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On the Jazz and the 2023 NBA Draft

The NBA draft is here. And the Utah Jazz will be big players in how it unfolds.

A year after having zero picks in the draft, the Jazz have three in the first round this time, at Nos. 9, 16, and 28. At least for now.

Naturally, this became the year that the front office decided not to disclose the players coming in for workouts and interviews. While some prospects inevitably spilled the beans themselves with Instagram posts, the braintrust was nevertheless looking to gain a competitive advantage by not giving too much away.

On Wednesday morning, Bart Taylor, the Jazz’s Vice President of Player Personnel, addressed a few media members to provide at least a little context about how the team’s process has unfolded since the season ended.

Taylor: “We have tons of conversations constantly of, ‘Where do you think your guy is?’ ‘Where do you think they’re gonna go?’ with the agents, with other teams. We’re trying to figure that out, even as of [Wednesday], who might be there. And then that way we can have those conversations [Wednesday, Thursday] leading into the draft of, ‘OK, if these two guys are there, who are we taking?’ We’re trying to get all that out so that we’re not on the clock, like, ‘Well, who are we taking?’ and then we have Ryan [Smith] sitting looking at us like, ‘Do you guys know what you’re doing?’ We try to figure all that out before so that we look at least semi-educated.”

On the Warriors and the NBA Draft

Via the Bay Area News Group:

In November 2020, the Warriors drafted James Wiseman with the No. 2 overall draft pick, their highest pick since they took Mike Dunleavy Jr. third overall out of Duke in 2002.

Three years later, though, Wiseman is no longer with the team, and Dunleavy, despite once being made scapegoat for Warriors fans’ frustrations after years of futility, is the team’s new general manager.

The Warriors have gambled in the last three drafts, taking some high-upside teenage players with the hopes to groom them to one day take the baton from the dynastic trio as it ages out.

But with Stephen Curry still a top-five NBA star at the age of 35, the Warriors should be looking to maximize the here and now. And the process of retooling their roster to be a championship contender once again starts with the No. 19 pick in Thursday’s draft.

On the Celtics and Kristaps Porzingis

Via Boston.com:

The Celtics are reportedly adding another top talent to their frontcourt next to Jayson Tatum.

According to ESPN and the Boston Globe, the Celtics are finalizing a deal and acquiring forward Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards in a three-team swap also featuring the Memphis Grizzlies.

As part of the reported deal, longtime Celtics guard Marcus Smart will be traded to Memphis, with the Grizzlies’ Tyus Jones and Boston’s Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala heading to Washington. Boston also nets two first-round picks with the move.

Porzingis is already an intriguing addition given his size (7-feet-3-inches) and unique skillset, but there are also some question marks surrounding Boston’s new trade pickup.

Three-team trade will reportedly send Kristaps Porzingis to Celtics, Marcus Smart to Grizzlies

Via ESPN.com:

The Washington Wizards are completing a three-way deal with the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies that will send Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics and Tyus Jones to the Wizards, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Grizzlies are sending the No. 25 pick on Thursday night and a 2024 first-round pick to the Celtics, sources told Wojnarowski.

The Celtics are sending the 35th pick on Thursday to the Wizards in the deal, sources told Wojnarowski.

2023-24 Lakers preseason game schedule

The Los Angeles Lakers announced today the team’s 2023-24 preseason schedule, presented by Delta Air Lines. The slate is highlighted by two home games at Crypto.com Arena, as well as contests in Las Vegas and Greater Palm Springs.

Los Angeles will open the preseason on the road at Golden State on Oct. 7 at Chase Center, before heading to Las Vegas for a matchup versus Brooklyn on Oct. 9 inside T-Mobile Arena. The purple and gold will then host two consecutive home games at Crypto.com Arena against Golden State on Oct. 13 and Milwaukee on Oct. 15. The Lakers will finish out the preseason by hosting Phoenix in Greater Palm Springs on Oct. 19 at Acrisure Arena.

Spectrum SportsNet will broadcast all five preseason games as it begins its 12th consecutive season as the exclusive regional broadcast home for Lakers basketball. Additionally, all preseason games can be heard on the team’s flagship radio station, 710 AM ESPNLA, and in Spanish on KWKW 1330 AM.

Rumor: Clippers, Wizards and Celtics trade discussion

Via the LA Times:

The Clippers are deep in negotiations to make their first roster alterations ahead of the next NBA season.

By Wednesday afternoon, the team remained in discussions toward a three-team trade that, if completed, would send the expiring contract of forward Marcus Morris Sr., the former starter who had lost his rotation spot late last season, promising but little-used forward Amir Coffey and the 30th pick in Thursday’s NBA draft to Washington, and take back guard Malcolm Brogdon from Boston, according to a person briefed on the trade talks but not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Portland G League team hires Hannah Grauert as team President

The Portland G League team, the official NBA G League affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers, has announced Hannah Grauert as the franchise’s President.

Grauert comes to the role with a ten-year history of working with the Portland Trail Blazers and the NBA, and most recently from roles in event planning and innovation at Nike and Microsoft.

“We are thrilled at Hannah’s return to our organization and are excited to see her lead our G League team in her new role as President,” said Dewayne Hankins, Portland Trail Blazers President of Business Operations. “Hannah’s innovative nature and dedication to our community combined with an expansive knowledge in project and event management are vital as we head into a new chapter of Rip City basketball.”

Grauert joined the Trail Blazers in 2007 as a Ticket Operations Coordinator and in her 10 seasons with the Trail Blazers, she touched almost every aspect of the business, from fan development and community programming to leading the youth basketball program. Grauert managed elaborate consumer-focused events as well as the creation of communication and brand plans to launch the innovative Community Player Ticket Program.

“From the start, Rip City has always held a special place in my heart as I grew up around the Trail Blazers and developed my early career here,” said Hannah Grauert, Portland G League President. “Returning to the excitement of fans and stepping into the role of President is an absolute honor and I look forward to leading this team to success as we enter a new era of development and expand basketball in our Portland community.”

Brooklyn Nets hire Kevin Ollie, Will Weaver, Jay Hernandez and Ronnie Burrell as assistant coaches, Corey Vinson as assistant coach/player development

The Brooklyn Nets have named Kevin Ollie, Will Weaver, Jay Hernandez and Ronnie Burrell as assistant coaches and Corey Vinson as assistant coach/player development. They join assistant coach/director of player development Adam Caporn and assistant coaches Trevor Hendry and Ryan Forehan-Kelly on Head Coach Jacque Vaughn’s staff.

Ollie joins Brooklyn’s staff from Overtime Elite, where he served as head of coaching and basketball development for two seasons (2021-23). Prior to his stint with Overtime Elite, Ollie spent six years (2012-18) as the head coach of the men’s basketball program at the University of Connecticut. After leading UConn to a 20-10 record in his first season at the helm in 2012-13 when the program was ineligible to participate in postseason competition, Ollie directed the Huskies to a 32-8 record in his second season in 2013-14. UConn earned a seven seed in the 2014 NCAA Tournament and became the second-lowest seed to win a national championship when he directed the Huskies to their fourth of five titles in program history. Before he became the head coach at UConn, the Los Angeles native was an assistant coach with the Huskies for two years (2010-12), helping lead the team to a national championship in 2011.

Weaver rejoins the Nets organization after spending two seasons (2016-18) as special assistant to the head coach and one season (2018-19) as the head coach of Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. Weaver led Long Island to a 33-17 regular season record, tied for the best record in the NBA G League, and guided the LI Nets to an Eastern Conference Championship before the team fell short against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA G League Finals. Weaver became the first head coach in franchise history to earn NBA G League Coach of the Year honors.

Hernandez joins the Nets after spending the past five seasons (2018-23) with the Charlotte Hornets as assistant coach/director of player development. In addition to his responsibilities with Charlotte, Hernandez led the Hornets’ NBA G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, in the NBA G League bubble in 2021. Hernandez landed in Charlotte after working four seasons (2014-18) as assistant coach/player development with the Orlando Magic.

Burrell joins Brooklyn’s staff after spending the 2022-23 season as head coach of the Nets’ NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. Burrell led Long Island to a 23-9 overall record in the regular season, tied for the second-best record in the NBA G League. The team finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference and clinched its third playoff berth in franchise history, with Burrell joining Weaver as the only coaches in franchise history to earn NBA G League Coach of the Year honors. He had previously spent two seasons in the Nets organization, first as a player development and video assistant with Brooklyn in 2018-19 and then as an assistant coach with Long Island in 2019-20.

Vinson arrives in Brooklyn after working in the Phoenix Suns organization for three seasons (2020-23). He started with the Suns as assistant video coordinator with player development responsibilities before being promoted to player development coach/video coordinator. He spent his final season in Phoenix as a player development coach.

Warriors forward Draymond Green will reportedly decline his contract option

Via SF Gate:

The first domino has fallen in the Golden State Warriors’ murky offseason: Draymond Green will decline his $27.5 million player option and officially become a free agent, according to a report from NBA insider Shams Charania.

The move does not mean Green’s days as a Warrior are over. The two sides can still work out a new deal that could keep the four-time all-star with Golden State. Green has indicated that he wants to stay with the only professional team he’s ever known, telling reporters in May that he “wants to be a Warrior for the rest of my life.”

On the Kings and upcoming free agency

Via the Sacramento Bee:

All eyes in Sacramento will be on the forward positions as the Kings hurtle closer to the 2023 NBA draft and the start of free agency.

Harrison Barnes is an unrestricted free agent this summer. So is Trey Lyles. Keegan Murray will return after a stellar rookie season, but there’s no telling who will man the other forward spot as Sacramento seeks even greater heights after reaching the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

The Kings hold the draft rights to EuroLeague MVP and Olympiacos star Sasha Vezenkov, but they can’t sign him until after Thursday’s draft. The Kings have signaled their intention to bring Vezenkov to Sacramento if they can agree to a contract, but barring a major trade Sacramento will need more reinforcements in the event that Barnes or Lyles are not retained.

Murray and Kessler Edwards are the only forwards the Kings have under contract next season.