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Ford’s Latest: Draft Trades, Drummond, Waiters

By Luke Adams | at June 18, 2012 12:08 pm

With draft night fast approaching, a number of trade possibilities are still in play, says Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider link). According to Ford, the Bobcats (2), Kings (5), Trail Blazers (6, 11), and Raptors aren't entirely sold on the options available to them, and are open to moving their picks. The Bobcats are seeking multiple assets, the Kings and Raptors are targeting veteran talent, and the Blazers are open to "anything and everything," writes Ford. Here are the rest of the highlights from the ESPN Insider piece….

0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Charlotte Hornets Houston Rockets Minnesota Timberwolves New Orleans Pelicans Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers Sacramento Kings Toronto Raptors Andre Drummond Dion Waiters

Draft Updates: Saturday

By Chuck Myron | at June 16, 2012 8:15 pm

Harrison Barnes and Bradley Beal go head-to-head in a workout today for the Cavs that could determine who the team takes with the fourth overall pick. We'll be keeping an eye on that, as well as all other draft-related news with a dozen days to go until teams make their selections. Already today we've heard some news regarding teams shopping their picks from Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times, and there's plenty more to share here. We'll update this post throughout the day, with the latest news on top.

Earlier updates:

Syracuse center Fab Melo tells HoopsWorld's Stephen Litel that he is emulating Tim Duncan in his style of play.
Morley Quatroche of WEEI.com looks at Miles Plumlee as a potential draft target for the Celtics.
Paul Coro of AZCentral.com says that the Suns are looking to improve their offense in the draft.
Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel looks at a handful of guards who have worked out for the Bucks recently.
Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld.com talks to Iona's Scott Machado, who is attempting to raise his profile ahead of the draft.

Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge provides a transcript of Andre Drummond's comments after his workout with the Blazers today.
Agent Mark MacGillivray says big man Reeves Nelson, who was dismissed from the UCLA basketball team this past season, worked out Thursday for the Lakers, HoopsHype reports.
WEEI.com continues its series on prospects and how they'd fit with the Celtics, with Morley Quatroche profiling Tyler Zeller and Jashvina Shah looking at Kim English.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld shares a number of draft rumors in his chat, including his thoughts on several sleepers, with shooting guard Orlando Johnson chief among them.
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel has a list of the half dozen players who worked out for the Magic today. That group didn't include injured power forward Kevin Jones, who interviewed with the team instead.
Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com says Bradley Beal emerged with a slight edge over Harrison Barnes after today's one-on-one workout for the Cavs, but cautions that it doesn't mean the team has made up its mind about the fourth pick (Twitter links).
Small forward Quincy Miller has added 17 pounds to his 6'10" frame since the end of his season at Baylor, bringing his weight up to 220 pounds, tweets Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Noah Hartsock has only an outside shot to get drafted, and he's still recovering from ankle surgery in late March, as Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune writes. The 6'8" forward has a deal lined up with a team in Belgium, but he a handful of other players took part in a workout for the Jazz today, Luhm says, and Hartsock will participate in a group workout for the Warriors tomorrow, according to Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area.
Chad Ford of ESPN.com tweets the latest workout schedules for players near the top of the draft board. Damian Lillard will audition Sunday for the Warriors. The Bobcats will look at Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Bradley Beal on Monday, and Harrison Barnes will work out Tuesday for the Wizards.
Andre Drummond, one of a group of players working out today for the Blazers, goes in front of the Wizards on Monday and the Bobcats and Cavs after that, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian reports. (Twitter links)
During his workout for the Hornets, Arnett Moultrie connected with coach Monty Williams, and now the Mississippi State big man is "openly rooting" for New Orleans to take him with the No. 10 pick, writes Scott Howard-Cooper on NBA.com.
In the same piece, Howard-Cooper profiles Perry Jones III, explains why 7'4" Turkish center Dusan Cantekin could be passed over on draft night, and notes that John Henson is slowed by an ankle injury.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld identifies 10 teams trying to trade either up or down in the draft.
Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com unveils the latest version of his mock draft, which encompasses both the first and second rounds.
Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld ranks the draft's small forwards, beginning with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
In Sacramento for a workout with the Kings, Terrence Jones invoked comparisons to Lamar Odom and Marvin Williams in describing his versatility as an asset, writes Matt Kawahara of the Sacramento Bee.
In his mailbag, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star says there's "very little chance" the Raptors will find a starter with the eighth pick, which leads Smith to speculate that the team will use the selection to fill its need for a backup guard.
David Mayo of MLive compares three North Carolina prospects with whom the Pistons have had contact: Harrison Barnes, John Henson and Tyler Zeller.
John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer looks at Moe Harkless and Hollis Thompson, two players who worked out Friday for the Sixers, and how they'd fit in with the team.
In a pair of Celtics-themed features for WEEI.com, Morley Quatroche breaks down point guard Damian Lillard and Jashvina Shah looks at small forward Kris Joseph.
Second-round longshot Larry Anderson, a shooting guard from Long Beach State, will participate in a workout for the Bucks today, according to the team's website.

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Draft Updates: Friday

By Luke Adams | at June 15, 2012 7:10 pm

Yesterday's roundup of draft links included a ton of updates on workouts and speculation on where certain players may land. We expect more of the same today, so we'll track today's draft notes right here, adding new items to the top of the list throughout the day….

Anthony Davis has decided to hire Wasserman Media Group to represent him, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The former Kentucky star will work out for the Hornets on Tuesday, tweets Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com.
The Jazz will host six players on Saturday for a pre-draft workout, according to a team press release. The participants will include Kim English, Jorge Gutierrez, Noah Hartsock, Robbie Hummel, Toure' Murry and Malik Wayns.

Earlier updates:

Perry Jones III, Terrence Jones, Arnett Moultrie, and John Henson will work out against one another for the Suns tomorrow, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com.
Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld explores whether John Henson is a perfect fit for the Pistons at No. 9.
Andre Drummond has an individual workout with the Wizards scheduled for Monday, tweets Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
In a series of tweets, Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News lists the prospects the Pistons have worked out this week.
We rounded up a handful of draft rumors from ESPN.com's Andy Katz in a separate post.
Damian Lillard to Joe Freeman of the Oregonian (Twitter link) on the possibility of being drafted by the Trail Blazers: "I could see it happening. And I hope so. I think I really fit in here."
The Nuggets have a six-player workout scheduled for Monday, according to a team press release. Will Barton, Royce White, Andrew Nicholson, Marquis Teague, Tyshawn Taylor, and Kevin Murphy are the participants.
Evan Fournier and Will Barton will work out for the Bucks tomorrow, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (via Twitter).
ESPN.com's David Thorpe (Insider link) examines potential targets for the 76ers at No. 15, concluding that Terrence Jones could be the best fit.
The Wizards will work out Harrison Barnes next Tuesday, tweets Michael of the Washington Post.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist believes the Wizards would be a playoff team if they drafted him third overall, he tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Kidd-Gilchrist is working out alone for Washington, with Austin Rivers, Terrence Ross, and Tomas Satoransky in a group workout, tweets Lee.
Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com has published his latest mock draft for Yahoo! Sports.
SI.com's Sam Amick takes a look at Andre Drummond's stock, and says the Hornets haven't made a draft-day promise to Austin Rivers.
At Raptors.com, Jay Satur has the list of prospects working out for the Raptors today.

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0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Denver Nuggets Detroit Pistons Milwaukee Bucks New Orleans Pelicans Philadelphia 76ers Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers Toronto Raptors Utah Jazz Washington Wizards Andre Drummond Andrew Nicholson Anthony Davis Arnett Moultrie Austin Rivers Damian Lillard Evan Fournier Harrison Barnes John Henson Kevin Murphy Marquis Teague Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Perry Jones III Royce White Terrence Jones Tyshawn Taylor Will Barton

Draft Updates: Thursday

By Luke Adams | at June 14, 2012 8:46 pm

The countdown until the 2012 draft is down to two weeks, and this week has been heavy on workouts and trade speculation. We'll track the latest news and rumors on both fronts, along with a handful of other draft-related items, right here. New updates will be added to the top of the page throughout the day….

According to their official website, the Pacers will work out Evan Fournier, Ashton Gibbs, Travis Hyman, John Jenkins, Josh Owens, and Tony Wroten Jr. on Friday.

Earlier updates:

Charles F. Gardner Journal Sentinel reported that the Bucks hosted a pre-draft workout today which featured Tyler Zeller, Meyers Leonard, Fab Melo, and Kyle O'Quinn.
Aside from Anthony Davis, ESPN's Ric Bucher thinks that this year's draft still contains big men with star potential, focusing specifically on Andre Drummond, Meyers Leonard, and Thomas Robinson (Insiders only).
Sean Meagher of The Oregonian presents the video interview of Perry Jones III after his workout for the Trail Blazers.
Nate Mulberg of CSN Philly discusses the mutual interest between the 76ers and Terrence Ross.
Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld quoted an NBA executive who thinks that the lottery is loaded with impact rotation players, but not impact starters. Pincus also offered highlights from interviews with JaMychal Green and Kevin Jones.
Tomorrow's workout schedule for the Wizards includes Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Austin Rivers, Terrence Ross, and Tomas Satoransky, according to Michael Lee of The Washington Post (Twitter link). Gene Wang, also of The Washington Post, wrote about today's workout with Hollis Thompson.
Stephen Hewitt of WEEI.com provided a breakdown of Mitchell Watt, a 6'10'' forward out of Buffalo who could be a realistic target for the Celtics' second round pick (51st overall).
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com wrote an interesting piece on the mental toughness of 27-year-old draft hopeful Bernard James, a 6'10'' power forward who served in the Air Force and did tours in Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq before starring at Florida State. Howard-Cooper also tweeted an update on John Henson, saying that he has no plans to rest his injured ankle in the midst of upcoming workouts with the Suns, Rockets, Bucks, Cavaliers, Raptors, Pistons, and 76ers.
Darren Heitner of Sports Agent Blog briefly documents the separation of Renardo Sidney and his agent, Johnny Foster.
Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld believes John Jenkins and the Bulls could be a perfect fit at pick No. 29.
Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com published the second version of his mock draft today.
Thomas Robinson will work out for the Bobcats on June 22nd, according to SI.com's Sam Amick (Sulia link). Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com calls Robinson the "clear frontrunner" to be picked second overall (Twitter link).
Jeremy Lamb turned an ankle at his Raptors workout this morning, but it's not serious, tweets Sam Amick of SI. According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (via Twitter), the ankle is sprained, and Lamb will cancel at least his workout with the Blazers.
The Sixers announced in a press release today that they'll work out Moe Harkless and Hollis Thompson tomorrow.
Arnett Moultrie is the biggest name among the six players working out for the Trail Blazers today, tweets Joe Freeman of the Oregonian.
Harrison Barnes and Bradley Beal will work out against one another for the Cavaliers on Saturday, according to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). The two players are the most likely candidates to be picked at No. 4 by Cleveland, so that will be an intriguing workout.
Discussing potential targets for the Bobcats if they trade their No. 2 pick, Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com names James Harden as a possibility. It's not clear of Goodman's source, who says Harden "could be in play," means the Bobcats will pursue Harden or the Thunder could make him available. Either way, I'm skeptical about how realistic that scenario is. Even with the long-term cap restraints facing the Thunder, overhauling the roster mere days after making the Finals seems unlikely.
SI.com's Sam Amick examines the question marks surrounding John Henson and the rising stock of Miles Plumlee in his latest draft piece.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld compares Perry Jones III to Jordan Hamilton, who slipped to 26th overall last year because most teams thought the risk outweighed the upside. Within the same piece, Kyler also says the odds the Bobcats keep a player the select at No. 2 overall are "extremely slim."
The Raptors have a big day of workouts scheduled, with Jeremy Lamb highlighting the first session, Austin Rivers in the second, and Harrison Barnes in an individual workout. Jay Satur of Raptors.com has the details. Unfortunately, Eric Koreen of the National Post passes along a bit of bad news from the first session, tweeting that Lamb left the workout with an apparent injury.
Chad Ford tries his hand at predicting where the players on the first-round bubble will land in an Insider piece for ESPN.com.
Will Barton and five other prospects will work out for the Pacers today, according to Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
The Pistons' workouts so far suggest they're eyeing big men not just with their first-round pick but in the second round as well, says Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
Bucks.com profiles the prospects that Milwaukee will be working out today.
Damian Lillard thinks he's ready to be an NBA starter, but he probably won't be a fit for the Kings at No. 5, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.

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0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Boston Celtics Charlotte Hornets Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Detroit Pistons Houston Rockets Indiana Pacers Milwaukee Bucks Oklahoma City Thunder Philadelphia 76ers Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers Sacramento Kings Toronto Raptors Andre Drummond Anthony Davis Arnett Moultrie Ashton Gibbs Austin Rivers Bernard James Bradley Beal Damian Lillard Evan Fournier Fab Melo Harrison Barnes Hollis Thompson JaMychal Green James Harden Jeremy Lamb John Henson John Jenkins Josh Owens Kevin Jones Kyle O'Quinn Maurice Harkless Meyers Leonard Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Miles Plumlee Mitchell Watt Perry Jones III Renardo Sidney Terrence Ross Thomas Robinson Tomas Satoransky Tony Wroten Travis Hyman Tyler Zeller Will Barton

Draft Updates: Wednesday

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:

Dan Duggan of the Boston Herald believes the Celtics are targeting size with either or both of the team's back-t0-back first-round picks, at Nos. 21 and 22.
Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal has more on Royce White and his anxiety disorder.

Earlier updates:

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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0 comments 2012 NBA Draft Boston Celtics Charlotte Hornets Golden State Warriors Milwaukee Bucks Philadelphia 76ers Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers Toronto Raptors Utah Jazz Washington Wizards Andre Drummond Andrew Nicholson Damian Lillard Darius Miller Fab Melo Harrison Barnes Jared Sullinger John Henson Kris Joseph Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Mike Scott Quincy Miller Royce White Terrence Jones Terrence Ross Thomas Robinson

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, KG, Allen, Fisher, Knicks

By Luke Adams | at June 12, 2012 9:37 am

We already rounded up a number of updates on the 76ers this morning, as the team begins to search for a replacement for Rod Thorn and weighs how to handle its free agents. Now, let's catch up on a few of their Atlantic Division rivals, with updates on the Raptors' draft workouts, a Celtic undergoing surgery, and a potential free agent target for the Knicks….

0 comments Boston Celtics New York Knicks Toronto Raptors Damian Lillard Derek Fisher Kendall Marshall Kevin Garnett Ray Allen Terrence Ross

Ford’s Latest: Cavs, Bobcats, Waiters, Rivers

By Luke Adams | at June 11, 2012 12:27 pm

We'll be following most of today's draft notes here, but the latest column from ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) featured enough items of interest that it required its own post. Here are some of the highlights from ESPN.com's draft guru:

3 comments 2012 NBA Draft Boston Celtics Charlotte Hornets Cleveland Cavaliers Golden State Warriors New Orleans Pelicans Portland Trail Blazers Toronto Raptors Andrew Nicholson Austin Rivers Damian Lillard Dion Waiters Maurice Harkless Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Thomas Robinson

Dion Waiters Leaves Combine, Has Guarantee?

By Luke Adams | at June 8, 2012 9:27 am

According to ESPN.com's Chad Ford, Dion Waiters has left the Chicago draft combine and cancelled his scheduled workouts, leading to speculation that the Syracuse guard has received assurances from a team that he'll be selected in the lottery. Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) hears from a source that the Raptors at No. 8 were the team to give Waiters a guarantee, but Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reports that GM Bryan Colangelo emphatically denied making such a promise.

1 comment 2012 NBA Draft Phoenix Suns Toronto Raptors Dion Waiters

Bucher’s Latest: Nash, KG, Nelson, Miller, Kaman

By Luke Adams | at June 8, 2012 8:42 am

Plenty of the bigger names among this year's free agent class are in their 30s, and it's that over-30 group that ESPN.com's Ric Bucher focuses on in his latest Insider piece. Bucher spoke to GMs, scouts, and personnel experts that gave him feedback on this summer's free agents, including tidbits on Steve Nash, Kevin Garnett, Jameer Nelson, and plenty more. Here are a few highlights:

8 comments Boston Celtics Brooklyn Nets Dallas Mavericks Denver Nuggets Houston Rockets New Orleans Pelicans Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers Toronto Raptors Utah Jazz Andre Miller Chris Kaman Jameer Nelson Jason Kidd Kevin Garnett Steve Nash

Raptors Shopping First Round Pick

By Michael Pina | at June 6, 2012 9:21 pm

9:21pm: According to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, the asking price reported by ESPN is a little steep in comparison to what his sources have told him. Wolstat writes that the Raptors are willing to deal the No. 8 pick, but that they aren't willing to package a young talent like Ed Davis in it.

6 comments Toronto Raptors Andre Iguodala Ed Davis Jonas Valanciunas Jose Calderon Rudy Gay

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Toronto Raptors News & Rumors

Ford’s Latest: Draft Trades, Drummond, Waiters

Draft Updates: Saturday

Draft Updates: Friday

Draft Updates: Thursday

Draft Updates: Wednesday

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, KG, Allen, Fisher, Knicks

Ford’s Latest: Cavs, Bobcats, Waiters, Rivers

Dion Waiters Leaves Combine, Has Guarantee?

Bucher’s Latest: Nash, KG, Nelson, Miller, Kaman

Raptors Shopping First Round Pick