The 2018 NBA Draft is still only 10 days away, but the rumor mill is heating up with potential trades and smoke screens.
Over the weekend, we heard about the Los Angeles Clippers possibly looking to move up for Luka Doncic, who could fall out of the top three spots. Now, we have teams trying to trade up for former Michigan State forward Jaren Jackson Jr.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, many teams outside of the top-4 spots in the NBA draft are trying to maneuver up the draft board for Jackson. He also reported that the 6-foot-11 big man had a monster workout with the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
The Suns currently own the No. 1 pick in the draft, but all signs still point to them taking DeAndre Ayton.
Is it possible that teams are really trying to move up for Jackson or is it just a smokescreen? It ultimately depends on the teams that are trying to move up.
For example, a team like the Los Angeles Clippers could afford to move up in the draft for Jackson as they could use a big man of his caliber in their frontcourt. The Clippers have both the No. 12 and 13 picks in the first round of the draft.
However, would a team like the Atlanta Hawks consider moving down? The Hawks have three first round picks, but the third overall pick could potentially give them a franchise player.
The NBA insider said in his report that offers to the Hawks, Sacramento Kings, and Memphis Grizzlies could become increasingly aggressive for the services of Jackson.
As a freshman, Jackson had a solid season across the board with 10.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game. Even though his numbers may not be eye-popping, Jackson has the upside to be a force on both ends of the floor, which is attractive to many teams.
It should be interesting to see if any of the teams move out of the top-4 between now and June 21 when the NBA draft begins.
