14: Denver Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr., PF, Missouri 6 feet 10 inches, 210 pounds He played just 53 minutes of his freshman season as a result of back surgery, and a hip issue in the leadup to the draft added more concern about his body. That he is still considered a top prospect is a testament to how well regarded Porter was coming out of high school. When healthy he is a great leaper, can move almost like a giant guard and can reliably score both inside and out. The optimist would point out that Kyrie Irving only played 303 minutes of his freshman year of college and blossomed into a star. The pessimist would say that a foot problem for a guard is not the equivalent of a back problem for a big and that Porter’s brief return in the postseason is hardly proof that his troubles are behind him. How he fits: If his health is O.K., the Nuggets just got the best pick in the draft. If it isn’t, they wasted an opportunity to add another major piece to go with their three-man core of Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris and Jamal Murray. Assuming he can keep himself on the court, Porter is a perfect complement to those players. Sacramento Wanted Porter at No. 2 but Backed Off Marc Stein: Rival teams had been whispering — as recently as Monday — that the Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr. was under consideration by Sacramento with the No. 2 overall pick. But the back issues that limited Porter to three games in college have dropped him all the way to No. 14 and the Denver Nuggets. At the very least, Porter still manages to go in the lottery — but only with the final pick among lottery teams. Early Winners: Dallas and Atlanta Marc Stein: On a night like draft night, when all teams can dare to dream, both Dallas and Atlanta feel like they’ve already won tonight’s big trade. The Mavericks acquired the draft rights to the prized Slovenian teen-age Luka Doncic without having to take back any unwanted salary from the Hawks. Atlanta, meanwhile, acquires the draft rights to general manager Travis Schlenk’s top target — Oklahoma sharpshooter Trae Young — and picks up a 2019 first-round pick in the process from the Mavericks that will convey to the Hawks next June as long as the pick falls outside of the top five. 15. Washington Wizards: Troy Brown, SF, Oregon 6 feet 7 inches, 215 pounds A member of the heralded 2016 FIBA U-17 World Championship team, Brown is a do-everything wing who has the potential to be a two-way standout. His numbers don’t leap off the page, but his success in any role Oregon put him in makes him a versatile option in the mold of Andre Iguodala. He would benefit from landing on a team that is willing to use his versatility to its advantage. How he fits: Could he be the glue guy that fixes what has been missing in Washington? He doesn’t have to be a go-to scorer with John Wall and Bradley Beal in town, so the Wizards may be a team that lets Brown do all of the other little things he excels at, which is probably ideal at least in the early portion of his career. 16. Phoenix Suns: Zhaire Smith, SF, Texas Tech 6 feet 4 inches, 199 pounds If Smith were a bit taller, or had a tad more offensive polish, he’d be far higher on most draft boards, but the elite athlete and top-notch defender has enough question marks about where he fits on the court to scare some teams off. He is a quick, active and smart defender who can step right into the league. His long arms let him play larger than his 6-foot-4 frame, but he was rarely asked to do much offensively in college, and there is no proof that he can step up to that challenge if given the opportunity.<doc-sep>ATLANTA -– The Atlanta Hawks announced their 2018 Summer League roster today, which will compete in the Utah Jazz Summer League in Salt Lake City, UT from July 2-5, and the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018 in Las Vegas, NV between July 6-17 under the guidance of first-year Head Coach Lloyd Pierce and his staff. All of Atlanta’s games will be televised on either NBA TV, ESPN or ESPN2. Last year’s first-round draft pick and second-team All-Rookie selection John Collins is among the group of second-year players also including Tyler Dorsey, Antonius Cleveland and Jaylen Morris. Atlanta’s roster also features this year’s trio of first-round picks – Trae Young, Kevin Huerter and Omari Spellman. Atlanta’s second-round pick from 2017, Alpha Kaba, joins Jaylen Adams, Robert Johnson, Jock Landale, Zach LeDay, Junior Robinson, Brandon Sampson and Zach Smith to round out the Hawks’ roster.<doc-sep>
The 2018 NBA Draft has started to take shape. After the Phoenix Suns took DeAndre Ayton No. 1 overall, the Sacramento Kings decided on Marvin Bagley III with the second pick. Now, the Atlanta Hawks have swooped in to select Slovenian teenager Luka Doncic at No. 3. Only he isn't staying in Atlanta. According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Hawks are sending Doncic to the Mavericks. The deal sees the Hawks trading the No. 3 overall pick (Doncic) to the Mavericks in exchange for the No. 5 overall pick (Trae Young) and a future first-round pick. Doncic arrives as perhaps the most heralded European prospect of all time. Last summer, he helped his native Slovenia capture their first ever Eurobasket title, then followed that up with an historic campaign for Real Madrid. He led them to the Spanish League and EuroLeague titles, and was named MVP of the Spanish League, EuroLeague and EuroLeague Final Four -- all as a 19-year-old. Of course, there are no sure things when it comes to the NBA Draft, but Doncic seems as safe of a pick that has come around in some time. Yes, EuroLeague isn't quite NBA-level competition, but he's proven himself against grown men and legitimate pros as a teenager. And he has the size and feel for the game that should allow him to, at the very least, be a solid contributor for years to come. Doncic joins Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic as the only other active Slovenian player in the NBA.