NBA SIMS LEAGUE
NSL Insider - Ethan's Mock Draftby EthanC21, updated on Saturday, August 14 2021, 02:30 pm EST NSL Mock Draft  I�ve decided to do a mock based off a combination of best player available and best fit in the NSL! I know a lot of picks have been moved leading up to the NSL Draft but for the sake of not giving too much away I�m going to base this one as it currently stands on site! #1 LA Lakers select Cade Cunningham Cade has long been the consensus #1 prospect in the NBA and the NSL, and boy do the lakers need him! Cade walks into LA and is just about the best player right away. Talented 3 level scorer, knock down shooter, a plus defender and he has a knack for making winning plays! He does lack that elite athleticism but makes up for it with a blend of skill and smarts. Cade is going #1 and that�s all there is too it. Comparison: a weird hybrid of Luka and SGA. /cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21995930/Cade_Cunningham.jpg) #2 Atlanta Hawks select Jalen Green The Hawks are chasing star power, and this is their first of many picks in this draft. Jalen Green is a highlight reel waiting to happen. He has a great blend of scoring instincts, athleticism and confidence. Jalen could very well be the best player in this draft when it�s all said and done! This is a lazy comparison because it�s been the consensus, but I really see this with Jalen. Comparison: Zach Lavine #3 Milwaukee Bucks select Evan Mobley Mobley fits in nicely with the young duo that wolf has in SGA and Zion. Mobley has unreal fluidity and instincts on the defensive end of the floor, although his offensive game is very raw, he has shown some flashes of what he MIGHT be able to do when he hits his peak. Comparison: Less offensively gifted AD or Chris Bosh. #4 Orlando Magic select Scottie Barnes I don�t believe this is the pick Orlando actually go with but too me I think it is a no brainer! Barnes has the potential to be a part of the NBA All defensive teams one day, he�s so switched on and skilled on that side of the ball. Barnes also possess a nice combination of athleticism and playmaking, which I believe would fit well with Trae in a secondary playmaker type of role! Comparison: Draymond Green with more scoring upside. #5 Minnesota Timberwolves select Jonathon Kuminga Affectionately known by Warriors twitter as �the Kum Bucket�. If you know me, I have been in love with Kuminga for the better part of 2 years. JK has a blend of size and athleticism that can only be gifted to you, it can�t be taught. He started the G-League experiment extremely well but wasn�t able to maintain that past 3 games. He needs to improve his shot selection and attention on defence, but IF he puts it all together, he might end up the best player of the draft with his two-way potential. Comparison: Jaylen Brown or Pascal Siakam  #6 Utah Jazz select Jalen Suggs Utah is looking for a guy to really shape their rebuild around, insert Jalen Suggs. Dynamic jumbo-sized point guard who displays great two-way potential. Jalen is another player who has that knack for making winning plays especially on the defensive end! Jalen was a QB in High school at an elite level, which speaks volumes about his ability to make reads and the right plays in short spaces of time. Comparison: Brandon Roy #7 Boston Celtics select James Bouknight Bouknight is an extremely talented scorer and athlete. I think at worst in the NBA Bouknight becomes a 6th man spark plug type scorer, but I see him more in that 2nd scorer role similar to CJ. He can create for himself off the dribble at an elite level and can get to the cup at will using his elite athleticism. Comparison: CJ McCollum or Jordan Clarkson. #8 Cleveland Cavaliers select Davion Mitchell Davion enters the NBA as one of the most ready to contribute prospects of the draft, I imagine he will be contributing right away and will see early season 2k love. The Cavs had one of the best defences in the league last year in terms of points against and Mitchell will help that identity even more. Cleveland need a PG and Davion is their guy imo. Comparison: Jrue Holiday #9 Minnesota Timberwolves select Moses Moody Moses again is a player who is ready to contribute on the NBA level right away as a knockdown shooter and savvy defender. I think moody has the potential to be an elite role player similar to his comparisons. Moody has an insane 7�1 wingspan on his 6�6 frame, nice measurables for a 2 guard. He will see a good number of mins in his rookie season with the Warriors. Comparison: Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby. #10 Atlanta Hawks select Josh Giddey The Hawks drafted Jalen Green earlier in this mock and already have Hunter and Reddish on the roster, adding a point guard of Giddeys size would be so fun to watch as they�d be so long at all positions. Giddey is arguably the best playmaker in this draft and would fit well with what Atlanta have building. Comparison: a faster version of Kyle Anderson #11 Boston Celtics select Alperen Sengun Alperen comes from the Turkish League where he won MVP in honours at 18 years old! If that wasn�t enough to impress Toby, I would suggest that his Summer League play might force his hand here. The big man has been super impressive so far and I think would provide them with some really fun line-ups in Boston. Comparison: Nikola Vucevic #12 Denver Nuggets select Ziaire Williams Ziaire was a shocl pick at 10 to the Grizzlies for the NBA world, but if they have proven anything over recent drafts it is that they know what they�re doing. Ziaire has all the tools to become a go to scorer at the next level but he needs to be more disciplined in his shot selection. I think he would be another nice piece to the offensive juggernaut that is the Denver Nuggets. Comparison: Cam Reddish with less defence #13 Los Angeles Clippers select Franz Wagner Franz is a guy who I can imagine fitting nicely in the Clippers starting unit once he�s seasoned, he�s a solid on and off ball defender, he�s not a ball stopper and he can knock down open shots. Comparison: Nic Batum but the good version #14 Golden State Warriors select Trey Murphy I�ll be honest I really don�t know why I have Murphy landing here, but I really like this kid and think he could fit in well between Lavine and Ayton down the track. I think Titles takes a big swing here though instead of a safer pick maybe Kai Jones. Comparison: De�Andre Hunter #15 Los Angeles Clippers select Corey Kispert The Clippers already have a bevvy of guys who have star careers ahead in Sabonis, Barret in Sexton. I think another guy who fit immensely between them would be Kispert. Kispert was arguably the best shooter in college basketball this past year but he�s much more than that, he�s a smart team defender and quite a good on ball defender. He would excel in a role for the Clippers. Lazy Comparison: Joe Harris #16 Minnesota Timberwolves select Kai Jones Motor? Check, Athleticism? Check. Kai is as raw as they come but he�s only been playing organised basketball for 5 or so years. I think he has tremendous potential, and he has a great work ethic to go along with it. If he hits, he�s going to HIT. Comparison: More athletic Christian Wood. #17 Toronto Raptors select Chris Duarte Toronto have their stars and a nice handful of role players. Duarte would give the Raptors a great knockdown shooter who could play immediately next to Paul George, I would say his upside is limited due to his age, but at least you know what you will definitely get out of him rather than an if or when. Comparison: Gary Trent Jr #18 Memphis Grizzlies select Usman Garuba The Grizzles have one of the strongest identities in the league and that is one of DEFENCE. Garuba is potentially the best defensive prospect in this draft, I think he could fit well in a lineup that consists of Brown, Conley and JJJ. Garuba is raw on the offensive end but if he develops an average offensive game, he will be a great NBA player. Comparison: James Johnson with better defence. #19 Chicago Bulls select Cameron Thomas I think Thomas landed in a perfect situation in the NBA playing behind Kyrie and Harden. He�s a creative scorer and will only get better playing in Brooklyn, I think Thomas would be a nice fit on the Bulls as he will be able to provide a nice scoring punch off the bench and has time to develop behind their big 3. Comparison: Jordan Clarkson #20 Denver Nuggets select Jalen Johnson Here we have the Nuggets making their second selection of the draft in Jalen Johnson. Jalen was once upon a time a lock to be a top 10 pick. Johnson has all the tools to be a two way point forward in the NBA, but all the questions come back to his character. At pick 20 this is great value for the Nuggets. Comparison: Aaron Gordon  #21 Atlanta Hawks select Keon Johnson I�ve lost what pick we are up to for the hawks but nonetheless they�re taking Keon Johnson here! Much like Jalen Johnson, up until recent times Keon was as high as #6 on mock drafts. Keon has insane athleticism, but we question his feel for the game and his touch! Keon could make us all look silly for having him this low in the future. Comparison: More athletic Gary Harris #22 Los Angeles Clippers select Joshua Primo While I have my doubts about Primo, if you�re drafting a guy 10 spots after the Spurs did it must be a win? The Spurs have long been the gold standard of player development in the NBA, Primo might be the next star out of SA. Primo is another lights out shooter who is a solid on ball defender. There might be a pattern with this clippers picks? Comparison: Anfernee Simons #23 Utah Jazz select Isaiah Jackson Isaiah has great athleticism and shot blocking instincts, however if he�s going to really succeed at the next level, he needs to be more disciplined on defence. He is one of the best rim protectors in this draft class and landed in a nice NBA situation. Comparison: Nic Claxton #24 Dallas Mavericks select Bones Hyland The Mavericks have a lot of holes to fill in the draft and FA this offseason, I think I might be higher on Bones than most but I think he has quickley-esque features to his game and I can see him filling that kind of role for the Mavericks. Comparison: Immanuel Quickley #25 New Orleans Pelicans select Isaiah Todd The Pelicans have one of the best guard rotations in the league, so at pick 25 I have them taking Isaiah Todd an athletic forward who can shoot the 3 at a handy clip. Isaiah has nice defensive upside. Todd would be another nice fit into the already impressive New Orleans roster. Comparison: Lite Chris Bosh lite #26 Atlanta Hawks select Quentin Grimes Grimes has been quite impressive in the Summer League so far. Atlanta have so many picks they can afford to take big swings on guys and frankly I think they should be. Grimes has an impressive skill set that if he develops well, we could look back on this as an absolute steal. #27 Atlanta Hawks select Josh Christopher Christopher is a great athlete who can stroke it from behind the arc. He could become a dynamic scorer or he could be another inefficient guard, but if he does become that dynamic scorer he can become than ATL will have be ecstatic. Comparison: Norman Powell #28 Miami Heat select Jaden Springer Pete is someone I believe will always draft best player available, in my opinion I think that is Jaden Springer. Springer has great feel for the game and has a motor that�s always at 100, especially on the defensive end. Springer shot 45% from three in college, but it was on a very small sample size. Comparison: Taller Kyle Lowry #29 San Antonio Spurs select Jared Butler Butler lead the Baylor Bears to the promise land in the NCAA final, we all know it was Mitchells team but this was Butlers game! Butler is a sort of a floor general who lives below the rim, he can knock down the 3 ball as well. Crafty finisher off the dribble and has a nice pull up game as well. I think he will develop well in Utah. Comparison: Malcolm Brogdon #30 New York Knicks select JT Thor Thor has tremendous defensive potential and could have an ALL-Defensive team type career. He�s an inconsistent shooter at the best of times. I think this is a pure upside swing and banking on Thors brilliant athleticism and defensive instincts. Comparison: Rich man�s Al-Farouq Aminu Again, this is just my opinion and who I think fits well with current roster constructions! Let me know your thoughts! |
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