More on Draft Workouts
Chris Vivlamore: Hawks' upcoming pre-draft workouts include: North Carolina's Justin Jackson on Friday Vanderbilt's Luke Kornet on Thursday.
Mike Bresnahan: Laker meetings with Lonzo Ball have started. Team execs Magic and Pelinka plus Coach Luke Walton just dined with Ball at Scopa in Venice.
Mike Bresnahan: Ball will come to the Laker training facility Wednesday for an individual workout. The Lakers then see Jackson on Thursday + Fox next week.
The Phoenix Suns are a team who once decided against drafting Kawhi Leonard because he sweated too much in their interview. Which seems bad, but not as bad as it would be to run the workout the team apparently makes every draft prospect go through. According to a video posted on Twitter on Tuesday, the Suns make draft prospects run a drill every season that involves trying to see how many times they can traverse the length of the floor in three minutes.
Lakers head coach Luke Walton joined the Jim Rome Show on Tuesday ahead of the Lonzo workout. He said that while LaVar won’t be allowed at the workout, he’s welcomed to attend the Tuesday night dinner.
Luke Walton: “Absolutely. If he wanted to come to the dinner. I think the workout is something that we’ll keep the doors closed on, but the dinner, I think he would definitely make the dinner more entertaining. He’s definitely welcomed to join us for that one.”
Ira Winderman: For those interested, Hurricanes forward Kamari Murphy worked out Monday for the Rockets and moved on to workouts for the Lakers, Raptors.
Mike Bresnahan: Lakers do not have a workout set up yet with Markelle Fultz. Might not get one with Fultz if he looks great in Celtics workout.
Mike Bresnahan: Laker execs plan to see Kansas SG/SF Josh Jackson work out Thursday in Sacramento, where he's conducted a majority of his workouts.
Spencer Percy: Team announces Jack Gibbs, VJ Beachem, Austin Arians, Mangok Mathiang, Kadeem Allen & Przemek Karnowski will work out for #Hornets tomorrow.
Gerald Bourguet: Malik Monk said after Phoenix, his next workout will be with the Orlando #Magic
Eric Pincus: Lonzo Ball's workout w/Lakers tomorrow will be closed but he'll talk to the media after-Lakers have let us see last few minutes of workouts
North Carolina State's Dennis Smith Jr. is scheduled to work out for the New York Knicks on Wednesday, sources close to Smith confirm. The Knicks have high interest in Smith as the No. 8 pick. Other players on their radar include guards Malik Monk and Frank Ntilikina, per sources. The Knicks haven't yet worked out Ntilikina and Monk, but are expected to. Ntilikina is still with his French team in the playoffs and is expected to come to the United States once his season concludes.
Michael Scotto: Dallas Mavericks will bring in Deonte Burton (Iowa State) as part of a group workout today, league sources told Basketball Insiders.
Adam Zagoria: N.C. State PG Dennis Smith Jr. will work out for the #Knicks today, per source. Knicks need a lead guard.
North Carolina small forward Justin Jackson, among several players very much in consideration for the Heat’s first-round pick at No. 14 overall, will work out for the Heat on Thursday, according to a source.
The 76ers need to add shooters. Tyler Dorsey will audition for one of those roles Wednesday. That’s when the former Oregon shooting guard will participate in the Sixers predraft workout at the team’s practice facility.
Scott Howard-Cooper: De’Aaron Fox getting into his visits. Sacramento (5) today, scheduled for Phoenix (4) later in week, Lakers (2) and Philly (3) next week.
All-SEC center Luke Kornet will work out for the Knicks on Wednesday, league sources confirmed.
Vincent Goodwill: Terrance Ferguson is in Chicago for a workout and visit with the Bulls today, according to sources. Bulls picking at #16
Michael Scotto: Chicago Bulls brought in Kobi Simmons (Arizona) and Milton Doyle (Loyola) as part of a group workout today, Basketball Insiders has learned.
Scott Howard-Cooper: Lakers also brought in PG Jawun Evans, but for 28. He is getting interest in the 20s, including the Blazers with two in that range.
Chase Hughes: Oregon G Tyler Dorsey has been through 8 predraft workouts & said the Wizards "tested my conditioning more." Common theme among prospects.
Chris Vivlamore: North Carolina guard Nate Britt will work out for Hawks in Atlanta on Tuesday in advance of NBA Draft.
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
