Updated

Updated · CBS Sports · Jun 23

AJ Dybantsa Poised to Go No. 1 to Wizards as Caleb Wilson Emerges as Bulls' No. 4 Lock

Updated

Updated · CBS Sports · Jun 23

AJ Dybantsa Poised to Go No. 1 to Wizards as Caleb Wilson Emerges as Bulls' No. 4 Lock

Q: Which team will risk its lottery pick on Jayden Quaintance, the draft's biggest medical wild card?

No team is clearly projected to spend a lottery pick on Jayden Quaintance right now, but if one does, Oklahoma City looks like the most plausible bet. The reporting around Quaintance is consistent on two points: his talent is lottery-level, and his medical file is the biggest red flag in the class. He was once viewed as a top-five caliber prospect because of his elite rim protection, mobility and defensive upside, but recurring knee issues after ACL surgery pushed him down most late mock drafts into the 20s. That is why the Thunder stand out. They hold pick No. 12, have been linked to Quaintance in pre-draft activity, and are one of the few teams with enough roster depth and organizational patience to absorb the risk. If Oklahoma City believes the medical outlook is manageable, it is the team best positioned to gamble on upside in the lottery. Other lottery-range mentions exist, but they are less firm. Golden State at No. 11 and Charlotte in the back half of the lottery have appeared in some mocks as possible landing spots because both could use frontcourt defense and long-term upside. Still, the broader consensus is that Quaintance has likely slid out of the top 14. So the safest answer is this: probably no lottery team, but if one takes the plunge, the Thunder are the strongest candidate.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jun 23

League sources overwhelmingly expect AJ Dybantsa to be the No. 1 pick by Washington, though some still see a late Darryn Peterson surprise or a Utah move-up bid.
No. 4 appears even firmer: Caleb Wilson is widely viewed as locked in for Chicago, leaving the draft's real uncertainty to begin with the Clippers at No. 5.
Five lead guards are expected to go between No. 5 and No. 12, but scouts and executives showed little consensus on their order; Keaton Wagler holds a slight edge to the Clippers.
The Clippers, Hawks and Thunder are seen as the most active lottery teams in trade talks, with Oklahoma City widely expected to move at least one of its No. 12 or No. 17 picks.
Beyond the top tier, Nate Ament remains one of the hardest prospects to place, while Jayden Quaintance's medical concerns have pushed him toward the mid-20s or even Day 2.