DRAFT WATCH #8 - Four days away ... and a new prospect emerges

By Net Income Jun 16, 2019, 6:07pm EDT

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Mock drafts are being torn up and redrawn on a daily basis at this time of year. In the last eight days, the Nets have traded their first round pick at No. 17 and the Lakers their fourth pick overall. Expect a lot of movement between now and 7:30 p.m. Thursday when the Commissioner steps to the stage and intones, “with the first pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans select...”

So, here’s our latest with only one pick in each round now and only four picks apart — Nos. 27 and 31. The No. 27 pick carries a guaranteed two-year deal with two team options starting at a little less than $2 million next year. The No. 31, as the first pick in the second round, is non-guaranteed, but likely to command a similar sized deal.

One player moving up is Darius Bazley, the 6’10” forward who spent the last season working out on his own after signing and then rescinding a letter of intent with Syracuse. This week’s Draft Sleeper of the Week, he’s projected to the Nets on four of the 16 mock drafts we cover, two at No. 27, two at No. 31. KZ Okpala, the Stanford wing, and Chuma Okeke, the (injured) Auburn PF, are also getting some love, showing up on three mocks each.

Michael Scotto tweeted that the Nets had recently worked out Bazley and other prospects linked to the Nets.

The Nets recently worked out Darius Bazley, Eric Paschall and Grant Williams, league sources told @TheAthleticNYC. All three prospects are potential options with picks No. 27 and 31 in the draft for Brooklyn.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 17, 2019

Also, of interest, ESPN updated its mock on Monday —they’ll come fast and furious now— and projected Kevin Porter Jr., the mercurial USC point guard with lottery talent and a bit of a checkered past.

So, here ya go. We’re only doing mocks that have been updated since the Allen Crabbe trade. We’ve also added two local mocks, from the Post and WFAN.

Remember, EVERYTHING IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE!

ESPN (June 13)

27. Kevin Porter Jr. 6’6” PG, freshman, USC

31. Nic Claxton, 6’11” C, sophomore, Georgia

ESPN TV (June 11)

27. Darius Bazley, 6’10” PF, Princeton, Ohio, High School

NBADraft.net (June 16)

27. Eric Paschall, 6’7” PF, senior, Villanova

31. Carsen Edwards, 6’0”, junior, Purdue

The Ringer (June 16)

27. Talen Horton-Tucker, 6’5” SG, Iowa State, freshman

31. Louis King, 6’8” SF, Oregon, freshman

Basketball Insiders (June 12)

27. Dylan Windler 6’8” F, Belmont, senior

The Athletic (June 15)

27. Eric Paschall, 6’7” PF, senior, Villanova

31. Chuma Okeke, 6’8” PF, Auburn, sophomore

Sports Illustrated (June 14)

27. Bruno Fernando, 6’10” PF, Maryland, sophomore

31. Luguentz Dort, 6’4” SG, freshman, Arizona State

Yahoo! Sports (June 12)

27. KZ Okpala, 6’9” SF, Stanford, sophomore

Tankathon (June 15)

27. KZ Okpala, 6’9” SF, Stanford, sophomore

31, Darius Bazley, 6’10” PF, Princeton, Ohio, High School

Bleacher Report (June 13)

27. Luka Samanic, 6’11” PF, Serbia, 19 years old

31. Matisse Thybulle, 6’5” SG, Washington, senior

CBS Sports (June 16)

27. KZ Okpala, 6’9” SF, Stanford, sophomore

FanSided (June 13)

27. Nic Claxton, 6’11” C, sophomore, Georgia

Yardbarker (June 14)

27. Grant Williams, 6’7” forward, Tennessee, junior

31. Jontay Porter, 6’11” forward, Missouri, sophomore

Daily Dime (June 14)

27. Chuma Okeke, 6’8” PF, Auburn, sophomore

New York Post (June 14)