By Luke Adams |
at June 18, 2012 4:23 pm
Earlier this morning, we unveiled the first version of our 2012 mock draft, projecting every pick from No. 1 (Anthony Davis) to No. 30 (Quincy Miller). We'll publish one more mock next week, before draft day, and until then, we'll be keeping tabs on all the latest draft-related news and rumors. Here are today's updates, with the newest items added at the top throughout the day….
- The Pistons have a big workout scheduled for next Monday, with Jared Sullinger, Tyler Zeller, Meyers Leonard, John Henson, Terrence Jones, and Perry Jones III expected to attend, tweets ESPN.com's Chad Ford.
- Harrison Barnes and a pair of possible second-round candidates will work out for the Wizards tomorrow, the team announced.
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Earlier updates:
- Spanish point guard Josep Franch will stay in the draft, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com.
- Renardo Sidney is "getting trashed" by a number of teams and there's a good chance he'll go undrafted despite his talent, tweets says Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (via Twitter).
- The Bucks are considering John Henson with their first pick and will work him out tomorrow, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (on Twitter).
- Czech wing Tomas Satoransky has decided to remain in the draft pool, tweets Chad Ford of ESPN.com. Satoransky now projects as an early second-round pick, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
- In an Insider piece at ESPN.com, John Hollinger looks for potential sleepers and busts in the draft, using PER projections.
- A pair of local products were among the six prospects the Pacers worked out today, as Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star writes.
- The Knicks will work out six players tomorrow, including Jordan Taylor, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Joffrey Lauvergne (France, 1991) has pulled out of draft consideration, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com. Maximilian Kleber (Germany, 1992) has also withdrawn, Givony adds in a separate tweet.
- Nemanja Nedovic (Serbia, born in 1991) and Sertac Sanli (Turkey, 1991) have both withdrawn from the draft, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com.
- International prospect Mindaugas Kupsas has withdrawn from draft consideration, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 1991-born Lithuanian big man will spend the season overseas.
- We rounded up a few draft updates from ESPN.com's Chad Ford in a separate post.
- The Bulls may be open to moving Luol Deng for a package that includes a lottery pick, according to Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald. McGraw cites sources saying Chicago is considering such a move and points to concerns about the luxury tax and about Deng's decision to postpone wrist surgery until after the Olympics. Still, this seems like a long shot to me.
- A report yesterday suggested the Thunder would look to trade its first-round pick, but Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld is hearing that's not the case (Twitter link). Kyler hears from Thunder sources that there's plenty of late-first-round talent that the team likes (Twitter link).
- Speaking to Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, agent Mark Bartelstein passes along a glowing report of Bradley Beal's weekend workout for the Cavaliers.
- Perry Jones III and Jared Sullinger are working out for the Hornets this morning, tweets Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com.
- Bucks.com has profiles for the four prospects working out for the Bucks today.
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By Chuck Myron |
at June 16, 2012 8:53 am
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweeted last night about the workout the Bucks have scheduled today for wing players Will Barton and Evan Fournier, as we noted in our roundup of Friday's draft rumors. Woelfel has a full report today on those two and fringe draft pick Ramone Moore, who's also working out for the Bucks today. He also shares news from around the league on a possible extension for Brandon Jennings, teams willing to trade draft picks, and rising and falling draft stocks.
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- The Celtics, Rockets, Blazers, Grizzlies and Thunder are "definitely open" to trading their picks, Woelfel says.
- The Bucks have yet to begin in-depth discussions with Bill Duffy, the agent for Brandon Jennings, on an extension for his client. The team has until October to lock Jennings up before he becomes eligible for restricted free agency next summer.
- Woelfel identifies three players whose draft stock is rising: Mason Plumlee, Moe Harkless and Fab Melo. Going the opposite direction are Jared Sullinger, as teams are worried about issues with his back, and Perry Jones III.
- Jeremy Lamb was originally supposed to take part in today's Bucks workout before spraining his ankle during a Raptors workout earlier this week. Woelfel says there's a "reasonably good chance" Lamb will still audition for Milwaukee. The same can't be said for Austin Rivers, who's unlikely to work out for the Bucks.
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By Luke Adams |
at June 13, 2012 11:16 pm
With 15 days remaining until draft night, we'll round up today's notes on draft workouts, stock watches, and potential selections right here, with the latest up top:
Earlier updates:
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- Morley Quatroche of WEEI.com breaks down Michael Kidd-Gilchrist from a Celtics perspective.
- HoopsWorld's Stephen Brotherston looks at whether Kentucky sixth man Darius Miller can be just as valuable as a key reserve in the NBA.
- Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times has the latest on the Bucks' search for a big man.
- Portland native Terrence Jones talks about his workout for the Blazers today in a video posted by Sean Meagher of The Oregonian.
- Warriors.com shares mock drafts put together by broadcasters and well-known bloggers.
- Thomas Robinson worked out for his hometown Wizards today, as Michael Lee of The Washington Post chronicles.
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld looks at Andre Drummond as teams try to get a handle on his boom-or-bust potential.
- A number of beat writers have updates on draft workouts for the Trail Blazers, Wizards, and Bucks.
- Don't expect the Jazz to make a trade to get back into the first round of the draft. GM Kevin O'Connor tells Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune that the asking price for first-round picks will be high, and he doesn't anticipate his team will make a move "unless we find something we really like."
- SI.com's Sam Amick shares the list of participants for the Warriors' workout tomorrow.
- The Sixers announced via press release that they'll work out Quincy Miller, Terrence Ross, and Mike Scott tomorrow morning.
- Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com becomes the latest draft scribe to release an updated version of his mock draft today.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford has provided a ton of draft content today, publishing his new mock draft and answering a number of readers' questions in a chat. Among the highlights of Ford's chat: He believes the Bobcats will trade the No. 2 pick for either multiple picks or a pick and a player.
- Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio also conducted a chat heavy on draft-related inquiries.
- Harrison Barnes and Damian Lillard were among the lottery prospects to boost their stock in athletic testing, while Jared Sullinger and John Henson's scores didn't help them, says Chad Ford (Insider link).
- Anthony Davis isn't the only player in this draft class with star potential, writes Jay Bilas in an Insider piece for ESPN.com.
- Fab Melo and Andrew Nicholson highlighted the group of prospects in attendance at the Suns' first workout yesterday, says Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld and SI.com's Sam Amick each released updated versions of their mock drafts today.
- The Raptors worked out six more players today, including Canadian forward Kris Joseph, according to a team press release.
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By Luke Adams |
at June 12, 2012 3:47 pm
We'll track the day's draft-related news and rumors here, with the newest updates up top:
- Jonathon Givony of DraftExpress has measurements from Chicago's draft combine, including max verticals for all the prospects in attendance.
- Neither Perry Jones III or Terrence Jones blew away Warriors management when they worked out for Golden State, writes Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. The Warriors continue to hope they can use their lottery pick to upgrade at small forward, and both Joneses project as power forwards.
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Earlier updates:
- Doron Lamb, Moe Harkless, Royce White, Fab Melo, and Quincy Miller are among the prospects scheduled to work out for the Hawks, the team announced today.
- David Thorpe of ESPN.com (Insider link) identifies the Hornets, Bobcats, and Celtics as three teams who could see an immediate impact from their draft picks this year.
- Jared Sullinger is among the prospects the Trail Blazers are working out tomorrow, while Tony Wroten will work out with the team next Wednesday, says Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- Kentucky's Darius Miller tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post that he'd love the chance to play with former Wildcat teammate John Wall on the Wizards.
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By Ryan Raroque |
at June 9, 2012 6:53 pm
Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld provides a primer on how the trade market works as of right now through the end of June, asserting that teams currently out of the playoffs can make trades. He also covers a list of players who can't be traded, distinguishes teams that can absorb contracts in exchange for picks as well as those that have Traded Player's Exceptions, and adds that players with partially guaranteed contracts can still be dealt. Either Boston or Miami will join the 27 other teams on the trade eligibility list tonight, and while we wait for tip off, here's more from around the league…
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- There have been several reports over the last two weeks that Lou Williams will opt-out of his contract this summer, and 76ers team president Rod Thorn echoed the same sentiments today, according to John Finger of CSN Philly.
- Jared Sullinger happily quelled concerns about his height when the draft combine measurements showed that he stands at 6'9'' in shoes, according to Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated. Some NBA executives had been convinced that Sullinger was shorter than his listed height in college. We wrote more about the draft combine and the measurements yesterday.
- Earlier, we reported about the Trail Blazers draft targets. Another thing we made note of was that former Florida guard Bradley Beal will not work out for the team, as his agent, Mark Bartelstein, says that Beal will only work out for teams at the top of the draft.
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets that Jermaine Taylor will play for the Bulls in the Las Vegas Summer League and hopes to play for the Magic in the Orlando Summer League.
- Former Kentucky guard Marquis Teague insists that his jumpshot has significantly improved and added that he has been getting good feedback from his workouts, says Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld.
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By Zachary Links |
at June 9, 2012 3:38 pm
Even as his Celtics gear up for Game Seven tonight against the Heat, we learned yesterday that head coach Doc Rivers is still helping son Austin Rivers through the draft process. If the C's want to tab the Duke standout, they'll likely have to move up on the board. Boston currently holds the No. 21 and 22 picks in the draft. Do you have the draft on your brain despite tonight's big game as well? Don't worry, we've got you covered..
- One general manager says Quincy Miller could go in the top 10, while another executive doesn't think he's a first-rounder, reports NBA.com's Scott Howard Cooper, who says the truth is somewhere in the middle. Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com has the Baylor small forward going 22nd to the Celtics in his latest mock draft.
- The itinerary for North Carolina power forward John Henson reveals he's working out for teams picking fifth through 15th, as Susan Bible of HoopsWorld writes.
Earlier updates:
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- Mississippi State's Arnett Moultrie says that the Pistons, picking ninth, and the Hornets, at No. 10, would be the best fits for him, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. When it comes to the Pistons, Moultrie believes that his game makes for a great complement to Greg Monroe.
- Ohio State center Jared Sullinger has heard a lot of criticism about his weight and conditioning, but the big man looked to be in great shape in Chicago, Ellis writes. Jim Jackson, currently working as an analyst for the Big Ten Network, believes that Sullinger's overall skill set makes up for his lack of explosive athleticism.
- Andre Drummond isn't the most PR-savvy prospect in this year's draft but the UConn product might be the best available pick at No. 5, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
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By Chuck Myron |
at June 8, 2012 9:43 pm
The Bulls, who hold the 29th pick, met with small forward Harrison Barnes on Thursday at the draft combine in Chicago, leading K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune to allude to the possibility that the team is thinking of trading up in the draft. That doesn't mean the team is interested in such a deal, of course — the Bulls could simply be trying to get a feel for as many players as they can — but as Johnson notes, Barnes would come in handy as a replacement for Luol Deng if he misses time next season because of his wrist injury. There's been plenty of other draft news from the rest of the Central as well.
Earlier updates:
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- Bucks officials interviewed 7-footers Tyler Zeller and Meyers Leonard and have workouts scheduled for both, reports Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Bucks, picking 12th, could use a true center to replace former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Bogut, as Gardner observes.
- The Cavs met with Jared Sullinger, who seems to be growing tired of the scrutiny he's been facing, as Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. Despite the meeting, Lloyd doesn't see a fit for Sullinger and the Cavs with either of the team's first-round picks, at No. 4 and 24.
- MLive's David Mayo looks at what makes Perry Jones III a polarizing figure in the draft and a tantalizing possibility for the Pistons at pick No. 9.
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By Chuck Myron |
at June 8, 2012 7:04 pm
Tons of NBA executives have been in Chicago the past two days for the NBA pre-draft combine, and we've been following the updates throughout. Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com was on hand for the event, which wasn't nearly as revelatory as it could have been, he says, since several top prospects didn't participate in on-court action. Still, teams learned plenty about the draft-eligible field, and Goodman shares his list of winners and losers from the camp.
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Here are the highlights:
- Damian Lillard tops Goodman's list of winners, further distinguishing himself at the draft's top point guard. His perimeter shooting was the best in the camp.
- No one was more impressive in interviews than Iowa State power forward Royce White, NBA sources told Goodman. White has suffered from an anxiety disorder, but Fred Hoiberg, White's college coach, told Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that White's fear of flying "never affected the way he played" (Twitter link).
- Measurements dispelled concerns about height for Jared Sullinger, Thomas Robinson, Austin Rivers and Bradley Beal, all of whom wound up on the tall side of estimates.
- Agent Derek LaFayette pulled Arnett Moultrie out of the workout portion of the combine. Goodman was surprised by this move and counts it as a negative for Moultrie, but earlier today we heard the Pistons are giving Moultrie strong consideration for the No. 9 pick.
- It was a rough camp for Big East players, as Connecticut guard Jeremy Lamb looked disinterested in interviews, sources told Goodman, while Jae Crowder and Kevin Jones, the conference's top two finishers for its player of the year award, struggled on the court.
- Combo guard J'Covan Brown had the highest body fat percentage of anyone at the camp, at 12.5%.
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By Luke Adams |
at June 8, 2012 4:32 pm
The Heat are certainly in better position to advance to the NBA Finals than they were 24 hours ago, but they aren't out of the woods yet, with a Game 7 looming. Given the high expectations in Miami, ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (Twitter link) polled 27 NBA executives on 20 clubs on whether they'd fire Erik Spoelstra if the Heat lose the series to the Celtics — 17 said no, while 10 said yes. While we await tomorrow's winner-take-all matchup and prepare for a night without NBA action, let's check in on some other updates from around the Association….
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- Lakers trainer Gary Vitti confirmed to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com that both Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum are expected to travel to Germany to undergo platelet-rich plasma therapy this summer. According to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld, Bryant may head overseas for his treatment as soon as this weekend.
- Former NBA veteran Nenad Krstic told HoopsHype that he's unsure whether or not he'll return to the league or continue playing for CSKA Moscow next season.
- Kendall Marshall is hearing that he could be a late lottery pick, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld attempts to uncover a few potential free agent bargains at the point guard position.
- Nick Calathes has spoken to the Mavericks and indicated that he'd like to make the jump to the NBA, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. We heard earlier this week that the 23-year-old was considering such a move, though he was still drawing heavy interest from European teams.
- Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com examines possible free agent fits for the Warriors.
- The Warriors, picking seventh overall, appear to be "especially high" on Jared Sullinger, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
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By Luke Adams |
at June 8, 2012 10:38 am
It figures to be an eventful summer for the 76ers, who hold three picks in the draft, should receive plenty of inquiries on Andre Iguodala, and could use the amnesty clause to clear Elton Brand's $18MM+ salary from their books. I previewed the Sixers' offseason last week, but as the draft and free agency approach, we'll gain a better understanding of their plans. In the meantime, let's check in on the latest items out of Philadelphia….
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- The 76ers will probably target a big man with their 15th overall pick, according to John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mitchell lists Jared Sullinger, Tyler Zeller, John Henson, Arnett Moultrie, Fab Melo, and Kyle O'Quinn as players who may interest in the Sixers, though not all of them are expected to be available at No. 15.
- The Sixers figure to draft a scoring guard with one of their two second-round picks, says Mitchell.
- Brand is "not a lock" to be amnestied, according to Mitchell.
- Mitchell adds that Lou Williams is still expected to decline his player option for 2012/13.
- Jack McCarthy of the Philadelphia Daily News takes a look at a pair of North Carolina big men, Zeller and Henson, that the Sixers wouldn't mind landing on June 28th. Both players have workouts scheduled with Philadelphia.
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