It has arrived. 2018 NBA Draft Day is here! Mock drafts aplenty and a buffet full of rumors for you to indulge all day, if you are sadistic enough to enjoy the whiplash effect some of the moves can induce.
THHB wanted to run down the lottery picks and put down what we think is going to happen and what we wish would happen.
We have read every possible rumor and mock draft, sifted through the smell test of all of them and run it through the supercomputer of past draft history to bring you this: THHB Mock(ery) Draft
It's my life
Don't you forget
Caught in the crowd
It never ends.....
1. Phoenix Suns, DeAndre Ayton
Was still somewhat in belief that they were going to take Doncic anyway and have a super backcourt of Doncic/Booker with Doncic's old Euro coach, but the last percentages of that passed away when they practically coronated Ayton after his workout.
Who we want them to pick: Luka Doncic
Who we think they will pick: DeAndre Ayton
2. Sacramento Kings, Luka Doncic
Look, it was fun. For a while the Kings realllllly had us believing they weren't going to take Doncic, relying instead on yet another big man. The 24 hours that had the insiders saying that Doncic was on the top of the Hawks board were fun times, indeed. Alas, all good things must slip through the Hawks hands.
Sure, Vlade isn't impressed with Doncic, but Vivek allegedly is, and Vivek is undefeated, from what I can tell, in these matchups.
Who we want them to pick: DeAndre Ayton
Who we think they will pick: Luka Doncic
3. Atlanta Hawks, Trae Young
I don't know if they will wrangle a trade down -- seems like that is on the board, but after Doncic is gone, the next dynamic offensive player is Young. Chauncey Billups said it best on ESPN, "He will move the scoreboard -- he may give up a couple of buckets -- but he will move the scoreboard."
Scoreboard, sucker.
Who we want them to pick: Mo Bamba
Who we think they will pick: Trae Young
4. Memphis Grizzlies, Marvin Bagley
What's up with people dissing the Grizz? Didn't they just wrap a seven year playoff streak? Don't the have a cool nickname for their very nice building? Isn't the food magnificent and Beale Street some fun and games? Is the owner that awful?
I know Porter has been rumored here, but my gut tells me they will take the most motivated player that can come in immediately and prove himself and that's Bagley at this point.
How does a team come off the agony of the Chandler Parsons injury and go back into the tub for Michael Porter? I don't see it.
Who we want them to pick: Marvin Bagley
Who we think they will pick: Marvin Bagley
5. Dallas Mavericks, Mo Bamba
He is a cult of personality and could be ready to do tons of damage defensively right out of the gate. Dallas has been groomed as a landing spot and while they could go Porter as well, the likable, box office ready Bamba is safer.
Who we want them to pick: Jaren Jackson, Jr.
Who we think they will pick: Mo Bamba
6. Orlando Magic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
With Young off the board, the Magic go for the next guard, who is SGA it seems. It boggles the mind that SGA can basically not work out for anybody publicly and find himself at the highest mock position of the season anyway. Teams are just projecting all the positives and not nit-picking the negatives in SGA's game.
This seems like a typical Magic play here, moreso that the Eric Bledsoe like Collin Sexton, so I am good with the latest rumors sticking about SGA.
Who we want them to pick: Trae Young
Who we think they will pick: Shai Gigeous-Alexander
7. Chicago Bulls, Michael Porter, Jr.
He missed a season with an injured back and then wore down while working out for 3-4 teams and his hip was bothering him. He makes grandiose statements about himself and says that some teams may want him to skip summer league and rest. Already this guy is high maintenance. He has also reminded people that the Kings sat Harry Giles all season last season.
For all of that, THHB has nicknamed him Captain Red Flags. Good luck, Chicago
Who we want them to take: Michael Porter, Jr.
Who we think they will take: Michael Porter, Jr.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers, Jaren Jackson, Jr.
All the rumors say that the Cavs want a point guard, but Young and SGA are off the board, so will the Cavs take the BPA in Jackson? We think they would over Collin Sexton. It is a match that has not been seen yet, so we like that, too. Jackson can be the modern NBA five and brings some rim protection to the Cavs. Mozel Tov!
Who we want them to take: Shae Gilgeous-Alexander
Who we think they will take: Jaren Jackson, Jr.
9. New York Knicks, Mikal Bridges
We could have seen any of the more box office ready players here (Young, Bamba, Porter), but they are all gone. So the Knicks can settle for the guy who ranks sixth on THHB Big Board in Bridges, who is so well-rounded, has great wingspan and can be versatile offensively while finishing above the rim.
Who we want them to take: Mikal Bridges
Who we think they will take: Mikal Bridges
10. Philadelphia 76ers, Kevin Knox
Soooooo close! I am sure the Sixers would have loved to snag Bridges, who would be a ready made local guy ready to contribute to the team who had one of the best records in the league. Instead, they settle for who is less ready, but can grow into the same traits in Knox, who didn't excel last season at Kentucky, but we believe it is not always easy to do that one an all-star one and done teams.
Who we want them to take: Kevin Knox
Who we think they will take: Kevin Knox
11. Charlotte Hornets, Collin Sexton
The Hornets breathe a sigh of relief as the last of the top tier PGs is still available here. The hard-nosed, never scared Sexton would be a good insurance policy on Kemba Walker and someone to groom for the future even if Walker stays put.
THHB thinks that the Hornets, if they do believe Walker is long term, should not take yet another guard, but go bigger with Wendell Carter, the center from Duke, who has conjured comparisons to Al Horford.
Who we want them to take: Wendell Carter
Who we think they will take: Collin Sexton
12. Los Angeles Clippers, Robert Williams
Maybe we will find out that the Clippers did indeed promise SGA, which is why he didn't work out for anyone but, alas, all the PGs are gone now. So the Clippers will turn to the BPAs and that will start with Williams, who does replicate a lot of what Montrezl Harrell does, but fits the kind of center the Clippers have had with DeAndre Jordan, who may not be back with the Clippers
Who we want them to take: Robert Williams
Who we think they will take: Robert Williams
13. Los Angeles Clippers, Lonnie Walker
The explosive, yet inconsistent Walker will be hard for the Clippers to pass on here, as the will fill a big in Williams and come back with a flashy guard in Walker
Who we want them to take: Collin Sexton
Who we think they will take: Lonnie Walker
14. Denver Nuggets, Miles Bridges
Solid swingman and potential replacement for Will Barton, Bridges brings another solid all around game to a team that should not have really missed the playoffs last season.
Who we want them to take: Miles Bridges
Who we think they will take: Miles Bridges
OK, ONE MORE
15. Washington Wizards, Wendell Carter
Amazing that Carter could fall this far, but the fits for bigs are not great after the first few picks. Carter would give the Wizards a more versatile option at center than they currently have in Gortat/Mahinmi.
Who we want them to take: Lonnie Walker
Who we think they will take: Wendell Carter
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment