Purdue guard Jaden Ivey shakes hands with Iowa forward Keegan Murray after a game Jan. 27, 2022, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
220127 Purdue Iowa Mbb 044 Jpg Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray
NBA Draft rumors are flying but things appear to be converging around an unsurprising slate of choices locked in with the first five picks.
Over the past few seasons, a lot of the mystery has leached out of the NBA Draft. From strong consensus No. 1 picks like Zion Williamson, Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards, to Shams and Woj racing to tweet every pick 10 minutes before it’s officially made, the draft itself has become a bit anti-climactic.
This year’s affair is likely to be more of the same. NBA Draft rumors quickly leaked out about the first two picks (the Magic and Thunder) but now there are strong indications that as many as five of the top picks are already decided on.
Who have NBA Draft rumors pegged as the top five picks?
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the first three picks are extremely likely to be Jabari Smith to the Orlando Magic, Chet Holmgren to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Paolo Banchero to the Rockets.
There is slightly more mystery after that with the Kings looking to trade the No. 4 pick. But Fischer’s reporting indicates that the Kings would likely take Keegan Murray with the No. 4 pick if they decided not to trade it or can’t find a deal they like. In addition, two of the four teams who are most actively trying to trade with the Kings are also reportedly targeting Murray.
That means Murray is very likely to be the No. 4 pick, regardless of which team is actually making the selection. And Fischer goes go on to highlight the Pistons’ optimism that Jaden Ivey will be available for them at the No. 5 pick: “The Pistons, sources said, have projected a strong confidence that Ivey will be available for them to choose at No. 5 if the Kings stand pat.”
The Kings are a potential chaos agent here but it sounds like a lot of pieces are already clicking into place. The NBA Draft is fun regardless, but waiting until No. 6 to get our first real surprise is definitely a joy thief.