NBA Draft Lottery 2018: Who each team should take with the No. 1 pick

By Ian Levy | May 15, 2018

WIZINK CENTER, MADRID, SPAIN - 2018/05/03: Luka Doncic, #7 of Real Madrid pictured prior to the 2017/2018 Liga Endesa Regular Season (game 29) between Real Madrid and Kirolbet Baskonia at WiZink Center in Madrid. (Photo by Jorge Sanz/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) /

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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 16: Michigan State Spartans forward Jaren Jackson, Jr. (2) looks to the bench during the NCAA Division I Men’s Championship First Round basketball game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Bucknell Bison on March 16, 2018 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

6. Chicago Bulls — Jaren Jackson Jr. (5.3% chance)

Jackson Jr. is another player with incredibly high upside who could be in contention for the No. 1 pick. Unfortunately, the nature of his skill set and the holes on this year’s lottery teams means there are fewer obvious fits than some of the other players around him.

Jackson Jr. is a mobile center with great instincts protecting the rim and the potential to be an excellent defender in space as well. On offense, he’s effective as dive-man in the pick-and-roll, beating slower bigs with face-ups and even spacing the floor with his 3-point shot. It remains to be seen if that shot will translate to the next level but he projects as a very good defender who can play a strong offensive role. That offensive role is likely much smaller than the ones that Bagley or Ayton could fill.

The Bulls landed Lauri Markkanen in last year’s draft and Jackson looks like a perfect complement, capable of handling the defensive duties Markkanen doesn’t have the bulk for and occupying defenders in the middle of the floor so that shooters can space around him. A player like Doncic or Young could certainly help Chicago’s backcourt but the complementary fit with Markkanen is too good to pass up Jackson.

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