7. Portland Trail Blazers - Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois
The Portland Trail Blazers may not be ready to give up on Scoot Henderson, and it's difficult to blame them for that. However, I would certainly explore some backup options in the event that he never truly makes the leap in his development that the Blazers hope he can make. One way Portland can accomplish that is by taking a flier on another high-ceiling guard in the 2025 NBA Draft. One prospect who could fit that line of thinking is Kasparas Jakucionis. During his freshman season at Illinois, the Lithuanian guard has certainly turned some heads while averaging 16 points, six rebounds, and five assists per game on 50 percent shooting from the field and 41 percent shooting from 3-point range.
If Jakucionis continues to play at this level heading into the pre-draft process, there's no question he's going to be on many team's radar in the top 10. The Blazers, who have some big-picture questions, are certainly one team that could be on the shortlist to take a flier on Jakucionis. He could make a ton of sense for a team that is looking for game-changing talent in the draft.
8. Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHI) - Tre Johnson, G, Texas
It's not as if the Oklahoma City Thunder need it but there's a chance the Oklahoma City Thunder end up with as many as three first-round picks in this year's NBA Draft. Taking a flier on a high-ceiling prospect is probably a smart line of thinking with at least one of these selections. That's exactly what the Thunder would be doing by selecting Tre Johnson out of Texas. As a player who has a ton of offensive potential, Johnson could be an extremely appealing prospect for the young up-and-coming Thunder.
Johnson has turned heads during his freshman season at Texas as he's averaging 18 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from 3-point range. There are questions about what other attributes he can bring to a team other than scoring but the talent is clearly there. On a team like Oklahoma City, there's a chance that Johnson could develop into a dynamic offensive presence off the bench. If that's what the Thunder is able to get with Johnson, that would be a huge win for the team with this selection.