NBA Draft 2016: Latest Mock Draft for Top 1st-Round Prospects

Few recent drafts have had a build as entertaining as the march to the 2016 NBA draft.

Where to even start? There's a legitimate battle for the No. 1 slot between Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, with enough in the way of wild cards—such as Jamal Murray and Dragan Bender—to make it interesting.

There are also downright interesting teams, with former powerhouses such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics clutching picks in the top three. Former odd organizations such as the Philadelphia 76ers seem to have new directions too.

Don't forget about the potential for trades, either. And all of this comes before the summer of Kevin Durant. So while Sunday's NBA Finals demand attention, keep pace by looking at an updated mock and some things to know below.

2016 NBA Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Player
1.	Philadelphia 76ers	F Ben Simmons, LSU
2.	Los Angeles Lakers	SF Brandon Ingram, Duke
3.	Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn)	PF Dragan Bender, Croatia
4.	Phoenix Suns	SG Jamal Murray, Kentucky
5.	Minnesota Timberwolves	SF Jaylen Brown, California
6.	New Orleans Pelicans	SG Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
7.	Denver Nuggets (via New York)	F Marquese Chriss, Washington
8.	Sacramento Kings	PG Kris Dunn, Providence
9.	Toronto Raptors (via Denver)	C Jakob Poeltl, Utah
10.	Milwaukee Bucks	C Thon Maker, Orangeville Prep
11.	Orlando Magic	PF/C Deyonta Davis, Michigan State
12.	Utah Jazz	F Henry Ellenson, Marquette
13.	Phoenix Suns (via Washington)	C Skal Labissiere, Kentucky
14.	Chicago Bulls	G Tyler Ulis, Kentucky
15.	Denver Nuggets (via Houston)	SG Furkan Korkmaz, Turkey
16.	Boston Celtics (via Dallas)	SG Timothe Luwawu, France
17.	Memphis Grizzlies	PG Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame
18.	Detroit Pistons	SG Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
19.	Denver Nuggets (via Portland)	G Caris LeVert, Michigan
20.	Indiana Pacers	PF Brice Johnson, North Carolina
21.	Atlanta Hawks	C Diamond Stone, Maryland
22.	Charlotte Hornets	PF Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga
23.	Boston Celtics	F Paul Zipser, Germany
24.	Philadelphia 76ers (via Miami)	G Malik Beasley, Florida State
25.	Los Angeles Clippers	C Cheick Diallo, Kansas
26.	Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City)	F Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida
27.	Toronto Raptors	F Taurean Prince, Baylor
28.	Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland)	C Damian Jones, Vanderbilt
29.	San Antonio Spurs	PG Dejounte Murray, Washington
30.	Golden State Warriors	C Zhou Qi, China

The Battle at No. 1 

NBA teams can't really go wrong with either Ingram or Simmons with the first pick. 

Ingram out of Duke is the more pro-ready prospect right now. He stands at 6'10" and 196 pounds after posting averages of 17.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He shot 44 percent from the floor and 41 percent from deep, which means NBA teams could get mileage out of him right away.

Simmons, on the other hand, comes in at 6'10" and 240 pounds. He has a better frame and dominated at LSU with averages of 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists, but he struggled to connect from deep, shooting just 33 percent.

The decision at No. 1 hinges on the team. In this case it's Philadelphia, though the 76ers have sent mixed signals about their intentions, as ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman points out:

It seems the 76ers cannot go wrong either way, as the front office gets a potential superstar who can grow alongside a core featuring Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel.

Barring a major surprise, one of Ingram or Simmons winds up on the Lakers, which leaves Boston to pray something surprising does happen so it can get its hands on one of the top two.

Boston, the Biggest Unknown 

The Celtics have it easier than most if the aforementioned scenario occurs and one of Ingram or Simmons falls in their lap. 

If not, watch out.

Boston general manager Danny Ainge is sitting on a stockpile of picks this year, including three in the first round, headlined by No. 3. But with the team already boasting a playoff-caliber roster, it wouldn't be much of a shock to see Ainge do what he does best and make a forward-looking move. 

According to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com, Ainge might look to deal the pick:

"

[I'm] hearing that No. 3 pick overall is the one that they are really shopping, trying to be as aggressive as possible in trying to move that pick, because they want to get a difference-making, impact player right now. And they believe using that No. 3 pick, and maybe some other players and/or picks, might be the best way to [make] that happen.

"

Who might come calling and be willing to give up what it takes to move up? Maybe a team with an immediate need at a guard, where a guy like Murray would look great. 

Boston has no such need, though, not with Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley in the backcourt.

If the Celtics do keep the pick, they could go a number of different ways. Maybe they address small forward with Evan Turner heading to free agency, opting for Jaylen Brown or Marquese Chriss.

Or perhaps they grab future help underneath the basket like in the mock above, gambling on Bender, the international sensation who stands at 7'1" and 216 pounds and has the ability to shoot from deep.

Either way, it's easy to see why Boston is the top team to watch from now right up until it walks to the podium on Thursday—or doesn't.

The Buddy Hield Situation

The draft process largely focuses on upside and what a player can be, not what he is entering the league.

It would help explain why the buzz on Oklahoma's Buddy Hield has been quiet, given the focus on high-upside players and otherwise intriguing guys, not known commodities.

But Hield as a known commodity isn't a bad thing, as his numbers from college show:

SEASON	FG%	3P%	REB	AST	PTS
2015-16	.501	.457	5.7	2.0	25.0
2014-15	.412	.359	5.4	1.9	17.4
2013-14	.445	.386	4.4	1.9	16.5
2012-13	.388	.238	4.2	1.9	7.8

It's really a question of how high Hield comes off the board. He's a proven scorer with a solid frame at 6'5" and 212 pounds. Sure, he might not blossom much more than he already has, but at some point a team has to value a guy who will pan out at the next level.

Will the Lakers shake up the draft by selecting Hield? The former Sooners star seems to hope so:

Maybe Hield comes off the board at No. 2, or maybe he falls all the way to No. 6 like in the mock above, where he lands with a New Orleans Pelicans team that needs to get Anthony Davis as much help as quickly as possible.

Either way, recent comments and close analysis show it was silly to let Hield fall out of the spotlight in the first place. He's a disruptor on the court because of his elite scoring ability, and he's likely the biggest disruptor in the entire draft because of how he could change everything we thought we knew about the class.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.