The Post’s Zach Braziller breaks down the eagerly anticipated first round with his mock draft.
Celtics sent Jrue Holiday to the Trail BlazersThe uncertainty over Bailey could create upheaval at the top of the draft. The no-brainer of all no-brainers. Flagg doesn’t have a clear strength, because he does everything so well.
He defends, he rebounds, he blocks shots, he scores, he playmakes and he shoots it. The 18-year-old forward was the best player in college basketball as a freshman when, age-wise, he should’ve still been in high school. Dallas could’ve made this pick on May 12 – the day it miraculously won the lottery, despite entering the night with a 1.8 percent chance. Yes, the fit in San Antonio is somewhat clunky after the Spurs dealt for DeAaron Fox back in February, and there are questions about why Rutgers had such a down year being led by Harper, along with fellow top draft prospect Ace Bailey. But Harper is an elite-level talent – he would’ve been the clear No. 1 pick had Flagg not reclassified up a year – a high-scoring guard with wing size and incredible pedigree as five-time NBA champion Ron Harper’s son. He also won’t be asked to carry such a heavy burden in San Antonio while joining Fox, Victor Wembanyama and Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. Scouts love his competitive fire and relentless work ethic. Edgecombe might be the most athletic player in this draft, which makes up for him being a tad undersized on the wing. Some have compared him to Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, he’s that highly regarded. Said one scout: “He’s got pro written all over him. People will question his shooting ability until you need to make a shot to win a game. He’ll make that shot.” The Hornets are in desperate need of shooting after finishing 28th in 3-point percentage a year ago, and Johnson’t could help improve upon that weakness immediately. As a freshman, he shot a robust 52.1 percent coming off screens and also hit 39.7 percent from distance on 6.8 attempts. Shotmaking is his best asset, but far from the only reason the one-and-done Duke star rises this high. He can be a secondary playmaker, defend better than advertised and plays with an edge. Pair him next to Keyonte George, and the Jazz could have their backcourt for the next decade. It’s not a coincidence that Duke outscored its opponent by a whopping 625 points when Kneuppel was on the floor. He impacts winning. . The gifted wing sniper was the lone American prospect not to meet with a single team. Word is, his inner circle wanted to steer him towards a rebuilding team he would have a major role on from day one. Well, they got it. Nobody rebuilds more than the forever-in-the-lottery Wizards. Teams believe the chiseled 7-footer has a jumper that wasn’t utilized at Duke. With or without it, Maluach is the prototypical new-age NBA center prospect: A rim protector who can switch out onto the perimeter, a lob threat with offensive upside and, at the age of 18, still so much room for growth. The Nets try their best to move into the top five, but ultimately can’t find the right deal. Instead, they land a potential star in Fears who was projected by some to go multiple picks higher. Few guards were able to stay in front of the shifty and lightning-quick 18-year-old, who showed a knack for getting to the free-throw line as a standout freshman while averaging 17.1 points and 4.1 assists. How did a player who averaged 6.5 points and made only five starts in college get taken in the lottery? Measurables, measurables and more measurables. The 19-year-old has a 6-foot-11 wingspan, a standing reach of 8-foot-10 and registered one of the top vertical leaps at the combine.The Suns acquired this pick in Sunday’s Durant trade. They use it on Essengue, who has the makings of a phenomenal defender given his impressive measurables combined with elite athleticism. He’s also the second youngest player in the draft after Flagg. The Frenchman doesn’t turn 19 until next December. The improving Trailblazers could use a connector like Jakucionis, a southpaw from Lithuania known for his creativity as a playmaker. His toughness and selfless style would mesh well with Portland’s young core of guards Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe and center Donovan Clingan.There is a lot to work with in Queen. He’s the most offensively skilled big man in the draft, a quality passer and polished post-up threat. There are defensive shortcomings and conditioning questions, otherwise the Big Ten Freshman of the Year would’ve gone in the top half of the lottery. The rim-running, shot-blocking 18-year-old is a late-riser and considered one of the top interior defenders in this draft. He only started playing basketball three years ago. Soccer was his sport of choice growing up. His 7-foot-4 1/2 wingspan would make for a heckuva goalie. Wolf thrived alongside big man Vladislav Goldin in his lone year at Michigan, and could excel next to Wembanyama. He can play some on the ball, is a threat from deep and his development in recent years tells the story of a prospect still ascending. One of two players in college basketball this winter to average at least 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and shoot over 37 percent from 3-point range. The only thing that kept this offensively efficient, do-it-all guard out of the lottery was his age . There isn’t a better story in this draft. His college career began at Division III Willamette University in northwest Oregon and included stops at Eastern Washington and Washington State. He only appeared in six games this past season, but was so impressive during the Draft Combine, he opted against returning to college to play at Duke. Now, he is headed to the NBA – not bad for a zero-star recruit who didn’t play varsity in high school until his junior year. Julius Randle and Naz Reid both have player options, creating uncertainty for Minnesota’s frontcourt. While Sorber is recovering from February foot surgery, he put plenty on film at both ends of the floor during a fantastic freshman year that exhibited his sky-high potential. Think Draymond Green without anger management issues. While undersized, the South Carolina forward has elite defensive versatility potential. While he needs major work on his jumper, Murray-Boyles has demonstrated the ability with his length to finish inside against bigger defenders – he shot 74 percent at the rim last season – and has the passing and ball-handling skills to be used in the same fashion as Green is with the Warriors. Sean Marks will sprint to call the pick in, thrilled to get a crack at this playmaking savant with excellent size who drops because of shooting concerns. The NBA covets prospects with his length and shotmaking prowess . Fleming projects as a versatile forward, someone that is strong enough to defend in the paint, but also has the athleticism to guard on the perimeter. Combine that with his jumper, and he could play in the league for a long time. Physical wing defender that gives max effort. Only 19, he is a work in progress offensively, at his best attacking the basket. Right now, he’s a 3-and-D prospect without the 3. The French guard was considered a top-10 pick before an inconsistent season with Saint-Quentin of the LNB Elite, the top division in France. There’s still a lot to like in the speedy lead guard, notably his playmaking skillset and prowess in transition. Can he defend NBA wings? Is he a better 3-point shooter than his 31.7 percent mark at UConn indicates? The Pelicans roll the dice here, betting on McNeeley’s competitive drive, quality mid-range game and ability to handle pressure – something he showed in spades playing for the intense Dan Hurley. Riley flashed potential as a shot creator and driver on the wing at Illinois, but he’ll need time to improve his 3-point shot, put on muscle and develop as a defender. The NBA champion Thunder have the luxury of patience with their deep, young roster. Orlando already added needed shooting with its acquisition of Grizzlies star wing Desmond Bane, and they can supplement that even more with this court-spacing, late-blooming center. The Frenchman didn’t start focusing solely on basketball until his senior year of high school and showed progress each of his four years at Stanford, emerging into one of the nation’s top centers. The jumping jack of a forward doesn’t turn 20 until October. Can make shots from deep, and plays with a battery in his back – the Nets won’t have to coach effort with the still-developing, one-and-done forward. Similar to Bryant, Powell’s on-court production as a freshman was underwhelming. But, like Bryant, his 7-foot wingspan and 43-inch vertical leap – tops at the draft combine – are appealing enough to land the 19-year-old, 3-and-D prospect in the first round.He profiles as a microwave scorer off the bench, an explosive shot-first guard who has defensive limitations mostly due to his size but can get hot in a hurry. all the way to the Suns at the end of the first round. Just like Jalen Brunson going to the Mavericks with the first pick of the second round in 2018 and Payton Pritchard dropping to the Celtics at No. 26 in 2020. Teams don’t value college success as much as they should, and it leads to value picks like the aforementioned examples. Much like Brunson, Clayton is a guy who keeps getting better, going from unranked in high school to the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. There is always a spot for a defensive menace like this rim protector, only the second player in Big East history to be named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The other one: some guy named Patrick Ewing.Getty Images
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