[Cactus Jack]

The only NBA franchise anyone really has a lot of good cause to avoid is Portland-- small market and a deep history of mismanaging star's injuries (Walton, Sabonis, Bowie, Roy, Oden).

I can understand not wanting to play in Utah, but he's also white, so that takes away a lot of what detracts from wanting to force your way out. If you've never visited or you aren't really familiar, the racism there is a very real thing.

I can see not being happy about getting drafted to Washington, but it's a pretty big market and you can do just as bad or worse by returning to Duke and waiting another season.

Charlotte has a long way to go before they'd be considered a competent franchise, but he'd be there with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller and would still be in Duke's backyard. 

Short of returning because Portland gets the first pick, it doesn't make lots of sense for him to go to Montverde to graduate a year early if he's going to stay in college another year, and even then, Duke would need to be able to pony up a TON of money to make it worth his while, as it isn't just what he'd make as a rookie, it's pushing him back from a Super-Max contract by one more year.

Again, it's not about the highest bidder next year for a college freshman who's already rich. That's very short sighted to say the least.

Need to play 10 years to be eligible for a Supermax (or Designated Veteran Player Extension). Jayson Tatum's contract was 5 years, >$300 million, so over $60 million per season. Delaying that type of money by a single year, especially when considering inflation, interest, and the time value of money, is a very big deal. No college is going to pay him anywhere in the neighborhood of $60 million per year. Another $50 million is the difference in wealth that can last to a few more generations after what you already have set up or it can be the difference in being rich and flithy rich. I don't see how it's short sighted for a player of Flagg's caliber to be considering something like that.

Catch to the Supermax is that you need to be with the same team for 10 seasons, so I get not wanting to go to Portland or maybe another franchise or two, but there's no guarantee that a franchise that's just as bad or worse than whoever picks #1 this season is in the top spot next year.

If he's really wanting to wind up with a Boston, LA Lakers, etc., then it might be best to just go now, play out his rookie deal, then command a king's ransom in free agency and start his time on the Supermax from there.

All that said, I do recognize that a lot can change in 10 years, especially when it comes to the CBA.