NEW YORK — Twenty-four top NBA Draft prospects entered the second-floor ballroom at Lotte New York Palace Tuesday afternoon, all hoping to hear their names called in the first round of Wednesday night’s event.
Alex Sarr, the 7-foot-1 phenom who last played for Perth’s NBL in Australia, declined Atlanta’s efforts to host him for a training session, but told Yahoo Sports that that wouldn’t deter him from showing up for the Hawks if he was ultimately selected. at No. 1 overall. “I will play for any team that selects me,” Sarr said Tuesday. “For me the most important thing is if a team is willing to take a chance on you, just go out there and play hard. There’s nothing like being picky or not wanting to go somewhere. »
No. 2 Washington has been tabbed by league staff as the Sarr camp’s preferred destination, as the Wizards are in the early stages of a lengthy rebuild without a clearly defined franchise cornerstone. “It’s a great organization,” Sarr said. “It’s a young team and I think they’re going in a great direction.”
UConn center Donovan Clingan seems destined to be the next big man on the board, if he’s not Atlanta’s first overall selection. Clingan worked out for the Hawks and told reporters he saw the potential for strong pick-and-roll chemistry with Atlanta’s guards. The Hawks, of course, are expected to engage rival teams on trade scenarios for Trae Young and Dejounte Murray throughout this offseason. The Lakers, Pelicans and Spurs remain three destinations that could lure Young, league sources told Yahoo Sports, and lottery teams are not ruling out the possibility that the Spurs could move into the top spot, this who could open the door for Atlanta may be selecting Clingan at No. 4.
The Spurs currently hold the fourth selection in addition to the No. 8 pick, and San Antonio was able to book Clingan for a Zoom meeting last weekend, sources said. While Portland and Memphis are known to be interested in trading and acquiring Clingan, according to league staff, there is no shortage of NBA figures who believe this late San Antonio interest in Clingan might simply be a ruse in an attempt to entice another front office to come up and land at UConn Center. The Spurs initially focused on placing Victor Wembanyama next to a strong shooting center, such as Zach Collins, and Clingan, for all his strengths on defense, isn’t exactly a proven product from distance.
But after his interview with the Spurs, Clingan seemed intrigued by the option. “It was nice to be able to get to know (San Antonio) better and show them who I am as a person and have them learn a little more about me,” Clingan said. “And I feel like the connection between me and Wemby is something that could really work.” I’m just excited for tomorrow night.
The general feeling of uncertainty surrounding Wednesday night’s order was palpable throughout the three sessions that scattered eight prospects around the ballroom. Without any breakthrough prospects, NBA teams are bracing for all kinds of volatility and movement up and down the draft board, while players echo that sentiment. “I have no idea where I’m going to go,” Colorado forward Cody Williams said. “There’s going to be a lot of discussion.” Williams said he trained for every team selected in the top 10. Ron Holland, a G League Ignite product, agreed. “There is so much uncertainty,” said Holland, who has worked for Atlanta, Charlotte, Portland, San Antonio, Chicago, Miami, Sacramento and Oklahoma City.
There has been a lot of buzz about Providence guard Devin Carter being a possible pick for San Antonio at No. 8. Carter smiled as he imagined throwing lobs at a “big target” like Wembanyama. Carter was one of the biggest lifters in this class. He worked for Memphis — where his father, former NBA player Anthony Carter, is an assistant coach — for Utah, Chicago, Miami and the Lakers in addition to San Antonio.
Nikola Topić, the 6-foot-7 Serbian point guard, is also a name rival executives are considering as being under consideration for the Spurs. Topić said Wednesday that he traveled to San Antonio, Utah, Portland, Memphis and Houston while rehabbing a partially torn ACL. When asked what his expected draft range was, Topić also projected uncertainty. “I hope at 3 p.m.,” Topić said with a smile. “I hope by 8 p.m..” League numbers don’t expect him to fall that far and have placed a potential safety net for Topić at No. 18 in Orlando, as the Magic hired Topić’s father, Milenko Topić, a former Serbian head coach, in the team’s front office last season. , according to league sources. The point guard confirmed this to Yahoo Sports on Wednesday, saying: “He didn’t really like coaching. This scouting job, he has a lot of fun traveling and watching the players.
Oklahoma City is currently projected at 12th overall with bushels of future first-round picks to potentially move up in this draft. One name that has been mentioned repeatedly for the Thunder, if OKC holds up, is Pittsburgh guard Bub Carrington. Carrington quickly moved up the rankings with dynamic play as a rookie for the Panthers. He even admitted that being invited to the green room, let alone participating in this draft, was a pretty unexpected development. “The plan was to stay at Pitt for two or three years,” Carrington said. In addition to OKC, Carrington revealed he has worked for San Antonio, Utah, Orlando and Miami.
Baylor freshman center Yves Missi is another youngster in line to be selected in the top 20. Missi has been linked in recent days to the Lakers, and he told Yahoo Sports that Los Angeles is one of his first training sessions. “They’re looking for a big man who can sometimes play with AD and sometimes play without AD as backup,” Missi said. The Baylor product also mentioned Philadelphia as another potential landing spot.
Indiana sophomore Ke’lel Ware is right in the middle with Missi among that second tier of big men behind Sarr and Clingan. Ware confirmed Tuesday that his pre-draft process consisted of workouts with 16 different teams. He continues to be mentioned by league staff as a candidate for Toronto at 19th overall.
Finding a home for USC guard Isaiah Collier, the top-ranked former high school prospect in this class, has been a little tougher than most invitations to the green room. To his credit, Collier was relaxed on his podium, optimistic and hopeful about what might unfold Wednesday night.
“I still think I’m the best player in the draft,” Collier said. “I know what I’m capable of.” Collier listed Chicago, San Antonio and Miami as three potential destinations.
Draft notes from across the league
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Cleveland, the No. 20 pick, is receiving numerous incoming calls from teams late in the first round about moving up, according to league sources. From Houston picking No. 3 to Philadelphia picking No. 16 and down the line, many teams appear willing to wait to present the best and final offers for their selection before moving forward on trade scenarios.
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As the Bucks evaluate the trade market for Brook Lopez, they’ve left rival teams with the impression that the 23rd spot could be focused on a potential long-term replacement at center. Milwaukee tried to bring in Dayton big man DaRon Holmes II for a workout, sources said. Holmes declined the invitation, but not because of a widely whispered promise with Denver at No. 28, according to league sources. While Holmes did indeed pause his workout regimen — leading teams to suspect promise somewhere late in the first round — and Holmes could certainly be an option for the Nuggets at that spot, there was no no guarantee Denver would select him, sources said. Holmes has attracted interest from enough teams to earn an invitation to the green room. He was also connected to Sacramento by league personnel.
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If Memphis ultimately decides to move on from No. 9, Miami at No. 15 has been considered a possible progression team mentioned by NBA numbers.
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There’s still buzz that Dallas is signing multiple teams to deals that could unload Tim Hardaway Jr. to the point that league staff believe the Mavericks have a deal on the table – but one that would still bring in the salary . Dallas must unload Hardaway’s $16.2 million for the 2024-25 season in order to pay standout power forward Derrick Jones Jr. above the taxpayers’ $5.2 million mid-level exception. If Dallas makes a move on Hardaway and ultimately fails to come to terms with Jones in a return from his starting role in the NBA Finals, Pelicans wing Naji Marshall should draw interest from the Mavericks, sources and Pistons said.
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Rumor among team executives persists regarding Sacramento’s efforts to trade for veteran help with the No. 13 pick and a combination of Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes, but there has yet to be any of credible major deal rumors involving the Hawks’ All-Star guard and the Pelicans. All-Star swingman Brandon Ingram, or any other player of that magnitude.