Rod Beard's 2018 NBA mock draft

1. Phoenix Suns: DeAndre Ayton, C, Fr., Arizona. The Suns won the lottery and look to be enamored with Ayton, who played nearby in Tucson. Ayton, 19, could be the final answer to their troubled history of drafting big men, with Dragan Bender, Marquese Chriss and Alex Len not panning out so far. With a nucleus of Devin Booker and Josh Jackson with Ayton, the Suns could be on the road to getting it right.

2. Sacramento Kings: Marvin Bagley III, F, Fr., Duke. With Ayton gone, the Kings will be happy to settle for Bagley, who could be the best overall talent in the draft. At 6-foot-11, he's still growing, but his energy and potential have the Kings excited. A tandem of DeAaron Fox and Bagley could give them the youthful foundation to pull them out of the doldrums of the NBA.

3. Atlanta Hawks: Jaren Jackson Jr., PF/C, Fr., Michigan State. After reports of his outstanding workouts with the top teams in the draft, Jackson's stock has risen. He has a good game on both ends of the court and his outside shooting will translate well to the NBA. The Hawks could consider Trae Young at this spot, but that would also entail trading Dennis Schroder, which won't be easy.

4. Memphis Grizzlies: Luka Doncic, PG, Slovenia. Doncic, once thought to be the top overall pick, could slide a couple of spots to No. 4 — and the Grizzlies would be more than delighted. They already have a monster contract with Mike Conley for another couple of seasons, so Doncic could be the heir apparent, but they could play both of them together as they rebuild.

5. Dallas Mavericks: Mohamed Bamba, C, Fr., Texas. He had an outstanding draft combine, with a 7-foot-10 wingspan, but he'll need to bulk up to become a force in the NBA. He could become a game-changer on the defensive end, and with Dirk Nowitzki in the twilight of his career, they could have a new focal point in their frontcourt.

6. Orlando Magic: Trae Young, PG, Fr., Oklahoma. The Magic need an infusion of talent and energy to match with Aaron Gordon. They have a void at point guard and Young would be a huge get for them. He was one of the most exciting players in college basketball last season and could bring a boost to a moribund franchise with new coach Steve Clifford.

7. Chicago Bulls: Collin Sexton, PG, Fr., Alabama. The Bulls also will look at Michael Porter and Wendell Carter in this spot, but Sexton could be the choice to solidify their future at point guard. Even with Kris Dunn's production last year, they can find a way to give both Sexton and Dunn time.

8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Michael Porter Jr., F, Fr., Missouri. Presuming that LeBron James decides to take his talents elsewhere, the Cavs will have a big hole to fill. Porter can fit the bill, but his injury history could be something of a concern. He didn't get to play a full freshman season at Missouri, but he has a versatile skill set that could translate well to the retooling Cavs.

9. New York Knicks: Wendell Carter, C, Fr., Duke. Carter gives the Knicks a good complement to Kristaps Porzingis in the frontcourt. They've spent a lot of assets on point guards, including a lottery pick last season on Frank Ntilikina, so they could look at another option here. If he falls this far, Carter (center) will be too good a talent to pass up.

10. Philadelphia 76ers: Mikal Bridges, wing, Jr., Villanova. Despite the departure of team president Bryan Colangelo, the Sixers still have a clear philosophy: build around centerpieces Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz. They covet shooters but Bridges, with two NCAA championships, will not take as long to develop and will bring a solid skill set to a team that already has high expectations in the East.

11. Charlotte Hornets: Kevin Knox, F, Fr., Kentucky. He has plenty of untapped potential and didn't get to develop fully with the oodles of talent around him at Kentucky. He can play both forward spots, but didn’t have an excellent shooting year, which could change as he makes the jump to the NBA. At 6-9, he's a bit undersized as a power forward, but he'll find sweet spot on the floor with the Hornets.

12. Los Angeles Clippers: Miles Bridges, F, Soph., Michigan State. The fast-paced style of the Clippers could be the best fit for Bridges, who is an explosive scorer and dunker on the offensive end. He shot a respectable 37 percent on 3-pointers as a sophomore, and he's probably better suited for the NBA game, where he can play both forward spots well, especially on the defensive end.

13. Los Angeles Clippers: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG, Fr., Kentucky. He would have looked good as a potential Pistons target, but with the Clippers' back-to-back picks, they add some backcourt depth. Plenty of teams in the top 11 covet Gilgeous-Alexander also, so trades or a surprise move could come as well. At 6-6, he has very good size and could develop into a nice combo option.

14. Denver Nuggets: Zhaire Smith, wing, Fr., Texas Tech. Smith has rocketed up many draft boards because of his immense athleticism and potential. He’s still somewhat raw. He converted 45 percent on 3-pointers, but had limited attempts. With Gary Harris (Michigan State), the Nuggets don't have an immediate need at shooting guard, so Smith can take some time to develop.

15. Washington Wizards: Robert Williams, PF/C, Soph., Texas A&M. They’re overdue to be looking for a replacement for starting center Marcin Gortat and Williams, at 6-foot-10, brings some athleticism and swag to the position. He's a natural fit in the pick-and-roll game with guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, and he'd be a good transition as Gortat goes into the last year of his deal.

16. Phoenix Suns: Keita Bates-Diop, F, Jr., Ohio State. The Big Ten player of the year has good size at 6-8½ and can play power forward in some smaller lineups. He put up big numbers (19.8 points and 8.7 rebounds) and his offensive skills offset the question marks about him on the defensive end. The Suns will do themselves well to find versatility at this point in the first round.

17. Milwaukee Bucks: Lonnie Walker IV, SG, Fr., Miami (Fla.). The Bucks have plenty of blocks in place and with a new coach, Mike Budenholzer, they will have a shift in philosophy. Having Giannis Antetokounmpo is an outstanding building block to start with, though. They rely on length — Walker has a wingspan of 6-10½ — and top-level athletic ability, and Walker adds a shooter with good size.

18. San Antonio Spurs: Khyri Thomas, SG, Jr. Creighton. The Spurs need to groom the next guard to succeed Manu Ginobili and likely will go for Thomas or Troy Brown. They opt for Thomas’ maturity, with three years at Creighton, over Brown’s size, at 6-7, but Thomas' 6-10½ wingspan can make up for some of the difference on the defensive end.

19. Atlanta Hawks: Aaron Holiday, PG, Jr., UCLA. If the Hawks are running thin on patience with Dennis Schroder, they can make a move with their second pick to find another option. Holiday has plenty for the Hawks to like, scoring 20.3 points and hitting 43 percent on 3-pointers in his junior season. There are questions about his size (6 feet) but he’s a safe choice.

20. Minnesota Timberwolves: Mitchell Robinson, C, high school. If the Timberwolves have any concerns about whether All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns bolts when his contract is up, this is a good option. The Timberwolves also can look at some potential wing options with this pick, such as Troy Brown, Anfernee Simons or Donte DiVincenzo but Robinson will be the best center left at this point.

21. Utah Jazz: Kevin Huerter, SG, Soph., Maryland. Injury concerns could have Huerter drop some, as he’ll miss two months after surgery on his right hand. Huerter had a strong draft combine, so the injury shouldn’t drop him out of the first round, but there will be questions. He shot 42 percent from 3, 50 percent from the floor and averaged 14.8 points, so the numbers are there.

22. Chicago Bulls: Troy Brown, SG, Fr., Oregon. Brown is valued for his size (6-7) and his wingspan (6-10½) but he's not a great shooter (29 percent on 3-pointers), which puts a dent in some of his value. His athleticism isn't questioned, and he’s more of a playmaker and scorer than simply a shooter. The Bulls can go in other directions, but in the final part of the first round, this is a solid choice.

23. Indiana Pacers: Anfernee Simons, SG, IMG Academy. He's still raw, but he’s a good scorer and can find a shot for himself. The questions will surface about whether he was ready to play at the college level, but skipping that altogether and going straight to the NBA is a big jump. He's 6-3, 180 pounds, so he'll need to hit the weight room and bulk up to take NBA rigor.

24. Portland Trail Blazers: Jacob Evans, Wing, Jr., Cincinnati. With a solid backcourt, the Blazers could use some depth at small forward — and Evans fits. He’s known for his defense, but he also shot 38 percent on 3-pointers. At 6-6, he can go with the run-and-gun Blazers offense, while adding that defensive element that could make them formidable in the West.

25. Los Angeles Lakers: Chandler Hutchison, wing, Sr., Boise State. He has the maturity, having played four years in college, and could be one of the only ones chosen in the first round. He has good size (6-7) and with his 7-foot wingspan, he can be a versatile addition for the Lakers, whose roster could be changing drastically depending on how they do in free agency.

26. Philadelphia 76ers: Donte DiVincenzo, PG, Fr., Villanova. DiVincenzo made a name for himself in the NCAA Tournament, helping the Wildcats to a second championship in three seasons. He flashed uncanny athleticism and an ability to score all over the court. His stock elevated him from a second-round prospect into the first round — and some projections have him going in the lottery. This would be a steal for the Sixers.

27. Boston Celtics: Dzanan Musa (right), SF, Bosnia. The Celtics will be the favorites in the East next season and don’t have very pressing needs, so they can go in a number of directions with this pick. He's 6-9, but has a nice nose for scoring the ball. They could look at an option such as Moritz Wagner, also, as a versatile shooting big man.

28. Golden State Warriors: Jalen Brunson, PG, Jr., Villanova. How the Warriors continue to end up with solid players when they’re picking at the back of the draft — see Jordan Bell — is a mystery to most, but it’s just good scouring and ranking players and seeing the value. They could look at a big man like Moritz Wagner also, but their depth isn’t their biggest bugaboo.

29. Brooklyn Nets: Moritz Wagner, PF, Jr., Michigan. The Nets have a couple of Wolverines already in Caris LeVert and Nik Stauskas, and Wagner would be another good fit for them. He's a floor-stretching big who came back for his junior year and led Michigan to the title game. Wagner worked on his rebounding but his defense still needs some work.