NBA Draft 2015 Results: Grades for Each Team, Top Prospects and Sleepers
Nobody will know for at least a few months what they got out of the 2015 NBA draft, and while players like Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell are the likeliest to turn into superstars, it is the latter stages of the draft where the truest value will be found.
Marc Gasol wasn't taken until No. 48 in the 2007 NBA draft. Paul Millsap was No. 47 the year before. Draymond Green just had one of the most surprising breakout seasons in recent NBA history, and he was taken No. 35 overall.
Often times, it isn't the top prospects making the difference but the lower picks panning out better than expected that separates the contenders and the pretenders.
Whether it be because of limited expectations or an unexpected slide in the draft, here are three players who could be sleepers to turn into the league's next big star.
| Team | Grade |
| Atlanta Hawks | B- |
| Boston Celtics | C+ |
| Brooklyn Nets | B |
| Charlotte Hornets | B- |
| Chicago Bulls | A |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | B- |
| Dallas Mavericks | A- |
| Denver Nuggets | B+ |
| Detroit Pistons | B+ |
| Golden State Warriors | A |
| Houston Rockets | C+ |
| Indiana Pacers | B+ |
| Los Angeles Clippers | N/A |
| Los Angeles Lakers | A |
| Memphis Grizzlies | B= |
| Miami Heat | A |
| Milwaukee Bucks | B+ |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | A- |
| New Orleans Pelicans | B |
| New York Knicks | B+ |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | A |
| Orlando Magic | A- |
| Philadelphia 76ers | B |
| Phoenix Suns | B+ |
| Portland Trail Blazers | C+ |
| Sacramento Kings | A- |
| San Antonio Spurs | B+ |
| Toronto Raptors | C |
| Utah Jazz | C+ |
| Washington Wizards | A- |
Myles Turner, C, Indiana Pacers
It is hard to call a player selected in the lottery of the draft a sleeper to break out, but Myles Turner is the rare exception to the rule.
While those selected around him will have the weight of the world on their shoulders and be expected to carry their respective franchises in the future, Turner doesn't have to worry about all that. He has time to grow.
The Pacers are going to build around Paul George, and while many scouts see a ton of potential in the former Texas center, it is impossible to deny he is incredibly raw. There were flashes of brilliance with the Longhorns but not enough consistency or dominance for a player as good as Turner:
With a good nose for the ball on the glass, a surprisingly strong defensive presence in the paint and a decent ability to stroke it from beyond the arc, Turner fits into the modern ideal of a center better than most in the class.
His biggest weakness is that he isn't the strongest post-up player, but as the pace-and-space era takes hold of the NBA, he might not even need to develop that skill set to turn into a star for the Pacers.
With a limited level of expectations but the skills to become one of the best players in the league, Turner could be a sleeper for Indiana and a steal at No. 11.
Grade: B+
Tyus Jones, PG, Minnesota Timberwolves
There is a certain "it" factor that is talked about this time of year when the draft rolls around, even though nobody knows exactly what it means or whether or not it should have an impact on how high a player is drafted.
But regardless of its existence or possible lack thereof, there are few players in this year's draft class who have more of a so-called "it" factor than point guard Tyus Jones.
He's never going to be the most talented player on the floor—at Duke, he was probably only the fourth or fifth most skilled player on his team—but when the chips are down and the team needs it most, Jones is going to step his game up to a new level.
While at Duke, Jones averaged 11.8 points and 5.6 assists per game but consistently played his best on the biggest stage, upping his scoring average to 22.8 points in four games against North Carolina and Wisconsin, including the national title game:
Taken by the Cavaliers at No. 24, Jones was traded to the Timberwolves, per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, and could be an instant contributor off the bench behind Ricky Rubio.
As one of the best leaders in the draft and with a high basketball IQ, Jones is the perfect fit for a young but talented group in Minnesota. If his "it" factor remains as potent in the pros as it was in college, the point guard could end up developing into a star.
Grade: A-
Pat Connaughton, SG, Portland Trail Blazers
I don't mean to rain on anybody's parade, but the likelihood of Pat Connaughton being one of the league's five best players isn't all that great. But what he will be—should the 2014 fourth-round MLB draft pick choose basketball over baseball—is one of the best role players in the NBA.
Surprising a few with one of the year's best combine performances and already sporting one of the best shooting touches in the class, Connaughton has the ability to shape himself into anything from a bench contributor to a legitimate starter on a playoff team.
He still needs to fix some issues on defense and improve his ability to create off the dribble as a shooting guard, but a player with Connaughton's drive and ability will be hard to keep off the floor in the NBA:
Connaughton enters the league in a strong situation with the Portland Trail Blazers—who acquired him in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets, as reported by Wojnarowski—and won't have high expectations in terms of immediate production or even minutes, allowing the young shooting guard to develop behind veteran stars like Wesley Matthews, should the impending free agent re-sign with Portland.
Connaughton is not going to be the best player to come out of this draft, but with some development, he has the ability to turn into the second-round product we are all lauding in three to four years.
Grade: C+
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