10. Washington Wizards: Cole Anthony, point guard, North Carolina
John Wall is not the face of the Washington Wizards. That title belongs to Bradley Beal. Even if Washington were to retain the injured Wall over the long term, it needs a young point guard moving forward.
This is where Anthony comes into play. The dude is averaging nearly 20 points to go with 6.2 rebounds as a freshman for a bad Tar Heels squad. He might be inconsistent shooting the ball, but the Wizards can make up for that with the presence of Beal.
11. Sacramento Kings: Aleksej Pokusevski, center, Serbia
We know Kings general manager Vlade Divac fancies himself foreign-born players. Adding a 7-foot center in Pokusevski who is already playing in the EuroLeague would be so on brand for him.
Pokusevski, 18, is a bit of a project. But he fits into the modern NBA game. That is to say, the Serbian can shoot from the perimeter. He’s an ideal fit here.
12. New Orleans Pelicans: Tyrese Haliburton, point guard, Iowa State
Is Lonzo Ball the long-term solution to team up with Zion Williamson in New Orleans? We’re not too sure. What we do know is that the Pelicans did entertain trade offers for fellow guard Jrue Holiday ahead of February’s deadline.
This is a clear indication that the rising Pelicans need some young blood in the backcourt. Averaging 15.2 points while shooting 42% from distance for the Cyclones this season, Haliburton would provide that.
13. San Antonio Spurs: Obi Toppin, power froward, Dayton
It would not be a shock if San Antonio looked to move current starting power forward LaMarcus Aldridge during the summer. If that’s the case, general manager R.C. Buford and Co. need to find a long-term replacement.
Not really flying under the radar anymore due to Dayton’s shocking success this season, Toppin makes a ton of sense here. The dude is averaging nearly 20 points to go with 7.7 rebounds while shooting 62% from the field this season. He makes perfect sense for San Antonio.
14. Portland Trail Blazers: Jahmi’us Ramsey, shooting guard, Texas Tech
Is C.J. McCollum on his way out of the Pacific Northwest? It’s a real possibility. The backcourt combo of McCollumn and star Damian Lillard has not lifted the Blazers into championship contention. It might be time to break this duo up.
That’s where Ramsey could make sense in the middle of the first round come June. The Red Raiders star is a traditional two-guard in that he stands at 6-foot-4 and is shooting a robust 44% from distance this season. He’d be a perfect fit with Lillard.
15. Orlando Magic: Josh Green, shooting guard, Arizona
16. Minnesota Timberwolves: Tyrese Maxey, shooting guard, Kentucky (from Brooklyn)
17. Boston Celtics: Saddiq Bey, small forward, Villanova (from Memphis)
18. Milwaukee Bucks: Nico Mannion, point guard, Arizona (from Indiana)
19. Dallas Mavericks: Precious Achiuwa, power forward, Memphis
20. Oklahoma City Thunder: Isaac Okoro, small forward, Auburn
21. Brooklyn Nets: Jalen Smith, power forward, Maryland (from Philadelphia)
22. Utah Jazz: Theo Maledon, point guard, France
23. Miami Heat: Reggie Perry, power forward, Mississippi State
24. Denver Nuggets: Cassius Stanley, shooting guard, Duke (from Houston)
25. New York Knicks: Kira Lewis, point guard, Alabama (from Los Angeles Clippers)
26. Oklahoma City Thunder: Tre Jones, point guard, Duke (from Denver)
27. Boston Celtics: Paul Reed, power forward, DePaul
28. Toronto Raptors: Killian Tittle, power forward, Gonzaga
29. Los Angeles Lakers: Devon Dotson, point guard, Kansas
30. Boston Celtics: Jordan Nwora, small forward, Louisville (from Milwaukee)
