NBA Draft 2015: Mock Draft and Biggest Storylines Heading into Event

The prevailing storyline heading into the 2015 NBA draft, at the moment, is what will happen at the NBA draft lottery. Much will be decided on that night alone, and more than a few teams have everything to gain and everything to lose when the pingpong balls are selected. 

But until then, we can only speculate. So let's break down a full mock draft and some of the storylines sure to emerge heading into the draft.

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Minnesota Timberwolves	Karl-Anthony Towns, PF, Kentucky
2	New York Knicks	Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
3	Philadelphia 76ers	Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China
4	Los Angeles Lakers	D’Angelo Russell, PG/SG, Ohio State
5	Orlando Magic	Justise Winslow, G/F, Duke
6	Sacramento Kings	Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia
7	Denver Nuggets	Mario Hezonja, SF, Croatia
8	Detroit Pistons	Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona
9	Charlotte Hornets	Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky
10	Miami Heat	Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky
11	Indiana Pacers	Myles Turner, PF, Texas
12	Utah Jazz	Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin
13	Phoenix Suns	Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin
14	Oklahoma City Thunder	Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas
End of Lottery
15	Atlanta Hawks (via Nets)	Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA
16	Boston Celtics	Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville
17	Milwaukee Bucks	Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
18	Houston Rockets (via Pelicans)	Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame
19	Washington Wizards	Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
20	Toronto Raptors	Christian Wood, PF, UNLV
21	Dallas Mavericks	R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State
22	Chicago Bulls	Delon Wright, PG, Utah
23	Portland Trail Blazers	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF/SG, Arizona
24	Cleveland Cavaliers	Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia
25	San Antonio Spurs	Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
26	Memphis Grizzlies	Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas
27	Los Angeles Lakers (via Rockets)	Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky
28	Boston Celtics (via Clippers)	Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
29	Brooklyn Nets (via Hawks)	Jarell Martin, PF, LSU
30	Golden State Warriors	Chris McCullough, PF, Syracuse

Without question, the biggest story heading into the draft will be which player goes No. 1 overall, which will largely depend on which team holds the top pick. 

If the Minnesota Timberwolves end up with the selection, I could see them going with Karl-Anthony Towns. The T-Wolves need a big, physical rim protector, and Towns would fit the bill nicely. He has a bit more upside than Jahlil Okafor, even if he's rawer and will need more developmental time.

But that's just fine for Minnesota, which will be patient in allowing him to develop next to Andrew Wiggins and Ricky Rubio. Minnesota can afford to play the long game here. 

Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks, however, cannot, which is why I would guess both teams would go with the more polished Okafor with the top overall pick.

The Knicks could easily market him alongside Carmelo Anthony. The Lakers could put him on the block next to Julius Randle, and he'd be another center for Kobe Bryant to work with, along with whatever point guard the team potentially signs in free agency. 

But both teams are expected to be playoff teams, year in and year out, which is why I'd guess either side would jump at the chance to bring aboard Okafor. He could immediately give a team 15 points and seven rebounds a night, even if his defense needs to come a long way. 

Things could get really interesting if the Philadelphia 76ers land the top overall pick. The Sixers have shown a tendency to simply take the top player on the board, and in this year's draft, it hasn't really been disputed that Towns and Okafor, in whatever order you like, are those guys. 

But the Sixers are loaded down low, with Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel already on the roster and Dario Saric set to join the team after next season. Size isn't exactly needed in Philly. So what might the Sixers do?

Here are their options:

• They could look to deal either Embiid or Noel if they feel Towns or Okafor will be the better player, hoping to get a top-five pick either this year or next in return. Would anybody be surprised if the Sixers traded a known commodity like Noel for more draft picks? 
• They could look to trade down to the third or fourth pick, where they'd still be able to nab either D'Angelo Russell or Emmanuel Mudiay to fill positions they really need while likely getting picks back in return. 
• They could just draft Towns or Okafor and field the tallest lineup in the NBA, just for the heck of it. 
• They could just draft Russell or Mudiay No. 1 overall, much to the delight of the teams below them, though it would be unlike Sam Hinkie to pass up the chance to squeeze out as much value as possible from the top pick. 

The first two options feel like the most likely choices. It would certainly make for a fascinating lead-up to the draft. 

Of course, the Sixers are also hoping they end up with multiple picks. If the Lakers fall out of the top five and the Miami Heat fall out of the top 10 of the draft, the Sixers could end up with three top-11 picks. Philadelphia would instantly go into party mode, because it could dramatically improve with that many lottery selections. 

A lot will remain unknown until the draft lottery; that much is for certain. Once those pingpong balls decide the fates of several teams, however, a clearer picture will emerge of how the draft will play out.