Tag: draft

Taysom Hill to announce Saints’ second round draft pick

One of the newest members of the New Orleans Saints will be greeted by his new teammate. Taysom Hill will announce the team’s second round draft pick:

One of the New Orleans Saints’ newest players will be greeted by a new teammate. Taysom Hill will announce the team’s second round pick in the 2024 draft on Friday night, the NFL announced Thursday, along with many other current and former players around the league.

The Saints are currently scheduled to pick at No. 45 overall. So unless they trade that selection — in a potential move up from the 14th slot in Thursday night’s first round — then it’ll be Hill welcoming his new teammate to the NFL.

It’s tempting to read into this as an indicator of Hill’s job security. He currently has one of the highest salary cap hits on the team and there’s been speculation brewing that he could be traded himself this summer. The Saints wouldn’t put him out in the public eye like this for a fan-friendly event only to trade him a few months later, right?

That seems unlikely, but you never know with this team. Either way, look for Saints fans attending the draft in Detroit to give Hill (and their new draft pick) a warm round of applause after booing Roger Goodell for two days.

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Dylan Harper: ‘I have a very unique game that most people don’t have, most people don’t ever see’

Dylan Harper was born to play basketball. His father, Ron Harper, is a five-time NBA champion who played alongside Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Currently ranked as a Top 5 prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft, Harper sat down with HoopsHype after a …

Dylan Harper was born to play basketball. His father, Ron Harper, is a five-time NBA champion who played alongside Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Currently ranked as a Top 5 prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft, Harper sat down with HoopsHype after a recent practice at the Nike Hoop Summit to talk about his influence from his parents, NBA players he tries to emulate, flying under the radar amongst his peers, and more.

Matas Buzelis: NBA draft scouting report and intel

2004 | 6’10 | 6’10 WS | 209 LBS Team: G League Ignite Agent: Michael Tellem Best aggregate mock draft rank: 3 / Worst rank: 10 In 2023-24, Buzelis averaged 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 0.8 steals per game. He shot 44.8 …

2004 | 6’10 | 6’10 WS | 209 LBS

Team: G League Ignite

Agent: Michael Tellem

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 3 / Worst rank: 10

In 2023-24, Buzelis averaged 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 0.8 steals per game. He shot 44.8 percent from the field, 27.3 percent from three, and 67.9 percent from the foul line.

His parents, Kristina and Aidas, both played basketball professionally in Lithuania.

Joe Hortiz on potential first-round trade: ‘We’ll take the best one if we do move back’

Although the Chargers have the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the franchise is still weighing whether to trade down.

Although the Chargers have the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the franchise is still weighing whether to trade down. General manager Joe Hortiz spoke on potential trades and outcomes for the team. 

According to Hortiz, the Chargers will need to be “blown away” to trade down from the fifth pick. 

It’s important to note that if the first four picks are quarterbacks, Los Angeles will have the best non-quarterback option available, like Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. 

“If four quarterbacks go, we strongly believe we have the first pick,” Hortiz said. “So, what are teams willing to give us? Now, we know it’s the fifth pick and teams are going to be trading on that scope, but it’s got to be a value for us.

“Do we have to be blown away? What is blown away? I don’t know the answer to that,” Hortiz added. “You weigh the options and the offers that we get. We’ll take the best one if we do move back.”

It all comes down to value. Which move has more value for the Chargers: trading down or sticking with No.5? A trade-down situation would mean extra picks to help fill out the roster’s holes. 

“That’s going to be the reason because we’ve got really good players, great players that we’re going to be staring at,” Hortiz said. “So if we’re going to trade away from great players, there’s got to be a reason in terms of value for us. Certainly, there’s going to be more great players, but it’s got to make sense for you and it’s got to make sense for the team that wants to come up.

“There’s certainly, ‘It’s too good of a deal’, in terms of what you’re getting back,” Hortiz added. “They have to make it attractive to us for us to move away from those players. The whole, ‘It’s a fair trade, it’s a wash’. I don’t think that’s a trade we’re interested in.”

Hortiz has already had conversations with different teams that have expressed interest in trading picks. 

“The draft is the draft,” Hortiz said. “You think you know what they’re going to do but you actually don’t until it happens.”

2011 NBA re-draft: The way it should have been

HoopsHype re-drafts the underrated 2011 NBA draft, headlined by Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson.

The 2011 NBA draft has become underrated in the 13 years since it went down, as the class is led by four future Hall-of-Famers and is littered with starter-level depth that remains playing at a high level to this day.

Below, check out our 2011 re-draft, with the players taken in the order we believe they should have gone in.

Yves Missi: NBA draft scouting report and intel

2004 | 7’0 | 7’6 | 235 LBS Team: Baylor Best aggregate mock draft rank: 11 / Worst rank: NR 2023-24 Stats: In 2023-24, Yves Missi averaged 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 0.6 steals per game. He shot 61.4 percent from the …

2004 | 7’0 | 7’6 | 235 LBS

Team: Baylor

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 11 / Worst rank: NR

2023-24 Stats:

In 2023-24, Yves Missi averaged 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 0.6 steals per game. He shot 61.4 percent from the field, 0.0 percent from three, and 61.6 percent from the foul line.

Isaiah Collier: NBA draft scouting report and intel

2004 | 6’5 | 210 LBS | 6’4 WS Team: USC Best aggregate mock draft rank: 1 / Worst rank: 19 2023-24 Stats: In 2023-24, Collier averaged 16.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.2 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 49.0 percent from the field, …

2004 | 6’5 | 210 LBS | 6’4 WS

Team: USC

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 1 / Worst rank: 19

2023-24 Stats:

In 2023-24, Collier averaged 16.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.2 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 49.0 percent from the field, 33.8 percent from three, and 67.3 percent from the foul line.

Patience a virtue for 49ers in 2024 draft

Why one draft analyst believes patience is key for the #49ers in this year’s draft.

There’s certainly a world where the 49ers get aggressive and start flying up the board in this year’s draft. Having patience may wind up being a better path forward for them though given where their roster stands and some of the needs they have beyond their starting 22 on offense and defense. Patience may be a better avenue for them this year, especially if they’re looking to build out another Super Bowl contender in a new Super Bowl window beyond the one they’re currently operating in.

NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah is on board with a patient approach for the 49ers given how deep this year’s class is at some key positions. While the 31st overall pick may keep them from landing a blue chip talent at a premium position, it will also give them a chance to add quality depth in  areas their roster is lacking without trading up.

“I mean, they’ve got a nice haul of picks here. If they want to move up, they absolutely have the ammunition to do so,” Jeremiah said Wednesday in a conference call. “I just think when you look at the needs that they have and some of the different areas that they could go, if you’re thinking about corners and edge rushers, maybe you miss out on the top tier. Interior offensive linemen, grabbing a wide receiver if they want one. I still
think there will be a quality corner there, personally, even though some of the
top guys might go. I don’t really see them in a position where they need to do
that.

“I think this is more filling out your roster, getting a layer of depth. They have the stars in place so I don’t think they’re in a position where they have a must, ‘hey, we’ve got to get up there. We must get this accomplished.’ I
don’t feel like they’re in that spot here. I think they can be a little more patient
than that.”

The 49ers’ front office is one that won’t hesitate to move up when it finds a player it likes. It’ll also climb up to attack a very obvious, glaring need. They may or may not feel that way about their offensive tackle situation, but it’s clear they can come away from the 2024 draft with a successful haul without a major move up the board.

Sitting and waiting may be tough given how close the team is to getting over the hump for a Super Bowl, but the potential long-term gain would be worth that patience.

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Donovan Clingan: NBA Draft scouting report and intel

2004 | 7’2 | 7’7 WS | 280 LBS Team: Connecticut Best aggregate mock draft rank: 7 / Worst rank: 19 2023-24 stats: In the 2023-24 season, Clingan played 33 games averaging 22.1 minutes per game. He scored 12.9 points per game, shooting 64.3 percent …

2004 | 7’2 | 7’7 WS | 280 LBS

Team: Connecticut

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 7 / Worst rank: 19

2023-24 stats:

In the 2023-24 season, Clingan played 33 games averaging 22.1 minutes per game. He scored 12.9 points per game, shooting 64.3 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from three, and 57.4 percent from the free-throw line. Additionally, he recorded 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.5 blocks, 0.5 steals, 2.0 personal fouls, and 0.8 turnovers per game.

His late mother, Stacey Clingan, played college basketball for the University of Maine.

Stephon Castle: NBA draft scouting report and intel

2004 | 6’6 | 6’9 WS | 215 LBS Team: Connecticut Best aggregate mock draft rank: 5 / Worst rank: 20 Agency: Wasserman Group 2023-24 stats: In 32 games, Castle averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, with 2.9 assists. He shot 47.0 percent from …

2004 | 6’6 | 6’9 WS | 215 LBS

Team: Connecticut

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 5 / Worst rank: 20

Agency: Wasserman Group

2023-24 stats:

In 32 games, Castle averaged 10.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, with 2.9 assists. He shot 47.0 percent from the field, 26.2 percent from three, and 76.0 percent from the free-throw line. Additionally, he recorded 0.6 blocks, 0.8 steals, and 1.5 turnovers per game.

His father, Stacey Castle, starred at Far Rockaway High and was a teammate of current UConn associate head coach Kimani Young. He played briefly at Oak Hill Academy before committing to Wake Forest, where he played alongside Tim Duncan.