1.
Minnesota Timberwolves – Karl Anthony Towns, C,
Kentucky
Towns is the best pick for the Wolves. They desperately need shot
blocking help and Towns fills that need. Towns has a very solid midrange game
and could develop into an excellent offensive player as well. Pairing Towns with
Andrew Wiggins, Gorgui Dieng and Nikola Pekovic, the Wolves would suddenly have
a pretty good frontcourt.
2.
Los Angeles Lakers – Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
The Lakers would absolutely love to get Towns, but Okafor is a very good
consolation prize. Unless they trade for DeMarcus Cousins, Okafor is the likely
pick here. Okafor has one of the best low post games that I’ve seen in a
college player ever. He may be a liability defensively early on, but his
offensive game is advanced for his age. Okafor and Julius Randle could
eventually develop into a matchup nightmare.
3.
Philadelphia 76ers – D’Angelo Russell, PG, Ohio
State
D’Angelo
Russell is the prototypical new age point guard. He’s a lights out scorer (and
potential a great shooter), has the size scouts drool over, gets to the basket
with ease and is quite simply the best playmaker in the draft. Sure his defense
is a work in progress, but if a talent like Russell is available at pick 3, there
is no doubt in my mind that the 76ers should take him. However Philadelphia is
unpredictable with almost every move they make, and I could definitely see them
taking Kristaps Porzingis.
4.
New York Knicks – Justice Winslow, SG/SF, Duke
I I changed my mind several times between Winslow and Emmanuel Mudiay, but
right now Winslow is the better player. Personally, Winslow is my favorite
player in the draft (not necessarily the best player in the draft). He will
without a doubt be an excellent defender, he is very adept at attacking the
rim, is an elite level athlete and showed that he can shoot at a very high
level. I don’t think he will ever develop into an elite shooter, but he showed
enough in college that it would be difficult to see him struggling from 3 point
range like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Winslow is the type of player that the
Knicks need if they want to have any type of success in the future. Winslow is
the sure thing at pick 4, while I still have questions about Mudiay.
5.
Orlando Magic – Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia
Porzingis
is the mystery man of the draft. He’s been rocketing up almost everyone’s draft
boards for months. While I think he has potential to be a good NBA player, he
is a huge risk for a lot of teams to take. I think Orlando is the perfect
landing spot for Porzingis. Orlando is a good young team that has been
searching for a stretch 4 for some time. Unless they are completely in love
with the idea of Aaron Gordon developing into that role, the Porzingis pick
would make a lot of sense for them. There’s
a lot to like about Porzingis, he is 7’1 and is extremely agile for his size
and can knock down both midrange and 3 point shots. However he will need to add
a lot of muscle and strength to his body or he will constantly be bullied in
the post.
6.
Sacramento Kings – Emmanuel Mudiay, PG,
Guangdong Tigers
The Kings are getting tremendous value here by picking Mudiay. Some have
Russell and Mudiay neck-and-neck as the best PG’s in the draft, and there is no
denying Mudiay is a top 5 talent. If Mudiay goes to the Knicks, I see Justice
Winslow being the pick here. The Kings simply need more talent around DeMarcus
Cousins, and need two-way players more than anything. Mudiay is arguably the
most athletic player in the draft and can really get to the basket. He is also
a very solid playmaker and could develop into an excellent PG in the NBA. He
needs to become a better shooter if he is going to succeed. Mudiay could
finally give the Kings the PG they’ve been looking for since the C-Webb and
Mike Bibby heydays.
7.
Denver Nuggets – Stanley Johnson – SF/SG,
Arizona
What the Nuggets really need is a star player, unfortunately at 7 there
are few and far between. I’m very high on Stanley Johnson’s game and he can
become a very good player for the Nuggets, if not a star. Johnson is not overly
athletic, but he can attack the basket extremely well. He has a smooth shooting
stroke and has great potential as a scorer. He does need to learn to be more aggressive
offensively, but he will be a good offensive player in the NBA. Johnson was a
good defensive player in college, and could project as a two-way player in the league
under the right development.
8.
Detroit Pistons – Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Croatia
The Pistons have a decent foundation of young players with Andre
Drummond and Brandon Jennings, but they desperately need a wing that can score.
While I have doubts about Hezonja, if there’s anything he can do in this league
– he can score. Hezonja is an excellent shooter and is an explosive athlete. He
needs to diversify his offensive game in order to succeed at the next level. I
can’t see him ever developing into a lockdown defender, but at his point he is
the option that makes the most sense for Detroit.
9.
Charlotte Hornets – Willie Cauley-Stein, C/PF,
Kentucky
After making a few trades the Hornets have tried to strengthen their
roster by adding veterans. It might seem like a logjam at the forward and
center positions with Al Jefferson, Cody Zeller and the addition of Spencer
Hawes, but none of those players can defend like Willie Cauley-Stein.
Cauley-Stein will immediately be one of the quickest bigmen in the league. He
defended the pick and roll and protected the rim at an elite level at Kentucky,
and could very well do the same in the NBA. Cauley-Stein would make up for
Jefferson’s defense deficiencies, while Jefferson would do the same for
Cauley-Stein’s limited offensive potential.
10.
Miami Heat – Myles Turner, PF/C, Texas
I struggled with this pick more than any other lottery team. The Heat
simply do not have positions of need like other lottery teams. While I’m sure
they would like to have a player like Stanley Johnson at number 10, almost
every other wing player is a reach or just not a good fit. Turner would give
the Heat a bigman who can come off the bench and score. Turner is a good
shooter for his size, has a decent inside game, and can protect the rim. The
Heat are pretty said at both the PF and C positions with Chris Bosh and Hassan
Whiteside, but Turner would give them some more versatility off the bench and would
eventually develop into a starter.
11.
Indiana Pacers – Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
Frank
Kaminsky and Sam Dekker could both be in play here, but the Pacers could use an
elite shooter to take pressure off Paul George. Booker has the smoothest shot
in the draft. He doesn’t have eye popping athletic ability and his offensive
game is not super versatile at his point, but he could eventually develop into
a Klay Thompson type player. Booker is a bit of a risky pick, as he didn’t play
as much in college as a typical lottery pick, but for the Pacers he is a risk
worth taking.
12.
Utah Jazz – Kelly Oubre, SF/SG, Kansas
I actually like this Jazz roster very much. I see Dante Exum taking a
big step up this year, and Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert make
a nice frontcourt. I don’t love Kelly Oubre’s game at this point, but I think
the Jazz need to add a player who can defend and shoot from the wing. Oubre is
the closest player to fill that need at this point of the draft. He is a long,
athletic player who is a little bit raw, but could develop nicely for the Jazz.
Ideally Oubre projects as the coveted “3 and D” wing player, but he is going to
need time to reach that potential.
13.
Phoenix Suns – Frank Kaminsky, PF/C, Wisconsin
At this point
of the draft most of the wing players that the Suns could use are off the
board. Taking Kaminsky here would make sense, and Phoenix would hope he could
fill the whole that Channing Frye left after departing to the Magic last
offseason. While Markieff Morris had a good season last year, they could use
another player in their front court that can shoot. Kaminsky also has much more
post up ability than Morris. I don’t think Kaminsky will enjoy the same success
he had a senior in the NBA, but he should be a solid role player and he is a
good fit here for Phoenix.
14.
Oklahoma City Thunder – Cameron Payne, PG,
Murray State
Cameron Payne is a solid all around player and is a pure
point guard. He would likely fill the 6th man role for the Thunder
and could either play off the ball with Westbrook or as the PG of the second
unit. Payne is a good scorer and playmaker who can be disruptive in passing
lanes. He doesn’t do anything that will blow you away, but Payne doesn’t having
any glaring holes in his game.
15.
Atlanta Hawks – Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky
16.
Boston Celtics – Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin
17.
Milwaukee Bucks – Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
18.
Houston Rockets – Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame
19.
Washington Wizards – Montrezl Harrell, PF,
Louisville
20.
Toronto Raptors – Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV
21.
Dallas Mavericks – Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
22.
Chicago Bulls – R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State
23.
Portland Trailblazers- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson,
SF, Arizona
24.
Cleveland Cavaliers – Delon Wright, PG, Utah
25.
Memphis Grizzlies – Justin Anderson, SF, Virgina
26.
San Antonio Spurs – Christian Wood, PF, UNLV
27.
Los Angeles Lakers – Rakeem Christmas, C,
Syracuse
28.
Boston Celtics – Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA
29.
Brooklyn Nets – Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville
30.
Golden State Warriors – Chris McCullough, PF,
Syracuse
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