NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Hornets Bolster the Front Court
The lottery and combine are done. Now what?
NBA Draft season is in full swing, and since my last Mock Draft, we’ve had the NBA Draft lottery and combine take place.
Because of the nature of those events, there’s been a lot of movement from players projected throughout the first round. You can read about my combine winners and losers here.
The way the top-4 shook out is particularly interesting, and consensus seems to agree on what the order of the first four players off the board will look like. Still, it’s too early to count out any surprises. The majority of in-person workouts still haven’t taken place.
Let’s get into the mock.
1. Washington Wizards - AJ Dybantsa - Wing - BYU
AJ Dybantsa fits clean into the Wizards roster, and though some are treating the first pick as a foregone conclusion, it still would not shock me to see Darryn Peterson’s named called at the top of the draft.
Dybantsa would add a ton of downhill rim pressure as a lengthy, shot-hunting wing. That’s a skill set that NBA teams love, and the All-NBA potential is very visible here.
2. Utah Jazz - Darryn Peterson - Guard - Kansas
It’s hard to justify taking either of Boozer or Wilson over Darryn Peterson given Utah’s current roster construction: They already are paying massive dollars to each of Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson (and are about to pay Walker Kessler). That’s not to say it couldn’t happen, but taking the lead-guard that pairs well with Keyonte George is the most-likely outcome.
3. Memphis Grizzlies - Cam Boozer - Forward - Duke
Cam Boozer checks a lot of boxes that the Memphis Grizzlies love. I think they are one of the few teams that would take Boozer first overall if they landed it, but it’s the same result here anyways.
4. Chicago Bulls - Caleb Wilson - Forward - UNC
The Bulls get lucky in that they’re adding a top-4 pick in a loaded class. Wilson is an elite inside scorer with wiry athleticism and the potential to grow into a special player on defense (even if he isn’t quite there yet on that end). The Bulls’ pick is the easiest in the entire draft: just select whoever is leftover of the top-4.
5. Los Angeles Clippers - Mikel Brown - Guard - Louisville
Mikel Brown has the highest ceiling of almost any player in this draft class. At his best, he’s an elite scoring guard with playmaking that no other player in this class can match. There’s a lot of inconsistency with Brown, but he’s got the best size of any lottery-projected guard, and the potential makes him worth a top-5 pick.
I do think the Clippers will consider Aday Mara with this pick, but it’s too early for his name to be called, in my opinion.
6. Brooklyn Nets - Keaton Wagler - Guard - Illinois
The Brooklyn Nets drafted four primarily on-ball players in the 2025 Draft: Ben Saraf, Nolan Traore, Danny Wolf, and Egor Demin.
That’s not to say any of those players are stopping them from taking another lead-guard, but Keaton Wagler is the best of both worlds, to me. Yes, he has some real on-ball playmaking juice, but also is an electric perimeter scorer off the catch.
7. Sacramento Kings - Darius Acuff - Guard - Arkansas
Darius Acuff is an entertaining watch, and he measured larger than expected at the NBA Draft combine last week, as well.
He’s a simple prospect in that he’s an elite offensive lead-guard prospect while having all of the small guard drawbacks associated with the archetype. Whether it works in a playoff environment will depend on the effort Acuff is able to give on that end of the floor.
That said, the offense is good enough to where it ultimately might not matter, at least in regular season competition.
8. Atlanta Hawks - Aday Mara - Big - Michigan
The Hawks really struggled to guard Karl-Anthony Towns in their series against the Knicks. Mara offers a lot more size than Onyeka Okongwu while having elite feel and high-end passing offensively. The Hawks would have turned the 2025 13th pick into Aday Mara and Asa Newell. A heist.
9. Dallas Mavericks - Brayden Burries - Guard - Arizona
The Mavericks are an interesting pivot point in this draft. If the board falls this way, I think their shortlist will include Burries, Nate Ament, Yaxel Lendeborg, Kingston Flemings, and Labaron Philon.
In this case, new general manager Mike Schmitz takes a physical two-guard that pairs well with the intensity and defensive acumen of Cooper Flagg.
10. Milwaukee Bucks - Nate Ament - Forward - Tennessee
I don’t know what to do with this pick. Nate Ament will go higher than people expect, though, and he fits the type of prospect that Milwaukee likes to bring into their building.
He’s got a rare combination of size and shooting, and I’m convinced he still has yet to play his best basketball.
11. Golden State Warriors - Yaxel Lendeborg - Forward - Michigan
The Warriors take the best current player in Lendeborg, who could be in play as high as fifth overall to the Clippers. He’s a ready-made forward that brings length, defensive playmaking, and an offensive connector skill set.
12. OKC Thunder - Karim Lopez - Forward - INTL
Karim Lopez has been playing international basketball for years, and was productive in the NBL this past season. He needs to consistently shoot it for him to earn a role in OKC, but he has the frame and feel to make a long-term impact.
13. Miami Heat - Kingston Flemings - Guard - Houston
Kingston Flemings falls to the Heat in this scenario, who run the card in. Flemings looks to be a two-way guard that can shoot, facilitate, and make plays on the defensive end in spite of his smaller stature.
14. Charlotte Hornets - Jayden Quaintance - Big - Kentucky
The Hornets take a big swing with their first of two first-round picks. Quaintance can be a game-changing defensive talent if he’s fully healthy from his ACL injury (sustained back in February 2025), and Charlotte has the offensive talent to find Quaintance easy transition and dunker-spot opportunities at the next level.
The Hornets have struggled with more physical big presences with Moussa Diabate as their starting center, so adding a big, athletic center with a lot of potential makes too much sense. Quaintance is a player that would not be available in a more normal, less talent-rich draft class.
End of Lottery
15. Chicago Bulls - Cam Carr - Wing - Baylor
16. Memphis Grizzlies - Labaron Philon - Guard - Alabama
17. OKC Thunder - Morez Johnson - Big - Michigan
18. Charlotte Hornets - Allen Graves - Forward - Santa Clara
The Hornets take their second front court player in this mock with Santa Clara’s Allen Graves.
He’s a complementary piece that grades out really well on analytics models. Graves is a high-end catch-and-shoot guy offensively with the mobility, length, and strength to guard multiple front-court positions. His calling card in the NBA will be as a defensive playmaker.
If the Hornets took both Quaintance and Graves, they’d have multiple front court pieces capable of switching and defending on the perimeter (in addition to much more size inside).
That’s appealing for a team that got eviscerated by the Orlando Magic in the play-in bracket.