If I were a general manager in the NBA, I'd probably take Cameron Boozer with the third pick. My reasoning for that is rather simple, and it isn't exactly based on talent. However, given that many view AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson as potential generational players, it's typically safer to go that route than to do something that not everyone might agree with.
That doesn't mean that Duke's star isn't just as good as those two players and didn't prove that a year ago, but the safer pick would be Boozer going third and taking the two generational-type prospects before him.
However, a recent mock draft from The Ringer would do the opposite of that, with him being projected to land with the second pick to the Indiana Pacers.
“The Pacers are a rare breed at the top of the draft—a team capable of making a “shitty circumstances lead to incredible opportunity” talent snag that can lead to years upon years of cheering … or jeering. Sometimes you end up with Tim Duncan, and sometimes you end up with James Wiseman. The Warriors went awry six years ago by targeting pure upside swings who were clunky philosophical fits. The Pacers could fall into that same trap by selecting Darryn Peterson, who, despite showing some scoring capability on and off the ball, still has a lot to prove after a messy year at Kansas.
"But Boozer is the player who is best equipped to both support their current timeline and play a key role in whatever comes next. He’s a “right play” machine who adds value all over the court, and he should interface brilliantly with Tyrese Haliburton’s methods. He can serve as a hub with their shooters working around him, as a screening partner for Hali, as a spacer for their other creators, and so on. In my mind, Boozer is ready to do this today,” Kyle Mann of The Ringer wrote.
Most general managers, as they're very smart individuals, despite some fans getting frustrated at times with nearly all of them, know what they're doing.
That's the reality in a situation like this, as Boozer might simply be a better fit than others who are in the draft.
That's something Indiana will have to consider, as it's expected to be one of the better teams in the NBA next season once it gets healthy and brings Tyrese Haliburton back, as well as hopefully a top three pick.