NBA Mock Draft: 5 trades that could shake up the first round

The NBA Draft is just two weeks away, so here’s another full first-round mock draft to tide you over.

Be warned: In an attempt to buck consensus, I went with some out-of-the-box picks and included five made-up trades that will shake up night one of the draft.

Let’s have some fun.

[Five-minute video scouting reports]

— TRADE —

• Jazz receive: No. 1 pick

• Wizards receive: No. 2 pick, Ace Bailey

1. Utah Jazz (via mock trade with Wizards)
AJ Dybantsa, BYU

Utah moves up one spot, packaging in Ace Bailey to select Dybantsa. It’s a bit of an odd fit with Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler. But with all the connections, it absolutely feels like this could happen on draft night.

🎥 Full AJ Dybantsa scouting report

2. Washington Wizards (via mock trade with Jazz)
Cameron Boozer, Duke

For Washington, having acquired Bailey and moving down just one spot in the mock deal with Utah, they draft their new power forward of the future. Anthony Davis is a short-term play — if not a trade chip — and Boozer pairs perfectly with Alex Sarr in the front court. Add Bailey to the mix, who wanted to land in Washington last year, and the Wizards have completed their rebuilding project.

🎥 Full Cameron Boozer scouting report

3. Memphis Grizzlies
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina

With Boozer off the board, the Grizzlies must choose between Wilson and Darryn Peterson, and ultimately go with the former. An electric athlete, Wilson will complement Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as the Grizzlies continue remaking their roster.

🎥 Full Caleb Wilson scouting report

4. Chicago Bulls
Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Everyone is expecting Wilson to fall to Chicago at four, but in this mock, the Bulls are fortunate to get their next star guard. The creatine, cramps, etc., make this a risky play, but the upside and potential star-power is undeniable, making him a no-brainer.

🎥 Full Darryn Peterson scouting report

5. Los Angeles Clippers
Aday Mara, Michigan

After moving off of Ivica Zubac in a bold deadline deal with Indiana, the Clippers need a long-term option at center, preferably someone who can protect the rim and help facilitate the offense as a passing hub.

🎥 Full Aday Mara scouting report

— TRADE —

• Thunder receive: No. 6 pick

• Nets receive: No. 9 pick, Nikola Topic, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins

• Mavericks receive: No. 12 pick, No. 17 pick, Lu Dort

6. Oklahoma City Thunder (via mock trade with Nets, Mavericks)
Keaton Wagler, Illinois

The second big trade in the draft is a doozy.

The Thunder are offloading $43 million in salary to get them within striking distance of the luxury tax line, while moving up into the prized spots of the draft. They address their roster crunch, going from 17 — including their two first-round picks — to 12, while moving up for a rookie who can help make a meaningful difference in the Western Conference Finals next season.

Wagler is an ecosystem fit with Oklahoma City — someone who can help run offense, space the floor and think the game. Getting off that combination of salary and moving up in the draft for Wagler, without having to dip into any future capital, is a big win.

The Mavericks absorb Dort into Dallas’ Anthony Davis-sized trade exception, adding a contributor as they overhaul the roster around Cooper Flagg without the benefit of having any first-round picks until the 2030’s while moving down from nine to 12, picking up 17 for the price of doing business.

Meanwhile, the Nets move down to No. 9 from No. 6 by using their cap space to absorb Wiggins and Joe — two good players on good contracts who will help raise the floor for Brooklyn next season as they navigate life without their own first-round pick. But the prize here is Topic, another lottery talent, who won’t have room to play in Oklahoma City. The Nets get a few years to evaluate him while he is on his rookie deal.

🎥 Full Keaton Wagler scouting report

7. Sacramento Kings
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

The Kings get their guy at No. 7. Acuff is a supremely talented scorer, elite passer and should factor in as the Kings’ point guard of the future and franchise cornerstone. They’ll have a ton of work to do to reshape their roster and get out of the luxury tax, but this is a good start to their rebuild.

🎥 Full Darius Acuff scouting report

8. Atlanta Hawks
Kingston Flemings, Houston

I keep coming back to Flemings being a great fit in Atlanta. The best defender of the top-guard prospects, Flemings is an automatic paint touch that can play with the ball in his hands or off of Jalen Johnson.

🎥 Full Kingston Flemings scouting report

9. Brooklyn Nets (via mock trade with Thunder, Mavericks)
Nate Ament, Tennessee

Still at the ground floor of their roster overhaul, adding Topic gives them a worthwhile swing as a lead initiator and makes their rumored infatuation with Ament make a lot more sense.

Now with better depth and real upside, the future is looking a lot brighter in Brooklyn.

10. Milwaukee Bucks
Mikal Brown Jr., Louisville

Brown will take some time to refine his game, but he is without question one of the most talented scorers in the class. With Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee invariably uncertain, it makes sense to take a shot on someone who could be the next franchise cornerstone.

🎥 Full Mikel Brown Jr. scouting report

— TRADE —

• Clippers receive: No. 11 pick, 2027 first-round pick (top-10 protected), Jimmy Butler

• Warriors receive: Kawhi Leonard, Brook Lopez

11. Los Angeles Clippers (via mock trade with Warriors)
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

The Warriors are sending away the 11th overall pick, along with Jimmy Butler and a top-10 protected first-round pick in 2027, and taking back Kawhi Leonard and Brook Lopez from the Clippers. It behooves LA to sell high on Leonard, or at least sell before the league has a chance to rule on the Aspiration scandal that theoretically could cause him to void his deal. They get Butler, who could be back for a Playoff push, or be used in a deadline deal as an expiring salary.

In the Bay, the Warriors get a cheaper option as a stretch big, who also protects the rim at a high level, in Lopez, and a potential platoon with Kristaps Porzingis and offer more depth at a key position of need. They pay a similar price to the one Houston paid for Kevin Durant last summer, while boosting their near-term championship equity around the twilight of Steph Curry’s career.

The Clippers take one of the ready-made NBA players in this draft at a premium position to add to their new core of his Michigan running-mate, Mara, Darius Garland, and Bennedict Mathurin.

🎥 Full Yaxel Lendeborg scouting report

12. Dallas Mavericks (via mock trade with Nets, Thunder)
Brayden Burries, Arizona

The Mavs fall into good fortune here at No. 12, selecting someone they would have taken at No. 9. All of a sudden, the defensive infrastructure in Dallas is looking much more compelling with Dort and Burries to complement Flagg, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively.

🎥 Full Brayden Burries scouting report

13. Miami Heat
Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan

Morez Johnson Jr. exudes Heat culture. A burly body that can play next to another big or man the paint himself, Johnson adds depth to the frontcourt and opens up possibilities on the trade front.

🎥 Full Morez Johnson Jr. scouting report

— TRADE —

• Bucks receive: No. 14, Josh Green, Ryan Kalkbrenner

• Hornets receive: Myles Turner

14. Milwaukee Bucks
Cameron Carr, Baylor

After selecting Brown Jr. tenth overall, the Bucks now add to their wing depth, and effectively turn their Damian Lillard dead-cap hit into rookie-scale contracts — a nice recovery. This also opens the door for them to get started on a rebuilding project and add some frontcourt infrastructure if and when they move on from Antetokounmpo.

As for the Hornets, they add a rim-protecting, floor-spacing big to an already talented team at a reasonable price. With Diabate also in the mix, they have a versatile pair that can handle the five-spot alone or together.

🎥 Full Cameron Carr scouting report

15. Chicago Bulls
Hannes Steinbach, Washington

The core is still coming together, even after selecting Peterson in the top four. In Steinbach, Bryson Graham adds the first piece to his frontcourt. An elite rebounder on both sides, Steinbach is an underrated defensive prospect despite lackluster rim protection numbers, and has the finesse to eventually shoot it from three.

16. Memphis Grizzlies
Allen Graves, Santa Clara

Even after selecting Caleb Wilson third overall, the Grizzlies are taking another power forward in Graves. The analytics darling of the class (non-Boozer division) offers a unique combination of craft, defensive awareness and event creation at a pace that is purely his own.

17. Dallas Mavericks (via mock trade with Nets, Thunder)
Ebuka Okorie, Stanford

The final piece of the OKC-Dallas-Brooklyn three-team deal ends with the Mavericks selecting one of the most electric guards in the class. Okorie is a blur with incredible ball skills and could eventually succeed Kyrie Irving.

18. Charlotte Hornets
Dailyn Swain, Texas

After trading for Turner earlier in the draft, the Hornets add to their wing group someone who can complement Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball, and Coby White, offering defense, creation and athleticism.

19. Toronto Raptors
Labaron Philon, Alabama

The Raptors become the beneficiaries of the depth and quantity of scoring guards in this class. Philon will offer scoring and play-making off the bench, and potentially in the starting lineup in time.

20. San Antonio Spurs
Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers (NBL)

A bit of a project, the Spurs are happy to collect another international talent at a premium position. With their backcourt set, they need to add size, shooting and creation on the wing to give themselves more options when it comes to play-style versatility. Lopez could, in time, answer the call.

— TRADE —

• Pelicans receive: No. 21 pick, Ausar Thompson, Caris LeVert, 2027 unprotected first-round pick (DET)

• Pistons receive: Trey Murphy

21. New Orleans Pelicans
Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky

After a disappointing exit from the playoffs and some big financial decisions looming, the Pistons make a play for a big-time shooter to pair with Cade Cunningham, acquiring one of the most coveted wings on the market.

Meanwhile, Troy Weaver cashes in, acquiring the last player he drafted when he was still with Detroit, while getting into the 2026 draft to take Quaintance. In Quaintance, the Pels get a unique, athletic specimen that, if healthy, can be a force in the frontcourt for years to come. They also acquire what will be a late first-round pick from Detroit next season to bolster their trove as they remake the team on the fly.

22. Philadelphia 76ers
Tarris Reed Jr., UConn

The Sixers might need to break up some of their big contracts, but if they can’t find the right deal, adding some center stability. Reed should be ready to go right away, whether it’s filling in for Joel Embiid when he inevitably misses time or handling backup minutes.

23. Atlanta Hawks
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

More shooting, more creation next to Flemings, Stirtz would be a nice get for Atlanta in the early 20s to help bolster their guard room.

24. New York Knicks
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech

Two wins away from an NBA Championship, the Knicks have an opportunity to keep their machine churning by adding Anderson.

25. Los Angeles Lakers
Chris Cenac Jr., Houston

Cenac might not be ready to compete at the highest level, but he’s got a skill set worth swinging on for a team like the Lakers. At 6-10 with a 7-5 wingspan, the shot-blocking, three-point shooting potential here could be the ideal big man archetype for Luka Doncic.

26. Denver Nuggets
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s

Ejiofor is exactly the type of player Denver needs to improve their size, athleticism, effort and defense issues. If he falls this far, it would be a home run for the Nuggets.

27. Boston Celtics
Henri Veesar, North Carolina

The Celtics need to add to their big man depth after things went sideways in the first round of the Playoffs. Veesar can be a good offspeed pitch to Neemias Queta and Luka Garza in the longer term.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves
Meleek Thomas, Arkansas

Thomas can shoot. Thomas can score. Thomas defends. Twenty-eight might even be too low. He could end up going much higher than this on draft night.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State

One of the smartest players in the class, Jefferson can add frontcourt depth and versatility while helping the Cavaliers grease their wheels on offense.

30. Dallas Mavericks
Luigi Suigo, KK Mega Basket (ABA League)

After drafting Burries and Okorie, the Mavs can afford to take a big swing at 30, and they do so by drafting Luigi Suigo. If he doesn’t end up going much higher than this on draft night, he may head to college. But the size, rebounding and shooting potential are an intriguing combination if Dallas can get their hands on him.

Recap:

Trade No. 1 — Jazz & Wizards

• Jazz receive: No. 1 pick (AJ Dybantsa)

• Wizards receive: No. 2 pick (Cameron Boozer), Ace Bailey

Trade No. 2 — Thunder, Nets & Mavericks

• Thunder receive: No. 6 pick (Keaton Wagler)

• Nets receive: No. 9 pick (Nate Ament), Nikola Topic, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins

• Mavericks receive: No. 12 pick (Brayden Burries), No. 17 pick (Ebuka Okorie), Lu Dort

Trade No. 3 — Clippers & Warriors

• Clippers receive: No. 11 pick (Yaxel Lendeborg), 2027 first-round pick (top-10 protected), Jimmy Butler

• Warriors receive: Kawhi Leonard, Brook Lopez

Trade No. 4 — Bucks & Hornets

• Bucks receive: No. 14 (Cameron Carr), Josh Green, Ryan Kalkbrenner

• Hornets receive: Myles Turner

Trade No. 5 — Pelicans & Pistons

• Pelicans receive: No. 21 pick (Jayden Quaintance), Ausar Thompson, Caris LeVert, 2027 unprotected first-round pick (DET)

• Pistons receive: Trey Murphy