2018 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Prospects Heading into Final Day of Season
With the top collegiate talent declaring for the NBA draft and the tanking completed at the bottom of the NBA standings, we have an idea of which teams have the best chance of scoring a franchise-changing player in June.
The Phoenix Suns will finish with the worst regular-season record, which means they have the best chance of selecting first overall in June, but as we know from past years, that isn't a guarantee.
Memphis, Dallas, Atlanta and Orlando are all below the 25-win mark and should be the near the top of the draft order following the lottery.
The good news for the teams in the lottery is there's a plethora of high-level prospects headlining the talent pool, with the debate regarding who should go first down to Arizona center DeAndre Ayton and Slovenian guard Luka Doncic.
2018 NBA 1st-Round Mock Draft
1. Phoenix Suns: DeAndre Ayton, C, Arizona
2. Memphis Grizzlies: Luka Doncic, SG, Slovenia
3. Dallas Mavericks: Jaren Jackson Jr., PF. Michigan State
4. Atlanta Hawks: Michael Porter Jr., SF, Missouri
5. Orlando Magic: Marvin Bagley III, PF, Duke
6. Sacramento Kings: Mohamed Bamba, C, Texas
7. Chicago Bulls: Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma
8. New York Knicks: Wendell Carter, PF/C, Duke
9. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Brooklyn): Collin Sexton, PG, Alabama
10. Philadelphia 76ers (via Los Angeles Lakers): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Kentucky
11. Charlotte Hornets: Mikal Bridges, SG/SF, Villanova
12. Los Angeles Clippers (via Detroit): Miles Bridges, SF/PF, Michigan State
13. Los Angeles Clippers: Robert Williams, PF/C, Texas A&M
14. Denver Nuggets: Khyri Thomas, PG/SG, Creighton
15. Washington Wizards: Kevin Knox, SF, Kentucky
16. Phoenix Suns (via Miami): Zhaire Smith, SG, Texas Tech
17. Milwaukee Bucks: Dzanan Musa, SG, Bosnia and Herzegovina
18. Atlanta Hawks (via Minnesota): Lonnie Walker IV, SG, Miami
19. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Oklahoma City): Jontay Porter, PF, Missouri
20. San Antonio Spurs: Mitchell Robinson, C, United States
21. Chicago Bulls (via New Orleans): Anfernee Simons, SG, Unattached
22. Indiana Pacers: Troy Brown, SG, Oregon
23. Utah Jazz: Gary Trent Jr., SG, Duke
24. Portland Trailblazers: Shake Milton, PG/SG, SMU
25. Los Angeles Lakers (via Cleveland): Chandler Hutchison, SF, Boise State
26. Philadelphia 76ers: Caleb Martin, SG/SF, Nevada
27. Boston Celtics: Aaron Holiday, PG, UCLA
28. Golden State Warriors: Jacob Evans, SF, Cincinnati
29. Brooklyn Nets (via Toronto): Jalen Brunson, PG, Villanova
30. Atlanta Hawks (via Houston): Chimezie Metu, C, USC
Draft order based off standings following Tuesday's games.
Phoenix Has Close Eye on Wednesday's Games
Although the Suns finished their regular-season schedule Tuesday with a win over fellow tankers Dallas, they have a lot at stake Wednesday.
In addition to holding their natural first-round selection in 2018, the Suns could receive picks from Miami and Milwaukee.
Phoenix owns Miami's selection from the Goran Dragic deal in 2015, but the real drama occurs around Milwaukee's pick.
Through the Greg Monroe trade, the Bucks surrender their first-round pick in 2018 if it lands between 11th and 16th.
Currently, the Bucks hold the 17th overall pick based off the records of playoff teams, but that could change Wednesday.
If Milwaukee loses to Philadelphia and drops out of the No. 6 seed in the East, the Suns would pick up their third selection of the first round.
If that comes to fruition, the Suns have a lottery pick and two mid-level first-round picks in their bounty to rebuild their roster.
Gilgeous-Alexander Becomes Latest Freshman to Declare for Draft
All of the college freshmen we expected to be in the draft pool will be available in June.
Kentucky point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the latest prospect to declare for the pros Monday, per ESPN.com's Jonathan Givony.
Although Gilgeous-Alexander won't follow in the footsteps of the top-five selections John Calipari produced at Kentucky, he is still expected to be a late lottery selection.
Gilgeous-Alexander was one of the standout stars for the Wildcats, who had to develop more as a team at the start of the collegiate campaign than past teams.
Once the Wildcats worked into a rhythm, they became a force to be reckoned with because of Gilgeous-Alexander and Kevin Knox, who is also expected to be a top-10 or top-15 selection.
The freshman point guard averaged 14.4 points, 5.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game, and he proved he is not afraid of the big stage, as he produced double-digit point totals in his final 10 games, including three SEC tournament and NCAA men's basketball tournament contests.
Gilgeous-Alexander should be the third point guard off the board, as he sits behind heralded freshmen Trae Young of Oklahoma and Alabama's Collin Sexton.
With Young and Sexton off the board at No. 10, the Philadelphia 76ers should take Gilgeous-Alexander to provide their lineup with a pure point guard to distribute to the likes of Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz and Joel Embiid.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
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