Spens1 Mock Draft

[Spens1]

With my first round done, any thoughts?

[skywalker33]

Well thought out, like the DEN pick. Only thing is I keep hearing LAL game promise to Robinson, seems lilely to me.

Good Job, wouldn't mind seeing a 2nd round !!

[Mr B]

With my first round done, any thoughts?

I still think if Bamba is on the board at 5 the Mavs will take him. I think he goes 2 or 3 though. Dallas will end up drafting who’s left between Bagley or Jackson. I have a strong feeling it will be Bagley.

[Spens1]

With my first round done, any thoughts?

I still think if Bamba is on the board at 5 the Mavs will take him. I think he goes 2 or 3 though. Dallas will end up drafting who’s left between Bagley or Jackson. I have a strong feeling it will be Bagley.

Certainly could see Bamba going top 5 if he works out well. Just thought for the Mav's that MPJ has superstar potential (was going 1 or 2 pre injury) and if he stays healthy, he's a huge steal.

[GimmeDat]

Would be stoked with a Bamba/Musa outcome for the Bulls.

[Spens1]

Would be stoked with a Bamba/Musa outcome for the Bulls.

Yeah it would be a fantsatic draft from Chicago's standpoint.

[Spens1]

Well thought out, like the DEN pick. Only thing is I keep hearing LAL game promise to Robinson, seems lilely to me.

Good Job, wouldn't mind seeing a 2nd round !!

I saw that promise but i can't see our front office giving anyone a promise, also it would be a bit weird for us to draft someone with no experience, we've made it a bit of a thing to draft older players with more ability as of late (unless its the top end of the draft).

Also I plan on doing a 2nd round.

[Spens1]

Sorry for the late 2nd round. But for the first part

31. Phoenix Suns - Chandler Hutchinson (could easily go higher)
32. Memphis Grizzlies - Donte DiVincenzo (bit low actually but would be a solid steal here)
33. Dallas Mavericks - Kevin Huerter (I had no idea he was in this draft at the time, he'd go in the first if i did, but for now lets say he ends up here).
34. Atlanta Hawks - Omari Spellman (Not in love with many prospects here for them, i know they have Collins but Spellam is different from him or Bagley).

[Spens1]

Ok i didn't even get through the 2nd but anyway, i was pretty wrong clearly. Anyway i'll start with a 2019 big board (for lottery prospects). I think this looks like the worst draft since around 2000 as it stands now minus one guy. RJ Barrett is a good prospect, i genuinly believe he could be a superstar. It could be a re-hash of 2013 though.

Anyway my top 10 big board:

1. RJ Barrett - Easy choice here. I think unless something changes he's the consensus #1 pick, This guys everything is really good. The only one i think who has legit superstar potential.

2. Cameron Reddish - Think there is a huge gap between 1 and 2 but after that it's reasonably fair game. I do like his game, he looks to be good at a lot of things, i'm a bit skeptical that it translates to superstardom though. His jump shot is a bit suspect (not non existent like Zion's but not the best).

3. Zion Williamson - He can't shoot but that raw athleticism, size and strength. He's a bit Rajon Rondo (no shot), combined with good handles with all the tools in the world to be something special. Its a gamble but on athleticism alone, for the first few seasons he'll be ok, once he gets a shot, watch out.

4. Nassir Little - Best defender by far, i think he's got a bit of Gerald Wallace in him, i think once he gets the consistency he will be a great 3&D player.

5. Bol Bol - Not quiet as tall as his father but at 7-2, make no mistake, he is a very, very big man. He has a good shot (3pt range) and can knock it down consistently. He's also a very good shot blocker. Big issue he is ridiculously thin, i mean he weighs 225 pounds, i'd say he has to put on a good 25-50 pounds to be about right. He also is pretty slow up and down the court, a lazy comparison would be Porzingis, i'd say he's more like Dirk but with better defense.

6. Sekou Doumbaya - Pretty similar to Little actually, has elite defensive potential and has an inconsistent 3 point shot. He's very athletic and can already defend pretty much every position on the court. Very good at running the court in transition which in theory makes him a perfect player for positionless basketball. Whilst unpolished offensively, he does have a good post game too, which is good to have from your S.F (maybe even could be a stretch 4 in the league if he ups his post game a bit).

7. Rui Hachimura - The Junior out of Gonzaga has shown signs of being a very solid player. He has all the physical tools as it is (6'8, 7'2 wingspan, is 225 which is about right for the nba), he can run most players off the court (see a theme here with the S.F's of this draft), his motor is ridiculous, good defensive ability and is solid at the line. His 3pt shot is basically non existant though, if he is to get his draft stock up to be a top 3 player, he needs to start getting real buckets from beyond the arc. Also another one of those hot and cold players

8. Romeo Langford - incredibly lanky S.G. with a great wingspan (6'11), has a good 3pt shoot and not the worst defender, with his tools, being a 3&D guy who projects as a 2nd or 3rd option isn't bad, whilst he isn't a franchise player (not an explosive athlete which will hurt him), you could do a lot worse than a really good secondary piece here.

9. Daniel Bassey - At 6'11, the guy runs like a guard, its actually ridiculous how fast he is. Has very good handles for his position, his athleticism and ability to play above the rim has made him good at defense like that. Worst comes to worst he's a bit like Dwight Howard (he is raw, no two ways about it, shot isn't really that great either).

10. Quentin Grimes - Rounding off the top 10 (for now) is the first P.G. Grimes plays the game at 100 miles an hour, he's also very big for the position at 6'5 which helps as he is also aggressive in getting to the basket (those two factors alone will help him in the NBA). He has some good crossovers also and can break them ankles. Don't think he is a one trick pony though, he has a good shot as well as good handles as well. The reason he is so low, non existant defense, you're picking him knowing that he won't play any really (unless something changes).

HM's: Daniel Gafford, Romeo Langford, Nazreon Reid, Keldon Johnson

[Spens1]

Quick Lottery Mock Draft after the lottery (i'll edit as i go).

1. New Orleans Pelicans - Zion Williamson

I think something could happen here though, there may be some degree of drama (refusal to work out, rumours circulating that he won't play for them etc). He may just try to push for a deal here, but i don't think the Pelicans will budge, the big issue will be convincing him that the Pelicans are worth playing for (Jrue Holiday should help there).

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Ja Morant

Changing of the guard in Memphis, long term P.G Mike Conley will most likely be traded, with Morant the piece they build around i'd imagine.

3. New York Knicks - RJ Barrett

I don't think the Knicks can complain all that much, despite losing out on Zion, they'll probably end up with the 2nd best prospect in the draft.

4. L.A Lakers - Darius Garland

Culver can't shoot and Hunter + Reddish are both S.F's. This pick most likely is traded for A.D or some star (Beal perhaps) but if we do keep the pick, with rumours of Lonzo potentially being a trade target for Chicago, a P.G may be in order. Garland is a modern P.G who can shoot, something the lakers lack sorely.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers - Cameron Reddish

The Cavaliers need to go for broke. Reddish could be one of the best players when its all said and done, but a horrible season at Duke sees him slip out of the top 3. the Cavaliers being brave here and swinging for the fences could pay dividends as they may end up with a franchise player.

[Spens1]

DIdn't even get to finish the mock draft this year. slack on my part, i apologise. I will try to get through the draft grades (i have a year, right )

1. New Orleans Pelicans - Zion Williamson
Grade: A

Can't give more then that, its too damn obvious of a pick

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Ja Morant
Grade: A

Much like The Zion pick, forgone conclusion he was going 2 so i can't really give much more

3. New York Knicks - RJ Barrett
Grade: A

Luckily the noise around them picking Garland was just that, Barrett the first knicks pick to get cheered since forever.

Where the draft actually began:

4. Atlanta Hawks - De'Andre Hunter
Grade: A-

I like this pick a lot for them, it gives them the key piece in that national championship plus he is long as hell with a 7'2 wingspan and good shooting. Their are issues around what people think his ceiling is but i think in Atlanta he has a chance to thrive.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers - Darius Garland
Grade: D+

Garland is a great talent but as of right now, they're going with a Sexton-Garland backcourt. That is a nightmare defensively. You have two P.G's starting in the backcourt pretty much (or at best, a P.G and combo guard). Remind you of anyone. The Blazers have the 2nd or 3rd best P.G and one of the better combo guards in the league starting for them and even they struggle defensively to stop teams. Imagine what's going to happen to Cleveland running a sophomore and rookie of the same mould. Great talent, horrible fit.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Jarret Culver
Grade: C

I can't give it much more for now since they have Wiggins there and they failed to get their P.G despite the trade. Culver has a good handle but at the end of the day, with Wiggins still there, he's a backup. I think he can develop nicely and he will take Wiggins place and defensively that lineup has nice potential but its a weird one as of this post

7. Chicago Bulls - Coby White
Grade: B

I think they would have much preferred Garland but Coby White is a hell of consollation prize. He's still young but has shown that he can lead a team nicely. I do like the fit with the Bulls lineup and he should be challenging Dunn before long.

8. New Orleans Pelicans - Jaxon Hayes
Grade: B

They filled out that frontcourt nicely with Hayes at 8 and have thus completed their starting lineup. One issue here is the lack of 3pt shooting from Hayes. Luckily he is super athletic and will be spoon fed by Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday and to a lesser extent Brandon Ingram. He'll also need to work on rebounding and even making sure he doesn't get into foul trouble but the Pelicans is the perfect situation to grow.

9. Washington Wizards - Rui Hachimura
Grade: B+

I think i'm biased since i'm incredibly high on Hachimura but this is a good fit honestly. Despite the percentages he's not a convincing or consistent 3pt shooter but he has improved drastically in his sole year at Gonzaga. Add to the fact that he is a good scorer and defender already, i think he can become a great 2nd or 3rd option very early on. Poor Man's Giannis may not be an unfair comparison to make to him, i think he has a super high ceiling.

10. Atlanta Hawks - Cam Reddish
Grade: A+

Getting Reddish here this late on is ridiculous. Atlanta came in needing some talent on the wing since they traded Prince to Brooklyn, they came away with two of the best wing players in the entire draft potentially. Reddish had a bad year at Duke, i think it was a mistake for him to go there, but in Atlanta, he will have all the chances in the world to develop and with his athleticism, he will bring something very special there. I'm not exaggerating, he is one of maybe 4-5 guys who has franchise level potential.

11. Phoenix Suns - Cam Johnson
Grade: F

On paper, he's not bad at all, 50/45/82 shooting breakdown with an amazing TS% of 65% (for a wing that's great) with a great offensive winshare. But when you delve further, their is something seriously wrong here. Hip injuries on both sides and the fact that he is already 23 years old and will be 28 by the end of his contract. Injuries plus health issues which would have most likely meant he would have been available at 31 and given the talent that was available here, this to me is the worst pick in the entire draft by far.

12. Charlotte Hornets - PJ Washington
Grade: C+

I think i was overly harsh about this pick when i saw it at the time cause of the talent left on the board but Washington isn't a bad prospect at all. Good shooter, has a good wingspan and surprising defender. Its just a very very safe pick and not all that awe inspiring and i can't see him changing their fortunes which is something they should have gone for here.

13. Miami Heat - Tyler Herro
Grade: D-

I am very low on Herro as a talent. He's a 3pt specialist who is average at 3pters, mediocre to decent defender with horrific wingspan (at 6'3) which doesn't translate well to the nba. Despite being a glue guy, how good is his ceiling realistically. Miami is a team that given their cap situation and player situation, should be swinging for the fences, but didn't.

14. Boston Celtics - Romeo Langford
Grade: C-

They get a C- because i think Langford is potentially a top 10 talent (and was until a few months ago). In terms of fit, why oh why did they think this was a good idea given they just lost Horford and could end up losing Morris as well along with Kyrie whilst their franchise guys are wing players. Brandon Clarke, Sekou Doumbouya, Goga Bitadze and Bol Bol all made way more sense here.

15. Detroit Pistons - Sekou Doumbouya
Grade: A+

I love this for the Pistons, the fit next to Drummond is perfect. A top 10 talent falling this far is great for teams like the pistons who get a tailor made fit that they had no business getting. Doumbouya a weak rebounder, no problem, put him next to one of the best in the game. He can shoot the ball reasonably well but he is an incredible athlete (both in terms of athleticism and speed of running up and down the court) with very good size. He can play the 3 or 4 in the NBA. He's also young at 18, he could end up being one of the guys to the Pistons build around in a few years.

16. Orlando Magic - Chuma Okeke
Grade: F

I hate this on two accounts, one, you're taking a guy coming off an ACL injury and reaching for him at that, secondly, you're drafting at some of the few positions you don't need anyone (despite the fact that long term, they have no S.G really and they still have no P.G and haven't for years unless they think Fultz is coming right). He is a good shooter and has great size about him but reaching for a 2nd round guy who is going to redshirt and at a position you don't need guys at, especially since their where guards on the board that would have fit nicely with the magic, this was stupid in my opinion.

17. New Orleans Pelicans - Nickeil Alexander Walker
Grade: B+

Solid pick here by the pelicans in adding to their depth, Alexander-Walker is a lot like his cousin in a way, he does a lot of different things well which will make him a valuable piece to the puzzle, he can shoot, can be a really good passer (see a common theme with the pels) and even isn't a bad rebounder of the ball. Turnovers is a bit of an issue but he won't be a primary handler so i don't think he will have as much of a problem. He could be a 6th man for them going forward.

18. Indiana Pacers - Goga Bitadze
Grade: D+

I love Goga falling, i hate the fit in every way. Much like the Magic, why would you draft in an area which you don't need anyone at all, especially with whose on the board. They did not need a centre at all, they have two in the starting lineup. Goga is very very good but unless they have a deal moving out Turner, i am confused, cause Turner + Goga i don't think works really. Keldon Johnson, Nassir Little and Kevin Porter where on the board still by the way.

19. San Antonio Spurs - Luka Samanic
Grade: C-* (for now, most likely not in the NBA for a few years)

This seems like the Spurs are drafting more on sheer hope and the raw potential of him rather than what he is now. What he is now isn't all that impressive, what he could be is something really special down the road. This seems like a typical spurs pick, he's probably stashed for a while so we can't really judge this one yet.

20. Philadelphia 76ers - Mattise Thybulle
Grade: C+

Just for the sheer fact that they traded up for no good reason i'm knocking points of this one. There was no need for them to move up. Offensively, he's a very meh prospect. Defensively he's a monster, serious he's 6'5 and has a 7 foot wingspan and averaged 2.3BPG and 3.5 SPG, he has a defensive rating of 88 and a DBPM of 10 with a defensive win share of .111. He could end up being one of the best defensive prospects in the league in a few years and for that alone i got to give props to them, still though, they could have stayed at 24 and drafted him.

21. Memphis Grizzlies - Brandon Clarke
Grade: A+

This is just perfect for the grizzlies, you pair him with JJJ (who can do a lot) and have him running the floor with Ja Morant. He's one of the most athletic players in the draft as well as being a high character guy who wants to improve. He's a dream guy for a franchise. He has insane efficiency (shooting almost 69% from the floor) and put effort into his 3pt shooting as well along with being a solid rebounder and a defensive monster. Memphis got a steal here and many teams above them will be kicking themselves at not taking him.

22. Boston Celtics - Grant Williams
Grade: C-

Passing on Bol Bol, Little and a number of players really for Williams who is pretty uninspiring. Yes he's a good passer of the ball and can shoot somewhat and isn't a bad defender but really Boston's decision making in this draft was bizzare. If they wanted a good P.F they could have stayed at 20 and drafted Clarke easily who does a lot of things Williams does but better. This is also a bit of a reach since Williams was a fringe first/early 2nd round pick

23. Oklahoma City Thunder - Darius Baszley
Grade: C

Its kind of hard to evaluate but OKC are going for the gamble again, they did it with Fergeson and they're doing it here with Baszley. Though Baszley is a 5 star recruit so maybe he may turn out better than Fergeson has so far. He has a fair bit of raw athleticsm and potential at least.

24. Phoenix Suns - Ty Jerome
Grade: B

Actually a solid pick, they needed a P.G and whilst i dont think he's a starter, its a good start. A national champion and someone who has an amazing Assist to turnover ratio as well as being able to shoot nicely. He's a solid player on both ends and could end up being very good for the suns (given that this was a very light year for P.G's past the first two).

25. Portland Trailblazers - Nassir Little
Grade: A+

Besides Bol Bol and maybe Reddish, the biggest steal of the draft and its a great fit as well. Little went in mocked at around 4-5 and at times, ahead of Cam Reddish. He is a 6'6 S.F with a 7'1 wingspan and honestly, despite the really poor season at UNC, he could become a guy who is elite on both ends of the floor depending on development, he has the tools neccesary for it.

26. Brooklyn Nets - Dylan Windler
Grade: A-

If he played for a bigger school, he'd have been a top 10 pick. 21/11 on 54/43 shooting (and that's not limited shooting, that's 7.3 shots per game past the arc). his offensive game is off the charts and couple that with his rebounding ability and we're talking about one of the better offensive talents in the draft and one of the more offensively complete prospects. For Brookyln, he will come in and bring points and bring points fast at the NBA level. Its a bit of a reach, but not a huge one and one that may have been neccesary given who comes after

27. Los Angeles Clippers - Mfiondu Kabengele
Grade: B-

He shows potential in a number of areas and i see why the clippers went there. He shows potential from beyond the arc, defensive potential and has good size (6'10 with a 7'3 wingspan). He's an overall solid prospect and his improvement from last year is impressive.

28. Golden State Warriors - Jordan Poole
Grade: D-

This was a reach and a half, a guy meant to go at the end of the second goes at the end of the first. I don't see what Golden State does in this guy, he's a good 3pt shooter (given the volume) but fairly mediocre in other areas. Again, they could have easily gambled on Bol Bol here if they wanted, in fact maybe they should have given their struggles at the 5 in recent years. He doesn't crash the boards really for a guard and seems to be a rather passive type of player on the offensive end in general.

29. San Antonio Spurs - Keldon Johnson
Grade: A-

This is a steal at the end of the first, Johnson is someone i thought could go at the end of the lottery given his skillset and i expected him around where San Antonio was picking at 19 so to get him at 29 is impressive. Good shooter with solid defensive rating but i can see how he went under the radar. He can develop nicely though on the spurs team

30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Kevin Porter Jr
Grade: A-

Late round steal here, should have gone around 20ish, goes 30 instead. I kind of see why he went this low cause some of the things he does is alarming (horrific FT shooter), turnover prone, not a good defender really but he does two key things well, he can shoot beyond the arc and scores efficiently in general. That can overcome any bad analytics. Its a project for Cleveland but they needed a proper 2 guard anyway.

[Spens1]

Ok going to do a quick mock draft here, won't go super in detail however.

1. Minnesota Timberwolves - Lamelo Ball

I don't think they should do this but i can see them doing this, most likely though they're trading out of the draft or significantly further down the draft.

2. Golden State Warriors - James Wiseman

They could either trade down and pick Okungwu or trade out completely and try and get another star (this may be a bit more unlikely i think). So I'm going safe and picking Wiseman here

3. Atlanta Hawks - Anthony Edwards

First trade up cause honestly i have no idea what Charlotte picks at 3 (lets say 3 for 6 + Dedmon + 50 or something to that effect, its only moving up 3 spots in a dead draft what can i say) but it ain't a backcourt player i don't think. Whilst Monk hasn't been that convincing Rozier has been surprisingly good and Graham has put up points. I don't think they need more undersized players. Edwards for Atlanta beyond the Georgia and Atlanta connections does make sense, he's a decent slasher and with Huerter, Cam and Hunter they could all also play S.F so you have good rotation options. Plus with Pierce as coach he does offer development for the most talented player they have.

4. Phoenix Suns - Obi Trippin

Trade 2 i've decided to pull off, Booker + 10 for Lavine + 4 (with all the trade rumours of Lavine, i decided to take advantage). Lavine is a pretty similarish talent (a bit worse mind you but not a massive downgrade either, he has done bits for Chicago). Trippin with Ayton would be a solid front court pairing long term and actually could be an ideal pairing. If they can keep Rubio with Lavine then this could be a playoff team next year. for Chicago, Booker is Booker but i did this mainly cause i really was stumped at who they pick here (maybe Avdija perhaps)

5. Cleveland Cavaliers - Deni Avdija

I still hate their last year pick and think that Minnesota and Cleveland should have done it the other way around (Garland to Minny and Culver to Cleveland) but Avdija would be a solid 3 for the Cav's i think. He has decent potential and with the time allowed to develop he could turn into a good S.F long term for them and maybe a decent piece for another star to come in alongside Sexton.

6. Charlotte Hornets - Oyenka Okungwu

In fairness, this is basically who i would have chosen at 3 for Charlotte anyway so no loss there. He's a great defensive talent and is a fairly smart offensive player (as in, he doesn't try to overextend himself on the offensive end really).

7. Detroit Pistons - Killian Hayes

Chances are they could trade up honestly to pick up a guy like an Edwards or Wiseman using a Derrick Rose but if they stay put, they do need a P.G of the future to pair up with Kennard in that backcourt and Hayes could be that. Highly touted P.G who could be the best potential in the class arguably. I personally like him much more than Lamelo as a prospect.

8. New York Knicks - Aleksej Pokusevski

At this stage, the knicks if they can't land one of the top picks falling (Hayes would be ideal) or trade up to land a guy like Edwards they frankly ought to trade completely out of the draft but if they keep it, they simply can't do this in half measures, they need to go big or go home. Pokusevski is a work in progress but he could absolutely become a beast and maybe another Porzingis (this time with better health), he is a good distributor of the ball, better shooter than his raw stats indicate and solid defender. Still incredibly raw of course so he's not coming in and being a superstar immediately.

9. Washington Wizards - Tyrese Haliburton

As crazy as this sounds with John Wall still there, i'd draft a P.G and actively try to ship out John Wall even if it means taking a bad contract back the other way (as long as the other player is decent as well). Maybe they can ship him off to the clippers even if they're desperate enough to get talent by any means neccesary.

10. Chicago Bulls - Isaac Okoro

The weakest position on paper for the bulls that remains, Otto Porter is decent but not the game changer many thought he could be coming in. To be fair neither is Okoro but he could provide some kind of depth and can be developed over time to become a starting 5 player.

11. San Antonio Spurs - Devin Vassell

Kind of screams spurs type pick. good shooter, great defender, seemingly high iq and the things he needs improvement on (strength and conditioning, inconsistent shot etc) is stuff the spurs can easily iron out of players. Ihe he goes to the spurs, with Lonnie walker at S.G and Samanic at P.F they have a decent core to build around long term.

12. Sacramento Kings (Picking for Indiana)- Aaron Nesmith

I don't even know with the Kings anymore, i really don't, they should be a team that on paper has it all together or at least close to it but this season they where anything but that, ideally they trade up to around 6 and pick Okungwu, really trade up for Wiseman or just trade out altogether and go for someone like Myles Turner or Domatas Sabonis, which is what i'm doing here. Lets say 12 for Turner which honestly is fairly generous in terms of trade value. He may only be 24 but his stats last year weren't that great however Sacramento are kind of stuck unless Hield is moved on as well. Pacers kind of fit Nesmith as a talent, he is a great shooter and any defensive inability would probably not matter if D'Antoni is drafted anything (pringles man still hasn't won back the D in his name to be honest), putting him behind TJ Warren or even moving Warren to P.F alongside Sabonis in a D'Antoni lineup could mean Nesmith is given license to shoot and he can shoot well.

13. New Orleans Pelicans - Josh Green

Pelicans have pretty much most pieces you could want, Zion is a generational talent at P.F, Ingram is a fantastic S.F (thanks btw for only finally shooting near 40% this year btw, could have used that the last 2 years for us ) Hayes and Okafor at Centre are both decent as well. Green here whilst he wouldn't start would get significant minutes and be allowed to develop over time to be a starter which is basically more than i can say for most other talent. I could see the Pelicans being a team that either trades up or trades out completely in pursuit of a P.G upgrade over Lonzo.

14. Boston Celtics - Precious Achiuwa

With the lack of otherwise viable big men i'd say this is a good fit. Got a good wingspan and pasable 3pt rate for a big. defensively he's a beast (only allowed 81 points per 100 posessions). Could be converted into a centre on that celtics roster, nearly went with him at Sacramento and could easily fit there (in which case, Turner for 14 is viable).

[Spens1]

I'll do a quick draft review for 2021

Pistons - Cade Cunningham (A)

They did what they needed to do, they didn't get cute with this pick and went with the consensus #1 pick. He could really turn around this franchise and he's genuinely excited to be a Piston. Could end up being a Piston for life or close to it.

Houston - Jalen Green (A-)

I personally think that Mobley is the better player here but i absolutely get why they wanted a guard and Jalen Green could end up being that franchise S.G. Looks like he'll end up being the best overall scorer out of this draft and could be a 20-25PPG guy out of the gate given that he's going to be the guy they turn to immediately.

Cleveland - Evan Mobley (A)

I like this pick a lot. He could fit with Allen as a 4 given how mobile he is but also could end up being the 5 if they move on from him. He's a guy who could end up stretching the floor and being a beast defensively and his athleticism makes him a generational talent potentially who seems like your prototypical big in the modern NBA.

Raptors - Scottie Barnes (F)

I hate this pick with passion. One, i think that despite his talent (and he is talented) he is wildly overrated. Yes he's very athletic and a good defender, good passer and has good physicals (6'8 with a 7'2 wingspan are all things you can't ignore) but his shooting is horrendously bad for a 20 year old and its not just the 3pt percentage. 62% from FT indicates its an overall thing and if you've seen him play you'll see its a mechanics thing that needs to be broken down and retrained (and thats never an easy thing and don't let anyone tell you otherwise, not everyone is Kawhi). He's a poor rebounder for his size and despite his passing skills he also turns it over a lot. If the scouting is true and he's become a good shooter then great, he's a top guy you could build around. If we're evaluating him as of now, you're getting another very weak offensive player who is a good defender. The last thing the raptors need is more of those types of players. This is before we even mention that they passed on Jalen Suggs (a guy who was perfect here, a great leader, decent passer in his own right and a winning player in general and despite being a poor shooter) who was better and wanted to be there pretty badly (granted Barnes was also happy but Suggs was clearly a bit despondant afterwards. Barnes should have been going 6th or 7th. In a 4 man draft they picked someone outside the 4.

Orlando Magic - Jalen Suggs (A+)

No brainer, select the best player available by a distance who actually does fit somewhat needs (though they need everything given how dire they are). I feel for Suggs cause he seemed a bit meh on this but he's the ultimate professional so he'll get over any dissappointment about going to the Magic and get to work and look about turning around the Magic (and they need turning around in the worst way).

Oklahoma City Thunder - Josh Giddey (D)

I get what they where doing but this is still a big reach. I like the fit next to SGA even but they needed to trade down to do this or use 16, 18 and their other assets to move up and get Giddey and take Kuminga here. So in a way this isn't even against the pick cause Giddey at the point and SGA at S.G makes sense, but Giddey wasn't going to go before 10 most likely to Memphis if that really. This could have been Giddey, SGA and Kuminga coming out of this draft for them.

Golden State Warriors - Johnathon Kuminga (A+)

I doubt he starts the season here and he'll be included in a trade package but what a piece he is truly. One of the highest potential players. I don't even hate his now that much honestly, for all the hate he gets for his 3pt shot, its basically the same level as Barnes and Kuminga is an even more explosive athlete and better rebounder. Also he played professionally with the G-League ignite and his coach said he was the most pro ready (which is a bit surprising given he had Green but that says a lot). If he can work on being more efficient and works on that shot he'll be the 2nd or 3rd best guy in this draft after Cade and maybe Green (could end up being better than Green tbh as well).

Orlando Magic - Franz Wagner (D+)

Right idea, wrong player. Drafting at the small forward was correct but they needed a more offensively minded player (namely Kispert). I get why they went for Wagner cause Orlando love their wings who can defend, but offensively he's not that special. by no means is he bad offensively, he's a slightly below average to average 3pt shot and given what he does defensively, on the boards and even as a secondary passer he does a lot right but yo u have a guy like that in but you have a defensive minded forward like that in Isaac who honestly despite the size difference, isn't that different. Orlando need a bit of an offensive spark and linking up the two Gonzaga stars would have been the better play. I think Kispert's lack of defense could have been overcome by a strong defensive culture (not to mention Kispert's athleticism and b-ball iq could have led to him being an average, maybe slightly below average defender eventually), his offense though was needed here desperately cause Orlando was 2nd last in the league for scoring and Wagner won't do much to ease those woes (not even Suggs alone can do that). As it stands, a lot of the offense will come from their two likely starting guards in Suggs and Fultz.

Sacramento Kings - Davion Mitchell (C)

I'm of two minds on this pick. On the surface this is very much a kangz pick. Their two top players and prospects are Fox, the presumptive franchise player and Halilburton who was their top pick last year. However this does make a lot of sense as well. Mitchell is a proven winner with Baylor and they need a workhorse culture guy like him who is absolutely rapid, a proper athlete who can run the floor like not many people can. I'm presuming something must give cause this team as it stands will have Fox, Halilburton and Mitchell so unless they drafted a 6th man here (which is stupid if you still have needs in your starting lineup by the way, which the kings do basically in all non backcourt positions), I presume one of the three will move on (my pick, Fox for Simmons as a base could work)

Memphis Grizzlies - Ziaire Williams (D-)

So the Grizzlies traded up 7 spots and gave up Valenciunas and took on salary, to pick a guy who was going to be there at 17 anyway. I'm presuming they thought Giddey would be here at 10 but this is a rubbish backup option. if anyone needed to go back to school it was Williams. Granted covid messed up the season for them but it seems everything that could go wrong for him did this year at college. Granted I also see what Memphis could do, the potential is there and before this season most had Williams just outside the top 5 and around the 7th or 8th pick. He's a freak athlete who could make a decent secondary ball handler (taking a bit of the pressure off Ja) and with his size and within that Memphis system could become a very good defender (despite not really having a good season he showed flashes of defensive greatness). What Memphis have drafted though is a project and its baffling they went for such a project when Bouknight, Moody and even Duarte (even if his ceiling is basically what he is now) all where there as 2 guards. Now if this turns out, great, but this is a project and a half Memphis have undertaken and they may have taken the hard road for no good reason.

Charlotte Hornets - James Bouknight (A)

I didn't love Bouknight higher where most had him going 6 (think he was a player in the best of the rest category) but the fit is undeniable next to Lamelo and his 3pt shot whilst poor at college will probably be better at the NBA (actually shot ok from FT which is an indicator here), won't be asked to handle the ball as much which should mean less turnovers and he'll be more focused on offense where he knows how to score. Already not a bad defender and can only get better i think as well, pretty much he could end up being the perfect complementary piece to Lonzo which is an excellent pickup here at 11. Think he'll start off the bench behind Monk but by the end of the season once he gets a bit of consistency on that shot

San Antonio Spurs - Joshua Primo (F)

I think RC Buford and Pop lost their minds. This is a historic reach really that hasn't been seen since Papagiannis was selected by the Kings. there was some rumblings that maybe that a team may look at him early, but those reports where about teams looking at him at around 26-28 with the earliest team i heard about was the lakers at 22. At 12 this is just bizzare and honestly i wonder why they didn't just trade back if they wanted him, their was no reason to stay at 12 since he wasn't going for another 10 picks at least. The ultimate project player being the youngest player in the draft. he was projected as a 2nd rounder. He didn't really do much at Alabama and despite showing glimpses and he can be a decent defensive prospect but this is the ultimate reach. Not only that it doesn't even make sense from a fit standpoint including last years pick Devin Vassell and 2018 first rounder Lonnie Walker. Not to mention if they wanted a S.G there was Moses Moody who is more ready now (and is still a high ceiling player), Duarte if they wanted a player who could go now, Keon Johnson who whilst raw is a hell of an athlete and still probably better than Primo is now. On the balance of things, probably the worst pick thus far.

Indiana Pacers - Chris Duarte (B)

Duarte does make the Pacers better now and they needed a solid S.G next to Brogdon in that lineup who could immediately contribute and make them a playoff team again. At 24 he is what he is most likely and that's ok. Getting a 3&D guy who is ready to go now and make a playoff push. Only pick maybe i'd like more here is Kispert in terms of scoring but Duarte makes more sense in terms of starters. They did what they needed to do really, it maybe a reach in terms of a traditional sense but the Pacers aren't a team who really should be in the lottery really for the long term since they have some real talent and should be looking to get back into those mid seeds again.

Golden State Warriors - Moses Moody (A)

I'd imagine the Warriors would be thrilled. They considered taking him at 7 and may have if the draft played out as expected (Suggs, Kuminga and Barnes all gone) and they still got him at 14, thats an absolute win here. Moody absolutely could come off the bench and contribute to some degree this year and long term could end up as a solid 3&D, potential 3rd or 4th option scoring wise in the long term, most likely this gets traded as well as they look to get another all star but again like Kuminga, another valuable trade asset that they can add to get an all star.