2018 NBA Mock Draft: Where do Doncic, Ayton and Bagley land?

The teams in this year’s playoffs are showing their strengths and weaknesses, making it clear which prospects may fall in line for them in the latest edition of our 2018 NBA mock draft.

For each pick, team needs are taken into consideration, as well as fit.

With Jarrett Culver, Killian Tillie, Daniel Gafford and De’Andre Hunter each deciding to drop out of the 2018 draft, this lower tier of guys including Brunson scoots back into the first round.

To run through Brunson’s 2017-18 season: 19 points and 5 assists per game on .521/.408/.802 shooting, National Player of the Year honors, a top seed in the NCAA tournament, and a national championship — the second of his career. He was probably a second-round candidate before this year, so long as he continued along his upward trajectory as a shooter and play-maker. But this year has pushed him to the point where it’s difficult to imagine a situation in which he’s not at least a third guard on a good team during his prime.

The Hawks should maybe be reaching higher than this in their first tanking draft, but with the future undetermined at point guard considering Dennis Schroder’s age and inefficiency, Brunson makes sense here.

Atlanta has three picks in the first round and the roster will look considerably different next season. Brunson could be part of the solution.