NBA mock draft 1.0: Not as weak as initially thought?

NBA fans have heard for months that the 2024 Draft has a subpar crop of talent. ClutchPoints reported in April that multiple NBA executives believe that the 2024 NBA Draft may be the worst ever. Time will tell if this first glance is accurate, but we’ve seen over and over again that franchises can find diamonds in the rough at any selection.

Of course, we won’t know the exact order of the NBA Draft lottery until May 12. For now, we’ll use the same order that Sports Illustrated deployed in their May 2 mock draft, which was sourced from Tankathon.

Portland has missed the playoffs the last three years, and appear to be a ways away from contention. As a result, they might be more inclined to select a raw prospect with their second pick in the lottery. Salaun would fit the bill as a versatile swingman for the Blazers. The NBA’s website highlighted Salaun’s regular flashes of shot-making and athleticism.

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Knecht’s landing spot is all over the map during the first part of draft season. Certain outlets like The Ringer have him as a top 15 pick, while the NBA’s website has him outside of the lottery altogether. The Kings would be thrilled if Knecht fell to 13, considering that they might lose Malik Monk in free agency. Knecht might be redundant with Kevin Huerter, but has more upside.

Sports Illustrated wrote about the backup center spot being an issue for the Thunder, which the team has addressed temporarily by signing Bismack Biyombo. Many were surprised they didn’t aggressively target a big man during the trade deadline, but they might address that during the draft. Clingan is a two-time NCAA national champion, and could fit in nicely with the improving Thunder.

The Bulls are in NBA purgatory, anchored by well-regarded veterans who aren’t quite good enough to get them into the postseason. Yahoo Sports, The Chicago Tribune and others have wondered when the franchise will blow up their team. Williams was called a high-ceiling prospect by CBS Sports, and is the type of swing Chicago will need to take to adequately rebuild.

The 2024 offseason feels like an important one for the direction of the Hawks’ franchise. They have attractive pieces throughout their roster, but they don’t seem to mesh as well as they would have hoped. This makes it a bit challenging to project who they might target in the draft, but Smith could be an insurance pick if Atlanta finally moves on from Clint Capela.

The Rockets’ improved steadily during the 2023-2024 campaign, and have a bunch of young talent throughout their team. If Houston doesn’t trade their selection, they might look to add a development reserve point guard behind Fred VanVleet. The NBA’s website believes that Topic can provide instant rim pressure, pick-and-roll offense and playmaking.

Would Utah consider taking a Baylor guard for the second consecutive NBA Draft? Walter’s confidence from the outside is sky-high, as he told the Longview News-Journal, “I think I’m the best shooter in the draft.” His skill set would play nicely with the Jazz alongside former Baylor guard Keyonte George. Utah only shot 35% from downtown as a team.

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The Grizzlies had horrible injury luck this season, as guards Marcus Smart, Ja Morant and Desmond Bane could not stay on the floor. They probably feel like they’re not far from getting back into the mix in the Western Conference, and adding Holland to an already talented group makes sense. Bleacher Report believes he’s an attacking wing in the mold of R.J. Barrett.

The Raptors’ late season swoon was likely guided by a desire to keep their 2024 NBA Draft pick, which is top-6 protected. Toronto will have their fingers crossed on NBA Draft lottery day to see if their efforts in that regard succeeded. Immanuel Quickley put up great numbers since being traded to Toronto, but the Raptors might want to have him share ballhandling duties with someone like Castle.

Athlon Sports believes that the Spurs timeline to win begins right now, considering that Victor Wembanyama delivered on the massive hype. It’s going to be fascinating to see what type of players San Antonio puts around their emerging star. Dillingham has a bunch of upside in the backcourt, with great athleticism and the potential to be a dynamic scoring guard.

As established earlier, the Blazers will be looking for high-upside, cornerstone players who have the ability to become stars. Buzelis is billed as a shot-creator by The Ringer, who should have no problem fitting into lineups with Scoot Henderson and Deandre Ayton. While his outside shooting will need to improve, he has the skills to be a versatile weapon for years to come.

Many believed that the Hornets would take Scoot Henderson in last year’s draft as a hedge to the injuries LaMelo Ball continues to suffer. Once again this season, Ball could not stay on the floor, and Charlotte has to be thinking about adding to their backcourt. Sheppard doesn’t have the same potential as Ball, but even a reliable player to play next to Ball would be welcome.

Washington may once again look to a French prospect to help rebuild their roster. Risacher could be paired with Bilal Coulibaly, the latter of whom is more of a developmental player. Risacher is viewed by the NBA’s website as being more of a plug and play option, who can stretch the floor and play defense.

Detroit set an NBA record for the longest losing streak in history this past season, so they are extremely motivated to bring someone in who can make a difference immediately. Sarr has been lauded for his defensive ability as a rim protector by the NBA’s website, and The Ringer believes he has the potential be a great offensive player at the next level as well.

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