2018 NBA Redraft

The 2018 draft class is shaping up to be one of the strongest in recent memory. Recently, Deandre Ayton called it “the best class in NBA history.” While it’s too soon to place that label on it, there’s no doubt the 2018 class is one of the deepest, most star-studded draft classes of all time.

Honorable Mentions:

• Devonte’ Graham: 34th Overall
• Kevin Huerter: 19th Overall
• Duncan Robinson: Undrafted
• Gary Trent Jr.: 37th Overall
• Wendell Carter Jr.: 7th Overall
• Jalen Brunson: 33rd Overall
• Kendrick Nunn: Undrafted
• Robert Williams: 27th Overall
• Mitchell Robinson: 36th Overall
• Miles Bridges: 12th Overall
• Bruce Brown: 42nd Overall
• Shake Milton: 54th Overall
• Jae’Sean Tate: Undrafted
• Grayson Allen: 21st Overall
• Landry Shamet: 26th Overall

1. Suns: Luka Dončić

Luka Dončić: 3rd Overall / Original Pick: Deandre Ayton

This is a no-brainer. Luka is a generational talent who, at the young age of twenty-two, is already a top player in the league. It’s not a matter of if — it’s a matter of when he’ll win MVP. We can’t blame the Suns for playing it safe by grabbing Ayton, the Arizona product. At the time, it seemed like a clear-cut decision; Ayton was dominant in college, playing in the area, whereas Doncic was relatively unknown, playing across the ocean. Funny enough, the Suns did need a point guard at the time, and there are few better than Luka, but team fit is the last thing you should consider with a talent like him on the board. He can do it all: score, facilitate, create, rebound. Pairing Doncic with Devin Booker would generate an elite backcourt in Phoenix. A tandem of Booker and Doncic would take some of the offensive pressure off of Booker that he experienced in Phoenix, but Doncic as well, who has similarly experienced a lack of offensive assistance in Dallas. All things considered, the Suns would have been unstoppable had they correctly chosen Doncic with the first pick in 2018. With the Suns’ recent Finals berth, we can only imagine what the team would’ve been like with an additional star in Luka. In terms of an NBA redraft, this is quite possibly the most obvious pick of the last ten years.

2. Kings: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 11th Overall / Original Pick: Marvin Bagley III

In terms of fit, there is no great option here for the Kings. Young is, in many eyes, the second best player to come out of this draft; however, after taking De’Aaron Fox with a top-five pick in the previous year’s draft, it makes virtually no sense for the Kings to take yet another potential franchise point guard. Selecting based on talent and upside rather than fit is fine, but in this case, a double-point guard lineup of Fox and Young would likely create more problems than solutions for Sacramento. The Kings had a promising backcourt in 2018 with Fox, Hield, and Bogdanovic, but Hield and Bogdanovic aren’t enough to dissuade you from selecting another guard. While Sacramento could’ve used a big, and there are some talented ones available, such as Ayton and Jackson Jr., they aren’t quite skilled enough, and they haven’t demonstrated their value as much as a player like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Shai is as versatile as it gets and is perfect for the modern NBA. Yes, he plays shooting guard, and there was a bit of a logjam at that position for the Kings in 2018, but Shai has shown the ability to play the one, two, and three. He would provide Sacramento with the versatility they desperately needed. Shai can play on-ball as well as off-ball extremely well — something many young guards struggle with, which would allow him to coexist with a ball-dominant guard like Fox. Although the fit isn’t horrible, it certainly isn’t perfect, but from a sheer talent perspective, considering Shai’s upside and versatility, the Kings should grab him while they still can.

3. Hawks: Trae Young

Trae Young: 5th Overall / Original Pick: Luka Dončić

This couldn’t have played out any better for Atlanta. Trae Young is their guy. Picking up Young, a superstar in the making, who in just his third season in the league led his team to the Conference Finals, all the way at pick three is an absolute steal. The Hawks had recently said goodbye to Dennis Schroder, so they did need a point guard — talk about an upgrade — but what they really needed was something to build their franchise around. Even though John Collins, who they had just selected in 2017, was showing some promise early on, he wasn’t going to move the needle; however, Trae certainly could, and he has. Initially, Atlanta selected Luka Doncic third overall, trading down with Dallas to acquire Young. Although Luka is playing like a future MVP, the trade looks relatively good for Atlanta thus far. It’s hard to see Trae ending up anywhere else, and in this redraft, the Hawks don’t hesitate to grab their guy.

4. Grizzlies: Michael Porter Jr.

Michael Porter Jr.: 14th Overall / Original Pick: Jaren Jackson Jr.

Michael Porter Jr. entered college as a highly touted recruit. Unfortunately, in his first game at Missouri, Porter Jr. injured his back, cutting his season short, and leaving NBA scouts hesitant to take a chance on him. Entering college, he was a lock to go in the top five of the draft, but after suffering a concerning injury, he fell to 14 on draft day. It turns out the concern was real, as Porter Jr. sat out his entire rookie season due to his health issues. Since then, however, he’s come out with guns blazing, showcasing his incredible talent that so many saw during his high school years. Porter Jr. is a sharpshooter in a KD-like mold — a type of player that NBA GMs drool over. In 2018, the Grizzlies were on the verge of a rebuild, about to move on from longtime pillars of the franchise in Marc Gasol and Mike Conley. Memphis needed wings and talent — precisely what Porter Jr. offers — and without any clear direction, they would most likely be willing to take a gamble on a high-risk, high-reward prospect like Porter Jr. He was in the mix to be the first overall pick before his health concerns, so if you’re a team who can grab him at four, you do it.

5. Mavericks: Deandre Ayton

Deandre Ayton: 1st Overall / Original Pick: Trae Young

Deandre Ayton hasn’t quite lived up to the hype of being the first overall pick. By no means is Ayton a bad player, but you’d expect a little more out of a former top pick than how he’s been playing for the Suns. The eye test tells us that Ayton has grown as a player, especially on the defensive end; however, his stats have dipped. He went from averaging 18 ppg and 12 rpg in his sophomore season to 14 ppg and 11 rpg in his third season. While it may not be a significant drop in production, it is somewhat concerning that, on paper, Ayton is stagnating, insinuating that he won’t ever develop into the next dominant force at the center position that he was projected as coming into the NBA. In 2018, the Mavericks were entering a full rebuild. In fact, Dallas traded a majority of their starting lineup at the time: Harrison Barnes, Wesley Matthews, DeAndre Jordan, and even their former top pick and “franchise player,” Dennis Smith Jr. Trading away these key players paves the way for Dallas to select the best available prospect — and that would be Ayton. Perhaps as the forefront of a rebuild and the centerpiece of a franchise like the Mavericks, Ayton would’ve developed into a David Robinson-like player that so many people foresaw. Ayton won’t ever become the face of a winning team, but he will always be a solid player with a valuable role on a competitive team.

6. Magic: Collin Sexton

Collin Sexton: 8th Overall / Original Pick: Mo Bamba

Is Collin Sexton a franchise player? No. Is his 24 ppg average somewhat deceiving? Yes. But empty stats or not, averaging 24 points throughout an entire NBA season is no accident. The Magic had an intriguing core of Vucevic, Gordon, Fournier, and Isaac, so adding a guard is the most logical avenue to take. Despite Sexton not being much of a distributor on offense, he’d bring excitement to Orlando, as well as a competitive mentality that the team desperately needed.

7. Bulls: Mikal Bridges

Mikal Bridges: 10th Overall / Original Pick: Wendell Carter, Jr.

In 2018, Zach LaVine broke out for the Bulls, averaging 24 points, demonstrating that he could be Chicago’s franchise player. Lauri Markkanen was also showcasing great promise in his rookie season — the Bulls were seemingly on the right path. Aside from LaVine and Markkanen, the talent ran relatively thin for Chicago in 2018. Unfortunately, at this point in the draft, it’s rare you’ll find a player with the talent to turn your franchise around, but the Bulls didn’t need a star; they needed a solid complementary piece who could contribute on day one. Mikal Bridges is the epitome of a 3-and-D player. With the team’s two best players being below-average defenders, it makes plenty of sense to add a long, lanky defender to make up for the defensive lapses of LaVine and Markkanen. While Bridges likely won’t ever develop into a star, he’s proven that he can be a valuable wing scorer and defender on a championship-level team.

8. Cavaliers: Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jaren Jackson Jr.: 4th Overall / Original Pick: Collin Sexton

The Cavaliers now have no LeBron James and no Kyrie Irving. Cleveland is left with an aging Kevin Love — we all know how that’s worked out for them. The team had no direction and little to build around at this point in time; that’s why this Cavs pick is based solely on upside. Out of all the players left on the board, Jaren Jackson Jr. has the most star potential. After a promising rookie season and a productive sophomore season, Jaren Jackson Jr.’s third season, albeit plagued by injury, was incredibly underwhelming. All the concerns regarding his shot and rebounding are more glaring than ever. Nonetheless, the flashes are still there. Jackson is a skilled defender and scorer with the ability to stretch the floor at a decent level. If he can put it all together, he has the potential to become one of the league’s best players. With the Cavaliers still years away from contending, Cleveland is the perfect spot for Jackson to develop and hone his skills to, one day, be the face of the franchise.

9. Knicks: Marvin Bagley III

Marvin Bagley III: 2nd Overall / Original Pick: Kevin Knox

Is Marvin Bagley the ninth best player from the 2018 NBA draft? No, but the Knicks weren’t looking for a solid player with a limited ceiling — they wanted legitimate star potential. Similar to the Cavaliers, this Knicks pick has to be the best player available with the most upside. Remember, this was a bad Knicks team — like, really bad. They went 17–65 and the team’s leading scorer at the end of the season was Emmanuel Mudiay. New York needed anything they could get. Sure, Bagley’s career hasn’t been anything special, rather, it’s been underwhelming, considering he was picked before both Luka Doncic and Trae Young. It’s tough to gauge Bagley’s talent and potential at this moment due to him constantly being out of the lineup with nagging injuries, as well as the fact that he’s playing on a subpar team that hardly highlights his vast skill set. All this aside, Bagley has a career average of 15 ppg and 8 rpg while possessing the necessary skills to survive and flourish as a big man in the modern NBA. Once seen as the best player of his class, Marvin Bagley has all the potential in the world, and with the Knicks needing a glimmer of hope, they’re willing to give Bagley a shot.

10. 76ers: Donte DiVincenzo

Donte DiVincenzo: 17th Overall / Original Pick: Mikal Bridges

The 76ers went all in this season, trading for both Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris to add to their star duo in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid — not to mention JJ Redick, who was averaging 18 ppg and playing the best basketball of his career. There’s no doubt this was a championship-caliber team. Looking up and down this roster, it’s hard to find a single need for the 76ers. It’s rare you see a team that finishes top three in its conference hold a top ten draft pick. Philadelphia’s lottery pick here is a classic case of the rich getting richer. Every championship team needs a jack of all trades — a player who is willing to do the dirty work and make winning plays that won’t necessarily show up in the box score. That is why with this pick, the 76ers are selecting the NCAA Most Outstanding Player Award recipient, Donte DiVincenzo. DiVincenzo was a three-year college player, coming off a national championship with Villanova, so, compared to other prospects, he’s ready to contribute on day one. He’d serve as the team’s Swiss Army knife; Donte can shoot, defend, and facilitate, all at an above-average level. As a player who knows and plays his role perfectly, DiVincenzo would be the cherry on top of Philadelphia’s already excellent 2018 roster.