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

Miami opted for experience in the 2023 draft and it paid off. Kevin McCullar is one of the best wing defenders on the board, but the senior's offensive leap has been the real storyline for top-10 Kansas. He's hitting more 3s than ever, combined with a more demanding on-ball role that has allowed him to flourish as a slasher and facilitator. McCullar has the potential to contribute right away as a connective two-way wing for an aspirant contender.

Isaiah Collier's rocky 3-point shot and high turnover rate are cause for concern, but he's a special athlete on the perimeter — 6-foot-5 and built like a tank. Collier would be well-positioned in Toronto, where he can cede some ball-handling duties to Scottie Barnes, R.J. Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley. Simplifying Collier's role and allowing him to attack rotating defenses off the catch could pay dividends early on. Thinking long-term, he's a particularly strong backcourt fit next to Quickley.

The Magic still need a point guard. Any hope of Markelle Fultz upping his 3-point volume is out the window. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero are great as big-wing initiators, but a guard capable of breaking down defenses and creating from scratch could take Orlando's offense to the next level. Mitchell needs to work on his own 3-point shot, but he's one of the top isolation scorers in college basketball and a talented playmaker off drives.

It's best to think of Stephon Castle as a wing connector more than a primary initiator at this point. The jumper is a hurdle when trying to project Castle's ceiling, but even with issues in the efficiency department, his skill set is perfect for the Knicks. Castle takes it strong to the rim on drives, he's a razor-sharp passer, and he defends multiple positions well at 6-foot-6. He has the ability to plug a ton of holes in New York's second unit.

Tidjane Salaun continues to gain steam with impressive displays of shooting and athleticism on the wing at 6-foot-9. He's a project, mostly reliant on simple rim finishes or spot-up 3s, but the movement skills and defensive upside are worthy of first-round consideration. The Hawks can develop him patiently behind Jalen Johnson and their No. 1 pick, Risacher.

The Suns need a center. DaRon Holmes has been one of the top shot-blockers in college basketball across three seasons at Dayton (2.2 per game). Now, he's also hitting 39 percent of his 3s and upping his involvement as a passer, in addition to the athletic flourishes as a rim finisher.

UCLA's season has been one prolonged disappointment, but Adem Bona continues to stick on NBA radars by sheer force of will. He goes all-out on both ends, attacking the rim with brute physicality on offense and covering a ton of ground on defense. His ability to create defensive events, combined with the open-court athleticism and pervasive lob threat, could help New Orleans move beyond Jonas Valanciunas in the five spot.

Ryan Dunn has earned his share of Matisse Thybulle comps due to the sheer absurdity of his defensive playmaking (1.5 steals and 2.1 blocks), combined with a relative non-entity status on offense. He needs to up his 3-point volume, but even if he only scores around the rim early on, Dunn has a chance to impact winning simply by blanketing ball-handlers, eliminating passing lanes, and creating havoc with his activity level.

The Knicks are in need of backup ball-handling assistance. Devin Carter doesn't have a ton of traditional upside, but he's a defensive pitbull who can hit 3s and set up the offense well enough. There's some overlap with Deuce McBride, perhaps, but Carter is too much of a Thibs guy to ignore in this spot.

His role has been extremely limited as a freshman on a great Kansas team, but Johnny Furphy is an athletic 6-foot-9 wing currently in the middle of a torrid 3-point shooting stretch. If he can bring defensive versatility and timely shot-making to the Bucks bench, that would be a resounding success. At 19 years old, he still has plenty of time to expand his skill set and emerge as something more than a simple 3-and-D piece, too.

Zach Edey is the unquestioned best player in college basketball. He has ascended to a new level of dominance as a senior, currently en route to his second straight AP Player of the Year award. The problem is, there just aren't successful players in Edey's mold in the NBA right now. He's a 7-foot-4, 285-pound center who butters his bread as a post-up scorer. He has been more nimble on defense this season and there's real passing equity, but Edey would need to break the mold a bit to reach his potential at the next level. The Nuggets need to get a more reliable backup center behind Nikola Jokic. At some point, the sheer magnitude of Edey's production is compelling enough to warrant the gamble.

An unconventional wing with ball-handling juice, playmaking talent, a nose for rebounds, and baked-in defensive versatility? He'll fit right in with the Thunder. Jones will need to prove that he can hit 3s and find a specific niche at the NBA level, but he's stuffing the stat sheet at Weber State and showcasing a ton of interesting skills. Smart front offices are able to think outside the box with prospects who don't overtly occupy NBA-coded roles.

The offense has been a mess for Kobe Johnson (and the entire USC team), but he's still one of the best wing defenders in college basketball. At 6-foot-5, he can defend a few positions, create chaos in passing lanes, and offer enough connective traits on offense to get by. The Cavs need more two-way wing help.

A 6-foot-5 wing capable of sniping 3s, beating closeouts, and operating as a connective passer, Mantas Rubstavicius profiles as a potential heir to the Simone Fontecchio minutes Utah lost at the trade deadline. He's a strong complementary role player who should thrive in Will Hardy's movement-oriented offense.

More backcourt help for the Timberwolves, who don't have a ton of holes to plug elsewhere. There are valid concerns tied to KJ Simpson's limited size at 6-foot-2, but his ball-handling craft, high-feel approach, and potent 3-point shot should translate to effective minutes off the bench.

The Celtics bet on a potential day-one contributor in Tristan da Silva, who should maintain NBA interest with his positional size (6-foot-9), bankable 3-point stroke, and high basketball I.Q. He's not the most impressive athlete on the board, but da Silva has compact shooting mechanics, real passing chops, and enough ball-handling fluidity to attack closeouts and score facing up.