2015 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions and Prospects Who Can Help Contenders
As the NBA Finals approach, all but two teams are left to ponder what pieces they can add to make the 2015-16 season better than the 2014-15 campaign. The draft is the obvious focus of this article as we spotlight three prospects in the best position to help a contender.
Take a look at my latest mock draft with those players highlighted in the table below. A closer look at each player is listed under the table.
| 1 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Karl-Anthony Towns, PF, Kentucky |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | D'Angelo Russell, SG, Ohio State |
| 4 | New York Knicks | Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China |
| 5 | Orlando Magic | Justise Winslow, SF, Duke |
| 6 | Sacramento Kings | Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets | Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Croatia |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Kelly Oubre, SG, Kansas |
| 10 | Miami Heat | Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | Myles Turner, C/PF, Texas |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Frank Kaminsky, PF, Wisconsin |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky |
| 14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks (from Brooklyn Nets) | Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin |
| 16 | Boston Celtics | Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas |
| 18 | Houston Rockets (from New Orleans Pelicans) | Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame |
| 19 | Washington Wizards | Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| 21 | Dallas Mavericks | Tyus Jones, PG, Duke |
| 22 | Chicago Bulls | Delon Wright, PG, Utah |
| 23 | Portland Trail Blazers | Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville |
| 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State |
| 25 | Memphis Grizzlies | Robert Upshaw, C, Washington |
| 26 | San Antonio Spurs | George Lucas de Paula, PG, Brazil |
| 27 | Los Angeles Lakers (from Houston Rockets) | Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV |
| 28 | Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers) | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta Hawks) | Chris McCullough, PF, Syracuse |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Christian Wood, PF, UNLV |
Cameron Payne
As one of the real sleepers in the NBA draft, Cameron Payne of the Murray State Racers has a game that will immediately translate to the NBA. He plays with the headiness that will likely endear him to an NBA head coach.
Payne is the rare point guard who possesses the instincts and feel for the game that allow him to gear his approach toward what his team needs at any given moment. He has excellent vision and is a willing creator for his teammates (six assists per game).
He's also a dead-eye shooter from long range (37.3 percent) and effective driving to the basket with an array of floaters. Take a look at his scouting profile from DraftExpress:
He lacks a bit of explosiveness and raw quickness, but he does have above-average handles. While I'm not comparing him to the Cleveland Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving, the Cavs star has shown us how effective a point guard can be without elite-level bounce and straight-line speed if he has the handle and an excellent shooting touch.
Billy Donovan is the new head coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder and a former point guard. Don't put it past him to move Russell Westbrook to shooting guard in favor of a more pure point guard like Payne.
Delon Wright
While he's not a consistent outside shooter, Delon Wright has some obvious qualities that you can't teach. He's a legit 6'5", which gives him elite size at the point. He's a good rebounder at his position, having averaged five boards per game this past season to go with five assists per contest.
Wright also poured in 14.7 points per game.
Where he really excels is as a defender. He has the potential to be a lockdown option on the perimeter because of his speed and desire to shut down his defensive assignment. His jump shot has improved but could still stand to gain some consistency. If that aspect of his game continues to improve, he could easily become a starter in the NBA.
Derrick Rose had a bounce-back year and encouraging postseason run, but the Chicago Bulls still need to add depth behind him. Rose would probably be best suited as a 60-game player for at least the next two years. The Bulls need a capable point guard who can fill in for Rose when he rests and should he go down with another injury.
Wright's size also allows him and Rose to play in the backcourt together. This pick would be a home run for the Bulls if a player like Payne or Notre Dame Fighting Irish star Jerian Grant is already off the board.
R.J. Hunter
Despite the fact that his three-point accuracy dipped last season, there's no questioning R.J. Hunter's status as one of the best long-range bombers—if not the best—in this year's draft.
Before seeing his long-range accuracy dip to 30 percent in his junior season, Hunter connected on 36 and 39 percent of his threes as a freshman and sophomore, respectively.
Hunter also worked hard to turn himself into more than just a shooter. Defensively, he really improved. He averaged 2.1 steals and a block per game while putting in 19.7 points and dishing a career-high 3.6 assists.
If paired with LeBron James and Irving in Cleveland, Hunter could be a deadly weapon for a team whose arrow is already pointing straight up.
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