1 Andrew Wiggins COLLEGE: Kansas AGE: 19 Class: Frosh HT: 6-8WT: 200POS: SG
Odds of winning lottery: 25 percent
Analysis: Now that the Bucks are for sale, everything about their future is a little up in the air. It's unclear whether the new owners will keep John Hammond and David Morway on. They have two years left on their contract and were actually fighting their owner Herb Kohl the past few years. They wanted to rebuild, but Kohl didn't. Injuries forced the issue this year; it would be ironic if they lost their jobs after delivering the Bucks their first real chance at landing a superstar. Either way, I don't think there's a clear-cut favorite right now. They were leaning toward Joel Embiid before his back injury and could still end up going that way if Embiid comes out with a clean bill of health at the combine. Jabari Parker is the choice if they want someone who can help them win now. But I think the spot is still Wiggins' to lose. He's not the most NBA-ready, and he doesn't have the size or appeal of Embiid. But he has the highest upside of any of the Bucks and could be a monster on the floor next to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
2Jabari ParkerCOLLEGE: DukeAGE: 19Class: FroshHT: 6-8WT: 241POS: SF
Odds of winning lottery: 19.9 percent
Analysis: Ownership deemed this season a success after finishing with the second-worst record in the league. That should be all you need to know about whether they were really tanking. If they end up with the No. 2 overall pick, forgive them for being a little bummed if Wiggins is off the board. However, Parker would be a nice consolation prize. He'd give the Sixers a guy who could score 20 points a night right out of the gate. And the Sixers have the length and athleticism to protect Parker on defense with Michael Carter-Williams in the backcourt and Nerlens Noel in the middle. Embiid is a dark horse here, though. He's not a perfect fit up front with Noel -- they are different players, and both are pretty raw -- but it would be an intriguing teaming nonetheless.
3Dante ExumCOLLEGE: AustraliaAGE: 18HT: 6-6WT: 188POS: PG
Odds of winning lottery: 15.6 percent
Analysis: The Magic will surely be tempted with Embiid on the board, but they really need a point guard, and there are many scouts who believe Exum might be the best prospect in the draft. We will never know for sure because Exum hasn't and won't be able to play against the other top talents in the draft. But his size, quickness, basketball IQ and ability to play both the one and the two should make him an excellent fit in the backcourt next to Victor Oladipo.
4Joel EmbiidCOLLEGE: KansasAGE: 20Class: FroshHT: 7-0WT: 250POS: C
Odds of winning lottery: 10.4 percent
Analysis: Jazz fans want Parker in the worst way, but their team likely will have to win one of the top two spots in the lottery to get their hands on him. With the players left on the board, the Jazz face a quandry. They can go with the guy with the most upside (Embiid), or they can go with a player who can help them right away (Julius Randle). Assuming Embiid is healthy, I think he's the pick here. Pairing him on the floor every night with Derrick Favors would give the Jazz an unbelievable defensive front line. Landing him also might free up the team to explore Enes Kanter trades over the summer. While the Jazz love Kanter, if they have to pay big dollars to Gordon Hayward this summer in free agency, they might not be able to afford to pay him what he wants next summer.
5Aaron GordonCOLLEGE: ArizonaAGE: 18Class: FroshHT: 6-8WT: 210POS: PF
Odds of winning lottery: 10.3 percent
Analysis: The Celtics could go a lot of different ways here, but most of those ways duplicate something they already have. The team would love to get their hands on Embiid, as he would help them with one of their biggest needs. But Gordon is intriguing here. He's a hybrid forward, but his athleticism and motor allow him to thrive at both the three and the four defensively. He adds toughness and does all the little things coaches love. I think he'd be a great fit on this Celtics squad.
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17Clint CapelaCOLLEGE: SwitzerlandAGE: 19HT: 6-11WT: 222POS: PF
(pick via Brooklyn Nets)
Analysis: The Celtics could make a long-term move with their second pick. Capela has NBA length and athleticism (think Serge Ibaka), but he's pretty far away from being an NBA player right now. Whether he sticks in Europe for a year or two or comes over now and learns the hard way, getting someone with athletic tools at this point in the draft is worth the gamble.
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Edited.
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