NBA Draft Rumors: LeBron-Bronny not a package, Zaccharie Risacher workouts, Pistons lock at No. 5?

The NBA Draft is a week away, which means... we still don't know much of what is about to happen. There is uncertainty starting with the Hawks at No. 1 and extending all the way through the Mavs at No. 58 in what is perceived as a "weak" draft. That really means balanced, as the disparity in value between prospects feels more compressed than ever.

That means the NBA rumors machine is humming at full volume. There is so much that can happen next week, so much that should happen. As pundits finalize their projections and teams start to solidify their boards, we should have no shortage of juicy reports and unexpected developments to assess.

Here is the latest scuttlebutt from draft circles.

NBA Draft Rumors: Pistons are 'floor' for Matas Buzelis with No. 5 pick

The Detroit Pistons were once again saddled with the No. 5 pick after posting the worst record in basketball. The lottery gods have not been kind to Detroit, and now Trajan Langdon — the new president of basketball operations — is tasked with reshaping the Pistons' roster in his image. It starts with this pick, which still represents a prime opportunity to move a stagnant rebuild forward.

Frankly, this was the best possible draft in which to land No. 5, as there's a good chance the best prospects on the board are still available. Absent clear star-power up top, front offices are going to focus more than usual on personal preference and team context.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo ($) have Detroit selecting G League Ignite wing Matas Buzelis in the No. 5 spot. And, according to Woo, teams around the league view it as a "likely marriage."

"Buzelis scheduled workouts with Atlanta and Washington, but for weeks now, rival teams have largely viewed Detroit as his likely landing spot. At this point, the Pistons haven't worked out other players who are ticketed for the high lottery, contributing to the idea that Detroit is the probable floor for him."

The Pistons haven't worked out other top-end prospects, leading to intense speculation about Buzelis as their desired target. Assuming the top of the board remains stable, we can probably pencil this one in. That's not to say it's a quite a lock, though — Atlanta could target Buzelis in a trade back to No. 4, in theory, or a team could try to leapfrog Detroit — but right now, the tea leaves favor the Pistons.

The Hawks and Wizards appear to be selecting from the pool of Alex Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher, and Donovan Clingan. Houston and San Antonio are both interested in Reed Sheppard, while the Spurs are expected to consider point guards (mostly Stephon Castle) in the No. 4 spot.

San Antonio is the primary competition for the Pistons here. If Risacher and Sheppard are both off the board, Buzelis feels like a real candidate for the Spurs. But, given how strong the connection is with Detroit, Pistons fans ought to get familiar with the 19-year-old's unique skill set. Just in case.

NBA Draft Rumors: Zaccharie Risacher works out for Hawks, Wizards, Spurs

Zaccharie Risacher, commonly projected to the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 1 pick, worked out in Atlanta on Wednesday. He has upcoming individual sessions with the Washington Wizards (No. 2) and San Antonio Spurs (No. 4), crystalizing what appears to be a very limited draft range.

According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, the Hawks have not made a decision yet on how to use the top pick. RIsacher is part of the conversation, though. If we are to make some educated deductions from the latest ESPN mock draft (and other reports circulating the interwebs), a few realistic outcomes exist.

The Hawks pick Risacher No. 1 overall. Nice, clean, easy. This is quite possibly the most likely outcome, depending on how the tea leaves appear to you.

Another potential outcome is Atlanta selecting Donovan Clingan at No. 1. That would probably drop Risacher to the Spurs at No. 4, as the Wizards are believed to covet French 7-footer Alex Sarr. If the Hawks take Sarr, despite not hosting him for a workout, Washington probably decides between Risacher and Clingan. If Risacher gets to San Antonio, the Spurs won't let him fall further. That is the floor.

Perhaps the most interesting possible outcome is a trade. The Spurs could move up from No. 4 to No. 1 to secure Risacher, allowing the Hawks to nab Clingan and a few extra assets — such as their own 2025 first-round pick, which would help facilitate a rebuild.

It feels notable that Risacher is working out for San Antonio. If he was a top-2 lock, there wouldn't be much incentive to give the Spurs an inside look. Risacher has a longstanding connection to fellow countryman Victor Wembanyama, and several prospects probably covet the Spurs because of Wemby. Even so, elite prospects are purposeful with their workouts. Risacher flying out to San Antonio is at least indicative of mutual interest, if not an outright admission that Risacher is not locked into the Hawks' pick at No. 1.

NBA Draft Rumors: LeBron and Bronny James are not package deal

There has been plenty of speculation about teams using Bronny James as an avenue to recruit LeBron James, his father. It did help that Bronny only worked out for two teams, one being the Los Angeles Lakers. All signs point to the Lakers selecting the 19-year-old combo guard in the second round, 55th overall, positioning him to share the floor with his dad. We have never seen a father-son duo in the NBA.

That would be a great story, and LeBron let the cat out of the bag years ago. Of course he's interested in playing with his son. But, that does not mean drafting Bronny guarantees LeBron's return. At least, not according to their agent, Rich Paul, in a recent interview with ESPN.

"LeBron is off this idea of having to play with Bronny. If he does, he does. But if he doesn't, he doesn't. There's no deal made that it's guaranteed that if the Lakers draft Bronny at 55, he (LeBron) will re-sign. If that was the case, I would force them to take him at 17. We don't need leverage. The Lakers can draft Bronny, and LeBron doesn't re-sign. LeBron is also not going to Phoenix for a minimum deal. We can squash that now."

Phoenix, the only other team to host Bronny for a workout, owns the No. 22 pick in next week's draft. Bronny is obviously not a first-round talent, and it's hard to imagine Phoenix — already bereft of draft capital and trade ammo — moving into the second round to acquire an unproven, unprepared 19-year-old. The Suns would draft Bronny in a heartbeat if it meant signing LeBron to the minimum, but obviously that was never realistic.

Paul also mentions Toronto, Minnesota, and Dallas as potential alternative suitors in the second round. He wants Bronny to land a standard rookie contract, rather than a two-way deal. That is how he explains the lack of workouts. He is steering Bronny to truly interested teams.