'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With the early entrant deadline passed, the 2024 NBA Draft landscape continues to shift. Quite a few prospects who earned first-round buzz — Hunter Sallis, Alex Karaban, Mark Sears, Nique Clifford — elected to return to college. Teams will move on to other prospects they were considering, pushing some new players up the boards.
As always, this mock draft is predictive and a combination of my own player evaluations and synthesizing available intel around the league.
1) Atlanta Hawks - Alex Sarr, C, Perth
Sarr remains the choice for the Hawks atop the draft despite strong pushes from some of the other prospects like Zaccharie Risacher. Despite the Hawks logjam at center, Sarr is the best player in the draft and a team in transition like Atlanta should be drafting the best talents available. We could see a trade coming soon to unload Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu.
Trending
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
He isn’t a perfect prospect, as Sarr’s scoring is currently fairly raw, though his elite movement skills, passing, and shooting flashes could lead to some impressive driving upside. Sarr’s elite defensive upside as a rim protector, weak-side helper and switch defender is much needed on a Hawks defense that struggled to defend anyone this past season.
2) Washington Wizards - Nikola Topic, PG,
The Wizards are still searching for their next star point guard after John Wall left town years ago. They’ve built a collection of solid pieces like Deni Avdija and Bilal Coulibaly but still need a true star offensive player to vault Washington closer to contending for the playoffs once again.
Nikola Topic is the best driver in this draft class, his elite burst, size, and finishing touch let him dominate as a splasher. Topic is an excellent pick-and-roll passer with a solid pull-up jumper, leading to a strong upside as a primary floor general. The Wizards need to swing on high upside talent and few prospects have outlooks as bright as Topic.
3) Houston Rockets - Zaccharie Risacher, F, Bourg
Zaccharie Risacher continues to play well in the French League playoffs, contributing high-level minutes as a 19-year-old. Scouts will love his plug-and-play skillset on the wing as Risacher’s three-point shooting, transition game and defensive ability will help him slot into any roster or lineup.
With much of their high-end star talent already in place, Risacher makes sense for the Rockets. He doesn’t need the ball to succeed and impact winning like other prospects atop this draft, allowing him to better play off of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jalen Green and the rest of Houston’s young core.
4) San Antonio Spurs - Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky
Dilingham’s explosive ballhandling artistry fuels his high upside as one of the best creators in the draft. Though his size is cause for some concern, Dillingham’s elite dribbling, deep-range shooting and floater touch, plus great passing all coalesce to give him a plausible star guard upside.
The Spurs still need an elite guard to pair with Victor Wembanyama and Dillingham could be their best option. Dillingham’s sharp off-ball feel would allow him to move and cut off of Wembanyama who would compensate for Dillingham’s size and defensive limitations as he grows and matures.
5) Detroit Pistons - Dalton Knecht, G, Tennessee
If Risacher is off of the board, the Pistons may reach for a prospect like Dalton Knecht. They desperately need more floor spacing and most of the top prospects in this range don’t fit the Pistons core due to their lack of size or shooting. Though he’s on the older side, Knecht fits both.
Knecht’s upside isn’t high due to his age and lack of elite feel or athletic tools, but he’s a dynamic, versatile shotmaker both on and off of the ball. The Pistons could draft Knecht to play a role similar to Bojan Bogdanovic in Detroit, spacing the floor for Cade Cunningham and attacking off of the catch.
6) Charlotte Hornets - Ron Holland, F, Ignite
With their backcourt of the future in place, the Hornets should look to add more wing help and defense. They should look to add more complementary pieces around LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller and a young, athletic, high-upside wing like Holland would fit that bill as well as anyone in this draft class.
Holland is the best athlete in the class, dominating on both ends with his speed, power, strength, and balance. He’s not a polished shooter yet but Holland flashes the ceiling of an elite wing driver and playmaker. While Holland develops on the offensive end, he can dominate on defense and in transition.
7) Portland Trailblazers - Matas Buzelis, F, Ignite
Buzelis fits the mold of tall, high-upside ballhandlers the NBA loves. Though he didn’t shoot the ball well from three, Buzelis is a creative, flexible and dynamic driver with rare ball skills and coordination for his height. He’s an excellent secondary rim protector as well, blocking shots with great skill and timing.
Portland needs defensive help, especially on the interior, and Buzelis would bring that. He’d excel as a help defender and as Scoot Henderson continues to progress, he’d feast on cuts and secondary drives.
8) San Antonio Spurs - Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky
The Spurs double dip in the Kentucky guard bucket which has yielded excellent results historically. We’ve the havoc Dillingham and Reed Sheppard can create together as both are excellent players without the ball. Victor Wembanyama’s defensive dominance could let the Spurs bypass a taller player in favor of someone higher on their board.
Sheppard was one of the best shooters in college basketball this year with elite playmaking feel. His versatile offensive skillset can slot into any offense and he’d excel playing off of Wembanynama’s strong gravity and building on the chemistry he already has with Rob Dillingham.
9) Memphis Grizzlies - Donovan Clingan, C, UConn
With Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman out the door and Brandon Clarke marred with injuries, Donovan Clingan looks like a no-brainer here. Though Jaren Jackson Jr. had a strong season playing center, the Grizzlies may want to move him back to the four spot next to a true center like Clingan.
Clingan dominated defensively across his two national title seasons at UConn, shutting down the rim with his overwhelming size, length and rim-protecting skill. He’s not a strong offensive player, but the Grizzlies have enough offensive firepower to let Clingan focus on defense, rebounding and finishing at the hoop.
10) Utah Jazz - Cody Williams, F, Colorado
The Jazz sit in a bit of a limbo space; they’re not good enough to push for the playoffs and not bad enough to earn a top pick. They’ll likely be in talent acquisition mode, continuing to bolster their treasure trove of high-upside young talent.
Utah feels like an excellent spot to bet on Williams’ high upside. His shooting, ball-handling and defensive consistency are all raw, but the Jazz can let him sit and bank on his elite floater touch and feel to develop him into an impact player. A creative coach in Will Hardy should place Williams in spots where he can succeed and live up to his potential.
11) Chicago Bulls - Stephon Castle, F/G, UConn
Castle falls a bit in this mock draft, as his desire to play point guard may muddy his fit with teams with their floor general already in place. He’s a developing shooter and scorer which are key traits for any point guard. Castle is an excellent playmaker and a strong on-ball defender and teams will value those bankable skills.
The Bulls need more exciting young talent regardless of position, so they could be a team to swing on Stephon Castle. Even if Castle can’t develop into a real initiator as the Bulls may hope, his complementary skillset and defensive prowess should allow him to contribute positively on the wing.
12) OKC Thunder - Kyle Filipowski, F/C, Duke
OKC’s lack of size on the interior became clear in the playoffs, as their thin big rotation couldn’t hold up against the Mavericks. Chet Holmgren is a superstar in the making, but the Thunder could use a complementary big with a bit more girth to add rebounding and post-defense.
Filipowski’s strength, size and physicality fit the bill here. He’s not just a traditional big, though. Filipowski dribbles and passes with more skill than almost any other big in this draft class, excelling as a playmaker and play-finisher. He’d fit OKC’s roll/replace, five-out offense while adding an interior mix-up they badly need.
13) Sacramento Kings - Tidjane Salaun, F, Cholet
Given Harrison Barnes’ age, forward is a huge need for the Sacramento Kings. Their interior defense is weak outside of Keegan Murray, as none of Sacramento’s wing defenders are good enough to compensate for Domas Sabonis’ lack of vertical rim protection.
Salaun is young and raw and will require time to develop, especially on offense. He’s shown capable three-point shooting though, which is always valuable at 6’9. Salaun’s athleticism is elite and his quick twitch, length and relentless motor could make him the great defensive playmaker the Kings need.
14) Portland Trailblazers - Kel’el Ware, C, Indiana
Portland passed on Donovan Clingan earlier in the lottery, so they landed their center of the future in Kel’el Ware. The Blazers badly need a defensive anchor, as none of their bigs are great rim protectors or pick-and-roll defenders.
Ware’s motor concerns some scouts, as his effort level comes and goes. But his upside is undeniable, as the seven-footer towers over other players with his size, length and explosive shot-blocking. He’s flashed three-point shooting ability as well, rendering him a high upside bet as a rare three and D type center.
15) Miami Heat - Isaiah Collier, PG, USC
Coller’s offensive upside is as high as anyone in this draft class as his elite burst, strength and playmaking flashes could make him a true star initiator. The Heat have an excellent player development environment and would greatly benefit from Collier developing into a star in the backcourt.
16) Philadelphia 76ers - Jared McCain, G, Duke
As the Sixers hope to break through the impenetrable glass ceiling that is the second round of the playoffs, they’ll want to add as much talented youth as possible. McCain makes sense as a backcourt partner for Tyrese Maxey given his elite shooting and solid driving and playmaking skills.
17) Los Angeles Lakers - Devin Carter, G, Providence
Carter burst onto the scene this year for Providence as one of the best guards in all of college basketball. He’s an elite defender, dominating at the point of attack and rotating to defend the rim and nab steals as a help defender. The Lakers may view Carter as the best player available and could use more guard help.
18) Orlando Magic - Ja’Kobe Walter, G, Baylor
Some mock drafts project Walter to land in the lottery, so the Magic ends the slide. Though Walter is raw on both sides of the floor, his versatile, high-volume three-point shooting is exactly the skillset the Magic need as one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA.
19) Toronto Raptors - Yves Missi, C, Baylor
Missi’s defensive upside rivals almost anyone in this draft as his elite size, length, explosion and movement skills could let him develop into an elite rim defender. The Raptors love toolsy, high-ceiling athletes and Missi fits this bill.
20) Cleveland Cavaliers - Tristan Da Silva, F, Colorado
In the postseason, Cleveland’s dearth of NBA-level wings became apparent, as options like Georges Niang and Marcus Morris couldn’t hold up. Da Silva’s skillset is rare at 6’9; his off-ball three-point shooting and secondary playmaking would benefit Cleveland’s offense and maintain their size on defense.
21) New Orleans Pelicans - Zach Edey, C, Purdue
The Pelicans seem to be moving on from Jonas Valanciunas and could target Edey as his replacement. Edey’s post-scoring dominance could add to the Pelicans’ interior attack and New Orleans has a strong track record of improving players’ shooting ability.
22) Phoenix Suns - DaRon Holmes II, C, Dayton
After the recent success of hybrid fours like Aaron Gordon and PJ Washington, teams should look at DaRon Holmes II as the next in line. Though he’s a bit short for the center spot, the Suns could desperately use Holmes’ excellent ball skills, shooting flashes and defensive ability on the interior.
23) Milwaukee Bucks - Jaylon Tyson, F, Cal
Milwaukee badly needs more youth and excitement on the wing as their current rotation continues to age. Tyson is one of the best wing pull-up shooters in the draft with some driving, playmaking and defensive flashes. He’d slot into Milwaukee’s rotation from day one.
24) New York Knicks - Bub Carrington, G, Pittsburgh
The Knicks snap up Carrington who falls a bit in this mock draft, betting on his high offensive upside. The 18-year-old guard showcases pro-level offensive skills, shooting with strong versatility and playmaking out of the pick and roll. If Carrington can bulk up and improve his athleticism, he will add dynamic offense to the Knicks' backcourt.
25) New York Knicks - Tyler Smith, F, Ignite
New York swings on another high-ceiling offensive prospect, banking on their development and strong defensive infrastructure. Smith is a throwback stretch four-type prospect with elite shooting potential as an off-ball spacer. If he improves on the defensive end, Smith could be a valuable two-way role player for the Knicks going forward.
26) Washington Wizards - Nikola Djurisic, F/G, Mega
Recent performances from Djurisic at the NBA combine scrimmages and in the Adriatic League are turning heads. The league loves 6’8 players who can handle, shoot a bit, pass, and drive and Djurisic fits this profile. The Wizards should be one of the teams who fall in love with Djurisic’s scoring upside.
27) Minnesota Timberwolves - KJ Simpson, G, Colorado
In their series loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the Wolves’ lack of offensive juice outside of Anthony Edwards became even clearer. That’s where Simpson comes in, who improved as a shooter from all over the floor this season. He’s a dynamic driver, finisher and creative playmaker who will add the necessary energy to Minnesota’s backcourt.
28) Denver Nuggets - Baylor Scheierman, F, Creighton
Scheierman moves into the first round after a strong predraft process. Scouts will value his 6’7 frame and shotmaking; Scheierman has been one of the deadliest shooters in all of college basketball during his career. The Nuggets could use another playable wing, especially one with Scheierman’s shooting and playmaking chops.
29) Utah Jazz - Pacome Dadiet, F, Ulm
As the Jazz continue to collect more talent, Dadiet makes sense, especially as a possible draft-and-stash candidate. The young French wing oozes athletic talent, capable of slashing to the basket, shooting off of the catch and defending the ball at a high level. Utah can wait for him to develop as they decide how to move forward.
30) Boston Celtics - Kyshawn George, G, Miami
Boston’s loaded roster affords them the opportunity to take swings on higher upside bets late in the first round. Kyshawn George must develop physically, but his on-ball shooting chops and playmaking skills are rare for a 6’8 guard. With time spent in the G League, George could feature in Boston’s rotation at some point in the near future.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Johnny Furphy, F, Kansas
The teenage wing shot the lights out at Kansas and teams will value his three and D skillset.
Dillon Jones, G, Weber St
Jones’ funky creation style, winning with strength, craft and feel, should intrigue teams.
Ryan Dunn, F, Virginia
Dunn might be the best defender in the draft. Despite his offensive concerns, teams will value his one way upside.
Harrison Ingram, F, North Carolina
NBA teams will love Ingram as 6’8 wings who can do a bit of everything are always valuable.
Cam Christie, F, Minnesota
Teams will value Christie’s shotmaking upside on the wing and bet on his long-term development.
Sportskeeda's 3rd 2024 NBA Mock Draft: Final list
Los Angeles Lakers Fan? Check out the latest Lakers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.
