2023 NBA Draft Rumors: Dereck Lively II Draws Tyson Chandler Comparisons, Top-10 Buzz

As Thursday's 2023 NBA draft quickly approaches, it sounds like one of the top center prospects is seeing his stock rise.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, former Duke big man Dereck Lively II is viewed by multiple teams to have "true Tyson Chandler potential," which has resulted in him "more and more, is being projected as a top-10 pick."

Stein named the Atlanta Hawks as a team "known to be interested" in Lively, and they are reportedly "known to be discussing trades with" the Dallas Mavericks in hopes of moving up from the No. 15 pick to No. 10.

In his most recent mock draft, B/R's Jonathan Wasserman actually projected the Mavs to choose Lively with the No. 10 pick if they hold on to the selection. However, he pointed out that "interest in Lively has escalated to the point where teams may need to trade into the top 10 to get him."

In addition to the Hawks, the Golden State Warriors are also "interested" in Lively and could look to move up from the No. 19 pick, per Matt Moore of Action Network.

In his lone season at Duke, Lively didn't make much of an offensive impact with an average of 5.2 points in 20.6 minutes per game. He made his presence felt on the defensive end, recording 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks to earn a spot on the ACC All-Defense and All-Freshman teams.

In the right situation, Lively would excel as a defensive anchor who can also get easy baskets as a pick-and-roll finisher. With multiple teams interested in landing him, it's clear that he has the potential to develop into a productive NBA center.