With the NBA Draft order now set following Sunday’s lottery — the Washington Wizards landed the top pick in one of the most anticipated drafts in recent memory — Kevin O’Connor dropped his Mock Draft 5.0 on Yahoo Sports, mapping out how every pick could play out now that the board is locked in.
We used KOC’s projections as the framework to break down the fantasy basketball implications of each landing spot, because where a player goes matters just as much as who the player is. Here’s a look at the first 14 picks and what they mean for your dynasty and redraft boards.
Advertisement
NBA Mock Draft 5.0 | NBA Draft Guide
Pick 1. Washington Wizards — AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU
An ideal landing spot for Dybantsa, as his size, skillset and scoring ability fit right alongside Trae Young, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis (for now). Selecting Dybantsa hurts Bilal Coulibaly and, to some degree, Tre Johnson’s fantasy values, but Dybantsa in Washington should be the top pick in dynasty — with considerable redraft potential heading into next season.
Pick 2. Utah Jazz — Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
Peterson steps into a loaded Jazz roster that needs a starting shooting guard. Peterson is that guy, a two-way talent who’ll thrive off-ball with Keyonte George running point. There will be a lot of mouths to feed in fantasy production; however, in dynasty, Peterson should be a top-5 pick despite the injury concerns. For a redraft, I would temper expectations beyond that of an efficient scorer drafted outside the top-90.
Pick 3. Memphis Grizzlies — Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
There’s room for Boozer to contribute right away in Memphis. Between club options for GG Jackson, Oliver Maxence-Prosper and a few others on expiring deals, the reigning Naismith College Player of the Year would enter his rookie season with a strong fantasy profile. He’s proven he can score efficiently at three levels, rebound and generate steals. He’s also a decent passer. He’s a high-floor dynasty to pick who should go in the top-5, and also carries some appeal in redraft formats.
Advertisement
Pick 4. Chicago Bulls — Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina
Chitown would be a smash spot for Wilson. The center and power forward spots are among the league’s weakest, giving Wilson an immediate chance to cook. His jumper is his biggest question mark, but I’d love to see how he flows with Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. I see the fantasy potential on both sides of the ball and he’d be a draftable guy across leagues.
Pick 5. Los Angeles Clippers (via Indiana) — Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois
Let’s see what the Clippers decide to do with Kawhi Leonard (expiring deal) and Bennedict Mathurin (UFA), but the 6-foot-6 guard, pairing with Darius Garland, offers playmaking upside that was lacking after James Harden’s departure. Wagler won’t have to create offense right away, which suits his ongoing development at 19. As one of the best freshmen in the country, he was effective in the following categories: points, 3s, rebounds and assists, but it’s uncertain how that will translate to the NBA. He’s a safer top-10 dynasty pick and a wait-and-see in redraft.
Advertisement
Pick 6. Brooklyn Nets — Kingston Flemings, G, Houston
I don’t want the Nets to draft another guard, but if they do, I’d rather it be Darius Acuff Jr. than Flemings. The Nets also selected four-ish guards in the first round last year, so even though Flemings is the best of the crop, I could see the Nets continuing to use a deep rotation where everyone settles in around 20-25 minutes per night. Flemings is a good point guard, but let’s hope there’s another destination in his future.
Pick 7. Sacramento Kings — Darius Acuff Jr., G, Arkansas
I’m concerned about any player going to Sacramento because there are far too many veterans to feed in the pecking order. That said, Acuff’s fantasy value with the Kings is promising, as he plays the one position that appears vacant: point guard. Hopefully, Russell Westbrook doesn’t re-sign in free agency.
Advertisement
Pick 8. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans) — Aday Mara, C, Michigan
The most interesting destination in this exercise, KOC has Mara ranked higher than consensus draft analysts. If the Hawks go with Mara, it would make sense given their quest for a big man to pair with Onyeka Okongwu. He could crack the rotation and be an effective fantasy asset for blocks, boards and assists for a center in 20 minutes a night.
Pick 9. Dallas Mavericks — Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville
I’m down with Brown joining the Mavericks. It’s a wise succession plan with Kyrie Irving, and he can play right away. The Mavs lack a scoring threat at shooting guard and Brown can take on some playmaking responsibilities as well. He should be a top-10 pick in dynasty, especially playing with Cooper Flagg and Irving.
Pick 10. Milwaukee Bucks — Nate Ament, F, Tennessee
With a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade looming, Milwaukee’s roster is set for major changes. Whenever a deal happens, Ament would enter a favorable spot on a team lacking quality wings.
Advertisement
Pick 11. Golden State Warriors — Karim López, F, New Zealand Breakers
The second pick that had me go, “Hmm.” López played meaningful minutes in the NBL Australian Basketball League, which is hard to do at his age (19). The Warriors certainly need help on the wing with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody recovering from knee injuries. The Mexican forward has a versatile skill set that could mesh well with the Warriors’ system, predicated on frequent actions and ball movement.
Pick 12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers) — Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
The only thing that can hold the Thunder back at this point is injuries and the aprons. Injuries are random, but OKC’s front office always stays ahead of the curve. They’ve drafted and traded their way into stockpiling buy-low players and value picks. If they land Lendeborg, they’d get a forward who can contribute to their championship window. I think the Thunder will ultimately go in a different direction, but if Lendeborg goes this high, I’d limit drafting him to dynasty leagues.
Advertisement
Pick 13. Miami Heat — Dailyn Swain, F, Texas
Swain would be a cool pick for the Heat. He can put pressure on the rim, unlike most on their current roster and he’s a physical defender who ranked 83rd percentile in steals in the NCAA. The lack of 3-point shooting is a concern, so he’ll need to show improvement there if he doesn’t want to get schemed off the court. Realistically, it’s hard to predict anything with Miami because they will surely be in on the Giannis sweepstakes.
Pick 14. Charlotte Hornets — Brayden Burries, G, Arizona
I don’t like this spot for Burries, with Coby White likely inking a new deal as Charlotte’s sixth man. There isn’t enough room for meaningful minutes in this scenario. I’d rather the Hornets select a power forward to replace Miles Bridges, since he will be on an expiring deal after next season. Burries is nice, I just don’t see the immediate path to playing time if he ends up in Charlotte.
Read the full article here
