ESPN releases updated NBA mock draft following significant trade

Jonathon Givony of ESPN updated his 2022 NBA mock draft after a huge trade between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder that shook up the first round.

“The 2022 NBA draft is just over a week away, but the wheeling and dealing has already begun,” wrote Givony. “The Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder completed a trade on Monday that included a 2022 first-round pick headed to Denver, and trade chatter is certain to intensify throughout the rest of the league in the coming days.

“Multiple teams currently holding 2022 NBA lottery picks are believed to be willing to deal, and a significant group of current NBA players are also potentially on offer via draft deals.”

Additionally, unlike prior seasons, there is no consensus No. 1 overall pick this year. Still, a large group of top-level prospects could have their order determined by team needs more so than any perceived gap in talent.

Thus far, Duke’s Paolo Banchero and Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren have received the most hype entering the draft process, alongside Auburn’s Jabari Smith. Nevertheless, Purdue’s Jaden Ivey has drawn big-time comparisons which have caused his stock to rise, while Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe remains an outsider with little film.

Here’s how Givony sees the 2022 NBA Draft playing at the moment.

Round 1

1) Orlando Magic — Jabari Smith, F, Auburn
2) Oklahoma City Thunder — Chet Holmgren, F, Gonzaga
3) Houston Rockets — Paolo Banchero, F, Duke
4) Sacramento Kings — Jaden Ivey, G, Purdue
5) Detroit Pistons — Keegan Murray, F, Iowa
6) Indiana Pacers — Bennedict Mathurin, F, Arizona
7) Portland Trail Blazers — Dyson Daniels, G, G-League Ignite
8) New Orleans Pelicans — Shaedon Sharpe, G, Kentucky
9) San Antonio Spurs — Jalen Duren, C, Memphis
10) Washington Wizards — Johnny Davis, G, Wisconsin
11) New York Knicks — AJ Griffin, F, Duke
12) Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC) – Ousmane Dieng, F, France
13) Charlotte Hornets — Jeremy Sochan, F, Baylor
14) Cleveland Cavaliers – Ochai Agbaji, F, Kansas
15) Charlotte Hornets (via NO) – Mark Williams, C, Duke
16) Atlanta Hawks — Malaki Branham, G, Ohio State
17) Houston Rockets — Tari Eason, F, LSU
18) Chicago Bulls — Jalen Williams, F, Santa Clara
19) Minnesota Timberwolves — Walker Kessler, C, Auburn
20) San Antonio Spurs (via TOR) — Blake Wesley, G, Notre Dame
21) Denver Nuggets — TyTy Washington Jr, G, Kentucky
22) Memphis Grizzlies (via UTAH) — Kennedy Chandler, G, Tennessee
23) Philadelphia 76ers — Jaden Hardy, G, G-League Ignite
24) Milwaukee Bucks — Nikola Jovic, F, Serbia
25) San Antonio Spurs (via BOS) — EJ Liddell, F, Ohio State
26) Houston Rockets (via DAL) — MarJon Beauchamp, G, G-League Ignite
27) Miami Heat — Dalen Terry, G, Arizona
28) Golden State Warriors — Jake LaRavia, F, Wake Forest
29) Memphis Grizzlies — Caleb Houstan, F, Michigan
30) Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHX) — David Roddy, F, Colorado State

Round 2

31) Indiana Pacers (via HOU) — Andrew Nembhard, G, Gonzaga
32) Orlando Magic — Christian Braun, G, Kansas
33) Toronto Raptors (via DET) — Peyton Watson, F, UCLA
34) Oklahoma City Thunder — Jaylin Williams, C, Arkansas
35) Orlando Magic (via IND) — Trevor Keels, G, Duke
36) Portland Trailblazers — Wendell Moore Jr, F, Duke
37) Sacramento Kings — Christian Koloko, C, Arizona
38) San Antonio Spurs (via LAL) — Khalifa Diop, C, Senegal
39) Cleveland Cavaliers (via SA) — Bryce McGowens, G, Nebraska
40) Minnesota Timberwolves (via WAS) — Kendall Brown, F, Baylor
41) New Orleans Pelicans — Patrick Baldwin Jr, F, Milwaukee
42) New York Knicks — Hugo Besson, G, France
43) Los Angeles Clippers — Ismael Kamagate, C, France
44) Atlanta Hawks — Ryan Rollins, SG, Toledo
45) Charlotte Hornets — Justin Lewis, F, Marquette  
46) Detroit Pistons (via BKN) — Max Christie, G, Michigan State
47) Memphis Grizzlies (via CLE) — JD Davison, G, Alabama
48) Minnesota Timberwolves — Josh Minott, F, Memphis
49) Sacramento Kings (via CHI) — Jean Montero, G, Overtime Elite
50) Minnesota Timberwolves (via DEN) — Dominick Barlow, F, Overtime Elite
51) Golden State Warriors — Michael Foster, F, G League Ignite
52) New Orleans Pelicans (via UTAH) — Gabriele Procida, SG, Italy
53) Boston Celtics — Dereon Seabron, G, NC State
54) Washington Wizards (via DAL) — Yannick Nzosa, C, DR Congo
55) Washington Wizards — Ron Harper Jr., F, Rutgers
56) Cleveland Cavaliers (via MIA) — Karlo Matkovic, C, Serbia 
57) Portland Trailblazers (via MEM) — Matteo Spagnolo, G, Italy
58) Indiana Pacers (via PHX) — Ziga Samar, PG, Spain