Latest news with #RonHarper
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ron Harper reacts to guard's bold claim about LeBron and 2020 Lakers
Ron Harper reacts to guard's bold claim about LeBron and 2020 Lakers Los Angeles Lakers fans still think highly of the 2019-20 team that cruised through the regular season and convincingly won the NBA championship inside the Walt Disney World Resort bubble. Over the last few years, many of those fans have wanted the Lakers to replicate the formula that got the job done that season and have criticized executive Rob Pelinka for dismantling the roster the team had that season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a key guard on that team, said recently that had it been kept together, it would've won two more world titles. He also said that if that had happened, LeBron James would've had six rings and "there would be no more G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) talk." Ron Harper, a former teammate of Michael Jordan, whom many still see as the G.O.A.T., as well as someone who played alongside Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant on the Lakers, pushed back on Caldwell-Pope's talk. He took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to respond to Caldwell-Pope and try to de-legitimize L.A.'s 2020 title. Harper has previously de-legitimized the Lakers' 2023-24 NBA Cup victory, claiming that "no real fans care" about it while also saying the banner the organization put up to commemorate that win is "embarrassing." It seems Harper's loyalties lie with Jordan and perhaps Bryant. He also pushed back on the stubborn and incorrect narrative that Bryant was merely a "sidekick" to O'Neal when L.A. won three straight NBA championships with both of them in the early 2000s.
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
NBA Executives Expect Surprising East Team to Trade for Top Pick: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Next month's supposedly loaded 2025 NBA Draft could have multiple future All-Stars. While Duke phenom Cooper Flagg appears to be a no-brainer to be selected with the No. 1 pick by the Dallas Mavericks, questions abound about where the rest of the expected top prospects will line up. The San Antonio Spurs, who possess the No. 2 pick, could use that selection in a trade to acquire a win-now superstar, which the team could then add to its All-Star core of Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox. More Brooklyn Nets News: Crucial Nets Trade Piece Sidelined For Extended Time With Significant Injury The Philadelphia 76ers, who boast the No. 3 pick, already have a very talented squad — on paper, at least — and may look to move down in the draft. One team that many pundits mentioned during the NBA draft combine in Chicago earlier this month is the Brooklyn Nets, per insider Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The Nets currently have a whopping five picks in this year's draft: the Nos. 8, 19, 26, 27, and 36 selections. It's unclear how many of those selections Brooklyn will want to keep. Given that Brooklyn has significantly scouted Rutgers star Dylan Harper, the projected No. 2 pick, many have wondered if the Nets may be able to finagle a trade with the Spurs for the rights to that selection. A general view of the NBA logo during Game Three of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on May 6, 2022 in... A general view of the NBA logo during Game Three of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on May 6, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Heat 99-79. More Photo byHarper's father, five-time league champion guard Ron Harper, even weighed in on the possibility of him playing in Brooklyn, noting that there is always "a chance" that the Nets could trade into the No. 2 pick thanks to a boatload of assets the team added in its Mikal Bridges trade to the New York Knicks last summer. Always a chance with trades and picks and the Knicks gave you a lot of both. — Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) May 15, 2025 That said, a source told Lewis that any chatter of a potential trade for the No. 2 selection was "all BS and rumors." Another source expressed skepticism that the Nets and Spurs could figure out a deal. Lewis considers the Philadelphia 76ers (who possess the No. 3 pick), the Utah Jazz (who have the No. 5 pick) and the Washington Wizards (who have the No. 6 pick) to be the likeliest landing spots for Brooklyn. During a new conversation with New York Post Sports' Brandon London, Lewis expounded on the realistic options available to the Nets. With a surplus of picks available to #NetsWorld, Brooklyn has the potential to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo and move up to take a premium prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft.@NYPost_Lewis | @BrandonLondonTV Article ➡️ — New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 27, 2025 "I think [pick Nos.] 1, 2, 4, and 7 are probably all off the board, realistically speaking," Lewis said. The lowly Charlotte Hornets, who haven't made the playoffs since the 2015-16 season, have the No. 4 pick, and will happily take yet another swing at lottery gold. The New Orleans Pelicans, whose best player, Zion Williamson, has played over 30 games in just two of his six pro seasons, are expected to stay locked in with their current No. 7 selection. "The Sixers could move the pick at 3, that's not impossible," Lewis said. "I think it would be hard to get, and I'm not sure whether it would be worth what you're going to have to give up to get it." Following seven consecutive playoff seasons with All-Star Joel Embiid in tow, Philadelphia fell back to earth with a resounding thud in 2024-25. Embiid, plus fellow All-Stars Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, were barely made available. The team finished 24-58 and managed to move up in the draft lottery. Philadelphia general manager Daryl Morey may think his current core still has a chance to compete for an NBA Finals berth if healthy — but that's a big "if." It may just behoove Morey to hold onto that pick and grab a top young prospect. Still, there's a world in which they could do that: specifically, a trade down to the No. 8 pick. Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Philadelphia is still considered likely to prefer to remain in the lottery even if the team does trade down from the No. 3 selection, as the Sixers are still hoping to add a talented young player to their current roster. Lewis observed that the Utah Jazz, who have the No. 5 selection this year, could be open to wheeling and dealing. "Now at 5, maybe. Danny Ainge, he's in possession of that and you know he's always willing to deal," Lewis said. "There are credible reports out of Washington that the Wizards could conceivably be willing to move off of 6. That makes sense. They've had, what, maybe seven straight losing seasons?" More Brooklyn Nets News: Nets Bring Back D'Angelo Russell in Blockbuster Trade With Lakers Lewis is exactly right: Washington has finished with a sub-.500 record every year since its uninspiring 43-39 run in 2017-18. The Wizards did wind up with the Nos. 2 and 14 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, which they used on big man Alex Sarr and guard Bub Carrington. "But I do think it's also important to remember that moving up doesn't just entail going from 8 to whatever," Lewis noted. "They do have five picks. And it's also, for some of these same reasons, it's hard to envision them rostering five rookies, and trying to actually develop five rookies at the same time. So I think what's also feasible is the idea of packaging some of those lower first round picks... maybe with future picks, or maybe with veterans, and trying to move up and get a second lottery pick." More Brooklyn Nets News: Bill Simmons Views Surprise Nets as Best Trade Destination For Giannis Antetokounmpo Top 5 Potential NBA Buyout Market Players Ben Simmons Signing With Clippers Following Nets Buyout 4-Time NBA All-Star Announces Retirement After 16-Year Career For general NBA news and rumors, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NBA Draft scouting report: Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers
Summary: Harper is a big-bodied lefty combo guard with NBA blood in his veins, as the son of Ron Harper, who was a 20/5/5 guy before winning five titles as a role player. Like his father, Harper has a high-floor with the skill, poise, and playmaking instincts to dictate the game at his pace. But the fate of his jumper will determine whether he's an All-Star or just one of the league's many solid guards. Comparisons: Deron Williams, Jrue Holiday Crafty at-rim finishing: Harper looks like James Harden on drives to the basket, and not because he's a lefty. He fluidly strings together dribble moves, keeps a low dribble especially when splitting pick-and-rolls, and can use his bulky frame to shield defenders to finish through contact using touch. Prime Harden was a better vertical athlete with a quicker first step, but Harper is a near 70% scorer in the restricted area, and his deep bag of pivots, floaters, and off-hand finishes makes him a terror at the rim whether he's finishing or drawing fouls. Poised ball-handling: He plays at his own tempo, leveraging change of speed, a slick handle, and physicality rather than raw burst to get where he wants on the floor. Sometimes it seems like he's moving slow, but that's because he wants to. This style makes him advanced for his age navigating pick-and-rolls, though his jumper must progress for him to fully unlock his talents. Playmaking: Harper is a good decision-maker who tends to make the right play, and he can make all the standard passes like interior dump-offs, lobs, and kickouts. He isn't some savant playmaker, but he's beyond capable at running the show. Spot-up shooting: In a multi-creator offense, it'll be important that Harper continues progressing as an off-ball player. At Rutgers, he showed the ability to hit shots off the catch, making 36.8% of those chances. His release is a little low, but overall looks smooth. Defensive upside: Harper carried such a heavy offensive load at Rutgers, his average defense is forgivable for now. At his size, with such long arms, and strong spatial awareness, he should end up as a much more engaged defender in the long term. The flashes of competitive defense against opponents of varying sizes offer enough reason for optimism. Shooting: Harper is capable of getting hot off the dribble, but he's streaky and his averages are subpar from the free throw line, the midrange, and beyond the arc. This was an issue for him in high school too, and remains his biggest concern entering the NBA. As a 27.8% shooter on dribble-jumpers from 2-point range and 29.2% from 3, can he survive as a primary creator? Could he get to the rim the way he does in college? He'll need these numbers to significantly improve. Burst: Not an explosive player off the dribble, whether it's his first step or his leaping in traffic. Many of his midrange shots are contested, and he's largely a below-the-rim finisher. If his jumper doesn't someday click, this would cap his scoring upside. Lateral quickness: His size is a plus, but staying in front of shiftier guards could be a challenge at the next level since even in college he had struggles staying in front of quicker guards.
