Mock Draft 2.0
(Note to readers: This is an excerpt of Mock Draft 2.0 provided to free subscribers. To get picks 4-30 you need to be a paid subscriber. Click button below to read the full version.)
The lottery results are in, with the Detroit Pistons the big winners this year. That means it’s time for our second full first-round Mock Draft of 2021.
At this point very little is set in stone. Expect this Mock Draft to fluctuate greatly over the course of the next five weeks.
The NBA Draft Combine got underway in Chicago on Tuesday. It will be followed by a series of pro days, and then prospects will be off to team workouts.
Over the past few weeks, several prospects, especially Florida State’s Scottie Barnes and Turkey’s Alperen Şengün, have been rising, while others, including Baylor’s Jared Butler, have seen their draft stock slip.
For now, here’s our best stab -- after conversations with numerous NBA team sources -- at how the draft will play out in July.
1. Detroit Pistons
Cade Cunningham
Oklahoma State
Freshman
Point Forward
6’7” | 220 lbs | 7’0” wingspan
Age: 19.7
The Pistons began their rebuild in earnest in November by adding three first-round picks -- Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey -- but they are still looking for a young star to build around.
A versatile wing with tremendous feel for the game, Cunningham sees the floor, can score from anywhere and appears to be a model teammate.
Cunningham’s combination of size and offensive ability make him the unicorn of NBA wings. He should be an elite building block as the Pistons continue their multi-year rebuild.
One note: The Pistons have been very high on Jalen Green. Do they take him at No. 1 anyway? Trade the pick down a few spots to take Green and get more assets? I’m going to watch this one closely.
2. Houston Rockets
Evan Mobley
USC
Freshman
Forward/Center
7’0” | 215 lbs | 7’4” wingspan
Age: 20.0
The Rockets need help everywhere and will happily grab Mobley at No. 2.
Mobley is a big who ticks all the boxes for NBA teams today. He’s got a versatile offensive toolbox that allows him to score from anywhere on the floor and he’s proven to be a good rebounder and an excellent rim protector.
The biggest knock on Mobley is that he lacks strength. He can get pushed around in the paint a bit. Given his frame, he might end up keeping a Chris Bosh-esque body type throughout his career.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Jalen Green
G League Ignite
Shooting Guard
6’6” | 178 | 6”7.5” wingspan
Age: 19.4
The Cavs have invested heavily in their backcourt by using lottery picks on Collin Sexton and Darius Garland in recent drafts. They also have a young wing in Isaac Okoru and a young big man in Jarrett Allen.
They really needed a big like Mobley or a big wing like Cunningham and might be tempted to go after Scottie Barnes or Jonathan Kuminga here. But I think Green may be the pick.
Green has the potential to be the best scorer in this draft class, with electric athleticism. Green’s strong play in the G League has some scouts quietly wondering whether he might ultimately have the most star power of anyone in the draft.
4. Toronto Raptors
???
(Note to readers: This is an excerpt of Mock Draft 2.0 provided to free subscribers. To get picks 4-30 you need to be a paid subscriber. Click button below to read the full version.
Paid subscribers will also get access to full scouting reports on all of the top players in the draft as well as the ability to comment on articles and special discussion boards, Zoom calls and more interaction with me in the coming weeks.)