BYU guard Egor Demin's draft stock has been in free fall since the start of the season, leading some to question whether he should return for a sophomore season. However, if he decides to stay in the draft, the Utah Jazz might be a perfect landing spot.
For one, Denmin is already playing in Utah for BYU, and they have a second first-round pick that they could use to take a flyer on him. Denim does have potential as a jumbo playmaking wing, but concerns about his shooting ability have hurt his draft stock.
If he can develop that part of his game, then his ceiling as an NBA player goes way up, similar to how it's gone for Chicago Bulls wing Josh Giddey, who Denmin has often been compared to.
After three and a half seasons, Giddey has finally started to shoot threes accurately and at a high volume and looks like a completely different player. The hope is that Denmin can follow suit. As a top-10 pick, he might be too much of a gamble, but for a rebuilding Jazz team that can afford to take more gambles because they have more picks, he makes some sense.
Despite having the best record in the Western Conference and the presumptive MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City Thunder may not have a lot of draft luck this year. It's looking more likely that the Philadelphia 76ers keep their first-round pick, which is top-six protected this year.
That would keep the Thunder from getting a top-10 pick. Also, the Miami Heat have imploded after trading Jimmy Butler and are not likely to keep their playoffs. They are currently 10th in the East and would have the 11th pick in this year's draft, allowing them to keep their top-14 protected first from OKC.
OKC will still likely end up with the Sixers and Heat's picks next year, but, in the meantime, they still have their pick swap with the L.A. Clippers from the Paul George trade. With 13 players under contract, perhaps it's for the best that they didn't get one of those picks, and with them contending, they may opt to use those roster spots on players more ready to contribute. As a result, they could draft and stash Hugo González.
González hasn't played a big role on Real Madrid but has shown enough to make people think that he can be a good defender in the NBA with his size and hustle. His biggest question mark is his 3-point shooting, with him hitting just 26.3% from three, but he is just 19 and has time to develop that part of his game.
Keeping him overseas for a season or two would give him time to improve his game to better fit the Thunder while also giving them time to see which of their young players are essential. That could make González an ideal choice for the Thunder.
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