The NBA Draft is one of the most interesting and consequential sporting events every year. Just last year, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Anthony Edwards with the first overall pick – something that they should not regret – even with the emergence of LaMelo Ball in Charlotte.
The 2021 NBA Draft Class has been hailed as one of the most loaded in recent memory. There is an argument to be made that all five of the top prospects this year would have been selected first overall in 2020.
To make things even more interesting this season, there are two teams among the worst three in the league that are entirely reliant on the draft pick protections they established when they made their respective trades (the Rockets and Timberwolves).
The Rockets have about a 50-percent chance of keeping their pick, and the Timberwolves have about a 40-percent chance of keeping their pick (as of May 3rd, 2021).
For the purpose of this mock draft, we are going to use the current draft order (not simulating the lottery) – meaning the top-four picks are Houston, Detroit, Minnesota, and Orlando. The Bulls will not have their pick in this draft.
Let’s get into it.