In this week’s 2019 NBA Mock Draft, the jumble of prospects from 10-40 makes it difficult to find perfect fits between team and player. We talk about how the teams picking between five and 10 control this year’s draft, plus we continue to re-scout the top prospects. Cowabunga: Bruno Fernando C, Maryland A legit, replicable
In Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals, a fan pushed Kyle Lowry after he chased a loose ball into the stands. What makes this a big deal is who that person is. The Toronto Raptors were polishing up a Game 3 win in the 2019 NBA Finals last night, and Kyle Lowry had a
2:17 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN OAKLAND, Calif. — After undergoing further evaluation of the non-displaced first costal cartilage fracture he suffered in Game 2, Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney could potentially return during the NBA Finals, league sources told ESPN. More testing will determine Looney’s next steps and whether he does, in fact, make
Coming into college, Romeo Langford was a five-star recruit and the second-ranked shooting guard in the country. At New Albany High School in his hometown, the Indiana native decided to play all four years there instead of choosing the prep school route. Langford’s natural ability to score the ball and make plays for others garnered
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 3: Head Coach Mike D’Antoni of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on April 3, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms
It appears as though the Houston Rockets’ second-round playoff loss to the Golden State Warriors could inspire major changes in Space City. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Rockets general manager Daryl Morey “has made his entire roster and future draft picks available in trade talks, a dramatic initiative with hopes of reshaping the team
3:05 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — When the Golden State Warriors laid a crushing 18-0 run on the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, their leader Stephen Curry declared it was one of those moments when “our DNA shows up.” It’s a daunting thing, that championship DNA. If you’re not careful, you
Paul Pierce’s famous “wheelchair” moment will forever be an iconic memory in NBA Finals history. But now we know the real deal behind it, and it’s nasty. Paul Pierce had one of the most iconic moments in NBA Finals history when, in 2008, he went to the locker room in a wheelchair, only to come
Drake won the troll game after Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals, but Kevin Durant clapped back with some heat of his own after Game 2. The rapper named Drake got his troll on during Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals in many different moments. That worked out pretty well for him because
When news broke that the Warriors had signed DeMarcus Cousins last July, it felt excessive, like an indulgent luxury, not the kind of necessity that defines most offseason moves. The Warriors already had four All-Stars on their roster and now they were adding a fifth. The Warriors had made it a point to not only
11:28 PM ET After four years of LeBron James stalking Stephen Curry, and the Golden State Warriors flitting around an overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers defense, it is a relief to land upon an NBA Finals that feels like a mystery after two games. Few firm patterns have emerged. The two teams have almost the exact same
Where Kevin Durant decides to sign in free agency this summer will shape the landscape of NBA title contenders for years to come. For the past three years, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors have run rampant over the rest of the NBA. This summer, that all may change. Durant is set
About two minutes into Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard took a handoff from Pascal Siakam, briefly lost control of his dribble after a Marc Gasol pick, then collected himself. Jordan Bell was right on him. Leonard pulled up from 3. Swish. A few minutes later, Golden State’s Steph Curry missed a
Each week, four of Basketball Insiders’ top writers will break down the latest news and notes surrounding the 2019 NBA Draft. With every new version, you’ll see an updated mock draft that reflects how each writer sees the draft landscape based on the latest news, workouts, and information from the pre-draft process as well as
2:15 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN USA Basketball is finalizing a training camp roster for the FIBA World Cup in China that includes Portland‘s Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, Washington‘s Bradley Beal and Cleveland‘s Kevin Love, league sources told ESPN. USA Basketball will conduct an August minicamp in Las Vegas ahead of the September tournament in
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 29: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors talks with Singers Drake (R) and Baka Not Nice (L) following an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on November 29, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using
9:16 AM ET Following a weird Game 2 in Toronto, the NBA Finals are tied 1-1 going back to Oakland. Diving into the postgame stats, the biggest differences between the first two games were on the Toronto Raptors‘ side — most specifically their shooting numbers. Simply put, the Raptors’ failure to convert shots cost them
Coming into college, Romeo Langford was a five-star recruit and the second-ranked shooting guard in the country. At New Albany High School in his hometown, the Indiana native decided to play all four years there instead of choosing the prep school route. Langford’s natural ability to score the ball and make plays for others garnered
8:17 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN OAKLAND, Calif. — As the NBA Finals shift west beginning with Game 3 at Oracle Arena between the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, plenty of attention will be paid to Kyle Lowry. Toronto’s All-Star point guard has struggled with his shot during the first two games
With one of the most appealing situations in the league this offseason, here are five free agent targets for the Los Angeles Clippers. After trading their three best players (Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin) either before or during the 2017-18 season, the Los Angeles Clippers seemed headed toward a significant reset bordering on
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – DECEMBER 07: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to an officials call during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on December 07, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Warriors defeated the Bucks 105-95. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using
TORONTO, CANADA – MAY 30: Kevon Looney #5 assists Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors off the floor against the Toronto Raptors during Game One of the NBA Finals on May 30, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using
1:04 PM ET DeMar DeRozan is rooting for his best friend and his former teammates to win the NBA Finals, but he still can’t help but feel that he was the “sacrificial lamb” for the Toronto Raptors to get to this point. “Honestly, I don’t think I even said this — I probably said it
It’s funny how life works, isn’t it? For the first month of the playoffs, including two full series and half of the games played in the Eastern Conference Finals, Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet was mired in one of the worst shooting slumps in his NBA career. Aside from the postseason opening loss to the
The Chicago Bulls need point guard and wing help, two things they will have options for with the No. 7 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Chicago Bulls were very bad last year, winning just 22 games in a year marred by the firing of coach Fred Hoiberg and the subsequent antics of interim-turned-current
11:01 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney is likely to be lost for the rest of the NBA Finals with a right upper body fracture of the first costal cartilage. Looney “will be out indefinitely,” the Warriors confirmed Monday night, following an MRI in the San Francisco Bay Area after he
The star-studded 2019 NBA free-agent class could get even better if certain players decline their player options. The NBA’s 2019 free-agent class boasts no shortage of star power. Kevin Durant ($31.5 million), Kawhi Leonard ($21.3 million), Kyrie Irving ($21.3 million), Jimmy Butler ($19.8 million) and Khris Middleton ($13 million) are all locks to decline their
The Phoenix Suns may be willing to move the No. 6 pick in the draft for a veteran guard, and these five should be on the radar. The Phoenix Suns have not made the playoffs since 2010 now, with four straight seasons of less than 25 wins and a collective winning percentage of .264 over
The Charlotte Hornets have a fairly dismal set of options in this year’s free agency, but that doesn’t mean they can’t gain value by finding the right player. Here are five players that might benefit the Hornets to sign in free agency. Longtime readers may remember last year’s version of this article, which both served
The Charlotte Hornets are entering into perhaps the most important offseason of their 29-year history. After eight fun-yet-painful years with Kemba Walker in town, Charlotte is now faced with the challenge of determining the value of the best player they’ve ever had. In 2011, Charlotte selected Walker ninth overall and preceded to win just seven