With the NBA lottery coming up on Tuesday, May 15th, it’s only fitting that we do a pre-lottery mock draft. Here’s how I think the top six picks wind up. (Hint: the Chicago Bulls are currently projected to draft at #6.)
1. Phoenix Suns – Luka Doncic – Guard/Slovenia
2. Memphis Grizzlies – DeAndre Ayton – Center/Arizona
3. Dallas Mavericks – Marvin Bagley III – Forward/Duke
4. Atlanta Hawks – Michael Porter Jr. – Forward/Missouri
5. Orlando Magic – Trae Young – Guard/Oklahoma
6. Chicago Bulls – Mohamed Bamba – Center/Texas
Obviously, a lot could change depending on how the lottery shakes out. But if the positioning stays consistent with the odds, this is how I see the top six picks panning out.
I think with the Suns recently hiring Igor Kokoskov to be their next head coach, it shows what they have planned for the draft. Kokoskov coached Luka Doncic on the Slovenian national team recently and I can’t imagine this means they plan to go any other route than Luka Doncic if he’s available when they draft.
This leads to the Grizzlies getting possibly the consensus top prospect in the draft, DeAndre Ayton, to add next to Marc Gasol in the frontcourt. Then with those two gone, it paves the way for the Dallas Mavericks to add even more athleticism with Marvin Bagley III to play off Dennis Smith Jr.
Unfortunately for many Chicago Bulls fans who have Porter fever, I think the Hawks will be looking to add scoring and wing depth and Michael Porter Jr. gives them exactly that. If the Hawks go a different direction and take a rim protector (maybe Jaren Jackson Jr.?), then I could see the Bulls snagging Porter, but for now, I think the Hawks end up taking him.
I think no matter where the Orlando Magic end up drafting, they’ll take Trae Young. The Magic haven’t had anything exciting since the Dwight Howard era and even though Trae Young is a bit of a mystery, one thing that’s for sure is that he’s extremely exciting. He would fill the stands with his Steph Curry-esque pull-up 30-footers.
So where does this leave the Chicago Bulls?
If the top five fall as I predicted, I think this leaves the Bulls with two primary options. They can either add wing depth and take Mikal Bridges or they can add rim protection and take Mohamed Bamba.
Mikal Bridges is consistent. You know what you’re going to get with him. He’ll be a knock-down three-point shooter, an above average defender and that’s pretty much it. Not that that’s a bad thing at all – those types of guys are getting paid serious money in today’s NBA. I see him as a Trevor Ariza type player – the kind of guy that helps you win, but might never be an All-Star – and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Mo Bamba, on the other hand, is a little more of a project. He has incredible size and length (7’0″ tall with a 7’9″ wingspan) and has defensive instincts that are extremely impressive. His offensive game remains a bit of a mystery but even if defense is all you get with him, you’re still getting a lot. Plus, he has some serious attitude that the Bulls could really use.
I think if Mo Bamba is on the board, the Bulls would see his potential and fit alongside the current core of Markkanen, Dunn, and LaVine and surely take a chance on him.
But hey, the lottery could shake up a lot of this. We’ll have to wait until after May 15th to do an official mock draft.