NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Picks for the entire first round

The New Orleans Pelicans have an offensively-potent frontcourt, with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas all expected to be playing at the start of next season. At guard, however, Devonte’ Graham and CJ McCollum are also offense-first. Herb Jones can’t defend everyone, so the Pelicans go for the defensive upside of Dyson Daniels with the eighth pick.

Daniels is 6’6″ but boasts plenty of point guard skills; he can pair with McCollum or Graham and take the more challenging backcourt assignment, or be the sole point guard with Herb Jones in the backcourt as a nasty defensive pairing while Ingram and Williamson create shots. The Pelicans also have a great track record of developing shooters, addressing Daniels’ biggest weakness.

Portland and New Orleans passing on A.J. Griffin, a player who could go as high as fourth, means the San Antonio Spurs get a true knockdown shooter, the kind of player who will evoke memories of some of the great shooters in San Antonio’s history. Griffin hit 48.3 percent of his 3-point shots, which will be a shot in the arm to a Spurs offense that has fallen into loving midrange shots too much.

Griffin’s defensive question marks will be well-supported in an ecosystem like the Spurs, and their collection of strong defenders can both cover up for him and help to develop him on that end. The upside is real and the shooting is lethal.