NBA mock draft 3.0: Atlanta deals Trae Young and the top pick!

The Atlanta Hawks shockingly came away with the first selection in the 2024 NBA Draft, after having only a three percent chance to do so. It was a fascinating turn of events, as Atlanta figures to be in retooling mode rather than a rebuilding one.

The third edition of our mock draft solves the Trae Young question for Atlanta. Bleacher Report believes there’s a real possibility he’s dealt, and we posit that the Portland Trail Blazers will acquire the point guard. Portland will part ways with the 7^th and 14^th pick in this year’s draft, as well as Jerami Grant, Robert Williams and Dalano Banton, for Young and the first overall pick.

Audacy’s website and others believe the Hawks can’t afford to start next season with Young and Dejounte Murray in the backcourt. Many others agree, and swapping Young for Jerami Grant and others helps solve the roster construction issue Atlanta currently has. The Blazers would get to start over with a headline player like Young, and select who they feel the best player in the draft is.

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Grant brings positional versatility defensively, which would give Atlanta a ton of options with their newly acquired first round lottery picks. Knecht would be a great addition to the Hawks, as Bleacher Report noted that few players spent more time running off screens in this draft than the Tennessee star. As a senior, he should be a good bet to come in and contribute right away.

Yahoo Sports believes that the biggest need the Kings have this offseason is a defensive center. While Clingan would be a nice pick if he falls to Sacramento at 13, Missi would also be a solid prospect to snag here. Yahoo Sports classifies him as a rim protector with solid hands at seven feet tall and 235 pounds.

The Thunder are well ahead of schedule with regards to the age of their star players and the level of competitiveness they’ve shown during the NBA playoffs. With a bevy of future picks, and the luxury of not needing to panic, Oklahoma City can take a chance on Shannon Jr. The former Illinois guard has a legal situation to work out, but is a gifted pure scorer.

The Bulls aren’t going to have Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond around forever, so it would be prudent for them to turn their attention to a suitable replacement. Clingan’s a winner, having secured two national titles at UConn. CBS Sports believes that his ability to block and alter shots will translate to the next level.

The Jazz appear content to rebuild their roster through the draft, and Williams is a player with one of the highest upsides this year. Yahoo Sports thinks that he will initially have to make his name on defense, but Utah shouldn’t mind that. The team already has more than its allotment of shot attempts doled out to players like Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen.

The Grizzlies likely feel like they’re not far away from getting back into the playoff mix in the Western Conference, and might target a player who won’t upset the stability they already have. Sheppard makes a lot of sense as a backup guard with Memphis, who can keep the ball moving and make outside shots when defenses collapse into the paint.

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The Jakob Poeltl trade keeps on paying dividends for San Antonio, who acquired this pick from Toronto since it fell outside the top six. Topic has great size at 6’6”, and has notable dribble manipulation and vision according to Bleacher Report. Because of his athletic profile, Topic might even be best deployed as a point forward, which would make the Spurs even harder to guard moving forward.

With the higher of the two picks they acquired in the hypothetical Trae Young trade, Atlanta goes for arguably the best shooter in the draft. The good thing for them here is that Walter is not a point guard, and will be able to make plays catching and shooting, much like Knecht would. In theory, this would allow Dejounte Murray open lanes to the basket without much resistance.

CBS Sports believes Castle is a good fit for the Hornets at this spot, and we agree. Charlotte can’t afford to go into another season without insurance for LaMelo Ball, whose ankle injuries have been well documented by the Charlotte Observer. Even if Ball is healthy, Castle should compliment him well as a defensive stopper on the perimeter.

Yardbarker wrote about Detroit’s continued bad lottery luck, as the team had one of the best odds to land the top pick. For the second straight year, the Pistons have the fifth pick, and will have to make do with it. Holland profiles as a swingman who could play next to the likes of Ausar Thompson and Cade Cunningham. Bleacher Report notes that he’s a good finisher around the rim.

The Spurs may choose to double-dip in the backcourt in this draft, considering their depth in that area was weak this past season. Pairing the taller Topic with the smaller but more athletic Dillingham wouldn’t appear redundant, as the latter creates great separation as a scorer, according to Yahoo Sports.

Houston figures to be a candidate to trade out of this spot, considering their plethora of young players and desire to win sooner rather than later. However, if they do stand pat, the Rockets may take a good look at Buzelis. CBS Sports believes he has the potential to be a star, although his outside shot making ability is an open question.

The Wizards could use a strong presence down low to anchor their defense, and Sarr’s profile would fit that bill. Yahoo Sports believes that the Frenchman has an excellent chance to be one of the better shot-blockers in the NBA. His wingspan should also allow his frame to get into the passing lane of opposing drivers in the paint.

With the proposed trade, Portland would take the best prospect available in this year’s draft at pick one. The Trail Blazers would appear to be stuck with Deandre Ayton’s contract, so they’ll opt to take Risacher, who seems to be more versatile than Sarr. The 6’9” swingman shot over 50 percent from three point range in France, according to CBS Sports, which is tantalizingly effective.

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