Report: OKC, Houston Eyeing Purdue’s Jaden Ivey
May 31, 2022, 9:25 AM | Updated: 10:47 am
(Photo by Scott Taetsch/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
(Photo by Scott Taetsch/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
“The NBA Draft starts at the fourth pick.”
That’s what many scouts, analysts, and executives around the league have been saying when it comes to the 2022 NBA Draft.
The “Big Three” of Auburn’s Jabari Smith, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, and Duke’s Paolo Banchero have long been viewed as the initial three selections that will be called out during June 23rd’s festivities.
However, this is the NBA Draft that we are talking about.
Surprises happen, and although it has been heavily implicated that the top-three will go in some form of Smith, Holmgren, or Banchero, another name has been generating plenty of buzz over the past week:
Purdue’s explosive guard, Jaden Ivey.
According to Bleacher Report’s NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Wasserman, the Oklahoma City Thunder have interest in selecting Ivey with the second-overall pick in the draft:
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.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman – May 31, 2022
Most mock drafts have the Sacramento Kings selecting Ivey with the fourth pick in the draft, as several scouts and analysts believe the 20-year-old could become one of the better–if not the best–players in the class.
Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and general manager Monte McNair attended Ivey’s CAA Pro Day in Southern California last week.
Several other teams beneath Sacramento in the draft are reportedly interested in Ivey as well, such as the Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers, and New York Knicks. Some teams ahead of the Kings like Oklahoma City and Houston are also weighing Ivey, though.
According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, the Rockets are another team to watch for when it comes to a surprise selection in the draft. Houston is slated to pick third on June 23rd.
The Rockets pick third in what many consider to be a three-player draft, making this a relatively easy choice on face value. (Jaden) Ivey’s candidacy is also under consideration here, as the idea of constructing arguably the most explosive backcourt in the NBA is said to be intriguing for Rockets brass.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony – May 31, 2022
No matter what happens during the weeks leading into the draft, it’s becoming clear that the Sacramento Kings are in a position of power.
If the draft unfolds the way that many expect, with the ‘Big Three” going first, there are going to be plenty of teams lining up for a chance to select Ivey with the fourth pick.
If Ivey goes second or third, this means that one of Smith, Holmgren, or Banchero would fall to fourth–another win for a Kings team that currently lacks size at the starting power forward position.
Sacramento is going to have options. Do they look to pair De’Aaron Fox with an explosive, athletic guard like Ivey? Will McNair trade up into the top three–something that has already been rumored over the past week–and get a sure shot at selecting one of the ‘Big Three’?
We are just over three weeks away from draft day, and things are beginning to get very interesting around the top-four teams.
