NEW YORK — Twenty-four top NBA draft prospects filed into the second-floor ballroom at Lotte New York Palace on Tuesday afternoon, hoping to hear their names called in the first round of Wednesday night’s event.
Alex Sarr, a 7-foot-1 phenom who last played for Australia’s NBL team Perth, declined Altanta’s invitation to workout but told Yahoo Sports it wouldn’t deter him from joining the Hawks if he ends up being selected first overall. “I’ll play for any team that drafts me,” Sarr said Tuesday. “The most important thing for me is if a team is going to give me an opportunity. I’m just going to go out there and play hard. There’s no way I’m going to be picky or not want to go somewhere.”
Washington, the No. 2 pick, has been cited by league insiders as a preferred destination for Sarr’s camp as the Wizards move into the early stages of a long rebuild without a clear franchise cornerstone. “It’s a great organization,” Sarr said. “They’re a young team, and I think they’re trending in a great direction.”
Unless Atlanta makes the top pick, University of Connecticut center Donovan Clingan seems destined to be the next big man selected. Clingan has worked out with the Hawks and told reporters he could have strong chemistry with Atlanta’s guards in the pick-and-roll. Of course, the Hawks are expected to negotiate trades with rival teams for Trae Young and Dejounte Murray during the offseason. League sources told Yahoo Sports that the Lakers, Pelicans and Spurs are three attractive destinations for Young, and the teams participating in the lottery have not ruled out the Spurs moving up to the top spot. That could open up the possibility that Atlanta could select Clingan with the fourth pick.
The Spurs now hold the No. 4 pick in addition to the No. 8 pick, and San Antonio was able to schedule an appointment with Clingan for a Zoom meeting last weekend, sources said. Both Portland and Memphis are known to be interested in trading up and acquiring Clingan, according to league sources, and many NBA insiders believe San Antonio’s late interest in Clingan is merely a ploy to entice another front office to move up and acquire the University of Connecticut center. The Spurs were initially focused on putting Victor Wembanyama next to a hard-shooting center like Zach Collins, and Clingan, while a defensive strength, is not a proven long-range shot.
But after his interview with Spurs, Clingan seemed intrigued by the option. [San Antonio] “I want to get more people to know me and show them who I am and let them know a little bit more about me,” Clingan said. “And I feel like me and Wenby’s relationship is going to be really good. I’m excited for tomorrow night.”
The uncertainty surrounding the draft positions on Wednesday night was evident throughout the three sessions that brought eight prospects together in the ballroom. With no clear-cut top pick, NBA teams are bracing for draft boards to move up and down and fluctuate, and players feel the same way. “I have no idea where I’m going to go,” Colorado forward Cody Williams said. “There’s going to be a lot of trades.” Williams did say he attended workouts for every team that drafted him in the top 10. G-League Ignite alum Ron Holland agreed. “There’s so much uncertainty,” said Holland, who attended workouts with Atlanta, Charlotte, Portland, San Antonio, Chicago, Miami, Sacramento and Oklahoma City.
Providence guard Devin Carter has been heavily rumored to be a possible No. 8 pick for San Antonio. Carter grinned as he pictured himself lobbing a lob pass to a “big target” like Wenbanyama. Carter is one of the most improved players in this class. In addition to San Antonio, he has worked out with Memphis (where former NBA player Anthony Carter serves as an assistant coach), Utah, Chicago, Miami and the Lakers.
Nikola Topic, a 6-foot-7 Serbian point guard, is also a name rival executives are considering for the Spurs. Topic said Wednesday he visited San Antonio, Utah, Portland, Memphis and Houston while recovering from a partially torn ACL. Asked for his expected draft position, Topic also expressed uncertainty. “I hope I can get up to 15th,” Topic said with a smile. “I hope I can get up to 20th.” League sources say they don’t expect Topic to fall that far, and have him pegged at Orlando 18th as a potential catcher for Topic after the Magic hired Topic’s father, former Serbian head coach Milenko Topic, to the team’s front office last season. Point guard Topic acknowledged that on Wednesday, telling Yahoo Sports, “He didn’t really like the coaches. In this scouting job, it’s fun to go around and see the players.”
Oklahoma City is currently ranked 12th, and there are a ton of future first-round picks who could move up in this draft. One name that has been mentioned multiple times as a potential Thunder pick if OKC stays the course is Pittsburgh guard Bub Carrington. Carrington quickly rose up the scouting board with his dynamic play as a rookie with the Panthers. He acknowledged that being invited to the green room, let alone being selected in this draft, was a totally unexpected leap. “I was planning on spending a couple of years in Pittsburgh,” Carrington said. In addition to OKC, Carrington said he also worked out in San Antonio, Utah, Orlando and Miami.
Baylor freshman center Yves Missi is another young player expected to crack the top 20. Missi was recently rumored to be heading to the Lakers, and he told Yahoo Sports that Los Angeles is one of his first training locations. “They’re looking for a big guy who can sometimes play with the AD and sometimes play without the AD as a backup,” Missi said. The Baylor alum also mentioned Philadelphia as another possible destination.
Indiana sophomore Kerel Ware is ranked alongside Missy in the second tier of big men behind Sarr and Clingan. Ware acknowledged Tuesday that his pre-draft process included working out with 16 different teams. League sources continue to project him as Toronto’s No. 19 pick.
Finding a place for USC guard Isaiah Collier, once the top-ranked high school prospect in this class, was a little tougher than most of the players invited into the Green Room. Collier relaxed at the podium, optimistic and hopeful about what’s to come Wednesday night.
“I still think I’m the best player in the draft,” Collier said. “I know what I’m capable of.” Collier named Chicago, San Antonio and Miami as three possible destinations.
Draft notes from around the league
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League sources said Cleveland, with the 20th pick, has received calls from a number of teams about moving up at the end of the first round, and from Houston with the No. 3 pick to Philadelphia with the 16th pick, many teams seem prepared to wait for the best and final offer for the pick before pursuing a trade scenario.
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While the Bucks are gauging the trade market for Brook Lopez, the 23rd spot has given rival teams the impression that the focus is on a potential long-term replacement for the center. Milwaukee tried to invite Dayton big man Darron Holmes II to a workout, according to sources. Holmes declined the invitation, but league sources said it wasn’t because of the widespread rumors that Denver would select him at 28th. Indeed, Holmes’s closure of the workout schedule led teams to suspect he would be picked somewhere late in the first round, and while Holmes would certainly be an option for the Nuggets at that spot, there’s no guarantee Denver would select him, sources said. Holmes has attracted interest from enough teams to receive a green room invite. League sources have also linked him to Sacramento.
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If Memphis ultimately decides to move down from ninth and trade, NBA figures lists 15th-ranked Miami as a possible team to move up.
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Rumors continue to circulate that Dallas is in talks with multiple teams on a deal that could see Tim Hardaway Jr. released, and league sources believe the Mavericks are negotiating a deal, but would still bring salary back. Dallas would need to release Hardaway’s $16.2 million for the 2024-25 season to pay standout wing Derrick Jones Jr. above his $5.2 million taxpayer mid-level exception. If Dallas acquires Hardaway and doesn’t ultimately agree to bring back Jones after his start in the NBA Finals, Pelicans wing Naji Marshall is expected to draw interest from the Mavericks and Pistons, sources said.
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There has been ongoing talk among team executives that Sacramento is looking to acquire a veteran player with the 13th pick and some combination of Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes, but there have been no credible rumors yet of a blockbuster deal involving Hawks All-Star guard, Pelicans All-Star swingman Brandon Ingram or any other player of that magnitude.
