1. Boston Celtics (via Nets)
Markelle Fultz
Washington
Freshman
Guard
The Celtics were the big winners in more ways than one. Not only do they get the No. 1 pick, but now they control the draft, making trade offers even more lucrative.
If they keep the pick, Fultz is the clear choice for them. He can play both the 1 and the 2, he stretches the floor and he has the build to contribute right now. If they shop this pick, they should be able to get a player such as Paul George or Jimmy Butler in a trade in return. Fultz is that good.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Lonzo Ball
UCLA
Freshman
Guard
The Lakers had about a 53 percent chance of losing their pick, but instead moved up a spot.
Ball as a potential Laker has been discussed for months, and it appears to be destiny. He has that Showtime quality that the Lakers have been missing since Kobe Bryant retired. And D'Angelo Russell should have no problem moving over to the 2 full time.
It's unlikely, but one sleeper here is De'Aaron Fox. The Lakers have been enamored with him since he destroyed Ball in the UCLA-Kentucky game during the NCAA tournament. He could move ahead of Ball with great workouts.
3. Philadelphia 76ers (via Kings)
Malik Monk
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard
A good but hardly ideal night for the Sixers.
They didn't get the Lakers' pick (though they will get it next year), and their own pick actually fell to fifth. But they moved up to third because of a savvy Sam Hinkie trade that was made years ago, allowing them to swap places with Sacramento.
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The Sixers wanted either Fultz or Ball. Now the choice is tougher. But they need shooters, and Malik Monk should be there for the taking. Or they can go with the toughness of De'Aaron Fox to bolster their perimeter defense.
Coach Brett Brown plans to put the ball in Ben Simmons' hands next season, so right now Monk looks more likely. But Fox has a lot of fans in the Sixers' front office, and Brown loves gritty players.
4. Phoenix Suns
Josh Jackson
Kansas
Freshman
Forward
The Suns fell two spots, but it's not the end of the world, because point guard isn't really a need.
Jackson is probably the best fit for Phoenix in the draft. He's a versatile two-way wing who is great in the open court, can lock down three positions and plays with an intensity reminiscent of Kevin Durant. His jump shot is shaky, but the Suns have plenty of shooters.
5. Sacramento Kings (via 76ers)
De'Aaron Fox
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard
The Kings desperately want to bring in a young point guard to pair with Buddy Hield, Skal Labissiere and Willie Cauley-Stein.
Fox is the quickest and most explosive guard in the top group of prospects. He also might be the toughest, which should be a godsend for coach Dave Joerger.
Fox's jump shot is shaky, and he can't go right, but he's one of the hardest-working, most competitive players in the draft and the sort of culture changer that the Kings really need.
6. Orlando Magic
Jayson Tatum
Duke
Freshman
Forward
The Magic are in the middle of a search for a new team president and GM, so it's hard to predict exactly what direction they'll be heading next season.
This pick should come down to either Tatum or guard Dennis Smith. Neither player fits a need exactly, but Smith would give them a nice complement to Elfrid Payton in the backcourt.
Tatum is, perhaps, the most NBA-ready freshman in the draft. He has a pro game and might be the best pure wing scorer.
It's a toss-up until we know whom the new GM will be, but I'm leaning Tatum right now.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
Jonathan Isaac
Florida State
Freshman
Forward
The Wolves have been high on Lauri Markkanen for a while, and he's a good fit. But the upside of Isaac will be too much to pass up, especially for a head coach like Tom Thibodeau, who needs to find a way to improve team defense.
While Isaac might be further away than some of the other prospects on the board, his ability to guard four, maybe five positions on the floor should be great for Minnesota.
8. New York Knicks
Dennis Smith
NC State
Freshman
Guard
The Knicks are intent on finding a point guard to pair with Kristaps Porzingis.
In some drafts, Smith would be a top-three pick. He's super athletic, he can score from anywhere on the floor and he's an above-average playmaker. His team was terrible last season and that hurt his stock, but he has the tools NBA teams are looking for in a modern point guard.
Frank Ntilikina will also get a long look here. The Knicks have scouted him heavily.
9. Dallas Mavericks
Frank Ntilikina
France
Age: 18
Guard
The Mavs could really use a young point guard to build around and would be happy with whichever one falls to them at No. 9.
Ntilikina has great size for his position, plays with strength and displays a great feel. He's also an improving shooter. He reminds me a bit of George Hill.
The Mavs have scouted him more than anyone in the league. They know what they'd be getting.
10. Sacramento Kings (via Pelicans)
Zach Collins
Gonzaga
Freshman
Center
Collins is the real sleeper in the draft and is getting looks from teams as high as the Magic at No. 6. He's the prototype for a modern NBA big man, with the ability to stretch the floor, protect the rim and guard multiple positions. He plays with a toughness that's really appealing to scouts.
He played a supporting role off the bench for Gonzaga last season, but don't let that fool you. Whenever he was in the game, he made an impact.
11. Charlotte Hornets
Lauri Markkanen
Arizona
Freshman
Forward
Markkanen could be off the board as high as No. 7 to the Wolves, but I don't think he'll fall past here. His ability to stretch the floor as a 7-footer is elite.
He's still a bit one-dimensional right now, but I think he'll fit in great in Charlotte.
12. Detroit Pistons
Luke Kennard
Duke
Sophomore
Guard
Kennard might be the top shooter in the draft, but that's not all he is. He can run the pick-and-roll and shoot it off the bounce, and he shows a toughness that has scouts feeling like he can do more than just spot up.
He might be a slight reach at No. 12, but he fits a definite need for the Pistons.
13. Denver Nuggets
OG Anunoby
Indiana
Sophomore
Forward
Anunboy will be affected by what doctors have to say about his surgically repaired knee. Some teams feel it might be up to a year to get him back to full health. We'll know more soon.
Even with the possibility he'll miss next season, I'm not sure the Nuggets will be scared off. They could use a long, athletic player like Anunoby, who can guard five positions on the floor.
14. Miami Heat
Harry Giles
Duke
Freshman
Forward
It might be a few weeks before we know what NBA doctors think of Giles' knee. If he's red-flagged medically, he could drop up to 10 spots on our board, depending on the diagnosis. However, if doctors are satisfied that his knees are in good shape, the Heat will get a steal at No. 14.
Many scouts feel Giles has the most raw talent of any player in the draft. And the Heat can afford to bring him along slowly, getting him fully healthy and explosive again before unleashing a Hassan Whiteside-Giles frontcourt from hell.
15. Portland Trail Blazers
John Collins
Wake Forest
Sophomore
Forward
Collins' position on the board will depend a lot on how well he shoots in workouts. He's a good rebounder and can score in the paint, but scouts who watched him play in practices at Wake think he's going to develop the ability to shoot 3s as well.
He's also the youngest sophomore in the draft and perhaps one of the two or three most improved players in college basketball. There's still some real upside here.
16. Chicago Bulls
Donovan Mitchell
Louisville
Sophomore
Guard
Mitchell scored some significant buzz at the combine thanks to some freaky Dwyane Wade-esque measurements -- he's 6-foot-1 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan -- and terrific scores on the athletic testing.
I've had several scouts compare him to a young, pre-injury Eric Gordon. He's not the shooter that Gordon was coming out of college, but his jumper is coming along, and his ability to play some point could come in handy for the Bulls. At this point, he's one of the few high-upside guys left on the board.
17. Milwaukee Bucks
Terrance Ferguson
Australia
Age: 19
Guard
The Bucks want to put more shooters on the floor, and although he can be streaky, Ferguson can knock down shots from everywhere. He's also an elite athlete who can finish above the rim.
He joked at the combine that he wants to compete in both the dunk and 3-point contests at All-Star Weekend someday. His in-between game and defense still need a lot of work.
18. Indiana Pacers
TJ Leaf
UCLA
Freshman
Forward
Opinions on Leaf are all over the board. He's one of the most gifted scorers on the board and has a great feel for the game. But he lacks strength and elite lateral quickness, making him a potential liability on the defensive end.
However, at this point in the draft, anyone you pick is going to have a glaring weakness or two. Leaf's ability to get buckets should make him valuable to the Pacers.
19. Atlanta Hawks
Jarrett Allen
Texas
Freshman
Center
The Hawks are in the middle of a GM search, making it difficult to be certain which direction they might be heading toward. It looks like the Dwight Howard era in Atlanta could be over sooner than anyone thought, though, and they'll need some young bigs.
Allen is a terrific rebounder and shot-blocker. Plus, he's a fluid athlete. He just needs to add a lot of strength and work on his offensive game.
20. Portland Trail Blazers (via Grizzlies)
Ike Anigbogu
UCLA
Freshman
Center
Anigbogu is a beast in the paint. He's a terrific shot-blocker and rebounder who uses his strength and physicality to box out and finish at the rim.
He might be the most raw prospect on the board, but this is the Blazers' second pick, and they can afford to gamble a little.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder
Justin Jackson
North Carolina
Junior
Forward
Scouts continue to be all over the place on Jackson as a pro prospect. Much of it depends on whether you think his sudden uptick as a 3-point shooter last season will translate to the NBA.
His lack of great lateral speed or explosiveness is a problem, but the Thunder can use another guy who can stretch the floor, and there just aren't a lot of other options at this point in the draft.
22. Brooklyn Nets (via Wizards)
Justin Patton
Creighton
Freshman
Center
Teams really like Patton as a prospect. They just believe it's going to be a fairly long process to get him to where he needs to be.
The Nets can afford to be patient and will need a long-term replacement for Brook Lopez. Patton is good value at this point in the draft.
23. Toronto Raptors (via Clippers)
Edrice Adebayo
Kentucky
Freshman
Forward
"Bam" is an explosive athlete and has an NBA body. The teams that like him are enamored with his ability to guard in the paint and on the perimeter. Having bigs who can switch is a major priority in the league right now.
His offensive game is still pretty raw but might be more advanced than he showed at Kentucky this past season.
24. Utah Jazz
Tony Bradley
North Carolina
Freshman
Center
Bradley's elite length and rebounding ability make him an intriguing prospect at this point in the draft. He'd probably be higher on the board if his role at UNC hadn't been so limited this past season.
Conditioning is a major question mark. He tested as one of the worst athletes in the draft at the combine, and teams worry he might be too heavy-footed to fit into their defensive schemes. But as a backup big man to someone like Rudy Gobert, he's an interesting fit.
25. Orlando Magic (via Raptors)
Frank Jackson
Duke
Freshman
Guard
Jackson decided Friday to keep his name in the draft.
Given how he impressed with his play Thursday and put up elite numbers in the athletic testing portion of the combine, there's a good chance he gets drafted as a Jerryd Bayless-esque combo guard who can play the 1 and the 2. The Magic could certainly use a player like that.
26. Portland Trail Blazers (via Cavaliers)
Isaiah Hartenstein
Germany
Age: 18
Forward
This is the third pick for the Blazers, and it makes sense that they'll invest in a draft-and-stash prospect with at least one of them.
Hartenstein is an athletic big man who just lacks real refinement in his game. The Blazers can keep him overseas for another year or two.
27. Brooklyn Nets (via Celtics)
Hamidou Diallo
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard
The Nets need to be swinging for the fences in this draft, and Diallo has all the makings of a boom-or-bust prospect. He has elite physical tools, including a 44½-inch maximum vertical, which was the second-highest ever tested at the combine. He also has elite length for his position.
However, his lack of consistent perimeter skills and overall feel for the game have some scouts wondering if he's more of an athlete than a basketball player. If he decides to stay in the draft, he's worth the risk.
28. L.A. Lakers (via Rockets)
Ivan Rabb
Cal
Sophomore
Forward
Rabb would've been a late lottery pick had he stayed in the draft last year. He had a solid sophomore season for Cal, but teams are struggling to figure out what he'll be in the pros.
He lacks the strength to be a full-time center and lacks the perimeter game and quickness to be a 4.
29. San Antonio Spurs
Jonathan Jeanne
France
Age: 19
Center
Jeanne was a pleasant surprise at the combine. He was the tallest and longest player measured for the draft and showed toughness, which teams weren't expecting.
He needs to add at least 30 pounds of muscle and isn't ready to contribute right now, but he's the sort of player the Spurs have had luck with in the past. They're willing to be patient, and I think Jeanne could pay off in the long run.
30. Utah Jazz (via Warriors)
Moritz Wagner
Michigan
Sophomore
Forward
Wagner's performance at the combine was a mixed bag. He hit some shots and showed off his versatility, but it was clear he wasn't in great shape, and it looked like he ran out of gas Friday. He's very skilled and is an appealing modern big, but the team that drafts him will have to be patient.
He'll probably return to Michigan for his junior season, but if he decides to stay in the draft, he'd be a great get for the Jazz. And given his German passport, he can be a draft-and-stash prospect if they want him to be.
Topic: Chad Ford 5.0 (post-lottery; no big surprises) (Read 1424 times)