1. Portland Trailblazers (via Milwaukee Bucks) - Cameron Payne - PG
Still a bit of a head-scratcher to trade the odds-on favorite for the #1 pick in the draft, but that’s exactly what the Bucks did. Regardless of who ends up with this pick, Payne should be taken here. He is oozing with potential and has the best shot to be a superstar from this class. He is a natural floor general without a weakness to his game and can defend anyone.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers – Jahlil Okafor – C
I don’t believe Okafor is the second best player in the draft, but the Cavs’ front office has made it abundantly clear that they intend to take a big man with their top pick, and Okafor would be their choice here. He’ll be a monster offensively with the way he can score in the post and crash the offensive glass. He’s not the most intelligent, and he’s pretty average everywhere else, but his offense more than makes up for it.
3. Golden State Warriors – Terry Rozier - PG
Where impending free agent Stephen Curry will play next year is still a mystery, and this team needs talent pretty much anywhere but the center position with reigning #1 overall pick Joel Embiid developing there. With or without Curry on the team, the Warriors should take Rozier here. He’s a bit smaller than you’d like for the 2, but he’s an inch taller than Bledsoe, who is the Suns’ regular SG. Rozier is a terror both offensively and defensively. He’ll average 20+ ppg once developed, and he should become a good defender that forces turnover after turnover.
4. Dallas Mavericks – Stanley Johnson Jr - SF
The Mavs should be nowhere near the top 5 with the roster they currently boast, but here they are. Seems ownership wasn’t happy either since they hired a new GM midseason. If Payne or Rozier were still on the board, I think they’d take one of those 2, but they’ll be gone by pick #4. Without any glaring holes, I see the Mavs taking best player available in Stanley Johnson Jr. The guy must sweat butter with his inability to hold onto the ball, but that’s his only weakness. With his size and phenomenal rebounding ability, he could play the 3 or the 4. He’s also a very good distributor and will be able to score at will if he develops correctly.
5. Brooklyn Nets – JP Tokoto - SG
The Nets are pretty set with young talent in the front court between Randle and Cauley-Stein, and the Nets could use a floor spacer in Tokoto. Simply put, Tokoto is a deadly sniper in the mold of Nik Stauskas or Klay Thompson. He’ll need to develop some to hit those potentials, but this guy can shoot.
6. Atlanta Hawks - Devin Booker - SG
The Hawks are slowly building their team back up, and Booker will accelerate the process. He’s been frequently compared to James Harden for his scoring instincts, but those are near-impossible expectations. Still, he’ll be a great scorer with good range, and he’s actually a solid defender.
7. Indiana Pacers (via Charlotte Hornets) – Demetrius Jackson - PG
As the 9th seed in the East, the Pacers are not far from being in the playoffs. They have a good front-court between Gordon, Kanter and Anderson, and their biggest need is at the point. Jackson is a bit raw and will need some time to develop, but if he hits his ceilings, he could be something really special. In a few years, he could boast one of the league’s best handles and IQs, and he doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses aside from being raw.
8. Phoenix Suns (via Denver Nuggets) – Zhou Qi – C
Similarly to the Okafor selection, Qi is not the best player available here, but the Suns are loaded with talent everywhere but the front-court, so they take Qi here despite his serious flaws. Simply put, his head is as hollow as the basketball he plays with and he’ll frustrate his coaches with his frequent foul issues. That being said, Qi is impenetrable on the defensive end. He could become the top shot blocker in the league (if he can stay on the court long enough). His rebounding ability will be solid once he puts on weight and he has great range for a center.
9. Dallas Mavericks (via Portland Trailblazers) – Marcelo Huertas - PG
There he goes! As I alluded to earlier, this team doesn’t have any big holes, and the Mavs are ready to win now honestly. Huertas immediately upgrades their PG spot with a ready-now player that has some serious, serious ball skills. He might be the smartest player in the game already, and although he probably won’t shoot a ton, he can shoot anywhere on the court. A lineup with Huertas/Stauskas/Anderson/Gudaitas/Lopez, with Lance Stephenson, Stanley Johnson Jr and Reggie Jackson off the bench is a legitimate contender.
10. Los Angeles Lakers – DeAndre Bembry – SF
The Lakers have gone from bottom feeder to budding playoff contender, and the Lakers would be thrilled in Bembry falls to them at pick #10, as he would be a great fit alongside DeRozan on the wings. DeRozan will bring the offense, and Bembry will bring the defense. All you need to know is that his defensive ability has been compared to the likes of Jimmy Butler and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
11. Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City Thunder) – Brice Johnson - PF
I honestly think the Mavs move one of their lottery picks for future assets since they don’t need 3 lottery pick rookies on their team, but if they keep this pick I think they’ll take Brice Johnson here. Johnson is a 2-way player that should average an efficient 15 ppg on offense once developed, and has quick hands on defense to force turnovers. He’ll have some issues staying on the court, and he’s way too skinny right now, but he’d be a great value pick here.
12. Brooklyn Nets (via Toronto Raptors) – Jaylen Brown – SF
The Nets would like to take a PG here, but they’ll take Brown instead of reaching for one. Brown is a very well-rounded, versatile wing player that can defend, score, rebound and hold onto the ball. He’s not the sexiest pick, but he’s a quintessential glue guy that is great for coming off the bench or filling in admirably for an injured player.
13. Indiana Pacers – Myles Turner - C
Oh look at that… another team picking multiple times in the lottery. After selecting a PG with their first pick, they’ll take Turner here with their second. Turner is a 7-footer that can patrol the paint. While he’s below average on the offensive side of the court, he makes up for it with his defense. He should average 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals, and he does a good job of keeping opponents off the defensive glass.
14. Philadelphia 76ers (via Los Angeles Clippers) – Taurean Prince - SF
The 76ers have finally stopped being a joke around the league and look to make the playoffs for the first time. Like the Nets, they’d love to take a PG here to take over for Deron Williams someday, but they’d have to move up to grab one. With the Avery Bradley experiment not working out quite as planned, Prince would look very nice next to Parker in their wings. Prince has tremendous playmaking ability and will do a great job getting the ball to Parker on the offensive end, and he’ll be an excellent defender to make up for some of Parker’s deficiencies here.
2028
