NBA Mock Draft 2016: Early Projections for Every 1st-Round Pick

The 2015 NBA draft is over, and that means it's time for scouts, coaches and general managers to take a long and well-deserved break from the game.

Not quite. Especially when it comes to the business of player procurement. When one draft ends, scouts get a good night's sleep, wake up one hour later than normal and get right back to work with an extra strong cup of coffee to jar the senses back to reality.

It's the same here at Bleacher Report. We want to give you an early look at the 2016 NBA draft, and we provide you with our first mock draft of that enterprise. 

Here are our early projections.

Hypothetical 2016 draft order is identical to 2015 and does not account for outstanding trades.

No.	Team	Player
1	Minnesota Timberwolves	SF Ben Simmons, LSU
2	Los Angeles Lakers	PF-C Skal Labissiere, Kentucky
3	Philadelphia 76ers	SF Jaylen Brown, California
4	New York Knicks	PF Ivan Rabb, California
5	Orlando Magic	PF-C Chuck Diallo, Kansas
6	Sacramento Kings	SG Caris LeVert, Michigan
7	Denver Nuggets	SF Brandon Ingram, Duke
8	Detroit Pistons	PF Dragan Bender, Croatia
9	Charlotte Hornet	SG Daniel Hamilton, UConn
10	Miami Heat	SG Malik Newman, Mississippi State
11	Indiana Pacers	PF Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga
12	Utah Jazz	SF Devin Robinson, Florida
13	Phoenix Suns	PG EC Matthews, Rhode Island
14	Oklahoma City Thunder	C Jakob Poetl, Utah
15	Atlanta Hawks	SG Antonio Blakeney, LSU
16	Boston Celtics	PG Kris Dunn, Providence
17	Milwaukee Bucks	SG Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Kansas
18	Houston Rockets	SG Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
19	Washington Wizards	SF Justin Jackson, North Carolina
20	Toronto Raptors	PF Egemen Guven, Turkey
21	Dallas Mavericks	PG Melo Trimble, Maryland
22	Chicago Bulls	PF Brice Johnson, North Carolina
23	Portland Trail Blazers	PF Guerschon Yabusele, France
24	Cleveland Cavaliers	C Diamond Stone, Maryland
25	Memphis Grizzlies	PF Malik Pope, San Diego State
26	San Antonio Spurs	C Damian Jones, Vanderbilt
27	Los Angeles Lakers	PG Isaiah Taylor, Texas
28	Boston Celtics	SG Tim Quarterman, LSU
29	Brooklyn Nets	SF Danuel House, Texas A&M
30	Golden State Warriors	C Zhou Qi, China

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: SF Ben Simmons, Louisiana State

Look for Ben Simmons to follow the same path that Karl-Anthony Towns did this year by going to school for one year and then heading to the top of the draft class.

Simmons is an Australian import who has a chance to be special. He moves the way a great athlete is expected to travel around the court and he appears to be balanced and ready to attack the rim at any point. He excels at creating plays for himself and he is quite confident if he has to pull up and take the shot.

Unlike many gifted superstars, he is already a disciplined and hard working player who will push himself to get better and he also takes well to coaching. Simmons is a strong defender who gets a low base and will not give ground.

2. Los Angeles Lakers: PF-C Skal Labissiere, Kentucky

The latest in head coach John Calipari's class of freshman phenoms, look for Skal Labissiere to have a dramatic impact on the Wildcats' 2015-16 season before he is selected with one of the top three picks in the 2016 draft.

Labissiere has the ability to play well in the post like a big man, but he can score the basketball from the outside with ease. Labissiere is 7'0" and 216 pounds, and he has the frame to put on more weight and get stronger. That's going to be essential when he gets to the NBA.

However, his game is fully developed, and he understands the team concept that Kentucky will play in 2014-15 as well as the pro-style game. Labissiere is an excellent passer and he has the kind of court vision to pass the ball to his open teammate before he is hampered by the double team.

Intelligence, talent and athleticism makes him an ideal NBA prospect

3. Philadelphia 76ers: SF Jaylen Brown, California

The 6'7" Jaylen Brown will go cross-country from his home in Marietta, Georgia to play for California in 2015-16, and he should thrive in the Pac-10 because of his length and athleticism. Brown is basically a finished product offensively because he will attack the rim as long as he has just a few inches of daylight and he will not hesitate to get his teammates involved.

Brown does his best work when he is playing above the rim, but his jump shot has improved quite a bit and if it can continue to get better, he will ensure his positioning near the top of the draft.

Brown has the kind of focus and intensity that is rare for a youngster. It's an important characteristic, and while he is going to have to prove himself at the college level and when he gets to the NBA, he has shown a lot of fight during the most important moments when other players may tend to shrink.