Something? Nothing? Smokescreen? All that’s certain is that there’s something in the air connecting the Oklahoma City Thunder to UConn guard James Bouknight.
It’s just not clear if those are real leaks or simple smoke.
On Tuesday, two mock drafts had the Thunder taking Bouknight with the No. 6 pick. Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo wrote that there is “an increasing amount of chatter among rival teams connecting Bouknight to the Thunder at No. 6.”
“Oklahoma City is positioned to take a gamble on upside and can pair him with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a dynamic young backcourt, with Bouknight likely afforded some room to expand his playmaking skills and operate with freedom.
He’s arguably the most polished scorer in the draft as things stand, with real creativity finishing in the paint and creating shots, and teams expect he’ll be more than adequate as a jump shooter, pointing to some legitimate star potential if everything breaks correctly.”
Matt Babcock, analyst for BasketballNews.com, had the same positioning that the Thunder are interested in Bouknight.
“Although he still needs to improve as an outside shooter, he has the potential to become a primary offensive option in the NBA and should have a solid career.”
The Thunder have been almost exclusively linked to Scottie Barnes and Jonathan Kuminga with the No. 6 pick, should they keep it. The interest in Bouknight is something to pay attention to, whether real or smoke.