Tag: Jaden Ivey

Jaden Ivey doesn’t sound like a guy who wants to be drafted by the Kings

Ivey revealed that he has only worked out for the Magic and Pistons ahead of the draft on Thursday.

Projected top-five pick Jaden Ivey on Monday revealed that he has only worked out for the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons ahead of the NBA draft on Thursday.

Ivey, a consensus All-American, is widely expected to be the fourth player off the board to the Sacramento Kings behind Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr. in some order. However, Ivey has not been in contact with the Kings, nor has he worked out with them.

He explained that he hasn’t intentionally avoided the Kings.

I’m kinda just letting this process just handle itself. If I got drafted there, it wouldn’t be the worst option. I’m not the GM who picks the guys so I’m kinda just trying to enjoy this process and whatever happens on draft night, I’m just going to stick with it.

However, it appears as though there is more to the situation than that.

A report surfaced last week that stated Sacramento is not Ivey’s preferred destination in the draft. He even acknowledged on Monday that there are scenarios in which he could land with the New York Knicks, who would need to trade up from No. 11 to take him.

The Knicks were mentioned last week among the teams that have expressed interest in potentially moving up to the fourth spot to take Ivey. The Kings’ asking price to accommodate such a move is said to be steep and it is unclear if New York has the assets needed to strike a deal.

Ivey believes he could fit in with the Kings, or any other team.

They recently just drafted Davion Mitchell. They have guys like (Domantas) Sabonis. Obviously, a great guy like De’Aaron Fox. They have a lot of talent (and are) trying to get some guys in to complement them. I think I’d fit in anywhere but we’re going to see what happens on draft night.

Ivey averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a sophomore last season at Purdue. Given his overall skills, Ivey is projected to be able to contribute now while also developing into a potential star, making him a prime target for teams.

Of course, the Kings can still draft Ivey despite not speaking with him. They drafted Mitchell last year after not receiving his medical information or interviewing him prior to the draft. But the comments made by Ivey on Monday were not exactly a ringing endorsement of the team.

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In any case, Ivey has spent much of the summer in Los Angeles training at Proactive Sports Performance. He has worked extensively on improving several components of his offensive game.

I feel like just this summer, I worked on areas of my game that can help me showcase who I am on the NBA level. I’ve been working on my mid-range, floaters and things I really couldn’t show on the college stage. I think I’m ready for all of the types of challenges that are going to come my way in the NBA.

The situation between Ivey and the Kings will be worth monitoring as the draft approaches. The Kings have been mentioned as a team that will look to make a move so it very well could be another team selecting fourth overall on Thursday.

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

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Jaden Ivey talks about his contact with the Thunder in pre-draft interview

“They have a lot of young talent. I think I can help that organization if they draft me.”

Former Purdue guard and top-five projected pick Jaden Ivey spoke with the media on Monday in his pre-draft media availability, where he talked about his contact with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Ivey said that while he didn’t make the trip to Oklahoma City for a workout, Thunder personnel were in attendance in Los Angeles for his workouts.

“After pro day, they came to watch me work out. I didn’t go to OKC to work out. I think the Thunder’s an up-and-coming team,” said Ivey. “They have a lot of young talent. I think I can help that organization if they draft me.”

Ivey also said that his role models are Ja Morant and Thunder legend Russell Westbrook — linking himself to a hyper-athletic guard with superb aggressiveness.

Ivey has been linked to the Thunder several times as a potential wildcard at No. 2. When asked about a potential fit with the Sacramento Kings at No. 4, Ivey didn’t sound too excited about the possibility as he revealed he hasn’t worked out for the team.

“If I got drafted there, it wouldn’t be the worst option,” said Ivey.

Even with the recent smoke surrounding the Thunder and Ivey, it’s still hard to imagine the team taking him at No. 2. If the Thunder are to select Ivey, it will likely happen with a trade — whether it’s a trade down from No. 2 or a trade up from No. 12.

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2022 NBA draft: Monday’s news and notes relevant to the Rockets

As of Monday, here’s the latest news and notes when it comes to the NBA’s top three draft picks and who could be available for the Rockets at No. 3 in the first round.

With the No. 3 pick in the 2022 first round, the Houston Rockets are widely expected to draft whichever of the consensus top-three prospects — Auburn’s Jabari Smith, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, and Duke’s Paolo Banchero — is still on the board. All are frontcourt players.

Yet, it remains unclear which of the three will actually be available to Rockets general manager Rafael Stone. There’s also a remote scenario where Oklahoma City selects Jaden Ivey at pick No. 2, which could leave Houston with a choice between two of those three frontcourt options.

Assuming the Rockets keep the pick, the chosen player will immediately join Jalen Green as the foundational pieces of Houston’s rebuild.

Now that it’s draft week, rumors will fly leading up to the actual draft selections on Thursday night, June 23. Some reports in the final days will be credible, while others could be misinformation to suit a certain team or prospect’s agenda. With that in mind, rather than write individual stories for each and every rumor, what we’re going to do each day at RocketsWire is sort all the tidbits involving each of the top three teams.

From there, it could be easier to determine where the true momentum or trend is. As of midday Monday, here’s the latest reports when it comes to the Magic (No. 1), Thunder (No. 2), and Rockets (No. 3), as well as what it could mean when it comes to Houston’s ultimate pick.

Knicks, Pacers among teams vying to trade up for Jaden Ivey at 4

The Kings have reportedly heard from at least four teams interested in trading up to draft Jaden Ivey.

Ahead of the NBA draft next week, several teams have expressed interest in trading up to acquire the fourth pick from the Sacramento Kings to take Purdue guard Jaden Ivey, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The Kings have been rumored to want to trade their pick in order to add players that can help them win now. The team views the fourth pick as a great asset that can help them land a strong package of players and picks in return.

They have no shortage of suitors for that pick, as it turns out.

Wojnarowski, speaking on “NBA Countdown” ahead of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, said the Kings have heard from at least four teams interested in landing Ivey.

That No. 4 pick that the Sacramento Kings hold is very much in play. There are a lot of teams trying to get deals done with Sacramento so they can move up to select Jaden Ivey. Those are teams close to them in the lottery — Detroit and Indiana, who are at 5 and 6, the New York Knicks at 11 and the Washington Wizards at 10. Sacramento’s asking price is going to be significant … Monte McNair, their GM, you can expect him to be on the phones this next week as we get closer to Thursday’s draft. If they are going to move that pick, they are expecting to get a lot in return.

The fourth pick will likely ensure either the Kings, or another team, have the opportunity to select Ivey. The first three players off the board are expected to be Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr. in some order. Ivey is widely projected to be the fourth pick.

He was a consensus All-American last season after averaging 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Given his overall skill set, Ivey is projected to be able to contribute now while also developing into a potential star, making him a prime target for teams.

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The Kings will look to build around De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Davion Mitchell, and add to that core this offseason. It is unclear what type of player the Kings could acquire with the fourth pick, but the front office has a key asset at its disposal.

While it remains to be seen which direction the Kings will go, it is becoming apparent the first shake-up on draft night could emanate from Sacramento.

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

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