We’re two weeks away from the 2021 NBA Draft.
NBA teams are deeply engaged in individual workouts with prospects as a final stage of preparation before they make their selections.
Over the past few weeks we’ve gotten more intel from NBA teams and agents about which prospects may end up landing where. With the Pistons receiving multiple trade offers for the No. 1 pick, the draft is wide open, even at the top. Expect us to have several more mock draft updates before the draft.
Here’s our latest stab at how the draft will play out on July 29.
Oklahoma State
Freshman
Point Forward
6’7” | 220 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.8
All signs point to Cunningham being the No. 1 pick.
The question is whether the Pistons will be the team that selects him. The
Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder and
New Orleans Pelicans have all reportedly made overtures to the Pistons to move
up.
The Rockets (picking No. 2) and Cavs (No. 3) might
have the most appealing offers, as Detroit likes both Jalen Green and Evan
Mobley. If the Rockets can acquire another lottery pick to swap to Detroit
along with the second pick, they might be able to move up.
2. Houston Rockets
USC
Freshman
Forward/Center
7’0” | 215 | 7’4” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.1
The Rockets are working hard to acquire more draft
picks in an effort to move up to No. 1 to select Cade Cunningham. They’ve
dangled Eric Gordon and one of their late first round picks to the Pacers in
exchange for the No. 13 pick in hopes that a combination of 2 and 13 would be
enough for the Pistons to move down one spot in the draft.
If they keep the pick?
The consensus around the league right now is that it
will be either Green or Mobley. You can make the case for either player in
Houston, and sources say that there’s an internal debate as well with the
analytics side favoring Mobley and the more traditional scouting side favoring Green.
Either player would be a major upgrade for the
Rockets, but for now I’m sticking with Mobley here. His size and analytics
advantages are just too good to pass on.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
G League Ignite
Shooting Guard
6’6” | 178 | 6”7.5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.5
The Cavs have explored a lot of different moves.
They’ve looked at moving up to No. 1 to get Cunningham. They’ve reportedly
checked on the availability of Ben Simmons. And they have been dangling Collin
Sexton around the league in an attempt to get more draft ammunition or, at the
very least, to avoid having to make a decision about his rookie extension.
If they keep the pick, they’re likely to select either
Green or Mobley -- depending on which one is available. Sources say that the
team has a slight preference for Mobley and think he’d be a great fit next to
Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt, but are also very open to drafting Green,
especially as the Cavs explore Sexton trades with an eye toward moving Darius
Garland to point guard.
4. Toronto Raptors
Florida State
Freshman
Forward
6’8” | 225 | 7’2.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
With Cunningham, Mobley and Green expected to be the
first three picks, things get interesting at No. 4. Kyle Lowry is a free agent
this summer and the Raptors will need to make a strong move to replace him.
Do they cut a deal for Ben Simmons? Do they draft
Scottie Barnes, another super-sized point guard with shooting woes? Or do they
go with Jalen Suggs, a former quarterback who could fit seamlessly in the
backcourt with Fred VanVleet?
I’m hearing about a lot of internal discussion on
Barnes vs. Suggs if the team keeps its pick. I’m not sure Toronto can go wrong
with either player. Barnes has the greater ceiling, Suggs the higher floor.
Jalen Suggs . (Photo by
Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Gonzaga
Freshman
Guard
6’4” | 205 | 6’5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.2
The Magic have reportedly explored moving up to No. 1
as well. But as valuable as picks 5 and 8 are, they might not be enough to get
the Pistons to slide down.
The Magic worked out Barnes a few days ago, and from
what I can gather, he’s the favorite if the Raptors choose Suggs over Barnes.
If Barnes is gone, the Magic will have a tough choice. In the past, they’ve often
swung for the fences by taking long, athletic prospects like Jonathan Kuminga.
But the risk-reward may be too high for a GM that likely has only one more
chance to rebuild and a player with one of the highest floors in the draft
available in Suggs.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder
G League Ignite
Forward
6’8” | 210 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
Could the Thunder move up? OKC has a lot of trade
assets (young players along with current and future draft picks) and could
theoretically put a package together to which the Pistons or Rockets (content
to extend their rebuild a little longer) might not be able to say no.
Even if they stay at No. 6, the Thunder’s hope would
be to land a potential superstar -- in this mock draft, the player left who
best fits that description is Kuminga. If the Thunder believe in his potential,
they could be a perfect fit -- he would have the time he needs to develop.
Alperen Şengün is a
sleeper to watch here, I’m told. The Thunder have a great international
scouting program and they, like many of the analytics-oriented folks in the
league, think Şengün is
underrated.
7. Golden State Warriors (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
Baylor
Junior
Point Guard
6’1.25” | 202 | 6’4.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 22.9
The Warriors are definitely open to trading out of the
draft, and with picks 7 and 14, they may be able to get what they covet in
return: a youngish starter who can help the team compete right away.
If they keep the pick, the James Wiseman saga last
year appears to have been enough to sway them in the direction of a more
NBA-ready option in the draft. Enter Mitchell, who has the defensive chops to
get minutes right away and, if his jump shot is real, could be a valuable
player off the bench on offense as well.
UConn’s James Bouknight could be another option here,
I’m told.
8. Orlando Magic (via Chicago Bulls)
UConn
Sophomore
Shooting Guard
6’4.75” | 190 | 6’8.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.9
Bouknight has been back on the rise after a
scintillating workout in Chicago where multiple sources say he shot the lights
out. He’s already one of the most mature scorers in the draft. If the shot
falls more than it did during his sophomore season (he shot 29% from 3), he
adds immediate scoring punch to the Magic backcourt.
Franz Wagner and Keon Johnson are other options here
at 8 for Orlando.
9. Sacramento Kings
Michigan
Sophomore
Forward
6’9” | 220 | 6’11” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
I told Ryen Russillo recently on his podcast that
Wagner to the Kings seemed like an inevitability. I didn’t mean to imply there
was a promise from Sacramento -- just that the fit seemed too good to pass on.
The advanced stats love Franz Wagner and the Kings
have an analytics-driven front office. As a versatile defender who can guard
multiple positions, he’s been especially impressive on that end. As an
offensive player he fills up the box score, doing a bit of everything,
including shooting it decently from 3. He should be a great fit on a team that
was the worst defensive team in the NBA this season.
If Wagner goes higher, Alperen Şengün is another potential prospect to watch here.
10. New Orleans Pelicans
Australia
Point Guard
6’8” | 205 | 6’8” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
The Pelicans have also looked into finding a way to
move up in the draft. They need players they can put with Zion Williamson to
ensure he stays. And after losing Chris Paul and Anthony Davis, the Pelicans
know they need to do everything they can now.
If they can’t move up (or package this pick and
players to add another young All-Star next to Zion), taking Giddey might be
their best option for finding a potential star. He is possibly the best passer
in the draft, with excellent size for his position. His performance in the
Australian League suggests he might be able to play right away if the Pelicans
lose Lonzo Ball in free agency.
11. Charlotte Hornets
Turkey
Center
6’10” | 240 | 6’10” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.0
Şengün has been here at 11 in the last two mock drafts,
and that’s felt aggressive. Now with his stock on the rise, the question is
whether he’ll still be on the board at 11. More and more teams seem to be
warming up to him because of his strong play in Turkey and a growing belief
that he can be more than just a dominant low post presence.
This fit seems made in heaven for a team that needs
size. Pairing the uber-skilled Şengün with
LaMelo Ball would give the Hornets two of the smartest basketball players in
the league to build around.
Keon Johnson, Isaiah Jackson and Kai Jones could all
be possibilities here as well.
12. San Antonio Spurs
Spain
PF/C
6’8” | 230 | 7’3” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.4
We’ve had Jalen Johnson here in the past few mocks,
and the Spurs are notoriously tight-lipped about which draft prospects they
like, but there are signals that Johnson’s stock may be cooling a bit in San
Antonio.
Finding a big appears to be the biggest need and
Garuba, who plays significant minutes for Real Madrid in the best professional
league outside the NBA, the Spanish ACB, looks like the real deal. Defensively
he’s already a monster. If his offense comes around, everyone will say that No.
12 was way too low for Garuba. And don’t we usually end up saying that about
the Spurs’ draft picks?
13. Indiana Pacers
Gonzaga
Senior
Forward
6’7.25” | 223 | 6’7” wingspan
Age on draft night: 22.4
The Pacers appear to be in win-now mode after bringing
in Rick Carlisle to coach the team. You can expect GM Kevin Pritchard to be
very active. They’ve already talked with Houston about a trade involving
Rockets guard Eric Gordon and a late Rockets first round pick and Indiana’s No.
13 pick.
If they can’t swap the pick, you can expect Carlisle
to be pushing for a prospect who can help the team right now. Kispert seems
like the obvious choice with Doug McDermott heading into free agency this
summer. This could be a nice landing spot for Davion Mitchell if he slides past
Golden State at No. 7. I’m not sure I see any other obvious landing spots for
Mitchell before Indiana.
14. Golden State Warriors
Tennessee
Freshman
Shooting Guard
6’4.75” | 185 | 6’7.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.4
If the Warriors play it safe at No. 7 with Davion
Mitchell (and if they really end up keeping both lottery picks), they can
afford to swing for the fences with their second pick. Johnson could go as high
as No. 8, and at 14 he seems worth the investment.
He’s young, the most explosive athlete in the draft
and a committed defender. If his shooting develops, he’s a steal here.
Moses Moody (Photo by
Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Arkansas
Freshman
Wing
6’6” | 210 | 7’0.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.2
The Wizards rank 29th in 3-pointers made this season
-- something they could rectify by drafting Moody.
Moody can really shoot the ball from 3, has the
ability to get to the line, and uses his long arms to be disruptive on the
defensive end.
He’s not a particularly explosive athlete, which
limits his potential somewhat. He doesn’t have as high a ceiling as other top
prospects, but he should be a nice 3-and-D prospect off the bench for the
Wizards.
16. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Boston Celtics)
Stanford
Freshman
Wing
6’9.75” | 188 | 6’10.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
The Thunder, as always, remain active in the trade
market and are trying to package picks 16 and 18 to move up in the draft.
If they stay here, I think it’s safe to assume the
Thunder will stay the course and focus on young players with high upside.
Williams was considered a potential top-10 pick before
a rough freshman season tanked his draft stock. He has started moving up draft
boards again, as teams are hungry for players like Williams with size,
athleticism, playmaking abilities and a jumper. On paper Williams has all of
those things. At Stanford, very little of it showed on the court.
Nevertheless, at some point the reward appears to
outweigh the risk, and in a league desperate for 3-and-D wings, no team feels
like they have enough of them -- including the Thunder.
17. Memphis Grizzlies
Duke
Freshman
Forward
6’9.25” | 210 | 7’0.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.6
The Grizzlies could end up making a splash here at No.
17 if the board plays out this way, building on their recent track record of
successful draft picks and acquisitions.
Johnson was once rated as a top-10 pick, but a so-so
season at Duke combined with questions about his early departure seems to have
teams a bit skittish about drafting him in the lottery. There’s value for the
Grizzlies here, especially if they are willing to use Johnson as a small-ball 5
who can handle the ball in transition.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Miami Heat)
Kentucky
Freshman
Forward/Center
6’10.5” | 206 | 7’5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.6
The Thunder traded away Moses Brown in the deal that
landed the 16th pick and Kemba Walker, leaving a hole in the middle. Jackson,
in theory, is an interesting prospect to replace Brown.
He put up elite shot-blocking and rebounding numbers,
and he also showed real improvement on the offensive end. He’s raw, but his
length and athleticism are intriguing.
Jackson pulled out of the NBA Draft Combine without
even doing measurements. That’s caused some NBA GMs to speculate about a
potential promise from the Thunder -- who have a history of shutting down
prospects prior to the draft.
Kai Jones is another obvious choice here for the
Thunder.
19. New York Knicks
Oregon
Senior
Shooting Guard
6’6” | 190 | 6’7” wingspan
Age on draft night: 24.1
The Knicks were surprisingly good this year behind an
emerging core of Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and rookies
Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin.
Tom Thibodeau loves players who can defend two
positions, make plays and shoot the basketball. Duarte can do all three and is
one of the most NBA-ready prospects in the draft. His age might scare many
teams away, but the Knicks are in win-now mode.
20. Atlanta Hawks
Tennessee
Freshman
Guard
6’4.25” | 202 | 6’7.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
The Hawks face the very real possibility of losing
John Collins this summer to restricted free agency. Collins’ salary
expectations seem out of whack with what the Hawks are willing to pay. The team
also looks likely to lose Lou Williams this summer as well. That sets up a couple
of possibilities here.
Kai Jones has major intrigue given his athleticism and
offensive versatility. But for a Hawks team built to win now, Jones might need
too much time to develop.
Springer, though younger than Jones, is more likely to
have an impact quickly for a playoff-hungry Hawks roster. He can defend both
backcourt positions, thrives on or off the ball and plays with tremendous
energy.
21. New York Knicks (via Dallas Mavericks)
West Virginia
Sophomore
Point Guard
6’2.5” | 195 | 6’8.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.9
I’m just going to go ahead and use the same comment
for McBride that I did for Duarte: Tom Thibodeau loves players who can defend
two positions, make plays and shoot the basketball.
McBride is a tough defender and a very good shooter
with the length to play both backcourt positions. The Knicks would get much
tougher with Duarte and McBride.
Sharife Cooper and Tre Mann are other possibilities.
22. Los Angeles Lakers
Texas
Sophomore
Power Forward/Center
6’11.5” | 221 | 7’1.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.5
This feels much too late for Jones, a prospect lottery
teams like the Hornets and Spurs are considering. But there are enough
questions about how long it will take for Jones to develop that he could easily
end up sliding this far.
Jones won’t help you right away, but he could be a
great get this late in the draft.
23. Houston Rockets (via Portland Trail Blazers)
Auburn
Freshman
Point Guard
6’4.75” | 180
Age on draft night: 20.1
The Rockets are trying to package picks 23 and 24 to move
up in the draft. If they keep the picks, I expect them to take young players
with significant upside given where they are in the rebuilding process.
Cooper is one of the very best passers in the draft
with the speed to get anywhere he wants to on the floor. Houston would have to
put up with some turnovers and poor shooting, but he’s worth a shot this late
in the draft.
24. Houston Rockets (via Milwaukee Bucks)
Virginia
Junior
Wing
6’9.25” | 206 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 21.1
Murphy is drawing attention as a prototypical 3-and-D
who can stretch the floor and lock down multiple positions. He would give the
Rockets a strong group of five 21-and-under prospects, alongside (potentially)
Mobley, Cooper, Kevin Porter Jr. and Kenyon Martin Jr.
33 min ago
1
We’re two weeks away from the 2021 NBA Draft.
Here’s our latest stab at how the draft will play out on July 29.
Oklahoma State
Freshman
Point Forward
6’7” | 220 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.8
All signs point to Cunningham being the No. 1 pick.
The question is whether the Pistons will be the team that selects him. The
Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder
and New Orleans Pelicans have all reportedly made overtures to the Pistons to
move up.
The Rockets (picking No. 2) and Cavs (No. 3) might
have the most appealing offers, as Detroit likes both Jalen Green and Evan
Mobley. If the Rockets can acquire another lottery pick to swap to Detroit
along with the second pick, they might be able to move up.
2. Houston Rockets
USC
Freshman
Forward/Center
7’0” | 215 | 7’4” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.1
The Rockets are working hard to acquire more draft
picks in an effort to move up to No. 1 to select Cade Cunningham. They’ve
dangled Eric Gordon and one of their late first round picks to the Pacers in
exchange for the No. 13 pick in hopes that a combination of 2 and 13 would be
enough for the Pistons to move down one spot in the draft.
If they keep the pick?
The consensus around the league right now is that it
will be either Green or Mobley. You can make the case for either player in
Houston, and sources say that there’s an internal debate as well with the
analytics side favoring Mobley and the more traditional scouting side favoring
Green.
Either player would be a major upgrade for the
Rockets, but for now I’m sticking with Mobley here. His size and analytics
advantages are just too good to pass on.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
G League Ignite
Shooting Guard
6’6” | 178 | 6”7.5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.5
The Cavs have explored a lot of different moves.
They’ve looked at moving up to No. 1 to get Cunningham. They’ve reportedly
checked on the availability of Ben Simmons. And they have been dangling
Collin Sexton around the league in an attempt to get more draft ammunition
or, at the very least, to avoid having to make a decision about his rookie
extension.
If they keep the pick, they’re likely to select
either Green or Mobley -- depending on which one is available. Sources say
that the team has a slight preference for Mobley and think he’d be a great
fit next to Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt, but are also very open to
drafting Green, especially as the Cavs explore Sexton trades with an eye
toward moving Darius Garland to point guard.
4. Toronto Raptors
Florida State
Freshman
Forward
6’8” | 225 | 7’2.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
With Cunningham, Mobley and Green expected to be the
first three picks, things get interesting at No. 4. Kyle Lowry is a free
agent this summer and the Raptors will need to make a strong move to replace
him.
Do they cut a deal for Ben Simmons? Do they draft
Scottie Barnes, another super-sized point guard with shooting woes? Or do
they go with Jalen Suggs, a former quarterback who could fit seamlessly in
the backcourt with Fred VanVleet?
I’m hearing about a lot of internal discussion on
Barnes vs. Suggs if the team keeps its pick. I’m not sure Toronto can go
wrong with either player. Barnes has the greater ceiling, Suggs the higher
floor.
Jalen Suggs . (Photo by
Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Gonzaga
Freshman
Guard
6’4” | 205 | 6’5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.2
The Magic have reportedly explored moving up to No.
1 as well. But as valuable as picks 5 and 8 are, they might not be enough to
get the Pistons to slide down.
The Magic worked out Barnes a few days ago, and from
what I can gather, he’s the favorite if the Raptors choose Suggs over Barnes.
If Barnes is gone, the Magic will have a tough choice. In the past, they’ve
often swung for the fences by taking long, athletic prospects like Jonathan
Kuminga. But the risk-reward may be too high for a GM that likely has only
one more chance to rebuild and a player with one of the highest floors in the
draft available in Suggs.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder
G League Ignite
Forward
6’8” | 210 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
Could the Thunder move up? OKC has a lot of trade
assets (young players along with current and future draft picks) and could
theoretically put a package together to which the Pistons or Rockets (content
to extend their rebuild a little longer) might not be able to say no.
Even if they stay at No. 6, the Thunder’s hope would
be to land a potential superstar -- in this mock draft, the player left who
best fits that description is Kuminga. If the Thunder believe in his
potential, they could be a perfect fit -- he would have the time he needs to
develop.
Alperen Şengün is
a sleeper to watch here, I’m told. The Thunder have a great international
scouting program and they, like many of the analytics-oriented folks in the
league, think Şengün is
underrated.
7. Golden State Warriors (via Minnesota
Timberwolves)
Baylor
Junior
Point Guard
6’1.25” | 202 | 6’4.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 22.9
The Warriors are definitely open to trading out of
the draft, and with picks 7 and 14, they may be able to get what they covet
in return: a youngish starter who can help the team compete right away.
If they keep the pick, the James Wiseman saga last
year appears to have been enough to sway them in the direction of a more
NBA-ready option in the draft. Enter Mitchell, who has the defensive chops to
get minutes right away and, if his jump shot is real, could be a valuable
player off the bench on offense as well.
UConn’s James Bouknight could be another option
here, I’m told.
8. Orlando Magic (via Chicago Bulls)
UConn
Sophomore
Shooting Guard
6’4.75” | 190 | 6’8.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.9
Bouknight has been back on the rise after a
scintillating workout in Chicago where multiple sources say he shot the
lights out. He’s already one of the most mature scorers in the draft. If the
shot falls more than it did during his sophomore season (he shot 29% from 3),
he adds immediate scoring punch to the Magic backcourt.
Franz Wagner and Keon Johnson are other options here
at 8 for Orlando.
9. Sacramento Kings
Michigan
Sophomore
Forward
6’9” | 220 | 6’11” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
I told Ryen Russillo recently on his podcast that
Wagner to the Kings seemed like an inevitability. I didn’t mean to imply
there was a promise from Sacramento -- just that the fit seemed too good to
pass on.
The advanced stats love Franz Wagner and the Kings
have an analytics-driven front office. As a versatile defender who can guard
multiple positions, he’s been especially impressive on that end. As an
offensive player he fills up the box score, doing a bit of everything,
including shooting it decently from 3. He should be a great fit on a team
that was the worst defensive team in the NBA this season.
If Wagner goes higher, Alperen Şengün is another potential
prospect to watch here.
10. New Orleans Pelicans
Australia
Point Guard
6’8” | 205 | 6’8” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
The Pelicans have also looked into finding a way to
move up in the draft. They need players they can put with Zion Williamson to
ensure he stays. And after losing Chris Paul and Anthony Davis, the Pelicans
know they need to do everything they can now.
If they can’t move up (or package this pick and
players to add another young All-Star next to Zion), taking Giddey might be
their best option for finding a potential star. He is possibly the best
passer in the draft, with excellent size for his position. His performance in
the Australian League suggests he might be able to play right away if the
Pelicans lose Lonzo Ball in free agency.
11. Charlotte Hornets
Turkey
Center
6’10” | 240 | 6’10” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.0
Şengün has been here at 11 in
the last two mock drafts, and that’s felt aggressive. Now with his stock on
the rise, the question is whether he’ll still be on the board at 11. More and
more teams seem to be warming up to him because of his strong play in Turkey
and a growing belief that he can be more than just a dominant low post
presence.
This fit seems made in heaven for a team that needs
size. Pairing the uber-skilled Şengün
with LaMelo Ball would give the Hornets two of the smartest basketball
players in the league to build around.
Keon Johnson, Isaiah Jackson and Kai Jones could all
be possibilities here as well.
12. San Antonio Spurs
Spain
PF/C
6’8” | 230 | 7’3” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.4
We’ve had Jalen Johnson here in the past few mocks,
and the Spurs are notoriously tight-lipped about which draft prospects they
like, but there are signals that Johnson’s stock may be cooling a bit in San
Antonio.
Finding a big appears to be the biggest need and
Garuba, who plays significant minutes for Real Madrid in the best
professional league outside the NBA, the Spanish ACB, looks like the real
deal. Defensively he’s already a monster. If his offense comes around,
everyone will say that No. 12 was way too low for Garuba. And don’t we
usually end up saying that about the Spurs’ draft picks?
13. Indiana Pacers
Gonzaga
Senior
Forward
6’7.25” | 223 | 6’7” wingspan
Age on draft night: 22.4
The Pacers appear to be in win-now mode after
bringing in Rick Carlisle to coach the team. You can expect GM Kevin
Pritchard to be very active. They’ve already talked with Houston about a
trade involving Rockets guard Eric Gordon and a late Rockets first round pick
and Indiana’s No. 13 pick.
If they can’t swap the pick, you can expect Carlisle
to be pushing for a prospect who can help the team right now. Kispert seems
like the obvious choice with Doug McDermott heading into free agency this
summer. This could be a nice landing spot for Davion Mitchell if he slides
past Golden State at No. 7. I’m not sure I see any other obvious landing
spots for Mitchell before Indiana.
14. Golden State Warriors
Tennessee
Freshman
Shooting Guard
6’4.75” | 185 | 6’7.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.4
If the Warriors play it safe at No. 7 with Davion
Mitchell (and if they really end up keeping both lottery picks), they can
afford to swing for the fences with their second pick. Johnson could go as
high as No. 8, and at 14 he seems worth the investment.
He’s young, the most explosive athlete in the draft
and a committed defender. If his shooting develops, he’s a steal here.
Moses Moody (Photo by
Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Arkansas
Freshman
Wing
6’6” | 210 | 7’0.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.2
The Wizards rank 29th in 3-pointers made this season
-- something they could rectify by drafting Moody.
Moody can really shoot the ball from 3, has the
ability to get to the line, and uses his long arms to be disruptive on the
defensive end.
He’s not a particularly explosive athlete, which
limits his potential somewhat. He doesn’t have as high a ceiling as other top
prospects, but he should be a nice 3-and-D prospect off the bench for the
Wizards.
16. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Boston Celtics)
Stanford
Freshman
Wing
6’9.75” | 188 | 6’10.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
The Thunder, as always, remain active in the trade
market and are trying to package picks 16 and 18 to move up in the draft.
If they stay here, I think it’s safe to assume the
Thunder will stay the course and focus on young players with high upside.
Williams was considered a potential top-10 pick
before a rough freshman season tanked his draft stock. He has started moving
up draft boards again, as teams are hungry for players like Williams with
size, athleticism, playmaking abilities and a jumper. On paper Williams has
all of those things. At Stanford, very little of it showed on the court.
Nevertheless, at some point the reward appears to
outweigh the risk, and in a league desperate for 3-and-D wings, no team feels
like they have enough of them -- including the Thunder.
17. Memphis Grizzlies
Duke
Freshman
Forward
6’9.25” | 210 | 7’0.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.6
The Grizzlies could end up making a splash here at
No. 17 if the board plays out this way, building on their recent track record
of successful draft picks and acquisitions.
Johnson was once rated as a top-10 pick, but a so-so
season at Duke combined with questions about his early departure seems to
have teams a bit skittish about drafting him in the lottery. There’s value
for the Grizzlies here, especially if they are willing to use Johnson as a
small-ball 5 who can handle the ball in transition.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Miami Heat)
Kentucky
Freshman
Forward/Center
6’10.5” | 206 | 7’5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.6
The Thunder traded away Moses Brown in the deal that
landed the 16th pick and Kemba Walker, leaving a hole in the middle. Jackson,
in theory, is an interesting prospect to replace Brown.
He put up elite shot-blocking and rebounding
numbers, and he also showed real improvement on the offensive end. He’s raw,
but his length and athleticism are intriguing.
Jackson pulled out of the NBA Draft Combine without
even doing measurements. That’s caused some NBA GMs to speculate about a
potential promise from the Thunder -- who have a history of shutting down
prospects prior to the draft.
Kai Jones is another obvious choice here for the
Thunder.
19. New York Knicks
Oregon
Senior
Shooting Guard
6’6” | 190 | 6’7” wingspan
Age on draft night: 24.1
The Knicks were surprisingly good this year behind
an emerging core of Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and rookies
Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin.
Tom Thibodeau loves players who can defend two
positions, make plays and shoot the basketball. Duarte can do all three and
is one of the most NBA-ready prospects in the draft. His age might scare many
teams away, but the Knicks are in win-now mode.
20. Atlanta Hawks
Tennessee
Freshman
Guard
6’4.25” | 202 | 6’7.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
The Hawks face the very real possibility of losing
John Collins this summer to restricted free agency. Collins’ salary
expectations seem out of whack with what the Hawks are willing to pay. The
team also looks likely to lose Lou Williams this summer as well. That sets up
a couple of possibilities here.
Kai Jones has major intrigue given his athleticism
and offensive versatility. But for a Hawks team built to win now, Jones might
need too much time to develop.
Springer, though younger than Jones, is more likely
to have an impact quickly for a playoff-hungry Hawks roster. He can defend
both backcourt positions, thrives on or off the ball and plays with
tremendous energy.
21. New York Knicks (via Dallas Mavericks)
West Virginia
Sophomore
Point Guard
6’2.5” | 195 | 6’8.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.9
I’m just going to go ahead and use the same comment
for McBride that I did for Duarte: Tom Thibodeau loves players who can defend
two positions, make plays and shoot the basketball.
McBride is a tough defender and a very good shooter
with the length to play both backcourt positions. The Knicks would get much
tougher with Duarte and McBride.
Sharife Cooper and Tre Mann are other possibilities.
22. Los Angeles Lakers
Texas
Sophomore
Power Forward/Center
6’11.5” | 221 | 7’1.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.5
This feels much too late for Jones, a prospect
lottery teams like the Hornets and Spurs are considering. But there are
enough questions about how long it will take for Jones to develop that he
could easily end up sliding this far.
Jones won’t help you right away, but he could be a
great get this late in the draft.
23. Houston Rockets (via Portland Trail Blazers)
Auburn
Freshman
Point Guard
6’4.75” | 180
Age on draft night: 20.1
The Rockets are trying to package picks 23 and 24 to
move up in the draft. If they keep the picks, I expect them to take young
players with significant upside given where they are in the rebuilding
process.
Cooper is one of the very best passers in the draft
with the speed to get anywhere he wants to on the floor. Houston would have
to put up with some turnovers and poor shooting, but he’s worth a shot this
late in the draft.
24. Houston Rockets (via Milwaukee Bucks)
Virginia
Junior
Wing
6’9.25” | 206 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 21.1
Murphy is drawing attention as a prototypical
3-and-D who can stretch the floor and lock down multiple positions. He would
give the Rockets a strong group of five 21-and-under prospects, alongside
(potentially) Mobley, Cooper, Kevin Porter Jr. and Kenyon Martin Jr.
25. Denver Nuggets
Arizona State
Freshman
Shooting Guard
6’4.5” | 218 | 6’9.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.6
Gary Harris is gone via the Aaron Gordon trade, and
Will Barton can be a free agent. In short, the Nuggets could use some depth
at the 2-guard position.
This could make for a tough decision between
Christopher, Jaden Springer (if available) and Cameron Thomas.
Christopher knows how to put the ball in the basket,
even if he isn’t quite the dominant scorer that Thomas is -- nor is he the
defender that Springer is. However, his elite athletic profile might give him
the edge over both of them. An injury-filled freshman season at Arizona State
didn’t really do him justice.
26. LA Clippers
Baylor
Junior
Guard
6’3.75” | 193 | 6’4” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.9
Teams have questions about Butler's health after he
was held out of the combine. His draft stock is still very much in flux.
However, if he can get a clean bill of health, he’s exactly the type of
player the Clippers need -- a NBA-ready combo guard who can shoot, defend and
avoid rookie mistakes on the court.
I hear Ayo Dosunmu will also get a look here as the
Clippers have a need at the point guard position as well.
27. Brooklyn Nets
North Carolina
Freshman
Center
6'11" | 265
Age on draft night: 19.7
There are lots of rumblings around the league that
the Nets are targeting Sharpe at 27.
After trading away Jarrett Allen, the Nets used a
lot of guys at center, including Blake Griffin, Jeff Green, Nicolas Claxton
and even Bruce Brown. So getting a player like Sharpe, a big bruiser with a
great motor and surprising passing ability, might be a wise investment for
Brooklyn.
28. Philadelphia 76ers
Alabama
Freshman
Wing
6’5” | 189 | 6’9.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.6
The Sixers need to continue to find ways to surround
Joel Embiid with shooters. Seth Curry did his job in the playoffs, but they
need more help.
Primo’s primary asset right now is spot-up shooting.
With his smooth stroke, he hit 38% of his 3s as a freshman. He has excellent
size for a wing, including an 6’9” wingspan. And he’s an exceptional athlete
with quickness and explosive finishing ability at the rim. Potentially he
will be able to guard 1s, 2s and 3s. He needs to add strength and, at 18, he
needs to develop his overall game, but he is talented.
29. Phoenix Suns
Florida
Sophomore
Guard
6’4.25” | 178 | Wingspan 6’4”
Age on draft night: 20.5
Chris Paul has been the man for the Suns, but he’s
36, so it’s time to start talking about a replacement for the longer term.
Maybe that’s Cameron Payne, but Mann would be an interesting fit given his
shooting ability and feel for the game. He’s not an elite athlete, but his
poise and shooting could make up for that.
30. Utah Jazz
Auburn
Freshman
Forward
6’9.25” | 203 | Wingspan 7’3.25”
Age on draft night: 18.9
Utah’s struggles defending versatile wings and bigs
have been well-documented. The Clippers absolutely burned them in the
playoffs. The team also appeared to lack the same level of grit and toughness
as their opponents.
Thor has been moving so quickly up draft boards that
he might not be here at No. 30 by draft night. If he is, the Jazz should do
what they were unwilling to do last year: swing for the fences with a big,
athletic forward who can defend multiple positions and could, with
development, be a breakout star.
SECOND ROUND
The second round is complicated to predict for at
least two reasons.
First, there’s a lot of fluidity still in the first
round, especially in the latter half. Second, a number of teams with multiple
picks will likely either trade second-round picks on draft night or shop for
players willing to be draft-and-stash prospects. In other words, the second
round isn’t a pure talent grab.
Still, here’s a rough guess at how things might fall
in Round 2:
Nah’Shon Hyland (#5)
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
31. Milwaukee Bucks (via Houston Rockets)
VCU
Sophomore
Guard
6’3.5” | 169 | Wingspan 6’9.25”
Age on draft night: 20.9
32. New York Knicks (from Detroit via the LA
Clippers and Philadelphia)
LSU
Freshman
Shooting Guard
6’4” | 210
Age on draft night: 19.8
33. Orlando Magic
G League Ignite
Forward/Center
6’10” | 219 | 7’1.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.8
34. Oklahoma City Thunder
Belgium
Small Forward
6'11" | 210 | Wingspan: 7’1”
Age on draft night: 20.8
35. New Orleans Pelicans (from Cleveland via
Atlanta)
Iowa
Junior
Wing
6'7.25" | 205 | Wingspan 6’11”
Age on draft night: 21.9
36. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Minnesota via Golden
State)
Senegal
Center
7'1" | 240 | Wingspan: 7’8”
Age on draft night: 18.8
37. Detroit Pistons (from Toronto via Brooklyn)
Texas
Freshman
Forward
6'8.5" | 206 | Wingspan 7’0.25”
Age on draft night: 19.9
38. Chicago Bulls (from New Orleans)
Illinois
Junior
Guard
6'5" | 194 | Wingspan 6’10.25”
Age on draft night: 21.5
39. Sacramento Kings
Alabama
Senior
Wing
6'7.25" | 206 | Wingspan 7’0.25”
Age on draft night: 22.8
40. New Orleans Pelicans (from Chicago)
Croatia
Forward
6'9.25" | 225 | Wingspan 6'11"
Age on draft night: 18.7
41. San Antonio Spurs
Utah State
Junior
Center
7’0.5” | 248 | Wingspan 7’4”
Age on draft night: 22.0
42. Detroit Pistons (from Charlotte via New York)
Kentucky
Freshman
Shooting Guard
6'7" | 188 | Wingspan 6'10.75”
Age on draft night: 19.7
43. New Orleans Pelicans (from Washington via
Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Utah)
Lithuania
Point Guard
6'3" | 200
Age on draft night: 20.7
44. Brooklyn Nets (from Indiana)
Houston
Junior
Shooting Guard
6'5.25" | 210 | Wingspan 6’8”
Age on draft night: 21.2
45. Boston Celtics
Ohio
Junior
Point Guard
6'4" | 181 | Wingspan 6’8.5”
Age on draft night: 21.9
46. Toronto Raptors (from Memphis via Sacramento)
Florida State
Junior
Power Forward
6'7.75" | 269 | Wingspan 6’10.75”
Age on draft night: 22.1
47. Toronto Raptors (from Golden State via Utah and
New Orleans)
France
Shooting Guard
6'6.25" | 214 | Wingspan: 6’11.75”
Age on draft night: 18.9
48. Atlanta Hawks (from Miami via Sacramento and
Portland)
Western Kentucky
Junior
Center
6’10.25” | 230 | Wingspan 7’3”
Age on draft night: 20.8
49. Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta)
Serbia
Forward/Center
6'11" | 225
Age on draft night: 21.3
50. Philadelphia 76ers (from New York)
UCLA
Senior
Wing
6'9" | 220
Age on draft night: 21.6
51. Memphis Grizzlies (from Portland via Dallas,
Detroit, and Cleveland)
Lousiville
Sophomore
Guard
6'4.75" | 203 | Wingspan 6’10.5”
Age on draft night: 20.4
52. Detroit Pistons (from Los Angeles Lakers via
Sacramento, Houston, and Detroit)
Texas
Senior
Center
6’10” | 250 | Wingspan 7’3.25”
Age on draft night: 22.8
53. New Orleans Pelicans (from Dallas)
Loyola University (Maryland)
Sophomore
PF/C
6'11" | 215
Age on draft night: 20.6
54. Indiana Pacers (from Milwaukee via Houston and
Cleveland)
Pepperdine
Junior
Forward
6'8" | 203 | Wingspan 6’11.25”
Age on draft night: 20.9
55. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Denver via Golden
State and Philadelphia)
Germany
Center
7'0" | 246 | Wingspan 7’2.5”
Age on draft night: 19.3
56. Charlotte Hornets (from LA Clippers)
Michigan State
Junior
Wing
6'6" | 210 | Wingspan 6’10.75”
Age on draft night: 21.9
57. Charlotte Hornets (from Brooklyn)
Gonzaga
Junior
Guard
6'5" | 180
Age on draft night: 21.4 | 6'5" | 180
58. New York Knicks (from Philadelphia)
G-League Ignite
Point Guard
6'4.25" | 226 | Wingspan 6’6.75”
Age on draft night: 19.5
59. Brooklyn Nets (from Phoenix)
Villanova
Sophomore
Forward
6'9" | 242 | Wingspan 6’9.75”
Age on draft night: 20.7
60. Indiana Pacers (from Utah)
Michigan
Senior
Small Forward
6'7.25" | 232 | Wingspan 6’9.25”
Age on draft night: 23.0
We’re two weeks away from the 2021 NBA Draft.
NBA teams are deeply engaged in individual workouts with prospects as a final stage of preparation before they make their selections.
Over the past few weeks we’ve gotten more intel from NBA teams and agents about which prospects may end up landing where. With the Pistons receiving multiple trade offers for the No. 1 pick, the draft is wide open, even at the top. Expect us to have several more mock draft updates before the draft.
Here’s our latest stab at how the draft will play out on July 29.
Oklahoma State
Freshman
Point Forward
6’7” | 220 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.8
All signs point to Cunningham being the No. 1 pick.
The question is whether the Pistons will be the team that selects him. The
Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder and
New Orleans Pelicans have all reportedly made overtures to the Pistons to move
up.
The Rockets (picking No. 2) and Cavs (No. 3) might
have the most appealing offers, as Detroit likes both Jalen Green and Evan
Mobley. If the Rockets can acquire another lottery pick to swap to Detroit
along with the second pick, they might be able to move up.
2. Houston Rockets
USC
Freshman
Forward/Center
7’0” | 215 | 7’4” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.1
The Rockets are working hard to acquire more draft
picks in an effort to move up to No. 1 to select Cade Cunningham. They’ve
dangled Eric Gordon and one of their late first round picks to the Pacers in
exchange for the No. 13 pick in hopes that a combination of 2 and 13 would be
enough for the Pistons to move down one spot in the draft.
If they keep the pick?
The consensus around the league right now is that it
will be either Green or Mobley. You can make the case for either player in
Houston, and sources say that there’s an internal debate as well with the
analytics side favoring Mobley and the more traditional scouting side favoring Green.
Either player would be a major upgrade for the
Rockets, but for now I’m sticking with Mobley here. His size and analytics
advantages are just too good to pass on.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
G League Ignite
Shooting Guard
6’6” | 178 | 6”7.5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.5
The Cavs have explored a lot of different moves.
They’ve looked at moving up to No. 1 to get Cunningham. They’ve reportedly
checked on the availability of Ben Simmons. And they have been dangling Collin
Sexton around the league in an attempt to get more draft ammunition or, at the
very least, to avoid having to make a decision about his rookie extension.
If they keep the pick, they’re likely to select either
Green or Mobley -- depending on which one is available. Sources say that the
team has a slight preference for Mobley and think he’d be a great fit next to
Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt, but are also very open to drafting Green,
especially as the Cavs explore Sexton trades with an eye toward moving Darius
Garland to point guard.
4. Toronto Raptors
Florida State
Freshman
Forward
6’8” | 225 | 7’2.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
With Cunningham, Mobley and Green expected to be the
first three picks, things get interesting at No. 4. Kyle Lowry is a free agent
this summer and the Raptors will need to make a strong move to replace him.
Do they cut a deal for Ben Simmons? Do they draft
Scottie Barnes, another super-sized point guard with shooting woes? Or do they
go with Jalen Suggs, a former quarterback who could fit seamlessly in the
backcourt with Fred VanVleet?
I’m hearing about a lot of internal discussion on
Barnes vs. Suggs if the team keeps its pick. I’m not sure Toronto can go wrong
with either player. Barnes has the greater ceiling, Suggs the higher floor.
Jalen Suggs . (Photo by
Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Gonzaga
Freshman
Guard
6’4” | 205 | 6’5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.2
The Magic have reportedly explored moving up to No. 1
as well. But as valuable as picks 5 and 8 are, they might not be enough to get
the Pistons to slide down.
The Magic worked out Barnes a few days ago, and from
what I can gather, he’s the favorite if the Raptors choose Suggs over Barnes.
If Barnes is gone, the Magic will have a tough choice. In the past, they’ve often
swung for the fences by taking long, athletic prospects like Jonathan Kuminga.
But the risk-reward may be too high for a GM that likely has only one more
chance to rebuild and a player with one of the highest floors in the draft
available in Suggs.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder
G League Ignite
Forward
6’8” | 210 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
Could the Thunder move up? OKC has a lot of trade
assets (young players along with current and future draft picks) and could
theoretically put a package together to which the Pistons or Rockets (content
to extend their rebuild a little longer) might not be able to say no.
Even if they stay at No. 6, the Thunder’s hope would
be to land a potential superstar -- in this mock draft, the player left who
best fits that description is Kuminga. If the Thunder believe in his potential,
they could be a perfect fit -- he would have the time he needs to develop.
Alperen Şengün is a
sleeper to watch here, I’m told. The Thunder have a great international
scouting program and they, like many of the analytics-oriented folks in the
league, think Şengün is
underrated.
7. Golden State Warriors (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
Baylor
Junior
Point Guard
6’1.25” | 202 | 6’4.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 22.9
The Warriors are definitely open to trading out of the
draft, and with picks 7 and 14, they may be able to get what they covet in
return: a youngish starter who can help the team compete right away.
If they keep the pick, the James Wiseman saga last
year appears to have been enough to sway them in the direction of a more
NBA-ready option in the draft. Enter Mitchell, who has the defensive chops to
get minutes right away and, if his jump shot is real, could be a valuable
player off the bench on offense as well.
UConn’s James Bouknight could be another option here,
I’m told.
8. Orlando Magic (via Chicago Bulls)
UConn
Sophomore
Shooting Guard
6’4.75” | 190 | 6’8.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.9
Bouknight has been back on the rise after a
scintillating workout in Chicago where multiple sources say he shot the lights
out. He’s already one of the most mature scorers in the draft. If the shot
falls more than it did during his sophomore season (he shot 29% from 3), he
adds immediate scoring punch to the Magic backcourt.
Franz Wagner and Keon Johnson are other options here
at 8 for Orlando.
9. Sacramento Kings
Michigan
Sophomore
Forward
6’9” | 220 | 6’11” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
I told Ryen Russillo recently on his podcast that
Wagner to the Kings seemed like an inevitability. I didn’t mean to imply there
was a promise from Sacramento -- just that the fit seemed too good to pass on.
The advanced stats love Franz Wagner and the Kings
have an analytics-driven front office. As a versatile defender who can guard
multiple positions, he’s been especially impressive on that end. As an
offensive player he fills up the box score, doing a bit of everything,
including shooting it decently from 3. He should be a great fit on a team that
was the worst defensive team in the NBA this season.
If Wagner goes higher, Alperen Şengün is another potential prospect to watch here.
10. New Orleans Pelicans
Australia
Point Guard
6’8” | 205 | 6’8” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
The Pelicans have also looked into finding a way to
move up in the draft. They need players they can put with Zion Williamson to
ensure he stays. And after losing Chris Paul and Anthony Davis, the Pelicans
know they need to do everything they can now.
If they can’t move up (or package this pick and
players to add another young All-Star next to Zion), taking Giddey might be
their best option for finding a potential star. He is possibly the best passer
in the draft, with excellent size for his position. His performance in the
Australian League suggests he might be able to play right away if the Pelicans
lose Lonzo Ball in free agency.
11. Charlotte Hornets
Turkey
Center
6’10” | 240 | 6’10” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.0
Şengün has been here at 11 in the last two mock drafts,
and that’s felt aggressive. Now with his stock on the rise, the question is
whether he’ll still be on the board at 11. More and more teams seem to be
warming up to him because of his strong play in Turkey and a growing belief
that he can be more than just a dominant low post presence.
This fit seems made in heaven for a team that needs
size. Pairing the uber-skilled Şengün with
LaMelo Ball would give the Hornets two of the smartest basketball players in
the league to build around.
Keon Johnson, Isaiah Jackson and Kai Jones could all
be possibilities here as well.
12. San Antonio Spurs
Spain
PF/C
6’8” | 230 | 7’3” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.4
We’ve had Jalen Johnson here in the past few mocks,
and the Spurs are notoriously tight-lipped about which draft prospects they
like, but there are signals that Johnson’s stock may be cooling a bit in San
Antonio.
Finding a big appears to be the biggest need and
Garuba, who plays significant minutes for Real Madrid in the best professional
league outside the NBA, the Spanish ACB, looks like the real deal. Defensively
he’s already a monster. If his offense comes around, everyone will say that No.
12 was way too low for Garuba. And don’t we usually end up saying that about
the Spurs’ draft picks?
13. Indiana Pacers
Gonzaga
Senior
Forward
6’7.25” | 223 | 6’7” wingspan
Age on draft night: 22.4
The Pacers appear to be in win-now mode after bringing
in Rick Carlisle to coach the team. You can expect GM Kevin Pritchard to be
very active. They’ve already talked with Houston about a trade involving
Rockets guard Eric Gordon and a late Rockets first round pick and Indiana’s No.
13 pick.
If they can’t swap the pick, you can expect Carlisle
to be pushing for a prospect who can help the team right now. Kispert seems
like the obvious choice with Doug McDermott heading into free agency this
summer. This could be a nice landing spot for Davion Mitchell if he slides past
Golden State at No. 7. I’m not sure I see any other obvious landing spots for
Mitchell before Indiana.
14. Golden State Warriors
Tennessee
Freshman
Shooting Guard
6’4.75” | 185 | 6’7.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.4
If the Warriors play it safe at No. 7 with Davion
Mitchell (and if they really end up keeping both lottery picks), they can
afford to swing for the fences with their second pick. Johnson could go as high
as No. 8, and at 14 he seems worth the investment.
He’s young, the most explosive athlete in the draft
and a committed defender. If his shooting develops, he’s a steal here.
Moses Moody (Photo by
Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Arkansas
Freshman
Wing
6’6” | 210 | 7’0.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.2
The Wizards rank 29th in 3-pointers made this season
-- something they could rectify by drafting Moody.
Moody can really shoot the ball from 3, has the
ability to get to the line, and uses his long arms to be disruptive on the
defensive end.
He’s not a particularly explosive athlete, which
limits his potential somewhat. He doesn’t have as high a ceiling as other top
prospects, but he should be a nice 3-and-D prospect off the bench for the
Wizards.
16. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Boston Celtics)
Stanford
Freshman
Wing
6’9.75” | 188 | 6’10.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
The Thunder, as always, remain active in the trade
market and are trying to package picks 16 and 18 to move up in the draft.
If they stay here, I think it’s safe to assume the
Thunder will stay the course and focus on young players with high upside.
Williams was considered a potential top-10 pick before
a rough freshman season tanked his draft stock. He has started moving up draft
boards again, as teams are hungry for players like Williams with size,
athleticism, playmaking abilities and a jumper. On paper Williams has all of
those things. At Stanford, very little of it showed on the court.
Nevertheless, at some point the reward appears to
outweigh the risk, and in a league desperate for 3-and-D wings, no team feels
like they have enough of them -- including the Thunder.
17. Memphis Grizzlies
Duke
Freshman
Forward
6’9.25” | 210 | 7’0.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.6
The Grizzlies could end up making a splash here at No.
17 if the board plays out this way, building on their recent track record of
successful draft picks and acquisitions.
Johnson was once rated as a top-10 pick, but a so-so
season at Duke combined with questions about his early departure seems to have
teams a bit skittish about drafting him in the lottery. There’s value for the
Grizzlies here, especially if they are willing to use Johnson as a small-ball 5
who can handle the ball in transition.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Miami Heat)
Kentucky
Freshman
Forward/Center
6’10.5” | 206 | 7’5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.6
The Thunder traded away Moses Brown in the deal that
landed the 16th pick and Kemba Walker, leaving a hole in the middle. Jackson,
in theory, is an interesting prospect to replace Brown.
He put up elite shot-blocking and rebounding numbers,
and he also showed real improvement on the offensive end. He’s raw, but his
length and athleticism are intriguing.
Jackson pulled out of the NBA Draft Combine without
even doing measurements. That’s caused some NBA GMs to speculate about a
potential promise from the Thunder -- who have a history of shutting down
prospects prior to the draft.
Kai Jones is another obvious choice here for the
Thunder.
19. New York Knicks
Oregon
Senior
Shooting Guard
6’6” | 190 | 6’7” wingspan
Age on draft night: 24.1
The Knicks were surprisingly good this year behind an
emerging core of Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and rookies
Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin.
Tom Thibodeau loves players who can defend two
positions, make plays and shoot the basketball. Duarte can do all three and is
one of the most NBA-ready prospects in the draft. His age might scare many
teams away, but the Knicks are in win-now mode.
20. Atlanta Hawks
Tennessee
Freshman
Guard
6’4.25” | 202 | 6’7.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
The Hawks face the very real possibility of losing
John Collins this summer to restricted free agency. Collins’ salary
expectations seem out of whack with what the Hawks are willing to pay. The team
also looks likely to lose Lou Williams this summer as well. That sets up a couple
of possibilities here.
Kai Jones has major intrigue given his athleticism and
offensive versatility. But for a Hawks team built to win now, Jones might need
too much time to develop.
Springer, though younger than Jones, is more likely to
have an impact quickly for a playoff-hungry Hawks roster. He can defend both
backcourt positions, thrives on or off the ball and plays with tremendous
energy.
21. New York Knicks (via Dallas Mavericks)
West Virginia
Sophomore
Point Guard
6’2.5” | 195 | 6’8.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.9
I’m just going to go ahead and use the same comment
for McBride that I did for Duarte: Tom Thibodeau loves players who can defend
two positions, make plays and shoot the basketball.
McBride is a tough defender and a very good shooter
with the length to play both backcourt positions. The Knicks would get much
tougher with Duarte and McBride.
Sharife Cooper and Tre Mann are other possibilities.
22. Los Angeles Lakers
Texas
Sophomore
Power Forward/Center
6’11.5” | 221 | 7’1.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.5
This feels much too late for Jones, a prospect lottery
teams like the Hornets and Spurs are considering. But there are enough
questions about how long it will take for Jones to develop that he could easily
end up sliding this far.
Jones won’t help you right away, but he could be a
great get this late in the draft.
23. Houston Rockets (via Portland Trail Blazers)
Auburn
Freshman
Point Guard
6’4.75” | 180
Age on draft night: 20.1
The Rockets are trying to package picks 23 and 24 to move
up in the draft. If they keep the picks, I expect them to take young players
with significant upside given where they are in the rebuilding process.
Cooper is one of the very best passers in the draft
with the speed to get anywhere he wants to on the floor. Houston would have to
put up with some turnovers and poor shooting, but he’s worth a shot this late
in the draft.
24. Houston Rockets (via Milwaukee Bucks)
Virginia
Junior
Wing
6’9.25” | 206 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 21.1
Murphy is drawing attention as a prototypical 3-and-D
who can stretch the floor and lock down multiple positions. He would give the
Rockets a strong group of five 21-and-under prospects, alongside (potentially)
Mobley, Cooper, Kevin Porter Jr. and Kenyon Martin Jr.
33 min ago
1
We’re two weeks away from the 2021 NBA Draft.
Here’s our latest stab at how the draft will play out on July 29.
Oklahoma State
Freshman
Point Forward
6’7” | 220 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.8
All signs point to Cunningham being the No. 1 pick.
The question is whether the Pistons will be the team that selects him. The
Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder
and New Orleans Pelicans have all reportedly made overtures to the Pistons to
move up.
The Rockets (picking No. 2) and Cavs (No. 3) might
have the most appealing offers, as Detroit likes both Jalen Green and Evan
Mobley. If the Rockets can acquire another lottery pick to swap to Detroit
along with the second pick, they might be able to move up.
2. Houston Rockets
USC
Freshman
Forward/Center
7’0” | 215 | 7’4” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.1
The Rockets are working hard to acquire more draft
picks in an effort to move up to No. 1 to select Cade Cunningham. They’ve
dangled Eric Gordon and one of their late first round picks to the Pacers in
exchange for the No. 13 pick in hopes that a combination of 2 and 13 would be
enough for the Pistons to move down one spot in the draft.
If they keep the pick?
The consensus around the league right now is that it
will be either Green or Mobley. You can make the case for either player in
Houston, and sources say that there’s an internal debate as well with the
analytics side favoring Mobley and the more traditional scouting side favoring
Green.
Either player would be a major upgrade for the
Rockets, but for now I’m sticking with Mobley here. His size and analytics
advantages are just too good to pass on.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
G League Ignite
Shooting Guard
6’6” | 178 | 6”7.5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.5
The Cavs have explored a lot of different moves.
They’ve looked at moving up to No. 1 to get Cunningham. They’ve reportedly
checked on the availability of Ben Simmons. And they have been dangling
Collin Sexton around the league in an attempt to get more draft ammunition
or, at the very least, to avoid having to make a decision about his rookie
extension.
If they keep the pick, they’re likely to select
either Green or Mobley -- depending on which one is available. Sources say
that the team has a slight preference for Mobley and think he’d be a great
fit next to Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt, but are also very open to
drafting Green, especially as the Cavs explore Sexton trades with an eye
toward moving Darius Garland to point guard.
4. Toronto Raptors
Florida State
Freshman
Forward
6’8” | 225 | 7’2.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
With Cunningham, Mobley and Green expected to be the
first three picks, things get interesting at No. 4. Kyle Lowry is a free
agent this summer and the Raptors will need to make a strong move to replace
him.
Do they cut a deal for Ben Simmons? Do they draft
Scottie Barnes, another super-sized point guard with shooting woes? Or do
they go with Jalen Suggs, a former quarterback who could fit seamlessly in
the backcourt with Fred VanVleet?
I’m hearing about a lot of internal discussion on
Barnes vs. Suggs if the team keeps its pick. I’m not sure Toronto can go
wrong with either player. Barnes has the greater ceiling, Suggs the higher
floor.
Jalen Suggs . (Photo by
Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Gonzaga
Freshman
Guard
6’4” | 205 | 6’5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.2
The Magic have reportedly explored moving up to No.
1 as well. But as valuable as picks 5 and 8 are, they might not be enough to
get the Pistons to slide down.
The Magic worked out Barnes a few days ago, and from
what I can gather, he’s the favorite if the Raptors choose Suggs over Barnes.
If Barnes is gone, the Magic will have a tough choice. In the past, they’ve
often swung for the fences by taking long, athletic prospects like Jonathan
Kuminga. But the risk-reward may be too high for a GM that likely has only
one more chance to rebuild and a player with one of the highest floors in the
draft available in Suggs.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder
G League Ignite
Forward
6’8” | 210 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
Could the Thunder move up? OKC has a lot of trade
assets (young players along with current and future draft picks) and could
theoretically put a package together to which the Pistons or Rockets (content
to extend their rebuild a little longer) might not be able to say no.
Even if they stay at No. 6, the Thunder’s hope would
be to land a potential superstar -- in this mock draft, the player left who
best fits that description is Kuminga. If the Thunder believe in his
potential, they could be a perfect fit -- he would have the time he needs to
develop.
Alperen Şengün is
a sleeper to watch here, I’m told. The Thunder have a great international
scouting program and they, like many of the analytics-oriented folks in the
league, think Şengün is
underrated.
7. Golden State Warriors (via Minnesota
Timberwolves)
Baylor
Junior
Point Guard
6’1.25” | 202 | 6’4.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 22.9
The Warriors are definitely open to trading out of
the draft, and with picks 7 and 14, they may be able to get what they covet
in return: a youngish starter who can help the team compete right away.
If they keep the pick, the James Wiseman saga last
year appears to have been enough to sway them in the direction of a more
NBA-ready option in the draft. Enter Mitchell, who has the defensive chops to
get minutes right away and, if his jump shot is real, could be a valuable
player off the bench on offense as well.
UConn’s James Bouknight could be another option
here, I’m told.
8. Orlando Magic (via Chicago Bulls)
UConn
Sophomore
Shooting Guard
6’4.75” | 190 | 6’8.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.9
Bouknight has been back on the rise after a
scintillating workout in Chicago where multiple sources say he shot the
lights out. He’s already one of the most mature scorers in the draft. If the
shot falls more than it did during his sophomore season (he shot 29% from 3),
he adds immediate scoring punch to the Magic backcourt.
Franz Wagner and Keon Johnson are other options here
at 8 for Orlando.
9. Sacramento Kings
Michigan
Sophomore
Forward
6’9” | 220 | 6’11” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
I told Ryen Russillo recently on his podcast that
Wagner to the Kings seemed like an inevitability. I didn’t mean to imply
there was a promise from Sacramento -- just that the fit seemed too good to
pass on.
The advanced stats love Franz Wagner and the Kings
have an analytics-driven front office. As a versatile defender who can guard
multiple positions, he’s been especially impressive on that end. As an
offensive player he fills up the box score, doing a bit of everything,
including shooting it decently from 3. He should be a great fit on a team
that was the worst defensive team in the NBA this season.
If Wagner goes higher, Alperen Şengün is another potential
prospect to watch here.
10. New Orleans Pelicans
Australia
Point Guard
6’8” | 205 | 6’8” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
The Pelicans have also looked into finding a way to
move up in the draft. They need players they can put with Zion Williamson to
ensure he stays. And after losing Chris Paul and Anthony Davis, the Pelicans
know they need to do everything they can now.
If they can’t move up (or package this pick and
players to add another young All-Star next to Zion), taking Giddey might be
their best option for finding a potential star. He is possibly the best
passer in the draft, with excellent size for his position. His performance in
the Australian League suggests he might be able to play right away if the
Pelicans lose Lonzo Ball in free agency.
11. Charlotte Hornets
Turkey
Center
6’10” | 240 | 6’10” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.0
Şengün has been here at 11 in
the last two mock drafts, and that’s felt aggressive. Now with his stock on
the rise, the question is whether he’ll still be on the board at 11. More and
more teams seem to be warming up to him because of his strong play in Turkey
and a growing belief that he can be more than just a dominant low post
presence.
This fit seems made in heaven for a team that needs
size. Pairing the uber-skilled Şengün
with LaMelo Ball would give the Hornets two of the smartest basketball
players in the league to build around.
Keon Johnson, Isaiah Jackson and Kai Jones could all
be possibilities here as well.
12. San Antonio Spurs
Spain
PF/C
6’8” | 230 | 7’3” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.4
We’ve had Jalen Johnson here in the past few mocks,
and the Spurs are notoriously tight-lipped about which draft prospects they
like, but there are signals that Johnson’s stock may be cooling a bit in San
Antonio.
Finding a big appears to be the biggest need and
Garuba, who plays significant minutes for Real Madrid in the best
professional league outside the NBA, the Spanish ACB, looks like the real
deal. Defensively he’s already a monster. If his offense comes around,
everyone will say that No. 12 was way too low for Garuba. And don’t we
usually end up saying that about the Spurs’ draft picks?
13. Indiana Pacers
Gonzaga
Senior
Forward
6’7.25” | 223 | 6’7” wingspan
Age on draft night: 22.4
The Pacers appear to be in win-now mode after
bringing in Rick Carlisle to coach the team. You can expect GM Kevin
Pritchard to be very active. They’ve already talked with Houston about a
trade involving Rockets guard Eric Gordon and a late Rockets first round pick
and Indiana’s No. 13 pick.
If they can’t swap the pick, you can expect Carlisle
to be pushing for a prospect who can help the team right now. Kispert seems
like the obvious choice with Doug McDermott heading into free agency this
summer. This could be a nice landing spot for Davion Mitchell if he slides
past Golden State at No. 7. I’m not sure I see any other obvious landing
spots for Mitchell before Indiana.
14. Golden State Warriors
Tennessee
Freshman
Shooting Guard
6’4.75” | 185 | 6’7.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.4
If the Warriors play it safe at No. 7 with Davion
Mitchell (and if they really end up keeping both lottery picks), they can
afford to swing for the fences with their second pick. Johnson could go as
high as No. 8, and at 14 he seems worth the investment.
He’s young, the most explosive athlete in the draft
and a committed defender. If his shooting develops, he’s a steal here.
Moses Moody (Photo by
Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Arkansas
Freshman
Wing
6’6” | 210 | 7’0.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.2
The Wizards rank 29th in 3-pointers made this season
-- something they could rectify by drafting Moody.
Moody can really shoot the ball from 3, has the
ability to get to the line, and uses his long arms to be disruptive on the
defensive end.
He’s not a particularly explosive athlete, which
limits his potential somewhat. He doesn’t have as high a ceiling as other top
prospects, but he should be a nice 3-and-D prospect off the bench for the
Wizards.
16. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Boston Celtics)
Stanford
Freshman
Wing
6’9.75” | 188 | 6’10.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.9
The Thunder, as always, remain active in the trade
market and are trying to package picks 16 and 18 to move up in the draft.
If they stay here, I think it’s safe to assume the
Thunder will stay the course and focus on young players with high upside.
Williams was considered a potential top-10 pick
before a rough freshman season tanked his draft stock. He has started moving
up draft boards again, as teams are hungry for players like Williams with
size, athleticism, playmaking abilities and a jumper. On paper Williams has
all of those things. At Stanford, very little of it showed on the court.
Nevertheless, at some point the reward appears to
outweigh the risk, and in a league desperate for 3-and-D wings, no team feels
like they have enough of them -- including the Thunder.
17. Memphis Grizzlies
Duke
Freshman
Forward
6’9.25” | 210 | 7’0.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.6
The Grizzlies could end up making a splash here at
No. 17 if the board plays out this way, building on their recent track record
of successful draft picks and acquisitions.
Johnson was once rated as a top-10 pick, but a so-so
season at Duke combined with questions about his early departure seems to
have teams a bit skittish about drafting him in the lottery. There’s value
for the Grizzlies here, especially if they are willing to use Johnson as a
small-ball 5 who can handle the ball in transition.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Miami Heat)
Kentucky
Freshman
Forward/Center
6’10.5” | 206 | 7’5” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.6
The Thunder traded away Moses Brown in the deal that
landed the 16th pick and Kemba Walker, leaving a hole in the middle. Jackson,
in theory, is an interesting prospect to replace Brown.
He put up elite shot-blocking and rebounding
numbers, and he also showed real improvement on the offensive end. He’s raw,
but his length and athleticism are intriguing.
Jackson pulled out of the NBA Draft Combine without
even doing measurements. That’s caused some NBA GMs to speculate about a
potential promise from the Thunder -- who have a history of shutting down
prospects prior to the draft.
Kai Jones is another obvious choice here for the
Thunder.
19. New York Knicks
Oregon
Senior
Shooting Guard
6’6” | 190 | 6’7” wingspan
Age on draft night: 24.1
The Knicks were surprisingly good this year behind
an emerging core of Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and rookies
Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin.
Tom Thibodeau loves players who can defend two
positions, make plays and shoot the basketball. Duarte can do all three and
is one of the most NBA-ready prospects in the draft. His age might scare many
teams away, but the Knicks are in win-now mode.
20. Atlanta Hawks
Tennessee
Freshman
Guard
6’4.25” | 202 | 6’7.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.8
The Hawks face the very real possibility of losing
John Collins this summer to restricted free agency. Collins’ salary
expectations seem out of whack with what the Hawks are willing to pay. The
team also looks likely to lose Lou Williams this summer as well. That sets up
a couple of possibilities here.
Kai Jones has major intrigue given his athleticism
and offensive versatility. But for a Hawks team built to win now, Jones might
need too much time to develop.
Springer, though younger than Jones, is more likely
to have an impact quickly for a playoff-hungry Hawks roster. He can defend
both backcourt positions, thrives on or off the ball and plays with
tremendous energy.
21. New York Knicks (via Dallas Mavericks)
West Virginia
Sophomore
Point Guard
6’2.5” | 195 | 6’8.75” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.9
I’m just going to go ahead and use the same comment
for McBride that I did for Duarte: Tom Thibodeau loves players who can defend
two positions, make plays and shoot the basketball.
McBride is a tough defender and a very good shooter
with the length to play both backcourt positions. The Knicks would get much
tougher with Duarte and McBride.
Sharife Cooper and Tre Mann are other possibilities.
22. Los Angeles Lakers
Texas
Sophomore
Power Forward/Center
6’11.5” | 221 | 7’1.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.5
This feels much too late for Jones, a prospect
lottery teams like the Hornets and Spurs are considering. But there are
enough questions about how long it will take for Jones to develop that he
could easily end up sliding this far.
Jones won’t help you right away, but he could be a
great get this late in the draft.
23. Houston Rockets (via Portland Trail Blazers)
Auburn
Freshman
Point Guard
6’4.75” | 180
Age on draft night: 20.1
The Rockets are trying to package picks 23 and 24 to
move up in the draft. If they keep the picks, I expect them to take young
players with significant upside given where they are in the rebuilding
process.
Cooper is one of the very best passers in the draft
with the speed to get anywhere he wants to on the floor. Houston would have
to put up with some turnovers and poor shooting, but he’s worth a shot this
late in the draft.
24. Houston Rockets (via Milwaukee Bucks)
Virginia
Junior
Wing
6’9.25” | 206 | 7’0” wingspan
Age on draft night: 21.1
Murphy is drawing attention as a prototypical
3-and-D who can stretch the floor and lock down multiple positions. He would
give the Rockets a strong group of five 21-and-under prospects, alongside
(potentially) Mobley, Cooper, Kevin Porter Jr. and Kenyon Martin Jr.
25. Denver Nuggets
Arizona State
Freshman
Shooting Guard
6’4.5” | 218 | 6’9.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.6
Gary Harris is gone via the Aaron Gordon trade, and
Will Barton can be a free agent. In short, the Nuggets could use some depth
at the 2-guard position.
This could make for a tough decision between
Christopher, Jaden Springer (if available) and Cameron Thomas.
Christopher knows how to put the ball in the basket,
even if he isn’t quite the dominant scorer that Thomas is -- nor is he the
defender that Springer is. However, his elite athletic profile might give him
the edge over both of them. An injury-filled freshman season at Arizona State
didn’t really do him justice.
26. LA Clippers
Baylor
Junior
Guard
6’3.75” | 193 | 6’4” wingspan
Age on draft night: 20.9
Teams have questions about Butler's health after he
was held out of the combine. His draft stock is still very much in flux.
However, if he can get a clean bill of health, he’s exactly the type of
player the Clippers need -- a NBA-ready combo guard who can shoot, defend and
avoid rookie mistakes on the court.
I hear Ayo Dosunmu will also get a look here as the
Clippers have a need at the point guard position as well.
27. Brooklyn Nets
North Carolina
Freshman
Center
6'11" | 265
Age on draft night: 19.7
There are lots of rumblings around the league that
the Nets are targeting Sharpe at 27.
After trading away Jarrett Allen, the Nets used a
lot of guys at center, including Blake Griffin, Jeff Green, Nicolas Claxton
and even Bruce Brown. So getting a player like Sharpe, a big bruiser with a
great motor and surprising passing ability, might be a wise investment for
Brooklyn.
28. Philadelphia 76ers
Alabama
Freshman
Wing
6’5” | 189 | 6’9.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 18.6
The Sixers need to continue to find ways to surround
Joel Embiid with shooters. Seth Curry did his job in the playoffs, but they
need more help.
Primo’s primary asset right now is spot-up shooting.
With his smooth stroke, he hit 38% of his 3s as a freshman. He has excellent
size for a wing, including an 6’9” wingspan. And he’s an exceptional athlete
with quickness and explosive finishing ability at the rim. Potentially he
will be able to guard 1s, 2s and 3s. He needs to add strength and, at 18, he
needs to develop his overall game, but he is talented.
29. Phoenix Suns
Florida
Sophomore
Guard
6’4.25” | 178 | Wingspan 6’4”
Age on draft night: 20.5
Chris Paul has been the man for the Suns, but he’s
36, so it’s time to start talking about a replacement for the longer term.
Maybe that’s Cameron Payne, but Mann would be an interesting fit given his
shooting ability and feel for the game. He’s not an elite athlete, but his
poise and shooting could make up for that.
30. Utah Jazz
Auburn
Freshman
Forward
6’9.25” | 203 | Wingspan 7’3.25”
Age on draft night: 18.9
Utah’s struggles defending versatile wings and bigs
have been well-documented. The Clippers absolutely burned them in the
playoffs. The team also appeared to lack the same level of grit and toughness
as their opponents.
Thor has been moving so quickly up draft boards that
he might not be here at No. 30 by draft night. If he is, the Jazz should do
what they were unwilling to do last year: swing for the fences with a big,
athletic forward who can defend multiple positions and could, with
development, be a breakout star.
SECOND ROUND
The second round is complicated to predict for at
least two reasons.
First, there’s a lot of fluidity still in the first
round, especially in the latter half. Second, a number of teams with multiple
picks will likely either trade second-round picks on draft night or shop for
players willing to be draft-and-stash prospects. In other words, the second
round isn’t a pure talent grab.
Still, here’s a rough guess at how things might fall
in Round 2:
Nah’Shon Hyland (#5)
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
31. Milwaukee Bucks (via Houston Rockets)
VCU
Sophomore
Guard
6’3.5” | 169 | Wingspan 6’9.25”
Age on draft night: 20.9
32. New York Knicks (from Detroit via the LA
Clippers and Philadelphia)
LSU
Freshman
Shooting Guard
6’4” | 210
Age on draft night: 19.8
33. Orlando Magic
G League Ignite
Forward/Center
6’10” | 219 | 7’1.25” wingspan
Age on draft night: 19.8
34. Oklahoma City Thunder
Belgium
Small Forward
6'11" | 210 | Wingspan: 7’1”
Age on draft night: 20.8
35. New Orleans Pelicans (from Cleveland via
Atlanta)
Iowa
Junior
Wing
6'7.25" | 205 | Wingspan 6’11”
Age on draft night: 21.9
36. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Minnesota via Golden
State)
Senegal
Center
7'1" | 240 | Wingspan: 7’8”
Age on draft night: 18.8
37. Detroit Pistons (from Toronto via Brooklyn)
Texas
Freshman
Forward
6'8.5" | 206 | Wingspan 7’0.25”
Age on draft night: 19.9
38. Chicago Bulls (from New Orleans)
Illinois
Junior
Guard
6'5" | 194 | Wingspan 6’10.25”
Age on draft night: 21.5
39. Sacramento Kings
Alabama
Senior
Wing
6'7.25" | 206 | Wingspan 7’0.25”
Age on draft night: 22.8
40. New Orleans Pelicans (from Chicago)
Croatia
Forward
6'9.25" | 225 | Wingspan 6'11"
Age on draft night: 18.7
41. San Antonio Spurs
Utah State
Junior
Center
7’0.5” | 248 | Wingspan 7’4”
Age on draft night: 22.0
42. Detroit Pistons (from Charlotte via New York)
Kentucky
Freshman
Shooting Guard
6'7" | 188 | Wingspan 6'10.75”
Age on draft night: 19.7
43. New Orleans Pelicans (from Washington via
Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Utah)
Lithuania
Point Guard
6'3" | 200
Age on draft night: 20.7
44. Brooklyn Nets (from Indiana)
Houston
Junior
Shooting Guard
6'5.25" | 210 | Wingspan 6’8”
Age on draft night: 21.2
45. Boston Celtics
Ohio
Junior
Point Guard
6'4" | 181 | Wingspan 6’8.5”
Age on draft night: 21.9
46. Toronto Raptors (from Memphis via Sacramento)
Florida State
Junior
Power Forward
6'7.75" | 269 | Wingspan 6’10.75”
Age on draft night: 22.1
47. Toronto Raptors (from Golden State via Utah and
New Orleans)
France
Shooting Guard
6'6.25" | 214 | Wingspan: 6’11.75”
Age on draft night: 18.9
48. Atlanta Hawks (from Miami via Sacramento and
Portland)
Western Kentucky
Junior
Center
6’10.25” | 230 | Wingspan 7’3”
Age on draft night: 20.8
49. Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta)
Serbia
Forward/Center
6'11" | 225
Age on draft night: 21.3
50. Philadelphia 76ers (from New York)
UCLA
Senior
Wing
6'9" | 220
Age on draft night: 21.6
51. Memphis Grizzlies (from Portland via Dallas,
Detroit, and Cleveland)
Lousiville
Sophomore
Guard
6'4.75" | 203 | Wingspan 6’10.5”
Age on draft night: 20.4
52. Detroit Pistons (from Los Angeles Lakers via
Sacramento, Houston, and Detroit)
Texas
Senior
Center
6’10” | 250 | Wingspan 7’3.25”
Age on draft night: 22.8
53. New Orleans Pelicans (from Dallas)
Loyola University (Maryland)
Sophomore
PF/C
6'11" | 215
Age on draft night: 20.6
54. Indiana Pacers (from Milwaukee via Houston and
Cleveland)
Pepperdine
Junior
Forward
6'8" | 203 | Wingspan 6’11.25”
Age on draft night: 20.9
55. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Denver via Golden
State and Philadelphia)
Germany
Center
7'0" | 246 | Wingspan 7’2.5”
Age on draft night: 19.3
56. Charlotte Hornets (from LA Clippers)
Michigan State
Junior
Wing
6'6" | 210 | Wingspan 6’10.75”
Age on draft night: 21.9
57. Charlotte Hornets (from Brooklyn)
Gonzaga
Junior
Guard
6'5" | 180
Age on draft night: 21.4 | 6'5" | 180
58. New York Knicks (from Philadelphia)
G-League Ignite
Point Guard
6'4.25" | 226 | Wingspan 6’6.75”
Age on draft night: 19.5
59. Brooklyn Nets (from Phoenix)
Villanova
Sophomore
Forward
6'9" | 242 | Wingspan 6’9.75”
Age on draft night: 20.7
60. Indiana Pacers (from Utah)
Michigan
Senior
Small Forward
6'7.25" | 232 | Wingspan 6’9.25”
Age on draft night: 23.0
