2018 Two Round NBA Mock Draft: The Final Version

Now the day is here for the NBA Draft. So barring any trades during the day or during the Draft, this is the last version of a mock draft that we’ll see. As I’ve done the past two years with these it will be a combo of guessing, what I’m hearing and figuring out team needs. I also  put out my top-60 big board, which is strictly just that – a big board. This will be the true mock draft.

This feels like a no-brainer. Ayton is the best prospect in this draft for me and gets to stay close to his college home. Ayton became the first player in 25 years to average at least 19.5 points, 11 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while shooting more than 60 percent from the field. You hope the year with Tyson Chandler turns into a mentor session on the defensive side of the ball. However, he’s way too polished to pass up here.

2. Sacramento Kings – Marvin Bagley (Duke)
It does feel weird to see the Kings not take a Kentucky big here as they seem to always end up with one, but the Kings need someone to anchor that frontcourt. Oh, now imagine him running that fastbreak and pick and roll with him and Fox? You have a bunch of speed and athleticism on the court. The question will be can he adapt defensively at the next level.

3. Atlanta Hawks – Luka Doncic (Slovenia)

This is where it gets interesting for me. The Hawks are in a weird spot because of the development of John Collins. Taking someone like Jackson is possible here. You also have the Dennis Schroder situation happening and need to figure out their point guard spot. Instead I have them taking Doncic, who can just step in and immediately run that high ball screen with Collins – something both guys are excellent at.

4. Memphis Grizzlies – Jaren Jackson Jr. (Michigan State) 

The Grizzlies would love to take Doncic here to fill that void they need on the wing. However, he’s off the board so they go with a guy in Jaren Jackson Jr., that they  can build around and fits that profile of defensive-first that they tend to love. He’s the youngest player in the draft and if the Grizzlies decide to move on from Marc Gasol at any point, he can immediately slide over to the five.

5. Dallas Mavericks – Mo Bamba (Texas)
It looks like Nerlens Noel will be out of Dallas after this year, opening up a spot up front for a player like Bamba. He’s going to provide the type of defense that many thought Noel would bring and you can use him in pick and rolls with Dennis Smith. He’ll have a year to play with Nowitzki as well filling out the front court. The Mavericks have had success with a defensive-minded big like Bamba in Tyson Chandler. The question will be how much his shot develops to stretch the floor too.

6. Orlando Magic – Trae Young (Oklahoma)
The Magic are desperate for someone who can create for himself. That’s what Trae Young can do and will be able to step in and contribute right away. I know people like to shit on Young, especially for how the late part of the season went, but with more space and better help around him, I like him a lot at the next level. It also gives the Magic someone they can market as Young does have that ability.

7. Chicago Bulls – Wendell Carter (Duke)

The Bulls decide to go with Wendell Carter here, a place they have a bunch of options. They can go with MPJ and fill the wing out with him and Lauri. They can go with Knox to be on the wing as well. However, Carter gives them that piece in the post, that can step out and is an excellent passer from the high post. He’s also someone who can protect the rim and you have your frontcourt set going forward.

8. Cleveland Cavs (via Brooklyn Nets) – Michael Porter Jr. (Missouri) 

This is where shit can really get wild. The Cavs could move this pick to try and get a big name player to try and pair with LeBron. However, I have them taking Michael Porter Jr., here though as a guy who can either a) help LeBron or b) could be the star that they want to build around. MPJ is the biggest question mark in this draft and if he ends up living up to the hype he had before the season started he’s the 1st or 2nd best player in this class.

9. New York Knicks – Mikal Bridges (Villanova)
This would be an easy pick for the Knicks here. You can move Porzingis to the five spot or even keep him at the four if you really want while sliding Bridges into the wing. He’s the prototypical 3-and-D guy and you immediately have two strong defenders in Bridges and Frankie Smokes. Bridges shot over 42% from three this past season and if you’re able to spread the floor with Kristaps at the five, that should leave open shots for Bridges.

10. Philadelphia 76ers (via LA Lakers) – Kevin Knox (Kentucky)
Another no-brainer pick here, in the sense of taking a wing. They’ll have plenty of choices between Knox/Bridges/Smith. The Sixers would love to take Mikal Bridges, but with him off the board they go for the next best wing available. Knox really came on strong where he started to run off screens more, getting into the motion of the offense and really found his shot. He became one of the two go-to guys for Kentucky as he scored over 15 per game. He developed a nasty floater on the baseline that he likes to use after one dribble and at 6’9″ has great size to get it over most defenders. You can play him alongside all the other young guys on the roster too.

11. Charlotte Hornets – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Kentucky)
The Hornets have to make a decision here. Kemba Walker is entering the last year of his contract. They have a new coach and front office, which means it’s almost like starting new. That’s why they go with SGA here. He’s a guy that can play off the bench as the lead guard or next to Kemba. He’s not unbelievably athletic or anything like that, but he does an excellent job of finding spots and attacking that way. During his run late in the year he started to show his ability to pull up off the dribble from three, adding that to his game.

12. Los Angeles Clippers – Collin Sexton (Alabama)
Sexton finds himself falling a bit here but the Clippers fit well for him. He’ll immediately be handed the ball as the lead guard and he’ll be able to find ways to attack. He’s a defensive minded guard as well and someone that if you resign DeAndre Jordan provide an inside-out threat on the defensive side of the ball.

13. Los Angeles Clippers – Miles Bridges (Michigan State)
The Clippers use their second pick to help bolster the wing depth. They get a bit more athletic by adding arguably the most athletic player in the Draft and you immediately pair him and Sexton together. Bridges is someone who improved from the free throw line and his outside shot looks better after his sophomore year and can run with Sexton on the fastbreak. He’s also that athletic wing that can defend multiple wings.

14. Denver Nuggets – Lonnie Walker (Miami)
The Nuggets were one of the worst defensive teams in the league this year while also having a lack of wing depth. Here they get to address both problems as Walker should be a great defender at the next level. He can guard multiple positions and is starting to figure it out offensively, especially when he was one of the go-to options once Brown got hurt. At 6’4? with a 6’10” wingspan though he’s going to be enticing to most teams.

15. Washington Wizards – Troy Brown (Oregon)
The Wizards have a couple of options here as they could take a big to play next to Marcin Gortat or take a combo forward to help with the rotation on the wing/forward spot. I’m incredibly high on Troy Brown, someone who can step in and do a little bit of everything. If he can get more consistent with his outside shot he’ll be one of the best players in this draft.

16. Phoenix Suns (via Miami Heat) –Zhaire Smith (Texas Tech)
The Suns were the worst defensive team in the league this year and this pick address defensive needs. Smith is quickly climbing up draft charts and is one of the most athletic players in this class. He can step in and defend on the wing. You hope he develops a more consistent shot and provides some depth on the wing spot behind Booker and Jackson.

17. Milwaukee Bucks – Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova)

The Bucks need someone who can help Giannis out, especially with a catch and shoot ability.  Donte will be playing off the ball as his prime position and then can be a secondary ball handler. Playing next to Malcolm Brogdon and Eric Bledsoe will give Donte the ability to get open shots. He also fits what Milwaukee tends to do in terms of drafting guys with longer wingspans.

18. San Antonio Spurs – Jerome Robinson (Boston College)
The Spurs get someone here who can step in and help them on the offensive side of the ball immediately. The Spurs are known for being more defensive-minded, but with all the news about Kawhi, they have to figure out a wing that that can go get his own bucket and score. Robinson is an excellent scorer, averaging over 20 per game last year for Boston College.

19. Atlanta Hawks – Robert Williams (Texas A&M)

The Hawks are in complete rebuild mode and taking someone like Robert Williams helps solidify the frontcourt with John Collins. Both are guys that can run that high ball screen and dive to the rim while Williams is also an excellent shot blocker. He’s going to fall a bit because there’s just not a lot of fits for him with all the other bigs going early.

20. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Oklahoma City Thunder) – Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State)
The Wolves need to add depth on the wing/forward spot and Bates-Diop has that and can play both at the four or three spot due to his length and ability to rebound. Bates-Diop is someone coming off a year shooting 36% from three, most of which he created for himself.

21. Utah Jazz – Elie Okobo (France)

The young guard from France is one of the biggest winners from the draft season and scouting season. He broke out scoring 44 points against Aaron Craft (the league’s DPOY) in the first game of the French league playoffs. Utah could use another guard and pairing him with Mitchell for the long term plan would be a smart move.

22. Chicago Bulls (via New Orleans Pelicans) – Chandler Hutchison (Boise State)
The Bulls are notorious for taking an experienced college player and they get that here with Chandler Hutchison. He’s the first senior off the board as he can do a bit of everything – although he does need to get more consistent shooting the ball. With a lack of wings in the draft, the Bulls need to add depth here.

23. Indiana Pacers – Aaron Holiday (UCLA)
Pairing Aaron Holiday with Oladipo just makes sense on both sides of the ball. You immediately have a backcourt that can really defend the hell out of the ball and bother guards. Throw in Holiday’s ability to create and an excellent catch and shoot guy from three you can spread the floor with him as Oladipo drives.

24. Portland Trail Blazers – Kevin Huerter (Maryland)
The Blazers need help on the wing. They have that loaded backcourt with CJ and Dame, but they need to figure out what to do on the wing. That’s where they take Kevin Huerter, who is an excellent passer from the wing and is obviously known as a knock down shooter.

25. Los Angeles Lakers – Khyri Thomas (Creighton)
The Lakers need a defensive-minded guard that can step in and play next to Lonzo Ball. Thomas adds that ability plus the versatility to come off the bench and be a ball handler. He immediately joined a younger core with Lonzo, Kuzma, Hart and Ingram. He’s also an excellent catch and shoot guy from the wing.

26. Philadelphia 76ers – Jacob Evans (Cincinnati)
The Sixers go with another wing here. Look, we saw what their weakness was during the playoffs and now you bring in two wings that are different types of players, but both can shoot and defend. Evans is someone who can come in and defend at an elite level thanks to his history at Cincinnati. He also shot 37% from three this past season and can be that 3-and-D catch and shoot type of guy playing off of Simmons, Fultz and Embiid.

27. Boston Celtics – Mitchell Robinson (N/A)
Robinson is someone that can protect the rim and is athletic enough to step in and run high ball screens with. The biggest thing is how he does during private workouts as he didn’t play this last season and skipped the Combine. But pairing him with Brad Stevens and this group? That gives you a young big who can protect the rim to start with. I’m sure they’ll find a way to make it work.

28. Golden State Warriors – Jalen Brunson (Villanova)
The Warriors take another guy that is used to playing this sort of system. Spread teams out, switch everything and be incredibly smart on the floor, that would be Brunson. Brunson has a past of playing with another lead guard like he did with Acidiacono so you can play him with Curry on or off the ball. He’s someone who will be in the rotation for years no matter where he goes.

29. Brooklyn Nets (via Toronto Raptors) – Anfernee Simons (IMG Academy)
The Nets continue to take somewhat of a gamble due to not having a top pick. Simons is a younger guy who is skipping college to go right to the NBA. They can afford to take the risk here and take someone like Simons who can be a scoring guard as he develops into an NBA player. With the Nets in full on rebuild mode, take someone like Simons and build with him as he turns 19 during the year

30. Atlanta Hawks (via Houston Rockets) – Dznan Musa (Croatia)
The Hawks have three first round picks, so it won’t be a surprise to see them draft and stash one here. Musa filed paperwork to enter the draft and he’s someone who is young enough that you can be patient with, especially as the Hawks rebuild.

Second Round

31. Phoenix Suns – Josh Okogie (Georgia Tech)
32. Memphis Grizzlies – De’Anthony Melton (USC)
33. Dallas Mavericks – Bruce Brown (Miami)
34. Atlanta Hawks – Jevon Carter (West Virginia)
35. Orlando Magic – Shake Milton (SMU)
36. New York Knicks – Moe Wagner (Michigan)
37. Sacramento Kings – Melvin Frazier (Tulane)
38. Philadelphia 76ers – Grayson Allen (Duke)
39. LA Lakers (via Philadelphia) – Rodions Kurucs (Barcelona)
40. Brooklyn Nets – Omari Spellman (Villanova)
41. Orlando Magic – Gary Trent Jr. (Duke)
42. Detroit Pistons – Devonte Graham (Kansas)
43. Denver Nuggets – Hamidou Diallo (Kentucky)
44. Washington Wizards – Jarred Vanderbilt (Kentucky)
45. Brooklyn Nets – Rawlke Alkins (Arizona)
46. Houston Rockets – Landry Shamet (Wichita State)
47. Los Angeles Lakers – Chime Metu (USC)
48. Minnesota Timberwolves – Kevin Hervey (UT-Arlington)
49. San Antonio Spurs – Devon Hall (Virginia)
50. Indiana Pacers – Justin Jackson (Maryland)
51. New Orleans Pelicans – Malik Newman (Kansas)
52. Utah Jazz – Ray Spalding (Louisville)
53. Oklahoma City Thunder – Tony Carr (Penn State)
54. Dallas Mavericks – Isaac Bonga (Frankfurt)
55. Charlotte Hornets – Kenrich Williams (TCU)
56. Philadelphia 76ers – Trevon Duval (Duke)
57. Oklahoma City Thunder – Brandon McCoy (UNLV)
58. Denver Nuggets – Kostas Antetokounmpo (Dayton)
59. Phoenix Suns – Svi Mykhailiuk (Kansas)
60. Philadelphia 76ers – Tryggvi Hlinason (Iceland)