With the NCAA Tournament around the corner, I roll out my third 2015 NBA Mock Draft of the season.
As always, I used the lottery generated from the awesome site www.tankathon.com
Enjoy and comment!
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As always, I used the lottery generated from the awesome site www.tankathon.com
Enjoy and comment!
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1. Boston Celtics (from Brooklyn Nets)
Despite the LSU Tigers hovering around .500 on the season, Ben Simmons remains the top player in this class, though I believe Brandon Ingram is nipping at his heels. The Celtics are looking for the next face of their franchise, and Simmons has the NBA friendly game to be just that. He is no LeBron James as the Worldwide Leader of Sports Entertainment hastily proclaimed, but he has the skills to be a solid point forward who can average an NBA double double. Similar to a young Lamar Odom, Simmons can handle the rock like a guard, slash and rebound. This could be the first of three top five draft picks coming to Boston from the Nets, who shortsightedly mortgaged their future for the right to have one year of Paul Pierce and two of Kevin Garnett.
SF/PF Ben Simmons, Fr, LSU
6'10, 225 lbs
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
2015-2016 Stats: 19.6 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 5.0 apg
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2. Minnesota Timberwolves
SG/SF Brandon Ingram, Fr, Duke
6'9, 200 lbs
Hometown: Kinston, NC
2015-2016 Stats: 16.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.9 apg
All of the talk has been about Ben Simmons, but it would not surprise me whatsoever if Brandon Ingram ends up as the best player in this draft. He fits what the NBA looks for in it's small forwards to a T. He can run the floor, handle the ball, knock down three point shots and has very strong defensive potential, including the ability to block shots. I see a lot of Trevor Ariza in his game, with his ability to knock down threes, run the floor and block shots. The Timberwolves struck gold with Karl-Anthony Towns and Ingram would give them yet another athletic wing to surround him with.
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3. Philadelphia 76ers
PG/SG Jamal Murray, Fr, Kentucky
6'5, 207 lbs
Hometown: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
2015-2016 Stats: 20.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.2 apg
As disappointing as Skal Labissiere has been in Lexington, fellow top recruit Jamal Murray has exceeded all expectations. He has settled in quite nicely at two guard next to Tyler Ulis, and has been one of the best scorers in college basketball. Scouts love the fact that Murray can handle the ball on occasion and has knocked down over 3 three point shots per night at a 45% clip. He would fill a monster need in Philadelphia.
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4. Philadelphia 76ers (from Los Angeles Lakers)
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4. Philadelphia 76ers (from Los Angeles Lakers)
PF/C Dragan Bender, Croatia
7'1, 220 lbs
Hometown: Capljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2015-2016 Stats: 4.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.7 apg
The 76ers might not win ten games this year. So it's silly to say they "don't need a big man". They need talent, period. With two top five picks, Sam Hinkie can afford to gamble on the upside of Dragan Bender. He has not played as much as scouts would like, but he is still probably the most talented player in Europe. Of course, the success of Kristaps Porzingis plays a part in Bender becoming a top five pick, but Porzingis was much more developed at this point in his career. At his best, Bender can stretch the floor on offense and open up the lane for Jahlil Okafor.
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5. Phoenix Suns
C Jakob Poeltl, Jr, Utah
7'0, 235 lbs
Hometown: Vienna, Austria
2015-2016 Stats: 17.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.6 bpg
Perhaps no team needs to hit the reboot button as much as Phoenix. The roster and front office is a mess. I just slotted them the best player available. Jakob Poeltl improved by leaps and bounds during his sophomore year, becoming a consistent double double threat. He maintained his hish 60% shooting percentage despite averaging 10 shots per game. Neither he nor Alex Len are mobile enough to share the court for long stretches, but he represents the most talent and production at this spot.
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6. New Orleans Pelicans
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6. New Orleans Pelicans
C Diamond Stone, Fr, Maryland
6'11, 250 lbs
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
2015-2016 Stats: 12.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.7 bpg
Diamond Stone started the season out slowly, put his name squarely on the lottery radar with a 39 point, 12 rebound performance against Penn State. Stone is an old fashioned back to the basket center. He can rebound, block shots and hit his free throws. Stone is still quite a project and might not make much of an impact during his rookie season, but could eventually allow superstar Anthony Davis to not have to log so many minutes at the center position in New Orleans.
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7. Denver Nuggets
SF Jaylen Brown, Fr, California
6'7, 225 lbs
Hometown: Marietta, GA
2015-2016 Stats: 15.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.9 apg
Jaylen Brown has been consistent all year, providing a winning attitude and toughness for the Cal Golden Bears. If he was a better shooter, he would be in consideration for the top overall pick. He has the ability to improve, but is not much of a threat at the moment. Of course, that's what scouts look for out of their wing players. Brown is more in the Michael Kidd-Gilchrist/Stanley Johnson category. What he excels at is getting to the basket and playing solid defense, though scouts would love to see an uptick in those steal numbers. Denver needs to rebuild around Emmanuel Mudiay and Nikola Jokic, so they could stand to add talent at virtually every position.
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8. Toronto Raptors (from New York Knicks)
PF Henry Ellenson, Fr, Marquette
6'10, 245 lbs
Hometown: Rice Lake, WI
2015-2016 Stats: 16.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.8 apg
It is hard to believe the Raptors get a top ten pick from New York for sending Andrea Bargnani off a few years ago. That's why bad teams remain bad. Henry Ellenson has been a one man wrecking crew for Marquette, averaging close to a double double on the season with solid assist, block and free throw shooting numbers as well. His three point shot was not quite as good as advertised, but he could still help stretch the floor in Toronto as a backup to Patrick Patterson.
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9. Sacramento Kings
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9. Sacramento Kings
PG/SG Kris Dunn, Jr, Providence
6'4, 220 lbs
Hometown: New London, CT
2015-2016 Stats: 16.3 ppg, 6.4 apg, 5.7 rpg
Kris Dunn and the Providence Friars really faltered down the stretch of the regular season, dispelling any thoughts that Dunn is a top five pick. Dunn might not ever be a top teir point guard but he is a tough leader who can rebound, pass and play solid defense. He could be a glue type of guy for a team like the Kings who have scorers but lack any real defensive identity.
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10. Milwaukee Bucks
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10. Milwaukee Bucks
PG Demetrius Jackson, Jr, Notre Dame
6'1, 198 lbs
Hometown: Mishawaka, IN
2015-2016 Stats: 15.9 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.4 rpg
Jason Kidd has to be bummed the Bucks missed out on Kris Dunn. He could have been Kidd's anti-Michael Carter-Williams. Milwaukee needs anyone but Carter-Williams to lead this team, so they reach for Demetrius Jackson. Jackson does not have the athleticism or traits that scream "lottery pick", but this is a weak draft, and Jackson could at least be servicable at point guard, the Bucks biggest position of need.
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11. Orlando Magic
PF Ivan Rabb, Fr, California
6'11, 220 lbs
Hometown: Oakland, CA
2015-2016 Stats: 12.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.42bpg
There was a point in time where Ivan Rabb was considered on the level of Ben Simmons as a high school prospect. His star faded, but I love what he is doing at California. He is a lanky, springy big man who can run the floor, rebound and block shots. He would be a great fit as a backup energy big man for the Magic, who are assembling quite the collection of athletes.
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12. Utah Jazz
SG Buddy Hield, Sr, Oklahoma
6'4, 210 lbs
Hometown: Freeport, Canada
2015-2016 Stats: 25.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.1 apg
Buddy Hield has gone from a second round pick to the probable Player of the Year and a possible lottery pick. Hield might be the best major conference scorer in college basketball. His shooting volume and percentages are sky high and he has shown shooting stroke and toughness down low. Hield put himself on the map with a tremendous 46 point barrage in a triple overtime loss to Kansas on January 1. He might not ever be a starting shooting guard in the NBA, but in this draft, the Jazz will gladly take someone who can provide some scoring punch off the bench.
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13. Phoenix Suns
(from Washington Wizards)
(from Washington Wizards)
SG/SF Timothe Luwawu, France
6'7, 210 lbs
Hometown: Cannes, France
2015-2016 Stats: 14.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.7 apg
In theory, Timothe Luwawu is exactly what the NBA looks for in wing players. He can knock down three pointers, rebound and plays very good defense. Of course, the problem is his level of competition in the Adriatic League, which is virtually non-existent. The Suns have three first round picks and a plethora of needs, so drafting and hoping Luwawu pans out is a solid gamble. French players typically are successful in the NBA.
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14. Detroit Pistons
SG Denzel Valentine, Sr, Michigan State
6'5, 220 lbs
Hometown: Lansing, MI
2015-2016 Stats: 19.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7.5 apg
Stan Van Gundy has done a good job of turning this team around, building from Andre Drummond out. As Van Gundy teams go, the more shooting, the better. Denzel Valentine is not exactly a knock down shooter, but he's a gamer who can do a little bit of everything. Pistons fans will love the Michigan native's toughness, hustle and all around game. He can handle the rock, shoot and rebound, and could be the leader of Detroit's second unit.
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15. Denver Nuggets
(from Houston Rockets)
PF/C Skal Labissiere, Fr, Kentucky
6'11, 225 lbs
Hometown: Port au Prince, Haiti
2015-2016 Stats: 6.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.6 bpg
Skal Labissiere is very difficult to figure out. He was the second overall recruit in the nation behind Ben Simmons and had a 26 point game during his second appearance of the season. Since SEC play has started however, he has rarely seen the court, and has made next to no difference for the disappointing Wildcats, even though he had a very nice 18 point, 9 rebound, 6 block effort in early March. With even more reinforcements coming in 2016-2017, I still think Labissiere is one and done. If he is, some team in the late lottery to teens will snatch him up. The Nuggets have three first round picks, and Labissiere's defense and athleticism would be a perfect fit in Denver.
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16. Chicago Bulls
SG Grayson Allen, So, Duke
6'5, 205 lbs
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
2015-2016 Stats: 21.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.5 apg
The Bulls have really struggled to put the ball in the basket at times this year. Grayson Allen has some skills in common with The Mayor Fred Hoiberg during his playing days. Allen can really shoot, and can handle the rock on occasion as well. He is not much of a defender and has a bit of an over-confidence issue, but could be a very solid scoring combo guard coming off the bench, somethng Chicago lacks.
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17. Denver Nuggets
(from Portland Trail Blazers)
(from Portland Trail Blazers)
PF/C Jonathan Jeanne, France
7'2, 200 lbs
Hometown: Les Abymes, Guadeloupe
2015-2016 Stats: 10.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.0 apg
With two three first round picks, the Nuggets could draft a stash prospect. Skinny does not do the 7'2 Jonathan Jeanne justice. Generously listed at 200 pounds, he is several years away from contributing at the NBA level. Unlike most European players his age, he gets plenty of run for his Euro team, and is a constant double double threat who can block shots. If he can build that body up to at least Rudy Gobert levels, he could have a future in this league.
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18. Boston Celtics
(from Dallas Mavericks)
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18. Boston Celtics
(from Dallas Mavericks)
SG Furkan Korkmaz, Turkey
6'7, 175 lbs
Hometown: Bakirkoy, Turkey
2015-2016 Stats: 5.0 ppg, 1.5 apg, 0.8 rpg
There are several teams with multiple first round picks, so we could see quite a bit of foreign players drafted in the first round this year. Furkan Korkmaz has the look (physically at least) of a young Richard Hamilton. He is lanky, a good ball handler and excels at fighting through screens to catch and pop some three pointers. He is very immature physically and needs a couple years of development, but could develop into one of the better shooting guard scorers in the league.
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19. Indiana Pacers
PF/C Damian Jones, Jr, Vanderbilt
7'0, 245 lbs
Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
2015-2016 Stats: 14.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.7 bpg
What a job Frank Vogel has done in Indiana this year. The Pacers completely remade their roster into a smaller quicker team and Vogel has the Pacers poised to return to the playoffs. Myles Turner has one of the front court spots lined up, and Damian Jones could add even more length and talent to a thin front court. Jones still struggles to bring it on a consistent basis and is still a bit of a project, even as a junior, but offers a nice combination of size, shooting touch, rebounding and shot blocking. At this point in the draft, he makes a fine gamble even if he tops out as a backup big man.
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20. Charlotte Hornets
PF Brice Johnson, Sr, North Carolina
6'9, 230 lbs
Hometown: Orangeburg, SC
2015-2016 Stats: 16.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.2 bpg
The Hornets have an affinity for drafting college basketball upperclassmen with a stacked resume. Few people mention Brice Johnson, but he is definitely in contention for College Basketball player of the year. A big boy, 39 point, 23 rebound, 3 block, 3 steal performance against Florida State in early January shot him square into first round consideration. He is undersized, but very athletic and could be a good fit in Charlotte's second unit.
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21. Atlanta Hawks
C Stephen Zimmerman, Fr, UNLV
7'0, 240 lbs
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
2015-2016 Stats: 10.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.1 bpg
The Hawks have cast aside the draft in recent seasons, but with major free agency decisions coming, could use the depth. Stephen Zimmerman is a project on offense, but is athletic and can rebound and block shots. He has the agility to play either front court position and could grow into a decent starter with proper development. I would like to see him remain in Las Vegas for one more year, as he could be a potential top ten pick in 2017.
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22. Philadelphia 76ers
(from Miami Heat)
(from Miami Heat)
SG Malik Beasley, Fr, Florida State
6'5, 190 lbs
Hometown: Alpharetta, GA
2015-2016 Stats: 15.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.10spg
Dwyane Bacon may have the name, but Malik Beasley is the Seminole I want to draft. He has cooled off following a very hot start to his Florida State career, but remains a capable scorer with range well past the three point line. He is a bit skinny and undersized, but should be able to share the back court with the stronger Jamal Murray. The Sixers need shooters, plain and simple.
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23. Boston Celtics
PF Domantas Sabonis, So, Gonzaga
6'10, 240 lbs
Hometown: Kaunas, Lithuania
2015-2016 Stats: 17.5 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 1.7 bpg
With three first round picks, the Celtics will be wheeling and dealing in this draft. So I will just give them the best player available. Domantas Sabonis is having a fantastic sophomore season for Gonzaga. So why is he not a lottery pick? Sabonis does not have that must have skill that scouts are looking for in their big men. He doesn't stretch the floor or play much defense. But he has a nice mid round game and is rebounding at a very high rate. Of course, he has the bloodlines and that mythical "Basketball IQ" to become a productive rotation player.
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24. Memphis Grizzlies
PF Ben Bentil, So, Providence
6'9, 230 lbs
Hometown: Wilmington, DE
2015-2016 Stats: 21.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg
The Grizzlies have failed to surround the trio of Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley with much talent. Memphis will most likely go with the best player available here. Ben Bentil reminds me of a poor man's David West. He is a terrific mid range scorer with the ability to knock down the three point shot consistently. He is an average rebounder and defender, but would make a good streth four for spurts next to Brendan Wright in Memphis second unit.
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25. Los Angeles Clippers
SF Taurean Prince, Sr, Baylor
6'7, 220 lbs
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
2015-2016 Stats: 15.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.2 apg
The Clippers have one of the better starting lineups in the NBA (other than the black hole at small forward), but the bench leaves so much to be desired. Los Angeles has not done much with their first round picks, but Taurean Prince could be a solid bench contributor. He does a lot of little things well, from knocking down jump shots to playing on the ball defense, and could carve out a role for the Clippers.
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26. Toronto Raptors
SF/PF Juan Hernangomez, Spain
6'9, 220 lbs
Hometown: Madrid, Spain
2015-2016 Stats: 9.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.0 spg
With two first round picks and a deep rotation, the Raptors are likely to draft a Euro stash prospect here. The younger brother of Knicks draft pick Guillermo Hernangomez, Juan has shot up draft boards in the past months. Drawing comparisons to Nikola Mirotic, he is another tall, sweet shooting Spanish prospect, though he still needs to get tougher. Toronto wouldn't mind letting him develop in Spain for another year or two.
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27. Philadelphia 76ers
(from Oklahoma City Thunder)
PG Wade Baldwin IV, Jr, Vanderbilt
6'3, 194 lbs
Hometown: Belle Mead, NJ
2015-2016 Stats: 14.3 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.9 rpg
Wade Baldwin is not flashy, but he is a strong, heady point guard who knows how to get others involved, knock down the open three and play relatively mistake free basketball. Playing for guard starved Philadelphia, he could grow into a starter relatively quickly, as he simply has to fend off the likes of TJ McConnell and Isaiah Canaan.
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28. Phoenix Suns
(from Cleveland Cavaliers)
PG/SG Melo Trimble, So, Maryland
6'3, 185 lbs
Hometown: Upper Marlboro, MD
2015-2016 Stats: 14.4 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.5 rpg
The Suns backcourt seems to be set with Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Devin Booker and Archie Goodwin, but like I previously stated, who knows what the roster will look like next year. While Melo Trimble might not ever be a starter, he has the talent to be a spark plug off the bench. Able to handle the rock and score in a variety of ways, he makes an ideal combo guard sixth man.
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29. San Antonio Spurs
SG Isaia Cordinier, France
6'5, 190 lbs
Hometown: Creteil, France
2015-2016 Stats: 11.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.3 apg
The Spurs already have forward Livio Jean-Charles and center Nikola Milutinov waiting in the pipelines, so why not add a shooting guard? Isai Cordinier is young but plays a pivotal role for his European team. Not the best athlete, he is a bit undersized but has the ability to become a crafty scorer at the next level.
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30. Golden State Warriors
PF/C Zhou Qi, China
7'2, 209 lbs
Hometown: Henan, China
2015-2016 Stats: 16.6 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 1.6 apg
The Warriors have visions of chasing Kevin Durant this off-season, so they obviously will not want to be saddled with a rookie contract on the books. Like any 7 footer with a pulse, Zhou Qi puts up good numbers against his fellow China countrymen. He is woefully thin and Chinese prospects are such a wild card when it comes to predicting NBA success. With a big Chinese population in San Francisco, he could become a fan favorite if his NBA game pans out.
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Round 2
31. Boston Celtics (from Philadelphia 76ers - SF/PF Paul Zipser, Germany
32. Los Angeles Lakers - C AJ Hammons, Sr, Purdue
33. Phoenix Suns - C Ante Zizic, Croatia
34. Los Angeles Clippers (from Brooklyn Nets) - PG/SG Malik Newman, Fr, Mississippi State
35. Boston Celtics (from Minnesota Timberwolves) - PF Nigel Hayes, Jr, Wisconsin
36. Milwaukee Bucks (from New Orleans Pelicans) - SG Malcolm Brogdon, Sr, Virginia
37. New Orleans Pelicans (from Denver Nuggets) - PG Monte Morris, Jr, Iowa State
38. Houston Rockets (from New York Knicks) - SF/PF Jared Uthoff, Sr, Iowa
39. New Orleans Pelicans (from Sacramento Kings) PF/C Alpha Kaba, France
40. Milwaukee Bucks - PG Anthony Barber, Jr, North Carolina State
41. Orlando Magic - SG/SF Damion Lee, Sr, Louisville
42. Utah Jazz - SG/SF Michael Gbinije, Sr, Syracuse
43. Atlanta Hawks (from Washington Wizards) - PF Kyle Wiltjer, Sr, Gonzaga
44. Houston Rockets - PF Guerschon Yabusele, France
45. Orlando Magic (from Chicago Bulls) - PG George De Paula, Brazil
46. Detroit Pistons - SG/SF Wane Selden, Jr, Kansas
47. Chicago Bulls (from Portland Trail Blazers) - C Amida Brimah, Jr, Connecticut
48. Indiana Pacers - SF Dorian Finney-Smith, Sr, Florida
49. Boston Celtics (from Dallas Mavericks) - C Andrey Desyatnikov, Russia
50. Denver Nuggets (from Charlotte Hornets) - PG/SG Gary Payton II, Sr, Oregon State
51. Atlanta Hawks - SG Danilo Fuzaro, Brazil
52. Boston Celtics (from Miami Heat) - PF Petr Cornelie, France
53. Utah Jazz (from Boston Celtics) - SF/PF Aleksandar Vezenkov, Cyprus
54. Dallas Mavericks (from Memphis Grizzlies) - C Egidijus Mockevicius, Sr, Evansville
55. Brooklyn Nets (from Los Angeles Clippers) - PG/SG Tyrone Wallace, Sr, California
56. Memphis Grizzlies (from Toronto Raptors) - SG/SF Caris LeVert, Sr, Michigan
57. Denver Nuggets (from Okalhoma City Thunder) - C Youssoufa Fall, Senegal
58. Boston Celtics (from Cleveland Cavaliers) - SF Nedim Buza, Bosnia and Herzegovina
59. Sacramento Kings (from San Antonio Spurs) - SF/PF Alex Poythress, Kentucky
60. Utah Jazz (from Golden State Warriors) - PG/SG David Walker, Sr, Northeastern
24. Memphis Grizzlies
PF Ben Bentil, So, Providence
6'9, 230 lbs
Hometown: Wilmington, DE
2015-2016 Stats: 21.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg
The Grizzlies have failed to surround the trio of Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley with much talent. Memphis will most likely go with the best player available here. Ben Bentil reminds me of a poor man's David West. He is a terrific mid range scorer with the ability to knock down the three point shot consistently. He is an average rebounder and defender, but would make a good streth four for spurts next to Brendan Wright in Memphis second unit.
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25. Los Angeles Clippers
SF Taurean Prince, Sr, Baylor
6'7, 220 lbs
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
2015-2016 Stats: 15.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.2 apg
The Clippers have one of the better starting lineups in the NBA (other than the black hole at small forward), but the bench leaves so much to be desired. Los Angeles has not done much with their first round picks, but Taurean Prince could be a solid bench contributor. He does a lot of little things well, from knocking down jump shots to playing on the ball defense, and could carve out a role for the Clippers.
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26. Toronto Raptors
SF/PF Juan Hernangomez, Spain
6'9, 220 lbs
Hometown: Madrid, Spain
2015-2016 Stats: 9.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.0 spg
With two first round picks and a deep rotation, the Raptors are likely to draft a Euro stash prospect here. The younger brother of Knicks draft pick Guillermo Hernangomez, Juan has shot up draft boards in the past months. Drawing comparisons to Nikola Mirotic, he is another tall, sweet shooting Spanish prospect, though he still needs to get tougher. Toronto wouldn't mind letting him develop in Spain for another year or two.
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27. Philadelphia 76ers
(from Oklahoma City Thunder)
PG Wade Baldwin IV, Jr, Vanderbilt
6'3, 194 lbs
Hometown: Belle Mead, NJ
2015-2016 Stats: 14.3 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.9 rpg
Wade Baldwin is not flashy, but he is a strong, heady point guard who knows how to get others involved, knock down the open three and play relatively mistake free basketball. Playing for guard starved Philadelphia, he could grow into a starter relatively quickly, as he simply has to fend off the likes of TJ McConnell and Isaiah Canaan.
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28. Phoenix Suns
(from Cleveland Cavaliers)
PG/SG Melo Trimble, So, Maryland
6'3, 185 lbs
Hometown: Upper Marlboro, MD
2015-2016 Stats: 14.4 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.5 rpg
The Suns backcourt seems to be set with Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Devin Booker and Archie Goodwin, but like I previously stated, who knows what the roster will look like next year. While Melo Trimble might not ever be a starter, he has the talent to be a spark plug off the bench. Able to handle the rock and score in a variety of ways, he makes an ideal combo guard sixth man.
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29. San Antonio Spurs
SG Isaia Cordinier, France
6'5, 190 lbs
Hometown: Creteil, France
2015-2016 Stats: 11.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.3 apg
The Spurs already have forward Livio Jean-Charles and center Nikola Milutinov waiting in the pipelines, so why not add a shooting guard? Isai Cordinier is young but plays a pivotal role for his European team. Not the best athlete, he is a bit undersized but has the ability to become a crafty scorer at the next level.
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30. Golden State Warriors
PF/C Zhou Qi, China
7'2, 209 lbs
Hometown: Henan, China
2015-2016 Stats: 16.6 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 1.6 apg
The Warriors have visions of chasing Kevin Durant this off-season, so they obviously will not want to be saddled with a rookie contract on the books. Like any 7 footer with a pulse, Zhou Qi puts up good numbers against his fellow China countrymen. He is woefully thin and Chinese prospects are such a wild card when it comes to predicting NBA success. With a big Chinese population in San Francisco, he could become a fan favorite if his NBA game pans out.
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Round 2
31. Boston Celtics (from Philadelphia 76ers - SF/PF Paul Zipser, Germany
32. Los Angeles Lakers - C AJ Hammons, Sr, Purdue
33. Phoenix Suns - C Ante Zizic, Croatia
34. Los Angeles Clippers (from Brooklyn Nets) - PG/SG Malik Newman, Fr, Mississippi State
35. Boston Celtics (from Minnesota Timberwolves) - PF Nigel Hayes, Jr, Wisconsin
36. Milwaukee Bucks (from New Orleans Pelicans) - SG Malcolm Brogdon, Sr, Virginia
37. New Orleans Pelicans (from Denver Nuggets) - PG Monte Morris, Jr, Iowa State
38. Houston Rockets (from New York Knicks) - SF/PF Jared Uthoff, Sr, Iowa
39. New Orleans Pelicans (from Sacramento Kings) PF/C Alpha Kaba, France
40. Milwaukee Bucks - PG Anthony Barber, Jr, North Carolina State
41. Orlando Magic - SG/SF Damion Lee, Sr, Louisville
42. Utah Jazz - SG/SF Michael Gbinije, Sr, Syracuse
43. Atlanta Hawks (from Washington Wizards) - PF Kyle Wiltjer, Sr, Gonzaga
44. Houston Rockets - PF Guerschon Yabusele, France
45. Orlando Magic (from Chicago Bulls) - PG George De Paula, Brazil
46. Detroit Pistons - SG/SF Wane Selden, Jr, Kansas
47. Chicago Bulls (from Portland Trail Blazers) - C Amida Brimah, Jr, Connecticut
48. Indiana Pacers - SF Dorian Finney-Smith, Sr, Florida
49. Boston Celtics (from Dallas Mavericks) - C Andrey Desyatnikov, Russia
50. Denver Nuggets (from Charlotte Hornets) - PG/SG Gary Payton II, Sr, Oregon State
51. Atlanta Hawks - SG Danilo Fuzaro, Brazil
52. Boston Celtics (from Miami Heat) - PF Petr Cornelie, France
53. Utah Jazz (from Boston Celtics) - SF/PF Aleksandar Vezenkov, Cyprus
54. Dallas Mavericks (from Memphis Grizzlies) - C Egidijus Mockevicius, Sr, Evansville
55. Brooklyn Nets (from Los Angeles Clippers) - PG/SG Tyrone Wallace, Sr, California
56. Memphis Grizzlies (from Toronto Raptors) - SG/SF Caris LeVert, Sr, Michigan
57. Denver Nuggets (from Okalhoma City Thunder) - C Youssoufa Fall, Senegal
58. Boston Celtics (from Cleveland Cavaliers) - SF Nedim Buza, Bosnia and Herzegovina
59. Sacramento Kings (from San Antonio Spurs) - SF/PF Alex Poythress, Kentucky
60. Utah Jazz (from Golden State Warriors) - PG/SG David Walker, Sr, Northeastern
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