ESPN

UPDATE: Earlier this month, we speculated that Michael Carter-Williams may be the perfect fit for Sacramento franchise trying to establish a new identity under a) a new ownership group, b) a new general manager, c) a new head coach, and d) a new coaching staff. With defensive guru Mike Malone selected as the man to lead the Kings from the bench, drafting a long 6-foot-6 point guard like Carter-Williams would seem to be a great place to start.

Today, ESPN's NBA draft expert Chad Ford agreed with this line of thinking, projecting Carter-Williams to go to the Kings in his updated Mock Draft. Here's Ford with more on why it'd make so much sense.

---

With trade rumors centered around Sacramento's tiny point guard Isaiah Thomas in recent days, the question must be asked: Who is the Kings' point guard of the future?

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Little-known but highly talented, South Dakota State star Nate Wolters is one of the most intriguing talents in this year's NBA draft. Though he dominated the college game and led the Jackrabbits to the NCAA tournament as a junior and senior, teams may shy away from the 6-foot-5 point guard due to the lower level of competition that came with playing in the Summit League.

That being said, we're talking about a player with good size and instincts who averaged right around 21 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 1.7 steals a game in his final two seasons of college. With just over a week to go before the draft, it might surprise you to learn what Wolters is focused on improving.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

One of the continuing storylines for the Tennessee Titans this offseason has been the status of CB Alterraun Verner. Due to the fact that the team is altering its defensive strategy in the secondary, Verner's skills set is believed to be of better use at free safety or as the extra DB on the field in nickel and dime packages. As the club goes through its minicamp this week, we'll get another set of clues as to where he'll be lining up this fall.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Taran Buie was one of the brief highlights for Hofstra and coach Mo Cassara last season. As essentially the Pride's sole offensive threat, Buie was handcuffed by opposing defenses whenever he took the court, and while his tempo-free statistics are not overly efficient, it is worth noting that since he was under the defensive gaze consistently, we have to wonder what Buie would be able to accomplish with some additional offensive support.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Many NBA mock drafts have the Utah Jazz selecting a point guard with their first (No. 14) of two first-round picks in next week's draft. After all, the Jazz desperately need to upgrade that position with Mo Williams becoming a free agent this summer and Jamaal Tinsley, Earl Watson and Alec Burks not the long-term answer.

Why, then, might Utah choose to draft a big man with the final pick of the draft lottery?

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

North Carolina Central was on the verge of making its first NCAA tournament appearance last season, virtually running through the MEAC while just having to win the conference's tournament title. However, a loss to North Carolina A&T doomed coach LeVelle Moton and his squad's season, and looking ahead to 2012-14, the Aggies will have to compete without Stanton Kidd. We have written frequently about Colorado State's recruiting efforts, prospects that could push the Rams to the top of the Mountain West Conference; after highlighting Jeremiah Paige and David Cohn, we wondered what Kidd, somewhat a virtually unknown despite his breakout season at NCCU, might provide Larry Eustachy and his staff.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Based on what was on display from the New York Jets' wide receivers during the offseason practices, the club's QBs will be happy to see Santonio Holmes back in action, whenever that may be (some believe he'll begin camp on PUP list and may not be ready for the start of the season). But if Holmes has a setback in the recovery from his Lisfranc injury, it may behoove the Jets to make an addition from the free agent ranks. If so, who should that player be?

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Last night, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times wrote that the Chicago Bulls desperately need a Danny Green type of 3-point threat to compete with the NBA's elite teams and keep pace with the Eastern Conference's emerging powers like Indiana.

Perimeter shooting may in fact be the most pressing need the Bulls have next season, even with Derrick Rose expected to return, and here are some options they could turn to with the 20th pick in next week's NBA draft to help fill that void.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Akil Mitchell may be the member of Virginia's frontcourt who has drawn the most notice from tempo-free analysts, but after Mike Tobey cracked the U19 lineup, it might be time to begin mentioning the rising sophomore forward. Tobey was somewhat overlooked during the recruiting process; even though he is from the NYC-area, Tobey played AAU basketball with the Gauchos program, an outfit whose influence and standing has declined in recent years. It was unexpected what he would provide coach Tony Bennett and his staff during his inaugural season, but other than a case of mono that sidelined Tobey in early February, the 6-foot-11 big showcased some considerable upside.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

The main business storylines for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason included the extension for Tony Romo, the franchise-tagging of Anthony Spencer, and potential new deals for young corps players such as Sean Lee, Bruce Carter and Dez Bryant. Perhaps we should toss placekicker Dan Bailey into that group with Lee, Carter and Bryant.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports this afternoon that the Los Angeles Clippers informed the Boston Celtics on Tuesday morning that they're pulling out of the trade talks to acquire Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers, per sources. According to Shelburne, sources also indicate that the two teams may in fact be done talking and the matter could be closed.

So if Rivers won't be coaching in L.A. next season, where do the Clippers go from here? Here's the latest on that.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

As with any of the other franchise-tagged players this offseason, Cincinnati Bengals DE Michael Johnson must reach an agreement on a multi-year deal to replace the one-year franchise tender before the July 15 deadline, or play out the 2013 campaign on that tender (which he has already signed). We haven't heard much of anything regarding progress on such a deal for the Georgia Tech product, so what are the chances that something gets done by then?

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

The return of Casey Pachall is great news for TCU's passing attack heading towards the 2013 season. And the emergence of Trevone Boykin as a freshman last year gives the Frogs a solid second option if they need it. The question now is who they'll be throwing the ball to.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Malachi Dupre (River Ridge, La./John Curtis) ranks No. 28 overall on the ESPN 150, making him a very valuable asset to many of the top programs around the nation. And it's easy to see why. At 6-foot-3 and 187-pounds, he's a gifted wide receiver with a good football IQ who also just happens to possess a combination of size and speed that should translate very nicely to the college game.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider