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NBA Draft 2018: 5 best fits for Marvin Bagley

By Rucker Haringey

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 03: Marvin Bagley III #35 of the Duke Blue Devils concentrates at the free throw line against the St. John's Red Storm at Madison Square Garden on February 3, 2018 in New York City. St. John's won 81-77. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 03: Marvin Bagley III #35 of the Duke Blue Devils concentrates at the free throw line against the St. John's Red Storm at Madison Square Garden on February 3, 2018 in New York City. St. John's won 81-77. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /
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Marvin Bagley is one of the most difficult players to project in the 2018 NBA Draft. He must find the right situation to fulfill his potential.

If the game were only played on the offensive end of the floor then Marvin Bagley would have a real chance of being the No. 1 overall pick. Unfortunately, the former Duke Blue Devil will also need to play defense at the next level. His potential inadequacies on that end of the floor means the team that drafts him must pair him with a strong defensive big man.

Obviously, that limits the number of teams that should seriously consider selecting Bagley. A team like the Bulls could use his inside scoring punch, but can’t afford to take him and play him alongside Lauri Markkanen. That sort of defensive pairing would torpedo any chances the Bulls might have of fielding even a respectable defense.

Read More: Will the Clippers really trade up for Porter Jr.?

At some point, though, the tantalizing offensive talents of Bagley will win the right team over. He has an innate ability to put the ball in the basket even when the play isn’t being run for him. If Bagley can ever add a steady 3-point to his offensive arsenal, he’s going to be virtually unguardable. He showed a burgeoning perimeter game at Duke, but the jury is still out on whether or not he can stretch NBA defenses.

Bagley may not be the most complete player in this draft, but you can still safely expect him to go in the top 10. That, however, may require a team that can best use his skills to make a bold move up the board to grab him. Don’t be surprised if Bagley blows a team away in a workout and makes them fall in love.

Watch for one of the following five teams to draft Bagley next month.

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