NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Picks for the entire first round

The Denver Nuggets will get some serious reinforcements back next season, with Jamal Murray in line to start the season fully healthy and Michael Porter Jr. hopefully on that same track. With the two-time reigning MVP in the middle, the Nuggets should be title contenders.

That means they need role players to fit around their high-octane stars. Wendell Moore can shoot, move the ball and play solid defense on the wing, and on bench units should pair nicely with Bones Hyland, the Nuggets’ pick in last year’s draft.

The Memphis Grizzlies have their superstar in Ja Morant, their supporting stars in Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, and a roster filled with talented role players. They need a high-powered forward, and to get one they will need to swing for the fences with upside plays. They did that last year with Ziaire Williams, and they do it again here with Ousmane Dieng, an Australian wing with a lot of tantalizing skills and not a lot of consistency in putting them together. The Grizzlies can afford the risk here.

The Philadelphia 76ers are trying to find the right mix of role players around their new star duo of Joel Embiid and James Harden. They could go for a simple 3-and-D type of prospect to try and plug-and-play right away; perhaps Christian Braun or Wendell Moore, if available, would fit the mold.

Here instead they go for upside. Jaden Hardy was a top-5 prospect in this class before a bit of a shaky year with the G League Ignite, but he has a lot of potential as an on-ball creator. If he can put that together in the NBA he would give the 76ers another valuable piece to either move for reinforcements or groom as Harden’s replacement.