2021 NBA Mock Draft Volume 1
This is the first Mock Draft of the 2021 NBA Draft. This is a mock draft prior to the lottery; my second will be amended after the lottery. These selections are based on a combination where players are expected to be drafted, team needs, and some players who have been scouted by teams. The draft order is according to Tankathon.
In this draft, I discussed what I think the floor and
ceiling is for each player. For the
lottery picks, I discussed each player in depth and made a comparison. For the remaining picks in the first round, I
discussed also each player in a little less depth.
These picks are subject to change as a result of the
lottery, combine, and individual workouts.
1. HOU: Cade Cunningham
a.
Oklahoma State, PG/SG, Freshman
b.
Ceiling:
Superstar point guard
c.
Floor: Fringe
All-Star Combo Guard
d.
Comp: Luka
Doncic on sale; better defensively, but worse on offense
What makes teams salivate over Cunningham is that he is a
tall point guard (6’8) who can also shoot.
The truth of the matter is that he is one of the most skilled players in
the draft and probably has the highest floor.
He should be able to defend multiple positions, can play on or off the
ball, is a strong finisher, plays hard at both ends, has been known to be a
good teammate and leader, and is so knowledgeable about the game. As for weaknesses? Well, he has some lapses with his decision
making in terms of making risky passes, which resulted in more turnovers than
assists in college, and isn’t an elite athlete (though he is a good athlete) so
he would likely struggle against quicker players and craftier big men. As for what he can become, there are
questions about if he can be the superstar on a team considering many compare
him to Ben Simmons. I think with his
skillset and aggressiveness in finding his shots he is more like Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander than Simmons, so I think that is a non-issue.
As for Houston, they need a superstar at this point, and
Cunningham will pair well with potential building blocks in Christian Wood and Kevin
Porter Jr. and supporting cast members of KJ Martin and Jae’Sean Tate due to
his shooting, playmaking, IQ in the pick and roll, ability to switch
defensively, and effort on both ends.
2. DET: Evan Mobley
a.
USC, PF/C, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: Superstar
big man
c.
Floor:
Starting center
d.
Comp: Between
skinnier Chris Bosh and more skilled Christian Wood
Mobley is an impressive big man who has constantly received
comparisons to Chris Bosh due to his skill level. In addition to being a terrific athlete and
skilled defender to pair with his size (7’0), he is also a smart defender who
rarely bites at pump fakes and makes silly fouls. He is also a skilled passer, good finisher,
and has a decent shooting stroke. That
said, his shots have not been consistent in terms of falling so far from either
behind the arc or at the line, so that is probably an indicator of how his
shooting will be at least early in his career.
He is also skinny (215 lbs.), which will make it tougher for him to
guard many defenders, and doesn’t have a particularly advanced low post
game. Many have questioned whether he
can be the star of a championship team at his position, but even if he isn’t, I
expect he will be one of the top 2 or 3 players on one.
Detroit is in rebuild mode and realistically should try to
acquire whoever they consider the best player remaining. While they have Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Josh
Jackson, Hamidou Diallo, Killian Hayes, and other young players, I don’t
believe any of them are good enough to sway away from any player. In the short turn, Mobley could always play
alongside Mason Plumlee or Stewart if they want to shelter him from tougher
assignments to start his career, and they could have a superstar on their
hands.
3. ORL: Jalen Green
a.
G-League Ignite, SG
b.
Ceiling: Superstar
wing
c.
Floor: Scoring
minded 6th man/starter
d.
Comp:
Zach LaVine
Every so often, there is a wing player who is a great
slasher and an elite athlete; Green is the next iteration of this, but he is
different than some previous iterations.
While his athleticism is his best feature (there’s a case to be made he’s
the best athlete in either this class or last class, but his competition for
this class will be mentioned soon), he is more skilled than many similar
players prior to him. He is a good
ball-handler, strong finisher at the rim, solid shooter, and is improving at
defense and passing. That said, he needs
some seasoning with passing, is a streaky shooter, and has lost focus at times
defensively. That said, I could see him
being a star in the NBA.
The Magic are in rebuild mode and while they have several
young players who range from good to have some potential, including Jonathan
Isaac, Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton, Markelle Fultz, Wendell Carter Jr., Chuma
Okeke, and Mo Bamba, there is no guarantee that any of them will be a superstar
(though I wouldn’t be surprised if Anthony is one). Green feels like a safer bet for the Magic to
be one and can play alongside several of the players mentioned previously as
well.
4. OKC: Jalen Suggs
a.
Gonzaga, PG, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: Superstar
point guard
c.
Floor: Starting
Point Guard of a Playoff Team
d.
Comp:
Chauncy Billups with early career Jamal Murray’s jumper
Suggs is my favorite player in this draft for a bunch of
reasons: his floor is so high, I consider
him NBA ready, he plays hard at both ends, he’s a great athlete, and he effectively
was willing to take a backseat with his own stats in college for the benefit of
the team. Make no mistake though, he is
a star who can score and get open looks for others. He is also a strong defender (especially on
the ball), crashes the glass, has been considered by many to be a great
teammate and leader, and has a high basketball IQ. He isn’t the best shooter yet, but I think he
will be a league average shooter to for the first few years. He also might have difficulties finishing
inside the paint, but I think he will be able to adjust. The biggest question mark is if his ceiling
is as high as the others in the top 5. I
think he could be a superstar, but there’s a good chance that he could also be
more like a Kyle Lowry or Chauncy Billups type player where he won’t be the best
player on a championship team.
As for Oklahoma City, it would also make sense for them to
draft Jonathan Kuminga due to his upside, but Suggs is a stronger shooter and
is more polished, which will be a great fit alongside players like Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander, Theo Maledon, Darius Bazley, Aleksej Pokusevski, Isaiah
Roby, and Ty Jerome. I think the long-term
fit of him and Gilgeous-Alexander will be incredible as well.
5. CLE: Jonathan Kuminga
a.
G-League Ignite, SF/PF
b.
Ceiling: Superstar
forward and annual All-Defense candidate
c.
Floor:
15-20 MPG bench player
d.
Comp: Luol
Deng with more aggression towards his shot.
In my opinion, Kuminga likely has the highest ceiling out of
the top 5, but also has easily the lowest floor. I would argue that he is the best athlete in
this class (though there is a case for Green) and he is a very good
rebounder. He has also shown glimpses of
potential playmaking, creating shots, and defending. That said, he is incredibly raw and is a few
years from being ready to contribute consistently. To say his decision making and focus are sporadic
at this time is generous; he often takes bad shots, isn’t strong at playing with
the offense, and is often unfocused defensively. He has also been a horrid shooter, which I
don’t know if that will ever improve.
That said, he is only 18 and has loads of potential, so he might be
worth the gamble if a team struck out on getting one of the previous 4 players.
For Cleveland, they will likely take the best player
available with this pick. The issue here
is that I don’t think that Kuminga is the cleanest fit here because he is a few
years behind several other players with the Cavs and they might not want to
wait. While I could see them giving up
on him prior to him reaching his potential, if they can be patient for a few
more years, it would pay off for them.
6. GSW (from MIN): Scottie Barnes
a.
Florida State, SF/PF, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: Annual
Defensive Player of the Year candidate
c.
Floor: Quality defensive starting forward/bench point
forward
d.
Comp: Jonathan
Isaac with a more playmaking or slightly less athletic Ben Simmons
Barnes is an interesting talent because instead of a 3-and-D
player, we could see something like a pass-and-D like player. He looks like he will be an elite defender at
multiple positions and could be something reminiscent of Ben Simmons with him
playing all over the place. On top of
that, he has shown ability as a point guard, which is insane considering he is
6’9. It wouldn’t surprise me if he
develops into a point guard in the NBA and there are times he reminds me of
Simmons or Justice Winslow with what he did as a playmaker in college. He is also an aggressive finisher and
rebounder. That said, he a putrid
shooter and I’m not sure that he will develop into even an average
shooter. He also isn’t the best scorer
away from the rim, which might damper his offensive impact. That said, at worst he will be a strong
defender who can playmake.
I expect Golden State will try to trade this pick, but if
for whatever reason they don’t, Barnes could fill in as a backup guard/forward anytime
that Steph Curry and/or Draymond Green are on the bench. I think someone like James Wiseman could
benefit from being alongside him in the long term, while Curry and Klay Thompson
could get all sorts of open looks when playing next to him.
7. TOR: Davion Mitchell
a.
Baylor, PG, Junior
b.
Ceiling:
Fringe All-Star
c.
Floor: Top
bench player/quality starter
d.
Comp: Fred
VanVleet
Mitchell is probably the most NBA ready lottery talent
considering he is a 22-year-old redshirt junior. While he won’t be for a team looking for a
star, he is an all-around skilled player.
He shot well from deep his final year, is a smart player on and off the
ball, is a good decision maker, and an excellent defender. That said, he never shot well from behind the
arc until last year and his free throw numbers were subpar, which might be a
red flag for his shooting. He also isn’t
an elite athlete and probably doesn’t have a high ceiling compared to others,
but a team that cares more about the floor than the ceiling would love him.
At this point, Toronto has a solid team and mainly missed
the playoffs as a result of a lot of bad luck with injuries. That said, the future of Kyle Lowry with the
team is uncertain, which will be a massive gap in their team. While Fred VanVleet and Malachi Flynn will
likely be able to take a massive brunt of the guard work, Toronto might be
interested in adding another guard who can play on or off the ball. He is NBA ready and could fill a role for
them immediately.
8. ORL (from CHI): Keon Johnson
a.
Tennessee, SG/SF, Freshman
b.
Ceiling:
All-Star wing with All-Defensive ability
c.
Floor: Strong bench defender and energy guy
d.
Comp: Early
career Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with Kyle Lowry intensity defensively
To add yet another elite athlete to the top 10, Johnson is an
incredible athlete who is plays very hard at both ends of the floor. In particular, he is probably one of the
stronger defenders out of the one-and-done players in this draft and plays with
incredible yet calculated intensity on that end of the floor. He’s a little bit rawer on the offensive end,
as he can be sloppy with the ball and didn’t shoot well from 3 in his year at
Tennessee. That said, I don’t think his
shooting will be as bad as it looked in college; he had a bit of a hitch in his
release from deep, but shot over 70% at the line, so I figure he might be able
to become a league average shooter. He
is also a little skinny (6’5, 186 lbs.), but I’m not worried about that
long-term in his case since he can grow into it. If his offense improves, he could wind up
being something incredible for Orlando.
At worst, he can clean up messes on defense and motivate the team.
As mentioned before, Orlando needs talent. While they already drafted a wing and have
multiple guards, Johnson is the best player available. Johnson is a good defender and is likely to
improve on offense, so he will be a desirable player at this point in the
draft.
9. SAC: Franz Wagner
a.
Michigan, SG/SF, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling: Fringe
All-Star wing
c.
Floor: All-around
quality bench player/starter
d.
Comp:
Discount Gordon Hayward with less athleticism
Wagner is likely one of the most complete players in this
draft and is very good at several skills.
He is a complete player who can shoot, defend, pass, screen, and set up
others well. While he isn’t quite elite,
he is good at several skills. He isn’t
an elite athlete which probably limits his upside, but there are several teams
who could benefit from his ability to be a playmaker, shoot, and move. In particular, he always seems to be in the
right spot and making the right decision.
Part of why I feel like Michigan made it to the Elite Eight despite not
having Isaiah Livers was because Wagner was able to be an x-factor even if he
wasn’t a star in the counting stats areas.
It’s a bit of a mystery what Sacramento’s next few years
will look like, as they have struggled with placing the right players around De’Aaron
Fox at points. They struck gold with
Tyrese Haliburton, might have something with Richaun Holmes, and have some
quality veterans in Harrison Barnes and Delon Wright, but the future is a bit
murkier for them after that. Wagner will
be a great complimentary piece around Fox since he can be a secondary playmaker
and move around to create lots of room for everyone.
10. NOP: Corey Kispert
a.
Gonzaga, SF, Senior
b.
Ceiling:
Fringe All-Star shooter
c.
Floor: Bench
shooter
d.
Comp: Bojan
Bogdanovic
A 22-year-old wing, Kispert might not have the ceiling that
many of the other players previously mentioned, but he is NBA ready due in
large part to his shooting ability. He
is a great shot creator and has the potential to be a 50-40-90 shooter soon
into his career. He isn’t as good as
many athletes in the lottery, but he was a solid defender in college due to his
basketball IQ and effort. He likely
wouldn’t be the lead ball handler at any point, but there is a chance he could
be a decent secondary ball handler. If
everything were to work out right for every player in the lottery (which won’t
happen), he likely would be the worst player in the group, but he is an NBA
ready talent who can be valuable for a team that already has an established
star.
There are two things the Pelicans can really use alongside superstar
pillar Zion Williamson: shooting and
defense. Good luck finding defense in
the NBA Draft, but Kispert can help with the shooting. He is a great player off the ball, plays
hard, is a great teammate, and is a smart player; in other words, he is just
what the Pelicans are screaming for.
11. CHO: Jalen Johnson
a.
Duke, SF, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: All-Star
wing/point forward
c.
Floor:
Bench forward and secondary ball handler
d.
Comp: Miami
Heat Justice Winslow with slightly worse decision making
Johnson is a bit of a high risk, high reward type
player. He is an incredible athlete who is
quite exciting to watch get to the rim.
He also absolutely loves passing and has shown strong ability to set
others up in the right positions. There
have been glimpses of him being a good rebounder and defender. That said, he is raw and often unfocused; his
attention on defense frequently waivers and has several lapses. He also isn’t the best decision maker at
times, but this should improve with practice.
Saying his offense is a work in progress right now is generous, as he
has a funky shot (despite shooting from a high percentage at Duke), isn’t a
good free throw shooter, and often tries to avoid contact, making him
ineffective in the half court at times.
A lot of teams are also concerned about the fact that he left IMG
Academy during his senior year and Duke after 13 games last year; I’m not particularly
concerned about the Duke departure considering it was during Covid. That said, his athleticism and willingness to
pass is not something you find every day.
While the Hornets are more in the market for a center, the
best remaining are probably a few years behind the development of Charlotte’s
team. Rather, they could take a bigger
wing in Johnson who is also a bit of a project but has the upside that could
make him fun in transition with LaMelo Ball while potentially being a star. While they have multiple players who can
handle the ball, a tall ball handler is tough to pass up (no pun intended).
12. SAS: Alperen Sengun
a.
Besiktas (Turkey), C
b.
Ceiling: Multiple
time All-Star center
c.
Floor: Bench
big man who torches opponents for 15 MPG
d.
Comp:
Either worse shooting Domantas Sabonis or better passing Enes Kanter
Sengun is an intriguing player because he is a crafty big
man who can pass. He is clever inside
the post and has great footwork for someone his size, so he could definitely
draw comparisons to players like Enes Kanter or Greg Monroe when he gets the
ball in the paint; he also is a good screener, which could enhance these
qualities. He is also the next iteration
of a great passing big man, which is certainly a desirable quality. He isn’t that good of an athlete, so his
defensive upside will be questionable, though he does play hard at that
end. He also hasn’t shown much ability
to shoot outside, but he has shot well from the line, which could bode well to
his potential from deep. At worst, he
will be a player who is a pain to deal with on defense, but he has the upside
to be an All-Star center.
The Spurs have several players who can play guard or wing that
are part of their long-term plan. The
main big men that seem to be there for the long haul are Jakob Poeltl, (possibly)
Luka Samanic, and (possibly) Drew Eubanks.
Even if he winds up being more like Kanter than Sabonis, he still would
be able to fill the role of a playmaker, since I’m not sure any of their other
young players will be a guaranteed playmaker.
13. IND: Josh Giddey
a.
Adelaide (Australia), PG
b.
Ceiling: All-Star
guard
c.
Floor: 10-15
MPG backup guard/forward
d.
Comp: Raw
Joe Ingles
Giddey, like Cade Cunningham listed before him, is a big point
guard (6’8), but, unlike Cunningham, is already an elite passer and
playmaker. I would probably consider
Giddey the best playmaker in the draft at this point, as he has already shown
he can pass with either hand from any given position. He is also a good rebounder who has been able
to push the ball in transition, has some ability finishing, and has an innate knowledge
of passing lanes on defense. That said,
he is not a good shooter or defender at this point, which will likely limit just
how much he can do in his first two years.
That said, if a team has the patience and the system in place to help
develop him, he could be a real treat.
I will go on the record and say that the Pacers don’t have a
ton of needs that will likely be solved by the draft outside of depth. They will start with a healthier team next
year, which will give them a clean slate and likely another playoff berth, so
they might as well get a guy who they can develop and fill a need later
on. Giddey could be a starting point
guard in a few years and will be a backup who can develop in the meantime. I think this is the right system for him
also.
14. GSW: Moses Moody
a.
Arkansas, SG, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: Second
or third best option on a competitive team (maybe fringe All-Star)
c.
Floor: 20
MPG reserve
d.
Comp: OG
Anunoby if he took a couple steps in on offense
Moody is an exciting player for a number of reasons. He plays hard at both ends of the floor,
which will bode well for him considering he also has the talent to make
it. He is a strong defender and is a
good athlete, so I expect he will be at least solid defender from day one. He also is a solid shooter, good rebounder,
and wants to win, even if it means he has to do a lot of work off the ball to
help that. That said, I don’t think he
could ever be the top scorer on a team due to some limitations with him. He isn’t the best ball handler (though he’s
not terrible), so I think he will struggle to get past defenders. He also had moments in college where he looked
lost when covered against stronger defenders and had difficulties when
contested at the rim. If he wants to be
the lead scorer, he would need to improve those. He also lacks some confidence in his shooting
from deep, but that will come in time (it did for Andrew Wiggins and Jayson
Tatum). I have little doubt he will have
a successful career.
I expect the Warriors will trade this pick, but we’ll
pretend for a second that they keep it.
If they do, a talent like Moody, who is pretty close to NBA ready and
can contribute in a way. His willingness
to work off the ball and defensive abilities will make him an ideal fit off the
bench immediately for them. If he’s
playing alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, his preference of the
midrange won’t be as difficult to swallow at first as he continues to develop
confidence behind the arc.
15. WAS: Ziaire Williams
a.
Stanford, SG/SF, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: Solid
offensive starter or Sixth Man of the Year candidate
c.
Floor: Solid
bench defender with offensive confidence as irrational as Marcus Smart’s
Williams is an intriguing talent due to his ball handling
ability and aggressiveness in looking for a bucket. He is also a good athlete and strong
defender, especially compared to most one-and-done players in several drafts. He needs work shooting, finishing, and
filling in his frame, but I think he can do all those. With the Wizards in a difficult situation
given the lack of certainty regarding Beal’s future, Williams makes sense if Beal
stays due to his playmaking potential and defense or if he leaves due to his scoring.
16. OKC (from BOS): Cam Thomas
a.
LSU, PG, Freshman
b.
Ceiling:
All-Star guard
c.
Floor:
Bench player providing loads of offense and no defense
Thomas is an exciting scorer to watch and frequently hunts
for his own points. He is strong in the
midrange, a great finisher, and, while inconsistent from deep, has the free throw
ability and glimpses of being a strong shooter.
That said, he is a disengaged defender and weaker playmaker at this
point. Due to his high ceiling, it would
make sense for Oklahoma City to take a chance on him in case he becomes a star
player.
17. MEM: Jared Butler
a.
Baylor, PG/SG, Junior
b.
Ceiling: Quality
starter/top bench player for strong team
c.
Floor:
15-20 MPG of strong play
Butler is an electric finisher, strong shooter, clever
playmaker, strong defender, and hard worker who is ready to contribute to a
team immediately. He isn’t the best
finisher or the biggest for a combo guard, which I think won’t hurt him, but he
is also a bit older than other probable first round picks. Memphis doesn’t have many needs right now
other than to keep improving. Butler
would be ready to instantly contribute and help them achieve a few more wins.
18. OKC (from MIA): Kai Jones
a.
Texas, C, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling: All-Star
big man
c.
Floor: 10
MPG backup center
Jones is a freak athlete and reminds me of big men like
Robert Williams (without the passing ability) or JaVale McGee, but he also has
some shooting ability. That said, he is
incredibly raw and is still learning various parts of the game. That said, a team like Oklahoma City can take
a chance on him; if it pans out, they could have an All-Star big man who is
consistently in All-Defensive team talks.
19. NYK: James Bouknight
a.
UConn, SG, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling:
All-Star volume scorer
c.
Floor: Bench
player who keeps shooting until he is literally benched
Bouknight is a terrific athlete and one of the more skilled
one-on-one scorers in this draft, who is creative in getting his own shot; he can
also do some smart things off the ball.
That said, he is a bit too trigger happy and a ball stopper on offense
while having wavering focus defensively.
I’m not sure how Bouknight would exactly fit with the Knicks, who have
turned a corner and are now a well-run franchise, but it’s tough to pass up a
guy who can create his own shots, even if he’s doing it off the bench.
20. ATL: Tre Mann
a.
Florida, PG, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling: All-Star
guard who leads the league in three-point percentage
c.
Floor: Backup
point guard/sharpshooter
Mann is an elite shooter and ball handler with some chops at
playmaking as well, which will instantly give him a role in the NBA. He isn’t that good of an athlete and is a
pretty bad defender so far, but at worst he can shine in a bench role for a
team. At this point, there isn’t too
much the Hawks need, so doubling down on shooters who could play alongside Trae
Young wouldn’t hurt. Having Mann and
Young on the court together would be a nightmare for defenses trying to defend
the 3.
21. NYK (from DAL): Isaiah Jackson
a.
Kentucky, C, Freshman
b.
Ceiling:
Elite defensive player
c.
Floor: 10
MPG bench defender
Jackson is another freak athlete in this draft who has so
much talent defensively and could have the potential to be an All-Defensive
player; he is also a strong finisher and rebounder. That said, he is not NBA ready at this point
with how raw he is, is undisciplined defensively, and is largely useless away
from the rim offensively. Since the
Knicks have Mitchell Robinson, there is time for Jackson to develop and to take
the risk on him with this pick in the draft.
22. LAL: Chris Duarte
a.
Oregon, PG/SG, Senior
b.
Ceiling: High
energy quality role player
c.
Floor: 15
MPG high energy bench player
With Duarte, you get an NBA ready player, but is already 24
and likely won’t improve a ton. He always
plays with a high motor, is a strong shooter, is smart at the defensive player,
and is willing to pass. However, he also
isn’t the best athlete and will struggle with switching and is an inaccurate passer. He is a great fit with the Lakers to be a role
player considering his ability off the ball, work ethic, readiness, and experience,
as well as their need for depth and shooting.
23. HOU (from POR): Usman Garuba
a.
Real Madrid (Spain), PF/C
b.
Ceiling: All-Defensive
candidate
c.
Floor:
Garbage time candidate
Garuba is an exceptional defender who should be able to
guard multiple positions and can also rebound; he also has some playmaking
ability. That said, he is an atrocious shooter
and scorer at this time, which could limit what he is as a player. In the ultimate high-risk, high-reward
situation, Houston might be best suited to take on this project considering the
massive rebuild they are undergoing; the payoff could be there for the 23rd
pick.
24. HOU (from MIL): Sharife Cooper
a.
Auburn, PG, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: All-Star
playmaking point guard (think Rajon Rondo)
c.
Floor:
Backup point guard
Cooper is a phenomenal playmaker and passer who has the
potential of an elite point guard who is also a strong finisher. That said, he can be a risky player at times,
is a poor shooter (though a good free throw shooter), and was often lost
defensively. Still, a team like Houston
would benefit from taking a risk on him; they are in a rebuild and could use
any potential stars they can get. They’ll
have the time for Cooper to develop a bit.
25. LAC: Ayo Dosunmu
a.
Illinois, PG/SG, Junior
b.
Ceiling: 3rd
or 4th best player on a competitive team
c.
Floor: 20
MPG bench player
Dosunmu is an NBA ready player who can run an offense,
score, and is a talented defender. While
improving as a shooter, he’ll need to shoot a little better, can reduce his
turnovers from passing, and will need to adjust to an off-ball role, but he can
be a quality player on day one. The Clippers
could use another quality player to their depth and Dosunmu should be able to
provide that skill off the bench, especially with the help of running the
offense of their bench unit.
26. DEN: Jaden Springer
a.
Tennessee, SG, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: High
energy starting wing
c.
Floor:
High energy guy in 10-15 MPG
Springer plays hard on both ends and looks like he’ll be a
good defender due to his IQ; he also has potential as a playmaker and
shooter. However, he isn’t a good shot
creator, seems hesitant and slow to shoot at times, and struggles in the
paint. As the Nuggets wound up with
several players who play with an edge and intensity, drafting and developing
Springer could be another fun one to add to the crew.
27. BRK: Josh Christopher
a.
Arizona State, SG, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: Volume
bench scorer/decent starter
c.
Floor:
Volume garbage time scorer
Christopher is a freak athlete and confident volume scorer
who has potential as a shooter as well.
That said, he is a bit of a ball stopper, is often unengaged on defense,
and has been pretty raw on both ends of the court. The selection by the Nets is partly taking a
chance that his shooting will align more with his free throw percentage and not
his three point percentage and partly drafting a player with solid upside.
28. PHI: Miles McBride
a.
West Virginia, PG, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling:
Starting point guard
c.
Floor: 15-20
MPG backup guard
McBride is a player who is enticing for a lot of teams due
to his strong shooting, great athleticism, defend some, be a strong leader, and
be a playmaker. I’m not sure what his ceiling
will be due to his size, and I expect he will struggle at the rim to start. That said, a team like Philadelphia would
likely be intrigued by him to either have an option to replace Ben Simmons (if
traded) or play alongside Simmons (if not).
29. PHO: Day’Ron Sharpe
a.
UNC, C, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: Quality
starting center
c.
Floor: 15
MPG bench player
Sharpe is an enticing big man who plays hard at both ends, has
strong defensive ability, is a great finisher, can set screens, has some
passing chops, is an aggressive rebounder, and is agile. He isn’t a good scorer outside the paint, can
be sloppy with the ball, and still needs to work on his defense some more. Phoenix could take him as a developmental
project who could turn out to be a backup center for them behind Deandre Ayton;
he would fit their intensity and work ethic.
30. UTA: Greg Brown
a.
Texas, SF/PF, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: All-Star
forward
c.
Floor:
G-League bench player
Brown is an exceptional athlete who has shown potential at
both ends of the floor. However, he is
also so raw and unfocused at just about everything to the point where he might
not even be effective in the NBA. While it
might sound like the Jazz could use a player who is a solid role player and can
contribute off the bench, taking the risk on developing Brown could have
massive upside; they have the ability to develop him and be patient with him
due to their talent.
31. MIL (from HOU): Charles Bassey
a.
Western Kentucky, C, Redshirt Sophomore
b.
Ceiling:
Strong defense starting center with some floor spacing ability
c.
Floor: 15
MPG old-school center
32. NYK (from DET): B.J. Boston
a.
Kentucky, SG, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: Fringe All-Star Wing
c.
Floor: G-League
starter
33. ORL: Roko Prkacin
a.
Cibona (Croatia), PF
b.
Ceiling: Above
average starting forward
c.
Floor: Thrives
in Europe, not as much in the NBA
34. NOP (from CLE): Max Abmas
a.
Oral Roberts, PG, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling:
Bench shooter
c.
Floor: 10-15
MPG high volume scorer
35. OKC: Rokas Jokubaitis
a.
Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania), PG
b.
Ceiling: Starting
point guard on a competitive team
c.
Floor: Sticking
in Europe
36. OKC (from MIN): Isaiah Todd
a.
G-League Ignite, PF
b.
Ceiling: Fringe
All-Star forward
c.
Floor: Relegation
to bench player on a crummy team
37. DET (from TOR): Marcus Bagley
a.
Arizona State, SF/PF, Freshman
b.
Ceiling: Above
average starting combo forward
c.
Floor: Too
inconsistent to get playing time
38. NOP: Trey Murphy
a.
Virginia, SG/SF, Jr
b.
Ceiling: Sharpshooter
role player
c.
Floor:
10-15 MPG shooter
39. SAC: Filip Petrusev
a.
Mega Bemax (Serbia), C
b.
Ceiling: Enes
Kanter/Greg Monroe type backup center
c.
Floor: Playoff
Enes Kanter type minutes
40. CHI: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
a.
Villanova, PF, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling: Occasionally
starting role player/energy defender
c.
Floor: Fighting
for minutes on an NBA roster while earning them in the G-League
41. SAS: Aaron Henry
a.
Michigan, SG/SF, Junior
b.
Ceiling:
Quality defender with a chance of some 3-and-D potential
c.
Floor: Solid
defender but often unplayable offensively
42. DET (from CHA): Nah’Shon Hyland
a.
VCU, PG, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling:
Sixth Man type volume scorer/shooter
c.
Floor:
10-15 MPG as a shooter
43. NOP (from WAS): Terrence Shannon Jr.
a.
Texas Tech, SG, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling: Starting
wing
c.
Floor: Relegated
to other leagues
44. BRK (from IND): Joel Ayayi
a.
Gonzaga, PG/SG, Junior
b.
Ceiling: Starting
combo guard/20-25 MPG bench player
c.
Floor:
10-15 MPG bench player
45. BOS: Johnny Juzang
a.
UCLA, SF, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling:
High volume bench scorer/occasional starter
c.
Floor: G-League
star
46. TOR (from MEM): Daishon Nix
a.
G-League Ignite, PG
b.
Ceiling:
Starting point guard
c.
Floor: 10-15
MPG point guard
47. TOR (from GSW): Matthew Hurt
a.
Duke, Sophomore, PF
b.
Ceiling:
Stretch-4 role player
c.
Floor:
Fighting for a spot on a team
48. ATL (from MIA): Juhann Begarin
a.
Paris (France), SG
b.
Ceiling: Aggressive
starting guard
c.
Floor:
Too poor of a shooter to make it in the NBA
49. BRK (from ATL): Ariel Hokporti
a.
Lithuania, C
b.
Ceiling:
Quality starting/backup center
c.
Floor: Sticking
in Europe
50. PHI (from NYK): Herbert Jones
a.
Alabama, SG/SF, Senior
b.
Ceiling: Strong
defending starting forward
c.
Floor: 10-15
MPG defensive substitution
51. MEM (from POR): RaiQuan Gray
a.
Florida State, PF, Redshirt Junior
b.
Ceiling: 20
MPG menace in the paint
c.
Floor: Causing
havoc in other leagues
52. David Johnson
a.
Louisville, PG/SG, Sophomore
b.
Ceiling:
Quality role playing wing
c.
Floor: 2-Way
player of some moments
53. NOP (from DAL): Kessler Edwards
a.
Pepperdine, SF, Junior
b.
Ceiling:
20-25 MPG bench player
c.
Floor:
10-15 MPG player
54. IND (from MIL): David Duke
a.
Providence, PG, Junior
b.
Ceiling:
20-25 MPG bench player
c.
Floor: 10-15
MPG bench player
55. OKC (from DEN): J.T. Thor
a.
Auburn, PF, Freshman
b.
Ceiling:
Solid defensive starting forward
c.
Floor: 2-Way
Talent
56. CHO (from LAC): Luka Garza
a.
Iowa, C, Senior
b.
Ceiling:
Less athletic Enes Kanter with a jump shot
c.
Floor:
Not in the NBA but thriving in Europe
57. CHO (from BRK): Austin Reaves
a.
Oklahoma, SG, Redshirt Senior
b.
Ceiling: Quality
wing player off the bench (15-20 MPG)
c.
Floor: 2-Way
wing
58. NYK (from PHI): Neemias Queta
a.
Utah State, C, Junior
b.
Ceiling:
20 MPG starting old-school center
c.
Floor: 10
MPG backup center
59. BRK (from PHO): Isaiah Livers
a.
Michigan, SF/PF, Senior
b.
Ceiling: Quality
bench player
c.
Floor: Quality
G-League/2-Way player
60. IND (from UTA): Quentin Grimes
a.
Houston, SG, Junior
b.
Ceiling:
Starting wing
c.
Floor:
G-League/International starting wing
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