Draft Sheppard - trade Ant for Randle. Draft Edey to pair with Scoot on the 2nd unit. PG Sheppard Scoot SG Sharpe SF Grant PF Randle C Ayton Edey
43% from the field and 38% from three last season. That's just really not what I would call "lights out." Plus.... the defense thing.
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/st...-draft-all-58-picks-trade-talks-heat-30-teams still have us taking clingan
First round 1. Atlanta Hawks Zaccharie Risacher, SF, Bourg (France) | Age: 19.1 The Hawks casted a wide net through the pre-draft process, aggressively recruiting nearly every prospect in the lottery for workouts while also bringing in players projected outside that range, indicating the team is preparing for different strategies depending on what it learns and potential trade opportunities. While it appears the Hawks are far from making final decisions, many teams say their intel indicates Risacher remains the favorite at No. 1, partially because of the dual-track flexibility he offers of either remaining competitive next season or tapping into his upside as the type of big, versatile wing that is difficult to acquire outside the draft. The Hawks will bring Risacher in for a workout Wednesday, his first with the team thus far, which should help add clarity regarding his standing. The Hawks have been unable to bring Alex Sarr in for a workout to this point, but the door remains open for that to potentially happen. Clingan appears to be Risacher's main rival at No. 1. His workout -- where he shot the ball extremely well, showed surprisingly good passing ability operating out of short rolls and was impressive both in film study and in interviews -- helped his draft standing and makes him as possible sleeper selection here, as we've discussed for several weeks. The status of Atlanta's Trae Young is the big question hovering over the franchise. One option that has been widely discussed among teams is the possibility of the Hawks reacquiring their unprotected 2025 first-round pick from San Antonio (perhaps in a swap for the No. 4 pick), which would give the team far more flexibility for rebuilding. That would currently be difficult to fathom, with their next three draft picks (2025, 2026 swap rights and 2027) owned by the Spurs. The Hawks worked out Reed Sheppard last week and Clingan before that, two attractive options at No. 4 should they elect to slide back. Atlanta also brought in Matas Buzelis, Cody Williams and Ron Holland for workouts. -- Givony 2. Washington Wizards Alex Sarr, PF/C, Perth (Australia) | Age: 19.1 Rival teams have largely viewed the Wizards as a landing spot for Risacher or Sarr, depending which direction the Hawks go. That line of thinking has held up so far, although the radio silence out of Washington has some teams still curious about its intentions at No. 2. That said, Sarr has not yet gone to Atlanta and did work out for Washington last week. The Wizards did quite a bit of homework (and travel) to evaluate him during the course of his season with Perth. Stephon Castle, Clingan, Buzelis and Williams are among the other top prospects that have worked out for the Wizards. Some of those players feel more like contingencies, whether it's via trade, or if Sarr goes No. 1, but the Wizards have done their due diligence. Washington has the runway available to be patient with Sarr's development, making it a strong fit for him -- and vice versa -- on paper. Sarr arguably has the greatest upside available here, with the physical attributes to be a top defender, as well as the makings of a useful offensive skill set as a finisher and improving floor-spacer. -- Woo 3. Houston Rockets (via Nets) Reed Sheppard, PG/SG, Kentucky | Age: 19.9 It feels like Sheppard's range of draft outcomes is quite narrow at this point. The Rockets have demonstrated serious interest in him at No. 3, with both the front office and ownership intrigued by his fit as a shooter and playmaker next to their established young talent. Should Houston decide to trade back or go another direction, San Antonio is also quite intrigued with Sheppard and will be in position to pounce one pick later. He has also worked out for the Hawks (as a trade-back option) and Charlotte Hornets (who are also thought to be fans, and look like his backstop at No. 6), but the odds seem to be in favor of Sheppard relocating to Texas. Houston has been testing the market for this pick, which holds trade value due in part to the thought that Clingan, who many teams view as a potential trade-up target, will be available if the first two picks go as currently expected. Regardless, Sheppard's shooting ability, intangibles and room for growth as a playmaker have put him in position to be the first guard off the board, completing his ascent from a November curiosity into a full-blown lottery talent. -- Woo play 1:38 Reed Sheppard's best plays of the season Look back at Reed Sheppard's best plays from his lone season at Kentucky. 4. San Antonio Spurs Stephon Castle, PG/SG, UConn | Age: 19.6 If two top targets -- Risacher (who will work out with San Antonio on Friday) and Sheppard (worked out last week) -- are already off the board, it wouldn't be surprising if the Spurs looked to bolster their backcourt with the next two top guard prospects on ESPN's Big Board in Castle and Rob Dillingham with the No. 4 and No. 8 picks. With Darius Garland unlikely to be attainable from Cleveland, and uncertainty around Trae Young's candidacy, it might make sense to add two top-tier guard prospects who can play in different lineup configurations and roles, especially if the Spurs can secure a commitment from a veteran point guard -- for example, Chris Paul -- to mentor the next generation. The Spurs -- one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA last season -- need to find ways to better space the floor for Victor Wembanyama next season, which would point to players such as Sheppard, Dillingham and Dalton Knecht, but also have long been enamored with positional size, length and intangibles of prospects such as Castle and, to a lesser extent, Williams. Castle's defensive versatility, unselfishness and secondary playmaking prowess would be valued additions to the Spurs' lineup provided he can make enough perimeter shots to keep defenses honest. He played an important role in UConn's national championship run, showing a willingness to do the little things needed to help his team win. The 19-year-old has plenty of upside to tap into with strong physical tools. He worked out in San Antonio against Devin Carter last week. -- Givony play 0:52 Stephon Castle's NBA draft profile Check out some highlights that have made UConn's Stephon Castle a top NBA draft prospect. 5. Detroit Pistons Matas Buzelis, SF/PF, G League Ignite | Age: 19.6 Buzelis scheduled workouts with Atlanta and Washington, but for weeks now, rival teams have largely viewed Detroit as his likely landing spot. At this point, the Pistons haven't worked out other players who are ticketed for the high lottery, contributing to the idea that Detroit is the probable floor for him. The Pistons are transitioning under new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon's leadership, but their interest in Buzelis predated his hiring. Currently other teams are viewing this as a likely marriage. Buzelis fits Detroit's timeline, positional needs and has the type of size and versatility at forward that Langdon's former group tended to favor (and had success with) during his five years as general manager in New Orleans. -- Woo 6. Charlotte Hornets Dalton Knecht, SF, Tennessee | Age: 23.1 Which prospects could most help Victor Wembanyama? We ranked best fits at all four of the Spurs' picks 5dJonathan Givony Sources: NBA invites 12 to sit in draft green room 7dJonathan Givony One-stop primer for NBA free agency: Intel, needs and outlook for all 30 teams 16mBobby Marks Knecht's draft range is appearing increasingly small, with teams in the Nos. 4-9 range all expressing significant interest, except Detroit at No. 5. Charlotte has worked out Knecht, and his fit alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller appears to be strong with the perimeter shooting and all-around scoring prowess he offers. If Knecht isn't picked at No. 6, it might be because a player such as Sheppard or Castle (both of whom Charlotte has worked out) became available. Rival teams say they would be surprised to see Knecht fall past both Portland and San Antonio at No. 7 and No. 8, where he also seems to be coveted. Buzelis worked out with Charlotte as well, along with Ja'Kobe Walter. -- Givony 7. Portland Trail Blazers Donovan Clingan, C, UConn | Age: 20.3 Ranked No. 3 in ESPN's Top 100, Clingan is viewed by many rival teams as a legitimate candidate for the Hawks at No. 1, making him a key piece of the puzzle in projecting this draft. Clingan is also viewed as a potential trade-up target for teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies, which could lead to him coming off the board ahead of this spot. However, the Rockets, Spurs, Pistons and Hornets don't appear to be landing spots for Clingan, so there are also scenarios in which he falls to No. 7. Portland would presumably be thrilled with that, as Clingan is the best player available and would supply long-term defensive backbone for a team still laying its foundation in the frontcourt. -- Woo 8. San Antonio Spurs Rob Dillingham, PG, Kentucky | Age: 19.4 Dillingham has been unable to work out for teams for much of the pre-draft process because of an ankle injury; however, he completed his combine testing Friday to cement his eligibility requirements for the draft. His inactivity thus far has caused some speculation around the league that he could fall toward the back of the lottery or out of it, but he's an option for guard-needy San Antonio, particularly if the Spurs are unable to draft his college teammate Reed Sheppard at No 4. Dillingham will work out for the Spurs on Wednesday, with Detroit lined up, and Utah and Chicago expressing interest. The guard, who played for Chris Paul's Nike EYBL team (Team CP3), has a natural creativity as a scorer, but lack of size and defensive acumen make him a polarizing prospect. He's the type of talent teams are often willing to swing on, particularly the further he falls down the board. If the Spurs go another direction, the Jazz and Bulls could be landing spots in the late lottery, and if he falls past those teams, it shouldn't be too far. -- Woo 9. Memphis Grizzlies Cody Williams, SG/SF, Colorado | Age: 19.5 Mock draft: Trade talks heat up for teams • Two choices for the first round in this mock • Help for Wemby? Best fits for Spurs' picks • Which players are best at 20 skills? • Play GM with the mock draft simulator • Givony's big board: Top 25 prospects Williams will end up working out for nearly every team in the top 10 (with the exception of Houston), with Memphis being his latest stop this past weekend. Teams outside that range haven't been able to get him in, indicating his camp feels comfortable with where he'll end up and the feedback they've received to this point. Ranked No. 12 in ESPN's Top 100, Williams has the physical tools every NBA team is looking for at 6-foot-8 in shoes with a 7-1 wingspan. His outstanding early-season play from November through January had some NBA teams wondering if he could make a run at the No. 1 pick prior to him being derailed by injuries. He's a late bloomer who has shown playmaking, defensive versatility and perimeter shooting that can hopefully be harnessed into more consistent skills down the road, and could be a sleeper pick for a team selecting earlier even, with teams in the Nos. 5-8 range also studying his candidacy closely. He has even worked out in Atlanta, who holds the No. 1 pick. -- Givony 10. Utah Jazz Nikola Topic, PG, Mega MIS (Adriatic League) | Age: 18.8 Topic was one of 20 players voted into the draft's green room by teams, which is a good sign for his stock stabilizing in the wake of his ACL tear diagnosis at the draft combine in Treviso, Italy. Topic is in the U.S. visiting teams, with Portland (Nos. 7 and 14) San Antonio (No. 8), Memphis (No. 9), Utah (No. 10) being on the schedule. A team picking him will likely need to be comfortable with the idea of a redshirt season next year with long-term thinking in mind, similar to how Chet Holmgren, Joel Embiid, Michael Porter Jr. or Blake Griffin started their NBA careers. Utah might feel a degree of regret for not going more all-in on positioning themselves for draft picks the past two years and could potentially consider that strategy at some point. Drafting Topic and trying to make a run at Cooper Flagg next year might not be the worst idea, something that could prove difficult with an All-Star in Lauri Markkanen in the fold and one of the NBA's best young coaches in Will Hardy. -- Givony 11. Chicago Bulls Devin Carter, PG/SG, Providence | Age: 22.2 Carter has been one of the hottest names on the workout circuit, with some teams now believing he'll come off the board in the top 10. His tenacity, reliability and two-way skill set gives him strong upside for an older guard. Carter, ranked No. 13 in ESPN's Top 100, is known primarily for his defense, but has made significant strides as a scorer in the past year that have helped reframe how teams view his upside. Teams' confidence in what he supplies has bolstered his draft stock, with every team in the Nos. 8-11 range looking like a possible landing spot. There's also some chatter that multiple teams currently drafting outside the lottery have interest in trading up to select him. Chicago values toughness in its backcourt and could slot Carter in interchangeably with Coby White, Alex Caruso and Ayo Dosunmu. -- Woo 12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Rockets) Tidjane Salaun, PF, Cholet (France) | Age: 18.8 Salaun is one of the tougher lottery prospects to peg in terms of a draft range, as he has had limited time to conduct workouts after recently arriving from Europe. Quite a few teams would like to get to know him better. Salaun, ranked No. 9 in ESPN's Top 100, conducted workouts with Portland, Sacramento and Oklahoma City before spraining his ankle this past weekend in San Antonio, which might prevent him from working out in scheduled visits with Detroit and Charlotte. Despite that setback, it's hard to find many prospects who share the upside Salaun does at 6-10, with an outstanding frame, length, shot-making prowess and defensive intensity. He is also one of the youngest players in this draft at 18 and will likely need patience and reps to find his footing with the questionable awareness he shows and mistake-prone style he displays on both ends of the floor at times. -- Givony 13. Sacramento Kings Ron Holland, SF, G League Ignite | Age: 18.9 Sacramento has explored trade options with this pick, but there will be a range of quality players on the board if the Kings stand pat -- they might be content to simply see who falls to No. 13. Holland has worked out for a wide range of teams, from Atlanta at No. 1 down to the Heat at No. 15, and it's still not quite clear where his backstop lies. Presuming the Kings are on track to retain Malik Monkand maintain their backcourt, taking a swing on a wing such as Holland or a frontcourt player could be a smart direction. Landing on a Sacramento team with established talent and roles, which won't ask Holland to be an offensive focal point, could be ideal long term for his game. That move would allow Holland to get back to his roots as a tough defender and high-energy contributor. -- Woo 14. Portland Trail Blazers (via Warriors) Ja'Kobe Walter, SG/SF, Baylor | Age: 19.7 Walter, ranked No. 14 in ESPN's Top 100, has kept a pretty low profile during the pre-draft process, mostly conducting one-on-zero workouts in places such as Detroit, Charlotte, San Antonio, Utah and Sacramento. He was among the first 12 players invited to the draft green room, which is a positive sign for his standing among teams. Walter's combination of length, dynamic shot-making prowess, intensity, youth and outstanding off-court intangibles give him both a high floor and an attractive archetype every team is looking for with a 3-and-D wing with upside to grow. He's likely to get looks from all the teams in the mid-to-late lottery looking for wing depth, and he'll have plenty of suitors in the teens hoping he falls to them. -- Givony 15. Miami Heat Zach Edey, C, Purdue | Age: 22.0 Edey, ranked No. 16 in ESPN's Top 100, is drawing interest from teams that are drafting in front and behind Miami, with every team in the back half of the lottery after San Antonio said to be in the market for a center. Utah, Portland and Sacramento were some of his latest stops on the workout circuit, and he might end up visiting the Los Angeles Lakers as well. Edey's combination of size, power and intensity has been difficult to contain in a workout setting, as there simply aren't many players in this draft equipped to slow him down. He was one of 21 players voted by NBA teams for an invitation to the green room, but has decided he will watch the draft from West Lafayette, Indiana instead with his coaches, teammates and family. He is the only player to decline the in-person opportunity. -- Givony
Don't forget: Also: Evidently they don't believe the stories that teams picking below the 20s can't get Bronny in for a workout and that the Suns are going to draft him with their first-rounder...
Jonathan Wasserman: Among lotto prospects, camps for Reed Sheppard, Stephon Castle have seemed most private/quiet. Both very well liked, deemed safe with specific strengths that are translatable and valued. Could very well go 3 and 4.
Jonathan Wasserman: Buzelis also in those conversations top 5. Obviously a coveted archetype, easy fit + belief shooting is better than numbers suggest. Has leapfrogged teammate Ron Holland.
ESPN has Salaun and Holland (in that order) going 12 and 13, respectively. While we could certain sign the 2nd rounders to 2-ways, it seems pretty reasonable to think that we could use 34 and/or 40 to go get the guy we want if they get that far...
That'd mildly surprise me. He's the type of prospect they should be looking most closely at -- young with plenty of ceiling to develop, yet brings tangible skillsets, providing at least a reasonable floor. If he turns out to be comparable to Matisse, would anyone really have a problem with that, in this draft, at 14?
Even as young as Holland is, he is a lot more physical than Matisse which IMO can allow him to guard bigger players. His floor is Matisse, but his ceiling is a lot higher. I love his competitiveness. Regardless of who we take at 7, (Williams, Salaun, or Holland) I can very easily see us regretting passing on one of them. Which is kind of odd considering this is the worst draft in the history of sports.
At present, he's not a great fit next to Shae and Scoot, but every indication seems to be that the franchise is leaning into a total rebuild, which makes sense given that we're nowhere near competitive and next year's draft looks like it could be a good one. That gives a guy like Salaun and/or Holland at least 2 years of development before we would really need them to be difference makers. I'd be ecstatic if we ended up with the two of them next week.
