The only certainty in Thursday night’s NBA Draft is that the Phoenix Suns will take Arizona center Deandre Ayton with the overall No. 1 pick. The only other sure bet is that the majority of the players taken in the first round will be one-and-done guys.
After that, it’s a crapshoot. Will Duke’s Marvin Bagley III go No. 2 or will the Sacramento Kings take 19-year-old Slovevian sensation Luka Donic, the youngest player to win the EuroLeague and EuroLeague Final Four MVP awards, with that selection?
There are many other questions, too. Where will Villanova’s Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman go? That’s open to debate. What will the Sixers do with their six picks, two of which are in the first round? Will they stay at Nos. 10 and 26 or put together a package deal to move up?
We’ll find out when NBA commissioner Adam Silver steps to the podium around 7:30 p.m. to kick off the proceedings at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. And so, with that in mind, here is one man’s projection on how the first round will play out. Just remember that these predictions and a $1.55 will get you a 20-ounce cup of coffee at Wawa, unless it’s a free coffee day.
No. 1. Phoenix Suns: Deandre Ayton, Arizona >> The 7-0 freshman center is an offensively skilled big man who is the perfect complement to high-scoring guard Devin Booker.
No. 2. Sacramento Kings: Marvin Bagley III, Duke >> This is where the draft could get interesting. The 6-11 forward/center in the consensus pick, but the Kings could go with Donic here, too.
No. 3 Atlanta Hawks: Luka Doncic, Slovenia >> The Hawks have three first-round picks. If the 6-8 Doncic falls to this spot don’t be surprised if it triggers a series of trades.
No. 4. Memphis Grizzlies: Jaren Jackson Jr., Michigan State >> Jackson needs work on his offensive game, but he is a 6-11 PF/C who can defend and rebound.
No. 5. Dallas Mavericks: Mohamed Bamba, Texas >> The Mavs need defensive help and the 7-0 freshman center from the Westttown School fills that need.
No. 6. Orlando Magic: Michael Porter, Missouri >> If healthy, and that’s the big if with Porter, the 6-11 forward could be a steal for the Magic.
No. 7. Chicago Bulls: Trae Young, Oklahoma >> The Bulls need offensive and defensive help. The 6-2 Young, who led the country in scoring and assists as a freshman, fills part of that need on offense.
No. 8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Wendell Carter Jr., Duke >> This is a critical pick if the Cavs want to keep LeBron James. The 6-10 Carter is a step in that direction.
No. 9. New York Knicks: Collin Sexton, Alabama >> Sixers fans who want Villanova’s Mikal Bridges will sweat this pick out, but the Knicks go with the 6-2 Sexton, a point guard who can score.
No. 10. 76ers: Mikal Bridges, Villanova >> Yeah, it’s a homer pick, but the 6-7 Bridges fills the need for a 3- and-D guy to go with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
No. 11. Charlotte Hornets: Kevin Knox, Kentucky >> The Sixers brought in the 6-9 forward for a pair of looks but decide to go with Bridges. The Hornets quickly scoop him up.
No. 12. L.A. Clippers: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kentucky >> This is the first of back-to-back picks for the Clips and they go for the talented 6-6 point guard.
No. 13. L.A. Clippers: Lonnie Walker, Miami >> The Clippers take the 6-5 shooting guard out of Reading to give Gilgeious-Alexander a running mate in the backcourt.
No. 14. Denver Nuggets: Zhaire Smith, Texas Tech >> The Nuggets go for the athletic 6-4 guard who can defend.
No. 15. Washington Wizards: Miles Bridges, Michigan State >> The Wizards get the man they want in the 6-6 Bridges.
No. 16. Phoenix Suns: Robert Williams, Texas A&M >> This could be a gamble, but the 6-10 power forward is a tremendous athlete with a 7-5 wingspan.
No. 17. Milwaukee Bucks: Jerome Robinson, Boston College >> The Bucks go for some backcourt depth with the 6-5 shooting guard who was second in the ACC in scoring (20.8 ppg).
No. 18. San Antonio Spurs: Donte DiVincenzo, Villanova >> The Spurs are a perfect fit for the 6-5 guard who scored 31 points in the national championship game and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.
No. 19. Atlanta Hawks: Aaron Holiday, UCLA >> The Hawks need a point guard and the third of the three Holiday brothers (Jrue and Justin) is the perfect fit. He may be small (6-1), but can defend and has a 6-6 wingspan.
No. 20. Minnesota Timberwolves: Troy Brown, Oregon >> A big guard (6-7, 215) who can defend and pass, but needs to improve his 3-point shooting (just 29.1 percent).
No. 21: Utah Jazz: Omari Spellman, Villanova >> A bit of a gamble this here, but the upside is that Spellman is 6-9, only 20 years old, shot 43.3 percent from 3-point range and blocked 59 shots, which makes him the ideal stretch four.
No. 22. Chicago Bulls: Chandler Hutchinson, Boise State >> Reports are the 6-7 swingman has a guarantee the Bulls will take him if he is still on the board.
No. 23. Indiana Pacers: Elie Okobo, France >> An athletic, left-handed point guard with NBA 3-point range. He’s only 6-2, but has a 6-8 wingspan.
No. 24. Portland Trail Blazers: Grayson Allen, Duke >> This is higher than most mock drafts, but Allen would fit right in with CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard.
No. 25. L.A. Lakers: Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State >> He is a classic 3-and-D guy, a 6-8 forward with a 7-3 wingspan who can play and defend a number of positions.
No. 26. 76ers: Kyhri Thomas, Creighton >> As Villanova fans can attest, the 6-4, 200-pound Thomas is a rugged combo guard who can defend (two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year) and make the three (40.6 percent for his career).
No. 27. Boston Celtics, Jalen Brunson, Villanova >> Brunson’s basketball IQ is off the charts. The consensus National Player of the Year was the driving force behind Villanova’s run to a second national title in three years.
No. 28: Golden State Warriors: Kevin Huerter, Maryland: Warriors coach Steve Kerr wants to get younger and a player who can contribute right away. The 6-7 shooting guard is the perfect fit, if he’s still available.
No. 29. Brooklyn Nets: Mitchell Robinson, USA >> The Nets traded for Dwight Howard, who would be a great mentor for the 7-1 shot-blocking specialists who did not play last season after withdrawing from Western Kentucky.
No. 30. Atlanta Hawks: Dzanan Musa, Bosnia & Herzegovina >> If the Hawks want to take a risk, Musa is the guy. He’s 6-9, can play guard and just turned 19.
