Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated's The Crossover looked at the scrimmage standouts from the first day of the NBA draft combine, and both Kyle Kuzma and Frank Jackson made the list.
Of Kuzma, Woo wrote, "Kuzma led the second game with 20 points and impressed with his fluidity and motor. He sank four of five threes and showcased some variety to his game. He’s one of the more skilled frontcourt players in the class, and measured well at 6’9.5” with a 7-foot wingspan. He can shoot the lights out, put the ball on the floor, and looks justified staying in the draft at this stage. Kuzma’s testing was also strong, with top-five times in the lane agility and shuttle drills. There’s a lot to like here, and he should be worthy of a second-round selection."
Speaking of Jackson, Woo continued, "Jackson was a catalyst with his slithery handle, change of speeds and ability to attack the basket, and he measured out well for a point guard at 6'2" with a 6'7.5" wingspan. His draft decision is one of the more significant when it comes to college basketball implications. Jackson is widely seen as a player who can be a first-rounder next year. With another strong day Friday, his decision could get more complicated."
Five potential landing spots for Gordon Hayward
Gerald Bourguet of Hoops Habits looked at 5 potential landed spots for Gordon Hayward in free agency.
Before getting to the list of teams, Bourguet talked about Hayward as a player, saying, "Hayward is one of the biggest names hitting free agency this summer, and coming off a career year that resulted in his first All-Star appearance, he’ll have plenty of suitors around the league."
After looking at Hayward's stat line this past season, Bourguet continued, "He served as an excellent defender for the league’s third-ranked defense, and also proved himself as a go-to offensive option in the playoffs, stepping up his numbers to 24.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game on .441/.412/.934 shooting splits in 11 playoff games."
Bourguet then listed the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat as possible spots, before hitting his top two of the Jazz at No. 2 and the Boston Celtics at No. 1.
While talking about the Celtics, Bourguet wrote, "No one would blame Gordon Hayward for taking the largest payday possible and sticking with a franchise that’s been good to him, but if he’s looking for the most favorable potential path to a Finals appearance, it lies to the East."
Other Links
Gobert an All-NBA First-Team Center?
Metta World Peace still picking the Jazz or Clippers for NBA championship
And finally...
Former Utah star Keith Van Horn takes to Twitter on a regular basis to share some of his interesting experiences from his time as a Ute. On Thursday, he was back at it as he shared what he called, "The scariest moment of my life."