Let's assume that the season ends today and the lottery goes chalk, i.e., the Lakers pick is 6th, with Sac at #1, followed by Orlando, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix.
This year has a ton of good bigs at the top. As it stands now, next year doesn't. Thus, we may find it advantageous to be drafting this year, regardless. ESPN has the following as the top 10, as of January 18. It's probably right in some order, not necessarily this one:
1. Luka Doncic PG Real Madrid 18.8 6-8 N/A
2. Deandre Ayton C Arizona 19.4 7-0 7-5
3. Marvin Bagley III PF/C Duke 18.8 6-11 7-0½
4. Mohamed Bamba C Texas 19.6 7-0 7-9
5. Michael Porter Jr. SF/PF Missouri 19.5 6-10 7-0
6. Trae Young PG Oklahoma 19.3 6-2 6-4
7. Jaren Jackson Jr. PF/C Michigan St 18.3 6-10 7-4
8. Collin Sexton PG Alabama 19.0 6-2 6-7
9. Miles Bridges SF/PF Michigan St 19.8 6-6 6-9
10. Mikal Bridges SF Villanova 21.3 6-7 7-1½
Being at #6 doesn't do us any good. It means we end up with the Sac pick next year, which will still probably be good.
What would it take to get into the top 5 this year? I'm assuming it would be the Sac pick plus something good (e.g., It won't be "Sac pick plus Rozier plus Yabu."). Making any realistic assumptions you like about who in the top-5 would draft or trade whom, what do you think is a realistic trade idea?
Mike