The Wizards on Wednesday selected Frenchman Alexandre Sarr from the Perth Wildcats in the NBL with the second overall pick in the draft.
The Washington Wizards on Wednesday selected Frenchman Alexandre Sarr from the Perth Wildcats in the NBL with the second overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
Sarr averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on 52% shooting from the field last season with the Wildcats. He scored in double figures 14 times, including a season-high 18 points, five blocks and two rebounds on Jan. 26 against the S.E. Melbourne Phoenix.
The 7-footer was in contention to be the top pick of the Atlanta Hawks but declined to work out with the organization, clearing the way for the Wizards to take him at No. 2. He said before the draft that he wanted to land with the right team, and that will now be the Wizards.
The Wizards’ selection at No. 2 is the third time the team has drafted at that position in the common era. He became the second international player selected after the Hawks took fellow Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher with the first pick.
Sarr is highly touted for his ability to protect the paint and block shots with his 7-foot, 4 1/4-inch wingspan. He has an evolving offensive game and has drawn some comparisons to Giannis Antetokounmpo with his size, skill set and ability in the open court.
The 19-year-old will join a roster featuring Bilal Coulibaly, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole and Johnny Davis, among others. He projects to add scoring, rebounding and a post presence to the roster.
All of these players did the Irish proud before making the jump.
Nobody on Notre Dame’s veteran-laden team from this past season will be selected in Thursday’s NBA draft. In fact, given the inexperience across the board on the upcoming season’s roster and under a new coach no less, it could be quite a while before we see another Notre Dame player drafted. On the bright side, that means no early departures except via the transfer portal. Then again, it sure would be nice to have NBA-ready talent in South Bend.
The only way to deal with a challenging present and short-term future is to look to the past. In this case, the way to go about that is to look at former players who heard their names called on draft night over the past several years. Of the 62 former Notre Dame players who have suited up in the NBA or ABA, 41 have entered professional basketball via the draft. Here are the most recent ones:
Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Mike Sykes
Happy Friday, folks! Welcome back to Layup Lines. Thanks so much for joining me today. I hope you’ve had a great week with an even better weekend ahead of you.
Don’t look now, but the NBA Draft is less than a week away! The festivities will begin next Wednesday and Thursday. A new crop of players will begin their NBA journeys.
The best out of that crop might be Alex Sarr — the 6-foot-11 Frenchman with a 7-foot-4 wingspan. He is widely regarded as one of the best prospects in this draft class. He’s bounced between No. 1 and No. 2 overall on ESPN’s big board all season. He may be the closest thing we have to a consensus top prospect in a draft without one.
That’s why it’s so confounding that he wants to doom himself to a future with the Washington Wizards.
According to the latest from Yahoo! Sports’ Jake Fischer, Sarr has been dodging workouts with the Atlanta Hawks in hopes of angling himself to go No. 2 overall to the Wizards. Yes, seriously.
Here’s more from Fischer:
“The Wizards are likely to remain at No. 2 as well, where Washington has the league convinced its focused on selecting Alex Sarr from the Perth Wildcats. The Wizards, according to people familiar with the situation, invested the most time and resources of any NBA club sending various personnel to Australia to evaluate Sarr. This situation is also considered the preferred outcome from Sarr’s camp, as it’s become well known that Sarr has so far declined to work out for Atlanta.”
Alex, my guy, are you sure about this one?
I mean, look. As a Wizards fan, I love this. It’s endearing that he wants to be in D.C. We love that sort of thing here. It goes a long way — just ask John Wall.
But dude. We ain’t talking about Harry Potter here. The Wizards have been, uh, Wizard-ing for a really, really long time. Udonis Haslem just said that players get sent to Washington to “get your affairs in order” a few days ago. And, look, as annoying as that is, he’s not wrong! There’s a reason why so many players leave D.C. and become NBA champions. It just hasn’t been great historically.
To be fair to Sarr, this might be less about the Wizards and more about the alternative. Sarr reportedly wants a more advanced offensive role as a power forward instead of a rim-running center. He’s more likely to find that in Washington than in Atlanta.
Plus, Bill Duffy, Sarr’s agent, doesn’t have a great history with Atlanta players either. So it makes sense that Sarr might be trying to angle his way down a pick here.
But, man. Alex, buddy. I hope you know what you’re in for.
But, given a bit of time, I think Redick could be pretty good! He has the passion for it. He just needs the reps.
Some fans proposed a pretty clever idea to get him up to speed — have him coach the Lakers’ Summer League team in Vegas this year. It’s a good idea! And it’s not without precedent — some pretty good coaches have done the same in recent years.
“Last season, before first-time Adrian Griffin took over for as the new head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, he and his coaching staff got their feet wet in Las Vegas. While his tenure with the organization was ill-fated, it was still a wise move.
Steve Kerr, another former player who did not have any head coaching experience before he was hired, also coached the Warriors in NBA Summer League before his first official game with Golden State in 2014.
The previous season, Jason Kidd also made his head coaching debut during NBA Summer League for the Brooklyn Nets.
Redick should consider doing the same thing so he can have as many reps as possible before eventually stepping on the sidelines for his first game.”
The Lakers should tap in on this. Get JJ in Vegas this summer.
If Donovan Clingan is drafted at No. 1 or No. 2, that would leave at least one of Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher available to Houston at No. 3 overall.
For much of the NBA’s 2024 pre-draft process, mock drafts have placed French forwards Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher in the top-two slots. That would leave the remainder of the class available to the Houston Rockets, who are up next at No. 3 in the first round.
But, are Sarr and Risacher (in some order) a lock to go to Atlanta and Washington, and thus be off the board for Houston?
University of Connecticut center Donovan Clingan… is in conversation at No. 1 after working out in Atlanta, which is exploring trade-down scenarios. He is also spending time in Washington, which has the No. 2 pick.
Should Clingan go at No. 1 or No. 2, that could leave either Sarr or Risacher on the board for the Rockets. Or, perhaps Houston is one of the teams that Atlanta could potentially trade down with.
Who's rising, falling from the NBA draft? We updated our top 100 rankings with tons of intel with what's going on around the world of the NBA Drafthttps://t.co/2LkCdpa7bt
There is recent precedent for a prospect outside of the consensus top two making a late jump to the top. In 2022, Paolo Banchero was widely viewed as behind Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith Jr. during the pre-draft period, yet Orlando decided late in the process to take him at No. 1 (thus pushing Smith to Houston at No. 3).
Maybe there’s a similar dynamic in 2024. Whatever the case, with under three weeks left until the June 26 first round, it feels premature to rule out any option, given the instability at the top.
Clingan and his Connecticut teammate, guard Stephon Castle, are among the most popular mock-draft projections to Houston, as things currently stand. So, too, is Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard.
Bleacher Report suggests a Josh Giddey for Deni Avdija trade.
As the 2024 NBA Finals start, only a handful of games remain for this season. This means the start of the offseason is near. Teams will get a chance to improve their rosters and trades are one route to do that.
Bleacher Report writers Dan Favale and Grant Hughes recently cooked up an offseason trade for the 28 teams not in the NBA Finals. This includes the Oklahoma City Thunder — fresh off a first-seed and second-round exit.
The Thunder’s trade involves shipping Josh Giddey and a pair of first-round picks to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Deni Avdija. The full trade details are below:
Thunder receive:Â Deni Avdija
Wizards receive:Â Josh Giddey, the No. 12 pick in the 2024 draft and a 2025 first-round pick (via MIA; top-14 protected)
The trade gives Thunder a young wing fresh off a career season where he featured an outside shot more often. Meanwhile, the Wizards get a pair of quality first-round picks for their rebuild and a potential starter.
“Giddey’s spot in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s first unit is the one most in need of an upgrade, even if that’s largely by default. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are deservedly entrenched there.
Avdija is two years older than Giddey at 23, which suggests he has slightly less room for growth, and much of his play prior to last season featured some of the same shortcomings that have dogged Giddey—namely errant outside shooting and minimal self-created offense.
Last season saw Avdija change in key ways, as he upped his three-point hit rate to a tantalizing 37.4 percent while assuming a larger share of playmaking duties. His averages of 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists were all career highs, and the burly 6’9″ forward was even better than that after the All-Star break.
Giddey has made steady strides as a shooter, hitting a career-best 33.7 percent from deep last year. But he’s nowhere near Avdija’s level on defense, and despite similar size on the wing, fails to play with any noticeable downhill force.
The Thunder have the picks to spare, and the rebuilding Wizards should be in the market for as many lottery tickets as possible. Avdija is a better player than Giddey today, but he’s already on his second contract, and Giddey’s youth gives him two extra years of upside ahead.”
It’s an expensive price to pay, but that comes with the territory of adding someone like Avdija. If the outside shot is sustainable and not just a one-year wonder, he’ll be a massive get for OKC. He makes more sense as a fit with the Thunder than Giddey. He can be an off-ball threat who can space the floor and keep the offense moving. He’ll also help out on the glass.
Avdija is also on a team-friendly deal. He is set to begin a four-year, $55 million contract next season. He’ll be on a bargain price for the foreseeable future.
For Giddey, it allows him to return to a comfortable role of being the lead playmaker and ball-handler. He’ll have the keys to the offense and get a chance to be a traditional point guard — something he strived away from in OKC last season.
The draft compensation might be a tough pill to swallow, but that’s the price of looking to make immediate upgrades on the roster with starting-caliber players. Overall, this seems like a solid deal for both sides.
Porzingis hasn’t played since April due to a calf injury.
Update:Â Kristaps Porzingis will be available off the bench for the Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Perhaps no player in the 2024 NBA Finals has had a more interesting road to get to where he is today than Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis.
Once the No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Latvian-born center was named an All-Star in 2018 while on the New York Knicks. It seemed like the beginning of a promising career in New York, but after various injuries, it did not work out for him on the Knicks.
He has since bounced around to other teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, before eventually finding a home with the Celtics. If he he is at full health, he is one of the most important players in this series.
It is rare for someone his size to shoot as well as he can for Boston.
Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis (calf) has completed multiple scrimmages in recent days and is expected to return to action for Game 1 of the NBA Finals vs. Dallas on Thursday night barring setback, sources tell @TheAthletic@Stadium. Porzingis has been sidelined since April 29. pic.twitter.com/3kdyvJQyqt
Porzingis, however, has not played since April 29 as he continues recovering from a calf injury that has kept him sidelined during the postseason. But he is expected to return for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Mavericks.
If he plays well, he is a “matchup nightmare” for Dallas and a potential X-factor for Boston. But if he struggles, the Celtics will have to rely on depth in their frontcourt.
Expect to see Porzingis give it a go as the series begins before the medical staff eventually decides if should continue with the rest of the NBA Finals or not. But given his road to get to where he is today, it’s not surprising that he’ll at least try.
The 1986 Upper Deck signed Fleer #57 Rookie card is the ultimate choice for investors keen on Michael Jordan cards. However, the most lucrative sale stems from the 2003 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Michael Jordan Signed Logoman card. We looked at …
The 1986 Upper Deck signed Fleer #57 Rookie card is the ultimate choice for investors keen on Michael Jordan cards. However, the most lucrative sale stems from the 2003 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Michael Jordan Signed Logoman card.
This is the closest to the NBA Finals the Wizards have ever been.
When you think of modern NBA Finals matchups, you should be considering the Washington Wizards. No, really, I’m serious!
A new TikTok video from Michael Mockler (@esquiresports) shows that the Wizards — rather, former Wizards — have had at least one player play a big role for every single NBA champion since 2017. That streak will continue with the 2024 edition of the Finals as Washington’s starting frontcourt from last season — Kristaps Porzingis and Daniel Gafford — play for the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, respectively.
The lesson here? Acquire a former Wizards player if you want to make a run to playing June NBA basketball. And no one is kidding:
I’m so glad this guy is telling the world what Wizards fans have known for years. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CM82SK16oW
The list of former Wizards to play for the eventual champion in every NBA Finals since 2017 is as follows:
2017-2018 Golden State Warriors: Shaun Livingston, JaVale McGee
2019 Toronto Raptors: Jodie Meeks
2020 Los Angeles Lakers: JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard, Markieff Morris
2021 Milwaukee Bucks: Bobby Portis
2022 Golden State Warriors: Gary Payton II, Otto Porter, Chris Chiozza
2023 Denver Nuggets: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jeff Green, Ish Smith, Thomas Bryant
Obviously, one of Gafford or Porzingis will eventually be included on this list after the 2024 Finals have concluded.
Don’t think this will likely stop in 2025, either. If free-agent names like Tyus Jones or potential trade candidates like Deni Avdija or Kyle Kuzma land on the right contending teams, this NBA Finals streak may well be extended for another year.
Former Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Brian Keefe is the head coach of the Washington Wizards, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday.
The Brooklyn Nets are one of the organizations that people think about when it comes to what could have been if things went as intended with the Big 3. While that era of the franchise is a subject for another day, one of the coaches in Brooklyn during that time is moving on to bigger things.
Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, former Nets assistant coach Brian Keefe is being hired as the new head coach of the Washington Wizards. Keefe took over as the interim head coach of the Wizards after Wes Unseld Jr., who held the job since the beginning of the 2021-22 season, was relived of his head-coaching duties to transition into a front-office advisory role following a 7-36 record.
Keefe became an assistant coach for the Nets heading into the 2021-22 season when Steve Nash was the head coach during the era of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn. Nash was fired during the 2022-23 season following a 2-5 start and Keefe stayed on the staff even though Jacque Vaughn took over as the interim head coach.
After the season ended, Vaughn began to assemble his coaching staff as he saw fit as the next head coach of the franchise and that led to Keefe leaving the team last summer for Washington. After Keefe took over for Unseld as the interim head coach, the Wizards went 8-31 as a team that will be looking for plenty of talent as they move into the next chapter of their franchise.
Brian Keefe became an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets heading into the 2021-22 season when Steve Nash was the head coach. Although Nash was fired 7 games into the 2022-23 season, Keefe stayed on the staff for interim HC Jacque Vaughn. Keefe left for Washington last summer. https://t.co/oRLLkjhuBT
— Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@SharifKeaton) May 29, 2024
In our first 2024 NBA mock draft after the lottery, we had Sarr projected to the Hawks in that pole position. But in the latest two-round mock draft from Bleacher Report, draft expert Jonathan Wasserman thinks that it could look a little different. Here is what he wrote:
“The Washington Wizards can ignore fit and needs at No. 2, though Alex Sarr could potentially check both the best-player-available box and give them the cornerstone big they’ve been missing.
He measured well in Chicago, coming in at just under 7’0″ in socks, 224 pounds with a 7’4″ wingspan. At that size, the ability to slide defensively, handle in the open floor and shoot off the dribble really separates him from other centers.
The Wizards will eventually need to find a point guard, but at No. 2, Sarr’s physical talent, evolving skill versatility and defensive upside create visions of upside that could be difficult to resist.”
This decision is far from over, but Sarr would make for an intriguing fit at No. 2 overall for the rebuilding Wizards and it isn’t exactly a significant fall from the top spot.
