2022 Mock Draft

With the NBA finals ending last week (congratulations Warriors) the NBA draft is this Thursday! So, after some rustling around and multiple rough drafts made here is my mock draft for the top fifteen picks in this year’s draft.

1. 1) Orlando Magic: The Magic are on the clock and absolutely can not screw this pick up. Problem is this is a 3-person draft where any of the top three prospects (Banchero, Holmgren and Smith Jr) would be solid fits in Orlando, so with the first pick the Magic will select Jabari Smith Jr. from Auburn. Smith Jr to the Magic would be an ironic choice for his game reminds people of Rashard Lewis a 6’10 shooting forward who can space the floor for others and knock down shots adding to the young promising core their assembling in Orlando.

1. 2) Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder have two picks in the top fifteen and could hit the jackpot with one of their many first picks coming up in the future with this selection. The Thunder and GM Sam Presti are unpredictable and could shake the flow of this draft up here at #2 but they will go with pure promise and upside with this selection and take Gonzaga unicorn Chet Holmgren here. Holmgren to me is the most promising player in this draft and will change the fortune of the Thunder, despite his skinny frame there’s room to grow and evolve into the player Holmgren is expected to be and alongside SGA and Giddey could be the exciting core they have been waiting for in OKC.

1. 3) Houston Rockets: The Rockets will not have to move up to get their man in this draft, because he falls in their lap at #3. The Rockets get their man with Duke’s Paulo Banchero and pair him rising young star Jalen Green to continue their building for the future in Houston.

1. 4) Indiana Pacers (Via Trade with Sacramento): Trade alert! The first of a couple of trades in this draft the Pacers and Kings do business together again with this trade having the Pacers trade the sixth pick, a future first round pick and Malcom Brogdon the Kings for the fourth pick and big man Richaun Holmes in return. The Pacers may have missed the top three prospects but find gold with the most explosive prospect in the draft by selecting Purdue’s Jaden Ivey who was in their backyard and will be the running mate to go with young sensation Tyrese Haliburton making the Pacers future bright.

1. 5) Detroit Pistons: The Pistons continue building in the right direction here at #5 again having either Holmgren, Banchero, or Smith Jr would be perfect for Detroit to pair their rookie stud Cade Cunningham, but the lottery did not go in their favor unfortunately. But fear not Pistons fans they do land a sleeper here and select Bennedict Mathurin from Arizona.  Mathurin gives Cunningham a solid running mate in the backcourt and needed size and length on the perimeter for the Pistons.

1. 6) Sacramento Kings (Via Trade with Indiana): The Kings drop down in this draft but get a guy who fits their roster and starting 5 quite well, Iowa’s Keegan Murray compliments all-star big man Domantas Sabonis and will help the floor spacing for De’Aaron Fox making a respectable core potentially for the Kings but don’t be surprise if the Kings do what they do best and screw this pick up.

1. 7) Portland Trailblazers: This pick could be going to another team before the time runs out, but I simply did not see a deal worth the Blazers time to give this pick up. Now this selection will not be enough to keep superstar Damian Lillard happy, but this is a good start hopefully. But with the #7 pick the Blazers take the international man of mystery of this draft class and pick Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe, now Sharpe did not play this season at Kentucky, but his potential and upside is irresistible for many teams and the Blazers in need of size and shooting on the perimeter take the chance on Sharpe at seven.

1. 8) New Orleans Pelicans (From the LA Lakers):  The Pelicans are in the lottery despite a solid outing in the playoffs (Thanks Anthony Davis) and can add another solid piece to this young nucleus they have. The Pelicans can go in multiple ways here, but they will go with some size and scoring at shooting guard and select Johnny Davis from Wisconsin to bluster their depth in the backcourt.

1. 9) San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs land at #9 and the choice is simple, they need to bulk up in the frontcourt and the Spurs make the quick selection with Jalen Duren from Memphis who will bring life and energy to almost lifeless Spurs team as well as his shot blocking and athleticism.

1. 10) Washington Wizards: The good ole Wizards are back in the lottery and honestly cannot do anymore damage with this pick, with the future of Bradley Beal in the balance the Wizards must pick a potential foundation player here and will select a considerable risk here with Ousmane Dieng from New Zealand. Dieng can play point guard, shooting guard or small forward and be smooth scoring hybrid wing to become the possible piece to turn the luck around in DC.

1. 11) New York Knicks: The Knicks and their snake bitten luck continues here at #11 but there could be an unseen benefit waiting for them. The Knicks need jolt to their roster badly and with this pick the Knicks find that jolt of energy in G League Ignite’s Dyson Daniels who playmaking could open things up in New York for Barrett, Toppin and Randle if he stays this summer.

1. 12) Oklahoma City Thunder(From the LA Clippers): The Thunder are back on the clock thanks to the Clippers and the Paul George trade, Presti will double down and go the kill to be winners of this draft and select Baylor’s polarizing forward Jeremy Sochan who is a wing hybrid of Ben Simmons and Draymond Green which hopefully is all the good qualities of both players, but Sochan and Holmgren would be promising frontcourt to build with and develop for the Thunder.

1. 13) Charlotte Hornets: Charlotte will show up in two of the last three picks here and will look for pieces to surround their young superstar LaMelo Ball. The picks will not have to travel far for the Hornets as they select Duke’s wing scorer AJ Griffin here to be the three & D wing to go alongside with Ball in the backcourt.
3. 14) Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs have a wonderful surprise season and can only go up and this pick will be added to their promising core group, Cleveland will also pick out of their backyard of sorts and select Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell with the fourteenth pick and continue with their bright future.

1. 15) Charlotte Hornets (From the New Orleans Pelicans): The Hornets wrap up the lottery with this pick and address a glaring issue on their roster. Lack of size is necessary to be addressed this summer for Charlotte, and if they do not get into the Rudy Gobert sweepstakes then they can resort to this selection and pick Duke’s center Mark Williams to provide the much-needed height and rim protection for the Hornets.

The fun part of the NBA offseason begins with the NBA draft, hopefully the draft on Thursday evening will be the start of promising things for several teams and put them on the track to success hopefully.