Northwest Notes: Gobert, Hunter, Jovic, Griffin, Maker
The Hawks have been identified in previous reports as a possible Rudy Gobert suitor, and multiple league sources have indicated the Jazz are interested in De’Andre Hunter, according to Matt Moore of ActionNetwork.com. Hunter is extension-eligible this offseason. However, according to Moore, the Hawks have tried to steer any teams inquiring on Hunter to players like Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kevin Huerter instead.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Forward Nikola Jovic, ranked No. 24 on ESPN’s Best Available list, is among six prospects visiting the Nuggets on Friday, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets. JD Davison (Alabama), Terrell Brown (San Diego), Christian Koloko (Arizona), Tommy Kuhse (St. Mary’s) and Fabian White Jr. (Houston) are also visiting. Denver holds the No. 21 overall pick.
- Duke forward AJ Griffin worked out for the Trail Blazers on Thursday, Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian tweets. Portland holds the No. 7 pick; Griffin is listed at No. 9 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
- The Jazz brought in Howard’s Makur Maker and 10 other draft prospects on Thursday, Sarah Todd of the Deseret News writes. The group of players auditioning for Utah was rounded out by Houston guard Kyler Edwards, Texas A&M guard Quenton Jackson, Michigan State forward Gabe Brown, UConn guard Tyrese Martin, Richmond forward Grant Golden, Richmond guard Jacob Gilyard, Arkansas guard JD Notae, Providence forward Justin Minaya, St. John’s forward Aaron Wheeler and Iowa State forward George Conditt IV.
Atlantic Notes: White, Smart, Sixers, Anunoby, Raptors
Like longtime Celtics Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart, former Spurs guard Derrick White was a member of the USA Basketball team that played in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. As Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes, the training camp for that World Cup represented the first time that Smart met White, who is now playing a key role for Boston as the team seeks a championship.
“We knew that Derrick understood the game, the way he plays,” Smart said on Thursday, revisiting their first meeting. “Watching him play before we got to USA reminded myself a little bit of me. So, just instantly off the bat, I loved the way he played.”
While Team USA had a disappointing run at the 2019 World Cup, finishing in seventh place, White and Smart are having more success as Celtics teammates. Boston is now just three wins away from a title after White, acquired in a deadline deal in February, played a key role in Thursday’s Game 1 win with 21 points and five three-pointers.
“Every day he’s done something new to make you go, ‘That’s why he’s here,'” Smart said of his fellow guard.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Smart was no longer listed on the Celtics‘ injury report for Game 1 on Thursday, but that doesn’t mean his right ankle sprain has fully healed. “The ankle is a pretty serious injury,” Smart said on Wednesday when asked about it (Twitter link via Jared Weiss of The Athletic). “I’m thankful to let alone play and still be walking. It hurt, but my mama always told me if you’re gonna play, you can’t make no excuses.”
- Now that they know they’ll have the No. 23 pick in this year’s draft rather than sending it to Brooklyn, the Sixers can focus on what to do with that selection. Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice identifies five draft prospects who would make sense as potential targets if Philadelphia hangs onto the pick.
- In a Twitter thread, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca explains why he believes the Raptors are extremely unlikely to trade OG Anunoby this summer, despite rumors that he could be available.
- Gabe Brown (Michigan State), Marcus Bingham (Michigan State), Trent Frazier (Illinois), and JD Notae (Arkansas) are among the prospects who worked out for the Raptors earlier this week, according to reports from Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com and Brandon Simberg of Busting Brackets (Twitter links).
Eastern Draft Notes: Pistons, Pacers, Nets, Knicks
Assuming Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith, and Paolo Banchero are the top three picks in next month’s draft, the Pistons are expected to zero in on four potential targets at No. 5, sources tell James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Those players are Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Shaedon Sharpe, and Bennedict Mathurin.
All four prospects intrigue the Pistons, according to Edwards, who says that Murray is considered the most well-rounded of the four, while Sharpe is viewed as a “high-upside gamble.” Edwards adds that some sources believe Mathurin is the best wing in this year’s draft class, while there’s little consensus on Ivey, who is regarded as a top-three prospect by some evaluators and is outside the top five for others.
Here are a few more draft-related notes from around the Eastern Conference:
- James Akinjo (Baylor), Keon Ellis (Alabama), Justin Lewis (Marquette), and David Roddy (Colorado State) are participating in a pre-draft workout with the Pacers on Monday, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter links). Gonzaga’s Andrew Nembhard and UCLA’s Johnny Juzang had also been scheduled to take part, but were unable to make it due to weather-related travel issues.
- Villanova’s Collin Gillespie has worked out for the Nets and has about 10 more pre-draft workouts on tap following the draft combine, tweets Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com.
- According to Zagoria (Twitter link), Michigan State’s Gabe Brown has workouts with the Hornets and Magic on tap this week after previously auditioning for the Celtics, Nets, and Knicks.
- Marc Berman of The New York Post explores whether Malaki Branham could be a legitimate target at No. 11 for the Knicks, who met with the Ohio State sharpshooter at last week’s combine.
44 Prospects Announced For 2022 NBA G League Elite Camp
The NBA G League has formally announced its field of 44 draft prospects for the 2022 NBA G League Elite Camp.
The event, which will take place May 16 and 17 in Chicago, “gives draft prospects an opportunity to display their skills in front of NBA and NBA G League scouts, coaches and front-office executives over the course of the camp by playing in five-on-five games and participating in strength and agility drills.”
The top performers from the camp will be invited to the NBA Draft Combine, which will take place from May 18-22 in Chicago. Some NBA players who have participated in past G League Elite Camps include Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, Pacers forward Oshae Brissett, Clippers wing Terance Mann, and Heat wing Max Strus.
Here’s the list of 44 draft-eligible attendees:
- Max Abmas (Oral Roberts)
- James Akinjo (Baylor)
- Keve Aluma (Virginia Tech)
- Jules Bernard (UCLA)
- Buddy Boeheim (Syracuse)
- Jamaree Bouyea (San Francisco)
- Eli Brooks (Michigan)
- Keion Brooks Jr. (Kentucky)
- Tevin Brown (Murray State)
- Gabe Brown (Michigan State)
- Tyler Burton (Richmond)
- Darius Days (LSU)
- Michael Devoe (Georgia Tech)
- Allen Flanigan (Auburn)
- Kyle Foster (Howard)
- Javon Freeman-Liberty (DePaul)
- Kellan Grady (Kentucky)
- AJ Green (Northern Iowa)
- Brison Gresham (Texas Southern)
- Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State)
- Jordan Hall (St. Joseph’s)
- Quenton Jackson (Texas A&M)
- Hyunjung Lee (Davidson)
- Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Louisiana Tech)
- Brady Manek (North Carolina)
- Tyrese Martin (Connecticut)
- David McCormack (Kansas)
- Kevin McCullar (Texas Tech)
- Kameron McGusty (Miami FL)
- Pete Nance (Northwestern)
- JD Notae (Arkansas)
- Shareef O’Neal (LSU)
- MJ Randolph (Florida A&M)
- Jared Rhoden (Seton Hall)
- Jermaine Samuels (Villanova)
- Marcus Sasser (Houston)
- Baylor Scheierman (South Dakota State)
- Luke Travers (Perth Wildcats)
- Ryan Turell (Yeshiva University)
- Fabian White Jr. (Houston)
- Bryson Williams (Texas Tech)
- Vince Williams Jr. (VCU)
- Jalen Wilson (Kansas)
- Kok Yat (Overtime Elite)
The list of attendees features 13 players on ESPN’s big board, notes Jonathan Givony of ESPN (via Twitter), so some players have a chance to be drafted.
The top-ranked prospect at the camp is Scheierman (No. 69), who averaged 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.3 steals on .508/.469/.802 shooting this season for South Dakota State (35 games, 33.3 minutes per contest).
MSU’s Gabe Brown Among Early Entrants For 2022 Draft
Michigan State senior wing Gabe Brown will forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility and enter the 2022 NBA draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, who tweets that Brown is signing with Parlay Sports for representation.
The No. 94 prospect on ESPN’s big board, Brown was a full-time starter for the Spartans in 2021/22, averaging 11.6 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 36 games (28.9 MPG). His calling card is his three-point shooting — he knocked down 39.3% of his attempts from beyond the arc over the last two seasons.
Brown’s MSU teammate Marcus Bingham also won’t be back with the Spartans next season, telling Mike Lacett of 13 On Your Side (video link) that he’s going through the NBA draft process. The senior center averaged 9.3 PPG and 6.3 RPG on .534/.415/.747 shooting in 35 games (18.7 MPG) for Michigan State in 2021/22.
Here are a few more players who are entering the 2022 NBA draft:
Expected to forgo remaining NCAA eligibility:
- Teddy Allen, F, New Mexico State (senior) (Twitter link via Jeff Goodman of Stadium)
- David Azore, G, UT Arlington (senior) (Instagram link)
- Izaiah Brockington, G, Iowa State (senior) (Twitter link via ESPN’s Jonathan Givony)
- George Conditt IV, F, Iowa State (senior) (Twitter link)
- Michael Devoe, G, Georgia Tech (senior) (Twitter link via Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports)
- Drake Jeffries, G, Wyoming (senior) (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- DeVante’ Jones, G, Michigan (senior) (Twitter link)
- Chuba Ohams, F, Fordham (senior) (Twitter link via Rothstein)
Testing the draft waters:
- Adrian Delph, G, Appalachian State (senior) (Twitter link)
- Kevin McCullar, G, Texas Tech (junior) (Twitter link)
- Makhel Mitchell, F/C, Rhode Island (sophomore) (Instagram link)
- Makhi Mitchell, F/C, Rhode Island (sophomore) (Instagram link)
- Gus Okafor, F, Southeastern Louisiana (junior) (Twitter link)
- Santiago Vescovi, G, Tennessee (junior) (Instagram link)
Our full list of early entrants for the 2022 NBA draft, which will be constantly updated in the next several weeks, can be found right here.
