2024 NBA Mock Draft: Donovan Clingan selected at No. 3, but traded by Rockets to Grizzlies

We said last week that Atlanta was trending away from Sarr and now that has become the assumption of most. Risacher and Clingan look like the options right now, although a trade is still a possibility. Risacher gives them a budding big wing with a 3-and-D archetype.

We’ve been ahead of this one too, predicting for weeks that Sarr wouldn’t drop out of the top two and that Washinton would jump all over the defensive seven-footer if Atlanta passed on him. Right now, that appears to be how this might play out.

Here’s where it gets fun. I’m now projecting Clingan to be a top three pick, but never actually play for the Rockets, where they already have Alperen Sengun. Look for Memphis and to a lesser extent, Chicago, to both be possibilities here. If Houston keeps the pick, Sheppard is the most likely candidate.

Risacher, Sheppard and Castle are the players that San Antonio is believed to be most interested in if it stays at No. 4. If the Spurs have to pick between Sheppard and Castle, shooting could very well be the variable that pushes this decision in Sheppard’s favor.

Detroit’s decision to fire Monty Williams despite the $65 million dollars left on his contract illustrates the potential for unexpected decisions. We don’t know what Trajan Langdon will do quarterbacking his first draft but Buzelis seems to be the player who fits the best.

If Memphis or Chicago can’t make a deal with Houston, it’ll move on to Charlotte, if Clingan is still on the board. If not, Castle makes a lot of sense providing a defensive standout between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.

The Trail Blazers have swung big in the last two drafts with Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. Williams would be another similar high upside proposition, as one of the more notable high-risk/high-reward prospects in this draft. If no one deals for Clingan though, he won’t drop farther than this.

Wemby must be surrounded by spacing and an incoming backcourt of Sheppard and Knecht would do that in a big way. Knecht is one of the most NBA-ready perimeter scorers in the field, but needs to keep making strides defensively.

There’s a chance the Spurs take him at No. 8. If not, and if Houston ends up with this pick, he could give them just the type of physical specimen up front that they don’t yet have among their young assets.

It was ten years ago that Danny Ainge drafted Marcus Smart. Devin Carter is a similar archetype as an elite competitor and strong defender with on/off ball versatility offensively, albeit in a somewhat high-volume style. He also measured as one of the best athletes in the combine.

The addition of Josh Giddey means that if Chicago is going to add to their perimeter, it will not be with a nonshooter. McCain would seem to fit well alongside Giddey and Coby White, presumably enabling the Bulls to move off of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. A big man, like Zach Edey, is a real possibility here too.

With Giddey now gone, adding another big playmaking guard who can consistently get a piece of the paint and create for others seems to make sense for the Thunder, even if they end up having to wait a year to get him on the floor because of the ACL injury.

With Malik Monk signing a new deal, Sacramento has less need of another guard and could instead target a defensive-oriented wing like Holland, who would be real value here and be a nice long-term fit alongside Keegan Murray.

Edey is getting increasingly lottery buzz leading up to the draft and if Portland goes with Williams or another backcourt player at No. 7, this makes sense if the Trail Blazers are committed to being a drop-coverage team on the defensive end of the floor.

McCain, Walter, Carrington and Dillingham are expected to be options here as the Heati may target the most talented perimeter player available. Dillingham is a dynamic offensive talent and could really benefit from Miami’s culture.

Da Silva is a ultra-solid plug-and-play wing who could give them some needed wing depth and additional floor spacing around Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. A backup point guard is also a possibility here.

Missi is an athletic big who protects the rim, runs and spaces the floor vertically as a lob threat. While da Silva is expected to be an option if he’s on the board, Missi has a chance to be the Lakers center of the future.

Carrington’s range sounds like it could be anywhere from No. 12-20, with OKC and Miami being potential destinations above this and little chance he slips beyond Cleveland. The late-blooming guard made huge strides this year at Pittsburgh.

He’s not the athlete in the middle of the lineup that Masai Ujiri has historically coveted, but he’s a late-blooming big wing who shoots and reportedly had an excellent workout in Toronto shortly before getting a Green Room invite.

Changes may be coming to the Cavs this summer and if they split up the twin towers of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, Filipowski could play alongside either one as a near-7-footer who can dribble, pass and shoot the basketball now.

The Pelicans need help at the 5 and yet have to be conscious of spacing implications around Zion. Ware is a high-risk high-reward type prospect, but he checks both of those boxes and may be worth the risk here.

If Phoenix keeps the pick, a more seasoned player capable of stepping right into the rotation like Tyler Kolek or Baylor Scheierman could make sense, but Walter is a 19-year-old with physical tools and two-way potential.

With Giannis locked in long-term and the rest of the starting lineup in their 30’s, Furphy gives them an up-and-coming floor spacer to build out the next iteration of their supporting cast.

It’s possible Kolek is off the board here, but if not, the Knicks are believed to be big believers in his IQ, pick-and-roll playmaking and overall mentality.

If the Knicks don’t look at a center here, Dunn fits coach Tom Thibodeau to a tee. He is a high-level athlete, was one of the best defenders in college basketball and even played his high school basketball in Long Island.

This would be a bit of a slide for Collier, but would end up in a good place as he would have a chance to show the Wizards he’s their point guard of the future amidst a young core that would now include Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and Deni Avjija.

He could, and probably should, be off the board by here. If not, he makes a lot of sense for Minnesota given his ability to space the ball and make quick decisions in a supportive role, especially since he reportedly had a great workout for the Timberwolves.

Holmes is another one who could already be gone, but he’s not expected to slip past the Nuggets here. The athletic big man returned to Dayton for his junior year, made notable strides with his shooting and should now be in the first round as a result.

George could be an intriguing high-upside proposition for Ainge if he’s still on the board, but Christie provides another young shooter to add to the floor-spacing alongside Carter and Keyonte George in the backcourt.

Shooting is a requisite for the newly crowned NBA champs and with Al Horford now 38 years old and Kristaps Porzingis’ durability always in question, Smith gives them another shooting big, with underrated athleticism, to develop.