’s a clear top four this year — Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson — but not a slam-dunk No. 1 amongst that group.
Wilson in particular seems to have been overlooked in that conversation, according to Hollinger, who writes that the front office members he spoke to this week had Dybantsa as the favorite to go No. 1, but none of them viewed that outcome as a lock.
Some of the executives compared the eye-of-the-beholder situation to the 2017 draft, when the Celtics moved down from No. 1 to No. 3 and selected Jayson Tatum, Hollinger writes. The Sixers picked Markelle Fultz first overall that year, with the Lakers taking Lonzo Ball at No. 2.
Another topic of speculation was the Jazz‘s potential interest in Dybantsa after team owner Ryan Smith spent millions to help bring the forward to his alma mater (BYU) last year. Utah controls the No. 2 pick and a recent report said the Jazz touched base with the Wizards about potentially moving up to No. 1.
Here’s more from this week’s combine:
- His measurements were somewhat lackluster, but Houston guard Kingston Flemings was one of the standouts in athletic testing drills and received plenty of praise from his college teammates at the combine, Hollinger writes. “He is really unselfish,” Emanuel Sharp said of Flemings. “He’s very humble, that’s probably my favorite part about him. He’s not an airhead; he’s a great kid. He’s a better person than he is player. You know a lot of teams value that, so you know, whatever team can get him is getting a star.”
- Baylor shooting guard Cameron Carr was one of the biggest winners of the combine, according to Hollinger and Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports. In addition to possessing a massive 7’0.75″ wingspan, the 6’4.5″ wing had a 43-inch maximum vertical leap and the fastest time in the pro lane agility drill. Carr, who was already a projected first-round pick, followed that up by being the best player on the court in the first scrimmage. “I’m a competitor — basketball’s basketball,” Carr said of his decision to scrimmage, per Hollinger. “It’s supposed to be fun, and I don’t know, in my head I feel like I’ve been overlooked, especially for some of these spots. Of course, I’m not paying attention to the draft stock and all that stuff, but when I hear someone’s better than me, I feel I’ve got to go in and show them who’s really the best. So that’s all I can do. I can just step on the court and give y’all my best, and that’s what I did today.”
- Trevon Brazile (Arkansas), Morez Johnson (Michigan), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee), Baba Miller (Cincinnati), Luigi Suigo (Italy), and Aaron Nkrumah (Tennessee State) are among the other combine winners highlighted by Hollinger and/or O’Connor.
NBA Announces 73 Invitees For 2026 Draft Combine
The NBA announced today (via Twitter) that 73 prospects have been invited to attend this year’s draft combine, which will take place in Chicago from May 10-17.
In addition to those 73 players, a handful of standout players from the G League combine, which is also held in Chicago just before the combine begins, are expected to receive invites to stick around for the main event.
Not all of the prospects invited to the combine will end up remaining in the 2026 draft pool, since many are early entrants who are testing the waters while retaining their NCAA eligibility.
College players must withdraw from the draft by the end of the day on May 27 if they wish to preserve that eligibility, while non-college players face a decision deadline of June 13. The feedback they receive from NBA teams at the combine may be a deciding factor for players who are on the fence.
Here’s the list of players who have been invited to the 2026 draft combine:
(Note: For players in international leagues, the country listed is where they had been playing, not necessarily where they’re from.)
- Matt Able, G, North Carolina State (freshman)
- Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- Amari Allen, F, Alabama (freshman)
- Nate Ament, F, Tennessee (freshman)
- Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech (sophomore)
- Tobe Awaka, F, Arizona (senior)
- Flory Bidunga, F/C, Kansas (sophomore)
- Tyler Bilodeau, F, UCLA (senior)
- John Blackwell, G, Wisconsin (junior)
- Cameron Boozer, F, Duke (freshman)
- Kylan Boswell, G, Illinois (senior)
- Nick Boyd, G, Wisconsin (senior)
- Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona (senior)
- Trevon Brazile, F, Arkansas (senior)
- Maliq Brown, F, Duke (senior)
- Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville (freshman)
- Brayden Burries, G, Arizona (freshman)
- Cameron Carr, G, Baylor (junior)
- Chris Cenac, F/C, Houston (freshman)
- Rueben Chinyelu, C, Florida (junior)
- Ryan Conwell, G, Louisville (senior)
- Sergio De Larrea, G, Spain (born 2005)
- AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU (freshman)
- Zuby Ejiofor, F, St. John’s (senior)
- Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke (sophomore)
- Jeremy Fears, G, Michigan State (junior)
- Kingston Flemings, G, Houston (freshman)
- Ja’Kobi Gillespie, G, Tennessee (senior)
- Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara (freshman)
- Keyshawn Hall, G/F, Auburn (senior)
- Juke Harris, G, Wake Forest (sophomore)
- Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State (senior)
- Morez Johnson, F/C, Michigan (sophomore)
- Alex Karaban, F, UConn (senior)
- Jack Kayil, G, Germany (born 2006)
- Toibu Lawal, F, Virginia Tech (senior)
- Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan (senior)
- Karim Lopez, F, Australia (born 2007)
- Aday Mara, C, Michigan (junior)
- Nick Martinelli, F, Northwestern (senior)
- Baba Miller, F/C, Cincinnati (senior)
- Dillon Mitchell, F, St. John’s (senior)
- Milan Momcilovic, F, Iowa State (junior)
- Malachi Moreno, C, Kentucky (freshman)
- Izaiyah Nelson, F, South Florida (senior)
- Tyler Nickel, F, Vanderbilt (senior)
- Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford (freshman)
- Felix Okpara, C, Tennessee (senior)
- Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia (senior)
- Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky (senior)
- Koa Peat, F, Arizona (freshman)
- Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas (freshman)
- Labaron Philon, G, Alabama (sophomore)
- Jayden Quaintance, F/C, Kentucky (sophomore)
- Tarris Reed, C, UConn (senior)
- Billy Richmond, G/F, Arkansas (sophomore)
- Richie Saunders, G, BYU (senior)
- Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston (senior)
- Braden Smith, G, Purdue (senior)
- Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington (freshman)
- Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa (senior)
- Andrej Stojakovic, G/F, Illinois (junior)
- Peter Suder, G, Miami (OH) (senior)
- Luigi Suigo, C, Serbia (born 2007)
- Dailyn Swain, G/F, Texas (junior)
- Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt (sophomore)
- Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- Bruce Thornton, G, Ohio State (senior)
- Milos Uzan, G, Houston (senior)
- Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina (junior)
- Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois (freshman)
- Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina (freshman)
- Tounde Yessoufou, G/F, Baylor (freshman)
It’s worth noting that the NBA and the NBPA agreed to several combine-related changes in their latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here are a few of those changes:
- A player who is invited to the draft combine and declines to attend without an excused absence will be ineligible to be drafted. He would become eligible the following year by attending the combine. There will be exceptions made for a player whose FIBA season is ongoing, who is injured, or who is dealing with a family matter (such as a tragedy or the birth of a child). That player would be required to complete combine activities at a later date.
- Players who attend the draft combine will be required to undergo physical exams, share medical history, participate in strength, agility, and performance testing, take part in shooting drills, receive anthropometric measurements, and conduct interviews with teams and the media. Scrimmages won’t be mandatory.
- Medical results from the combine will be distributed to select teams based on where the player is projected to be drafted. Only teams drafting in the top 10 would get access to medical info for the projected No. 1 pick; teams in the top 15 would receive medical info for players in the 2-6 range, while teams in the top 25 would get access to info for the players in the 7-10 range.
And-Ones: Extensions, Draft Sleepers, Edwards, Partizan
In a subscriber-only story for The Third Apron, Yossi Gozlan takes a look at 11 players around the NBA who are currently eligible for veteran contract extensions.
According to Gozlan, Spurs wing Julian Champagnie has been a complete bargain on his current deal and should be in line for a considerable raise. San Antonio holds a $3MM team option on Champagnie for 2026/27, which the team would have to decline to extend him.
As Gozlan writes, the maximum the 24-year-old could receive on an extension would be $87MM over four years. Gozlan suggests a four-year deal in the $75-76MM range could be a reasonable compromise for both sides.
Gozlan also projects extensions for Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (two years, $24MM) and Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic (exact same structure), among others.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- John Hollinger of The Athletic lists nine of his favorite sleepers ahead of the 2026 draft. Hollinger acknowledges that some of the players on his list, including Santa Clara forward Allen Graves and Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie, may decide to return for another college season in 2026/27. A couple other sleepers Hollinger mentions (Corey Camper and Emanuel Sharp) will be automatically draft-eligible, as they’re both fifth-year seniors.
- Former NBA big man Jesse Edwards, who spent last season on a two-way deal with the Timberwolves, is in advanced talks with Spanish club Baskonia about a rest-of-season contract, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. The Dutch center played for Melbourne United in Australia in 2025/26, averaging 13.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 1.1 BPG in 35 games (22.4 MPG).
- In an extensive interview with Milun Nesovic of Serbian outlet Meridian Sport, Partizan Belgrade president Ostoja Mijailovic discussed a number of current and former NBA players, as Eurohoops and Sportando relay. The Sixers were limited to offering Partizan $875K as part of a buyout for Cameron Payne, yet the EuroLeague club received $1.75MM in that agreement. According to Mijailovic, the remaining $875K came from Payne himself. Mijailovic confirmed Partizan forward Isaac Bonga received NBA interest last month, but the team had the option to decline the $875K buyout it was offered for Bonga and did so because it values him. However, the former second-round pick could be on the move this summer, as Partizan will no longer have the option to turn down a buyout offer for Bonga once ’25/26 ends.
- Mijailovic also expressed regret for the lucrative deals given to Jabari Parker and Shake Milton, and said the team remains fond of Dante Exum, who was waived by Washington last month after being traded by Dallas. Exum hasn’t played at all this season due to a knee injury. “It is certainly our desire to bring back players who left a mark at Partizan and who can help the team on the court,” Mijailovic said, per Eurohoops. “Exum is one of the players we all adored, and we still adore him.”