Who would you take at 1 in a 2024 redraft?

For me it really comes down to Donovan Clingan or Matas Buzelis.

I think in terms of pure talent they’re in the same general tier as guys like Sarr and Castle, but what separates them to me is how clearly their skillsets translate to winning playoff basketball.

Buzelis gives you elite shot blocking for a wing, really good perimeter defense, and the ability to guard multiple positions. Offensively he’s a good catch-and-shoot player, a great cutter, and can give you secondary creation when the offense stalls. He doesn’t need the ball to be effective but can still make plays when he gets it. That combination is basically the near-perfect modern playoff wing.

Clingan brings a completely different kind of impact. He’s a dominant rebounder, a true rim protector, and physically he’s already a grown man — he’s not someone who’s going to get pushed around by NBA centers. What separates him from someone like Sarr in my eyes is the offensive projection. I actually believe in Clingan long term as a high-level pick-and-pop big who can stretch the floor. The touch just looks significantly better to me. His free throw touch and overall shooting mechanics suggest there’s real potential there, and I think he has a much better chance of becoming a reliable floor spacer than Sarr.

Even if the shooting only becomes respectable, pairing elite rim protection, rebounding, and physical interior defense with the ability to pull opposing bigs out of the paint would make him an incredibly valuable playoff center.

That’s why those two stand out to me. Their games are built around things that win in the playoffs — defense, physicality, versatility, and impact without needing huge usage. Curious who everyone else would take.