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Peter Suder

Central Notes: Harden, Pacers, Giddey, Pistons

By | at May 28, 2026 12:12 pm

Speaking to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Cavaliers guard James Harden admitted he’s “starting to think about” life after basketball but believes he’s still a little ways away from retirement, noting that he “definitely” wants to play 20 seasons. The former MVP will be entering his 18th year in the NBA in 2026/27.

Harden, who said in his post-game media session after the Cavaliers’ season came to an end on Monday that he wants to stay in Cleveland, expressed the same sentiment to Spears. The veteran guard is confident that the Cavs can be even better next season after he has a full offseason and training camp with the club.

“I told the guys I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” Harden said to Spears. “So, if I got to play off the ball, less shots, I’m willing to do it. I have no problem with that. You can come talk to me about anything and I’m willing to do it. That was the mindset. … I think having a full year will definitely help coming off this push. … Coming into my 18th year, I don’t have no pride. I just want to win.”

We have more from around the Central:

  • The Pacers are holding a pair of pre-draft workouts this week, with Nimari Burnett (Michigan), Tucker DeVries (Indiana), Sam Hoiberg (Nebraska), Emanuel Sharp (Houston), Peter Suder (Miami), and Seth Trimble (UNC) visiting the team on Thursday and MJ Collins (Utah State), Barry Dunning (Pitt), Nate Johnson (Kansas State), Jaxon Kohler (Michigan State), Kowacie Reeves (Georgia Tech), and Ernest Udeh (Miami) participating in Friday’s session, the team announced in a press release. Indiana doesn’t currently own a 2026 draft pick, but the team is doing its due diligence since it could trade back into the draft and will likely add a few undrafted free agents to its training camp roster.
  • Josh Giddey signed a four-year, $100MM contract with the Bulls last summer and is owed more long-term guaranteed money than anyone else on the roster. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the 23-year-old is viewed as a franchise cornerstone, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, who suggests we need more time to get a better sense of how highly new head of basketball operations Bryson Graham values Chicago’s point guard.
  • Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) evaluates the Pistons‘ upcoming offseason, considering whether or not it would make sense for the team to operate under the cap to try to pursue an impact free agent, given the trade-offs that would accompany that approach. Gozlan also explores how the team could add more offensive help with two non-shooters – Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson – about to get more expensive.
11 comments 2026 NBA Draft Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Detroit Pistons Indiana Pacers

Eastern Notes: Sixers, Nelson, Giannis, Wizards, Nets

By | at May 21, 2026 9:20 am

After Marc Stein reported that Sixers assistant general manager Jameer Nelson is a candidate for an “expanded role” following Daryl Morey‘s exit and Jake Fischer confirmed that Nelson has many supporters within the organization, Tony Jones of The Athletic hears from multiple league sources that the former NBA point guard is a legitimate candidate to become the next president of basketball operations in Philadelphia.

Nelson is the strongest internal candidate in the Sixers’ front office search, and even if he doesn’t take Morey’s spot atop the basketball operations department, he appears likely to receive a promotion, league sources tell Jones.

Although Nelson was technically third in the 76ers’ front office hierarchy under Morey and GM Elton Brand this past season, he had more responsibilities than a “typical” No. 3, Jones explains, adding that Nelson is viewed as a rising star and is expected to get an opportunity to run a team sooner or later, even if he doesn’t happen this offseason.

Jones also confirms several previously reported details related to the Sixers’ search for Morey’s successor, writing that Mike Gansey, Nick U’Ren, Trent Redden, and Matt Lloyd are considered candidates and noting that Atlanta denied Philadelphia’s request to speak to Hawks GM Onsi Saleh last week.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

  • Appearing earlier this week on The Pat McAfee Show (YouTube link), ESPN’s Shams Charania reiterated that while he hasn’t explicitly requested a trade, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has “believed for a period of months” that a deal sending him to a new team is ultimately in both his and the Bucks’ best interests. “Giannis’s stance has not changed from what I’ve reported over the last several months,” Charania said.
  • Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears and Miami (OH) guard Peter Suder were among the prospects in for a pre-draft workout with the Wizards this week, tweets Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. Washington controls two of the last 10 picks in this year’s draft, at No. 51 and No. 60, while Fears currently ranks 67th on ESPN’s big board and Suder comes in at 101st.
  • The Nets took point guards with their first two picks in the 2025 draft, but Arkansas’ Darius Acuff could still make sense for Brooklyn with this year’s No. 6 overall pick, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required). Neither Egor Demin nor Nolan Traore made an All-Rookie team, and while there are concerns about Acuff’s size and defense, he offers star potential as a scorer.
4 comments Atlanta Hawks Brooklyn Nets Milwaukee Bucks Philadelphia 76ers Washington Wizards

Hawks Notes: NAW, Johnson, Playoff Loss, Workouts

By | at May 5, 2026 7:15 pm

Nickeil Alexander-Walker was named the league’s Most Improved Player. Following the Hawks‘ loss to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, the 27-year-old expressed a desire to improve his game even further.

“I think for me, it allowed me to reshape my focus, to say, ‘You know what, I have a chance at making something special of this situation. I get to respond next year, try to go to the playoffs,’” Alexander-Walker he told Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “And, after losing the way we did, how I approach the game and having a whole season now under my belt and growing into it, and ‘OK, I can be so much better. This is how I improve.’ And then hopefully next year is different.”

Alexander-Walker sees the team continuing to improve, an exciting proposition for a player who signed a four-year contract prior to the season.

“It’s exciting and it’s promising,” he said. “And it shows that there is something there. Anytime you can have success to any degree when you work really hard, it’s reassuring to the process that you’re on. And it gives you that trial and error to say, ‘OK, we are doing the right thing. This is the right thing. Now, where did we go wrong along the way?’ Then you kind of, like, just reshape it and keep going and keep growing.”

Here’s more on the Hawks:

  • The Knicks held Jalen Johnson to 19.5 points per game on 43.5 overall shooting and 29 percent from long range in the first round. Johnson vows to be better the next time he gets into a postseason series. “If I’m being honest, it was just bad,” Johnson said, per Williams. “It was a terrible feeling. Unacceptable. Like I said, there’s plenty of room for growth, and we’re going to continue to grow from this. We’re going to learn a lot from this series, and just making sure the non-negotiables never happen again.”
  • Getting blown out by 51 points in the decisive Game 6 will serve as a motivator for the entire team, according to Johnson. “Just a lot of fuel going into the next season, a lot of fuel going into the offseason for everybody, and we’re going to make sure this never happens again, we never get this type of feeling again, just a sick feeling to our stomach,” he said.
  • Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Ugonna Onyenso (Virginia), Peter Suder (Miami OH) and Milos Uzan (Houston) are some of the prospects the Hawks are bringing in for pre-draft workouts, Williams tweets. Those players are potential second-rounders — Bidunga is ranked highest at No. 46 overall by ESPN. Atlanta possesses two first-round picks via trades, including a lottery selection, and the No. 57 overall pick late in the second round.
8 comments Atlanta Hawks

NBA Announces 73 Invitees For 2026 Draft Combine

By | at May 1, 2026 10:54 am

The NBA announced today (via Twitter) that 73 prospects have been invited to attend this year’s draft combine, which will take place in Chicago from May 10-17.

In addition to those 73 players, a handful of standout players from the G League combine, which is also held in Chicago just before the combine begins, are expected to receive invites to stick around for the main event.

Not all of the prospects invited to the combine will end up remaining in the 2026 draft pool, since many are early entrants who are testing the waters while retaining their NCAA eligibility.

College players must withdraw from the draft by the end of the day on May 27 if they wish to preserve that eligibility, while non-college players face a decision deadline of June 13. The feedback they receive from NBA teams at the combine may be a deciding factor for players who are on the fence.

Here’s the list of players who have been invited to the 2026 draft combine:

(Note: For players in international leagues, the country listed is where they had been playing, not necessarily where they’re from.)

  1. Matt Able, G, North Carolina State (freshman)
  2. Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas (freshman)
  3. Amari Allen, F, Alabama (freshman)
  4. Nate Ament, F, Tennessee (freshman)
  5. Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech (sophomore)
  6. Tobe Awaka, F, Arizona (senior)
  7. Flory Bidunga, F/C, Kansas (sophomore)
  8. Tyler Bilodeau, F, UCLA (senior)
  9. John Blackwell, G, Wisconsin (junior)
  10. Cameron Boozer, F, Duke (freshman)
  11. Kylan Boswell, G, Illinois (senior)
  12. Nick Boyd, G, Wisconsin (senior)
  13. Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona (senior)
  14. Trevon Brazile, F, Arkansas (senior)
  15. Maliq Brown, F, Duke (senior)
  16. Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville (freshman)
  17. Brayden Burries, G, Arizona (freshman)
  18. Cameron Carr, G, Baylor (junior)
  19. Chris Cenac, F/C, Houston (freshman)
  20. Rueben Chinyelu, C, Florida (junior)
  21. Ryan Conwell, G, Louisville (senior)
  22. Sergio De Larrea, G, Spain (born 2005)
  23. AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU (freshman)
  24. Zuby Ejiofor, F, St. John’s (senior)
  25. Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke (sophomore)
  26. Jeremy Fears, G, Michigan State (junior)
  27. Kingston Flemings, G, Houston (freshman)
  28. Ja’Kobi Gillespie, G, Tennessee (senior)
  29. Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara (freshman)
  30. Keyshawn Hall, G/F, Auburn (senior)
  31. Juke Harris, G, Wake Forest (sophomore)
  32. Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State (senior)
  33. Morez Johnson, F/C, Michigan (sophomore)
  34. Alex Karaban, F, UConn (senior)
  35. Jack Kayil, G, Germany (born 2006)
  36. Toibu Lawal, F, Virginia Tech (senior)
  37. Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan (senior)
  38. Karim Lopez, F, Australia (born 2007)
  39. Aday Mara, C, Michigan (junior)
  40. Nick Martinelli, F, Northwestern (senior)
  41. Baba Miller, F/C, Cincinnati (senior)
  42. Dillon Mitchell, F, St. John’s (senior)
  43. Milan Momcilovic, F, Iowa State (junior)
  44. Malachi Moreno, C, Kentucky (freshman)
  45. Izaiyah Nelson, F, South Florida (senior)
  46. Tyler Nickel, F, Vanderbilt (senior)
  47. Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford (freshman)
  48. Felix Okpara, C, Tennessee (senior)
  49. Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia (senior)
  50. Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky (senior)
  51. Koa Peat, F, Arizona (freshman)
  52. Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas (freshman)
  53. Labaron Philon, G, Alabama (sophomore)
  54. Jayden Quaintance, F/C, Kentucky (sophomore)
  55. Tarris Reed, C, UConn (senior)
  56. Billy Richmond, G/F, Arkansas (sophomore)
  57. Richie Saunders, G, BYU (senior)
  58. Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston (senior)
  59. Braden Smith, G, Purdue (senior)
  60. Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington (freshman)
  61. Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa (senior)
  62. Andrej Stojakovic, G/F, Illinois (junior)
  63. Peter Suder, G, Miami (OH) (senior)
  64. Luigi Suigo, C, Serbia (born 2007)
  65. Dailyn Swain, G/F, Texas (junior)
  66. Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt (sophomore)
  67. Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas (freshman)
  68. Bruce Thornton, G, Ohio State (senior)
  69. Milos Uzan, G, Houston (senior)
  70. Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina (junior)
  71. Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois (freshman)
  72. Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina (freshman)
  73. Tounde Yessoufou, G/F, Baylor (freshman)

It’s worth noting that the NBA and the NBPA agreed to several combine-related changes in their latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here are a few of those changes:

  • A player who is invited to the draft combine and declines to attend without an excused absence will be ineligible to be drafted. He would become eligible the following year by attending the combine. There will be exceptions made for a player whose FIBA season is ongoing, who is injured, or who is dealing with a family matter (such as a tragedy or the birth of a child). That player would be required to complete combine activities at a later date.
  • Players who attend the draft combine will be required to undergo physical exams, share medical history, participate in strength, agility, and performance testing, take part in shooting drills, receive anthropometric measurements, and conduct interviews with teams and the media. Scrimmages won’t be mandatory.
  • Medical results from the combine will be distributed to select teams based on where the player is projected to be drafted. Only teams drafting in the top 10 would get access to medical info for the projected No. 1 pick; teams in the top 15 would receive medical info for players in the 2-6 range, while teams in the top 25 would get access to info for the players in the 7-10 range.
3 comments 2026 NBA Draft Newsstand

Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Announces 2026 Rosters

By | at April 13, 2026 11:47 pm

The 2026 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament will take place this week from April 15-18 in Portsmouth, VA. The event features college seniors working to boost their stock ahead of the NBA draft, with invitations to the combine a possibility for some standouts.

Several P.I.T. alumni have gone on to become solid NBA players in recent years, including Toumani Camara, Craig Porter Jr., Daniss Jenkins and Kobe Sanders, among others. Camara (2023) and Sanders (2025) were both second-round picks.

This year’s tournament features eight different teams with eight players apiece, for a total of 64 participants. Here’s the full list, per the P.I.T.:

Champaign native Boswell, who helped lead the Illini to the Final Four, appears to be one of the top prospects among the group. The 6’2″ guard came in at No. 66 on ESPN’s latest big board, with Volunteers center Okpara (No. 86) and Boilermakers big man Kaufman-Renn (No. 88) among the other prospects on the top-100 list.

5 comments 2026 NBA Draft
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