The gravity of Game 7 in the 2013 NBA Finals has disappeared and the Miami Heat have been crowned NBA champions, so now the focus in the association will quickly turn to the 2013 NBA Draft, which is less than a week away. Teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers have a long way to climb if they want to reach the summit, and how top draft picks are used Thursday could drastically alter the future potential of multiple lottery teams. The new NBA season has already begun.
NBA Draft rumors roundup: Nerlens Noel’s visit with Cavaliers goes well, Alex Len still favored
The Cleveland Cavaliers met with NBA draft prospect Nerlens Noel on Thursday, and the visit reportedly went well, but Alex Len is still rumored to be Cleveland’s top choice with the No. 1 overall pick.
Mark Zerof-US PRESSWIRE
The Cavaliers have reportedly “cooled” on potential top pick Nerlens Noel (scouting report), and they may be leaning toward selecting Alex Len (scouting report). Their meeting with Noel on Thursday went well, but the team is still concerned about his injury history and slight frame, according to Pro Basketball Draft. Len has reportedly “emerged as top choice for Cleveland,” due to his potential as a two-way player in the NBA.
The Cavaliers are said to have been aggressively shopping the No. 1 pick, so any rumors at this point should be taken with a grain of salt. They could be trying to entice a team to move up to grab Len. In other Cleveland news, they may also be outlining a deal with the Dallas Mavericks to move up to No. 13 if Sergey Karasev (scouting report) is available. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recently said the team is likely to trade the No. 13 pick.
In Portland, Rudy Gobert (scouting report) and Steven Adams (scouting report) went head-to-head in a highly anticipated workout on Thursday. The Trail Blazers hold the No. 10 pick, and Gobert believes his draft range skews even a bit higher than that:
Gobert says he's hearing he could be drafted anywhere 7-21. He believes he can contribute immediately but says starting might take a season.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 20, 2013
The big man from France has finished his draft workouts, while Adams has two or three more teams that want to see him, including the Sacramento Kings (No. 7 pick).
Several potential lottery picks have also scheduled additional workouts heading into the draft. Mason Plumlee (scouting report) will work out for the Pistons on Friday and the Timberwolves on Saturday, while German point guard Dennis Schroeder (scouting report) has scheduled a workout with the Rockets for the day before the draft.
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