NBA Draft 2022: 1st-Round Mock Draft, Prospects' Pre-Lottery Landing Spots
NBA teams who tanked their way to the bottom of the standings are about to learn whether it was all worth it.
The 2022 draft lottery is slated for Tuesday night, meaning franchises will soon discover which prospects are realistically within reach at the annual talent grab.
Prior to those results, though, we'll run through a first-round mock with the draft board as is and then examine two questions that could shape the top of the draft.
Mock First Round
1 of 3
1. Houston Rockets: Jabari Smith, PF, Auburn
2. Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero, PF, Duke
3. Detroit Pistons: Chet Holmgren, PF/C, Gonzaga
4. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jaden Ivey, PG/SG, Purdue
5. Indiana Pacers: Keegan Murray, PF, Iowa
6. Portland Trail Blazers: AJ Griffin, SF/PF, Duke
7. Sacramento Kings: Bennedict Mathurin, SG, Arizona
8. New Orleans Pelicans (via LAL): Shaedon Sharpe, SG, Kentucky
9. San Antonio Spurs: Jalen Duren, C, Memphis
10. Washington Wizards: TyTy Washington Jr., PG/SG, Kentucky
11. New York Knicks: Johnny Davis, SG, Wisconsin
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC): Jeremy Sochan, PF/C, Baylor
13. Charlotte Hornets: Mark Williams, C, Duke
14. Cleveland Cavaliers: Malaki Branham, SG, Ohio State
15. Charlotte Hornets (via NOP): Nikola Jovic, SF, Mega
16. Atlanta Hawks: Kennedy Chandler, PG, Tennessee
17. Houston Rockets (via BRK): Ousmane Dieng, SG/SF, New Zealand Breakers
18. Chicago Bulls: Ochai Agbaji, SG/SF, Kansas
19. Minnesota Timberwolves: Tari Eason, PF, LSU
20. San Antonio Spurs (via TOR): Blake Wesley, SG, Notre Dame
21. Denver Nuggets: MarJon Beauchamp, SF, G League Ignite
22. Memphis Grizzlies (via UTA): Kendall Brown, SF, Baylor
23. Brooklyn Nets (via PHI): E.J. Liddell, PF, Ohio State
24. Milwaukee Bucks: Dyson Daniels, PG/SG, G League Ignite
25. San Antonio Spurs (via BOS): Patrick Baldwin Jr., SF/PF, Milwaukee
26. Dallas Mavericks: Christian Braun, SF, Kansas
27. Miami Heat: Bryce McGowens, SG, Nebraska
28. Golden State Warriors: Max Christie, SG/SF, Michigan State
29. Memphis Grizzlies: Walker Kessler, C, Auburn
30. Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHO): Jaden Hardy, SG, G League Ignite
Is the Top 3 Set in Stone?
2 of 3
Most mocks you'll find—including this one—feature the same three names at the top: Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren. The selection order might shift, but those are typically the first three off the board.
Will the actual drafters see it the same way, or could someone else leap into the top trio?
Some scouts think Jaden Ivey could land in that range, per B/R's Jonathan Wasserman, while CBS Sports' David Cobb recently mocked Keegan Murray to the Pistons in the No. 3 spot.
"There is a chance that Murray could be the first player from this draft class to make an NBA All-Star Game," Cobb wrote. "... It's tantalizing to consider what additional elements of Murray's game can be unlocked by an NBA staff. He's well-equipped to guard all positions and is an offensive maestro who is especially effective in transition."
All it takes is the right franchise to fall in love, so it's possible someone becomes enamored with those two or AJ Griffin's combination of size and shot-making or Shaedon Sharpe's sky-high ceiling and really shakes things up at the top.
Who's Worth Trading Up to Get?
3 of 3
It's too early to say the draft forecast will definitely call for a flurry of trades, but the conditions are ripe for that kind of activity.
This is an eye-of-the-beholder draft class, meaning different boards could put dramatically different values on prospects. That alone could have teams looking to trade up or move down. Tack on the disproportionate pick pools—three teams have four selections, four others have none—and that could only drum up the interest in wheeling and dealing.
Ultimately, though, prospects are typically responsible for awakening the trade market, so are there players worth trading up to get? Without question.
If the top three doesn't go as planned, the No. 4 pick could be highly coveted if one of the power forwards slips. Jaden Ivey will surely generate interest among point guard-needy shoppers. Keegan Murray could have big fans in NBA front offices because of his wealth of contemporary skills. Teams seeking an instant impact might favor Bennedict Mathurin, Johnny Davis or Ochai Agbaji, while long-term shoppers could put a priority on Shaedon Sharpe, Jalen Duren or Nikola Jovic.
