1. Minnesota Timberwolves - Karl-Anthony Towns, PF, Kentucky
Towns might not have received the same hype in college as previous No. 1 picks like Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Davis, but he's a tremendous prize at the top of this draft. He's the
ideal big man for the modern era: a 7-footer capable of protecting the rim at one end while scoring with a face-up jumper or post move at the other.
Needless to say, Minnesota picked the perfect year to land the No. 1 selection for the first time in franchise history. Towns and Wiggins will form the best young tandem in the NBA.
2. Los Angeles Lakers - Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
The fit here isn't perfect. In Okafor and Julius Randle, last year's No. 7 overall pick, the Lakers' young frontcourt will lack interior defense and perimeter shooting. But Okafor is such a polished post scorer that it's very difficult to pass on him at No. 2.
The Lakers are going to hope that many of Okafor's defensive issues at Duke stemmed from wanting to avoid foul trouble. His poor free throw shooting (51 percent) might be even harder to correct. Still, with long arms (7'6 wingspan) and incredible touch around the rim, Okafor should be able to score with his back to the basket from Day 1. The Lakers have had a long line of great centers, and Okafor should be next in that lineage.
LAKERS' PICK
3. Philadelphia 76ers - D'Angelo Russell, PG, Ohio State
A year ago, the Sixers had a
not-so-secret desire to draft Wiggins until the ping-pong balls didn't bounce their way. This year,
many believe Russell is the player GM Sam Hinkie has been targeting. At No. 3, they should be fortunate enough to get him.
Russell will give the 76ers something they never had in former point guard Michael Carter-Williams: outside shooting. He's a threat to score off the dribble or the catch-and-shoot and proved himself to be a brilliant passer during his one year at Ohio State. If Joel Embiid can get healthy and be productive, Philadelphia's rebuild could finally be starting to progress.
4. New York Knicks - Justise Winslow, SF, Duke
This is where the draft gets interesting, because the Knicks can go a number of different ways with this pick. Willie Cauley-Stein could help fix a defense that was the third worst in the NBA last season. Emmanuel Mudiay has an NBA-ready body and could have the highest upside of any player available. Duke's Winslow would finally give New York a solid two-way player and force Carmelo Anthony to move to power forward, where he's been more effective in the past.
There's no wrong answer here, but the effect Winslow could have on the rest of the roster makes him the most appealing pick. The Knicks still have a long way to go, but in Winslow they should find a starter on the wing for a decade.
5. Orlando Magic - Mario Hezonja, SG, Croatia
The Magic have compiled a lot of young, talented players in the aftermath of their post-Dwight Howard rebuild, but it's still not clear how everything fits together. Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo and Aaron Gordon are elite athletes, but don't give Orlando much shooting. That's where Hezonja could help at No. 5. Hezonja has great size and high-level athleticism for an NBA wing at 6'8. He's a capable three-point shooter who could become very good over time.
Cauley-Stein will be an appealing option here, too, but teaming him with Nikola Vucevic doesn't give Orlando much spacing. For that reason alone, Hezonja is a better fit here.
6. Sacramento Kings - Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, DR Congo
Mudiay was
considered the No. 2 recruit in the country coming into the season, but American fans didn't get the chance to see much of him after he decided to play professionally in China instead of for Larry Brown at SMU. That doesn't change what scouts once saw on the AAU trail: Mudiay has the ideal size (6'5) and athleticism for an NBA point guard and should thrive in the up-tempo system George Karl hopes to run.
Mudiay will need to improve his outside shooting (he was only a 57 percent free throw shooter in China) and cut down his turnovers, but he has the tools to be a terrific pro.
7. Denver Nuggets - Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia
On makeup alone, Porzingis looks like one of the draft's biggest gambles. He's a 7-footer with shooting range out to the three-point line, but he's also someone whose skinny frame could prevent him from rebounding or defending at a high level for some time. The team that drafts Porzingis will need to be patient, but there's nothing wrong with that. If he reaches his potential, his outside shooting ability would be a perfect complement to Jusuf Nurkic's bruising interior play in the Denver frontcourt.
8. Detroit Pistons - Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona
Stan Van Gundy will have some interesting options with this pick. Frank Kaminsky's shooting ability next to Andre Drummond will be tempting. With Cauley-Stein still on the board, there could be some intriguing trade offers, too. For the purposes of this exercise, we'll go with Johnson, Arizona's
do-it-all Swiss army knife.
Johnson is one of the most versatile players in the draft as a 240-pound 19-year-old who can swing between shooting guard and power forward. He projects as an excellent defender and is a competent three-point shooter. For a Pistons team without much on the wing, Johnson makes a lot of sense.
9. Charlotte Hornets - Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky
The Hornets have used their last two first-round picks on big men in Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh, but Cauley-Stein is too good to pass up here. Al Jefferson is 30 years old and has a player option for next season. Vonleh is two years younger than Cauley-Stein and is more of a long-term developmental prospect. In Cauley-Stein, Charlotte could find a defensive anchor for years to come.
10. Miami Heat - Myles Turner, C, Texas
The Heat have the luxury of taking the best player available with a solid starting lineup one through five already in place next season if everyone returns. The drama surrounding 33-year-old Dwyane Wade right now means Miami might like a wing, but with Johnson off the board, a big man like Kaminsky, Turner or Trey Lyles makes more sense than reaching for a player like Kelly Oubre.
The Heat found gold in Hassan Whiteside at center last year, but Turner would give Miami another big body inside with the type of three-point shooting Erik Spoelstra loves.
11. Indiana Pacers - Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky
It's possible that no player in the country sacrificed as much individually as Lyles did last season. Lyles was a top 15 national recruit out of high school, but was forced into an odd fit when Cauley-Stein made the surprising decision to return to school. That meant Lyles would move to small forward for a Wildcats team stacked with talent in the frontcourt.
In the NBA, Lyles will be a power forward, and that makes him a natural replacement for the 34-year-old David West here. Lyles needs to improve as a shooter, but has the makeup of a four that can beat opponents in the post or with a face-up jumper. It doesn't hurt that he grew up in Indiana, either.
12. Utah Jazz - Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin
The Jazz have five former lottery picks age 25 or younger currently on the roster. This is a team ready to move out of the lottery and into the playoffs next season, which makes the No. 12 pick one that could be available in a trade. If Utah keeps the pick, Kaminsky would make a lot of sense as a stretch big man to complement the stout defensive duo of Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors in the frontcourt.
Kaminsky improved his stock as much as any player in college basketball last season, turning himself into a 42 percent three-point shooter as a senior while leading his team to the national title game. He can make an impact immediately off Utah's bench as an offensive weapon in the right situations.
13. Phoenix Suns - Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
The Suns have quietly assembled one of the best young cores in the league. Players like Alex Len and the Morris twins have already blossomed in Phoenix, while the spotlight will be on Archie Goodwin, T.J. Warren and Reggie Bullock to take another step forward next season. That means Phoenix can go in a number of different ways with this pick. When in doubt, add depth in the frontcourt.
If nothing else, Portis projects as a quality third big who has the size to play center or power forward. He should be above average defensively at either position while giving you something offensively. That's a valuable archetype in today's NBA and makes him a nice fit for the Suns at the back end of the lottery.
14. Oklahoma City Thunder - Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
The Thunder reportedly
already promised Payne he'd be their pick at No. 14 if he's still available, which is good enough for this mock draft. The point guard scored 20 points or more in 10 of his last 11 games at Murray State, which included heartbreaking losses in the Ohio Valley Tournament and the NIT. Getting drafted in the lottery should help him feel a little bit better.
15. Atlanta Hawks - Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas
Oubre has all of the tools NBA teams look for in a wing: length, athleticism and a pure shooting stroke. It's just a matter of whether he can put it all together. That happened at times during his one year at Kansas, but Bill Self treated every missed defensive rotation as an excuse to teach a hard lesson in self-discipline. Oubre may very well be better for it in the long run, but an uneven freshman season means he could be available at this point for Atlanta.
The Hawks sold early on last year's first-rounder, Adreian Payne, and could also be in the market for another big man. If Kaminsky, Portis or UCLA's Kevon Looney are around at this point, one of them could also be the pick.
16. Boston Celtics - Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia
The Celtics rebuild is looking promising under Brad Stevens, but there are still a few holes on the roster. Boston could use a rim protecting center and an upgrade on the wing, and Virginia's Justin Anderson takes cares of the latter.
Anderson rose from sixth man to star on the Cavaliers last season as a hulking 3-and-D prototype with the length and athleticism NBA teams desire on the wing. Teams may be worried his 45-percent three-point mark is a fluke, but he should still be a contributor even if that number proves unsustainable. He could be an improvement over Jae Crowder very quickly.
17. Milwaukee Bucks - Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
Milwaukee needs shooting, shooting and more shooting. If Kentucky's Devin Booker slides this far in the first round, it should be an easy choice.
Booker was the Wildcats' X-factor last season as their most reliable outside shooter. He won't have the luxury of Towns and Cauley-Stein distracting defenders in the paint in Milwaukee, but he should fit in just fine next to Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
18. Houston Rockets - Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame
The Rockets started Jason Terry at point guard in the playoffs with Patrick Beverley sidelined by a hand injury. Needless to say, Houston doesn't want to find itself in that position again.
Grant is one of the oldest players in the draft (he'll turn 23 before the start of the season), but that means he should be ready to contribute sooner for a Rockets squad that isn't far off in the West
19. Washington Wizards - Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA
Nene and Marcin Gortat have been an effective starting frontcourt tandem for Washington, but it would help to infuse some young blood into the equation with both over 30. In UCLA's Kevon Looney, the Wizards would find a player with all the tools to one day be an effective power forward. It might not happen right away for the 19-year-old, but Washington has time on its side.
With John Wall (25 next season) and Bradley Beal (22 next season) entrenched in the backcourt for the foreseeable future, the focus for Washington should be building a solid foundation around its two young stars. Drafting and developing a player like Looney is one way to keep the Wizards rolling as Gortat and Nene decline.
20. Toronto Raptors - Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SG, Arizona
Hardly anyone had heard of Bruno Caboclo when the Raptors chose the young Brazilian with the 20th pick last season, so there's no telling what GM Masai Ujiri might do here. In Hollis-Jefferson, Ujiri would take almost a complete opposite approach in the draft to what he did in 2014.
Hollis-Jefferson was a high school All-American, played for one of the premier programs in the country at Arizona and reached the Elite 8 in both of his seasons at school. The book is out on him: he's a long, athletic defender without much of a jump shot. Think of him of him as a 6'7 Tony Allen with a 7'2 wingspan. That's a nice addition to the bench at this point in the first round.
21. Dallas Mavericks - Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
The Mavericks seem like a team in transition. The Rajon Rondo experiment was a spectacular failure, Monta Ellis is likely to head to free agency and Dirk Nowitzki is set to turn 37 years old. The Mavericks need a young talent infusion in the worst way, and it starts with finally hitting on a pick in the draft. If Duke's Tyus Jones is available here, he has the makeup to give Dallas its first keeper in the draft since .... yeah,
it's been a while.
Jones has aced every test he's ever had. He was a high school All-American, a freshman starter at arguably the most prestigious program in the country and the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament after leading the Blue Devils to a national title. He doesn't have elite size or athleticism, but he just gets the job done. Don't count him out at this level just yet.
22. Chicago Bulls - Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville
After years of squeezing sporadic production out of flawed and undersized backup point guards under Tom Thibodeau, the Bulls would do well to get Derrick Rose a legitimate backup now that Fred Hoiberg is in charge. Rozier has the size (6'2, 190), length and athleticism for the job. He's also a ferocious defender, which will appeal to Chicago's front office no matter who is coaching.
23. Portland Trail Blazers - R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State
Portland faces as much uncertainty as any team this offseason. Star big man LaMarcus Aldridge is a free agent, as is Wes Matthews, who is coming off a torn Achilles. With Arron Afflalo also holding a player option, it stands to reason Portland would target help in the backcourt. Hunter would qualify as such.
Hunter burst onto the national radar with the most memorable shot of the NCAA Tournament, but he's been on the mind of NBA scouts for a while. A pure three-point shooter with great length in the backcourt, Hunter is a nice value at this point in the first round.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers - Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV
The Cavaliers have proven that LeBron James surrounded by athletic shooters is a good mix, and Vaughn offers the potential to be that type of athletic shooter. His one season at UNLV ended early due to a torn meniscus, but scouts have been familiar with his game for years as a highly touted player on the AAU circuit.
Vaughn hit over 38 percent of the 6.3 three-pointers per game he attempted for the Rebels. He doesn't have elite length or athleticism, but he can knock down an open jumper and create his own shot when he has to. That's about all LeBron needs.
25. Memphis Grizzlies - Christian Wood, PF, UNLV
The Grizzlies are constantly looking for shooting, but with Hunter off the board, they may as well take a flier on Wood, UNLV's raw but enticing 6'11 forward. Wood is a raw sketch of a stretch big man at this point, but he could develop into a nice complement to (or replacement for) Zach Randolph down the road. The physical tools are there, but some believe Wood's feel for the game isn't where it needs to be as he enters the NBA.
26. San Antonio Spurs - Guillermo Hernangomez, C, Spain
Life without Tim Duncan is coming for the Spurs, eventually. Hernangomez is a decent enough insurance plan at this point of the draft. The 21-year-old has NBA size at 6'11, 255 pounds, and proved to be one of the better rebounders in the Spanish ACB league last year.
27. Los Angeles Lakers - J.P. Tokoto, SF, North Carolina
The Lakers had the second worst defense in the NBA last season, so a hyper-athletic wing like Tokoto could help. Tokoto isn't a confident shooter, but he could project as a lockdown wing defender. With pick No. 27, that probably sounds like a deal to Los Angeles.
28. Boston Celtics - Robert Upshaw, C, Washington
You just don't find an athletic 7-footer who led the country in blocks with the 28th pick. For a Boston team in need of a rim protector, Upshaw makes a lot of sense.
29. Brooklyn Nets - Delon Wright, PG, Utah
At Utah, the book on Wright was that he did everything well but shoot. He put some of those concerns to bed as a senior by hitting 36 percent of the 2.1 three-pointers he took per game, but anyone who drafts him knows his biggest contribution should come defensively.
According to KenPom, Wright finished in the top 50 of the country in steal rate each of his two years with the Utes.
30. Golden State Warriors - Jordan Mickey, C, LSU
What do you give the team that has it all? How about another rim protector? Mickey posted a top-40 block rate last season and could turn into a quality interior defender off the bench in Golden State.
Published by: SB NATION
June 11th, 2015
Source: www.sbnation.com
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