Based on conversations I had with multiple people around the league at last week’s combine in Chicago, this draft sounds like it will be known as the Karl-Anthony Towns draft– and the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to get him. Barring an injury issue similar to what Joel Embiid had last year, Towns is all but certain to be the first player to shake hands with Adam Silver on draft night and become the third straight No. 1 pick to wear a Minnesota
21. Dallas Mavericks – Tyus Jones, PG, Duke If you watched any of Duke’s tournament games, you could see how big of an impact Jones had as a true freshman. Jones is a throwback PG that creates great scoring opportunities for his teammates, but he also has the ability to hit the big shot or convert when he’s open, sort of like Chris Paul. While Jones is not big, he has tons of heart and is a true leader. In a point guard-driven league, especially
11. Indiana Pacers – Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas Like many Jayhawks prospects, Oubre should be even better in an NBA system where he’ll have more scoring opportunities. As a rookie, Oubre should be able to hit open jumpers, and if he develops his ball-handling skills to create his own scoring opportunities, he could be very good. He averaged 9.3 points and 5 rebounds in just 21 minutes per game for Kansas, and went 15-for-19 from the foul line in a late-season victory over
The NBA Draft Combine is complete, and with it player movement up and down draft boards has begun. This year, live scrimmages were added to the Combine to give scouts and GMs more of a sample to use for evaluating these prospects. While the measurements, interviews, and testing still are the focal point for teams, the live scrimmages have given teams the chance to see how players respond to coaching and the type of competitive juices they have. One major takeaway from
With the NBA Playoffs in full swing, it’s time to start looking ahead to the NBA Draft. As the NBA Combine approaches and the memories of the NCAA Tournament fade, 60 players with contrasting resumes built all over the world will hope to have their names called and join the NBA. Unlike a year ago when the draft was top-heavy, featuring elite prospects such as Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Joel Embiid, this year lacks the sizzling star power at the
CLEVELAND – All day, Clevelanders were jubilant and optimistic about the season opener at Quicken Loans Arena. After four long years, LeBron James’ return to the Cavs and his home region would take its next step. For many fans, the previous night’s Bulls blowout win was a sign that the Cavs would be able to show up and run the Knicks off the court. With a city in a 50-year championship drought, the Cavs are clearly enabled to end the streak. Championships
It’s draft day, and the Cavaliers are on the clock. The Cavs have made it clear to teams that if they trade the No. 1 pick, they want proper compensation in terms of a lottery pick, or two, and a veteran player capable of helping next season. I am hearing that Philadelphia and Boston are still in the mix. This morning the Orlando Magic pulled the trigger on a deal that sent Aaron Afflalo to the Denver Nuggets for Evan Fournier
It what seems like a never-ending soap opera, the Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly split on Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker. As things stand, I get the sense that the Cavs prefer to trade the top overall pick in Thursday’s draft. And if they do, I expect Joel Embiid to be a very real possibility if the Cavs move down. The significance of LeBron James opting out is that it comes early enough that all teams looking to make a play for him