2018 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Where Top Prospects Will Land in 1st Round
The questions for the 2018 NBA draft start at the top and trickle down.
Will the Phoenix Suns keep Deandre Ayton in Arizona, or will they reunite Luka Doncic with head coach Igor Kokoskov? Is there a consensus No. 3 pick behind the top two, or will it be a free-for-all once Ayton and Doncic come off the board?
The Association's annual talent grab always surprises us, but pretending like we know what will happen is half the fun.
With that in mind, let's mock the first round and spotlight two of our favorite potential prospect fits.
2018 NBA Mock Draft
1. Phoenix Suns: Deandre Ayton, C, Arizona
2. Sacramento Kings: Luka Doncic, PG/SG, Slovenia
3. Atlanta Hawks: Marvin Bagley III, PF/C, Duke
4. Memphis Grizzlies: Jaren Jackson Jr., PF/C, Michigan State
5. Dallas Mavericks: Mohamed Bamba, C, Texas
6. Orlando Magic: Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma
7. Chicago Bulls: Michael Porter Jr., SF/PF, Missouri
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Nets): Collin Sexton, PG, Alabama
9. New York Knicks: Wendell Carter, PF/C, Duke
10. Philadelphia 76ers (via Lakers): Mikal Bridges, SF, Villanova
11. Charlotte Hornets: Miles Bridges, SF/PF, Michigan State
12. Los Angeles Clippers (via Pistons): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Kentucky
13. Los Angeles Clippers: Robert Williams, C, Texas A&M
14. Denver Nuggets: Kevin Knox, SF/PF, Kentucky
15. Washington Wizards: Keita Bates-Diop, SF/PF, Ohio State
16. Phoenix Suns (via Heat): Lonnie Walker, SG, Miami
17. Milwaukee Bucks: Mitchell Robinson, C, USA
18. San Antonio Spurs: Zhaire Smith, SF, Texas Tech
19. Atlanta Hawks (via Timberwolves): Anfernee Simons, PG/SG, IMG Academy
20. Minnesota Timberwolves: Khyri Thomas, SG, Creighton
21. Utah Jazz: Dzanan Musa, SG/SF, Bosnia & Herzegovina
22. Chicago Bulls (via Pelicans): Aaron Holiday, PG, UCLA
23. Indiana Pacers: Troy Brown Jr., SG/SF, Oregon
24. Portland Trail Blazers: Chandler Hutchison, SF, Boise State
25. Los Angeles Lakers (via Cavs): Jontay Porter, C, Missouri
26. Philadelphia 76ers: Grayson Allen, SG, Duke
27. Boston Celtics: Bruce Brown Jr., SG, Miami
28. Golden State Warriors: Jacob Evans, SG/SF, Cincinnati
29. Brooklyn Nets (via Raptors): Shake Milton, PG, SMU
30. Atlanta Hawks (via Rockets): Jerome Robinson, SG, Boston College
Best Prospect Fits
Deandre Ayton in the Desert
The Doncic-Kokoskov theories will fly between now and when Phoenix's selection is announced on June 21. But if Ayton stays in Arizona, he would be the type of draft pick who fits the best-player-available criteria and fills a glaring need.
ESPN's Fran Fraschilla, an expert in international hoops, said: "I'd have a hard time passing on Deandre Ayton if I was the Suns," per Scott Bordow of azcentral.com.
"He has breathtaking talent and athleticism," Fraschilla added. "His motor runs high. He has a terrific offensive arsenal. ... There are people who want him to be a better shot-blocker, but I think that can be polished up."
Talents like Ayton don't come along often. His physical and athletic abilities are special for a 7-footer. He provided 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per night as a freshman, even flashing a perimeter jumper every now and then.
He's the type of center who could electrify any fanbase; in Phoenix, he would feel like a savior given who the organization has rolled out in the middle during recent years.
Alex Len has perennially disappointed and is entering unrestricted free agency this summer. Tyson Chandler will turn 36 before the start of next season, the last one left on his contract. Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss are frontcourt mysteries who have spent the bulk of their careers at power forward.
Last season, Suns' centers ranked 27th in scoring (13.8 points per game) and 21st in rebounding (13.6). Their pick-and-roll screeners scored the fourth-fewest points (451).
Ayton would be a massive, instant upgrade. He would form a lethal inside-out punch with Devin Booker and ease the scoring burden on Josh Jackson so last summer's No. 4 pick could focus on what he does best (defend and distribute).
More than anything, Ayton would give Phoenix an identity and direction, which is precisely what teams hope to get out of No. 1 picks.
Mikal Bridges Staying in Philly
Mikal Bridges is a Pennsylvania native who won big at the high school and college levels in his home state. Landing with the surging 76ers would help him keep that trend going at the next level.
"It'd be a hell of a pick," David Murphy wrote for Philly.com. "Quite possibly the one player in this year's draft who can step immediately into a playoff-caliber rotation and contribute on both ends of the court."
Philly needs more two-way wings—a fact hammered home during the conference semis—and Bridges might be the best this draft has to offer.
No, he's not a top-shelf shot-creator, but the Sixers already have those pieces in place. That allows Bridges to maximize his strengths—namely, defensive versatility and outside shooting.
His archetypal size-length-athleticism combo allow him to shift from one defensive assignment to the next without missing a beat. He had top-five Big East finishes in both steals and blocks in each of the past two seasons, which speaks to his adaptability and activity.
He also used his three seasons at Villanova—two of which ended with national titles—to make dramatic leaps forward at the offensive end. He went from averaging 6.4 points as a redshirt freshman to 17.7 two years later. His three-point percentage skyrocketed from 29.9 to 43.5 over the same stretch despite the fact his volume more than tripled (1.9 attempts to 6.0).
His offensive growth makes one wonder if he has more untapped potential than the typical 21-year-old prospect. Even if he doesn't, though, he would still be a great get for the Sixers.
Since Ben Simmons doesn't shoot threes and Joel Embiid doesn't consistently make them (30.8 percent this past season), Philly needs marksmen. The Sixers shot 10 percent better outside in their playoff wins (38.8) than their losses (28.8), highlighting the importance of spacing. That significance will be amplified this summer as J.J. Redick, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova all head for free agency.
Bridges would help address the shooting void and protect the perimeter at the other end. He looks like a plug-and-play option for opening night and could be a big contributor for Philly's next playoff run.
Unless otherwise indicated, all stats are from Sports Reference or NBA.com.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @ZachBuckleyNBA.
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