Khaman Maluach Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draft Notes: Second-Round Mocks, Round-One Winners, Trades

June 26th, 2025 at 7:32am CST by Luke Adams

With round one of the 2025 NBA draft in the books, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo look ahead to what to expect on day two on Thursday, sharing an updated 29-pick mock draft covering the second round.

ESPN’s duo is projecting the Timberwolves to kick off the evening by nabbing Saint Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming at No. 31, with Stanford big man Maxime Raynaud going to the Celtics at No. 32, and the Hornets drafting Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner and French forward Noah Penda with their picks at No. 33 and No. 34.

Still, Givony and Woo acknowledge that we’ll likely see plenty of draft-pick movement on Thursday, potentially involving one or more of those first few selections — Givony singles out the Hornets as a team to watch, noting that the club already added a pair of rookies on Wednesday (Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley) and may not want to add two more to their roster at the start of the second round.

Addressing their favorite under-the-radar prospects to keep an eye on during the second round, Givony mentions Penda as an ideal draft-and-stash target for a playoff team drafting in the 30s, though the 20-year-old would likely prefer to come stateside right away. Woo, meanwhile, suggests Florida State wing Jamir Watkins could be a perfect win-now fit for a team in the 30s. ESPN’s mock has him going to the Pacers at No. 38.

Here’s more on the 2025 draft as we prepare for Thursday evening’s second round:

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has also shared an updated mock draft for the second round that starts with Fleming to Minnesota and Raynaud to Boston. Vecenie has the Hornets nabbing Sion James and Kalkbrenner, with Penda going to the Nets at No. 36 and Watkins sliding to the Cavaliers at No. 49.
A panel of ESPN experts, including Givony and Woo, breaks down the biggest winners, most surprising moves, and best picks from day one of the draft. ESPN’s experts liked the Suns taking Khaman Maluach at No. 10, the Spurs getting Carter Bryant at No. 14, and the Heat nabbing Kasparas Jakucionis at No. 20, but questioned the Pelicans‘ decision to give up a valuable unprotected 2026 first-round pick to move up 10 spots to take Derik Queen at No. 13.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports isn’t as high on the Jakucionis pick for the Heat, giving them a D+, his lowest grade for any of the top 30 picks. The Grizzlies, conversely, earned an A++ grade from O’Connor for moving up to snag Washington State’s Cedric Coward at No. 11.
The price paid by teams like the Pelicans, Grizzlies, and Jazz to move up a few spots outside of the top 10 on Wednesday was awfully high, observes John Hollinger of The Athletic. New Orleans and Memphis gave up unprotected future first-round picks to move up 10 and five spots, respectively, with the Grizzlies also surrendering two future second-rounders. The 2026 first-rounder sent from New Orleans to the Hawks is considered a “superfirst” because it’ll be the most favorable of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s picks — it’s very possible one of those picks will end up being a pretty high one, Hollinger notes. Utah, meanwhile, didn’t give up a future first, but had to part with three second-round picks to move up just three spots from No. 21 to No. 18.

Suns Select Khaman Maluach With No. 10 Pick

June 25th, 2025 at 8:18pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Suns have drafted Khaman Maluach with the 10th overall pick.

Maluach was considered by many draft experts to be the top center among 2025’s draft-eligible prospects after starting 39 games as a freshman for a Duke team that made it to the Final Four. He averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 21.2 minutes per contest for the Blue Devils.

While Maluach’s box-score numbers don’t jump off the page, he has an impressive frame – a height of 7’1″ and a wingspan of 7’7″ – and could excel in the NBA as a defensive anchor and a rim-runner and lob threat on offense. The South Sudanese big man, who won’t turn 19 until September, has also shown some shooting potential and is one of the youngest players in the draft, notes ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

The Suns acquired the 10th pick as part of the Kevin Durant trade with Houston. Phoenix also acquired Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and several second-rounders as part of that blockbuster deal.

Just before Maluach was selected, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported (via Twitter) that the Suns have traded the 29th pick in this draft as well as a 2029 first-round pick for Hornets center Mark Williams. The ’29 pick, Shams tweets, is top-five protected and is the least favorable of the Timberwolves’, Jazz’s, and Cavaliers’ picks.

By trading for Williams and selecting Malauch, the Suns have revamped their frontcourt depth in one fell swoop, and now have multiple young big men to grow with guards Devin Booker and Green.

Maluach will likely come off the bench to start, but represents a major swing for a team that is looking to rebuild its identity on the fly. A college head coach who spoke to The Athletic earlier this month stated that Maluach has “the biggest upside of anybody” in this year’s draft class.

Fischer’s Latest: Sixers, Bailey, Edgecombe, Fears, Maluach, More

June 25th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers are expected to make one last attempt to trade up to No. 2 for the chance to draft Dylan Harper, but it’s not likely to be successful, writes Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Fischer believes the Spurs have decided they want Harper to be part of their future and haven’t given serious consideration to parting with the pick.

Fischer adds that the most likely scenario is for the Sixers to stay at No. 3 unless there’s a sharp improvement in the offers from other teams. He also suggests that Ace Bailey remains in contention to be selected, even though he canceled a workout in Philadelphia and has sent out signals that he would rather be selected by a team that could offer guaranteed playing time and a larger role in the offense. Fischer still considers Bailey to be a strong fit alongside Joel Embiid and Paul George because of his shooting skills, but he acknowledges that V.J. Edgecombe is the “likely top contender” to go to Philadelphia.

If Bailey does get bypassed by the Sixers, Fischer doesn’t expect him to fall farther that the Wizards at No. 6. League sources tell him that Bailey declined a chance to work out for the Jazz, and it’s believed that he didn’t have an official visit with any of the lottery teams. Fischer points out that Washington meets Bailey’s requirements as a team that could offer “a healthy shot profile and on-ball creation opportunities.”

Fischer shares more inside information as the draft draws closer:

The Nets are likely to pounce on point guard Jeremiah Fears if he’s still on the board at No. 8, Fischer states, noting that rumors of his preference for Brooklyn date back to the Draft Combine. Fears made visits to Utah and New Orleans, and Fischer believes his range appears to start with the fifth pick. Fischer also raises the possibility that the Nets could package some of the five first-rounders they have tonight to move up if they believe another team might select Fears.
Fischer calls Khaman Maluach “the most consequential domino of the first round” apart from Bailey. He’s considered the top available big man, and Fischer notes that he helped himself with strong performances during the interview process. League sources tell Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports that the Pelicans are expected to try to trade up to land Bailey. If they’re unsuccessful, then Maluach could be their pick at No. 7 if he’s still on the board. O’Connor hears that some lottery teams have Maluach ranked in their top two or three and he’s considered “one of the most popular trade-up targets.”
Fischer believes the Pelicans mark the start of Derik Queen‘s range if someone else takes Maluach, but he adds that the Spurs may try to trade up from No. 14 for the Duke center, while the Raptors at No. 9 also have him highly rated.
Cedric Coward has been improving his status throughout the pre-draft process, and Fischer doesn’t expect him to fall past the teens. Sources tell Fischer that Coward has interest from the Trail Blazers at No. 11 and he has worked out multiple times for the Thunder, who hold the 15th pick. Fischer hears that the Nets are hoping to land Coward at No. 19, but they may need to trade up to have a chance.
NCAA Tournament star Walter Clayton Jr. has “multiple suitors” in the early 20s, according to Fischer. He cites league insiders who believe Clayton and Jase Richardson could be targets for the Kings if they’re able to trade for a pick in that range.
There’s an expectation that this will be an active trading night, possibly starting with the Sixers at No. 3 and the Hornets at No. 4. “There’s gonna be at least four or five (trades),” a Western Conference team strategist told Fischer.

Draft Rumors: Pelicans, Queen, Essengue, Raptors, Nets, Wolves

June 25th, 2025 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

While Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN have the Pelicans selecting Duke center Khaman Maluach with the seventh overall pick in their latest mock draft ahead of Wednesday night’s event, there has been some 11th-hour buzz linking New Orleans to Derik Queen, Givony notes.

As Givony explains, new Pelicans executive Troy Weaver has “long-standing connections” to Baltimore- and D.C.-area prospects, and his son was a graduate assistant on Maryland’s coaching staff in 2024/25, so he had an opportunity to scout Queen extensively this past season.

New Pelicans head of basketball operations Joe Dumars recently indicated Weaver will play an important role in the team’s draft decisions, lauding the former Pistons GM for his “elite” ability to identify talent.

Here’s more on the 2025 NBA draft, with the first round just hours away:

After flying across the Atlantic from Germany this week, French forward Noa Essengue initially traveled to Toronto for a “secret” private workout with the Raptors before heading on to New York for the draft, according to Givony. While it may be just a coincidence, when Essengue was asked on Tuesday which players he models his game after, he mentioned three current or former Raptors: Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, and Kawhi Leonard (Twitter video link via Erik Slater of ClutchPoints).
The Nets are signaling that they’re unlikely to move down from the No. 8 pick and aren’t opposed to the idea of using all five of their first-round picks tonight, given how many openings they’ll likely have on their roster, per Givony and Woo. Head coach Jordi Fernandez and Brooklyn’s coaching staff are also considered “friendly to the idea” of developing young talent, ESPN’s duo notes. Still, Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link) questions whether this leak is meant to improve the Nets’ leverage in trade talks involving some of those first-rounders.
The Timberwolves have conveyed an openness to moving the No. 17 overall pick for future assets, depending on which prospects are on the board at that point, Givony reports.
Like ESPN, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his mock draft on Wednesday. Interestingly, the two sites have the exact same results through the top 13 picks before starting to deviate at No. 14.

Draft Notes: Bailey, Johnson, Maluach, Jazz, Raptors

June 24th, 2025 at 10:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ace Bailey may be the most polarizing player at the top half of the lottery. Bailey, once projected to go off the board with the No. 2 or 3 pick, could drop a few notches after his unconventional pre-draft approach.

The Wizards, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey, are hoping that’s the case. Sources tell Pompey that the Wizards want to select the Rutgers freshman with the sixth pick. Washington hopes that Bailey’s refusal to work out for teams during the pre-draft process will cause to him to fall out of the top five.

Bailey canceled his pre-draft workout with the Sixers after they wouldn’t commit to selecting him third overall.

Here’s more draft-related info:

Tre Johnson, a top-10 prospect, has worked out for the Hornets, Jazz, Wizards and Nets, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Johnson, a one-and-done who averaged 19.9 points for Texas in his lone college season, is ranked No. 5 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
In their latest mock draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have moved Duke center Khaman Maluach into the No. 7 slot, where the Pelicans sit. New Orleans agreed to trade Kelly Olynyk to the Wizards and are in need of more size. The Suns, who acquired the No. 10 pick from the Rockets, are now projected to select Arizona forward Carter Bryant.
The Jazz currently have four picks in the draft, including the No. 5 selection. Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune gives his preferred selections at each spot in a subscriber-only story. He’s hoping Baylor’s V.J. Edgecombe slips to that spot but believes it’s more likely the Jazz will wind up with Johnson.
Multiple league sources confirmed to TSN’s Josh Lewenberg that the No. 9 pick held by the Raptors is available. Toronto is looking to upgrade its roster with established players who are ready to contribute to a playoff push.

Draft Notes: Spurs, Newell, Hawks, Essengue, More

June 24th, 2025 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The Spurs haven’t entirely shut down trade inquiries on the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, but they still seem likely to end up with Dylan Harper themselves, since no team is expected to meet their high asking price, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports writes in his latest mock draft.

“They want a ridiculous haul,” one front office executive told O’Connor. “Far more than I’d expect anyone to give up.”

Elsewhere in O’Connor’s mock draft, he cites league sources who say that Georgia forward Asa Newell, the No. 19 prospect on ESPN’s big board, could end up being a lottery pick — O’Connor has him going to Toronto at No. 9.

O’Connor also hears that the Hawks have been exploring a potential move up from No. 13, having even placed calls to teams picking in the top five. They’re targeting a center, O’Connor adds. Based on earlier reporting from Jake Fischer, it sounds like several teams in the back end of the lottery are in the same boat, as Fischer mentioned Phoenix (No. 10), Chicago (No. 12), and San Antonio (No. 14) as clubs eyeing big men.

Here are a few more draft-related notes from around the league:

French forward Noa Essengue, a potential lottery pick who ranks ninth overall on ESPN’s board, will miss the conclusion of the German League finals in order to travel to New York for this week’s NBA draft, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. His team, Ratiopharm Ulm, holds a 2-1 lead over Bayern Munich in the best-of-five Basketball Bundesliga championship, though the 18-year-old has been playing a pretty limited role in the series. Essengue’s draft-eligible teammate Ben Saraf has had a bigger hand in Ulm’s two victories and is remaining with the team for Tuesday’s Game 4.
John Hollinger of The Athletic has published his list of this year’s top 75 draft prospects. While there are no surprises at the very top, Hollinger is higher than the consensus on guys like Collin Murray-Boyles (No. 6), Essengue (No. 7), Thomas Sorber (No. 10), and Saraf (No. 15), with Tre Johnson (No. 11) and Ace Bailey (No. 12) ranked outside of his top 10.
Law Murray of The Athletic identifies some players that might make sense as targets for the Clippers with their 30th and 51st overall picks this week, including point guards like Saraf and Kameron Jones and centers such as Ryan Kalkbrenner and Maxime Raynaud. Rod Walker of NOLA.com, meanwhile, performs a similar exercise with the Pelicans‘ seventh and 23rd overall picks, suggesting that coming away with a duo like center Khaman Maluach and guard Walter Clayton Jr. would make it a successful draft for the team.
The Thunder recently worked out potential second-round pick Micah Peavy, according to Rylan Stiles of SI.com. The Georgetown wing ranks 54th on ESPN’s board.

Draft Notes: Centers, Luis, Sleepers, Flagg, Richardson, Gonzalez

June 20th, 2025 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Ahead of next week’s draft, David Aldridge of The Athletic talked to several college coaches and NBA executives and scouts about the top big men in the 2025 draft class, including Khaman Maluach, Derik Queen, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Thomas Sorber, among others. Interestingly, one of the college head coaches who spoke to Aldridge believes Maluach has “the biggest upside of anybody” in this year’s draft.

“He’s huge. And he’s long. He’s a good athlete. And I think he has natural defensive instincts,” that coach said of the Duke center. “He shoots the ball better than I think, maybe, he was able to show this year. He’s a live body. He’s enthusiastic about playing. It seems he loves the process, is not afraid of it. He’s competitive. He’s not afraid. He’s ready to mix it up if he needs to. His length, size and athleticism, and then when you add those other things, I think the only thing that could stop him is injury.”

Meanwhile, multiple college assistant coaches questioned what sort of players Queen will match up with defensively at the NBA level.

“I don’t worry about him at all on offense. But I don’t think he can guard fives. I don’t think he’s great in pick-and-roll defense, and I don’t think he can move well enough laterally to guard Giannis (Antetokounmpo) and Michael Porter Jr., these scorers,” one of those assistants said. “Can he guard (Mikal) Bridges? Can he guard Josh Hart? Can he guard Stew (Isaiah Stewart), the next tier of guys who aren’t the primary offensive option, but they know how to cut, how to go to the glass?”

We have more on the 2025 NBA draft:

Speaking to Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype, St. John’s standout RJ Luis Jr. – a second-team All-American in 2025 – discusses his breakout junior year, what he can bring to an NBA team, and why he believes he can be “even better” in the NBA than he was at the college level.
CJ Moore of The Athletic surveyed college basketball coaches to get their thoughts on some of this year’s second-round prospects and to have them identify some deeper sleepers who might find their way onto NBA rosters as undrafted free agents. Houston guard LJ Cryer, St. John’s wing Aaron Scott, Butler wing Jahmyl Telfort, Missouri guard Caleb Grill, and San Francisco guard Marcus Williams earned mentions as sleepers.
Applying his stats-based model to some of this year’s top prospects, Kevin Pelton of ESPN finds that Kon Knueppel (No. 2) and Noa Essengue (No. 5) are among the players whom that model likes a little more than draft experts do, while Ace Bailey (No. 22) and Tre Johnson (No. 24) are among those who don’t fare nearly as well. Interestingly, Pelton notes that his projection for Cooper Flagg is the third-best in his overall database, which dates back to 2005, behind only Zion Williamson and Luka Doncic.
With green room invitations sent out to a total of 24 prospects for next week’s draft, the only players in ESPN’s top 25 who didn’t get invites are Jase Richardson (No. 18) and Hugo Gonzalez (No. 22), notes Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Gonzalez is still playing in the Spanish League postseason.

Latest On Ace Bailey

June 20th, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

Having canceled his pre-draft workout with the Sixers this week, Rutgers forward Ace Bailey still hasn’t visited any teams ahead of next Wednesday’s first round. While his unorthodox pre-draft process has fueled speculation that Bailey – long considered a top-three or top-four prospect in this year’s class – may drop further than expected next week, he’s unlikely to slide too far, Jake Fischer writes for The Stein Line (Substack link).

“He’s not falling into the 20s like Cam Whitmore,” a longtime scout told Fischer.

Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer has heard from multiple league sources that Omar Cooper, one of Bailey’s representatives, wanted the Sixers to commit to drafting him at No. 3 prior to Friday’s scheduled workout. However, Fischer cites a source briefed on the process who says Bailey’s camp didn’t insist on an “iron-clad promise” from Philadelphia.

Pompey has also heard from a league executive that Bailey’s reps may want him to play on the East Coast, somewhere between Atlanta and New York. When ESPN had Bailey going to Washington at No. 6 in its latest mock draft, Jonathan Givony suggested that “geography” was one factor worth considering.

According to Fischer, there hasn’t been much chatter connecting Bailey to the Hornets, who hold the No. 4 overall pick. Lottery teams believe the Jazz at No. 5 could be a potential landing spot for the 18-year-old, but Utah is also thought to be high on Duke’s Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel, Fischer notes.

The Wizards hold the No. 6 pick and their front office has spoken repeatedly in the past about building around high-character players. While there are no apprehensions about Bailey’s character specifically – one NBA scout described him to Fischer as a “sweetheart” – there are some concerns about his focus, his approach to the game, and his maturity, per Fischer and Pompey.

“He’s not immature like a [butthead]. … He’s goofy,” a scout told Pompey. “Dancing in line. You are doing drills, he’s dancing. ‘Oh, that’s my song.’ … He’s playful, which is age-appropriate.”

The Pelicans (No. 7), meanwhile, have been reported to have interest in Bailey, but league sources tell Fischer’s Substack teammate Marc Stein that New Orleans’ interest has been overstated.

As Fischer writes, with no sense that any specific team in that 3-7 range is locked in on Bailey, there have been teams wondering if he might make it all the way to the Nets at No. 8. As Fischer and Stein previously observed, a number of evaluators and scouts believe there’s a drop-off after the top eight prospects in the 2025 draft class.

Here are a few more Bailey-related notes:

According to Fischer, NBA teams believe that one reason why Bailey’s pre-draft approach has been so unconventional is that it’s being coordinated largely by Cooper, who is the father of former NBA guard Sharife Cooper and isn’t certified as an NBA agent. While Adie Von Gontard and Daniel Green are officially listed as Bailey’s agents, Cooper is the one believed to be running point during the pre-draft process, Fischer explains.
Despite the questions surrounding Bailey, some sources who spoke to Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer believe the Sixers should still draft him at No. 3. “You have to take him,” one Western Conference scout said. “But you have to really know what you are getting. He has the highest upside.”
League sources confirm to Pompey that the Sixers remain interested in moving the No. 3 pick for the right deal. Pompey has also heard from sources that the Wizards, Pelicans, and Nets may also have some level of interest in moving up for the 6’8″ forward.

Draft Notes: Guards, Wings, Trades, Fears, Queen

June 19th, 2025 at 10:12pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Even after Duke phenom Cooper Flagg and Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, the draft’s presumed top two picks, come off the board, this year’s draft lottery is loaded with intriguing wings and guards.

David Aldridge of The Athletic consulted with anonymous league scouts and coaches about the best guard prospects in the draft, and also took a look at the best potential NBA wings.

Harper proved to be somewhat divisive. The folks Aldridge consulted were decidedly mixed on his upside, with some projecting him as an eventual All-Star and others believing he could be a longtime pro but may not have a high ceiling.

“He has a professionalism about him that’s really uncommon,” one college assistant coach said of Harper. “He knows the game. He plays the right way. He guards. He tries defensively.”

Arizona wing Carter Bryant may lack a great handle, but an Eastern Conference scout appreciates the rest of his offensive makeup. He’s projected to be the No. 10 pick in the latest ESPN mock.

“His shot’s fluid, especially in spot-up situations,” the scout said. “He’s not somebody who’ll create his own shots, at least his first few years in the league. He’s good at relocating to open space. His shot comes out of his hand really well, and the defense is high-level.”

There’s more intel ahead of the draft:

In a fairly deep draft year, Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports identifies several prospects he believes could be worth trading down out of the top three to acquire for the Spurs and Sixers. O’Connor evaluates the shooting promise of Duke guard Kon Knueppel and Texas guard Tre Johnson, the motor of Baylor wing V.J. Edgecombe, and the upside of Duke center Khaman Maluach, among other lottery-level players.
Should they stay put, the Nets could still have plenty of promising possibilities to select with the eighth pick this year. An NBA scout raved to Brian Lewis of The New York Post about the upside of Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears, who could still be available in the middle of the lottery. “I’m not [drafting] in the top two or three, in terms of being able to hit a home run on a guy that could be an absolute superstar game-changer, he’d be one of the guys past [Nos.] 3 or 4 that could actually do that,” the scout said.
Under a new front office regime, the Pelicans are high on freshman Maryland big Derik Queen, a source informs Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman (Twitter link). New Orleans possesses the No. 7 pick this season following another injury-plagued year. The All-Big Ten center averaged 16.5 PPG and 9.0 RPG in Maryland last year.

Jazz Notes: Sexton, Kessler, Collins, Higgins, Maluach

June 18th, 2025 at 6:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Currently armed with four picks in this year’s draft (Nos. 5, 21, 43, and 53), the Jazz appear to be exploring the possibility of being active on the trade market before or during next week’s event. On Thursday’s installment of the Locked On Jazz podcast, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune unpacks a few trade scenarios that Utah’s brass has at least discussed.

Larsen suggests that the Jazz have had preliminary conversations with the Lakers about the idea of a Walker Kessler or John Collins trade, the Mavericks about a potential Collin Sexton deal, and the Sixers regarding a possible trade up for the No. 3 pick, among other potential discussions.

A deal for that Philadelphia pick could come at a steep price.

“I do think it’s true that the Philadelphia 76ers are interested in trading down to No. 5 potentially if they can get off the Paul George deal,” Larsen said. “That may not make sense given how long that contract is and how I think Paul George was [last year]. I don’t think the Jazz are going to take that offer, but do think that’s an offer that’s been presented.”

While the Jazz have had real discussions about each of those scenarios, Larsen clarifies (via Twitter) that they haven’t “gotten into the serious stages” and he’s not sure how many of those negotiations are ongoing.

There’s more out of Utah:

The Jazz’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, have officially announced (Twitter link) that Rick Higgins will serve as the club’s sixth head coach. Higgins had most recently been a Jazz assistant coach under Will Hardy for the past two years. “I’m looking forward to taking on this opportunity to lead the Stars and continuing within the Jazz organization,” Higgins stated in a team press release. “The Stars play a critical role in the development structure of the Jazz and I plan to continue to build on the team’s successes, preparing players for the next level.”
Back in the lottery for a third straight season and under the stewardship of new team president Austin Ainge, the Jazz face several big decisions this offseason, as Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron details in his preview of Utah’s summer (Substack link). The Jazz are currently $23MM below the league’s luxury tax. Gozlan observes that Utah could try to package together its two first-round draft picks this year, or could look to offload some of the surplus of future picks they possess through 2032. Gozlan notes that the Jazz could also consider the idea of trading star forward Lauri Markkanen, despite a 2024 contract extension.
Ahead of this year’s draft, the Jazz recently worked out one-and-done Duke center Khaman Maluach, sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic (via Twitter). Kessler, of course, is the club’s incumbent starter at the position, but Maluach boasts intriguing upside. The 7’2″ big man is one of the best-regarded prospects this year and considered a probable top-10 selection. Across 39 healthy games for the Blue Devils in 2024/25, the 18-year-old averaged 8.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 1.3 BPG.