Rumor: Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson viewed as untouchable in trade talks

Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson have been reportedly labeled as untouchable in potential trade discussions.

Indiana Pacers rookies Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson have been reportedly labeled as the only untouchable players in potential trade discussions, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

The Pacers are reportedly willing to make significant moves ahead of the trade deadline to reset their roster. Pacers mainstays Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis are on the trading block as rival executives believe one or both of them could be moved this season.

Indiana could receive significant interest from teams around the league for Turner and Sabonis as a result. They could also find themselves in the sweepstakes to land Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers if the right trade can be agreed to.

While the Pacers figure to be active in trade discussions, the organization is willing to deal virtually everyone on the roster with the exception of Duarte and Jackson, according to the report.

Rival executives believe only rookie standout Chris Duarte and fellow first-year Isaiah Jackson are untouchable in Indiana. Malcolm Brogdon cannot be traded this season following a contract extension in October. ‘Sabonis, Turner, Warren, LeVert all can be had at the right price,’ said another assistant general manager.

Duarte has emerged as one of the top rookies this season and a key player for the Pacers. The 13th pick is averaging 12.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and one steal in 29 games. He currently ranks third in total scoring and field goals among all first-year players.

Jackson, who was the 22nd pick, has played sparingly this season but has drawn praise from head coach Rick Carlisle for his potential and ability on defense. He has played four games in the NBA G League, averaging 13.5 points 7.5 rebounds and three blocked shots.

The two players represent a big part of the future in Indianapolis and project to be key cornerstones to build around. The team certainly believes they have bright futures ahead and are unwilling to trade them as a result.

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Rick Carlisle: Pacers thrilled Isaiah Jackson has recovered from injury

Carlisle is excited that Jackson avoided a major injury after hyperextending his left knee last month versus the Raptors.

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle on Monday expressed his excitement to see that rookie Isaiah Jackson has fully recovered from a knee injury suffered last month.

Jackson suffered a hyperextended left knee on Oct. 27 against the Toronto Raptors. Carlisle said at the time that Jackson would be out for a while given the nature of the injury. However, Jackson made good progress in his recovery and was eventually cleared last week.

The 22nd overall pick spent time with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA G League last week to rehab the injury. He appeared in three games and did not show any lingering effects from the injury, averaging 12 points, six rebounds, three blocked shots and one assist.

Carlisle is glad to have Jackson back following his rehab assignment.

I’m just so happy, thrilled for him to see him back in an NBA game with no knee brace on. It was about a month ago when we were in Toronto when this thing happened, a little less than a month ago — a very scary situation. We were all very concerned. He was concerned. It just turned out that he got very lucky so he is back and feeling good. He is a guy that is going to be ready to help us if called upon.

Jackson logged nearly five minutes of action on Monday during a 32-point victory over the Chicago Bulls. He had played sparingly prior to suffering the injury but could be a candidate to see spot minutes during certain situations now that he is healthy.

The team believes Jackson has the ability to impact games on both ends of the floor and could look to work him into the rotation. Above all else, the team is certainly just glad to have him back again.

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Pacers’ Isaiah Jackson blocked 4 shots in G League assignment

Jackson produced an all-around performance Friday on assignment with the Mad Ants in the G League.

Indiana Pacers rookie Isaiah Jackson produced an all-around performance Friday on assignment with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants against the Wisconsin Herd in the NBA G League.

Jackson finished with six points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots and one steal in 14 minutes of work during the 111-108 loss. He converted on 3-of-9 shots from the field, missing his lone 3-point attempt, in his second game with the Mad Ants.

The 22nd overall pick is with the Mad Ants rehabbing after suffering a hyperextended left knee on Oct. 27 against the Toronto Raptors. He was considered to be week-to-week with the injury and had made enough progress to be cleared to play this week.

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Jackson finished with 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field during his debut with the Mad Ants on Wednesday. He also hauled in eight rebounds and blocked two shots in 21 minutes of work as the Mad Ants played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

He has spent much of the past week with the Mad Ants in an effort to increase his rehab from the injury. He looked to have no lingering effects from the injury and had minimal rust during his two games on both ends of the floor.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle revealed on Friday that Jackson would spend the weekend with the Mad Ants before potentially returning to the parent club. The opportunity to play with the Mad Ants will serve as a great chance to get his legs and conditioning back.

The Mad Ants return to play on Sunday once again versus the Herd.

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Rick Carlisle explains plan for Isaiah Jackson in G League

Carlisle outlined the timeline for when Jackson could potentially return to the Pacers from the G League.

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said rookie Isaiah Jackson will remain with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA G League through at least the weekend.

Jackson is with the Mad Ants rehabbing after suffering a hyperextended left knee on Oct. 27 against the Toronto Raptors. He was considered to be week-to-week with the injury and had made enough progress to be cleared to play this week.

Carlisle outlined the plan for Jackson with the Mad Ants.

He is going to stay with the G League team and play at least one of the two games this weekend (versus the Wisconsin Herd) and then we’ll see where we are. This is good for a couple of reasons. Number one, it helps him with his rehab. Number two, it gets him some minutes on the floor. He is doing well, which is great news.

Jackson finished with 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field during his debut with the Mad Ants on Wednesday. He also hauled in eight rebounds and blocked two shots in 21 minutes of work as the Mad Ants played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

He has spent much of the past week with the Mad Ants in an effort to increase his rehab from the injury. He looked to have no lingering effects from the injury and had minimal rust in the contest on Wednesday on both ends of the floor.

Jackson has impressed Carlisle during his short time with the team.

He is a great kid, a great teammate. He is, obviously, one of our best athletes. His shot-blocking, his ability to finish above the rim, his ability to get deflections and get his hands on balls — all of those things are certainly positive things. He has worked really hard on his shooting. His shooting is getting better. I don’t have any doubt that, at some point, in the next several months that he’ll be able to step out and consistently shoot the 3-point shot, which will be a big game-changer for us.

The Pacers love what Jackson brings to the floor, and believe he can develop into an elite defender. He hasn’t played much with the Pacers this season but projects to have a bright future. Certainly, his performance on Wednesday showed what he can do in a bigger role.

The Mad Ants play the Herd on Friday and Sunday in Wisconsin.

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Pacers’ Isaiah Jackson goes nearly perfect on G League assignment

Jackson is rehabbing with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants after suffering a hyperextended left knee on Oct. 27 against the Raptors.

Indiana Pacers rookie Isaiah Jackson on Wednesday produced 24 points on a rehab assignment with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in a win over the Cleveland Charge.

Jackson finished the contest by converting on 11-of-13 shot attempts from the field during the 125-113 victory. He also hauled in eight rebounds and blocked two shots in 21 minutes of work as the Mad Ants played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The 22nd overall pick is with the Mad Ants after suffering a hyperextended left knee on Oct. 27 against the Toronto Raptors. He was considered to be week-to-week with the injury and had recently made good progress to be cleared to play.

He is expected to spend a few games with Fort Wayne on assignment.

Jackson has spent much of the past week with the Mad Ants in an effort to increase his rehab from the injury. He looked to have no lingering effects from the injury and had minimal rust in the contest on Wednesday on both ends of the floor.

The Pacers love what Jackson brings to the floor, and believe he can develop into an elite defender. He hasn’t played much with the Pacers this season but projects to have a bright future. Certainly, his performance on Wednesday showed what he can do in a bigger role.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Pacers’ Isaiah Jackson considered ‘week-to-week’ with knee injury

Jackson suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter on Wednesday versus the Raptors.

On Friday, the Indiana Pacers announced that rookie Isaiah Jackson was diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee and will be considered week-to-week with the injury.

Jackson suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter on Wednesday versus the Toronto Raptors. He appeared to land awkwardly on his left leg after attempting to chase a rebound, and eventually needed assistance back to the locker room.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Jackson was in a walking brace following the injury and is in good spirits. However, he added that Jackson would be out for a while as he recovers from the injury.

The game on Wednesday versus the Raptors was just the second appearance of the season for Jackson. He has totaled just 11 minutes of playing time, and hasn’t been a prominent member of the rotation for Carlisle, at least to begin the season.

Carlisle previously praised Jackson for his ability on defense, calling it breathtaking the way he can impact games on that end of the floor. He hasn’t yet played much this season but it is clear the team has high hopes for him in the future.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Rick Carlisle: Isaiah Jackson’s defense is ‘absolutely breathtaking’

Carlisle this week praised the defensive ability of Jackson as a player that can guard every position on the court.

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle this week praised the defensive ability of rookie Isaiah Jackson as a player that can guard every position on the court.

Jackson, who was the 22nd overall pick, entered the NBA draft as perhaps one of the top defensive players in the class. He was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team last season at Kentucky after averaging 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots in 25 games as a freshman.

He led all SEC players in blocked shots while he ranked 15th in the nation.

In addition to controlling the paint, Jackson proved to be a very versatile player on the defensive end of the floor. He often held his own against smaller players, using his athleticism and long length to disrupt passing lanes.

Carlisle described his versatility as breathtaking.

His defensive versatility is absolutely breathtaking. I just have not seen a guy move, block shots, change shots and be able to guard any position the way I’ve seen him be able to do. Offensively, he just has a really terrific feel for the game. If you can get him the ball moving toward the rim, he can finish, he can pass and then he has really worked on his 3-point shooting. That’ll be a big part of his development as a two-position player in this league. He can guard any position on the floor but he also gives us a rim-rolling lob presence that they just have not had on this team.

Given his ability on defense, and an improving offensive game, Jackson could potentially develop into a strong 3-and-D player with the Pacers. He will certainly need some time to reach that level but the Pacers appear to be very happy with his long-term outlook.

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A roundup of NBA sleepers draft analysts are higher on than others

Who owns the most real estate on Davion Mitchell Island? Who is buying stock in Sharife Cooper?

Everyone loves Cade Cunningham. It’s not a hot take for an analyst to say that Cunningham is their favorite player in the class. That’s not particularly interesting to read, either.

But what is fascinating, however, is when an analyst deviates from the norm and ranks someone significantly higher than where the prospect falls in other rankings. What does that tell us about their individual scouting process and what they value? Further, what does that tell us about the potential draftee?

Some folks call it “buying stock” in a player. Others, like ESPN’s Zach Lowe or The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, call it owning real estate on a player’s island. I like to refer to it as a “draft crush” when I wind up higher than consensus in my evaluation of a player.

My process is ridiculously tedious but the results can be fairly useful. I’ve tracked the evolution of more than sixty unique mock drafts, big boards and draft models from trusted analysts and popular accounts on Twitter.

Each placement is assigned a value based on Kevin Pelton’s draft pick trade value chart. I do this because, as Pelton notes, the difference in relative value between the No. 5 overall pick and the No. 7 overall is much more stark than, say, that of the No. 45 pick and the No. 47 pick.

After composing an aggregate score based on each ranking, I can see where each analyst strays from the pack.

I’ll leave the conclusions drawn from these results up to the reader. But if nothing else, this can eventually be used as a bragging point if one writer was higher than consensus on a draftee who eventually ends up outperforming his draft position.

Final 2021 NBA Mock Draft: Latest intel, trade rumors and predicting all 60 picks

Wasn’t it just the 2020 NBA draft? How is the 2021 NBA draft already here? Crazy, maybe, but the league is about to have a ton of new faces.

Wasn’t it just the 2020 NBA draft? How is the 2021 NBA draft already here? Crazy, maybe, but the league is about to have a ton of new faces.

The names that you’re most likely to hear at the top are Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and Evan Mobley. But the draft will start heating up once guys like Jalen Suggs, Scottie Barnes and Jonathan Kuminga start to find their new homes.

This draft will also be unique in that there will be fewer players in attendance than usual. According to one prospect who recently spoke to For The Win, due to COVID-19 restrictions, those not invited to the green room are not allowed to come to the stage and shake the hand of the commissioner as they have been in years past.

Regardless of who is actually in the building, however, it is certain to be an exciting and life-changing night for the next generation of NBA talent.

Based on conversations I’ve had with scouts around the league, and from reports and tea leaves left in other mock drafts from trusted draftniks, below is how I project the events will unfold at Barclays Center and on ESPN and ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET on July 29.

2021 aggregate NBA mock draft 7.0: Ranking the full class of prospects

The 2021 NBA draft is less than a week away and we finally have an idea of who is in — and who has withdrawn — from the class.

The 2021 NBA draft is less than a week away and we finally have an idea of who is in – and who has withdrawn – from the class.

In order to get a better sense of where all of the prospects stand as of right now, we compiled mock drafts from NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report, Yahoo, The Athletic, The Ringer, Yahoo, NBA Big Board and USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s For The Win to see where the prospects rank at the moment.

Please note that these rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for consensus, not our own opinion.

Since our previous update last month, some of the players with the most positive momentum include Quentin Grimes, Joe Wieskamp, Vrenz Bleijenbergh, Aaron Wiggins, Justin Champagnie, Jericho Sims, Jason Preston, Josh Primo, Neemias Queta, Trey Murphy and Bones Hyland.

Among players who ranked on our previous update who have since withdrawn from the draft include Roko Prkacin (32), Marcus Bagley (39), Terrence Shannon (48), Ariel Hukporti (50), Max Abmas (53), Johnny Juzang (54), Jordan Hall (66), Carlos Alocen (69) and Ochai Agbaji (75).

The most notable omissions who remain in this class but not these rankings are Yves Pons, Scottie Lewis, Jay Huff, Marcus Zegarowski, Aamir Simms, Dalano Banton, Matt Mitchell, Jose Alvarado, Carlik Jones, Derrick Alston Jr., Romeo Weems, Balsa Koprivica, Chaundee Brown, Isaiah Miller, Jordan Schakel and D.J. Carton.

Note that for the offensive roles, we borrowed a fun idea from Todd Whitehead (formerly of Nylon Calculus) with help from our friends at Bball-Index.com to create a slightly tweaked formula from the version they use.

The goal of that is not to explain how well a player scores but rather offer context for the way that he was used on his most recent team. This should help you predict how he might be used at the next level.

Meanwhile, you can learn the latest updates on every single prospect who has been included in recent mock drafts by scrolling below.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report