In a recent 10-team points mock draft, the first round leaned heavily toward point guards and big men. Four point guards came off the board, along with three power forwards and two centers. Anthony Edwards was the only shooting guard selected, and no small forwards were taken. The first small forward didn't go until Amen Thompson at No. 13 overall, followed by Scottie Barnes and Cooper Flagg later in the second round.
By the middle of the draft, the board looked much different. Round 6 alone featured four small forwards: Caleb Wilson, Brandon Miller, Franz Wagner and Trey Murphy III. That tells you a lot about this year's player pool. Point guards and big men are prominent near the top, while much of the wing depth shows up later. That doesn't mean you have to force a small forward early, but you should know where each position starts to thin out.
Point guard gives you more room to wait. The third tier alone includes Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brunson, Trae Young, Josh Giddey, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, James Harden, La Melo Ball and Jamal Murray. Small forward is different. The position has useful depth later, but the top options disappear quickly. Power forward also has a large middle group, while center is more concentrated near the top, with Nikola Jokic in his own tier and Victor Wembanyama right behind him.
A straight ranking tells you who the analyst values more. Tiers tell you where the drop-offs are. If several point guards remain in the same tier but only one small forward is left before a drop, that should factor into your pick. The tiers are based on preseason projections and show where the biggest breaks occur at each position. The idea is simple: know where you can wait and where waiting too long could cost you.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing