The San Antonio Spurs have not closed the door on trading the No. 2 overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft, but rival executives say the asking price remains sky-high. And ultimately, the Spurs are still expected to hold on and select ex-Rutgers guard Dylan Harper.
“They want a ridiculous haul,” one front office executive told Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor. “Far more than I’d expect anyone to give up.”
That sentiment aligns with recent league chatter that indicates San Antonio is open to offers, but it would take a blockbuster return to even get them to the table. Harper, widely considered one of the draft’s top guards, remains the presumed pick if the Spurs stay put.
Movement Elsewhere in the Lottery
O’Connor’s latest mock draft adds a few wrinkles to what’s already shaping up to be a fluid lottery.
— Georgia forward Asa Newell, ranked No. 19 on ESPN’s board, is a name to watch. League sources tell O’Connor that Newell could vault into the top 14, with Toronto projected to grab him at No. 9 in the current mock.
— The Atlanta Hawks, currently slotted at No. 13, have reportedly been calling around in hopes of moving up, possibly into the top five, with a focus on landing a center. They aren’t alone. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line previously linked Phoenix (No. 10), Chicago (No. 12), and San Antonio (No. 14) to big men as well.
Draft Boards Vary Across League
John Hollinger of The Athletic released his top 75 draft prospects list, and it includes a few eyebrow-raisers. Hollinger ranks South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles at No. 6, followed by Essengue at No. 7 and Thomas Sorber at No. 10. All are well ahead of where most major outlets have them. Ben Saraf also lands at No. 15 on Hollinger’s board.
Meanwhile, Tre Johnson and Ace Bailey, two top-tier talents by consensus rankings, fall to Nos. 11 and 12, respectively.
Clippers, Pelicans Weigh Options
Law Murray of The Athletic outlined potential fits for the Clippers at picks No. 30 and 51, including Saraf and Kameron Jones, as well as centers Ryan Kalkbrenner and Maxime Raynaud.
Rod Walker of NOLA.com performed a similar analysis for the Pelicans, who hold picks Nos. 7 and 23. He names Khaman Maluach and Walter Clayton Jr. as a combo that could turn a solid draft into a franchise-building one.
Essengue Heads to New York
French forward Noa Essengue, projected to go in the lottery and ranked No. 9 by ESPN, is leaving his German club ahead of schedule to attend the draft in New York, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.
Essengue had been playing limited minutes for Ratiopharm Ulm in the Bundesliga Finals, where the team leads Bayern Munich 2-1. His teammate Ben Saraf, who has played a bigger role in Ulm’s wins, is staying with the team for Tuesday’s Game 4.
Thunder Work Out Peavy
Oklahoma City continues to do its homework on second-round prospects. Georgetown wing Micah Peavy, ranked No. 54 by ESPN, recently worked out for the Thunder, per SI.com’s Rylan Stiles.
With the draft just days away, phones are ringing, but when it comes to the top of the board, few expect much movement.
The Spurs may still be taking calls, but as one executive said, they’re not giving away the No. 2 pick “unless someone absolutely blows them away.”
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