When teams analyze the draft, they often look for the best available players and don’t necessarily look to fill needs.

The key is for teams to stick to their boards come draft time. Teams get themselves in trouble when they draft a player based on need and not on the most long-term value.

If Utah center Jakob Poeltl is head and shoulders the best available player when the New Orleans Pelicans pick, then they should draft him. It should not matter that New Orleans already has centers Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca on its roster.

Teams are in the business of collecting assets. The more assets you have, the better flexibility to improve your roster going forward. The draft is not a place to fill needs. That’s what free agency and trades are for.

With the NCAA tournament about to begin and numerous marquee players getting prime-time exposure, Jonathan Givony of Draft Express presents the first mock for the NBA draft on June 23. (Order reflects Sunday's results.)

1. Philadelphia 76ers

Brandon Ingram

SF (Duke - freshman)

18.5 years old | 6'9" | 196 lbs

Salary slot: $4,919,300

Insider info: Philadelphia is in desperate need of shooting, leading the 76ers to take Ingram over Ben Simmons. The Sixers can't afford to cut any corners in their rebuilding strategy. There are red flags surrounding Simmons' inability to help his team win games, as well as the fact that he is more than a year older than Ingram. In the minds of many, Ingram has surpassed Simmons.











2. Los Angeles Lakers

Ben Simmons



SF/PF (LSU - freshman)

19.6 years old | 6'10" | 239 lbs

Salary slot: $4,401,400

Insider info: In a draft many consider to have a significant drop-off after the No. 2 pick, the Lakers will be happy to "settle" for whomever the Sixers decide not to draft. It will be interesting to see how the Lakers fit the non-shooting Simmons alongside the ball-dominant backcourt of D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson, but there really isn't much of a choice here.









3. Phoenix Suns

Jaylen Brown



SF (California - freshman)

19.3 years old | 6'7" | 222 lbs

Salary slot: $3,952,500

Insider info: The Suns have a major hole on the wing, and Jaylen Brown is an excellent candidate to fill it. He possesses the necessary size, strength and length to play the small forward position alongside the very promising Devin Booker. The two complement each other nicely in many ways.









4. Boston Celtics (from Brooklyn)

Dragan Bender



PF (Maccabi Tel Aviv – Israeli league)

18.3 years old | 7'1" | 216 lbs

Salary slot: $3,563,600

Insider info: Starting Amir Johnson and Jared Sullinger most nights, the Celtics have no clear-cut power forward of the future. They will likely be attracted to Bender's blend of size, shooting prowess, basketball IQ and versatility.









5. Minnesota Timberwolves

Kris Dunn



PG (Providence - junior)

21.9 years old | 6'4" | 205 lbs

Salary slot: $3,227,100

Insider info: The Timberwolves don't appear to be set on Ricky Rubio as their starting point guard of the future and could be attracted to Kris Dunn, who is the clear-cut best PG in the draft. At 22, he should be polished enough to join the outstanding young core the Timberwolves have built with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.









6. New Orleans Pelicans

Jakob Poeltl



C (Utah - sophomore)

20.3 years old | 7'1" | 242 lbs

Salary slot: $2,931,000

Insider info: The Pelicans could use another skilled big man to pair alongside Anthony Davis, who would rather play facing the basket at PF. Poeltl is considered the best center in this draft and has plenty of upside to continue to develop both physically and skill-wise.









7. Sacramento Kings

Jamal Murray



PG/SG (Kentucky - freshman)

19 years old | 6'5" | 201 lbs

Salary slot: $2,675,700

Insider info: The Kings seem to have soured on incumbent shooting guard Ben McLemore, and could very well look to fill that spot with Murray. He's proven to be one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball despite only recently turning 19, and his work ethic and character should help him on a team that has struggled with chemistry for years.









8. Denver (from New York)

Buddy Hield



SG (Oklahoma - senior)

22.2 years old | 6'4" | 214 lbs

Salary slot: $2,253,300

Insider info: The Nuggets have built a very promising core, and will likely be attracted to the strong perimeter shooting and overall scoring of Hield. The four-year senior should be set to contribute immediately. His deficiencies defensively could be mitigated playing alongside a physically gifted point guard like Emmanuel Mudiay, and Hield seems to complement him nicely offensively.









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