Royce O’Neale Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Winslow, Celtics, Raptors

June 10th, 2015 at 11:16am CST by Chuck Myron

Duke small forward Justise Winslow is “definitely in play” for the Knicks, who pick fourth overall, league sources tell Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. The Knicks gave Winslow positive feedback after his workout with the team Monday, Begley hears. A more conventional candidate for the fourth pick, D’Angelo Russell, will work out for the Knicks soon, as Russell told reporters in Los Angeles, Begley notes. The team also has tentative plans to work out Wisconsin power forward Frank Kaminsky, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link), another possible sign the Knicks are thinking of trading down. Not surprisingly, many sources have indicated to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders that the Knicks remain torn over their multitude of options for the pick (Twitter link). While the Knicks mull just what to do come June 25th, there’s plenty more draft news from around the Atlantic Division:

Winslow will also work out for the Sixers, who hold pick No. 3, sources told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
The Celtics would like to move into the lottery and are offering their pair of first-rounders, at Nos. 16 and 28, to make that happen, league sources tell Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times. Boston also has the 33rd and 45th picks and continues to audition non-lottery prospects. Kentucky center Dakari Johnson, Italian small forward Simone Fontecchio, Xavier center Matt Stainbrook, Villanova small forward Darrun Hilliard and Baylor small forward Royce O’Neale are working out for the Celtics today, as the team announced and as Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston relays (Twitter link). They join previously reported participant Pat Connaughton, a small forward from Notre Dame.
The Raptors today will audition UCLA shooting guard Norman Powell, Wisconsin forward Duje Dukan, and power forwards Christian Wood of UNLV, Michale Kyser of Louisiana Tech and Darion Atkins of Virginia, the team announced (on Twitter). They’ll join UNLV shooting guard Rashad Vaughn, a previously reported participant.

Draft Notes: O’Neale, Haws, Harvey

June 1st, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Royce O’Neale has seen his stock go up significantly since he began a slate of about 15 predraft workouts, a source tells Hoops Rumors. The small forward from Baylor has shown off for five teams so far, including the Spurs, Rockets and Bulls, and he’s set to work out Monday for the Clippers, the source said. The Mavs have also auditioned him, as Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops reported earlier, and as the source confirmed to Hoops Rumors. Here’s more on the draft:

BYU shooting guard Tyler Haws will work out for the Jazz today after setting a Suns record for the most full-court sprints in three minutes in his Phoenix workout Friday, as Jody Genessy of the Deseret News details.
Tyler Harvey went from walk-on at Eastern Washington to early NBA draft entrant, and now the shooting guard is trying to make sure he hears his name called on draft night, as Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune details. Harvey is the 53rd-best prospect as Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks them and 67th with Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.
Josh Smith, a Georgetown center who transferred from UCLA, will work out for the Lakers and Clippers, reports Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
The Mavericks don’t have a single player they drafted themselves on the roster, as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News points out as a caveat as he looks at how prospects Montrezl Harrell, Sam Dekker, Tyus Jones, Cameron Payne and Delon Wright would fit on the team. The Mavs are slated to pick 21st and 52nd this year.

Southwest Notes: Gasol, Calathes, Draft

May 28th, 2015 at 12:36pm CST by Chuck Myron

One comment that Marc Gasol made to Spanish media should be encouraging for the Grizzlies, while another appears to fuel Spurs hope. Gasol said that he hasn’t thought about changing teams and once more cited his deep roots in Memphis, according to Adriano Correal of Gigantes del Basket (translation via HoopsHype). Still, he called the Spurs a model franchise and expressed his admiration of Tim Duncan, as Abraham Romero of Diario As passes along (translation via Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News). The Spurs are the team the Grizzlies fear the most among Gasol’s suitors, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com recently reported. Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

Nick Calathes told Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype that his primary goal is to remain in the NBA and denied a report from Javier Maestro of Encestando.es that he wanted to leave the NBA and that his camp had offered his services to Barcelona of Spain (translation via HoopsHype). Calathes, whose contract with Memphis expires at the end of next month, is nonetheless expected to draw pursuit from several European teams, according to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia, who says the 26-year-old stands to make more money overseas than he would remaining in the NBA. The Grizzlies can match competing NBA bids for him if they tender a qualifying offer worth more than $1.147MM.
The Mavs on Wednesday were set to work out Florida shooting guard Michael Frazier, Villanova small forward Darrun Hilliard, Nebraska swingman Terran Petteway, Arkansas shooting guard Michael Qualls, Baylor small forward Royce O’Neale and Incarnate Word combo guard Denzel Livingston, a source told Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops (Twitter link).
Terrence Jones questioned whether he would ever play again after suffering a nerve injury earlier this season that knocked him out for nearly three months, so he’s not too upset that the Rockets benched him during the playoffs, as Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle examines. Jones is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.