Jake Fischer at B/R draft notes from the Combine -- summary Post from another board...
* There’s little consensus of how the top three choices will unfold between Orlando, Oklahoma City (drafting No. 2) and Houston (No. 3), but most NBA figures believe those picks will be some order of Smith, Holmgren and Duke forward Paolo Banchero. Yet league figures have consistently mentioned the Magic front office’s affinity for length, particularly length on the perimeter, as a clue they’ll target Holmgren—considered to have the most guard-like skill package of the trio and the most superstar potential.
* The idea of incorporating Smith or Holmgren into Orlando’s rebuild has sparked an expectation among league personnel that Bamba, a restricted free agent this summer, is likely to depart the franchise, especially after being considered a trade candidate prior to February’s trade deadline.
* The additional connective tissue between Holmgren and the Magic is the prospect’s close relationship with Orlando point guard Jalen Suggs, the No. 5 pick in the 2021 draft. Holmgren and Suggs both starred at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis, where the two players overlapped during a dominant stretch of four straight state titles.
* Given that, there’s a strong belief among rival teams that Sacramento will explore trading the fourth selection, either out of the draft entirely for an impact veteran or down later in the lottery to net a contributing rotation player in the process. The expectation of Smith, Holmgren and Banchero representing the top three puts the Kings front office in a strong trade position, where the uncertainty of the fourth selection could prompt eager teams to leap up to secure their prized prospect. The draft, in one sense, could begin in earnest after the perceived top three are off the board.
* All that being said, there’s definitive belief Sharpe’s range begins at No. 4, with several team executives telling B/R he has the talent and athletic profile that could have been worthy of the No. 1 pick if he had played at Kentucky.
* In addition to Sacramento at No. 4, league personnel have pegged the Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans—picking seventh and eighth, respectively—as strong trade candidates.
* This draft is considered deep in talent between Nos. 12 and 40. Multiple agents and league executives at the combine told B/R they expect varying rankings from each team, where players that one front office deemed in the lottery may actually be available in the 20s, and vice versa.
* Oklahoma City, holding the Nos. 12 and 30 picks, Memphis, with picks Nos. 22 and 29, and San Antonio, owners of the ninth, 20th and 25th selections, have all been described as teams to monitor for trade-up scenarios.
View: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10036369-nba-draft-buzz-insiders-explain-why-chet-holmgren-makes-sense-at-no-1