The ping pong balls have spoken and the 2018 NBA draft order is set. Now the real fun begins.
In the pre-draft hoopla, two names have separated themselves from the rest of the pack: Arizona big man DeAndre Ayton and Slovenian phenom Luka Doncic.
There is still plenty of talent after the pair, but expect the teams drafting from third and beyond to select a prospect based more on positional needs than simply the best available player — because that’s hard to determine with the class of ’18.
Here’s a first look at how the top 14 picks could go and what would make most sense for the teams involved:
Pick | Team | Player |
1 | Luka Doncic, G, Slovenia | |
There’s a strong argument to be made for choosing either Doncic or Ayton at No. 1. In Ayton, you get an absolute physical specimen — a seven-footer who can move bodies and boasts a 44-inch vertical, along with a growing set of post moves and fundamentally sound jump shot. Players like Ayton don’t come along often, and the Suns, despite drafting three big men in recent years, could use a mainstay on the low-post. But Doncic is a rare breed. As a teenager he’s proven to be an elite player among men during his time at Real Madrid and in international competition for Slovenia (where he was coached by new Suns hire Igor Kokoskov). At six-foot-eight he can play either guard position and would be a great fit in virtually any system — but the notion of pairing him with Suns budding star Devin Booker is too good to pass up. Ayton and Doncic are both stellar prospects, but it’s Doncic’s intangibles, and the potential for a Doncic-Booker backcourt that seals the deal. | ||
2 | DeAndre Ayton, C, Arizona | |
It’s hard to put much faith in the Kings front office to do the right thing, but they may have no choice but to make a good choice here. Ayton would give Sacramento a frontcourt star to build around and, for the first time in years, hope for the future. It can’t be overstated how much moving up from seven to second saved this team’s outlook. | ||
3 | Jaren Jackson Jr., F/C, Michigan State | |
There may be flashier, more-hyped players available, but Jackson is the logical choice given what the Hawks are working with. Approaching Year 2 of a total rebuild, Atlanta has needs across the board, but made a great pick selecting big man John Collins at 17th overall last year. Jackson can defend the rim and stretch the floor and would be a great complement. With Doncic off the boards, there is no backcourt player worth taking over Jackson. | ||
4 | Marvin Bagley III, PF/C, Duke | |
Bagley put up big numbers in college but saw his draft stock drop slightly during the NCAA season — not a knock as much as a means to point out that he was pegged as a No. 1 pick coming out of high school. With Mike Conley and Marc Gasol on the books for the next few seasons, Memphis doesn’t appear committed to a true rebuild, but it can use as much young, high-potential talent as possible and in the right setting Bagley certainly fits the bill. | ||
5 | Michael Porter Jr., F, Missouri | |
Another prospect in the running for the top pick coming out of high school, a back injury cost Porter most of his lone college season. He didn’t exactly blow anybody out of the water with his play, but at 100 per cent he has a natural scoring touch that could see him become a team’s go-to player in the future. The presence of Harrison Barnes on the Mavs roster could buy some time for Porter to hone his craft coming off the bench in Year 1. | ||
6 | Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma | |
Trae Young can shoot the ball like nobody else in this draft. Trae Young can score in bulk. Trae Young can set up his teammates. Trae Young can electrify a crowd. Those are all valuable traits for a first-rounder, but there are plenty of legitimate questions about how well they will translate to the NBA level and the size, speed, and physicality of NBA defences. It has hurt Young’s draft stock, but a team like Orlando, in desperate need of a star prospect — or one with that kind of potential, at least — and a major hole at point guard could pull the trigger regardless. | ||
7 | Mo Bamba, C, Texas | |
With soon-to-be the NBA’s longest wingspan and an improving jumper that can extend beyond the arc, Bamba has all the tools to be a game-changing presence. It’s hard to say whether he has the makings of a top-notch starter or “merely” a high-end role player, but Bamba offers a nice complement to Bulls up-and-coming star Lauri Markkanen — the face of their rebuild — and would form one of the more intriguing frontcourts in the East. | ||
8 | Mikal Bridges, G/F, Villanova | |
With LeBron James‘s future in Cleveland unclear, the Cavs are in a tough spot in the draft. Do you pick a player who can help usher in the next era, or one that will best fit alongside the King should he return? In Bridges, the Cavs get the closest thing to both. His athleticism, ability to score in multiple ways, and impressive defensive acumen mean he’ll be a welcome addition to the roster regardless of what direction the franchise heads. | ||
9 | Miles Bridges, F, Michigan State | |
Common logic says the Knicks will look to get a point guard or backcourt player to pair with last year’s top-pick Frank Ntilikina. But the best guards available — Collin Sexton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander don’t have the shooting ability required. Bridges flashed serious star potential during his Michigan State tenure, but failed to improve his draft stock as planned when he returned for his sophomore year last season. Bridges’ strength and athleticism mean he’ll be able to shift his game to an NBA court, but he’ll need to improve his jumper to make the most of his talents. | ||
10 | Wendell Carter Jr., F/C, Duke | |
Carter should generate some more hype after this week’s draft combine in Chicago, but he’s drawn comparisons to Al Horford in the sense that he can impact a game in a number of different ways — a perfect weapon to come off the bench and shore up Philadelphia’s frontcourt. | ||
11 | Collin Sexton, PG, Alabama | |
An awkward pick at the moment, because Kemba Walker is Charlotte’s best player. But his future with the Hornets is in serious doubt, and in Sexton, who carried Alabama down the stretch last season, the team would have his replacement already in place. | ||
12 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Kentucky | |
With back-to-back lottery picks, the Clippers can address multiple needs, and Canada’s Gilgeous-Alexander would be a welcome addition in their backcourt, where his unique and versatile offensive game and top-tier defence could make him an impact reserve early in his career with a clear path to a starting gig. | ||
13 | Robert Williams, PF/C, Texas A&M | |
Williams is a brusing big man who runs the floor well and will be one of the NBA’s most powerful and exciting alley-oop finishers. What’s more, he gives the Clippers a potential replacement should DeAndre Jordan decline his player option and hit the free agent market this summer. | ||
14 | Kevin Knox, F, Kentucky | |
Knox showed he can score in bunches during his freshman season, and will add depth and potential to the wing in Denver where he can learn a lot from a veteran like Wilson Chandler before eventually taking his job. |
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