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It's time for our first mock draft after the college season!
We are assuming every eligible prospect who has yet to state his intention declares his availability for the draft.
The selections are based on team needs and conversations with NBA scouts and general managers.
1. Boston Celtics (via Nets)*
Markelle Fultz
Washington
Freshman
Guard
The Celtics are flush with talent, with intriguing young players or prospects at all five positions. With a high draft pick, they are likely to just take the best player available.
Based on conversations with NBA scouts, it looks like Fultz has a slight edge on Lonzo Ball as the No. 1 choice for most teams. For the Celtics, Fultz's ability to play multiple positions has value, given their stocked roster.
Odds of winning lottery: 25 percent (Boston owns the rights to swap picks with Brooklyn)
2. Phoenix Suns
Lonzo Ball
UCLA
Freshman
Guard
All indications are that Ball is dying to play for the Lakers, but right now the Suns have slightly better odds of getting the No. 2 pick in the draft. Would the Suns draft a point guard given that they already have several talented PGs on their roster? Absolutely.
Ball is a better playmaker than Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight and would be able to get the most out of the rest of the Suns' young talent. And landing Ball would allow the Suns to use Bledsoe, Knight or both to land another significant piece this summer.
Odds of winning lottery: 19.9 percent
3. L.A. Lakers*
Josh Jackson
Kansas
Freshman
Forward
The Lakers' late-season winning streak dropped their chances of landing a top-3 pick from 51.3 percent to 46.9 percent.
Jackson certainly made his case for the No. 1 pick, especially over the last month of the season. So if the Lakers land here at third, Jackson really isn't just a consolation prize. Jackson is the best two-way player in the draft and would bring an intensity, toughness and winning mentality that the Lakers desperately need.
Odds of winning lottery: 15.6 percent. (Sixers get the Lakers' pick if it falls outside the top three.)
4. Philadelphia 76ers
Malik Monk
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard
The 76ers finally got their tank on at the end of the season and upped their chances of getting the No. 1 pick by about three percent.
If both Fultz and Ball are off the board, Monk would be an especially attractive choice. Ben Simmons can be the full-time point forward for the Sixers, but they'll need a backcourt player who can shoot and open up the offense.
Monk's the most lethal perimeter scorer in the draft. Jayson Tatum and Dennis Smith are other potential candidates at No. 5.
Odds of winning lottery: 11.9 percent
5. Orlando Magic
Jayson Tatum
Duke
Freshman
Forward
The Magic fired GM Rob Hennigan after the season, so there will be a new front office in place to make this pick. That makes the Magic selection a little tougher to project.
Tatum is the prototypical NBA small forward. He can score from anywhere on the floor, though his consistency as a 3-point shooter has been questioned.
Odds of winning lottery: 8.8 percent
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
Lauri Markkanen
Arizona
Freshman
Forward
Markkanen plays like the prototypical NBA 4. He's an elite shooter who can stretch the floor, make plays and still do work in the paint.
His rebounding skills are a work in progress, but everything else about his game looks a little Dirk Nowitzki-like. He should be a great fit in Minnesota.
Odds of winning lottery: 5.3 percent
7. New York Knicks
De'Aaron Fox
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard
The Knicks will take a close look at Fox, Smith and Frank Ntilikina if they're all available. With Derrick Rose likely to leave the Knicks via free agency this summer, landing a young point guard to play next to Kristaps Porzingis looks like a strong option for New York.
Fox isn't a great perimeter shooter, but he has every other attribute you want in point guard. If he ever gets a solid jumper, he could be a star.
Odds of winning lottery: 5.3 percent.
8. Sacramento Kings
Dennis Smith
NC State
Freshman
Guard
The Kings need a young point guard badly.
Early in the season, before the Wolfpack's season fell apart, some scouts had Smith as a potential No. 1 pick. He's an elite athlete, excels at getting to the rim and has shown off a solid perimeter game.
Odds of winning lottery: 2.8 percent. (If the Kings move ahead of Philadelphia in the lottery and are in the top 10, they swap spots with the Sixers. If Sacramento's pick falls outside the top 10, it will go to Chicago.)
9. Dallas Mavericks
Frank Ntilikina
France
Age: 18
Guard
The Mavs have one of the best international scouting staffs in the league and will be stoked if Ntilikina is still on the board. In a draft less loaded with point guards, he could be a top-five pick. He's skilled, tough and a good shooter.
He would have a great shot at being the Mavs' point guard of the future to run with young players like Harrison Barnes and Nerlens Noel.
Odds of winning lottery: 1.7 percent.
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Chad FordESPN Senior Writer
It's time for our first mock draft after the college season!
We are assuming every eligible prospect who has yet to state his intention declares his availability for the draft.
The selections are based on team needs and conversations with NBA scouts and general managers.
1. Boston Celtics (via Nets)*
Markelle Fultz
Washington
Freshman
Guard
The Celtics are flush with talent, with intriguing young players or prospects at all five positions. With a high draft pick, they are likely to just take the best player available.
Based on conversations with NBA scouts, it looks like Fultz has a slight edge on Lonzo Ball as the No. 1 choice for most teams. For the Celtics, Fultz's ability to play multiple positions has value, given their stocked roster.
Odds of winning lottery: 25 percent (Boston owns the rights to swap picks with Brooklyn)
2. Phoenix Suns
Lonzo Ball
UCLA
Freshman
Guard
All indications are that Ball is dying to play for the Lakers, but right now the Suns have slightly better odds of getting the No. 2 pick in the draft. Would the Suns draft a point guard given that they already have several talented PGs on their roster? Absolutely.
Ball is a better playmaker than Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight and would be able to get the most out of the rest of the Suns' young talent. And landing Ball would allow the Suns to use Bledsoe, Knight or both to land another significant piece this summer.
Odds of winning lottery: 19.9 percent
3. L.A. Lakers*
Josh Jackson
Kansas
Freshman
Forward
The Lakers' late-season winning streak dropped their chances of landing a top-3 pick from 51.3 percent to 46.9 percent.
Jackson certainly made his case for the No. 1 pick, especially over the last month of the season. So if the Lakers land here at third, Jackson really isn't just a consolation prize. Jackson is the best two-way player in the draft and would bring an intensity, toughness and winning mentality that the Lakers desperately need.
Odds of winning lottery: 15.6 percent. (Sixers get the Lakers' pick if it falls outside the top three.)
4. Philadelphia 76ers
Malik Monk
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard
The 76ers finally got their tank on at the end of the season and upped their chances of getting the No. 1 pick by about three percent.
If both Fultz and Ball are off the board, Monk would be an especially attractive choice. Ben Simmons can be the full-time point forward for the Sixers, but they'll need a backcourt player who can shoot and open up the offense.
Monk's the most lethal perimeter scorer in the draft. Jayson Tatum and Dennis Smith are other potential candidates at No. 5.
Odds of winning lottery: 11.9 percent
5. Orlando Magic
Jayson Tatum
Duke
Freshman
Forward
The Magic fired GM Rob Hennigan after the season, so there will be a new front office in place to make this pick. That makes the Magic selection a little tougher to project.
Tatum is the prototypical NBA small forward. He can score from anywhere on the floor, though his consistency as a 3-point shooter has been questioned.
Odds of winning lottery: 8.8 percent
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
Lauri Markkanen
Arizona
Freshman
Forward
Markkanen plays like the prototypical NBA 4. He's an elite shooter who can stretch the floor, make plays and still do work in the paint.
His rebounding skills are a work in progress, but everything else about his game looks a little Dirk Nowitzki-like. He should be a great fit in Minnesota.
Odds of winning lottery: 5.3 percent
7. New York Knicks
De'Aaron Fox
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard
The Knicks will take a close look at Fox, Smith and Frank Ntilikina if they're all available. With Derrick Rose likely to leave the Knicks via free agency this summer, landing a young point guard to play next to Kristaps Porzingis looks like a strong option for New York.
Fox isn't a great perimeter shooter, but he has every other attribute you want in point guard. If he ever gets a solid jumper, he could be a star.
Odds of winning lottery: 5.3 percent.
8. Sacramento Kings
Dennis Smith
NC State
Freshman
Guard
The Kings need a young point guard badly.
Early in the season, before the Wolfpack's season fell apart, some scouts had Smith as a potential No. 1 pick. He's an elite athlete, excels at getting to the rim and has shown off a solid perimeter game.
Odds of winning lottery: 2.8 percent. (If the Kings move ahead of Philadelphia in the lottery and are in the top 10, they swap spots with the Sixers. If Sacramento's pick falls outside the top 10, it will go to Chicago.)
9. Dallas Mavericks
Frank Ntilikina
France
Age: 18
Guard
The Mavs have one of the best international scouting staffs in the league and will be stoked if Ntilikina is still on the board. In a draft less loaded with point guards, he could be a top-five pick. He's skilled, tough and a good shooter.
He would have a great shot at being the Mavs' point guard of the future to run with young players like Harrison Barnes and Nerlens Noel.
Odds of winning lottery: 1.7 percent.
