2018 NBA Draft: 1st-Round Order and Prospects Who Could Slide on Draft Day

Prospects in any professional sports draft can slide for a multitude of different reasons, such as a poor performance at a combine. But sometimes, potential draftees slip for reasons completely out of their control. They may be coming off an excellent season and a near-perfect pre-draft process, but they may not be the best fits for teams near the top.

Here's a look at three prospects who could slip a bit in the lottery portion of the NBA draft this year, in addition to a look at the first-round order.

NBA Draft: 1st-Round Order

1. Phoenix Suns

2. Sacramento Kings

3. Atlanta Hawks

4. Memphis Grizzlies

5. Dallas Mavericks

6. Orlando Magic

7. Chicago Bulls

8. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics)

9. New York Knicks

10. Philadelphia 76ers (via Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns)

11. Charlotte Hornets

12. Los Angeles Clippers (via Detroit Pistons)

13. Los Angeles Clippers

14. Denver Nuggets

15. Washington Wizards

16. Phoenix Suns (originally via Miami Heat)

17. Milwaukee Bucks

18. San Antonio Spurs

19. Atlanta Hawks

20. Minnesota Timberwolves (originally via Oklahoma City Thunder)

21. Utah Jazz

22. Chicago Bulls (via New Orleans Pelicans)

23. Indiana Pacers

24. Portland Trail Blazers

25. Los Angeles Lakers (originally via Cleveland Cavaliers)

26. Philadelphia 76ers

27. Boston Celtics

28. Golden State Warriors

29. Brooklyn Nets (originally via Toronto Raptors)

30. Atlanta Hawks (originally via Houston Rockets)

Real Madrid G Luka Doncic

Real Madrid guard Luka Doncic, who has the potential to be a perennial NBA All-Star, is largely considered one of the top two players in this year's NBA draft alongside Arizona center Deandre Ayton (in fact, Doncic is No. 1 on all three of The Ringer's NBA draft analysts' boards).

While Ayton will likely go first or second overall, Doncic doesn't look like a surefire bet for a top-two pick. The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings are picking first and second overall, respectively, and their biggest needs are arguably in the low post.

With Alex Len entering free agency and Tyson Chandler nearing the end of his career, the Suns need a franchise center to build around for the future, and Ayton fits that bill.

Doncic could find his way on the Kings, but they also need some low-post help, especially with two veterans (Zach Randolph and Kosta Koufos) entering free agency this offseason and next offseason, respectively. Sacramento also drafted point guard De'Aaron Fox in the first round last year and likely wants to find out if a backcourt partnership with him and Bogdan Bogdanovic can work long term.

At No. 3, the Atlanta Hawks could be a potential fit, but they need to solidify a frontcourt spot next to 2017 first-round pick John Collins. Atlanta more or less rotated players there all season, so the team needs some more consistency down low.

That leaves the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 4, who have needs at the guard, wing and power forward positions. Doncic can help fill a need there as he plays in the backcourt alongside point guard Mike Conley, who he can eventually take over for down the line.

Texas C Mohamed Bamba

If this draft was taking place at any time before the NBA's small-ball era began, it's easy to see 6'11" Texas center Mohamed Bamba as a surefire top-three pick. Bamba blocked 3.7 shots per game last year and also has a 7'10" wingspan, which was three inches longer than anyone else in the NBA Draft Combine field.

However, Bamba's skillset as a traditional center may not be the best fit in today's NBA, where we sometimes see forwards play as centers in small-ball lineups and traditional centers casually dropping three-pointers.

This shift has been clearly evident in the Western Conference finals, where many centers (outside of Houston's Clint Capela) on the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets have been forced to the bench.

More specifically, Bamba's offensive skillset is not a great match with today's game, specifically his trouble scoring from outside the paint. Of note, he shot just 27.5 percent from three-point range last season.

Still, Bamba can find a home in the NBA and excel, and it's hard seeing him drop too far. In fact, the Chicago Bulls can be a solid landing spot at No. 7 given the team's significant low-post and defensive needs (the Bulls ranked just 28th in defensive efficiency last year). He could start for Chicago right away and immediately make a big impact on the defensive end.

Alabama G Collin Sexton

In another year, Alabama guard Collin Sexton would be a top-five pick. The problem is that supply and demand favors the big men in this year's draft, as many teams drafting in the lottery have significant low-post needs that can be met through the 2018 draft pool.

Aside from the aforementioned Ayton and Bamba, Duke forward Marvin Bagley III, Michigan State forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and Duke big man Wendell Carter Jr. should all be going in the top 10. Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr., who should also go in the top 10, isn't a low-post player, but he's 6'10" and can play power forward.

The other issue is that a few other guard and forward prospects, such as Oklahoma guard Trae Young and Villanova forward Mikal Bridges, look to be ahead of Sexton on big boards right now. For example, Young and Bridges are sixth and seventh for Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, while Sexton is listed at No. 15.

Still, it's hard seeing Sexton slip past the Los Angeles Clippers, who pick No. 12 and No. 13 in this year's draft. The Clippers are undergoing a massive rebuilding project in the post-Lob City world, and they could use an athletic guard to usher in a new era. Sexton can fit that bill.