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With NBA season over after the Nuggets winning the title we are on to the always chaotic offseason of events that start Thursday with the NBA draft. This draft is viewed as a 3-person draft, but I expect a couple of surprising trades to happen Thursday night so here is my mock draft of the top 10 picks.
2023 NBA Draft
1)San Antonio Spurs: This is going to be short and sweet as Spurs lottery luck gets them another generational big man in French phenom Victor Wembanyama who will instantly change the fortunes of the team in the past few years.
2) New Orleans Pelicans (Via trade with Charlotte): With all the current off the court drama with former number one pick Zion Williamson along with his lack of availability and questionable commitment has led to one of a couple draft night trades. Pelicans looking for another restart in a young star will send Williamson and the number 14 pick to Charlotte for the number 2 and Gordon Hayward.
So, with second pick in this draft the Pelicans will select Scoot Henderson and try to stay on rise with him while Williamson heads to a new scene with LaMelo Ball and be one of Michael Jordan’s last acts before he officially walks away from the team.
3) Chicago Bulls (Via trade with Portland): Another star trade happens at number three. The Blazers in an attempt to win now with their loyal mega star Damian Lillard will trade this pick and center Jursef Nurkic to Chicago for all-star DeMar DeRozan and highly sought after role player Alex Caruso giving Lillard a more stabilized team to make a respectable run for the playoffs next season.
So, with this pick the Bulls will select Alabama swingman Brandon Miller whose off-court issues may rise some concern going to Chicago but hopefully Miller matures and makes the best of the opportunity in the Windy City.
4) Houston Rockets: There was almost another trade, but Houston decides to keep this pick and select one of the Thompson twins with Amen Thompson who should a good compliment next to young rising star Jalen Green to hopefully give the Rockets some hope for the future.
5) Phoenix Suns (Via trade with Detroit): The Pistons decide that the number five pick was not going to be what they expected with hoping to be in the top 3 so in a interesting pivot the Pistons work out a trade with the Suns acquiring their polarizing center DeAndre Ayton in exchange for the fifth pick, promising big man James Wiseman and veteran Bojan Bogdanovic in attempting to give the top heavy Suns roster some depth and substance.
6) Orlando Magic: The promising Magic fall at number six and look to continue their recent success with draft picks with Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Paolo Banchero by selecting the possible steal in this draft with Anthony Black from Arkansas whose upside could be parallel with the current young core and have bright future in Orlando.
7) Indiana Pacers: Like the Pistons the Pacers fell out of the top 3 but will make the best here at number seven. With all-star Tyrese Haliburton and explosive rookie Bennedict Mathurin and underrated center Myles Turner need some help up front and help will come with the selection Houston’s workhorse forward Jarace Walker from Houston who will this team like a glove especially for coach Rick Carlisle.
8) Washington Wizards: The lowly Washington Wizards are back in the lottery but as always in the low end or no man’s land portion of the NBA. With recently moving star Bradley Beal finally and no word on Chris Paul’s future in DC put the Wizards in the position to pick a guard with a massive upside with the other Thompson twin Ausur. The Thompson twins played in the upstart Overtime Elite that had them playing down competition wise, but their potential will entice teams to select them early in this draft.
9) Utah Jazz: Utah will use one of their war chest of picks thanks to the smart Rudy Gobert trade last summer here at nine. With a glaring concern in the backcourt Danny Ainge will select Kentucky’s late rising guard Cason Wallace who should be an update from Colin Sexton and other options.
10) Atlanta Hawks (Via trade with Dallas): The Dallas Mavericks and their blatant tank attempt to get a top 10 pick will sort of pay off by trading the pick and expensive contract in Davis Bertans to the Atlanta Hawks to acquire often rumored in trades forward John Collins.
As Collins finally moved to another team and fresh start in Dallas lands the Hawks at number ten, so with this pick the Hawks will select UCF Taylor Hendricks who will bring more honest effort on defense while creating more space for the backcourt of Dejounte Murray and Trae Young to lead them to possible deep playoff run next season.
