With only a few weeks until the 2022 NBA Draft, things are beginning to take shape. With combines and workouts ramping up, some leaks are starting to occur about where players could end up being selected.
For a while, it looked as if this would be a three-horse race at the top of the draft. Jabari Smith Jr. out of Auburn looks to be the consensus No. 1 pick heading to the Orlando Magic.
After that, it would be some combination of Chet Holmgren out of Gonzaga and Paolo Banchero out of Duke that would go second and third overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets.
But, as we get closer to the draft, things can always shift and change. It sounds as if the top of this year’s draft is already shifting. That is because Jaden Ivey out of Purdue could be making a move near the top of the draft board.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Could Oklahoma City Thunder Make Major NBA Draft Trade With Jaden Ivey Suitor?
Some rival teams are hearing the Oklahoma City Thunder may have interest in the Boilermaker with the second overall pick. Jonathan Wasserman detailed some of those rumors in a recent mock draft over at Bleacher Report.
“We’ve heard to keep an ear out for OKC’s potential interest in Ivey at No. 2. While Holmgren has been perceived as a top-three pick all season, some scouts prefer Ivey. His fit isn’t ideal for a roster that already has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey, but a team who sees Ivey as a surefire star won’t pass on him due to fit questions. Of course, there is a difference between OKC being high on Ivey and actually making the pick with Holmgren and Banchero on the board.”
Teams rarely worry about fit, especially when they are selecting this high in the draft, preferring to take the best player available. Given the positionless style of play the NBA is becoming, it is much easier to fit players into the lineup.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Could Oklahoma City Thunder Make Major NBA Draft Trade With Jaden Ivey Suitor?
If the Oklahoma City Thunder believe that Jaden Ivey has star potential, they will select him second overall. There are also some growing fears among teams when it comes to the 195-pound Holmgren, which could result in a few teams at the top passing on him.
Of course, this could all be some posturing by franchises as well. They will strategically leak things, hoping to drum up interest in a specific player hoping a team will pay to trade up and acquire him. At this point of the NBA calendar, everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt as there are smokescreens constantly being thrown up as franchises angle themselves to be in the best position come draft night.
