The basketball gods (through the ping-pong balls) have spoken. After the recently concluded NBA Draft Lottery, all teams now have a clearer picture of what the draft has in store for them. And of course, there’s no better way to deliberate on how the event will pan out and make well-backed simulations than our own NBA Mock Draft.
Not too far from the lottery is the NBA Draft Combine. Currently underway in Chicago, more than 60 draft hopefuls are showcasing their skills to all teams that are slated to be on deck or on the transaction panel come draft night. Aside from the consensus top picks, how this deep class of rookies will be selected is still up in the air, a testament to the extraordinary depth of the available talents up for grabs.
NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Rockets make a bold move, Pacers go for high upside
Holders of the first overall pick, the Detroit Pistons will get a possible generational talent with the consensus top pick. Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets will have an interesting decision to make with the second overall pick. Aside from two lottery surprises-ish in Cleveland and Toronto, the selection mostly panned out as expected, though selecting players in this incredible draft class will force teams to be more exhaustive than usual.
Without further ado, here is the third version of our NBA Mock Draft predicting how the first-round will fare for all teams. This time though, the Tankathon lever is out of the picture, with the lottery already fleshing out the order of selection.
NBA Mock Draft 1st Pick: Detroit Pistons
Among all selections in the upcoming draft, including the second-round, only one thing’s for sure—Cade Cunningham will be the top prize. Any other scenario with the top pick not involving the Oklahoma State prodigy automatically merits a “what a bleep” moment from the entire sports community.
In all seriousness, the first overall pick will be the easiest decision to make. Luckily, all signs point to the Detroit Pistons selecting Cunningham, with the consensus top prize reportedly choosing to only workout for the holders of the foremost selection.
For the franchise, this could be a monumental move that will set the struggling Pistons for immediate and future success after more than a decade of poignant and uninspiring on-court play. Cunningham, with his complete game perfect for the modern NBA, is slated for greatness and by all odds, he will not disappoint.
NBA Mock Draft 2nd Pick: Houston Rockets
Most panelists have Cunningham and Evan Mobley as the clear-cut 1-2 in the upcoming draft, but for the Houston Rockets, the decision will be a lot harder to make. After bannering the league’s worst record, many projected them to net the top prize despite sharing the same odds with two other teams.
Still, they were awarded with the second overall pick which should be a massive boost to the franchise’s abrupt rebuilding after the bitter closure of the James Harden era. Jalen Suggs should be the pick here. Touted as the best combo guard in the draft with advanced scoring and playmaking ability, he could be the backbone that sets the Rockets’ reboot away from the rest.
The prospect of Suggs running the floor with Kevin Porter Jr., Jae’Sean Tate and Christian Wood should be enticing enough to tempt Houston away from Evan Mobley. However, Mobley is a consensus top-2 pick. With this selection, the Rockets go for fit in a deadlock with talent.
NBA Mock Draft 3rd Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers
One of the lottery’s biggest winners, the Cleveland Cavaliers proved their luck once again after netting the third overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Despite having the best odds at seventh, the team managed to beat out the percentages and climbed four spots to acquire a talent which will bolster their continuous rebuild.
While the future of Collin Sexton is up in the air, the question of what to do with Jarrett Allen also looms. The young center is a promising big man, but his inconsistencies have mired his capacity to resolutely install himself as a clear future cornerstone for Cleveland.
Enter Evan Mobley. After Houston’s exhaustive deliberation leading them to Suggs, the Cavs should not overthink and pick the best available talent. Luckily, Mobley also brings great fit next to their current crop of youngsters and should be banked on to be the league’s next great big man with his incredible upside and all-around skillset.
NBA Mock Draft 4th Pick: Toronto Raptors
Like the team before them, the Toronto Raptors also managed to sneak into the top four despite carrying with them a paltry 8.5 percent chance for the fourth overall pick. Thus, the upcoming draft will be a golden opportunity for a quick rebuild on the part of the 2019 champs after a lost season which saw them surprisingly fail to qualify for the playoffs.
Clearly, Toronto is entering a new era of Raptors basketball, highlighted by Kyle Lowry’s likely exit in the offseason. While the team still has a well-rounded core with Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet, it’s nearly not enough to hoist them as tough outs in the postseason.
Jalen Green should bring immediate impact on The North. He’s easily the most explosive guard among his peers, bewitching defenders with a deep offensive arsenal that should make him a star for years to come. It could ensure that Toronto won’t reside in lottery territory for much longer with an enticing young core that should appeal to free agents in the future.
NBA Mock Draft 5th Pick: Orlando Magic
Poor Orlando. Despite being caught in a three-way deadlock by being one of three teams with the best odds for the first pick, the Magic flunked all the way down to fifth. Fortunately, the deep pool of rookies should still be enough for the team to clinch more than a consolation prize, especially after a boisterous tanking job in the latter half of the season.
It remains to be seen if Orlando is high on Wendell Carter Jr., but their current core of young talents in Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac is not particularly inspiring. On a fit and talent basis, Florida State’s Scottie Barnes should give them a whole lot of patchworks while acquiring a prospect with an intriguing skillset that is rare in the NBA.
Playmaking forwards who can score and defend are hard to come by. While his perimeter game is marginal at best, his upside as an ultra versatile building block gives justice to his steady rise in recent pre-draft projections. This time, don’t be surprised if Scottie Barnes jumps to the top five come draft night.
NBA Mock Draft 6th Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder
With a blunt rebuild unlike any other, the Oklahoma City Thunder entered the lottery with a significant chance for a top pick. Unfortunately for them and their roster of, wait, an army of contingent rookies in the future, the team missed out on a high selection and clinched the sixth overall pick.
No one really knows what to accurately make of OKC and Sam Presti’s unabating hoarding of draft picks and how much longer will they tread on cellar-dweller status, but they should maximize what they can with the sixth pick in this well-rounded rookie class. Thus, Jonathan Kuminga should be the prime target at this juncture.
Defense is the calling card of the 6’8 forward. His offensive game has improved greatly, but his immediate contribution will most likely manifest on avoiding opponents to bleed points on the board, a department where the Thunder ranked a measly 24th in efficiency last season. He should also be a nice compliment to fill in the tweener role and avoid funky lineups that make more sense in theory than in practice, such as having Aleksej Pokusevski as the nominal swingman.
NBA Mock Draft 7th Pick: Golden State Warriors (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
Despite riding an up-and-down season which eventually cultivated in a lottery finish, the Golden State Warriors enter next season as the most dangerous wildcard in the league. After all, MVP candidate Stephen Curry will be rejoined by Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and James Wiseman.
Another asset that they can enjoy to the fullest is their great collection of young players. They already have one in Jordan Poole, but the seventh pick in the NBA Draft should be another component that will give their top-heavy scoring attack much more cushion and separate Golden Sate’s bench from the rest of the league.
James Bouknight is a legitimate three-level scorer who possesses a deep bag of tricks as a high-octane guard. A second unit where only Poole is the reliable shot creator means more bench breakdowns for the Warriors, which hampered them this season. Bouknight’s creativity and flamethrower ability should diversify and ignite an already-complex Golden State offense predicated on player movement and spacing.
NBA Mock Draft 8th Pick: Orlando Magic (via Chicago Bulls)
A goodie from the Nikola Vucevic deal, the Orlando Magic will have another first-round pick on its cards to soften the blow of missing out on a top selection earlier. The silver lining though is that at this juncture, the team will have a lot more leeway to make a selection, especially with the draft outside of the top six still hard to determine.
However, the Magic should be wary of fit at this point. Luckily for them, Keon Johnson augments this ideal fit with his in-demand skillset. With an argument for being the best perimeter defender in the draft, the Tennessee standout should immediately add up on the court for Orlando next season.
Gary Harris and Terrence Ross are clearly not part of the team’s future plans, leaving them with a hole to fill in the young swingman spot, a position of great importance in today’s game. Johnson’s two-way upside should be an easy direction for the Magic to be tread on with the eighth overall pick.
NBA Mock Draft 9th Pick: Sacramento Kings
Another season, another missed playoffs for the Sacramento Kings. Owners of the NBA’s longest active playoff drought, the team remains stuck as prey for the beasts in the West. However, with a young core starting to round into form, there is some hope for the franchise as they move forward next season.
In last year’s draft, Sac Town made a major steal by drafting All-Rookie First Team member Tyrese Haliburton with the 12th overall pick. This year, they may be inching towards another high-upside talent with Michigan’s Franz Wagner who should be readily available with the ninth overall pick.
Last season’s anticlimactic lottery finish was self-inflicted. After all, Sacramento recorded the worst defensive rating in history in the campaign. Franz Wagner, with his versatility and activity on defense, should plug a lot of holes in a Kings team seemingly content on outscoring their opponents to win, which doesn’t happen much. Alas, he brings ample offensive firepower with his three-point stroke and subtle court vision.
NBA Mock Draft 10th Pick: New Orleans Pelicans
Missed opportunities and inconsistency were the two major storylines that deprived New Orleans of a coveted playoff spot. Despite trotting out a young core which ranks among the best in the association, headed by Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, last season was an utter disappointment for the Pelicans, failing to even clinch a play-in spot.
While there are rumblings of unrest with Williamson, the on-court product must be given redress as soon and as massive as possible. In fact, they may be headed in that direction, with the backcourt slated for a big revamp with Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart’s free agency and the status of Eric Bledsoe who proved to be a misfit in the Crescent City.
Davion Mitchell should be an instant fix to some of their problems, especially on defense. Ball is a great individual defender, but lacks consistency. Hart was best utilized as a help defender on the wings. Meanwhile, Bledsoe took a nosedive from his All-Defensive Team form. The Baylor product, one of the best defenders overall among his peers, deserves a deep look from New Orleans’ circle.
NBA Mock Draft 11th Pick: Charlotte Hornets
Despite missing on a playoff berth, the Charlotte Hornets have a lot of reasons to be hopeful in the near future with their superstar-in-the-making in LaMelo Ball figuring to lead the franchise as one of the up and coming teams in the league. However, the center position is certainly an elephant in the room for them—yeah, the bad one.
For years, the Hornets have been anchored by 5-men who are, at their best, ideal patchworks who serve best in a non-starting role. Trotting out Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo as the main bigs simply gives the opposition an initial advantage—a huge one even if you have the likes of Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic.
Thus, Charlotte may want to take a hard look on Alperen Sengun. He’s incredibly raw, but the Turkish big man has a buttery post game predicated on great footwork and court awareness. He’s more of a traditional center than a modern one, but his jump shot can certainly surface later on. Also, the Hornets can still afford to be patient, even for just a year or two.
NBA Mock Draft 12th Pick: San Antonio Spurs
After barely missing out on the playoffs for the second straight year (the last two years have been truly weird), the San Antonio Spurs will tread on uncharted waters this offseason. With all veterans entering free agency, this will be the franchise’s chance to go turbo on a rebuild around their already-solid core through the draft and with their massive cap space.
By all odds, DeMar DeRozan probably won’t be back, and while handing the keys out to the likes of DeJounte Murray and Derrick White is the likely plan as constructed, San Antonio’s frontcourt needs a lot of help. Duke’s Jalen Johnson could just be what the team needs who can cover a lot of holes for the team on both ends of the floor.
The athletic tweener is cut from a different cloth among his peers. A playmaking forward with great handles and a unique court vision, Johnson can easily find immediate minutes on a normally veteran-favoring Spurs team in the frontcourt next to budding star Keldon Johnson and underrated defensive anchor Jakob Poeltl. Side note: Gregg Popovich loves playmaking forwards.
NBA Mock Draft 13th Pick: Indiana Pacers
After winning the Rick Carlisle sweepstakes, the Indiana Pacers have clearly shown that their core is here to stay. With better health and a veteran coach this time, there’s no doubt that the Blue and Gold has the potential to make noise in the Eastern Conference and surprise a lot of people.
To maximize their current window, Indy has to exhaust all of its options to install pieces who can contribute right from the get go. Australia’s Josh Giddey should be their prime target in the NBA Draft. Alas, he may even serve as the team’s prized offseason acquisition given the team’s minimal wiggle room to make strides in free agency, barring a trade.
At 6’8, Giddey is an unorthodox guard who can pass the ball like a wizard. With a knack for a surgical vision of the court, he should be a perfect fit for the Pacers’ ball movement-based offense led by Domantas Sabonis.. His defense and athleticism are big question marks, but his basketball IQ and foreign flair should easily upend his current weaknesses.
NBA Mock Draft 14th Pick: Golden State Warriors
After a two-year NBA Playoffs sabbatical, the Golden State Warriors should be right back in the mix next season. However, the Dubs must make it a point to surround the team with shooters and defenders that can seamlessly fit with their detailed schemes around the Splash Brothers, especially on the bench.
With Kelly Oubre most likely pricing himself out of Golden State’s range, Arkansas’ Moses Moody could be the perfect piece to fill his void next season. He is long and switchable on defense, can hit the three ball on a rate that is enough to command attention, and perhaps, more importantly, he arms the Warriors with a much-needed boost on the youth department, especially with the team bugged by injuries in recent years.
It would be quite of a bummer for Moody to fall all the way down to 14th, but landing in Golden State would be perfect for him. While Steve Kerr has a relatively short leash on rookies, playing next to Curry, Thompson and Green will benefit all parties involved.
NBA Mock Draft 15th Pick: Washington Wizards
While the Washington Wizards managed to will themselves into a playoff berth before quickly losing in the first-round, the team should not look at their roster and think of bannering it next season to carry their postseason hopes alive, especially with the East getting stronger every season.
One department where Washington urgently needs help is in the center position, where the Wizards are currently utilizing their limited options in prominent roles. While Daniel Gafford has been a wonderful addition, he may be better as a hybrid power forward. Meanwhile, Robin Lopez shouldn’t be playing exhaustive minutes anymore whereas Thomas Bryant is coming off a major injury.
Texas’ Kai Jones seems to be a perfect fit with his explosiveness, mobility and athleticism from the center position. Aside from that, he possesses an intriguing offensive arsenal, capable of playing above the rim or shooting from the perimeter to complement Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal’s shot creation and playmaking.
NBA Mock Draft 16th Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder (via Boston Celtics)
After dealing away veteran Al Horford and Moses Brown, the Oklahoma City Thunder are left with only one true big man on the roster: the perimeter-oriented Mike Muscala, unless you’re counting the 7’0 Aleksej Pokusevski. I’m not.
Although the Thunder couldn’t care less if they have a bunch of roster holes with their in-your-face, just-gimme-your-draft-picks brand of rebuilding, they still need to trot out a lineup on the floor which can viably compete on the NBA level. Fortunately, they can strike two birds with one stone with their need for a big man and a young asset with Isaiah Jackson.
The Kentucky standout is a phenomenal shot blocker who can be reasonably expected to anchor the defense for the ailing Thunder. While his offensive game is currently limited, his wing-like motor and athleticism makes him a huge asset as a defender, capable of switching onto guards when needed.
NBA Mock Draft 17th Pick: Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis was a pleasant surprise this season. Led by Ja Morant, the Grizzlies turned heads by qualifying for the playoffs after beating the Spurs and the Warriors in the play-in tournament before dying a noble death to the Utah Jazz. Nevertheless, this season was a big leap for the young Grizz.
However, if there’s an issue that needs to be addressed for Memphis, it’s three-point shooting. The Grizzlies are still a bottom-10 team in three-pointers made, attempted and in conversion rate. To complement Morant’s attacking game, perimeter offense must be given emphasis in the offseason.
Corey Kispert’s quick trigger and deep three-point shooting should be a welcome addition to the team. He doesn’t do much besides scoring, but his length makes him an switchable team defender at least, a facet missing in the team’s designated shooters outside of Dillon Brooks.
NBA Mock Draft 18th Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder (via Miami Heat)
At this juncture, it’s rare to find someone as talented as Ziaire Williams still projected to be on the board. The Stanford ace may very well be the steal of the draft, boasting physical gifts reminiscent of the many stars in today’s game which should bode well for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Alas, OKC is severely undermanned at the wing positions, consistently resorting to funky lineups to adapt on the fly. Williams’ eye-popping length (he stands at almost 6’10 with shoes) could form a long, disruptive lineup along Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Lu Dort and Pokusevski.
His offensive game needs work, but he is projected to be an above average three-point shooter. He can get to the rim almost at will with his quickness and length while providing much-needed sustenance as an intimidating perimeter defender. The upside is high with this prospect.
NBA Mock Draft 19th Pick: New York Knicks
One of the surprise teams in the NBA this season, the New York Knicks will attempt to keep their success heading to the next campaign. Under Tom Thibodeau and led by All-Star Julius Randle, the Big Apple will ride its team’s defensive identity to continue churning out wins in the much improved East.
It’s foolish to criticize Thibodeau, especially after winning the Coach of the Year hardware, but at some point, he’s gotta stop overplaying Taj Gibson, right? No offense to the veteran, but New York will be better off having him only in situational spurts. Real Madrid’s Usman Garuba should be a perfect successor to his enforcer role.
His offense is heavy on the paint and he is quite undersized at his position, but Garuba’s defensive instinct is second to none. Already with professional experience under his belt, the young Spaniard could clinch some minutes, especially with Mitchell Robinson’s intermittent injuries and Nerlens Noel’s impending free agency.
NBA Mock Draft 20th Pick: Atlanta Hawks
It’s hard to knock on the Atlanta Hawks right now, especially with the team embroiled in an odds-breaking affair in the Conference Finals against Milwaukee, but whatever result the team yields, the team needs a reliable point guard to relieve Trae Young.
Lou Williams has been great in the postseason, but he’s already on the tail end of his wonderful career. Kris Dunn is, uh, not even playing due to injury and Brandon Goodwin is best served as a backup to the backup. Throughout the year, Nate McMillan mobilized Bogdan Bogdanovic as the de facto point guard to lead the second unit, but he’s at his best as a starter and a secondary creator.
Tre Mann deserves a hard look with the 20th overall pick. The 6’5 combo guard could easily slot in as a versatile option in the backcourt for Atlanta. His perimeter shooting and length also makes for a great dual point guard configuration with Trae Young. With his great fit in theory and maybe in practice, the Hawks shouldn’t miss the chance to draft another…Tre.
NBA Mock Draft 21st Pick: New York Knicks (via Dallas Mavericks)
Perhaps the bigger need for New York is a missing sustainable piece at the point guard position. While they may be gearing to hunt a star player like Kyle Lowry in the offseason, leaving Derrick Rose as the only viable playmaker is quite risky, despite his well-documented revival. Sorry, Elfrid Payton and Frank Ntilikina.
NBA Mock Draft 22nd Pick: Los Angeles Lakers
As Rob Pelinka said, the Lakers need a boatload of shooting to augment the team’s plodding offense. Oregon’s Chris Duarte should be able to provide that. As an added bonus, he can defend, a point of emphasis for the Frank Vogel-led squad facing two flight risks this offseason in Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker.
NBA Mock Draft 23rd Pick: Houston Rockets (via Portland Trail Blazers)
Forgotten in the Houston Rockets roster is veteran Eric Gordon. Often injured, the gunner should still be an interesting trade chip for the team. As a replacement, the NCAA’s leading scorer, Cameron Thomas, should be more than enough to replace the services of one of the league’s best sixth men.
NBA Mock Draft 24th Pick: Houston Rockets (via Milwaukee Bucks)
Western Kentucky’s Charles Bassey makes a lot of sense for the Rockets. His versatile offensive arsenal consisting of a reliable pick and roll game and steady perimeter shooting at the center position will get them some cushion to offset a flight risk in the rejuvenated Kelly Olynyk this offseason.
NBA Mock Draft 25th Pick: LA Clippers
While Reggie Jackson’s rise is incredible, the LA Clippers are still rather thin in the playmaking sector. Patrick Beverley and Rajon Rondo are specialists at this point while Tre Mann is better at the 2-spot. Jaden Springer should warrant serious consideration from the team with his passing, three-level scoring and defense.
NBA Draft Mock 26th Pick: Denver Nuggets
With Jamal Murray expected to be sidelined for the majority of next season, the Denver Nuggets need to find playmakers who can help force the team away from overplaying Facundo Campazzo and overpaying Austin Rivers. Auburn’s Sharife Cooper can be an instant contributor who should be a great additive for depth when Murray returns.
NBA Mock Draft 27th Pick: Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets’ only true weakness is in the center position. While they employ more small-ball lineups anyway, the fact remains that the team can’t mobilize Blake Griffin or the young Nicolas Claxton against Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic. Day’Ron Sharpe’s back to the basket game should supply the team with a consistent threat on the paint while providing shotblocking.
NBA Mock Draft 28th Pick: Philadelphia 76ers
Danny Green’s steady hand this season may have priced himself out of Philly. Hence, the 76ers need to be wise and stack on depth in the wing positions to soften the blow of a possible exit. Virginia’s Trey Murphy III’s switchability on defense should be a welcome addition to Philadelphia’s defensive-minded system.
NBA Mock Draft 29th Pick: Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns don’t really need much, but if anything, added security in the form of a backup big should be welcome. With Torrey Craig on the deck for bigger offers in the offseason, Auburn’s JT Thor and his massive upside on defense is not only intriguing, but also a wonderful fit with the team’s newfound defensive identity.
NBA Mock Draft 30th Pick: Utah Jazz
After a disgruntling elimination in the playoffs, the Utah Jazz have no time to weep. Addressing the point guard position in the second unity is a must, especially with Mike Conley’s nagging injuries and Joe Ingles as the lone reliable passer on the bench. Ayo Dosunmu’s mature court vision deserves a second look here.