Ah the NBA Draft. Every King’s fans second favorite day of the year sandwiched between Christmas and the last day of the NBA season. One of the more top heavy drafts in recent memory, there is no question 3-4 of these players can be superstars capable of taking your miserable team to the heights of a contender. This is the final mock draft that Red Cup College Sports is putting out a day prior to the draft.
1: Phoenix Suns: DeAndre Ayton 7’1″ C
Ayton can crash the boards and score right away and provide a second Star next too Booker. His measurables and size are unreal and cannot be taught. If he can become a plus on defense he will be one of the most dominant centers in the league.
2. Sacramento Kings: Luka Doncic 6’8” SG/PG/SF
Doncic is by far the most credentialed player in this draft. Seeing mocks of players like Michael Porter Jr. and Mo Bamba ahead of him are completely potential based and absurd. Kings get a player who can play off Fox and eventually give the Kings a Superstar they haven’t seen since Boogie.
3. Atlanta Hawks: Jaren Jackson Jr. 6’11” PF/C
Bagley will get some serious looks here, but Hawks are a bunch of nerds and go with the analytics-based pick in Jackson Jr. who is a better fit for the modern NBA. Not only is he younger but he projects a better defender.
4. Memphis Grizzlies: Marvin Bagley 6’11” PF/C
Grizzlies are going to select whichever one of the Top 4 players falls, Bagley is a great choice here and gives the Grizzlies an unbelievably athletic Big Man to play aside Gasol.
5. Dallas Mavericks: Mo Bamba 6’11” C
Mavericks get the Defensive Anchor they haven’t had since Tyson Chandler, Not bad for the 5th pick. Forget about a jumpshot, Bamba should be able to affect the game immediately with his size.
6. Orlando Magic: Trae Young 6’2″ PG
Michael Porter Jr. is tempting here but Magic desperately need a PG and Trae Young is the most skilled player in the draft and will replace a lackluster rotation of D.J. Augustin and Shelvin Mack.
7. Chicago Bulls: Michael Porter Jr. 6’10” SF/PFPorter is seemingly skyrocketing up boards but there are just too many questions to take him in the top 6. Bulls snatch Porter Jr. here as the best player available. They’ve been trotting out a rotation of Justin Holiday, Denzel Valentine, and Paul Zipser all season so to say SF is a position of need is an understatement.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Wendell Carter Jr. 6’10” C/PFWendell Carter Jr. is a versatile Big Man that fits the modern NBA and has a low floor. The Cavs past drafts have been embarrassing and they go with the safe pick whether or not LeBron leaves.
9. New York Knicks: Mikal Bridges 6’7″ SF/SG
Imagine the Knicks Defense with Ntilikina, Porzingis, and Mikal Bridges. That is some crazy length on for a team that hasn’t played defense since the 70s. Mikal fits them perfectly and has a winning pedigree at Villanova.
10. Philadelphia 76ers: Miles Bridges 6’6″ PF/SF
Sixers need shooters, and Bridges isn’t a Curry or anything but is an uber athletic player who is a threat from long range. Him and Simmons running on the fast break would be a very exciting thing to see.
11. Charlotte Hornets: Colin Sexton 6’3″ PG
Hornets have been running on a treadmill for a few years and I think they’ll blow it up this offseason. Sexton can replace Kemba Walker and learn from his mistakes on a rebuilding team.
12. Los Angeles Clippers: Kevin Knox 6’9″ SF/PF
First of two picks, Knox is the youngest players in the draft who has size and skill to be a very good wing in the NBA.
13. Los Angeles Clippers: Zhaire Smith 6’5″ SG/SF
Smith is one of the most athletic prospects in the draft and can be a boom or bust player who can help an apparent Clippers rebuild along with Knox.
14. Denver Nuggets: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 6’6″ PG/SG
Nuggets are a very deep team and Jamal Murray has been very good this season but isn’t a true point guard. Gigleous-Alexander can provide that true PG.
15. Washington Wizards: Robert Williams 6’10” C/PF
Marcin Gortat is like 50 and is pretty trash for a perennial playoff team. Williams can step in and give good minutes at the Center position right away and become a much-needed rim runner for an up-tempo team.
16. Phoenix Suns: Lonnie Walker 6’4″ SG
Walker is a steal at 16 and can play in lineups with Ayton/Booker/Jackson and can provide defense in a rotation with some offense heavy players in Ayton and Booker.
17. Milwaukee Bucks: Aaron Holiday 6’1″ PG
Bledsoe didn’t live up to the hype and the Bucks need a PG who can lead a stacked Bucks team past the first round. Holiday can be that player.
18. San Antonio Spurs: Dzanan Musa 6’9″ SF/SG
Trying to predict what San Antonio is gonna do is impossible but I say the Spurs go Euro stash here and take the second best international player in the draft.
19. Atlanta Hawks: Jerome Robinson 6’5” SGOne of the best pure scorers in the draft, Robinson gives the Hawks some guard depth and scoring on a team that doesn’t excel in either department.
20. Minnesota Timberwolves: Keita Bates-Diop 6’7″ SF/PF
Timberwolves need depth on the wing and the Junior Bates-Diop can step into a team that has one of the better starting line-ups in the league.
21. Utah Jazz: Donte DiVincenzo 6’4″ SGJazz could use a few more shooters with Gobert and Rubio sharing the floor for much of the game and go with the “Michael Jordan of Delaware here. DiVincenzo can step in and shoot at an NBA level and play tough defense.
22. Chicago Bulls: Jalen Brunson 6’2″ PG
Brunson is coming off CBB POY Awards and his Second Championship. At 22nd thats not a bad pickup for the Bulls who already got Wendell Carter Jr.
23. Indiana Pacers: Chandler Hutchinson 6’7″ SF/SG
Hutchinson is an athletic do-it-all player who can fit in perfectly next to Oladipo on a fast paced squad.
24. Portland Trail Blazers: Kyhri Thomas 6’4″ SG
Trailblazers desperately need a Backup SG and Thomas can play physical defense and space the floor for Lillard and McCollum.
25. Los Angeles Lakers: Mitchell Robinson 7’1″ C
This pick could likely be traded, but if they decide to keep it, the Lakers have young talent at every position and take a flier on the drafts mystery man.
26. Philadelphia 76ers: Grayson Allen 6’4″ SG
J.J. Reddick may be gone, and Allen is can step in day 1 and help the 76ers chase contender status.
27. Boston Celtics: Brandon McCoy 7’0″
Next season the Celtics will have a roster that has about 12-13 quality NBA players but Aaron Banes is playing quality minutes. McCoy can compete for those 15-20 minutes of dirty work.
28. Golden State Warriors: Kevin Huerter 6’7″ SF
Heurter will reportedly be out for the next 2 months or so and will likely slip a bit but the Warriors pick him up looking for even MORE shooting.
29. Brooklyn Nets: Omari Spellman 6’9″ PF/C
Very guard heavy, Nets get a skilled big man here who can complement Jarret Allen in the Front court and be a key piece in a long rebuild.
30. Atlanta Hawks: Jevon Carter 6’2″ PG/SG
One of the Best Defensive players in CBB history, Carter can step in day 1 and defend at an NBA level and set a tone for a young Hawks team.
Second Round:
31: Phoenix Suns: Rodions Kurucus
32: Memphis Grizzlies: Troy Brown
33: Atlanta Hawks: Ardoldas Kulboka
34: Dallas Mavericks: Gary Trent Jr.
35: Orlando Magic: Anferee Simmons
36: Sacramento Kings: De’Anthony Melton
37: New York Knicks: Melvin Frazier
38: Philadelphia 76ers: Chimeze Metu
39: Philadelphia 76ers: Tony Carr
40: Brooklyn Nets: Bruce Brown
41: Orlando Magic: Devonte’ Graham
42: Detroit Pistons: Landry Shamet
43: Denver Nuggets: Hamidou Diallo
44: Washington Wizards: Jacob Evans
45: Brooklyn Nets: Mortiz Wagner
46: Houston Rockets: Shake Milton
47: Los Angeles Lakers: Vince Edwards
48: Minnesota Timberwolves: Trevon Duval
49: San Antonio Spurs: Elie Okobo
50: Indiana Pacers: Isaac Bonga
51: New Orleans Pelicans: Malik Newman
52: Utah Jazz: Justin Jackson
53: Oklahoma City Thunder: Rawle Atkins
54: Dallas Mavericks: Josh Okogie
55: Charlotte Hornets: Jared Vanderbilt
56: Philadelphia 76ers: Ajdin Penava
57: Oklahoma City Thunder: Keenan Evans
58: Denver Nuggets: Alize Johnson
59: Phoenix Suns: Goga Bitaze
60: Philadelphia 76ers: Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
