SF/PF Ben Simmons, Fr, LSU

6'10, 225 lbs

Hometown: Melbourne, Australia

2015-2016 Stats: 19.9 ppg, 14.9 rpg, 6 apg

The Sixers are off to a historically miserable start, but at least have something with the big man duo of Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor. With Dario Saric and perhaps Joel Embiid joining the team in 2016, wing players are the biggest need on this roster. Ben Simmons might not qualify as a wing player, but he is the best talent available in this draft. I think Simmons will fit best as a Toni Kukoc/Lamar Odom like ball handling power forward. He runs the floor and passes like a guard. Simmons needs to improve his defense (like most 18 year olds) but he definitely has star potential. He has been a triple double machine thus far at LSU, and it will be exciting to watch as he develops his game and looks for his shot more often. It will be interesting to see where he fits with Saric, who might be the odd man out if this roster stays intact, but the Sixers are so bad they simply need to add the best talent available. As of now, Ben Simmons looks like the clear cut star of this class. If Sam Hinkie does not hit a homerun in this draft, he may be out of a job. Even the most patient owners do not tolerate 1-23 starts.

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2. Sacramento Kings

SG/SF Brandon Ingram, Fr, Duke

6'9, 196 lbs

Hometown: Kinston, NC

2015-2016 Stats: 13.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.3 bpg

 

 

 

 

It has been yet another wasted year in Sacramento. Perhaps the Kings will parlay another lottery pick into a player who can actually be a core of the roster in the future. He is thin and not that great of a ball handler, but has the ability to be a 3 and D guy that the NBA loves right now. He uses his great length to knock down jump shots over defenders and block some shots as well. He will have to develop some strength to become a better all around scorer, but has strong NBA potential. Ingram started the season slow, but is coming off back to back 20 point games. Ingram has the chance to be a 20 point scorer who can make some all defensive teams, and his potential is well worth grabbing here.

7'1, 235 lbs

Hometown: Vienna, Austria

2015-2016 Stats: 20.1 ppg,  9.8 rpg, 2.2 bpg

Landing in the top three would be quite a coup for Boston, considering they get this pick for trading past their prime veterans Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the desperate Nets. The Celtics have a deep roster but no one you can say is a future All Star talent.  Jakob Poeltl showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman, and is off to a fantastic start as a sophomore. Stats are always inflated this time of year but scouts have to love the fact that Poeltl has gotten ten shots per game and is still knocking them down with very high efficiency. He has simply been unguardable in the early going. If he can prove that he is a real threat on offense once Pac 12 play begins, he has a chance to go very high, because Poeltl's defense and rebounding is already NBA ready. The Celtics have quite a few front court role players, but no one they could build around like Poeltl.

 

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4. Philadelphia 76ers
(from Los Angeles Lakers)
PG/SG Kris Dunn, Jr, Providence
6'4, 205 lbs
Hometown: New London, CT
2014-2015 Stats: 16.8 ppg, 6.1 apg, 6.9 rpg

 

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5. New Orleans Pelicans

Hometown: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
2015-2016 Stats: 10.6 ppg, 3,.5rpg, 2.1 bpg

It is looking like a lost season in New Orleans. The front office will have to reassess an unbalanced roster and figure out how to build around their superstar. Skal Labissiere is the latest lanky, athletic specimen to join John Calipari's team. He is still learning how to play basketball, coming from Haiti, but is already an NBA quality defender and shot blocker. Like Towns before him, Labissiere is being brought along slowly by Calipari. He is simply another big man in Kentucky's rotation, but I expect him to differentiate himself as the season goes along. He has the frame to bulk up and become a solid defensive starting center. Labissiere and Davis share similar defensive attributes, and with both on the court, it will be extremely tough for opposing defenses to drive the lane.

 

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6. Denver Nuggets

PF Henry Ellenson, Fr, Marquette

6'10, 231 lbs

Hometown: Rice Lake, WI

2015-2016 Stats: 16.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.6 apg

 

7. Portland Trail Blazers

PF Dragan Bender, Croatia

7'1, 216 lbs

Portland is in the midst of yet another rebuilding project, and could use youth at any position other than point guard. Everyone is going to compare Dragan Bender to Kristaps Porzingis, especially after Porzingis hot start. Both are tall lanky Euro's. Unlikes Porzingis, Bender has more of a perimeter game on offense at this point in his development. He is not quite the athlete as Porzingis but is more versatile on defense, able to guard small forwards and power forwards. He is very young (will only be 18 when drafted) but looks like the most talented European prospect, even though he is not getting much run for his Euro team. He could do some LaMarcus Aldridge things on offense once he gets his NBA game under him.

 

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8. Milwaukee Bucks

PG/SG Jamal Murray, Fr, Kentucky

6'5, 201 lbs

Hometown: Kitchner, Ontario, Canada

2015-2016 Stats: 15.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.1 apg

The Bucks are off to a pretty bad start. It is now clear to everyone else what was clear to Sam Hinkie last year; Michael Carter-Williams is not a very good basketball player. If Milwaukee has the chance to upgrade with one of the best point guards in this class, it should be an easy decision. It will be interesting to see how Jamal Murray develops at Kentucky. If he can prove he can play point guard, his stock should be very high. Teams love ball handling combo guards who can shoot and play defense. Murray has struggled with turnovers, which caps his draft stock at this point, but has a chance to improve that as the season rolls along.

 

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Thanks to Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the Timberwolves are much improved this year, and are already halfway to their win total from last year. They simply need to focus on adding more athletes to what is a very exciting young roster. Jaylen Brown reminds me of Stanley Johnson from last year. If he had a jump shot, he would be in the discussion for a top three pick. But scouts are obsessed with wing players who can shoot. Brown is still developing that area of his game, but there is a lot to like. He is a bull who can get to the rack against anybody and has the potential to be one of the best on the ball defenders in the NBA some day, though scouts would like to see an uptick in those steal numbers. He would be a solid part of the second unit in Minnesota.

 

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Ivan Rabb was once considered a prospect on the level of Ben Simmons, but his star faded somewhat. He is off to a nice start with the Cal Bears, showing length, rebound and shot blocking skills, and a nice ability to run the floor. If he can improve the range on his jumper, he would be a perfect fit with what NBA teams are looking for from their power forwards in today's game. Markieff Morris has been a headache and a disappointment in Phoenix this year, and the Suns would love to move on from him if they were able to. Rabb would be a nice replacement.

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11. Toronto Raptors
(from New York Knicks)

SG Denzel Valentine, Sr, Michigan State

6'5, 220 lbs

Hometown: Lansing, MI

2015-2016 Stats: 18.6 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 7.2 apg

 

 

 

 

The Raptors get a lottery pick for the right to dump Andrea Bargnani's contract on the Knicks several years ago. Toronto could go best player available to beef up their bench. In a month's time, Denzel Valentine has gone from a mid second round pick to a possible lottery selection. The early front runner for college basketball player of the year is averaging close to a triple double, and is knocking down three pointers at a remarkable rate. The numbers are staggering. Valentine is making over three 3 pointers per game, and has a 4:1 assist to turnover ratio. That is on 8 assists per game. His age likely limits his draft ceiling, but a team picking in the teens is going to get one tough gamer.

Perhaps no team in the East has been as disappointing as the Wizards. Part of it is due to the fact that they are not getting a lot of contributions from their front court players. Damian Jones has had a very good junior season, even though his stats are in line with what he provided as a sophomore. Vanderbilt has not been tested much. When Jones went up against Kansas in a close loss, he dropped 17 points with 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. Jones is not great at any one thing, but provides solid stats across the board. He has the frame to bulk up and play center, which will make him quite coveted once draft time rolls around, even if he is still somewhat of a project.

 

 

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14. Atlanta Hawks

SG Grayson Allen, So, Duke

6'6, 195 lbs

Hometown: Jacksonville, FL

2015-2016 Stats: 21.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.0 apg

 

 

 

The Hawks traded a first round pick for Tim Hardaway Jr., but he has provided absolutely nothing. Atlanta needs scoring off the bench. Grayson Allen was a high recruit who rode the bench as a freshman, but has shown JJ Redick like scoring ability thus far as a sophomore. He has put up big time points against three cupcakes, but struggled against the length and athleticism of Kentucky. Since then he has bounced back with back to back 30 point games and has settled in as a legit 20 ppg scorer at the college level. Scouts are always on the lookout for shooting guards who can actually shoot, and guys like Allen often find their way into the lottery.

 

2015-2016 Stats: 15.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.5 apg

 

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16. Denver Nuggets
(from Houston Rockets)

SG Malik Beasley, Fr, Florida State

6'5, 190 lbs

Hometown: Alpharetta, GA

2015-2016 Stats: 18.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.3 apg 

 

 

The Nuggets get Houston's pick if the Rockets make the playoffs. Denver needs scorers off the bench. Scouts love what they have seen out of the "other" freshman 20 point per game scorer at Florida State. Malik Beasley is shooting the ball at an amazing clip, showing an ability to knock down three point shots and get to the line. Beasley also has the steals numbers to back up his analytical claim to fame.

 

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17. Boston Celtics

(from Dallas Mavericks)

PF/C Jonathan Jeanne, France

7'2, 210 lbs

Hometown: Les Abymes, Guadeloupe
2015-2016 Stats: 10.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.1 apg

 

 

 

With three first round picks and little space on the roster, expect the Celtics to either try to trade these picks or draft some European stash players. Jonathan Jeanne is woefully thin but has some serious NBA talent. He plays like a younger (skinnier) Ruby Gobert, who was thought of as a potential top ten pick before his lack of strength and experience caused him to slip late in the first round. If Jeanne declares for the draft, he won't last that long, even though he is far from NBA ready.

 

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18. Memphis Grizzlies

SG Buddy Hield, Sr, Oklahoma

6'4, 214 lbs

Hometown: Freeport, GB

2015-2016 Stats: 22.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg

 

For years the Grizzlies have been built around their two big men and Mike Conley. Tony Allen has been a fixture at one of the wing positions due to his defense, but the team has struggled to replace Rudy Gay's outside production. John Hollinger, who is in the Grizzlies front office, has to love what he has seen out of the Buddy Heild, who has one of the highest PER's in college basketball. He has improved every year, and as a senior is pouring in 22 points per game and hitting over 50% of his three point shots. Hield is a bit undersized and might struggle against larger wing players, but has the ability to provide solid scoring off the bench, something the Grizzlies lack.

 

19. Detroit Pistons

 

 

The 76ers are currently starting undrafted free agent TJ McConnell at point guard. Yeah. Philadelphia desperately has to come out of this draft with some real talent to build around, especially in the back court. Demetrius Jackson is another guard who is shooting over 50% from the floor early. He has upped his scoring and assist numbers so far this season, and takes very good care of the basketball. Jackson would be a nice contrast to Kris Dunn, Philadelphia's previous pick.

 

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21. Los Angeles Clippers

PF Chieck Diallo, Fr, Kansas

6'9, 218 lbs

Hometown: Centereach, NY
2015-2016 Stats: 7.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg

Cheick Diallo is the latest top recruit to get jerked around by the NCAA eligibility rules, but he has finally been cleared. Diallo is a tremendous athlete who is still learning how to play basketball. He rebounds and plays defense like an animal and can throw down the alley oop. Think a stronger Kenneth Faried. Playing for Bill Self is never the best way to develop your game for the NBA, but he is squarely on the late lottery radar. If he is still available here, this could be quite a pickup for the Clippers.

 

 

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22. Boston Celtics

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23. Indiana Pacers