The NBA Lottery took place on Tuesday night, finalizing the 2021 NBA Draft order. In turn, in this post, we’ll be doing a 2021 NBA Mock Draft: Post Lottery Edition.
The Detroit Pistons won the first overall pick for the upcoming draft, which is huge for a franchise that has bought into the rebuilding process. They have a chance to select a legitimate superstar that could revitalize the organization down the road. Only two teams have two selections within the first 14 picks, those being the Orlando Magic and Golden State Warriors.
Similar to the Pistons, Orland accepted a full rebuild after trading away Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier before the trade deadline. They’re beginning a massive overhaul on the roster, as the team has been unsuccessful for quite some time now. As for the Warriors, they have a chance to add some more young talent to play alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
The 2021 NBA Draft is a pivotal event for the league. A ton of teams in the lottery are just a few pieces away from having great rosters. It might take some time, as these rookies will need to develop, but we could be seeing some major changes in the playoff race in a few years.
This year’s draft class is stacked with talent, as these rookies make up one of the deeper classes in recent history. It should be interesting to see how it plays out, as each organization will do its best to improve their rosters. With that said, here is our 2021 NBA Mock Draft of the lottery.
2021 NBA Mock Draft: Picks 1-14
1. Detroit Pistons – Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State
Cade Cunningham enters the draft as the favorite to be the number one pick overall. He’s a big-bodied point guard that can do everything. Cunningham is possibly the most NBA-ready prospect in this draft class and immediately makes the Detroit Pistons a better team.
2. Houston Rockets – Evan Mobley, C, USC
The Houston Rockets have a plethora of guards at their disposal and could use a huge boost in the paint. Christian Wood emerged as a legitimate big man, but he can’t do everything himself. If Houston takes Evan Mobley here, they could move him or Wood to power forward have two solid post players. With Kevin Porter and Jae’Sean Tate playing on the perimeter, amongst others, Houston suddenly has a more well-balanced team moving forward.
3. New Orleans Pelicans (Trade with Cleveland) – Jalen Suggs, PG, Gonzaga
In this mock, the Cleveland Cavaliers trade back with the New Orleans Pelicans. With the Pelicans rumored to not bring back Lonzo Ball, they might be willing to trade up to the third overall pick. To get the deal done, New Orleans will have to give up the 10 overall picks, Eric Bledsoe, and a future first-round pick down the road. This would allow the Pelicans to move up and select a new point guard in Jalen Suggs, who might be a better team fit with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
4. Toronto Raptors – Jalen Green, SG, NBA G-League
Kyle Lowry is set to hit the free-agent market which means this franchise should be entering a new era in Toronto. The Raptors have a young core they can build around and will likely take the best player available that falls to them at the fourth pick. Jalen Green is a solid prospect who could easily go within the first three picks. He also can be a great scheme fit for this Raptors team.
5. Orlando Magic – Jonathan Kuminga, SF, Congo
With an incredibly young roster and no current superstars, the Orlando Magic will be taking the best available player on the board. Jonathan Kuminga would be a great selection for the Magic here, as he’s one of the top prospects available. Having Kuminga and Cole Anthony on the same roster would be a dream come true for this organization.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder – Davion Mitchell, PG, Baylor
The Oklahoma City Thunder just traded for Kemba Walker, however, it’s speculated they may trade him away. The team needs help in the paint, and trading Walker away for a big man makes a ton of sense for this franchise. If they go that route, the front office can easily replace Walker with Davion Mitchell who gained a ton of attention during the March Madness tournament. He and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could give OKC one of the best backcourts in the NBA.
7. Golden State Warriors (via Minnesota) – Keon Johnson, SG, Tennessee
The Golden State Warriors have a chance to be a great team next year and beyond, as the roster is already stacked with superstar talent. The front office will be able to stack the roster with prospects that can give Golden State more longevity. Keon Johnson would serve as a high-end rotation player behind Klay Thompson, giving the Warriors some much-needed depth.
8. Orlando Magic (via Chicago) – James Bouknight, SG, Connecticut
For their second pick in the first round, the Magic take who they believe is the best player available on the board. James Bouknight has solid potential and could give the Magic a strong backcourt down the road. The core of the roster would be centered around the point and shooting guard positions and allow the Magic to play at a fast pace.
9. Sacramento Kings – Josh Giddey, SF/PG, Australia
The Sacramento Kings possibly get the steal of the draft with this selection. Josh Giddey is a big-bodied point-forward that could give the Kings a big edge. De’Aaron Fox is a great point guard, but having someone like Josh Giddey help with facilitating the ball will give Sacramento a ton of versatility. Giddey is viewed as one of the best international players available in the draft this year.
10. Cleveland Cavaliers (Trade with New Orleans) – Kai Jones, PF, Texas
Not only do the Cavaliers find a future replacement for Kevin Love, but they also acquired a future first-round pick and Eric Bledsoe. Suddenly the Cavaliers have some nice veteran depth pieces to go along with their young core. Kai Jones would be in a perfect situation where he’d learn from Kevin Love for a year or two, then eventually take over as the starting power forward.
11. Charlotte Hornets – Scottie Barnes, SF, Florida State
After snagging LaMelo Ball in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets were surprisingly better than most anticipated. Ball’s injury slowed the team down, but Charlotte has a solid core to become dangerous soon. Drafting Scottie Barnes makes the most sense, as he’d fill a positional need and has the potential to become a great second or third scoring option for this organization.
12. San Antonio Spurs – Jaden Springer, PG/SG, Tennessee
The San Antonio Spurs are one of the best when it comes to building their roster. Taking Jaden Springer here gives the team a solid backcourt that can grow into a real threat in the future. However, they need a big man more than anything, so there is a real chance the Spurs trade Springer shortly after drafting him.
13. Indiana Pacers – Tre Mann, PG, Florida
The Indiana Pacers are a much better team than how they finished. They were riddled with injuries throughout this season, but have a chance to add another talented player to the roster. Tre Mann is likely the best player available here and would serve as a great backup to Malcolm Brogdon until he’s ready for more playing time.
14. Golden State Warriors – Franz Wagner, SF, Michigan
With their second pick in the first round, at least in our 2021 NBA Mock Draft, the Warriors take Franz Wagner. He’s a good prospect that needs a little time to adjust the professional level. However, he’ll be a great backup to Andrew Wiggins until he’s ready for more playing time down the road. Wagner can hit it from beyond the arc consistently, which makes him a great compliment player to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
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