Official 2022 Basketball Dynasty Mock

[The Athletic]

 
**** Mock reflects feelings of one Indiana Pacers (Jon) S/o my asian bro. 


1 Detroit Pistons- Chet Holmgren | PF/C | Gonzaga 
Pretty cut and dry here. Chet was built in a lab for bball26. Regardless of where Chet ends up IRL, he should put up some monster stat lines that are going to help Irwin and the Pistons make a big playoff push. I could see Irwin swing for either Paolo or Jabari if he favors one of the two but the edge goes to Chet for his defensive upside.


2 Houston Rockets- Paolo Banchero | SF/PF | Duke 
GM Free is definitely a bottom 5 GM but has time to overcome this with a top two selection. Paolo is a clear top three talent and in many eyes the #1 player in the draft. Paolo should slot in as an immediate bucket and will help Free and the Rockets overcome the doormat of bball26.


3 Cleveland Cavaliers (via LAL) - Jabari Smith Jr.
The 1B to the Jokic trade, Jon and the Cavs almost fell out of the top three but are awarded with the “leftovers” of the big top three. Jabari seems to be the favorite to go #1 IRL so Jon certainly would be stoked with landing him here at #3. Jabari has a special stroke that could evolve him into a top tier scoring option to pair along with Garland in Cleveland. Was it worth Jokic and blowing up the team? Who knows but the rebuild in Cleveland will be fun.

 
4 Detroit Pistons (via TOR) - Jaden Ivey
Irwin lucked out with another top pick and has the option to go in almost any route. Will he swing for the fences and go Shaedon Sharpe? Stay safe and go Keegan Murray? Or will he have a blend of both and go Jaden Ivey. I have Ivey slotted in here as he is mostly in the consensus top four of most boards. I think this selection will be based on who drafts who IRL. The talent is evident with an explosive first step and elite athleticism, Irwin and the Pistons could have a nasty lineup with Chet, Ivey, Cade, and Kawhi. This team is on the rise and will certainly make some noise in the East this year.

  (Head Shot N/A) 
5 Indiana Pacers - Shaedon Sharpe
Fuck me- Jho
Chuck Writeup- Okay honestly, if this wasn’t a free fantasy league and missing didn’t matter, I would be fucking horrified to draft Shaedon, lmfao. However, I love this league and I FUCKING NEED TO WIN, so yeah, If I was in Jho’s spot, I would be pissed and nervous as fuck. Sharpe has about 12 games of tape on him off my dome and while the shot making is undeniable, will it translate to the NBA with the best athletes in the world? His free throw shooting, albeit on a small sample was below average, passing isn’t great, and the defense is all projection. Drafting a tools wing with ridiculous measurements sounds cool, but this guy has real Cam Reddish vibes to me. Also, Sharpe’s ball handling based on his film isn’t good, he’s not Jalen Green or Beal and he’s not breaking any decent defender down off the dribble as of right now. Can he develop it? Maybe. Good luck.


6 Denver Nuggets - Jalen Duren
Kev and the Nuggets just fall out of the top five. Rumors have it that Kev would have loved to swing for Sheadon Sharpe but I don’t see him falling out of the top five. With that being said, the next big gamble would be Jalen Duren. The youngest player in this class, Duren has the potential to be an absolute beast in bball26. The double-double potential mixed with gaudy defensive stat-lines, Duren could fit in perfectly for Kev. Will he propel the Nuggets into the playoffs? Unlikely, but if Kev plays the long game - Duren could pay dividends.



7 Boston Celtics (via DAL) - Keegan Murray
I think it’s time for Bman and the Celtics to make some serious noise in the playoffs. There have been rumors of trading this pick but if Bman stays here I think it is an easy pick. Keegan Murray put up some NUMBERS at Iowa, he is one of the most NBA ready prospects in the draft and should immediately contribute to any NBA team. BMan will be in a good spot here to either keep the pick or trade it but Murray will be hard to pass on if available at seven.


 
8 Atlanta Hawks (via CHA) - Dyson Daniels
After trading away Damian Lillard and James Harden, Trey and the Hawks are finally back in draft. Trey has always been a wildcard on draft night but Dyson Daniels seems to be a guy Trey would fall in love with. His upside will pair nicely in a rebuild year for Atlanta. With Maxey, Jon Isaac, and Dyson Daniels - there is clear upside in Atlanta. Lets see if the ping pong balls are in favor for Atlanta in the future…


9 Houston Rockets (via SAS) - Jeremy Sochan
Free is back at it again with another top 10 pick. For the Rockets, I think it will be all about upside and the long run. Sochan could very well be that guy. He is a dynamic player with clear upside in all facets of the game. As a 19 year old, he will fit in perfectly next to both Paolo and Jalen Green. This Rockets team will be oozing with potential with cornerstones who aren't even able to drink alcohol - similar to their GM Free. I’m sure the Mountain Dew parties are a great time.


10 Memphis Grizzlies (via BOS) - Mark Williams
Man I would be stoked if Royce and the Grizzlies were able to grab Mark Williams here. Williams is a freak of nature, he is an inch short of grabbing the rim just by standing. With all picks in this mock draft, it depends on the landing spot IRL - but Mark Williams looks to be a guy who can play impactful minutes and put up stats that fit perfectly in bball26. Mark and Rob Williams will be some scary trees in Memphis as this team looks to lock up yet another playoff appearance despite being 17th in the latest power rankings.

  
11 New Orleans Pelicans (via SAC) - AJ Griffin
Johnny can pretty much go any route with this pick, that is the luxury of having one of the most stacked rosters in bball26. I like AJ Griffin here, as a bucket getter and a guy who has potential to become the athlete he once was. If AJ can get an ounce of the athleticism he had in high school, he could develop into a high level player in the NBA. Johnny and the Pels are in a comfortable position here and AJ Griffin should make things that much easier.


12 Houston Rockets (via CHI) - Benedict Mathurin
Welcome back to the draft Free. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mathurin was the pick at #9 for the Rockets so the luxury of having him be available at 12 will have Free ecstatic. Mathurin is one of the most electric players in this draft based on pure shot making and athleticism. He is one of the best catch and shoot 3 guys in this draft which will almost guarantee him playing time during his rookie year. His athleticism makes him stand out and has scouts drooling over his long term potential. Free should be stoked if Mathurin is still here at 12, just another body to invite for the Mountain Dew parties.


13 Phoenix Suns - Tari Eason
If Eason is still here at #13 and Tyler actually has wifi available to him then I expect a pick to be made within 10 minutes. Wifi or not, Eason is that guy and Tyler should be excited for the potential defensive stats he can put up. Eason should not make it out of the lottery and Tyler makes sure of it here at #13.


14 Miami Heat (via NYK) - Ochai Abaji
After taking 30 year old Chris Duarte last year, Sanjul and the Heat could be geared up to take another 30 year old in Abaji. All jokes aside, Abaji is a stud and it was put on display on a historic national championship run by the Jayhawks. I think Sanjul isn’t afraid to take the BPA regardless of age and Abaji can only help this Heat team make a deep playoff run to pair with Ja and Ayton.


15 Milwaukee Bucks (via POR) - Johnny Davis
All jokes aside, Johnny Davis is a talented prospect and has every indication of being a legit NBA player. He competes at a high level on both sides of the ball. He should see plenty of minutes during his rookie year, his 3pt shot should develop just based on his touch around the basket and his mid range game. If Davis can develop into a three level scorer, we are talking about one of the bright stars of the league. This is just another asset for Jake and the Bucks to go for a three-peat.

 
16 Los Angeles Lakers (via UTA) - Malaki Branham
Malaki Branham is a smooth bucket getter that should catch Griff and the Lakers attention right away. Branham’s game should translate easily to the NBA which will allow him to produce from day one. Branham has the talent to go in the lottery so getting him at #16 would be great value for the Lakers. After somehow losing out on their own #1 overall pick, Griff will look to move forward with a young core and continue to rebuild through the draft starting with Branham.


17 Houston Rockets (via OKC) - Ousmane Dieng
Welcome back part 69 Free! Tally up another body for the Mountain Dew parties, Dieng is a 19 year old who has shown his potential in a New Zealand league that has brought over plenty of young NBA talent. Dieng would be a nice get for Free as he continues this long rebuild.


18 Miami Heat - TyTy Washington
I’m honestly a big TyTy fan. Kentucky guards are always a safe bet and I think Sanjul can’t go wrong here. Ideally, a Forward would be a better fit for Miami but I can see Sanjul going for BPA and TyTy will be in the conversation for this pick.


19 Memphis Grizzlies - Kennedy Chandler
Chandler seems like a Royce pick towards the back half of the first round. Chandler has some bounce to his small stature and can facilitate at the next level. Royce could use a PG to pair with Bane in the backcourt to form a young nucleus. The young core continues to develop for Memphis with Chandler running the point.


20 Los Angeles Clippers - Walker Kessler
Remy could get some great value with Walker Kessler at #20. Kessler is straight up built for bball26. At 6bpg per 36, Kessler has one of the highest upsides in the draft for bball26. He won’t need an immediate starting role to even put up numbers. Kessler would be almost a perfect fit for Remy and the Clippers as they look to continue their success in the playoffs.


21 New Orleans Pelicans (via ORL) - EJ Liddel
Another luxury pick for Johnny and the Pels. Liddel has improved every year in College and is a good bet to continue that trend. He has a similar build to our commissioner of bball26 which he uses to handle bigs even while undersized. Liddell posted good block numbers in College and Johnny will hope he can sustain that at the next level. Super solid pick for this stacked Pelicans team.

 
22 Boston Celtics (via PHI) - Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Someone is going to gamble on PBJ and Bman has a track record of swinging for the fences, especially this late in the 1st round. PBJ’s combine performance could have been outperformed by majority of bball26 GM’s, it was poor in every aspect. I still think he is a late first-early second round guy who flashes potential as a big body shooter. He will need a solid foundation in the league so this is largely based on the fact that he will have that in the NBA. Bman could do pretty well with PBJ if he realizes his potential.


23 Dallas Mavericks (via CLE) - Jaden Hardy
Mr. Pickasso at it again gambling on a top high school recruit here. Hardy did not look great to start his G-League career but started to put things together as the season progressed. I could see this progression to continue into the NBA as he learns the ropes and becomes more of a complete player. Hardy is still a bucket and with the right development can be a guy who gets consistent minutes. The gamble here at 23 is well worth the risk, Mr. Pickasso truly understanding the art of drafting.


24 Phoenix Suns (via ATL) - Christian Koloko
Koloko had a great combine which showed his shooting potential. Koloko, much like Kessler - has the potential to be a stellar asset in bigmanleague26. I believe Koloko will be a lock for the first round here solely based on our scoring format. He certainly has flashed the potential to really solidify himself as a first round prospect but there is so much talent in the back half of the first round through the mid second round. Tyler and the Suns could do pretty well in this draft after securing Eason earlier in the lottery.


25 Denver Nuggets (via WAS) - Jake LaRavia
I honestly doubt Kev even knows who LaRavia is but if Kev is serious about competing this year, LaRavia could be a perfect fit. He shot the lights out at the combine and displayed his playmaking skills throughout the year at WF. I like the pick here for Kev, he should see minutes early on and help Kev make this playoff run we’ve been hearing about all off-season.


26 Minnesota Timberwolves (via NOP) - Jalen Williams
Another late riser in draft circles, Jalen Williams is showing out during the pre-draft process. This mf has a 7’2” wingspan while standing 6’5”, he has all the potential to truly excel as a two-way player. Williams seems like a safe pick that will be in the league for a while which will only help the Woofs make another finals run.



27 Los Angeles Lakers (via BKN) - Nikola Jovic
Jovic is such an enticing prospect as a 6’10” point forward. Griff and the Lakers are in prime position to gamble on Jovic. There are not many players in this draft that offer the upside of Jovic, which makes him worthy of a late first round pick. If he can improve his 3 point shot, he should really blossom into a dynamic player at the next level.


28 Cleveland Cavaliers (via GSW) – Max Christie
I got Jon taking Christie here, I believe he took MPJ and RJ Hampton in the past, so maybe he’ll go with another highly touted HS prospect that fell a bit after a pretty disappointing college season. Christie projects as a safe pick and as a guy that will probably have a long NBA career. Good wingspan, height, athletic enough to guard NBA wings once he grows into his body. The shot is pure and maybe there’s some untapped stuff off the dribble that he wasn’t allowed to show at MSU.

 
29 Minnesota Timberwolves - MarJon Beauchamp
I’m not super deep into my evaluation of MarJon, but another solid sized wing who has shown an ability to score in the GLeague. The shooting is a question mark for sure but I wouldn’t be opposed to selecting a wing that could pile up boards and pts in here. He lands on a rebuilding team IRL and Drew is gonna love it.


30 Los Angeles Lakers (via MIL) - Blake Wesley
Wesley is an interesting upside pick. Pretty explosive and if he can develop shooting off the dribble, spotting up, and making basic NBA reads, could be a player. Not a huge believer in Blake but why not take an upside swing if you’re Griff.