Tag: 2024 NBA Draft

Celtics take two big man and a guard in latest Bleacher Report 2024 mock draft

The Celtics would have been picking at Nos. 48, 41, and 30 based on their record at the time.

It is still far too soon for most basketball fans to start thinking about what players the Boston Celtics (or whatever team they follow) will want to take in the NBA’s 2024 draft. But for NBA draft experts like Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, it’s been time to dial in on such questions for months now. And Wasserman has a trio of potential targets for the Celtics in mind.

The Celtics would have been picking at Nos. 48, 41, and 30 based on their record at the time that the Bleacher Report draft expert made his latest mock draft for the big day this summer.

Let’s see who he has in mind for Boston to select.

Projected lottery pick Ron Holland to remain with Ignite after season-ending injury

G League Ignite forward Ron Holland will miss the remainder of the season due to an injury.

G League Ignite forward Ron Holland told Marc J. Spears of Andscape on Saturday that he will miss the remainder of the season due to a right thumb injury.

Holland sustained the injury on Jan. 31 in a win over the Iowa Wolves. He has missed the past five games and was ruled out of participating in the NBA Rising Stars game on Friday. The Ignite have 13 games left to play and conclude their schedule on March 28.

The 19-year-old is expected to make a full recovery from the injury in time to go through the pre-draft process. He plans to finish the season with the Ignite as an injured player.

Holland averaged 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.4 steals on 45.5% shooting from the field in 29 games. He leads the Ignite in scoring and registered four 30-point games, including a career-high 32 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and six steals on Dec. 1.

The 6-foot-4 forward is projected to be a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA draft, given his potential and overall skill set. He looked to be settling in with the Ignite prior to the injury, resulting in some strong performances over the past month.

Holland will have the opportunity to improve his draft stock by interviewing and working out with teams after the conclusion of the season. He is one of seven draft-eligible prospects this year on the Ignite.

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Two Blue Devils go first round in Bleacher Report’s latest NBA mock draft

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman released a post-trade deadline NBA mock draft earlier this week and two Duke stars went in the first round.

With the NBA trade deadline now in the rearview mirror, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman released an updated 2024 NBA mock draft earlier this week, and his forecast featured two Blue Devils taken in the first round.

Kyle Filipowski heard his name called first as the ninth overall pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 7-footer made 44.1% of his attempts last year and 28.2% of his 3-pointers, but he’s improved those respective averages to 49.8% and 34.5% this season. His improved efficiency should catch the eyes of NBA scouts, Wasserman wrote.

Freshman Jared McCain, who recently topped On3’s freshman power rankings with his play this season, went 27th overall to the Utah Jazz. The first-year guard is shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc and averaging 5.0 rebounds per game this season, an alluring combination of precision and effort.

“NBA teams will eye him for a combo-guard shot-making role that gives him some secondary freedom to handle and make plays,” Wasserman wrote about McCain.

A third teammate went in the second round of Wasserman’s extended projections, with the Miami Heat snagging sophomore Tyrese Proctor with the 45th pick. The Australian has struggled from long-range over the past few games, but he’s still averaging 10.0 points and 3.5 assists per game. As a 6-foot-5 guard with defensive potential, he’ll easily draw interest.

Trade grades: Examining what the OKC Thunder did during 2024 deadline

Trade grades: Examining what the OKC Thunder did during 2024 deadline.

The 2024 NBA trade deadline has passed, and the Oklahoma City Thunder made a pair of moves.

The Thunder bolstered their wing depth with the addition of veteran Gordon Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets. In exchange, OKC sent Tre Mann, Davis Bertans, Vasilije Micic and two second-round picks.

The other deal the Thunder made was more about improving the quality of their draft assets without sacrificing the quantity. They traded the second-worst of their four 2024 first-round picks to the Dallas Mavericks for a 2028 first-round pick swap.

This trade deadline perfectly exemplifies how the Thunder front office runs the franchise. It made improvements on the margins with an eye on the future without sacrificing too much.

Let’s hand out trade grades for the moves Thunder general manager Sam Presti made as OKC gets ready for the stretch run of the regular season and playoffs.

Rumor: OKC Thunder could acquire draft picks as contenders reach out

Rumor: OKC Thunder could acquire future draft picks as contenders reach out.

As the 2024 NBA trade deadline nears, expect contenders to make moves to help them win now along with possibly refortifiying their draft pick stock.

According to Yahoo Sports NBA reporter Jake Fischer, several teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, have contacted the Oklahoma City Thunder about acquiring first-round picks this year in exchange for future picks.

“The Bucks, along with the Sixers, are among several teams that have contacted the likes of New Orleans and Oklahoma City, sources said, attempting to trade future first-round pick swaps or packages of second-round picks to acquire extra first-round selections. Phoenix, you may recall, dealt two future first-round swaps (2024 and 2030) to Memphis for three seconds before this season began. Now it seems like several teams are trying to deal those same assets for an even more meaningful return.”

The Thunder own four 2024 first-round picks; the lowest is being sent to the Toronto Raptors. OKC owns its own pick, the LA Clippers’ pick, the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick.

Considering how rich the Thunder are with young talent, they likely will not add three rookies to their roster this offseason, which means they have 2024 draft picks to shed.

The Thunder can either use those picks to acquire win-now players before the deadline or to kick the draft can down the road once again by acquiring a contender’s first-round draft pick deep in the future.

In return, contenders such as the Sixers and Bucks would have a chance to add immediate cost-control young talent to their expensive rosters. They could also package 2024 draft picks to acquire win-now players.

If that happens, OKC enriches the quality of its draft pick capital without sacrificing the quantity. It might not move the needle for the fan base, but this would be smart asset management that can pay dividends down the road.

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Austin Rivers gave a thoughtful answer on why LeBron James and Bronny should not be teammates

It is worth considering his perspective when we talk about Bronny and LeBron.

It is no secret that LeBron James hopes to eventually play alongside his son, Bronny James, in the NBA.

Bronny is currently a freshman at USC and could potentially declare for the 2024 NBA Draft at the end of this season. LeBron, meanwhile, has a player option in his contract that would allow him to become a free agent and join whatever NBA team drafted the Trojans guard if the Lakers did not.

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But it is worth mentioning that ESPN analyst Austin Rivers, the son of Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers, does not think this is a good idea for any party involved. Austin played for Doc on the Clippers from 2015 until 2018.

During a recent segment, the former NBA guard spoke about his evaluation of Bronny both on and off the court and drew from his own experience as a professional basketball player with a famous father.

Austin first spoke about how well Bronny has handled his fame so far:

“I hope it doesn’t happen … I don’t want to see Bronny play with his dad. I really don’t … I went through something similar. It was a very similar situation but also different. I was already in the NBA when I went to go play for him. What happens is a lot of people start to discredit everything that you’ve done. This kid has been in the limelight since he was born. His first day on Instagram, he had a million followers. He’s handled it so well.”

He then spoke about some of the on-court accomplishments the McDonald’s All-American honoree has already experienced with basketball.

When we scouted Bronny, we immediately noticed that his defense was his most compelling trait. Austin also noted that Bronny has a good feel for the game:

“He’s played well at Sierra Canyon amongst talent and was able to get himself to a school like USC. Right now, his numbers don’t scream pro. So if he is to go in the draft or if he gets picked, it’d be great to get picked up by a contending team that could help him put him in a situation [to develop] because he does have talent and he does have basketball IQ and he does have potential.”

Bronny was able to return to play after suffering a terrifying cardiac arrest before the season began.

But even before the health scare, talent evaluators had concerns that Bronny may not be ready for the NBA for several years. While he had shown “NBA potential” during his time in high school, he was never considered one of the best players in his class.

Recruiting services, however, had Austin as a top player in his class. That wasn’t how Bronny was evaluated:

“At this point in his career, just because Bronny’s success isn’t at a top-tier level, him getting drafted and playing with his dad, I don’t want that negativity to come his way because he doesn’t deserve it. He’s not a top-10 pick. He’s not a lottery pick. He’s none of those things. I was all of those things. And then still, when I went to go play for the Clippers, people were like: You’re only in the league because your dad after me being the No. 1 player in the United States two years prior.”

Perhaps most important, though, is the fame levels of their respective fathers.

Austin said that he was put under a microscope playing for Doc Rivers, who is a one-time NBA champion and one-time Coach of the Year recipient. Yet he still received a lot of criticism (like from Glen Davis) even though the two weren’t very close outside of basketball.

That would only magnify tenfold as the son of LeBron, a four-time NBA Finals MVP and 20-time NBA All-Star:

“On a different level, Doc is great. LeBron James is the most popular basketball to ever play other than who, maybe Michael Jordan? It would just be a lot, man. I hope for the kid that he is able to not only play in the NBA but play somewhere where he can kind of niche out his own identity. His name is already Bronny. Everything we talk about with him always folds back to his dad and rightfully so. He plays for USC and his dad plays down the street for the Lakers. It’s an insane situation and the way he has handled it, I’m a fan of Bronny. I really. And I hope he goes somewhere else. I really do.”

Austin, who also gave thoughtful criticism of the Rockets before they eventually parted ways with Kevin Porter Jr., has given this a lot of thought and came away with a strong opinion.

It is worth considering his perspective when we talk about Bronny and LeBron.

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2024 NBA mock drafts: February’s first-round projections for Rockets

As the 2024 calendar turns to February, here’s a look at who NBA draft analysts are projecting will join the Rockets this summer with a top-10 pick (via Brooklyn).

With three wins in four games, the Brooklyn Nets (20-28) could finally be stabilizing. But the damage has already been done. They had lost 11 of 13 and 17 of 21 as of late January, and it remains to be seen if they can overcome that stretch.

If the Nets’ horrid play continues, the beneficiary would be the Houston Rockets, who own Brooklyn’s 2024 first-round draft selection as part of the blockbuster James Harden trade from January 2021.

Entering Monday, Feb. 5, the Nets were eighth in the NBA’s pre-draft lottery standings. If they ended up in that spot, it would create a 26.3% chance of having a top-four lottery selection and a 6% shot at No. 1.

Though the Rockets (23-26) are likely to lose their own first-round draft pick to Oklahoma City as part of the 2019 Chris Paul-Russell Westbrook trade, it’s worth noting that unlike the Harden-Brooklyn deal, the conveyance of Houston’s pick is top-four protected.

So, if the Rockets miss the 2023-24 Western Conference playoffs, they will actually have multiple chances — both with their own pick, and the one from Brooklyn, which they will receive no matter what — at securing a top-four pick in the first round 2024 NBA draft.

And if Houston loses its pick to the Thunder due to not winning the lottery, it’s becoming increasingly likely the pick they receive from Brooklyn would be higher in the first-round order, anyway.

With that in mind, here’s a look at who draft experts have going to Houston (with the Brooklyn pick) in the latest wave of mock drafts. Keep in mind that the projected pick slot varies based on the exact date of each mock’s publication, since the standings change daily.

2024 NBA Mock Draft: Latest first-round projections at midway point of season

Rookie Wire took a look at the 2024 NBA draft class and where the top prospects stand as of Feb. 1.

The top NBA draft prospects worldwide have collectively reached the second halves of their respective seasons as they look to showcase themselves in front of scouts and executives.

The class this year has seen several players help their stock, while others have struggled and fallen down draft boards. Some players have also dealt with recent injuries and other factors that have prevented them from reaching their potential.

The draft is widely considered open at the top of the board, with several prospects in the conversation to be the first selection. Unlike last year, when Victor Wembanyama was the consensus No. 1 pick, there is no clear-cut choice this year.

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Prospects will continue to see their standing fluctuate over the remaining two-plus months of action on the court as scouts have more time to evaluate them. The sheer unknown atop the draft board should create plenty of storylines to follow over the remainder of the season.

The NBA announced on Wednesday that the draft will be expanded to a two-night format, with the first round set to take place on June 26 at the Barclays Center. The second round will be at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York the following night.

Rookie Wire looked at the class and where the top prospects stand at this point of the season. The order was determined by the reverse order of the NBA standings as of Feb. 1.

Note: Player fit wasn’t necessarily taken into account with each pick. Pick protections and other notes courtesy of Tankathon.

Cody Williams goes No. 1 overall in Yahoo Sports’ updated NBA mock draft

Cody Williams went No. 1 overall in this NBA mock draft

Colorado men’s basketball forward Cody Williams has picked up right where he left off after a wrist injury sidelined him for over a month, playing himself into the top spot of Yahoo Sports’ most recent 2024 NBA mock draft.

Williams, a former five-star prospect, notched back-to-back 20-point games before the injury, and since returning, he has averaged 17 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 blocks in four games. He was also named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on Monday.

After projecting Williams to go No. 10 to the San Antonio Spurs in November, Yahoo Sports’ Krysten Peek now believes the forward will go No. 1 overall to the Detroit Pistons.

In her justification, Peek wrote:

It’s clear the Pistons need help offensively, particularly at the wing, and Williams could add length and outside shooting (he’s 5-of-7 from 3 in the last two games). He’s also one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball. He can guard positions 1-4 and is an elite shot blocker at the wing. Williams was a late bloomer in high school and still has a ton of room for growth. In a draft that is wide open, Williams will definitely get looks at No. 1.

While Williams still needs to prove himself as a consistent 3-point shooter, Peek was right on the mark when she claimed him as “one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball.” At 6-foot-8 with long arms and outrageous athleticism, Williams has the potential to be not only the best prospect in the draft but the best two-way player as well.

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Bleacher Report projects three Buffs to go first-round in latest 2024 NBA mock draft

KJ Simpson’s NBA draft stock has surged over the past two months

In Bleacher Report’s latest 2024 NBA mock draft, Colorado men’s basketball standouts Cody Williams, Tristan da Silva and KJ Simpson were all projected to go in the first round.

Williams, the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, was the highest projected draft pick out of those three, going seventh overall to the Memphis Grizzlies. Da Silva landed No. 19 (New Orleans Pelicans) and Simpson went No. 20 to the New York Knicks.

While Williams and da Silva have been featured in plenty of other NBA mock drafts, Simpson’s draft stock is surging amid his junior season. CU’s point guard is averaging a career-high 19.1 points per game while shooting over 50% from the field and 47.2% from deep.

Here’s what Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman wrote on Simpson:

Athletic limitations and 6’2″ size may prevent KJ Simpson from passing the eye test. But the functionality of his handle has led to effective creation. His shotmaking has been consistent off the catch and dribble, and he’s used touch to compensate for no explosion. And he reads the game well at both ends, whether he’s processing quickly as a passer or anticipating defensively to average 1.9 steals per game.

I’ve never thought of Simpson as athletically limited, but Wasserman still thinks highly of his overall game.

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