By: Adamo Marinelli
June 1st, 2021
With the draft lottery scheduled for June 22 and the draft scheduled for July 29, it is time to look at the best prospects in this year’s draft and predict which teams will be the best fit for them.
The draft lottery order is not set in stone yet, as of right now, Houston, Detroit, and Orlando all have a 14% chance at the first overall pick, Oklahoma and Cleveland both have an 11.5% chance, Golden State (via Minnesota) has a 9% chance, Toronto has a 7.5% chance and Orlando (via Chicago), Sacramento and New Orleans all have a 4.5% chance to land the first overall pick according to Tankathon.
However, to avoid waiting until the draft lottery, I will use the current projected draft order.
Houston Rockets
Detroit Pistons
Orlando Magic
Oklahoma City Thunder
Cleveland Cavaliers
Golden State via Minnesota
Toronto Raptors
Orlando Magic via Chicago
Sacramento Kings
New Orleans Pelicans
Here are the top 10 prospects in the 2021 NBA draft, according to NBA.com
Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State
Evan Mobley, C, USC
Jalen Green, G, G-League Ignite
Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga
Jonathan Kuminga, F, G-League Ignite
Scottie Barnes, F, Florida State
Keon Johnson, G, Tennessee
Moses Moody, G, Arkansas
Jaden Springer, G, Tennessee
Davion Mitchell, G, Baylor
The next 5 best players are:
Corey Kispert, F, Gonzaga
Kai Jones, C, Texas
Ziaire Williams, F, Stanford
Cameron Thomas, G, LSU
Jalen Johnson, F, Duke
Without further ado, let’s get started.
With the first overall pick, the Houston Rockets select Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State. The Houston Rockets need a guard who can create his own shot, score frequently and consistently, and move the ball around to create plays for his teammates. Look no further than Cade Cunningham, a dynamic 6’8” guard who is an excellent playmaker, has a great court vision, high basketball IQ, distributes the ball well, has great ball-handling skills, and is a great shooter that can score from close range and from deep. Cunningham’s physical gifts and intangibles make him a can’t miss prospect in this draft. The Rockets should also target another guard later in the draft or in free agency. He will pair well with John Wall during this rebuild. His defense is nothing to scoff at either; he is physical and crafty on the defensive side of the ball.
With the second overall pick, the Detroit Pistons will select Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga. The Pistons are one of the worst teams in the league and need all the talent they can get. Therefore, they need to draft the best talent available. Jalen Suggs would form a very talented back-court with Killian Hayes in Detroit. There is a ton to like about Suggs’ game. He is a modern point guard with great size, athleticism, and speed. He can shoot well, has a high basketball IQ, and is an excellent playmaker. His adaptability is one of his biggest assets and he can play multiple roles on the floor. Suggs is at his best in the open floor, using his speed to pressure defenses before finding the open man or getting right to the cup for an athletic finish. He is also very tough defensively and isn’t afraid to go for a rebound.
With the third overall pick, the Orlando Magic will select Evan Mobley, C, USC. With Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic, and Evan Fournier gone, the Magic will need a big man who can run the offense from the high post, be effective on the glass and be a play-maker. They have depth at the guard position with R.J Hampton, Cole Anthony, and Markelle Fultz and they have talent in the front-court with guys like Mo Bamba, Jonathan Isaac, and Wendell Carter. They need a guy that can set up plays and excel defensively is a must. Mobley is both a force on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. He has a high basketball IQ and many intangibles. On offense, he can shoot from deep, score over opponents’ with his large wingspan, and he can attack the rim with either hand. He is an excellent rebounder, has a great court vision, and is a game-changer with his ability to block and change shots. He is a great ball-handler and can always find his open teammates. He is a great addition to this team.
With the fourth overall pick, the Oklahoma City Thunder will select Jalen Green, G, G-League Ignite. The Thunder’s biggest need is a wing scorer to help out their young pieces like Shai Gilgeous Alexander. Green is an electric athlete with an electric scoring ability that receives comparisons to Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics. He is capable of scoring near the basket, from mid-range, and from three-point range. Modern guards all require length, dynamism, ball-handling, and playmaking skills to be successful. Green has all of these intangibles. He is an explosive wing that creates his own shots, sets up his teammates and his defense is pretty good. His size helps block shots and change shooting lanes and he is a threat on the glass and in transition. Green likely will take longer to reach his potential than the rest of the players at the top of this draft, but his potential is high and he can play the 2 or the 3, which speaks volumes about his flexibility, talent, and dependability.
With the fifth overall pick, the Cleveland Cavaliers will select Moses Moody, G, Arkansas. The Cavaliers have a substantial amount of young talent, but one of their biggest needs is someone who can shoot the ball well from the field and from 3, and who can create their own shots with their tremendous ball-handling skills and playmaking ability. Moody fits that description perfectly. Moody is a 6’6” wing who showcased on-ball and off-ball abilities, as well as incredible defensive potential in his lone season with the Razorbacks. Moody is a true scorer, who can score from anywhere on the court - which makes him dangerous in a half-court offense, he has an excellent shooting technique, great ball-handling skills, is an excellent playmaker, and dangerous on the open floor. In the regular season, he averaged 17.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 44.1% from the field, 38.6% from three-point field goals, and 82.8% from the free-throw line. His play dipped in the March Madness tournament but his upside is extremely large. With the current pieces the Cavs have, they can become relevant again soon.
With the sixth overall pick, the Golden State Warriors will select Jonathan Kuminga, F, G-League Ignite. Next season, the Warriors will have one of the best backcourts in the NBA with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. They have young talent at center with James Wiseman and they have talent at forward with Draymond Green and Juan Toscano-Anderson. They have a pretty good roster that is complete with depth all over. Another addition at forward alongside Draymond Green would fully complete this roster. Kuminga is not the most NBA-ready prospect, however, he has the size, speed, length, and athleticism to be a dominant wing forward in the future. His jump shot is shaky at best, and he has a reputation for ball-stopping. However, he is very young at 18 years old and has a lot of time to develop. He will be playing with superstars in Golden State which will only help his development. He’s a big, physical forward with elite athleticism and big-time two-way potential. This move has the potential to be a good one in a few years.
With the seventh overall pick, the Toronto Raptors will select Kai Jones, C, Texas. After losing both Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol after the 2019-20 season, the Raptors played most of this season without a true center. Aaron Baynes is a natural forward so his struggles this season made sense. Putting Chris Boucher at the center position worked well and trading for Khem Birch was also a great move, however, he is a free agent and may not be the long-term answer. A center is their biggest need. That is where Jones comes in. He has length, athleticism, good fundamentals, a high basketball IQ, a lot of talent, and is fun to watch. However, he is raw and will need some development before he transforms into a stud in the NBA at center. Jones can block shots, rebound, and run the floor. He plays with a lot of energy and is extremely active. He has good passing and ball-handling skills for a big man, too. He has improved a lot recently, but at 6’11” and only 220 pounds, he will struggle with defending and boxing out bigger centers. But the Raptors have shown they can develop young talent. This is a good pick for the Raptors who need a true center.
With the eighth overall pick, the Orlando Magic will select Keon Johnson, G, Tennessee. They already addressed their need for a big man earlier in the first round and with Johnson, they will get a playmaker, who is physical and has a lot of talent. Johnson is a great athlete with a lot of top-end potential. His stock is trending up and he looks like he can make a difference sooner rather than later for an NBA team. He has a ton of natural ability and all the tools NBA teams look for, which makes him a surefire top 10 pick. He needs some time to refine his ball-handling, shooting, and play-making skills but his elite athleticism and rock-solid frame give him a nice NBA ceiling. He may need to bulk up and improve his perimeter shot to be a lethal weapon and drag extra defenders over to him (which opens up shots for his teammates) in a half-court offense, but he has a lot of skill and potential. He is physical on defense and in the paint, is a very good rebounder, and can initiate the offense with his speed and passing ability. He’ll fit in nicely with Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, Wendell Carter Jr., etc.
With the ninth overall pick, the Sacramento Kings will select Scottie Barnes, F, Florida State. In the last 10 years, the Kings have drafted nine times in the top 10. This season could be their 10th time in the last 11 seasons. The Kings need all the talent they can get and should draft the best player available. Barnes is a top 10 prospect, and of course, they could draft a guard like Davion Mitchell or Jaden Springer but Barnes is the best player available to this point. At 6’9”, 225 pounds, Barnes is athletic, aggressive, and plays with a lot of fire and physicality. With his 7’2” wingspan, he is an impact defender that can block and change shots, rebound, and has good court vision and a great playmaking ability. Barnes is a work in progress as both a perimeter shooter and scorer and his performance in the NCAA tournament was not as good as most anticipated, however, he has a lot of talent and raw potential and can develop into a starting forward very soon. He’ll pair well with Harrison Barnes and Marvin Bagley III and may even replace Bagley if he leaves as a free agent.
With the tenth overall pick, the New Orleans Pelicans will select Corey Kispert, F, Gonzaga. The Pelicans currently are in an interesting spot. They have a lot of young talent and are led by Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. In addition, they have guys like Kira Lewis Junior, Jaxson Hayes, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who all have high ceilings, just need more time to develop. One could argue they have a lot of young talent on their roster and could trade their pick along with Eric Bledsoe’s contract for crafty veterans and more picks in the future. Or they could trade up and try to select Scottie Barnes to fulfill their needs on the defensive end and to make plays with his playmaking ability. However, their biggest need I believe is shooting. After finishing 4th in 3-point percentage in the 2019-20 season, the New Orleans Pelicans have dropped to 26th in the NBA in 2020-21. Corey Kispert is an excellent shooter, who can hit from anywhere on the floor and was a crucial part of Gonzaga’s run in this year’s NCAA tournament. Kispert may not be the best athlete, but he is the best pure shooter in the 2021 draft. He has a compact, quick release, excellent fundamentals, and great awareness, receiving comparisons to Klay Thompson. He is a stellar floor spacer that understands the game and is coming from a system that teaches the fundamentals. Kispert will be ready to compete on day 1 and will help this team contend for a playoff spot. Nice fit for the Pelicans.
There are a lot of other talented players in the draft, but this is how I see the top 10 picks of the 2021 draft unfolding. The draft lottery will be on June 22, and the draft will happen on July 29. It will be very exciting to see what teams will pick when and who will end up where.
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