1 | Orlando Magic

PICK: Jabari Smith Jr., PF, Auburn

The athletic, sharpshooting big man is too good of a talent for the Magic to pass up here. Smith can easily step in the lineup to replace the ever-unreliable Jonathan Isaac who has missed the last two and half seasons and has been, at best, a distraction. Pairing Smith with fellow forward Franz Wagner in the frontcourt should give the Magic a strong frontcourt for years to come, and compliment their plethora of young guards.

2 | Oklahoma City Thunder

PICK: Chet Holmgren, C/PF, Gonzaga

The proverbial “unicorn” in this draft, Holmgren can do a little bit of everything from sinking three-pointers to protecting the rim. Holmgren possesses skills from every position on the court, but his wiry frame is cause for concern. If the Magic take Smith with the first pick, then Holmgren is the likely choice here.

3 | Houston Rockets

PICK: Paolo Banchero, PF, Duke

Offensively, Banchero put on a show every night during his one season with Duke. He’s capable of creating his own shot and is a force when driving to the rim. He needs more effort on defense but has the build to be a force on that end of the court as well. After trading Christian Wood to the Mavs, the Rockets could use a young star to improve the loss in their front court.

4 | Atlanta Hawks (projected trade with the Sacremento Kings)

PICK: Jaden Ivey, SG, Purdue

Projected trade sends John Collins to California’s forgotten fourth team, and the Hawks wind up with a chance to take Ivey, a guard that can pair with Trae Young in the backcourt and pressure opposing defenses with fast breaks and speedy drives. If the Kings retain this pick, Ivey could still go here, but it would make more sense for Sacramento to add Keegan Murray out of Iowa.

5 | Detroit Pistons

PICK: Keegan Murray, PF, Iowa

The Pistons look like a team that’s finally ready to compete for a playoff spot and adding Murray would be a big step in that direction. The leading scorer in the Big Ten is a player that could step in and be an immediate contributor off the bench and could be the key piece to a playoff run. Murray also fits the mold of the Pistons’ other young sharpshooting forwards, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Livers and would make a lot of sense for a team that could be moving its star forward Jerami Grant. If Murray goes to the Kings, the Pistons would likely settle for Jaden Ivey, as they reportedly have interest in both.

6 | Indiana Pacers

PICK: Shaedon Sharpe, SG, Kentucky?

The Pacers sent their star center, Domantas Sabonis to the Kings last season, but added a foundational piece in guard Tyrese Haliburton. Despite the addition of Haliburton, this doesn’t look like a team that will be ready to compete next year and could take a chance on a boom-or-bust prospect like Sharpe.

7 | Portland Trailblazers

PICK: Benedict Mathurin, SG, Arizona

Portland made a huge trade with the Pistons by picking up star forward Jerami Grant without having to give up their selection here. Mathurin would give the Blazers a valuable scoring wing and a complementary piece to point guards Dame and Anfernee Simons. The Blazers could still trade this pick if they feel that there’s another high-level player that they can add to start immediately.

8 | New Orleans Pelicans

PICK: AJ Griffin, SF, Duke

The deadline trade for CJ McCollum puts the Pelicans in a great position heading into next year and given their depth and overall makeup of the team, they can afford to take a young player like Griffin who was an elite-level long range scorer at the college level and has the potential to be an all-time great three-point shooter in the NBA if he can adjust to the distance and flow of the game in a professional setting.

9 | San Antonio Spurs

PICK: Jeremy Sochan, PF, Baylor

The Spurs have a lot of depth and talent with their guards right now but appear to be lacking the same type of impact players in their frontcourt. Sochan is one of the younger players in the draft and his offensive skillset is a bit underdeveloped, but he’s a high-energy defender who could develop into a key forward for the Spurs as they continue to rebuild.

10 | Washington Wizards

PICK: Dyson Daniels, SG, G League Ignite

The Wizards have a lot of pieces in place, but they lack depth and defense in the backcourt, Daniels could aid in both places as he develops his offense.

11 | New York Knicks

PICK: Johnny Davis, SG, Wisconsin

The Knicks struggled to generate offense all season last year, that’s not an issue for Davis who can score from anywhere at any time. His percentages weren’t great, but the Badgers relied heavily on Davis for their scoring last year and he could be an option for the Knicks next year as well.

12 | Oklahoma City Thunder

PICK: Ousmane Dieng, SF, NZ Breakers

The first international prospect off the board heads to Oklahoma City. Dieng is very raw, but he improved drastically over the course of his season with the Breakers, and he has the foundation to be an impact player in all facets of the game. Dieng is reminiscent of Antetokounmpo, but it took Giannis a lot of work to get to the MVP-level he’s at now. Only time will tell if Dieng can follow the same path. He would give the Thunder another lengthy, athletic, versatile player, and become part of the most intriguing young squad in recent memory.

13 | Charlotte Hornets

PICK: Jalen Duran, C, Memphis

Strong, physical, athletic, Duren finishes through contact with force and plays with ferocity. An old-school center that can’t stretch the floor but he’s active on the glass and can run the floor, giving point guard LaMelo Ball a high-flying finisher as a go-to at center.

14 | Cleveland Cavaliers

PICK: Malaki Branham, SG, Ohio State

It only took Branham a single season to establish himself as one of the top young guards in the country and as a potential pick in the lottery. The Cavs could lose Collin Sexton this offseason but adding Branham would lessen the blow and he could contribute immediately while learning behind Caris LeVert who should be better after an offseason with this improving Cavs squad.

15 | Charlotte Hornets

PICK: Tari Eason, PF, LSU

Eason saw a substantial improvement in his game last season, which leads some to question whether he can sustain this level of offensive prowess at the professional level. Regardless, Eason is good defender and that’s a skill that should translate well to the NBA especially with the Hornets who need help on the defensive end of the court.

16 | Sacramento Kings (projected trade)

PICK: Ochai Agbaji, SG, Kansas

The projected trade from earlier gives the Kings another opportunity to add a difference-maker. Agbaji’s experience should enable him to be an immediate contributor. His ability to space the floor should give his new teammates the opportunity to wreak havoc on the interior.

17 | Houston Rockets

PICK: Mark Williams, C, Duke

Trading Christian Wood opens up a spot at center for the Rockets. Alperen Sengun is likely to get the first shot at the starting job, but drafting Williams would give the Rockets another option

18 | Chicago Bulls

PICK: EJ Liddell, PF, Ohio State

Injuries cut a promising season short for the Bulls. Adding the junior Buckeye will give the Bulls a ready contributor to help reload for another playoff run. Liddell is a solid all-around player and should be able take some pressure off both DeRozan and the recently recovered Patrick Williams.

19 | Minnesota Timberwolves

PICK: TyTy Washington, PG, Kentucky

The Timberwolves require depth behind starting guards Patrick Beverly and D’Angelo Russell. Kentucky guards tend to get overshadowed in college but have a way of showing up on a bigger stage. Washington has a chance to be the next Wildcat to step up.

20 | San Antonio Spurs

PICK: Walker Kessler, C, Auburn

Kessler couldn’t get a foothold at North Carolina but sprung to success as an elite rim protector in his one season at Auburn. Jakob Poeltl has been an effective starter for the Spurs but he’s entering the final year of his contract, and the Spurs could use a more effective backup while deciding on what to do with Poeltl.

21 | Denver Nuggets

PICK: Jalen Williams, SF, Santa Clara

Michael Porter Jr. has proven to be unreliable and inconsistent for the Nuggets so far, and his lack of availability was a severe detriment to the team’s championship hopes. Williams would give the Nuggets a young scoring option on the wing who was an effective long-range scorer in college and a consistent free throw shooter.

22 | Memphis Grizzlies

PICK: Kennedy Chandler, PG, Tennessee

Ja Morant missed a significant amount of time last season. Tyus Jones proved to be a competent backup and the Grizzlies rolled, but they could lose Jones this offseason and Chandler would be an effective replacement. Chandler is a menace on the defensive end who shot well from beyond the arc. He needs to be more consistent with his free throws but, like the rest of this Grizzlies squad, he plays with heart.

23 | Philadelphia 76ers

PICK: Jaden Hardy, SG, G League Ignite

Trading for James Harden didn’t pay dividends the way that the 76ers expected. Harden’s numbers still look good, and he was a more available option than Ben Simmons, but statistically, he’s on the decline and it would be in the 76ers best interest to draft his eventual replacement. Hardy’s three-point percentage wasn’t great, or even good, but he wasn’t shy about shooting from beyond the arc to the tune of 6.5 attempts per game. If he can become more consistent, the 76ers could add another floor spacer to help MVP-candidate Joel Embiid.

24 | Milwaukee Bucks

PICK: MarJon Beauchamp, SG, G League Ignite

Khris Middleton’s injury proved to be the straw that broke the Bucks season, and Milwaukee could be looking to add another big, high-potential guard on the wing with this pick. Beauchamp lacks long-range scoring at this point but he excels at scoring through contact on drives and he’s active on the offensive glass, and he knows to follow his shot.

25 | San Antonio Spurs

PICK: Nikola Jović, PF, Mega Basket (Intl.)

Three picks, three frontcourt players. Jović is a surprisingly good facilitator for his size, he runs the court well and attacks the rim offensively. He takes plenty of three-pointers, so he’s not shy about attempting to stretch the floor, but he needs to be more consistent.

26 | Houston Rockets

PICK: Andrew Nembhard, PG, Gonzaga

Despite being one of the older prospects in the draft, there have been rumblings that Nembhard could find his way into the end of round one. Nembhard’s experience could allow him to step in immediately and act as a facilitator and complimentary piece to Kevin Porter Jr, and Jalen Green, the young scoring threats for the Rockets.

27 | Miami Heat

PICK: Patrick Baldwin Jr., PF, Milwaukee 

Baldwin’s season in Milwaukee proved to be… interesting. The five-star prospect chose the road less traveled by playing for the senior Baldwin at small-school Milwaukee. Between an ankle injury and a “relatively severe” bout with COVID-19, Baldwin had a forgettable college career. Despite this, Baldwin is still a bundle of potential and showed flashes in his limited playing time.

28 | Golden State Warriors

PICK: Caleb Houston, SF, Michigan

The Warriors had a lot of success with their last pick from Michigan (Jordan Poole) so they may be enticed to go back to it. Houston had an inconsistent season for the Wolverines but posted a high three-point attempt rate and should improve as a long-range shooter with continued development at the professional level. Houston improved a lot throughout his lone season in Ann Arbor, particularly as a defender, and there’s belief that he was enticed to leave by a first-round promise. More likely than not, this pick is getting traded due to salary cap restraints.

29 | Memphis Grizzlies

PICK: Christian Koloko, C, Arizona

Koloko is a more traditional, under-the-basket center who utilizes his athleticism to be an elite rim protector and dominant punisher on the offensive end of the floor. With Steven Adams displaying diminishing effectiveness with this young Memphis squad, the Grizzlies could seek to add his replacement with Koloko here.

30 | Denver Nuggets

PICK: Blake Wesley, SG, Notre Dame

The Nuggets really felt the absence of Jamal Murray last year and adding guard like Wesley could help mitigate his loss if Murray continues to struggle with injuries. Wesley is an instinctual, athletic guard with a willingness to shoot the long ball. He would be a welcome addition to the Nuggets backcourt as they seek to capitalize on Jokic’s continued dominance.