Category: Pacers

NBA executives poll: Who are the top breakout candidates for the 2022-23 season?

NBA executives predict who will be the top breakout players of the 2022-23 season in a poll by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

Which players will make the top leaps in their games this year?

HoopsHype polled 20 NBA executives to gauge who will be the top breakout candidates this season. Each executive was asked to list his Top 3 candidates for a breakout campaign.

Most of the talent evaluators prioritized young players who will see an increased role. Others selected younger players who could become All-Stars for the first time.

After receiving the feedback from the executives, the voting results were tabulated, with the top player receiving five points, the second receiving three points, and the third receiving one point for each ballot. Below are the results.

Pacers season preview: A rare tanking year for Indiana

Throughout most of Indiana’s recent history, they have ranged from a solid to a strong playoff team. Before getting the sixth overall selection in this year’s draft, the highest draft pick they’ve had in the last 30 years was the 10th overall in the …

Throughout most of Indiana’s recent history, they have ranged from a solid to a strong playoff team. Before getting the sixth overall selection in this year’s draft, the highest draft pick they’ve had in the last 30 years was the 10th overall in the 2010 draft. They are now projected to have one of their worst teams in franchise history after pivoting to a full rebuild, and that’s before potentially trading some of their top remaining rotation players.

Below is a preview of the upcoming 2022-23 Pacers season.

NBA execs poll: Luka Doncic top player to build around; Evan Mobley, Anthony Edwards Top 5

NBA executives share which players under 25 they’d build around in a HoopsHype poll conducted by Michael Scotto.

In January of 2022, HoopsHype polled 15 NBA executives and asked them to rank their top five players under 25 years old by the start of the NBA season to build around. We have repeated the exercise ahead of the 2022-23 season.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic was the unanimous first choice among the NBA executives polled, while Evan Mobley and Anthony Edwards were two of the top risers.

Four new players earned votes while three players fell in the ranking.

In our scoring system, the top player received five points, the second received four points, the third received three points, the fourth received two points, and the fifth player received one point for each ballot.

The results of the poll are listed below.

NBA Rumors: Donovan Mitchell, Russell Westbrook, Myles Turner, Houston Rockets

The latest updates on trade talks surrounding Donovan Mitchell, Russell Westbrook, Myles Turner, and more from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

With the dog days of August upon us, NBA executives and several free agents are awaiting a blockbuster trade domino to fall with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell, and Russell Westbrook as potential candidates to be moved.

Several notable names remain on the free agent market, including Collin Sexton, Montrezl Harrell, Dennis Schroeder, Carmelo Anthony, LaMarcus Aldridge, Jordan Nwora, DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, Blake Griffin, Tristan Thompson, and Lou Williams, per our HoopsHype free agent rankings.

As those free agents wait for a blockbuster trade to open up potential roster spots, here’s the latest HoopsHype intel report on trade talks between the Knicks and Jazz for Mitchell, Westbrook’s future with the Lakers, Turner’s future with the Pacers, and several updates on the Houston Rockets.

NBA rumors: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trade talks; Deandre Ayton free agency

HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reports the latest information on trade talks for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Deandre Ayton’s free agency.

LAS VEGAS – There are three consistent questions asked along the concourse between the Thomas and Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas when bumping into NBA personnel since the start of NBA Summer League: 

“Where is Kevin Durant going?” 

“What’s going on with Kyrie Irving?” 

“What are you hearing about Deandre Ayton?” 

Below is the latest intel gathered by HoopsHype on trade talks surrounding Durant and Irving and the free agency of Ayton. 

Trades that make a lot of sense: Kyrie Irving to the Lakers and more

With free agency just three days away, HoopsHype’s salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan came up with several trades he’d like to share.

With free agency just three days away, HoopsHype’s salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan came up with several trades he’d like to share.

Aggregate NBA mock draft 7.0: Ousmane Dieng moves into lottery, Jalen Williams top 20; trade talks

The NBA Draft is less than a week away, with more potential big trades on the horizon following the Christian Wood acquisition by the Dallas Mavericks, as noted throughout our new HoopsHype aggregate mock draft. To get a better projection of where …

The NBA Draft is less than a week away, with more potential big trades on the horizon following the Christian Wood acquisition by the Dallas Mavericks, as noted throughout our new HoopsHype aggregate mock draft.

To get a better projection of where all of the projected top prospects stand currently, we compiled mock drafts from ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, Sports Illustrated, NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, SB Nation, Yahoo, Basketball News, and USA TODAY’s For The Win.

The most notable risers within the projected lottery selections included Dyson Daniels moving up further within the top 10 picks, Ousmane Dieng becoming a projected lottery pick, and Jalen Williams vaulting into the Top 20 range. Jake LaRavia and Dalen Terry, two of the biggest risers throughout the draft process, have moved into the late first round.

Other risers in the second round include Ryan Rollins, Andrew Nembhard, David Roddy, John Butler, Michael Foster, Gabriele Procida, and Dereon Seabron.

The notable name that fell was MarJon Beauchamp, who now is projected outside the top 20 picks despite receiving a green room invite. Josh Minott and Jean Montero were among those whose stock fell in the second round.

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 58 points. If a player was second, he received 57 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

Aggregate NBA mock draft 6.0: Dyson Daniels moves into top 10; Christian Wood trade rumors

Following the withdrawals of several prospects, the aggregate NBA mock draft has shifted noticeably, and more intel on teams have surfaced with the draft nearing. To get a better projection of where all of the projected top prospects stand …

Following the withdrawals of several prospects, the aggregate NBA mock draft has shifted noticeably, and more intel on teams have surfaced with the draft nearing.

To get a better projection of where all of the projected top prospects stand currently, we compiled mock drafts from ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, Sports Illustrated, NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, SB Nation, Yahoo, Basketball News, and USA TODAY’s For The Win.

The most notable risers within the projected lottery selections included Keegan Murray leaping Shaedon Sharpe into the top five range, Dyson Daniels entering the top 10, and Malaki Branham cracking the end of the lottery. Dalen Terry also vaulted 12 spots since our last aggregate mock draft and is currently positioned as an early second-round pick.

Some of the more notable names that fell slightly included TyTy Washington, Max Christie and Leonard Miller.

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 58 points. If a player was second, he received 57 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

Aggregate NBA mock draft 5.0: Jabari Smith leaps Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero; trade possibilities

Following the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery, NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype said they are monitoring the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers as two potential teams that could trade their picks in search of player(s) that can help …

Following the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery, NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype said they are monitoring the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers as two potential teams that could trade their picks in search of player(s) that can help immediately. Sacramento has missed the playoffs for a record 16 consecutive seasons. Portland’s franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard turns 32 on July 15, with the clock ticking on his prime years.

Other executives are monitoring Oklahoma City, Charlotte, San Antonio, and Minnesota as potential traders. The Thunder has four picks in the top 34 and can consolidate some of those picks. The Hornets can afford to move one of their first-round picks (13 and 15). The Grizzlies have an established young core ready to take the next step with picks 22 and 29 to dangle as bait. The Spurs (picks 9, 20, 25 and 38) have a surplus of late first-rounders that should be available. The Timberwolves have the No. 19 pick and three picks in the 40-50 range to dangle.

The consensus big three of this year’s draft class remains Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero, with Shaedon Sharpe rising into the top five in the latest aggregate mock draft.

To get a better projection of where all of the projected top prospects stand currently, we compiled mock drafts from ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, Sports Illustrated, NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, SB Nation, Yahoo, Basketball News, and USA TODAY’s For The Win.

Sharpe (Kentucky), Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite), Mark Williams (Duke), Ousmane Dieng (New Zealand NBL), Blake Wesley (Notre Dame), EJ Liddell (Ohio State), Nikola Jovic (Mega Basket Serbia), Walker Kessler (Auburn), Leonard Miller (Fort Erie International Academy), Max Christie (Michigan State), Terquavion Smith (NC State), Jalen Williams (Santa Clara), Jake LaRavia (Wake Forest), Caleb Houston (Michigan), Dalen Terry (Arizona) and Ryan Rollins (Toledo) have all risen within the top 45 picks.

Within the top 10 picks, AJ Griffin (Duke), Johnny Davis (Wisconsin) and Jalen Duran (Memphis) all fell slightly. Ochai Agbaji (Kansas) fell slightly outside the lottery. Kendall Brown (Baylor) had the biggest fall of the projected first-round prospects.

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 58 points. If a player was second, he received 57 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

Pacers rumors: Myles Turner, Malcolm Brogdon, Buddy Hield, Lance Stephenson, Ricky Rubio

https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/3vfm3hoyKOTQ9S6w4LAZDF HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and Pacers beat writer Scott Agness for Fieldhouse Files discuss the futures of Myles Turner, Malcolm Brogdon, Lance Stephenson, and others. Plus, the duo …

HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and Pacers beat writer Scott Agness for Fieldhouse Files discuss the futures of Myles Turner, Malcolm Brogdon, Lance Stephenson, and others. Plus, the duo previews Indiana’s draft and free agency plans and more on the latest edition of the HoopsHype podcast.

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.