2024 NBA Mock Draft 7.0 | The First Round

2024 NBA Mock Draft 7.0 | The First Round

all right you squeezed one more out of me with just under a week until the 2024 NBA draft here is my final mock draft of the cycle this year has been wild the Intel continues to flow through and ultimately most of it is going to be complete and utter nonsense still it seems like we’re trending towards this being one of the more wild drafts we’ve seen in some time this mock draft ended up a very unique one that’s sure to attract the full gamut of YouTube comments but with a draft as open as this one I really believe a lot of these selections are on that table let’s jump into it and number one we have the Atlanta Hawks selecting zacharyi rachet of JL Borg and the lmb pro a league make no mistake this is not what I would do in the slightest I think Alex SAR should be the pick here but from what I understand this selection is still very much up in the air there’s been some Rumblings whisperings that the Hawks could be leaning a different direction from SAR he reportedly hasn’t worked out for them and I think there’s some Merit to them preferring the 69 rache as a lengthy floor spacing Wing in theory a fully realized rashay does work next to Trey Young with his ability to hit triples capitalize in transition and play some feisty off ball defense but there’s no guarantee he’d become a positive contributor quick enough to get on Trey Young’s timeline and being brutally honest here I think this would be a mistake if the Hawks truly don’t want SAR here at number one I’d probably trade back a few spots grab some extra value and swing on Donovan kingan instead if the Hawks do indeed zero in on Riz aade the Wizards get an absolute home run pick here and alexar falling into their lap at number two the team needs to talent in general and with ret offering what I believe to be a pretty low ceiling I don’t think he’s a shoe in here if SAR does go one and in that scenario this is a pretty tough pick with the Wizards though SAR immediately starts at the five using his length and strong shot block timing to protect the rim get easy offense in transition and he gets to continue honing his jump shooting kicking off their rebuild with strong two-way Frenchmen and bilow kulali and sard to create the Wizards would be pretty incredible ahead of strong drafts in 2025 and 26 at number 2 three we have the Houston Rocket swinging on Donovan kingan one of a few Landing spots I actually do like for kingan within the top five I continue to assert that this is a possible spot for kinging despite the Rocket’s best player being Alper and shenon who occupies the Five Spot while many rebuttal to this move would be that kingan will be a backup that’s going to be any player selected here be it Reed Shepard Stefon Castle Ron Holland whoever you draft here probably frequents the bench for a while the Houston front office and head coach eeme udoka have both proven to be big fans of talented defensive players spending 60 million and a top five Draft pick on that very thing last off season and kingan offers some of the best defense in this draft at a position they spent assets to get last season in Steven Adams there could be growing pains early in the process on both sides but ultimately getting one of the best players in the draft here feels like it would work itself out down the line in some way or another and opposing teams having to deal with the offensive-minded shenon or defensive minded cling in for an entire game seems worth it to me with this pick at at number four we have the Spurs going a different direction than most mocks taking talented Kentucky freshman Reed Shepard most mocks at this point address the wing position here for San Antonio meaning rachet Stefon castle and mest basalis are the popular selections but if the Spurs want Reed Shepard in this draft they’re going to have to snag him here if he’ll be here at all and his chance of falling to eight especially is basically zero at 62 or 3ish with the best feel for the game and three-point shot in the class Shephard would work flawlessly in tandem with Victor wanyama toggling between lead and offb ball guard on offense and racking up stocks on the defensive end while his defensive pressure on ball isn’t stifling he’s got wanyama waiting for him as the best shot Blocker in the league in short I think Shephard is a near-perfect selection here for San Antonio regardless of what pick they use fifth overall we have another pretty unique selection in Tennessee’s Dalton connect to the Detroit Pistons I want to preface this selection with the fact that Detroit coveting connect would almost certainly include trading back a few spots to get him but I’m also not sure connect is off the table at number six to the Hornets so this likely isn’t the reach most think it is at 66 connect Works flawlessly offensively next to Kate Cunningham as a sharpshooter who can get his spotting up coming off screens using above average athleticism and handling the ball in moderation the defensive fit here is the real question mark As connect isn’t great and would be joining Cunningham who isn’t especially great either but all of Detroit’s problems aren’t addressable with one pick so perimeter shooting will have to do for now I know that Hornet’s fans are in a rush to succeed with their current roster and I get it but the more I sit on this the more I think modest Bellis and Charlotte could be the perfect pairing a 69ine wing who saw a down year in the G league bazis is still really enticing as a shot maker transition weapon shot blocker and outside threat if the shot ever swings back around with the Hornets bazis wouldn’t be relied on to create offense early in his career and could instead function as a play finisher and spot up shooter honing those things and becoming very complimentary before focusing on the more advanced things like playmaking even if he remains a 69 role player that’s great but if he blossoms into the Handler and playmaker many think he could be that would be a dangerous triple threat of lamelo Miller and him I’m a Mark Williams believer but his pure Rim protection does leave a little bit to be desired and bazell shot blocking skills are one of a few things I see translating pretty seamlessly at the NBA level it is a bit of a high risk but this could be one of the last time Charlotte has a pick this high for a while this is likely the last place Castle himself wants to go but I really like this pairing of Stefon castle and the Portland Trailblazers if he’s still available at number seven which all signs currently Point towards that not being the case on draft night to those who would say Portland doesn’t need another guard I’d argue they’re still in Talent acquisition mode and this would likely be the best remaining player on their board he’s outright said he wants to be a point guard but him on the wing next to scoot Henderson and Shaden sharp as a secondary or ancillary ball handler that can play ball stopping defense makes a lot of sense the biggest issue here is that that he’s a bad three-point shooter being added to what is already the worst three-point shooting team in the league but that feels addressable elsewhere or down the line as Portland is set to frequent the top of the draft for a few more years after landing Shepard at number four we have the Spurs gambling on Serbian guard Nicola topic with their second lottery pick topic has really run the gamut of draft storylines this year seeing success in the ABA switching teams getting injured getting healthy and then getting injured again and finally seeing a negative Wings span at 65 after reportedly having a 7t Wings span still his cerebral high IQ style is going to lend itself to NBA success in my opinion and for the Spurs a team essentially playing with house money here at number eight I think he makes a ton of sense as a long-term table setter for Victor wenyama I buy the shot coming around for topic and I think that duo could wear NBA defenses out for the foreseeable future in this scenario San Antonio locks down its backourt for the next several years rolling topic out just a little later than Shepard I know most people would go with the proven talent in connect or Devin Carter at this spot but I really like the upside play for a team that might not see picks these high again for some time here at number nine we have an increasingly popular pick with Providence guard Devin Carter Landing in Memphis where his dad is an assistant coach even aside from that this pick makes a ton of sense if the Grizzlies aren’t in love with their front court options here Carter plays some of the best defense in this class he’s hyper competitive can hit triples and essentially do a little bit of everything which is obviously always needed next to jaran and Co he likely wouldn’t start in Memphis from the get-go but would be a welcome addition to a team that’s looking to compete as early as next season I still like the Grizzlies to address the center position here if possible but Carter’s a great consolation ad to me rounding out the top 10 we have the Jazz swinging on French wi ton Salon of Chet at a bulky 610 Salon is one of the more projecty raw Selections in this draft but with the right development could turn into a sleeping giant within this class he can hit threes run and dunk and has great defensive tools all made better by his very apparent High motor he’s at his most raw in the in between phases of the game putting the ball on the floor and some still too often lapses on the defensive end of the Court Salone eventually projects to be a big bodied role player that could do a lot of Highly impactful things and the Jazz might just have the runway to let him develop into that in the coming years this wouldn’t be a pick that would yield results immediately but rather in a few years it could really bear fruit and all of the Rumblings and whisperings are pointing towards this being salon’s range at number 11 we have the Chicago Bulls taking a massive swing on Indiana’s Khalil wear a prospect who likely has one of the widest ranges in this whole draft at 7 foot wear can do a bit of everything in terms of Rim running with decent athleticism and Mobility hitting some triples in moderation protecting the rim and even a little bit of drop coverage at first glance he seems like a no-brainer lottery pick but there’s been some reported concerns of a bad motor or a lesser Competitive Edge if the conflicting reports that those concerns have been quelled by his private workouts with teams are true there’s a legit chance late Lotto teams like Chicago who could reportedly be looking for a center in this draft takes the swing on him where wouldn’t immediately insert himself into the starting lineup but he could function as a backup get easy offense protect the rim before potentially blossoming into a bigger roll down the line at number 12 we have the Oklahoma City Thunder grabbing Colorado Wing Cody Williams the brother of thunderstar Jaylen Williams I’m leaning towards this being the pick for OKC on draft night it’s just kind of the perfect storm in that I personally think Williams will be on the board he offers the lengthy Do-it all skill set the front office values at a position of need and they’ve likely already gotten the up close look at his work ethic his close ties Etc Williams takes pride in his defense he can get out in transition makes plays and puts the ball on the floor and while he’s what I would consider to be a project shooter OKC has heralded shooting coach chip England on staff there’s reports Williams projected spot could be much much higher maybe Detroit at 5 not sure I by that to this point I’d guess the range is probably 10 to 14 so OKC might be in the market to move up just a few spots for the second consecutive Year backto back Buffs at number 13 we have Colorado forward Tristan D Silva off the board to the Kings I think this is a moderately easy selection based off who’s available Sacramento is likely looking for players who can hit the ground running and do a variety of things next to their current Stars which D Silva offers he can shoot dribble pass defend and generally it’s just a malleable fit next to to any core and especially the Kings the tandem of him and Keegan Murray Works flawlessly next to Fox and sabonis in my opinion D Silva is somewhat a jack of all trades master of none but I do think he could contribute positively in year one for sack toown there’s been reports Ron Holland could be careening towards a draft night slide out of the lottery entirely with Post Lotto workouts with LA and Miami scheduled I tried to simulate that slide here but I simply cannot see Portland passing on his upside if he’s there at number 14 I don’t totally buy he’ll slide that much at all honestly but if he does there’s a few of these late Lottery teams that I think could benefit from his immediate infusion of athleticism transition scoring and high motor defense Portland especially again in this scenario they don’t add the much needed three-point shooting but that’s worth waiting on in order to NAB one of the highest ceiling players in this class who’s still 18 if I were a part of the Portland front office I would consider him at number seven and I think 14 is a no-brainer I’ve long said that Rob Dillingham could be in for a draft night slide seeing as he’s an undersized point guard with a lottery that just doesn’t call much for that archetype as always though I really like Dillingham he ranked as my third best Prospect overall but the Spurs value positional length teams like Detroit Charlotte Portland Memphis already have guard cores and Utah already drafted a small guard last year teams like Chicago Oklahoma City and Sacramento are likely looking at other options it just doesn’t make a ton of sense to grab him in that 9 to 14 range unless you really plan on developing and playing him if he does indeed slide though I don’t see him making it past Miami as his youthfulness and spark plug scoring in a backourt that could soon need those things is just too tantalizing the defensive fit with Tyler hero and Terry roier is admittedly not great but I’d still Bank on the offensive talent and at the minimum Dillingham likely offers a ton as a future trade chip should Miami want to go all in again in the near future 16th overall we have the Philadelphia Sixers selecting Duke’s Jared MCC which isn’t a Flawless fit for a few reasons but I cannot in good faith continue to let McCain fall down the board with his talent I do think this pairing works on a fundamental level McCain is one of the best Shooters in this draft a player with an immensely High field that has connective passing and can run some set plays in addition to not being a detrimental Defender his fit with the similarly undersized Tyrese Maxi is the only real issue here but ultimately his ability to bomb threes in a complimentary role off embiid is just too enticing he’s the exact type of player that I think could have Major Impact next to embiid for years to come even eventually blossoming into a potential starter in that backourt if I were a betting man though I’d say McCain will be off the board by this pick at number 17 we have the Lakers who now own this pick courtesy of the Pelicans taking a shot on donon Holmes of Dayton Holmes has quickly become one of my favorite prospects in this draft offering a little bit of everything you could want in a front Court piece at 6’11 he was one of college basketball’s most impactful players last season scoring often and efficiently inside while adding perimeter wrinkles like shooting ball handling and playmaking to his game even better he’s a pretty staunch versatile Defender albeit not a true five Holmes is one of a few front Court pieces in this range I could really see making an impact from the jump for La you can play him off the bench utilize him off and on as a go-to scorer or in tand him with Anthony Davis as a face up big who can switch on draft N I don’t think the Lakers will make this pick but if they do Holmes would be at the top of my list for them and plenty of other teams too at number 18 we’ve got a unique pick in the magic gambling on USC point guard Isaiah klier this is understandably not going to be popular I get it Collier is a stocky point guard whose offense is pretty polarizing but still offers a tremendously High upside if he improves in a few areas namely shooting and passing this Orlando team has phenomenal pieces all around they had a great year but it’s still one major piece away from being a legitimate threat in my mind and I still think they have time to really develop a third weapon next to benero and Vagner it’s likely the magic lose some of that guard depth this off seon I really like the gamble on Collier as a high octane backup point guard for a few seasons that could blossom into the lead General this team needs three Unstoppable scoring threats with defensive pieces like sugs and Isaac intermingled really works in my mind as long as you can mix and match shooting lineups intermittently this continues to be my favorite landing spot from one of my favorite prospects Baylor big man EES Mei to the Raptors Mei is is a 610 big with a 7-2 wingspan he’s one of the best and most athletic play finishers in this draft he’s raw but has really tangible upside in being able to put the ball on the floor some switch on the perimeter and defend the ring with the Raptors who look to be in need of some front Court depth Mei would have the runway to blossom into a legit legit player and those pick and rolls alongside the similarly oversized ball handler that is Scotty Barnes would be immensely fun the Cavaliers continue to have a really unique position this off season with the option to go a variety of directions offloading one of their star guards or true Center option in Jared Allen to allow Evan Moy to play the five in this scenario I’ve grabbed Tyler Smith of the gig Gite a 610 forward who offers a drastically different front Court pairing for Moy in that Smith can hit triples and offer some athletic pop near the rim Smith likely wouldn’t be a highly impactful player from the jump but with his big frame he could do some really Baseline things like shoot open shots and play finish at a moderate level and I could see him getting in on the action early no matter what Direction they go I see Cleveland leaving with win now Talent this year at the draft our third and final buff is off the board in undersized guard KJ Simpson of Colorado who I think offers one of the best late first to early second picks in this draft most simply Simpson can do a little bit of everything toggling between an on ball point guard who can wear out the pick and roll or pass with great touch and an off ball guard who can fill it up from behind the arc I think the Pelicans are in desperate need of a malleable backcourt player who can hit the ground running and I think Simpsons fit in the New Orleans core is pretty undeniable in that he can set players up or play off of them not sure I see this happening ultimately but this is sneakily one of my favorite fits in 2024 at number 22 we have the Phoenix Suns grabbing Purdue Colossus Zack Edy whose reputation at this point likely precedes him at 7 fo4 he was one of the best and most dominant Collegiate players of all time averaging 25 12 and two blocks on route to a championship appearance last year he’s a dominant interior Force but more skilled than people give him credit for and one of the best and most consistent pick and roll finishers we’ve seen making his NBA transition a bit easier than many might think I continue to assert that the Phoenix Suns desperately need rotational players of all kinds and I like sticking Edy in this lineup alongside the perimeter oriented Booker Durant and Beal as an enforcer that plays competitive ball uses his sheer size to get easy offense and creates more opportunities with rebounding there’s some defensive concerns but it’s not that much worse than the current product either at 23 I have the Milwaukee Bucks adding Dylan Jones of Weber State a 66 upper classman who stuffed the stat sheet in a variety of ways last season he averaged over 20 points and is a legitimate scorer with the ball in hands driving pulling up and especially getting to the line I like adding another ball handler to this Milwaukee core who at the moment is essentially set to roll out Lillard for another massive chunk next season Jones off ball roll is pretty murky at best currently but I think there’s a lane for him to actually get the Rock in limited minutes for the bucks even as early as next season if he can carve out some successful areas at number 24 the Knicks take a gamble on Duke star Kyle filipowski who had some wavering draft stock over the last few seasons but still offers a worthy gamble as a seven-footer with a modern skill set there’s no guarantee the Knicks are able to hang on to all of their front Court pieces this off season and even if they do the health of Mitchell Robinson is coming to play a tad too much in the last few years with flip they get a prospect who offers a drastically different look and adds another versatile wrinkle to their lineup he’s not necessarily a rim running big but he’s got some workable postgame Mobility he can hit outside shots and moderation and can do some of the same short roll things as hartenstein there’s no guarantee he sees minutes early but I like filipowski as a backfill in case things go south on a few other fronts again we have the New York Knicks picking and this one I fully expect to be traded on draft night on account of the Knicks not really needing to add a second or third rookie and the potential for really valuable swing picks or role play players at this spot if New York does keep the pick though I like a gamble on Baylor guard jacobe Walter who at 66 if he becomes a fully realized player compliments this team’s core well his splits as a freshman didn’t necessarily show it but he projects to be a talented shot maker and one that can finish around the rim additionally getting to the line too I like him as an ancillary piece next to Jaylen Brunson or just generally a plug-and-play off ball guard should the Knicks lose out on any of their current players in the next few years with the Wizard’s second first rounder we have the swing pick to end all swing picks French wi pacome di of the lmb pro a like many other swings there’s a lot of refining to be done to D’s game but he’s got clear touch when shooting even if the numbers don’t quite reflect that and he can potentially get easy offense off Ball by using his size and athleticism in addition to spotting up even more there’s flashes of legit feel for the game and some great on ball stuff which if given the right developmental pathway could yield big results down the line daier would be given the ultimate Runway to succeed with the Wizards being rolled out ever so slowly after adjusting to life and systems in the NBA and on a team that’s going to be a blank canvas very soon at number 27 we have one of my favorite late first pairings in Tyler kic to the Minnesota Timberwolves kic averaged 15 points nearly eight assists and again had a consistent season shooting the ball for Marquette he feels like an easy bet as a rotational guard in the NBA who can handle the Rock Run offense and make plays for others that especially feels like the case in Minnesota where Mike Conley currently handles the bulk of the responsibilities kak doesn’t add much in the ways of Defense but he could be a calming presence as a Handler who can set up the team’s bigs when Conley or ant hit the bench and there’s potential he could create a little magic himself at times too at number 28 we have kraton 66 Sharpshooter Baylor shyan one of the oldest players in this class but one who fits exceptionally with the Denver Nuggets in my opinion shyan had legitimate claim to being the top shooter in this class shooting 38% on a blistering eight attempts per game and he even managed to grab an above average nine boards per game in addition to four assists exhibiting pretty good passing field the defense is the question mark but otherwise shyan fits snugly into this nuggets team as a volume shooter capable of moving the ball the way Denver wants and finding another Lane of success like rebounding freshman kesan George of Miami finally off the board to the Utah Jazz at number 29 I really like George’s skill set even if it’s a pretty random blend of skills at 69 is one of the more touchy jumbo Shooters in this draft at 4 1% on four attempts in just 23 minutes and he’s also got some nice pick and roll operator stuff with playmaking flashing seldomly the issues are General athleticism and him turning 21 late this year but otherwise he seems like a worthy gamble as a big shooter who can function with the ball in his hands a little bit I like that for the Jazz after taking a risk on Salon earlier between the two they could hit on a prospect that could propel them to the promised land or they could both turn out to be legit rotational pieces rounding what is likely the final mock of our cycle is Kevin mcculler as I am now the only surviving member on mcculler island he stands at 66 offers some of the best defense in this class but has a ways to go in improving his overall offense and especially his shooting being that he’ll most likely be spotting up in the half court in the big leagues plenty still I can’t shake the feeling mcculler can be a legit contributor in the NBA if he can just refine his game in a few more places namely the jumper with the Celtics he could almost function as a Bizarro Payton Pritchard instead of offering an offensive spark Off the Bench he could stun lock opposing scores with some of the best perimeter defense in the class which overall would just be a nice wrinkle to throw out as the defending champs

The 2024 NBA Draft is FIVE DAYS AWAY, and it’s time for our seventh and final mock draft of the cycle, featuring the first round.

Contents of this video:

0:00 – Intro
0:29- No. 1 | Hawks
1:21 – No. 2 | Wizards
1:59 – No. 3 | Rockets
2:59 – No. 4 | Spurs
3:47 – No. 5 | Pistons
4:28 – No. 6 | Hornets
5:27 – No. 7 | Trail Blazers
6:11 – No. 8 | Spurs
7:07 – No. 9 | Grizzlies
7:42 – No. 10 | Jazz
8:28 – No. 11 | Bulls
9:18 – No. 12 | Thunder
10:07 – No. 13 | Kings
10:43 – No. 14 | Trail Blazers
11:26 – No. 15 | Heat
12:24 – No. 16 | Sixers
13:11 – No. 17 | Lakers
14:00 – No. 18 | Magic
14:51 – No. 19 | Raptors
15:23 – No. 20 | Cavaliers
16:02 – No. 21 | Pelicans
16:38 – No. 22 | Suns
17:28 – No. 23 | Bucks
18:03 – No. 24 | Knicks
18:46 – No. 25 | Knicks
19:26 – No. 26 | Wizards
20:05 – No. 27 | Timberwolves
20:40 – No. 28 | Nuggets
21:14 – No. 29 | Jazz
21:56 – No. 30 | Celtics