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# Team Player Pos 1 
Cade CunninghamOkla. St. PG ![]()
The expectation on Thursday night is that Detroit will stay put at No. 1 and select Oklahoma State product Cade Cunningham. The Pistons have worked out several of the other top players in this draft but Cunningham is both a good roster fit and considered the consensus No. 1 prospect in this draft.
2 
Jalen GreenUSA SG ![]()
There will be three reasonable paths Houston could take here -- Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs or Jalen Green -- but Green is the fast-rising player who I expect will land with the Rockets in this slot. Most gifted scoring prospect in this draft and there's room to grow for him as well as he develops his defensive profile and adds to his already-elite bag of tricks on offense.
3 
Evan MobleyUSC C ![]()
Cleveland's backcourt is loaded so with Jalen Suggs and Evan Mobley both on the board here the tiebreaker is fit. so they grab the 7-footer from USC. He's an instant impact defender who can shot block and rim run at a high level and I like the potential a future Jarrett Allen-Mobley frontcourt presents.
4 
Jalen SuggsGonzaga PG ![]()
Toronto has a type it likes in guards best summed up in a word: Gritty. Jalen Suggs fits that type as a two-way talent and could be a Kyle Lowry replacement to pair next to Fred VanVleet in the backcourt.
5 
Scottie BarnesFlorida St. SF ![]()
Orlando's drafted its fair share of big forwards whose big weakness is shooting, so Scottie Barnes' jump shot -- or lack thereof -- likely won't scare them away. He's got a great frame, can guard all five positions and boasts incredible court vision to compensate for his struggles as a shooter.
6 
James BouknightConnecticut SG ![]()
No lottery pick's stock has risen more in recent weeks than James Bouknight. He's impressing in team workouts and answering questions about his jumper to boot. A fit in OKC as a dynamic scorer next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gives the team another exciting backcourt prospect with promise to build around for the future.
7 
Jonathan KumingaCongo SF ![]()
If Golden State keeps this pick it would be wise to bet on long-term upside over fit. So, in Jonathan Kuminga, they do precisely that, landing a wing with All-Star upside and the length and athleticism to maybe help early with the Warriors.
8
Moses MoodyArkansas SG ![]()
After selecting a forward with a shooting problem at No. 5, Orlando scoops 3-and-D talent Moses Moody here to give this young roster another weapon -- and he can shoot it. Moody's got a reliable outside shot, defends at a high level and he's got enough playmaking upside that, if it continues, he could be one of the steals of the lottery in this draft.
9 
Franz WagnerMichigan SF ![]()
Sacramento has for weeks been linked to Michigan forward Franz Wagner and, for weeks, he has been a mainstay here in my mock. So I'll continue to keep him here. Still only 19 years old after spending two seasons in college yet has the frame, shooting and defense to be an early NBA contributor.
10 
Josh GiddeyAustraliaMOCK TRADE from MEM SF ![]()
Mock Trade from: MEM
Memphis moved from No. 17 to No. 10 in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans with Josh Giddey reportedly in mind. Giddey's the best passer in the draft and a big-bodied wing who can be a plus-playmaker in the NBA.
11 
Alperen SengunTurkey C ![]()
Alperen Sengun won Turkish League MVP last season as an 18-year-old while averaging 19.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. His production at his age in a very good professional league has earned him plenty of fans. And while his game is more of a throwback to the old school style, it's reasonable to bet on the production at his age -- plus he fits a dire roster need for the Hornets.
12 
Keon JohnsonTennessee SG ![]()
The Spurs look plenty deep at the wing position but in Keon Johnson, they get one of the most tantalizing prospects in the draft who, at this point, presents arguably the highest long-term potential among those still on the board. Very raw talent on the whole but an explosive athlete with natural physical tools and a strong defensive framework to build on.
13 
Jalen JohnsonDuke SF ![]()
While Jalen Johnson struggled in his 13-game stint at Duke before quitting the team, he's still a borderline lottery talent because of his frame and ability to play-make and pass at his position. No doubt some flaws in his game but the former five-star has a nice pedigree worth gambling on and he adds unique ability on offense as a passer and shot-creator that could make him a value regardless of how the other parts of his game develop.
14
Davion MitchellBaylorMOCK TRADE from WAS PG ![]()
Mock Trade from: WAS
After prioritizing a player with a big long-term ceiling who may not be impactful right away at No. 7, Golden State comes back at 14 with a potential win-now addition in Davion Mitchell. Mitchell is a defensive menace who won Naismith Defensive Player of the Year last season, adds top-notch playmaking ability and is coming off a career year in which he made 44.7% of his 3s.
15 
Trey Murphy IIIVirginia SG ![]()
Washington needs shooters to add to its roster and if Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook are the foundation this franchise is going to continue forward with, Trey Murphy at No. 15 is worth the price of admission. He has a special ability to reliably make 3-pointers and space the floor and also has positional size to be a plus-defender.
16
Isaiah JacksonKentucky PF ![]()
OKC should be in the market to add to its center rotation -- via the draft or free agency -- so in Isaiah Jackson they get a young, promising prospect on a rookie-scale deal. He's a springy leaper who, with his long and wiry arms, can do a little of everything around the rim.
17 
Corey KispertGonzagaMOCK TRADE from NO SF ![]()
Mock Trade from: NO
New Orleans moved back from No. 10 to No. 17 in a trade with the Grizzlies but still comes away with a role player in Corey Kispert, the draft's best sharpshooter. He should be a knockdown option to pair next to Zion Williamson as the team adds shooting around their young star.
18
Jaden SpringerTennessee PG A scout told CBS Sports' Colin Ward-Henninger earlier this year that on his own personal projections he ranks Jaden Springer ahead of Jalen Suggs in this draft. That praise might be pouring it on a tad thick, but it shows there really are believers in what Springer can do. He's a bulldog defender who has a real edge and swagger to his game that shows up on both ends, and there's enough play-making and shot-making in his game to find a strong role on a young team like OKC.
19 
Jared ButlerBaylor PG ![]()
While Davion Mitchell got the NCAA Tournament draft bump, Jared Butler was quietly the Final Four MOP and the offensive weapon that helped lead Baylor's top-rated offense. He's a decisive passer who operates well in tight spaces with his sharp handle and is a career 38.4% 3-point shooter. Skill-wise, a great match for a Knicks franchise in need of depth at the guard spot.
20 
Cameron ThomasLSU SG ![]()
As a freshman for LSU last season Cameron Thomas led the SEC in scoring. He was a scorer at the prep level, a scorer at the college level, and he'll be a scorer in the NBA. It's his NBA skill. The Hawks clearly value that type of talent, too, having traded for Lou Williams earlier this year.
21
Usman GarubaSpain PF The defensive chops of Usman Garuba combined with his ability to defend multiple positions makes him one of the more ready-made prospects in the draft on defense. While he's a tad undersized for a big and still developing his offensive weaponry, New York could put him to work early -- and potentially use him to insure against Mitchell Robinson.
22 
Chris DuarteOregon SG ![]()
Chris Duarte is the oldest prospect in the draft but he is also one of the most NBA-ready prospects, too. Great size, great shooter, great defender -- and a great match on a Lakers team that could put him to work right away as they try and extend their championship window.
23
Ziaire WilliamsStanford SF ![]()
Houston should be taking as many big swings as possible and at No. 23, in this draft, there's arguably no one with more potential than Ziaire Williams. The wing has special shot-creation skills for his size. He struggled in his one season at Stanford, though, and could wind up falling in this range on draft night.
24
Kai JonesTexas PF ![]()
Another Houston pick, another big swing, this time with a product not far away in Texas' Kai Jones. Jones can knock down corner 3-pointers, run the rim and defends at a high level as well.
25 
Nah'Shon HylandVCU PG "Bones" Hyland dominated at the combine, knocking down shots, getting to the cup and providing instant offense. A team looking to add a microwave scorer would do well to look his way in the mid-to-late first round -- and the Clippers might be an ideal landing spot to add more shot-making on an already-loaded roster.
26 
Ayo DosunmuIllinois SG ![]()
Ayo Dosunmu came back to college as a junior to improve as a shooter and try to lead Illinois to a title. He failed at the latter but achieved the former, hitting 38.6% from 3-point range (after it was 29.6% the year prior) while improving as a passer and rebounder. Glue-guy potential here with him as he does a lot of things really well but nothing at an elite level. Someone who should stick and find success.
27 
Quentin GrimesHouston SG A former five-star who struggled at Kansas, Quentin Grimes re-made his game at Houston and developed into one of the draft's most prolific shooters. That skill -- coupled with his playmaking potential, good size and defense -- could make him a valuable addition to a Nets team with a core of superstars already in place.
28 
Charles BasseyW. Kentucky C Philly needs to find an answer at its backup center spot. I can think of no better way to complement the NBA's most dominant interior force in Joel Embiid than with one of college's most physically imposing bigs in Charles Bassey. Coming off a knee injury, Bassey destroyed Conference USA last season and he has made significant strides as a rebounder and shot-blocker. He might struggle defending in space but there's immense value for a big who can do what he does.
29 
Tre MannFloridaMOCK TRADE from BKN PG ![]()
Mock Trade from: BKN
While Brooklyn has as much scoring, shooting and playmaking as any team in the league, the skill set Mann has remains immensely valuable. He brings good positional size and limitless range as a scorer, and in college he operated as a real playmaker, potentially setting him up to be a contributor on a Nets team with a core in place and in need of valuable options on rookie-scale deals.
30 
Joe Wieskamp SG Wieskamp tested well at the combine athletically and is coming off a career year at Iowa in which he made nearly half of his 158 3-point attempts. With his shooting ability it'd be silly to let him slip out of the first round.
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# Team Player Pos 1
Cade CunninghamOkla. St. PG ![]()
The Pistons were the fortunate franchise that won the lottery — and now the job of general manager Troy Weaver is easy. The pick should be Cade Cunningham, a point guard with size who can shot-create, play-make, score from all three levels and just generally take over games when the situation requires it, which he showed time and again in his one season in the Big 12.
2
Jalen GreenUSA SG ![]()
The Rockets have employed various star guards in recent years — namely James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul. Now they desperately need another one. And the highest-upside guard not named Cunningham in this draft is probably Jalen Green — an elite scorer with explosive athleticism who has a chance to be a big-time scorer in this league for a decade-plus.
3
Evan MobleyUSC C ![]()
The Cavaliers have young talent in their backcourt thanks to the presence of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland, but they could use a frontcourt star to go with them. That's why the pick should be Evan Mobley, a one-and-done center who is perfectly suited for the modern NBA given that he's a true rim-protector who can guard in space, make plays off the bounce, shoot jumpers from the perimeter and impressively pass out of double-teams.
4
Jalen SuggsGonzaga PG ![]()
The Raptors were big winners on lottery night when they bounced into the top four and earned the right to select whichever top-tier prospect drops to them. In this mock draft, it's Jalen Suggs — a great competitor and top-shelf athlete who could flourish playing next to Fred VanVleet and become an All-Star level player in time if his 3-point shot just becomes a little more reliable.
5
Scottie BarnesFlorida St. SF ![]()
The Magic are in a total rebuild and would be wise to select the prospect with the most potential to develop into something special. I'm not certain that's Scottie Barnes — but all of the intel in recent days suggests the Magic are leaning this direction.
6
Jonathan KumingaCongo SF ![]()
Oklahoma City's rebuild should have general manager Sam Presti focusing on nothing but adding young prospects with high upsides. At this point in this mock draft, the best player who fits that description is Jonathan Kuminga, the big and versatile athletic wing who would be a steal at this point in the draft as long as he becomes a serious 3-point threat as he ages.
7
James BouknightConnecticut SG ![]()
There's some thought that the Warriors will try to package this pick and move it for a veteran who is better equipped to help a core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green compete for another title next season. But if they can't get that done, an intriguing option would be James Bouknight, who has reportedly eased a lot of concerns about his low 3-point percentage during the pre-draft process by burying shots from everywhere in workouts.
8
Moses MoodyArkansas SG ![]()
Focusing on young prospects who can grow and develop together makes a lot of sense in Orlando. Moses Moody is a one-and-done prospect who just turned 19 and projects as a 3-and-D wing after shooting 35.8% from 3 while helping Arkansas advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
9
Franz WagnerMichigan SF ![]()
The Kings finished with the worst defensive rating in the NBA this season, which suggests they could use a prospect who adds something on that end of the court. Wagner would likely do that — though, let the record show, this is a little higher than I'd probably take the former Michigan standout based on some concerns about whether he'll actually develop into what those who believe in him envision at the next level.
10
Josh GiddeyAustraliaMOCK TRADE from MEM SF ![]()
Mock Trade from: MEM
The Grizzlies moved up to No. 10 in this draft this week and might try to move even higher before the day is done. But if they sit here, Josh Giddey is an obvious option who would provide Memphis with a playmaking wing who would theoretically fit nicely in between Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
11
Corey KispertGonzaga SF ![]()
Gordon Hayward has missed 48 regular-season games the past two seasons, which is among the reasons the Hornets need to add depth on the wing. Corey Kispert, who made 44.0% of the 6.5 3-pointers he attempted per game last season at Gonzaga, is arguably the best shooter in this draft, which is why he'll likely be selected in the lottery despite some obvious flaws that were exposed during the Zags' loss to Baylor in the national title game.
12
Alperen SengunTurkey C ![]()
The midseason buyout of LaMarcus Aldridge left San Antonio with zero great options in the frontcourt. So using this pick on a big like Alperen Sengun — a throwback center who has been a professional in Turkey since 2018 — would qualify as a sensible move and give Gregg Popovuch someone who is already very comfortable catching the ball at the elbow and using a developed face-up game to score and draw fouls.
13
Davion MitchellBaylor PG ![]()
Put me in charge, and Davion Mitchell is already off the board. But it appears the interest in the former Baylor star has waned the further we've gotten from the national title game despite him being a tenacious on-ball defender whose playmaking ability — and shotmaking ability — would improve the Pacers immediately.
14
Chris DuarteOregon SG ![]()
The Warriors need to add a player in this draft who is older and equipped to help a core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green compete for another title next season. Chris Duarte is exactly that — a 24 year-old do-it-all guard who made better than 42% of the 5.5 3-pointers he attempted per contest last season at Oregon, where he led the Ducks to back-to-back outright Pac-12 regular-season titles.
15
Trey Murphy IIIVirginia SG ![]()
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Jalen JohnsonDuke SF ![]()
Jalen Johnson's decision to quit Duke midseason after his role was decreased wasn't a good look (or a positive for his draft stock). But he's still a former five-star prospect with undeniable potential, which is among the reasons he'd make sense for an Oklahoma City franchise that needs to focus on possible future stars.
17
Tre MannFloridaMOCK TRADE from NO PG ![]()
Mock Trade from: NO
The Pelicans still need to surround Zion Williamson with shooting -- and adding Tre Mann would accomplish that goal. The two-and-done prospect from Florida shot 40.2% from 3-point range (on 4.7 attempts per game) in his final season at Florida, where played and guarded multiple positions and drastically increased his earning potential.
18
Keon JohnsonTennessee SG
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