2022 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Rounds 1 and 2

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.