Brooklyn pulls a big stunner here in passing on the Kansas star for Acuff. But at what spot?
The Brooklyn Nets have reached the time of year when NBA mock drafts become unpredictable and vastly changed.
One mock no longer has Darryn Peterson of Kansas landing with the franchise. But projects Darius Acuff moves up the board.
And the Arkansas star guards ends up in Brooklyn, which is what Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo! Sports now predicts for Thursday.
O'Connor is believing that Peterson no longer remains a sure bet to land at No. 1 overall.
"In the two months since, the sportsbook markets have begun to reflect the reality that Peterson is no longer the favorite. That could change depending on how the board falls, but there’s also a chance Peterson could fall even lower than third," O'Connor wrote.
He adds: "Some general managers around the league value Acuff over Peterson, as The Stein Line reported."
Still, this is a big prediction after past mocks have plugged Peterson going either No. 1 or two in the draft. He's often been mentioned with fellow Big 12 star from BYU AJ Dybantsa in the debate for who goes first overall.
Yet now the sharpshooting, high volume scorer Acuff is generating pre-draft buzz and rearranging the draft board.
"Acuff is not as tall as Peterson, and he’s far worse as a defender, but he’s a wiry scorer who can get a bucket from anywhere on the floor with a quick trigger, slippery handle and a feel for manipulating defenses," O'Connor said.
The Razorbacks star does bring a similar Peterson trait.
"And much like Peterson, Acuff can thrive off-ball as a shooter and cutter," O'Connor adds. "Acuff entered college with a scoring reputation, but has emerged as a skilled, low-turnover playmaker; he looks like a future All-Star who can toggle between a score-first or pass-first approach."
The NBA columnist also believes Acuff can become a future locker room voice.
"Plus, he displays leadership qualities, which some executives view as a key ingredient for a projected lead shot-creator over Peterson, who’s more quiet and keeps to himself," O'Connor said.
But can Acuff fit with what's already a deep sophomore class for next season? Egor Demin will be healthier and ready to tackle summer league action. Nolan Traore also comprises the guard room.
"As for Brooklyn, even after drafting a handful of guards last year, the Nets are still badly in need of a lead dog," O'Connor said. "Acuff could be that guy."
Meanwhile, the Nets remain in need of a future big who can on the defensive side. Brooklyn is urged to watch UConn star Tarris Reed Jr. closely in the Final Four.
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