With the NBA Draft closing in, more reports are coming out about what franchises are interested in what prospects. Obviously, Cooper Flagg will be taken by the Dallas Mavericks with the first overall pick, but outside of the top two selections, there's little connection between franchises to prospects.
And for a former Blue Devil in the NBA, Zion Williamson, he could find himself in a new city this summer after the latest reports out of New Orleans.
Duke football signed Tulane transfer quarterback Darian Mensah to one of the most lucrative NIL contracts in college football history. What does it do for the Blue Devils' expectations come next season?
Here's your latest round-up of Duke Blue Devils news.
Maluach draft stock rising high
Three Duke rookies are projected to be taken in the first ten picks on draft night in Flagg, Maluach, and Kon Knueppel. However, there's been some recent buzz that the South Sudanese center could be taken much higher than originally anticipated. According to NBA Draft specialist Rafael Barlowe, the Philadelphia 76ers have shown interest in Maluach with the third overall pick. “Another name that's quietly gaining traction as a potential option for Philadelphia is Duke freshman Khaman Maluach," Barlowe reported. Now, whether Philly ends up taking Maluach at three or trading down to select him later on, this would completely shake up the future for the Sixers and that of Joel Embiid. Once the most dominant center in the world, Embiid has continuously missed significant time with injury. If the Sixers end up drafting their center of the future, that could mean major changes in Philly with its stars. As reports open up of the 72', 250-pound center improving his three-point shot mixed with his already uncanny ability to defend all five positions on the floor and run the court with everyone else in transition, we could see Maluach go way higher than most originally predicted.
Zion Williamson on the trade block
Reports have surfaced out of New Orleans that the Pelicans are listening to every trade offer this offseason and no player on their roster is untouchable any longer, including Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III. "There are no untouchables in New Orleans," Yahoo! Sports insider Kevin O'Connor reported. "League sources say the Pelicans are gauging the market for everyone on their roster. They very well could end up keeping their core pieces, but it appears the Pelicans are looking into taking different paths this summer depending on what opportunities become available." Williamson has been in trade discussions and rumors for several seasons now due to his injury history, but nothing has ever come from them. Williamson's lack of availability and off-the-court issues could prove detrimental to his career in New Orleans, as the front office seems willing to ship him out given the right deal. Across Williamson's five seasons in the NBA, he's played 214 of a possible 410 regular season games, making him available just 52% of the time.
Duke football under new waves of pressure
Early this offseason, the Duke football program signed Tulane transfer quarterback Darian Mensah to a monster two-year, $8 million deal, one of the biggest in the history of college football. It was a bit of a surprise that the redshirt sophomore received a bigger NIL payday than some of college football's best signal callers from last season, such as John Mateer. Nonetheless, the money the Blue Devils put into next season is bringing on new waves of pressure for head coach Manny Diaz heading into year two. FOX Sports college football analyst RJ Young discussed the stricter evaluation Duke will receive following this huge deal, mixed with the Blue Devils coming off of an extremely successful first season under Diaz, one where Duke won nine games for just the third time since joining the ACC in 1953. "Now, Duke is going to get measured at the quarterback position the way that we measure Clemson and Cade Klubnik," Young said on Adapt & Respond with RJ Young. "Who made the Playoff, who won the ACC Championship game. Is that dude worth $4 million a year? Damn straight, he is. Think about what Clemson was able to accomplish with him at quarterback." Duke is a sleeper ACC Championship contender coming into the 2025 campaign, but a conference championship and College Football Playoff berth are likely the only ways to justify the spending.