NBA Draft rumors: Magic trying to trade up, Dereck Lively rising, Pacers like Klintman

NBA Draft rumors: Dereck Lively II’s stock is rising

Duke’s Dereck Lively II comes off the board to Utah at No. 16 in Scotto’s mock draft: “Lively’s draft stock is as high as it’s been since the end of December.” Lively struggled out of the gates at Duke but came on strong late in the season, showcasing his remarkable physical tools and advanced defensive instincts.

Lively has also been making waves on the workout trail, primarily with his 3-point shooting. There’s a big difference between hitting corner 3s in an open gym and hitting corner 3s in live NBA games, but Lively expanding his game beyond the restricted area would significantly bolster his appeal.

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The 7-foot-1 Lively entered the season at Duke as the top recruit in the nation. He was projected by many as a top-5 pick at one point. The NBA game has passed a lot of centers by, but Lively has the mobility to defend in space and the explosive size to effectively protect the rim. Outside of Victor Wembanyama, there aren’t many true bigs and rim protectors on the board. If a lottery team prioritizes help in the middle, don’t be surprised if Lively’s name is called even earlier than No. 16.

The very obvious team to watch in that regard is the Dallas Mavericks at No. 10. The Mavs were completely incapable of stopping teams at the rim after the Kyrie Irving trade and one of their few playable centers, Christian Wood, is set to walk in free agency. Lively could legitimately end up right back where he started the season, in the top 10.