Live NBA draft updates: Wembanyama No. 1; Warriors get Chris Paul; Kings trade No. 24 pick
Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo said Victor Wembanyama has a chance to be “one of the best players to play this game.”
LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, called Wembanyama an “alien.” Kevin Durant, a 13-time All-Star, said “the league’s really in trouble when he comes in.”
The San Antonio Spurs selected the 19-year-old French phenom with the No. 1 pick when the NBA draft got underway at 5 p.m. Thursday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The Kings traded the No. 24 pick and Richaun Holmes to the Dallas Mavericks in a savvy move that will give them an estimated $35 million in salary cap space. They still have two second-round picks at No. 38 and No. 54.
Who will the Kings choose? Will they trade the picks for proven talent? Come back to this story throughout the day for live updates from The Sacramento Bee.
Warriors-Wizards trade
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting the Washington Wizards have agreed to a deal that will send Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors for a package that includes Jordan Poole and future draft assets. The Wizards acquired Paul in the trade that sent Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns. ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported the deal cannot be finalized until July 6 because of the poison pill restriction in Poole’s contract.
Respect for Fox
G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson told ESPN’s “NBA Today” the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry and Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard are among the NBA stars he most wants to test himself against in the NBA. Henderson is widely projected as one of the top three picks in this year’s draft.
Raptors rumors
Toronto Raptors forwards OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam are two of the players the Kings have been linked to in trade rumors leading up to the draft. Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT reported Thursday there is growing sentiment that Siakam, who is on an expiring contract, would no re-sign with a team that attempts to trade for him, because he would prefer to remain with the Raptors.
Twinning
Overtime Elite guard Amen Thompson went to the Houston Rockets at No. 4 followed by twin brother Ausar Thompson, who went to the Detroit Pistons at No. 5. They are the first pair of brothers selected in the top five since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976.
Wembanyama watch
The Spurs will participate in the California Classic July 3 and 5 at Golden 1 Center, so there is a possibility Wembanyama will make his summer league debut in Sacramento. The Spurs could choose to wait to play Wembanyama in the Las Vegas Summer League July 7-17. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters Wembanyama “will participate in the summer league,” but “to what degree, we’re not certain yet.”
Kings trade up in Round 2
The Kings made a deal with the Boston Celtics to move up four spots to select Colby Jones with the No. 34 pick. Jones, a 6-6 guard, averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists as a junior at Xavier last season. He shot 50.9% from the field and 37.8% from 3-point range.
NBA draft
First round
1. San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama | C | France
2. Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller | F | Alabama
3. Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson | PG | G League Ignite
4. Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson | G | Overtime Elite
5. Detroit Pistons: Ausar Thompson | G | Overtime Elite
6. Orlando Magic: Anthony Black | G/F | Arkansas
7. Indiana Pacers: Bilal Coulibaly | SF | France (traded to WAS)
8. Washington Wizards: Jarace Walker | PF | Houston (traded to IND)
9. Utah Jazz: Taylor Hendricks | PF | UCF
10. Dallas mavericks: Cason Wallace | PG | Kentucky (traded to OKC)
11. Orlando Magic: Jett Howard | SG | Michigan
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Dereck Lively II | C | Duke (traded to DAL)
13. Toronto Raptors: Gradey Dick | SG | Kansas
14. New Orleans Pelicans: Jordan Hawkins | SG | UConn
15. Atlanta Hawks: Kobe Bufkin | G | Michigan
16. Utah Jazz: Keyonte George | SG | Baylor
17. Los Angeles Lakers: Jalen Hood-Schifino | G | Indiana
18. Miami Heat: Jaime Jaquez Jr. | G\F | UCLA
19. Golden State Warriors: Brandin Podziemski | SG | Santa Clara
20. Houston Rockets: Cam Whitmore | SF | Villanova
21. Brooklyn Nets: Noah Clowney | PF | Alabama
22. Brooklyn Nets: Dariq Whitehead | SG | Duke
23. Portland Trail Blazers: Kris Murray | F | Iowa
24. Sacramento Kings: Olivier Maxence-Prosper | F | Marquette (traded to DAL)
25. Memphis Grizzlies: Marcus Sasser | PG | Houston (traded to DET)
26. Indiana Pacers: Ben Sheppard | SF | Belmont
27. Charlotte Hornets: Nick Smith Jr. | PG | Arkansas
28. Utah Jazz: Brice Sensabaugh | SF | Ohio State
29. Indiana Pacers: Julian Strawther (traded to DEN)
30. Los Angeles Clippers (from MIL): Kobe Brown
Second round
31. Detroit Pistons: James Nnaji | C | Barcelona (traded to CHA)
32. Indiana Pacers: Jalen Pickett | G | Siena (traded to DEN)
33. San Antonio Spurs: Leonard Miller | SF | G League Ignite (traded to MIN)
34. Charlotte Hornets: Colby Jones | SG/SF | Xavier (traded to SAC)
35. Boston Celtics: Julian Phillips | SF | Tennessee (Traded to CHI via WAS)
36. Orlando Magic: Andre Jackson Jr. | G/F | UConn
37. Oklahoma City Thunder (from WAS): Hunter Tyson | SF | Clemson
38. Sacramento Kings: Jordan Walsh | SF | Arkansas (traded to BOS)
39. Charlotte Hornets (from UTA): Mohamad Gueye | PF | Washington State (Traded to ATL via BOS)
40. Denver Nuggets (from LAL): Maxwell Lewis | SF | Pepperdine (Traded to LAL via IND)
41. Charlotte Hornets: Amari Bailey | G | UCLA
42. Washington Wizards (from CHI): Tristan Vukcevic | PF | Real Madrid B
43. Portland Trail Blazers (from ATL): Rayan Rupert | SG | NZ Breakers
44. San Antonio Spurs: Sidy Cissoko | G | G League Ignite
45. Memphis Grizzlies (from MIN): Gregory Jackson II
46. Atlanta Hawks (from NOP): Seth Lundy | G/F | Penn State
47. Los Angles Lakers: Mojave King | G | G League Ignite (traded to IND)
48. Los Angeles Clippers: Jordan Miller | SF | Miami
49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from GSW): Emoni Bates | SF | Eastern Michigan
50. Oklahoma City Thunder (from MIA): Keyontae Johnson | SF | Kansas State
51. Brooklyn Nets: Jalen Wilson | F | Kansas
52. Phoenix Suns: Tounani Camara | PF | Dayton
53. Minnesota Timberwolves (from NYK): Jaylen Clark | SG | UCLA
54. Sacramento Kings: Jaylen Slawson | G/F | Furman
55. Indiana Pacers (from CLE): Isaiah Wong | G | Miami
56. Memphis Grizzlies: Tarik Biberovic | SG | Fenerbahce
57. Washington Wizards: Trayce Jackson-Davis | PF | Indiana (traded to GSW)
58. Milwaukee Bucks: Chris Livingston | SF | Kentucky
* Note: There are only 58 picks in this year’s draft because the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers each forfeited a second-round pick for violating NBA rules covering free agency discussions.
This story was originally published June 22, 2023 at 12:00 PM.
