San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Spurs eye trio of teens with high ceilings
The workouts and interviews are winding down. The data has been collected and parsed and parsed some more. Probably, there have been arguments among colleagues at 1 Spurs Lane.
For those in the Spurs’ front office, months of hard work come to a head with Thursday’s NBA draft.
It is the Spurs’ version of the Super Bowl.
The team has a franchise-record three picks in the first round, having acquired one apiece from Toronto and Boston in trades near the February trade deadline.
It marks a substantial chance to restock in the cupboard in the midst of a multi-season rebuilding effort. Like any team that has missed the playoffs for multiple seasons in a row, the Spurs’ overriding goal is to add as much topshelf young talent as possible.
If that talent could be taller than 6-foot-5, all the better.
Here is a guess at how Thursday’s proceedings might shake out for the Spurs and all the other teams selecting the first round:
1. ORLANDO
Jabari Smith, Auburn, 6-10, PF/SF: The Magic continue to look at options, but few expect them to move off Smith and his combination of potentially elite shooting and stellar defense.
2. OKLAHOMA CITY
Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga, 7-1, C/PF: Though it has often been said that Sam Presti does not show his hand, and the Thunder have brought in many of the top players, Holmgren remains the favorite.
3. HOUSTON
Paolo Banchero, Duke, 6-10, PF: The Rockets brought in Banchero, much as they did Jalen Green last season, in a meeting that could largely serve to add a comfort level to a solid third pick with star potential.
4. SACRAMENTO
Jaden Ivey, Purdue, 6-4, G: Speculation has increased that the Kings could be open to offers that would bring more immediate help with Ivey offering greater potential than other options but not a clean fit amid impatience to reach the postseason.
5. DETROIT
Keegan Murray, Iowa, 6-8, PF/SF: Pressure after the first four could build to consider riskier options with greater upside but Murray fits not just the Pistons’ needs but with the strengths of the young players already on board.
6. INDIANA
Dyson Daniels, G-League Ignite, 6-6, G: The Pacers could be ready for a roster shakeup, which could lead to a more veteran option, but Daniels’ stock is rising, and his potential is attractive in a rebuild.
7. PORTLAND
Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona, 6-5, SF/SG: The Blazers could be open to offers but Mathurin could be a rookie who can contribute quickly if Portland keeps or moves the pick.
8. NEW ORLEANS (VIA L.A. LAKERS)
Shaedon Sharpe, Kentucky,
6-6, G: With more experienced prospects worthy of the pick on the board, the Pelicans could look to add shooting but if Sharpe slips this far, he could prove a value pick for the first playoff team on the clock.
9. SAN ANTONIO
Jalen Duren, Memphis, C: The Spurs have been taking perimeter players in previous drafts and could view Duren as a center to develop, having shown they will not shy away from especially young prospects.
10. WASHINGTON
Johnny Davis, Wisconsin, 6-4, G: Davis inspires some relatively mixed reviews and could go several spots sooner or later, but his offensive versatility could enable him to work well quickly with the Wizards.
11. NEW YORK
A.J. Griffin, Duke, 6-6, SF/ SG: The Knicks are said to be looking for a center or point guard. Griffin is neither but would be a bargain outside the top 10.
12. OKLAHOMA CITY
(VIA L.A. CLIPPERS)
Jeremy Sochan, Baylor, 6-8, F: This would represent a good break for the Thunder, with Sochan getting some buzz for picks earlier.
13. CHARLOTTE
Ochai Agbaji, Kansas, 6-5, SG/SF: Feeling pressure to take the next step, the Hornets could be drawn to a relatively readymade,
older prospect with 3and-D strengths who would fit well.
14. CLEVELAND
Malaki Branham, Ohio State, 6-4, SG: With depth in the backcourt at among the big men, the Cavaliers would be happy to have a homegrown wing with Branham’s shooting touch still on the board.
15. CHARLOTTE
Mark Williams, Duke, 7-0, C: The Hornets are in search of size, and Williams would be the best big man on the board at this point. He is arguably the best shot-blocker in the draft, and would represent a dynamic lob threat for LaMelo Ball.
16. ATLANTA
Ousmane Dieng, NZ Breakers, 6-10, F: Dieng is a big man with the skills of a guard, and has a potential to become a breakout star in the NBA. Eventually. The 19-year-old is also raw as can be, meaning the team that selects him must be patient.
17. HOUSTON (VIA
BROOKLYN)
Jalen Williams, Santa Clara, 6-5, SF/SG: The Rockets typically draft for upside rather than fit but they also want players they take to have a chance to play early. That could lead to a wing with Williams’ stock on the rise, especially if they view Tari Eason as a power forward.
18. CHICAGO
Tari Eason, LSU, 6-7, PF:
Eason has the defensive chops to force his way onto an NBA floor early. His instincts are off the charts. The offensive parts of his game could use some development, though.
19. MINNESOTA
TyTy Washington Jr., Kentucky, 6-3, G: If the Timberwolves are in the market for a scorer and playmaker, they could kill two birds with one stone in Washington. He had a 17-assist game against Georgia last season, snapping John Wall’s record at Kentucky.
20. SAN ANTONIO (VIA TORONTO)
Jaden Hardy, G League Ignite, 6-4, G: One of the top recruits in his high school class, Hardy instead opted to play last season in the G League instead of college. It was an up-and-down year, but he 19-year-old Hardy remains one of the top shot creators in this year’s draft field. The Spurs can afford to wait on him to develop.
21. DENVER
E.J. Liddell, Ohio State, 6-6, F:
On paper, Lidell is undersized for a power forward but plays bigger than his frame. He was one of the most consistently productive players in the college game last season, and will fit in well with a Nuggets team aiming to take a leap.
22. MEMPHIS (VIA UTAH)
Kennedy Chandler, Tennessee, 6-0, PG: Chandler is explosive and scrappy and heady, and was one of the nation’s top point guards last season. What Chandler is not is tall. He measured less than 6 feet at the combine, which is a reason he could slide late into the first round.
23. BROOKLYN (VIA PHILADELPHIA)
Blake Wesley, Notre Dame, 6-5, G: Wesley scored at will for the Fighting Irish last season, but not in a matter than could be labeled efficient. The Nets will hope to harness his combination of size and bucket-getting into something useful.
24. MILWAUKEE
Walker Kessler, Auburn, 7-0, C: If Duke’s Williams isn’t the most accomplished shotblocker in the class, that honor goes to Kessler. The Auburn big man led the nation in that category last season as the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
25. SAN ANTONIO (VIA BOSTON)
Nikola Jovic, Mega Mozzart (Serbia), 6-10, SF: Though wellstocked with young wings, the Spurs don’t have one who measures almost 7 feet tall. The 19year-old Jovic is still green but possesses a guard-like skill set uncommon to players of his size. He ran the point for his Serbian team last season.
26. DALLAS (TO HOUSTON)
MarJon Beauchamp, GLeague Ignite, 6-5, G: The Rockets could be hesitant to use all three picks, especially if there is a chance to pair picks to move up or deal the Dallas pick to choose in a year they do not have as many. If they do use the pick, they could do well to land another 3-and-D wing that might need extra time to develop.
27. MIAMI
Dalen Terry, Arizona, 6-7, SG: Not quite as hyped as fellow Arizona star Bennedict Mathurin, Terry was nevertheless a key component of one of the best Wildcats teams in decades. The Heat are known for squeezing the most out of prospects, and there’s a lot to work with in the do-it-all Terry.
28. GOLDEN STATE
Patrick Baldwin Jr., Milwaukee, 6-9, PF: Baldwin was a consensus five-star recruit in 2021, but has been injury plagued throughout his basketball journey. The defending champion Warriors are in a position to take a risk on his unique blend of size and scoring ability.
29. MEMPHIS
Kendall Brown, Baylor, 6-6, F: Although his freshman season at Baylor was overshadowed by Sochan’s breakout, Brown showed enough to garner firstround buzz as well. He is big for a wing, defensive-minded and can knock down the occasional 3pointer.
30. OKLAHOMA CITY (TO DENVER)
Jake LaRavia, Wake Forest, 6-8, F: The Thunder are awash is first-round picks in this and future drafts. It makes sense for them to take a player who doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be successful. LaRavia is that — a sweet-shooting forward who comes with a role player’s mindset.