The top three picks in tonight's 2022 NBA Draft from Brooklyn will likely be Auburn's Jabari Smith, Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren and Duke's Paolo Banchero, probably in that order, to Orlando, Oklahoma City and Houston, respectively. The CBS Sports Big Board, though, ranks Purdue guard Jaden Ivey as the top prospect in this class, and the New York Knicks are known to covet him. Caesars Sportsbook offers odds on which player lands with the Knicks' first pick.
One thing to note about this prop: It corresponds to whichever player the Knicks choose with t heir initial pick of the night, regardless of the pick's numerical slot.
Last season as a sophomore with the Boilermakers, the 6-foot-4 Ivey averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists and was one of five players nationally to average at least 17.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists with 30 steals and 20 blocks. He and Banchero were only underclassmen to do so.
New York, coming off a massively disappointing season, is set to pick 11th in Round 1. There's zero chance Ivey is available there, so if the Knicks want Ivey they will have to trade up possibly as high as No. 4, where the Kings sit. Sacramento may be willing to move back because it doesn't really “need” Ivey, as he's a similar player to current Kings guard De'Aaron Fox.