NBA Mock Draft 2016: 1st-Round Projections for Top Prospects' Landing Spots

The NBA playoffs may be rocking and rolling, but draft season is in full swing with the lottery on the horizon and the annual selection process nearly a month away.  

Here's a brief procedural note before we get started: The projected draft order below is a pre-lottery look and will be subject to change once the pingpong balls bounce on Tuesday, May 17. 

So as teams mull over interviews and workouts from the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago and hunker down before individual workouts kick into high gear, here's an early mock draft featuring this year's most coveted prospects:

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Philadelphia 76ers	Brandon Ingram, F, Duke
2	Los Angeles Lakers	Ben Simmons, F, LSU
3	Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn Nets)	Buddy Hield, G/F, Oklahoma
4	Phoenix Suns	Dragan Bender, PF, Maccabi Tel Aviv
5	Minnesota Timberwolves	Jamal Murray, G/F, Kentucky
6	New Orleans Pelicans	Kris Dunn, PG, Providence
7	Denver Nuggets (via New York Knicks)	Jaylen Brown, SF, California
8	Sacramento Kings	Timothe Luwawu, G/F, Mega Leks
9	Toronto Raptors (via Denver Nuggets)	Henry Ellenson, PF, Marquette
10	Milwaukee Bucks	Demetrius Jackson, PG, Notre Dame
11	Orlando Magic	Skal Labissiere, F/C, Kentucky
12	Utah Jazz	Denzel Valentine, G/F, Michigan State
13	Phoenix Suns (via Washington Wizards)	Jakob Poeltl, C, Utah
14	Chicago Bulls	Deyonta Davis, PF/C, Michigan State
15	Denver Nuggets (via Houston Rockets)	Domantas Sabonis, PF/C, Gonzaga
16	Boston Celtics (via Dallas Mavericks)	Marquese Chriss, PF, Washington
17	Memphis Grizzlies	Wade Baldwin IV, PG, Vanderbilt
18	Detroit Pistons	Tyler Ulis, PG, Kentucky
19	Denver Nuggets (via Portland Trail Blazers)	Ivica Zubac, C Mega Leks
20	Indiana Pacers	Taurean Prince, SF, Baylor
21	Atlanta Hawks	Furkan Korkmaz, SG, Anadolu Efes
22	Charlotte Hornets	Damian Jones, C, Vanderbilt
23	Boston Celtics	Diamond Stone, C, Maryland
24	Philadelphia 76ers (via Miami Heat)	Malik Beasley, SG, Florida State
25	Los Angeles Clippers	Stephen Zimmerman, C, UNLV
26	Philadelphia 76ers (via OKC Thunder)	DeAndre' Bembry, SF, St. Joseph's
27	Toronto Raptors	Ante Zizic , C, Cibona Zagreb
28	Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland Cavaliers)	Cheick Diallo, PF/C, Kansas
29	San Antonio Spurs	Brice Johnson, PF, North Carolina
30	Golden State Warriors	Malcolm Brogdon, G, Virginia

Top Prospects to Watch

Ben Simmons, F, LSU Tigers

Ben Simmons is a terror in transition and as gifted of a passer as you'll find in the 2016 NBA draft, so the Los Angeles Lakers are undoubtedly crossing their fingers for the LSU Tigers forward to fall into their laps June 23.

While the Lakers have accrued plenty of fine young assets in recent years, such as D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and soon-to-be restricted free-agent Jordan Clarkson, Simmons resides in another tier of stardom at just 19 years old.

"His playmaking ability is similar to Magic Johnson's," a scout told Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman in December. "He's a franchise guy; he's going to be special. Whoever gets him is going to be very happy. There won't be any regret on that pick."

PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	FG%	PER
19.2	11.8	4.8	2.0	56.0%	29.0

The question with Simmons is how his jump shot develops at the next level. During his lone season at LSU, Simmons shot 57-of-173 on two-point jumpers, good for a conversion rate of just 32.9 percent, according to Hoop-Math.com.

Simmons was also reluctant to take threes. The 6'10" physical freak attempted just three shots from beyond the arc all season as he repeatedly bullied his way into the paint and made 75.2 percent of his shots at the rim, per Hoop-Math.com.

But in the NBA, the Australian phenom won't have the luxury of imposing his will physically. Matched up against more robust, disciplined and savvy athletes, Simmons will need to expand his arsenal and develop the threat of a mid-range jumper if he wants to reach his potential. 

The acclimation process will require patience, but with a pro-ready physique and phenomenal floor vision, Simmons should be able to validate his status as a draft darling early with some sizzle in the open floor before his new team goes under the hood and fine-tunes key aspects of his game. 

Jamal Murray, G, Kentucky Wildcats

The Minnesota Timberwolves already own the NBA's most dynamic young talent pool, and they're slated to add another foundational piece to their championship puzzle when the 2016 NBA draft rolls round. 

And if the Tom Thibodeau-coached squad winds up in its projected draft slot at No. 5 overall, then Kentucky's Jamal Murray would be a perfect fit.

Not only do the Timberwolves need a sharpshooting wing to help take some pressure off Andrew Wiggins, but they could also use another robust perimeter defender who can do dirty work as an ace in Thibodeau's scheme.

During his lone season at Kentucky, Murray not only drilled an SEC-best 113 threes at a 40.8 percent clip, but he also emerged as one of the team's most determined defenders beyond the three-point line. 

"On the defensive side, Murray is a smart defender who plays with good awareness away from the ball," Bleacher Report's C.J. Moore wrote. "He's not super quick laterally, but he understands how to guard and he gets most of his steals jumping in passing lanes."

Considering Murray also finished 65.5 percent of his shots at the rim last season en route to averaging an even 20 points per game, according to Hoop-Math.com, the 19-year-old could be the dependable supplementary option Minnesota craves alongside Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. 
 

DeAndre' Bembry, F, St. Joseph's Hawks

DeAndre' Bembry flew under the radar at Saint Joseph's, but his stock appears to be rising steadily following standout showings at the Atlantic 10 and NCAA tournaments.

Following a 21-point outing against the George Washington Colonials on March 11, Bembry exploded for 30 points (13-of-16 shooting) in the A-10 tournament final as the St. Joseph's Hawks topped the Virginia Commonwealth Rams, 87-74. 

And when March Madness rolled around, Bembry stayed hot. Although the Hawks bowed out in the second round after escaping the Cincinnati Bearcats in a thriller, Bembry poured in 26 points during the first round before posting a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double against No. 1-seeded Oregon Ducks. 

Bembry averaged 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the field in 2015-16. In fact, he joined Simmons and Michigan State Spartans' Denzel Valentine as the only players to average at least 17 points, seven boards and four dimes per contest last season, per Sports-Reference.com.

"I like his playmaking ability," a scout told Wasserman. "That's my favorite part of his game."

Bembry still needs to improve his long-range stroke after converting a career-worst 26.6 percent of his three-point attempts last season, but his court vision, defensive versatility and ability to slash off the ball could make him a compelling late first-round pick for a wing-needy team such as the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com, unless noted otherwise.