Full First Round Mock Draft

Ben Simmons . 1. player. 93. There has been little doubt that the 76ers are in love with Ben Simmons. They’re now trying to find a suitor for either Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor as they’re ready to let Simmons join Joel Embiid and Dario Saric as the faces of the franchise. I think Ingram would fit their current team better, however, you can’t argue against Simmons. His passing ability at his size is remarkable and he has the chance to become one of the most complete players in the NBA if he develops a jump shot.. PF. LSU

20. Ingram could end up as the best player in the draft. He’s coming to the Lakers at the perfect time as Kobe Bryant just retired so him and D’Angelo Russell are now the back court of the future. Ingram is the best scorer in the draft this year and his ability to play shooting guard or small forward leaves the possibility of re-signing Jordan Clarkson open. He does need to bulk up a little, however, he reminds me of a young Kevin Durant and has the scoring potential Durant held when he came out of Texas.. SF. Duke. Brandon Ingram . 2. player

Jamal Murray . 3. player. 18. In the end, I think the Celtics trade the third pick, but if they keep it then it’d be hard not to go with Jamal Murray. He gives the Celtics much-needed versatility in their back court since he can play either guard position and is an excellent shooter. He shot 40.8 percent from behind the arc as a freshman and hit an incredible 79 threes on 100 attempts during his workout with Boston. He’ll add a much-needed offensive spark off the bench for Boston and give them a future starter at either guard position.. SG. Kentucky

PF. Israel. Dragan Bender . 4. player. 66. The Phoenix Suns love Dragan Bender and they’ll be thrilled he’s there when they pick. Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight went down with injuries last season which opened the doors for rookie Devin Booker to have a big season. Now, the Suns have a log jammed back court with very little help down low. Tyson Chandler’s skills are declining and Alex Len doesn’t look like he’ll develop into the star they were hoping for. They’ll still be able to hold down the fort for a couple of seasons while Bender continues to develop.

86. I think the Timberwolves would love to add Jamal Murray as he and Zach Lavine could then play either position, but drafting a true point guard is what they need. Dunn is easily the best true point guard in this year’s draft and should be seen as Ricky Rubio’s replacement. He’s one of the best all-around players in the draft but not willing to do individual workouts and reportedly saying he doesn’t want to play for certain teams makes me question his personality. Still, he’ll be a great addition to a defensive-minded Tom Thibodeau team and should take over the starting point guard spot soon.. PG. Providence. Kris Dunn . 5. player

Buddy Hield . 6. player. 69. Other than Anthony Davis, the Pelicans don’t have a lot going for them. They’ll still have Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans next season, but they’ll lose a lot of their three-point production with Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon expecting to leave in free agency. This would be a great opportunity for Buddy Hield as the Pelicans need an exciting player, a three-point shooter, and some potential in their back court. With their current team, Hield would probably start at shooting guard, although, I wouldn’t be surprised if they signed someone and developed him off the bench for a season.. SG. Oklahoma

73. He’s the best big man in the draft, in my opinon. The Nuggets already own Kenneth Faried, Nikola Jokic, and Jusuf Nurkic, but drafting Chriss gives them a lot of flexibility. It’s no secret that they’d like to deal Faried eventually, and adding Chriss would allow them to do so. They wouldn’t feel the pressure of moving him though as Chriss is still very raw and needs time to develop. Still, he’s one of the most versatile offensive players in the draft – can score from anywhere – and has the potential to be a rim protector.. PF. Washington. Marquese Chriss . 7. player

Jaylen Brown . 8. player. 67. Maybe the most athletic player in the draft, Jaylen Brown would be a great fit with the Kings. He’d be a great selling point to free agent Rajon Rondo as Brown was an elite scorer in college and can be an alley-oop target alongside Rondo. The Kings are also not happy with Ben McLemore’s development so adding a player who can play shooting guard or small forward could help ignite a trade. He’d likely start right away and he’d learn a lot about scoring from Rudy Gay.. SG. California

player. 81. Luis Scola and Bismack Biyombo are both set to become free agents this off-season and it’s unknown if they’ll be able to bring back either. Going with a big man who needs time to develop – Skal Labissiere, Deyonta Davs – may be the better choice, however, I think they want to have an NBA-ready big waiting in case they lose both players in free agency. Biyombo was a beast on defense in the playoffs and during his time with Toronto, however, Poeltl has the tools to be a rim protector in the NBA as well and should be a better two-way player than Biyombo in a couple of seasons.. PF. Utah. Jakob Poeltl . 9

PF-C. Marquette. Henry Ellenson . 10. player. 89. Other than John Henson and Greg Monroe, the Bucks are very thin in their front court. Besides, they weren’t happy with Monroe last season and could be looking to shop him this off-season. Henry Ellenson provides them with a scoring big down low – what they were expecting from Monroe. Ellenson has a developing three-point shot but does most of his work in the paint or using his mid-range game. Becoming a reliable NBA defender is my biggest worry about his game, however, he might be the most polished offensive big man in the draft this year. He was also a double-double machine at Marquette last season as a freshman.

PF. Michigan State. Deyonta Davis . 11. player. 38. Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic form a reliable front court for the Magic. They’ll likely want to sign a couple of veteran guys to help bolster their front court and make a run at the playoffs next season. With Frank Vogel as their new head coach, the Magic are in position to draft a project. I’m not high on Skal Labissiere so I think the Magic will select the much more talented Deyonta Davis. Vogel has a good track record of developing young players so Davis could end up being a household name in a couple of seasons. He’s very raw on offense, however, defenisvely he can play in the NBA and he should be an above-average rebounder.

Furkan Korkmaz . 12. player. 118. The Jazz didn’t get eliminated until the last day of the regular season and are bringing back relatively the same team. Still, the idea of Gordon Hayward leaving next season is reason enough to draft another wing player alongside Hayward, Rodney Hood, and Alec Burks. Korkmaz has great size that allows him to play the small forward or shooting guard position, and he’s already a very good scorer. He needs to continue to polish his three-point shot to reach his full potential in the NBA and continue to work on his defense as well. He won’t see a lot of time as a rookie but the Jazz will have a safety net in case Hayward bolts next summer.. SG. Turkey

66. The Suns starting lineup is strong, with a strong sixth man as well. Adding players who still need time to develop behind veterans is what they need and why they selected Dragan Bender with the fourth pick. Skal Labissiere had one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory with Kentucky last season, however, you can’t teach size and he’s a natural shot blocker so he’ll still be a first round selection. Drafting two seven-footers is a successful draft in its own right, let alone the fact that Bender is a three-point shooter and Labissiere is more of a post player/mid-range game, so their games work well together.. PF. Kentucky. Skal Labissiere . 13. player

SG. Vanderbilt. Wade Baldwin IV . 14. player. 24. Chicago is in desperate need of front court help, however, drafting the replacement to Derrick Rose is their top need. I think Demetrius Jackson would be the best fit, but all signs point to the Bulls loving and drafting Baldwin IV. He adds a reliable three-point shooter and an excellent passer, however, becoming more of a leader is something he needs to work on. I’m not as high on Baldwin as some people, but his ability to play off-the-ball will allow Butler to be a primary ball handler at times and his long wingspan makes him an excellent defender.

player. 73. After going with a big man with their first pick, the Nuggets need to help aid their back court. Gary Harris isn’t the future starting shooting guard they imagined he’d become when he came out of Michigan State. Will Barton had a very good season off the bench, however, he’s more suited for that role rather than a starter. Also, Danilo Gallinari is always in trade rumors so picking up a young player like Luwawu would allow them more flexbility to deal Gallinari. Luwawu is a natural scorer who can score in nearly every way and plays solid defense. He’s also big enough to play the two or three.. SG. France. Timothe Luwawu . 15

player. 18. Teams are going to make a run at Evan Turner this off-season, and that could cause a team to overpay for him. The last thing the Celtics want is to overpay for a player who’s not starting caliber, just a really good bench player. Their answer could be Denzel Valentine as his stock has dropped a little over the past week due to health concerns. Still, he’s one of the safest picks in the draft and provides the Celtics with versatility, ball-handling, and a good outside shot.. SG. Michigan State. Denzel Valentine . 16

17. player. 211. It doesn’t seem like Mike Conley will return to Memphis, leaving a huge hole for the Grizzlies to fill. Jackson is arguably the most explosive point guard in the draft and would give the Grizzlies a natural scorer on their otherwise defensive-oriented roster. He can get to the basket better than most players in this draft and already has a reliable outside shot. While he’ll likely never reach his Russell Westbrook comparison, I think he has a chance to make a couple of All-Star games because of his explosive play.. PG. Notre Dame. Demetrius Jackson

SG. Syracuse. Malachi Richardson . 18. player. 64. The Pistons will be returning most of their team next season, however, would love to add more wing depth. Marcus Morris, Tobias Harris, and Andre Drummond form one on of the best front court trios in the league, but their back court is still developing. Reggie Jackson had a great first full season with the Pistons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Stanley Johnson showed a lot of improvement as well. Still, the Pistons would love to add another outside scorer alongside Jackson – someone who can create for themselves. Richardson’s stock skyrocketed after the NCAA Tournament and he’d give Detroit great size and scoring ability.

PF. Gonzaga. Domantas Sabonis . 19. player. 73. This is arguably the biggest steal at this point of the draft. After drafting Marquese Chriss with the 7th pick, the Nuggets will try to add a big man who can have an impact right away. Sabonis is a great post scorer who also sports a decent mid-range game. Even though the Nuggets have Jokic, Nurkic, and Faried, this will surely force their hand in trading Faried and go forward with a promising, young front court. Adding an offensive-minded player alongside an all-around player like Chriss would be a great move for Denver.

Ivica Zubac . 20. player. 100. Jordan Hill and Ian Mahimi are set to be free agents this off-season, meaning Lavoy Allen, Myles Turner, and Paul George are the only front court players on the roster. The Pacers would love to keep George at small forward, however, they might be forced to play him alongside Turner again if Zubac doesn’t come over right away or isn’t ready for heavy NBA-minutes. That’ll likely be the case as the center out of Croatia – who many consider the second best international big man – still needs a little time to develop. If he reaches his potential then that’ll give Indiana one of the most dominating, young starting front courts in the league.. C. Croatia

SF. Baylor. Taurean Prince . 21. player. 125. A season removed from DeMarre Carroll leaving in free agency, the Hawks are missing their defensive wing player. Kent Bazemore had a nice season with Atlanta, however, he’s set to be a free agent and could bolt. Taurean Prince wouldn’t give them a ton of help on offense, although, he’s one of the best defensive small forwards in the draft and plays very similar to Carroll. He should be a decent three-point shooter in the NBA with the ability to drive to the basket occasionally, but his defense will be his main calling card.

170. Nicolas Batum might bolt after one season, meaning they will have a big hole to fill. They will be getting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist back from an injury, however, adding a scoring wing alongside him and Kemba Walker would be a good idea. Malik Beasley has an act for scoring in multiple ways and would be a very nice complement with Kidd-Gilchrist. They might go for a front court player since Al Jefferson is also a free agent, however, a year removed from drafting Frank Kaminsky, and also having Cody Zeller on the roster, I think the Hornets will look to find a future replacement for Batum, getting great value with the 22nd pick.. SG. Florida State. Malik Beasley . 22. player

Ante Zizic . 23. player. 18. Ante Zizic stated that he wants to come over to the NBA this season, however, I still think the Celtics would take a chance on a big man they can develop in the D-League for a couple of seasons. Zizic is not ready to see major NBA minutes, but his potential is through the roof. He’s one of the best rebounders in Europe as a teenager and has the potential to become a rim protector. He has a decent offensive game where he can score in multiple ways but needs to continue to work on it. Still, it’s a very low risk-high reward situation for Boston.. C. Croatia

93. The 76ers need to find their franchise point guard sooner or later. Tyler Ulis may be undersized but he’s coming off one of the best collegiate seasons for a point guard last season. He’s a true point guard that can get the ball inside to the 76ers bigs. I don’t think Ulis will be as effective from deep in the NBA but that’s not how he tries to score as he likes to drive the lane. He might end up being a backup in the future but at least he gives Philadelphia hope that they might’ve found their future point guard, because Ish Smith isn’t.. PG. Kentucky. Tyler Ulis . 24. player

J.J. Reddick is a free agent after next season and Paul Pierce isn’t going to play forever. The Clippers need to start adding young depth to their back court or else they’ll fall flat on their faces sooner or later. DeAndre’ Bembry is a very interesting player who has the potential to be a starter in this league. He doesn’t turn the ball over a lot and is an excellent defender. Offensively, Bembry needs to continue to develop an outside shot, however, he’s very good at getting to the basket. Bembry should be able to contribute as a rookie, if not, he gives the Clippers insurance over the next couple of seasons.. SF. Saint Joseph's. DeAndre' Bembry . 25. player. 77

Dejounte Murray . 26. player. 93. He’s not talked about a lot but Dejounte Murray has a chance to be one of the biggest steals in the draft. There isn’t a lot that he couldn’t do during his one year at Washington. He has great size for a point guard and he impacts the game in every way. He rebounds extremely well for a point guard, is an above-average passer, and can get to the basket at will. He needs to work on his outside shot to reach his full potential on offense, however, he’ll push Tyler Ulis from the start.. PG. Washington

The Raptors used the 9th pick to draft a defensive-minded big who can contribute right away. Their best bet is to take a chance on Diamond Stone and hope he can develop into a dominating center in the NBA. Stone has been known as a player with questionable character while at Maryland, especially when the offense doesn’t run through him. He was a dominating force on offense, however, he’s not a great rebounder or defender and will need to show a team-first attitude in the D-League. For one of the best teams in the East, Stone is more than worth the risk.. C. Maryland. Diamond Stone . 27. player. 81

28. player. 66. The high schooler who found the loophole will be the Suns third big man taken in the draft. Maker is one of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s draft as no one knows where he’ll go. Some see him as a lottery pick and others think he’ll fall to the second round. I think the Suns take another chance on a promising young center, just like they did with Labissiere. With Bender and Labissiere also being drafted, there’s no doubt Maker will spend his rookie season in the D-League trying to prove he belongs.. C. Australia. Thon Maker

29. It’s no secret that the Spurs love international players. With David West probably leaving and Tim Duncan nearing retirement, they need to find a young big man who can help them. Hermangomez is a silky smooth three-point shooting power forward who’d fit well with LaMarcus Aldridge. He spaces the floor very well which will allow more one-on-one matchups in the paint for Aldridge while also giving the Spurs another kick-out option on drives. He’s one of the safest international prospects, in my eyes, this year, sounding like a perfect Spurs fit.. PF. Spain. Juan Hernangomez . 29. player

Ben Bentil . 30. player. 41. The Warriors won 73 games but couldn’t finish their historic season with a championship. With the possibility of losing Festus Ezeli and Marreese Speights to free agency this off-season, the Warriors need to draft a front court player who can play right away. Bentil had an outstanding career next to Kris Dunn at Providence and probably should go a little higher, however, he’d be a steal for the Warriors. Bentil is a dominating scorer who can step outside and hit an occasional three. He needs to continue to work on his post defense, but he’s an above-average rebounder and has great athleticism.. PF. Providence