Lamelo Ball Rumors | Hoops Rumors

LaMelo Ball Works Out For Timberwolves

November 11th, 2020 at 10:02pm CST by Luke Adams

LaMelo Ball conducted an individual, in-person workout for the Timberwolves on Wednesday in Southern California, sources tell Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Ball had previously met and interviewed with the four teams at the top of the draft, including Minnesota, but Wednesday’s session was the first time he has worked out for a club. According to Givony, the 19-year-old guard went through some shooting drills, as well as ball-handling and conditioning tests.

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, executive VP Sachin Gupta, and head coach Ryan Saunders were in attendance for the workout, according to Givony, who adds that Ball shot the ball well.

There have been conflicting reports on whether or not Ball is the frontrunner to be the first player off the board next Wednesday, but he’s certainly a viable candidate to be picked No. 1, whether it’s the Wolves or another team that ultimately ends up with that selection. Minnesota has been exploring a potential trade down from the top of the draft.

The Wolves have now worked out both Ball and Anthony Edwards, but haven’t been able to gain any real traction with James Wiseman, per Givony. Sources tell ESPN that Wiseman may prefer to land with the Warriors or Hornets, given the presence of All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota.

Draft Updates: Ball, Nesmith, Green, Nnaji, Hornets, More

November 11th, 2020 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

With one week to go until the 2020 NBA draft, we’re continuing to get conflicting information on LaMelo Ball‘s outlook. Earlier this week, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said that most front office are operating under the assumption that Ball will be the No. 1 pick. Today, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes that league sources have begun speculating that the Timberwolves have decided to draft Ball, assuming they keep the top selection.

However, there’s still plenty of chatter pointing in another direction. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week during an appearance on The Jump (video link) that many of the executives he has spoken to think Ball could slide a little on draft night. Jeremy Woo of SI.com has heard similar whispers, writing that there’s an increasing belief that Ball could fall into the 4-6 range of the draft.

As we wait to see which reports pan out, here are several more draft-related updates:

Vanderbilt sharpshooter Aaron Nesmith told reporters today that he has worked out for the Pelicans, Suns, Spurs, Heat, and Pistons so far, and has a workout lined up with the Celtics (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington). Nesmith is considered likely to be drafted in the back half of the lottery.
Arizona guard Josh Green has worked out for the Nuggets, while his college teammate Zeke Nnaji has had workouts for the Nuggets, Clippers, and Jazz, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Green’s workout with Utah and Nnaji’s workout with Miami – both mentioned by Rankin – were previously reported.
Count K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link) among those hearing more and more talk around the NBA linking the Hornets to Onyeka Okongwu. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer previously reported that Charlotte is eyeing Okongwu, but ESPN said the team hasn’t seriously considered picking any prospects outside the top tier of Ball, James Wiseman, and Anthony Edwards.
ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, and Kevin Pelton share their mock draft detailing which player each team in the first round should pick.

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.

Draft Rumors: Edwards, Haliburton, Pistons, Cavs, Suns, More

November 10th, 2020 at 3:37pm CST by Luke Adams

While John Hollinger of The Athletic believes Anthony Edwards will still come off the board very early in next Wednesday’s draft, he notes within his new mock draft that many teams don’t seem especially enthusiastic about the former Georgia guard. Those teams believe in Edwards’ talent, but a “blah” Pro Day workout and some “iffy” background reports have made them nervous, according to Hollinger.

Hollinger has also heard that LaMelo Ball and Nico Mannion are among the players who haven’t necessarily had great interviews with teams, though it remains to be seen how much it’ll affect where they’re drafted.

On the other end of the spectrum, everybody seems to be high on Tyrese Haliburton, according to Hollinger, who says the former Iowa State guard is benefiting from 1-on-0 workouts and the background on him is “impeccable.” Desmond Bane and Isaiah Stewart are among the other prospects who have received some positive buzz for the impressions they’ve made in interviews with teams, writes Hollinger.

Hollinger’s mock draft for The Athletic is full of interesting tidbits and is worth checking out in full if you’re a subscriber. Here are a few more highlights:

Hollinger confirms that the Pistons are very interested in Florida State’s Patrick Williams – as has been previously reported – and suggests there are whispers that Detroit has made Williams a promise.
Obi Toppin and Deni Avdija are the only two names Hollinger has heard regularly connected to the Cavaliers at No. 5.
Onyeka Okongwu looks like a lock to go to Washington at No. 9 if he makes it that far, according to Hollinger, who says the question isn’t whether the Wizards will take Okongwu — it’s who they’ll take if he’s not available.
“The word is pretty strong” that the Suns are eyeing a backcourt piece with the No. 10 pick, prompting Hollinger to point out that the team may be looking to address the power forward spot in free agency.
There are rumors that Serbian forward Aleksej Pokusevski received a promise from a team in the first round. As Hollinger observes, Pokusevski’s agent Jason Ranne used to work for the Thunder, who have been willing to make draft promises in the past. However, even if Oklahoma City did make Pokusevski a promise, Hollinger is skeptical that he’ll still be on the board at No. 25.

Draft Notes: International Prospects, Wolves, Suns, Lewis, Terry

November 9th, 2020 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s deadline for early entrants to withdraw from this year’s draft has now passed, which means it should just be a matter of time before we get an updated official list from the league of the early entrants who have kept their names in this year’s pool.

In the meantime, updates on a handful of international prospects continue to trickle in. According to Nicola Lupo of Sportando, Estonian forward Henri Drell – who is currently playing for Pesaro in Italy – has withdrawn his name from the 2020 draft.

On the other hand, Isralie point guard Yam Madar, a member of Hapoel Tel Aviv, has elected to keep his name in the draft, per Barak Haklai of ynetsport (Twitter link). And after initially announcing that his client Marko Simonovic would be pulling out of the draft, agent Misko Raznatovic has clarified (via Twitter) that Simonovic will remain in the draft after all.

Here’s more on the 2020 NBA draft:

An NBA general manager who spoke to Jeff Goodman of Stadium (Twitter link) this morning said he doesn’t envy the Timberwolves and their efforts to maximize the value of the No. 1 pick. “The teams at the top are desperate to try and trade down, but there just isn’t much value with the top few picks this year,” the GM said.
Within a piece on Kira Lewis Jr., Mike Mazzeo of Forbes says the Timberwolves and Suns are among the teams that have watched the Alabama guard work out in person. Lewis also worked out in person for Detroit, Chicago, New York, and Orlando, as previously reported.
Few prospects have increased their stock in recent months as substantially as Stanford’s Tyrell Terry, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who notes within a profile of Terry that the 20-year-old has interviewed virtually with all 30 NBA teams.
In an Insider-only article, Kevin Pelton of ESPN uses advanced stats to break down this year’s prospects into tiers. Pelton has LaMelo Ball on his own in tier one, followed by Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton in tier two, with Deni Avdija, Onyeka Okongwu, and James Wiseman in tier three.

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: Haliburton, Wiseman, Ball, International Players

November 8th, 2020 at 10:56am CST by Arthur Hill

In a draft full of uncertain prospects, Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton may be the safest pick, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Haliburton offers good size for a point guard at 6’5″ with a 6’9″ wingspan. He’s also an elite passer, an effective shooter and has natural leadership qualities.

“I’ve had a lot of No. 1, No. 2 picks, and this guy is a difference maker,” said Joe Abunassar, who trained Haliburton at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas after the season was shut down. “As teams look at him, part of that is his approach, his mentality, his personality. Everyone steps up their game when he steps in the game. He’s the most humble guy. I know with him, what you’re getting is a guy that’s going to win games for your franchise.”

Abunasser said Haliburton has gotten stronger since the college basketball season ended, adding roughly 15 to 18 pounds to his frame. With so many lottery teams needing a point guard, he could go higher than projected on draft night.

“He’s a winner. He has an amazing personality,” Abunassar added. “He’s contagious. He’s something that if I was a GM, I’d say we need guys like that.”

There’s more draft news to pass along:

There’s increasing chatter around the league that former Memphis center James Wiseman is the most likely No. 1 pick, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Sources tell Wasserman that some Golden State officials believe Wiseman will be selected first, whether the Timberwolves keep their pick or not. Sources also say the Hornets “want Wiseman badly” and are interested in trading up to get him.
Warriors ownership may put pressure on the front office to select LaMelo Ball with the second pick if Wiseman is off the board, Wasserman adds in the same story. A source close to the team claims Ball has supporters and detractors in the front office. Golden State remains in the market to trade down, with Deni Avdija and Devin Vassell as possible targets.
More international prospects have pulled their names out of the draft ahead of today’s deadline, according to Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Nikola Miskovic, Marko Simonovic and Darko Bajo, all of ABA Liga, have all withdrawn. At No. 70, Simonovic was the only one in ESPN’s list of the top 100 prospects. Serbian big man Filip Petrusev (story link), who is 59th on ESPN’s list, and Lithuanian guard Rokas Jokubaitis (story link) are also skipping this year’s draft. On Saturday, we shared decisions from seven other overseas players.

Pistons Rumors: Cap Room, Ball, Draft, Wood, Griffin

November 5th, 2020 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons have “telegraphed” to other teams around the NBA that they’d prefer to use their cap room to accommodate salary dumps and accumulate draft picks rather than spending big in free agency, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN. Detroit projects to be one of the only teams that will have more than $20MM in cap space this fall.

Speaking today to reporters, new Detroit general manager Troy Weaver said that both options – using that cap room to collect assets or sign free agents – are on the table. As Weaver explained, it’ll be a juggling act for the Pistons, who want to be competitive in the short term but are also building for the future (Twitter links via James Edwards III of The Athletic).

Interestingly, Weaver added that teams haven’t been as desperate to shed salary as might be expected, given the presumed financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic (Twitter link via Edwards). If Weaver and the Pistons don’t feel as if they’re getting good value in potential salary-dump deals, the team might be more inclined to invest in free agents.

Here’s more out of Detroit:

According to Weaver, the Pistons intend to use all 10 of their allotted pre-draft visits and LaMelo Ball is expected to be one of the prospects the club meets with in person (Twitter link via Keith Langlois of Pistons.com).
The Pistons are “definitely” interested in picking up second-round selections in this year’s draft, Weaver said today (Twitter link via Edwards). Currently, the team only holds the No. 7 overall pick, having previously traded away its second-rounder.
Unsurprisingly, Weaver confirmed that the Pistons are very interested in re-signing Christian Wood and will continue talks with his representatives. Asked about a potential price tag, Weaver replied, “Do I have a number in my head? Yeah, I always have a number in my head. Let’s see how it works out” (Twitter link via Edwards).
Weaver anticipates Blake Griffin will be healthy and ready to go for the start of the 2020/21 season after missing most of the last year with a knee issue (Twitter link via Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press).
In an article for The Athletic, James Edwards III considers whether the Pistons should roll the dice on a raw project at No. 7, like they did in the lottery a year ago with Sekou Doumbouya. Speaking today to reporters, Weaver said the Pistons are also open to moving either up or down from No. 7 (Twitter link via Sankofa).

Draft Rumors: Ball, Bulls, Avdija, Hornets, Okongwu, Nnaji

November 3rd, 2020 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this morning, we passed along a report from Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer about the Celtics, Magic, and Wizards showing interest in trading up from their current spots in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft. O’Connor’s latest mock draft at The Ringer includes several more intriguing tidbits about the draft — we’ll round up a few of the highlights here:

Echoing a report from Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer, O’Connor says LaMelo Ball has struggled in meetings with teams and could conceivably fall out of the top three. If Ball is still available at No. 4, the Bulls‘ phone will likely be “buzzing,” O’Connor adds.
Speaking of the Bulls, multiple sources have told O’Connor recently that they’ve heard Deni Avdija may be the play-maker Chicago wants at No. 4. Avdija would be a nice fit alongside the Bulls’ current pieces, and new head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas has a history of identifying international talent.
Although James Wiseman has been most frequently been linked to the Hornets, the team is also heavily considering Onyeka Okongwu, multiple league sources tell The Ringer. According to O’Connor, there are “many” front offices around the NBA that have Okongwu ranked ahead of Wiseman, so if both players are on the board at No. 3, it’s not necessarily a lock that Charlotte will opt for Wiseman.
Former Arizona forward Zeke Nnaji is receiving interest from teams in the late teens and the 20s, O’Connor reports. Nnaji comes off the board at No. 22 to Denver in The Ringer’s mock.

Draft Rumors: Combine, Hampton, Knicks, Nets, Mike

November 2nd, 2020 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

There are some eye-popping numbers coming out of the NBA’s virtual draft combine, such as Tyler Bey‘s record-breaking vertical for forwards, which we detailed over the weekend.

However, the format of this year’s combine has resulted in some leaguewide skepticism about the results being reported, according to reports from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic and Jeremy Woo of SI.com (Twitter links). Because the tests are being administered by different people at different facilities, there are some concerns about the consistency of the methods, per Vecenie and Woo.

According to Woo (Twitter link), there’s also a theory that because prospects have had several extra months to prepare for a handful of specific drills, the results have been skewed toward the high end. Determining how to assess and value the combine data will be another wrinkle in what his been an extremely unusual pre-draft process, says Woo (Twitter link).

Here’s more on the 2020 NBA draft:

The Knicks believe RJ Hampton would be a reach at No. 8, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. However, Berman says the Nets would be “extremely interested” in Hampton if he’s still on the board when they pick at No. 19. Sources tell The New York Post that Hampton has impressed teams in workouts with his work ethic and his form on his jumper.
Former SMU forward Isiaha Mike has decided to keep his name in the 2020 draft, according to Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype. Mike, who declared for the draft as an early entrant in the spring, later left SMU to sign with Chemnitz in Germany, forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility. However, he still had the option of pulling out of the draft before the NBA’s withdrawal deadline this month — he apparently won’t do so.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic takes a shot at forecasting the Pistons‘ top 10 prospects, predicting that LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Deni Avdija, and Tyrese Haliburton will be atop the club’s big board, in that order.