NBA Draft Wiretap

Projected 2025 Lottery Pick Khaman Maluach Commits To Duke

Mar 6, 2024 1:26 PM

Khaman Maluach has committed to Duke as an incoming member of the 2024 class. Maluach is an expected top-5 pick in the 2025 NBA draft class.

"Duke is home, that's where I belong." Maluach said. "This was the hardest decision I've ever made. I felt like I could succeed anywhere, but I was most comfortable going to Duke. All the schools that were recruiting me are big-time programs, but in terms of my development and the relationships I built with the coaches, they were the best."

Duke's incoming class also includes projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, and the 7th, 18th, 22nd and 37th ESPN recruits in Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba, Kon Knueppel and Darren Harris.

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Tags: Khaman Madit Maluach, Duke Blue Devils, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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LeBron James' Teams Have Combined To Trade 23 Future First Round Picks

Mar 6, 2024 11:38 AM

Throughout the career of LeBron James, his teams have rarely had first round picks to add to their roster around him. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers have combined to trade away 23 total future first round picks during his tenures with those teams, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks and Dave McMenamin.

When James was with the Cavaliers at the start of his career, Luke Jackson, Shannon Brown and J.J. Hickson were the only first rounders added. When James returned to the Lakers in 2015, no first round picks were added during his tenure.

While with the Heat, no first round picks were added as well.

Since joining the Lakers, Jalen Hood-Schifino has been the only first rounder added to the roster.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NBA B-Ball IQ

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Bronny James To Make NBA Draft Decision Based On Team Interest

Mar 3, 2024 1:30 AM

Bronny James will decide whether to enter the 2024 NBA Draft based on team interest as opposed to projected draft position, Rich Paul told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

"I don't value a young player getting into the lottery as much as I do getting him on the right team in the right developmental situation," said Paul.

Paul added that drafting Bronny James doesn't automatically mean landing LeBron James in free agency.

"LeBron wants Bronny to be his own man," added Paul.

Bronny James is averaging  5.2 points and 2.8 rebounds for USC this season.

 

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Tags: Bronny James, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Zach Edey To Leave Purdue After This Season

Feb 27, 2024 9:24 AM

Purdue star center Zach Edey will not return to school after this season. Edey is already a senior, but like all players in his situation, he was granted an additional year of eligibility due to the COVID-impacted season in 2020-21.

However, Purdue coach Matt Painter said his star big man will not return to campus next season. That means Edey will enter the 2024 NBA Draft, where he's consistently being mocked as a mid-first-round pick.

Edey was named the National Player of the Year last season and he's on target to repeat that honor this season. The 7-foot-4 center is averaging 23.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game this season.

Jon Rothstein/CBS Sports

Tags: Zach Edey, Purdue Boilermakers, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NCAA Misc Rumor

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Bronny James Moves To 39th Pick In ESPN's 2025 NBA Mock Draft

Feb 26, 2024 3:29 PM

Bronny James is slotted as the 39th pick in ESPN's first NBA mock draft for 2025. A year ago when ESPN released its first mock for 2024, James was projected as a top-10 pick.

James suffered cardiac arrest in July during a USC practice session, but he was able to make his collegiate debut in December. In 19 games this season, James is averaging 5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 20.2 minutes.

LeBron James has talked openly about wanting to play with Bronny James at some point before retiring. 

Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey are the projected top-2 picks in 2025.

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Tags: Bronny James, USC Trojans, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey Top Initial 2025 NBA Mock Draft

Feb 26, 2024 10:30 AM

Cooper Flagg of Montverde Academy is the projected first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg will attend Duke University next season. Flagg is a 6-foot-9 combo forward. He reclassified to enroll at Duke a year early.

Airious "Ace" Bailey of McEachern High School is the projected second overall pick. Bailey will attend Rutgers University in the fall. Bailey has great size at the wing position, as he's listed at 6-foot-10.

The 2025 class is expected to be a deep one. Several potential one-and-done college players and international prospects are atop the rankings.

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Tags: Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Duke Blue Devils, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft Mock Drafts

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Future Of G League Ignite To Be Reassessed

Feb 18, 2024 9:52 AM

The G League Ignite have struggled this season. After going 4-12 during the Showcase portion of the season, the Ignite are 2-19 in G League regular season. Those struggles, combined with a changing landscape for young players, has the NBA reassessing the future of the Ignite.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that the NBA is now looking at the Ignite differently than when the program was created in 2020. Silver noted that the idea was to give players an additional pathway to the NBA, other than going to college or overseas. With the advent of NIL, and other financial programs, players now have pathways open to making money while playing for NCAA teams.

Silver did note that basketball is now the most participated in youth sport in the United States. He also said that it's imperative that the NBA, NCAA and youth programs work together on how they develop players for the future.

Keith Smith/Spotrac

Tags: NBA G League Ignite, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, D-League, NBA Draft General, D-League Teams, D-League Misc Rumor

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Ron Holland Out For Remainder Of G League Ignite Season

Feb 17, 2024 6:06 PM

Forward Ron Holland will miss the remainder of the season for the G League Ignite. Holland is out to protect a right thumb injury ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Holland finishes his season with the Ignite averaging 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game. The 6-foot-8 forward shot 46% from the field and 73% from the free throw line.

Holland will now turn to preparing for the draft. He's expected to make a full recovery and to be able to participate in pre-draft workouts. Holland is projected as a lottery pick.

Marc Spears/Andscape

Tags: Ron Holland, NBA G League Ignite, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, D-League, NBA Draft General, D-League Teams, D-League Injury

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NBA Announces 2024 Draft To Occur Over Two Nights

Jan 31, 2024 1:55 PM

The NBA has announced that the NBA Draft 2024 presented by State Farm will expand to a two-night format that features the first round on Wednesday, June 26 and the second round on Thursday, June 27. 

The first round will be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., home of the Brooklyn Nets. The second round will take place at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York.

ABC, ESPN and the ESPN App will each air the first round, and ESPN and the ESPN App will broadcast the second round.  

Coverage on both nights will begin at 8 p.m. ET.  

ESPN’s presentation of the second round will include a comprehensive review of the first round and in-depth storytelling about the draftees.  

The first round will continue to have five minutes between draft picks.  For the second round, the time between draft picks will increase to four minutes from two minutes.

“Based on feedback about the NBA Draft format from basketball executives around the league and my own experience in draft rooms, we believe that teams will benefit from being able to regroup between rounds and having additional time to make decisions during the second round,” said Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. “Two nights of primetime coverage will also enhance the viewing experience for our fans and further showcase the draftees.” 

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Only 11 Teams Control 75 Percent Of Tradable First-Round Picks

Jan 30, 2024 9:00 AM

NBA teams were aggressive about trading first-round picks over the last few years. Several deals were made that saw multiple first-round picks change hands. That has the NBA in a unique place, where roughly a third of the league controls about three-quarters of the first-round draft picks.

11 NBA teams control 75 percent of all tradable first-round picks. Teams are allowed to trade picks through 2030. The CBA restricts teams from trading picks more than seven drafts out, inclusive of the current season.

The 11 teams controlling most of the first-round draft capital are the Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz.

Bobby Marks/ESPN

Tags: NBA, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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RealGM Radio: Sam Vecenie On The 2024 NBA Draft (Jan 2024)

RealGM Staff Report

Isaiah Collier Out 4-6 Weeks With Hand Injury

Jeff Borzello/ESPN

NBA Finalizing Plans To Split 2024 Draft Over Two Nights

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Alex Sarr, Nikola Topic Out With Injuries

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Nikola Topic Will Play For Red Star For Remainder Of Season

Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo/ESPN

No. 2 Recruit Dylan Harper Commits To Rutgers

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Adam Silver Says NBA Is Moving Toward Two-Night Draft

SiriusXM NBA Radio

NBA To Allow Scouts To Attend High School Games In Las Vegas

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Bronny James Cleared For Return To Basketball

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Isaiah Collier New No. 1 Pick In ESPN Mock Draft

Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo/ ESPN

Bryce James Transfers Back To Sierra Canyon

Tarak Fattal/Sports Illustrated

Jayden Quaintance Commits To Kentucky

Jeff Borzello/ESPN

NBA Considering Extending 2024 Draft Over Two Days

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Bronny James Will Play This Season If He Passes Medical Examination

Dave McMenamin/ESPN

Ron Holland, Alex Sarr Top ESPN 2024 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Cooper Flagg Commits To Duke

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

AJ Dybantsa Reclassifies To 2025, Will Be NBA Draft Eligible In 2026

Kyle Boone/CBS Sports

Alex Sarr Receiving Attention As Possible No. 1 Pick In 2024 NBA Draft

Kevin O'Connor/The Ringer

Trentyn Flowers Decommits From Louisville, Signs With Adelaide

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Cooper Flagg Reclassifies, Will Become NBA Draft Eligible In 2025

Jeff Borzello/ESPN