CLEVELAND, Ohio —In a press conference a week before the draft Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields told media members he was fielding calls but still had plans to use the first pick in the draft.
According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, the Hawks’ plans have changed.
“(UConn Center Donovan) Clingan remains one of their top choices,” O’Connor writes. “But I’m told that the Hawks would ideally prefer to trade down to take the 7-foot-2 sophomore center, rather than do so with the first choice.”
Without a consensus top prospect in this draft, Clingan has emerged as a safe pick in the high lottery because he’s got a high floor.
“He’d be a more advanced option than any of the ball-screen partners Trae (Young) has had before,” O’Connor writes. “And as an excellent interior defender with a massive 7-foot-7 wingspan, he could help the Hawks build the best defense they’ve ever had.”
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The Hawks have not been able to get Alex Sarr in for a workout. The French big man, who’s expected to be a top-three pick, reportedly prefers the Washington Wizards, who have the second pick, to the Hawks.
The San Antonio Spurs have been linked to Zaccharie Risacher and were previously inquiring about getting the top pick from the Hawks.
There have been reports that the Trail Blazers are intent on selecting Clingan at No. 7 if he falls that far, and the Spurs currently have the No. 4 pick.
Houston, meanwhile, has been linked to Reed Sheppard out of Kentucky, so it seems like if the Hawks do decide to trade back there’s a good chance they land Clingan and everyone else in the top four still gets their wish.
French invasion just getting started?
Yahoo Sports’ Krysten Peek has been high on all three of the French prospects expected to go early in the first round of the draft Wednesday.
The trio of Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher and Tidjane Salaun have all played against Victor Wembanyama at various points in time. Now they’re following his lead.
“There’s a lot of young talent coming up in France, and a lot of kids now are playing basketball because of Victor and what he’s doing in the NBA,” Wembanyama’s Mets 92 teammate Bilal Coulibaly told Yahoo Sports.
“It started with Tony Parker and just growing up and watching what he did in the NBA, it gave me and other players confidence that we could get there too. Now we’re part of that next generation inspiring the young kids in France to chase their dreams.”
But Wemby and Coulibaly, who went No. 7 to the Wizards in last year’s draft, are just the beginning.
Outside of those top three French prospects Pacome Dadiet and Melvin Ajinca are both expected to hear their names called in the late first to second round.
From projected 2025 top-five pick Nolan Traore to 15-year old Nathan Soliman, who’s playing up two levels at for the French U17 FIBA World Cup team, Peek explains that the French pipeline to the NBA is here to stay.
Wemby opened the floodgates and France is oozing with talented hoopers.
Trash talk between top prospects?
The G League Ignite’s Matas Buzelis might not be so convinced that the French invasion is here. Back in March the projected top-10 pick challenged to Risacher to a 1-on-1 matchup.
In a Tuesday interview with Shams Charania, he stood on his belief that he’s better than Risacher.
“I respect (Risacher) as a player, of course. He’s a great player,” Buzelis said. "He just doesn’t want to see me. I’m just going to keep it real with everybody. He doesn’t want to see me and the offer still stands for sure.”
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