The 2015 NBA Draft is four months away. The order is becoming more clear. So are the elite prospects. Things have changed significantly from last June’s 2015 NBA Mock Draft.
1. New York – Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke. Weighted ping pong balls? Whatever it takes. There are three other awesome talents at the top of the draft, but Okafor (18 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 66% FGs) looks the most likely to be a franchise player.
2. Minnesota – Karl Anthony Towns, F/C, Kentucky. Averaging a modest 9.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg but also only playing 20 minutes per game. Not a stretch-4 (yet?), but only 19, could grow bigger than 6-foot-11, 250. Excellent athlete, long-limbed, and reminds me of a better offensive version of Vlade Divac.
3. Philadelphia – D’Angelo Russell, G, OSU. Super hot commodity could blow up even more in March, and at some point may compete with Okafor for the No. 1 pick. Eye-popping stats (19.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 5.4 apg, 44 percent on 3FG). MCW and Russell would be a dynamic backcourt. Perhaps because he’s lefty, I see a young Manu Ginobili.
4. LA Lakers – Emmanuel Mudiay, G, China. Part of me wants the Lakers to win the lottery and get Okafor so he can play with Kobe and Randle, and because what free agent wouldn’t want to head West in July to join them? Mudiay, who I’ve compared to Russell Westbrook before, suffered an ankle injury in December.
5. Orlando – Stanley Johnson, G, Arizona. A shooting guard who is an inconsistent shooter? He’s currently at 46/39, which is worse than UK’s Booker, but Johnson is an aggressive slasher who is reigning it in to fit Sean Miller’s system. The Magic are a coach and some growing up away from making a run at the 8th seed next year.
6. Sacramento – Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville. Too high? He’ll measure 6-foot-7 and people will freak out, but Harrell seems to be one of those rare tweeners who will thrive in a selfless role: Just rebounds, toughness and defense. Other tweeners currently thriving: Jared Sullinger, Kenneth Faried.
7. Utah – Justise Winslow, G/F, Duke. My favorite wing in the draft, and not just because so many people disagree with the James Harden comparison. Winslow gets to the rim with ease, but he’ll have to improve his shooting (36% on 3’s) if he wants to be an impact player. Get him in a gym with Klay Thompson this summer. Exum/Winslow/Hayward? Yes, please.
8. Denver – Devon Booker, SG, Kentucky. There’s no way he can continue his torrid 3-point shooting (he’s cooling off, just 2-for-12 in last three games), and unlike Johnson, he doesn’t rebound. And how easy is it to get open looks on that loaded team? This seems high – given they traded for Gary Harris in the draft last year – but scouts love how easy Booker makes it look.
9. Detroit – Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas. Toughest American player in the draft to read right now. Blanked vs. TCU, 1-point vs. Oklahoma State, but a 16-point explosion vs Iowa State? The talent is obviously there. SVG should be able to get him to clean up his act.
10. Indiana – Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky. Roy Hibbert will be gone after one more season, and WCS can slide into the starting spot. He’s slightly more athletic. Quick question: Did Harrell/Cauley-Stein stay in school because they got NBA feedback saying they weren’t lottery material in ’14?
11. Boston – Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA. Smart, aggressive player who knows his role, should fit nicely alongside Jared Sullinger. (I give Harrell the edge over Looney for offense right now, though some scouts project Looney to be a better player down the road). Celtics need another shooter, unless they’re confident rookie James Young is only struggling because he’s 19.
12. Atlanta (via Brooklyn) – Frank Kaminsky, F, Wisconsin. Two starters on the Hawks – Millsap and Carroll – are free agents, and if one or both walk, a SF/PF in the lottery make the most sense. Impressive 2014 NCAA Tourney for Frank the Tank has carried over: 17.3 ppg, 54/40/76.
13. Houston (via New Orleans) – Myles Turner, C, Texas. Like Oubre, Turner has had an inconsistent freshman year, and is something of an enigma. This is a terrific read on him. How is a 7-foot monster only pulling 6.3 rpg?
14. Oklahoma City – Mario Hezonja, SF, Croatia. I’ll be stunned if the Thunder remain in the lottery. If you want to plan for the post-Durant era (next year could be his last year in OKC), might as well draft his position (again). Hezonja is only 19 and may not enter the draft.
15. Charlotte – RJ Hunter, G, Georgia State. Defenses in the Sun Belt focus on him, and he’s not shooting nearly as well this year (39/30 vs. 44/39 last year). The Bobcats need scoring because the Lance Stephenson experiment has failed.
16. Philadelphia (via Miami) – Sam Dekker, F, Wisconsin. Probably like him more than most. Feels like a bigger Gordon Hayward, who has exceeded all expectations in Utah. Keep in mind the 76ers have Joel Embiid and Darco Saric coming in the next couple years.
17. Phoenix – Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, F, Arizona. Terrific athlete, but range is limited to within a few feet of the basket. Great defender with lockdown potential. Suns seem set at guard, but still can’t find that elusive perfect-fit SF.
18. Milwaukee – Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas. Parker and The Greek Freak, in their little time together, looked good. As for the front line, what’s the latest with Larry Sanders?
19. Washington – Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky. Nene has one more year left on his contract. Also, they could look to fill that backup point guard spot, assuming Andre Miller (39 next month) retires.
20. Chicago (via Cleveland) – Jerian Grant, G, Notre Dame. Tremendous senior year – after an injury cut short his junior year – has him surging up draft boards. Had 23-12 vs. Duke. Not a pure point guard, needs to improve 3-point shot to play SG.
21. Cleveland (via Chicago) – Buddy Hield, SG, Oklahoma. Good 3-point shooter (39%) and rebounds well (5.5 per game) for his size (6-foot-4).
22. San Antonio – Kristaps Porzingis, C, Latvia. Only seen You Tube clips of the 7-foot-1 toothpick, and have no idea if he’ll enter the draft, but surely the International Spurs have the goods on him. Exceptional athlete for his height.
23. Boston (via LA Clippers) – Robert Upshaw, C, Washington. Kicked off the team, which probably means he’s not a Brad Stevens player. But the raw 7-footer blocked 4.5 shots a game, including six or more in seven (!) games.
24. Dallas – Tyus Jones, PG, Duke. Supposedly 6-foot-1, 190, but looks shorter and skinnier. No idea if he comes out, but he’s had a great freshman year (11.3 ppg, 5.3 apg, 39% on 3-pointers). Like him way more than Tyler Ennis last year.
25. LA Lakers (via Houston) – Caris Levert, G, Michigan. Could return to Ann Arbor following his season-ending injury and perhaps get into the lottery next year. Yes, guards for the Lakers.
26. Portland - Jake Layman, F, Maryland. Stretch 4? Layman does a bit of everything (13.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.5 apg) and that includes 3-point range (38% from deep). Greatly enjoy his all-around game.
27. Toronto – Ron Baker, G, Wichita State. Stuffs the stat sheet, shoots 41 percent from deep, and is a tenacious defender.
28. Memphis – Marcus Paige, PG, North Carolina. Thinking about the NBA too much? Looked better and had better stats as a sophomore. Capable of carrying UNC on a deep run in March.
29. Brooklyn (via Atlanta) – Delon Wright, PG, Utah. This could be your replacement for Deron Williams, who has declined at an alarming rate. Wright isn’t the 3-point shooter Williams is, but he’s a better defender.
30. Golden State – Justin Anderson, F, Virginia. Assuming when he returns from injury his 3-point shooting remains strong, could he be this draft’s Draymond Green? Tireless worker who is a tweener, and does a little of everything?
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