When it is all said and done, none of the NBA Mock Drafts have any clue what is going to happen.
One trade can send the draft into chaos. Thankfully, the Illini will have a couple of players waiting in the green room for their name to be called. This is going to be a big moment for these players and the program.
The top pick for Illinois will be Kasparas Jakucionis. He spent one season in Champaign before bolting to the NBA. His game was special, and any team could use his skills. There are a few franchises I want him to avoid, though.
Here are three terrible franchises Kasparas Jakucionis needs to avoid in the 2025 NBA Draft
- Brooklyn Nets (#8)
There is one major overlapping team I have between Will Riley and Jakucionis. That team is the Brooklyn Nets.
Thankfully, between picks No. 8 and No. 16, there are a lot of teams that could use and develop Jakucionis. But the Nets are not one of those franchises.
Brooklyn has dabbled in building an actual roster over the past 15 years. From getting former Illinois great Deron Williams to snagging Kevin Durant, the Nets have tried in the past. But they are a long way from competing in the NBA.
I want Jakucionis to be around a talented point guard who can teach him the ropes. That isn’t going to come from Brooklyn. They have a couple of okay pieces, but the Nets are going nowhere quickly. I don’t want Jakucionis to be on a loser team with players who can’t help him develop. Hard pass on the Nets at No. 8.
- Toronto Raptors (#9)
Honestly, the Nets are the only team that is a massive worry. While I do think the Toronto Raptors would improve with Jakucionis, I would still like for them not to take the talented Illini guard.
The Raptors haven’t done much winning in the last five seasons. They have a combined 55 wins in the last two years, and things don’t seem to be improving.
Toronto does have some youth and okay pieces, but they don’t have the guard that I want on the roster to help Jakucionis develop his game. He needs a good teacher and mentor, but that isn’t provided in Toronto.
At the end of the day, my hope is that Jakucionis can avoid being drafted by the Raptors. They are a franchise that doesn’t have much going on, and I want the Illini guard to go to a good team with a positive future.
- Phoenix Suns (#10)
The Phoenix Suns are a team that is rising up the dumpster fire charts quickly. They are following in the same footsteps as the Nets, but at least the Suns were in the Finals a few years back.
Phoenix took their chance on Kevin Durant but failed. Moreover, their move for Bradley Beal was even worse. The Suns have dumped the Durant contract on the Houston Rockets, and they are clearly heading for a reset.
With that reset happening, I don’t want Jakucionis subject to a complete rebuild. I want a team that has solid pieces and needs more depth in the first couple of seasons. That team isn’t the Suns.
If we can avoid Phoenix taking Jakucionis at No. 10, then I think he lands with a good team. But that is a land mine we need to keep an eye on. This Wednesday will change the fortunes of multiple Illinois players.