2021 NBA mock draft: Here’s why the Sixers may take Houston’s Quentin Grimes at No. 28. (Think three-pointers.)

The NBA draft is Thursday and there should be the usual flurry of trades, with the 76ers being a potential dealer as a win-now team who selects late in the draft. The 76ers will select 28th and 50th in the draft, if president of basketball operations Daryl Morey decides to keep the picks.

Here is a first-round mock draft. Heights provided by NBA.com.

» READ MORE: Follow live coverage of the 2021 NBA draft

1. Detroit: Cade Cunningham, 6-8, Fr., G, Oklahoma State. Cunningham lacks some explosion, but is a good enough shooter and defender and somebody who can run an offense and be a future All-Star.

2. Houston: Jalen Green, 6-6, G, G League Ignite. Houston would love to get Cunningham, but Green isn’t a bad consolation prize, somebody whose strength is an ability to create his own shot.

3. Cleveland: Evan Mobley, 7-0, Fr., C, USC. Don’t discount a trade here, but Cleveland will figure out how to play Mobley and Jarrett Allen together if he is drafted. Mobley is already advanced defensively.

4. Toronto: Jalen Suggs, 6-4, Fr., G, Gonzaga. The heir apparent to Kyle Lowry, who doesn’t appear as if he will be back with the Raptors. Suggs’ football background gives him toughness and he also has great court vision.

5. Orlando: Scottie Barnes, 6-8, Fr., F, Florida State. The best defensive player in the draft with a 7-2 wingspan, Barnes will have to develop his offense in the NBA.

6. Oklahoma City: Jonathan Kuminga, 6-6, wing, G League Ignite. OKC needs plenty of offense and Kuminga, who averaged 15.8 ppg. and 7.2 rpg. in the G League, should provide it.

7. Golden State (from Minnesota): James Bouknight, 6-5, So., wing, UConn. Who knows if the Warriors will keep this pick, but Bouknight, who averaged 18.7 ppg., has received some Jordan Clarkson comps.

8. Orlando (from Chicago): Davion Mitchell, 6-1, Jr., G, Baylor. If the Magic draft Barnes and Mitchell, they will be getting two of the top defensive players in the draft.

» READ MORE: Quentin Grimes created a name for himself at Houston after a tough start to his career — and now could bring that resiliency to the Sixers

9. Sacramento: Alperen Sengun, 6-9, C, Besiktas (Turkey). Former Sixer Richaun Holmes is a free agent and Sengun, who just turned 19, could be a potential replacement.

10. Memphis: Moses Moody, 6-5, Fr., wing, Arkansas. The Grizzlies now get a Top 10 pick after their trade with New Orleans, according to ESPN. Moody is a strong 3-and-D player.

11. Charlotte: Corey Kispert, 6-7, Sr., G-F, Gonzaga. One of the top shooters in the draft who hit 44% from three as a senior for the national runners-up. Note: Trade won’t become official until Aug. 6.

12. San Antonio: Jalen Johnson, 6-9, Fr., G-F, Duke. One of the most difficult players to evaluate, Johnson has star potential but didn’t show it in his half season at Duke.

13, Indiana: Franz Wagner, 6-9, So., G-F, Michigan. The Pacers will like his defensive versatility as his offensive game comes along.

14. Golden State: Josh Giddey, 6-8, G, Adelaide (Australia). Giddey, who turns 19 in October, is an exceptional passer who must work on his perimeter game.

15. Washington: Chris Duarte, 6-6, So., G, Oregon. At 24, he is old for the draft, but can come in and help a team right away, especially since he’s one of the top shooters.

16. Oklahoma City (from Boston): Keon Johnson, 6-4, Fr., G, Tennessee. Among the best athletes in the draft, he would get time to develop his still raw offensive game with the Thunder.

17. New Orleans: Ziaire Williams, 6-8, Fr., F, Stanford. Averaged just 10.7 ppg. during an up-and-down season, but has solid perimeter skills and potential to be a decent defensive player.

18. Oklahoma City (from Miami): Usman Garuba, 6-8, F, Real Madrid (Spain). He gets a lot of Clint Capela comps, which means his offense has a long way to go.

» READ MORE: Four big questions facing the Sixers this offseason, starting with Damian Lillard, Ben Simmons and the dominoes to follow | David Murphy

19. New York: Jared Butler, 6-3, Jr., G, Baylor. Recently cleared of a medical matter by the NBA, the Final Four MVP is a strong two-way player with great leadership skills.

20. Atlanta: Sharife Cooper, 6-1, Fr., G, Auburn. Lou Williams is a free agent and the Hawks would be drafting a highly productive offensive player who averaged 20.2 ppg. and 8.1 apg.

21. New York (from Dallas): Isaiah Jackson, 6-10, Fr., F, Kentucky. The Knicks have an affinity for Kentucky players. He averaged 8.4 ppg. but comes with a strong defensive reputation.

22. Los Angeles Lakers: Cameron Thomas, 6-4, Fr., G, LSU. One of the more offensively gifted players in the draft, he averaged 23 ppg. and could be a spark off the bench.

23. Houston (from Portland): Trey Murphy, 6-9, Jr., F, Virginia. Murphy became the only player in Virginia history to post a 50/40/90 shooting line this past season, after playing his first two years at Rice.

24. Houston (from Milwaukee): Ayo Dosunmu, 6-4, Jr., G, Illinois. Dosunmu will bring defensive intensity to a young Rockets team, but needs to be a more consistent shooter.

25. Los Angeles Clippers: Miles McBride, 6-2, So., G, West Virginia. The Clippers don’t have many future first-rounders so they hope to get a rotation player here.

26. Denver: Jaden Springer, 6-4, Fr., G, Tennessee. A cousin of NBA and former St. Joseph’s player DeAndre Bembry, Springer ‘s defensive game may be ahead of his offense at this point.

27. Brooklyn: Day’Ron Sharpe, 6-11, Fr., C, North Carolina. The Nets need somebody who can help guard Joel Embiid.

28. Philadelphia: Quentin Grimes, 6-5, Jr., G, Houston. After one season at Kansas, he excelled in two years at Houston, leading the Cougars to the Final Four this past season and he shot 40.3% from three on 10.1 attempts per game.

29. Phoenix: Kai Jones, 6-10 So. F, Texas. When former Sixer Dario Šarić tore his ACL in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Suns’ lack of size off the bench became obvious against Milwaukee. Jones, who is a raw prospect, should help on the defensive end while his offense develops.

30. Utah: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, 6-9, So., F, Villanova. The Jazz desperately need wing defenders and Robinson-Earl fits the bill. If his three-point shooting improves, he could be a solid NBA starter one day.