This is a no-brainer. After an absolute miracle of an NBA lottery to pull the Mavericks out of NBA hell, they land the first pick. Cooper Flagg is the guy that everyone was pining after all year. With a solid season at Duke under his belt, it’s almost a guarantee that he’ll be the first pick. The 6’9 forward has a little bit of everything, paired with a basketball IQ of a ten-year veteran. There isn’t much more that needs to be said about the kid beyond I can’t wait to see him playing in the fall.
With another stroke of luck, the Spurs have jumped up to second place, and as a result, they’ll likely end up with Dylan Harper. The son of Ron Harper, Dylan, had a fantastic year at Rutgers despite the team’s lack of success. The 6’6" guard is built for this league, as bigger guards continue to be not just the norm but a requirement for these teams. Pairing him alongside Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle would create a massive backcourt for San Antonio. The Spurs are positioning themselves to be one of the most loaded NBA teams in the league. This will be another no-brainer pick as long as they don’t trade it.
Some light discussions have indicated that the 76ers may be trying to move up from third to second. It’s unclear if that rumor holds any water at the moment, but it's still something to consider. I doubt we'll see a move like that happen. I fully expect San Antonio to keep it simple and just add another elite prospect to this roster come draft day.
This is where the draft really picks up. The third pick is the first one we don’t have a ton of clarity on. The 76ers were extremely lucky to not only jump but also keep their pick this year in general. However, now that they’re sitting at third, things are interesting. The team is positioned to be a title contender around Embiid, but it’s unclear what the former MVP can provide anymore. Now sitting in a strange duo era with Tyrese Maxey ascending while Paul George and Embiid decline, the 76ers have a decision to make: keep the pick or trade it. As I mentioned earlier, there are discussions about moving up, but there are also thoughts that they may move out or back in the draft. If they’re aiming for NBA-ready talent, that might be the best move, but I doubt we’ll see it happen.
Moving draft picks in the NBA has been challenging for years, and generally, most teams end up using their pick, especially in the top three. So that leaves the 76ers some interesting options at 3. I think we’ll see Ace Bailey selected third, however. He was Dylan Harper’s teammate at Rutgers, and despite not meeting expectations, he’s the best fit talent-wise for Philly. As a scoring PF, he showed that he could spread the floor and hit his shots consistently. Averaging nearly 35% from three, he demonstrated a lot as a freshman. There are still a ton of question marks surrounding him, though. Overall, he’s considered the player with the third-highest upside, with a ceiling of an All-Star. Whether he reaches that is impossible to tell, but I expect the 76ers to jump at the chance of adding an X-factor player like Bailey.
On to the Hornets. This franchise cannot catch a break. Injuries once again held this team back, leaving them with one of the worst records in the league. However, if there is one thing they’re good at, it’s scoring. LaMelo, Miller, and Bridges have all been doing at least that well enough. That’s why I think they’ll aim for Edgecombe out of Baylor at the fourth pick. Edgecombe probably isn’t the sexiest pick here, but he provides the Hornets with a nice backbone to support the rest of this cast. His defensive abilities got him into the draft, but with his offense rounding out this season, he jumped into the top of the draft conversation. He’s not a guy with an elite ceiling, though. He’s much more of a meat-and-potatoes sort of pick, which does worry me with the Hornets. We’ve seen them reaching for the last five years through the draft. They’ve had some hits, but they could go literally any direction in this draft.
Utah is a challenging team to predict picking at #5. Lauri Markkenan is about their only star-level piece, with the rest of the group tossed together. This isn’t a functional team at the moment, even though they have a few nice younger players. In general, I think they need a core piece, a guy they can trust to be a positive player on both ends of the court. Kon Knueppel is that guy. Playing next to Cooper Flagg at Duke this season, Knueppel showed he can do it all. He’s an effective scorer, a strong defender, and has the IQ to back it all up. His size might be the only thing holding him back, but he’ still over 6’6. He would be the perfect player to slot right into their SG or SF spots. As a player who makes life easier on everyone else, I don’t think Utah has a better player on the board than him.
Even with the Wizards showing some growth this season, they still managed to fall to the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Their number 2 pick last year, Alexander Sarr, had his moments, but looked raw. Scoring was an issue for this team, and with Jordan Poole potentially on the trade block, Tre Johnson fits Washington perfectly. Johnson was a beast at Texas this year; he nearly averaged 20 points a game on fantastic shooting. Pair that with a massive frame at 6’6 with a 6’10 wingspan, and you can see why he’s got so much hype around him. If Johnson is on the board still, he’ll be an absolute steal here.
The Pelicans just can’t seem to come together. Injuries, trades, and disappointment have marred this team before the season even started. The team feels a bit stuck with Zion still falling well below expectations. There is no move at this point that can fix all of that, but Fears is a promising place to start. With Murray’s injury and CJ McCollum now in his mid-thirties, this team needs some new talent at the guard position. Fears would be a breath of fresh air for a team that needs a true PG to run the show. He’s twitchy and fast off the dribble, with the ability to attack the rim and draw fouls. As one of the youngest prospects in the draft, he’d give the franchise some much-needed time as well.
Maluach showed us just how much size matters while playing alongside Knueppel and Flagg at Duke. He was a force at the rim, blocking shots and dunking lobs. Overall, the 7’2" big man looks like he could be a cornerstone of a defense. For Brooklyn, he’s a long-term piece. Building from the ground up, Maluach is a great place to start. With Maluach, the Nets will gain the flexibility to pursue star scorers, knowing they already have a defensive beast in the shed. The Nets could really go in any direction in this draft. They need everything, but in my opinion, Maluach is the best value left on the board at this point, which matters for a team like Brooklyn.
Toronto has been building something unique up north. They have a competent team with Barnes, Ingram, Barrett, and Poeltl, but they’re still missing a go-to creator. Barnes performed decently as the point forward, but with Quickly not looking quite right for the job, Jakucionis could be an interesting option. The 6’6" guard out of Illinois was solid this year. His shooting is likely the only reason won't be drafted higher. However, there is a lot to like about him. He can drive well, using his size to muscle his way to the basket, and finishing well even over larger defenders. His ability to make his own plays while creating for others is what has me so interested in his fit on the Raptors. In general, the Raptors could go a few different ways, but I think Jakucionis is a terrific fit here.
This is probably my hot take on the draft, but Coward screams Houston to me. The senior out of Washington State has been a huge riser in this draft already. Most don’t have him in the top 10, but from what I’ve seen from Houston, they’ll want a guy like Coward and won’t care about his age. He’s not even that old, but he’ll be 22 by his first NBA game, a detail that hardly matters to a team like Houston, which is more interested in winning. Coward would fill a much-needed scoring role on the team, with some insane size to maintain the identity of the Houston roster. Coward measured in at 6’6" with a massive 7’2" wingspan. Overall, his NBA combine measurements were impressive. He possesses all the physical and scoring abilities to make him an ideal fit on an already strong Houston roster.
This might be another one of those weird takes, but Fleming to Portland checks a ton of boxes. Despite still being in a rebuild, the junior from Saint Joseph’s has a lot to offer a team like Portland. With impressive size, standing at 6’9" with a 7’5" wingspan, Fleming could play as a 4 or small-ball five. Pair that size with his scoring ability, shooting 39% from three on 4.5 attempts per game, and you can see why a guy like this could rise when draft day comes around. Portland already has a good mix of young players, so adding a multi-position player could work out well, especially with their need for shooting. Finding a big man who could provide Portland with a five-out set would be ideal to open up the court for their young backcourt. There are still a host of other prospects Portland could snag here, but I think Fleming is going to end up higher than most people are predicting.
Derick Queen’s potential addition to the Bulls would be a significant acquisition. Queen has been one of the most difficult prospects to evaluate in this draft process. The big man from Maryland had an impressive season, highlighted by a notable buzzer-beater in March Madness, but there are some concerns surrounding him. His shooting appears to be unremarkable, and he’s not particularly athletic for an NBA player. His combine scores were also less than encouraging, yet the intangibles are present. He excels as a rebounder and lob threat, which would complement Giddey and Coby White well. He has also displayed promising moments as a playmaker, which enhances his overall game. Ultimately, his shooting and physical attributes may push him out of the top 10, but landing in Chicago could provide the ideal opportunity for him to thrive.
Atlanta has had a strange up-and-down season. Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson both appear to be core pillars to build around. However, this team seems to be planning for the long term despite Trae Young entering his prime. It’s unclear if they intend to move him, but even if they don’t, Carter Bryant is an excellent pickup at 13. Although he didn’t see much time on the court at Arizona, he’s been one of the most exciting players in this pre-draft process. His raw physical abilities make him an extremely attractive defensive option, standing at nearly 6’8 and with a 7' wingspan, he’d be an elite defensive option next to add to Atlanta.
Rounding out the lottery, the Spurs have their second pick. After potentially adding Dylan Harper to the backcourt, Murray-Boyle might be the best option left on the board for them. A solid, adaptable big man, Murray-Boyle would be an ideal piece to add next to Wemby. His ability to move off the ball and make the right decisions could create a powerful combo. With an NBA-ready skill set, you can expect a little bit of everything from Murray-Boyle. He probably doesn’t have the high ceiling that some of these other players do, but on the Spurs, he doesn’t need it.