Barstool NBA Two Round Mock Draft: Draft Day is Here
1. Philadelphia 76ers – Markelle Fultz (Washington)
It’s a perfect for the Sixers. They get the clear No. 1 prospect in this draft, especially with a couple of weak guard drafts coming up. They will have a core of Simmons-Embiid-Saric-Covington (a top-100 player)-Fultz. That’s not too shabby. Again, Fultz can play both on or off the ball and will step in and contribute right off the bat. He will be a solid player from day one.
2. Los Angeles Lakers – Lonzo Ball (UCLA)
Take LaVar out of the equation here. He’s not part of Lonzo’s ability on the court and we’ve seen what he’s capable of. Sure, you can be worried about his ability to score in the midrange or his defense, but there’s no doubting he makes a team better from the point guard spot. Again, Magic has been pretty enamored with Lonzo for quite some time and it’s hard to imagine him passing on him at this spot especially since he traded D’Angelo Russell. This will be Ball’s team from Day 1 until Paul George shows up.
3. Boston Celtics – Jayson Tatum (Duke)
Going to go Big J here for a second and have had more than one source tell me if Boston stays at No. 3 it will be Jayson Tatum and not Josh Jackson going. That’s the right decision. Tatum is easily the more rounded offensive player and is a stronger rebounder than people realize. Tatum can step in and help with scoring right off the bat as he can score at all three levels.
4. Phoenix Suns – Josh Jackson (Kansas)
The Suns have a couple of ball-dominant guards in Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker. They need help on the wing and they’ll take Jackson over Isaac here. Personally I like Isaac a little bit better, but Jackson fits the Suns better due to his ability to move without the ball. After taking front court help last year, the Suns need to focus on the wing.
5. Sacramento Kings – De’Aaron Fox (Kentucky)
At this point, the Kings will have to decide between Fox or Isaac if they are both on the board. This team will be better off playing a faster tempo, which is what Fox brings to the table. He’s one of the quickest guys off the bounce from end line to end line and giving guys like Hield and Cauley-Stein the ability to run makes them better. In a guard dominant league, take the guard.
6. Orlando Magic -Dennis Smith Jr (NC State)
The Magic need someone who can give them scoring. More importantly they need someone who can go get their own buckets and Dennis Smith can do just that. He’s excellent in the pick-and-roll set, which you can run with Aaron Gordon letting Smith attack off of that while Gordon dives to the rim. The Elfrid Payton era isn’t working out and it’s time to get a guy who can be a multiple All-Star in Smith.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves – Jonathan Isaac (Florida State)
The Wolves need help either at the shooting guard spot or at the stretch four spot. That’s where they go with this pick. You slide Karl-Anthony Towns to the center spot and assuming LaVine comes back healthy you roll out a five of Rubio-LaVine-Wiggins-Isaac-Towns, which is pretty long, athletic and can defend. Isaac was a strong weakside rim protector this past season at Florida State and throw him in Thibs scheme, you may see this team lead the league in blocks.
8. New York Knicks – Malik Monk (Kentucky)
With Dennis Smith off the board the Knicks will have to decide between Monk or Ntilikina. The fact is the Knicks should take Monk here and then take a point guard like a Monte Morris in the second round with one of their two picks. Or as I discussed with Sam Vecenie on his podcast this week, make an offer for someone like George Hill and run Hill-Monk-Melo-Lee-Kristaps as your five.
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9. Dallas Mavericks – Frank Ntilikina (France)
The Mavs will have a bunch of options here at this spot and I’m switching from my original pick of Lauri here. They should lock up Nerlens and then get the young point guard here and let them run the pick-and-roll and be a solid defense duo for the next couple of years. The Mavs need a lot of help, so it’s hard to see them going wrong here.
10. Sacramento Kings – Lauri Markkanen (Arizona)
This would be an ideal draft for the Kings as I mentioned earlier they will need some wing help, especially if Rudy Gay leaves. While Markkanen is 7’0? he’s a wing, especially with the way he shoots the ball. He will have some rim protection with Cauley-Stein behind him and be able to still get up and down the court. Also, taking Markkanen helps keep the lane open for Fox to drive with Lauri and Buddy shooting.
11. Charlotte Hornets – Donovan Mitchell (Louisville)
I know he’s not the favorite, but Dwight Howard is going to be the holdover at the center spot for now, meaning Zach Collins falls another spot or two. That said, Mitchell is a guy that can come in and play alongside Kemba Walker and provide defense right off the bat. He’s a super athletic wing, that while undersized, is athletic enough to make up for it all. Question is how consistent can he be with his 3-point shot, as it did come along this past season.
12. Detroit Pistons –Luke Kennard (Duke)
The Pistons need help shooting the ball and that’s where Luke Kennard can come into play. He’s a 6’6? combo guard that can play on the ball if you need him to. On top of that he’s an excellent passer and can score from nearly all over the court. Yes, there are questions about his ability to finish with contact or at the rim, but he can shoot the ball. The Pistons need that.
13. Denver Nuggets – OG Anunoby (Indiana)
The Nuggets need help with defense and if he comes back healthy, there may not be a better defender in this class. On top of that the Nuggets can move Jamal Murray to the point guard spot permanently and get creative with their lineups, especially with someone like Anunoby.
14. Miami Heat – Zach Collins (Gonzaga)
Collins falls a little here in my mock as the Kings go with Lauri and then three straight wing picks. That’s great for Collins as Miami has one of the best developmental staffs in the league and he will still play right away for one of the best coaches in the league. The Heat have Hassan Whiteside but that’s it when it comes to bigs, which means he can play next to Whiteside or back him up. Either way it’s a great fit for Collins.
15. Portland Trail Blazers – John Collins (Wake Forest)
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The Blazers are obviously set in the backcourt and need help with the frontcourt and wing spots. John Collins is a guy who was the ultimate breakout star as a sophomore in college basketball. He made a legit push for ACC Player of the Year and most notably just shot 16-of-25 from three in a workout. If that shot comes true, he’ll easily be a top-10 player in this draft. He’s not strong defensively, but he’ll crash the offensive glass and finish at the rim, giving Lillard and McCollum space to work.
16. Chicago Bulls – Justin Jackson (UNC)
What’s that? An upperclassmen who had a great year and a strong NCAA Tournament going to the Bulls? That’s something they’d never do. It’s too much of a Bulls pick to take Justin Jackson here, but it’s not the worst thing they’ve done. Jackson can be that 3-and-D type player as he made 105 threes this last season and did show flashes of defensive strengths using his length.
17. Milwaukee Bucks – Ike Anigbogu (UCLA)
With Jabari Parker battling another injury, look for the Bucks to go with a big here. Anigbogu fits what the Bucks like. Long, tall and a bunch of upside. It’s how they typically draft guys. They do need a little bit of help in the frontcourt and that’s where a ‘project’ like Anigobgu can come into play. He graded out with a ridiculous 7’6? wingspan at the combine and averaged 12.4 rebounds per-40 minutes while at UCLA. He also put up 3.7 blocks per-40.
18. Indiana Pacers – Jarrett Allen (Texas)
Allen played out of position at Texas and was still fairly dominant as a freshman. Luckily for him Shaka Smart isn’t the head coach of the Pacers to play him almost exclusively at the power forward spot. Allen is someone who can protect the rim and is starting to develop more of an offensive game, but does need to expand his shooting touch. The Pacers could run a couple Texas bigs next year with Allen and Turner.
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19. Atlanta Hawks – Bam Adebayo (Kentucky)
The Hawks are all but admitting they are in rebuilding mode as they traded away Dwight, probably losing Milsap and will have some other situations to deal with. That’s why they can take a guy like Bam, who fits the mold from an athletic standpoint and work on his offensive game over the course of the year. He has a soft touch from the free throw line, which begs if we could see a more-rounded game and expanding his jumper in the pros.
20. Portland Trail Blazers – Harry Giles (Duke)
Someone could get the steal of the draft in Harry Giles, but that’s completely dependent on his health. He was regarded as the best prospect in this class just a few years ago and Portland, with three first round picks, can take the risk on Giles. If they hit with him it’s an added bonus.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder – Terrence Ferguson (Australia)
The Thunder need help scoring the ball. Andre Roberson is a good defender, but we saw what happens when teams dare him to beat them. It didn’t work out too hot. Ferguson is a 3 and D type guy, who can be an excellent shooter after spending a year in Australia. He’s already an excellent athlete and his defense should translate to the NBA.
22. Brooklyn Nets – DJ Wilson (Michigan)
The Nets aren’t going to be good. That’s a line that will be said for the next couple of years, so take some guys who might be seen as ‘reaches’ to help you here. Wilson has a ton of upside and was one of the best players in the country over the last month of the season. He has good size and can take defenders off the bounce as well as stretch the floor.
23. Toronto Raptors – Justin Patton (Creighton)
The Raptors need a different look in the post. That’s where Patton can come into play. He can help protect the rim as he averaged 1.4 blocks per game last year at Creighton and won’t just sit in the post offensively. He’s not going to kill you at the 3-point line but he wants to be moving to the rim and constantly cutting.
24. Utah Jazz – Derrick White (Colorado)
Derrick White was one of four guys from major conferences to put up 18/4/4 per game this past season. The other three? Fultz, Dennis Smith and Frank Mason. Not bad company. He’s been flying up draft charts and with the Jazz possibly losing Gordon Hayward, it make sense to take someone who can play on the wing.
25. Orlando Magic – TJ Leaf (UCLA)
Leaf is a guy that can step in and immediately contribute on the offensive side of the ball. He’s an excellent stretch player, especially in the small ball era. He does need some help defensively, but if your team isn’t going to contend let him learn that through a season of playing. He has the ability to stretch the floor and can let you get creative with some of your lineups.
26. Portland Trail Blazers – Semi Ojeleye (SMU)
The third first round pick for the Blazers, they take a guy who could step in as a 3-and-D type player. Ojeleye has good size, but more importantly during his transfer year and one season at SMU became consistent with his shot. The Blazers do need frontcourt help, but take two traditional bigs in the first round and take one of these ‘no position’ guys here.
27. Los Angeles Lakers – Kyle Kuzma (Utah)
Trying to guess what the Lakers do with these two picks is tough. They are likely trying to create space for Paul George and another max free agent guy and with Lonzo going No. 2 they aren’t going to take Jawun Evans in the first round as well. This is where Kuzma, a stretch four (perhaps if they trade Randle) can come into play.
28. Los Angeles Lakers – Isaiah Hartenstein (Zalgris – Lithuania)
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The Lakers can take Hartenstein and decide what they want to do with him as he does need to improve offensively in the halfcourt. If they do play him this year, he’s a guy that will come in and rebound right away and does have decent size. You can play him alongside Julius Randle and try to dominate the glass between those two. If he can get up and down the court, pairing him with Lonzo Ball and Randle passing the ball, you can have some success. Again, this is assuming that Randle doesn’t get traded.
29. San Antonio Spurs – Jawun Evans (Oklahoma State)
The Spurs have no problem taking guys, letting them develop in the D-League as a two-way player and then eventually help out to continue to be a contender. With Tony Parker getting up there in age, Patty Mills being around for some time, the Spurs will take best player available here. Honestly, they’ll probably go with an international guy just because they are the Spurs, but it’s fun to go against the grain. OR they sign Chris Paul and let a guy who has drawn comparisons to him for his size and pick-and-roll game learn from him. Either way, Evans falling to 29 would be a steal.
30. Utah Jazz – Frank Jackson (Duke)
What if George Hill leaves Utah? This provides an option plus a hometown guy is always easy to sell. Granted he’s coming off an injury, the Jazz could afford to take him here depending what happens with Hill/Hayward and figure it out as they go along. He’s the perfect sort of candidate to develop in the D-League and will be a better pro considering how inconsistent he was at Duke.
Second Round
31. Charlotte Hornets – Tony Bradley (UNC)
32. Phoenix Suns – Tyler Lydon (Syracuse)
33. Orlando Magic – Jordan Bell (Oregon)
34. Sacramento Kings – Josh Hart (Villanova)
35. Orlando Magic – Ivan Rabb (Cal)
36. Philadelphia 76ers – Caleb Swanigan (Purdue)
37. Boston Celtics – Johnathan Motley (Baylor)
38. Chicago Bulls – Alec Peters (Valpo)
39. Philadelphia 76ers – Mathias Lessort (France)
40. New Orleans Pelicans – Edmond Sumner (Xavier)
41. Atlanta Hawks – Jonah Bolden (UCLA/Australia)
42. Utah Jazz – Thomas Bryant (Indiana)
43. Houston Rockets – Tyler Dorsey (Oregon)
44. New York Knicks – Monte Morris (Iowa State)
45. Houston Rockets – Cam Oliver (Nevada)
46. Philadelphia 76ers – Wesley Iwundu (Kansas State)
47. Indiana Pacers – PJ Dozier (South Carolina)
48. Milwaukee Bucks – Dwayne Bacon (Florida State)
49. Denver Nuggets – Anzejs Pasecniks (Latvia)
50. Philadelphia 76ers – Alberto Abalde (Spain)
51. Denver Nuggets – Frank Mason (Kansas)
52. New Orleans Pelicans – Dillon Brooks (Oregon)
53. Boston Celtics – Sindarius Thornwell (South Carolina)
54. Phoenix Suns – Devin Robinson (Florida)
55. Utah Jazz – L.J. Peak (Georgetown)
56. Boston Celtics – Vlatko Cancar (Slovenia)
57. Brooklyn Nets – Jaron Blossomgame (Clemson)
58. New York Knicks – Nigel Williams-Goss (Gonzaga)
59. San Antonio Spurs – Sterling Brown (SMU)
60. Atlanta Hawks –VJ Beachem (Notre Dame)