2023 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: What if 76ers trade into first round?

A talented wing who can bury 3s and attack closeouts with long, shifty strides, Maxwell Lewis projects as quite the useful role player in the NBA. His efficiency wavered at times under the burden of a featured role at Pepperdine, but Lewis processes the game well and has all the physical tools of a solid two-way player.

Injuries clearly took their toll on Dariq Whitehead at Duke. The flashy shot-maker who profiled as a potential top-5 pick in high school never really showed up. Instead, Whitehead slowly but surely carved out his role as a prolific 3-point shooter and play finisher. The potential scalability of his offensive skill set, combined with his unforgotten days of high school brilliance, could make Whitehead a great value pick for the Lakers.

Colby Jones simply checks a lot of the boxes you want in a mid-round draft pick. He has positional size, he can defend, he can hit 3s, and he makes sound decisions with the ball. If you buy the flashes of shot creation at Xavier, then maybe there’s some untapped upside to boot. The Rockets, at the end of the day, just need to start adding winning players to the fold.

Kobe Bufkin has been rising up draft boards all season due to the combined strength of his slashing and perimeter defense. He already thrives in NBA-style actions offensively, making great passing reads on the move and possessing the kind of in-between game that all great guards need. The Heat need some backcourt help with Kyle Lowry fading fast and Bufkin fits the mold of toughness and athleticism that Miami prizes.

With Draymond Green’s future in doubt, the Warriors take the plunge on Draymond light. Holding Andre Jackson to that high standard in ultimately unfair, but he does possess the elite processing speed and razor-sharp connective instincts that make a player successful in Steve Kerr’s complex offense. He doesn’t add much as a scorer, but Jackson will do the dirty work and play defense for a contender like Golden State.