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NBA Mock Trade: Thunder Use Package to Grab High Upside Forward

Oklahoma City could be looking to consolidate and move forward at the 2022 NBA Draft.

Regardless of how his interviews have gone, Eason is one of the highest upside players in the draft, with the tools to become a force in the league.

Eason stands at 6-foot-8 and boasts a 7-foot-2 wingspan.

After one season with Cincinnati, he transferred to LSU and primarily played the sixth man role. He averaged 16.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.9 steals and 1.1 block in just 24.4 minutes per game.

Tari Eason, 2022 NBA Draft

He’s very raw, but displayed irrefutable work ethic and dominance with the Tigers. He’s a swing, but certainly one worth taking.

Eason is a fringe lottery pick, connected to a few of the later teams but likely to be just on the outside looking in. With his stock potentially slipping, he could go anywhere from the lottery to the early twenties.

With a win-now mentality, the Denver Nuggets might not be looking to acquire too many more prospects at the moment. Trading for multiple picks gives them added assets to go out and acquire veterans who may be looking for a change of scenery.

Should be be hanging around early twenties, Oklahoma City has enough ammo to vault forward into that range. Here’s what a potential trade for Eason could look like:

Oklahoma City gets: No. 21 overall pick

Denver gets: No. 30 overall pick, No. 34 overall pick, 2024 Wizards SRP


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