2015 NBA Mock Draft: Early 1st-Round Outlook for Where Top Prospects Will Land
The NBA trade deadline is rapidly approaching. In turn, front offices around the league are deciding whether to load up for a potential playoff run or start looking toward the future. The latter could include adding some picks for the 2015 draft.
Although it will be quite some time before the draft class truly takes shape, the early outlook is promising in terms of depth. Only a few top-end prospects have emerged. That said, the number of players who could make at least some impact as a rookie is pretty high.
It should be interesting to see how the draft outlook develops over the next couple of months. The opportunity is still there for prospects to make a meteoric rise up the board. Let's check out how things shape up as of now.
2015 NBA Mock Draft
| 1 | New York Knicks | Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke |
| 2 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | D'Angelo Russell, G, Ohio State |
| 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, Congo |
| 5 | Orlando Magic | Myles Turner, PF, Texas |
| 6 | Sacramento Kings | Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky |
| 7 | Utah Jazz | Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona |
| 8 | Denver Nuggets | Mario Hezonja, SF, Croatia |
| 9 | Indiana Pacers | Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia |
| 10 | Detroit Pistons | Justise Winslow, SF, Duke |
| 11 | Boston Celtics | Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA |
| 12 | Atlanta Hawks (from Nets) | Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin |
| 13 | Charlotte Hornets | Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas |
| 14 | Philadelphia 76ers (from Heat) | Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas |
| 15 | Houston Rockets (from Pelicans) | Frank Kaminsky, PF, Wisconsin |
| 16 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky |
| 17 | Phoenix Suns | Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas |
| 18 | Milwaukee Bucks | Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky |
| 19 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Damian Jones, C, Vanderbilt |
| 20 | Washington Wizards | Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville |
| 21 | Chicago Bulls | Tyus Jones, PG, Duke |
| 22 | San Antonio Spurs | Jakob Poeltl, C, Utah |
| 23 | Boston Celtics (from Clippers) | Isaiah Taylor, PG, Texas |
| 24 | Dallas Mavericks | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| 25 | Toronto Raptors | Christian Wood, PF, UNLV |
| 26 | Portland Trail Blazers | Robert Upshaw, C, Washington |
| 27 | Los Angeles Lakers (from Rockets) | Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame |
| 28 | Memphis Grizzlies | Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (from Hawks) | Troy Williams, SF, Indiana |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
Jahlil Okafor headlines the draft class and is well on his way to becoming the top overall pick. He also leads an intriguing group of big men slated to go inside the top 10 of the round. Teams looking for help up front are definitely in better shape than those seeking a great perimeter scorer.
The players have a wide range of skill sets and are also at various points in their development, though. So the order in which they go on draft day could switch up quite a bit by the time it arrives. Here's a look at some of the best the class may have to offer.
Analyzing Top Frontcourt Prospects
1. New York Knicks: Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
Okafor possesses all the tools necessary to become a very solid NBA player. He's smooth in the low post offensively and uses his size effectively on the defensive end. The question is whether he'll ever become the type of superstar you normally expect of a first overall pick.
What he needs to do in order to make that happen is be more aggressive. Attack the rim on offense and protect it with ferocity on defense. Since that doesn't happen overnight, it's no surprise he told Steve Greenberg of the Chicago Sun-Times that a decision hasn't been made about the future:
"I know I'll be in position to live my dream in the NBA or live my dream and stay here at Duke with people who truly love me. I totally feel comfortable with staying here in college, and my family wouldn't care one bit as long as I'm happy. They know how much I love being here.
I love everything about Duke. I wish I could just stop time and be able to enjoy this as much as I can.
"
Ultimately, it's hard to see him staying in school, unless his stock takes a serious dip. He should be able to make an instant impact at the next level. Turning him into a perennial All-Star will take some work from the New York Knicks coaching staff, though, should that be where he lands.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky
Towns is a rare 7-footer in that he seems far more comfortable taking a mid-range shot than using his size in the post. That's clearly something that must be improved moving forward. But the overall skill set is impressive.
He's showcased a combination of power and athleticism that makes him tough to score against in the paint. Despite not being able to translate that to the other end quite yet, Jeff Goodman of ESPN notes the gap at the top of the draft may be closing:
Both players have areas where they need to improve, but Okafor's polish on the offensive end probably still gives him the slight edge right now. That could always change with the NCAA tournament on the horizon, though.
5. Orlando Magic: Myles Turner, PF, Texas
Turner is more of a work in progress than the first two players on the list. He's played a limited role for Texas this season. His size and athleticism definitely give him plenty of upside, but he's raw and can't be expected to make a huge impression right out of the gate.
Of course, the concern with players of that nature is always whether they will ever reach their true potential. It's not always an easy task, unless a team commits to giving the player consistent minutes while he grows. For now, Paul Biancardi of ESPN is already seeing some positive signs:
A decade ago, the Magic took Dwight Howard in the early stages of his development. He grew steadily into a dominant force over his first five years in the league. They could take a chance on Turner and hope he follows a similar path.
