Got a lot of time on my hands, so I decided to do a full 2 round mock draft and see anyone else's thoughts, draft tragic or otherwise. I'm not going to put trades in because this draft is way too volatile. I'll give a little rundown as to why a team will make a certain pick for their 1st round picks, but in the 2nd round I'll just list off the strengths of the player. I'm not that bored yet...
1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, Guard. Edwards is a super athlete who can force his way inside and score as he pleases. There are legitimate concerns, some that remind me a lot of Andrew Wiggins ironically, but I think these could be ironed out and he could form a pretty nasty big 3 with KAT and D-Lo. Even if he is Wiggins-esque, as long as he's not on $30m a year that's not too bad.
2. Golden State Warriors: Deni Avdija, Wing. Point forward kind of player who plays with intensity, and is a pretty solid athlete. I think he could provide that wing playmaking that Golden State have loved in the past with KD and Iggy, and allows Klay to keep playing the 2. However, it is quite likely they trade the pick IMO.
3. Charlotte Hornets: James Wiseman, Big. Enormous NBA athlete who finishes highlight-level plays at both ends. What more could Charlotte want? I guarantee they're sick of staring guys like Zeller and Biyombo. I also don't buy into them being into Ball given what they paid Rozier and what they also have in Graham. Wiseman would fit really nicely alongside Washington and Bridges.
4. Chicago Bulls: LaMelo Ball, Guard. A pass-first point guard who is big enough to play defence against 2s and 3s sounds ideal for Chicago. Lavine and White aren't point guards by any real stretch of the imagination, and Ball could be the hype machine needed to kickstart something in Chicago. Would be interesting to see Ball alongside Lauri and Wendell Carter.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Isaac Okoro, Wing. The Cavaliers have desperate needs defensively and at the wing position (Cedi Osman is not the answer), and Okoro fits the bill perfectly. Crazy good defensive instincts for a 19 year-old, powerful build, and made real differences in winning at Auburn (24-4 with him, 1-2 without). I would like them to go for a defensive-minded guy here.
6. Atlanta Hawks: Obi Toppin, Big. Might seem like a somewhat redundant pick given they have Collins, but my reading of the situation is Atlanta is shopping Collins, so Toppin could make perfect sense. Super offensive arsenal, can space the floor vertically and to the perimeter, and is perhaps the bounciest big in the draft. He seems custom-made to play alongside Young and Capela.
7. Detroit Pistons: Tyrese Haliburton, Guard. Efficient, athletic, can pass and makes plays on defence, and he's got the size to play both guard spots. Detroit need a point guard to take the reigns alongside Wood and Doumbouya, and I think Haliburton is that guy. I think he'd have been pushing for top-5 consideration if he didn't get hurt.
8. New York Knicks: Killian Hayes, Guard. The Knicks desperately need a true point guard, as I don't think DSJ or Ntilikina are the future for them. Hayes projects to me to be quite similar to D-Lo - big lefty guard who can pass, drive and shoot. That sounds pretty fun alongside RJ Barrett, who in my opinion had an underrated rookie season in a dysfunctional New York team. Hayes would throw a heap of alley-oops to Robinson too.
9. Washington Wizards: Onyeka Okongwu, Big. Washington currently start a defensive sieve at centre in Thomas Bryant. I think, especially given Bryant isn't even on big money, he'd be best used as a 6th man type role due to his ability to offensively change games. Okongwu is an elite defender, great rebounder and can finish inside with ease. I think he and Hachimura would be a great duo, and he's too talented to slide any further.
10. Phoenix Suns: Aaron Nesmith, Wing. Phoenix look to be making a genuine push to be a playoff team, and Nesmith is ready to contribute right away. Super shooter and can also play D, he'll be able to contribute right away. James Jones showed last year by picking Cam Johnson that he isn't afraid to pick whoever he thinks will help.
11. San Antonio Spurs: Patrick Williams, Wing. An athletic raw wing who has the physical tools to do it all? San Antonio probably like their chances to develop such a player. There'd be no pressure on him immediately while veterans like DeRozan and Gay play most of the wing minutes, and those are two athletic players who he could stand to learn a lot from.
12. Sacramento Kings: Saddiq Bey, Wing. A 3&D wing who can guard 2-4 would be ideal for Sacramento, especially given the likely loss of Buddy Hield very soon. The Kings have been reliant upon guys like Harrison Barnes, Nemanja Bjelica and Trevor Ariza to provide their 3-4 play recently, it's time they added some youth. A guy from Villanova is almost guaranteed to produce too.
13. New Orleans Pelicans: Devin Vassell, Guard. Another 3&D player (bit of a theme with this draft), I think Vassell is exactly the kind of long-term player to pair with Ball and Ingram. If he can learn some offensive pointers from Redick and some defensive ones from Jrue Holiday he could be a genuine steal at this position.
14. Boston Celtics: Kira Lewis Jr., Guard. Super fast, can shoot, pass, defend and rebound, Lewis does a bit of everything. He's a sophomore that is younger than many freshman, and he has reportedly put on some weight to get up to around 180lbs. Avery Johnson (his former coach) really rates him as an NBA prospect. Over his last 7 games he averaged 23/6/3 with 49% shooting from 3 at 6.1 attempts. I don't think his shooting is an issue.
15. Orlando Magic: Precious Achiuwa, Big. I could see Orlando really buying into the prospect of a lineup with Achiuwa and Isaac at the 5 and the 4 respectively. That is a really athletic and problematic lineup for most teams to deal with. It would also allow them to pursue trades of Vucevic and Gordon pretty aggressively.
16. Portland Trailblazers: RJ Hampton, Guard. Portland had a down year, a lot of that being due to injuries, so I could see them taking a flyer on a guy who has high potential but a low floor. Hampton was unimpressive in the NBL, but was a great high school player and has all the athletic tools. Portland have had success with Anfernee Simons, so they may like their chances.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Cole Anthony, Guard. Had a really down year in a poor UNC team, but was hugely hyped prior to that. Has all the athletic tools to put it together, just needs a run of health and some time to get used to a system. Too much potential for Minny to pass up.
18. Dallas Mavericks: Theo Maledon, Guard. Maledon is in my eyes a more natural off-guard, which I think makes him a nice fit in Dallas. They've had great success with Europeans, quite obviously, and I don't think they'd be afraid to take Maledon. His personality is a constant talking point (in a good way), so I am comfortable projecting him as a long term rotational player.
19. Brooklyn Nets: Aleksej Pokusevski, Wing / Big. Brooklyn are entirely in win-now mode, so going for someone with such a unique and high ceiling in Poku isn't a very radical move. What better way for a 7 footer with guard skills to learn is there than by sitting under Durant's wing?
20. Miami Heat: Tyrell Terry, Guard. Another elite shooting guard to slot into Spoelstra's awesome movement heavy offence sounds good to me in theory. Especially if some team offers Dragic big money that Miami are uncomfortable matching. There wouldn't be pressure on Terry to perform immediately, but Miami are routinely shown to be comfortable trusting guys who can play, regardless of age or experience (Herro, Robinson, Nunn).
21. Philadelphia 76ers: Jaden McDaniels, Wing. I don't rate McDaniels that highly if I'm honest, but I could see a team like the 76ers seeing what happened with Michael Porter Jr and trying to emulate that here. His ball handling and shot creation could appeal to them, even if he'll likely never be a consistent performer.
22. Denver Nuggets: Jalen Smith, Big. An athletic floor-spacing big man who can play some solid defence sounds like a great guy to replace Plumlee, assuming he doesn't return. Smith can play the 4 and the 5, so he'd be able to slide either behind Jokic in the depth chart, or even alongside him in certain match-ups.
23. Utah Jazz: Nico Mannion, Guard. We've seen Quin Snyder do good things with pass-first point guards, namely Ricky Rubio and to a lesser extent Emmanuel Mudiay. Mannion has similar efficiency concerns to Rubio, but he's a great runner of the pick & roll, and Utah have one of the best PnR bigs in the league.
24. Milwaukee Bucks: Tyrese Maxey, Guard. The Milwaukee Bucks are in desperate need of some speedy players. Almost every one of their rotational players is slower than the average at their position. Maxey failed to deliver on his promise coming out of high school, but he's an aggressive combo guard with a great arsenal of moves inside.
25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Leandro Bolmaro, Wing. The Thunder have an endless stream of first round picks coming their way, so I comfortably see them taking a swing on a playmaking Euro wing. He's called the "Messi of basketball" over in Argentina, and he's always compared to Manu (an unfair thing to do to someone), but he's got genuine skill and could be an interesting player next to SGA.
26. Boston Celtics: Xavier Tillman, Big. Tillman is an elite defender, capable of defending both 4s and 5s, due to his great BBIQ and decent athleticism. His BBIQ extends to the offensive end too, as in my opinion he's the best passing big man in the draft. Given the success of high-IQ pick Grant Williams I see Tillman as being an excellent fit.
27. New York Knicks: Josh Green, Wing. Green is an athletic 3&D wing who underperformed at Arizona, a team that had almost too many weapons for all of them to be showcased, but he has all the tools to succeed in the NBA. He's a really strong defender, and while he's been inconsistent with his shooting he's a mile better than Knox in that regard.
28. Los Angeles Lakers: Grant Riller, Guard. The Lakers need someone who can handle the ball, shoot and pass immediately at the NBA level. Riller is that guy. The Lakers will be trying to cash in on winning again next year, as it could likely be their last genuine chance for some time, and Riller could help fill the void that might be felt by departing veteran free agents.
29. Toronto Raptors: Isaiah Stewart, Big. With the departure of Gasol and Ibaka, Toronto desperately need a big man. Preferably one who can shoulder the load of playing inside against the bruising guys in the NBA. Stewart can rebound, protect the rim and has the athleticism to help on the perimeter if needed.
30. Boston Celtics: Desmond Bane, Wing. Bane is an elite shooter with an NBA-ready frame. He's got 4 years of consistently elite 3 point shooting and the ability to defend both 2s and 3s. The concerns over his wingspan will limit him against the longer wings that are in the NBA, but he's strong enough to be fine.
31. Dallas Mavericks select Tyler Bey: Defensive-minded rebounding wing with elite length.
32. Charlotte Hornets select Jahmi'us Ramsey: Athletic 3 point shooting guard, not much on offence in terms of passing.
33. Minnesota Timberwolves select Malachi Flynn: High BBIQ on both ends, can score from all levels.
34. Philadelphia 76ers select Vernon Carey Jr.: Big-bodied power 5, great rebounder and super strong inside.
35. Sacramento Kings select Tre Jones: High IQ guard who developed a shot, really solid playmaker.
36. Philadelphia 76ers select Isaiah Joe: Sharpshooting wing who could be used to try and rekindle what they lost when Redick left.
37. Washington Wizards select Cassius Stanley: Most impressive wing athlete in the entire draft, very raw.
38. New York Knicks select Reggie Perry: Unique guard-like skillset for a big in a strong NBA-level frame.
39. New Orleans Pelicans select Killian Tillie: Stretch 4 in the Ryan Anderson build, could be really interesting alongside Zion.
40. Memphis Grizzlies select Zeke Nnaji: Strong athletic big with the ability to score inside with both hands, hustle machine.
41. San Antonio Spurs select Paul Reed: One of the most versatile defenders in the game with an insatiable pursuit of rebounds. Seems like a Pop guy.
42. New Orleans Pelicans select Cassius Winston: NBA ready guard who can pass, shoot and defend. Low ceiling, high floor.
43. Sacramento Kings select select Kaleb Wesson: Stretch big who can rebound and pass, but is quite terrible at defence. Sullinger-esque.
44. Chicago Bulls select Robert Woodard: Power wing who can hold his own all over the floor. Improving jump shot.
45. Orlando Magic select Payton Pritchard: Older guard who can pass and score from all 3 levels really well. Not a good athlete by any means.
46. Portland Trailblazers select Jordan Nwora: Athletic 3&D wing, but doesn't generate much offence otherwise.
47. Boston Celtics select Sam Merrill: Perhaps the best shooter in the draft, but is a bit older than JB.
48. Golden State Warriors select Markus Howard: GSW take a flyer on perhaps the biggest flamethrower in the draft. Could be IT 2.0.
49. Philadelphia 76ers select Yam Madar: Flashy playmaking guard who could stay overseas for a year.
50. Atlanta Hawks select Udoka Azubuike: Physically strong monster who will probably be a great situational big for years.
51. Golden State Warriors select Elijah Hughes: Strong producer in college, but concerns about efficiency in shooting and handling.
52. Sacramento Kings select Skylar Mays: Crafty combo guard who had multiple 30 point college games.
53. Oklahoma City Thunder select Immanuel Quickley: Undersized off guard but is an elite shooter from 3 and the FT line, not great passing.
54. Indiana Pacers select Paul Eboua: Interesting borderline unique athlete, could be best suited at the 5 (6'9" with a 7'3" wingspan).
55. Brooklyn Nets select Josh Hall: Guard skills in a wing body, but there is very very limited tape on him. Could be the boom or bust guy a contender looks at.
56. Charlotte Hornets select Abdoulaye Ndoye: Great size for a PG and improving shooter, but has yet to show much against quality opposition.
57. Los Angeles Clippers select Kenyon Martin Jr.: Unsurprisingly a freakish athlete. Limited tape and questions over his position, but he has all the athletic tools and then some.
58. Philadelphia 76ers select Mason Jones: Elite offensive force at Arkansas, could blossom into a bench flamethrower.
59. Toronto Raptors select Ashton Hagans: Good passer and decent athlete, but really struggled to score in college. Could learn from Lowry.
60. New Orleans Pelicans select Yves Pons: One of the best athletes in the draft who is an amazing shot-blocker for his size. Not much else besides athleticism.