NBA Rumors: Post-Lottery Draft Buzz on Knicks, Lakers and More

The lottery for the 2015 NBA draft was held on Tuesday night. The Minnesota Timberwolves retained the top overall pick after finishing with the worst record. The only change was that the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks swapped spots, moving to second and fourth, respectively.

Now that the order is set, things should become much clearer, both in terms of the order prospects are likely to come off the board and which selections may be available for trade. It already looks like the Knicks may be in the latter category.

With that in mind, let's examine some of the latest draft rumors making their way around the league with about one month until draft day (June 25).

Lakers' Targets at No. 2

The Lakers have been looking to make at least one more serious run toward a championship in the Kobe Bryant era. Winning the second pick is a major step in the right direction, and the longtime team leader is pleased they got lucky after a forgettable campaign:

Jordan Clarkson emerged as a solid option at the point during the second half of the season. That leaves center and small forward as the team's most glaring needs. Arash Markazi of ESPN thinks they will be going big in the draft, based on what he's heard:

Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor have long been considered the top post players in the class. They bring different games to the table, though. Okafor is more polished at this stage, especially in the paint on offense. Towns presents a more wide-ranging skill set and upside but needs time to develop.

It would be a surprise if Willie Cauley-Stein remains in the conversation now that Los Angeles owns the No. 2 pick. He's a terrific defender and strong rebounder, but his offensive game is lacking. It would be hard to pass up one of the top two for him unless they are sold on his offensive progression.

Will the Knicks Trade No. 4?

There are four prospects who have stood out: Towns, Okafor, D'Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay. So on the surface, the Knicks' sliding down a couple spots wouldn't be a major setback. But it turns out they may not be interested in a member of that group.

Chad Ford of ESPN reports that it doesn't appear New York is convinced that Mudiay will become a high-impact player. As a result, the front office is likely to engage in trade conversations with anybody looking to move up:

Justise Winslow headlines the next wave of prospects outside that top four. It wouldn't be a major reach to grab him if the Knicks don't find a trade partner. But Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports confirms they will work to find one:

The question is whether any team would be willing to give up an impact player for Mudiay, Winslow or an international prospect like Kristaps Porzingis. The Knicks already had a lot of work to do entering the season, but the lottery results made the job even tougher.

Robert Upshaw Outlook

Upshaw is a player to watch as the draft approaches. He's a natural center who averaged 10.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocks in 19 games for Washington before being dismissed last season.

Off-court problems in college have left his draft stock in limbo. He's a first-round talent who could have even pushed toward the lottery without the background issues.

Instead, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reports teams are likely to avoid him in Round 1, and it's not a guarantee he'll get drafted at all: "Several NBA executives said they wouldn't touch Upshaw in the first round; the second round could be a stretch. Upshaw has hired a life coach and has been working out at the famed P3 gym in Santa Barbara. But it's unlikely any team will guarantee him any money."

It's a typical risk-reward situation. Upshaw has the raw tools to become a valuable post player at the next level. Whether he will be able to avoid the negative spotlight long enough to reach that potential is very much a mystery, however.

Taking him in the second round eliminates some of the financial risk. Given his talent, going completely undrafted would still come as a surprise. Should he slide, hopefully it will serve as a wake-up call, and he'll be able to get back on track.