The NBA players in the draft class of 2018 are beginning to establish themselves as a very talented bunch.
Two of the potential future faces of the league came from this class.
They have already combined for three All-Star appearances despite only being in the league for two seasons.
If we knew the things we know now on draft night, the top five picks would have looked very different.
#1: Phoenix Suns- Luka Dončić
With the first overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft, the Phoenix Suns would have selected Luka Dončić.
Originally, the Suns selected Deandre Ayton who has established himself as a great center.
However, Luka may end up being the face of the league once LeBron James retires.
Even in his first season, he established himself as a superstar in the league.
Dončić has already appeared in two All-Star games.
Along with this, he has averaged 25.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game.
Coming into the league as such a complete player is truly impressive.
He would have been a great fit on the Suns as well.
It would have paired Devin Booker with an established superstar and given the Suns arguably the best backcourt in the entire NBA.
PHX on 🔥 at the half on TNT! #WholeNewGame@Suns 76@dallasmavs 57
Devin Booker: 23 PTS
Luka Doncic: 18 PTS pic.twitter.com/Lptm0M6NoY— NBA (@NBA) August 13, 2020
We have already seen how much Booker has benefitted when there is an elite facilitator around him.
With the addition of Chris Paul, Booker has had one of the best seasons of his career.
Giving him Dončić, they would have been an elite duo for years to come.
#2: Sacramento Kings- Trae Young
With the second overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft, the Sacramento Kings would have selected Trae Young.
Originally, the Kings selected Marvin Bagley III.
He has struggled early in his career, however, he is still young and may need a change of scenery to truly reach his peak.
Young would have been an amazing addition for the Kings.
He has averaged 24.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 8.8 assists.
If it were not for Dončić, Young would by far be the best player in the draft class.
He made the All-Star game last season.
The only downside of Young is that he is a liability on defense.
However, he would bring some excitement to the Kings.
"Logo Trae" was tweeted a few times last night after Trae Young knocked down this shot. Following the win over the Pelicans, I asked Trae about taking these deep threes. "It's really just a feel."
Full video: https://t.co/F9zXWGs1QK
(Highlight c/o @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/b3UJIEowWt— JJ (@JameelahJNBA) April 7, 2021
Young has the ability to singlehandedly carry an offense and would be able to facilitate for fellow young players like De’Arron Fox.
#3: Atlanta Hawks-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
With the third overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks select Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Hawks are the first team that is a loser as a result of the redraft.
They selected Luka Dončić, however, they traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in return for Trae Young and picks.
Gilgeous-Alexander will be in a very difficult position with this Hawks roster.
There will not be too much help for him and they would be a rebuilding team for the next couple of years.
However, he will have the keys to the franchise.
He is a very complete player with no major flaws in his game.
Shai Gilgeous Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder
Early Season Highlights from his breakout 2nd season.@ThunderLogic @DownToDunk @OKCobstinacy pic.twitter.com/M4Yzd1uxnC
— 2for1Hoops (@2for1hoops) December 28, 2019
Currently, Gilgeous-Alexander is on a rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder team in which he has established himself as a future star.
In this hypothetical, if the Hawks can draft well in the next couple of seasons, they could be a contending team for the future.
#4: Memphis Grizzlies- Collin Sexton
With the fourth overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select Collin Sexton.
This may be a controversial pick as in the actual draft, the Grizzlies selected Jaren Jackson Jr.
While he is a great player and has the potential to be a star in the future, there is a big question mark with him.
It is a bit unfair to Jackson Jr., however, he has missed the entire 2020-2021 season due to injuries.
If it was guaranteed that he will stay healthy through the rest of his career, then it would be fair to believe he is the third-best player in this class.
However, that is not guaranteed and as a result, the Grizzlies should have selected Sexton.
Sexton is a high motor player who is an extremely talented defender and slasher.
He has made improvements in his outside shot and playmaking.
Sexton is the best player on an up-and-coming Cleveland Cavaliers team.
If the Grizzlies were to go on to pair Sexton with Sexton, it would make for one of the highest-flying backcourts in the NBA.
#5: Dallas Mavericks- Deandre Ayton
With the fifth overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft, the Dallas Mavericks select Deandre Ayton.
This is the second team that takes a loss in this redraft.
The Mavericks selected Trae Young and traded him for Luka Dončić on draft night.
At the time of the draft, Ayton was the number one prospect and he is by no means a bad player.
Ayton is a walking double-double and an elite defender.
He has yet to reach his peak and one day could be the best big man in the league.
Ayton would have a plethora of mentors on this Mavericks roster.
Both DeAndre Jordan and Dirk Nowitski were on the team.
Pairing this with the talent that he already possessed at the time, if he were drafted to the Mavericks, there is a chance that Ayton may have developed quick enough to already be the best center in the NBA.
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