Cameron Boozer's NBA landing spot suddenly comes into focus with ESPN big board shake-up

In recent weeks leading up to the NBA Draft, there has been significant smoke connecting Cameron Boozer to the Utah Jazz. Often thought of as the No. 3 prospect in the class behind BYU's AJ Dybantsa and Kansas' Darryn Peterson, the rumors connecting the Duke star to the Jazz have picked up a lot of steam.

But those rumors have been contingent on the Washington Wizards taking Dybantsa at No. 1, and the Jazz then having the choice of Boozer and Peterson. The red flags with Peterson, and the Jazz believing Boozer to be a perfect fit in the frontcourt alongside Jaren Jackson Jr., have been the impetus for the rumors.

But the Wizards could be prepared to throw a wrench into everyone's plans at the top of the draft.

ESPN's Jeremy Woo made a change at the top of his big board just four days before the draft. He slid Peterson ahead of Dybantsa, which follows a report by NBA insider Marc Stein on Thursday night that draft experts are beginning to believe that the Wizards are going to take Peterson at No. 1:

Cameron Boozer could be locked into the No. 3 pick with Darryn Peterson's rise

For Boozer, the draft process could end where it began. For the majority of the process, the National Player of the Year has been mocked No. 3 behind Dybantsa and Peterson. Since the lottery results, that has connected him with the Memphis Grizzlies.

If Peterson goes No. 1, there's little chance that the Jazz would pass on Dybantsa at No. 2. He played high school at Utah Prep, and then spent his one college season at BYU. Jazz owner Ryan Smith, a prominent booster for BYU, played a big role in Dybantsa ending up with the Cougars. If he gets the opportunity to land Dybantsa, he's not going to pass on it.

There's been a lot of speculation that Utah might try to move up to No. 1 to ensure they land Dybantsa, but the Wizards might make the choice easier for them. Peterson seems to believe he's going No. 1, refusing any workouts outside of the one he conducted with the Wizards. Dybantsa has worked out for both the Jazz and Wizards.

It's important to remember, however, that nothing is ever settled until the picks are actually made. It is difficult to separate what's reality and what's a smokescreen in the pre-draft process. Teams intentionally leak misinformation all the time to throw rivals off their scent.

But there's no real advantage to Washington throwing misinformation around Peterson. If anything, they would want the Jazz to believe they covet Peterson so as to try and force Utah to facilitate a trade up a spot to get the player they want the most.

Boozer ending up in Memphis has always been the most likely scenario. He'll pair with Zach Edey in the frontcourt to give the franchise a clear vision to build around.

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