The Oklahoma City Thunder got the No. 6 pick in the NBA draft lottery, but they’re not set in stone at that position.
The 2020 draft is a four-, five- or six-man class at the top, depending who you ask. Many include Jonathan Kuminga in the same group as Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs and Jalen Green, while some have Scottie Barnes in that field, too.
If general manager Sam Presti and the rest of the Thunder front office are also of belief that there’s a clear top-four, they have the assets to make a trade up.
Here’s a look at some rumblings of teams ahead of OKC in the order.
The Detroit Pistons are reportedly not locked in on Cade Cunningham with the first pick in the draft. This very well could be a smokescreen or simple due diligence, but there is a (small) chance that they don’t go with Cunningham. The Athletic reporter James Edwards III wrote:
“Sources tell The Athletic that Green and Mobley, too, will be in heavy consideration for the No. 1 pick. Green is a 19-year-old bucket-getter who had tremendous flashes playing in the G League this past season. Mobley is the “unicorn,” a 7-foot center with ball skills and an elite defensive skill set.”
If they’re not sold on the point guard as the future star that some believe he is, the Thunder could find room to sneak in and get the top pick to get the Oklahoma State player. With that said, if the Pistons go a different route, it’s because they like Green or Mobley more, and neither will be around at pick No. 6. It’s more likely the Houston Rockets at 2 or Cleveland Cavaliers at 3 find a way to move up than the Thunder.
Rockets
Rockets general manager Rafael Stone did not commit to using the No. 2 pick. “We have to figure out if drafting is the right thing,” Stone said, according to Rockets Wire. “The easiest way to make a mistake is predetermining what you will do. … We’re going to get a good player in some way, shape or form.” Stone is still a rather new general manager, so it’s not clear how much of this is coach-speak and how much is real. But Houston is reportedly open to other options.
Cavaliers
Anyone interested in Collin Sexton? With just one year left on the guard’s contract before he hits free agency, the Cavaliers have reportedly been exploring offers for the 22-year-old. Sports Illustrated reporter Jeremy Woo reported:
“There’s belief around the league that Cleveland prefers to move on from Sexton, rather than sign him to a deal that would greatly inhibit their flexibility moving forward.”
If the Cavaliers trade Sexton, they’d be able to use the third pick on someone like Green, a wing who would probably fit better next to point guard Darius Garland.
Raptors
The Raptors have interviewed players such as Scottie Barnes and Keon Johnson, according to SINow’s Aaron Rose, which indicates they’re at least considering players outside the top-four range. There haven’t been strong reports about Toronto’s willingness to move down, but the Athletic did post a piece of trade ideas that included the Thunder shipping picks six and 14 to Toronto in exchange for the fourth. See those trades here.
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