2018 NBA Re-Draft, Picks 1-5

The 2018 rookie class has been a promising one and with the rookies having the summer league, preseason and a bit of the regular season under their belt, it's time to analyse to their limited sample size and redraft the first five picks of the draft.

These picks belong to the Pheonix Suns, The Sacramento Kings, The Atlanta Hawks, The Memphis Grizzlies and The Dallas Mavericks. The re-draft would not, however, be solely based on the performance of the Rookies but also the needs of the team and the potential that the rookies have showcased.

#5 Dallas Mavericks: Wendell Carter Jr.

The Mavericks were the biggest winners at the time of the NBA draft, as they traded for probably the best prospect in the draft, but in retrospect, Luka Doncic probably would not be on the board when it comes to the Hawks.

But, Wendell Carter Jr is not a bad consolation prize, as the Mavs have their point guard of the future in the hands of Dennis Smith Jr, even though there are a few question marks when it comes to him.

Carter averaged 14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds on 55.1 percent shooting, in the summer league, also flashing some range and rim protection (2.6 blocks). During the regular season these number have come back to earth, as he is averaging 11.7 points, 7.2 boards on 47.2 percent shooting, he has also been the lone bright spark in a historically dismal bulls defence, with 1.7 blocks. As the season has progressed, Carter's skills as a passer have also been on display in his recent games.

Carter's coming out party was against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, where he put a gaudy stat line of 25 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks and three steals, which is nothing to sneeze at!

His play is only likely to improve when he has Lauri Markkanen stretching the floor for him. Therefore, the Bulls were savvy in drafting this Duke alum, but in case of a re-draft, I doubt he slides to them.

#4 Memphis Grizzlies: Jaren Jackson Jr.

The Grizzlies aced their pick when they had the chance. Jaren Jackson has been a steady hand and has appeared to be a lot more far along offensively than it was predicted. During the summer league, Jackson was on fire from deep and showed some great defensive instincts. This combined package is certainly one that Grizzlies would not pass up and they would be very happy with their pick.

During the regular season, Jackson is averaging around 13 points and 5 rebounds, with 52 percent from the field and 35 percent from three. He had a torrid start to the season but has only gone from strength to strength as the season has progressed.

He is also a great fit for the Grizzlies team. He can hold his own defensively and also stretch the floor on the other end of the floor.

This is exactly what Memphis needed alongside Marc Gasol, who is one of the best passing big men this league has ever seen, this opens up the floor for Gasol to operate from the elbow and thread passes like we know he can. The young legs of Jackson are also an added bonus for the aging team.

Therefore, in a re-draft, Memphis should stick to their guns and redraft Jackson, if he's available.

#3 Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young

The Hawks GM Travis Schlenk was in awe of Trae Young before the draft, but was also aware of the hype surrounding him, which allowed him to elicit a future first-round pick from Dallas, in addition to getting the prospect he wanted all along.

This was a move that was ridiculed throughout the NBA circles, as Luka is considered to be a franchise-altering player. Trae Young came with a lot of question marks surrounding his defense, his size, his athleticism etc.

Travis, who is of Warrior's pedigree believed that Young could have the same impact that Steph Curry had on the Golden State Warriors, which is considered to be a reach in the NBA circles. Therefore, with no trade being available to Hawks as Luka probably won't be on the board, they will have to draft the player they wanted, two picks higher.

I'm not of the opinion that Young does not warrant it, looking at his play. His play has diluted the criticism of the doubters, as he stands third in the league for the number of assists per game (yes, the whole league) and is also contributing with his share of points (15.7 PPG). His shooting percentages have been abysmal, but that is to be expected from an undersized rookie who has to carry the whole offensive load for a team.

Therefore, Hawks should just bite the bullet and draft Trae Young again, even though his ceiling might not be Steph Curry, he still has the potential to be a very good NBA player.

#2 Sacramento Kings: Luka Doncic

Oh Kings! you did it again. They had the ability to draft a franchise-changing talent, but they let it slip through their hands, again. A team that has always had an affinity towards drafting European talent chose to let the most accomplished Euro in the history of the league, slide through their hands. But, well they at least get it right in this Sportskeeda re-draft.

Marvin Bagley is not only a questionable fit with the rest of the Sacramento team, he also has the lowest ceiling when it comes to the other top five picks, in accordance with me. He isn't only a suspect three-point shooter, but he barely has a decent right hand shot. Due to which he has featured sparsely in a surprisingly good Kings team, who have chosen to go with an older Nemanja Bjelica, due to his ability to stretch the floor.

Doncic, on the other hand, has been as good as advertised. He is currently averaging 19.1 points on 45 percent with 6.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists. His turnover rate has come under scrutiny but that is going to get better as he gets accustomed to NBA basketball. What sets Doncic apart from the rest of the rookies is that he has the inane ability to read and react to what the defense gives him and that for a player his age is unheard of.

#1 Phoenix Suns: DeAndre Ayton

There were a few perks when it comes to Ayton, and they are going to stay constant (if not get better) for the foreseeable future, and these are his NBA ready physique, athleticism and an impressive vertical.

He also has a wide array of post moves and good mechanics on his shot. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, especially for a guy possessing his physical tools, but the season is young and he has made a few strides on that end already.

The Booker-Ayton dynamic might not be quite Shaq and Kobe like, but still has a lot of optimism surrounding it, as the players continue to gel and accustomed to each other's games.

Ayton this season is already averaging a double-double, with season averages of 16.9 points, 10.4 boards and 2.8 assists on some ridiculous shooting percentages (62.4 percent from the field). These are some very impressive numbers and completely warrant Phoenix's confidence.

Good on you, Phoenix!