NBA Mock Draft 12.0: Wizards get lifeline at No. 1; Trae Young is traded in bold deal
In the latest edition of our NBA Mock Draft, the Washington Wizards get a lifeline as they land the No. 1 pick, and Trae Young is traded in a bold blockbuster move.
As the 2024 NBA Draft quickly draws near, the hype surrounding this year's class is only going to grow in grow. The next domino to fall will be the NBA Draft Lottery, which is less than two weeks away (May 12). In our latest simulated mock lottery, the Washington Wizards move up to No. 1, the Detroit Pistons fall to No. 2, the Toronto Raptors move into the top 3, and the Chicago Bulls make the biggest jump as they rise into the top 4.
In addition, we also simulated a big NBA Draft Day trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks. As the whispers surrounding a potential Trae Young trade continue to grow, the Lakers jump to the opportunity before the start of free agency.
The Los Angeles Lakers made a draft day trade for Trae Young
In this simulated deal, the Lakers will send Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, and two future first-round picks to the Hawks for Young. Atlanta gets a couple of quality contributors and, perhaps most importantly, gets clarity on their future before the NBA Draft.
Lakers Young Draft trade
In what would be a hot start to the NBA offseason, the Lakers emerge as a potential championship favorite and the Hawks take a bit of a step back in the Eastern Conference. With that said, let's get to this week's NBA Mock Draft.
1. Washington Wizards - Alex Sarr, C, NBL
While there have been more than a few prospects that have spent time sitting atop this NBA Draft class, it seems like Alex Sarr is going to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. Unless something drastically changes between now and the draft, the Washington Wizards would be taking what they hope to be a player who could develop into the new face of their franchise.