NBA mock draft: Predicting who goes No. 1, and who the Celtics take at No. 27

It’s been a long seven weeks since the Celtics were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the 76ers and Tuesday is their first chance to upgrade their roster. This NBA Draft has been highly anticipated for years because of its depth and talent, and the reason why as many as 10 teams spent the final weeks of this past season tanking. There will be intrigue from the opening pick, as the Wizards have not hinted who they will take first.

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This wasn’t a cinch pick. There were pushes by Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer to fill this spot. But it’s hard to pass on Dybantsa’s potential, especially for a Wizards team that needs talent and cornerstones. Dybantsa may have the most upside in the draft, a 6-foot-9-inch pure athlete who has barely tapped his potential but plays with toughness and savvy.

Don’t look too deeply into Peterson not working out for the Jazz. He only worked out for the Wizards, hoping to will the No. 1 pick into existence. Peterson is a gifted scorer and plays with maturity beyond his years. He, however, dealt with injury issues throughout his lone season at Kansas, leading to questions about his toughness. The Jazz need stars and Peterson will team with Keyonte George for a dynamic backcourt immediately.

If this was any other year, Boozer may be the No. 1 pick. What he lacks in athleticism, he brings with versatility and wisdom. The son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, Cameron will have a 12-year career as a franchise staple. He won’t wow fans with spectacular plays, but he will make the right play at the right time.

Wilson’s season was cut short by a hand injury, so fans didn’t get to see him in the NCAA Tournament or in high-stakes games, but his talent is too good for the star-deficient Bulls to pass on. The 6-10 Wilson averaged nearly a double-double in his lone season with the Tar Heels and is exactly the type of athletic wing the Bulls could pair with the gifted Matas Buzelis.

The Clippers lucked into this pick on lottery night and will use Indiana’s former pick to upgrade their backcourt. Wagler is a one-year sensation who went from mid-level prospect to leading the Illini to the Final Four. He was a near 40 percent 3-point shooter at Illinois and an efficient scorer and above-average rebounder. The Clippers need youth and Wagler could be the long-term answer to pair with Darius Garland.

This is more of a need pick for the Nets, who have tried to move up in this draft to get one of the Big Four. Ament entered the season projected as a high lottery pick but was inconsistent for the Volunteers. The have a glut of point guards and don’t need another one, which is why they have been looking to trade this pick. Ament is the best big outside the first tier of prospects and should have plenty of time to develop in Brooklyn.

This is a pretty natural fit. Acuff has said he wants to play in Sacramento and the Kings need a quality point guard after parting ways with De’Aaron Fox and Dennis Schröder. Acuff had a stellar season for the Razorbacks and is a high-level scorer. The Kings are starting over under general manager Scott Perry, who had links to Acuff after coaching his father in college.

The Hawks got this pick from the Pelicans and could use it on a top-level point guard who could learn from the recently re-signed CJ McCollum. The good news is Brown, who missed a portion of last season with the Cardinals with back issues, doesn’t need to contribute immediately. The Hawks are a playoff team and Brown can learn slowly.

The Mavericks need another young guard to team with the gifted Cooper Flagg and new general manager Masai Ujiri has a liking for Burries, who shot nearly 40 percent from 3-point range for the Final Four Wildcats. Dallas is still trying to recover from trading Luka Doncic and allowing Jalen Brunson to leave via free agency. Burries is a good piece.

The Bucks need youth, period. Flemings is the best player on the board here and Milwaukee could use a defensive-minded player with a high upside. It could take Flemings awhile to become a standout but Houston prospects are usually quality players in the long run. And it’s a solid start to the post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era.

This is an interesting decision for the Warriors, who are looking to capitalize on the final years of the Stephen Curry era and need players who can contribute immediately. Lendeborg, who led the Wolverines to the national championship, is polished and ready to help. One interesting point about Lendeborg is he was much more productive during his junior season, but his NCAA Tournament performance thrust him into the lottery.

Mara, a UCLA transfer, blossomed into a top prospect during the Wolverines’ title run and seems to be a perfect fit for a Thunder team that may lose Isaiah Hartenstein, who has a team option. With the Thunder needing someone who could match up with Victor Wembanyama, Mara could fit in as a long-term solution.

We have no idea if this pick is going to Milwaukee or staying with Miami, but the Heat need youth and Johnson will add to the frontcourt of Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware and give them another piece. But drafting in the middle of the first round hasn’t done much for Miami’s success in the past. Not sure if Johnson makes the Heat an Eastern Conference contender without more help.

The Hornets have depth at several positions but could use another big, and Steinbach, who was overlooked playing late-night games in the Pacific Northwest, could be that what Charlotte needs. The Hornets’ goal is playoff certainty after another play-in loss, and Steinbach could be another core piece.

The Bulls could be moving this pick but do need a backcourt boost. Anderson is one of the draft’s best shooters and could bring another stable player to a franchise that’s seeking respectability and a positive direction. Anderson shot 41 percent from the 3-point line for the Red Raiders and that should translate to the next level.

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The Grizzlies have filled their roster with young talent in recent years and Lopez could serve as a long-term project who has become attractive because of his versatility. He’s the best international prospect and could eventually help the Grizzlies, but it’s not likely to be this coming season. He comes to the NBA after two professional seasons in New Zealand.

The Thunder are open to trading this pick because they have enough first-rounders. But what they could use is a savvy ballhandler who could take the pressure off Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Philon scored 35 points in the Crimson Tide’s NCAA Tournament loss to eventual champion Michigan. He has flashy moves and good scoring ability. The Thunder will polish him into a quality point guard.

The Hornets could be up to trading this pick for veteran help, but they could also use relief in case Coby White leaves via free agency. Carr played just 18 college games before the breakout campaign with Baylor, so experience could be an issue. But he has enough upside to become a backcourt complement to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.

The Raptors lost in the first round of the playoffs to the avaliers without point guard Immanuel Quickley, and Brandon Ingram was banged up. What they needed in that series was another big body with the ability to score in the paint. Toronto has the tools to be an East contender but needs relief for limited big Jakob Poeltl.

After an uneven NBA Combine, there were plenty of scouts who believed Peat should return to Arizona for a sophomore season, but he stayed in the draft and seems to be a good fit for the Spurs, who need a power forward to play aside Wembanyama. The Spurs already have depth at most positions because of years of fruitful drafts, but Peat would flourish in their system.

As evidenced from their playoff run that ended in the second round, the Pistons need shooting and scoring in the backcourt. On too many occasions Detroit had to rely on Cade Cunningham to carry it in clutch situations. Former lottery pick Jaden Ivey was supposed to fill that void, but he flamed out, so Stirtz comes in to stabilize the point and give the Pistons a guard ready to contribute immediately.

The 76ers are under new management and it’s uncertain what direction president of basketball operations Mike Gansey wants to go with this pick. The 76ers looked capable against the Celtics in the playoffs but then inept against the Knicks. With Kelly Oubre and Quentin Grimes being free agents, Philadelphia needs wings and Swain turned in a good junior season for the Longhorns.

Quaintance has great potential, but he’s a project who still has not filly recovered from a torn ACL in 2025. The Hawks need bigs and have the time to develop Quaintance into a quality defender and rebounder. This is the point in the draft where uncertainties begin to come into play. Quaintance is also yet to turn 19, drawing comparisons to Jalen Duren, who was 18 when he was drafted by the Pistons. The Hawks have the depth to develop Quaintance.

Graves earned a spot in the first round because of his performance in that thrilling overtime loss to Kentucky. He is a top level rebounder, solid outside shooter and always seems to be around the ball. The Knicks need bigs and will have to prepare for the potential departure of Mitchell Robinson. This doesn’t mean Graves will play right away for the defending champions but he could serve as an eventually core piece.

The Lakers need a big man, with Deandre Ayton expected to opt out of his contract. He had an uneven season and there’s no certainty he will improve as the Lakers enter win-now mode if LeBron James returns. Reed is a mature NCAA champion who will take his craft seriously. The Lakers don’t need a star at that position but rather a steady presence.

The Nashua, N.H., native decided to stay in the draft after a stellar freshman season with the Cardinal. The Nuggets need another ballhandler and passer, and Okorie can take anybody off the dribble. He will make life easier for Nikola Jokic as Denver tweaks its roster for another deep playoff run. Okorie could develop into a star.

Evans emerged as a fearless shooter and clutch player for the Blue Devils in his sophomore season. The Celtics need more shooting, as evidenced by their struggles from the 3-point line in the Philadelphia series. Evans comes to the NBA as a polished shooter and could step into a reserve role to spell Derrick White or Sam Hauser. Jayson Tatum will relish the chance to play with another former Dukie.

The Timberwolves need backcourt help to join Anthony Edwards but draft too late in the first round to get a true point guard. Thomas paired with Acuff to form a talented duo for the Razorbacks and could help Edwards and become more of a combo guard. Minnesota is close to competing with the Thunder and Spurs, but they need a floor leader.

The Cavaliers don’t have much flexibility to improve if they decide to sign James Harden to an extension, so they’ll need to hit on this pick to add to talent to their core. Dean Wade is a free agent and de Larrea could eventually become a wing replacement. But there will be a lot of options for Cleveland here, most of them likely projects.

The Mavericks could move out of this pick but could also bring in Southborough’s Karaban, a solid all-around player and former national champion. Dallas will need to eventually overhaul its roster with Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Caleb Martin entering the final years of their contracts. Karaban could serve as solid long-term insurance.

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