I know we have a thousand threads already, but The Ringer and ESPN posted their mocks with interesting intel. Take with grains of salt.
Latest Intel from Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer:
Mavs Moving Down or Out: "Sources say they're trying to move down for multiple picks or players, or out of the draft entirely"
No one really knows what the Raptors are doing, but maybe targeting Perimeter Scoring: "The Raptors haven’t released any of their works in this predraft season. Could we have another Bruno Caboclo situation on our hands? There have also been rumblings about their interest in perimeter scorers."
Noah Clowney Moving Up: "Clowney is the first big surprise of this mock draft. In recent days my sources have connected him with mid-first-round teams such as the Pelican"
Hawks talking to Celtics, Mavs, and Raptors. Wants Siakam. Only Trae Young is Safe: "League sources have connected the Hawks to a whole bunch of teams in trade talks—the Celtics, Mavericks, and Raptors. One of the players Atlanta has interest in is Toronto’s Pascal Siakam, who would give the team some much-needed size around Trae Young. The Hawks front office is willing to trade anyone but Trae, so that means Dejounte Murray could be a valuable piece in negotiations. And perhaps we’ll finally see a John Collins move."
Jaime Jaquez Jr's Draft Rang is Wide with Highest Team connected to is Heat at 18: "Jaquez’s draft range is all over the place. This spot with the Heat is the highest sources have connected him to, so for the purposes of this mock he lands here"
Nets Likely to Retain Cam Johnson. Teams Calling about Royce O'Neale & Dorain Finney Smith: "Multiple reports have already said Cam Johnson is expected to return, but league sources say Brooklyn has received a number of calls for two veteran wings in Royce O'Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith."
Latest Intel from Givony and Woo of ESPN:
Hornets at 2: "Prevailing thought amongst teams we've spoken with remains that the Hornets will wind up going with Miller. That said, the news that Henderson put in an excellent first workout in Charlotte has led some around the league to, at the very least, poke holes in that assumption."
Portland keeping the 3rd Pick and will try 'Threading the Needle' (or the Two Timelines Special): "Barring a team unexpectedly emerging on draft night with an offer they simply can't refuse, sources told ESPN the Trail Blazers are planning on keeping the pick and adding the type of talent to the roster they would be hard pressed to bring to Portland if not through the draft. The team will attempt to thread the needle between being compe ive with Damian Lillard at the helm and continuing to build for the future with Shaedon Sharpe, Anfernee Simons and this draft pick"
Amen Thompson the Favorite at 4: "Thompson looks increasingly like the frontrunner at this spot, with the Rockets weighing a big upside swing on the hope that he can become the type of connective guard their roster needs"
Cam Whitmore Trending Down: The intel shifted in recent days following Whitmore's workout in Detroit, indicating that the Pistons may look in a different direction, be it trading down or selecting another player such as Walker."
Anthony Black Returned to DC for a 2nd Workout: "Washington brass has kept its draft plans close to the vest over the past few weeks, but sources told ESPN Black traveled back to D.C. for a second workout over the weekend, and is strongly in the mix as they eye long-term backcourt options to build around"
Utah looking to Move Up. Plans to use their Cap Space to take Bad Contracts like Davis Bertans: "Sources told ESPN the Jazz are exploring many different options on draft night, including packaging their first two picks to move up into the lottery (possibly to Nos. 5, 6 or. 7), or using their two latter first-rounders and taking on a contract from a team such as Dallas for Davis Bertans, for example, a move that could only be consummated July 1. Utah has been linked to [Jarace] Walker for much of the pre-draft process"
No One really knows what the Raptors are Doing: "Picking a shooter such as or Jordan Hawkins, or pairing franchise stalwart Scottie Barnes with a versatile combo guard such as Bufkin, Nick Smith Jr. or Hood-Schifino is believed to be some of their most likely options according to rival teams. However, the amount of activity coming out of the Toronto front office makes it difficult to project what they will do. It's also not clear whether they will be able to meet the financial demands of center Jakob Poeltl in free agency, who prefers not to be in a rebuilding situation next season, sources told ESPN"
Guards Prospects (Outside the Lottery) Avoided Rockets due to Crowded Backcout: "The glut of guards in this range -- many of whom avoided working out for the Rockets due to their crowded backcourt situation"
Bilal Coulibally in NYC but No Team Workouts Planned: "Sources told ESPN Coulibaly flew to New York City on Monday and will not end up conducting any team workouts due to travel constraints"
Lakers have Narrowed Down to 3 Prospects: "Jett Howard is said to be part of a group of options that include Lively, Smith and Noah Clowney, only two of whom are available in this scenario"
Warriors looking to Draft Older: "Warriors are said to be looking at a different strategy on draft night this year, after previously picking young, developmental-type prospects which have been difficult to fully integrate into their style of play. Rival teams have pointed to the likes of Podziemski, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kris Murray"
Nets 'Extremely Active' in Trade Discussions: "Nets are said to be extremely active in trade conversations, having the option of using one or both of their first-round picks (Nos. 21 and 22) with players such as Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O'Neale to get to different spots in the draft if they desire"
You missed that:
Latest Intel from Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer:
There are rumblings that the Spurs are exploring trades for a second lottery pick. I’m not sure how high they are trying to get, but rival executives speculate that they’re targeting one of the Thompson twins or Wembanyama’s own teammate, Bilal Coulibaly.
Word is that Utah is trying to use 9 + 16 to get above Washington, probably targeting Detroit's pick, in order to take Anthony Black.
I don't see how they can get high enough for one of the Thompsons without trading a player like Keldon. Unless it's for a boatload of picks. If Wright can get to 5 or 6 trading a couple of FRPs and a handful of SRPs he gets a big time gold star. Bilal may be available at 8, but if Utah thinks the Spurs are hot for him they will surely snag him at 9.
What if we traded Houston our ATL '25, owed CHA FRP, owed Chicago FRP, and took back Kevin Porter Jr? Between the loss of the rookie cap hold and Porter Jr, the Rockets could sign Harden to the number he wants and still add a player like Porzingus.
Spurs would give up a lot of draft equity, but none of their core. Likely gets them Amen Thompson in return.
Guys, top picks can't be had just for future picks.
I'm really interested to see what the Warriors do. They're the ones who've been burned most in recent years by taking "high ceiling" high risk/high reward athletes (Kuminga, Wiseman) while passing on "high floor" versatility & skill (F Wagner, Haliburton), and now Curry's window is narrower than ever.
Atlanta's just sad to me. Betting the future on an undersized no defense high usage rate PG who's career 3pt% is closer to Russell Westbrook than it is to Steph Curry just feels like sunk cost fallacy to me.
Well, Wright said we won't be trading Keldon or Devin. I don't think he'd straight up lie like that. He was ambiguous with every other question.
I think Spurs could move up to late teens or early 20s if there's a player they really like, but I can't see a boatload of picks traded for top10. Unless they're absolutely certain someone is a real deal.
He didn't say that.... he said we don't have plans to do that....he left himself room to pivot without being untruthful.
Wright's not going to say to the general public "yeah, we plan on trading so-and-so." I saw a great post on twitter yesterday where one guy said something along the lines of "nothing a GM says publicly can be trusted at this point, because they're all trying to deceive one another," and I think that's accurate.
He cut off the question before it was finished being asked.
I thought it was unambiguous no .. to a Mike Finger question on trading Keldon/ Devin.
Kevin O’Connor’s been reading ST tbh.
Rival execs speculating on what the notoriously close-lipped Spurs are going to do is akin to Zelensky reading Russian newspapers to determine how the war is going.
Here's the question and quote:
Mike Finger] Just for the sake of due diligence, asked Brian Wright if there’s any realistic deal out there that would make the Spurs open to dealing Devin Vassell or Keldon Johnso… “No,” he said, before I could finish. Stressed how much the Spurs want to find out what this group can do.
There are no realistic deals right now...he didn't address any deals that might present themselves Thursday. He handled it perfectly and left himself room to do any deal that wasn't on the table at the time of the interview.
Charlotte, Chicago's and Toronto's picks couldn't get us back around 10-11?
I want to focus a little on what the other teams are doing. This impacts what the Spurs can do.
Dallas - provocative that they may be willing to trade out of the round. I don't really believe this, as they need players badly right now. That said, hey, the Spurs can absorb salary and give them picks. This might assure one of Wallace or Bufkin.
Utah - seems like they're horning in on Black, if they think Washington wants him. Not sure what Washington does if they are leapfrogged. Probably take Hendricks/Walker if available. They've been linked with Cason for a while.
Brooklyn - trying to move up and may be after the same sorts of players we are.
I think going for Clowney in the late lotto or just after is a mistake. Pelicans picking him just slides a guard later.
GSW going for older, more established players is a smart idea.
It's weird how the two big shooters aren't mentioned in intel much - and Hawkins. I wouldn't be surprised if goes much earlier than expected, like Orlando at 6.
The customary teams are very quiet, Thunder, Raptors, etc. Hawks sound desperate.
it's starting to look like the beard will likely wind up back in philly.
Gonna be expensive as to trade up to grab Ausar much less Amen.
And then you have a ty player on your hands. Andre Jackson is literally a better version of Amen Thompson.
top comment:
if bilal falls just outside of the lottery then he may become available but i don't know what it would be worth to pick up a project just because he could make Wemby happy.
Offering Dallas draft capital that they can turn into a player, in return for the 10 and taking Bertans COULD maybe work.
Simmons’s podcast mentioned that Bertans’s deal turns into a one year deal if he plays 75% of the season?
feel like they could thread the needle and get that done.
Notes from Bleacher Report's last mock draft...
Scoot Henderson returns to No. 2, where he was slotted on lottery night
Kobe Bufkin rises into the lottery at No. 12
Gradey leapfrogs a Thompson to No. 7
Olivier-Maxence Prosper surges up to No. 18 after workouts
moving into the top 10, which I suspected could happen, is great for us. Bufkin available at 12 is also great. Although I don't want OKC to get him, it suggests he would be available before then.
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