Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports has moved Kentucky center Malachi Moreno up to No. 23 in his latest NBA mock draft.
O’Connor has Moreno going to the Atlanta Hawks with the 23rd overall pick. He has Jayden Quaintance going next at No. 24 to the New York Knicks. Otega Oweh is still solidly in the second round in the new projections.
Here are some excerpts:
RD1, PK23(via Cleveland) Atlanta Hawks Malachi Moreno Big Kentucky
Team Fit
After selecting a guard in Brown in the lottery, now the Hawks can find a true center that can play next to Onyeka Okongwu. Moreno has an NBA frame at only 19 years old: 6-11, 243 pounds. He does the baseline things as a big man with above-the-rim finishing, hard-nosed rebounding, and stout rim protection. He also adds a layer as a passer, showing an advanced feel for the game and for manipulating defenders. It’s important for him to improve his touch as a finisher and as a shooter, but he’s in a good place for his age with skills that should be translatable to the next level.
RD1, PK24 New York Knicks Jayden Quaintance Forward Kentucky
Team Fit
The Knicks are the favorites to represent the East in the NBA Finals, but with Mitchell Robinson entering free agency this summer it would make sense for them to bolster the frontcourt. As a freshman at Arizona State, Quaintance was blocking everything in sight, showing defensive instincts and mobility that players his size aren’t supposed to have. And he was 17 years old doing it. Then came the ACL, the meniscus, the fractured knee, the transfer to Kentucky, persistent swelling, and a shutdown for the remainder of his sophomore season. Much like Robinson, he’s also a borderline-hackable free-throw shooter. But he brings some intriguing skill as an open floor ball-handler too. The Knicks figured it out with Mitch, and maybe they could with JQ too.
Most experts still believe Moreno withdraws from the NBA Draft and returns to Kentucky, but the latest projections are making things uncomfortable for BBN.
