Reasonably confident he goes somewhere in the mid to late first. Never know, but he elevated himself in the tourney and hasn’t hurt himself in workouts. Thunder (3 picks), Orlando (2), Miami are all rumored possibilities.
If he were still available somewhere in the 1st round, and it was my turn to select, I'd scrub whoever I had on my list and call Walt's name.
Orlando has 2 first round picks and Walter fills a position of need, with 3 big contracts for them about to kick therefore rookie contracts are great values for the Magic. Lake Wales is just down I-4 and US27. Naturally, the Magic will not draft him
28. Boston Celtics Givony's pick that fills the biggest need: Noah Penda, SF/PF, Le Mans, (France)| TS%:55.5 The Celtics have some big needs to address in the wake of Jayson Tatum's season-ending Achilles injury, but they can't have any real expectation to address them in the draft, certainly not this late in the first round. Finding a combo forward such as Penda, who's capable of soaking up minutes, hopefully gaining some experience and perhaps emerging as capable of adding value in a year from now, would be a major win. Penda's versatility and strong feel for the game played an important role in carving out a strong role in the French first division. He is an intelligent passer who slides all over the court on defense and plays a mature style of basketball for a 20-year-old. Woo's pick that gets the best value: Walter Clayton Jr., PG, Florida, Senior | TS%: 61.1 The Celtics hit a home run selecting Payton Pritchard at No. 26 in the first round in 2020, and could see value in developing another scoring-oriented reserve guard in Clayton. With Boston likely to roster its draft picks as it considers changes to the team moving forward, Clayton might be useful right away as a bench option who can pinch hit for its other guards or step in if the Celtics make trades. His shooting, explosiveness and toughness give him a chance to succeed in a role long term.
29. Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland) Givony's pick that fills the biggest need: Clayton The Suns have a lot to figure out beyond the draft, but finding backcourt help would be a nice start, and selecting a senior in Clayton could go a long way. Clayton is coming off a spectacular NCAA tournament in which he showed off his scoring instincts, shotmaking prowess and aggressiveness in a major way, helping Florida win a national championship. Tyus Jones (who started 58 games, averaging 27 minutes per game) is entering free agency, meaning there are certainly minutes to be had at the Suns' point guard position. Woo's pick that gets the best value: Rasheer Fleming, PF, Saint Joseph's, Junior | TS%: 64.4 With Kevin Durant trade talks swirling, the Suns are likely entering a transition phase with their roster; they badly needed an infusion of length and defensive versatility last season. This pick could be best maximized with someone such as Fleming, who should be able to knock down open shots and offer passable minutes early in his career. Position and fit aside, simply finding a legitimate contributor at No. 29 would be a win for a team that doesn't control its future draft capital.
