New NBA Mock Draft | NBA Draft Board 📋

New NBA Mock Draft | NBA Draft Board 📋

[Applause] [Music] what’s up NBA draft people i’m John Washerman lead NBA draft writer for Bleacher Report we are eight days out from the first day of the 2025 NBA draft of course it’s now split up into two days with each round and we’re at the point of the pre-draft process where things start to get a little bit murky you start to hear a lot of gossip and you have to put your filter on and decide what’s smoke what’s real remember that they played a whole season’s worth of games and that a lot of stuff over the last month or so might be overblown in terms of its importance combine stuff workout stuff interview stuff just basic rumors being thrown out there uh and right now is is the point of time where you’re starting to hear a lot of it so I just put out a new mock draft this morning uh I made some pretty notable changes at the top just based on things I’m hearing feelings um and so let’s just go through it and uh we’re going to go through all 30 picks right now there’s definitely guys who seem to be rising and naturally that means others are falling the green room invites have been sent out 19 of them so far i think usually there’s uh in the early 20s so we could hear a couple more names being thrown out there any day now but I don’t want to waste too much time on number one the Mavericks are taking Cooper Flag i don’t think there’s going to be any real trade discussion here with the Bucks and Giannis and I think that he is the obvious well obvious best player available i think it’s a he brings such a good balance of somebody who can help them right away and then obviously you know their next Luca Donic replacement who should should be there for the next 15 years or so um but yeah he’s somebody who gives you you know an immediate contribution i think he fits in fine with Anthony Davis as long as AD is willing to play the five uh and honestly I think the positions are are pretty meaningless uh giving each of these guys labels it just depends on who they play who they match up against but uh that’s going to be their front court for the foreseeable future and you know of course Kyrie’s going to be out for most of next year so I think there’s less pressure to win that gives Flag a little bit more opportunity next year to be on the ball he was kind of labeled a point wing coming in this year who was Duke’s leading assist guy and so he should get a a very good opportunity to create for himself work in pick and roll situations and again it’s just a I mean I don’t think you could find a better a better landing spot if you’re Cooper Flag um with with veteran talent around you you know even without Kyrie you know AD Clay Den Woody PJ I mean that’s not a bad starting lineup at all and you’re missing an allNBA type player and so uh of course this is still all about the future uh even though they did make that that trade um the Luca trade to to win now but uh with Flag who is just turned 19 years old you know we’re still thinking long term with him and and he is going to eventually take the torch from Kyrie Kyrie Nad and and presumably be um you know an all-star caliber player for a long time and maybe by his second year in the league all right San Antonio Spurs at number two listen there’s some good conversation about what they’re going to do i mean I I don’t think there’s any question that Dylan Harper will be the pick the question is are the Spurs going to be the team that makes it i think so i think it’s really hard to make a trade this high particularly when there’s a gap a perceived gap I should say between two and number three i mean if you’re San Antonio you don’t want to move down for a player who is clearly not as good of a prospect so I I think at the end of the day San Antonio takes Dylan Harper yeah on paper there are questions about fit with the Aaron Fox and Stefon Castle mostly around their shooting but by the way Dylan Harper was a very efficient offball player that Rucker 40% on catch and shoots a guy who took dribble handoffs well I mean I think you’ll you’ll figure out a way for this to for this to work uh and if not you can always make a trade later on right i mean unless the San Antonio thinks that that um Ace Bailey or VJ Edgecom or any of these other guys are better prospects than than Dylan Harper i by the way I haven’t heard anybody say that i think it’s almost 100% consensus that Harper is the number two prospect in this draft so I assume they’ll they’ll roll with Harper and you put out Fox there and you have a back court that puts a ton of pressure on the rim and on defenses i see Chris Ball in there i I can’t imagine that will be uh the case next season if Harper is is the pick and with Steph Castle too I mean there’s a lot of there’s a lot of versatility um I think they’ll figure it out in terms of how how they handle the ball and who defends who and how they share it in the back court i mean I guess the only question is does this stunt Stefon Castle’s growth because it does take away ball handling reps for him and I think that was a big selling point to Steph Castle that he is a big strong wing who could also play some some point wing for you but again this is something they’ll worry about down the road and Harper as the best player available will most likely be the pick at number two all right now it’s where it gets interesting and where I made a change today in my mock draft and this is the Philadelphia 76ers i originally had them taking VJ Edgecom i threw this out there to a couple people around the league they thought Ace Bailey so naturally I went to Ace Bailey um but some things have been happening behind the scenes where I have now gone back to VJ Edgecomb at number three for Philly just the main reason I took him originally I mock drafted him originally is based on well first off I think VJ is a better prospect than Ace Bailey that’s not exactly the consensus around the NBA but I mean I love his fit with this particular group i mean I McCain and Maxi a a great back court um really it their offenses are fueled more by skill shot making uh passing IQ edgecom just brings like this totally different element of explosiveness that nobody really in the lineup has of course you have Paul George 35 you have Embiid who knows what his future holds but this is not an explosive team and I think a guy like Edgecom is just such a fun addition to this group and by the way I think he’ll be fine playing the three super quick i think he’s got a good frame that’s going to add on some weight so I’m not really worried about position stuff here uh and of course to start his career he can come off the bench it’s not that big a deal but I think long term there is a fit there uh with the three of them with McCain with Maxi and with Edgecomb and listen I just I think he’s a better prospect than Ace Bailey and so there’s a lot going on with Ace we’re going to get to we’re going to talk about him a little bit where I do have him going um workout stuff he did not go to Philadelphia for a workout originally edgecomb did and Ace Bailey is dealing with an agent who’s never done this before and so far it looks like he’s getting some bad advice unless they know something I don’t and they have a spot picked out in the board where they want to go but again we’ll get to Ace in a little bit but right now yeah I mean like you know UB is not a long-term guy there um at least in terms of you know like upside like you know what you’re getting with UB I think Edgecom is clearly a better prospect and somebody who should start over him but uh Edgecom also another thing with Ace Bailey I mean he he averaged the same amount of threes as Ace and Ace was supposed to have that edge that was supposed to be his big edge shot making and meanwhile FJ is obviously a better defensive prospect far more explosive more versatile tripled his assist rate and the analytics are just through the roof compared to Ace Bailey so I don’t know I I know Daryl my obviously pays attention to analytics i think that also gives VJ an edge of three all right again it gets really interesting here with Charlotte at four i mean if if V if Ace Bailey is on the board at four do you grab him you know I think his skill set’s a little bit repetitive with Brandon Miller their weaknesses are somewhat similar and I think Charlotte I mean you got to start to be getting a little impatient with Charlotte i think they go right now and this is a little bit of a gut feeling and not exactly intel but Kamad Malawatch is who I have the Hornets taking at number four and I’ve talked to some rival teams around the league and they think that Malawatch has a very good chance to go top five in this draft not necessarily they didn’t pinpoint Charlotte as his destination but I think if you’re the Hornets and you’re looking at the guys on the board you could see Malawatch as a potential game changer in terms of what he brings defensively how he fits with LaMelo i mean could you picture a better lob target i mean he was one of the top dunk guys this year he’s still so raw um but with a 76 wingspan 72 the way he moves and of course we’ve brought this up a lot but in workouts he’s going to show that he can knock down jump shots it might not happen as a rookie but it’s been a part of his game at Global Academy coming into Duke i’m sure it’s going to be a big selling point during these workouts i don’t know if Philly has any if Charlotte has anything scheduled with Malawatch but another big thing is you know the Mark Williams thing where he was traded and of course that trade was voided i don’t know if you’re Charlotte how you move forward long term with Mark Williams i’m just using logic here i I’d imagine they do eventually deal him um and so Malawatch is is a a clear obvious candidate to replace him at the five and also just a you know a much higher upside type of prospect but he’s become a very enticing guy with the measurements with his movement i had scouts raving about him during his proday in LA uh and again not just with with the way he moves and how long he is but again this this shot which could could really be in like an upside elevator um and so uh LaMelo and Malawatch is is such a fun pairing and there’s just a little bit of repetition with Ace Bailey not the highest IQ guy like I just don’t think he’s the right answer for that particular team um all right so let’s go to number five again I I I made a change here based on some things I’ve heard and the Jazz I haven’t taken Jeremiah fears i know there’s a little bit of a log jam there you got Kier you got Keanti George but the Jazz had the worst record in the NBA there’s no way you can factor in fit and worry about that i mean if you think the is an all-star caliber guard and you don’t have confidence in the rest of the field you take that all-star caliber guard and you worry about Kier who’s a pick in the 20s you worry about Kee George later even though I think the two of them can play together but I talk to people around the league and there is a there is a a wide belief that Fears is going top five i don’t know to who they kind of just think that he is a top five talent i’ve heard that all year it’s louder right now i know his camp is super confident that he will be a top five pick again the question is where is it going to be i think the Jazz at this point makes sense uh if he does get taken this high and of course we’ll see how it plays out you know who else is on the board there could be a bigger surprise you know if Bailey does go four maybe the Jazz love Malawatch but in this particular situation I mean I think I think they would take fears um and I just read again like Ace Bailey on a bad team i just it just feels like trouble and um and Fears is just like again I got to watch him work out in a private setting the other day and he’s one of those guys who is just going to be very tempting very enticing with the way he moves his handles explosiveness uh 18 years old and of course everybody shoots better in a workout setting but if that’s his big weakness his big you know scary flaw I think he’s going to ease a lot of those concerns during the workout process so Fierce is is one of the highest upside guys in this class and if you’re Utah you have you have time you should have patience for him to you know work out his his kinks and go through you know the the the decision-m process in terms of like the turnovers yeah he’s got to improve there but um you got time and I think if you’re looking for upside Fierce is going to be a very tempting play at number five all right six is all right actually before we go to six let’s see what you guys are saying laura hope the Spurs will not trade away their number two pick i just I can’t see it again it’s such a hard thing to do unless they’re getting an all-star caliber player unless an an established veteran they know what they’re going to get um is being offered there too that’s the only way I see a trade happening uh do you foresee Malaw watch falling listen I I hear mixed things and this is why it’s such a this this period of time i love it i hate it i’ve heard Malawatch top five i’ve heard Malawatch could slip in this draft i’m just going by gut feeling here i think that somebody’s going to take him early um Thomas Sorbber will be a top 10 pick as high as six i mean I I can’t see that but uh I do know that Sorber has fans and his camp seems to be pretty confident that he’s moving up boards but six is a bit of a reach could he go late lottery i think he could i mean it’s like a team like the Hawks at 13 i could definitely see that happening but top six I mean as high as number six um you know that would be a big surprise for me know why the Jazz take fears with ace on the board acce’s problems but he’s got way more star potential than fears yeah I I disagree on the star potential i mean I obviously a lot of people do see it and I think we’re going to talk about Ace in a second here but um you know what actually I’ll save it because I have Ace going number six right now to the Wizards and the selling point to Ace Bailey is he is a 68 in socks so realistically a 69 wing who is a fantastic shotmaker in terms of level of difficulty right he’s got the 35 ft range he’s got the fallways he’s got the the step backs you know every there isn’t a shot in the book he can’t hit but I I do have some concerns with how the offense translates he’s not a great ball handler the majority of his self-created attempts turn into very low percentage shots and I don’t want to spend too much time talking about his negatives um but again another reason why he’s falling right so he’s got his agent is is um Omar Cooper who’s Share Cooper’s dad he just started the agency a couple years ago he’s never had a real NBA prospect before so he’s going through the motions for the first time and um from what we’re hearing you know it’s like they they they’re not exactly sure what what they’re doing or or or they’re being a little bit cocky with their process right now um will it matter at the end of the day i’m not sure you know if you think he’s the best player available you you probably take him um he’s had some weird answers in the media u getting back to the combine you know there’s definitely some questions about his mentality uh and some of his answers based on his style of play right he takes some really tough bad shots but if you’re the Wizards you know I think this is a a best case outcome you you don’t expect him to be there and uh again you you have time this team’s not going anywhere anytime soon and so if you’re ace Bailey I think you kind of like the situation you’re gonna get the ball he’s gonna have a lot of opportunity to take those bad shots and to be himself and to play with a green light but yeah he’s a tricky prospect again because of the you know inefficiency stuff and how his how his you know perimeter oriented game translates um and the fact that you know I don’t think there’s ever been a prospect go in the lottery that’s had an assist rate as low as Ace Bailey’s that’s one of my big things i was really low on Cam Whitmore for that reason i just I think if you’re a wing and you have an assist rate below 8% which is what Ace Bailey did it really just shows like you don’t know how to survey the floor get other guys involved and that’s why I’ve changed my comparison for Ace Bailey to Michael Porter Jr and not Paul George or Tracy McGrady which is what we said earlier i’m not saying that Ace Bailey can’t be a guy who puts in 20 a game i just think that the value attached to that 20 points a game is a little bit different i don’t see him as a guy you give the ball to um and expect you know efficiency throughout the game i think he he ends up being more of a complimentary guy um than a number one option but still good value at number six of course for Washington and and listen he still could he still could go three he could go four he could go five but I think Ace Billy is in jeopardy of slipping a few spots all right that leaves the Pelicans at number seven um listen best player available it can go in a couple different directions i think right now the Pelicans would take Trey Johnson over Khan Canipple i think those would be the top two guys on their board from everything I know about New Orleans situation um you know a little bit repetitive with CJ McCollum but the Pelicans are they’re in a weird spot right now right after trading Ingram you don’t really know what Zion is going to give you year after year you don’t really know what his trade value is i think this is just best player available and Trey Johnson is a you know it’s a similar scouting report as Ace Bailey just doesn’t have the same measurements but a big-time shot maker um and and somebody who can you know give you 25 easily once he’s hot the lack of playmaking a little bit of a concern um but uh but but an obvious bucket getter and somebody I compared to uh Tyler Herro in the past uh let me move down to um who do we got now uh number eight the Brooklyn Nets i like the Nets taking Noah Asen asen is in the German finals playing form French kid one of the youngest players in the draft and um he just keeps getting better he measured around 611 i think if you’re Brooklyn you think upside um you think like there’s just so many different high out high upside outcomes I think for Noah and I think the fact that he continues to get better is such a big selling point like every time you see him every month or so he adds a little bit more to his game um attacking making more shots but even at baseline without the skill he’s still averaging double figures at 18 years old in the finals of a pro league overseas throw on the defensive versatility there’s just he checks so many boxes that he is just an upside bet I’d be willing to take and if you’re Brooklyn like listen Khan Canipple is definitely considered the safer prospect but if if he’s your you know your main building block I would just rather Caniple come in and be more of a third or fourth option than one of my top guys i would just Noah is just a a higher upside gamble for me and again throw in the age throw in the rate of development that we’ve seen over the last couple of not just months but years and uh I’m going to continue to bet on it so Brooklyn is building from scratch i mean I don’t even know who’s I guess Cam Johnson is is under contract next year um Nick Claxton under contract next year everybody else I think is you know we’ll see what happens if they offer Cam Thomas something big but yeah this team is starting from scratch and I think um if you’re them you take you take a flyer you you go for some upside here um after landing the eighth pick and I do know that there are multiple top 10 teams I believe Brooklyn is one of them who have shown more interest in Noah Asen um than some of the other teams toronto at number nine who I also think would take Noah Asen if he was there but if not how about Derek Queen toronto’s got an interesting situation as well with a whole bunch of wings and forwards they can’t all play at once uh Canipple could easily be considered the best prospect on the board a little bit of repetition with Grady Dick there they just got Ingram you got RJ Barrett of course you have Scotty uh I just I I think Queen is starting to enter the best player available in in that conversation here at number nine and I think he gives them a dimension of offense that they could really use from that center position um as another guy who can go get himself a bucket in the half court did not test well athletically and we’ve talked about Derek Queen a lot on this stream he’s pretty polarizing is he a fit for the NBA is a big guy who doesn’t shoot and isn’t really going to offer a lot of defensive value uh but I do think that he has convinced enough people around the NBA that his skill level his footwork his touch his instincts his passing are so good that it’s going to help him you know overcome some of his weaknesses and limitations i think right the the obvious best case outcome is an Alper and Shenun their scouting reports are very similar shenun’s bigger but that’s the type of guy you’re hoping for and I think he does again have the skill level and the intangibles and the feel and all that stuff the processing to make up for the fact that he doesn’t jump very high and that he is not going to block a lot of shots uh or even you know add any plus defensive value at all but if you can surround him with the right pieces I think it’s worth going after his his offense particularly for for Toronto who doesn’t really get a lot of offense from that center position all right let’s drop down to uh the Houston Rockets i think this is a best case outcome for the Rockets maybe a worst case outcome for Khan Canipple who I have going at number 10 hard to find any playing time um if you’re a rookie in Houston still not hard to find playing time for Whitmore and Reed Shepard but um this is a clear best player available uh situation here um everybody everybody likes Caniple the question is does everybody love him how high do you take him but uh again such an easy fit like you cannot go wrong with him uh a proven shot maker somebody who’s very smart in pick and rolls who can handle the ball can make those passing reads um you know he uses his body really well around the basket again to help compensate for the lack of explosiveness i think he defended better than anybody expected this year if you’re a Canipple you probably want to go to a team that offers more of a pathway to minutes because I do think he is one of the more NBA ready guys in this field but if he does slip and and fall behind some of these guys who have perceived higher upsides um then yeah he he could drop drop a couple slots but um listen also going look at the Houston Rockets like if I’m Rockets I don’t I’m probably not even making this pick right you’re going to add another rookie um you’re trying to save money here maybe and um there’s just no there’s no room to develop another another young guy so I think ideally you either trade out and just don’t pay um a first round rookie next year or you you know use this pick with somebody else to try to get another established veteran who could help you advance further in the playoffs next season so if I you know if I had to guess if I was running the team I would I would do a lot of shopping i would try and move this pick around but uh tough to do that in mock drafts i have Canipa is just the the best player on the board whether it’s the Rockets picking or somebody else uh Victor it’s a good upside swing for Washington to take Bailey there yeah I mean listen he’s been projected by most as a top three or four pick throughout the season said to get him at six uh I I think it’s just too too good of a gamble you think Brooklyn will trade up for fears um I don’t know good possibility i know that New Orleans would probably like to get him at seven but um I don’t know what Brooklyn would trade unless they offer more future first round picks uh and to do that you’d really have to love fears and really not be thrilled with your options at number eight no as a raw talent um the Nets have time to build him won’t be mad about it yeah he’s just um he reminds me a lot of Seak Seakum i mean it’s just like yeah of course a lot has to go right for him to reach that outcome but at the rate of development the 611 guy who can make threes who can put the ball on the floor who’s going to give you high motor minutes and get you easy baskets defend all over the place like there’s just so many ways where it can go right for Noah i would take a gamble don’t think queen at nine will be a bad fit with Purle or is he just coming off the bench no I mean I think you take queen to start him uh I I PL is a good player but Queen’s offense is just far more compelling um and uh you know if you’re the Raptors like you’re again you’re not this roster even with Ingram you’re not really competing for much next year I think you got to think about your young guys uh unless of course they put together another trade where they send out Barrett quickly and and get a star caliber player but uh yeah I think Queen is a is if they if they go with him you go with him to to eventually start uh over Purle if not right away all right let’s go a little bit faster here the Blazers at number 11 i haven’t taken Carter Bryant bryant is very hot in the pre-draft process i asked a scout recently you know you think he goes lottery he said absolutely so uh listen everybody wants a big wing that can play high above the rim make threes and defend multiple positions i mean he is like a textbook 3 and D guy and um again this is just his floor like did Arizona mask some of his creation ability some of his pull-up shooting ability some of his attacking maybe again you’re not going to get that next year but um Bryant is uh on on paper you know the scouting report i know the production here is not very exciting but the tape is and he’s got a very coveted archetype and if you’re Portland listen there’s no room to play a big guy uh at at this point it’s it’s hard to think of a guard worth taking here you’re going to want to give Scoot more minutes next year of course you still have Simons and Chaden Sharp um I like I like Carter Bryant as a nice compliment to uh to Denny of Ddia who doesn’t have the explosiveness uh or or maybe even the shooting upside um that Carter Bryant does number 12 Ace Newell to Chicago i think Chicago probably might want somebody I’ve already mentioned in the top 12 top 11 but Asa Newell again we’re approaching best player available territory here and I think he’s a good fit 611 guy if you watch him work out which I also got a really good long look at a private workout of him in Chicago just banging threes over and over again um he made his fair share this year at Georgia um obviously you’re going to see most of these highlights are going to be around the rim big- time finisher not just with the athleticism but timing he’s just always in position to get himself an easy basket u so I I think he’s somebody who can play the five maybe he’s best as a four assuming his shooting does come along but to start his career I like him as a you know a very brings a unique you know offensive game I think to that five spot if he can stretch it out a little bit um and then give you that activity onto the boards and the defensive switchability like a Nick Claxton type that’s that’s the uh the ideal outcome and projection for Ace and Newell but um yeah I think you have to wonder if Chicago would would want to move up for someone like Malawatch um or Derek Queen who’s just a better offensive player but uh I think Newell you know again we’re talking about the 12th pick this is it’s it’s tough to to guarantee yourself a star at number 12 so I think Newell is just a a safe guy with a coveted uh valuable archetype that Chicago could could use let’s move down to 13 the Atlanta Hawks i got him taken casperis Yakuchonis from Illinois um listen I know on paper the Hawks just need a center but what are you going to do i can’t make one up out of thin air if this is how the board works um I do like them adding another creator i also think Dyson Daniels is so versatile you could play him at like any position on the floor so you either look at Yaka Jonas as a six-man type or you say “Let’s get him out there with Trey Young and give the lineup a secondary playmaker another guy who could handle the ball um but also somebody who’s 6’5 66 in shoes that could play the two guard big- time shot maker always has been getting back to overseas and uh you know again he’s entering the best player available conversation and I think he is very interchangeable at either guard spot and you if you’re Atlanta you can use him in different ways atlanta may want to think about a guy like Thomas Sorber we talked about him earlier i think that Sorber is a little bit too close to a Congu um and I’m not sure I have him that high i think I have Yakonis a little bit higher in terms of my best player available but um Yakonis at 13 seems like a very reasonable range and uh and actually a good fit despite the fact that you already have Dyson and you already have Reese uh let’s move down San Antonio Spurs with the Hawks pick let’s see if they’ll make this pick you know after taking Harper at two uh it wouldn’t be shocking if they moved out here but maybe not if Colin Murray Boils is on the board i mean I think he’s a really really good fit next to Webby uh obviously We Wy is a 74 room protector and shooter and Murray Boils is an undersized big guy who likes to play within 12 feet so uh WBY helps mask some of my Boille’s limitations but just looking at my Boils right now by the way that shot looked pretty good if he could start to do that then I think we’re talking about a potential top five prospect in this draft but uh he looked a little too far away from it but in terms of what he does do well he brings a very unique uh one-two punch of power and finesse and agility he brings secondary passing i think he’s got the chance to be a very effective defender in that Draymond Green mold who can guard bigs who can guard wings um everything changes if he adds a jump shot he looked very good at the combine by the way shooting in the mid-range very comfortable um so maybe that’s a sign that he could eventually extend it out he’s got some touch but a good rebounder here super efficient uh the analytics are very strong with CMBB despite the fact he played on a very poor team um so this is I mean I think again best player available but also a very good fit gives him something they don’t have some you know some interior toughness and scoring uh to go with WBY um so I love this pick here if he is there he was not invited in the first batch of Green Rude invites he was in the second batch um which to me is maybe a sign that he is more in that you know late lottery mid- first round range um let’s see moving down at 15 is again another interesting u selection it’s crazy to think that the Thunder who are one game away from the championship have two first round picks of course they do why wouldn’t they and why not take a gamble on Cedric Coward uh Coward is I I’ve we’ve talked about him a lot the last couple weeks on this stream again only six games this year but the tape was very persuasive he’s strong around the basket he’s got a mid-range game he shot 40% from three he averaged 1.7 blocks a game he averaged almost four assists per game um and he’s young for his class i mean he’s still 21 years old and I think if he was able to repeat what he did for six games through an entire season then yeah we probably would be talking about a lottery pick and I think um you know there’s something about I said it every week so I sorry for the repetition but there’s something about the mystery with him that is very enticing and again he’s got a game a body type that that is gonna sway a team to to reach on him early and if you’re the Thunder listen no rookie is playing for you next year anyway probably so you might as well take a swing here um listen on paper his measurements are exactly like Mr 40 points jaylen Williams 65 in socks 72 wingspan 213 pounds um so they have very similar body types and honestly their games aren’t too different and I’d say Farley Coward is a little bit more of a of a true forward although Jaylen Williams plays forward anyway so I don’t know if there’s similarities there uh I could see the Thunder finding them and taking a swing here he’s he’s one of the most interesting prospects in this draft um all right let’s see ahmed Gaming i’d rather ace new on the Raptors than queen yeah that’s uh a reasonable thing to say i mean Newell brings more shooting and more defensive versatility and uh Queen is you know obviously doesn’t guard around the perimeter as much and is a little bit you know technically an outdated game um but again I think Queen’s skill level is just so high that he might go you know a slot or two in front of in front of Mesa what about Rashir Fleming is a fit for the Bulls i like it um I don’t have Fleming that high the fit it makes sense but with Fleming to me the problem is and we’re going to get to Fleming i do have him as a first round pick i like forwards that can handle the ball a little bit and I just I can’t see Fleming being somebody you give the ball to in the half court i think he’s just more of a stretch for and finisher um I I’m a little bit lower on Fleming not a passer uh I’m just a sucker for forwards who could handle a pass and and Fleming doesn’t offer that but sure is it a fit yeah why not uh Brian is too much hype to not be lottery blazers could use him yeah I I think he uh I think he ends up going somewhere in that um 9 to 14 range i can’t see him slipping past San Antonio at 14 asa feels a bit too high and I do think Card goes to the Spurs if he’s available i’ve Yeah I’ve I’ve had Coward at 14 and 15 i’ve gone back and forth i’ve I think Bryant’s rise has knocked Coward down a spot for me but um yeah I could totally see that asa feels a bit too high yeah I could I could also see why again as a as a big as a a forward if you want to call him a forward who doesn’t really handle the ball either and doesn’t really create for himself that number 12 could be too high but um again I think there is a lot of appeal to a 611 guy who could switch defensively and shoot the three ball assuming that he can continue to shoot the three ball and continues to improve it all right let’s go a little bit faster here memphis Grizzlies are now on the board at 16 after the Desmond Bane trade four unprotected firstrounders i love Bane but that’s a lot of value um and to me to make a trade like that suggests that there’s somebody that they’re targeting or at least there’s a couple guys that the Grizzlies know that they can get at 16 i got him taking Nick Clifford uh if you heard my voice at all over the last two months you know I love Nick Clifford um he’s definitely one of the more NBA ready guys at 23 years old um but um yeah I mean I just think he’s an easy fit anywhere he goes um very mature player you can play him in a million different roles 66 could play the four uh you could even play him at the two if he continues to give you that consistent 37% shooting uh outstanding handling the ball in pick and roll situations you know he’s got a very different skill set than Bane um and it’s possible of course the Grizzlies have a two guard replacement for him in mind um but just I don’t know knowing that front office I I think they’re going to value maybe an older player who uh who can contribute right away and they’re not necessarily just going to look to fill that need at two guard watch out for Jace Richardson as another possible option um because another guy who’s very good in terms of the analytics who would fill that spot at the two guard um but and somebody who I did think is like one of the more NBA ready rookies but I I right now if I had to uh if I had to guess I got Nick Clifford at 16 minnesota um I got him taking Diego or Demen from BYU i just think that this is a best player available area for him and if you’re Minnesota you can use another creator big ball handler i mean he’s a a fascinating player because he’s 69 in socks and he’s a you know he looks like a true playmaker out there the question is can he make outside shots and can he stop turning the ball over um and for a guy like this like he’s ball dominant there’s no you don’t take him and then play him off the ball he might as well just draft somebody else uh but with the ball in his hands he could do a lot he’ll get the offense going he’ll set the table for teammates um but probably somebody who’s going to need a year in the G- League or need a year just watching because he is not ready for for to provide shooting consistency and he makes a lot of silly unforced errors but uh nonetheless a fun prospect is a 6-9 point guard and he definitely has fans but there are there are certainly skeptics I’ve talked to who are who are much lower i’m kind of in between maybe closer to uh being a skeptic than than a believer that there’s a ton of upside but I you know can he become a Josh Giddy type i think that’s that’s a realistic outcome uh okay what do we got now 18 the Wizards with the Grizzlies pick i am taking Will Riley um I know that he’s a little bit similar to Ace Bailey but again you’re just stockpiling talent here you’re not worrying about fit if you’re the Wizards um I know scouts who are talking about Riley as a potential lottery pick he has got fans i think he’s helped himself in this pre-draft process with his size um as a big scoring wing and um you know forget the I know the percentages weren’t great but the eye test is shooter shot maker he’s got nice touch inside the arc with his floater game he’s just a a solid scoring prospect and over the course of I’d say the second half of the year we start to see a little bit playmaking with the ball in his hands he did average over two assists per game he’s not a great athlete he’s got no length but he is a very skilled talented offensive player who just feels like he’s just scratching the surface of what he could be um in terms of you know a three-level scorer who also measured almost 69 or 68 in socks so his body is uh been better than advertised coming out of high school and despite you know he doesn’t look so strong but he uses his body pretty well i I think that he’s going to be tough around the basket number 19 again if you’re Brooklyn let’s just keep going for young guys i got him taking Nolan Trayori another French prospect who had a much better second half of the year than first half of the year also measured 63 in socks with a 68 wingspan so those were encouraging numbers and uh listen if you’re Brooklyn you could you could use a point guard to to kind of build with to kind of develop and um he’s what separates him is his playmaking his feel for the game he’s I think I say it every time I’m on here he’s going into the draft with the highest assist percentage outside of Nemhard from Gonzaga he’s just got an unteachable feel and passing instincts and so that’s what you’re going after and I think that’s very translatable but he also shot over 40% from three over the last two and a half months of the season which was a very promising development um he started finishing better around the basket and coming into the season this is a guy everyone thought was going top 10 he just struggled the first couple of months of the season heard his efficiency numbers you see 39% from the floor 30% from three but that was mostly because of a very cold start to the year and he just he got much better so again maybe you buy the trajectory the improvement we saw he’s still 19 years old and he just has a very mature approach so I could see him being an appealing prospect for Brooklyn uh with all their you know 17 picks that they got in this draft they got four in the first round uh and this would be their second one so um to me that makes a lot of sense um all right let’s go down to number 20 and how about I mean I love this this match miami Heat taking Walter Clayton Jr from Florida i just I mean again best player available candidate for a team that needs a point guard of course the Florida Miami connection is there i’m sure they’ve scouted him very closely but uh also if you’re Miami you know I think it’s appealing to find a guy who’s going to help you right away in this window that you have with Tyler and Bam um you have your young guy in Khlo Wear who I think is going to be a stud prospect but uh Clayton to me just feels like a very obvious Miami Heat candidate at 20 he’ll bring immediate shotmaking firepower he’ll bring toughness that you typically associate with the Heat and I think with Miami he’s going to get a chance to play some point guard and work on his playmaking he won’t have to do it all like he did at Florida i mean I wouldn’t say he like he did it all Florida they obviously had a very talented team there but he was you know he was the firepower he he he he was relied on to put the ball in the bucket and that’s what he And if he goes to Miami I think he can start to focus a little bit more on creating for others running offense and developing more into a point guard than just what he’s kind of been labeled which is just an undersized scoreer that’s why by the way he wasn’t high on draft boards until he went to the national championship but uh yeah I mean listen it makes a lot of sense i mean Da’Von Mitchell is a good nice good role player but I think you want somebody who brings a little bit more little bit more offense in your starting lineup and and Clayton has the mentality um and the shot making and the toughness to to be a starting caliber player in my opinion all right let’s see uh BCW I hope Nico over Coward what do you think i love Nicoard what do you think uh they’re represented by the same agent and uh it’s funny to to listen to that camp talk about who’s better um I have Nick just because I feel safer taking a guy I’ve watched play 60 70 games over somebody who just hasn’t played as much against um real competition but Coward again is the more of the boomer bus guy where Clifford is very safe but again yeah I I really do like Clifford and I I I would take him late lottery you’ll bet yourself Brener some love he’s a firstrounder i have him right outside the first round um at 32 to Boston uh I said it last last week I think like there is a there is a world where he could be like Brook Lopez he’s got to make those threes we saw them in flashes this past year i don’t know how attractive he is if he’s not making those um I do think he’s got you know backup center potential i’ve compared him to Colin Castleton but um the steel of the late first round will be Walter Clayton Jr yeah I mean we’ve I think a lot of people have kind of said that i’ve said that way before Florida’s championship run i was always high on on Clayton that’s that’s somebody asked me the other day in the podcast who’s one of your guys like Clayton is one of my guys like I’m he’s somebody I’ve I’ve always been high on and and expect big things from uh bro how do you some of these guys average like 8 to 12 points on bad deficiency get drafted first round like guys like over Walter Clayton Jr is it an age thing yeah it is an age thing there’s just this idea that at certain age there’s less room for growth and also you know team roles plays a factor like Carter Bryant i know he averaged six and a half points but when he was in the game he made shots and when he had an opportunity he made plays if he got 30 minutes a game you know we his numbers would look a lot different but yes it’s every year we saw Daltton Connect last year you know averaged 20 something a game for Tennessee and dropped to 17 in the draft i mean that was shocking but not really when you look at history teams just rather go after upside and potential over a guy who’s 23 years old um all right let’s see what do we got we are down to the Utah Jazz at 21 they have the Timberwolves pick this is where I have Thomas Sorber going another just simple best player available option i think um I know Walker Kesler is is a very solid young prospect but Sorber brings just more offense i think maybe more passing um passing is is to me what separates Sorber i even I don’t even think the numbers do it justice like look at the highlights he just really knows how to find teammates and be that playmaking hub from the top of the key cast was a better shot blocker but uh but not by much um Sorber was a a big-time defensive playmaker 76 wingspan he’s got a decent post game strong finisher around the basket um he took a decent amount of jump shots this year he didn’t make many but I love the confidence and you hope that over time you know he’s just going to start to hit a little bit more clearly he can make them in practice if he was taking as many as he did with Georgetown but uh he’s he’s become a very popular prospect he did get a green room invite so there is clear love there i think scouts would be all a little bit better if he measured over 69 in socks that’s kind of why I compared him to Okangu i don’t know how his game translates at that size to the center position but uh nonetheless again we’re talking about the 21st pick of the draft here so I think that’s that’s going to be pretty good value i see it the 22 since we started the stream a trade has been made oh is it 22 oh no 23 i think the Hawks are still uh the Hawks are on the board um at 22 um I believe so right and they have uh I am taking Maxim Reno they got the Lakers pick um if you’re Hawks just it’s it’s pretty basic logic here you didn’t take a big guy first now is a ch chance to to to go big take a sevenfooter and somebody who brings a totally different dimension of offense than Clint Capella did capella is your classic you know finisher right that’s pretty much what he brought offensively aside from the you know the rim protection whereas Reo is a skilled post player he hit 67 threes this year he’s just a uh a skill center as opposed to somebody who is going to offer a lot of rim protection and be a overwhelming force around the basket but his stock is certainly up after the NBA combine and uh you know you’re looking at the board here you can go in a couple different directions you can take Beer the French prospect who is a decent comparison to Capella or you could take a skilled guy and give you something a little bit different a little bit more offense in the half court um all right let’s see we’re going down to to uh the Pacers the Pacers have traded their pick I believe to the New Orleans Pelicans um you know would I would I change this pick had I known that this trade was just made i’m not sure maybe I have them taking I had the Patriots taking Joan Bearing um who is kind of similar to Eve Mesi so there might be there might be some changes in the next mock draft after this trade was made but just talking about Baron right now he’s in the United States just measured a 74 wingspan a 93 standing reach 611 in socks he’s your classic rim runner finisher shot blocker uh you you know exactly what you’re going to get and you know exactly what you’re not going to get with Baron and that’s going to be shooting you’re not going to get a lot of you know ball handling although that was a pretty move with the step through with the with the euro um not great defense there but like I guess he can attack a close out if there’s space also super young like you know still a teenager and and with an 8.5% block percentage overseas he was an impact guy um and so uh that’s how he kind of caught everyone’s attention and um listen if you’re looking for this particular archetype here’s your guy i mean he’s he’s going to be there and and again I think his archetype translates pretty well you just have to kind of surround him with the right pieces because he’s not going to give you much passing he’s not going to give you any real shooting so you gota you got to have the right pieces around him but his game is fairly translatable in that in that catch and finish block shots and and also by the way he’s looks pretty switchable defensively his defensive highlights were awfully um impressive um okay number 24 Oklahoma City Thunder uh from the Clippers I haven’t taken Jace Richardson if this is the case this would be my steal of the draft i have Jace Richardson as a top 10 prospect this reminds me very similar of I had Tyrese Maxi as a top 10 prospect and I think just sometimes teams overthink size you know if he was he measured six a little under six one in shoes like if he measured 61 and a half would that change you know the optics would that make it a little bit easier to take him i just but from what I’m hearing Richardson who was not invited to the green room yet um it sounds like he’s going to be a mid mid first rounder at best um again I think the Grizzlies are maybe a best case scenario for him this Thunder 24 would be a worst case scenario in terms of his draft stock but this guy just knows how to play he’s a knockdown shooter he picks the right times to attack he’s one of the best finishing guards in this draft despite the fact he’s not an explosive athlete or he’s very big he makes good decisions like he’s just such a classic plug-and-play guy again he he reminds me of Maxi i think he also reminds me of Reed Shepard happened to be Kentucky guys whose offensive games were messed in that in that you know star type of lineup and that was the same case with uh Richardson he just didn’t get many opportunities to create um but when he did like 27 points against Oregon when Jeremy Fierce was out like you saw the whole thing i mean that was a needlemoving game for me um but again it sounds like teams are a little bit hesitant to take a guard who measured six foot who’s probably a two guard and and not even a combo or a one um okay Magic with the Nuggets pick magic traded 16 so this will be their now only first round pick i haven’t taken Rasher Fleming fleming we talked about him earlier 75 wingspan almost a 40% three-point shooter i mean of course th that combination of that physical profile and that shooting to me is of course attractive i don’t know what else he’s going to offer outside of you know finishing and yeah I think he’ll give you some some defensive value with his length but offensively I just you know I can’t see a guy you feed the ball to in the half court i think he’s going to be a floor spacer he’ll be a you know pick and roll guy who who who who finishes plays around the basket um but even at that even if that’s his floor that’s still an attractive combo like he reminds me of Taylor Hendricks who was the ninth pick in the draft a couple years ago serious injury this past year but even with that even with that limited skill set that archetype was valued so much that Utah was willing to take him at number nine so uh Flemmy could definitely go much earlier than this he was not invited to the green room yet uh I don’t believe he was invited to the green room sorry um but but yeah I think this is a a a solid range for him and the Magic make makes some sense here all right let’s cruise down finish these last couple picks the Brooklyn Nets have two picks here with the Knicks i haven’t taken Danny Wolf wol is um another polarizing guy of course everybody loves a seven-footer that can handle and pass and uh he pretty much was Michigan’s point guard at seven feet tall on the other side of it there’s going to be questions about can this game translate he’s not very quick he’s not very athletic um he’s not very explosive around the basket he only shot around 30% from three but uh again we’re talking about a a a guy in the in the mid20s who who can do things most seven players can’t and so if he could just get I’d say a little bit more consistent from three then you got a very interesting interesting player here um you know the comparisons for him have been from Kelly Oolen to Kyle Anderson to How about Hedo Turkloo somebody I threw out there early uh I don’t think of him as a big I think of him more as a a power forward i think Kelly Oolen is really not a bad comp probably offers a little bit more playmaking but in terms of like where his upside is he’s somebody who could probably last 15 years in the league doing this doing what he does I just don’t see a pathway to big upside that’s why I’ve dropped him a little bit but um I think if you’re the Nets again he’s he’s too interesting to pass on here uh Brooklyn picks again with the Rockets pick how about Drake Powell from North Carolina raw not somebody who is going to come in and give you 20 points a game or score that much at all but if you’re Brooklyn again you are starting from rock bottom and I think you have to be drawn to the idea of a 66 wing with a seven foot wingspan who’s super tough defensively um and guards a couple different positions and shot 37% from three so he is your classic 3 and D guy and by the way before coming to North Carolina he played a little bit of point wing we saw a lot more creation uh coming into college than we saw at North Carolina this past season so maybe there’s you know there there’s another pathway um to more scoring upside that he wasn’t able to show this past season but his stock is certainly up after the NBA combine 43 inch max vertical that was the highest there the athleticism the tools again the shooting just a very safe type of projection um but he will need to add uh significant skill to his offensive game to be anything more than that 3 and D guy here’s a guy I have dropping 28 Boston Celtics Liam McNeely uh Liam McNeely did just get an invite in the second batch to the Green Room so probably not lottery but every year a guy from the green room drops uh just based on things I hear around the league like there’s just not a ton of like excitement around him i think everybody praises his maturity and season NBA role player but um I just don’t teams don’t see like this pathway to upside right he’s he’s 68 he can make make threes um he doesn’t shoot well off the dribble at all but he brings some toughness he brings some leadership and there’s probably a role of course for a guy who who’s got his size his shotmaking ability he can make some good reads in pick and roll situations um but I think you know he’s going to get targeted defensively he’s not a great athlete these are a couple reasons why I think he’s going to slip but if you’re a a good team like Boston you know you don’t have to ask him to play 25 30 minutes a game you don’t have to ask him to do too much just be a floor spacer and make good decisions and maybe even make some reads on the ball because he did great as a pretty efficient pick and roll ball handler by the way just thinking about guys in the green room who have slipped like Johnny Fury I think was in the green room last year uh and he went 35 he’s he slipped we just saw him in the NBA finals last night get a couple of uh garbage minutes but yeah it is possible somebody does somebody slips every year that’s in the green room right now my money is on Liam McNeely all right Phoenix Suns uh with the Cavs pick I’m taking Noah Penda penda is just a very unconventional prospect he could go earlier to a team that sees like incredible versatility or he could slip to a team that just questions what exactly he does well but uh Penda is he’s got this big frame 240 pounds defensively he’s quicker than his body suggests he should be he can make open shots you know he can make the right pass he’s a good finisher on the around the basket but I wouldn’t call him a creator i wouldn’t call him a shooter and he’s not a great athlete but he does a lot of different things i mean I think the best case outcome like what you’re hoping for is like a Nicholas Batum type um that’s a bit of a stretch for me but in the late first round uh for a guy who was an impact player in France you know I I could totally see why um somebody somebody buys into Panda particularly again for his defense put a impressive defensive numbers and and the eye test sees a guy with his strength and his foot speed is pretty interesting i think that’s really the sales pitch is is his defense all right let’s close out with uh the Clippers having the Thunder pick and they’re going to take Ben Saraf from M who is also in the German league finals with Noah Asen saraf his stock has taken a little bit of a hit it’s ironically a lot of it is because he keeps winning and he hasn’t come over for the NBA combine he hasn’t come over here for workouts but uh yeah as this tweet says he is a very very good pick and roll player you know the question is does he offer any offball value he’s got to become a better spot shooter and defensively at the two guard he’s going to get targeted like crazy but very savvy guy with the ball in his hands um you know the he’s making the passing reads he knows how to snake the defense and change speeds and got a tremendous handle he’s very good in the mid-range too um but again I think teams are going to question the defense they’re going to question the three-point shooting uh and whether you know athletically he can hold up around the basket but very crafty player one of my one of my favorite guys to watch in this draft um all right so that closes out our first round let’s check out some of your questions in the chat ben Saraf in Miami is a 100% perfect fit for both sides he’s like Goran Drag before I even saw you write Dragitch I knew that’s what you were thinking when you made that connection yeah very similar in terms of their style of play um it just sounds like there’s more confidence in a guy like Walter Clayton hansen Yang and Netherhauser go early second yep I got Netherhauser going early second and Hansen Yang going a little bit after him netherhauser is really interesting crazy athlete great measurements i don’t know if he’s got any feel for the game but again early second round makes sense i’ve compared him to Jackson Hayes and H and Hansen Yang um strong skilled passer can make outside shots now and uh the question is just can he keep up laterally can he beat guys athletically uh in the NBA because it’s a different game from China jayce kind of reminds me of Darius Garland not as fast though that’s not bad i haven’t heard that comparison garland of course more of an onball shifty guy but I do think that Jace has a little bit to him and we just didn’t get to see it at Michigan State i definitely don’t mind that comparison carrie is going to be in the top five best players in the draft from a guy called They Called Me Crazy um that’s funny listen I don’t He’s got one of those like when I think about prospects we think about potential outcomes like there is a potential outcome where a guy who is 67 with a 72 wingspan and two or 13 pounds who shoots threes mid-range shots finishes well defends and averages four assists per game could be a top five guy in this draft there’s just a little bit of guesswork in terms of what his development is going to look like over the next couple years so I don’t have the confidence to say that but uh I’m not going to call you crazy crazier things would have happened i’d rather take Hugan Gonzalez with that last test pick yeah no listen Hugo should be in the conversation there very well could be for Brooklyn i again I think he’s going to be one of the steals of the draft because of just the fact he barely gets to play with Real Madrid and for somebody who needs to improve for a shot to not play that much there’s no opportunity to build confidence to build rhythm so uh he’s if I had to make a list of guys who I think were going undervalued in this draft Hugo Gonzalez is uh is on that list um all right i guess let’s just do a quick recap um again we start at the top you already know who the first two picks are flag to Dallas Harper to San Antonio where I changed things up a little bit was VJ to Philadelphia there’s just it’s just a a match that’s gaining steam and I think he’s a really really good fit he was my original selection for VJ uh Hornets again this is a bit of a again there’s some just going off basic feel and gut here i have with Malawatch um you know replacing Mark Williams at the five but Malawatch is this is a best case outcome for Malawatch i think he is somewhere in that four to nine range i can’t see him slipping past Toronto utah Jazz taking Jeremiah Fierce just there’s just a lot of love for fears out there high level people have said top five type of guy and I don’t think the Jazz can worry about fit this is where Ace Bailey falls to number six with the Wizards of course Ace could still go three four or five but um I I do think he is a a a candidate to slip there’s just a lot of like negative vibes around his camp and and and what’s going on during his pre-draft process pelicans take Trey Johnson at seven best player available right there um the Nets going with a project but one of the highest upside guys I think in this draft and Noah Asen um the Raptors going with Derek Queen to give them a force in the middle and another go-to option to feed around the basket conanipple again this would be one of the steals of the draft if he does go to Houston at number 10 however I don’t think Houston picks here and that’s not off Intel that’s just off using logic blazers with Carter Bryant one of the fastest rising prospects in the pre-draft process chicago Bulls going with Ace Newell after some of the other bigs were taken a 611 floor spacer who I think can switch defensively hawks taking Yakuchonis give him another playmaker and a guy who could play off Trey Young the Spurs going with Colin Murray Boils who is a tough cover around the basket within 15 ft wby would be the perfect compliment for him thunder going with Coward we just talked about him uh the Grizzlies moving into this first round taking Nick Clifford an NBA ready guy who could do a whole bunch of different things on the floor uh the Pistons going with Jieore Demond who gives them a big uh jumbo playmaker the Wizards going with Will Riley another uh high upside scoreer brooklyn Nets going with Nolan Trayori a point guard one of the best um playmakers and table setters in this draft miami Heat going with Walter Clayton Jr to potentially start right away next year the Jazz going with Sorber to give him another big man uh the Hawks with Maxim Ray No give him some some a new form of offense from that five spot now it would be the Pelicans picking at number 23 again I’d probably make a change here but Baron Jay will be in the conversation regardless um as a a rim runner and rim protector jace Richardson to 24 this i hate I hate dropping him this low because I have him as a top 10 prospect but just what I’m hearing it sounds like he is uh not as high on NBA boards as he is on mine 25 Orlando Magic for Sheer Fleming a stretch four with outstanding length and physical tools danny Wolf a point forward going to Brooklyn um the Nets going with three and D prospect Drake Powell to follow up there liam McNeely this would be one of the biggest slides of the first round if he did make it to Boston at 28 29 Noah Penda super versatile but I think it’s his defense that maybe pushes him into the first round and the Clippers going with Ben Saraf the pick and roll maestro very crafty offensive player who is currently in the German league finals i need a glass of water um thanks for listening to this uh all 30 picks here we’re going to be doing an update every couple days now just based on what we’re hearing obviously there’s not going to be a ton of change but uh just to give you an update on my schedule i’ll be doing the uh mock draft show on NBA TV on Tuesday the pregame pre-draft show on NBA TV on Wednesday during the draft I’ll be live on Bleacher Report streaming all 30 picks as they happen and I’ll be streaming all the second round picks the next day again on the Bleacher Report app on Thursday hit me up on Twitter NBA DraftWS i’ll try and respond to every single one of you and again thanks for tuning in we’ll talk soon [Music] hey [Music] hey hey heat heat n [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]

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