Whether your teams’ owner or General Manager is saying it or not, NBA Tank-a-palooza is underway and it’s going to be an exciting one to the end. As The Ringer’s Danny Chau pointed out earlier this week, the worst and seventh-worst teams are currently separated by only two losses, and according to FiveThirtyEight, only four wins will separate the team with the worst record to the seventh-worst record at the end of the season.
Everyone who is familiar with the idea of “tanking”, knows that the sole purpose of it is to nab an early lottery pick. The objective of this article is to choose who the top three selections would be of each of the eight tanking teams- Swapping in the Knicks for the Nets-.
But before I do so, here are your 2018 Tank-a-palooza MVP Odds on March 9:
Trey Burke +170
Kyle Collinsworth +220
Emmanuel Mudiay +250, (This is a sad, sad day)
Kobi Simmons +310
Maxi Kleber +330
Wes Iwundu +420
Joakim Noah +530, (Too Soon?)
Xavier Mathan-Rayes +620
Jakarr Sampson +650
Luke “Unikornet” Kornet +750
Shaquille Harrison +830
Jaylen Morris +920
Myke Henry +960, (Great value pick here, the “Y” over “I” selection takes guts.)
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…
Memphis Grizzlies
Choice 1: Deandre Ayton
Choice 2: Mohamed Bamba
Choice 3: Luka Doncic
Although moving both Mike Conley and Marc Gasol would be ideal for the rebuilding Grizzlies, Conley’s contract puts them in a difficult situation with the trade market and salary cap as clogged as it’s been in a while. Therefore, I expect Memphis to aggressively shop their 33-year-old big man once the season is over and then replace him with one of the top two big men in the draft. Ultimately if that doesn’t work out, I think Memphis would be wise to select Luka Doncic, the 18-year-old Slovenian with sky-high potential.
Phoenix Suns:
Choice 1: Luka Doncic
Choice 2: Collin Sexton
Choice 3: Trae Young
Phoenix is a tricky team due to their plethora of young talent and assets. While Deandre Ayton is the best prospect in this year’s draft and he might be too good to pass up, the 20-year-old, seven foot Dragan Bender is slowly starting to show signs of progress. Additionally, selecting a player like Marvin Bagley or Michael Porter might be unnecessary due to the improved play of rookie Josh Jackson. Therefore, I believe Phoenix’s biggest need is a playmaker, preferably a point guard next to up and coming star Devin Booker. Doncic isn’t a point guard, but he possesses the court vision and playmaking ability that Phoenix can use in transition and in the half-court. However, if Doncic isn’t there, I believe Phoenix would be wise to address their point guard situation, and the best two best point guards on my big board are Alabama’s Collin Sexton and Oklahoma’s Trae Young.
Dallas Mavericks:
Choice 1: Deandre Ayton
Choice 2: Luka Doncic
Choice 3: Michael Porter
In last year’s draft, The Mavs walked away with a keeper in Dennis Smith Jr. Now, in the upcoming draft they should to surround him and Harrison Barnes with more young talent. After the Nerlens Noel project failed miserably, selecting Deandre Ayton here is a no brainer. If Ayton isn’t available, I believe Dallas should take a swing at either Doncic and Porter. Besides, Mark Cuban has definitely had his fair-share of luck drafting Europeans in the lottery before.
Sacramento Kings:
Choice 1: Luka Doncic
Choice 2: Michael Porter
Choice 3: Marvin Bagley
The Kings have some young core pieces in place in Deaaron Fox, Willie Cauley-Stein and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Next on the agenda for Sacramento is a versatile forward who can play and defend different positions. No better options than Doncic, Porter and Bagley.
Atlanta Hawks:
Choice 1: Deandre Ayton
Choice 2: Luka Doncic
Choice 3: Michael Porter
Atlanta has lots of work to do, and this year’s pick will be their first inside the lottery since Al Horford in 2007. John Collins and Taurean Prince have showed flashes of long-term guys, but Atlanta’s ideology should be take the best player on the board, and those are Ayton, Doncic and Porter.
Orlando Magic:
Choice 1: Deandre Ayton
Choice 2: Mohamed Bamba
Choice 3: Collin Sexton
As usual, Orlando heads into the draft with many needs. Aaron Gordon’s free agency will be a big decision that looms over their franchise, but assuming he’s retained, Gordon and Jonathan Isaac remain their only franchise cornerstones. Grabbing a center in Ayton or Bamba would give this team a young frontcourt that could one day bring this Orlando team back to the playoffs. Ultimately, if none of these guys are on the board for them, point guard is the next position that should be addressed, and the electrifying Collin Sexton should be the prospect they look the hardest into.
Chicago Bulls:
Choice 1: Deandre Ayton
Choice 2: Luka Doncic
Choice 3: Michael Porter
With Kris Dunn, Zach Lavine and Lauri Markannen at the helm, this team’s future is bright. If granted a top pick in this year’s draft, getting a top three prospect would only bolster what already is a strong young core. However, if the Bulls decide to spend money this off-season, which is a possibility due to their abundance of free cap space, Chicago native Jabari Parker is someone who comes to mind. If Chicago chooses to spend money on Parker, then their draft strategy could look a lot different come June.
New York Knicks:
Choice 1: Luka Doncic
Choice 2: Michael Porter
Choice 3: Marvin Bagley
The Knicks are my second favorite Tanker after Phoenix, because they have A LOT of routes to take. Taking Ayton or Bamba doesn’t make much sense here because of the eventual hope that Porzingis switches to the five, and even though rumor has it that Frank Ntilikina is becoming a two guard, I don’t buy it. Therefore, drafting a forward here makes the most sense, and with either Doncic, Porter or Bagley, New York will once again begin to get a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel. PS, don’t even get me started with the idea of two European’s running New York.
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