NBA Draft Order 2015: Post-Lottery Selection List and Mock Draft Projections
Congratulations, Minnesota Timberwolves. You are the biggest winner of the NBA's list of 2014-15 losers.
Minnesota won the NBA draft lottery Tuesday and the right to the No. 1 pick that comes with it. Now a talented draft class that includes Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, Emmanuel Mudiay and D'Angelo Russell, among others, is at its fingertips.
The Los Angeles Lakers received the No. 2 pick and will have their choice of players after the Timberwolves. Superstar Kobe Bryant reacted:
Here is a look at the order of picks for the Timberwolves, Lakers and the rest of the teams in the league as well as a subsequent mock draft for the entire first round.
| 1 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Karl-Anthony Towns, F/C, Kentucky |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China |
| 4 | New York Knicks | D'Angelo Russell, G, Ohio State |
| 5 | Orlando Magic | Justise Winslow, SF, Duke |
| 6 | Sacramento Kings | Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets | Mario Hezonja, G, Croatia |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | Stanley Johnson, F, Arizona |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia |
| 10 | Miami Heat | Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | Myles Turner, C, Texas |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | Kelly Oubre Jr., SF, Kansas |
| 14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks (via Brooklyn Nets) | Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky |
| 16 | Boston Celtics | Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Montrezl Harrell, PF-C, Louisville |
| 18 | Houston Rockets (via New Orleans Pelicans) | Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky |
| 19 | Washington Wizards | Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | Christian Wood, PF, UNLV |
| 21 | Dallas Mavericks | Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State |
| 22 | Chicago Bulls | Tyus Jones, PG, Duke |
| 23 | Portland Trail Blazers | Jarell Martin, PF, LSU |
| 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Delon Wright, PG, Utah |
| 25 | Memphis Grizzlies | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
| 26 | San Antonio Spurs | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| 27 | Los Angeles Lakers (via Houston Rockets) | Robert Upshaw, C, Washington |
| 28 | Boston Celtics (via Los Angeles Clippers) | R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (via Atlanta Hawks) | Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas |
Projected First-Round Picks Who Will Help Playoff Teams
Cleveland Cavaliers: Delon Wright, PG, Utah
The Cleveland Cavaliers could use Utah's Delon Wright in the Eastern Conference Finals as a source of point guard depth while Kyrie Irving deals with lingering knee and foot concerns.
Unfortunately for Northeast Ohio, Cleveland will have to wait until the draft to add an insurance policy behind Irving.
Wright would fit in perfectly with Cleveland as a facilitator off the bench and instant contributor in the rotation. He is an explosive scorer in bursts and could take some of the regular-season offensive load off LeBron James' and Irving's backs. Cleveland's two stars both averaged more than 36 minutes a game this year, and Wright would at least make those minutes less stressful if he provided instant offense.
Wright was a second-team All-American this season and possesses impressive ball-handling skills in transition. When he is not feeding teammates on the wings and corners, he attacks the basket with silky moves and finishes at the rim.
However, the best thing Wright brings to Cleveland in this hypothetical is his defense, as Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress explained:
"Wright's best attribute from a NBA standpoint is likely his defense. He has quick feet, excellent instincts and a scrappy nature, putting outstanding pressure on the ball. His instincts for getting in the passing lanes and overall timing for making plays off the ball is extraordinary, helping him average an outstanding 2.6 steals per-40 minutes pace adjusted in his two seasons at Utah, with a ton of blocks and rebounds thrown in for good measure.
"
While the Utah product would take the offensive pressure off James and Irving at times, his ability to pick up the opponent's best perimeter players for stretches would help the four-time MVP and Cleveland's point guard reserve more offensive energy.
That is a scary proposition for the rest of the East.
Dallas Mavericks: Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
Point guard Rajon Rondo is an impending free agent, and Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News said he is “done with Mavericks.” Assuming Rondo signs elsewhere, the Dallas Mavericks need reinforcements in the backcourt.
The other point guards on the roster this season don’t exactly inspire long-term confidence. J.J. Barea, Raymond Felton and Devin Harris are all at least 30 years old, and someone like Murray State's Cameron Payne would challenge for a starting spot right away.
Payne is a lethal scorer as a ball-handler (20.2 points per game this season on the way to the OVC Player of the Year), but his ability to fire passes through narrow holes and set up teammates in transition will fit in alongside Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis.
In addition to the passing, Payne can shoot the three, get to the rim with an explosive first step and operate an entire offense out of the pick-and-roll if necessary. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Payne starting a number of sets with pick-and-pops with Nowitzki or pick-and-rolls with the bigs who presented the opportunity to either attack the basket or set up his more accomplished teammates in scoring situations.
Dallas could do much worse near the end of the first round than a potential starter at point guard.
Milwaukee Bucks: Montrezl Harrell, PF/C, Louisville
The Milwaukee Bucks boast an intriguing young core of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker and Michael Carter-Williams who gave the Chicago Bulls fits in the first round of the playoffs. That core becomes even stronger if impending free agent Khris Middleton elects to comes back.
However, Milwaukee needs a consistent rim protector. Enter Louisville's Montrezl Harrell.
Harrell checks in at 6’8”, so he's not exactly an overpowering presence. But he makes up for it with explosive leaping ability and athleticism. He has a relentless motor that allows him to cover the entire baseline in half-court sets and get out in transition on offense and back on defense.
His 9.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game this season for the Cardinals were a testament to his ability to impact the game in the paint through other ways than just scoring.
Harrell can certainly score, though, and he finishes around the rim with alley-oops, soft hook shots and offensive putbacks. Those traits will help him in Milwaukee as the aforementioned players attract more defensive attention through drives and outside shots.
Harrell worked out with Kentucky’s Trey Lyles leading up to draft and earned praise from the former Wildcat, per Jeff Greer of the Courier-Journal (via the Indianapolis Star): "It's been competitive. He's a great defender (and) he's learning a lot offensively, getting a lot better offensively as a player, becoming more well-rounded. It's been good for both of us."
The Bucks will be the beneficiaries from that improvement.
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