Detroit Pistons – Cade Cunningham
Wow, what a surprise it is to see Cade Cunningham listed first overall for the Pistons. Detroit is in full rebuild mode and there’s no rush for them to find long-term cornerstone pieces that can expedite their process of becoming a playoff contender.
Cunningham is another modern-day point-forward type player that can excel with the ball in his hands. The 6-foot-8 guard can score in a variety of ways and he’s already an efficient shooter from outside as he knocked down 40 percent of his threes at Oklahoma State this past season.
The selection of Cunningham gives Detroit a player they can run their offense through and a go-to scorer that will continue to improve on the defensive end. There’s absolutely no way that the Pistons can afford to pass on a supreme talent like Cunningham when the draft gets underway.
READ MORE: 7 bold predictions for the 2021 NBA Draft
Houston Rockets – Jalen Green
I don’t envision any scenario where the Pistons elect to trade out of the No. 1 overall pick and not take Cunningham. Provided that, there is no point in projecting Cunningham to any team besides Detroit. With Cunningham off of the board, the Houston Rockets will have a choice of Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, or Jalen Suggs.
Mobley would form a formidable frontcourt presence with Christian Wood, but I’d love to see the potential of a future backcourt duo of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. Green is arguably the most gifted scorer in the 2021 NBA Draft and the Rockets could undoubtedly use more scoring after finishing with the worst record this season.
In his lone year with the G-League Ignite, Green averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while converting 36.5 percent of his shots from deep. A trio of Green, Porter, and Wood would be a solid foundation to build around moving forward.
Cleveland Cavaliers – Evan Mobley
As the draft has neared, there have been reports of multiple teams expressing interest in moving up to the No. 3 overall pick, which is currently owned by the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers have built a young backcourt duo in Darius Garland and Collin Sexton in recent years.
While Sexton has been mentioned in trade rumors, it’s time for Cleveland to strengthen their frontcourt by taking Evan Mobley out of USC. Jarrett Allen is a restricted free agent and it seems as if the Cavaliers want to retain him this offseason. Mobley is a versatile big man that has the skills to be a premier player at his position in the future.
Besides his ability to score inside and to protect the rim (averaged 2.9 blocks per game in 2020-2021), Mobley is improving as an outside shooter. Even though Green or Suggs would be reasonable choices, taking Mobley to pair with Allen in the frontcourt seems like the ideal decision.
READ MORE: 7 bold predictions for the 2021 NBA Draft
Toronto Raptors – Jalen Suggs
The Toronto Raptors are likely preparing for life after Kyle Lowry this offseason, which is why Pascal Siakam has been discussed as a potential trade candidate this offseason. Of course, there’s the slight chance that the Raptors make a run to retain Lowry in hopes of one more opportunity to compete for a title with the veteran point guard.
However, I believe Lowry is headed elsewhere, and having a chance to replace him with a well-rounded point guard like Suggs is a picture-perfect scenario for Toronto. Seeing that Fred VanVleet is capable of running point, Suggs doesn’t need to be forced into a starting role immediately.
This past season, Suggs recorded 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.9 steals per game on 33.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc. While his shooting will get better in the future, Suggs is a gifted facilitator and scorer that can be an immediate producer at the next level.
