25. Oklahoma City Thunder, Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington
If you’re a Knicks fan, you have spent a lot of time over the past several weeks analyzing the Oklahoma City Thunder roster in thinking of creative trades to net Chris Paul. With Billy Donovan exiting, the franchise is pivoting towards a full rebuild focused on their youth.
Flush with draft picks over the next several years, the 25th pick in this year’s class will be their first step in packing their roster with additional young talent. Washington forward Jaden McDaniels has been mentioned often as a fit with the Thunder. The two-way forward can shoot from deep, while also possessing elite skills around the rim.
26. Boston Celtics, Tyrell Terry, G, Stanford
The Celtics have the 26th and 30th picks, on top of their selection in the lottery (14th), which they could use in a package to trade up to select the player they like the most in this draft. Obviously, they could also decide to add veteran talent to their already talented roster.
Since it’s unclear if Boston would keep this pick, I will focus on a player who has been overlooked so far in this mock but should find himself off the board by this point in the draft, and that is, Stanford guard Tyrell Terry. The 20-year-old will need some time to develop, but he could turn into an elite shooter with excellent playmaking abilities.
Again, this pick is focused more on the player than the team. If we follow this mock, the Celtics would have already selected Kira Lewis Jr. with the 14th pick, so it’s unlikely they would take another point guard. But it’s perhaps even more unlikely that they will keep both picks.