The Crevice’s Mock Draft 2.0

I did a mock draft right after the draft lottery hysteria, and I claimed that it would be the last. Oh, how ignorant I was. Now that Philadelphia’s all but snagged the top pick in the draft and Paul George is officially in play, it’s time for another mock draft. This time around, equipped with knowledge from a lot of tape, I’ll focus on what these teams should do with the pick, making concessions on what they probably will do. This includes draft night trades that I think should happen for each of these teams. I’m having a heart attack thinking about how much speculation is going to go into this…

Pick 1: Philadelphia 76ers
Team need: Point guard, wing snipers
Pick: Markelle Fultz
Best case scenario: James Harden with defensive instincts
Worst case scenario: Bigger Kemba Walker

The more tape I watch on Fultz, the less I buy into the hype. His handle isn’t exactly as tight as it needs to be, and I’m a little skeptical of his playmaking ability. I can understand the Celtics trade now — move down away from a prospect that isn’t quite what you want or need and stockpile more draft picks for an attempt to build a four All-Star super team. Philadelphia, however, is the best fit for Fultz. A future Fultz-Simmons or Fultz-Embiid pick-and-roll is lethal, and Fultz has some ability to play off the ball when Simmons handles.

Pick 2: Los Angeles Lakers
Team need: Lead guard, rim-running/rim-protecting big
Pick: Josh Jackson
Best case scenario: Jimmy Butler but maybe more athletic
Worst case scenario: Andre Iguodala

Lonzo Ball is the consensus pick here, but I think Josh Jackson is the best fit. I still think D’Angelo Russell’s trajectory of improvement bills him as an All-Star point guard in a few years. Having Ingram and Jackson as the two forwards of the future makes for a long and athletic and offensively versatile pairing. All they’ll need to figure out of the second guard and a new home for Julius Randle.

ANDY KATZ ALERT: The Boston Celtics trade away the 3rd overall pick, along with the 2018 Brooklyn Pick, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown for the Indiana Pacers’s Paul George.

Pick 3: Indiana Pacers
Team need: Point guard, wing scorer, literally everything but a center
Pick: De’Aaron Fox
Best case scenario: John Wall
Worst case scenario: Rajon Rondo in this year’s playoffs

If Indiana’s rebuilding in Paul George’s wake, they need to knock this pick out the park. Though Lonzo Ball is the bigger name and Jayson Tatum is the more NBA ready scorer, Fox can create a lethal pick-and-roll offense with Myles Turner and be a player to build around. When a team is being built back up, it’s important to find players that can create a system, rather than going in head first with the system in hand. Fox affords Indiana that flexibility. All of the other prospects do not.

Pick 4: Phoenix Suns
Team need: Perimeter scorer/defender, point guard of the future
Pick: Lonzo Ball
Best case scenario: 2008 Jason Kidd but more athletic
Worst case scenario: Shaun Livingston with an above average three point shot

Lonzo Ball next to Devin Booker is, as it’s been widely touted, a perfect fit. Booker is already very adept in pick-and-roll halfcourt offense, and Ball can play as a secondary creator off kickouts. Lonzo, Booker, Warren, Chrisse, and Bender, with Ulis off the bench as the spark? In the scenario where all six of those young players develop as they need to, that’s a lethal team.

Pick 5: Sacramento Kings
Team need: Everything
Pick: Jayson Tatum
Best case scenario: More athletic Paul Pierce with worse playmaking
Worst case scenario: Danny Granger

It’s widely known that Sacramento loves De’Aaron Fox. But in this realization of the draft, Fox is off the board. Sacramento shouldn’t fear and just take the best prospect available: Jayson Tatum. Tatum can develop into the lead scorer on a good team or the secondary one of an elite team. The point guard that they so desperately need may be available later in the draft.

Pick 6: Orlando Magic
Team need: Point guard, stretch big
Pick: Dennis Smith, Jr.
Best case scenario: Russell Westbrook with 70% of the
Worst case scenario: 2006 Orlando Steve Francis

From my last column: “I watched DSJ many times as his NC State team couldn’t figure out how to play cohesively in the ACC. The pieces he worked with gave him no space, aside from Maverick Rowan, who is basically the lanky white dude in any pickup game. And yet he put up 18.1 points, 6.2 assists (who the hell was he passing to in order to rack up those assists?), and 4.6 rebounds on 45.5/35.9/71.5 splits. Again, he had no spacing, often had to force shots, and he still had great efficiency on almost 5 three point attempts a game. Sure, he turned the ball over a lot and his defensive intensity waxes but mostly wanes. But playing for Mark Gottfried’s boiled chicken offense usually saps the life out of you. The Magic should draft Dennis Smith, try to shop Elfrid Payton, pair DSJ with Aaron Gordon in pick-and-roll schemes, and surround him with shooters like Fournier et al.”

Pick 7: Minnesota Timberwolves
Team need: Stretch four, point guard with shooting touch
Pick: Jonathan Isaac
Best case scenario: Serge Ibaka with perimeter skills
Worst case scenario: Tyrus Thomas with staying power

From my last column: “I hate the Rashard Lewis comp because it makes Isaac out to be a scoring forward. He’s not. He’s a defensive forward with shooting ability. If his offense doesn’t develop quite as intended, he’s still a rangy forward who can guard wings and power forwards and hit a corner three. That’s exactly the type of role player who can play in the frontcourt with KAT and Wiggins.”

Pick 8: New York Knicks
Team need: Point guard, perimeter scoring, youth, a new owner, a new GM
Pick: Malik Monk
Best case scenario: C.J. McCollum who can guard point guards well
Worst case scenario: Jason Terry on the Hawks

The Knicks need anything and everything, and since they can’t draft me to be their GM, the next best pick is to pick the one player left on the board with star power. If they can develop Monk into a pick-and-roll/pop handler with Porzingis, that could be LETHAL. Shooting and finishing ability in both the initiator and screener is hard to come by (see Curry-Durant or Conley-Gasol schemes), and Monk and Porzingis could help nudge this team into a new light.

Pick 9: Dallas Mavericks
Team need: Youth
Pick: Frank Ntilikina
Best case scenario: Athletic Ricky Rubio with more confidence in his shooting
Worst case scenario: Athletic Kendall Marshall

Again, from my last column: “From my Dallas has committed to building around their core of Harrison Barnes’s scoring ability, Seth Curry’s poor man’s Steph Curry, and Nerlens Noel’s rim-running ability. That, with Rick Carlisle’s genius, might take them to a playoff spot. They can either add youth to the perimeter or behind Dirk. Personally, I don’t think they’ll contend for Trevon Duvall in next year’s draft, so might as well add a point guard this year and hope he develops. Ntilikina is a pass-first point guard with great size and length, perfect to pair with a short two-guard. He can facilitate for the establish scorers and can probably play alongside Ferrell and Curry in Carlisle’s three guard lineups. Markkanen is the other consideration at this pick, but I highly doubt he’s the next Dirk.”

Pick 10: Sacramento Kings
Team need: Everything
Pick: Donovan Mitchell
Best case scenario: Russell Westbrook with less explosion
Worst case scenario: 90% of current Avery Bradley

Sacramento could package this pick and trade down for a point guard, someone like Jawun Evans or Derrick White, but Donovan Mitchell may have the biggest upside of any prospect in this draft and he may have the biggest balls of anyone in this draft.

Aside from his 6'10" wingspan and out of the gym athleticism, he has enough ball skills to perhaps make the switch to point guard. Maybe Sacramento can give him the keys for a year and see how he progresses next to Buddy Hield and Tatum. Mitchell, to me, is the dark horse sleeper for this draft class.

ANDY KATZ ALERT: As I suggested here, the Hornets need to trade away Kemba Walker, and they do on draft night. Charlotte trades away Kemba Walker and Marco Belinelli for Reggie Jackson, Stanley Johnson, and the 12th overall pick.

Pick 11: Charlotte Hornets
Team need: Wing scorer, rim-running/protecting big
Pick: Zach Collins
Best case scenario: Cody Zeller with some shooting and rim protection
Worst case scenario: Cody Zeller

From my last column: “I hate this. I subscribe to the maxim that you should have a rooting interested in the team most geographically proximal to you. That happens to be Michael Jordan’s “let’s win 38 games every year” Hornets with Kemba, who can’t be a lead guard on a playoff team, Batum, who can’t be the second best player on a playoff team, and Cody Zeller, who can’t be the best big on a playoff team. Yet, they want to make the playoffs with that core. And, lo and behold, they have to pick 11 in a draft that isn’t too deep. The best move would be to package Kemba and this pick for future picks and tank. Try to move Batum (maybe swap him for Parsons and some picks and extend his salary with the medical clause thing). But, MJ and Rich Cho won’t go nuclear on this team, so Zach Collins it is. Hopefully, if the Hornets finally realize they need to blow this up, he can develop into a good starting center.”

Pick 12: Detroit Pistons
Team need: Perimeter scorer/defender, stretch big
Pick: Justin Jackson
Best case scenario: Rip Hamilton with a three point shot
Worst case scenario: Tony Snell with some ball skills

Justin Jackson is, at his worst, a solid role player on a good team. I’m very confident in his high floor. If his shot continues to improve and his ability to attack close outs improves past awkward floaters, he could be a second scorer on a good team, much like Rip Hamilton was for the mid-2000s Pistons.

Pick 13: Denver Nuggets
Team need: Point guard, wing defender, stretch four
Pick: Lauri Markkanen
Best case scenario: Channing Frye who can put in on the floor
Worst case scenario: Channing Frye

Denver would be lucky if Lauri falls to them. He’s a perfect offensive fit next to Jokic, even if the defense will be atrocious. A big man rotation of Jokic, Hernangomez, Plumlee, and Markkanen would provide the young Nuggets guards ample space to improve on their driving skills.

Pick 14: Miami Heat
Team need: Point guard, combo forward, big man depth
Pick: O.G. Anunoby
Best case scenario: Draymond Green with far worse ball skills
Worst case scenario: Big Tony Allen

The Heat love athletes who like to defend. Anunoby is just that. A guard-wing-forward combination of Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, O.G. Anunoby will be offensively deficient, but they could switch literally everything. And given Winslow’s rebounding proficiency and Anunoby’s explosiveness, they’d have a huge rebounding advantage against most, if not, all opposing small-ball lineups.

Pick 15: Portland Trailblazers
Team need: Perimeter shooter, stretch four, rim-running/protecting big
Pick: Ivan Rabb
Best case scenario: Chris Bosh
Worst case scenario: Richaun Holmes

Ivan Rabb’s apparently on the Portland big board as a stretchy power forward who can play alongside and behind Nurkic. Even though his sophomore season proved to be less than spectacular, he still has the same ceiling he had last year. Rabb’s shooting stroke is solid, and he has the outside chance of developing an outside shot past the 18 footer he’s adept at.

Pick 16: Chicago Bulls
Team need: Perimeter shooter, point guard, big man depth
Pick: Justin Patton
Best case scenario: Nerlens Noel with a midrange jumper
Worst case scenario: Brendan Haywood

From my last column: “The Bulls are probably closer to blowing it up than not. If the Bulls can somehow flip Butler for a top pick this year or next year, they can target a point guard. But this year, they should pick the best available prospect. And that’s Justin Patton, who has great lateral quickness, great length, and a great vertical. He’s a solid rebounder and rim protector and has shown flashes of shooting touch. Pair him with a point guard in a spread pick-and-roll scheme and he can be a building block.”

Pick 17: Milwaukee Bucks
Team need: Perimeter shooter, backup big
Pick: Jarrett Allen
Best case scenario: Serge Ibaka with a shakier shot
Worst case scenario: John Henson

Jarrett Allen is the best big prospect left on the board, and seeing as Greg Monroe is as good as gone to free agency, slating him behind Thon Maker may be helpful. Allen can play minutes at both center and power forward, and he started taking more shots of range in the latter stages of the season. His lankiness and NBA-ready frame make him a prime candidate to be a solid rim protector.

Pick 18: Indiana Pacers
Team need: Wing shooter/defender, backup big
Pick: Terrance Ferguson
Best case scenario: Rodney Hood
Worst case scenario: Terrence Ross with less efficiency

There isn’t much usable tape on Ferguson. But he has great athleticism and a good stroke, so it’s conceivable that he could develop into a starting two-guard. If the Pacers can come away from the Paul George trade with their future backcourt settled, it’ll be a huge, huge win.

Pick 19: Atlanta Hawks
Team need: Backup point guard, backup big, wing scorer/defender
Pick: Jonah Bolden
Best case scenario: Serge Ibaka
Worst case scenario: Brian Cook

Bolden was absent from my last mock draft, but he made it this time around, especially with the Youtube clips I saw of him. He has a decent jump shot, good defensive instincts around the rim, and a great second hop. Hawks U can groom Bolden next to and behind Howard and maybe have a replacement for Millsap and/or Howard moving forward.

Pick 20: Portland Trailblazers
Team need: Perimeter shooter, stretch four
Pick: Isaiah Hartenstein
Best case scenario: Donatas Motiejunas at his best
Worst case scenario: Meyers Leonard

Hartenstein is a stretch four without results, and that’s scary. But the Trailblazers have three picks in the late first round and they need to use them all on prospects that have high upside. Hartenstein needs to improve his defensive instincts as well, especially if he needs to play next to Nurkic.

Pick 21: Oklahoma City Thunder
Team need: Perimeter shooting, secondary playmaker, backup point guard
Pick: Luke Kennard
Best case scenario: J.J. Redick with ball skills
Worst case scenario: Jodie Meeks

Kennar is a savvy scorer with great efficiency and a quick release. He can off-ball with Russ and can make a play off a close out. If he can adjust to the athleticism of the wings who’ll be guarding him, he can be an above-average starter in the league.

Pick 22: Brooklyn Nets
Team need: Everything
Pick: Harry Giles
Best case scenario: Amar’e Stoudemire
Worst case scenario: Thomas Robinson

The Nets need everything. There’s a reason why Harry Giles was widely considered the best prospect coming in to the college game last summer. If his explosiveness returns after the knee injuries, he can be a solid pick and roll center in this league. If not, no harm, no foul. Actually maybe a ton of fouls since Giles can’t defend unless he commits 7.7 fouls per 40 minutes.

Pick 23: Toronto Raptors
Team need: Backup big, wing depth
Pick: Ike Anigbogu
Best case scenario: Bismack Biyombo
Worst case scenario: Smaller Hasheem Thabeet

From my last column: “Anigbogu’s UCLA stint was less than glorious, but his wingspan and athleticism make him an interesting prospect. He can turn into a rim-running, high energy center off the bench for a team that really missed Bismack Biyombo.”

Pick 24: Utah Jazz
Team need: Backup point guard, frontcourt depth
Pick: Jawun Evans
Best case scenario: Damon Stoudemire
Worst case scenario: Tyronn Lue

From my last column: “Pull out the little point guard role player comps. But Jawun Evans will be an irrational confidence point guard off the bench who can lose you a game just as easily as he can win you a game. His shot needs a little more work, but he’s a great finisher and can start and stop on a dime.”

Pick 25: Orlando Magic
Team need: Perimeter scoring
Pick: Rodions Kurucs
Best case scenario: Athletic Mike Dunleavy
Worst case scenario: Skinny Doug McDermott

The Magic need any kind of shooting around their core of non-shooting athletes. Kurucs isn’t quite an NBA-level sniper yet, but he has good potential, especially this late in the first round

Pick 26: Portland Trailblazers
Team need: Stretch big, perimeter shooting
Pick: Tyler Lydon
Best case scenario: Fat Nikola Mirotic who can block shots
Worst case scenario: Nick Collison with a corner three

From my last column: “Fat Nikola Mirotic who can block shots works perfectly next to Nurkic. But that’s unlikely to happen.”

Pick 27: Brooklyn Nets
Team need: Everything
Pick: Hamidou Diallo
Best case scenario: Shabazz Muhammad with ball skills
Worst case scenario: Shabazz Muhammad without a good shot

From my last column: “There is little to no good tape on Diallo. But he is a nuclear athlete, probably top three in the draft. He has no shot, however, and relies entirely on his athleticism to score. His defensive motor comes and goes, but his 6'11" length is promising. But the Nets need to gamble on these picks, so Diallo might make sense.”

Pick 28: Los Angeles Lakers
Team need: Center, stretch bigs
Pick: Tony Bradley
Best case scenario: Nerlens Noel
Worst case scenario: Montrezl Harrell

Tony Bradley is a great rebounder and a definite center. That’s his translatable skill. He needs to improve his upper body strength, so he can finish through bigger bodies and his rim protection needs to be more focused. I would love for him to fall to the Spurs, so he can develop wholeheartedly into a monster, but the Lakers could also use him as a role player. Russell, Clarkson, Ingram, Jackson, and Bradley — if Russell and Ingram can be 20+ point scorers, Clarkson can be the third scorer (maybe), and Jackson and Bradley would the be glue keeping the team together.

Pick 29: San Antonio Spurs
Team need: Wing scorer, point guard, athletic bigs
Pick: Frank Jackson
Best case scenario: Dennis Johnson
Worst case scenario: Cory Joseph

The Dennis Johnson comparison is crazy, and Frank Jackson is probably only going to develop up to the Cory Joseph level backup point guard. But I think if he steps into the stability of the Spurs organization, his strength and shooting ability will be perfect as a foil to Murray’s herky-jerkiness.

Pick 30: Utah Jazz
Team need: Frontcourt depth
Pick: Caleb Swanigan
Best case scenario: Paul Millsap with worse defense
Worst case scenario: Ike Diogu

From my last column: “Utah needs a backup plan for Boris Diaw and Derrick Favors falling out of the rotation, the former because of age and the latter because of salaries. Swanigan showed immense growth after his freshman year, and even though, his three point shooting may be a fluke, his rebounding isn’t. At worst, Swanigan can come off the bench and provide the Jazz with energy and rim-crashing. At best, he can play alongside Gobert and spread the court around their wings.”