2021 NBA Re-Draft: Evan Mobley, Franz Wagner Challenge Cade Cunningham for No. 1
A handful of members from the 2021 NBA rookie class are strongly contending for their first-ever All-Star selections. What better way to celebrate the upswing of guys like Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Jalen Johnson, Franz Wagner and Alperen Şengün than by holding a good ol' fashioned re-draft?
Standard re-drafting rules apply. Players will be selected without regard for their fits with the teams on the clock. This exercise is more about identifying the most deserving name in each spot.
Everything that has happened through the first three-and-change seasons of this class' tenure is up for consideration. But remember: We are also re-drafting players based on who we want for the rest of their careers. That will, at times, allow for—or necessitate—some forward-looking projections and gut feelings.
1. Detroit Pistons, Cade Cunningham
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Original Pick: Cade Cunningham
Cade Cunningham's Original Draft Position: No. 1
Keeping Cunningham at No. 1 is not a no-brainer. Evan Mobley and Franz Wagner, in particular, have strong cases.
Skeptics will harp on early-career availability and lackluster efficiency when debunking Cunningham's credentials. That is fair if you're weighting track records over this season and what follows.
Still, Cunningham is the best passer of this draft class. Alperen Şengün has a claim, but Cunningham's lift on the Detroit Pistons has always been heavier. And while his inside-the-arc finishing may never be fully up to snuff, his three-point shooting and volume, defensive size and improvement, presence on the glass and overall on-ball gravity gives him the ceiling required to edge out the next few names to follow.
2. Houston Rockets: Evan Mobley
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Original Pick: Jalen Green
Evan Mobley's Original Draft Position: No. 3
Evan Mobley doesn't initiate enough of the Cleveland Cavaliers offense to render him a consensus top-two pick. But he has leveled up his handle in traffic and finishing through contact and is providing enough stretch from beyond the arc these days to register as much more than an interior play finisher.
Coupling this continued offensive growth with truly absurd defense cements his case over the likes of Franz Wagner, Alperen Şengün and Scottie Barnes, among many others.
Mobley's impact scales from the outside in—a true rarity. And he joins Bam Adebayo and Jaren Jackson Jr. as perhaps the only names who could finish top-three in Defensive Player of the Year voting regardless of whether they're spending most of their time at the 4 or the 5.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Franz Wagner
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Original Pick: Evan Mobley
Franz Wagner's Original Draft Position: No. 8
Franz Wagner's place in 2021 re-drafts will be worth revisiting basically on an annual basis. Questions remain about his perimeter efficiency, but he's an underrated driver of offense for others, generating more looks for himself inside the arc than you think and an active participant in one of the NBA's most daunting defenses.
Some will insist this is an overreaction to his back-of-the-MVP-ballot play at the start of 2024-25 prior to suffering an oblique injury. It's not.
Over the past three seasons, Wagner is averaging 34 points per 100 possessions while canning 55-plus percent of his twos and spearheading a pretty-awesome 116 offensive rating for the Orlando Magic in the minutes he logs without Paolo Banchero, according to PBP Stats.
4. Toronto Raptors: Scottie Barnes
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Original Pick: Scottie Barnes
Scottie Barnes' Original Draft Position: No. 4
Various metrics will demand that Alperen Şengün get the No. 4 nod over Scottie Barnes. And the deciding margins for yours truly are, in fact, razor thin. Especially given Şengün's defensive performance of the past two seasons.
Generally speaking, though, Barnes is navigating life amid fewer surrounding safety nets and has needed to shape-shift his game, at both ends, to accommodate changes in personnel and the coaching staff. That's a big deal.
Barnes' outside shot-making will need a perma-bump to maintain this spot free and clear. But he's improved enough from the mid-range to be treated as a prospective 6'7" offensive engine with impactful malleability on defense.
5. Orlando Magic: Alperen Şengün
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Original Pick: Jalen Suggs
Aleperen Şengün's Original Draft Position: No. 16
Any doubts about Alperen Şengün's viability as a franchise centerpiece are dead.
His defensive activity over the past two seasons upends preconceived notions, even when evaluated against the top-tier perimeter personnel around him. And there is no overstating the significance of his passing, which spans every nook and cranny of the floor and shines through the tightest blocks of traffic.
Scoring efficiency will be the swing factor moving forward. Şengün can subsist on tough shots inside the arc, and his quality of attempts should get easier as the talent around him improves and evolves. But if he's not going to be a reliable standstill threat from deep, we need to see more operability out of his mid-range game.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jalen Johnson
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Original Pick: Josh Giddey
Jalen Johnson's Original Draft Position: No. 20
Jalen Johnson has followed up a 2023-24 season that might have ended with Most Improved Player honors had he appeared in more games with an even better encore.
Progressive growth as a playmaker and scorer stand out above all else. He originally profiled as someone best suited to make decisions on the move. That remains true when watching him attack off the catch and in transition. But his decision-making and floor navigation from dead stops is on the rise and portends a measurably higher pinnacle than even this time last year.
If and when he becomes a steadier jump shooter or more equipped to lead units independent of another floor-general type, Johnson may have the juice to enter the top-four debate.
7. Golden State Warriors: Trey Murphy
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Original Pick: Jonathan Kuminga
Trey Murphy's Original Draft Position: No. 17
Somewhat muted usage and availability leaves Trey Murphy susceptible to tumbling down the re-draft ladder. I can't bring myself to allow it.
Deadeye shooting is his primary business. And, well, business is great. Over the past two seasons, though, he has provided extended glimpses into a burgeoning passing and scoring threat when he gets downhill.
Pepper in flashes of off-the-dribble jump-shooting and linear increases in defensive attention, and Murphy has already exceeded the elite specialist's billing bestowed upon him. While others who follow have more self-creation and defensive chops, the scalability of everything he does exponentially increases his overall value.
8. Orlando Magic: Jalen Green
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Original Pick: Franz Wagner
Jalen Green's Original Draft Position: No. 2
Props to Jalen Green for putting (most of) the "Is it March yet?" jokes to bed. He is currently piecing together his most complete season.
That won't move the needle for everyone. Much like Cade Cunningham, Green's efficiency is unimpressive. But he routinely ferries one of the league's lowest shot qualities. That is to some extent self-inflicted. It is also a feature (bug?) of the talent he plays alongside.
There is an argument to slot him higher. The tenability of his scoring prevents it. Struggling to nudge up his efficiency on difficult looks is one thing. But he has graded out as an above-average scorer on catch-and-shoot attempts just once in his career, according to BBall Index.
9. Sacramento Kings: Jalen Suggs
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Original Pick: Davion Mitchell
Jalen Suggs' Original Draft Position: No. 5
Jalen Suggs' defense needs zero unpacking. He is a one-man frenzy who should retire with a bundle of All-Defense selections.
Depending on the season, his offensive performance will beg all of us to put him higher—or lower. The three-point shot is rickety, particularly in lineups without multiple primary ball-handlers. Despite upticks as a passer and driver, he's not a guard you can entrust with higher-volume initiation responsibilities and expect to feel good about it.
This stands to change if and when he plays within a better spacing environment. And it says a lot about what he's already done that his offensive vacillation and limitations don't displace him from the top 10.
10. New Orleans Pelicans: Herb Jones
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Original Pick: Ziaire Williams
Herb Jones' Original Draft Position: No. 35
Gravitating towards players with higher individual offensive packages will be the default for many. With all due respect, that is a mistake.
Herb Jones guarantees all-world defense no matter the lineup context. That alone assures him top-10 consideration.
A shaky jumper precludes him from going much sooner. He has cleared a league-average clip from three-point range just once. But his advancements as a live-dribble decision-maker and overall passer are real. And they make it so he's seldom, if ever, a non-factor on the offensive end.
11. Charlotte Hornets: Austin Reaves
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Original Pick: James Bouknight
Austin Reaves' Original Draft Position: Undrafted
Austin Reaves is the consummate plug-and-play scorer and facilitator. The various ways in which the Los Angeles Lakers are able to deploy him is among their most bankable and effective weapons.
For much of Reaves' career, you'd find yourself hoping he could deliver more outside shooting and defense. The latter desire endures. But his three-point marksmanship, while not breaking efficiency records, now incorporates noticeably more volume.
The same goes for Reaves' playmaking. He remains at his best when gaining possession off movement and capitalizing on scrambling opponents. But he's shown the capacity over the past two years to situationally initiate against and break down set defenses.
12. San Antonio Spurs: Aaron Wiggins
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Original Pick: Josh Primo
Aaron Wiggins' Original Draft Position: No. 55
Modest floor time and usage stands to bury Aaron Wiggins' in most other re-draft versions. Not this one. If not for his tamped-down sample size, I'd be prepared to make a top-seven case on his behalf.
There is probably a cap on what he can accomplish as a self-starter on offense. He has shown glimpses of from-scratch shot-making but never quite enough consistency or passing to declare that he'd be a featured option almost anywhere outside Oklahoma City.
Color me unfazed.
Every team in the league should kill to get their hands on a 6'6" fringe wing who plays with high-octane intensity on defense while promising standout rim pressure and finishing and outside shot-making
13. Indiana Pacers: Jonathan Kuminga
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Original Pick: Chris Duarte
Jonathan Kuminga's Original Draft Position: No. 7
Jonathan Kuminga as a concept continues to outstrip what we see in practice. Whether this is a defining flaw or symptom of his development and role on the Golden State Warriors is debatable.
Whatever the driving force, we're too deep into his career to keep leaning upon star-upside flickers. Granted, the temptation to do so verges on overwhelming.
Peak Kuminga puts an inordinate amount of pressure on the rim—not just with heads of steam or in transition, but against set defenses. And he has undergone incremental improvement as a passer and spot-up shooter.
Maddeningly inconsistent defense and rebounding cannot be overlooked, though. And he doesn't splash in jumpers or dime up teammates with nearly enough volume to exit this exercise with total benefit of the doubt.
14. Golden State Warriors: Cam Thomas
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Original Pick: Moses Moody
Cam Thomas' Original Draft Position: No. 27
Cam Thomas is currently tracking toward a second consecutive season of averaging (comfortably) more than 20 points per game while nailing over 36 percent of his triples. His volume may be a matter of convenience and necessity (see: the Brooklyn Nets' roster), but few players can shoulder 30-plus percent usage while flirting with league-average efficiency and limiting their live-ball turnovers.
Sticking him at the end of the lottery feels a little icky given this context. But tweener guards are inherently tough to place.
Their stocks are even further complicated when, like Thomas, they don't deliver a ton of defense or project as primary floor generals and have spotty track records when playing away from the ball.
15. Washington Wizards: Moses Moody
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Original Pick: Corey Kispert
Moses Moody's Original Draft Position: No. 14
Moses Moody's usage doesn't always reflect it, but he's the quintessential three-and-plus-a-little-more contributor. His most notable flaw might be his physical profile. He's not quite equipped to be a default point-of-attack stopper yet not large enough to guard every opposing power wing.
16. Oklahoma City Thunder: Quentin Grimes
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Original Pick: Alperen Şengün
Quentin Grimes' Original Draft Position: No. 25
Streaky performances are part and parcel of the Quentin Grimes experiences. You live with that at this stage of the draft when the light at the end of the rainbow is a pesky point-of-attack stopper who can slide up to tussle with certain wings and is capable of raining threes off the catch.
17. Memphis Grizzlies: Josh Giddey
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Original Pick: Trey Murphy
Josh Giddey's Original Draft Position: No. 6
Truth be told, I considered putting Josh Giddey lower. The Chicago Bulls have given him his most ideal environment yet: an offense that doesn't displace him from the ball or need him to score, with 5s that can stretch the floor. He has responded with...unconvincing returns.
Chicago is statistically better, at both ends, with Giddey on the court. But his scoring efficiency is all over the place. He ranks in the 9th percentile of catch-and-shoot efficiency from deep and the 36th percentile of rim efficiency, per BBall Index. And he continues to provide nondescript defense (at best).
Giddey's vision, size and rebounding are worth top-20 fliers; just not much more.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder: Santi Aldama
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Original Pick: Tre Mann
Santi Aldama's Original Draft Position: No. 30
Seven-footers who can knock down threes, have traces of a floor game and move their feet on defense enough to play the 4 or the 5 do not grow on trees. Santi Aldama checks all of those boxes and continues to be among the most underrated players in the league.
19. New York Knicks: Ayo Dosunmu
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Original Pick: Kai Jones
Ayo Dosunmu's Original Draft Position: No. 38
Ayo Dosunmu is screaming for an even larger re-draft bump. The breadth of his defensive activity effectively scales up to four positions despite standing under 6'6". If he were a more bankable shooter or just generally aggressive scorer, we'd potentially be talking about a hindsight lottery pick.
20. Atlanta Hawks: Deuce McBride
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Original Pick: Jalen Johnson
Deuce McBride's Original Draft Position: No. 36
Limited floor time and, recently, knee and hamstring issues can leave Deuce McBride on the outside looking in at a first-round spot. Ditto for his lack of size and offensive initiation. Even at 6'2", though, McBride is a practical three-and-D option. It's tough to pass on that kind of fits-anywhere value at No. 20.
21. New York Knicks: Sam Hauser
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Original Pick: Keon Johnson
Sam Hauser's Original Draft Position: Undrafted
Bigger motion shooters who can come off the bench and pump in efficient buckets despite playing smaller bursts are excellent depth pieces. At 6'8", Hauser often perfects that mold, even amid a downtick this season.
22. Los Angeles Lakers: Jose Alvarado
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Original Pick: Isaiah Jackson
Jose Alvarado's Original Draft Position: Undrafted
Jose Alvarado is First Team All Imagine Where He'd Be Drafted If He Were Three Or Four Inches Taller. His defensive peskiness belies his 6'0" frame, and what he lacks in size as well as conventional facilitation, he's starting to make up for with (potentially) reliable three-point shooting.
23. Houston Rockets: Jay Huff
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Original Pick: Usman Garuba
Jay Huff's Original Draft Position: Undrafted
Jay Huff's 35-game sample with the Memphis Grizzlies this season underwrites his entire re-draft stock. That unequivocally puts this decision on shaky ground.
I make no apologies. If you're going to step out on a limb, it might as well be for a floor-spacing who can also make waves in transition.
24. Houston Rockets: Justin Champagnie
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Original Pick: Josh Christopher
Justin Champagnie's Original Draft Position: Undrafted
Look, you're free to write off Justin Champagnie as small-sample theater. But a 23-year-old wing downing over 45 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes while being moved around the defensive spectrum without seeming overtaxed relative to most other Washington Wizards players is worthy of a late first-round flier in my book.
25. Los Angeles Clippers: Tre Mann
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Original Pick: Quentin Grimes
Tre Mann's Original Draft Position: No. 18
Taking on more responsibility with the Charlotte Hornets has looked good on Tre Mann. His on- and off-ball bucket-getting has withstood significantly more volume. And this season specifically, he has been more comfortable running the offense out of pick-and-rolls. If not for a back injury that's cost him most of this season, he'd be in line for a more aggressive placement.
26. Denver Nuggets: Corey Kispert
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Original Pick: Bones Hyland
Corey Kispert's Original Draft Position: No. 15
Shooters who can drill shots off motion carry boatloads of value. Corey Kispert exists inside the bubble. But his efficiency within his archetype rarely stands out, and he doesn't do enough elsewhere, at either end, to rival his original draft position—especially in a class this deep.
27. Brooklyn Nets: Dalano Banton
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Original Pick: Cam Thomas
Dalano Banton's Original Draft Position: No. 46
Portland Trail Blazers-era Dalano Banton is doing some serious lifting here. And this becomes slightly more of a reach if his playing time continues to starkly fluctuate.
But there is a fluidity to how he dribbles and gets to the rim, even if his finishing isn't enviable. And though he can seem indecipherable from someone like Davion Mitchell, he is both a more active defensive playmaker and big enough to tackle non-guard assignments.
28. Philadelphia 76ers: Davion Mitchell
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Original Pick: Jaden Springer
Davion Mitchell's Original Draft Position: No. 9
Extremely limited offensive offerings leave Davion Mitchell on the fringes of the first round. But his defense remains exhaustive—fully capable of erasing certain primary options from existence. Get him on a team with more pristine offensive spacing, and there's a chance he delivers a Kris Dunn-esque mid-career boom.
29. Phoenix Suns: Day'Ron Sharpe
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Original Pick: Day'Ron Sharpe
DayRon Sharpe's Original Draft Position: No. 29
Seldom do players end up going in the exact same spot near the end of the re-draft. Day'Ron Sharpe's checkered health bill makes it so he can slide out of the first round entirely. On the other hand, the mobile heft he provides at both ends opens the door for a re-draft promotion. And so, he lands here.
30. Utah Jazz: Isaiah Jackson
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Original Pick: Santi Aldama
Isaiah Jackson's Original Draft Position: No. 22
Isaiah Jackson deserves to be a notch or five higher in a vacuum. But the full-floor springiness he plays with may be compromised by an Achilles injury that'll sideline him until next season.
Honorable Mentions: Charles Bassey; Brandon Boston Jr.; Bones Hyland; Neemias Queta; Jericho Sims; Ziaire Williams
Dan Favale covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@danfavale), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes.
Unless otherwise cited, stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference, Stathead or Cleaning the Glass. Salary information via Spotrac. Draft-pick obligations via RealGM.
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