Tag: Philadelphia 76ers

ESPN pairs Jared McCain with the Philadelphia 76ers again in new mock draft

ESPN released a new mock draft on Monday, just days ahead of the NBA draft, and they paired Jared McCain with his most frequent landing spot.

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released a new NBA mock draft on Monday, this time paired with the rumor mill and what ESPN’s scouts are hearing ahead of Wednesday’s opening round.

The duo paired McCain with the Philadelphia 76ers, the former Blue Devil’s most popular destination in pre-draft predictions and the same spot the ESPN duo had him in their mock draft last week.

The 41.4% 3-point shooter emerged as a fan favorite after he demolished the combine, going 19/25 from 3-point range during a shooting drill and earning comparisons to the Curry brothers because of his form and consistency. The popular pairing would let him share the court with former MVP Joel Embiid and last season’s Most Improved Player, Tyrese Maxey.

However, despite McCain routinely coming close to the lottery range as a prospect, Givony wrote that the pairing doesn’t stem from strong feelings about Philadelphia. The Sixers have reportedly hosted the fewest workouts of any team in the league, fanning speculation that they might include the pick in a trade.

“Regardless of who is picking, McCain has an easy niche he can fill in the NBA,” Givony wrote, praising the former Blue Devil’s offensive ability.

The NBA draft gets underway on Wednesday night.

One Eastern Conference playoff team keeps showing up for Jared McCain in mock drafts

NBA mock drafts keep dropping with less than a week to go, and former Duke basketball star Jared McCain keeps getting paired with one squad.

The 2024 NBA draft begins on June 26, and with less than a week to go, outlets keep dropping mock drafts left and right.

Smoke doesn’t always signal fire at this stage in the process, but if Duke basketball fans want to draw a connection between the USA TODAY Sports and The Athletic mock drafts both released on Thursday, there’s one to draw for [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag].

Both outlets, as well as ESPN and a few other outlets, connected McCain to the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th overall pick.

Sam Vecenie, who wrote The Athletic’s mock draft, said the Sixers could still move their first-round pick as they try to build around former MVP Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

However, if Philadelphia wants another piece to inch closer to [autotag]Jayson Tatum[/autotag] and the Boston Celtics in the East, it’d be hard to go wrong with a 41% 3-point shooter on the perimeter. With Embiid now 30 years old, the Sixers seem ready to make moves for a title in the next few seasons.

Does McCain end up in The City of Brotherly Love? There are still six days to go, but based on the recent noise and projections, that seems to be the leader in the clubhouse.

Where did Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski go in The Athletic’s new NBA mock draft?

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie released a new NBA mock draft on Thursday morning and paired two former Blue Devils with two big teams.

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie released a new NBA mock draft on Thursday and paired former Duke basketball stars [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] with two recent playoff heavyweights.

Vecenie put McCain on the Philadelphia 76ers (a team that is becoming a popular destination for the sharpshooting 20-year-old) before Filipowski went 24th to the New York Knicks.

McCain, who made more than 41% of his 3-pointers last season and scored at least 30 points twice in four NCAA Tournament games, wowed fans and scouts at the combine with his shooting display. He’s earned comparisons to the Currys, two-time MVP Steph and former Blue Devil Seth, for his form and consistency from behind the line.

Vecenie pointed out that McCain averaged 16.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists during his final 28 games.

“Over the last two-thirds of the season, McCain was one of the best freshman scorers in high-major college basketball,” Vecenie wrote. “He made 41.6 percent of his 6.4 3-point attempts per game during that span and consistently got into the lane in transition or when driving closeouts. I also thought he improved drastically on defense over his final 15 or so games.”

Filipowski, a 7-footer who can participate in the offense as a ball-handler and distributor, earns first-round hype for his particular skillset. He made nearly 35% of his 3-pointers.

“(Filipowski) carried the Blue Devils through long stretches of games with his ability to catch the ball on the block and score,” Vecenie wrote. “But pro scouts are more intrigued by his well-rounded perimeter game.”

The NBA draft begins on June 26.

Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski go to playoff teams in new USA TODAY Sports mock draft

USA TODAY Sports released a new NBA mock draft on Thursday morning and put Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski just outside of lottery range.

USA TODAY Sports released a new NBA mock draft on Thursday morning with less than a week before the Atlanta Hawks get put on the clock.

Jeff Zillgett and Scooby Axson teamed to pair the best prospects from around the world with certain NBA teams, and former Duke basketball stars [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] found themselves just outside of lottery range in the projection.

McCain, who routinely goes first in most projections, went 16th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers. Home of 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid and 2023-24 Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers remain in search of additional pieces to push them into the elusive Eastern Conference finals.

After his lights-out shooting performance at the combine, many analysts think McCain can be one of those pieces.

Six picks later, Filipowski went 22nd to the Phoenix Suns. Another team with major star power, Phoenix boasts Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal as its main trio (and former Blue Devil [autotag]Grayson Allen[/autotag] as a key rotational piece) but the team’s depth forced them out of the playoffs in the opening round.

As an All-American 7-footer who averaged 2.8 assists per game, Filipowski can provide frontcourt depth while remaining a part of the perimeter offense.

“A low-post big who uses his size, strength and athleticism,” the duo wrote. “As the screener on pick-and-rolls, he can step outside and hit 3s and go to the bucket for dunks and layups.”

The NBA draft begins on June 26.

Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski go to big-market East Coast NBA teams in ESPN mock draft

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released a new mock draft on Wednesday, and the two available Duke players went to some iconic teams.

ESPN released a new NBA mock draft on Wednesday, one week before the opening round of the 2024 draft.

Writers Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo paired 58 prospects with specific spots in the draft, and both Duke players on the board went in the first round to some iconic franchises from the Northeast.

[autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag], the freshman who shot 41.4% from 3-point range and finished with three 30-point games as a debutant last season, went first to the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th overall pick.

The prediction would pair him with 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid and 2023-24 Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey as the Sixers try to reach a summit that has eluded them for the past decade: the Eastern Conference finals.

“As an excellent shooter with impressive intangibles that have bolstered his case in the short and long term, McCain is well-prepared for an NBA adjustment and could be on a faster track to making an impact than your typical freshman,” Woo wrote.

[autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] went eight picks later to the New York Knicks with the 24th pick. A 7-footer who made the Second Team All-American squad as a sophomore averaged more than 16 points and eight rebounds per game, but his 2.8 assists per game make him an intriguing first-round prospect.

“Filipowski’s ability to handle, pass and shoot is difficult to come by at 7-foot, and the dearth of versatile bigs who can play inside and out will surely be attractive to a team picking in this range,” Givony wrote.

The NBA draft gets underway on June 26.

Report: Former Wisconsin basketball star works out for Philadelphia 76ers

Report: Former Wisconsin basketball star works out for Philadelphia 76ers

Former Wisconsin basketball star Sam Dekker recently worked out for the Philadelphia 76ers, according to NBC Philadelphia’s John Clark.

Dekker most recently played in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors for one game during the 2021-2022 season. His long and winding professional career led him to the British Basketball League’s London Lions, where he has spent the last two seasons.

Related: Wisconsin basketball 2024-25 starting lineup, rotation and bench with Andrija Vukovic signing

The 30-year-old’s career has included stops in the NBA with the Houston Rockets (2015-2017), Los Angeles Clippers (2017-2018), Cleveland Cavaliers (2018), Washington Wizards (2018-2019) and Raptors (2021). He has also played in Russia for Lokomotiv Kuban (2019-2020), and in Turkey for Turk Telekom (2020-2021) and Bahçeşehir Koleji (2021-2022).

The Wisconsin legend’s recent stop with the London Lions has been his best as a professional. His 2023 season included per-game averages of 20.8 minutes, 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals on 53% shooting. That performance was enough to earn British Basketball League MVP honors as the Lions went on to win the BBL Cup Final — where he was also named Cup Final MVP.

The 2012 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball recipient is looking for another shot in the NBA with 76ers general manager Daryl Morey — the former Rockets GM who drafted Dekker in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft.

Dekker’s storied Wisconsin career included two Final Four appearances including one trip to the national championship game. He finished his three-year career with per-game averages of 27.9 minutes, 12.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.5 blocks on 52.5% shooting and 33% from three. His other collegiate accolades include two All-Big Ten Second Team nods (2014, 2015) and an inclusion on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team in 2013.

The 76ers are working to retool the roster around superstar Joel Embiid and rising star Tyrese Maxey after yet another early-round playoff exit. Dekker may find a role as a depth piece at small forward.

The former Badgers’ previous NBA stops were short-lived. But it’s possible that his game is greatly improved since moving overseas in 2019.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

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OKC Thunder’s 2024 Salt Lake City Summer League schedule revealed

OKC Thunder’s 2024 Salt Lake City Summer League schedule revealed.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will again participate in the Salt Lake City summer league. The three-day event features four squads. It is an additional three games for the Thunder to join that accompany their traditional Las Vegas summer league schedule.

The SLC summer league will feature the Thunder, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers and Memphis Grizzlies. Every team will play each other once. It will take place from July 8-10 — two days before the Las Vegas summer league, which spans from July 12-22.

The Thunder will play three games in three days at Utah. The full details on the slate are below:

  • Thunder vs. Sixers on Monday, July 8 at 6 p.m. CT
  • Thunder vs. Jazz on Tuesday, July 9 at 8 p.m. CT
  • Grizzlies vs. Thunder on Wednesday, July 10 at 8 p.m. CT

This will be the first time the Thunder’s newest additions can suit up for the NBA squad. OKC enters the 2024 NBA draft with the No. 12 selection. Expect it to add undrafted rookies who will look to stick to the NBA.

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Joel Embiid went on ESPN’s NBA Finals pregame and promptly trashed the Celtics

There’s clearly no love lost between Joel Embiid and the Boston Celtics.

The Boston Celtics enter Game 4 of the NBA Finals with a chance to clinch their 18th overall championship and first since 2008.

With a 3-0 lead against the Dallas Mavericks in the series, Boston certainly has history on its side. But not everyone is excited about the prospect of a Celtics title, particularly one of the biggest stars in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid went on ABC’s NBA Countdown ahead of Game 4, and when asked for his thoughts on Boston’s likely championship, he didn’t mince words.

“I can’t stand them. I can’t stand them. I hate Boston. Great city, great fans, they’ve got some great players, but it hurts me a lot.”

If the Mavericks are going to avoid disappointing Embiid, it’s going to take a truly special run. No team in the history of the NBA playoffs has ever won a series after falling behind 3-0, and only four have even forced a Game 7 — most recently, Boston in last year’s Eastern Conference finals.

Regardless, it’s clear the dislike for the Celtics is real for Embiid, who is still trying to lead the 76ers to their first title in more than four decades.

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ESPN blatantly encouraged Joel Embiid to recruit Paul George during an awkward interview

Joel Embiid and Paul George…future teammates in Philadelphia?

Joel Embiid was an impromptu TV panelist before Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals and his segment may have raised some eyebrows.

During his appearance on ABC’s NBA Countdown, the 2023 NBA MVP joined a panel that included L.A. Clippers star Paul George as well as Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, Malika Andrews and Kendrick Perkins.

Embiid spoke about the upcoming game between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks. Embiid’s 76ers were eliminated before they had a chance to play against Boston in the postseason.

While he called them a superteam, he made it clear that he doesn’t think this is the start of a dynasty because of tighter restrictions with the new collective bargaining agreement.

Embiid said it “hurts him a lot” to see the Celtics have a chance to play for a title, he said that hopefully the 76ers can find some pieces this offseason so it is him with a chance to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy next season.

Shortly after that, Wilbon agreed that perhaps one more piece is exactly what Philadelphia will need.

Kendrick Perkins didn’t hold any punches, though, and suggested that piece is sitting next to him: Paul George, who has a player option in his contract and could become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Philadelphia could create the cap space to sign George if the wing does not agree to a long-term extension with the Clippers.

But seeing it spelled out so plainly on national TV before the NBA Finals was quite a sight.

NBA fans reacted to the segment

 

Report: Sixers’ Cam Payne arrested in Arizona for allegedly giving false report

Per TMZ Sports, Philadelphia 76ers guard Cam Payne was arrested in Arizona on Friday morning for allegedly providing a false report.

The Philadelphia 76ers are a team with a lot of decisions to make this offseason as they look to hopefully add a third star to pair with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. In the meantime, one of the players that spent time with Philadelphia this season has some important to worry about himself.

Per TMZ Sports on Friday, Sixers guard Cam Payne was arrested in Arizona after the police claimed that he gave a false report. Payne, who played four seasons for the Phoenix Suns from 2020 to 2023 prior to coming to Philadelphia, has some ties to the Scottsdale area after his time in Phoenix.

“According to the Scottsdale Police Department, authorities were called out to investigate a disturbance in Scottsdale at around 2:44 AM — and came into contact with Payne and another individual,” TMZ wrote. The report goes on to say that details about what exactly happened with Payne and the individual are scarce so it’s difficult what the situation was.

However, TMZ Sports does relay that “the SPD says Payne was arrested on the scene and booked on one charge of refusal to provide a truthful name and one count of false report to law enforcement.” Per TMZ, Payne was released from custody a short time after he was arrested.

Payne, 29, is an unrestricted free-agent this summer who could be coming back to the Sixers if the interests of both sides align, especially with Philadelphia trying to keep its championship window with Embiid open. Payne averaged 9.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 41.3% from the field and 38.2% from deep in 31 games played (eight starts).

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