More on Draft Workouts
The Pacers will hold their sixth pre-draft workout in anticipation of the 2017 NBA Draft on Tuesday, June 6. The six players scheduled to participate in Tuesday's workout are Antonio Blakeney (LSU), Isaac Hamilton (UCLA), Zak Irvin (Michigan), Naz Long (Iowa State), Johnathan Motley (Baylor), and Rashawn Thomas (Texas A&M-CC).
Jessica Camerato: Isaiah Briscoe has worked out with Sixers, Knicks, Raptors and Rockets. Still has Pistons, Trail Blazers, Bulls, Lakers, and others left.
Michael Scotto: Toronto Raptors will bring in J.J. Frazier (Georgia) as part of a group workout on Tuesday June 6, league sources told Basketball Insiders.
Sean Cunningham: Kings announce draft workout with 6-11 Duke F/C Harry Giles for Tuesday.
Chase Hughes: Kansas G Frank Mason III will work out for the Brooklyn Nets tomorrow.
Mark Murphy: Source confirms ESPN report that Markelle Fultz begins 2-day Celtics visit today, with interviews followed by physical/workout tomorrow.
Michael Scotto: New York Knicks will bring in former UNC center Kennedy Meeks as part of a group workout on June 7, league sources told Basketball Insiders.
Rashad Mobley: Kansas PG Frank Mason III will workout for the Wizards tomorrow at noon.
Sean Cunningham: After being in Oakland at the #NBAFinals, De'Aaron Fox is in Sacramento to meet with Kings. Got a late night workout at team facility
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sources: Potential No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz will workout for the Boston Celtics on Tuesday at the team's practice facility.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Fultz is expected to undergo a physical and spend time meeting with top Boston officials over Monday and Tuesday too, sources said.
Rashad Mobley: Kansas PG Frank Mason III will workout for the Wizards tomorrow at noon.
Boston Celtics will meet with potential number one overall pick Markelle Fultz Monday in Boston, source told ESPN. Will be Fultz' first time ever to the city.
The Lakers will host another crew of collegiate talent on Monday as part of their predraft workout process. This upcoming batch includes a First Team All-American, a pair of forwards and three of the nation’s top passers: TJ Cline, Jawun Evans, Josh Hart, Roger Moute a Bidias, Monte Morris and Tyler Roberson.
Kevin O'Connor: #Celtics recently worked out Jonathan Isaac against Louisiana Tech forward Erik McCree in Las Vegas, per source.
TJ McBride: Denver will workout John Collins on Monday for their 3rd round of predraft workouts. twitter.com/keithsmithnba/…
Former Maryland standout Melo Trimble told Washington Wizards beat writers Tuesday that he’ll work out for the 76ers. The Sixers confirmed that the point guard will work out Monday. NBA teams will be on the West Coast this week for agent-run, predraft workouts.
The offseason is in full swing for the Spurs as front office personnel are preparing for this month’s NBA Draft. League sources tell the Express-News South Carolina senior Sindarius Thornwell is scheduled to workout for the Spurs.
Vanderbilt senior Luke Kornet is also scheduled to workout for the Spurs on Monday.
Mike Fisher: I'm told #Mavs targeting 6-10 freshman Bradley for an early-week visit to Dallas, along w @UNC_Basketball teammate Justin Jackson
With a new general manager Travis Schlenk in place, the Hawks will resume pre-NBA Draft workouts in Atlanta on Monday. One of the participants in the session will be Texas freshman center Jarrett Allen. Allen, 6-foot-11, 224 pounds, measured a 7-foot-5 1/2 wingspan and a 9-2 standing reach at the NBA Scouting Combine last month. Allen led the Big 12 in field-goal percentage (.567) and Texas in rebounds (8.4) and blocks (1.5) last season. He averaged 13.4 points per game.
Vincent Ellis: North Carolina swingman Justin Jackson will workout for the #Pistons next week. I think somebody threatened to drop #Pistons over this
Andy Larsen: Jazz will hold another draft workout Saturday, including Vanderbilt center Luke Kornet. I'll reveal my source: Luke Kornet's PR people.
With reports surfacing that the LA Lakers and former UCLA guard Lonzo Ball have finalized the details of a workout and face to face meeting in LA next week, there is a growing sense that unless Lonzo absolutely blows the doors off, he may not be the Lakers’ guy.
Mike Fisher: NBA sources tell me #Mavs to host 'preliminary pre-Draft workouts. Hope to feature @UNC_Basketball Fs Justin Jackson & Tony Bradley
I hadn’t been able to attend the previous day’s draft workout, which had featured a high-level prospect, so my coworker was filling me in. This prospect had talent but also had numerous flaws — all of which, it sounded like, the workout and interview confirmed. It would have been easy to write the player off and not think about him again, but my coworker wasn’t ready to give up so easily. “You know,” he said to me at one point in the discussion. “I wonder if it’s actually better that you missed the workout. I mean, none of us are going to be able to get this out of our heads now no matter how hard we try. But for you it’s like it never happened. Maybe that gives you a better perspective?” That prospect has since become a very good player. He overcame the negatives in his game and personality that were exposed in the harsh light of his visit to our practice facility and has easily outperformed his draft slot.
But despite these constraints, draft workouts remain the most control teams have over their scouting of players. All of the other scouting opportunities are run by someone else. In a draft workout the players come into the team’s building and follow an itinerary of the team’s creation.
Anyone who’s worked in the NBA for any significant length of time has heard dramatic stories of workouts that completely threw an organization off. If they weren’t part of a story like that themselves, they’ve at the very least seen first-hand a workout that was not at all representative of the player that prospect would become. The cautionary tales abound. There is no executive, then, that believes a workout is the be-all-and-end-all of a decision. Different decision makers place a different emphasis on how much the workout matters to them and on how much they believe they can learn from the process, but I haven’t met anyone who thinks that it should be anywhere close to the sole basis for their opinions.
By the time Damian Lillard left the facility after his workout, our entire staff was head over heels. We sat in the conference room, giddy and gushing over what we had just seen. One of our executives summarized our thoughts perfectly: “now that is an impressive player — and person.” The athleticism, skill-level, maturity, poise, and composure under pressure that Lillard has exuded throughout his entire career was on display that day in Portland.
Lonzo Ball will work out for the Los Angeles Lakers on June 9, the first step toward possibly becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, league sources told The Vertical. Ball, 19, has scheduled his visit with his hometown team to meet with the front office and coaches and participate in an individual workout. Ball had always planned to conduct only a private individual workout because of his success in his lone season at UCLA and never considered a one-on-one workout against another top prospect, league sources said.
The Lakers’ front office worked with Ball’s agent, Harrison Gaines, to finalize the workout details. The Lakers are the only pre-draft workout scheduled for Ball as of now, but he could add one or two meetings with teams near the top of the draft, league sources said.
Shams Charania: Projected No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball will work out and meet with the Los Angeles Lakers on June 9, league sources tell @The Vertical.
Adam Zagoria: Kentucky G Isaiah Briscoe worked out for the Knicks today and a source said it went "really well."
Rabb finished tied for sixth in the Bears record books for career rebounding average (9.5 per game), and the 6-foot-11, 220-pound forward can defend multiple positions. “It’s having a nose for the ball and wanting it,” said Rabb, who also had pre-draft workouts with Milwaukee, Orlando, Miami, Boston and Oklahoma City before training next week in Orlando, Chicago and Toronto.
Chase Hughes: Pitt G/F Jamel Artis has now worked out for the Lakers, Kings, Bucks, Rockets & Wizards. He did LAL/SAC/HOU all within three days.
Chase Hughes: Indiana G James Blackmon Jr. will work out for the Sacramento Kings tomorrow after visiting the Wizards today.
Sean Cunningham: Kings workout tomorrow: Justin Jackson - UNC F Jordan Bell - Oregon F Frank Mason - Kansas G Devin Robinson - Florida F Kyle kuzma- uta F
Sean Cunningham: Kings GROUP 2 (1/2) Tyler Cavanaugh - F Geo. Wash Moses Kingsley - F/C Arkansas Luke Petrasek - F Columbia Jordan Washington - F Iona
Chase Hughes: Maryland PG Melo Trimble will work out for the Sixers on June 4 and the Rockets on June 5.
Jovan Buha: Lamar Odom attended the @lakers draft workouts for the second straight day. Odom, who has a notable sweet tooth, predictably made his way over to the bin with gum and candy.
Serena Winters: The Lakers are working out Cal’s Ivan Rabb right now. Many mocks (i.e. @Jonathan Givony) have him going right around the Lakers range at No. 28 pic.twitter.com/FwHauO2F5z
Chase Hughes: Pitt G/F Jamel Artis will work out for the Magic on Thursday in Orlando.
On Tuesday, six NBA Draft prospects will work out for the Wizards in the first of many workouts leading up to the June 22 Draft: Jamel Artis, James Blackmon, Daniel Dixon, DJ Fenner, Monte Morris and Melo Trimble.
Ben Standig: Wizards hold their first formal pre-draft workout at Verizon Center. Melo Trimble vs. Monte Morris sounds fun. pic.twitter.com/mc8SWA9YJq
Phoenix Suns: The following players will participate in a Pre-Draft Workout today for the #Suns: Troy Caupain, Josh Hart, Tidjane Keita, Kyle Kuzma, Johnathan Motley and Kobi Simmons.
The Lakers’ front office will be on the clock this Memorial Day, as six more draft prospects audition on Monday: Bryce Alford, Dwayne Bacon, Jordan Bell, Amida Brimah, Kennedy Meeks and Derrick Walton Jr.
Ian Begley: North Carolina's Justin Jackson is scheduled to work out for the Knicks on June 13, a league source confirmed. Some in the Knicks organization are intrigued by Jackson, as ESPN reported earlier this month, due to the 6-8 wing's potential as a player who can impact the game on both ends of the floor. Jackson, who has a 6-11 wingspan, is projected as a mid-first round pick in some mock drafts. So the Knicks, who have the eighth selection, may have to trade for an additional pick to select Jackson in June. Members of the organization had discussed the possibility of acquiring an additional first-round pick earlier this month, per sources. Details of any potential trade for an additional pick have yet to emerge. The New York Post first reported Jackson's scheduled workout with the Knicks.
Serena Winters: Lamar Odom is here at this mornings Lakers draft workouts! pic.twitter.com/qPYXLHJtFm
Dallas Mavericks Pre-Draft Scouting Tour Includes Looks At Malik Monk And Zack Collins, Sources Tell DB.com
North Carolina junior swingman Justin Jackson will bring his championship résumé to the Knicks’ Tarrytown facility next month, The Post has learned. According to an NBA source, Jackson will work out for the Knicks on June 13 ahead of the NBA draft. Jackson interviewed with the Knicks at the the league’s draft combine in Chicago this month. He is projected by most to be a late lottery pick.
With the NBA draft less than a month away, the Suns will hold their first announced workouts Monday and Tuesday at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Phoenix has the No. 4 pick in the June 22 draft. The Suns – who finished this season with the league's second-worst record – also have two second-round picks, the 32nd and 54th overall selections. Team officials generally don't announce participants until the day of the workout, but over the next few weeks the Suns are expected to host some of the biggest names in the draft.
The Dallas Mavericks sent scouting department representatives on an Eastern swing this week, sources tell DallasBasketball,com, to observe workouts sponsored by some of the most powerful agencies in the business. The locations: Virginia on Wednesday. New York on Thursday. Chicago on Friday. Of even more importance, among the participants: Kentucky guard Malik Monk, Gonzaga center Zack Collins, Texas center Jarrett Allen, Duke center/forward Harry Giles and UCLA power forward T.J. Leaf
Mark Medina: Not surprising: De'Aaron Fox plans to work out for Lakers and Sixers. Lakers' workout likely to happen mid-June (week of 11-17)
Utah Jazz PR: Jazz will hold pre-draft workouts on Sat, May 27.
Darren Wolfson: Word from two scouts there is Malik Monk looked good yesterday. #Twolves there, no surprise. Today is Priority day (Zach Collins, etc.).
Former UCLA Bruins point guard Lonzo Ball is considering working out for the Philadelphia 76ers in advance of the 2017 NBA draft on June 22, league sources told ESPN.
A final decision will be made once Ball's agent, Harrison Gaines, and Sixers general manager Bryan Colangelo have had an extensive conversation centered on the identity of the team, sources told ESPN. That dialogue is expected within the coming weeks.
Mark Murphy: Ainge still not sure of when or where Celtics will work out Markelle Fultz, but the goal is to bring top pick prospect to Waltham.
Although it’s possible the Lakers will be Lonzo Ball’s only workout, he has not yet ruled out working out for other teams, according to a source who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter. Ball’s preference is to play for the Lakers.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has communicated with Ball’s agent, but the sides have not scheduled his workout with the Lakers yet.
TANDEM: Tandem Pro Day with Jarrett Allen (@JarrettAllen55), Nate Britt (@brittnate0), Justin Jackson (@JJacks_44) and Luke Kornet (@bigshin32) on the court! 💪💪💪💪 #TeamTandem pic.twitter.com/wQvvvIajaG
Adrian Wojnarowski: Joined a sizable turnout of GM's/execs to watch Jarrett Allen + Justin Jackson workout in Va. Easy to see why Allen's climbed draft boards. - RT: TANDEM: Tandem Pro Day with Jarrett Allen (@JarrettAllen55), Nate Britt (@brittnate0), Justin Jackson (@JJacks_44) and Luke Kornet (@bigshin32) on the court! 💪💪💪💪 #TeamTandem pic.twitter.com/wQvvvIajaG
Keith Pompey: The #Sixers are among the #NBA teams at today's Excel Sports Management workout showcasing #Kentucky SG Malik Monk. pic.twitter.com/KRLz6ECunv
In a radio interview Thursday, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said prized point guard Lonzo Ball informed the team he won’t workout for them prior to the Draft. With that in mind, it appears increasingly likely the Celtics will select guard Markelle Fultz out of Washington with the top selection.
"We tried to get [Ball] in. We don't deal with [Ball's camp] all that much. They didn't show up at the combine, which is very common -- many of the top 10 or 15 players don't show up for the [NBA's] combine. ... We just tried to get him in for a workout and they politely said no," Ainge told the "Toucher and Rich" program while Boston's front office staff traveled for a draft workout in New York that included Duke's Harry Giles and Kentucky's Malik Monk.
There have been questions about whether Ball would want to play in Boston, considering his Los Angeles roots. His father, LaVar Ball, hasn’t been shy about his desire to see his boy play for the hometown squad. “I want him to be a Laker. But that’s just my opinion,” he said on Dale & Holley with Keefe in March. “It’s not about me liking [the Celtics] or disliking them. It’s just that we’re west coast guys,” he said. “I’d love for him to stay on the west coast where his brothers can see him all of the time. We’re a real big family. That’s just the only difference.”
Ball's father, LaVar, has previously said that his son would only work out for the Los Angeles Lakers. "That's all we working out for is the Lakers," LaVar Ball told Lakers Nation earlier this month. "Just the Lakers. There's nobody else that we need to work out for."
During an appearance on FS1's "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" last week, LaVar Ball explained his preference for Lonzo to play for the Lakers over the Celtics but said, ultimately, he'd be OK if Boston drafted Lonzo. "If Lonzo goes to Boston, he turns into a 2. ... Lonzo's always going to be a point guard. He can play any position, but his true position is point guard and Boston has so many guards, you don't need that guy," LaVar Ball said. Later he added: "Here's the thing: I prefer Zo to go to the Lakers, but if Boston were to choose him and Lonzo wants to play basketball, then guess what, he doesn't care where he goes."
Jabari Young: Also, Cal forward Ivan Rabb expected to workout with #Spurs in the coming weeks
ESPN Los Angeles: "Rob talked to his agent yesterday to schedule a workout. We are looking forward to it." - @Magic Johnson on Lonzo working out with team soon
The Knicks workout today included Iowa State's Deonte Burton, Kentucky's Bam Adebayo, Purdue's Caleb Swanigan and LSU's Antonio Blakeney today, ESPN has learned. Kentucky's Hamidou Diallo was supposed to work out but pulled out.
Since announcing on May 3 that he was hiring an agent and would not be returning to the Runnin’ Utes, Kyle Kuzma has received his degree from the U., thrown out the first pitch at a Utes baseball game (very low and outside), turned in one of the better performances of any prospect at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, and has worked out for five NBA teams in advance of the draft.
