NBA Mock Draft 1.0
The Hornets address a major need by selecting big man Kai Jones out of Texas. He is a fun fit next to the face of the franchise, LaMelo Ball. If his outside shot can continue developing as it appeared to in his second season at Texas, Jones could be a steal at pick 11.
He only shot 34 total three-pointers last season at Texas, but he connected on 13 of them. That is a small sample size obviously but does result in a three-point percentage of 38.2 percent.
The Spurs go overseas with the 12th pick in the draft, selecting big man Alperen Sengun. The 18-year-old center has a good chance of developing into an impact player if used correctly and the Spurs are just the team to get the most out of him.
Sengun is a more traditional center in terms of offensive skillset, which is why he must be utilized correctly in order to maximize his impact. The Spurs would be an ideal team to work with him on those skills as well as improving other parts of his game so he can become a good NBA player.
New Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle watches as his Indiana Pacers add wing depth they are very much in need of. Franz Wagner is a solid two-way forward prospect and should be able to play a solid role for the Pacers within the next few years.
He is the younger brother of NBA player Moe Wagner. That relationship could make his transition to the NBA lifestyle smoother than a lot of other rookies. He joins a talented group in Indiana and could potentially push for minutes right away.
The Warriors are back on the clock at pick number 14 overall and they continue with their mentality of adding NBA-ready players that can help them from day one. After bolstering their backcourt rotation with the seventh overall pick they move to the wing spot next.
Corey Kispert played four years at Gonzaga which makes him the rare four-year college player to be selected in the NBA Draft lottery. By the later years of his Gonzaga run, he was a great scorer and elite shooter compared to the competition.
The Warriors add a lights-out perimeter shooter that is ready to knock down shots in the NBA immediately. He shot 6.5 three’s per game last year and connected on an impressive 44 percent of them.