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1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Andrew Wiggins, SF, Kansas
Despite the report that the Cavs have Joel Embiid on the top of their board, I will still have them going with Wiggins here. Two consecutive back injuries for a big like Embiid, at only 20 years old, is a huge concern. Even if his back is checked out and is fine, there should still be a concern over the injuries. I could see, depending on the severity of the injuries, him even sliding on draft night. Only depending on how much of a concern his back is though.
2. Milwaukee Bucks: Joel Embiid, C, Kansas
With that said though, he's just to good to pass up. Milwaukee will need to find a way to unload Larry Sanders, but if they can a front court of Giannis Antetokounmpo, John Henson, and Joel Embiid? Length everywhere! It would literally be a block party. I could also see Dante Exum climbing up the board, as that would allow them to move Brandon Knight off the ball.
3. Philadelphia 76ers: Jabari Parker, SF, Duke
But even if I could see Exum going second overall, it would still be a surprise if Wiggins, Embiid, and Jabari Parker were not the first three of the board in some order. There are some legitimate concerns with Parker though. He can score the ball, but how efficiently will he do it in the NBA? His shot selection needs coaching, and his defense is worthy of being benched. But any coach would much rather have a good offensive player who is a bad defensive player, because it's much easier to make a bad defensive player into a average or good defensive player, rather than making a bad offensive player into a average or good offensive player.
4. Orlando Magic: Dante Exum, PG, Australia
All signs point to the Magic wanting a PG with this pick. I'm not sure if I would really call Exum a PG, he's more of a combo guard. He has loads of potential, but I think he's a project. His "PG skills" needs developing. I mean there's a list of things he needs to improve on before he's really a "point guard." He is turnover prone, struggles to initiate the offense, his court vision is inconsistent, he needs to bring his handle closer in, etc. You're drafting him based off potential.
5. Utah Jazz: Marcus Smart, G, Oklahoma State
The Jazz really got done over here. They slid down one spot in the draft order, and now the top four are gone. Basically the rest of the available players are all lumped into this spot. One would have to imagine that Utah tries to move their way into the top four. My gut tells me Noah Vonleh here, but are they ready to give up on Favors/Kanter duo? I don't believe they are, so I'm going to go Marcus Smart here. I quote what I said about this selection in my last mock with Exum, "So is Exum a upgrade to Burke? Or is he abackcourt mate to him? Either way, doesn't matter." The defensive abilities of Smart, and the offensive abilities of Alec Burks should give Utah a nice little rotation at SG. Both of those guys may even be able to play PG at times.
6. Boston Celtics: Aaron Gordon, F, Arizona
I think Boston shops this pick, but ultimately what is the value of it? I'm not doing trades in this mock, so I have to make a pick. I've heard that Boston likes Aaron Gordon, so that's where I will go.
7. Los Angeles Lakers: Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky
The Lakers are another team that will likely shop their pick, but again I'm not sold there will be a ton of interest that really moves the needle for the Lakers. So if they keep the pick, they will in my opinion look to use it on a guy that is NBA ready. That has to be Julius Randle. He's got the body for the NBA, and probably more of a developed game than some of the other players in this draft.
8. Sacramento Kings: Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana
Another team looking to trade their pick, we're beginning to see a theme here. Maybe this draft isn't as loaded as it's believed to be? I had Sacramento selecting Vonleh at 7 in my last mock, now I have them selecting him at 8. I think they would look at McDermott as well here, but in true Sacramento fashion they will go for the raw player with more potential. Does he go the way of some of the other top picks in Sacramento? That remains to be seen.
9. Charlotte Hornets: Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan
Of course this is the pick that would have remained in Detroit if Cleveland didn't make the climb. Now it belongs to the newly named Charlotte Hornets. It's kind of easy to do the math here I think. PG, PF, C. They have Kemba Walker, Cody Zeller, and Al Jefferson. I've seen some people say they'll go the way of adding a four, but I just can't see that after reaching for Zeller last season. Nik Stauskas will give Charlotte the necessary outside shooting to keep teams from bringing to much attention onto Al Jefferson or Kemba Walker, and if they do anyway, Stauskas will be able to knock down open shots. Defensive backcourt of Kemba and Stauskas is a concern though.
10. Philadelphia 76ers: Doug McDermott, PF, Creighton
Michael Carter-Williams pushes the break, and he has options. Nerlens Noel is rim running, Jabari Parker can rim run or spot up, and you have Doug McDermott trailing the break taking an open three if it's there. Having a stretch big who can hit shots in transition is a huge gain for any team. I've seen Gary Harris slotted here, but I would be worried as neither are efficient offensive players and they both turn the ball over. McDermott makes sense.
11. Denver Nuggets: Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State
Randy Foye is coming off one of his better years, and they like Evan Fournier. But Harris brings something neither of them do, and that's defensive skills on the perimeter. When you couple those two with Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson, having a defensive player on the wing could be a great addition. Though Harris is undersized, so how he fits with Lawson in that aspect is questionable. But Foye and Robinson are also undersized, so maybe they like undersized wing players. I doubt that, but who knows really.
12. Orlando Magic: Dario Saric, PF, Croatia
With their pick of Exum earlier, they now have a number of young wing players. So look for them to go big here. Dario Saric makes the most sense here, as his skills will help facilitate the rest of their skills on the perimeter. Whether he will come over this year, or even next year, is a question mark though.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves: Zach LaVine, G, UCLA
LaVine gives Minnesota another weapon on the perimeter. He will need to be coached, but Minnesota will lose Kevin Love at some point, so why not take the low risk high reward player? Finding a replacement for Love will also need to happen at some point, but that may be down the line.
14. Phoenix Suns: James Young, SF, Kentucky
Phoenix has some good perimeter players, but they are all PG's and SG's. That is not to say they do not have skilled SF's, because I love PJ Tucker and Marcus Morris had a solid season. But will they retain Tucker during the offseason? Young is another player that will need to be coached up, but the skills are there.
Despite the report that the Cavs have Joel Embiid on the top of their board, I will still have them going with Wiggins here. Two consecutive back injuries for a big like Embiid, at only 20 years old, is a huge concern. Even if his back is checked out and is fine, there should still be a concern over the injuries. I could see, depending on the severity of the injuries, him even sliding on draft night. Only depending on how much of a concern his back is though.
2. Milwaukee Bucks: Joel Embiid, C, Kansas
With that said though, he's just to good to pass up. Milwaukee will need to find a way to unload Larry Sanders, but if they can a front court of Giannis Antetokounmpo, John Henson, and Joel Embiid? Length everywhere! It would literally be a block party. I could also see Dante Exum climbing up the board, as that would allow them to move Brandon Knight off the ball.
3. Philadelphia 76ers: Jabari Parker, SF, Duke
But even if I could see Exum going second overall, it would still be a surprise if Wiggins, Embiid, and Jabari Parker were not the first three of the board in some order. There are some legitimate concerns with Parker though. He can score the ball, but how efficiently will he do it in the NBA? His shot selection needs coaching, and his defense is worthy of being benched. But any coach would much rather have a good offensive player who is a bad defensive player, because it's much easier to make a bad defensive player into a average or good defensive player, rather than making a bad offensive player into a average or good offensive player.
4. Orlando Magic: Dante Exum, PG, Australia
All signs point to the Magic wanting a PG with this pick. I'm not sure if I would really call Exum a PG, he's more of a combo guard. He has loads of potential, but I think he's a project. His "PG skills" needs developing. I mean there's a list of things he needs to improve on before he's really a "point guard." He is turnover prone, struggles to initiate the offense, his court vision is inconsistent, he needs to bring his handle closer in, etc. You're drafting him based off potential.
5. Utah Jazz: Marcus Smart, G, Oklahoma State
The Jazz really got done over here. They slid down one spot in the draft order, and now the top four are gone. Basically the rest of the available players are all lumped into this spot. One would have to imagine that Utah tries to move their way into the top four. My gut tells me Noah Vonleh here, but are they ready to give up on Favors/Kanter duo? I don't believe they are, so I'm going to go Marcus Smart here. I quote what I said about this selection in my last mock with Exum, "So is Exum a upgrade to Burke? Or is he abackcourt mate to him? Either way, doesn't matter." The defensive abilities of Smart, and the offensive abilities of Alec Burks should give Utah a nice little rotation at SG. Both of those guys may even be able to play PG at times.
6. Boston Celtics: Aaron Gordon, F, Arizona
I think Boston shops this pick, but ultimately what is the value of it? I'm not doing trades in this mock, so I have to make a pick. I've heard that Boston likes Aaron Gordon, so that's where I will go.
7. Los Angeles Lakers: Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky
The Lakers are another team that will likely shop their pick, but again I'm not sold there will be a ton of interest that really moves the needle for the Lakers. So if they keep the pick, they will in my opinion look to use it on a guy that is NBA ready. That has to be Julius Randle. He's got the body for the NBA, and probably more of a developed game than some of the other players in this draft.
8. Sacramento Kings: Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana
Another team looking to trade their pick, we're beginning to see a theme here. Maybe this draft isn't as loaded as it's believed to be? I had Sacramento selecting Vonleh at 7 in my last mock, now I have them selecting him at 8. I think they would look at McDermott as well here, but in true Sacramento fashion they will go for the raw player with more potential. Does he go the way of some of the other top picks in Sacramento? That remains to be seen.
9. Charlotte Hornets: Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan
Of course this is the pick that would have remained in Detroit if Cleveland didn't make the climb. Now it belongs to the newly named Charlotte Hornets. It's kind of easy to do the math here I think. PG, PF, C. They have Kemba Walker, Cody Zeller, and Al Jefferson. I've seen some people say they'll go the way of adding a four, but I just can't see that after reaching for Zeller last season. Nik Stauskas will give Charlotte the necessary outside shooting to keep teams from bringing to much attention onto Al Jefferson or Kemba Walker, and if they do anyway, Stauskas will be able to knock down open shots. Defensive backcourt of Kemba and Stauskas is a concern though.
10. Philadelphia 76ers: Doug McDermott, PF, Creighton
Michael Carter-Williams pushes the break, and he has options. Nerlens Noel is rim running, Jabari Parker can rim run or spot up, and you have Doug McDermott trailing the break taking an open three if it's there. Having a stretch big who can hit shots in transition is a huge gain for any team. I've seen Gary Harris slotted here, but I would be worried as neither are efficient offensive players and they both turn the ball over. McDermott makes sense.
11. Denver Nuggets: Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State
Randy Foye is coming off one of his better years, and they like Evan Fournier. But Harris brings something neither of them do, and that's defensive skills on the perimeter. When you couple those two with Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson, having a defensive player on the wing could be a great addition. Though Harris is undersized, so how he fits with Lawson in that aspect is questionable. But Foye and Robinson are also undersized, so maybe they like undersized wing players. I doubt that, but who knows really.
12. Orlando Magic: Dario Saric, PF, Croatia
With their pick of Exum earlier, they now have a number of young wing players. So look for them to go big here. Dario Saric makes the most sense here, as his skills will help facilitate the rest of their skills on the perimeter. Whether he will come over this year, or even next year, is a question mark though.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves: Zach LaVine, G, UCLA
LaVine gives Minnesota another weapon on the perimeter. He will need to be coached, but Minnesota will lose Kevin Love at some point, so why not take the low risk high reward player? Finding a replacement for Love will also need to happen at some point, but that may be down the line.
14. Phoenix Suns: James Young, SF, Kentucky
Phoenix has some good perimeter players, but they are all PG's and SG's. That is not to say they do not have skilled SF's, because I love PJ Tucker and Marcus Morris had a solid season. But will they retain Tucker during the offseason? Young is another player that will need to be coached up, but the skills are there.
