It’s time for our next Mock Draft. Using the Tankathon simulation software, I simulated the lotto and based the remainder of the draft on the NBA’s current standings.
1- Sacramento Kings: Chet Holmgren
20: 7’1 200 Big Gonzaga. Comp= smaller but better passing KP
The Kings usually make the wrong choice so look for them not to take Cade if they get the top Pick. Chet fits in as the floor spacer and connector on offense to let both Fox and Halliburton thrive. He also has DPOY potential and the Kings desperately need that.
2- Oklahoma City Thunder: Paolo Banchero
19: 6’9 240 Big Duke (Italy) Comp= Domantas Sabonis+
Paolo isn’t the perfect fit in OKC, but he is hopefully able to tap into that playmaking to make a team having SGA and Giddy even more deadly in that area. Paolo also will be someone who can take some of the scoring load off of SGA and that will help tremendously.
3- San Antonio Spurs: Jabari Smith jr
19: 6’10 210 Front Court Auburn. Comp= Rashard Lewis but stronger.
The Spurs don’t have a star, so they probably have to draft one next year. Jabari fits with literally any kind of star you can think of.
4- New Orleans Pelicans: Jaden Ivey
20: 6’4 200 Guard Purdue Comp= Donovan Mitchell
The Pelicans want to get a lead guard, Ivey is more of a combo but with Zion also needing the ball and Ingram also taking some point duties Ivey’s attacking style and off ability could fit well.
5- Orlando Magic: Shaedon Sharpe
18: 6’6 200 Wing Kentucky (Canada). Comp= slower Zach LaVine.
Orlando needs a wing, Sharpe is incredible as an athlete, he’s a big guard/wing who could be the top scorer in the draft class.
6- Detroit Pistons: Adrian Griffin Jr.
19: 6’7 180 Wing Duke Comp= Jimmy Butler lite
The Pistons need anything to help Cade, Throwing AJ on the wings next to a passer like Cade means that the team could have a very bright future.
7- Houston Rockets: Jalen Duren
18: 6’10 241 Pivot Memphis Comp= More Athletic and Defense minded Jermaine O’Neal
The rockets Defense is atrocious. Christian Wood demands a trade every defensive possession by making Karl-Anthony Towns look like Prime Hakeem on that end. Duren immediately changes that, the major worry is more years for Duren without a true point guard to help his development.
8- Oklahoma City Thunder: Kendall Brown
19: 6’8 210 Wing Baylor. Comp= Smaller AK47
The Thunder need someone to fill the gaps on offense and play good defense. Brown is perfect in this roll and his athleticism means he will probably average 3 finished ally oops from Giddy a game.
9- Indiana Pacers: Keegan Murray
22: 6’8 215 Forward Iowa. Comp= Mo Harkless
Keegan is one of the best scorers in the draft but his style might struggle to fit into the NBA, I think he might be more of a role player but he can fit in well on both sides of the ball with the Pacers.
10- Portland Trail Blazers: Johnny Davis
20: 6’5 200 Wing Wisconsin. Comp= Kevin Martin ish
Davis could go much higher but if the Blazers want to try to keep Dame and run it back with a different kind of Guard next to him Davis is the one to try.
11- Atlanta Hawks: Tyty Washington
20: 6’3 175 Guard Kentucky. Comp= Brandon Knight Ish
Tyty can fit next to Trae but can also be the one to run the bench so the hawks don’t drop into oblivion when Trae sits down.
12- New York Knicks: Tari Eason
21: 6’8 215 Big LSU. Comp= James Johnson
The Knicks love defenders and not playing Obi Toppin, this pick gives them another forward to bury Obi with and Tari is a fantastic defender.
13- Toronto Raptors: Bennedict Mathurin
20: 6’5 195 Wing Arizona (Canada). Comp= QRich
The Raptors have a Canadian wing fall to them. Mathurin can fit in next to FVV at the 2 and gives them some much needed shooting without sacrificing too much on defense.
14- Boston Celtics: Patrick Baldwin Jr.
19: 6’10 205 Forward Milwaukee. Comp= Mike Dunleavy Jr
The Celtics desperately need someone to be the connector role player. PBJ isn’t ever going to be a star, he’s been terrible at Milwaukee, he can’t shoot but he’s supposed to be a shooter. So just a roll playing shooter who sometimes can’t shoot, sounds perfect for the Celtics.
15- Memphis Grizzlies: Marjon Beauchamp
22: 6’7 225 Wing Ignite. Comp= Josh Howard
The new grit and grind needs another wing and Marjon fits in PERFECTLY.
16- Minnesota Timberwolves: Jeremy Sochan
19: 6’7 220 Forward Baylor (Poland) comp= taller Matisse Thybulle
The wolves need defense and Sochan might be one of the best non center defenders in the draft.
17- Washington Wizards: Nicola Jovic
19: 6’10 Forward Mega Basket (Serbia). Comp= Tom Chambers with handles
Wizards swing for the fences here, hoping Jovic can spark some kind of interesting offense.
18- Denver Nuggets: Ochai Agbaji
22: 6’5 215 Wing Kansas (Nigeria). Comp= Josh Richardson
The Nuggets get a great role player for their team. Ochai will do the dirty work and will do some POA defense for the team.
19- Atlanta Hawks: Harrison Ingram
20: 6’8 230 Wing Stanford. Comp= Anthony Mason
Atlanta needs smart players Ingram and Jalen Johnson would be a great young forward tandem to develop off the bench.
20- Dallas Mavericks: Jaden Hardy
19: 6’5 185 Wing G-League. Comp= Buddy Hield
The Mavs have to swing for the stars here and Hardy has the most potential left in the draft.
21- Cleveland Cavaliers: Dyson Daniels
19: 6’6 180 Guard Ignite (Australia). Comp= Malcom Brogdon
Daniels is a perfect fit for Garland and he can even move up to the 3 at some points.
22- Philadelphia 76ers: Wendell Moore
21: 6’5 216 Wing Duke. Comp= Josh Hart
The Sixers get some playmaking in the Swiss Army Knife that is Wendell Moore.
23- Milwaukee Bucks: Ismael Kamagate
22: 6’11 230 Pivot Paris (France). Comp= Daniel Gafford with a jumper
The future Brook replacement who could make the Bucks impossible to score on in time.
24- Houston Rockets: Jean Montero
19: 6’2 180 Point Overtime Elite (Dominican Republic). Comp= Something between Schröder and Fox
Houston desperately needs a point guard, Jean is the best one available but could his OTE performances be fools gold because the league only cares about sparkle and not true value.
25- Memphis Grizzlies: Trevor Keels
19: 6’4 221 Guard Duke. Comp= Anfernee Simons on steroids
Memphis Goes with the Best defender available, if Keels shoots like some scouts believe he will this pick will look genius.
26- Miami Heat: Caleb Love
21: 6’4 195 Guard UNC. Comp= Monta Ellis if you squint a little
Caleb Love will give the Heat another option to score off the bench. He just feels like a Heat to me.
27- Chicago Bulls: Caleb Houstan
19: 6’8 210 Wing Michigan (Canada). Comp= Danny Green
The Bulls once again go with a rangy defender. Hopefully he finds his shot consistently in the league.
28- Memphis Grizzlies: Kennedy Chandler
19: 6’ 172 Point Tennessee. Comp= Cam Payne
The Grizzlies will probably trade some of these multiple firsts, if not take the in state kid and hope he works out.
29- Golden State Warriors: Heugo Besson
21: 6’3 195 Guard NZ Breakers (France). Comp= Poor Man’s Tyler Herro
The Warriors can get another scorer who can help make sure opponents never get a break when Steph and Poole aren’t playing.
30- Oklahoma City Thunder: Bryce McGowens
19: 6’7 180 Wing Nebraska. Comp= Jamaal Crawford ish
Bryce could make this pick look entirely too low when he starts hitting the crazy shots he can create.
Second Round
31- Orlando Magic: Jordan Hall- 20: 6’8 210 Forward St Joe’s. Comp= Slow Mo lite.
32- San Antonio Spurs: Mark Wiliams- 20: 7’ 245 Big Duke. Comp= Derrick Favors
33- Cleveland Cavaliers: EJ Liddell- 21: 6’7 240 Big Ohio St. Comp= Poor Man’s Tobias Harris.
34- Oklahoma City Thunder: JD Davidson- 19: 6’3 175 Guard Alabama. Comp= Dennis Smith jr.
35- Orlando Magic: Christian Braun- 20: 6’6 218 Wing Kansas. Comp= Smaller Kevin Huerter
36- Charlotte Hornets: Moussa Diabaté- 19: 6’11 210 Big Michigan. (France/Guinea) Comp= Serge Ibaka starter kit
37- Cleveland Cavaliers: Terrence Shannon Jr- 21: 6’6 209 Wing Texas Tech. Comp= Oubre
38- Sacramento Kings: Isaiah Wong- 21: 6’3 180 Guard Miami. Comp= shorter Derrick White
39- Portland Trailblazers: Gabriele Procida 19: 6’7 185 Forward Fortitudo (Italy). Comp= Rudy Fernandez
40- Atlanta Hawks: Julian Champagnie- 21: 6’7 217 Forward St.John’s. Comp= Bertans with handle.
41- Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Wesley- 19: 6’4 170 Guard Notre Dame. Comp= Wes Mathews with less shooting.
42- New York Knicks: Christian Koloko- 22: 7’ 145 Big Arizona comp= Poor Mans Mitchell Robinson
43- Minnesota Timberwolves: Trevion Williams- 21: 6’10 265 Big Pit. Comp= Glen Davis with passing
44- San Antonio Spurs: Peyton Watson- 19: 6’7 190 Wing UCLA. Comp= Jeff Green
45- Boston Celtics: Walker Kessler- 20: 7’1 245 Pivot Auburn. Comp= Justin Patton
46- Golden State Warriors: Ousmane Dieng- 19: 6’7 210 Wing New Zealand Breakers (France). Comp= Nick Batum.
47- Minnesota Timberwolves: Iverson Molinar- 22: 6’1 190 Point Mississippi St. (Panama) Comp= Trey Burke
48- Minnesota Timberwolves: Jabari Walker- 20: 6’8 200 Forward Colorado. Comp= Sterling Brian
49- Charlotte Hornets: Aminu Mohammed- 20: 6’4 180 Guard Georgetown (Nigeria). Comp= Lu Dort
50- Dallas Mavericks: Trayce Jackson-Davis- 22: 6’9 245 Forward Indiana. Comp= Terrence Jones
51- New Orleans Pelicans: Alex Fudge- 19: 6’7 175 Forward LSU. Comp= Dorian Finney Smith
52- Detroit Pistons: Jahvon Quinerly- 22: 6’1 175 Point Alabama. Comp= Shane Larkin
53- Indiana Pacers: Tyler Burton- 22: 6’7 215 Forward Richmond. Comp= Doug McDermott lite.
54- New Orleans Pelicans: Gui Santos- 19: 6’6 209 Wing Minas Tênis Clube (Brazil). Comp= Carlos Delfino.
55- Sacramento Kings: Yannick Nzosa- 19: 6’10 200 Big Unicaja (Congo). Comp= Super Tall MKG
56- Utah Jazz: Max Christie- 19: 6’7 185 Wing Michigan St. Comp= Jeremy Lamb
57- Golden State Warriors: Isaiah Mosley- 22: 6’5 195 Wing Missouri St. Comp= Kevin Martin.
58- Phoenix Suns: Michael Foster- 19: 6’9 220 Big Ignite. Comp= Julius Randle’s cousin
*Bucks and Heat lost their second round picks as a result of NBA tampering investigations.
Jordan Ennis
Jordan Ennis lives in West Africa where he is a pastor at an international church, he also co-hosts the Assisted Development Podcast on the HoopSocial Podcasts feed. He can be found at Assisted Development Podcast on Facebook and @HoopSocialDraft on Twitter.