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The NBA Draft cycle comes to a halt in the next few days, as the two-day event begins tomorrow, with the second round coming to fruition on Thursday. A set of newcomers will make their way into the league as 58 names are called and many more will sign undrafted free agent contracts.
What direction will the Oklahoma City Thunder go with the No. 12 pick in the NBA Draft, though? Evidently, any options seem rational given their situation. They don't need to address any certain position or archetype from the draft.
The Thunder trading for Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, moving on from Josh Giddey, signals the team is ready to win now. The guard rotation is strong, making it less likely they opt to draft a guard on Wednesday.
What has been a trend among mock drafts throughout the cycle? Plenty of names have been tossed around by a variety of draft analysts. There have been small guards like Jared McCain or Devin Carter -- even ranging to 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey. There's no grip on which way the team might swing.
Then, there has been some popular names thrown around more consistently -- those being Cody Williams, Tijdane Salaun and more recently, Bub Carrington.
The taller wings, and Carrington, who has great position size, could all be great selections after the team added Caruso to the mold. Drafting a center would leave players like Kel'el Ware and DaRon Holmes as likely selections, though they haven't been mocked to Oklahoma City nearly as much.
Given the trend of mock drafts, it's hard to imagine the team doesn't swing one of two directions -- adding a shotmaker off the bench to add further offensive spark or add a lengthy, high-upside prospect.
No matter what happens on Wednesday, it doesn't seem as if the Thunder will be done for the offseason as there's a real opportunity ahead of the team.
More must-reads:
- Myles Garrett reveals bold goal for 2025 Browns amid four-way QB competition
- Emerging Texans star likely to miss 2025 season
- The 'Most NBA games played' quiz
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Braves Hall of Famer Shares Heartwarming Ozzy Osbourne Story Following Rock Legend’s Death
Any Atlanta Braves season-ticket holders from the 1990s and 2000s likely have Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” etched into their brains, and Chipper Jones is to thank. Jones used “Crazy Train” as his walk-up song for years, a fact the Hall of Fame third baseman reflected on following Osbourne’s death this week. Osbourne passed away at 76 on Tuesday, only weeks after his final concert. “I feel Ozzy and I will forever be linked,” Jones wrote on Twitter/X. Jones then shared a story involving former New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza at Turner Field. As he walked to the plate, Jones casually asked Piazza how he was doing. “He says, ‘I’m doing fine Larry, but I hate this [expletive] song!’” Jones recalled. “I said ‘Well, get ready cuz ur gonna hear about 5 times today!’” We apologize to Mets fans for reminding them about Jones, who recorded a .949 OPS in 245 games against the Mets. All turned out well for Jones, who batted .303 with 468 homers, 1,623 RBIs, and a .930 OPS over 19 seasons. We imagine that the fans who didn’t want to hear “Crazy Train” at least accepted that it helped Atlanta win the 1995 World Series and two other pennants during Jones’ Braves tenure.
Raiders GM reveals how they will play safety Jamal Adams
The addition of safety Jamal Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders is a bit surprising given his injury history, but the Raiders brass is keeping their fingers crossed hoping the three-time Pro Bowl safety can stay healthy. In an interview with Raider Nation Radio 920 AM on Wednesday, Raiders general manager John Spytek revealed Adams will "play probably a little closer to the line of scrimmage than a true safety." It is not surprising Spytek would say such a thing since Adams played like a hybrid linebacker for head coach Pete Carroll with the Seattle Seahawks. In Seattle, Adams played 34 games for Carroll, including one game in 2022 due to a quad injury in the season opener against the Denver Broncos. He only played nine games in his final season with Carroll and the Seahawks in 2023 before joining the Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions last season. The 29-year-old Adams is entering his ninth season after he was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. If Adams can stay healthy, it could turn out to be a great thing for the Raiders since they need a playmaker and veteran leadership on the field. Spytek's words seem to indicate Adams will have a role when the season gets underway against the New England Patriots on Sept. 7. It will not be surprising if Adams gets a lot of reps during the preseason to see if he can stay healthy. For the Raiders' sake, they better hope they get the early version of Adams, who had 9.5 sacks in his first season with the Seahawks in 2020 - an NFL record for a defensive back. Spytek and Carroll are banking on Adams to remain healthy for the Raiders and give the team another threat on the defensive side to complement star pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
Packers’ Starter Could Be Shocking Roster Cut Later This Summer
The Green Bay Packers have revamped the wide receiving corps over the offseason. In addition to selecting Matthew Golden in the first round of April’s NFL Draft, and rounding back to add Savion Williams in the third round, the Packers also inked veteran Mecole Hardman as a free agent, further bolstering Jordan Love’s supporting cast, creating competition and in all likelihood adding special teams value. Suddenly, the Packers’ crowded wide receiver room could be one of the hottest competitions for snaps and roster spots in the league. Could the Packers Move on From Christian Watson? Christian Watson is still recovering from a torn ACL, but not everyone believes he’s a lock to even make the Packers’ roster out of training camp. Pro Football Network’s Jacob Infante suggests Watson could be cut, or traded, at some point this summer. “Watson doesn’t have the special-teams value that Mecole Hardman,” Infante writes of Watson. “Bo Melton, and Malik Heath all have. Both Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks have done a better job of staying healthy, and Jayden Reed and the two rookies are locks to make the team. That could leave Watson as a realistic cut candidate since he is sidelined with a torn ACL.” Moving on from Watson would be a pretty big surprise, for the Packers, but not out of the realm of possibility. Through his first three seasons, Watson has caught 96 passes for 1,653 yards and 14 touchdowns, and if healthy, would likely begin this season at or near the top of the depth chart. He simply isn’t healthy and doesn’t contribute much on special teams. The Packers have established a youth movement and have certainly created competition at the position, and if Green Bay believes that the likes of Wicks, Reed, and Melton are more valuable than Watson, it could lead to some difficult conversations and decisions in the weeks ahead about the 26-year-old’s future.
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger's Bold Prediction Sets Steeler Nation On Fire For 2025 NFL Season
The Pittsburgh Steelers have some interesting expectations for the 2025 NFL season. After many fans were hopeful that the team would commit to a rebuild and begin preparing for the future, General Manager Omar Khan did the impossible. He orchestrated an impressive offseason that not only laid the foundation for long-term success, but also made the roster significantly better in the short-term. Khan’s approach brought in experienced veterans, addressed major roster holes, and added young talent through the draft. While the Steelers have certainly set themselves up for the future, this team is built to win right now. The biggest question mark remains Aaron Rodgers. At 41 years old, his ability to stay healthy and perform at a high level will be the ultimate factor in how far this team can go. On his podcast Footbahlin, Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger shared a surprising and bold take. He believes the 2025 season is 'Super Bowl or bust' for Pittsburgh. Citing the strength of the roster and the urgency created by Rodgers’ limited window, Roethlisberger’s comments have fired up Steeler Nation and added even more intensity to an already pressure-filled season. "I anticipate big things this year..." Roethlisberger said on Tuesday's episode. "When Coach Tomlin built this team, there was no way that they're saying that .500, that's not even on the table right now. This team right now is built, what Coach Tomlin has built, is a Super Bowl or bust team, in my opinion." Roethlisberger didn’t hold back, and while he didn’t want to add unfair pressure, he made one thing clear. In his eyes, this roster can win a Super Bowl in 2025. The pressure is on for the Steelers to deliver, but at the very least, Mike Tomlin must win a playoff game this season. If he doesn’t, the fan base is likely to go crazy and continue their calling for his termination. "I don't want to sit there and say that anything short of that is a failed season," Roethlisberger said. "Because that seems like that's unfair pressure, but it also feels like that's what they've built for. And so it's not about just getting to the playoffs. And it's not even just winning a playoff game. That's a step up and that's great, but that can't be what is the final goal of this team. It can't be that. This team is built right now to go to a Super Bowl and to win a Super Bowl. And so it needs to happen." Tomlin has remarkably never had a losing season in his 18 years as the Steelers' head coach. That is an incredible accomplishment, especially in a league built for parity. However, even with that level of consistency, it is hard to ignore the glaring issue. Tomlin has not won a playoff game in nearly a decade. That is a shocking reality for a franchise that is used to deep postseason runs and competing for Super Bowls. For many fans, that kind of drought is simply not acceptable. Steelers Are 110% Capable Of Winning The Super Bowl In The 2025 NFL Season Tomlin’s last playoff win came during the 2016 season, and that needs to change as soon as possible. That is part of the reason the Steelers went all in this offseason. They did not just make a few tweaks to the roster. They made bold and aggressive moves in an effort to break through. The addition of Rodgers and the focus on building a complete, veteran-ready team showed that Pittsburgh is tired of falling short when it matters most. While every season can be viewed as Super Bowl or bust, hearing Roethlisberger say it out loud adds weight to that belief. He has no reason to sugarcoat anything, and if he believes the Steelers are capable of winning it all, fans have every reason to feel excited. The expectations are sky-high and the pressure is real.
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