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The NBA Draft begins Wednesday night in Brooklyn, New York, and unlike previous years, there’s a lot going on. Teams are working overtime trying to figure out what other teams are doing and what potential trades are on the table, moving up or down the draft board.
The Atlanta Hawks are still considering options to fill the No. 1 spot, even with one of their top targets (Alex Sarr) refusing to train and meet with the organization. The ripple effect that will occur with decisions on picks 1, 3 and 5 will throw the first night of the draft into chaos, with uncertainty expected across the board.
On night two, Bronny James is expected to be selected by the Lakers at No. 55, but what happens in the first round could lead to some surprises in the second round.
Here are five key storylines to watch in the June 26-27 NBA Draft.
What will the Atlanta Hawks do first?
There are three players on the Hawks’ board with the No. 1 overall pick: Zaccharie Risacher, Donovan Clingan and Alex Sarr. Risacher is the favorite to get the No. 1 spot with his upside as a 6-foot-2 wing who can create shots from around the perimeter. Cligan is a dark horse for No. 1 but is gaining momentum with his long-term potential as an NBA starting center who can protect the rim on defense and become a pick-and-roll threat on offense. Sarr, a 7-foot-2 French center, has opted to only work for the Washington Wizards and prefers to be more of a 4 rather than the main big man to anchor a defense.
The Hawks aren’t against taking Sarr to No. 1, even if he didn’t come to practice. But they will likely pick Risacher or Clingan, or begin trade talks with the Spurs, who hold the No. 4 and No. 8 picks and will have future trade assets that could be valuable to the Hawks if they decide to blow up the team and rebuild.
Possible lottery negotiations
The domino effect that could occur with a trade or pick within the lottery could impact the entire first round. The first pick is with Atlanta at No. 1, with possible trade talks between the Spurs and Hawks for Risacher. If the Spurs beat Risacher and Cligan goes down, he could again play at fifth with Detroit. Portland (No. 7) and Memphis (No. 9) are looking for some frontcourt help and would love to add a 7-2 center with elite rim protection to the roster.
Memphis could also be looking to trade in the draft and out of the lottery for Baylor center Yves Missi. Missi is considered a projected mid-first round player, and the Heat (No. 15) and Lakers (No. 17) are two teams interested in moving up, sources tell Yahoo Sports.
Another team that possibly wants to move up in the lottery is Charlotte (No. 6). The Houston Rockets have the third pick and are accepting all conversations with teams willing to move up. The Hornets could target UConn guard Stephon Castle to augment the backcourt with LaMelo Ball and would have to get ahead of San Antonio (No. 4) to draft him, with multiple sources around the league projecting Castle for the Spurs at that time. to see.
Nikola Topić’s draft range
The buzz surrounding the Serbian guard has been increasingly quiet since the news of his partially torn cruciate ligament. His draft range goes from No. 8 for the Spurs to No. 22 for the Suns. There are teams that could draft him based on potential alone and that have the luxury of being patient with his recovery as long as he returns to full strength and returns to being the dominant guard scout he fell in love with in the Serbian league.
One of the best passers in this draft, Topić pressures defenses at the rim and takes a quick dribble. Teams like the Spurs, Jazz, Thunder and Heat could take him at the end of the lottery or in the middle of the first round and, a year from now, have one of the top 5 talents in this draft.
Is Bronny James a lock for the Lakers at 55?
There has never been so much speculation and buzz surrounding a projected second-round prospect in recent memory. Bronny James is LeBron James’ eldest son and the stars appear to be aligning perfectly for them to become the first father-son duo to take the NBA court together.
The consensus around the league is that there was early interest from Toronto at 31, Minnesota at 37 and Dallas at 58, provided he got past the Lakers at 55. However, Bronny is far from a finished product and agent Rich Paul said who is only considering teams that will offer a guaranteed deal. Knowing what’s at stake, teams are moving away from the 6-2 combo guard, leaving the gates open for the Lakers to beat him at 55.
Probable landing spots for Zach Edey
The 7-4, 300-pound center has been the best player in college basketball for two consecutive seasons, but many wonder how his game will translate to the NBA. He ranks in the 99th percentile in offensive efficiency, according to Synergy Sports, and is a solid rebounder. The issues start defensively in the pick-and-roll and also when teams opt to play five-out (a popular lineup that helped the Celtics win the NBA championship). His foot speed needs to be improved and he won’t be able to camp inside the lane with three defensive seconds in the NBA.
His draft range continues to increase in the first round, which is a bit alarming with his limitations on both ends of the court. Many league sources believe he could be drafted as early as 14 for Portland, with his floor being 20 for Cleveland. It will be determined quickly, perhaps as early as the NBA Summer League, whether Edey can keep up with the pace and spacing of the NBA game, and whether his size and frame can withstand the rigors of an 82-game season.
