May 2024 Basketball Wiretap

Potential 2025 Lottery Pick Egor Demin Commits To BYU

May 28, 2024 12:06 PM

Egor Demin has committed to BYU for the 24-25 season.

Demin is a projected lottery pick in 2025 who is currently playing for Real Madrid.

Demin is a 6'9 guard from Russia. 

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Tags: Egor Demin, Brigham Young Cougars, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NCAA Commitment

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Bronny James Receives Over 10 Workout Invites; Suns, Lakers Among Those He'll Accept

May 24, 2024 1:43 PM

Bronny James will work out for the Phoenix Suns ahead of the NBA draft in June.

The Suns own the No. 22 pick in the draft and James is among the players under considerations at that draft slot.

James has received over 10 workout invitations, but is expected to only visit a few teams including the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.

Rich Paul recently went on record that James will not sign a Two-Way deal coming out of the draft.

“Yes, that’s absolutely true,” Paul said when asked about the two-way deal. “Teams know that. I’m not doing that.”

Shams Charania, Doug Haller/The Athletic

Tags: Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Alex Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher Emerge As Probable Top-2 Picks In 2024 NBA Draft

May 22, 2024 2:21 PM

While the top of the 2024 NBA draft remains fluid, there is a growing belief among rival teams that Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher have emerged as the probable top-2 selections in some order by the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards.

"Many around the league expect the Hawks to select Sarr with the top pick, as there are compelling reasons to consider him the best prospect in this class with his elite physical tools, mobility, defensive versatility, finishing ability and potential as a perimeter shooter," writes Jonathan Givony in his post-combine mock draft.

Sarr could fit alongside Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu in the frontcourt as the Hawks are expected to largely remake the rest of their roster. 

The Wizards at No. 2 are expected to select Sarr if he is not selected at No. 1, or Risacher. 

Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo/ESPN

Tags: Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Stephon Castle Moving Up Spurs' Draft Board

May 21, 2024 2:24 PM

The San Antonio Spurs are believed to be high on Stephon Castle of UConn, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

The Spurs own the No. 4 and No. 8 pick in the draft.

Castle is considered a high upside defensive player with good shot creation off the dribble. Castle will need to develop his perimeter shooting to reach his overall potential. 

Kelly Iko/The Athletic

Tags: Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Zach Edey On NBA Future: I'm Going To Stick To Who I Am

May 17, 2024 9:44 AM

Zach Edey knows the current NBA is all about centers who can step out and shoot. Edey thinks he can do that too, but he's more focused on staying true to his game.

“I think it just comes with kind of realizing who I am,” Edey said. “I’m never going to be the wiry seven-foot guy who can — like Kevin Durant, that is never going to be me, guys like that. I’m a 7-foot-4, 300-pound guy. I’m built to be in the paint, to carve out space to protect my area. And that’s what I’m gonna keep doing. I think there’s a lot of people in the NBA that do stuff like that. (Jonas) Valanciunas, (Ivica) Zubac, Steven Adams; guys who had a lot of success in the NBA being those paint presences. I’m going to stick to who I am and I kind of know who I am.”

The Purdue product measured in at nearly 7-foot-4 without shoes at the NBA Draft Combine. He also ended up with a nearly 7-foot-11 wingspan. That size, combined with his skill and timing, made Edey one of college basketball's best shot-blockers last season.

That skill, plus his ability to control the glass, is what Edey plans to bring initially into the NBA.

“A team would be drafting me for who I am,” Edey said. “I think I can get there but right now they’re not drafting me for, like, pick-and-pop shoot 3s. Right now, they’re drafting me to get in the paint, get rebounds, protect the paint. Obviously, you saw in my shooting drills I can shoot. I can do stuff like that if you ask me to.

“But it all just comes down to what the team asks me to do at the end of the day.”

Mike Vorkunov/The Athletic

Tags: Zach Edey, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Jazz Interested In Working Out Bronny James

May 17, 2024 2:18 AM

The Utah Jazz have expressed interest in working out Bronny James, sources told Krysten Peek of Yahoo! Sports.

The team could be interested in selecting James with the 32nd pick in the upcoming draft.

James said earlier in the week that his focus was getting to the league instead of playing with LeBron James. 

Krysten Peek/Yahoo! Sports

Tags: Bronny James, Utah Jazz, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Evan Mobley's Agents Cautioned Cavs Against Drafting Him With Third Pick In 2021

May 16, 2024 1:32 AM

Evan Mobley's representation cautioned the Cleveland Cavaliers from selecting him with the third pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, sources told The Athletic. Mobley is represented by Thaddeus Foucher and Joe Smith of Wasserman.

Mobley's representation were attempting to get him to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Thunder reportedly made several offers to the Cavs for the third pick. 

With Mobley available for an extension this summer, the two sides now have a healthy relationship.

Shams Charania, Joe Vardon, Jason Lloyd/The Athletic

Tags: Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Bronny James Focused On 'Getting To League', Not Playing With Father

May 15, 2024 12:02 PM

Bronny James is more focused about establishing his NBA career than playing with his father LeBron James.

"I would be happy about getting to the league instead of me thinking about playing with my dad," Bronny James said. "That's not my mindset or not at all. I'm just trying to put in the work and see where it takes me from there."

Bronny James didn't grant interviews during his season at USC.

"Bronny was just a nickname that I was just given when I was younger," James said. "But everything that follows my dad, people just try to link me with that and all the greatness that he's achieved. I haven't done anything yet, so I feel like there needs to be that divide between Bronny and LeBron.

"Everyone's heard this before. I just want to have people know my name is Bronny James and not being identified as just LeBron James' son. I feel like that would great."

Jamal Collier/ESPN

Tags: Bronny James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Lottery Prospect Nikola Topic Suffers Sprained Knee

May 14, 2024 8:48 AM

Nikola Topic, a potential top-five pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, suffered a left knee injury on Monday. Topic was injured on a non-contact play after an awkward landing following making a pass. An MRI showed Topic suffered a sprained knee.

Topic is expected to miss the remainder of the ABA Finals due to the injury. Topic is expected to be a full participant in workouts in June, ahead of the draft.

The 6-foot-6 point guard was injured in Game 1 of the Adriatic League finals. Topic had returned to Crvena Zvezda after spending the early part of the season playing for Mega Bemax.

Topic is considered a top-five pick by most draft experts. Some even have him in consideration to go as high as the second pick. The 18-year-old missed four-and-a-half months earlier this season with an injury to same knee he injured on Monday.

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Tags: Nikola Topic, KK Crvena Zvezda, NBA, NBA Injury, NBA NBA Draft, International, NBA Draft General, International Teams, International Injury

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Rockets Offered Nets Their Own Picks Back In Exchange For Suns' Picks

May 13, 2024 5:33 PM

While the Houston Rockets were linked with a trade pursuit of Mikal Bridges back in January, they were also seeking a way to convert some of their future picks into picks that stretch further out into the future.

During that trade discussion, the Rockets offered the Brooklyn Nets their own first round picks back to them in exchange for the picks from the Phoenix Suns.

The Nets declined that scenario as they were pursuing a spot in the playoffs last season.

The Rockets ultimately held onto Brooklyn's pick in the 2024 draft and it moved up in the lottery to No. 3. 

Houston could reach out to other teams with a similar stockpile of picks such as the Utah Jazz or the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Rockets traded James Harden to the Nets in 2021 for unprotected first round picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026, along with pick swaps in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. Brooklyn subsequently traded Kevin Durant to the Suns in 2023 for first round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, as well as a pick swap in 2028.

Jonathan Feigen/Houston Chronicle

Tags: Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Lakers Won't Make Bronny James Top Priority At Draft

Brian Windhorst/ESPN

Grizzlies To Explore Trade Market For No. 9 Pick

Zach Lowe/ESPN

Bronny James Medically Cleared By NBA

Adrian Wojnarowski, Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Rockets Likely To Shop Third Overall Pick

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

2024 NBA Draft Lottery: Hawks Win No. 1; Wizards, Rockets, Spurs In Top-4

RealGM Staff Report

Playing With Bronny No Longer The Priority For LeBron James

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN