Valley of the Suns 2018 Mock Draft 1.0

Who likes defense? Thibs likes defense. Put the top defender in the draft anywhere near the T-Wolves and I expect them to jump all over it.

Oh yeah, and Bruce Brown/Bruce Bowen. Close enough.

The Nuggets have a great young core with their guards and centers. Where they are older and weak is at the forward spots. Enter the most likely player to pull a Kyle Kuzma. Chandler Hutchison is putting up big numbers and has grown into his frame. He is a late bloomer playing on a team where no one is watching, but he should soar during workouts and becoming the replacement for Wilson Chandler makes sense.

The Blazers are a mess of overpaid talent. How they escape mediocrity will be the question they face going forward. One of the most obvious options is to trade one of their elite guards for a better fit on the team or for future assets. The challenge with that approach is the lack of draft depth at guard. Enter a local product who can play either position and has the elite size that they currently lack. He’s a very young prospect, but one who makes a lot of sense for them here.

I have a hard time believing the 76ers will keep this pick, but if they do, Walker could be a great find this low. He’s got good size and raw skills, and it’s possible that if he can put together a better end to the season than his start that he will rise higher than 17th overall. Sitting on the end of the Philadelphia bench would likely be a good pathway for him to develop and eventually be a nice role player on a competitive team.

Denzel Valentine hasn’t been what the Bulls thought they were getting. Adding Musa would give Chicago another sniper alongside Lauri to just rain down misery on opposing teams. He’s a young sharp shooter whose defense leaves a lot to be desired. On a growing Bulls team, he should be a fine fit.