2016 NBA Draft Order: Team-by-Team Selection List for Rounds 1-2
The upcoming NBA draft on June 23 has some potential superstars at the top, but there is a lot of uncertainty about what will happen throughout the two rounds.
While some teams might think highly of one prospect, others might avoid that player at all costs. Some might just not be the perfect fit for a team's system, so the organization will look for a more worthwhile option. The end result is a wide range of possible destinations for a number of noteworthy players.
No one knows what will happen Thursday night in Brooklyn, New York, but the unknown will make it a lot of fun to watch.
| Atlanta Hawks | 21 | 44, 54 |
| Boston Celtics | 3, 16, 23 | 31, 35, 45, 51, 58 |
| Brooklyn Nets | - | 55 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 22 | - |
| Chicago Bulls | 14 | 48 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | - | - |
| Dallas Mavericks | - | 46 |
| Denver Nuggets | 7, 15, 19 | 53, 56 |
| Detroit Pistons | 18 | 49 |
| Golden State Warriors | 30 | - |
| Houston Rockets | - | 37, 43 |
| Indiana Pacers | 20 | 50 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 25 | 33 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 2 | 32 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 17 | 57 |
| Miami Heat | - | - |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 10 | 36, 38 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 5 | - |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 6 | 39, 40 |
| New York Knicks | - | - |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | - | - |
| Orlando Magic | 11 | 41, 47 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 1, 24, 26 | - |
| Phoenix Suns | 4, 13, 28 | 34 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | - | - |
| Sacramento Kings | 8 | 59 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 29 | - |
| Toronto Raptors | 9, 27 | - |
| Utah Jazz | 12 | 42, 52, 60 |
| Washington Wizards | - | - |
Stories to Watch
Any Surprises in Top Two?
Analysts have considered LSU's Ben Simmons and Duke's Brandon Ingram the two best players in the class since at least the end of the college basketball season. While Simmons has been seen as the top overall prospect, there was some doubt about whether the Philadelphia 76ers would draft another big man.
The question marks about the 76ers' plans were even more prominent with Simmons failing to work out for the team.
Fortunately for Philadelphia fans, those concerns vanished when the team finally got the 6'10" LSU star in for a workout Tuesday, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com then reported Simmons going No. 1 was a done deal:
Simmons' Instagram account also seemed to indicate he was going to the 76ers:
This likely leaves Ingram to fall to the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 2 before the real mysteries pick up at No. 3. However, nothing is certain until the names are called. With Los Angeles having plenty of options, a shocking selection at No. 2 remains a possibility.
Will a Big Trade Shake Up Lottery?
You can look at mock drafts for months, but it all goes out the window as soon as there is a trade early in the first round.
One of the most prominent rumors floating around is the Boston Celtics possibly trading their selection at No. 3 overall to a handful of teams. According to Tim Welsh of CSN New England, the 76ers could land this pick for a package including either Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor.
ESPN's Chad Ford reported the Lakers could also try to get a second top-five pick, possibly while dealing away D'Angelo Russell.
Ford and Marc Stein of ESPN listed the Minnesota Timberwolves as another organization that could deal its high selection, dangling No. 5 overall for Jimmy Butler.
We won't see all of these moves in the next couple of days, but any one of them could create some serious drama at the top.
Where Will Top College Players Land?
Not all of the top prospects are household names before the draft process. Washington's Marquese Chriss has shot up draft boards over the last few months, while few casual fans have watched Croatian big man Dragan Bender.
On the other hand, every college basketball fan knows all about Oklahoma's Buddy Hield and Michigan State's Denzel Valentine—two players who were easily the best in the sport last season.
Hield has a good chance of being picked in the top 10 as an elite shooter who represents instant offense for any team. He isn't short on confidence and believes he should go as high as No. 2 overall.
"This is what the franchise needs," Hield said, per Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. "The Lakers are losing Kobe [Bryant], and they need a scorer. So why not call on me to fill in their spot?"
Meanwhile, Valentine could also end up in the lottery if a team falls in love with his court awareness and his ability to fill up the box score.
College stars such as Kentucky's Tyler Ulis, North Carolina's Brice Johnson and possibly Virginia's Malcolm Brogdon could come off the board toward the end of the first round as teams hope to get steals from experienced players with high floors. Although they might lack the elite upside of some other prospects, they can all still have quality careers.
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