I know, I know: This is high for Nico Mannion, but hear me out.
The Kings are in a good spot moving forward. They have a franchise point guard in De’Aaron Fox. They have two quality wings in Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic. They have Harrison Barnes, a reliable wing, under contract through the 2022-23 season. And they have Marvin Bagley III, a player who can blossom into a superstar if he stays healthy.
The Kings can use this pick for depth, and that’s where Mannion comes in.
Nico Mannion is a smart, crafty, do-it-all point guard. He can shoot the ball from deep and make plays for others. He simply knows how to run an offense. He’d be the perfect guy to give Fox a breather or fill in for Fox if an injury ever sidelines him. I like the Kings reaching for Mannion with this pick.
The Pelicans are one of the rare lottery teams that don’t actually need a lottery pick. They’re built to destroy in the near future with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram leading the way. They also have Lonzo Ball and Jrue Holiday to help push things forward. Zion also makes them an incredibly attractive free-agency destination. In other words, they’ll be winning games in no time.
So what do the Pelicans need with this pick? A versatile forward who can come in and stretch the floor for short bursts. That guy is Saddiq Bey.
Bey lit it up during his sophomore season at Villanova, shooting 45.1 percent from deep on 5.6 attempts per game. He’d be a nice eighth man for the Pels.
The Trail Blazers don’t need any help in the backcourt. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum can hold that down. And when they can’t, they have Anfernee Simons to come in and help out. They also don’t need help up front with Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins. What they do need, is help on the wings.
Florida State’s Patrick Williams can be that guy for Portland.
Williams is an elite defender and rim protector who knows how to use his strength and size to his advantage. He can also attack the rim and shoot the 3-ball. He isn’t the kind of guy that can lead a team, but he projects as a high-upside role player, which is exactly what the Blazers need right now.