SPORTSTREE 2022 MOCK DRAFT – TOP 10 PICKS

NBA / Basketball

Written by Eddie Huband

Source (Background Photo): Getty Images

1. Orlando Magic

Centre: Chet Holmgren – Gonzaga

Orlando finds themselves in an interesting predicament, with a consensus top three of Holmgren, Jabari Smith, and Paolo Banchero to choose from, all of whom bring very different things to the table. Out of the three, the Gonzaga product presents the biggest bust potential, but also the biggest upside.

Don’t let his slight frame and awkward posture fool you, Holmgren has a chance to be a special defensive player. His length, help side anticipation, and instincts make him one of the most polished rim protectors to come out of college in recent history. Add that to a guard-like offensive skillset and you can see why people are so high on his potential.

Holmgren needs to add some strength (an obvious deduction by just looking at him) and doesn’t project to be a number one offensive player. But for a roster already with a nice collection of young talent on the wing, Holmgren could turn out to be a franchise-altering pick if he pans out.

2. OKC Thunder

Forward: Jabari Smith – Auburn

If Holmgren is the biggest unknown of the top three, Smith is the safest choice. With his unblockable jump shot and elite defensive versatility, he’ll make an instant impact on whatever situation he ends up in.

The knock-on Smith coming out is that he has the shooting ability, but his playmaking off the dribble still needs work. His offensive game at the moment resembles prime Kevin Love (a way more athletic version); a pick and pop four without much shot creation in his game.

Having said that, Smith has the perfect body for the NBA, and there’s no reason to believe a player as special as he is athletic can’t make strides in that department.

OKC will get a sure thing to pair with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the next decade.

3. Houston Rockets

Forward: Paolo Banchero – Duke

With the third pick, Houston gets a pretty darn good consolation prize in Banchero. He’s without a doubt the most gifted bucket-getter in the draft, with the most NBA-ready offensive game.

A seasoned scorer who can fill it up on all three levels, and his 6’10 frame and athletic ability make him a perfect combo-forward for today’s game.

Perennial ball hog Christian Wood is now off to Dallas, meaning the front court is clear for Banchero to take control. Simply put, pairing him with second-year scorer Jalen Green will give Houston a lot to be excited about for the future.

The issue with Banchero is that he’s far worse defensively than the other two players I have above him. It’s something that he’s going to have to work on in a major way. But for a team that needs to add talent everywhere, this is a coup to get a player like Banchero at third.

4. Sacramento Kings

Guard: Jaden Ivey – Purdue

The Kings are stuck in a weird spot this year. After the top 3, Jaden Ivey sits in a tier alone as the clear next best player. The problem is, they’ve taken point guards in each of the last three drafts and inexplicably traded the one with clearly the most upside (Tyrese Haliburton) to make room for the other two.

Oh, Sacramento…you never fail to give us hilarious basketball content.

There are rumblings that the Kings are looking to trade out of this pick. Because, well, as I said, the last thing they need is another point guard.

But personally, I don’t see Davion Mitchell as a lead guard, and taking Ivey here is still the right play considering his explosive first step and elite shot-making ability. Ivey has the offensive talent to be a true star in this league. Whether or not he can coexist with DeAaron Fox is another question.

5. Detroit Pistons

Guard: Benedict Mathurin – Arizona

Detroit will likely be disappointed to see Ivey off the board here, he's fit as a scoring combo guard is perfect alongside the playmaking and passing of Cade Cunningham.

So, they’ll settle for the next best thing with Mathurin. He’s a shot-maker. Period. Mathurin shot 38% from three last year in college while averaging 17 points per game. As mentioned, the Pistons need a scorer to round out their backcourt, and Mathurin will slot in nicely.

His defense and passing are a work in progress, but he’s as tough and hard-working as they come, so bet on him to make improvements once he cracks the league.

6. Indiana Pacers

Forward: Keegan Murray - Iowa

Murray is the best player left on the board here, and actually would be a nice compliment to Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner.

He’s a floor spacer who doesn’t need a ton of touches to be affective. An active defender and rebounder with size, he projects to have a game similar to OG Anunoby only not quite as good defensively, or a smaller Al Horford.

Murray is a “does everything well” kind of player and would fill a need at the wing position for an Indiana team trying to rebuild its identity with Haliburton at the helm.

7. Portland Trailblazers

Guard: Dyson Daniels – G League Ignite

This would be a solid pick for the Blazers, as Daniels is a dream pairing with Damian Lillard. A 6’6 pass-first point guard that has elite playmaking skills and is a smart defensive player? You couldn’t ask for a better backcourt mate for Lillard.

His biggest flaw is his jump shot (think taller Rajon Rondo or Ricky Rubio as a comparison), though Dame certainly won’t have any issues carrying the shooting load.

Daniels is raw, but given Portland’s current state (a dumpster fire), they can afford to swing for the fences on a guy that could turn out to be a core piece for them moving forward, even if Lillard eventually moves on.

8. New Orleans Pelicans

Guard: Shaedon Sharpe – Kentucky

The Pels will be looking to build off a surprising run to the playoffs last season, and have less of a need for immediate help than some of the other lottery teams. The frontcourt is looking pretty crowded, especially with the assumed return of Zion, so adding a guard that’s a pure scorer in a 6th man type role would be a wise choice here.

Sharpe is a special offensive player with elite jumping and finishing ability and shifty handles. Oh, and he can flat-out shoot. He has all the tools to be a top-end scorer in the NBA even though he’s a little streaky, and could have a similar trajectory as Jalen Green from last year's draft.

The problem is, he elected not to play for Kentucky amid the COVID-19 season to prepare on his own for the draft, so the last game footage of him is from high school, making him a serious wild card.

He’ll likely be raw given that he’s never played against nearly the kind of size or talent he’ll see in the league, but that’s part of why this pick makes sense. He wouldn’t be forced into a major role right off the bat and could learn behind veteran scorer CJ McCollum until he finds his sea legs.

9. San Antonio Spurs

Forward: Ousmane Dieng – New Zealand Breakers

This is a very Spursian pick, a raw player with a ton of offensive upside. At 6’10, Dieng is as smooth as they come as a shot creator and is also a willing passer. His defense isn’t there yet, but he has the athletic frame to improve on that end.

He isn’t projected to be an immediate impact kind of guy, but he’d be going into a situation with a great development program, where he wouldn’t be asked to do too much right off the bat. His potential on the offensive end could make him a potential “steal of the draft” candidate when it’s all said and done.

10. Washington Wizards

Guard: Johnny Davis – Wisconsin

The Wiz need backcourt help after jettisoning the underwhelming Spencer Dinwiddie last season in exchange for the equally as underwhelming Kristaps Porzingis. Plus, with the Bradley Beal situation in flux, it would be nice to add a player that can thrive either playing with him or without him.

Davis presents all those traits. He can play on or off the ball, can get to the rim and finish, and is an excellent on-ball defender at the point of attack, something Washington sorely needs.

He’s a tough shot maker with an array of moves to get free, but he thrives in the mid-range and will have to improve his three-point shooting dramatically, especially with the way the game is played.

Still, not a bad get for Washington at 10.