Woj: Jaden Ivey Targeted by Teams in Trade Calls with Kings Ahead of NBA Draft

There are reportedly "a lot of teams" looking to trade up to select Jaden Ivey in the 2022 NBA draft, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski reported Thursday on NBA Countdown that teams are looking to trade with the Sacramento Kings for the No. 4 pick:

The list of interested teams includes the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks and Washington Wizards, although Wojnarowski reported the Kings' asking price will be "significant."

Ivey could be the fourth player off the board on June 23 after the projected top three of Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero in some order.

The 6'4" guard is a high-upside prospect coming off a breakout 2021-22 season. He averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while leading Purdue to the Sweet 16, earning consensus All-American honors.

Ivey has elite athleticism to attack the basket, while he also drastically improved his three-point shooting from 25.8 percent as a freshman to 35.8 percent last year as a sophomore.

Though he still must improve as a passer, he could make an immediate impact in the NBA as a scorer and has the potential to be a star.

That's obviously enough to get the attention of several teams that see a drop-off in the class after No. 4. The Pistons (holding the No. 5 pick) and Pacers (No. 6) wouldn't need to move up much, but it's clear they see a big difference between Ivey and other options such as Shaedon Sharpe, Keegan Murray, Dyson Daniels and Bennedict Mathurin.

Both teams would be looking to solidify their future backcourt, with Ivey lining up next to either Detroit's Cade Cunningham or Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton.

The Wizards (No. 10) and Knicks (No. 11) would be making bigger moves up to No. 4, which could make it tougher to complete a trade.

It still might be worth it for the Knicks, who have just one playoff appearance in the last nine years. Pairing Ivey with RJ Barrett could be what the team needs to get back on track after a disappointing 2021-22 season.

Washington will need someone to either play next to Bradley Beal or replace him in the lineup, depending on whether the All-Star picks up his $36.4 million option for next season.