NBA Mock Draft 2015: Latest Prospects' Stock Movement and Predictions
Take a closer look at the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors—former lottery picks are the backbone of each roster.
While it's impossible to know if any of the prospects in the 2015 class can morph into something comparable to LeBron James or Stephen Curry, there are glue guys who could help craft a championship roster throughout the first round of what is a deep class.
It's a class that organizations around the league cannot afford to whiff on, either, not with an important free-agency period on the way too.
Below, let's take a look at a fresh mock draft and some of the recent stock changes as NBA teams keep digging.
2015 NBA First-Round Mock Draft
| 1 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | Karl-Anthony Towns, PF, Kentucky |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China |
| 4 | New York Knicks | D'Angelo Russell, SG, Ohio State |
| 5 | Orlando Magic | Justise Winslow, SF, Duke |
| 6 | Sacramento Kings | Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets | Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Cameron Payne, SG, Murray State |
| 10 | Miami Heat | Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Croatia |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | Frank Kaminsky, PF, Wisconsin |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | Myles Turner, C/PF, Texas |
| 14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Kelly Oubre, SG, Kansas |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks (from Brooklyn Nets) | Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA |
| 16 | Boston Celtics | Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville |
| 18 | Houston Rockets (from New Orleans Pelicans) | Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky |
| 19 | Washington Wizards | Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| 21 | Dallas Mavericks | Tyus Jones, PG, Duke |
| 22 | Chicago Bulls | Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville |
| 23 | Portland Trail Blazers | Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame |
| 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas |
| 25 | Memphis Grizzlies | Richaun Holmes, PF, Bowling Green |
| 26 | San Antonio Spurs | Delon Wright, PG, Utah |
| 27 | Los Angeles Lakers (from Houston Rockets) | R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State |
| 28 | Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers) | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta Hawks) | Rakeem Christmas, PF, Syracuse |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Christian Wood, PF, UNLV |
Latest Upward Stock Movement
Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
Somehow, someway, Murray State point guard Cameron Payne's stock continues to rise.
As a sophomore last year with the Racers, Payne posted averages of 20.2 points and 6.0 assists, but he missed the Big Dance. In other words, folks knew a rise up the draft boards was inevitable once Payne secured the undivided attention of the Association.
Perhaps not this big of a rise, though.
Over at ESPN.com in Chad Ford's rankings, Payne now rests as a top-10 prospect, 100 percent erasing the days he didn't even appear on the first page. Ford even writes, "Payne continues to draw serious interest to the point that he's getting several looks in the lottery according to multiple team sources."
Yahoo Sports' Marc Spears reinforces these thoughts as well with recent workout information:
"Rising lottery pick Cameron Payne, a Murray State PG, has upcoming workouts scheduled with Lakers (2nd pick) & Knicks (4th), a source says.
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) June 6, 2015"
It's not hard to see why teams continue to fall for Payne—he's an elite scorer with the ball in his hands or off it, and he's the sort of composed floor general teams want running an offense, with upside as an added bonus.
It seems each week folks consider Payne at his peak, so let's not do so again. Just enjoy the ride.
Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV
It's all right if folks don't know the name Rashad Vaughn, although it's time to start with his face appearing on the front page of Ford's rankings too.
Vaughn suited up for UNLV last year and as a freshman posted averages of 17.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from the field and 38 percent from deep.
At 6'5" and 199 pounds, Vaughn offers good size, completing a total package most teams want to see before the big day. Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times provides some perspective:
"Rashad Vaughn said he worked out for Miami, Indiana, Golden State and the Lakers today - says he has about 8 more scheduled
— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) June 4, 2015"
For a freshman, the more scouts watch, the more they find to like.
The biggest component here is upside. Vaughn can score from anywhere on the court, and his penetration helps to get others involved. Give it a few years with pro coaches, and he could wind up as the steal of the draft.
Richaun Holmes, PF, Bowling Green
On the other end of the spectrum is Bowling Green's Richaun Holmes.
A senior last year with the Falcons, Holmes averaged 14.7 points and 8.0 rebounds, going on to now become the definition of a late riser.
Holmes stands strong at 6'10" and 243 pounds, with recent performances boosting his stock, such as at the Portsmouth Invitational, where he took home the MVP award.
"He's long, he's bouncy, he was everywhere," a general manager told Ford. "He really stood out on the defensive end of the court. He's a sleeper."
A defensive powerhouse, Holmes might not be as young as some in the Association would prefer, but he's pro-ready on that end of the court, which has its place in the league in a rotational sense right away.
This is a case of better late than never. Holmes is another late riser as a result of grabbing the league's attention by force during the draft process, and some team will benefit from it in the long run.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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