5 Burning Questions Following the 2015 NBA Draft Lottery
Despite the 2015 NBA draft lottery playing out without many major surprises, the order still raises a handful of burning questions.
And for the most part, they come at the top, starting with the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 1. Whatever direction the Wolves go in could have a domino effect down the board.
There should be some interesting debates going on in the front offices for the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic. Whether they'll base their selections on need or talent, or if they'll make a trade, are all decisions teams must make prior to the June 25 draft.
Does Minnesota Go with Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor?
1 of 5
It would seem hard to imagine the Minnesota Timberwolves realistically considering anyone outside of Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns and Duke's Jahlil Okafor. Minnesota already has two perimeter-oriented cornerstones in Ricky Rubio and Andrew Wiggins. And big man Nikola Pekovic just recently had major Achilles surgery.
Okafor gives the Wolves an option they can feature right away. Towns, who's the better athlete, defender and shooter, isn't quite as polished but offers greater long-term upside fueled by two-way versatility.
Based on team needs and the talent each prospect possesses, president Flip Saunders really can't go wrong with either.
But I just don't know how he passes on Towns, whose ability to play inside or outside, as well as protect the rim, should hold too much value in Minnesota to go with Okafor. The Wolves could take him to eventually replace Pekovic at the 5 or to complement him at the 4.
However, according to some, including DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony, Saunders "really likes Okafor."
Still, don't bet on the Wolves tipping their hat until draft night. Expect the Towns-Okafor debate to continue for another month.
Do the Lakers Automatically Take Whichever Big Man Falls to Them at No. 2?
2 of 5
There will be a potential franchise center available for the Lakers to grab at No. 2 regardless of who goes No. 1.
Jahlil Okafor would give the Lakers a post scorer they can expect immediate results from on a rookie contract—which should be important for a team looking to win now and build through free agency.
Karl-Anthony Towns' ceiling is as high as any prospect's in the field, given his athleticism, offensive versatility and defensive upside in rim protection.
But what about the guards?
You can't just ignore Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell. Considering his spectacular ball skills, 6'5" size, unteachable vision and basketball IQ, don't view it as earth-shattering if Russell eventually emerges as the class' top player.
He sure seems to think he will. “I’m the best player in the draft,” Russell told reporters at last week's NBA combine in Chicago.
Even Emmanuel Mudiay, the point guard who spent the year in China, deserves consideration. In terms of pure talent, when you take into account his physical tools (6'5" size, 200-pound frame, 6'8" wingspan) and above-the-rim athleticism, Mudiay offers All-Star potential held back by correctable weaknesses like shooting and decision-making.
This was a 5-star recruit, according to 247 Sports, who played in every major high school All-Star game, including the McDonald's All-American, the Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.
The bigs will remain favorites, but over the next month, there will be buzz and speculation regarding the Lakers' willingness to consider one of the guards.
Which Guard Do the 76ers Target, and Do They Take a Big Man If One Falls?
3 of 5
At this stage, it seems reasonable to assume that Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor are your favorites to go No. 1 and No. 2.
That leaves a pair of guards for the 76ers to target. And given all the big men on the roster, odds are that general manager Sam Hinkie had his eye on those guards all season.
Now, the question is which one to take.
D'Angelo Russell is more skilled and versatile, with the vision, passing instincts and handle to the run the point. He also has the 6'5" size, scoring ability and shooting stroke (41.1 percent from three, 95 threes made) to slide off the ball.
Emmanuel Mudiay is the better athlete with similar 6'5" size and a stronger frame. He can overpower defenders, soar above them or pick them apart off the dribble.
But what if the Lakers grab Russell or Mudiay at No. 2? It's not as crazy as it seems. You could argue both have more upside than Okafor, who isn't great in rim protection, shot 51 percent from the line and lacks the explosiveness of most of today's interior-oriented centers like DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard.
Would the 76ers take Okafor at No. 3 despite already having a center in Joel Embiid, a power forward in Nerlens Noel and a 6'10" big in Dario Saric seasoning abroad? Based on Hinkie's history, he seems willing to ignore fit, as long as it means drafting the best player available.
But at some point, the Sixers need to start putting together a lineup. And all four big men can't play together.
It probably won't come to this, given the likelihood of Towns and Okafor's going in the top two. So the Sixers will likely end up with Russell. But Mudiay will receive just as much consideration, and chances are a big man will as well if one surprisingly fell to No. 3.
Do the New York Knicks Trade or Keep Their Pick at No. 4?
4 of 5
Falling to No. 4 is a blow but not a disaster for the Knicks. There will be plenty of high-quality prospects available for New York to choose from.
But there is already speculation the Knicks could shop this pick as well, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
The ideal play would be to move the fourth pick for a star, though it's tough to imagine any being available for that price. Another option is trading down a few spots and landing a role player on the side. For example, the Knicks can offer the fourth pick to the Sacramento Kings for the sixth pick and Ben McLemore.
But unless someone blows away the Knicks with an offer, they'll likely keep their pick and draft a prospect to develop. The latter is the more likely scenario, since teams aren't typically comfortable giving up established talent for uncertainty.
Emmanuel Mudiay looks like he'll be the top prospect on the board when the Knicks are on the clock. He reminds me of 6'4" Jrue Holiday, given his size for a point guard, playmaking ability and burst. But as a ball-dominator, poor shooter and shaky decision-maker, Mudiay's also a questionable fit for the triangle.
The Knicks could look at Duke's Justise Winslow or Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein—two safe bets who currently offer more defensively than offensively.
They could even swing for the fences on Latvia's Kristaps Porzingis or Croatia's Mario Hezonja—two international studs with can't-miss talent.
Despite losing out on the chance at Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor and (probably) D'Angelo Russell, the Knicks sure aren't short of options. And all of them are promising.
They won't come out the big winner of the event, but they'll certainly look much better on June 26 than they do today.
What Direction Does Orlando Go in If Okafor, Towns, Russell and Mudiay Are Gone?
5 of 5
The Orlando Magic seem to have a promising cornerstone at every position on the floor. And at No. 5, there will be a bunch of directions they can go in if the big four are off the board.
Orlando will have wings to choose from in Justise Winslow, Mario Hezonja and Arizona's Stanley Johnson. Taking one of them might make the Magic less inclined to match a steep offer on restricted free agent Tobias Harris.
They could also grab a power forward in Kristaps Porzingis, who has a completely different skill set than last year's pick Aaron Gordon. Actually, Porzingis' ability to stretch the floor as a shooter and play above the rim could work well next to Nikola Vucevic.
Orlando could also go with defensive center Willie Cauley-Stein, who may attract the Magic, given the lack of rim protection offered by Vucevic in the middle.
It's even possible that the Knicks take one of the previously mentioned players, which could leave Emmanuel Mudiay available.
There is a case to be made for five to six prospects at the No. 5 spot on the board. With a scorer at center, a developing backcourt in Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo, Harris entering restricted free agency and Gordon ready to roll, it will be interesting to see which prospect general manager Rob Hennigan chooses.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
