Former Tennessee basketball star Chaz Lanier hopes to be drafted as a top-40 prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Lanier was ranked as the No. 38 prospect in this year's draft class, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony in his 2025 NBA draft big board rankings.
He also projected Lanier to go No. 38 in the NBA Draft, landing with the young and promising San Antonio Spurs. While Lanier could still land at No. 38, it won't be with the Spurs after a Wednesday afternoon trade.
NBA insider Shams Charania reported right before the draft festivities began that the Spurs are trading the No. 38 pick to the Indiana Pacers, opening the door to Lanier landing with Indiana.
"First draft pick trade of the night: The San Antonio Spurs are trading the No. 38 pick in tonight's NBA draft to the Indiana Pacers for a future second-round pick and cash," Shams reported.
If the Pacers select Lanier with the 38th overall pick, he automatically goes from a national championship contender at Tennessee to an NBA Championship contender with the Pacers.
The only problem with the trade is it could throw off Lanier’s expected landing spot. Indiana’s needs differ from San Antonio’s, meaning they might not be looking for a shooting guard in the second round.
There are few enticing opportunities around the No. 38 pick either unless Lanier takes a big drop after the trade. The Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and Detroit Pistons hold the three spots ahead of No. 38, while the Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, and Golden State Warriors hold the three following picks.
The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft is underway, but the second round is scheduled to take place on Thursday night at 8:00 PM ET at the Barclays Center in New York.