NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Ben Simmons, Marquese Chriss and 2016 Draft Plans
There's just one more playoff series standing in the way of the NBA offseason, which means draft buzz is starting to pick up across the Association in advance of the June 23 selection process.
But before we break down the latest gossip regarding this year's top prospects and their potential landing spots, take a look at Jonathan Wasserman's updated top-five mock draft:
Sixers Leaning Toward Simmons
Ever since the Philadelphia 76ers won the rights to the top pick on lottery night May 17, rumors have swirled regarding their intentions at No. 1 overall. Namely, do they prefer Duke Blue Devils swingman Brandon Ingram or LSU Tigers point forward Ben Simmons?
Well, with less than a month remaining until the draft, a front-runner seems to have emerged.
According to Philadelphia Magazine's Derek Bodner, "multiple sources with knowledge of the Sixers’ thought process say it is LSU forward Ben Simmons who [general manager Bryan Colangelo] is leaning toward selecting first overall."
Bodner added that while it's a bit early in the process to definitively peg the team's preference, "it appears it would take something substantial, and unexpected, to shift the Sixers off of their current thought process."
If Simmons is ultimately the pick, he will give the Sixers an immediate and sorely needed boost in the playmaking department.
"He’s a great passer, he can handle the ball and he’s always there to cheer you on," LSU point guard Tim Quarterman said following a workout with the Sixers, per CSNPhilly.com's Jessica Camerato. "He likes for other people to accomplish great accomplishments. He’s a great teammate."
Although the Sixers have holes to fill on the perimeter, Simmons could immediately slide into a role as the team's primary ball-handler and distributor despite being listed at 6'10". The Australian phenom has immaculate court vision, and his mark of 5.5 assists per 40 minutes at LSU suggested he can initiate an offense on a regular basis.
And since teams across the NBA continue to embrace positionless units that buck conventional trends and classic archetypes, Simmons could evolve into a dangerous and versatile threat if he slowly and steadily refines his jumper and learns to make defenses pay for sagging off him in pick-and-rolls.
Chriss' Stock on the Rise?
Washington Huskies big man Marquese Chriss is the definition of a high-ceiling prospect thanks to his age (18 years old), developing jumper and outrageous athleticism, and teams are beginning to take notice during the workout phase of the predraft process.
"While we have generally pegged him in the No. 7-10 range, teams as high as the [Phoenix] Suns at No. 4 are considering him," ESPN.com's Chad Ford wrote. "They need a stretch floor [sic], and the other options (Dragan Bender, Henry Ellenson) don't have the athletic upside that Chriss does."
According to DraftExpress, the 6'10", 233-pound Chriss notched a max vertical jump of 38 ½ inches at the NBA Draft Combine in mid-May thanks in part to his wingspan of just over seven feet.
But that's not all.
Chriss is also a surprisingly strong shooter for an 18-year-old, as evidenced by his 43.9 percent conversion rate on two-point jumpers last season, per Hoop-Math.com. Chriss also rattled home 35 percent of his three-point attempts in a respectable 60-shot sample.
| 22.1 | 8.6 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 53.0% | 35.0% | 21.7 |
"He needs to get stronger, become a better rebounder and stay out of foul trouble, but he brings tools to the floor that make his ceiling as high as that of anyone in this draft not named Simmons or Ingram," Ford added.
If Chriss can flash a reliable stroke and develop his off-the-dribble arsenal to include more than just straight drives to the rim, he could wind up looking like the steal of the lottery in just a few years.
Knicks Looking to Acquire 2016 Pick
The New York Knicks are currently without a pick in this year's draft. However, that could change on draft night.
According to ESPN.com's Ian Begley, the Knicks "plan to acquire a pick," with a second-round selection "more likely" than one of the first-round variety.
Begley also reported that Indiana Hoosiers point guard Yogi Ferrell and Kansas Jayhawks combo guard Wayne Selden Jr. could be among the Knicks' targets if they successfully snag a pick.
While both players would make sense given the Knicks' dearth of quality point guards, Selden is a particularly interesting name to monitor.
After failing to crack the 10-point-per-game threshold during his first two seasons with the Jayhawks, Selden kicked his scoring average up to 13.8 points per game last season while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and a career-best 39.2 percent from beyond the arc.
And considering 47.4 percent of Selden's shots came from distance, per Hoop-Math.com, he appears to be crafting his game in the mold of a modern NBA three-and-D wing.
Stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.
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