Welcome to smokescreen season. The NBA Finals are underway, and the draft is just around the corner. The players in this class have already been measured and tested at the combine, and many have pulled out to return to school with millions flooding the marketplace in NIL money. The workout circuit has been popping lately, and there’s already some early rumors about who certain teams are preferring.
There remains some mystery at the top of the draft with the Washington Wizards holding the first pick. BYU forward A.J. Dybantsa has been the front-runner to No. 1 since the lottery determined the draft order, but Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer could still steal that honor from him. Boozer is our top player in the class.
This mock draft is informed by tracking workouts and rumors around the league, plus my own reporting with league sources. The first-round of draft will be here before you know it on Tuesday, June 23. Here’s how we see the draft playing out at the moment.
1. Washington Wizards – A.J. Dybantsa, F, BYU
I still think there’s a chance Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer go with the No. 1 pick, but Dybantsa continues to feel like the frontrunner at this point. This draft is starting to remind me of the 2022 class when the Orlando Magic were reportedly leaning toward Jabari Smith Jr. over Chet Holmgren with the top pick until they decided to select Paolo Banchero at the 11th hour. I would take Boozer No. 1 overall for any team, and I think he’s a great fit in Washington. Part of the reason why Dybantsa still feels like the favorite to go first though is because there’s always a chance Utah trades up for him. I love Dybantsa’s shot creation potential in Washington, but he does feel like an odd defensive fit there. Ideally, you want Dybantsa surrounded by a team of dirty work All-Stars, and that’s not Washington’s makeup right now. Fortunately, Dybantsa is still only 19 years old, and the Wizards will have a long timeline to build around him.
2. Utah Jazz – Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
I detailed why I love the fit between Peterson and the Jazz last week. He feels like a perfect complement to Keyonte George in the backcourt as a movement shooter who can cause chaos defensively with deflections, steals, and blocks. Of course, it’s possible Peterson regains the explosiveness he showed in high school that briefly had him looking like the top player in the class. The more time passes from his bizarre freshman year at Kansas, the better the long-term idea of Peterson looks. He would be a home run pick for Utah at No. 2.
3. Memphis Grizzlies – Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
The Grizzlies are one of the best drafting teams in the league, and I feel confident they would select Boozer at No. 1 if they won the lottery. Boozer consistently grades out as the best player in the class in analytics models with a long history of production and influencing winning at every level. I’m not smart enough to build one of those models, but I’m also not stupid enough to completely discount them. Boozer’s statistical dominance also matches my eye test, because he’s great at almost everything. Concerns about his athleticism are overblown. I think Boozer and Zach Edey would absolutely mash teams inside and out. My hot take is the Grizzlies would quickly become a Western Conference contender with Boozer if their key players can stay healthy.
4. Chicago Bulls – Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina
Wilson isn’t a shot creator, a shooter, or a center. So what is he? There are real questions about how the North Carolina forward translates to the NBA with a thin 210-pound frame and a raw dribble-pass-shoot skill set, but at a certain point he’s too productive to pass up. Wilson’s entire statistical profile is green, meaning he was above average in just about every rate stat. He’s an explosive play-finisher near the basket, he has real post-up scoring moves with step-throughs and spins, and he can recover to make game-changing plays defensively even with some poor technique and awareness on that end at times. The Bulls just need talent in the door, and Wilson is bursting with long-term upside if they can continue to refine his skill set.
5. Los Angeles Clippers – Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois
The early read on this choice is that it’s going to come down to Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler. I have Brown higher on my board, but Wagler feels like a cleaner fit in LA next to Darius Garland. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Clippers look to trade down. Wagler’s off-the-dribble shooting was so impressive in his breakout freshman year, and should continue to fuel his NBA success. If Brown goes in this spot, Wagler could fall to the Hawks at No. 8.
6. Brooklyn Nets – Nate Ament, F, Tennessee
Rival teams believe Ament’s range is 6-10. There are some unconfirmed reports that the Nets are targeting the Tennessee forward at No. 6, and I’m buying it. Ament seems like he fits Sean Marks’ draft history as a highly-touted high school recruit who can theoretically do everything on the floor — it just didn’t always work out that way at Tennessee. Ament was considered the fourth best player in this class entering college, and his role with the Vols where he led the team in usage didn’t do him any favors. This would feel really high for him to me, and I would probably give it a poor grade if it actually happens on draft night. With that said, I still think there’s a pathway for Ament to be a pretty good NBA player as a third or fourth option who can space the floor, attack once the advantage is created for him, and use his length to impact the game near the rim defensively. Michigan’s Aday Mara is another name to watch here.
7. Sacramento Kings – Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas
The worst kept secret in the draft is that the Kings love Darius Acuff. Somehow, they are still able to land him despite falling all the way to No. 7 with the league’s fourth worst record. Acuff is a polarizing player largely because of his defensive shortcomings, but there’s no doubt he was a prime time performer at Arkansas who fills an obvious need at point guard in Sacramento.
8. Atlanta Hawks – Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville
I’m a big fan of Brown for his pull-up shooting, passing creativity, and ability to get to the rack off the bounce. The Hawks should be thrilled if he’s somehow on the board at No. 8, because to me he’s a top-5 player in the class. There are real questions about Brown’s durability and shot-selection, but there’s no denying his talent. The Hawks were relying on CJ McCollum to create offense for them in the playoffs last year, and Brown is a natural long-term replacement after the franchise finally moved off Trae Young this season.
9. Dallas Mavericks – Brayden Burries, G, Arizona
There are reports that Burries is trying to land in Dallas to play next to Cooper Flagg. I like the vision even if I’m a bit skeptical Burries has the shot-creation upside to eventually be a star. The Arizona guard is a well-rounded player who defends and rebounds better than your average two-guard, and he’s a really good three-point shooter. Flagg would have to stay in more of a shot-creator role if Burries is the pick, but maybe that’s what Dallas wants. I personally wouldn’t have him as the best player available in this scenario, but Burries’ lack of a glaring weakness makes him a malleable guard who should be able to hang in the playoffs. It’s easy to understand the appeal of that with the No. 9 pick.
10. Milwaukee Bucks – Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
The Bucks are reportedly interested in Ament, Karim Lopez, and Philon according to ESPN. It’s hard to really know Milwaukee’s intentions until we learn if they’re keeping or trading Giannis Antetokounmpo. A Giannis trade feels more likely than ever, but we’ve said that before, and all he has to do is sign a contract extension to end the drama forever. The Bucks’ young guards in Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. are actually much better than most people realize, so I don’t really think they need to go point guard. Philon’s shifty off-the-bounce game will be appealing to teams looking for shot-creation, and I wouldn’t be stunned if he eventually lands in the top-10 with Dallas as another option.
11. Golden State Warriors – Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
The Warriors are believed to be interested in Lendeborg, Mara, and Lopez according to ESPN. Lendeborg deserves to go much higher than this, in my opinion. Yes, he’s going to be a 24-year-old rookie, but he’s made the exact improvements you would hope to see from a player in their age-22 and age-23 season, and he has unique physical gifts that will help him adjust to the NBA level quickly. Lendeborg basically has the frame of an NBA center, but he showed at Michigan that he’s comfortable playing on the perimeter in a complementary role at both ends. Read my feature on Yaxel’s wild journey to get to this point.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Aday Mara, C, Michigan
Mara could be in play as early as No. 6 to the Nets, and I’d be surprised if he fell past the Thunder at No. 12. The 7’3 big man shouldn’t be counted on to play full-time center minutes early in his career, so I like the idea of him joining a deep frontcourt where he can be in more of a platoon situation. The Thunder also drafted Thomas Sorber in this range last year, so it’s possible they don’t want another big man. I’m skeptical that the best way to defend Wemby is with another giant — especially one as slow-footed on the perimeter as Mara — but it’s still a nice option to have in the bag when the Thunder and Spurs inevitably meet again. Mara’s passing is really special, and he could help add a little more flavor to the OKC offense if he continues to develop.
13. Miami Heat – Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers
Lopez is reportedly getting looks from teams in the second half of the lottery, so this could be the end of his range. Will the Heat actually be making this pick, or will they have already traded it for Giannis Antetokounmpo? Milwaukee has a reported interest in Lopez too, so I feel like he makes sense at No. 13 either way. I’m a bit skeptical of Lopez’s defense and outside shooting, but his ball handling as a big, strong forward is really intriguing.
14. Charlotte Hornets – Morez Johnson, F/C, Michigan
Hornets lead executive Jeff Peterson has already indicated the team wants to re-sign Coby White, which would potentially take away the need from drafting another guard here. Charlotte has a need for more beef inside, and Johnson is uniquely suited to address it with his ability to play the four or the five. Johnson is long and strong and really athletic for someone his size. It could be argued that his upside isn’t very high unless he develops a consistent three-point shot, but his impact has always gone beyond the numbers to this point in his young career. The Hornets had a noticeable lack of physicality in the play-in tournament, and Johnson would change that.
15. Chicago Bulls – Kingston Flemings, G, Houston
Could Flemings really fall this far? I’ve viewed the Houston guard as a potential top-5 talent throughout this cycle, and he’s reportedly in play as early as No. 5 to the Clippers. It would be shocking if Flemings fell out of the lottery, but we typically get one draft night surprise every year, and the depth of this point guard class means someone is bound to fall at least a little bit further than expected. The Bulls brought in Flemings for a workout last week, and would likely jump at the chance to add this type of talent in the mid first-round.
16. Memphis Grizzlies – Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky
I had Quaintance as a top-4 pick coming into the season, but he had a nightmare year where he only played four games at Kentucky after rushing back from an Achilles tear. He explained his decision to shut it down this season when I asked him about it at the combine, but he did say he’s about 95 percent healthy right now. Last time he was right physically, JQ looked like an elite paint protecting prospect as a 17-year-old at Arizona State. The Grizzlies feel like the type of franchise that would take a chance on him. I figure that Ebuka Okorie and Bennett Stirtz could also be in the mix for Memphis.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder – Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford
Is Okorie the fastest-rising prospect in this draft class, or am I spending too much time online reading people who aren’t actually informed about the intentions of NBA teams? Okorie is still only No. 27 on ESPN’s board which is typically the best indication of a prospect’s range, but there are some people who like him way more than that. Jonathan Wasserman had Okorie at No. 8 on his big board, and I would bet there are front office executives who are similarly high on him as they go back and watch the tape for his season at Stanford. OKC badly needed another ball handler in the Western Conference Finals, and they didn’t trust Nikola Topic enough to give him a shot. Okorie has the ball on a string and a blazing first step. He would be a good value in this range in my mind.
18. Charlotte Hornets – Chris Cenac Jr., C, Houston
ESPN reported that Cenac’s realistic landing spots begin with the Hornets at No. 14, and they’ve been mocking him to Charlotte since the start of the season. Cenac is the only real stretch five bet in the first-round unless you really believe in North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar. The Houston big man is pretty raw in terms of his feel for the game, but his jumper is sweet and he has a great frame after measuring at 240 pounds with a 7’5 wingspan at the combine. I wouldn’t hate Charlotte walking out of this draft with two bigs.
19. Toronto Raptors – Bennett Stirtz, G, Alabama
The Raptors could really use a guard who can suck up some ball handling responsibility while also being a good enough shooter to space the floor. Stirtz checks both boxes. The senior guard created everything for Iowa this season and basically never came off the floor. His scoring and playmaking off the dribble is really impressive, but I also like his ability to move without the ball as a spot-up shooter. Toronto has the bodies to protect him defensively. I’d really like this fit.
20. San Antonio Spurs – Hannes Steinbach, F/C, Washington
The Spurs are focused on winning a championship, so this pick is a secondary concern for now. I’m going with Steinbach here because he’s both the highest-rated player on my board, and feels like a good positional fit on the roster. The German feels stuck between a power forward and a center, but that’s no big deal as two big lineups start to take over the NBA again. San Antonio doesn’t have a two-big look it can go to, and Steinbach is excellent at the league’s other emerging trend right now: crashing the offensive glass. The Spurs need more depth in the frontcourt, and Steinbach’s elite skill on the glass would give him a pathway to minutes early in his career.
21. Detroit Pistons – Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech
The Pistons made a sneaky trade at the deadline to get a first-round swap with the Timberwolves, and it paid off by moving them spots up in the draft order. Detroit has been tied to Stirtz, Okorie, and Duke shooter Isaiah Evans, but with the first two off the board, I’m going with Anderson. The Texas Tech guard had a private workout with the Pistons in May. He’s widely considered one of the best shooters in this draft class, and he would allow Cade Cunningham to spend more time playing off the ball. Anderson is the smallest likely first-round pick in this class after measuring at 6’1 barefoot and 180 pounds, but his skill level is high and worth betting on.
22. Philadelphia 76ers – Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara
Philly has a new front office leader in Mike Gansey who was just introduced last week, so the bulk of their draft work is likely coming over the next couple weeks. I’ve been mocking Allen Graves to the Sixers throughout the pre-draft process because he feels like he offers the most upside at their biggest position of need. I was surprised to see Graves land at No. 17 on ESPN’s big board, which is the highest I’ve seen him from a mainstream outlet so far this season. The Santa Clara sixth man was uncovered by some wonderful nerds on Draft Twitter, and now seems like a lock to go in the first round. His wildly strong defensive playmaking and reliable spot-up shooting would give the Sixers something they don’t already have at the position.
23. Atlanta Hawks – Dailyn Swain, F, Texas
Swain will be the steal of the draft if he falls this far. There are informed analysts who view him as a top-10 prospect in this class, but it seems like the league has never been quite as high on him. Swain is a damn good wing defender who made a huge leap as a slasher and scorer this past season. The big hang up is his slow and hitchy three-point shot, but it’s worth noting that after going 11-for-54 from three his first two seasons combined, Swain finished 32-of-92 (34.8 percent) just this year. Swain and Mikel Brown Jr. would be a blockbuster draft class for the Hawks.
24. New York Knicks – Cam Carr, G, Baylor
Carr is drawing interest in the 10-20 range, and he’ll probably go higher than this. He has obvious utility with an outstanding intersection of length (7’1 wingspan), outside shooting, and vertical athleticism (44 dunks, 3.9 percent block rate) as a 6’5 wing. I’m a bit lower on Carr because I question his shot-creation and passing while wondering how his thin frame will hold up defensively. There feels like a talent drop-off after these first 24 players in this mock go off the board.
25. Los Angeles Lakers – Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State
The Lakers are primed to have the second most available cap space in the NBA this summer at around $48 million, but they have to make decisions on Austin Reaves, LeBron James, and Rui Hachimura. LA could use some defense and toughness around Luka Doncic with this pick. Jefferson gets the nod over Zuby Ejiofor for me because he can do the dirty work while still being able to space the floor out of three-point range. I like Jefferson’s ball handling and playmaking for such a strong forward. If the shot keeps developing, he could be a cost-controlled two-way forward on his rookie deal.
26. Denver Nuggets – Koa Peat, F, Arizona
Peat had the toughest decision of the withdrawal deadline to make, but I actually think he made the right choice by staying in the draft. His money surely would have been bigger at Arizona for a hypothetical sophomore season, but he risked falling off the NBA radar completely if he didn’t improve in important areas. There should still be room for him at the end of the first round with much of the depth in this class getting drained by NIL dollars. His intersection of weight, passing, and offensive rebounding will be interesting even if his shot is completely busted right now.
27. Boston Celtics – Zuby Ejiofor, F/C, St. John’s
Ejiofor has been the busiest man on the workout circuit with 13 confirmed team workouts so far, including one with the Celtics. The St. John’s big man might be a tad undersized for a center, but he still has a big frame after measuring at 6’7.5 barefoot and 245 pounds with a 7’2 wingspan. While he’s not a proven outside shooter yet, Ejiofor is comfortable operating with the ball in his hands as a playmaker or scoring around the rim. He moves well for someone who is this strong, and he always showed a strong feel for the game with the Johnnies. He should be a premium target for every team in the mid-20s.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves – Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas
Tim Connelly loves a guy who could be charitably described as a ’walking bucket’ after trading up for Rob Dillingham and resuscitating Bones Hyland’s career in recent years. Thomas fits right in. He’s a good off-ball scorer with a quick trigger from three-point range, and he’s shown enough juice off the dribble to offer some shot creation upside. Thomas just isn’t very big after measuring at 6’3 barefoot and 189 pounds with a 6’6.75 wingspan at the combine.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers – Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina
The Cavs have plenty of talent in their frontcourt already with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, but they’ve never had a real stretch-five option. Veesaar could be that after hitting 42.6 percent of his threes on 94 attempts with North Carolina this season. I really enjoyed watching Veesaar’s high-low game with Caleb Wilson, and I think he could have similar success
30. Dallas Mavericks – Isaiah Evans, G, Duke
Evans is No. 24 on ESPN’s big board, and he’s already had a workout with Detroit picking at No. 21. The Mavs probably wouldn’t expect him to be on the board with this pick, but if he is, he would add volume three-point shooting around Cooper Flagg.
