With the 2018 NBA season nearing a conclusion, teams will begin focusing more of their attention to the draft and free agency. Every year there’s an intriguing crop of talent coming into the league and this year’s draft class is certainly no exception.
One of the toughest targets to pinpoint is Oklahoma guard Trae Young, who enjoyed a stellar freshman season as the Sooners’ floor general. It’s expected he will be picked in the top ten but there are a few different landing spots for him that make sense. According to NY Post’s Marc Berman, Young says he will work out for only a select four teams.
Trae Young said he’ll work out for just four teams – Knicks, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago. Could add more but unlikely.
— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) June 5, 2018
The Knicks, Magic, Hawks, and Bulls all hold top ten picks with New York being the latest at ninth overall. Atlanta holds the fourth overall pick which may be a stretch for someone who still needs to develop as much as Trae Young does but his sheer talent surely makes it a possibility.
While all the locations make sense, the Bulls appear to be the least likely of the group with their backcourt of the future already seemingly in place. With Kris Dunn emerging last year and uber-athletic combo guard Zach LaVine back at full health, it remains to be seen whether they use their 7th overall pick on Young, though the interest is reportedly there.
The Knicks are desperate for any talent to pair with centerpiece Kristaps Porzingis and could draft a point guard again after selecting the versatile Frank Ntilikina last year. Orlando, ushering in a new era with a new coach, may be the most desperate for a point guard out of the bunch after dealing away Elfrid Payton prior to this year’s trade deadline.
A lot has been made of Trae Young’s draft position after he posted gaudy numbers in college to the tune of 27.4 points per game and an impressive 8.7 assists. A slender build and a perceived lack of toughness inside could see him slide a few spots on draft day but all signs point to him being a top ten pick in this year’s draft.
