Tag: 2020 NBA Draft

Houston’s Nate Hinton has interviewed with Celtics; Smart-like defender

Houston guard Nate Hinton has interviewed with the Boston Celtics ahead of the 2020 NBA draft — and he gets why people compare him to Marcus Smart.

Houston Cougars guard Nate Hinton has interviewed with the Boston Celtics remotely as part of the pre-draft process, and there’s loads of reasons why Boston might be interested in the 6-foot-5 guard who rebounds like a big and defends like Marcus Smart.

While Hinton has the odds against him being taken by the Celtics, his late second-round projections in most mock drafts would put him in line with Boston’s selection in that round, slotted in at No. 47.

Hinton is a smart, high-motor prospect who prides himself on his defense and disrupts plays in the way Smart does for Boston, and he is very aware of the justifiable comparisons.

Speaking with Heavy.com’s Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Hinton addressed those comps in a recent interview.

“Honestly, I play like a dog out there, man; I don’t think you can put a label on who I play like,” he began.

“I play like Marcus Smart because of how he plays with his aggression, he’s all over the place and the mindset of Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Herrell; guys like that. It’s not the fact that I play like them but, it’s the mentality that I take on with guys like that. So it’s a little bit of Avery Bradley and it’s just guys that take pride in guarding and I think that outside of their size, they have the knack and pride, that I’m going to stop you and I’m going to get my team stops and energize my team.”

“I think that’s where the comparisons can come from,” added Hinton.

Hinton pulled down an absurd 8.7 rebounds per game with Houston in 2019-20 to go with his 10.6 point, 2 assists and steal per game, while hitting 38.7% from beyond the arc on 3.8 attempts per game.

An archetypical 3-and-D prospect with the motor and conscientiousness on defense that have become a hallmark of the Celtics under Smart’s tenure would make sense as a late selection by Boston.

And with draft day here, we won’t have long to find out where he ends up.

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NBA scouts question LaMelo Ball’s ‘weird release,’ maturity ahead of 2020 NBA Draft

In the final days and hours before the 2020 NBA Draft, the final questions about LaMelo Ball include his maturity and shot release.

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With the NBA Draft now just hours away, the final questions about LaMelo Ball and the rest of the prospects will, at least temporarily, fall to the wayside as teams make their decisions. The questions about Ball, specifically, have varied to wild degrees ahead of the draft.

Bleacher Report published one of the final articles with scout’s questions of Ball, both positive and negative. As is always the case, the negative questions carry more focus and attention.

Some of them don’t carry much weight, like the ones questioning his maturity.

“He’s every bit of a teenager; there is no maturity about him. His actions are age-appropriate, but I need a top-five pick to act the part of a franchise player.”

“Having a sense of entitlement is the worst thing for young players. Can he be humble?”

Many of those concerns are generic, cliche and unfounded, as is the case with this one. Outside of being a 19-year old, Ball’s maturity questions aren’t any more glaring than any other teenager in the draft.

One of the fairer concerns had to do with Ball’s shot release, which one scout described as “weird.” It may not be as bad as Lonzo’s but still is not pretty or orthodox. He did little to answer any of those questions about his shot with his 25% three-point percentage last season at Illawarra on nearly seven attempts per game.

Likewise, another fair critique was about his defense.

“Can he embrace being the best defender he can be? Can’t save yourself for offense like he did in Australia.”

Ball was given so many offensive duties with the Hawks that he did take many defensive possessions off. Will that change in the NBA? Ball will certainly have the size and length to be a plus defender in the league.

On the positive side, teams looked at Ball’s offensive game and saw plenty to like.

“He’s so dynamic as a playmaker. Spacing will be his best friend.”

“Unbelievable offensive feel. Very confident player.”

“Most talented player in the draft. I feel as good about his future as anyone else in this class.”

One of the bigger points is the first one discussed. With Illawarra, Ball had no three-point threats on his team. The team’s best three-point threat, Tim Coenraad, shot just 37.4% from three. At the same time, he didn’t have a roll threat that created gravity either. At the NBA level, he’ll likely have both of those.

In the end, small blurbs from anonymous scouts likely carry very little weight, especially considering the amount of scouts teams have and the amount of scouting teams do ahead of the draft. But it’s a small peak behind the curtain as to how teams may be looking at Ball ahead of the draft.

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Knicks acquire No. 23 pick in NBA draft after trade with Jazz

New York will now have the Nos. 8 and Nos. 23 picks in the NBA draft following the trade with the Jazz.

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With less than 12 hours to go until the NBA draft, the New York Knicks have reportedly acquired the No. 23 overall pick from the Utah Jazz, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Knicks will send the Nos. 27 and 38 picks to the Jazz in the trade.

New York will now have the Nos. 8 and Nos. 23 picks in the NBA draft following the trade. The organization could have opted to make the deal in order to take a player they believe won’t be available to them with the 27th overall pick.

The front office has also been rumored into wanting to trade up so the trade could help create a more attractive package to potentially move up from the eighth overall pick. However, it remains to be seen how the 23rd pick is viewed compared to the 27th pick.

Regardless of the Knicks’ intentions, the reported trade is the first in a likely flurry of moves to be executed throughout the day. The day of the NBA draft is often seen as the opening of trade season and several players and picks could be on the move.

The NBA draft is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.

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Former Illawarra coach Matt Flinn calls LaMelo Ball a ‘quintessential gym rat’

Former Illawarra coach Matt Flinn continued to shut down narratives of LaMelo Ball’s work ethic by calling him a gym rat in a recent interview.

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In the weeks and months leading up to the 2020 NBA Draft, questions arose of LaMelo Ball’s maturity levels, work ethic and how seriously he took the game. With no facts to back it up, the claims were largely baseless and went against many of the reports from teammates and coaches in Illawarra.

Ball’s former head coach with the Hawks, Matt Flinn, has been one of his most ardent defenders. During and even after Ball’s half-season in Australia, Flinn consistently complimented Ball’s work ethic and focus and did so once more recently in a profile on Ball for USA Today by Josh Peter and Jeff Zillgitt.

“He is a quintessential gym rat. He’s got an amazing skill set. He works in tight spaces. He’s a great ball handler. He’s ambidextrous when he passes the basketball. But he hadn’t been coached a lot in terms of that real professional team environment.

“When I look back on his journey with us, that’s a proud one because we sort of helped him establish to other people that he can exist in a professional environment.’’

From nearly the minute he stepped onto the court during the preseason in Wollongong, Flinn defended Ball. He called Ball’s love for basketball “infectious,” talked about how hard he practiced and said Ball “sleeps, drink basketball.”  Even after Ball left Illawarra and Flinn was relieved as head coach, the compliments still came, showing hard strong an impression Ball left on Flinn.

All of Flinn’s comments mirror those of teammate Aaron Brooks. The former NBA guard spent a handful of games alongside Ball with the Hawks before suffering a season-ending injury. Brooks came into the season expecting Ball to be the prima donna his reputation portrays him as but was blown away by Ball’s commitment to the game as well.

“What surprised me is he was just like a real cool kid. I would have never known he had that many followers (on social media) unless we went out because he was just one of the guys. He had a roommate just like everybody else. He traveled with the team like everybody else. He was just one of the regular guys. When I said we needed to go get some extra work in, he was ready to go get some extra work in. When we had extra running to do, he did extra running. At 18, when I say there’s guy that got drafted in Houston and they were rookies and they were 21 and had less accolades than him and were bigger assholes, for him to be the way he was was surprising to me. Just a good kid, man.”

If Ball is not picked No. 1 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, it should be due to his on-court skillset and not any off-court concerns. Any concerns about his work ethic and maturity have long been put to bed by those that have spent time on a team around him.

LaMelo Ball says he would be a ‘great fit’ next to Lonzo Ball on New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans are in a position to possibly trade up for LaMelo Ball and the potential top pick thinks he’d be a great fit with his brother.

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Following Monday’s trade of Jrue Holiday, the New Orleans Pelicans find themselves with a host of draft picks and assets that could make virtually any trade desired achievable. Paired with previous reports that the Pelicans have a desire to trade up in the draft and a host of high-profile moves become possible.

Naturally, given that the team currently rosters his older brother Lonzo, LaMelo Ball will be a name thrown around for any team looking to trade up. Despite netting Eric Bledsoe and George Hill in the Holiday trade, the Pelicans could still desire a long-term solution in the backcourt and there may be no better option to pair with Lonzo than LaMelo.

If the Pelicans were to make a move for him, LaMelo already knows that he and Lonzo would thrive together.

“It’d be a great fit,” Ball said over Zoom in his predraft interview on Monday. “I’ve played with Zo almost my whole life. He knows me, I know him. Obviously, I feel the fit would be perfect.”

On paper, LaMelo and Lonzo complement each other well, not surprisingly. LaMelo’s deficiencies on the defensive end can be masked by Lonzo’s above average defense. Likewise, Lonzo’s struggles as a half-court creator on the offensive end can be masked by LaMelo’s playmaking.

There would be many, many hurdles the Pelicans would have to overcome to be in a position to draft LaMelo. Even if the team wouldn’t need to trade up to the No. 1 pick if the Timberwolves take Anthony Edwards, they would almost certainly need to work out a trade with the Warriors at the No. 2 spot.

The Holiday trade gave them some interesting pieces to potentially move on this summer in Eric Bledsoe and George Hill. Both are experienced lead guards that will be coveted by contenders. Some combination of their current draft picks and one of those guards could be enough to move up to the second spot.

If the Pelicans are able to pair the Ball brothers in New Orleans, it would surely create one of the more intriguing and exciting backcourts in some time.

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LaMelo Ball: A prospect ‘born’ to be the No. 1 draft pick in the 2020 NBA Draft

LaMelo Ball is as fascinating a prospect that has come along in the 2020 NBA Draft, leading him to believe he’s ‘born’ to be the No. 1 pick.

There is an inherent pressure that comes along with being mentioned as the potential No. 1 pick in any year’s NBA draft. Some prospects crumble under that pressure (Anthony Bennett) and some flourish in the spotlight (LeBron James).

For LaMelo Ball, there is no pressure.

A remarkably calm Ball sat in front of a computer screen on Tuesday afternoon a little more than 24 hours before the 2020 NBA Draft, a draft that he may very well be the first name called on the night. And yet, he looked as calm as ever.

“I’m not going to lie, it feels like another day right now because I’m doing my same stuff,” Ball said. “I’m looking forward to it. I’ve definitely been working for it but I know there’s way more after that so I’m looking forward to that, too.”

It’s a remarkably enlightened response from someone who has had his maturity questioned multiple times over in the lead up to this draft. But even if the week of the draft has had muted luster and fanfare like much of everything across the globe due to COVID-19, all of this has become commonplace for Ball.

From the moment an undersized, underaged Ball skipped eighth grade to play with his brothers to win a state title, Ball was thrown into the limelight. In the five years since he suited up for Chino Hills, Ball has faced every bit of questioning, scrutiny, insults and compliments.

It’s likely led to his reserved demeanor publicly. His father has spoken for him and his brothers in the past but LaVar’s sons are distancing themselves from their father. When asked about LaVar’s role in the predraft process, LaMelo gave a revealing response about the backseat his father has been forced into.

“I mean, that’s my pops so he’s always going to be involved,” Ball said. “But pretty much just me, (manager Jermaine Jackson) and the team getting to it.”

Even if his father isn’t as involved now or as much as he was with Lonzo, LaMelo also credited him for getting him to where he is today.

“I mean he raised me, taught me the game pretty much and everything I knew since I was little,” Ball said. “I appreciate all that.”

His upbringing has been as unorthodox as they come, particularly his post-Chino Hills days, but it also still made him the cool-eyed kid with a huge following. The questions never rattled Ball, who spent 15 minutes on Tuesday fielding all sorts of questions with hardly an expression change.

“I just feel I am the right man for it,” Ball said of being the No. 1 pick. “Like I said, I feel like I am born for this whole thing going on.”

Ball noted he’s focused on enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime process. He confirmed that the Pistons, Hornets and Warriors were the only teams he worked out for and that he also spoke with the Knicks. The Timberwolves, owners of the No. 1 pick, remain the only franchise he’s met with twice.

He’s spent much of the pre-draft process, and much of the year, in Detroit working daily with manager Jermaine Jackson. He remained open to any role he may have next season and will do “whatever the coach ask me to do.”

Nothing about Ball screams immature or overwhelmed. He’s as reserved and concise in his answers as he is creative and free-flowing on the court. He looked eager to finish the interview and return to the court where he spends the vast majority of his days alongside Jackson.

His long days in the gym are the most normal thing about Ball. He’s a unique prospect with a unique upbringing that is uniquely qualified to handle the pressure and scrutiny of being the No. 1 pick on Wednesday night.

“I don’t look at anything like that as pressure,” he said. “Like I said, it’s just basketball. Being the No. 1 pick definitely holds a lot but I feel like I was born for it.”

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Breaking down the Golden State Warriors’ future draft picks

Before the Warriors make the No. 2 overall selection in the 2020 NBA draft on Wednesday night, here is a look at Golden State’s future draft capital.

Following the opening of the trade and transaction window for the 2020 season, teams around the league have been active. In just a matter of days, Chris Paul, Jrue Holiday, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Robert Covington have reportedly been involved in trades.

To help secure impact players for a deep playoff run, teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns have included significant draft compensation in trades.

Although the Golden State Warriors are slated to be on the clock with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Bob Myers and Steve Kerr could opt to trade the selection for an established veteran. With Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on the roster, Golden State’s fastest route back to the playoffs could be through trades instead of the draft.

If there is a player available Golden State is interested in, Myers and Kerr should have the draft capital to seal the deal. Along with a top pick in the 2020 draft, the Warriors own a pair of first-rounders in the 2021 draft and a bevy of future second-round picks.

Before the Warriors attempt to throw their hat in the trade market, here’s a look at Golden State’s future draft picks left on the books.

Tyrell Terry among prospects to work out with Nets ahead of 2020 NBA draft

Not only has Tyrell Terry met with the Nets over Zoom, but the Stanford guard has also worked out for Brooklyn.

Tyrell Terry became the third 2020 NBA draft prospect to confirm he has worked out for the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the big event on Wednesday — fellow guards RJ Hampton and Theo Maledon being the other two.

Among those in attendance for the Stanford guard’s workout was Nets general manager Sean Marks.

“I was able to put myself through my own workout that me and my trainer usually do, and they kind of just came and watched,” Terry said on Zoom call with media Tuesday. “That went well and then I had dinner with them, as well, to kinda catch up [and] get to know them a little bit better.”

Terry is also the first 2020 draft prospect to reveal he spoke with the Nets a second time over Zoom, in addition to the workout session.

“I think my meeting with them and both my Zoom interviews went really well with them,” he said. “I think I was able to leave a good impression on them from my meeting and my Zoom interviews.”

Whatever his role winds up being in Brooklyn, Terry thinks he’ll fit in well with the Nets.

“And I think my fit with them, there are rumors that they’re trying to do some big roster moves,” the Stanford guard said. “So I think for me, just going in there and doing what I do is the biggest thing that I can do. Whether that’s gonna be learning from veterans or maybe even [making] a contribution right away, But I think for me, going into that roster, I just need to go and do what I do right away.”

Brooklyn has also spoken to:

  • Maryland big man Jalen Smith
  • TCU sharpshooter Desmond Bane
  • Memphis forward Precious Achiuwa
  • Kentucky guard Immanuel Quickley
  • New Zealand Breakers guard RJ Hampton
  • SE Melbourne wing Terry Armstrong
  • ASVEL guard Theo Maledon
  • Prep-to-pro prospect Josh Hall
  • Prep-to-pro prospect Karim Mane
  • Arizona guard Nico Mannion
  • Arizona big man Zeke Nnaji
  • Washington big man Isaiah Stewart
  • Washington forward Jaden McDaniels
  • Arizona wing Josh McDaniels
  • Duke big man Vernon Carey

USA TODAY SMG’s Ky Carlin contributed to this story.

Report: Rockets still aiming to buy mid-tier pick in 2020 NBA draft

Houston wants to buy an additional pick in either the late first or early second round of Wednesday’s draft, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

After acquiring the No. 16 overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA draft via the Robert Covington-Trevor Ariza trade, the Houston Rockets now hope acquire a second draft choice by buying one.

Per Tim MacMahon of ESPN, the Rockets are hoping to buy a pick either late in the first round or early in the second round.

“Houston wants to continue stockpiling assets after getting two firsts from Portland in the Robert Covington trade,” MacMahon tweets.

Unless they trade away the No. 16 choice in a subsequent deal, it appears that Houston will be making a first-round selection for the first time since taking Sam Dekker in 2015. And it seems that they’re hopeful of perhaps being able to purchase a second one, according to MacMahon.

Each NBA team has a limited amount of cash that it can use to facilitate trades in a given league year. (This year, it’s ~$5.6 million per team.) Other than a small amount held up in escrow as part of the Russell Westbrook trade, the Rockets have the vast majority of that total still available for 2019-20, if owner Tilman Fertitta is willing to spend it. The 2019-20 league year does not conclude until after the 2020 draft.

In June 2018, Fertitta did authorize a $1.5-million payment for the No. 52 pick from Utah, which Houston used to select Vincent Edwards.

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Before Daryl Morey’s departure, he had said there was a “reasonable chance” of the Rockets buying a draft pick, which seemed to signal that Fertitta had authorized spending that cash. As such, new GM Rafael Stone would likely have the same latitude to strike a deal.

With many NBA owners losing money due to COVID-19, it’s believed that more picks could be up for sale in the 2020 draft, relative to most years, and perhaps higher in the overall order. Wednesday’s draft is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. Central, with a national broadcast on ESPN.

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Rumor: Isaiah Joe has received NBA draft promise from 76ers

The Sixers have been linked to the former Arkansas guard and could look to target him in the NBA draft on Wednesday.

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Isaiah Joe enters the NBA draft on Wednesday projected to be a second-round pick but the former Arkansas guard could go as early as the first round, according to one recent rumor.

Joe may have received a draft promise from the Philadelphia 76ers with the 21st overall pick or the 34th overall pick, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. The speculation is that the promise likely would be with the 34th pick since that falls more in his projected range.

The 21-year-old averaged 16.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 26 games played last season as a sophomore. He has emerged as a strong shooting option after converting on 41.4% from beyond the arc as a freshman and 34.2% last season.

The Sixers have previously been linked to Joe during the pre-draft process and it is also conceivable the team targets him with the 36th overall pick, as well. The front office has reached out several times to Joe so they appear to be very high on his ability this year.

The NBA draft is scheduled to begin Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.

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