2023-24 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

Some people like to start low and then move up in position. Not Derek!

I wish him great success though.

 

ingram's unrestricted after 24-25, and the lakers will only have AD/reaves/rui/vincent/jhs (and probably christie on a reaves contract) on the books. assuming the cap rises as expected, we should be able to sign ingram or another max FA, ideally at the sf position.

 

hunter, griffin, and picks isn't a bad offer, imo. siakam may not have a long prime.

eh, dlo got shipped for cap space and seemed annoyed, but here he is taking a paycut to stay. some years in siberia will do that to you.

i do think ingram's built a little differently, though, so he may harbor a grudge. but logically: you were the centerpiece in a deal to get a top-5 nba player in his prime. how mad do you get to be? you're not top 5.

 

A lot of young talent bigs available in next year's draft. It will be interesting to see where these guys land in the pre draft mocks next year.

With the 2023 NBA Draft behind us, it’s time to prepare for 2024. And while you don’t want to overemphasize feelings ahead of time, there is palpably less excitement about this class than there was about the 2023 group at this time last year.

The 2023 class is special. It had Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and a number of intriguing freshmen beyond them, plus the tremendous Thompson twins, Amen and Ausar. Unfortunately for NBA teams, the 2024 class does not seem to have any players resembling that kind of upside right now.

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Throughout the year, I’ve asked scouts and executives who are familiar with the class where the highest-ranked player in the 2024 class would be taken if they were in the 2023 NBA Draft, and the answer tends to be somewhere in the No. 6 to No. 9 range. I don’t think any of the 2024 prospects would have been likely to go ahead of Wembanyama, Henderson, the Thompson twins or Brandon Miller if you plopped them into the 2023 class, and I think there would be a real debate for teams with Anthony Black (No. 6 to Orlando) and Jarace Walker (No. 7 to Indiana). Bilal Coulibaly, who went No. 8 to Washington, would have featured in the top three of this 2024 board rather easily, and I might have even slotted him at No. 1.

There is plenty of time for these guys to grow as we hurtle toward the next cycle. But right now, the players listed in the top five are much closer to the players selected in the middle of last year’s lottery than someone like Wembanyama or Henderson would be to the middle of this year’s lottery. There is a lot of uncertainty, so it’s best to treat this 2024 board as more of a watch list than an actual ranking. That’s especially true at the top. If you have the guys I have in the top five in any order, I would completely understand. Right now, it’s essentially a big group with players who are all very similarly graded heading into the season.

A few other notes:

• Bronny James suffered cardiac arrest at a USC practice in July. With so little information publicly known about his health and basketball future, I decided not to move him on the board. Where he ranks here is where he ranked prior to his cardiac arrest and is purely an evaluation of his game at this point.
• Kentucky big Aaron Bradshaw has undergone foot surgery, which Kyle Tucker reported a while ago for The Athletic. I always worry about bigs with foot injuries and slid him down the board a bit as a result.
• A few additional names are worthy of top-60 placement, but I haven’t listed them here because they’re freshmen and I think they could take some time to fully develop. North Carolina guard Elliot Cadeau reclassified up and will play either behind or next to veteran guard R.J. Davis. The growth curve for point guards who reclassify is not particularly strong, so I’m envisioning him playing two college seasons right now even though he is clearly incredibly talented. The same can be said for Duke’s Jared McCain and Caleb Foster, both of whom have veterans ahead of them and may struggle to find consistent roles. (I like McCain a bit more). I also love Sean Stewart at Duke, though I think he likely needs a couple of years to work through his offense. Xavier Booker has all the tools in the world, but Michigan State and Tom Izzo can be less forgiving to prospects without the necessary defensive aptitude early in bigger players’ careers.

With that being said, here are the players you need to know. (Ages listed are current.)

1. Justin Edwards | 6-8 forward | 19 years old | Kentucky
The equation here is simple, much like it is for Ron Holland below: Edwards is an athletic, bigger wing who has a well-rounded game. He consistently plays hard and has excellent feel for the game. Defensively, he’s all sorts of versatile and plays with attention to detail across the board. I think Edwards’ offensive craft is a touch further along at this point than Holland’s. His jumper is a bit cleaner, and his drives are a bit more straightforward toward the rim. Much like Miller last season, Edwards will enter college basketball older and a bit more polished than other freshmen. He will be 20 on 2024 draft night, whereas Holland will only be 18.

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Still, I’d expect Edwards to have an enormous impact. He’ll be Kentucky’s best player this year, ahead of highly rated recruits such as D.J. Wagner, Robert Dillingham, Aaron Bradshaw and others. That bore itself out during the team’s trip to Canada for the GLOBL JAM event, where Edwards was the team’s best player in the final and averaged 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks during the event. Most importantly: Edwards was very confident taking 3s, even though he only made 30 percent of them. I buy him being a bit more polished than some of these other guys, capable of playing well on both ends of the floor at an important position of value (a combo three/four) and especially able to drive toward the rim.


GO DEEPER

Oh? Canada trip shows Kentucky might have a new, more modern way to play

2. Ron Holland | 6-8 forward | 18 years old | G League Ignite
Holland, a rangy, athletic incoming freshman who impacts the game across all facets of his play, is my favorite player in the 2023 high school recruiting class. He’s an excellent defender who plays with a super high motor and excellent level of competitiveness. At 6-foot-8, he has the kind of big wing versatility that teams crave in players they select near the top of the draft. As of this moment, Holland profiles more as a high-level starter long term in the NBA, but he could move into a different echelon of player by tightening up his handle and continuing to improve his shot-making ability off the bounce. The Texas native has made strides in those areas over the last year or so, but there is still room for growth.

Holland originally committed to Texas, but decided to open up his recruitment late in the process and instead will play this season with the G League Ignite. I think that was a good decision. Texas has a bit of a misshapen roster this season, with no floor-spacing beyond Max Abmas at the point. Playing on an NBA-spaced court with a shorter shot clock should give Holland more chances to develop offensively with his strides and drives.

3. Izan Almansa | 6-10 forward | 18 years old | G League Ignite
In a class in which no one stands out as being worth a top-three pick in an average draft, I wonder if critics of Almansa might just be overthinking his flaws. Following yet another standout performance on the youth level for Spain at the U19 World Cup in Hungary, where he led his team to a gold medal and was MVP of the tournament, there is a real case that Almansa is the most decorated youth-level European player of the last decade on the international stage. He was the MVP of the U19 World Cup this past season as an underage player, was the MVP of the U18 European Championships in 2022 as an underage player and also won MVP of the U17 World Cup in 2022. While I can make the case that Cooper Flagg should have won that U17 MVP award last summer, the point still stands. Only Jonas Valančiūnas has a more impressive record over the last two decades, having carried Lithuania to three youth gold medals while also winning three MVP awards from 2008 to 2011.

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Almansa spent the last two years developing with Overtime Elite, playing as one of the youngest players with the program, along with fellow 2024 draft class member Alex Sarr. Almansa finished in the top five in both rebounding and field goal percentage last season and had the best plus-minus of any player on the YNG Dreamerz, the team that lost to the Thompson twins-led City Reapers in the OTE finals. He’ll play this season with the G League Ignite, where he’ll pair with Holland and the player below.

4. Matas Buzelis | 6-10 wing/forward | 18 years old | G League Ignite
Buzelis is probably the highest-upside player in the 2024 NBA Draft class, if everything goes right for him in the G League. His mix of tools is ridiculous for a teenager. He’s a 6-foot-10 athlete who can run the floor like a guard, attack off the bounce and finish above the rim with ease. He blends that with a real creativity that most other big wing creator prospects lack. In the open floor, he’ll lead the break and go. On top of it, I believe he will be an excellent NBA perimeter shooter. Per Synergy, Buzelis hit 43 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s in 29 tracked games last season at Sunrise Christian Academy. That includes a few off impressive movement with a solid release point, even if it sometimes takes him an extra split second to get the shot off.

Why is he not ranked as the top player? There’s a lot of unnecessary stuff in his game that he needs to cut out. His decision-making can be questionable; while he made real strides in this respect last year at Sunrise, his flair for the dramatic definitely can lead to unnecessary turnovers. Buzelis posted 1.7 assists to 2.6 turnovers last year in those 29 tracked games on Synergy, and the miscues often are due to a loose handle or trying to make too flashy a play. Also, in half-court settings, he’s much better in a limited role where he’s knocking down shots off the catch and attacking off closeouts as opposed to being able to create for himself. Finally, his defense is a real issue right now, especially on the ball. He makes action plays, but does not always battle possession-by-possession. It wouldn’t surprise me if his attention to detail and decision-making are subject to a real adjustment this season.

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Buzelis has immense upside. but needs to work on his offensive consistency and decision-making, and he needs to be more reliable at sitting down and defending consistently. I love the idea of him as a player, but the final product can leave something to be desired. I’m slotting him at No. 4 to start the year, but my bet is he either surges up toward the top spot or slides down toward the back half of the lottery. It’s up to him which direction that will be, because I don’t think there is anyone else in this class with this level of natural ability.

5. Isaiah Collier | 6-3 guard | 18 years old | USC
Collier can dictate the game with his aggressiveness and ability to live in the paint out of ball screens. He has complete control over his surroundings in an incredibly impressive way for a teenage guard. His ability to change pace, play off two feet and keep defenders a step behind is remarkable. He also has a great frame, which will let him pin defenders on his hip and maintain advantages. Once he gets to the paint, there is no better passer in this draft class. He’s dynamic with the ball, understanding how to open angles and manipulate defenders. He’ll drop cross-corner, live-dribble kickout passes on a line, then also throw beautiful touch lobs to his big rolling hard to the rim. Collier’s improvement areas will revolve around his ability to shoot and settling in as a finisher. But right now, I think he projects as a solid starting point guard long term in the NBA with upside to exceed that if the scoring comes along.

The Trojans figure to have a loaded team this season, and Collier is the perfect player to run the show. I’m anticipating a huge season for him.

6. Tyrese Proctor | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | Duke
Many scouts were enamored with Proctor in last year’s preseason after heading down to Duke. I had him as a lottery pick in the preseason of his freshman year after loving his play prior to Duke’s trip in Australia, as well as hearing positive intel reports from scouts.

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Proctor really struggled early in the season, as his jumper faltered and his lack of strength caused him to be pushed off the ball too easily. But by the time mid-January rolled around, I thought Proctor was Duke’s best perimeter player and one of the better two-way guards in the country. He averaged 11 points and 4.2 assists versus only 1.8 turnovers while shooting 37 percent from 3 and 87 percent from the line, in helping Duke to a 15-5 record. Proctor is a pick-and-roll maestro who can pull up from 3, get to his midrange from a variety of different angles and throw every pass in the book. On top of that, he’s a really tough point-of-attack defender who processes the game exceptionally well. I’m a believer in him turning into a starting NBA point guard.

I would rank Duke No. 2 in the country right now behind Kansas entering the 2023-24 season. Proctor is a huge reason why, as I think he fits perfectly with both Jeremy Roach and Jared McCain, who enter next season as smaller scoring guards. The team has the kind of floor spacing necessary to weaponize Proctor’s elite ball-screen passing as long as Kyle Filipowski shoots it from distance.

7. Donovan Clingan | 7-3 center | 19 years old | Connecticut
Clingan was staggeringly good in the limited minutes he played for the eventual NCAA champions last season. When he was out there, there may not have been a better defensive player in the country. When Clingan was on the court, Connecticut’s opponents made a mere 41 percent of their shots at the rim, per Pivot Analysis, an insane number. Teams only scored 89.9 points per 100 possessions when he was on the court, compared to 103.1 when he was on the bench. Everything about Clingan screams that he is the kind of elite defensive center NBA teams could develop into an utterly dominant drop-coverage big. Plus, he was a productive offensive player on a per-minute basis behind Adama Sanogo, averaging more than 21 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks per 40 minutes.

He is a preseason All-American, in my opinion, and a big reason Connecticut enters the season in the top-five despite suffering key losses from their championship team. He’s so good on defense in drop-coverage situations that I think he reaches the threshold to play at an elite level in that setting in the NBA. Clingan also has a budding jumper that looks good, and may allow him to take another step forward as a prospect if he can translate it to games.


Donovan Clingan (Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Today)
8. Alexandre Sarr | 7-0 big | 18 years old | Perth Wildcats
Scouts who headed down to Overtime Elite last year came away impressed with Sarr, particularly on the defensive end. Playing with Almansa on the YNG Dreamerz team, Sarr showcased the type of defensive mobility and versatility that scouts wanted to see. He plays a bit upright, but has fluid feet that allow him to slide with opposing players well. He typically was tasked with guarding Ausar Thompson when their two teams played each other, and I thought Sarr did an excellent job staying in front of 2023’s fifth overall pick. Sarr also has excellent help instincts near the rim, showcasing the ability to rotate down from the elbow or across the play from the corner to contest and block shots.

Sarr is coming off a solid U19 World Cup in which he, Melvin Ajinca and Zacharie Perrin led France to a silver medal finish. His offensive role remains quite limited, but he shows some flashes of comfort with the ball as a driver and decision-maker beyond just catching and finishing at the rim. At 7-foot with a near 7-foot-5 wingspan, he has all the tools teams look for in a low-usage, defensively minded center. He’ll play for the Perth Wildcats in the NBL this season, where he’ll likely back up All-NBL big man Keanu Pinder and fortify the team’s defensive backline, which struggled last season.

9. Ja’Kobe Walter | 6-5 wing | 18 years old | Baylor
Another year, another exciting Baylor freshman. Walter is essentially a 3-and-D off guard with real ball skills and shooting ability. He hit 38 percent of his 3s last season on high volume at Link Academy, per Synergy, and averaged 16 points per game on his way to being the best player on the country’s GEICO Nationals champion. He dropped 21 points in the title game and had a ridiculous 34-point performance in the quarterfinals, showcasing comfort with creating his own shot to get to pull-up jumpers from the midrange and 3s off the catch. Defensively, Walter improved as a senior, using his length and contact balance to be able to slide and disrupt guards.

He’s a tremendous fit at Baylor and will be part of what should be a much more well-rounded team this year. The Bears have a lot more size and length, as well as real defensive versatility. Walter should help to spearhead a much stronger on-ball defensive group and be a primary scoring threat next to incoming graduate transfer RayJ Dennis.

10. Garwey Dual | 6-5 guard | 18 years old | Providence
I’m coming out of the box a bit hot here with Dual as a late lottery prospect. His consensus ranking among recruiting services is something in the ballpark of top-40 in the 2023 recruiting class, but after having seen him up close for a week in Portland at Nike Hoop Summit practices, I think he’s drastically underranked by those services. I thought he was the best player in attendance throughout the week on the World Team, and especially showed it in scrimmages. He’s a 6-foot-5 guard who affects the game at a high level on both ends. Defensively, opposing guards struggled to get the ball past half court against his quick hands, 6-foot-11 wingspan and 8-foot-8 standing reach. Offensively, he still needs to iron out some of the more functional aspects of his game and reduce some mistakes, but his vision and creativity is superb. He is a player with real size and ball skill, as well as a suddenness to his handle. He’s one of my favorites in this recruiting class.

11. Stephon Castle | 6-6 guard | 18 years old | Connecticut
Castle has been one of my favorites in high school for the last 18 months or so. He’s a 6-foot-6 creator who is one of the best passers in this class, assuming he ends up in it. The question you’ll hear most from scouts is whether he can consistently play as a lead guard. I think his instincts in ball screens are good enough for him to do so, and I think he is a real offensive engine as a distributor. He knows exactly how to use his frame once he gets the advantage out of screening actions and is excellent at reading the court with creativity. Having said that, to play as a lead guard in today’s NBA, you need to be able to score on some level from the perimeter. Castle’s jumper is a work in progress at this point; his touch leaves something to be desired, as the ball comes out of his hand a bit harder than you’d like to see.

The good news for Castle is that Connecticut is the ideal spot for him. I have Connecticut as a top-five most talented team in the country entering the season. If Castle proves he can play the point, he has an ideal running mate in the backcourt with older guard Tristen Newton, an elite floor spacer in Cam Spencer who can also handle, a killer 3-and-D forward in Alex Karaban and an awesome big in Clingan. Throw in the rest of a loaded freshman class with Jaylin Stewart, Jayden Ross and Solomon Ball, all of whom can also shoot, and the Huskies are well positioned to play five-out and let Castle run the show. He just needs to prove he can do it as a freshman who makes the right decision consistently. Even if he doesn’t, he could showcase value in the role Andre Jackson played last season as a connector off the ball.

Castle is one of the swing guys in this class. If he’s good, Connecticut will be awesome and have a real chance to win the Big East and go to another Final Four. That’ll push him into the lottery. If he’s a bit less than that, the team will need a secondary ballhandler to step up.

12. Riley Kugel | 6-5 wing | 19 years old | Florida
Kugel is where we start to get into players who are more polarizing for scouts. Evaluators who saw Kugel late last year with Florida after Colin Castleton went down saw a powerful, athletic freshman guard who had a chance to be a first-round pick if he’d entered the 2023 draft. From Feb. 8 onward, Kugel averaged 17.3 points on 49.6 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from 3 and 67 percent from the line. He doesn’t have elite size for an off-guard, but at 6-foot-5 with long arms and a 210-pound build, Kugel possesses a level of athleticism and coordination that allows him to functionally be effective in transition and in half-court settings.

The key moving forward is rounding out the rest of his game. Kugel has to improve as a passer and decision-maker, and needs to continue to iron out his defensive consistency. But there’s a real chance he averages 18 to 20 points per game this season even on a deeper Florida team that I currently have ranked in the back part of my preseason top 25 due to an influx of transfer talent.

13. Kyle Filipowski | 6-11 forward/center | 19 years old | Duke
The most surprising player to not declare for the 2023 draft, Filipowski is coming off an excellent freshman season in which he was the most consistent freshman on a Duke team that was playing like one of the 10 best teams in the country by the end of the year. He earned All-ACC honors and was the ACC Rookie of the Year after averaging 15 points and nine rebounds per game. Filipowski has real ball skills for a near-7-footer, as well as the potential to shoot it, even though he only made 28 percent from 3 last season. Ironing out that portion of his game is the most important key for him moving forward.

Defensively, Filipowski could also stand to become a better rim protector to find minutes occasionally at the five, as his lack of length hinders him. But I also think his lateral mobility and agility are a bit underrated; he has shown real flashes of being able to guard on the perimeter. He’ll be a preseason first-team All-American and pair with Proctor as leaders of a Duke team that should be in the hunt for the title.

14. Melvin Ajinca | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Saint Quentin
The breakout player of the 2023 U19 World Cup, Ajinca is coming off a season in which he won the Best Young Player award in the second division French Pro B league, averaging almost nine points per game and shooting 39 percent from 3. He took that to a new level at the U19, though, where he was the second-leading scorer at the event, shooting 53 percent from the field and 49 percent from 3. It was bizarre that he did not make the All-Tournament first team, having to settle for second-team honors.

Everything about his game screams NBA. He’s a smooth lefty shooter with real size and athleticism, mixed with high-end aggressiveness when it comes to finding his own shot. He also plays really hard defensively and could slide onto the wing in the NBA if he can improve his passing and decision-making skill over the next year. A strong pre-draft season in France could propel him into the lottery given the momentum he has coming off a terrific summer.

15. Aday Mara | 7-3 big | 18 years old | UCLA
Mara is one of the players I’m most intrigued with in this draft cycle. On one hand, the 7-foot-3 super giant is a basketball savant. He has a case as being one of the best passers in this class. He’s a creative dime-thrower who uses his length and vision to find cutters and kickouts all over the place, and also throws touchdown passes in transition. He has been dominant to this point in the U18 European Championships, ranking in the top three in rebounding and blocks while dictating the run of play due to his size on both ends. He’s a terrific post scorer with great touch and earned real minutes with Zaragoza this past season in the Spanish ACB league.

The questions with Mara are the same as they are for every super giant. Can he defend in space? Can he hold up when strung out by better ballhandlers? What will his game look like in the NBA? But Mara’s skill level is higher than that of most guys with this much size. I think Clingan’s defense is ultimately more translatable, which is why I have him higher for now. But I’m fascinated to see what Mara looks like this upcoming season at UCLA.

16. Terrance Arceneaux | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | Houston
I got very positive reports about Arceneaux from scouts entering his freshman campaign at Houston. He’s a 3-and-D wing who plays extremely hard defensively, which undoubtedly endeared himself to Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson. With a near-7-foot wingspan and great instincts across the board on that end, Arceneaux should enter the starting lineup and become a difference-maker for Houston this season. He’s active, using his length and quickness well to cover an immense amount of ground in scramble situations, resulting in a ton of deflections and turnovers.

Why didn’t he play more by the end of last season? His shot abandoned him late, as he made just 25 percent of his 3s. But Arceneaux has the touch and ability to be a proficient shooter, and I like that he is constantly on-balance as a driver in straight lines. I’m betting on a big breakout for him as Houston moves to the Big 12.


Terrance Arceneaux attacks the basket against Wichita State. (Troy Taormina / USA Today)
17. Trey Alexander | 6-4 guard | 20 years old | Creighton
I liked Alexander quite a bit in this past cycle and likely would have ended up with a top-35 or so grade on him had he stayed in the draft. He’s an exceedingly well-rounded guard whose game fits well in the NBA, given that he’s about 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan and an 8-foot-6 standing reach. He’s a good defensive player who fights around screens well and is excellent on the ball. He’s disruptive with his hands, forcing opponents into tough situations, and blocks a large number of shots for a guard. On offense, Alexander hit 41 percent from 3 this past season on more than four attempts per game and has consistently exceeded 80 percent from the foul line. He makes good decisions as a secondary playmaker and will likely get even more opportunities to play on the ball with Ryan Nembhard departing and Utah State sharpshooting transfer Steven Ashworth coming in. I bet Alexander averages something like 17 points, five rebounds and four assists per game this season while being an awesome defender, evolving into a first-rounder in the process.

18. Mark Mitchell | 6-9 wing | 19 years old | Duke
I loved what Mitchell brought to the table last season for Duke as a multi-positional defender who flies across the court. Still, he averaged just nine points per game and shot 35 percent from 3 on limited attempts last season for the Blue Devils as a yearlong starter. Mitchell needs to showcase he can take a leap on that side of the floor. He showed he was comfortable as a straight-line driver and attacker in high school at Sunrise Christian, but needs to take that next step as a shooter to where he can make open corner 3s. If that happens, Duke is going to be exceptionally difficult to stop when it runs out lineups with Mitchell at the four and Filipowski is at the five.

On defense, Mitchell is versatile in that he is smart as an off-ball defender while also being comfortable defending multiple positions on the ball. Beyond that, he plays hard. NBA teams love to take fliers on guys with legitimate size on the wing, as opposed to players more in the 6-foot-6 range. With something in the ballpark of a 7-foot wingspan, plus his size and strength level through contact, Mitchell has all the tools he needs. It will come down to proving he can shoot.

19. Cody Williams | 6-8 wing | 18 years old | Colorado
Williams got a bit overhyped in the spring prior to McDonald’s All-American practices and the Nike Hoop Summit. In those settings, he looked quite raw as a long, skinny wing with a ton of talent and athletic fluidity, but without a finished package of skills that he can reliably count on when opponents get physical with him. He’s a terrific passer for his size and has great feel as a driver and finisher, much like his older brother Jalen with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

But his frame is going to take some time to develop. Whereas Jalen is 6-foot-6 but long and kind of stocky, Cody is thinner. Because of that, he can get slowed down by any sort of contact. That happened a bit too often at the U19 World Cup this summer, where Williams’ still-developing jumper didn’t give him a way to beat defenses when they collapsed the paint against an under-talented USA team.

Still, his tools are immense, and it’s just a matter of when (or if) the light comes on for him. Attending Colorado this season, Williams will team with fellow potential first-round pick Tristan da Silva in what should be one of the best forward combinations in the country. My bet is that Williams starts a bit slow, but gets comfortable later in the season. His emergence would make him an enormous swing player in this draft class, and he’d make it stronger near the top if he realizes his potential.

20. Elmarko Jackson | 6-3 guard | 19 years old | Kansas
Jackson is one of the most underrated upside guards in the class. He’s a tremendous athlete who has all the tools necessary to become a one-and-done with starting upside at the lead guard spot. He’s a terrific, twitchy athlete with an ability to adjust to whatever situation is in front of him. He has a quick first step and can use his long strides to get all the way to the rim, or he can use change-of-pace dribbles to get defenders off balance before turning the corner to get around bigs. He plays well off two feet now, patiently surveying what’s in front of him on defense and making the right read based on the situation.

Whereas he was previously more of a combo guard, I think he could now actually play a reasonable amount of point guard, even if he won’t get that opportunity at Kansas this season with Dajuan Harris in charge of running the offense. Jackson should be able to make more of an immediate impact by combining with Harris on defense to annoy Big 12 guards at the point of attack.

Jackson will need to earn minutes on a loaded Kansas team, with Harris, Arterio Morris, Kevin McCullar and Nick Timberlake all in the backcourt. The team could play small with all four around Hunter d***inson, but also has the flexibility to play K.J. Adams next to d***inson and three guards. The Jayhawks are the best team in the country and will have a good shot to reach the Final Four if someone like Jackson emerges into a high-upside playmaker in the backcourt next to Harris’ steady hand.

21. Omaha Biliew | 6-8 wing/forward | 18 years old | Iowa State
I’m a bit higher than the consensus on Biliew. I love his attitude and mentality. He does whatever it takes to help his team win, defending at a high level at 6-foot-8 and playing hard across multiple frontcourt positions. He’s a legitimate athlete whose motor never stops, and at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and a nearly 9-foot standing reach, he has the size NBA teams look for from the wing/forward stopper role.

The key with Biliew is figuring it out on offense. His jumper has made strides over the last 18 months and looks to be workable long term. On top of that, he has the ability to play out in transition with how well he runs the floor and how hard he plays. I also like that he can drive in a straight line and attack the rim. Still, he’s limited right now as a decision-maker and passer, and needs to become a bit more comfortable in space.

He should thrive in T.J. Otzelberger’s scheme, particularly defensively. But we’re firmly now in the range of players I think could end up going either way, where a good season could push him up the board or a bad season could see him return to school.

22. D.J. Wagner| 6-3 guard | 18 years old | Kentucky
The best scorer in the 2023 recruiting class, Wagner is all sorts of tough and aggressive. There is an immense confidence in his game; he believes he’s the best player on the court every time he’s out there. He is excellent at getting to his spots around the rim and in the midrange. I also really like his toughness on defense and think his overall mindset on that end will likely endear himself to John Calipari.

The problems for Wagner are threefold. First, he’s merely a good athlete, not a great one. He’s crafty with the ball, but doesn’t have lightning quickness or explosiveness. Second, he’s a scoring guard at 6-foot-2, not a point guard. He needs to significantly improve his passing ability and make more plays for his teammates. The third is his shooting. Over the last two summers on the EYBL circuit, as well as more than 17 additional Synergy-tracked games for Camden High School and with USA Basketball, he has made just 54 of his 213 3-point attempts, a paltry 25 percent. It’s really hard to make it in the NBA as a 6-foot-3 scoring two guard without immense athleticism or a proficient 3-point shot.

The shooting is the swing skill. He has to make his shots from distance. The good news is he made them at a 33 percent clip at GLOBL JAM with Kentucky on its foreign trip, so that’s progress over four games. But we need to see way more improvement. I’m probably going to be lower on him than most in the preseason.

23. A.J. Johnson | 6-5 wing | 18 years old | Illawarra Hawks
Johnson is your classic skinny scoring wing who doubles as an elite athlete in the open court. That’s where he thrives right now. Johnson wants to push the tempo and try to attack in transition at all times, where he can leap with anyone and play at different speeds. His jumper isn’t totally consistent yet off pull-ups, but he should be able to reliably make catch-and-shoot jumpers soon, as there is nothing broken with his form that makes you think he can’t improve it.

Having said that, I’m not totally sure what to expect from Johnson in the half court at this stage because he remains so thin. He doesn’t play through contact well at all right now, which will likely cause him some problems in the NBL. While the league in Australia is certainly more up-tempo and NBA-like than college, it features a real level of physicality in the paint.

Johnson’s feel for the game also still needs to make some strides, especially his proclivity to pass as opposed to score, and I’d love to see him work harder on defense. But the scoring skills are real: he’s athletic enough to consistently separate from his defender and he’s big enough that his pull-up shooting would be valuable in the NBA if it comes along. It’s just a matter of how strong he can get and how comfortable he’ll be in the half court.

I think the odds are high he struggles with his efficiency in the NBL this season, but the key will be showing enough flashes to make teams buy into what he can be in the next three-to-four years.

24. Bobi Klintman | 6-10 wing/forward | 20 years old | Cairns Taipans
Klintman had a fascinating 2023 pre-draft process where he was invited to the draft combine (he did not attend) after averaging just five points and four rebounds at Wake Forest this past season. The tools with Klintman are readily apparent. He’s a fluid athlete at 6-foot-10 with real shooting ability and passing ability, the skills every NBA team covets in bigger wings. He hit 37 percent from 3 at Wake Forest as a freshman and 42 percent as a senior at Sunrise Christian Academy. During the summer before his freshman year, he was outstanding as the lead player for Sweden’s U20 team, averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Klintman has a natural feel for the game as a bigger wing creator, but still lacks experience in a significant way. He’s not consistent defensively yet and doesn’t have the strength within his frame to hold up against contact. While he’s big enough to overcome this, he’s not all that explosive athletically despite being fluid.

To the chagrin of Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes, Klintman decided to turn pro after the season and withdraw from the 2023 draft, giving him 2024 eligibility while still allowing him to play professionally. It’s an interesting decision that a number of player agents have their eye on, because while it’s possible the NBL could better suit his skills, the talent gap in college would allow him to fully develop more slowly into the player, he’s capable of being. Klintman should have a pretty open situation roster-wise in Cairns to get at least 20 minutes per night to work through mistakes, either as a starter or rotation player off the bench.


Bobi Klintman (Bob Donnan / USA Today)
25. Mackenzie Mgbako | 6-8 wing/forward | 18 years old | Indiana
Mgbako was a top-10 recruit in the 2023 recruiting class and has the exact kind of size teams look for from big wings in today’s NBA, at 6-foot-8 with long arms. Offensively, he’s capable of slashing in a straight line off closeouts and attacking in transition, but scouts are most excited about his jumper, which looks clean and projectable long term. With those skills mixed with a chiseled frame, it’s easy to see why scouts liked what they saw of Mgbako at Hoop Summit and McDonald’s All-American practices.

I’m a little worried that Mgbako’s athleticism profiles him more as a four right now than a wing. He needs to keep working his way into his most optimal shape to get the most out of his mobility. If he can do that, he’ll be a one-and-done first-rounder with lottery upside. Still, right now, there are some worries that his lack of quickness and lateral mobility will make it hard for him to switch on defense.

26. Berke Buyuktuncel | 6-9 wing/forward | 18 years old | UCLA
Buyuktuncel is coming off an awesome performance at the U19 World Cup, where he made the All-Tournament team for his native Turkey while averaging 11 points, eight rebounds, four assists, 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks. That kind of well-rounded performance encapsulates Buyuktuncel as a prospect. It’s hilarious that UCLA will get to replace the all-around brilliance of Jaime Jaquez with all the skills Buyuktuncel brings to the floor. He’s super smart and plays the game the right way, keeping his eyes up constantly and throwing creative passes all over the court out of high- and mid-post opportunities. The jumper didn’t fall at a superb rate during that tournament, but over 31 international youth tournament games over the last three years, Buyuktuncel has made 37 percent of his 112 3-point attempts. His clean lefty stroke should play well.

His instincts defensively are superb. His hands and sense of timing is awesome, even if his foot speed isn’t exactly that. It’s easy to buy him making an impact at UCLA, and I see him as a valuable player at nearly any level because of his strong feel for the game and how hard he works. As long as he keeps adding to his quickness, he has a good chance to stick in the NBA.

27. Judah Mintz | 6-3 guard | 20 years old | Syracuse
I’m a relative believer in Mintz, a skinny guard coming off a terrific freshman season at Syracuse in which he averaged 16.3 points and 4.6 assists while playing on a disjointed team in Jim Boeheim’s final year. With any sort of offensive improvement around him, Mintz could really pop as a second-year breakout guard. He plays at an unpredictable cadence that makes it hard for defenders to stay in front of him. He’s creative in how he handles opposing defenders with his pace, in addition to showcasing more strength and aggression than his frame would indicate. Going back to high school, Mintz has always been seen as a terrific scorer with a strong floater game and finishing craft, but in 2022-23, he took a leap forward as a playmaker for his teammates.

The lack of strength is the big worry for him. He needs to add more power to his game to get the most out of his finishing and be able to defend at any level whatsoever. But the talent is there for him to be a first-round pick.

28. Oso Ighodaro | 6-10 big | 21 years old | Marquette
I can’t really be unbiased about Ighodaro, because I love every single thing about his game. He might have been my favorite player to watch in college basketball last season: a point center who essentially ran the show with Tyler Kolek through his ability to short roll, make high-level passing reads and understand floor spacing at a high level. Ighodaro averaged 11 points and six rebounds last year, but it was the 3.3 assists that stood out most of all on his way to making second-team All-Big East. I’m not sure there is a player in the country who intellectually understands the offensive side of the floor at the level he does.

His communication and off-ball work also endears him to me. He’s constantly talking to his teammates from behind the play, constantly telling them where he wants them and reading plays three steps ahead of everyone else. That attribute makes me think he will figure out a way to make it work in the NBA.

On top of that, he’s extremely efficient, shooting 66 percent from the field last year, including 75 percent at the rim. Defensively, he showcases real mobility away from the rim, allowing him to switch seamlessly. He’s a bit undersized for the center position in the NBA and needs to show marked improvement as a rim protector. But I’m not sure there is a big in this class who processes the game quite like he does. I expect to be higher on him than most throughout the pre-draft process.

29. Thierry Darlan | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | G League Ignite
Scouts are excited about Darlan, a 6-foot-6 wing coming from the NBA Academy in Africa. He was invited to the Basketball Without Borders Camp this past winter and then the Nike Hoop Summit afterward, but dislocated his ankle during the first event and missed a couple of months. He was seen then as a potential wild card for the 2023 draft as a long, athletic player with a smooth jumper. But after the injury, he decided to sign with the G League Ignite and go through the 2024 draft cycle instead.

There is some intrigue with his offensive level of polish at this stage, and he stood out among players at the Academy. He plays at his own tempo and was entirely comfortable. He can really knock down shots out of ball screens in pull-up situations, with very simple mechanics that allow him to get it off quickly and cleanly.

The Ignite is loaded next season, with interesting prospects across the wing and four positions, so it’ll be interesting to see where Darlan slots in. But he has every opportunity to become a first-round pick if things break right.

30. Scotty Middleton | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | Ohio State
I don’t get why Middleton kept dropping in 2023 recruiting rankings and ended up slotted as merely a top-60 player in the class. The 6-foot-6 wing out of Sunrise Christian has everything NBA teams look for in role-playing wings. He’s an exceptional defender across multiple positions, something that Ohio State will love to have on the court after its struggles on that end over the last couple of years. Middleton hit 40 and 44 percent of his 3s over the last two seasons at Sunrise, respectively, with a large majority of those coming directly off the catch. He also can handle the ball in a secondary way and make high-level passing reads.

Ohio State’s offense has been superb under Chris Holtmann, which has allowed Malaki Branham and Brice Sensabaugh to both exceed their recruiting ranking and become one-and-done first-round picks. Maybe Middleton is a year away, but I love his game and how it translates to the NBA, be it in 2024 or 2025.

Second Round
31. Tristan da Silva | 6-9 forward | Colorado

32. Ryan Dunn | 6-8 wing | Virginia

33. Zach Edey | 7-4 big | Purdue

34. Terrance Shannon Jr.| 6-5 wing | 23 years old | Illinois

35. Trevon Brazile | 6-9 big | Arkansas

36. Zaccharie Risacher | 6-9 forward | JL Bourg

37. Bronny James | 6-2 guard | USC

38. Aaron Bradshaw | 7-0 center | Kentucky

39. Adem Bona | 6-9 center | UCLA

40. Bryce Hopkins | 6-7 wing | Providence

41. Tyler Smith | 6-10 forward | G League Ignite

42. Kwame Evans Jr. | 6-6 wing | Oregon

43. Juan Nunez | 6-4 guard | Ratiopharm Ulm

44. Nikola Djurisic | 6-7 wing | Mega

45. Reece Beekman | 6-2 guard | Virginia

46. Alex Karaban | 6-8 wing/forward | Connecticut

47. Jan Vide | 6-5 guard | UCLA

48. Baba Miller | 6-11 wing | Florida State

49. Milos Uzan | 6-4 guard | Oklahoma

50. P.J. Hall | 6-10 forward | Clemson

51. Ryan Kalkbrenner | 7-1 center | Creighton

52. DaRon Holmes | 6-10 big | Dayton

53. Wooga Poplar | 6-5 wing | Miami (Fla.)

54. Kevin McCullar | 6-6 wing | Kansas

55. Ajay Mitchell | 6-5 guard | UCSB

56. Baylor Scheierman | 6-6 wing | Creighton

57. Coleman Hawkins | 6-10 big | Illinois

58. Dillon Jones | 6-5 wing | Weber State

59. Dillon Mitchell | 6-9 forward | Texas

(Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; photos: Michael Hickey, Sam Forencich, Grant Halverson / Getty Images)

 

Some washed guys, washed former Lakers, and washed former Laker and Warriors working out for the Warriors

 

doubt they could've put together a better group of washed up guys

 

I thought they really liked that JTA guy, and he knows their system. I would think he's a good minimum signing for them, but I didn't pay attention to him last year or how he played. I thought he was pretty young though, so he can't be washed right?

 

i feel like harry giles should get another shot somewhere. but maybe he needs some g-league time first.

seems like a good 15th guy to me. hard worker, positive attitude. we don't have space, but someone should consider him, imo. sort of a dudley type.

this is pretty fair given where the salaries are going. he was huge in helping shift the knicks culture, imo.

 

Nice seeing our draft picks get PAID.

 

Won't ever happen, but it'd be nice to see scouting department for the drafting/ original team get a fractional reward from the league if someone they find who's not a lotto pick (those are theoretically easier to hit on) surpasses X amount of money on a contract and maybe that scale fluctuates based on where they're selected. A team hitting on a 45th pick should be a bigger reward for a team hitting on a 19th pick.

Better job scouts do, the better the league does, better product, yada yada

 

LOL. Even Hart makes more than AR. Poor Austin, figuratively speaking.

 

But amazing for us. That contract was such a W.

 

But Josh has put the time in, so I can’t fault the more experienced guy being worth more.

 

He may not be “washed,” but he contributed very little to our squad when he was on the court.