With the college basketball season coming to a close in April and the NBA Finals recently wrapping up, it is onto the NBA Draft and the off-season. The NBA draft is the one night of the year that brings wins, or creates losses; it can solidify franchises and create dynasties, or bury them in mediocrity or sadneess for years to come. So a couple of the Spark Sports Analysts and myself took the daring task of filling out our own NBA Mock Draft. Let’s take a look at them.
Irving Mejia
1.PHI – Ben Simmons, SF (Simmons may be a once in a generation talent. He’s finally gotten in touch with the 76ers and there is not a single indication that says that Brandon Ingram is going first overall. Ben is the most obvious choice in this draft.)
2. LAL – Brandon Ingram, SF (Since Ben Simmons is off the board, the only logical choice is Brandon Ingram.)
3. BOS – Jamal Murray, SG (Boston really lacks shooting and Jamaal Murray is just the fix for that. Since he’s arguably one of the best players in the draft, why wouldn’t they select him?)
4. PHX – Dragan Bender, PF (Bender is too good of a talent for the Suns to pass up on. He’s far too talented and gives Phoenix everything that they lack in a power forward. He’s the obvious choice.)
5. MIN – Marquese Chriss, PF (Minnesota doesn’t have a real power forward to compliment how good KAT is. Since Chriss is one of the best power forwards in the draft and can actually shoot threes, I have to go with him.
6. NO – Kris Dunn, PG (No offense to Jrue Holiday, but the Pelicans have still yet to win a playoff game with him running the helm at point guard. I suggest bringing in a new point guard to install a new offense.)
7. DEN – Buddy Hield, SG (Buddy Hield was at one point considered the most unstoppable player in all of college basketball. Lining him up next to an athletic point guard like Emmanuel Mudiay could be good to compliment the fact that Mudiay lacks a jumpshot)
8. SAC – Jaylen Brown, SG (Even though Jaylen may not fit into Sacramento’s system, he’s the best option to put in at shooting guard for next season, so selecting him is what will probably be what’s best.)
9. TOR – Henry Ellenson PF (Since Toronto doesn’t have a good power forward, and since Henry Ellenson is the last big man on the board who can shoot a three pointer, this would be a beneficial pick for both parties.)
10. MIL – Jakob Poeltl PF-C (Greg Monroe could easily play center next year and drafting a power forward to man the post next to him would be very smart.)
11. ORL – Deyonta Davis PF (A lack of a big man will lead to Orlando being forced into this selection, since we’re still unaware of what in the world Aaron Gordon is.)
12. UTAH – Timothe Luwawu SG (We are still currently unaware where the Trey Burke project is going and if Rodney Hood is the most consistent player in the world. With that being said, drafting a shooting guard with size and shooting to line up next to Dante Exum would be smart.)
13. PHX – Skal Labissiere PF (Phoenix is an absolute disaster of a franchise at the moment, they’ll probably pursue a bigger name like Skal Labissiere rather than going for the more talented, Domantas Sabonis. Also, Tyson Chandler’s future in Phoenix is still very much up in the air at the moment.)
14. CHI – Domantas Sabonis PF (With the departure of Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol incoming for the Bulls, they’ll need to bring in a big man. Domantas Sabonis will be one who can come in and immediately fit in their system.)
15. DEN – Denzel Valentine SG (Denver does not have a backup small forward, bringing in somebody like Denzel who has size and shooting could really help them out now and in the future since he can play both at the one and at the two.)
16. BOS – Ante Zizic C (Boston lacks a true center. There is no doubt in my mind that they’ll select a center at one point in this draft. Even though he may not stay on the team as a long term option, he’s still an intriguing prospect.)
17. MEM – Wade Baldwin IV SG (The Grizzlies need somebody who they can line up at point guard in case Mike Conley actually does leave. So why not draft a Baldwin who has both the size and the skillset to run the point.
18. DET – Tyler Ulis PG (Since the Spencer Dinwiddie trade happened, chances are the Pistons are looking for a new backup point guard.The fans want Tyler Ulis, and the organization will more than likely side with the fans on this one.)
19. DEN – Ivica Zubac C (Since the Nuggets have three picks in this years draft, it’s highly likely that one of them could be stashed or traded. Ivica Zubac is the perfect guy for that, they could either put him in Europe for a couple of years to develop or they could trade him to another team for assets.)
20. IND – Brice Johnson PF (I don’t necessarily think that Brice Johnson is the most talented player remaining, but for what the Pacers need, he would be a good pick. Paul George was good at the four last year, but it would be good to see him playing the three consistently again.)
21. ATL – Furkan Korkmaz SG (Furkan has everything that we would want in a shooting guard in the modern NBA. He has size and he definitely has a consistent jumpshot. If I were the Hawks, I would look to somebody like Furkan to line up next to Dennis Schroeder.)
22. CHA – Deandre’ Bembry SF (If I were the Hornets, Denzel Valentine should be the target. Since he’s off the board at this point, I would take Deandre’ since he’s the closest thing to Denzel in this draft.)
23. BOS – Juan Hernangomez PF (Even though the Celtics more than likely will not keep all three rookies, stashing a stretch four like Juan Hernangomez, who played extremely well in his tryouts, could be interesting.)
24. PHI – Demetrius Jackson PG (The Sixers bringing in Ben Simmons almost certainly means that Ish Smith is on his way out. With that being said, bringing in a new point guard to grow with Simmons would be great for the franchise.)
25. LAC – Malik Beasley SG (To me, the Clippers have no option but to start finding a solution to their bench. Selecting a guard to come off the bench with Austin Rivers should be a step forward for this franchise. But bringing in a shooter off the bench should be important since we don’t know if J.J. Reddick can continue to play at such a consistent level anymore.)
26. PHI – Malachi Richardson SG (In my opinion, Malachi will fall in the draft simply because teams are going to forget just how amazing he was in March Madness. If he ends up falling to the 76ers or anyone below them, they should definitely consider Malachi. A strong inside scorer with good defense.)
27. TOR – Damian Jones PF (Even though, Toronto would’ve already drafted a power forward according to my draft, it wouldn’t make any sense to draft anything but big men. Luis Scola is still the only team’s power forward and that is just a crime against basketball.)
28. PHX – Taurean Prince SF (The Suns don’t necessarily need to draft a small forward, but considering that P.J. Tucker, who was ok at best, played a lot of minutes for them. Perhaps drafting a true small forward for the future is what is best going forward with the new culture in Phoenix.)
29. SAS – Thon Maker C (Thon Maker is far too talented to be drafted outside of the first round. Seeing him go to San Antonio would be great for the organization because it would be a replacement for Tim Duncan. But even if they don’t draft Thon, it’s a definite that they should draft a center.)
30. GSW- Ben Bentil PF (Hear me out on this one, Ben Bentil is a stretch four and considering how old the Warriors are starting to become, it might be best to start drafting true young talent. Either way, it’s not like James Michael-Mcadoo is ever really going to turn into something.)
31. BOS – Zhou Qi C (Reports are saying that the Celtics are going to draft a lot of players from overseas so that they can store them away for later years or assets. So with a pick to send overseas, I would like it to be Zhou Qi.)
32. LAL – Cheick Diallo C (If the Lakers know what’s good for them, building around a young core is what should be important instead of hunting for big names like Hassan Whiteside. So, I’d like to see the Lakers draft Cheick Diallo and build him around Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell.)
33. LAC – Dejounte Murray PG (To me, the Clippers need to start preparing for a life after Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. The way to prepare for that is to draft the next backcourt for your roster years in advance. By drafting Malik Beasley and putting him side by side with Dejounte Murray, a life after their core is gone might not be all that bad.)
34. PHX – Diamond Stone C (Call me crazy, but I think far too many teams are going to be concerned about his character that they’re just going to forget about him. Drafting him at this point would be a risk, but it might just be worth it considering how talented he is.)
35. BOS – Paul Zipser SF (Another international player that the Celtics could store away for a couple of years or they could trade him, along with some other players, for assets.)
36. MIL – Patrick McCaw SG (This pick is based solely off the fact that I think Patrick McCaw is more talented, as an overall player, than Malcolm Brogdon. Also, I’d like to see the Bucks bring some new life to their backcourt through this latter part of the draft.)
37. HOU – Stephen Zimmerman C (Stephen may not be the most talented prospect in the draft, but he’s worth a shot to me in Houston so they can start preparing for a life after Dwight Howard, which could be approaching faster than previously anticipated.)
38. MIL – Rade Zagorac SF (Let’s be honest, not a single small forward off the bench for Milwaukee is anything that special. Drafting him would be wise since he’s a good ball handler and can make it rain from deep.)
39. NO – Malcolm Brogdon SG (Step two of bringing in a new era in New Orleans is drafting somebody to go alongside with Kris Dunn. He brings in one thing that Tyreke Evans doesn’t and that’s defense. That may be the asset that really gets him inserted into the rotation on a regular basis.)
40. NO – Isaia Cordiner SG (Call me crazy, but I think the Pelicans should draft another shooting guard. First off, they lack one to come off the bench. Second, Brogdon is a defender who may have problems scoring at times. Drafting another shooting guard to compliment his lack of offense would be smart.)
41. ORL – Wayne Selden Jr. SF (Though Orlando doesn’t really need a small forward, drafting a talent like Wayne Selden Jr. could be smart to either try and trade him or develop him as a scorer since Mario Hezonja was slightly disappointing.)
42. UTAH – Chinanu Onuaku C (With Utah lacking any centers who can actually put the ball in the basket, drafting a center who can score at a consistent pace would really help their offense flow improve.)
43. HOU- Jarrod Uthoff SF (At this point, Houston is spiraling out of control and their future is perilously in the balance here. K.J. McDaniels doesn’t offer much if he can’t shoot a three pointer so drafting another small forward to be ahead of him in the lineup is the logical choice.)
44. ATL – Jake Layman SF (With the decline of Kyle Korver impending and Atlanta lacking a small forward of the future, Jake Layman is the perfect option for them. He has the potential to turn into one of the best players coming out of this draft. A shooter, who’s a bit rough around the edges, but can be polished in development.)
45. BOS – Caris Levert SF (Even though I have the Celtics taking foreign player after foreign player, Caris Levert is a different case. I think the Celtics would be smart enough to see just how good he was when he was healthy. He’s kind of like what Spencer Dinwiddie was in the draft two years ago. An extremely talented inside scorer who just suffered from injuries. If not for the injuries, Caris Levert is a lottery talent. The Celtics should take the risk on him.)
46. DAL – Guerschon Yabuesle PF (Since this is Dallas’ only pick in the draft, they need to be very careful to not mess this pick up. That’s why I think they should target a power forward who can shoot three pointers. Just to make the adjustment once Dirk leaves easier to get over.)
47. ORL – Anthony Barber PG (No, I’m not suggesting that Anthony Barber takes over for Elfrid Payton, that would be absurd. Instead, I suggest the Magic take Barber so that they can let Brandon Jennings walk and still have a backup point guard who can grow into something decent.)
48. CHI – Petr Cornelie PF (Petr could be a nice replacement for Pau Gasol, even though Bobby Portis will more than likely be forced into the starting lineup, it would be nice to build the next Taj Gibson since his departure is also a possibility.)
49. DET – Kyle Wiltjer PF (Hang on! Hang on! I understand that this pick is a stretch, but hear me out. Kyle is undoubtedly one of the best players in the draft, and he’s a power forward, which is a position that Detroit is in dire need of off the bench. By drafting him, they finally find the shooter off the bench that they’ve been looking for.)
50. IND – Isaiah Whitehead SG (If I were Indiana, acquiring help for Paul George should be the goal. He’s like a poor man’s version of Ben Simmons in this draft. He can’t shoot a three pointer, but he’s a great inside scorer. His jump shot could certainly develop with patience.)
51. BOS – Georgios Papagiannis C (People tend to underestimate Georgios Papagiannis since he’s a center, but believe me when I tell you that this kid can ball. He can score in tons of different ways and is a decent ball handler for somebody of his size. Additionally, Boston falls short when it comes to scorers around the rim as far as big men go, picking him would be smart since he offense would flow smoother with him out there.)
52. UTAH – Michael Gbinije SG (Gbinije is a serious scorer who could provide a lot of help for a Utah team that lacked that late in games sometimes. I’d like to see them take a shooting guard like Michael who can help in those types of situations.)
53. DEN – Perry Ellis SF (Denver should use this pick to draft the fifty year old Perry Ellis. He’s a versatile small forward who honestly should be on a team. Plus, Denver really does not have a small forward to come off the bench. Maybe Perry Ellis can be the answer for them at that position.)
54. ATL – A.J. Hammons C (I think Atlanta will look to take a lot of risks in this year’s draft since their playoff window might be shutting very early. A.J. Hammons is another case of legitimate talent with character issues, but it’s nothing that can’t be sorted out by Mike Budenholzer and his staff.)
55. BKN – Gary Payton II PG (Brooklyn is an absolute mess right now and they need to get back to square one by drafting a point guard with their only pick. Being this late in the draft opens them up to a winner like Gary Payton II. He may never be a true starter in the NBA, but he’s a good combo guard to bring in a new type of energy in Brooklyn.)
56. DEN – Ron Baker PG (Denver doesn’t necessarily require a backup point guard, but I’d like to see them draft one because D.J. Augustin and Jameer Nelson weren’t really all that great. Find somebody to backup to Emmanuel Mudiay.)
57. MEM – Robert Carter PF (At the moment, Sacramento lacks a power forward to both come off the bench. Not that Robert Carter is anything special, but putting him in to replace Jarell Martin should be what they should look to do. Drafting a power forward late in the draft would be a good idea.)
58. BOS – Shawn Long PF (Shawn Long is a stretch four, who they won’t put overseas, but rather, they could play him since their power forward depth is also lacking a little bit. Amir Johnson isn’t getting any buckets any time soon, so finding a young power forward to actually play next year would be in their best interest.)
59. SAC – Pascal Siakam PF (Not that Pascal Siakam is anything all too great, but Sacramento really lacks depth off their bench. It was never more apparent than when Quincy Acy was one of their main scorers off the bench. So with that being said, drafting a power forward to help out with their depth would really help this young Sacramento team.)
60. UTAH – Georges Niang SF (Since Utah also has a problem with their lack of a bench, selecting a backup small forward would be a smart idea. Even though Georges isn’t the best player at this position in this draft, it would be smart to see what he could bring in and if he doesn’t work then they could just waive him. Low risk, high reward. Or, at least a high reward as you can get this late in the draft.)
Parth Shah
1. Philadelphia – Ben Simmons, F, LSU
2. Los Angeles Lakers – Brandon Ingram, F, Duke
3. Philadelphia (TRADE from Boston (From Brooklyn)) – Jamal Murray, G,
Kentucky
– Boston trades the #3 overall pick and G Terry Rozier to Philadelphia for C Jahlil
Okafor
4. Phoenix – Marquese Chriss, F, Washington
5. Minnesota – Buddy Hield, G, Oklahoma
6. New Orleans – Kris Dunn, G, Providence
7. Denver (From New York) – Dragan Bender, F, Croatia
8. Sacramento – Jaylen Brown, F, California
9. Toronto (From Denver via New York) – Jakob Poeltl, C, Utah
10. Milwaukee – Henry Ellenson, F, Marquette
11. Orlando – Skal Labissiere, F, Kentucky
12. Utah – Wade Baldwin, G, Vanderbilt
13. Phoenix (From Washington) – Timothe Luwawu, G/F, France
14. Chicago – Domantas Sabonis, F, Gonzaga
15. Denver (From Houston) – Furkan Korkmaz, G, Turkey
16. Boston (From Dallas) – Deyonta Davis, F/C, Michigan State
17. Memphis – Demetrius Jackson, G, Notre Dame
18. Detroit – Denzel Valentine, G/F, Michigan State
19. Denver (From Portland) – Cheick Diallo, F, Kansas
20. Indiana – Malachi Richardson, G/F, Syracuse
21. Atlanta – Taurean Prince, F, Baylor
22. Charlotte – DeJounte Murray, G, Washington
23. Boston – Ante Zizic, F/C, Croatia
24. Philadelphia (From Miami via Cleveland) – Tyler Ulis, G, Kentucky
25. Los Angeles Clippers – Brice Johnson, F, North Carolina
26. Philadelphia (From Oklahoma City via Denver and Cleveland) – Malik Beasley,
G, Florida State
27. Brooklyn (TRADE with Toronto) – DeAndre Bembry, G/F, St. Joe’s
– Toronto trades the #27 overall pick and PG Delon Wright to Brooklyn for F Thaddeus
Young
28. Phoenix (From Cleveland via Boston) – Thon Maker, F, Canada
29. San Antonio – Juan Hernangomez, F, Spain
30. Golden State – Ben Bentil, F, Providence
2016 Second-Round Order
31. Boston (From Philadelphia via Miami) – Diamond Stone, C, Maryland
32. Los Angeles Lakers – Ivica Zubac, C, International
33. Los Angeles Clippers (From Brooklyn) – Isaia Cordinier, G, International
34. Phoenix – Paul Zipser, F, International
35. Boston (From Minnesota via Phoenix) – Chinanu Onuaku, C, Louisville
36. Milwaukee (From New Orleans via Sacramento) – Pascal Siakam, F, New Mexico
State
37. Houston (From New York via Sacramento and Portland) – Patrick McCaw, G,
UNLV
38. Milwaukee – Petr Cornelie, F, International
39. New Orleans (From Denver via Philadelphia) – Georgios Papagiannis, C, Greece
40. New Orleans (From Sacramento) – Gary Payton II, G, Oregon State
41. Orlando – Caris LeVert, G, Michigan
42. Utah – Stephen Zimmerman, C, UNLV
43. Houston – Damian Jones, C, Vanderbilt
44. Atlanta (From Washington) – Wayne Selden, G, Kansas
45. Boston (From Memphis via Dallas) – Zhou Qi, C, China
46. Dallas – Jake Layman, F, Maryland
47. Orlando (From Chicago) – Guerschon Yabusele, F, International
48. Chicago (From Portland via Cleveland) – Malcolm Brogdon, G, Virginia
49. Detroit – Robert Carter, F/C, Maryland
50. Indiana – Michael Gbinije, G/F, Syracuse
51. Los Angeles Lakers (Trade with Boston (From Miami)) – Cat Barber, G, NC
State
– Los Angeles acquires the #51 overall pick from Boston for cash
52. Utah (From Boston via Memphis) – Isaiah Cousins, G, Oklahoma
53. Denver (From Charlotte via Oklahoma City) – Rade Zagorac, F, International
54. Atlanta – Dorian Finney-Smith, F, Florida
55. Brooklyn (From Los Angeles Clippers) – Isaiah Whitehead, G, Seton Hall
56. Denver (From Oklahoma City) – Kay Felder, G, Oakland
57. Memphis (From Toronto) – AJ Hammonds, C, Purdue
58. Boston (From Cleveland) – David Walker, G/F, Northeastern
59. Sacramento (From San Antonio) – Joel Bolomboy, F, Weber State
60. Utah (From Golden State) – Georges Niang, F, Iowa State
Justin Golba
1. Philadelphia 76ers- Ben Simmons- LSU
2. Los Angeles Lakers- Brandon Ingram- Duke
3. Boston Celtics- Kris Dunn- Providence
4. Phoenix Suns- Dragan Bender- International
5. Minnesota Timberwolves- Buddy Hield- Oklahoma
6. New Orleans Pelicans- Jaylen Brown- California
7. Denver Nuggets- Marquese Chriss- Washington
8. Sacramento Kings- Jamal Murray- Kentucky
9. Toronto Raptors- Henry Ellenson- Marquette
10. Milwaukee Bucks- Wade Baldwin- Vanderbilt
11. Orlando Magic- Jakob Peoltl- Utah
12. Utah Jazz- Deyonta Davis-Michigan State
13. Phoenix Suns – Dejounte Murray- Washington
14. Chicago Bulls- Domantas Sabonis- Gonzaga
15. Denver Nuggets- Skal Labissiere- Kentucky
16. Boston Celtics- Taurean Prince- Baylor
17. Memphis Grizzlies- Denzel Valentine- Michigan State
18. Detroit Pistons- Timothe Luwawu- International
19. Denver Nuggets- DeAndre Bembry- Saint Josephs
20. Indiana Pacers- Brice Johnson- North Carolina
21. Atlanta Hawks- Diamond Stone- Maryland
22. Charlotte Hornets- Furkan Korkmaz- International
23. Boston Celtics- Malachi Richardson- Syracuse
24. Philadelphia 76ers- Demetrius Jackson- Notre Dame
25. Los Angeles Clippers- Ante Zubic- International
26. Philadelphia 76ers- Damien Jones- Vanderbilt
27. Toronto Raptors- Ivica Zubac- International
28. Phoenix Suns- Juan Hernangomez- International
29. San Antonio Spurs- Malik Beasley- Florida State
30. Golden State Warriors- Cheick Diallo- Kansas
31. Boston Celtics- Malcolm Brogdon- Virginia
32. Los Angeles Lakers- Tyler Ulis- Kentucky
33. Los Angeles Clippers- Zhou Qi- International
34. Phoenix Suns- Paul Zipser- International
35. Boston Celtics- Stephen Zimmerman- UNLV
36. Milwaukee Bucks- Chinanu Onuaku- Louisville
37. Houston Rockets- Ben Bentil- Providence
38. Milwaukee Bucks- Patrick McCaw- UNLV
39. New Orleans Pelicans- Georgios Papagiannis- International
40. New Orleans Pelicans- Caris Levert- Michigan
41. Orlando Magic- Pascal Siakam- New Mexico State
42. Utah Jazz- Isiah Cordinier- International
43. Houston Rockets- Thon Maker- High School senior
44. Atlanta Hawks- Robert Carter- Maryland
45. Boston Celtics- AJ Hammons- Purdue
46. Dallas Mavericks- Kyle Wiltjer- Gonzaga
47. Orlando Magic- Wayne Selden- Kansas
48. Chicago Bulls- Jake Layman- Maryland
49. Detroit Pistons- Dorian Finney-Smith
50. Indiana Pacers- Isaiah Whiteside- Seton Hall
51. Boston Celtics- Michael Gbinije- Syracuse
52. Utah Jazz- Gary Payton- Oregon State
53. Denver Nuggets- Petr Cornelie- International
54. Atlanta Hawks- Cat Barber- NC State
55. Brooklyn Nets- Rade Zagorac- International
56. Denver Nuggets- Joel Bolomby- Weber State
57. Memphis Grizzlies- Kay Felder- Oakland
58. Boston Celtics- Guerschon Yabusele- International
59. Sacramento Kings- Perry Ellis- Kansas
60. Utah Jazz- Georges Niang- Iowa State
Make sure to let us know what you think in the comments!
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