Duke star Cameron Boozer will almost certainly be a top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but he does have a fair few detractors. Boozer’s lack of athleticism is brought up as a concern, and questions remain about how good he will be defensively in the NBA. Despite that, though, NBA scouts are terrified of the prospect of him landing on a top team, according to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.
“A funny conversation that repeatedly comes up among scouts is that they don’t want Boozer to go to one of the best teams in the league. They would be terrified if he ended up on, say, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, or San Antonio Spurs, because they know those teams would understand how to get the most out of his game.
“It looks like none of those three organizations will get the chance at him, given the way the LA Clippers (the Thunder own their first-rounder) and Atlanta Hawks (the Spurs own their first) have turned their seasons around. But that conversation says a lot about who Boozer is and how valuable he could be.”
It sure looked like the Oklahoma City Thunder were going to be in a position to land Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, or Darryn Peterson at one point, thanks to them having the Los Angeles Clippers‘ 2026 first-round pick. The Clippers got off to a dreadful 6-21 start to this 2025-26 NBA season, but have rebounded spectacularly. They are now 36-36 and are eighth in the West.
Even if the Clippers fail to make the playoffs, it is going to take a miracle for the Thunder to get a top-three pick. If they want Boozer, they’re going to have to trade assets for him. The 57-15 Thunder do have a ton of picks that they can package in a deal to move up in the draft, but should they? Probably not.
Like the Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs might have dreamed of getting a top pick, with the way the Atlanta Hawks were playing at one point, but that’s all gone now. The Hawks had dropped to 15-19 following a seven-game losing streak in December, but have steadied the ship. They’re currently sixth in the East with a 40-32 record.
So, the 54-18 Spurs will have to trade up like the Thunder. It’s the same story when it comes to the 47-24 Boston Celtics as well. It’s hard to see a scenario, though, where the big move that a contender makes is moving up in the draft to bring in an unproven commodity.
So, it might be safe to say that Boozer, who is averaging 22.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game for the Blue Devils in 2025-26, isn’t going to these three teams. There is a team in the running for that first pick that you’d back to develop the 18-year-old, though. That, of course, is the Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers made it all the way to the 2025 NBA Finals, where they took on the Thunder. They’d lose in seven games and also lost Tyrese Haliburton to an Achilles tear in Game 7. Haliburton’s injury has led to the Pacers punting on this season. Their 16-65 record is currently the worst in the NBA.
Indiana and Boozer, whom his father, Carlos, has called the modern-day Tim Duncan, would be a good match, and it appears the organization might be feeling that way as well. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that rival teams believe the Pacers would pick him even if they get the No. 1 pick. He is seen as a good fit next to Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac.
The Pacers have the defensive players to cover for Boozer and a terrific point guard in Haliburton to feed him. You’d back him to be a success in the NBA as is, but if he ends up in Indiana, he might end up surpassing expectations.
For now, though, Boozer’s focus is on helping No. 1 Duke win the national title. Standing between them and a spot in the Elite Eight is No. 5 St. John’s.
