NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Rockets add size, Cooper comes to capital

The Houston Rockets need the Suns to keep losing.

The relationship between these teams has been well documented - on SpaceCityScoop, anyway. The Rockets own several of the Suns' future picks. The Rockets would be a natural suitor if they're forced to move one of Devin Booker or Kevin Durant this summer.

Even if no Sun demands a deal, the Rockets benefit from their demise. They own their pick in the next draft. Run the Tankathon simulation five times right now, and that pick lands 12th every time. That's what I did for this article:

Here's the resulting mock draft.

1. Washington Wizards - Cooper Flagg (Duke)

What more can be said about Flagg? He isn't just the presumptive number-one pick. He is the number one pick. It's already decided.

He's a prodigious defender who's only improved his stock at Duke. Flagg should have a long-term role on any NBA team as a high-end second option and All-World defender. That's a number-one pick in almost any class.

2. Charlotte Hornets - Dylan Harper (Rutgers)

If the Hornets land second, it will be interesting. We saw them pass on Scoot Henderson to avoid pairing LaMelo Ball with another lead guard. Could they make the same decision in this draft?

For now, let's assume they'll take Harper. At 6'6", he's a strong enough cutter and offensive rebounder to compliment Ball when he's orchestrating the offense. Harper has struggled due to injuries and illness this year, but he still feels like the second-best prospect in this class by a wide margin.

3. New Orleans Pelicans - Ace Bailey (Rutgers)

This class only has intrigue past the second pick. Bailey is narrowly the favorite to go third, but Kasparas Jakucionis and VJ Edgecombe have both gotten some buzz at this spot.

The Pelicans should lean Bailey. Having just moved Brandon Ingram, they could use an injection of shot creation. That's Bailey's calling card. As a 6'9" forward with a silky smooth jump shot, he could be an optimal complement for Zion Williamson as a co-star.

4. Toronto Raptors - Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois)

Now, we land on the team that acquired Ingram. By making that deal, the Raptors signaled that they still value size. This team wants to stockpile as much length as they can.

So, they ought to like a 6'6" floor general like Jakucionis. He's got a wing's size, but he's still able to run an offense and space the floor. Jakucionis' floor vision at 6'6" makes him a special prospect, and the Raptors will be happy to grab him.

5. Utah Jazz - VJ Edgecombe (Baylor)

There's little question about how the top 5 in this class will go. There are only some questions about the order from 3 to 5. Whoever picks 5th is likely to pick whoever is left between these 5.

For the Jazz, that's Edgecombe. With how he's been playing lately, they won't be upset about that. A recent 2/11 stinker against Gonzaga won't negate a strong stretch of play from the 6'5" guard/wing. Edgecombe is a rugged defender who spaces the floor and can handle the ball if necessary.

6. Brooklyn Nets - Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma)

If Fears had a reliable three-pointer, he'd be in the top-5 conversation. He's an explosive guard who can get to the rim at will and has strong enough floor vision to set up his teammates.

The Nets are in a good position to build from the ground up. If Fears hits, he'll be a perfect lead ball-handler for this club for years to come. The Nets have several quality auxiliary pieces to help usher Fears into the NBA quickly.

7. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Philadelphia 76ers) - Asa Newell (Georgia)

Newell feels like a Thunder pick. At 6'11", his ability to guard across positions should appeal to them. More length is always good, and the Thunder know it.

That said, he hasn't flashed much creation ability. Newell is reliant on others to generate offense. The Thunder tend to gravitate to ball-handlers, but they should make an exception here. With his tremendous catch radius and flashes of floor spacing, Newell would be an ideal play-finisher for this team.

8. Chicago Bulls - Tre Johnson (Texas)

Tre Johnson can light it up. He's 6'6" and shooting 37.4% from long-range - and that's after a cold stretch. He can create baskets for himself on all three levels.

Can he set up teammates? That's the question with Johnson. If he's a microwave scorer, he may be a poor selection with the 8th overall pick. If he can function as a lead guard, he could end up looking like a steal with this selection.

9. Portland Trail Blazers - Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina)

Murray-Boyles is a divisive prospect. He's a 6'7" forward who hasn't flashed much ability to shoot the triple. That will put some scouts off.

Fair. That said, his ability to create on the interior is special. Murray-Boyles has an array of moves inside. Given that he also looks like a potential 1 through 5 defender, he may have too much upside for the Blazers to pass on with the 9th pick.

10. San Antonio Spurs - Liam McNeely (Connecticut)

Having landed De'Aaron Fox at the deadline, the Spurs may be hoping to fall outside the top 10. This team is ready to win.

If they are picking around this spot, they could use someone who compliments their star duo. McNeely fits. He's a 6'7" wing who's shooting 36.0% from deep this year. He's not a shooting specialist either. McNeely is a great connective passer and a high-effort defender as well.

11. San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta Hawks) - Ben Saraf (Ratiopharm ULM)

The Spurs made a safe pick with McNeely. He's got one of the highest floors in the draft. Why not take a gamble with the very next pick?

Saraf is a 6'5" point guard. There are questions about his ability to pressure defenses at the NBA level - he's a limited athlete - but Saraf is crafty and smart. If he doesn't pan out, the Spurs already brought in Fox. If he does, they'll have to ask themselves the types of difficult questions that NBA front offices love asking.

12. Houston Rockets - Khaman Maluach (Duke)

You'll find no shortage of Rockets fans who want to see Alperen Sengun in double big lineups. If that's going to be a long-term fixture, they'll need a big who's quick enough on his feet to cover ground.

Maluach should fit the bill. At 7'2", he's also the best rim protector in this class. If the duo can't play together, the Rockets will have their own tough questions to answer. Simply put, they're making this election because Maluach is the highest upside prospect available at 12.

13. Atlanta Hawks (via Sacramento Kings) - Kon Knueppel (Duke)

Knueppel could be an ideal backcourt mate for Trae Young. He's a 6'7" guard/wing who's shooting 38.6% from long-range. Knueppel can create shots to an extent, and serve well in a complimentary role.

Granted, Young's future with the Hawks feels perilous. That's fine. Knueppel will compliment anyone who joins this team. His portability makes him an appealing choice at 13.

14. Miami Heat (via Golden State Warriors) - Egor Demin (BYU)

Take Saraf's scouting report and multiply it by two. Now, you've basically got Demin.

He's 6'9" and may be a point guard at the NBA level. By contrast, he may not be able to create shots in the big leagues. Both Demin and Saraf are reminiscent of Josh Giddey as a prospect. Depending on your perspective, that's a selling point or a concern.

The Heat shouldn't pass on his upside at 14.

15. Orlando Magic - Thomas Sorber (Georgetown)

There's a temptation to look for a shooter at this selection. The Magic are deficient in that area. Unfortunately, three-point shooting is a question mark for all the best prospects left in this range.

So, why not fill a potential positional need? The Magic have had a committee at the 5 spot for years. They have solid players at that position, but Sorber could be the long-term answer if he meets his potential.

16. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Miami Heat) - Noa Essengue (Ratiopharm ULM)

Isn't it so Thunder to walk away from this draft with both Newell and Essengue?

They're both versatile defensive wings with impressive athletic profiles and limited jump shots. The Thunder have shown a propensity to draft for upside and figure out the rest later. Essengue looks like a potential 1-through-5 defender. It's rare to grab those players outside of the lottery.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit Pistons) - Nolan Traore (Saint Quentin)

This one is a no-brainer.

Mike Conley is nearing retirement. Rob Dillingham looks more like a microwave scorer than a floor general. The Wolves need their point guard of the future.

Meanwhile, Traore was supposed to be a high lottery pick just months ago. He's fallen out of favor during the draft cycle. Traore may not be a primary playmaker. Still, he's a capable floor spacer with great floor vision and defensive instincts. This could be the perfect long-term running mate for Anthony Edwards.

18. Dallas Mavericks - Noah Penda (Le Mans)

At this stage in the draft, teams will be drafting for fit. The Mavericks shocked the world by trading Luka Doncic, but we can assume that they still want to be in the mix for the NBA title...

...I think?

Either way, Penda is a solid bet. He's a 6'8" floor spacer who plays hard on defense. He should be a long-term NBA rotation piece, even if his upside is limited.

19. Brooklyn Nets (via Milwaukee Bucks) - Derick Queen (Maryland)

Teams will be drafting for fit, but the Nets make an exception here. They're still in the infancy stages of a rebuild and are getting this pick via a contender.

Some pundits will have Queen going much higher than this. He's a deft post passer and strong interior scorer. His inability to space the floor and limited defensive ability will put other scouts off, but the Nets should swing for the fences. Queen's fit with Claxton is irrelevant - the Nets should be thinking strictly about potential.

20. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Los Angeles Clippers) - Jase Richardson (Michigan State)

The Thunder are stacked. They're adding two more high-upside wings in this draft. What more could they ask for?

How about shooting? Everyone always needs shooting. Richardson is one of the best floor spacers in this class. The son of a former NBA star, Richardson should fit right into the NBA. He may struggle to find a place in a loaded Thunder rotation, but if the opportunity arises, he should be ready to knock down triples from day one.

21. Utah Jazz (via Minnesota Timberwolves) - Boogie Fland (Arkansas)

Fland has an exceedingly high floor for a player available in the 20s. Chaulk it up to a strong draft class.

Fland may not be a star. He's a smaller guard who lacks elite athletic traits. Still, his ability to manage a game, space the floor, and play with effort will endear him to NBA coaches. Fland will find a place in the NBA, and the Jazz should be happy if he finds it with them.

22. Indiana Pacers - Nique Clifford (Colorado State)

Clifford is another high-floor prospect, but unlike Fland, he's got a sneakily high floor.

He's been tasked with primary creation in Colorado State. That's not likely to be his role in the NBA, but it's encouraging that Clifford can handle those responsibilities at the college level. In the NBA, he'll be a solid 3-and-D - and maybe more when the situation calls for it.

23. Brooklyn Nets (via Houston Rockets) - Hugo Gonzales (Real Madrid)

Here, we're looking at a high-ceiling prospect with a reasonably low floor. Gonzales will be a project player when he enters the NBA.

The Nets are a strong candidate to take on a project. Gonzales is an intriguing athlete who can handle the ball and make plays. As with many young players, the questions revolve around his shooting. If the jump shot develops, Gonzales has an outside shot at stardom in the NBA.

24. Atlanta Hawks (via Los Angeles Lakers) - Rasheer Flemming (Saint Joseph's)

Flemming is 6'9" and shooting 40.4% from deep. That's more or less his entire pitch right there.

He's a solid defender as well. Flemming may never be a high-end creator in the NBA, but with his tools, it doesn't matter. The Hawks shouldn't ask for more with the 24th pick.

25. Orlando Magic (via Denver Nuggets) - Alex Karaban (Connecticut)

Finally, the Magic get their shooter.

Granted, Karaban's 36.1% mark from long-range isn't elite. It's still solid - especially coming from a 6'8" forward. Orlando values size, and they should be happy to add a wing with surplus length at this stage of the draft.

26. Brooklyn Nets (via New York Knicks) - Dink Pate (G-League)

Why not swing wildly for the fences with so many picks in the draft?

Pate is a 6'8" player with high-end athleticism. He's played some point guard in his career. This is a player with sky-high potential.

Sure, Pate's decision-making is suspect. His jump shot is shaky. At this stage in the draft, the Nets might as well take a gamble on a high-ceiling, low-floor prospect.

27. Washington Wizards (via Memphis Grizzlies) - Danny Wolf (Michigan)

Don't be surprised if Wolf is selected much higher in the next mock draft.

His stock is rising. Wolf is a 7'0" combo big who's shooting 36.7% from deep this year. He's also a plus positional passer. Questions about his defense and athleticism could hurt his stock, but his first-round value is undeniable at this point.

28. Boston Celtics - Kam Jones (Marquette)

Jones is one of the safer bets in this class. That's partly because he's 23. Teams seeking potential may question why he wasn't NBA-ready before this point.

The Celtics should be glad to add a likely NBA rotation player. Jones can shoot, and his playmaking has come a long way this season. This is an NBA-quality guard joining arguably the best team in the NBA.

29. Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland Cavaliers) - Labaron Philon (Arkansas)

There's a temptation to tank this pick. The Rockets benefit from any Suns error.

The Suns select James Piercey of SpaceCityScoop.

Jokes aside, Phoenix would be lucky if Philon was available here. He's a heady floor general who can space the floor. Some mocks have him landing higher than this. If more teams draft for the best player available instead of fit, the Suns likely won't stumble into Philon.

30. Los Angeles Clippers (via Oklahoma City Thunder) - Drake Powell (North Carolina)

Powell's stock has slipped during these mock drafts. It is genuinely concerning that he's only mustering up 7.2 points per game at the college level.

Still, he's an undeniably strong defender. Powell could be among this class's best perimeter stoppers. With the last pick in the first-round, the Clippers should be happy to roll the dice on him.