NBA Mock Draft 2016: Post-Lottery Projections for 1st-Round Prospects
So begins a monthlong process of debates around the 2016 NBA draft.
With the draft order set and the Philadelphia 76ers the biggest winners of all, the debate topics seem endless.
Here's a small sampling of the upcoming debates: Who should the 76ers take? Should Boston trade No. 3? Should Los Angeles trade No. 2? Will New York do whatever it takes to get in the first round? Is Thon Maker a lottery pick?
On and on it will go, which isn't a bad thing for NBA fans who cannot get enough of the postseason right now. It's an especially good thing for those fans who are dripping with optimism heading into a summer defined by a high-upside class and deep free-agent pool.
Below, let's take a look at the draft order and a mock based on team need and the prospect stock market.
2016 NBA Mock Draft
| 1. | Philadelphia 76ers | F Ben Simmons, LSU |
| 2. | Los Angeles Lakers | SF Brandon Ingram, Duke |
| 3. | Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn) | PF Dragan Bender, Croatia |
| 4. | Phoenix Suns | SG Buddy Hield, Oklahoma |
| 5. | Minnesota Timberwolves | SF Jaylen Brown, California |
| 6. | New Orleans Pelicans | SG Jamal Murray, Kentucky |
| 7. | Denver Nuggets (via New York) | C Jakob Poeltl, Utah |
| 8. | Sacramento Kings | PG Kris Dunn, Providence |
| 9. | Toronto Raptors (via Denver) | PF Henry Ellenson, Marquette |
| 10. | Milwaukee Bucks | C Thon Maker, Orangeville Prep |
| 11. | Orlando Magic | PF/C Deyonta Davis, Michigan State |
| 12. | Utah Jazz | F Marquese Chriss, Washington |
| 13. | Phoenix Suns (via Washington) | C Damian Jones, Vanderbilt |
| 14. | Chicago Bulls | SG Furkan Korkmaz, Turkey |
| 15. | Denver Nuggets (via Houston) | G Tyler Ulis, Kentucky |
| 16. | Boston Celtics (via Dallas) | SG Timothe Luwawu, France |
| 17. | Memphis Grizzlies | PG Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame |
| 18. | Detroit Pistons | SG Denzel Valentine, Michigan State |
| 19. | Denver Nuggets (via Portland) | G Caris LeVert, Michigan |
| 20. | Indiana Pacers | PF Brice Johnson, North Carolina |
| 21. | Atlanta Hawks | C Diamond Stone, Maryland |
| 22. | Charlotte Hornets | PF Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga |
| 23. | Boston Celtics | F Paul Zipser, Germany |
| 24. | Philadelphia 76ers (via Miami) | G Malik Beasley, Florida State |
| 25. | Los Angeles Clippers | C Skal Labissiere, Kentucky |
| 26. | Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City) | F Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida |
| 27. | Toronto Raptors | F Taurean Prince, Baylor |
| 28. | Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland) | C Cheick Diallo, Kansas |
| 29. | San Antonio Spurs | PG Wade Baldwin IV, Vanderbilt |
| 30. | Golden State Warriors | C Zhou Qi, China |
High-Upside Prospects to Know
11. Orlando Magic: PF/C Deyonta Davis, Michigan State
Deyonta Davis personifies the high-upside element mentioned above.
The Michigan State product played all of 18.6 minutes per game with the Spartans last year before making the jump, averaging just 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. However, his 1.8 blocks jump off the page.
Take those blocks and pair them with his age (19) and frame (6'11", 237 lbs) and the NBA has a potential next big thing on its hands.
As Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman noted, a rather weak class in Davis' specialty probably justifies his decision to go pro:
Should Davis land with a team that is willing to deploy him in defensive situations while giving him a few years to develop his offensive game, he could end up as a starter in the league for a long time.
The Orlando Magic provide an interesting scenario for Davis. The team already has Nikola Vucevic under center, but whether he's a long-term solution remains to be seen. Orlando could platoon the two of them while letting Davis work on developing into a core foundation piece of the future.
12. Utah Jazz: F Marquese Chriss, Washington
Washington's Marquese Chriss fits the upside conversation well after just one year with the Huskies.
Although he's one of the more polarizing prospects in the class, no one can argue about Chriss' presence in the lottery conversation. A 6'10", 233-pound forward, he is a superb athlete who plays strong defense and can space the floor with an accurate deep ball.
He averaged 13.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 53 percent from the floor and 35 percent from deep.
What's polarizing? Chriss' lack of offensive diversity, among other factors mentioned in a detailed ESPN.com scouting report:
"As with several other players in the No. 3 to No. 8 range, Chriss' upside is tantalizing, but there's are concerns that give pause. For Chriss, those are maturity and inconsistency. On the other hand, the positives are compelling -- elite size, athleticism and skill for his position. Of all the players in the top eight, he's the biggest boom-or-bust prospect. He has the talent to be the third-best player in the draft, but could also wash out of the league in a couple of years if he can't focus on the game.
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His developing game won't stop a team like the Utah Jazz from calling Chriss' name at No. 12.
Utah needs help all over the court, though it does boast an intriguing young core capable of growing into something more over time. The Jazz aren't hitting on a pick at No. 12 who changes the team into a winner right away, so adding Chriss to help the roster grow is a savvy move.
In time, Chriss could develop into a full-time starter, if not the best piece of a strong Jazz lineup.
28. Phoenix Suns: (via Cleveland) C Cheick Diallo, Kansas
Cheick Diallo blew away onlookers at the combine and forced his way into the first round with his potential.
So it goes for a Kansas product who comes in at 6'9" and 219 pounds with freak athleticism and scored 18 points in a scrimmage, according to ESPN.com.
So much for the quiet prospect who only averaged 7.5 minutes per game with the Jayhawks.
As CBS Sports' Sam Vecenie pointed out, nobody has helped themselves much of late compared to Diallo's stock maneuvering:
Diallo is light and needs to add strength, as anyone can glean from his weight. Like Davis, he needs to work on the offensive aspect of his game too.
But upside is the name of the game. Diallo could join a team like the Phoenix Suns and provide a high-energy presence off the bench and fill a defensive role well.
Phoenix, which has three picks in the first round, can afford to hit an area of need with a bit of a developmental prospect and watch him grow alongside Devin Booker and the other rookies.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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