Experts say to expect a lot of movement in tonight’s 2021 NBA Draft as team’s vie for franchise-altering players.
DALLAS — The 2021 NBA Draft is finally here as one of the most anticipated draft classes in recent years is set to take the stage.
The Detroit Pistons hold the No. 1 pick with the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers next up.
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John Karalis, host of Locked On Celtics and tonight’s NBA Draft live show, joined Peter Bukowski on the Locked On Today podcast to talk about what to expect in tonight’s NBA Draft.
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“To be honest with you, I’m more keeping an eye on who’s going to be trading into what slots,” Karalis said. “The Memphis Grizzlies have already made a trade. I’m looking at the Toronto Raptors with that fourth pick and kind of a win-now attitude and potentially a need to replace Kyle Lowry. What’s going to happen with that fourth pick? What are the Golden State Warriors going to do with their two picks and James Wiseman?”
“We’ve been looking at all of this analysis and making mock drafts for all of these teams and those teams might not be drafting in those spots, so I’m really curious what movement we see,” Karalis said.
The top three picks in the draft are expected to be Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and Evan Mobley, but it’s not necessarily set on who will be selecting them. The Raptors are holding onto the fourth pick and possibly shopping Kyle Lowry, plus, the Oklahoma City Thunder possibly shopping guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the sixth pick.
“Oklahoma City is trying to get Cade Cunningham,” Karalis said. “I feel like having gotten the No. 1 pick finally, they’re just going to do the thing they’re supposed to do and draft Cade Cunningham, which leaves OKC in a spot where they have a guy who is supposed to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and has value and they’re still trying to get into one of those top slots where you’re going to get a potential multiple-time All-Star.”
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When is the 2021 NBA Draft?
The 2021 NBA Draft is taking place at the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets, on Thursday, July 29. The first round of the draft is scheduled to start on Thursday at 8 p.m. EST.
How can I watch the 2021 NBA Draft?
The first round of the draft will be simulcast on ABC and ESPN, while the second round will be broadcast on ESPN.
The Locked On Live NBA Draft show, coming to you from WFAA studios in Dallas, will be streamed live on draft night starting at 7 p.m. EST here on our website, Locked On NBA YouTube, Twitter, Facebook Roku and Amazon Fire apps, as well as Audacy.
The Locked On Live NBA Draft show will be hosted by John Karalis with draft experts Chad Ford, of Chad Ford’s NBA Big Board, and Rafael Barlowe, of Locked On NBA Draft on set. Local Locked On NBA podcast experts will join the show to talk their teams’ selections.
What is the 2021 NBA Draft order?
The Pistons hold the top pick after winning the NBA Draft Lottery, followed by the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers to round out the top three.
1. Detroit
2. Houston
3. Cleveland
4. Toronto
5. Orlando
6. Oklahoma City
7. Golden State (from Minnesota)
8. Orlando (from Chicago)
9. Sacramento
10. New Orleans
11. Charlotte
12. San Antonio
13. Indiana
14. Golden State
15. Washington
16. Oklahoma City (from Boston)
17. Memphis
18. Oklahoma City (from Miami via the LA Clippers, Philadelphia, and Phoenix)
19. New York
20. Atlanta
21. New York (from Dallas)
22. Los Angeles Lakers
23. Houston (from Portland)
24. Houston (from Milwaukee)
25. LA Clippers
26. Denver
27. Brooklyn
28. Philadelphia
29. Phoenix
30. Utah
31. Milwaukee (from Houston)
32. New York (from Detroit via the LA Clippers and Philadelphia)
33. Orlando
34. Oklahoma City
35. New Orleans (from Cleveland via Atlanta)
36. Oklahoma City (from Minnesota via Golden State)
37. Detroit (from Toronto via Brooklyn)
38. Chicago (from New Orleans)**
39. Sacramento
40. New Orleans (from Chicago)**
41. San Antonio
42. Detroit (from Charlotte via New York)
43. New Orleans (from Washington via Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Utah)
44. Brooklyn (from Indiana)
45. Boston
46. Toronto (from Memphis via Sacramento)
47. Toronto (from Golden State via Utah and New Orleans)
48. Atlanta (from Miami via Sacramento and Portland)
49. Brooklyn (from Atlanta)
50. Philadelphia (from New York)
51. Memphis (from Portland via Dallas, Detroit, and Cleveland)
52. Detroit (from Los Angeles Lakers via Sacramento, Houston, and Detroit)
53. New Orleans (from Dallas)
54. Indiana (from Milwaukee via Houston and Cleveland)
55. Oklahoma City (from Denver via Golden State and Philadelphia)
56. Charlotte (from LA Clippers)
57. Charlotte (from Brooklyn)
58. New York (from Philadelphia)
59. Brooklyn (from Phoenix)
60. Indiana (from Utah)
** Order assumes that Chicago exercises its right to swap the #40 pick for the #38 pick.
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