There’s some interesting schools of thought on Chris Cenac Jr. around the NBA. He’s seen as a high-upside project that is worth the risk at the right price. There are also some front office members who see Cenac as more than a lottery ticket but also someone you can draft and sell to the fanbase as part of a multi-year tank or retooling plan.
Multiple sources indicate that the Sixers are a team to watch with regard to Cenac. If Philadelphia moves on from Joel Embiid under new GM Mike Gansey, they’ll likely retool around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Cenac would give the front office in Philadelphia someone they can sell to the fanbase as a means of having more patience. One front office member threw out the Mavs as a possible suitor for Embiid if Philly goes that route given Dallas’ utilization of the NBA’s disabled player insurance under new ownership.
The level of depth in this draft could also factor into why Cenac could slip. With so many elder and more polished players, passing on guys who could contribute to winning today requires not only job security but also a multi-year plan from a front office.
Cenac, who was the No. 6 player in his high school class, is currently No. 24 on our 10 Tier, Top 60 NBA Draft Big Board.
More Intel From FortyEightMinutes and around the league:
- Anyone projecting Jayden Quaintance without seeing his medicals is “confident in their guess,” one NBA team’s scout explained to FortyEightMinutes. Quaintance is expected to go in the first round nevertheless.
- Italian center Luigi Suigo can still withdraw from the draft and attend college but our intel suggests that he’ll be in the late first round pick mix if he remains in the draft.
- We previously reported that Hannes Steinbach was a “lock” to go in the lottery and that continues to be the case.
- Sam Vecenie of The Athletic hears that the Bucks have interest and pegs Steinback in the Heat’s No. 13 draft slot (insinuating that it could be going to Milwaukee in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
- There’s a lot of chatter around the league about how Brayden Burries‘ camp trying to force their way to Dallas. Maybe it’ll work. We have Burries at No. 7 on our 10 Tier, Top 60 Big Board.
- Karim Lopez continues to be projected as a lottery pick, though in Venecie’s last mock draft, he writes that Lopez’s range is anywhere between No. 11 and No. 25. We’d be surprised if he fell to the backend of the draft. Lopez is arguably the greatest prospect ever from Mexico and that holds appeal to some teams.
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Latest on the No. 1 Pick
Vecenie is among those who are hearing that the Wizards haven’t made a decision yet with regard to the No. 1 pick. As we previously relayed, sources connected to ownership tell FortyEightMinutes that AJ Dybantsa is expected to be the selection.
Latest on the Heat
A lot of people around the league are expecting Miami to trade for Giannis. The Heat continue to scout as normal, though many expect them to trade the No. 13 pick. It’s possible that Kawhi Leonard could be the trade target if Giannis falls through, as our own Chris Crouse predicted following Pat Riley‘s Press Conference in Miami.
Could Miami land both Leonard and Giannis? Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson lays out the path where the Heat land both while also reporting that Antetokounmpo would be eager to sign an extension with the franchise. The Magic also linger as a trade suitor for Giannis, with Robinson reporting that they held trade discussions around swapping Paolo Banchero for the former MVP.
For what it’s worth, the Miami Heat are holding their draft night party as usual.
