The Utopia Of Sports
Draft Order
Brian Bayless 2018 NBA Mock Draft
Round 1 Picks 16-30
Brian Bayless Last Updated: June 14, 2018.
Phoenix Suns: Anfernee Simmons, SG, IMG Academy 
- The Phoenix Suns get a shooting guard at 16. Anfernee Simmons was a consistent scorer at IMG Academy and the more I watch him on tape the more I believe the Suns or any team in the top 20 has the luxury to draft Anfernee Simmons as a player to take a flyer on as a potential starter.
Milwaukee Bucks: Lonnie Walker IV, SG, Miami FL 
- Lonnie Walker gives the Bucks the shooting guard to round out their starting five. He's a great value pick for the Bucks at 18 and a best case scenario for the Bucks at 18.
San Antonio Spurs: Dzanan Musa, SF, Cedevita 
- The San Antonio Spurs draft a small forward in case they lose Kawhi Leonard to Free Agency. Dzanan Musa can play point guard, shooting guard, or small forward, plus the International Player can start right away if Leonard leaves.
Atlanta Hawks: Malik Newman, SG, Kansas 
- The Atlanta Hawks get a shooting guard for depth at 19. Malik Newman is someone who worked out with the Hawks and he's someone most people have a first round grade on.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Josh Okogie, SG, Georgia Tech 
- Minnesota gets a shooting guard for depth here. Josh Okogie is someone who worked out with Minnesota. The Timberwolves need a plan B in case Jimmy Butler gets injured again.
Utah Jazz: Jalen Brunson, PG, Villanova 
- The Jazz worked out Jalen Brunson. They lost Jeff Teague to the Timberwolves and Brunson is a fantastic value pick here.
Chicago Bulls: Chandler Hutchinson, SG, Boise State 
- The Bulls are looking at Chandler Hutchinson out of Boise State. He makes a lot of sense for the Bulls here.
Indiana Pacers: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Kentucky 
- The Pacers get a point guard for depth here. Many have a lottery grade on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander here making him a huge steal for the Indiana Pacers.
Portland Trail Blazers: Melvin Frazier, SF, Tulane 
- Portland takes the best player on the board at 24. Melvin Frazier has been linked to Portland and worked out with the Trail Blazers.
Los Angeles Lakers: Kevin Heurter, SG, Maryland 
- Kevin Heurter wowed Lakers Head Coach Luke Walton making 15 three point shots in a row a the 2018 NBA Combine. I feel like the Lakers are torn on both Mitchell Robinson and Kevin Heurter, but will take one or the other if either falls to 25. If Heurter falls to 25, he's the pick simply due to being more experienced.
Philadelphia 76ers: Khyri Thomas, SG, Creighton 
- Philadelphia gets a shooting guard to put in their starting lineup. Taking Khyri Thomas out of Creighton makes a lot of sense here.
Boston Celtics: Grayson Allen, SG, Duke 
- The Celtics can take the best player on the board. Getting Grayson Allen for depth is something I can see the Boston Celtics doing here considering they have worked him out. He seems like someone Danny Ainge would rave about.
Golden State Warriors: Jerome Robinson, SG, Boston College 
- Golden State gets a shooting guard for depth to groom behind Klay Thompson for a year. Jerome Robinson averaged over 20 points per game and he also had a .409 three point percentage which is just superb. He fits right in with Golden State. Even though Troy Brown out of Oregon is a steal, he's a terrible three point shooter and doesn't fit what Golden State does quite as well as Gary Trent Jr. out of Duke or Jerome Robinson out of Boston College who is my pick for Golden State at 28.
Brooklyn Nets: Moritz Wagner, PF, Michigan 
- Moritz Wagner is a great fit for the Brooklyn Nets at 29. He gives the Nets a starting power forward.
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Atlanta Hawks: Troy Brown, SF, Oregon
- Atlanta takes the best player on the board. While a center like Mitchell Robinson or Brandon McCoy would help, you cannot pass on a premium value pick like Troy Brown for depth this late in the first round considering he was once a lottery pick.
