NBA Notebook: What will the Celtics do at the NBA Draft on Wednesday?

The Celtics will pivot quickly from their championship celebration to Wednesday's NBA Draft and free agency next weekend, a process they've continued throughout the spring. Members of Boston's front office even held a draft workout early in the afternoon following their championship celebration last Monday night, with numerous prospects coming through Auerbach Center since early in the playoffs. The Celtics own the 30th and 54th overall picks, the first their own and the latter a second-rounder from Dallas that Boston acquired while trading back multiple times during last year's draft. 

Boston chose Jordan Walsh as one of several prospects they liked while picking up future second-rounders that have become increasingly valuable in trades, cap management and more easily signed through the new second-round exception, which teams can use to sign second-round picks to 3-to-4-year deals without using cap space or a mid-level exception. Walsh signed a four-year, $7.6-million deal with a lightly guaranteed third year and fourth year team option. Boston could take a similar approach this week, weighing prospects at No. 30, which would mark Brad Stevens' first pick in the first round since becoming president, alongside trades back into the second round. The NBA changed the draft structure this year, moving the second round to the following night on Thursday June 27 -- so a trade back in Bill Belichick fashion at the end of the first night could leave us all empty-handed.

Whatever the Celtics do will only have an ancillary impact on the veteran roster that'll mostly return next season. Oshae Brissett will decide on his $2.5 million player option by Sunday while Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman Sr. become unrestricted free agents who haven't received significant paydays yet in their careers. That places attention on the front court beyond the obvious need to address center depth beyond Al Horford's career, as the 38-year-old enters the final season of his two-year extension in 2024-25. Kristaps Porziņģis will undergo surgery on his left ankle after missing most of the playoffs and the Boston Globe reported it's unclear if he'll be ready for training camp -- injuries will remain a concern with him. Neemias Queta, an intriguing prospect, albeit at 25 this year, has a $2.2 million club option the team has to decide on by June 29. 

If Brissett and Queta return on those options, that places 12 players under contract for next season on standard contracts out of the possible 15. One or both of Kornet and Tillman returning leaves an open spot for the potential first-round pick, while a Svi Mykhailiuk re-signing would close that door, though Boston moving back into the second round could lead them to sign two-way contracts with Queta's former slot open and the team able to move on from JD Davison or Drew Peterson if they choose to. Davison can only sign one more two-way deal with Boston. 

Let's start with the first-round possibilities. The 30th overall pick this season guarantees a drafted player $2.1 million this season and $2.2 million in 2025-26, still a discount below the average veteran minimum of roughly $2.5 million, but nearly double the rookie minimum ($1.3M). That adds to the case for the Celtics to trade back, with each additional guaranteed dollar significant for a team that's going to live in the luxury tax for the foreseeable future. As far as prospects who will likely be available at 30, Kevin O'Connor notes Terrance Shannon Jr., a 6-6 driving wing who's a complementary player on offense, shooting 36.2% from three on 6.7 attempts per game last season, along with enough defensive prowess to play right away as a 23-year-old. 

Kyle Filipowski intrigues here too, because he played under Celtics assistant coach Amile Jefferson as a freshman and brings 3-point range to the NBA alongside his 7-0 stature. Filipowski improved to 34.8% on 3.1 attempts per game from 28.2% as a freshman, and is still only 20 years old. He passes, screens and also plays complementary basketball, while the Celtics have done a decent job acclimating centers to their system in Maine recently. 

In a wing-heavy draft, with key big men expected to go higher in the first round and development prospects likely available deeper into the first round, Wednesday might see the Celtics target one or multiple prospects they like and if they go off the board prior to 30, decide to move back to take one of multiple prospects they're confident would survive into the second. Boston is connected to Pacôme Dadiet, according to ESPN, an 18-year-old French wing who planned visits with Orlando, Miami, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Milwaukee and Brooklyn earlier this month, teams that could select him early in the second round if Boston doesn't first.  

Dadiet is nearly 6-8 and flashes scoring upside and the ability to defend multiple positions, though with ball-handling deficiencies. He fits the mold of a swing who wouldn't impact the Celtics at all in the near term, but could mature into a key piece in future versions of the team. That's a hard player to imagine giving first-round pick money to in a tax environment though. It's more likely Boston would want to stash him in that case, and he has told teams he does not prefer to stay in Europe and hopes to come to the NBA immediately. 

Another younger prospect that the Athletic likes with the Celtics is Tyler Smith, who spent his year after high school with a star-studded but ineffective G-League Ignite team, perhaps a chance for Boston to steal a shooter with some size at 6-9 with a 7-1 wingspan. He could fall to 30 due to defensive concerns, while his shot shows more inconsistent returns going back to his high school years at Overtime Elite. Smith doesn't seem like a fit for the future, and certainly not as a present center prospect. 

Replacing Sam Hauser, who's a free agent after 2025 and likely in line for a major payday, seems like less of an immediate concern, but one the Celtics might have to get started early with a shooter like Cam Christie, Lakers wing Max Christie's brother from Minnesota who shot 39.1% on 5.4 attempts per game last year at 6-5 and hasn't turned 19 yet. Boston tried fitting Peterson into that mold in Maine with mixed results late last season, and he turns 25 this fall. Harrison Ingram is an older (21) wing who brings screening ability that Joe Mazzulla loves (38.5% 3PT). Ingram has reportedly worked out for Boston. 

Boston has also worked out Baylor Scheierman, a 38.1% three-point shooter on 8.3 attempts per game with deep range at Creighton as a senior. Justin Edwards, a former All-American who struggled as a freshman at Kentucky, visited the gym too. He's in the Davison and Walsh mold of a highly-touted high school prospect who didn't succeed right away in college, but at nearly 21. He's a versatile wing at 6-6 who can pass, rebound and defend. The Celtics also hosted senior point guard Dillon Jones, a late second-round prospect, along with likely undrafted prospect Enrique Freeman from Akron, 24-year-old shooting four Blake Hinson from Pittsburgh and slashing point guard Judah Mintz from Syracuse, among others. Virginia defensive star Ryan Dunn is the highest-ranked prospect listed among Boston's workouts, projected 24-25 as a Knicks favorite. 

The ability to draft multiple players they like into the second is another bonus to where they stand organizationally, with no need to lean on a younger player immediately. Accumulating future second-round assets could also allow the Celtics to move up if they love a mid-first-round prospect like Kel'el Ware, who brings some of the size, athleticism and lob game they lost in Robert Williams III along with the willingness to take a three every game. That hasn't been Stevens' approach since 2021, though, and would come at a higher annual salary cost. It's safe r

In the second round, Portland has picks at 34 and 40 they could consolidate into 30 if they see someone they love. They can provide minutes and a role to prospects more readily than about any other NBA team. The Pacers similarly have three second-rounders at 36, 49 and 50, and have a far more crowded roster that probably can't absorb that many players. Boston can also utilize 54 as it tries to move around the board, since the Celtics probably will only have active roster space and development capability for one rookie from this class alongside Walsh, who's expected to spend most of year two in Maine again. Don't count on Boston at 54 spoiling the Lakers' Bronny James pursuit at 55. I can't imagine a less likely Stevens pick, even if Danny Ainge would've conceivably jabbed at LA by taking a guy. It's hard to imagine the Lakers passing on him in order to appease LeBron James. 

Instead, if the Celtics pick at 54, they could try to replenish their organizational depth at guard, O'Connor listing Florida Zyon Pullin, an example of a potential two-way player who could actually provide some spot NBA minutes better than Davison has proved capable of if the latter moves on. Tristen Newton from UConn also fits the veteran depth guard mold. The Athletic lists Jalen Bridges at 54, a senior shooting and defensive wing who's more ready to go than Peterson. 

ESPN connects them to Antonio Reeves at 54, who they've worked out, another veteran shooter who played five years between Illinois State and Kentucky, posting 44.7% shooting from three, though Sam Vecenie notes most came from college three-point range. 

In the middle of the second round, PJ Hall from Clemson brings an array of fundamental big man skills and the willingness to take threes, like Filipowski, that Boston might enjoy. 

It's expected that the Celtics walk away from draft night with at least one player. Though drafting might not be crucial for Boston, especially with multiple two-way spots available and the ability to invest in second draft prospects that other teams let go like the Kings did with Queta. 

Youth development, in general, became a larger and more successful focus for the Celtics under Stevens as the NBA roster becomes more expensive and potentially unsustainable beyond 2026. That makes lining up the players who could fill their needs now important, allowing them to spend time in Maine and improve whatever weaknesses or maturity gaps that need to be bridged that dropped those players close to or into the second round. 

The first round of the NBA Draft begins at 8 p.m. on Wednesday in Brooklyn. 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Atlanta: Pursuing a Clint Capela trade ahead of the NBA Draft, according to Jake Fischer, with Capela entering the final season of his contract at $22 million and the Hawks eyeing front court help with the No. 1 overall pick. Atlanta appears focused on wing prospect Zaccharie Risacher and UConn centr Donovan Clingan, giving themselves multiple options as the trade market develops closer to draft night. The Hawks have yet to workout top prospect Alex Sarr, another name long in the mix as the top prospect in this draft. They have worked out Matas Buzelis, Cody Williams and Ron Holland. The Hawks' decision over Trae Young and Dejounte Murray's futures could dictate whether they rebuild or continue to push for a playoff appearance, which will further influence what they do here. 

Boston (won 4-1 vs. DAL): Jaylen Brown won Finals MVP, 7-4, Kristaps Porziņģis logged 16 minutes through a serious left leg injury that'll require surgery and Jayson Tatum dished nine assists before halftime as the Celtics built on a 21-point halftime lead to run away with Game 5 and an NBA Finals win -- their first since 2008. Payton Pritchard hit another half-court shot at the buzzer shortly after checking into the game at the end of the second quarter, the highlight moment of a celebration-filled night in Boston that'll carry through the summer. Wyc Grousbeck said Al Horford will return in 2024-25 to help defend the Celtics' title, Derrick White received treatment on his chipped front tooth from a Game 5 dive to the floor and some of Boston's players spent the following days in Miami before the team held its parade on Friday. Joe Mazzulla revealed he needs surgery for a torn meniscus. 

Brooklyn/Charlotte: Jake Fischer reported that the Nets and Hornets discussed a trade that would've sent Ben Simmons to Charlotte and Miles Bridges to Brooklyn in February. Bridges opted to decline trades, a right he earned by signing his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent last summer, giving him a no-trade clause for his final season with the Hornets. Bridges will now explore unrestricted free agency and Simmons will try to save his NBA career in his final year under contract with Brooklyn following multiple seasons riddled by injuries. Sacramento also explored adding Bridges, who's expected to command roughly $30 million per season, per Fischer. 

The Hornets could facilitate his departure through a sign-and-trade, and are seen as a team to watch move up in Wednesday's draft from No. 6 overall, Fischer wrote. They're reportedly eyeing Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard, an increasingly popular prospect. Charlotte's cap space this season could go toward accumulating unwanted money from other teams or pursuing Patrick Williams, a restricted free agent. Maine Celtics head coach Blaine Mueller will join Charles Lee's Hornets staff, the team announced. 

Chicago: Traded Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey in an interesting move that both ended the Bulls' long-running trade drought and unexpectedly tipped-off the NBA offseason. No picks traded hands. Caruso made back-to-back All Defense teams and grew offensively each year across three Bulls seasons, one of their players they commanded such a high asking price for that it left them stuck in the middle of the NBA alongside injuries. That happened by no fault of Caruso, who became one of the team's bright spots as arguably the league's most respected guard defender alongside Jrue Holiday. Adding Giddey, a point guard and impending restricted free agent, could impact Lonzo Ball's future in Chicago. Giddey averaged 12.3 PPG and 4.8 APG last year.

Cleveland: Expected to hire James Borrego as their next head coach, according to Marc Stein. Borrego, New Orleans' assistant coach who previously led the Hornets from 2018-2022, had been a finalist for the Lakers job and Detroit reportedly eyed him to begin their search. The Cavs made him a priority first, though, pulling ahead of Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and Wolves assistant Micah Nori. Atkinson's candidacy has gained steam, Stein noted, and didn't rule out Nori from contention. Atkinson coached the Brooklyn Nets from 2016-2020 and aided their rebuild. Nori has no head coaching experience, but led Minnesota's on-court communication while Chris Finch recovered on the back of the bench from a torn patellar tendon in the playoffs.

Dallas (lost 1-4 vs. BOS): Never appeared close to competing with the Celtics despite their blowout Game 4 win at home and Luka Dončić averaging 29.2 PPG, 8.8 RPG and 5.6 APG on 47.2% shooting. Kyrie Irving finished with 19.8 PPG on 41.4% FG, noting that the students, his former Celtics teammates, became the teachers. Dallas' ability to return to the Finals stage will demand that PJ Washington, Dereck Lively II and other Mavs role players find greater footing and consistency. Boston effectively shut out Dončić's teammates with their switching and one-on-one defense on the star. Dončić said he'll have to make decisions about his health this offseason, dealing with multiple playoff injuries, but Dallas GM Nico Harrison pointed toward Dončić joining Slovenia for its Olympic qualifying tournament beginning on July 2. Harrison added that keeping Derrick Jones Jr. is a priority. Owner Marc Cuban is reportedly no longer in charge of basketball operations for the Mavs after selling his majority share of the team this past season. 

Detroit: Fired head coach Monty Williams after coaching only one season of his six-year, $78 million deal, leaving $64 million guaranteed for the coach in a questionable move to begin GM Trajan Langdon's tenure. Owner Tom Gores reportedly played a role in the process, citing the need for a fresh start in their Friday press conference, Langdon's first with the team. Langdon will begin the search for a new coach less than a week from the draft, where the Pistons pick No. 5 overall. JJ Redick initially emerged as a possibility before James Borrego, Micah Nori, Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney and former Cavs head coach JB Bickerstaff became the team's early focus for interviews. Sweeney and Nori previously coached alongside former Detroit coach Dwane Casey, who's now part of the Pistons front office. Detroit hired Fred Vinson as Williams' assistant last week. Williams was reportedly blindsided by the firing. 

Golden State: Reportedly offered impending free agent Klay Thompson a contract during the period where the Warriors and Thompson can exclusively negotiate a new deal. ESPN reported that it's a two-year contract while Brian Windhorst noted that Golden State will likely want Thompson to take a larger pay cut than Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins did, reducing his annual salary below $30 million. Thompson and the Orlando Magic have been heavily connected entering free agency. Gary Payton II picked up his $9.1 million player option to return to Golden State for another season. Elsewhere, the Warriors can begin the process of gaining some flexibility beneath the second apron by waiving Chris Paul and Kevon Looney before July begins. Owner Joe Lacob has discussed making further salary cuts to avoid the luxury tax after absorbing massive repeater penalties in recent seasons.

Houston: Still weighing trades for the No. 3 overall pick, seen league-wide as a position of strength, according to The Athletic, with Charlotte, Memphis and Portland emerging among the teams interested in trading up as the most aggressive. All three suitors have interest in acquiring Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard or UConn big man Donovan Clingan, whose stocks have neared No. 1 overall status in the weeks leading up to the draft. The Rockets haven't succeeded in searching for star trades centered around their pick, with Donovan Mitchell still unavailable and a Brandon Ingram trade idea going nowhere when Alperen Şengün's name came up. If the Grizzlies trade up, Houston has interest in a former Ime Udoka player there -- Marcus Smart. 

Indiana: Pascal Siakam is expected to sign a four-year, $189.5 million contract to remain with the Pacers after the Raptors traded him to Indiana earlier this year. Siakam helped lead Indiana to the east finals, averaging 21.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 3.7 APG on 54.9% shooting in the regular season before thriving against Boston, posting 23.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 4.5 APG there on 55.3% FG. His success against the team the Pacers will be competing with atop the east for the foreseeable future and his ability to help raise Indiana's ceiling next to Tyrese Haliburton bodes well, and retaining Siakam affirms a somewhat risky trade that involved the Pacers sending out Bruce Brown, Buddy Hield and three first-round picks around the deadline to make the money work. Haliburton is signed through 2028 while Siakam turns 31 later next season. They'll now reportedly work on a TJ McConnell extension. 

Clippers: Paul George's $48.8 million player option deadline arrives on June 29 with reporting around his future involving the 76ers cooling their interest in him and the possibility that George could opt into his final season to expand the field of teams that could potentially pursue him through a trade. Only major cap space teams like Philadelphia and Orlando could sign George outright from LA, with long-running extension talks still leaving the two sides without a deal one week from free agency. Brian Windhorst discussed the possibility that the Clippers could let George and James Harden go, resetting around recently extended Kawhi Leonard as a cap space team. It'd be difficult to imagine that happening as LA moves into the Intuit Dome, but the second apron and new repeater tax penalties aimed at breaking up teams like the Clippers have changed the NBA land space, and LA just hasn't won. 

The Clippers hired Celtics advisor Jeff Van Gundy as Ty Lue's top assistant, Van Gundy's first coaching job since 2006-07 in Houston. He had reportedly been an option that emerged in Boston to replace Charles Lee in that role alongside Joe Mazzulla, but the Celtics didn't want to leap him ahead of other internal assistants. Van Gundy talked to Zach Lowe about the reinvigorating season he spent in Boston alongside Mazzulla and Brad Stevens. 

"We had talked about everything about this consultancy position, from G-League to coaching, a lot of different things. They didn’t need my help or anything like that, but I’m beyond grateful to have someone help me out like Brad and Joe did. And also give me real work," he said. "I think the combination of those two helped me through a little bit of turbulent waters, and that’s why I’ll forever be the biggest fan of the Celtics, as far as the people there that I worked with. Both in the front office, the coaching staff, and the G-League staff. I liked them all, I learned from all of them, and, man, I think the year I spent with the Celtics gave men such a much better chance for success now going to the Clippers than if I hadn’t taken that position this year.”

Lakers: Hired ESPN analyst JJ Redick as their head coach, a long-rumored move that survived through the team's pursuit of Dan Hurley and most recently Monty Williams, following his firing from Detroit, with the latter not interested in returning to coaching for now after the Pistons blindsided him, according to Woj. That left Redick, who brings no major coaching experience to the table, and will lean on a forthcoming staff, his NBA playing experience and his knowledge of the game that he's displayed in recent years through his scheme-heavy podcasts on his Old Man and the Three show and wider network that included a collaboration with LeBron James last season. Those podcast conversations served as informal interviews, Brian Windhorst noted, and despite how unconventional the signing is, Redick will likely bring some needed modern philosophies that Joe Mazzulla did to Boston, which are badly needed for a team that played poorly from an analytic standpoint as any in the NBA last season. Redick agreed to a four-year deal. James, 40 next season, is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract this week, likely forcing the Lakers to sign him to a massive new three-year contract. 

Memphis: Jake Fischer reported that the Grizzlies have no interest in trading Marcus Smart despite him only logging 20 games in his first year with the team. Memphis is open to trades up and down the draft board from their No. 9 overall spot. They like Donovan Clingan, Fischer noted, and have received some interest in Luke Kennard ahead of the $14.7 million team option decision they have to make on him by June 29. They're also reportedly in the mix for Clint Capela alongside Washington, Chicago and New Orleans as the Grizzlies try to solidify what they lost in the front court when Steven Adams went down with a preseason injury before Memphis traded him last season. 

Miami: The whispers about Jimmy Butler's future with the Heat continue, and while it's at least curious that Philadelphia reportedly cooled their interest in Paul George this week, some around the league, according to Matt Moore, believe that the Heat would facilitate a Butler trade if he and the team can't come to terms on a new contract this summer. Butler is signed for one more season with Miami, increasing the urgency to resolve his future now before he and the team would enter a possible lame-duck year. There's some strength in opening $49 million when his contract expires next summer, given Miami's status as a destination, Moore notes, while that would give the team more time to fully assess Butler's future as he enters his age 35 season. The Miami Herald reported that Butler is seeking a two-year, $113 million extension through 2027, the most allowed before a player turns 38. Butler has a $52.4 million player option for 2025-26. Miami has the No. 15 overall pick in next week's draft. 

Jayson Tatum sent a subtle shot at the Heat before the Celtics' championship parade, saying trips to Miami are always easy in reference to Boston's celebratory trip to South Beach last week. Miami has the No. 15 overall pick in next week's draft. 

Milwaukee: Could look to trade veteran center Brook Lopez this summer if Doc Rivers and company decide to shift away from the Bucks' recent history of playing big and around a heavy drop scheme on defense. Former head coach Adrian Griffin already trade to shake up the team's defensive system from the Mike Budenholzer era, but struggled so greatly that he ended up out of a job by the end of his first season. Lopez' salary would allow the team to make a more impactful addition than by trading less valuable players on the roster who make less money. Kevin O'Connor noted that Lopez and Raptors wing Bruce Brown make sense in a swap scenario, giving Toronto another starting caliber player to send elsewhere and accumulate more assets from. Lopez turns 37 next season and makes $23 million in the final year of his contract, another potential boost to his value elsewhere. 

New Orleans: Kelly Iko added to the reporting that Brandon Ingram is available this summer, connecting him to Houston in trade ideas while noting that the Pelicans have also discussed a trade with the 76ers. The available return to New Orleans appears too limited for the Pelicans to consider moving on from Ingram, who becomes a free agent next summer after his $36 million contract expires following 2024-25. Perhaps no trade makes more sense than a Darius Garland and Ingram swap, which hasn't been reported, but could fill needs for both Cleveland and New Orleans if Garland pushes his way off the Cavs in response to Donovan Mitchell staying. The Cavs would inevitably need some assurance that Ingram would stay in Cleveland. Andrew Lopez outlined an Ingram trade where New Orleans would receive big man Jarrett Allen. 

New York: Reportedly testing Mitchell Robinson's trade market before they have to decide whether they'll keep Isaiah Hartenstein for a significant price tag this summer. Jake Fischer reported that Hartenstein is expected to remain with New York, leaving Robinson, often injured, playing behind him on a two-year, $27.2 million deal as something of a luxury. Hartenstein could command a maximum four-year, $72.5 million contract in free agency. Robinson averaged 5.6 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 1.1 BPG on 57.5% shooting before the first of two ankle injuries ended his regular season, then his playoffs. Hartenstein posted 8.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.5 APG and 0.9 BPG in the playoffs while shooting 59.2%. OG Anunoby's free agency is worth watching as he weighs his offensive role in New York. It could cost the Knicks $200 million to retain the defensive star. New York can also offer Jalen Brunson a four-year, $156 million extension this summer ahead of his likely free agency next summer. 

Oklahoma City: Alex Caruso arrives as the most perfect return imaginable for the Thunder in exchange for Josh Giddey, who was always going to be the major contract and talent that the team could float to improve the roster around its core this summer. That Oklahoma City could add him without giving up any of its future draft picks, however, shows the playmaking talent they gave up in Giddey and reflects the potentially difficult contract negotiation they could face with Caruso next summer when his bargain $9.9 million deal expires. For now, he'll be a massive help to an already strong defense as they try to beat star wings like Anthony Edwards, Luka Dončić and more in the west. Caruso also shot 40.8% from three and brings some ball-handling ability to the back court, not Giddey level, but Giddey's floor spacing challenges became a major hindrance to the Thunder offense into the playoffs last year. This is a team that should be talked about more as a potential 2025 Finals opponent opposite of the Celtics. Oklahoma City told Giddey he would likely come off the bench next season, prompting the trade. Newport Beach police and the NBA ended an investigation into Giddey's off court behavior last season without any criminal findings. The Thunder drafted him No. 6 overall in 2021 and faced his restricted free agency next summer. 

Orlando: Jake Fischer cooled off the idea that the Magic could blow Klay Thompson away in free agency, noting that they would likely only offer a bigger version of the two-year, $22 million deal they signed Joe Ingles to last summer. They pick No. 18 overall in next week's NBA Draft and have an expected $49.5 million in cap space this summer. 

Philadelphia: Reportedly out on Paul George and Zach LaVine, two stars long linked to their open cap space that the James Harden trade generated and kicked back to this summer. The 76ers could accumulate short-term money, one of those options already off the board with the Alex Caruso trade, but it's unclear how long the team can keep kicking back Joel Embiid's contention window. The Sixers have cast a net as wide as out to LA, where LeBron James will likely become a free agent next week, but almost all of their scenarios seem improbable except for Jimmy Butler, who Philadelphia could absorb directly into the $55.5 million in cap space they can generate while providing immediate money relief to Miami along with future assets. That's the move to watch most closely here, especially following that George news. 

Sacramento: Malik Monk, the frontrunner for sixth man of the year before his knee injury late in the season, will reportedly sign a four-year, $78 million deal to stay with the Kings. Monk led the NBA in points and assists off the bench last season anyway, finishing second behind Naz Reid in the sixth-man voting. The Kings remain active in shopping Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter, and could become the frontrunner for Zach LaVine if the Bulls decide to trade him this summer. LaVine, Fischer notes, is a backup option for Philadelphia as interest wanes elsewhere. 

San Antonio: Reportedly shopping the No. 8 overall pick and eyeing free agent wing Tobias Harris when free agency begins, per Chris Haynes. The Spurs make their own selection at No. 4 overall, and plan to work out potential No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher.

Washington: Expected to select French wing prospect Alex Sarr with the Hawks focused elsewhere at No. 1. Jonathan Givony reported that is all but a lock days from the draft. Sarr is a near seven-footer with a 7-4 wingspan who'll bring athleticism and pair with fellow French prospect Bilal Coulibaly, who flashed potential during his rookie season.