Jaden Ivey reportedly prefers not to be drafted by 1 lottery team
Feb 20, 2022; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Jaden Ivey (23) prepares to shoot a free throw during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Jaden Ivey is projecting as a potential top five pick in the NBA Draft, but there is one team that he reportedly might want to avoid being selected by.
In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony writes that Ivey would prefer not to be drafted fourth overall by the Sacramento Kings. Givony hints that the Kings may not receive Ivey’s medical information or get the chance to host him for a workout. However, this is unlikely to stop the Kings from picking the Purdue guard, as they selected Davion Mitchell under the same circumstances last season.
Ivey ultimately might not have a lot of say in how this ends up for him. The Kings pick fourth, and the likelihood is the consensus top three of Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, and Paolo Banchero will be off the board. That would leave Ivey as a very tempting option for Sacramento at No. 4 as arguably the best player left available.
One saving grace from Ivey’s point of view might be a trade. Rumor has it the Kings are open to such a scenario, which would probably involve someone trading up for the Purdue guard.
