Our regular NBA mock drafts rely heavily on data to make projections for players and all 30 teams. This is not that. Instead, ESPN draft analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo explored the first round from two different perspectives: selecting based on team needs versus selecting the best available.
Of course, the philosophical question of writing for need versus value is unclear. They actually work together; Situational factors from team to team can lead to drastically different assessments of each prospect. So when both lines of thought lead to the same answer, it's usually a good sign.
This mock draft isn't what we project every NBA team to do, but it's a helpful way to think about the 2024 NBA draft, its eligible players, and how front offices might be thinking about it as it approaches. the two-day event (June). 26-27, on ABC/ESPN/ESPN+).
Givony selected players for each team prioritizing needs, while Woo selected players paired with teams looking for value. This is what happened:
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First round
