NBA Mock Draft 2016: 1st-Round Projections and Top Sleeper Prospects
With the 2016 NFL draft behind us, all eyes can turn to the NBA's edition. While much will be decided in the lottery and many projections will change based on workouts and the NBA Draft Combine starting May 11, a general sense of how the board will fall is starting to materialize.
Let's take a look at my latest mock draft, along with a few sleepers who should be available late in the first round on June 23.
| 1 | Philadelphia 76ers | Ben Simmons, PF, LSU |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | Brandon Ingram, SF, Duke |
| 3 | Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn Nets) | Jamal Murray, SG, Kentucky |
| 4 | Phoenix Suns | Dragan Bender, PF, Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| 5 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Buddy Hield, SG, Oklahoma |
| 6 | New Orleans Pelicans | Kris Dunn, PG, Providence |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets (via New York Knicks) | Jaylen Brown, SF, California |
| 8 | Sacramento Kings | Denzel Valentine, SF, Michigan State |
| 9 | Toronto Raptors (via Denver Nuggets) | Henry Ellenson, PF, Marquette |
| 10 | Milwaukee Bucks | Jakob Poeltl, PF, Utah |
| 11 | Orlando Magic | Marquese Chriss, PF, Washington |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Furkan Korkmaz, SG, Turkey |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns (via Washington Wizards) | Timothe Luwawu, SG, France |
| 14 | Chicago Bulls | Tyler Ulis, PG, Kentucky |
| END OF LOTTERY | ||
| 15 | Denver Nuggets (via Houston Rockets) | Deyonta Davis, PF, Michigan State |
| 16 | Boston Celtics (via Dallas Mavericks) | Taurean Prince, SF, Baylor |
| 17 | Memphis Grizzlies | Wade Baldwin IV, SG, Vanderbilt |
| 18 | Detroit Pistons | Domantas Sabonis, PF, Gonzaga |
| 19 | Denver Nuggets (via Portland Trail Blazers) | Diamond Stone, C, Maryland |
| 20 | Indiana Pacers | Thon Maker, PF, Syracuse |
| 21 | Atlanta Hawks | DeAndre' Bembry, SF, St. Joseph's |
| 22 | Charlotte Hornets | Demetrius Jackson, PG, Notre Dame |
| 23 | Boston Celtics | Cheick Diallo, C, Kansas |
| 24 | Philadelphia 76ers (via Miami Heat) | Malik Beasley, SG, Florida State |
| 25 | Los Angeles Clippers | Caris LeVert, SG, Michigan |
| 26 | Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City Thunder) | Melo Trimble, PG, Maryland |
| 27 | Toronto Raptors | Dejounte Murray, G, Washington |
| 28 | Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland Cavaliers) | Stephen Zimmerman, C, UNLV |
| 29 | San Antonio Spurs | Ante Zizic, C, Croatia |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Damian Jones, C, Vanderbilt |
Cheick Diallo, PF, Kansas
What a weird season Cheick Diallo just had at Kansas. Let's recap:
- He was considered the No. 5 recruit in the class of 2015, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
- The NCAA originally ruled he wasn't eligible to play after receiving impermissible benefits, though it changed the ruling in late November 2015, giving him just a five-game suspension and clearing him to return to the Jayhawks.
- He promptly found himself buried on the bench given Kansas' deep roster, averaging just 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game.
So it was a disappointing freshman campaign without question. But his head coach at Kansas, Bill Self, feels there are big things in his future.
"Cheick will get the last laugh on everybody, and I think he knows that," Self told C.L. Brown of ESPN.com in March. "He knows he's young in the game, and he's got a lot to learn. But certainly his enthusiasm and his want-to hasn't been dampened at all by not playing as much as I know he wants to play."
There's no question the 6'9" and 220-pound Diallo has huge upside. He's an athletic, aggressive player down low who furiously rebounds and can block shots. He finishes well at the rim, though his offensive game needs quite a bit of polish.
Plus, it's hard to knock him too much for failing to make a dent at Kansas this season, as the Jayhawks were stacked and Diallo was playing catch-up after not being eligible early on. So Diallo is a project, but he's a project who has lottery talent. That makes him worth the gamble.
Caris LeVert, SG, Michigan
Caris LeVert has a ton of ability. He also has a ton of question marks.
As Gary Parrish of CBS Sports noted, "He's a talent worthy of the lottery. But injuries have provided question marks that will cause him to slip."
LeVert steadily improved over his four years at Michigan, averaging 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists this past season while shooting 44.6 percent from beyond the arc. He's an excellent player on the perimeter, providing excellent size (6'7", 200 lbs), shooting and vision.
If he can stay healthy—and that's a big if after three foot surgeries in the past 22 months—he could be a steal late in the first round or early in the second. He probably doesn't have star upside in the NBA, but he could be a top-notch role player or sixth man. At the very least, he should make an immediate impact in the league next year.
Dejounte Murray, G, Washington
ESPN Insider Chad Ford nicely summed up Dejounte Murray's potential at the next level:
"Murray may have as much upside as any point guard in the draft after Jamal Murray and Dunn are off the board. He's got great size, toughness and a knack for seeing the floor. He also can be wild, and his jump shot is erratic.
Murray has bust potential, but he also carries some of the ingredients to be a star at the next level if he develops.
"
At Washington, the 6'5", 170-pound guard averaged 16.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
The athleticism and playmaking ability have to make him appealing to NBA teams. His subpar shooting and sometimes wild play make him a wild card. Outside of the lottery, the risk is worth it with Murray.
You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.
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