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Less than week away. I've done more research than Id like to admit lol. This is considered a very deep draft with lots of second round potential. Log jam of guards that could easily be shuffled in a variety of ways based on preference. Not deep on Big men so might be some reaching for guys who can play in the paint.
Pacers have 4 picks inside the top 32 picks so Id imagine they will make a deal of some sort.
My mock
1 spurs Victor Wembayana c
no brainer #1 pick. 7-5 with all the skills. Can defend and hit jumpers and take guys off the dribble. Spurs have a franchise changing piece to build around
2 hornets Scoot Henderson pg
Not best fit to match with lamelo as Scoot needs the ball in his hands, but hes an explosive pg who attacks the paint. Excellent in pick and roll. If his jumper becomes knockdown, watchout
3 blazers Branden Miller sf
Long and skilled sf who can shoot it and has potential to be a 20ppg scorer for a long time. A little concerning how much he struggled in the tourney for me, but this guy has a presence about him on the court like he can take over at any time
4 rockets Amen Thompson combo gaurd
6-7 primary ball handler who is freak athlete. Shot needs work but has great feel for the game and can do bit of everything. Compared to a more athletic dejounte murray
5 pistons Cam Whitmore sf
stocky 6-6 wing who loves to attack the paint where he is explosive above the rim finisher and has beautiful three point shot. Potential to be a go to offensive player. Only big knock is he is a bit of black hole and averaged less than 1 apg
6 magic Anthony Black pg
6-8 pg who loves to pass and make the right play. Elite defender. Not a good shooter though. The Magic already have some of that in suggs and fultz so not sure what direction they go here but Black is a guy that you can put onto a court and he impacts the game on both ends without dominating the ball
7 pacers Jarace Walker pf
Big physical pf who can do bit of everything on defense. Will gaurd his man and can switch on others. Offensively he's a little more finesse than youd like but he flashes skills that (combined with his physique) shows lots of upside
8 wizards Ausar Thompson sg
Wizards are in position to take best upside available as they might be blowing things up. Ausar who is the twin of Amen Thompson has all the athletic ability and is able to play either wing spot at 6-7. Shooting mechanics are further along them Amens but still not very good
9 jazz Jalen Hood Schifino pg
All around pg with good size and ability to get into the paint. No glaring weakness but needs to show that he can break guys down more consistently to create looks for teammates.
10 mavericks Taylor Hendricks pf
Good rim protector who can also really shoot the ball and can move his feet defensively and get out and run. Doesnt finish well in paint or create his own shot, but a three and D big man with agility to switch on wings is perfect fit for Dallas
11 magic Dereck Lively c
7 foot shot blocker who rebounds well. Didnt show much on offense at duke but reports out of workouts is that he is showing good touch on his shot and has potential to develop into a stretch big. Magic could use rim protection behind Banchero
12 thunder Kobe Bufkin sg
Thunder have plenty of young pieces so Im just going to go with flat out best player on my board here. bufkin is a combo gaurd who can create his own shot and hit from distance as well as off the bounce and is scrappy on defense
13 raptors Cason Wallace pg
Who knows if van fleet will be back. Even if he is, Wallace is a top notch defender who can gaurd both gaurd spots. Nothing flashy on offense but he has the tools to be a solid 2 way player and he finishes well in the paint and has good form on his shot
14 pelicans Gradey Dick sf
knockdown shooter with good size at 6-8 and keeps the ball high throughout release which allows him to get his shot off quickly without much room.
15 hawks Keyonte George sg
explosive scoring sg who can take and make tough shots. Reports are he looked in better shape during workouts than he did as freshman at Baylor and might show more off the dribble playmaking skills where he has potential to do more than just chuck up shots
16 jazz Bilal Coulibaly sf
Long athletic wing man with good defensive potential and uses his length well in the paint finishing and rebounding. Jump shot is showing progress but hes still a project who needs time.
17 lakers Jordan Hawkins sg
He doesnt do much outside of shooting but hes the best shooter in this entire draft. Can shoot off the move and squares up instantly. Hell be a jj redick type where defenses will always have to know where hes at.
18 heat Jett Howard sg
It would be fitting to have Juwon Howards son join the Heat. Jett is a 6-8 shooting gaurd who I personally think will be the 2nd best shooter from this draft behind only Hawkins. Jett already shows no hesitation pulling deep NBA range shots. Weak defender and doesnt create off the bounce well, but he does make quick decisions with ball and makes the extra pass. Hell be a catch and shoot specialist.
19 warriors Leonard Miller pf
I love this fit for the warriors. Miller is a great ball handler for a big man who can develop into a bit of point forward. He gets Lamar Odom comparisons style wise. His jumper is ugly though and hell need to really excel at other things to justify staying on the court but hes got the tools and averaged close to 20 and 10 in the G league
20 rockets GG Jackson pf
GG is the youngest player in this draft and it often shows with his lack of discipline. Needs lots of fine tuning on both ends of the court, but this guy could be a steal. 6-9 with perimeter skills and can create his own shot. Personally, I think long term he will end up as someone that should have gone lottery when its all said and done
21 nets nick smith jr sg
One of the nations top highschool recruits a year ago, he underperformed in college albeit with some injuries limiting him. Slight frame but moves around the court very fluidly and can stop and shoot from anywhere. Nice floater in the paint. Really struggled in college with efficiency and often turned down good looks to settle for worse ones trying to create off the dribble
22 nets Kris Murray pf
Excellent outside shooter who can attack the paint and even post up a little. Similar to his brother Sacramentos Keegan Murray although more interior oriented and not quite the quick release, but still very skilled on offense.
23 blazers Trayce Jackson Davis pf
23 year old big man who cant stretch the floor is out of style these days for draft prospects. But Davis put up 20 / 11/ 4 last year at Indiana and is an excellent passer and rebounder who can give you minutes at center. Should be ready to contribute early which is what the blazers want if they plan to keep Lillard and compete
24 kings Jamie Jaquez sf
Kings are in win now mode and Jaquez is a ready to contribute rookie. He can potentially take some minutes from Harrison Barnes and allow the kings to go with a smaller lineup. Excellent mid range game where he uses combination of ball handling and footwork to get quality shots
25 grizzlies Rayan Rupert sg
French wing player who excels with ball in his hands in open court where he shows great court vision and loves to pass and play at fast tempo. Can be elite defender at 1-3 spots. Raw as a shooter and sometimes drives into traffic and jumps to pass which can get him in trouble.
26 pacers Brice Sensabraugh sf
quality shooter who hit over 40 from three last year at ohio state. Muscular build at 6-6 who can absorb contact when he penetrates. Needs to defend better to stay on the court
27 hornets Olivier Maxense Prosper pf
combo forward with good length and ability to be impact player on defense who does a lot of the garbage things on offense without dominating the ball. Solid spot up shooter and constantly cuts and stays active.
28 jazz Noah Clowney pf
Long athletic pf who is slight of frame and raw but uses length well to protect rim and has a solid outside stroke where he projects as 3 and D big man down the line
29 pacers Brandin Podziemski sg
Tough nosed guard who can rebound and shoot and do little bit of everything. Has reputation for being scrappy plus his skill level is quite high. Concern that he came out of nowhere last season after transferring to a mid major. Good shooter, but can he get separation is the question.
30 clippers Dariq Whitehaead sf
Knock down shooter with good physical and athletic traits from the wing. Underperformed in college compared to what was expected of him but hes had nagging foot issues that resulted in 2 surgeries over last year that slowed him down. Could be a steal if he gets back to 100% health and be a bucket getter
OTHER GUYS WITH 1st ROUND POTENTIAL:
Maxwell Lewis sf
Colby Jones sg
Ben Sheppard sg
Amari Bailey pg
Andre Jackson sg
Siddy Cissoko sg
James Nnaji c
Marcus Sasser pg
Kobe Brown pf
Julian Strawther sf
Pacers have 4 picks inside the top 32 picks so Id imagine they will make a deal of some sort.
My mock
1 spurs Victor Wembayana c
no brainer #1 pick. 7-5 with all the skills. Can defend and hit jumpers and take guys off the dribble. Spurs have a franchise changing piece to build around
2 hornets Scoot Henderson pg
Not best fit to match with lamelo as Scoot needs the ball in his hands, but hes an explosive pg who attacks the paint. Excellent in pick and roll. If his jumper becomes knockdown, watchout
3 blazers Branden Miller sf
Long and skilled sf who can shoot it and has potential to be a 20ppg scorer for a long time. A little concerning how much he struggled in the tourney for me, but this guy has a presence about him on the court like he can take over at any time
4 rockets Amen Thompson combo gaurd
6-7 primary ball handler who is freak athlete. Shot needs work but has great feel for the game and can do bit of everything. Compared to a more athletic dejounte murray
5 pistons Cam Whitmore sf
stocky 6-6 wing who loves to attack the paint where he is explosive above the rim finisher and has beautiful three point shot. Potential to be a go to offensive player. Only big knock is he is a bit of black hole and averaged less than 1 apg
6 magic Anthony Black pg
6-8 pg who loves to pass and make the right play. Elite defender. Not a good shooter though. The Magic already have some of that in suggs and fultz so not sure what direction they go here but Black is a guy that you can put onto a court and he impacts the game on both ends without dominating the ball
7 pacers Jarace Walker pf
Big physical pf who can do bit of everything on defense. Will gaurd his man and can switch on others. Offensively he's a little more finesse than youd like but he flashes skills that (combined with his physique) shows lots of upside
8 wizards Ausar Thompson sg
Wizards are in position to take best upside available as they might be blowing things up. Ausar who is the twin of Amen Thompson has all the athletic ability and is able to play either wing spot at 6-7. Shooting mechanics are further along them Amens but still not very good
9 jazz Jalen Hood Schifino pg
All around pg with good size and ability to get into the paint. No glaring weakness but needs to show that he can break guys down more consistently to create looks for teammates.
10 mavericks Taylor Hendricks pf
Good rim protector who can also really shoot the ball and can move his feet defensively and get out and run. Doesnt finish well in paint or create his own shot, but a three and D big man with agility to switch on wings is perfect fit for Dallas
11 magic Dereck Lively c
7 foot shot blocker who rebounds well. Didnt show much on offense at duke but reports out of workouts is that he is showing good touch on his shot and has potential to develop into a stretch big. Magic could use rim protection behind Banchero
12 thunder Kobe Bufkin sg
Thunder have plenty of young pieces so Im just going to go with flat out best player on my board here. bufkin is a combo gaurd who can create his own shot and hit from distance as well as off the bounce and is scrappy on defense
13 raptors Cason Wallace pg
Who knows if van fleet will be back. Even if he is, Wallace is a top notch defender who can gaurd both gaurd spots. Nothing flashy on offense but he has the tools to be a solid 2 way player and he finishes well in the paint and has good form on his shot
14 pelicans Gradey Dick sf
knockdown shooter with good size at 6-8 and keeps the ball high throughout release which allows him to get his shot off quickly without much room.
15 hawks Keyonte George sg
explosive scoring sg who can take and make tough shots. Reports are he looked in better shape during workouts than he did as freshman at Baylor and might show more off the dribble playmaking skills where he has potential to do more than just chuck up shots
16 jazz Bilal Coulibaly sf
Long athletic wing man with good defensive potential and uses his length well in the paint finishing and rebounding. Jump shot is showing progress but hes still a project who needs time.
17 lakers Jordan Hawkins sg
He doesnt do much outside of shooting but hes the best shooter in this entire draft. Can shoot off the move and squares up instantly. Hell be a jj redick type where defenses will always have to know where hes at.
18 heat Jett Howard sg
It would be fitting to have Juwon Howards son join the Heat. Jett is a 6-8 shooting gaurd who I personally think will be the 2nd best shooter from this draft behind only Hawkins. Jett already shows no hesitation pulling deep NBA range shots. Weak defender and doesnt create off the bounce well, but he does make quick decisions with ball and makes the extra pass. Hell be a catch and shoot specialist.
19 warriors Leonard Miller pf
I love this fit for the warriors. Miller is a great ball handler for a big man who can develop into a bit of point forward. He gets Lamar Odom comparisons style wise. His jumper is ugly though and hell need to really excel at other things to justify staying on the court but hes got the tools and averaged close to 20 and 10 in the G league
20 rockets GG Jackson pf
GG is the youngest player in this draft and it often shows with his lack of discipline. Needs lots of fine tuning on both ends of the court, but this guy could be a steal. 6-9 with perimeter skills and can create his own shot. Personally, I think long term he will end up as someone that should have gone lottery when its all said and done
21 nets nick smith jr sg
One of the nations top highschool recruits a year ago, he underperformed in college albeit with some injuries limiting him. Slight frame but moves around the court very fluidly and can stop and shoot from anywhere. Nice floater in the paint. Really struggled in college with efficiency and often turned down good looks to settle for worse ones trying to create off the dribble
22 nets Kris Murray pf
Excellent outside shooter who can attack the paint and even post up a little. Similar to his brother Sacramentos Keegan Murray although more interior oriented and not quite the quick release, but still very skilled on offense.
23 blazers Trayce Jackson Davis pf
23 year old big man who cant stretch the floor is out of style these days for draft prospects. But Davis put up 20 / 11/ 4 last year at Indiana and is an excellent passer and rebounder who can give you minutes at center. Should be ready to contribute early which is what the blazers want if they plan to keep Lillard and compete
24 kings Jamie Jaquez sf
Kings are in win now mode and Jaquez is a ready to contribute rookie. He can potentially take some minutes from Harrison Barnes and allow the kings to go with a smaller lineup. Excellent mid range game where he uses combination of ball handling and footwork to get quality shots
25 grizzlies Rayan Rupert sg
French wing player who excels with ball in his hands in open court where he shows great court vision and loves to pass and play at fast tempo. Can be elite defender at 1-3 spots. Raw as a shooter and sometimes drives into traffic and jumps to pass which can get him in trouble.
26 pacers Brice Sensabraugh sf
quality shooter who hit over 40 from three last year at ohio state. Muscular build at 6-6 who can absorb contact when he penetrates. Needs to defend better to stay on the court
27 hornets Olivier Maxense Prosper pf
combo forward with good length and ability to be impact player on defense who does a lot of the garbage things on offense without dominating the ball. Solid spot up shooter and constantly cuts and stays active.
28 jazz Noah Clowney pf
Long athletic pf who is slight of frame and raw but uses length well to protect rim and has a solid outside stroke where he projects as 3 and D big man down the line
29 pacers Brandin Podziemski sg
Tough nosed guard who can rebound and shoot and do little bit of everything. Has reputation for being scrappy plus his skill level is quite high. Concern that he came out of nowhere last season after transferring to a mid major. Good shooter, but can he get separation is the question.
30 clippers Dariq Whitehaead sf
Knock down shooter with good physical and athletic traits from the wing. Underperformed in college compared to what was expected of him but hes had nagging foot issues that resulted in 2 surgeries over last year that slowed him down. Could be a steal if he gets back to 100% health and be a bucket getter
OTHER GUYS WITH 1st ROUND POTENTIAL:
Maxwell Lewis sf
Colby Jones sg
Ben Sheppard sg
Amari Bailey pg
Andre Jackson sg
Siddy Cissoko sg
James Nnaji c
Marcus Sasser pg
Kobe Brown pf
Julian Strawther sf