2015 NBA Draft Results: Latest Grades for All Prospects Picked
No draft in the history of sports has ever transpired without a few unexpected twists and turns. The 2015 NBA draft proved no different, surprising, delighting and infuriating fans throughout two rounds.
Once the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Karl-Anthony Towns with the first pick, anything was fair game. Several teams made bold calls. Others chased team needs, and some were simply gifted too good of a value to pass up.
Here's a look at the draft results with final grades for each team. After that, let's break down some of the opening round's most interesting selections.
| Atlanta Hawks | B- |
| Boston Celtics | C+ |
| Brooklyn Nets | B |
| Charlotte Hornets | C+ |
| Chicago Bulls | A- |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | B- |
| Dallas Mavericks | B+ |
| Denver Nuggets | A- |
| Detroit Pistons | B- |
| Golden State Warriors | B+ |
| Houston Rockets | B |
| Indiana Pacers | B |
| Los Angeles Clippers | C |
| Los Angeles Lakers | A- |
| Memphis Grizzlies | B- |
| Miami Heat | A |
| Milwaukee Bucks | B+ |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | A |
| New Orleans Pelicans | C |
| New York Knicks | B+ |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | B+ |
| Orlando Magic | B+ |
| Philadelphia 76ers | A- |
| Phoenix Suns | B |
| Portland Trail Blazers | B |
| Sacramento Kings | B- |
| San Antonio Spurs | B+ |
| Toronto Raptors | B |
| Utah Jazz | B |
| Washington Wizards | B+ |
No. 5 Orlando Magic: Mario Hezonja, SF, Croatia
If Kristaps Porzingis fell to No. 5, the Orlando Magic would have pounced. The Latvian big man looked like the perfect choice for a club loaded with young athleticism but light on size and shooting.
The New York Knicks, however, tossed a wrench into those plans, making an unexpected long-term investment in the 19-year-old power forward. That left Orlando with the class' overshadowed international sensation, Mario Hezonja.
The brash Croatian forward certainly doesn't lack confidence. In January, he told Basketball Insiders' David Pick, "If I was in college I’d probably be the No. 1 pick." Yet most forecasters projected him going to the Denver Nuggets or Detroit Pistons at pick No. 7 or 8, respectively.
With Porzingis off the board, his tenacity and shooting stroke caught Magic general manager Rob Hennigan's attention. He discussed his latest lottery selection with Josh B. Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
“We think he has a lot of firepower offensively and also the ability to defend as well based on his athleticism and ability to move around the floor,” Hennigan said. “We see him as a dynamic player and another young player that we’ve added to the group to continue to grow together.”
Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo and Aaron Gordon are all talented players but below-average shooters. If restricted free agent Tobias Harris indeed receives a max offer sheet, RealGM's Shams Charania said the Magic likely won't match.
The Magic needed someone to space the floor, so Hezonja was far and away their best option.
No. 9 Charlotte Hornets: Frank Kaminsky, PF, Wisconsin
Frank Kaminsky is such a Charlotte Hornets pick. Rather than swing for the fences and aim for long-term improvement, the organization opted for the best immediate option. After all, there's no loftier goal in sports than becoming a 35-40 win Eastern Conference No. 8 seed.
A college superstar, Kaminsky registered 22.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last season, leading Wisconsin to the NCAA championship game. No Division I player netted a player efficiency rating higher than his 34.4, per Sports-Reference.com.
Few prospects have a higher floor than Frank the Tank, who should find his niche as a 7-footer stretching the floor. Yet he's hardly a game-changer for a franchise that hasn't won a playoff series in 13 years.
The pick draws further scrutiny when considering the massive haul Charlotte reportedly rejected. According to ESPN.com's Chris Forsberg, the Boston Celtics offered up to six draft picks to climb up from No. 16 to No. 9:
"The Boston Celtics made a strong final push to trade up into the top 10 in the draft, culminating in an offer to the Charlotte Hornets that included as many as six draft picks, including four potential first-rounders, for Charlotte's No. 9 pick, sources said.
The Celtics, whose offer was rebuffed by the Hornets, wanted to move up from No. 16 in order to draft Duke forward Justise Winslow, who was ultimately selected by the Miami Heat at No. 10.
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The Hornets should have capitalized on Boston's desperation. They even could have taken Winslow for themselves, but they likely felt he too closely resembled Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Kaminsky doesn't exude enough star gravitas for the team to turn down such an alluring package.
No. 22 Chicago Bulls: Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
Bobby Portis kept sliding and sliding. Then he slid some more, until the Chicago Bulls ended the descent at pick No. 22.
Chicago could have used insurance for Derrick Rose or a wing to ease Jimmy Butler's workload. Yet the SEC Player of the Year fell into the team's lap. During his sophomore season, the 6'11" power forward showed ability playing inside and out, recording a 53.6 field-goal percentage while flashing a deep shot (14-of-30) in limited three-point attempts.
Portis addressed his game upon getting selecting, courtesy of Slam magazine:
ESPN Insider Chad Ford backed up Portis' self-assessment:
Contending teams usually treat picks outside the lottery like lottery tickets, merely hoping to hit the jackpot despite the odds of profiting working against them. The Bulls, however, found a lottery-caliber talent who was still on the board.
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