2024 NBA Mock Draft: Updated first-round projections after trade deadline

Robert Williams is constantly hurt and he was frequently mentioned in rumors leading up to the trade deadline. Deandre Ayton, meanwhile, is starting to earn Hassan Whiteside comps in Portland, which is ... bad. He's a physical specimen with intriguing skills on both ends, but Ayton's effort is never the same night-to-night. He's just not committed to realizing his obvious potential. So, why not get another center in the building? Maybe it lights a fire under Ayton. If not, it establishes a backup plan.

Yves Missi won't reinvent the wheel, but he's one of the best bigs in college basketball within the confines of his role. Missi is a powerful, explosive finisher at the rim. On defense, he blocks a ton of shots (1.7 per game), crashes the glass with fervor, and displays enough mobility to survive in the modern game. He's a bullish competitor who does all the simple things well — so, essentially the opposite of Ayton.

A fifth-year senior who started his college career in JuCo, Dalton Knecht has experienced a magical breakout campaign at Tennessee. He's one of the best wing scorers in the country, supplying elite 3-point shooting (40.5 percent) in addition to legitimate equity as a straight-line driver and connective passer.

It's hard to fully endorse 23-year-olds in the lottery, but Knecht has paid his dues at lower levels of college competition and now he's producing at an undeniable rate against SEC opponents. NBA teams all want 6-foot-7 wings who can hit movement 3s, beat closeouts, pass, and passably defend. Knecht should plug right into a deep and well-rounded Pelicans lineup.