Bold Free-Agency Predictions After 2022 NBA Draft | Bleacher Report

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The completion of the 2022 NBA draft has helped paint a better picture of how we should expect free agency to now unfold.

From the Detroit Pistons trading back into the lottery to acquire Jalen Duren, the Washington Wizards choosing to keep the No. 10 overall pick instead of flipping it for veteran help, the New York Knicks’ decision to trade out of the first round entirely or other draft night drama, the ripple effects will now surely carry over into the next stage of the NBA offseason.

Based on what went down during the draft, don’t be surprised if these spicy free-agent predictions now come true.

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Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Following a horrific season with the Knicks where Walker was in and out of the rotation and eventually shut down for the year in mid-February, the Knicks were able to get off the veteran guard’s contract Thursday night.

As part of a three-team trade, Walker was shipped to the Detroit Pistons in a salary-cap-saving move by New York. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pistons and Walker are expected to discuss a contract buyout that will allow the 32-year-old to become a free agent.

While teams like the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets (depending on Kyrie Irving’s future), Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers could all use another ball-handler off the bench, Walker will undoubtedly receive a lot of recruiting from the boys in purple and gold.

With Russell Westbrook’s future with the Los Angeles Lakers in doubt and Kendrick Nunn missing the entire 2021-22 season because of injury, Walker could come in and help stabilize the point guard position next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. If nothing else, he’s a much-needed spot-up shooter who hit 40.9 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes with the Knicks this past season.

The Lakers are extremely limited in what they can spend, so getting Walker on a minimum deal would be a great value, even if he’s no longer close to being the All-Star we saw as recently as the 2019-20 season.

Look for Walker to get his buyout from the Pistons and sign with the Lakers for the veteran’s minimum while still getting paid by the Oklahoma City Thunder and now Detroit as well.

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Nic Antaya

After trading Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers in a move that opened up roughly $20 million in additional cap space, the lukewarm Ayton-to-Detroit rumors became red-hot.

As The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III wrote, “Per sources, Detroit is heavily expected to pursue Phoenix Suns big man and 2018 No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton in the open market.”

This was before draft night, however, when the Pistons gave up the 2025 first-round pick (via Milwaukee Bucks) they received in the trade for Grant in order to pick up an additional 2022 lottery pick. Detroit landed Memphis big man Jalen Duren at No. 13 overall, the first true center taken in the draft.

Given that the team still has Isaiah Stewart, the 16th overall pick in 2020, at center as well, would the Pistons still want to give Ayton the max? Their money may be better spent elsewhere.

Miles Bridges, a Flint, Michigan, native who played his college ball at Michigan State, could be a surprise target here…