Sports
Cooper Has “Solid Workout” With Orlando
< < Back toD.J. Cooper completed his fourth NBA pre-draft workout with the Orlando Magic on Monday, and according to his agent, Mike Naiditch, Cooper felt “he had a solid workout against [Missouri’s] Phil Pressey.”
Naiditch said that Orlando had been scouting Cooper “extensively for two seasons and also interviewed him at Portsmouth [Invitational Tournament].” They have a need for a backup point guard with Beno Udrih becoming a free agent and Jameer Nelson turning 31 on Feb. 9.
The former Ohio guard is most likely done with his pre-draft workouts unless New York decides to hold one for him on draft day. The Knicks recently lost Jason Kidd to retirement, but only have the No. 24 pick in this year’s draft to address the backup point guard position.
Cooper previously worked out with Portland, Golden State and Washington. Along with Orlando, they have a combined nine picks in the 2013 draft, six in the second round and four after the 40th pick.
The NBA Draft is Thursday, June 27 at 7 p.m. in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Cooper is projected to go late in the second round or undrafted. If drafted, he will become the first Bobcat to be chosen since 2003.