The NBA Draft gets underway this week, with a generational player in Cooper Flagg likely to be the No. 1 overall pick. He will become the first Duke player drafted first overall since Paolo Banchero was selected by the Orlando Magic in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Unlike last year, this draft class has higher expectations. Whether it is Flagg or the Rutgers duo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, it will be a star-studded night in Brooklyn, N.Y.
- Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, F, Duke
This should be obvious by now. No matter what the Mavericks need, they will take a generational talent in Flagg.
- San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers
Like the first overall pick, Harper going to San Antonio at No. 2 is a lock unless there is a trade.
- Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor
For months, this looked like a lock for Rutgers forward Ace Bailey. However, he has made it clear where he wants to go in the draft. The 76ers will be just fine taking an elite scorer like Edgecombe.
- Charlotte Hornets: Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke
One of the perfect fits in the lottery part of this year’s NBA Draft. The Hornets need shooting, and they get that with Knueppel. If Edgecombe is still available at this pick, I would imagine the Hornets go for the Baylor guard instead.
- Utah Jazz: Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma
The Jazz need a point guard and get arguably the best one outside of Harper at No. 5.
- Washington Wizards: Ace Bailey, G/F, Rutgers
The Wizards need a big, but you cannot pass up taking Bailey at No. 6, especially when he has expressed a desire to play in the nation’s capital.
- New Orleans Pelicans: Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
The Pelicans need an answer down low and get arguably the best center in the class at No. 7.
- Brooklyn Nets: Tre Johnson, G, Texas
The Nets could use this pick, along with a plethora of first-rounders, to trade up and snag a player earlier in the draft. However, I am not doing trades in this mock draft. Besides, the Nets would get an absolute steal with Johnson.
- Toronto Raptors: Noa Essengue, F, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
The Raptors need to address the frontcourt, especially at the power forward and center positions. If Maluach is available here, I could see the Raptors going in that direction. It is between Essengue and Maryland big Derik Queen here.
- Phoenix Suns: Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
Phoenix has a gaping hole in its frontcourt after trading Kevin Durant earlier this week. If the Suns do not take Bryant here, he would be gone at No. 11.
- Portland Trail Blazers: Collin Murray-Boyles, F/C, South Carolina
After Bryant is taken a pick before the Trail Blazers go on the clock, Portland adjusts and drafts arguably the best true power forward in the class. They will avoid drafting anyone to play center with how crowded that room is with Deandre Ayton and Donovan Clingan.
- Chicago Bulls: Derik Queen, C, Maryland
The Bulls luck out with a premier center in Queen, who fills a major hole in Chicago.
- Atlanta Hawks: Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois
There is no way Jakucionis falls out of the top 14 picks tonight. The Hawks snag one of the best guards in the class for a loaded backcourt next season.
- San Antonio Spurs: Joan Beringer, C, Cedevita Olimpija (Adriatic League)
It seemed clear that after Harper goes to the Spurs at No. 2, San Antonio would go with a true center to compliment Victor Wembanyama at No. 14.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Egor Demin, G, BYU
The defending NBA champions could aim for a center here, but with a fringe top-10 prospect like Demin, you sit here and take the BYU stud.
- Memphis Grizzlies: Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State
Clifford is on the older side, but fills in the hole left behind by Desmond Bane, who was recently traded.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown
The Timberwolves can go in a lot of directions here, but they could use some help at the center position. Sorber is my favorite center in this class but is coming off an injury that sidelined him for most of Big East play at Georgetown.
- Washington Wizards: Danny Wolf, F, Michigan
Wolf played power forward along with Vladislav Goldin at Michigan, but there is no way that he would continue playing at that position. Expect a strong 1-2 punch in the frontcourt of Wolf at center and Alex Sarr at power forward.
- Brooklyn Nets: Asa Newell, F/C, Georgia
The Nets might not pick here with their loaded draft capital, but they would love Newell’s upside which was often present at Georgia.
- Miami Heat: Liam McNeeley, G/F, UConn
If the Heat want a shooter on the wing, McNeeley is their guy. If they want a point guard, Jase Richardson, Nolan Traore and Walter Clayton Jr. are available as well.
- Utah Jazz: Hugo Gonzalez, G/F, Real Madrid (Spain)
The Jazz need as much help as possible, especially on the wing. Gonzalez has a lot of potential and Utah has hit the nail on the head with international players in the frontcourt in the past.
- Brooklyn Nets: Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State
Who knows where the Nets will draft by the end of the night? If they stay here, there is no doubt that Richardson would fit in terrifically in an attractive destination.
- New Orleans Pelicans: Nolan Traore, G, Saint-Quentin (France)
The Pelicans need guard help after trading away CJ McCollum. Traore provides a true point guard role in New Orleans.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Maxime Raynaud, C, Stanford
Sam Presti would be bummed if Sorber and Wolf were unavailable here. However, Raynaud has impressed many during the draft process.
- Orlando Magic: Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida
One of my favorite players in the draft, Clayton has what it takes to be the Magic’s Jalen Brunson.
- Brooklyn Nets: Will Riley, G/F, Illinois
Well, the Nets are back on the clock again. This time, they go for value and take the best player available in Riley.
- Brooklyn Nets: Noah Penda, F, Le Mans (France)
It has been too long since the Nets were on the clock. Just kidding. They could aim at their 3 or 4 positions here, with Penda still available.
- Boston Celtics: Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton
The Celtics would love to wait on Kalkbrenner, but the Suns would scoop him up with the following pick, so they are forced to take one of the best defensive players in the draft at No. 28. They badly need a center after trading Kristaps Porzingis.
- Phoenix Suns: Rasheer Fleming, F, Saint Joseph’s
The Suns’ consolation prize for missing out on Kalkbrenner is Fleming, who was outstanding at Saint Joseph’s.
- Los Angeles Clippers: Ben Saraf, G, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
The Clippers could prepare for the future in the backcourt with Saraf as James Harden continues to get older.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Cedric Coward, F, Washington State
- Boston Celtics: Drake Powell, G/F, North Carolina
- Charlotte Hornets: Yanic Konan Niederhauser, C, Penn State
- Charlotte Hornets: Tyrese Proctor, G, Duke
- Philadelphia 76ers: Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas
- Brooklyn Nets: Hansen Yang, C, Qingdao (China)
- Detroit Pistons: Bogoljub Markovic, F/C, Mega Superbet (Serbia)
- San Antonio Spurs: Chaz Lanier, G, Tennessee
- Toronto Raptors: John Tonje, F, Wisconsin
- New Orleans Pelicans: Jamir Watkins, G/F, Florida State
- Golden State Warriors: Johni Broome, C, Auburn
- Sacramento Kings: Alex Toohey, F, Sydney (Australia)
- Utah Jazz: Rocco Zikarsky, C, Brisbane (Australia)
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Eric Dixon, F, Villanova
- Chicago Bulls: Sion James, G, Duke
- Orlando Magic: Viktor Lakhin, C, Clemson
- Milwaukee Bucks: Kam Jones, G, Marquette
- Memphis Grizzlies: Vladislav Goldin, C, Michigan
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Lachlan Olbrich, F/C, Illawarra (Australia)
- New York Knicks: Amari Williams, C, Kentucky
- Los Angeles Clippers: Izan Almansa, F/C, Perth (Australia)
- Phoenix Suns: Koby Brea, G/F, Kentucky
- Utah Jazz: Javon Small, G, West Virginia
- Indiana Pacers: Hunter Sallis, G, Wake Forest
- Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Sanders, G/F, Nevada
- Memphis Grizzlies: Dink Pate, G/F, Mexico City (G League)
- Orlando Magic: Micah Peavy, G/F, Georgetown
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Alijah Martin, G, Florida
- Phoenix Suns: RJ Luis Jr., F, St. John’s
Calhoun's Corner 
This was fun. Thanks for sending out. Hope you and the f
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