After months of tanking, speculation, and anticipation, NBA Draft Day 2022 is finally here. The rumor mill for teams across the NBA shall be spinning at a dizzying speed within the lead as much as tonight’s festivities on the Barclays Center. Then it should proceed turning through all 60 selections and into the wee hours of the night.
This live thread shall be your league-wide tracker for all those rumors — big and small, front office misdirection to likely possibility — and the trades that materialize from rumor to reality. It’s set as much as be an action-packed 24 hours with heavy bearings on the long run of every franchise within the league.
Follow along and hold on tight.
Los Angeles Lakers Trade into Draft
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting the Lakers are acquiring the Orlando Magic’s thirty fifth pick in tonight’s draft for a future second-round pick and money. In the intervening time, the thirty fifth pick stands because the only selection LA owns within the 2022 NBA Draft.
Cleveland Cavaliers Add One other Pick
Based on Adrian Wojnarowski, Cleveland is acquiring the forty ninth pick in tonight’s draft from the Sacramento Kings for the rights to 26-year-old Sasha Vezenkov. Vezenkov —the 57th pick within the 2017 NBA Draft — was a first-team All-EuroLeague forward this season.
The Cavs now have 4 picks in tonight’s draft: 14, 39, 49, and 56.
Top 3 Draft Selections Likely Set
Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting the primary three selections in tonight’s draft are believed set, with Jabari Smith, Jr. heading to the Orlando Magic, Chet Holmgren to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Paulo Banchero to the Houston Rockets.
Blazers Chasing Anunoby
The Portland Trail Blazers shot off early fireworks last night, trading a 2025 first-round pick and a few seconds for Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant, however the drama is removed from over. With the seventh pick in tonight’s draft and lots of assets at his disposal, general manager Joe Cronin has the potential to swing for more transactions. Portland has already been linked to Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby.
