We are halfway through the year and March Madness is right around the corner for those of us already thinking about the NBA draft. Given the hype around the class and the upcoming showcase, it is time to do the first mock draft of the season here! This season has the benefit of the G-League Ignite team showcasing some of the preeminent draftees-to-be against NBA-level talent.
The race for the top five picks in this draft is fierce. The picture of the top 10 teams in the Western Conference has solidly taken form, with a 3.0 game cushion between the 10th seeded Memphis Grizzlies and the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder. In the Eastern Conference, the bottom three teams are more than clear at his point. There is plenty of season left but for now, we are as clear as we can be.
Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Jalen Suggs, Evan Mobley and Jonathan Kuminga highlight a major draft class. It is time for Mock NBA Draft 1.0.
For the sake of this exercise, we will be taking the mock NBA draft order based on the standings at the All-Star break. Almost every team has played half of their games and the trade deadline has not yet passed to set up who the true buyers and sellers are and if draft picks are changing hands.
We will also be projecting fit as the best as we can. Sometimes that fit is whether or not the level of readiness fits the level of readiness for the roster they are headed to is ready to compete. In other places, where the team is ready to compete for something more than ping pong balls, the fit will be about the actual current roster.
Without further ado, we start with the team who had the top pick last season.
NBA draft picks 1-5
Cade Cunningham has long been considered the prize of this class. He can play either guard position and is committed on the defensive end. He would be the immediate leader of the team for an organization lacking in leadership. He would also make it easier to move on from D’Angelo Russell as he pairs far better with Anthony Edwards. Do not overthink this, Cade Cunningham is the answer.
Athletic and long, Jalen Green profiles as the dynamic scoring threat that is the only thing that Troy Weaver did not draft for the Detroit Pistons last season. He has been an efficient offensive option in the G-League and has the potential to be even better as he grows. He just needs to cut down on the turnovers.
As the Houston Rockets transition into their rebuilding era they should pick a point guard to learn alongside Joh Wall. Jalen Suggs fits the build perfectly. He is a solid defender and creates offense for himself with ease. He could attack the rim and kick it to Christian Wood on the perimeter or find him down low. Either way, the fit works.
Jonathan Kuminga fits the mold of what the Orlando Magic are building. He is a long, athletic wing who is continuing to improve as rebounder and playmaker. His efficiency needs some work but he has the potential to be a transformational forward. If he meets his potential, he is the best player in this draft. This is worth the risk for the Orlando Magic.
Taking a center at the top of the draft should only be done when they profile as a generational gamechanger. That is Evan Mobley. He was the Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the PAC-12. He is a smart passer and a shot-blocking machine (2.9 per game this season). He could be the perfect partner for De’Aaron Fox and would be a decent defensive partner for Marvin Bagley III.
NBA draft picks 6-10
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a forward away from being ready to compete. Scottie Barnes is that forward. His 7’2” wingspan will pair well with the defensive capabilities of Isaac Okoro and Jarrett Allen. Taking a role player this high in the draft is not always the best call but the role he would play for the Cavs is essential.
Keon Johnson is the kind of defensive prospect that can change the future for the Washington Wizards. He boasts an elite defensive rating in college and profiles as the type that will not wilt at the transition to the big stage. He is not ready offensively but given the lack of opportunities for many shots beyond Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook, Johnson will have time to figure things out.
Zaire Williams would be great for the New Orleans Pelicans. Williams plays hard at all times and is committed on the defensive end of the court, a rarity in New Orleans and exactly what Stan Van Gundy is looking for. Admittedly a project, taking a swing for a team with plenty of picks in the chamber and just beginning to build around Zion Williamson is smart. His shot needs work, but he does a lot of little things that could earn him rotation minutes quickly.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have young prospects at every position besides center (sorry Aleksej Pokusevski fans) so taking a swing on Kai Jones with one of their many first-round picks coming their way is logical. He is extremely efficient but needs to work on everything else. He will have time to cook and realize his potential with the Thunder.
The Atlanta Hawks are in desperate need of an infusion of maturity. One of the older players in the draft, Corey Kispert is the kind of leader they need. He is a competent defender and a hyper-efficient offensive player. After years of taking swings on potential going with a higher-floor prospect who could turn them around more quickly is needed.
NBA draft picks 11-15
Jalen Johnson is polarizing, to say the least. Despite a disappointing season at Duke that ended early, Johnson still feels like a home run swing for an Indiana Pacers team that does not get many chances at an elite prospect in the draft. He is a good rebounder and 3-point shooter. He is well worth a swing for a team in need of an infusion of talent.
Selecting a defensive-minded player to pair with Patrick Williams as the anchor on that side of the ball is smart for the Chicago Bulls. He would attack the rim and is increasingly becoming a better playmaker. Elite defense for a team with Zach LaVine and Coby White is a no-brainer and Billy Donovan will love coaching him.
Moses Moody has the talent of a top 10 pick, making the risk worth the reward for the Memphis Grizzlies at the back of the lottery. A 6’5” shooting guard with a wild 7’0” wingspan, he has improved as a shooter in college (38.6 percent from distance). As he improves, he will fit in as the wing of the future here.
Greg Brown is the kind of wing the Golden State Warriors were hoping Kelly Oubre could be this season and when he walks in free agency Brown slides in as a much cheaper replacement. He is a crazy athlete with a solid wingspan. He even fits the switchable defensive schemes the team loves. As the roster becomes more loaded, he can thrive off the bench.
This may be lower than most for James Bouknight but that is to his, and the Toronto Raptors’, benefit. The Raptors have a long track record of molding guard potential into the best of their abilities and Bouknight could be the perfect replacement for pending free agent Norman Powell. He is a scoring machine with a soft touch (20.2 points and 33.9 percent on 5.2 attempts per game). If he can increase the efficiency just a little more he is a no-brainer.
NBA draft picks 16-20
Franz Wager is growing into the ideal NBA small forward and would be able to come into the Charlotte Hornets as a key reserve behind Gordon Hayward. He has averaged 2.4 stocks (steals and blocks) per game as a sophomore for one of the best college teams in the country. He has shown off the kind of 3-point stroke that has scouts salivating.
Usman Garuba has lottery ceiling and bust floor. With their second first round pick of the night, the Oklahoma City Thunder can add even more size. He just turned 19 this month, making him one of the younger prospects in the draft, perfect for the Thunder’s timeline.
It has become something of a joke at this point but if there are Kentucky players available, Leon Rose will select them. Isaiah Jackson may look like a clone of Mitchell Robinson but with the current Knick coming off an injury adding some insurance behind him is smart. His college per 36-minute numbers are insane: 14.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.5 blocks and 1.3 steals. He will not be the last Wildcat headed to the Big Apple.
Alperen Sengun is extremely raw but is the kind of prospect the Boston Celtics should take a chance on. His numbers in the Turkish league are eye-popping (19.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks) but there are some inconsistencies. He is turnover and foul prone and unless he gets that under control it will limit his potential, but the gamble is enticing.
This is not just the Knicks joke from before. BJ Boston has not been in college what he was in high school but with their second first round pick and entering the back third of the draft this is an easy call. He was a good shooter in high school so if he can get back to that, instead of the stroke he has shown at Kentucky, Boston would be a steal.
NBA draft picks 21-25
Day’Ron Sharpe has played less than 20 minutes per game at school, but he still averaged 7.8 rebounds per game. With the San Antonio Spurs moving on from LaMarcus Aldridge taking an elite rebounding center to come in behind Jakob Poeltl fills the biggest hole on the roster. Give Gregg Popovich a chance to realize his great potential.
Josh Christopher has been limited to just 15 games due to a leg injury but if the medical side rights itself he would be a great get for the Denver Nuggets. He is an elite athlete and with the potential to be a microwave scorer for them off the bench. Efficiency needs to improve but he would be able to feast on some of the best passes in the league from Nikola Jokic.
After taking a freshman star earlier in the draft, the Houston Rockets come back around to take Ayo Dosunmu. He has blossomed in his junior year as a 20.9 point per game scorer while shooting 40.0 percent from 3-point range. Even if the shooting stroke does not translate in the pros, he is a solid rebounder and defender. If this progression is real, he will fit in nicely.
Sharife Cooper is one of the headiest playmakers in the draft and would create offense for a team in the Milwaukee Bucks that are perpetually looking for more of that. His ankle injury limited his late season impact, but Cooper could be a star if he falls in the right situation. The Bucks are that situation.
The LA Clippers need playmaking in the starting lineup, off the bench and wherever else they can find it. Davion Mitchell will be 23 years old and is ready for the NBA. He may not have as high a ceiling as some of the players already off the board, but he is a winning player. Mitchell is hyper-efficient, defends well and takes care of the ball.
NBA draft picks 26-30
Daishen Nix has an elite handle and passing intangibles. He is not much of a scoring threat at this point but his playmaking and rebounds from the guard position His time with the G-League Ignite has not been what they had hoped but the potential is clear. Get him with LeBron James and see him reach that potential.
Terrence Shannon Jr. is all about defense. For the Brooklyn Nets, adding additional defensive talent is the only option. There is no need to add more scoring. They have all of that and more so adding another defensive guard to do more of what Bruce Brown does on that side of the court is a great call, especially with the rim-protecting centers off the board.
The Philadelphia 76es learned this season that adding shooting and playmaking is the key to their success. Jared Butler is NBA-ready and can contribute immediately. He is shooting an absurd 44.4 percent from 3-point range this season for Baylor on 6.1 attempts per game. He is not an elite passer but can improve.
After passing on a third guard in the draft last year the Phoenix Suns will not make that mistake twice. Josh Giddey is 6’8” and rebounds and passes better than many of his peers. He is not a shooter (37.9 percent from the floor this season in Australia) but he does everything else well and would fit the pace of the Suns perfectly.
The Utah Jazz like to take seniors who are ready to compete immediately, especially now that they are ostensibly competing for an NBA championship. Christ Duarte is efficient and effective. He is sporting shooting splits of .533/.440/.806 this season. He is a smart team defender with decent length. Chris Duarte is definitely a Jazz kind of player.