New York Knicks 01. Zion Williamson | Power Forward | Duke

Zion is a home-run for the Knicks. He’ll easily become the biggest star New York has had in years and will fit in immediately whether they land a few big-time free agents or continue rebuilding. I don’t think much needs to be said here as Zion has clearly established himself as the top prospect in the draft.

Cleveland Cavaliers 02. R.J. Barrett | Swingman | Duke

Whether or not you believe in Collin Sexton’s ability to be a lead guard in the NBA, I think his presence effectively cancels out the chance they take Morant here. Watching him and Sexton share the ball at first might sound unappealing for Cavs fans, but Barrett would immediately become the alpha dog of this team and would be a great player for the Cavaliers.

Cleveland might actually be one of the best places to land for the Canadian. He’d likely end up being the primary ball-handler and facilitator for the Cavs. If he’s put into a distributing role from the get-go, there’s a legitimate chance Barrett can develop into a full-on point forward in the NBA. Selfishness was a problem at Duke, but he also had many games where he looked fantastic moving the ball. With better spacing and shooting around him in the league I truly expect him to be better in this regard. If Barrett can find that perfect balance between scoring and facilitating, there’s legitimate All-NBA potential here.

Phoenix Suns 03. Ja Morant | Point Guard | Murray State

This is another obvious pick. The Suns are in desperate need for a point guard, and Morant is the best player on the board. Him and Booker look to be a deadly pairing offensively. Additionally, his passing would do wonders for the team, and could lead to DeAndre Ayton having a dominate sophomore campaign if he actually gets the ball.

Chicago Bulls 04. Cam Reddish | Small Forward | Duke

There’s four guys I could see being picked here: Jarrett Culver, De’Andre Hunter, Cam, and Darius Garland.

Hunter doesn’t differentiate enough from what they already have in Otto Porter Jr, and he doesn’t have a ton of upside. Culver on the other hand would have to play behind Zach LaVine, who Chicago just gave a massive deal to. Then there’s Garland. I could definitely see Garland being picked here, but I don’t like his fit with the team. As a score-first point guard who needs the ball in his hands and could struggle defensively, I don’t think he’s a great option for the Bulls to move forward with as their point guard of the future.

Enter Reddish. He clearly has the most upside of the four, and with Porter Jr’s contract being up in two years, the Bulls can afford to bring him along slowly off the bench in the next few seasons. I think his versatility will be a big-selling point to the Bulls as well. Reddish would fit in nicely as a core with LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, and Wendell Carter Jr. This is the best selection for the Bulls.

Atlanta Hawks 05. Jarrett Culver | Shooting Guard | Texas Tech

Culver could help instantly, playing off of Trae Young as a secondary playmaker. This is a great offense for the former Red Raider to land in, as he won’t be relied on to score on ton or handle the ball primarily.

I don’t expect Kevin Huerter being there to stop GM Travis Schlenk from picking him, as Schlenk has firmly stated that he’ll go BPA over fit every time.

Washington Wizards 06. De’Andre Hunter | Small Forward | Virginia

With Bradley Beal and the injured John Wall making up the current backcourt tandem, I don’t expect the Wizards to go with a guard here.

With Trevor Ariza hitting free agency this summer, Hunter would be a welcome addition. The Wizards could use a forward and are a very lacking team defensively. Hunter projects to be a great defender as soon as he joins the NBA and is able to play either forward spot effectively, and will be able to play a similar role to what Ariza and Otto Porter Jr have played for the Wizards in the past.

New Orleans Pelicans 07. Darius Garland | Point Guard | Vanderbilt

Whether Anthony Davis leaves or not, the Pelicans could use a point guard to put next to Jrue Holiday.

Garland represents one of the bigger upside gambles in the draft. He only played in 5 games before getting injured, but in that time he looked like the real deal for Vanderbilt. His score-first mentality would pair well with Holiday who is better off-ball. Additionally, Vanderbilt’s weaknesses are offset very well by Holiday, who can help with facilitating and will most definitely take the bigger defensive assignment on a nightly basis.

The only issue I could see here is that the Pelicans might not want to deal with Garland’s agent, Rich Paul, after the AD fiasco. But with David Griffin now leading the team I don’t expect this to be an issue.

Memphis Grizzlies 08. Kevin Porter Jr | Shooting Guard | USC

Porter Jr may end up being the steal of the draft. At USC, Porter showed off a clean shooting stroke, explosive athleticism, above-rim finishing, a flashy handle, and flashes of being a fantastic one-on-one scorer.

The main knocks on KPJ are his attitude and inconsistency. I don’t expect the inconsistency to be a problem in the pros. He played for an awfully coached USC team where he failed to ever take over 10 shots in a game and was rarely featured in the offense. As for his attitude, he was reportedly a model citizen after being suspended, so with a good coach and good vets in the locker room I don’t think it’ll be an issue.

Porter Jr is Memphis’ best bet to get a star to pair with Jaren Jackson Jr here. He also immediately fits into the lineup at the two and there are a ton of great guys in the Grizzlies’ locker room like Mike Conley and C.J. Miles. I think this is the ideal pick for Memphis and arguably the best spot for Porter Jr to land if they sign a decent head coach.

Atlanta Hawks 09. Brandon Clarke | Power Forward | Gonzaga

There’s plenty of questions about Clarke’s fit with John Collins. At 6’10” with a skinny frame, Collins is a bit undersized for a center and isn’t currently a good defender. Clarke is only 6’7″, so on paper this definitely not ideal.

But Clarke is arguably the best athlete in the draft after Zion Williamson, and Collins is one of the most athletic bigs currently in the NBA. Clarke’s also a monster defensively right now, and will be able to help Collins a ton with his weak-side rim protection ability.

If Clarke can continue to develop extending his game out to the perimeter, which he made progress in during this past season, this could be the frontcourt of the future for the Hawks. I think the upside of adding a potentially elite defensive talent will persuade Hawks’ GM Travis Schlenk to select Clarke, given that he’s worked with an undersized big in Golden State in Draymond Green and has continually stressed BPA over fit.

Minnesota Timberwolves 10. Coby White | Combo Guard | North Carolina

The Timberwolves have one of the more interesting paths to contention in the league. Karl-Anthony Towns is a flat-out superstar, and then they have Robert Covington who was arguably the best wing defender in the league in his short time playing for the Wolves.

But other than those two, the Wolves have a couple young supporting pieces like Josh Okogie and Tyus Jones (assuming he gets re-signed), and a bunch of players who are underwhelming in comparison to their contracts in guys like Andrew Wiggins, Jeff Teague, and Gorgui Dieng.

In order for the Wolves to build around KAT, they need to take some high-upside gambles as well as grab shooters and defensive players. White is probably the best pick here. White had a great season for North Carolina, which is surprising for a freshman. He was also a great scorer this past year and showed real strides in his playmaking ability. At 6’6″, White’s size could give him a real advantage defensively if he plays full-time point guard at the next level.

With Teague likely leaving Minnesota after next season, White can start off as a sparkplug off the bench and eventually move into the starting lineup as the Timberwolves’ lead guard. White represents the best combination of an upside play and filling holes for the T-Wolves.

Los Angeles Lakers 11. Jaxson Hayes | Center | Arkansas

After the failed results of his first season in Los Angeles, the Lakers will be in desperate need to build a contending team around LeBron this summer. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Lakers go with a 3&D player like Keldon Johnson or Nickeil Alexander-Walker here. However, I think the Lakers will most likely select Jaxson Hayes.

Hayes projects to be a solid rim protector who can switch on the perimeter and work as a transition threat and rim runner offensively. The Lakers lacked someone who could do these things all season, outside of JaVale McGee’s start to the year.

Although Hayes lacks the floor-spacing ability that would be ideal for the Lakers offense, he fills a ton of holes and he has a ton of upside.

Charlotte Hornets 12. Daniel Gafford | Center | Arkansas

I expect Gafford to shoot up draft boards after the combine rolls around. This is a player who was projected to be a lottery pick last year in a strong draft, and then returned to school and improved virtually every aspect of his game.

Gafford will likely operate as more of a runner offensively than he did at Arkansas this year. Still, Gafford showed off an improved faceup game and held his own while guarding the perimeter players. He’s still a fantastic athlete and a solid defensive presence in the paint as well.

With coach James Borrego expressing he wants a rim protector on the Hornets, I think Gafford would be a solid pickup for Charlotte.

Miami Heat 13. Romeo Langford | Shooting Guard | Indiana

For a Heat team that lacked a true scoring option this season, Langford makes a lot of sense here.

If Miami can figure out his jumpshot, they could land a star in Langford. The Indiana product underwhelmed shooting-wise in his freshmen campaign, but he was still a productive scorer and was better than expected defensively.

Langford would fit well with Miami’s young core of Justice Winslow, Josh Richardson, and Bam Adebayo.

Boston Celtics 14. P.J. Washington | Combo Forward | Kentucky

Washington can step in and immediately contribute in the NBA. With Marcus Morris, Aron Baynes, and Terry Rozier all becoming free agents (along with Kyrie Irving), this is something the Celtics need in a player as they look to replenish their bench for the upcoming season.

Washington has showed he can finish, space the floor, and defend both forward positions strongly at Kentucky. He’d make an immediate impact for the Celtics and would lessen their worry of the offseason.

Detroit Pistons 15. Keldon Johnson | Shooting Guard | Kentucky

Johnson projects to be a high-level 3&D player at the next level, who’s game will only improve with added spacing. The Pistons, who refuse to rebuild and are committed to building a contender, desperately need these types of players to surround the frontcourt pairing of Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond with. Although he’s projected as a shooting guard, Johnson played a position up at Kentucky next to Tyler Herro, so he should be able to guard threes at a decent level. He could immediately slot into the starting lineup for Detroit.

Orlando Magic 16. Nickeil Alexander-Walker | Shooting Guard | Virginia Tech

I’m not entirely ruling out the Magic saying “fuck it” and picking Bol Bol here given Jeff Weltman’s fascination with wingspans. However, I think he’ll be satisfied with his frontcourt after his young team impressively made the playoffs this year.

NAW’s shooting, defensive tools, and upside would make a solid pairing with Markelle Fultz and would give Orlando a young backcourt to pair with their nucleus of Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac, and Mohamed Bamba in the frontcourt.

Brooklyn Nets 17. Sekou Doumbouya | Combo Forward | France (INTL)

The Nets are in need of a bigger forward and are one of the teams that can afford to take a gamble given the excellence of their player development program the past few years.

Doumbouya is one of the bigger projects in the draft, but his potential is tremendous and he would fit in perfectly with the Nets. He projects to be more of a power forward where his physical tools would make him a mismatch for most players. The Nets have also shown they’re comfortable drafting international players so I think this is a perfect pick for Brooklyn.

Indiana Pacers 18. KZ Okpala | Small Forward | Stanford

With Bojan Bogdanovic and Thaddeus Young both expiring, the Pacers are in need of a forward.

Okpala has elite measurables and showed off a smooth shooting stroke to go along with impressive ball-handling ability for a wing this past season. He slumped hard towards the end of the season, but if you believe that Okpala showed his true level of play before then, this is a great pickup for the Pacers.

San Antonio Spurs 19. Nassir Little | Combo Forward | North Carolina

After losing Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard in the DeMar DeRozan trade last summer, the Spurs have badly needed perimeter defenders. Little has some of the best physical tools in the draft. Although he was inconsistent this year, Little did show flashes of being a good on-ball defender.

Working with the Spurs staff, Little could be molded into a fantastic player and show off why he was such a highly rated prospect going into the season.

Boston Celtics (Via Clippers) 20. Bol Bol | Center | Oregon

With three picks in the draft, the Celtics can afford to take at least one swing. Bol represents one of the biggest gambles in the draft. He possesses an incredible ceiling offensively, but there’s also substantial risks involving his defese and his body. The Celtics should feel comfortable to make this gamble given there’s still plenty of hole-fillers left on the board for their 24th pick.

Oklahoma City Thunder 21. Tyler Herro | Shooting Guard | Kentucky

This pick is pretty simple. The Thunder need shooting and Herro is one of the best shooters in this draft. He’ll immediately assume an important role for OKC and would help their offense immensely.

Boston Celtics 22. Rui Hachimura | Power Forward | Gonzaga

Hachimura was one of the most productive players at the college level last year. He’s a great scorer in the paint, but other than that he doesn’t possess any particularly standout skills.

Still, he’s improved at a rapid rate in college and that continue in the NBA. He also showed off a solid mid-range jumper this season, which if he continued extending could open up his game a lot.

This is a solid pick for the Celtics. They land someone who should be able to contribute right away while maintaining some more upside.

Utah Jazz 23. Louis King | Small Forward | Oregon

King was a highly-touted prospect going into his freshman year, but started the season late as he was recovering from a torn meniscus he suffered in his final year of high school.

King possesses terrific size and length for a wing, and he’s a very aggressive scorer. King is a potential sleeper in this draft. I don’t know if he’ll be available this low after the combine, but Utah should take a chance on someone with his potential.

Philadelphia 76ers 24. Cam Johnson | Small Forward | North Carolina

The Sixers need shooters to surround their expensive core with. Johnson is arguably the best shooter in the draft and will fill a need immediately.

Portland Trail Blazers 25. Naz Reid | Power Forward | LSU

For the Blazers to take the next step as a team, they need a star forward. It’s unlikely Reid ever turns into that, but he has a lot of potential. As a perimeter oriented big, his game is a great fit next to Jusuf Nurkic and the Blazers would be happy to have him on the team.

Cleveland Cavaliers (Via Rockets) 26. Bruno Fernando | Center | Maryland

With Tristan Thompson hitting free agency next summer, the Cavs could use another big.

Bruno Fernando might be the best player left on the board, and he has a ready-made game for the pros. He should be able to contribute immediately for the Cavs.

Brooklyn Nets (Via Nuggets) 27. Goga Bitadze | Center | Georgia (INTL)

Brooklyn’s frontcourt simply isn’t capable of stopping good centers right now. They just don’t have anyone with the size or defensive capabilities to stop a star frontcourt player from scoring in the paint.

Goga is subpar in terms of quickness, but he’s showed to be a capable shotblocker in the EuroLeague this year. He’s also been very productive offensively, scoring well while providing a three-point shot and impressive passing for a center.

There’s a chance he goes much higher and isn’t available when the Nets pick here, but they should pounce if he is.

Golden State Warriors 28. Ty Jerome | Point Guard | Virginia

Jerome is a polished player with a very pro-ready offensive game. Although he’s lacking in terms of athleticism, he has good size at 6’5″ and should be able to guard most backup point guard well enough. A player who can contribute immediately as a reserve is all the Warriors can ask for this late in the draft, and Jerome looks to be just that.

San Antonio Spurs (Via Raptors) 29. Matisse Thybulle | Shooting Guard | Washington

Thybulle put up incredible defensive numbers for Mike Hopkins’ team at Washington. But there are some risks with Thybulle.

In Hopkins’ 2-3 zone, Thybulle was allowed to play as freely as possible and take gambles consistently. This won’t happen in the NBA. Additionally, at Syracuse where Hopkins was a long-time assistant before taking over at Washington, the Orange used the 2-3 and many Syracuse players have ended up being much worse defensively in the NBA than they showed in college. He also doesn’t have much of an offensive game.

Still Thybulle’s production is unparalleled and his potential on defense is sky-high. For the Spurs, drafting someone with the potential of being an elite defender is worth the risks at 29.

Milwaukee Bucks 30. Eric Paschall | Small Forward | Villanova

The Bucks have a tendency to select prospects who they can plug in and play immediately in later draft picks rather than taking projects.

Paschall is a good defender who can switch and spread the floor offensively. He has a solid all-around game and fits the Bucks’ MO as a guy who can be a role player form the get-go.