NBA mock draft: Intrigue begins with Boston Celtics at No. 3

No one would be shocked if Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram are off the board when the Boston Celtics' pick rolls around. Already a contender, they could trade the pick for an established asset or they could take mobile 7-foot-1 big man Dragan Bender. The draft is about surprises, and right now the Celtics are holding all the cards.

First Round

After three years of losing, it seems as if the Philadelphia 76ers will finally get their franchise centerpiece by selecting LSU’s Ben Simmons with the #1 overall pick in the draft.

When Simmons goes first, Duke’s Brandon Ingram is almost assured to go second to the Lakers. Los Angeles will add a 6-foot-9 forward who can grow into being a versatile scorer.

This is where the real intrigue in the draft begins,, as nobody really knows which direction Danny Ainge is going to go in. A trade, which is a very strong possibility, could really shake things up in the lottery, but for now we’re going with the 7-foot-1 Croatian big man Dragan Bender here.

While California’s Jaylen Brown’s skill set isn’t yet developed enough to take full advantage of his athletic gifts, he’d give the Suns some much-needed athleticism in the front court, and has quite a bit of upside to warrant the pick.

Jamal Murray was one of the best shooters, and scorers, in his freshman class, which is exactly what Minnesota needs to surround Karl-Anthony Towns with.

New Orleans’ guard rotation could look completely different in a year or two, and getting Providence’s Kris Dunn, who averaged 16.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists last year for Providence, could rejuvenate the Pelicans perimeter play.

Buddy Hield shot an incredible 45.7% from three-point range, on nearly 9 attempts per game, as a senior at Oklahoma State. That kind of prodigious shooting could open up the lane for Emmanuel Mudiay.

Washington’s Marquese Chriss has been rising up draft boards of late, the kind of quick-twitch athlete who tends to do well at this time of year. Chriss shows signs of being able to shoot from the perimeter and has the athleticism to alter shots at the rim, but can he rebound enough to stay on the court?

With Bismack Biyombo playing his way into a huge contract this summer, Davis has the potential to be an elite interior defender. He’s still raw, but the potential is there down the line.

Poeltl improved his scoring from 9.1 points per game to 17.2 as a sophomore, becoming one of the more skilled all-around centers in the country. That versatility would be tough to pass up this late in the lottery.

Despite Labissiere's disappointing freshman season at Kentucky, his two skill sets – shot blocking and perimeter shooting – would be a nice fit next to Nikola Vucevic, even if he might be a bit risky.

Wade Baldwin’s size, defensive versatility, and improvement as a catch-and-shoot player gives him the positional versatility that could make him an interesting fit in Utah’s backcourt rotation.

Concerns over Ellenson’s defensive contributions could cause him to slide a bit on draft night, but his offensive potential would be a nice get here for a Phoenix team that could use some punch in the front court.

Point guard depth is an obvious area of need here, but Luwawu's shooting, secondary playmaking, and athleticism would be tough to pass up.

At just 18 years of age, Furkan Korkmaz struggled to find a consistent role with Anadolu Efes in the Turkish League last year. Still, his size, athleticism, and excellent shooting ability give him quite a bit of potential for this late in the draft.

While Boston has good depth on the perimeter, they are still somewhat lacking in perimeter shooting, and could always use more playmaking. Valentine, who averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game as a senior, provides just that.

Even if Mike Conley returns in free agency, Memphis could use point guard depth, especially one like Jackson who can score off the pick and roll.

Taurean Prince shot 37.6% from three-point range during his four year career at Baylor, which along with his defensive versatility makes it easy to project Prince as a role player.

Ante Zizic is just the type of mobile, shot blocking, pick and roll big man that many want in today’s NBA, and would provide more depth to Denver’s already strong front court.

Brice Johnson’s mobility, rebounding, and touch around the rim would provide a boost for Indiana’s front court, which could use an infusion of talent alongside Myles Turner.

Bembry’s passing, defensive versatility, and potential as a slasher would fit in well with Atlanta, especially if he can improve his perimeter shot with help from Atlanta’s coaching staff.

Improved perimeter shooting is a big part of Charlotte’s recent success, but with Nicolas Batum and Courtney Lee both upcoming free agents, they could look to replenish some of their perimeter depth with younger, cheaper options. Beasley shot 38.7% from three-point range as a freshman for Florida State.

With a number of teams set in their front court, Sabonis could slide through little fault of his own. If he does, Boston could get an interior scorer (17.6 points per game) and elite rebounder (11.8) that would complement their existing front court members well.

With the Sixers hopefully finding their centerpiece, they’re likely to start looking to fill out their roster. Ulis, despite his size, would give Philadelphia steady point guard play, even if his size might limit that to a back up role.

If the Clippers are going to add another big man to their lineup, he should be able to stretch the floor. That’s where the 6-foot-11-inch Cornelie shines, as he shot 39.3% for Le Mans this past year.

Patrick McCaw has developed into an interesting prospect over the last few years, and his combination of size, athleticism, improving outside shot, and play making would fill an area of need for the Sixers on the perimeter.

Biyombo shows how much a high-level interior defender and shot blocker can really add to their team, and Diallo, despite struggling to find consistent playing time during his freshman season at Kansas, has the potential to provide that.

After going with Jaylen Brown and Henry Ellenson earlier in the draft, the addition of Jones, who can develop into a shot blocker and pick and roll threat, could finish Phoenix’s front court overhaul.

With excellent size, mobility, and touch around the rim, what Croatian big man Ivica Zubac lacks in experience he makes up for with a high overall talent level.

Juan Hernangomez’s improved three-point shooting (35.8% in ACB play) and off-the-ball scoring would fit in well surrounding Golden State’s core.