The Smoking Cuban
FanSided

NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Lottery Picks Only

By Kohl Rast

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 15: A general view of the NBA Deputy Commissioner, Mark Tatum during the 2018 NBA Draft during the NBA Draft Lottery on May 15, 2018 at The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 15: A general view of the NBA Deputy Commissioner, Mark Tatum during the 2018 NBA Draft during the NBA Draft Lottery on May 15, 2018 at The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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OMAHA, NE – MARCH 25: Wendell Carter, Jr. #34 of the Duke Blue Devils concentrates at the free throw line against the Kansas Jayhawks during the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional Final at CenturyLink Center on March 25, 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
OMAHA, NE – MARCH 25: Wendell Carter, Jr. #34 of the Duke Blue Devils concentrates at the free throw line against the Kansas Jayhawks during the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional Final at CenturyLink Center on March 25, 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

#9: New York Knicks

Mikal Bridges, Villanova

“The Knicks are a team looking for a good wing to start pushing them forward. With a nice focal point like Kristaps Porzingis and a young guard with room to grow in Frank Ntilikina. Now adding a wing that comes in with a lot of good experience from Villanova will help push this team forward. Bridges was a great player for the National Champions and his 3-D potential is going to be great with this Knicks team.” –Kohl Rast

Wendell Carter Jr., Duke

“The Knicks are in a tough position at this point in the draft. With their top targets like Trae Young and Michael Porter Jr. off the board, the Knicks need to draft a big man due to the uncertainty surrounding Kristaps Porzingis. Frank Ntilikina and Emmanuel Mudiay are enough to let rest for now at the guard positions, so the team should look to add a front court piece while they can.

Gauging Wendell Carter Jr.’s true value is tough in that it can be hard to sort through his affect on the game next to Marvin Bagley, but David Fizdale has experience coaching some of the premier big men of the NBA.” –Evan Siegel

Wendell Carter Jr., Duke

“At Duke, Carter played center and often guarded the opposing team’s best scoring big man, allowing his more offensively talented teammate Marvin Bagley to save his energy for the offensive end. Sound like that could work in New York with Kristaps Porzingis? It might be a good fit. It’s often best for the Knicks to have Porzingis at the five to take advantage of mismatches, but having Carter in the paint will take some of the pressure off of the big Latvian.

It’s physically grinding going up against bigs in the NBA, and I’m sure the Knicks would rather have Porzingis spend his energy scoring. My only concern with Carter is his weight. He already weighs 250 lbs. It’s possible he can slim down with a professional training program, but he’ll probably put on more weight as he ages.” –Ben Zajdel

Next: #10: Philadelphia 76ers