There’s a lot of intrigue within the top 10 of the draft despite Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, and Paolo Banchero seemingly locked in as the top three (in some order). As of right now, no one knows what the Kings will do with the No. 4 overall pick or if the Knicks will surprise everybody and move up in the draft.
Below we are going to look at the best odds for the first player drafted by the Knicks, Bulls, and Cavaliers. We’ll also break down the best value bets on where various players might be drafted on Thursday night.
Betting odds courtesy of BetUS and Bovada
2022 NBA Draft odds: First player to be drafted by Knicks
Top three potential picks:
A. J. Griffin (+425) Jalen Duren (+800) Jaden Ivey (+800)
Jalen Duren, Memphis (+800). If New York stays at No. 11 overall, most mock drafts have the Knicks taking either A.J. Griffin from Duke or Duren. Johnny Davis and Malaki Branham are the surprising betting favorites to be picked by New York (+425).
If Duren falls past San Antonio at No. 9, the Knicks would be foolish not to draft him, as they might not re-sign Mitchell Robinson in free agency. The young center was solid in his only season at Memphis, averaging 12 points and 8.1 rebounds in 25.1 minutes per game. Duren has the size to play in the low post and will help the Knicks defensively on the backend.
Two other players to keep an eye on for Knicks are Jaden Ivey (+800), especially if the Knicks were able to move up into the top five, or TyTy Washington (+1400) if they moved back. Washington worked out for the Knicks earlier this month.
2022 NBA Draft odds: First player to be drafted by Cavaliers
Top three potential picks:
Ochai Agbaji (+225) Ousmane Dieng (+450) Jalen Williams (+1200)
Ochai Agbaji, Kansas (+225). Agbaji can be an instant contributor for the Cavaliers next season, especially with his scoring ability. Most mock drafts have Cleveland taking Agbaji or Branham, who both will likely be available at No. 14 overall. Agbaji has reportedly worked out for the Cavs and other teams around that range.
The 22-year-old wing had an outstanding senior season at Kansas, helping the Jayhawks win the National Championship. Agbaji averaged 18.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. He also shot 47.5 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from deep. Currently, Cleveland has Issac Okoro, Lamar Stevens, and Cedi Osman at the small forward position. Okoro and Stevens are leaned on more so for their defense than their offense. Agbaji can step in and provide them with an additional scorer to play alongside Darius Garland and Caris LeVert.
As for the Cavs, two other players to watch out for are Ousmane Dieng (+450), who is tied with Branham for the second-best odds to be drafted by Cleveland, and Jalen Williams (+1200).
2022 NBA Draft odds: First player to be drafted by Bulls
Top three potential picks:
Tari Eason (+550) E. J. Liddell (+1000) Blake Wesley (+1400)
E.J. Liddell, Ohio State (+1000). The Bulls are another one of those teams who could keep their pick or decide to move it during draft night. If they opt for the former, then Chicago will likely prioritize the forward position and could take Liddell at No. 18.
The 21-year-old forward had a productive three-year career at Ohio State which saw him become one of the best players in the Big Ten this past season, averaging 19.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while improving his shooting. The Bulls could use Liddell’s shooting, especially since they weren’t getting that from Javonte Green and Derrick Jones Jr. Liddell would be a nice compliment to Patrick Williams, who started to show flashes in the playoffs this season of what he can do offensively.
Two additional players to keep an eye on for Chicago are Blake Wesley (+1400), who the Bulls could get if they moved back, and Tari Eason (+550), who is the betting favorite to be picked by them.
2022 NBA Draft odds: Player Position Props
Tari Eason, LSU, UNDER 17.5 (-115). Eason might not have to wait long to hear his name called on Thursday, as multiple mock drafts have him picked before or at the No. 17 overall pick. Kevin O’Connor from The Ringer has the former LSU standout going to the Hawks at No. 16, while ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Sporting News’ Kyle Irving have Eason heading to the Rockets at No. 17. It would not be a shock to see Eason go to either of those teams due to his versatility and what he can bring on defense.
Jalen Williams, Santa Clara, OVER 18.5 (+130). Williams has seen his draft stock improve over the past few weeks due to his impressive showing at the NBA Draft combine. He can do a little bit of everything on the floor, which could benefit a lot of teams picking between Nos. 19-25. It’s doubtful that Williams will still be on the board at No. 25, but he should be able to come in and be a contributor wherever he goes. In his final season at Santa Clara, Williams posted 18.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Williams would be a nice addition for the Spurs at either Nos. 20 or 25 to build with their young core.
MarJon Beauchamp, G League Ignite, UNDER 24.5 (EVEN). Beauchamp is another wing who could play immediately and will be available for the teams in the latter half of the first round. He is a three-and-D wing that showed flashes of athleticism this past season with G League Ignite. The 21-year-old guard averaged 15.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during the Showcase Cup (12 games). He’s still developing as a shooter but could see minutes as a rookie due to his defense. Beauchamp would look nice in a Grizzlies jersey as they could pair him with Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane.
