Too-Early 2021 NBA Mock Draft: Will Cade Cunningham go No. 1?

Keep an eye on the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the lottery talent that they will produce next year, namely Jalen Suggs.

Suggs is a freshman and one of the top-rated guards in the 2021 draft class. He is quick off of the dribble and plays physically, resulting in a high rate of drawn fouls. He attacks the rim frequently, and is more of a scoring/combo guard than he is a distributor. Described by some as a coach on the court, Suggs often makes the correct plays and reads due to an advanced knowledge of the game.

While his aggressiveness often leads to turnovers and his shooting is rather poor, Suggs should be considered a top-10, if not top-5, lottery pick in the 2021 draft.

The Detroit Pistons have picked in the top-14 in 9 of the last 11 NBA Drafts, and there is little reason to believe that they won’t do it again next year. The franchise is about to begin a rebuild and should be in position to draft the best player available.

The Warriors are the rightful owners of the Timberwolves first round pick (top-three protected) thanks to the D’Angelo Russell/Andrew Wiggins trade. Selecting Usman Garuba would give Golden State a piece to potentially be a building block for the future.

Garuba will be a project, but has the upside to potentially be one of the best players in the 2021 class. He is a high-energy guy who has a solid frame and uses it well, especially around the basket. His game needs a good amount of polishing, but he shows promise in extending his range and becoming a legit NBA shooter. A positive about Garuba is his experience in playing professionally at a young age; he was a member of Real Madrid of the Spanish basketball league.

His defense is solid, though not at the level of the player who he’d potentially be replacing in this scenario. Draymond Green’s time in Golden State could be coming to an end soon, and having Garuba carry the power forward torch might be a nice transition for the franchise.