2018 NBA Mock Draft: If need were all that mattered

What if each team in the league entered the draft thinking only about their roster’s weak spots? In this week’s 2018 NBA mock draft, we consider how the first round would shape up if everything revolved around fit.

Look, the Hawks truly just need talent. But in this mock, they will acquire a scoring guard and a defensive big man with their other two first-round picks, so at this slot, their need for big man depth rises to the forefront. Wagner could develop into a floor-spacing big man if he can defend and rebound at high enough level to stay on the court.

He learned how to better use his body and skill set by his junior season, and his rebounding and shooting numbers show that. Wagner probably should have come out of college after his second college season, but the potential to hunt for a championship, as Michigan did this year, encouraged him to stay. The result was a nearly identical statistical season, one that probably didn’t do much to sway scouts.

Instead, Wagner will benefit from the lack of big men in this range and the high-profile circumstances of playing in a national championship game. His outside shooting should translate, and he could probably play a backup big role early in his career next to a defensive center. However, to reach his potential, Wagner will need to be able to defend. If not, he won’t stay on the court.

Atlanta is finally admitting to a rebuild, and can devote the energy required to develop Wagner.