10.Philadelphia 76ers – Mikal Bridges, Villanova
It’ll be nice for Philadelphia to draft a former Villanova player, especially if it’s Bridges. With his defense, perimeter shooting, and ability to play multiple positions, he’ll be a perfect fit on a 76ers team that’s on the rise.
11.Charlotte Hornets – Robert Williams, Texas A&M
In terms of pure athleticism, Williams is off the charts. He has some growing and developing to do, but all the raw tools are there for the Hornets to develop into an impact player a couple years down the line.
12.Los Angeles Clippers – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kentucky
With back-to-back picks, it’s foolish for the Clippers not to take a point guard, and Gilgeous-Alexander will be the best one available. He has great size for a point guard and is quicker than you might think. He’s not yet an accomplished shooter, but that won’t matter for a team that may not be ready to compete for a couple years.
13.Los Angeles Clippers – Kevin Knox, Kentucky
If you have two straight picks, why not pick up two Kentucky Wildcats. Much like Gilgeous-Alexander, it may take a couple years for Knox to reach his ceiling. But he averaged nearly 16 points per game as a freshman in college, and so there’s little doubt he has the skills to become a dynamic scorer in the NBA.
14.Denver Nuggets – Zhaire Smith, Texas Tech
The Nuggets aren’t hurting for backcourt help, but Smith is such an athletic freak that he’ll be hard to pass up. He’ll be fine coming off the bench for a year or two while he works to round out the rough edges of his game. There’s no doubt Smith has the upside teams picking in the lottery want.
15.Washington Wizards – Gary Trent Jr., Duke
The Wizards have a pair of athletic freaks in their backcourt with John Wall and Bradley Beal, but Trent will give them a shooter who should complement that duo. This won’t be an overly exciting pick, but it’s one that makes sense.
16.Phoenix Suns – Miles Bridges, Michigan State
Some inconsistency at Michigan State will cause Bridges to drop a little from where some have projected him. Nevertheless, he’s an excellent athlete who can jump out of the gym and score with ease. At this point in the first round, the Suns will struggle to pass on his upside.
17.Milwaukee Bucks – Dzanan Musa, Bosnia & Herzegovina
The Bucks have done well with Greek Freak Giannis, so why not take a chance on another kid from Eastern Europe? He’s still quite young, and a few of questioned his athleticism, but his skill set is impressive for a player his age. With more experience under his belt, he’s poised to blossom into a good NBA player.
18.San Antonio Spurs – Jontay Porter, Missouri
Porter brings a nice combination of size at 6’11’’ and a guy who can knock down the outside shot. Perhaps more importantly, he’ll keep his mouth shut, work hard, and let Gregg Popovich mold him into a player who can help the Spurs compete in the Western Conference.
19.Atlanta Hawks – Lonnie Walker, Miami
Assuming they take Bagley third overall, the Hawks will look for a guard with their second first-round pick. Walker spent just one season at Miami, so he’s not yet a finished product, but he looks like he could be another player the Hawks can build around.
20.Minnesota Timberwolves – Troy Brown, Oregon
With Jimmy Butler, Minnesota isn’t desperate for another shooting guard. But Brown could be a nice project for them over the next few years. He has plenty of length and athleticism, and given a few years, he could turn into something special, so he could be worth the risk at this stage of the first round.
