NBA Draft 2015: Mock Draft and Analysis Before Lottery Order Is Determined
The NBA draft lottery is the postseason for the teams that didn't reach the playoffs, except with luck obviously replacing skill, as a number of organizations all hope and pray that the pingpong balls bounce their way.
While this year's draft appears to be a strong one, there are still certain players who would fit nicely in particular organizations, and the only way to guarantee landing one is to win the lottery. So, along with breaking down a full mock draft below, let's take a look at the primary needs for the three teams with the best chances of winning the lottery.
| 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 | Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State |
| 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) | Delon Wright, PG, Utah |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (via Hawks) | Jarell Martin, PF, LSU |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Chris McCullough, PF, Syracuse |
Minnesota Timberwolves: An Athletic Post Presence
The Timberwolves have their primary ball-handler in Ricky Rubio, their go-to scorer in Andrew Wiggins, options at shooting guard in Kevin Martin and Zach LaVine and an assortment of power forwards that includes Kevin Garnett (if he re-signs with the team) and Anthony Bennett.
But a true difference-maker down on the block? An athletic, versatile big man?
That's something the Timberwolves desperately need. And Karl-Anthony Towns fits the bill.
Yes, he's a little bit of a project, but nobody expects Minny to be a playoff team next year. He could slowly develop his game alongside of Minnesota's other young talents and help to form a nasty one-two punch with Wiggins for years to come. And in terms of pure upside and potential, Towns has more than any player in this draft.
Fitting Towns into the nice pieces this team already has could return the Timberwolves to the playoffs sooner rather than later.
The New York Knicks: A Plug-and-Play Starter
The Knicks have no interest in rebuilding. When you already have Carmelo Anthony, the last thing you want to do is spend several seasons in the lottery, adding young talent while Anthony stews and regrets his decision to re-sign with the organization.
So in a perfect world, the Knicks would come out of this draft with Jahlil Okafor. He's absolutely a day one starter who already has an NBA post game and would likely give the Knicks 15 points and seven rebounds a night, if not more. Yes, his defense has a long way to go, but he would form a fierce duo with Anthony on offense and make the Knicks much more watchable than they were this year.
Plus, Towns is more of a project than Okafor. It can certainly be argued that Towns is the better fit with Anthony in the long run, but it looks like Okafor would improve the Knicks more in the short term, which is why I feel—despite arguments to the contrary—that Okafor is the player the Knicks will be targeting.
The Philadelphia 76ers: A Pure Scorer
As good as Towns is, I don't think the Sixers would pick him if they landed one of the top two picks. They already have a defensive presence down low in Nerlens Noel—not to mention a potential franchise center in Joel Embiid—so it's hard to imagine where Towns would fit in.
Besides, the Sixers need someone who can put points on the board, namely from the perimeter. While it would be tough for them to pass up Okafor if the Sixers landed the top overall pick, the team would likely be perfectly content if it ended up with the third overall pick and could choose between Emmanuel Mudiay and D'Angelo Russell.
Yes, I know that the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey linked the Sixers to Russell. Folks, before a draft, these types of reports mean absolutely nothing. An agent looking to generate buzz for a client or teams with various agendas—namely to create a smokescreen and keep them linked to anyone but their primary target—could leak them.
And yes, I know a shooter like Russell would pair nicely with the bigs Philly already has on the roster. But the Sixers have also built a team predicated on athleticism and defense, and Mudiay fits the bill in both regards. He drives to the hoop effortlessly, he'll set up his teammates and his biggest weakness—his jump shooting—is something he can improve with enough time in the gym.
Not that Russell wouldn't make sense. His silky-smooth jumper and ability to score from anywhere on the court are tantalizing, as is his excellent vision and deft passing. But after getting burnt by Evan Turner, the Sixers might be a bit hesitant to add a player who falls under the "crafty scorer" department due to his questionable athleticism.
Yes, Russell has more upside than Turner. But Mudiay has more upside than both of them and fits what the Sixers have done in the draft to this point.
