Isaac Okoro Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Edwards, Okoro, Thunder Crowds

November 10th, 2020 at 8:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Georgia guard Anthony Edwards wants the Timberwolves to draft him with top pick, he told Marc Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link). He’s unconcerned about dealing with Minnesota’s winters. “I’m not going to play basketball in the snow. So, I’m not worried about it,” he said. Edwards has long been considered a possible No. 1 selection, though a recent report indicated he could slip a bit due to an unspectacular Pro Day and questions regarding his background.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

The Timberwolves, who own the top pick, attended Isaac Okoro‘s workout last week, according to Alder Almo of Empire Sports Media. The freshman Auburn wing is currently ranked No. 7 by ESPN but he could be a Minnesota target if the team trades down. Okoro’s strengths include his defense and rebounding.
There’s speculation that the Thunder might have some interest in trading for the No. 1 pick in order to land LaMelo Ball. That would require Oklahoma City to give up quite a few assets, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman notes. Mussatto believes a package for the top pick might include Chris Paul, Hamidou Diallo, the pick OKC owns at No. 25, a 2021 first-round pick and a 2024 first-rounder. The Timberwolves would throw in James Johnson to make the salaries work. However, the Suns appear to be even bigger players for Paul.
The Thunder have announced reduced seating capacity for home games due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mussatto tweets. The amount of fans allowed into the building is still to be determined but measures include the wearing of masks and a seating distance of six feet between groups of guests. There will also be strict hygiene and disinfecting procedures throughout the building.

Cavs Rumors: Thompson, Free Agents, Drummond, No. 5 Pick

November 9th, 2020 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers would like to re-sign Tristan Thompson at the right price, but so far, discussions between the two sides have “centered on a number lower than Thompson would want,” according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Thompson had an $18.5MM salary in 2019/20 and presumably won’t want to see that number decrease too significantly going forward. However, that may simply be the veteran’s reality now, Fedor writes.

As Fedor points out, John Hollinger of The Athletic and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst have both recently suggested that Thompson may be no more than a minimum-salary free agent. It sounds like the Cavs will offer him more than that, so the big man may have to decide whether he wants to stay in Cleveland at that higher number or compete for a title elsewhere on a more modest deal. He appears unlikely to get a sizeable offer from a contender, Fedor notes.

If Thompson doesn’t re-sign with the Cavaliers, the team will probably have to dedicate a portion of its mid-level exception to signing a center. Fedor identifies Harry Giles, Aron Baynes, Thon Maker, and Nerlens Noel as some free agents who could be possibilities for Cleveland.

Here’s more from Fedor on the Cavs:

Sources tell Fedor that the Cavaliers were hoping to pursue Jerami Grant in free agency, but now expect him to be out of their price range. The team still aims to add athletic, defensive-minded players — Derrick Jones, Maurice Harkless, Kris Dunn, and Pat Connaughton are a few of the potential targets singled out by Fedor.
If and when Andre Drummond officially opts in for 2020/21, it’s possible the Cavaliers will view him and his expiring contract as a potential trade chip. However, Fedor’s sources believe Cleveland would have a better chance of moving Drummond at the trade deadline rather than in the offseason, so it sounds like the veteran center will spend at least part of the season in Cleveland.
Multiple members of Cleveland’s front office like Tyrese Haliburton, but after using their previous two lottery picks on guards, the Cavs seem unlikely to opt for Haliburton over an “equally-talented” prospect who fills a greater need. Fedor believes Deni Avdija, Onyeka Okongwu, Isaac Okoro, and Obi Toppin are – in no particular order – the best bets to be the Cavs’ pick at No. 5.

Givony’s Latest: Ball, Edwards, Hornets, Williams, More

November 9th, 2020 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

Barring a surprise trade that shakes up the top of the draft, LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman still look like the three players who will come off the board first on November 18, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link). Givony, who has had conversations with multiple team executives, scouts, and agents, says most teams’ front offices are operating under the assumption that Ball will be the No. 1 pick.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether the Timberwolves will be the team making and keeping that top pick in the 2020 draft. According to Givony, executives view the Bulls, Pistons, and Thunder as some of the most realistic candidates to trade up to No. 1 for Ball. Oklahoma City has the No. 25 pick, which would make trading up more difficult, but the Thunder do have a massive collection of future first-rounders they could dangle if they’re genuinely interested in moving up.

Here are several more draft-related tidbits from Givony’s latest roundup:

According to Givony, some front offices were underwhelmed by Edwards’ Pro Day performance. Tyrese Maxey, who was in great shape and shot the ball very well, may have made Edwards look a little worse by comparison, some executives told ESPN.
Despite reports that they’re eyeing Onyeka Okongwu, the Hornets haven’t seriously considered picking any prospects outside the top tier of Ball, Wiseman, and Edwards, sources tell Givony.
After the top three, the next tier of prospects is made up of Deni Avdija, Obi Toppin, Isaac Okoro, Tyrese Haliburton, Patrick Williams, and Okongwu, according to Givony, who says those players all seem likely to be selected in the 4-9 range. Givony adds that Williams has boosted his stock in recent months and is receiving consideration as high as No. 4. Givony also confirms that the Pistons have legit interest in Williams at No. 7, which was previously reported.
Picks belonging to the Kings (No. 12), Celtics (14), Timberwolves (17), Mavericks (18), Nets (19), and Heat (20) have popped up frequently in recent trade talks, sources tell ESPN.
Upperclassmen like Malachi Flynn, Desmond Bane, Jordan Nwora, and Xavier Tillman are candidates to come off the board late in the first round, since contending teams with late first-round picks may be prioritizing “plug-and-play” prospects who will be best equipped to handle the quick turnaround between the draft and the start of the NBA season, says Givony.

Draft Notes: Mouaha, Ebeling, Achiuwa, Knicks

November 6th, 2020 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The NCAA’s withdrawal deadline for the 2020 NBA draft has long since passed, but the NBA’s own deadline falls 10 days before the draft. That means that a number of international prospects – for whom the NCAA deadline didn’t apply – face final decisions on whether or not to keep their names in this year’s draft pool.

Cameroonian guard Aristide Mouaha and Italian forward Michele Ebeling are two international early entrants who have decided to pull out of the draft, according to a pair of reports from Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Both prospects are currently playing in Italy. Ebeling will become automatically draft-eligible in 2021, while Mouaha is on track to be draft-eligible in 2022 if he doesn’t re-enter his name next year.

As our tracker shows, we still have 34 international prospects listed as early entrants for 2020. It’s safe to assume that many more will withdraw before the November 8 deadline — I’d expect that list to be cut at least in half within the next couple days.

Here’s more on the 2020 NBA draft:

Former Memphis big man Precious Achiuwa worked out for the Wizards earlier this week and is working out for the Celtics on Friday, according to Adam Zagoria of Forbes (Twitter link). Achiuwa is the 12th overall prospect on ESPN’s big board, so both Washington at No. 9 and Boston at No. 14 could in play for him.
In a pair of Insider articles for ESPN.com, Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, and Kevin Pelton discuss the best wings and big men of this year’s draft class. All three experts rate Deni Avdija as the top wing in the draft, with Givony and Schmitz placing Isaac Okoro second while Pelton takes Devin Vassell. In a bit of a surprise, both Givony and Schmitz pick Onyeka Okongwu over James Wiseman as the top big man prospect.
While the Knicks’ No. 8 pick has been the main focus, the team is working diligently on its options at No. 27 and 38 and is hoping to find a “diamond in the rough,” a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. Berman examines former Arizona shooting guard Josh Green and Duke center Vernon Carey Jr. as a couple potential late-first-round options for New York, citing one talent evaluator who says Green would be a “perfect fit” for the team.

Central Notes: Brogdon, Cavs, Pistons, Bulls

October 30th, 2020 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Count veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon among those who are enthusiastic about the Pacers‘ decision to hire former Raptors assistant Nate Bjorkgren as their new head coach. Appearing on ESPN’s The Jump on Thursday, Brogdon said he’d had lunch with Bjorkgren earlier in the day and is looking forward to getting to work with the first-time head coach.

“He’s going to be terrific,” Brogdon said, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “Toronto has a great culture, as we all know, and a lot of bright young minds, and he’s one of them, so I’m super excited to have him on board.”

Brogdon also told The Jump’s panel that he’s working this offseason on expanding his game by improving his shot off the dribble. And after missing at least 18 games in each of the past three seasons due to injuries, he’s hoping he can stay healthier in 2020/21.

“My only fully healthy season has been my rookie year, and then the past three years I’ve sat out 15 to 20 games,” Brogdon said. “So that’s really hurt me, and I think it’s really hurt my team.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

After months of consideration, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com offers up what he thinks are the Cavaliers‘ top five options with the No. 5 selection, starting with trading down. Fedor – who assumes that LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman won’t be available at No. 5 – contends that Isaac Okoro and Onyeka Okongwu should be the Cavs’ top targets if they keep the pick.
Within a mailbag, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic considers whether the probability of fans not being in arenas for 2020/21 should influence the Pistons‘ roster decisions at all this offseason — not having to worry about selling tickets to 41 home games means the team could be more willing to bottom out.
While the Bulls may explore trading up or down in the lottery, Sam Smith of Bulls.com expects the team to ultimately stand pat at No. 4.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Hayes, Nets, Harris, Sixers

October 21st, 2020 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

Killian Hayes has a “narrow edge” as the second point guard on the Knicks‘ draft board, behind LaMelo Ball, sources tell Marc Berman of The New York Post.

As Berman writes, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Knicks would select Hayes if he’s available at No. 8. The team likes some non-point guards near the top of the draft, including Obi Toppin and Isaac Okoro, and has also mulled the possibility of trading down. However, Berman’s report suggests the Knicks would favor Hayes over other point guards such as Tyrese Haliburton, RJ Hampton, and Kira Lewis, among others.

Hayes, who spent the 2019/20 season in Germany, has agreed to do a limited number of private, in-person workouts with teams, according to Berman, who adds that the Knicks will probably be one of those teams.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Nets should expect to receive a good deal of competition when they attempt to re-sign Joe Harris this offseason, Zach Lowe said this week on his Lowe Post podcast. “These teams with cap room all view Joe as a potential very good fit on the floor and a good culture guy,” Lowe said, per RealGM. “I think Harris may have even more of an market because teams trust their defense more. He’s more sort of positionally fluid on defense. I think the Nets are going to have to pay (around) $15MM per year to keep Joe Harris.”
In the wake of a report that indicated the Nets looked into a Jrue Holiday trade at last season’s deadline, Brian Lewis of The New York Post examines Brooklyn’s potential interest in the Pelicans guard and weighs the possibility of an offseason deal.
Rich Hofmann of The Athletic evaluates a number of hypothetical trade proposals involving the Sixers. Besides considering popular subjects of trade speculation such as Chris Paul and Buddy Hield, Hofmann also explores trade ideas involving under-the-radar targets like Tomas Satoransky and Delon Wright.

Atlantic Notes: Okoro, Dragic, Dunn, Theis, Celtics

October 16th, 2020 at 7:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lottery prospect Isaac Okoro has received plenty of attention from the Knicks, Ian Begley of SNY TV reports. Okoro’s college coach, Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, said New York’s front office has conducted a number of interviews regarding the 6’6” Okoro, who is ranked No. 7 overall by ESPN. The Knicks own the No. 8 pick.

“They’ve talked to strength coaches, trainers, assistant coaches – they’ve done their homework. And they’ve liked Isaac from the jump,” Pearl said of the Knicks.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Goran Dragic, D.J. Augustin and Jeff Teague are some of the veteran free agent options at point guard that the Raptors might pursue, Blake Murphy of The Athletic opines. Combo guard Kris Dunn could be an even more attractive option as a restricted free agent, and De’Anthony Melton could also be a consideration despite his RFA status, Murphy adds.
Daniel Theis was a big part of the Celtics’ rotation during the restart and Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston doesn’t anticipate that anything will change next season. Theis complemented Boston’s stars nicely since he’s solid at screening and defending, Forsberg adds. Boston must guarantee Theis’ $5MM salary prior to next season but that seems like a foregone conclusion.
The Celtics own three first-round picks in the November draft and they’ll be looking to deal, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Boston simply doesn’t have the roster space to absorb and develop three rookies and if the Celtics can’t trade one or more of those picks, they’ll look into draft-and-stash options.

Knicks Rumors: Westbrook, Draft, Okoro, Vassell

October 15th, 2020 at 9:51am CST by Luke Adams

While Chris Paul‘s name has been connected most frequently to the Knicks in recent months, it’s worth keeping an eye on Russell Westbrook as well, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Begley reports that some agents who represent top free agent point guards think the Knicks will “poke around” on a possible Westbrook trade if the Rockets make him available.

It’s certainly not a sure thing that Houston considers moving Westbrook this offseason. And even in that scenario, “poking around” doesn’t mean that the Knicks would make a deal.

Still, the Knicks are well-positioned to take on a big contract like Westbrook’s, which has three years and more than $132MM left on it. Begley also cites sources who say that Westbrook viewed New York as a favorable landing spot when the Thunder were shopping him last July. So if the Rockets do mull a potential trade at some point, it’s a safe bet the Knicks will be linked to the star point guard.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Earlier in October, multiple teams told people around top draft prospects that the Knicks were exploring the possibility of trading up for a top pick, according to Begley. A recent report indicated that New York likes LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman, but that report also suggested the club is looking at trading down from No. 8, not up. That leaves Begley to speculate that the Knicks are simply doing their homework on several scenarios and that looking into trading up doesn’t mean the team is committed to doing so.
With the Nos. 8 and 27 picks currently in hand, the Knicks have expressed “degrees of interest” in the likes of Isaac Okoro, Devin Vassell, Killian Hayes, Kira Lewis Jr., Cole Anthony, Tyrese Haliburton, RJ Hampton, Theo Maledon, Tyrell Terry, Precious Achiuwa, and Isaiah Joe, writes Begley.
In case you missed it, the Knicks are currently tied with Detroit for the second-worst odds to win the Eastern Conference in 2021.

Central Notes: Maker, Cavs, Windler, Bucks

October 5th, 2020 at 6:33pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Pistons big man Thon Maker has been working to expand his game, including his long-range shooting stroke, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Detroit can extend Maker a $4.64MM qualifying offer to keep him on the team heading into his fifth season in 2020/21. Langlois anticipates that the Pistons will opt not to do so, however, making Maker an unrestricted free agent — and possibly available for less than his qualifying offer on the open market.

“I’ve always loved Detroit since the first day I got here,” Maker said of his tenure with the Pistons. “I just focus on the basketball and that’s between my agent and the team. My focus is to come here in this [mini-camp] bubble and just play.”

There’s more out of the Central Division:

The Cavaliers have several prospects they would prefer to interview during the ongoing NBA combine, writes Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. Virtual interviews commenced last week and wrap up on October 16. Medical exams by the nearest NBA physician and a series of on-court activities completed near the players’ homes are set to take place this month. Fedor reports that Cleveland appears to have a strong interest in talking to top draft candidates LaMelo Ball, Deni Avdija and Isaac Okoro.
Cavaliers rookie swingman Dylan Windler, who missed the entire 2019/20 season with a left leg stress fracture, is expected by the team to have a significant on-court role for Cleveland in 2020/21, according to Fedor elsewhere in the same piece. Sources tell Cleveland.com that the 2019 first-rounder is the Cavs’ “most asked-about” player in trade talks, though the team has no interest in moving him.
After a disappointing second-round elimination at the hands of the Heat, the Bucks face an interesting offseason, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. Assuming no major cost-cutting trades are made, the team is anticipated to be over the salary cap next season. GM Jon Horst has a few options he could exercise to creatively make changes around the periphery of the team, including not guaranteeing forward Ersan Ilyasova‘s $7MM salary.

Draft Notes: Okoro, Avdija, Ball, Wiseman

October 3rd, 2020 at 8:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Auburn’s Isaac Okoro believes he deserves consideration for the top pick in next month’s draft, writes Adam Zagoria for Forbes. Most of the discussion has focused on Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman, but Okoro makes a case for the Timberwolves to take him first overall.

“Yes, I feel I should be the No. 1 pick because I go out every game and I compete and I give 100% effort,” Okoro said. “I’m just willing to do whatever any coaches want me to do, so I feel like me bringing a winning culture I should be the No. 1 pick.”

The 6’6″ forward had an outstanding season with the Tigers, averaging 12.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game and earning spots on the SEC’s All-Defense and All-Freshman teams, along with second team all-conference honors. He believes he would be a good complement to the talent already in place in Minnesota.

“I could see myself fitting in there, playing with D’Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns,” Okoro said. “I feel like I could come in there and play my role, do whatever the coach needs me to do in the game and just win.”

There’s more draft news to pass along:

Deni Avdija is likely to become the highest draft pick ever from Israel, notes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. The 19-year-old has spent the past two seasons in the EuroLeague, and although he hasn’t put up huge numbers, he has impressed scouts enough to be considered a top-10 selection. “It’s exciting. Any time you can make history or any kind of good thing to represent the Jewish community and the state of Israel, that’s an honor for me,” Avdija said.
Ball is taking an unusual path to the NBA, but he tells Jace Frederick of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that his experiences, which included leaving high school early and playing in Lithuania and Australia, helped prepare him for the challenges ahead. “When I made that first move to Lithuania, that’s really when I grew up and stuff,” Ball said. “I realized what was going on. I wouldn’t change my journey, because it’s one of one. I like it.”
Wiseman has moved into the second slot in the latest mock draft from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. The writer sees Wiseman developing into a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, and players and trainers who have watched him work out say he looks “phenomenal.” Vecenie still has Ball as his No. 1 pick, with Edwards, Obi Toppin and Onyeka Okongwu rounding out the top five.