The 2019 through 2023 NBA draft classes have already made indelible marks on the league, and players contained within are primed to be the Association's torch-bearers for the decade to come.

But who's the best of this group?

To find out, B/R's Joey Akeley, Jay Dunbar, Dan Favale, Grant Hughes and Bryan Toporek held a mock draft with this five-year sampling of talent as the player pool. Each franchise got one pick, and the team order was determined by regular-season winning percentage over the last five years.

In the majority of cases, our stand-in general managers took a best-player-available approach. But as the draft unfolded and major talent changed jerseys, team needs produced a few surprises.

The first two picks may not be all that suspenseful, given the image above. But how did the rest of the draft shake out?

Did we get it right? Leave a comment in our app.

Check out our draft live on Dan and Grant's Hardwood Knocks podcast.

1. Detroit Pistons: Victor Wembanyama

Anthony Edwards was hard to turn down here, but Victor Wembanyama was the obvious choice. He's the only player from these five draft classes with Greatest Player Of All Time within his realistic range of outcomes.

It's become cliché to say this, but we've never seen a player like Wembanyama before. He's the first player in NBA history to be named to the All-Defensive first team as a rookie. As long as he stays healthy, he should have multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards in his future. (He's already the clear DPOY favorite for 2024-25, per FanDuel Sportsbook.)

Wembanyama is one of 10 players in league history to have averaged at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks per game. Only three others—Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson and Alonzo Mourning—did so as rookies. And none of those big men shot the three-ball like Wemby, who drilled 1.8 triples per game during his debut NBA campaign.

As cheesy as it might sound, Wembanyama appears to be wired the right way, too.

"His whole thought process is so methodical, and he's so present and he breaks down the game differently than any player I've ever worked with," trainer Tim Martin told Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports earlier this year. "He wants to go through the process and for him, understanding each and every step and what it's going to take to become one of the best to play the game, that's where he learns the most."

That's the scariest part of all: Last season might be the worst version of Wembanyama that we see for a long, long time.

—Toporek

2. San Antonio Spurs: Anthony Edwards

As the intermittent Czar of the San Antonio Spurs, I remain in mourning that we have lost Victor Wembanyama to someone other than the mothership. But we, as an organization, will not be wallowing.

Because Anthony Edwards exists.

Selecting him at No. 2 is pretty much a formality. Tyrese Haliburton has a case. Both Ja Morant and Zion Williamson would have arguments if injuries weren't a factor. But there's no point overthinking this spot.

Edwards has staked his claim to the NBA's unofficial, wildly ambiguous, imperfectly superlative, but still impressive "Best Two-Way Player" crown. His defensive intensity can wax and wane, but he's All-League material when the flip switches. It'd be nice if he downed more of his jumpers, but the difficulty of his role must be taken into account.

Also: He will continue to hit more of his jumpers. He downed over 38 percent of his pull-up triples in the playoffs. And his vision, though at times tunnel-y and ball-stoppy, levels up each year.

Reaching All-NBA status before the age of 23 as the face of a Western Conference finalist is a big freaking deal. This is closer to a no-brainer pick than actual decision.

—Favale

3. Washington Wizards: Tyrese Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton was a pretty firm No. 3 on my personal big board, and his selection here didn't meet with much pushback. That's probably because the 24-year-old two-time All-Star was also an ideal pick for a Washington Wizards franchise that lacks a cornerstone point guard and, well...pretty much everything else.

Haliburton makes perfect sense as a foundational piece here. A preternaturally unselfish passer, he's hard-wired to hunt shots for teammates. That's going to matter for a club as early in its rebuild as the Wizards. Young players who might otherwise struggle to find their footing will benefit greatly from Haliburton's picture-perfect setups. Better still, his presence basically ensures an exciting, uptempo style.

Just ask the real-life run-and-gun Indiana Pacers, whom Haliburton recently led to the Eastern Conference Finals.

A threat to win the assist crown every year for the next decade or so, Haliburton already profiles as one of those rare drivers of winning who elevates his teammates. Washington is getting a lot more than an efficient 20-plus points and 10-plus assists per game with this pick.

It's getting an identity, a leader and a no-questions-asked superstar.

—Hughes

4. Houston Rockets: Tyrese Maxey

Tyrese Maxey might never be an A1 option on a title contender—a best-case designation Ja Morant could one day hold—but to define the Philadelphia 76ers point guard solely through that lens is to do a massive disservice to what he is and could still be.

The No. 21 pick in 2020 is already one of the league's best draft picks relative to expectation in the last few decades. Beyond his quickness, preternatural ability to change speeds and a penchant for going nuclear scoring-wise on any given night, the league's reigning Most Improved Player has shown the kind of mettle that can conceivably co-anchor a title-winner.

He's got multiple 50-point games to his name, and we know he has the hero gene after he dropped 46 points in a massive Game 5 performance against the Knicks to extend their first-round series and tie a franchise record for most points in an elimination game.

In his leap to true stardom, the Kentucky product averaged 25.9 points, 6.2 assists and 1.0 steal per game last year, his fourth in the league. Among the 2019-2023 draft classes, Maxey was sixth in EPM (3.6), ninth in BPM (3.1) and third in win shares (8.1). And given how much he's defied expectations so far, it's likely he hasn't hit his ceiling.

In a vacuum, Morant is the better player. But given the question marks the Grizzlies star has saddled himself with and the rapidly shrinking on-court gulf between the two guards, the Houston Rockets happily grab Maxey for their young talent to coalesce around.

—Dunbar

5. Charlotte Hornets: Ja Morant

With the Hornets losing LaMelo Ball later in this draft, I was always going to take a top-tier point guard here.

Ja Morant qualifies.

It hasn't been a good year for Morant's stock, as injuries and suspensions limited him to just nine games in 2023-24. But in the two years prior, he averaged 26.8 points and 7.4 assists while leading the Memphis Grizzlies to the No. 2 seed in both seasons.

With all due respect to Ball, Morant has a higher ceiling. Some have speculated that he'll be the face of the league once LeBron James and Stephen Curry exit that space.

Morant would electrify Hornets fans and likely lead them to heights they've never experienced.

—Akeley

6. Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero

Would the Orlando Magic trade Paolo Banchero straight up for Scottie Barnes, Zion Williamson or Chet Holmgren?

By taking Banchero here, I'm saying "no."

The Magic have to be thrilled with Banchero's development. The 2022 No. 1 pick averaged 22.6 points on much better efficiency in his second season, and he upped his assist average from 3.7 to 5.4.

That's significant progress for a second-year player, and it makes you wonder if he'll get to the superstar tier when he hits his prime.

For now, the 21-year-old All-Star needs to improve his three-point shot (33.9 percent) and defense to get serious All-NBA consideration.

—Akeley

7. Portland Trail Blazers: Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson's 40-point play-in outburst and late-game injury against the Lakers in April encapsulates the rub with the 2020 No. 1 pick: With his massive talent comes major caveats.

In one sense, it feels cruel to saddle a Portland Trail Blazers fanbase that has suffered through the agonizing what-ifs of both Brandon Roy and Greg Oden's careers in the last few decades with an injury-prone, could-be generational player who just hasn't gotten there and may never do so.

But the threat looms that he still might, and at No. 7, our stand-in Joe Cronin leapt at the chance to get a true post-Damian Lillard franchise face. Aside from Victor Wembanyama and Anthony Edwards, no one else in this group has a higher ceiling than the New Orleans Pelicans power forward. Considering that possibly encompasses a league MVP and best-player-on-a-title-winner potential, this feels like a steal in the back half of the top 10.

Of course, there is the floor, which could mean some rather large zeroes across the board if he incurs yet another long-term injury, much like he did in his rookie season (torn meniscus), ahead of his third campaign (Jones fracture) and during his fourth year (hamstring).

But when you have a star of this brightness within your grasp, you take the bet that his body will cooperate long enough to prop open a title-contention window.

—Dunbar

8. Chicago Bulls: Chet Holmgren

There were one or two players left on the board with alpha upside—first-option shot creators who could conceivably become a contender's leading scorer. In passing over them for Chet Holmgren, I opted for a player who proved he's already an elite supporting piece for a big-time winner.

Holmgren assuaged fears about his durability by playing all 82 games in 2023-24 after missing his rookie year with a foot injury. In those contests, the skilled 7-footer flashed shot-blocking and mobility that suggested a Defensive Player of the Year honor is in his future, assuming Wembanyama doesn't just lock the award up for himself over the next decade.

In addition, the 22-year-old averaged 16.5 points per game while flashing three-level scoring chops. Holmgren's ability to space the floor as a center puts him in a very small class of bigs—one that shrinks considerably if you filter out his less defensively impactful peers.

Holmgren was the only player in the league last season to average at least 2.0 blocks while shooting over 37.0 percent from deep.

Maybe Chet won't become a true No. 1 option. But he's a good enough defender to keep his team among the league's elite on that end, and his combination of offensive skills is unique among big men.

This was mostly a best-player-available move, but Holmgren is exactly the kind of rebuild-supercharging rarity the Chicago Bulls need.

—Hughes

9. Atlanta Hawks: Scottie Barnes

Sticklers for perfect fits won't love the Atlanta Hawks pairing Trae Young with Scottie Barnes. Tough noogies.

Barnes attempted (3.9 per game) and made (38.5 percent) enough of his catch-and-shoot threes this past season to provide real stretch in the frontcourt away from the ball. Classifying him as plug-and-play goes a bridge or county too far. But he's more malleable as a complementary option than often credited. This team will have him screen for Trae.

Independent of roster fit, Barnes feels the player on the board with the highest ceiling. LaMelo Ball, Evan Mobley, Alperen Şengün and Jalen Williams all received consideration. Each of them might wind up having a more elite signature skill.

But Scottie checks more all-at-once boxes. His defense has improved under head coach Darko Rajaković, he's reading and reacting to coverages much better as a passer, and his on-ball floor navigation allows him to attack in various ways and score from different levels.

If you believe in the jumper, as I do, this pick makes you feel pretty good.

—Favale

10. Cleveland Cavaliers: Alperen Şengün

Since three-time MVP Nikola Jokić wasn't available in this draft pool, I took the closest facsimile to him here in Alperen Şengün.

Şengün set career highs across the board last year with 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals in only 32.5 minutes per game. Like Jokić, he's a preternatural passer who can deliver no-look, behind-the-back dimes as if he were a point guard in a 7-footer's body.

"He's so skilled," Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet told ESPN's Tim Bontemps about Şengün in January. "He's unguardable. He's got a thousand moves. He's learning the higher aspects of the game now that he's going to be a featured guy and probably be an All-Star this year."

The Cleveland Cavaliers were bound to lose both Evan Mobley and Darius Garland in this draft. Rather than taking one of them, I decided to splurge on Şengün and reinvent the Cavaliers around him and Donovan Mitchell. That would enable them to trade fellow center Jarrett Allen—perhaps in a package for New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram?—to fill needs elsewhere.

Şengün isn't much of a three-point shooter—he's 81-of-285 from deep across his three-year NBA career—and he needs to continue working on his defense as well. But a Cavaliers team built around him and Mitchell should boast one of the NBA's better offenses.

—Toporek

11. Sacramento Kings: Jalen Williams

Keegan Murray was the only notable player whom the Sacramento Kings were in danger of losing in this re-draft, but he would have been a reach at this spot. With De'Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis already in the fold, I wanted a two-way wing here, which made Jalen Williams the pick.

J-Dub finished fourth in the Most Improved Player race last season after averaging 19.1 points on 54.0 percent shooting, 4.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 three-pointers per game. Although he didn't fire a high volume of triples, he knocked them down at a 42.7 percent clip, so he could provide some valuable floor spacing alongside DeRozan and Sabonis.

Williams finished in the 95th percentile of Dunks and Threes' estimated plus/minus last season. That put him ahead of Tyrese Maxey (94th percentile), Scottie Barnes (90th percentile) and Paolo Banchero (75th percentile), all of whom were selected before him in this re-draft.

Williams might not ever develop into the No. 1 option on a championship team, but he's already proving to be a lethal No. 2 or No. 3 alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren in Oklahoma City. He was tied with New Orleans Pelicans wing Herb Jones in defensive EPM (plus-2.0), and Jones—an All-Defensive first-team selection last season—is widely renowned as one of the NBA's top perimeter defenders.

J-Dub could help further juice the Kings' already explosive offense while replacing the defensive impact of Murray. That's the exact archetype Sacramento needs alongside its new Big Three.

—Toporek

12. Minnesota Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball

Risk abounds by going with LaMelo Ball. The ankle injuries are piling up. He's an inconsistent presence on the defensive end. And his passing theatrics are equal parts transcendent and at times lack substance and purpose.

Evan Mobley, Cade Cunningham or Desmond Bane are all safer picks. But Bane is the only one who's risk-free. And I still believe LaMelo's ceiling is higher.

Few players in the league come close to sniffing his passing chops. Factor in his size (he's listed at 6'7"), on- and off-ball shooting and ascendant rim frequency, and he's one better-finishing-at-the-hoop season away from party-crashing All-NBA discussions.

Oh, it also helps that the Minnesota Timberwolves are a Cloud 9 fit. The real-world Wolves need more shot creation and shooting. In this imaginary universe, after losing Anthony Edwards, they need it even more.

—Favale

13. Indiana Pacers: Evan Mobley

Evan Mobley was an All-Defensive First Team honoree in 2022-23, finishing an impressive third in Defensive Player of the Year voting as a 21-year-old. That's exactly the type of player the high-scoring Indiana Pacers need to balance out their profile.

Admittedly, it was tough to skip over the handful of on-ball creators remaining in the draft pool. The Pacers lost Tyrese Haliburton 10 picks ago, and it's worth wondering whether the all-offense identity they established during a breakthrough 2023-24 still applies without their franchise point guard leading the charge.

Still, Mobley's ability to put out fires all over the floor addresses a clear need in Indy. Though there's room to disagree, I also think Myles Turner's spacing on offense makes the Pacers a cleaner fit for Mobley than his real-life Cleveland Cavaliers. A supersized frontcourt of Mobley, Turner and Pascal Siakam might seem strange at first. But that's only until you realize Mobley has the quickness and length to guard small forwards without issue.

Cade Cunningham was a real consideration here, as was Desmond Bane, whose selection would have depended on the Pacers retaining Andrew Nembhard to run the point. Nembhard is still here for now, but that could change as we proceed.

Ultimately, Mobley is an elite defender who continues to add layers on the other end. His career-high 3.2 assists per game last season also came with a 37.3 percent hit rate on threes. A game-altering defensive force with loads of still-untapped upside is a heck of a find at No. 13.

—Hughes

14. Oklahoma City Thunder: Franz Wagner

Somewhere, Sam Presti is smiling. Because in one sense, this exercise is all about evaluating how well each franchise has drafted during these five years.

That the Oklahoma City Thunder lost both Chet Holmgren (No. 8) and Jalen Williams (No. 11) in the top half of this redraft just underscores the job Presti's done in his rebuild. But these alternate-universe Thunder are sorely lacking frontcourt talent following those losses.

Orlando's Franz Wagner might not do as many things as well as Holmgren does and isn't as valuable as J-Dub—and at small forward he certainly isn't a direct replacement for either. He also needs to fix his three-point shot (28.1 percent) to be a true Robin to Paolo Banchero's Batman.

But the 22-year-old can do a little bit of everything—and more than a little in the scoring department. At 6'9", his prowess around the cup is a standout skill, highlighted by BBall Index pegging him as one of the top 10 forwards per 75 possessions in shot creation at the rim.

He posted increasing scoring averages over his first three years as a pro, culminating in a 19.7 mark last season to go with 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. One can assume he'll fix his woes from deep and build on his slashing and playmaking to increase his 3.5 EPM from a season ago, the seventh-best mark among this group and not far off Williams' 3.8.

And hey, we got a glimpse of that potential turnaround from deep during Olympic tune-up action, as Wagner showed out for Team Germany:

—Dunbar

15. New Orleans Pelicans: Cade Cunningham

At this point in the draft, the Pelicans had lost Zion Williamson, and ideally he'd be replaced with a frontcourt scorer. But there wasn't a scoring power forward or center worthy of being picked here, so I went with the best player available.

Cade Cunningham would act as the lead ball-handler for most of the possessions in New Orleans, with Dejounte Murray taking some of that load and CJ McCollum doing so as well off the bench.

It's fair to question how Cunningham would fit with Brandon Ingram, but the Pelicans seem likely to trade him in real life, so it's not something worth getting hung up on here.

The Pelicans ended up also losing Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones in this draft, which makes Cunningham's age (22) and superstar potential even more enticing. New Orleans would be playing the long game with this pick, and Cunningham has more long-term appeal than Darius Garland (24), Immanuel Quickley (25) and Desmond Bane (26).

—Akeley

16. Toronto Raptors: Desmond Bane

This was an extremely difficult selection to make.

Desmond Bane is the best player available, but the Raptors are not close to being an NBA title contender, and a player with more superstar potential would have made sense.

The problem is at this stage in the draft, it's hard to find superstar potential.

Brandon Miller (21) is five years younger than Bane and four inches taller, so he was given serious consideration here. Miller is already a good shooter (37.3 three-point percentage), but there's no guarantee he ends up on Bane's level (41.5 career three-point percentage).

Make no mistake: Bane is already a star in his role as a scorer and secondary ball-handler. He averaged 23.7 points and 5.5 assists in 2023-24. But if Miller hits his ceiling, this pick could look silly in hindsight.

—Akeley

17. New York Knicks: Devin Vassell

Already an above-average shooter with the potential for more as the San Antonio Spurs roster evolves around Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell is clearly more than the three-and-D guy he looked to be coming out of Florida State.

The 23-year-old showed plenty of shot creation while averaging 19.5 points and 4.1 assists per game last year. He can act as an ancillary ball-handler, adds spacing with 2.5 makes from deep on a 37.8 success rate over the last two seasons and can score at three levels. His deep shooting should only improve as some of the creation pressure comes off in San Antonio—or in our alternate universe, New York.

And for all of the talk about the leaps some of the stars higher on this list made last year, Vassell should be counted high among them—as evidenced by his down-ballot MIP votes and top-10 leap in LEBRON among fourth-year players, per BBall Index.

While he isn't the Spurs' best defender and wouldn't slide into that role in N.Y., he's averaged 1.1 steals per game over the last three seasons and brings the mentality that would go a long way on Tom Thibodeau's Nova Knicks.

"I'm just trying to be a leader out there on both ends of the floor," Vassell told reporters in March. "I talked about it earlier in the season where I just want to be that defensive anchor. I want to be somebody who is picking up and just being disruptive."

Tell me that Thibs' grin wouldn't widen like the Joker's at the prospect of getting his hands on another guy like this. And you know what? At least two of my fellow fake GMs were fans of Vassell's ahead of last season.

—Dunbar

18. Golden State Warriors: Brandon Miller

I'll say it: This is the biggest reach in the draft so far, particularly for a Golden State Warriors team that remains committed to building a winner around Stephen Curry during what's left of his prime years.

Brandon Miller, though only entering his second season, is good enough to justify the pick.

As a rookie, Miller averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists on a 44.0/37.3/82.7 shooting split—all while overburdened as a lead offensive weapon on a team with little support.

Golden State's biggest need is a second star who can create shots on his own while also working in support of Curry. Jonathan Kuminga devotees may not want to hear it, but Miller's rookie campaign included enough self-sufficient offense and reliable outside shooting to make him at least as projectable in that role as the Warriors' current theoretical No. 2.

Polished for his age and already putting more consistent defensive work on film than Kuminga ever has, Miller is a high-end support piece right now. That he could also become a primary option puts him over the top against positional misfits like Darius Garland and more settled role-fillers like Trey Murphy III and Jalen Suggs.

A win-now piece who can also function as a bridge to a post-Curry world, Miller threads the needle like no one else left on the board.

—Hughes

19. Brooklyn Nets: Darius Garland

Decisions are getting tougher as we navigate the late teens. Others will prefer the scoring upside of Jalen Green or the comprehensive package of Jabari Smith Jr. in this spot. A few may skew toward superstar non-stars like Immanuel Quickley, Jalen Johnson or Trey Murphy III.

Betting on Darius Garland makes more sense. He already has an All-Star appearance under his belt, and while his finishing remains a concern, his shiftiness in the lane can be lethal as both a playmaker and scorer.

Then, of course, there's the shooting. Garland is more knockdown than not. And his touch sustains both on- and off-ball. Even last season, amid a down year, he canned 38.8 percent of his pull-up triples. And mark my words, he'll swish waaaaay more than 35.0 percent of his spot-up treys moving forward.

This pick is infinitely justifiable from the Brooklyn Nets' perspective. They don't have a tentpole player around whom to build. At just 24 years old, Garland gives them a pretty damn good one, even if their endgame includes landing another name who usurps him in the pecking order.

—Favale

20. Memphis Grizzlies: Immanuel Quickley

After losing Ja Morant and Desmond Bane in this re-draft, the Memphis Grizzlies were in desperate need of backcourt help. Darius Garland would have been the ideal pick here, but Dan's Nets thwarted that plan, so the Grizzlies pivoted to the next-best option in Immanuel Quickley.

Following his midseason trade to the Toronto Raptors, Quickley averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 three-pointers in 38 games as their starting point guard. He also knocked down a career-high 39.5 percent of his triples while attempting 6.4 per game.

Quickley backslid as a defender last season, but he was in the 80th percentile or higher in Dunks and Threes' defensive EPM in each of the previous two years. Pairing him with Marcus Smart would give Memphis a ferocious defensive backcourt, particularly with Jaren Jackson Jr. patrolling the front line.

The Grizzlies would be perilously thin on the wing between that trio, but no one left on the board at that position has as much upside as Quickley. They just need to make sure he doesn't have Instagram Live on his phone.

—Toporek

21. Utah Jazz: Jalen Green

The Utah Jazz are in a weird spot. Vultures are circling them in hopes of poaching Lauri Markkanen, but the Jazz continue to insist that they hope to build around Markkanen moving forward.

To justify keeping him, they need to land another star. Otherwise, they'll just stay on the NBA's Treadmill of Mediocrity—too good to tank for primo lottery odds, but not good enough to contend for a playoff or play-in spot. That's why it's worth taking a swing on Jalen Green here.

As Dan recently noted, Green is the king of Mickey Mouse March scoring runs that skew the perception of him. Is he the next Devin Booker, or is he feasting on checked-out defenses that are already dreaming of their mid-April vacations to Cancun?

In 2022-23, Green averaged 23.2 points, 3.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game in March, which raised expectations for him heading into last season. He was inconsistent enough over the first few months to make him subject to trade speculation, but he proceeded to average 27.7 points on 49.2 percent shooting, 6.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in March, starting the whole cycle over again.

This might be one of the biggest high-ceiling, low-floor picks of the entire draft. But if the Jazz want to continue building around Markkanen, they're in a position where they might have to gamble on a talent like Green reaching his star upside.

—Toporek

22. Los Angeles Lakers: Trey Murphy III

From the bottom of my heart: You're welcome, Los Angeles Lakers.

Wing shooters who can also defend are the league's hottest non-star commodities. That makes them hard to get. But the Lakers need this archetype more than most. Right now, they have exactly zero players who fit this bill.

Trey Murphy III changes that posthaste. He just banged in 37.8 percent of his catch-and-fire threes as well as 38.7 percent of his pull-up treys. His is a touch that scales to so many different situations—ultra-deepies off movement, quick-fire attempts in transition, escape-dribble step-backs, the whole nine.

This isn't just a pure-shooting play, either. Murphy knows how to get behind defenses in transition, finishes sharp cuts in the half-court, adds an above-the-rim element and can attack off the bounce when given daylight, even if the handle is a little loose.

New Orleans doesn't rely on Murphy's individual defense nearly as much as these Lakers will. The prospect of his taking on more responsibility is exciting. He has the size and footspeed to guard basically 1 through 4, and he's already disruptive when contesting passes and challenging shots at the rim.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis are going to love him.

—Favale

23. Dallas Mavericks: Jabari Smith Jr.

Jabari Smith Jr. is a developing defensive ace with tremendous length and a 45.0 percent hit rate on corner threes. What more could the Dallas Mavericks possibly ask for?

It was difficult to pass on Dereck Lively II after watching him carve out an impact role on this team as a rookie. There are worse roster-building plans to follow than the one that saw Lively play a huge role on a real-life conference finalist. This pick clearly violates the "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it" mandate, but Smith's more varied skill set makes him a viable starter on the wing who could slide over to play some small-ball center when necessary.

That hypothetical should have Mavs fans most intrigued.

Smith's block rates are low for a big man, but the 6'10" forward held opponents to a 59.4 percent conversion rate when defending shots inside six feet. That's right in the range of Lively (58.7 percent) and not so far off from more established rim protectors like Jarrett Allen (56.8 percent). Considering Smith has the mobility to get down in a stance and stick with wings and guards on switches, his interior work is more than good enough to make him a potential anchor at the 5 against the right lineups.

Dallas might be getting a supercharged version of peak Maxi Kleber on D, albeit with lots more upside and a smoother perimeter stroke.

This is an absolutely ideal fit, but with Smith only entering his age-21 season after making major strides in all areas last year, it could also slot under the best-player-available heading.

—Hughes

24. Miami Heat: Jalen Johnson

What could be better than nabbing an uber-athletic two-way forward who can guard all positions and fit most lineup types? It's almost as if packing five years' worth of drafts into one first round makes everyone a steal.

Jalen Johnson, a rim-rocker on the break, turned into a core piece for the Atlanta Hawks last season, increasing his numbers across the board to 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. He's already the Hawks' second-best player, and there's an outside shot the 6'9" forward becomes the franchise face, depending on what happens with Trae Young.

The Duke product features solid handles for someone of his stature and has shown good instincts in setting up his teammates, and while he's not a polished defender yet, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra would make quick use of his switchability on that end.

For an idea of the lofty heights some in the industry think his peak could reach, here's Yahoo's Jake Fischer on the 22-year-old: "I don't know what his ceiling is going to be, but the dude at his peaks this year is giving kind of scary flashes of Blake Griffin with the Clippers and Ben Simmons in Philly before, obviously, Ben fell off."

Slotting him alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo for another run through the Eastern Conference gauntlet sounds like an intimidating proposition for opponents.

—Dunbar

25. Los Angeles Clippers: Jalen Suggs

A Jalen Suggs-James Harden pairing sounds just about perfect.

Suggs can defend the opponent's best ball-handler and take a bunch of threes created by Harden's elite drive-and-kick ability. Harden can save his energy by not having to defend top options and take advantage of bigger driving lanes as defenses honor the threat of Suggs' shooting (39.7 three-point percentage last season).

Suggs ranked ninth in Dunks and Threes' 2023-24 EPM among all players eligible to be selected in this exercise.

Steal of the draft.

—Akeley

26. Phoenix Suns: Dereck Lively II

If you were to ask me what the Suns need more between a standout three-and-D wing and a huge, athletic, shot-blocking center, I'd lean toward the three-and-D wing. So I understand if you can't believe I passed on Herbert Jones here.

I took Dereck Lively II (20) because he is five years younger than Jones (25), giving him much more growth potential.

Lively would defend the rim and crush lobs in a way Jusuf Nurkić can't. That lob threat would open up driving lanes for Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.

At this moment, Jones is a more valuable player than Lively. But as Lively develops, that could change emphatically, giving Lively the edge here.

—Akeley

27. Philadelphia 76ers: Andrew Nembhard

With Tyrese Maxey long gone in this exercise, the Philadelphia 76ers needed a primary ball-handler. That left our Daryl Morey doppelganger looking toward Chicago's Coby White or Indiana's Andrew Nembhard.

White certainly would've been a sensible choice, especially after his second-place finish in last year's MIP race. But let's remember that the 24-year-old Pacers guard was one of the scariest players the Celtics faced on their way to a title and would be a better win-now fit on a championship-ready roster.

He took a leap in his 17 postseason games last season, upping his averages to 14.9 points and 5.5 assists while shooting 48.3 percent from three in his first playoff run. Also, with a minutes leap commensurate to the one White had last year (23.4 to 36.5), Nembhard (25.0 mpg) would likely see his averages climb alongside superstars Paul George and Joel Embiid.

Lacking Maxey in our alternate universe, the Pacers guard would slide into the distributor role and get his star teammates the ball without looking to score first, which might not be the case with White. While the pair of guards featured similar regular-season assist percentages in the low 20s, Nembhard again increased that number in the postseason to 23.0.

And if the Pacers up-and-comer shows any of the Eastern Conference Finals gumption he did in May, these Sixers just might be wearing at least a conference crown in '24-25.

—Dunbar

28. Denver Nuggets: Herb Jones

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's departure suddenly isn't the championship-equity-sapping catastrophe it once seemed. That's because Herb Jones is a younger, better, more versatile defender than KCP—one who also happened to drill 41.8 percent of his treys last season.

The Denver Nuggets luck out in the best way here. Instead of losing a core piece for nothing, they've actually upgraded on Caldwell-Pope.

I had the 25-year-old Jones ranked 21st on my personal big board for this exercise, making him a sweet value play on top of everything else.

Even if last year was an outlier from a shooting perspective (Jones had never cracked 34.0 percent from deep before), Jones made huge strides in his on-ball game, averaging 1.04 points per play as a pick-and-roll ball-handler. That was good enough to rank in the 89th percentile, quite a bit higher than KCP's 30th percentile finish.

Because he'll be spending so much time next to Nikola Jokić in Denver's first unit, Jones won't need to create nearly as many looks for himself or others. But one of the Nuggets' biggest issues throughout Jokić's tenure has been finding ways to score when the three-time MVP isn't on the floor. Jones is indisputably better at generating shots than KCP, and is a superior stopper to boot. Last year's All-Defensive first-team nod proves as much.

The Nuggets, reeling after the KCP loss, are right back among the West's elite with Jones slotting into the starting five.

—Hughes

29. Boston Celtics: Keegan Murray

Opportunity could be hard to come by on the Boston Celtics for Keegan Murray. He isn't going to be a closing-five candidate unless head coach Joe Mazzulla feels like downsizing.

To which I say: Yes, please.

Passing on Deni Avdija, Jaden McDaniels and even Jonathan Kuminga makes me a bit queasy. But Murray provides more versatile shooting than all three, and he's improved enough as both a one-on-one stopper and helper around the basket to be considered a net-positive defender.

Especially on this team.

Sign me up for a closing lineup of Murray, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. They'll light up opposing teams on offense, and I think we will all, collectively, be pleasantly surprised at how well they can hang defensively for not just mini bursts, but extended stretches.

—Favale

30. Milwaukee Bucks: Jaden McDaniels

The Milwaukee Bucks didn't lose anyone in this draft, so there were a number of ways to go with this pick.

With Brook Lopez finding himself in trade rumors this offseason, they could have pursued a center such as Nic Claxton, Onyeka Okongwu or Daniel Gafford. They could have taken a lockdown defender like Lu Dort or a plug-and-play combo guard like Austin Reaves or Coby White to either start ahead of Gary Trent Jr. or serve as a super-sub behind him.

Instead, they doubled down on defense by taking Jaden McDaniels, who's fresh off his first-ever All-Defensive team nod.

McDaniels is a complementary option on offense. He averaged only 10.5 points per game on 48.9 percent shooting last season, although he did have a few eruptions during the Minnesota Timberwolves' surprise run to the Western Conference Finals this year. However, between Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton, the Bucks are already covered in terms of primary scorers.

Pairing McDaniels with Antetokounmpo on defense is the real draw here. The Bucks would have the league's best tandem of perimeter defenders, bar none. With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown lurking in Boston, Milwaukee would have the ultimate antidote.

—Toporek

The Full Draft

Here's how the full draft played out:

1. Detroit Pistons: Victor Wembanyama
2. San Antonio Spurs: Anthony Edwards
3. Washington Wizards: Tyrese Haliburton
4. Houston Rockets: Tyrese Maxey
5. Charlotte Hornets: Ja Morant
6. Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero
7. Portland Trail Blazers: Zion Williamson
8. Chicago Bulls: Chet Holmgren
9. Atlanta Hawks: Scottie Barnes
10. Cleveland Cavaliers: Alperen Şengün
11. Sacramento Kings: Jalen Williams
12. Minnesota Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball
13. Indiana Pacers: Evan Mobley
14. Oklahoma City Thunder: Franz Wagner
15. New Orleans Pelicans: Cade Cunningham
16. Toronto Raptors: Desmond Bane
17. New York Knicks: Devin Vassell
18. Golden State Warriors: Brandon Miller
19. Brooklyn Nets: Darius Garland
20. Memphis Grizzlies: Immanuel Quickley
21. Utah Jazz: Jalen Green
22. Los Angeles Lakers: Trey Murphy III
23. Dallas Mavericks: Jabari Smith Jr.
24. Miami Heat: Jalen Johnson
25. Los Angeles Clippers: Jalen Suggs
26. Phoenix Suns: Dereck Lively II
27. Philadelphia 76ers: Andrew Nembhard
28. Denver Nuggets: Herb Jones
29. Boston Celtics: Keegan Murray
30. Milwaukee Bucks: Jaden McDaniels