Valley of the Suns Mock Draft 3.0

Picks 20-16

The Blazers have too much talent and too many picks. They’re going to need to draft and stash in order to make it all work. Hartenstein is the best draft and stash prospect. At 7’1″ and with a nice shooting stroke he has the potential to be a really interesting fit with the team over the long-term.

The Hawks need to replace Dwight Howard. I think they’ll have to decide between Ike Anigbogu and Patton. Ike has longer arms, but Patton is taller and more well-rounded player. The Hawks have a sneaky way of picking up really quality players in the mid-to-late-first round. I think this is just another good example.

The Pacers are unlikely to get the kind of deal they want for PG13. Boston would be better off to keep Fultz and the Lakers are going to get him anyways, so why give up any big piece. As a result, the best plan for Indiana is to take the player who can contribute the most right away and then hope that they can persuade George to stay with more money. Leaf is a pure scorer and he can help them right away by giving Turner more space to operate and adding a few more options for George to pass to. It’s not a great plan, but it’s the best they can do.

The Bucks don’t have a lot of holes left on their roster. They mostly just need to mature and improve on talent where it’s available. Allen is a really interesting pick for them, which is usually how they operate. His 7’5″ wingspan should get some attention and fits will the Thon Maker, Greek Freak-type of athleticism. If he can develop, he will be able to fly up and down the court, play elite defense, and spread the floor, which is exactly what Milwaukee will need at center.

The Bulls have holes everywhere on their roster and they could go a lot of places with this pick. Ferguson seems to make the most sense.  He can play point guard and could play the two as well. He is a great athlete with a solid jumper. The Bulls have a lot of guards on the roster, but few that seem like a long-term fit. If they can persuade Butler to stay around, Ferguson would be an ideal compliment to his game. If not, Ferguson is a nice piece to start the rebuilding process with.