West Notes: Trail Blazers, Thunder, Mavericks

Trail Blazers

Both Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal are potential targets for the Blazers, per Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer.

That said, Beal is widely expected to remain with the Wizards, as he’s repeatedly hinted that what he intends to do. LaVine’s status is a little less certain, it seems, as he will be an unrestricted free agent. Sources have told Hoops Wire he is seeking a maximum contract.

• The Blazers have worked out Memphis center/forward Jalen Duran ahead of the draft, per Aaron Fentress of the Oregonian. As we relayed last month, they are reportedly open to moving out of the No. 7 spot.
• Also per O’Connor, the Blazers could potentially target Hornets free agent forward Miles Bridges, Pistons forward Jerami Grant or Hawks forward John Collins.

Thunder

The Thunder have four picks in the top 34 this year, but one source told Keith Smith of Spotrac that they aren’t likely to keep all of them.

“They don’t have roster spots for four guys,” the source told Smith.

While the Thunder aren’t expected to move the No. 2 overall selection, they very well could explore trading one or more of their picks at Nos. 12, 30 or 34. Anyone drafted in the first round (Nos. 1-30) also receives a guaranteed contract, and OKC may not want to add three more of those.

Mavericks

GM Nico Harrison says the Mavericks will do all they can to build around Luka Doncic after a run to the Western Conference finals, 

“We don’t control our own destiny in some regards,” Harrison said on The Ben and Skin Show, via the Dallas Morning News. “Perfect example, we’re drafting 26th. There’s a lot of players we would like to draft at 26th, but they might not be around. So when you start looking at players who are actually free or players that are available to trade for, they might not be the players that would actually go good with Luka.

“So you’re not always 100% in control of your own destiny. It’s easy to say go out and get X All-Star for this team. Well guess what? He still has four years under his contract and that team’s not going to let him go. Having said that, you’ve just got to look at, really, who’s available to get that now makes this team better and it might be incrementally better, which is a step toward the goal that we’re trying to get to.”