NBA Rumors: James Harden, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl, Bruce Brown, Donte DiVincenzo, Lakers, Rockets, more

Reporting on James Harden, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl, Bruce Brown, Donte DiVincenzo, Georges Niang, Jevon Carter, and Trey Lyles, along with the Lakers, Rockets, Hawks, Bulls, Bucks, Timberwolves, Wizards, and more from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

With NBA free agency on the verge of beginning, here’s a look at the latest intel on James Harden, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl, Bruce Brown, Donte DiVincenzo, Georges Niang, Jevon Carter, and Trey Lyles, along with the Lakers, Rockets, Hawks, Bulls, Bucks, Timberwolves, Wizards, and more.

2023 Aggregate NBA Mock Draft: Scoot Henderson leaps Brandon Miller at No. 2; Free Agency News

NBA Mock Draft: Scoot Henderson moves ahead of Brandon Miller for the No. 2 pick. Dereck Lively drawing lottery pick consideration. Plus, free agency reporting from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

With the NBA Draft hours away, HoopsHype has gathered the latest intel around the league and projected where the top prospects currently stand by compiling 10 mock drafts from ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, NBADraft.net, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, Yahoo, SB Nation, and USA TODAY’s For The Win.

HoopsHype gathered thoughts from multiple NBA executives and scouts for their insight on the projected first-round picks for the final edition of the aggregate mock draft.

NOTE: These rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for the overall consensus, not our own opinion. For example, if a player was the first pick on a publication’s mock draft, he received 60 points. If a player was second, he received 59 points, and so on. We then tabulated the total number of points for each player’s consensus ranking. 

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report. 

NBA rumors: Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Khris Middleton, Nikola Vucevic, Rockets, Warriors, Mavs

The latest reporting on free agents Fred VanVleet, Khris Middleton, Nikola Vucevic, Harrison Barnes, Donte DiVincenzo, Grant Williams, and trade talks surrounding OG Anunoby and Jonathan Kuminga from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

With the NBA draft less than a week away, several teams have an eye toward free agency days later.

Below is a look at the latest intel gathered by HoopsHype on Raptors starters Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby, Bucks swingman Khris Middleton, Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, Warriors players Donte DiVincenzo and Jonathan Kuminga, Harrison Barnes, and Grant Williams.

2023 Aggregate NBA Mock Draft: Trade Talks; Dereck Lively, Bilal Coulibaly, Brandin Podziemski rise

HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reports on which teams could trade their picks in a new NBA mock draft. Plus, which players are rising on boards.

Following the NBA draft’s early entry deadline, mock draft boards have shifted, with several players rising, including Dereck Lively, Bilal Coulibaly, and Brandin Podziemski, making major first-round leaps. Julian Phillips, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Ben Sheppard, Jordan Walsh, Emoni Bates, Seth Lundy, and others rose in the second round.

To better project where the top prospects currently stand, we compiled 10 mock drafts from ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, NBADraft.net, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, Yahoo, SB Nation, and USA TODAY’s For The Win.

Then, HoopsHype gathered thoughts from multiple NBA executives and scouts for their insight on the projected first-round picks for the sixth edition of the aggregate mock draft to find the answer.

NOTE: These rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for the overall consensus, not our own opinion. For example, if a player was the first pick on a publication’s mock draft, he received 60 points. If a player was second, he received 59 points, and so on. We then tabulated the total number of points for each player’s consensus ranking. 

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report. 

2023 Aggregate NBA Mock Draft: Brandon Miller climbs to No. 2; Taylor Hendricks rising

HoopsHype’s aggregate NBA mock draft reports which teams may trade their picks and lists rising players, including Brandon Miller, Taylor Hendricks, and more.

Following the NBA Draft Combine, mock draft boards have shifted with the lottery results unveiled and several players rising, including Brandon Miller, Taylor Hendricks, Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Ben Sheppard.

To better project where the top prospects currently stand, we compiled 10 mock drafts from ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, NBADraft.net, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, Yahoo, SB Nation, and USA TODAY’s For The Win.

Then, HoopsHype gathered thoughts from multiple NBA executives and scouts for their insight on the projected first-round picks for the sixth edition of the aggregate mock draft to find the answer.

NOTE: These rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for the overall consensus, not our own opinion. For example, if a player was the first pick on a publication’s mock draft, he received 60 points. If a player was second, he received 59 points, and so on. We then tabulated the total number of points for each player’s consensus ranking. 

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report. 

Bucks rumors: Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez free agency, Mike Budenholzer replacement, Giannis Antetokounmpo extension?

The latest intel on Milwaukee’s coaching search following the firing of Mike Budenholzer, free agency previews for Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, and the chances Giannis Antetokounmpo signs an extension.

HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Bucks beat writer Jim Owczarski share new intel surrounding the coaching search following the firing of Mike Budenholzer, free agency for Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, and the chances Giannis Antetokounmpo signs an extension on the latest HoopsHype podcast episode. 

For more interviews with players, coaches, and media members, be sure to like and subscribe to the HoopsHype podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Listen to the podcast above or check out some snippets of the conversation in a transcribed version below. 

Bucks offseason primer: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, cap casualties, more

The Milwaukee Bucks will have some tough decisions to make after their early playoff exit with the cost of keeping this roster together rising.

The 2023 Milwaukee Bucks may go down as one of the greatest teams in modern history to be eliminated in the first round as their season came to a shocking end to the No. 8 seed Heat in five games. A back injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo gave Miami an opening to steal two games and the Bucks couldn’t recover from it. They now head into the summer with the burden of wasting a season from their title window.

The Bucks were already heading toward an inflection point with the cost of keeping the core together set to rise significantly. Ownership has already gone deep into the tax for this team, but it’s unclear where exactly they might draw the line. Could there be cap casualties earlier than expected after getting eliminated from the playoffs prematurely?

Here is a preview of the 2023 offseason for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Jae Crowder’s journey from Suns trade request and Nets detour to Bucks: ‘I’d do it all over again’

Bucks forward Jae Crowder discussed what happened with the Suns, why he didn’t want to play for the Nets and free agency with Michael Scotto

After several trade talks that fell through since the summer and leading up to the trade deadline, Bucks forward Jae Crowder has been all smiles since arriving in Milwaukee months later than he expected.

Despite trade interest from the Hawks, Wizards, Heat, Cavaliers, Mavericks, and other teams for several months – including a brief detour with the Nets as part of the Kevin Durant trade – Crowder kept his eye on one destination throughout, Milwaukee.

While Crowder waited for the Phoenix Suns to trade him, he worked with a trainer and a masseuse while working out twice daily. Crowder didn’t play any five-on-five and focused on individual work and body maintenance to be ready when he got the call.

Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

After former Suns forward Cam Johnson suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee in early November, some around the league wondered if there could be a pathway to reconciliation for Crowder and the Suns. Despite Johnson’s lengthy injury, the Suns never discussed bringing Crowder back into the fold, nor did he express interest in a return, league sources told HoopsHype.

“Nah, there wasn’t a chance I was going to play there,” Crowder told HoopsHype. “Both sides knew that the road had come to an end. That came to an end way before Cam got hurt. I wasn’t going back on it, and they weren’t going back on it.”

[afflinkbutton text=”Jae Crowder Bucks jersey” link=”https://fanatics.93n6tx.net/9WbJm5″]

As noted above, Atlanta was one of the teams trying to acquire Crowder. The Hawks, Rockets, and Suns had exploratory discussions on a three-team trade. In that scenario, John Collins would’ve landed with the Rockets, Eric Gordon and KJ Martin with the Suns, and Crowder and Landry Shamet with the Hawks, but nothing of substance materialized, league sources told HoopsHype. Atlanta also tried to acquire Crowder in three-team trade talks with Utah and Phoenix centered around Collins going to Utah, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley going to Phoenix, and Crowder and Shamet going to Atlanta. Among the reasons this scenario didn’t materialize was a disagreement in draft pick compensation that would’ve gone to Utah in the talks.

The Wizards and Suns had trade talks centered around Rui Hachimura for Crowder, but Washington pulled out of the Crowder sweepstakes and sent Hachimura to the Lakers instead.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Bucks tried to acquire Crowder through several other trade scenarios before finally landing him. One included a three-team trade where Crowder would’ve landed in Milwaukee, Grayson Allen in Charlotte with draft pick compensation, and Jalen McDaniels and salary filler in Phoenix. Charlotte was angling for a first-round pick in this scenario but couldn’t secure one in the trade talks, league sources told HoopsHype.

On Tuesday, Crowder faced the Nets for the first time since Brooklyn rerouted him to the Bucks before the trade deadline. Following Milwaukee’s win at Barclays Center, Crowder was asked if he ever thought he’d remain with Brooklyn past the trade deadline.

“Honestly, I think this situation was so far along in the negotiation talks that I was destined to be here,” Crowder told HoopsHype. “I was trying to get here. That’s what it was. It had nothing to do with their organization or team. I just felt like I was so far along in the negotiation period that I was talking to these guys (Bucks) for months. I wanted this situation to go down because I knew my role, and I didn’t want to go to a different situation without a role.”

Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

Since joining Milwaukee, Crowder has been openly embraced by his teammates and coach Mike Budenholzer. After missing the first 60 games of the season, continuing to learn Milwaukee’s full playbook, and being on a minutes restriction, the Bucks are asking Crowder to bring defense and be a locker room leader comparable to PJ Tucker.

The Bucks are 4-0 with Crowder in the lineup since the trade deadline and extended their winning streak to 16 games with a win over Orlando on Wednesday. Given Crowder’s role and journey to get to Milwaukee this season, could he remain a Buck long-term when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer? Crowder hinted at the possibility.

“I think this team has what it takes to win a championship,” Crowder told HoopsHype. “That’s my main goal right now. I think once you win a championship, the rest of that stuff will take care of itself. My main goal, honestly, is not thinking about free agency or the summer. It’s all about winning the championship. I think that’s our locker room goal, and when I came into it, I knew that was the goal of the team.”

After several months of being in limbo with his free agency value and future hanging in the balance before finally beginning to settle in with Milwaukee, HoopsHype asked if he would’ve done anything different throughout his trade request and experience since the summer.

“I’d do it all over again,” Crowder replied.

You can follow Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) on Twitter.

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Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard: “I like to compare my game to Jrue Holiday”

Pacers rookie Andrew Nembhard explains why he’s a draft-night steal, compared to Jrue Holiday, and more with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard ranks second among all rookies in assists (4.2) and demonstrated his playmaking skills with a fancy behind-the-back pass during the Rising Stars Game.

Throughout the season, Nembhard has earned the trust of Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who praised him as a draft-night steal earlier this season. “I’ve been saying when HoopsHype does their redraft of the 2022 class, he’ll be a Top 15 pick,” Carlisle said. “I’m elevating that to Top 10. He really is a special player.”

After playing in the Rising Stars Game and attending a Panini America trading cards event at the Panini Prizm Lounge in Salt Lake City during NBA All-Star Weekend, Nembhard spoke with HoopsHype about his rookie season, the Pacers defying taking odds, the future of the Pacers and Canadian basketball, and more.

NBA Intel: Kevin Durant, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, OG Anunoby, Knicks, Raptors, Grizzlies

Reporting on trade talks for Kevin Durant, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, OG Anunoby, Knicks, Raptors, and more from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto

Kevin Durant shifted the landscape of the NBA literally and figuratively when the Brooklyn Nets sent the All-Star forward and TJ Warren West to the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster trade for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round picks, and a 2028 pick swap.

Wednesday night also included Kyrie Irving’s Dallas debut, D’Angelo Russell, Russell Westbrook, Mike Conley, Josh Hart, Jakob Poeltl, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt all getting traded.

With hours left before the trade deadline buzzer, you’ll find all the latest intel gathered by HoopsHype.