Deandre Ayton
Arizona
Age: 19.8
C
Height: 7-foot |
Weight: 243 pounds
Ayton was beginning to answer some of the questions scouts have had about him since high school with a string of dominant performances down the stretch, before finishing the college season on a poor note in an early NCAA tournament exit.
Physically, he's one of the most gifted prospects we've seen in the draft in the past few years, and he has an impressive skill level, to boot.
Phoenix, the worst defensive team in the NBA, will be right to question Ayton's impact on that end of the floor, but his sheer productivity and overall talent level makes it difficult to not slot him at the top of this class.
Starting salary: $8,095,680
2. Sacramento Kings
Luka Doncic
Real Madrid
Age: 19.1
PG
Height: 6-foot-8 |
Weight: 228
Doncic hit a bit of a wall after playing 18 straight months without a break. He still found a way to help Real Madrid qualify for the EuroLeague final four and will attempt to re-establish his candidacy as the potential No. 1 pick in the draft with a strong showing in Belgrade later this week.
Starting salary: $7,243,440
3. Atlanta Hawks
Marvin Bagley III
Duke
Age: 19.1
PF/C
Height: 6-11 |
Weight: 234
While Bagley has some positional concerns defensively, his athleticism, motor, rebounding, finishing ability and overall productivity will be very attractive here.
Starting salary: $6,504,600
4. Memphis Grizzlies
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Michigan State
Age: 18.6
PF/C
Height: 6-11 |
Weight: 240
The Hawks will be in best-player-available mode, but it helps to be able to complement their existing roster with a building block that fits with the surrounding talent.
Jackson would be the ideal big man to pair with promising rookie
John Collins. The youngest projected first-rounder, Jackson might have the highest ceiling in terms of his ability to affect the game on both ends of the floor. He has enviable physical tools, including a 7-4 wingspan and tremendous mobility.
Jackson's ability to space the floor (40 percent from 3 and 80 percent from the line), block shots (5.7 per 40 minutes), switch on every screen and, increasingly, put the ball on the floor from the perimeter makes him an ideal fit for the modern NBA.
Starting salary: $5,864,640
5. Dallas Mavericks
Mohamed Bamba
Texas
Age: 19.9
C
Height: 7-foot |
Weight: 207
Bamba's rare combination of length, shot-blocking instincts and offensive promise gives him one of highest ceilings of any prospect in this draft.
Starting salary: $5,310,720
6. Orlando Magic
Trae Young
Oklahoma
Age: 19.6
PG
Height: 6-2 |
Weight: 176
Young is a deadly pull-up shooter with deep range who loves transition quick hitters. He would add a much-needed scoring punch to Orlando's backcourt.
Starting salary: $4,823,520
7. Chicago Bulls
Wendell Carter Jr.
Duke
Age: 19.0
C
Height: 6-10 |
Weight: 263
Small forward is a definite position of need, but
Robin Lopez and
Bobby Portis are entering the final year of their contracts, so it also makes sense to think about drafting a big man who complements
Lauri Markkanen on both ends of the floor.
Carter's feel and versatility are promising in a number of ways. He is a physically mature big man with a 263-pound frame and 7-3 wingspan, which will allow him to play center in the NBA with ease.
He is a polished player with excellent hands and touch around the basket and has demonstrated a nice blend of passing, shot-blocking and perimeter shooting, despite being overshadowed at times by fellow Bagley at Duke.
Starting salary: $4,403,280
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Nets)
Michael Porter Jr.
Missouri
Age: 19.8
SF/PF
Height: 6-10 |
Weight: 214
Porter came into the season with hopes of making a run at being the No. 1 pick in the draft. He wasn't able to build his case, however, because of a back injury. Porter's size, shot-creation skill and scoring instincts will nevertheless make him a coveted prospect in June. He is a playmaker on both ends of the floor and is just starting to figure out how to put his talent to full use.
Starting salary: $4,033,800
9. New York Knicks
Collin Sexton
Alabama
Age: 19.3
PG
Height: 6-2 |
Weight: 183
Frank Ntilikina has had some nice rookie moments, but the Knicks are finding out that the long-armed, 6-5 guard seems better suited playing alongside a more dominant ball handler and shot creator who can take some of the scoring responsibilities off Ntilikina's shoulders.
Enter Sexton, with his tremendous aggressiveness driving the lane, taking off-the-dribble jumpers and putting defensive pressure on opposing guards. NBA teams have some concerns about Sexton's decision-making and reckless style of play. Fiercely competitive, Sexton has shown enough flashes in the right areas to be comfortably projected as a starting-caliber point guard, with plenty of upside.
Starting salary: $3,708,120
10. Philadelphia 76ers (via Lakers)
Mikal Bridges
Villanova
Age: 21.6
SF
Height: 6-7 |
Weight: 200
The 76ers have gotten great production out of JJ Redikk and
Marco Belinelli, but with both players approaching free agency -- and their mid-30s -- it makes sense to think about drafting a wing who can complement their building blocks of
Joel Embiid,
Ben Simmons and
Markelle Fultz.
Bridges is an easy player to slot on almost any NBA roster, thanks to his multipositional defensive versatility, 3-point shooting and role-player potential. He isn't as gifted a shot creator as you'd like from a top-10 pick, but on this roster, he won't need to be.
Starting salary: $3,522,480
11. Charlotte Hornets
Miles Bridges
Michigan State
Age: 20.1
SF/PF
Height: 6-6 |
Weight: 226
Charlotte continues to search for long-term solutions at both forward positions and will likely look to add athleticism to what has become a fairly disappointing roster.
Bridges is a freakish athlete who struggled at times to make the full-time transition to small forward, but he has potential as a two-way wing who can guard all over the floor and give you enough shooting, ballhandling and passing to get by at one of the most important positions in today's NBA.
Starting salary: $3,346,560
12. LA Clippers (via Pistons)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Kentucky
Age: 19.8
PG/SG
Height: 6-6 |
Weight: 171
The Clippers could be looking at point guard as a position in need of supplementing, and the size, length and versatility of Gilgeous-Alexander could be attractive here considering the type of lineup flexibility he brings.
The fact that he is 6-6 (with a 7-foot wingspan), instinctual defensively and unselfish makes him easy to slot in alongside virtually any type of player. His offense has made significant strides as the season has moved on, helping him surprisingly emerge as arguably Kentucky's best long-term prospect.
Starting salary: $3,179,280
13. LA Clippers
Lonnie Walker IV
Miami
Age: 19.4
SG
Height: 6-4 |
Weight: 206
Walker didn't have a consistent or efficient freshman season, but his talent, combined with the lack of depth at his position, is keeping his name in the lottery conversation. His youth, strong frame, 6-10½ wingspan and ability to shoot with his feet set or off the dribble make him a candidate to rise during the pre-draft process as teams search for upside and diamonds in the rough.
The Clippers' wing rotation is a major work in progress and could certainly use some more shooting, length and perimeter-defensive prowess.
Starting salary: $3,020,280
14. Denver Nuggets
Robert Williams
Texas A&M
Age: 20.5
PF/C
Height: 6-10 |
Weight: 237
Williams reminded everyone why he was such a highly touted prospect entering the season with an impressive run to finish the year, helping Texas A&M reach the Sweet 16.
Despite playing out of position all season, he has shown that his game is tailor-made for the NBA as a rim-running, pick-and-roll-finishing, shot-blocker/offensive rebounder in the
Clint Capela mold. The Nuggets could use a big man like Williams to pair with defensively challenged
Nikola Jokic. Both are centers, but Jokic and Williams complement each other quite well on both ends of the floor.
Starting salary: $2,869,320
15. Washington Wizards
Kevin Knox
Kentucky
Age: 18.7
SF/PF
Height: 6-9 |
Weight: 205
With
Markieff Morris approaching the final year of his contract, the Wizards could very well start thinking of supplementing their power forward position with a player who fits the modern game.
Knox didn't have an efficient freshman season, partially due to playing out of position, but there's a significant market in the NBA for combo forwards in his mold who can make an open shot, defend multiple positions and offer offensive versatility. He's one of the youngest players in this draft, so he still has plenty of room to grow.
Starting salary: $2,725,680
16. Phoenix Suns (via Heat)
Zhaire Smith
Texas Tech
Age: 18.9
SF
Height: 6-5 |
Weight: 195
Phoenix could continue to add length, athleticism and energy on defense with the long-armed, explosive Smith.
Originally expected to be more of a 2019 draft candidate, Smith accelerated that timeline by helping Texas Tech reach the Elite Eight. Smith needs to continue to develop his ballhandling and perimeter shooting, but he's one of the best athletes in this draft, and his trajectory as a prospect suggests he has considerable upside.
Starting salary: $2,589,480
He's growing on me.
lowkey a lot similiarities between the two on the surface....
did I just watch
