Final 2021 NBA Mock Draft: Full First-Round Projections

2021 NBA Mock Draft
NBA Analysis Network
Jaden Springer
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
#26 Denver Nuggets – G Jaden Springer – Tennessee

I am really high on Jaden Springer as a combo-guard in this year’s draft, but he has seemed to fall down a little bit indraft buzz because of other guys being “big risers.” Springer is not the most athletic nor the guy with the nonstop potential, but he is a high energy guy on both ends of the floor who makes all of the effort plays for his team. 

In one season at Tennessee, Springer shot 43.5% from three-point range and averaged 12.5 points per game. The Nuggets backcourt is going to be a mess without Jamal Murray and Will Barton is a free agent, so they could have a need for a guy like Jaden Springer who can play multiple positions. 

Denver had a Top-10 offense during the regular season, but their defense ranked just outside the Top-10 at 12th in the league. Drafting Springer can make them a little better on both ends of the floor and gives the Nuggets a guy who will only get better in terms of ball-handling and scoring as time goes on. 

READ MORE: NBA Rumors: 3 trade scenarios we’d like to see during 2021 NBA Draft

#27 Brooklyn Nets – C Day’Ron Sharpe – UNC

Day’Ron Sharpe was supposed to participate at last month’s combine but backed out at the last minute after many believed he had received a first-round promise. The team he could have received this promise from and the team that seems to be on his radar is the Brooklyn Nets. 

Blake Griffin is a free agent who could be on the move and the Nets are expected to look at moving DeAndre Jordan this offseason, which leaves Nicolas Claxton as the only true big on Brooklyn’s roster. They do like to play “small-ball” with Jeff Green at the center position, but Day’Ron Sharpe definitely makes sense for Brooklyn. 

“Big” is the only word that really comes to mind for me when looking at Sharpe and his game, as the UNC center stands 6’11”, 265 lbs. Being very agile and athletic for as big as he is, Day’Ron Sharpe could fit an immediate need for the Nets and be a player they could wind up depending on to be a physical rebounding machine. 

#28 Philadelphia 76ers – G Quentin Grimes – Houston

One of the biggest risers in the draft over the last few weeks has been Quentin Grimes, a once lottery-projected guard. Grimes was instrumental in Houston making the Final Four this past year and has seemed to solidify his draft position as an end of the first-round/early second-round prospect. 

He is a good three-point shooter who never backs down from the big moments in a game. Philadelphia is contending for championships right now and who knows what happens with Ben Simmons, but moving forward, they are going to need guys that are ready to contribute when their number is called. 

The 76ers do not have time to be developing prospects, which is why taking an NBA-ready guard/wing like Quentin Grimes makes sense for them. He can defend at a fairly high-level and always leaves it all out on the court, which is why he could be a solid draft choice for Philly here at 28th overall. 

#29 Phoenix Suns – G Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland – VCU

I love “Bones” Hyland and the Phoenix Suns will absolutely love him too if they get their hands on him with the No. 29 pick in the draft. There are rumors that Hyland could go as high as No. 21 to the New York Knicks, but it is more likely that he falls to one of the last picks in the first-round. 

Entering the combine last month, Nah’Shon Hyland was considered a late second-round pick in many scouts’ eyes, but he played fantastic in the first scrimmage and solidified his spot as a first-round talent. Since then, he has only improved his draft stock and some have compared his pre-draft workouts to that of Donovan Mitchell, who flew up draft boards in 2017 because of his pure athleticism and scoring abilities. 

Whether it is beating his opponents off-the-dribble or shooting as soon as he crosses half-court, Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland is a multidimensional scorer whose game will translate perfectly to the NBA. 

The Suns do have Chris Paul and will likely look to bring back Cameron Payne, but their lack of scoring and offensive production on their bench showed in the NBA Finals this year, which is why they could really utilize a guy like Hyland immediately. 

READ MORE: NBA Rumors: 3 trade scenarios we’d like to see during 2021 NBA Draft

#30 Utah Jazz – G Tre Mann – Florida 

Tre Mann is a point guard prospect who really could go anywhere from 15-30 in this year’s draft. He could even slip into the second-round, but it seems unlikely that he would, as there are a handful of teams that would look to trade up to get him before he fell past No. 30 overall. 

At the point guard position, Mann is a strong perimeter scorer who is also a very crafty ball-handler. Mike Conley is a free agent and will likely be returning to Utah, but this team needs some more guys who can score and produce off-the-bench. Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles were two of the three finalists for Sixth-Man of the Year this past season, with Clarkson winning the award, but these two are Utah’s only two productive bench players. 

While he is not going to put himself in the running for Rookie of the Year, Tre Mann is a very solid point guard with room to grow as an all-around playmaker. Next to guys like Conley and Mitchell, Mann could really blossom into a difference-maker on both ends of the court, but this could take some time. 

Defensively he can be a liability at times, but offensively, he is everything the Jazz need in a backup point guard. He can pass, play pick-and-roll basketball and shoot from the perimeter, which is why Utah could be pleased with him falling to them. 

The 2021 NBA Draft is shaping up to be a very exciting event tonight and for once, every single first-round pick in this year’s draft has a chance to make a difference. This draft class is full of guys who can play from Day 1 in the league, which is why we could see plenty of rookies help their teams more than usual during the 2021-22 NBA season! 

Who ends up where and which stars of the league end up being traded will be the storylines to watch tonight as we await the 2021 NBA Draft to officially begin.

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