Portland is one of many teams mired in the good, not great, dungeon. They need to take risks. OG Anunoby could be a risk worth taking for them here, but I think they’ll go with Giles. Prior to tearing his ACL, Giles was a top-five pick in this draft. He struggled to recover, but the talent level is off the charts. Noah Vonleh has played better of late, but picking Giles gives them two young options capable of bursting out. I’m a big Giles fan, I think he can be an elite player and this is a good fit for him.
Denver has a ton of talent, they just can’t seem to find a way to get it to be winning talent. A lot of that has had to do with the struggles of Emmanuel Mudiay who they expected to become an elite point guard. He still may, but it’s looking less and less likely every month. Drafting Ferguson gives them a flamethrower with potential to become what Mudiay hasn’t been: a starting point guard. Essentially the Nuggets are putting two high potential guys out there in hopes that one of them pans out. They’ve won big on risks like this before and this seems like a move they’d make.
Leaf failed to deliver when it mattered most and that should hurt his stock more than this, but the fit in Miami is really good. Having Whiteside behind him on defense will help cover up his shortcomings on the glass and in the paint. On the offensive side he is a perfect compliment to the way the Heat play. He’ll develop a consistent NBA three that will keep him in the league for a long time.
The Hornets seem hopelessly mired in mediocrity. Bridges gives them the best chance to come out of that. He’s a brick who has a very well-rounded game. Michael Jordan has always loved competitive gamers and Bridges fits the mold. Adding Bridges to play alongside MKG and Batum gives the team a versatility they have been lacking. In any other draft year Miles would be a top-five pick, so there’s no crying in Charlotte if he lands here.
I have an unapologetic man crush on Zach Collins. The way he plays reminds me so much of Kevin McHale. Same kind of fierce, nearly nasty, competitive streak combined with great fundamentals. I would love to see him on the Suns if they can swing it. However, it’s more likely he ends up in Detroit because Stan also likes these kinds of competitors. He also loves big men who can stretch the floor and Collins is a very good shooter all the way out to the three-point line. He’s still too small to guard big post players, but when you’ve got Drummond next to you, that’s not an issue. Detroit gets a steal here.