2015 NBA Draft Order: Team-by-Team Selection List for Rounds 1-2
Only one more day stands between the nation's top prospects and the 2015 NBA draft, as they will finally find out where their landing spot in the league will be and which organization they'll represent for the early portion of their career.
Those selected in Thursday's first round are often advised not to get too used to the hat they initially get, with draft-day trades being a regular occurrence even after a player has been selected. But there shouldn't be any whisper of that regarding some of the initial picks in the draft, with some serious franchise-changing talent to choose from.
Take a look below at the updated selection list for all 60 picks that will grace Brooklyn's Barclays Center Thursday evening.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers could end up making hands-down the biggest acquisition of the draft this weekend, and it could have nothing to do with a selection at No. 2 overall.
As reported by ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Lakers are pursuing trade scenarios with the Sacramento Kings to try to acquire star center DeMarcus Cousins. Of course, Kings vice president of basketball operations Vlade Divac has said that is "not happening," per The Sacramento Bee's Ailene Voisin.
However, it won't take a deal with the Kings to bring L.A. a new franchise big man. The Lakers can simply stay home and get that at No. 2 overall, with either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor guaranteed to be available.
Should it be Okafor, ESPN.com's Chad Ford reported it's a likely possibility L.A. will nab him:
Although they'll pale in comparison, the Lakers have additional picks that could turn into something bigger in a possible trade. They have the 27th overall pick as well as the fourth pick in the second round, which would be considerable trade bait in a Cousins deal.
Or general manager Mitch Kupchak could work some draft magic and nab up to three stud youngsters.
Philadelphia 76ers
It seems like every Philadelphia 76ers draft is simply building up toward the next draft instead of the next season. But this could be the draft that begins to shift that conventional way of thinking.
Surprisingly enough, this year's draft lottery unfolded ideally for the 76ers. They fell to the third pick, but that was almost preferred, as the draft's top two prospects are big men and Philadelphia seemingly has a wealth of young talent there in Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel.
Of course, the budding stock of Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell could throw a wrench into that thinking, but that would also leave Philadelphia choosing between two star big men, as NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper noted:
There's no telling where exactly the 76ers front office will choose to go with this pick as they continue to try to piece together a roster that is fighting to escape the league's cellar. Any talent would be a welcome addition, assuming that talent is going to actually arrive and play NBA basketball—cough, Dario Saric.
But with the chance to stockpile a third high-lottery player in as many years, this will be the pick that either begins to get these Sixers off the ground or proves that they may never take off to begin with.
Charlotte Hornets
Recently winning the bid to host the 2017 All-Star Game isn't the only big thing happening around the Charlotte Hornets in anticipation for next season.
Owner Michael Jordan and company are also eyeing an opportunity to help push these Hornets to the next level in a way that few contending teams choose to these days—through the draft. And even more unconventionally, they traded away a proven talent (albeit an embattled one) in Lance Stephenson to open the door for a new player.
At No. 9 overall, Charlotte will have its pick of capable swingmen to aptly fill Stephenson's role. There's a chance Arizona freshman Stanley Johnson could fall into their laps, while a trade-down scenario could be had for a mid-round talent like Devin Booker or R.J. Hunter.
Either way, the Hornets are one impact-making perimeter player away from seeing this core of Kemba Walker, Al Jefferson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and more reach that next level. They could very well nab that player in this draft.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
