2016 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Prospects Whose Stocks Are on the Rise
NBA draft prospects aren’t playing meaningful basketball games at the moment, but that doesn’t mean their respective stocks aren’t changing.
Teams are going through workouts and interviews with individual prospects and also have information gleaned from May’s draft combine to take into account. They’re also looking at which prospects have more potential and which are equipped to contribute immediately.
After predicting the first 30 picks of June 23's draft, let’s examine potential fits for three prospects whose stocks seem to be rising.
| 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 | SF Jaylen Brown, California |
| 5 | Minnesota Timberwolves | SG Buddy Hield, Oklahoma |
| 6 | New Orleans Pelicans | PG Kris Dunn, Providence |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets (via New York) | PG/SG Jamal Murray, Kentucky |
| 8 | Sacramento Kings | F Marquese Chriss, Washington |
| 9 | Toronto Raptors (via Denver) | PF/C Skal Labissiere, Kentucky |
| 10 | Milwaukee Bucks | C Jakob Poeltl, Utah |
| 11 | Orlando Magic | SG Furkan Korkmaz, Turkey |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | G/F Timothe Luwawu, France |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns (via Washington) | PF/C Deyonta Davis, Michigan State |
| 14 | Chicago Bulls | G Malik Beasley, Florida State |
| 15 | Denver Nuggets (via Houston) | F Henry Ellenson, Marquette |
| 16 | Boston Celtics (via Dallas) | SG/SF Denzel Valentine, Michigan State |
| 17 | Memphis Grizzlies | G Dejounte Murray, Washington |
| 18 | Detroit Pistons | PG Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame |
| 19 | Denver Nuggets (via Portland) | F Taurean Prince, Baylor |
| 20 | Indiana Pacers | F Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga |
| 21 | Atlanta Hawks | PF/C Cheick Diallo, Kansas |
| 22 | Charlotte Hornets | PF/C Thon Maker, Australia |
| 23 | Boston Celtics | G Caris LeVert, Michigan |
| 24 | Philadelphia 76ers (via Miami) | PG Wade Baldwin IV, Vanderbilt |
| 25 | Los Angeles Clippers | PF Brice Johnson, North Carolina |
| 26 | Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City) | G Malachi Richardson, Syracuse |
| 27 | Toronto Raptors | SG/SF DeAndre' Bembry, St. Joseph's |
| 28 | Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland) | C Stephen Zimmerman, UNLV |
| 29 | San Antonio Spurs | C Damian Jones, Vanderbilt |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | SG Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia |
Prospects Whose Stocks Are Rising
8. Sacramento Kings: Marquese Chriss, F, Washington
Marquese Chriss is the quintessential predraft riser. He’s a late bloomer who doesn’t turn 19 years old until July 2, his 6’10” size combined with freakish athleticism screams long-term potential and he possesses a remarkably smooth outside shooting stroke—something that has never been more important to scouts.
Many teams and prognosticators are drooling over what Chriss could be at 22, the age of many of his fellow prospects.
So which lottery team will grab the raw talent? The Sacramento Kings seem like a suitable option.
Sacramento used undersized power forwards in many of its lineups last season, mainly Omri Casspi (6'9"), Rudy Gay (6'8") and Quincy Acy (6'7"). It’s clear the 4 position is one the team needs to shore up in the long term, and that’s the position Chriss is best suited for in the NBA.
It also doesn’t hurt that the Kings played the fastest pace in the league last season, per ESPN.com. Their tempo will best utilize the bouncy Chriss’ abilities. The franchise will have to make a major personnel decision at some point if DeMarcus Cousins, Willie Cauley-Stein and Chriss all reach their potentials, but Chriss is still a solid selection here.
17. Memphis Grizzlies: Dejounte Murray, G, Washington
The prospect of Mike Conley leaving the Grizzlies in free agency should scare the team. We saw a glimpse of what Memphis' backcourt situation would look like without him late in the 2015-16 campaign, and it wasn’t pretty. You know there’s a problem when Jordan Farmar and Xavier Munford form your point guard platoon during the postseason.
The Grizzlies should be focusing on the guard slots with their No. 17 selection, and Dejounte Murray just might be their best bet at that slot.
Murray has a playground razzle-dazzle to his game that would keep Grizzlies fans on the edges of their seats. The team is presumably headed toward more difficult times following a six-year playoff streak, and the development of the speedy Washington freshman would alleviate some of the pains of rebuilding.
Drafting the 6’5” Murray, who’s still raw as a decision-maker and a shooter, is not a slam-dunk pick by any means for Memphis. The Grizzlies are at a crossroads in the course of their franchise, though, and it’s time for them to roll the dice on a potential star point guard.
21. Atlanta Hawks: Cheick Diallo, PF/C, Kansas
It should say a lot that Cheick Diallo continued to play hard without complaining all season for the Kansas Jayhawks, despite a smaller-than-expected role as a freshman. Teams should be especially intrigued by the 6’9”, 219-pound big man’s potential after watching the Toronto Raptors’ Bismack Biyombo—a similar player—play a big role during the 2015-16 postseason.
Considering the Hawks would love a player like Biyombo on their roster, it only seems natural for them to select Diallo with their first-round pick.
Atlanta’s starting big men, Paul Millsap and Al Horford, are both fantastic players, but they are undersized (6'8" and 6'10", respectively) and often struggle keeping up with other frontcourts on the boards and at the rim.
Mike Scott, Mike Muscala, Tiago Splitter and Kris Humphries also frequently failed to make their presences known on the interior. Not surprisingly, the team’s negative-4.4 rebound differential during the regular season ranked third-worst in the NBA, per ESPN.com.
Diallo’s 7’4 ½” wingspan, 35-inch max vertical and endless energy could eventually give the Hawks’ frontcourt rotation some oomph. He wouldn’t play a significant role early on, but Atlanta would have no problem letting the 19-year-old spend most of his rookie year in the NBA Development League.
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