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Owen Elle breaks down the top fifteen picks of the 2015 NBA draft.
Want to know what Owen thought before the draft? Find a look back at his first round mock draft with comparisons to the actual picks.
1: Minnesota Timberwolves: C Karl-Anthony Towns
It was no secret that Towns was going to be the first overall pick entering draft night. The Timberwolves didn’t overthink the selection and made the right pick. More defensively sound than the other top center Jahlil Okafor, Towns gives the Wolves a second potential superstar to build around. He is a great rim-protector and will have a future Hall of Famer in Kevin Garnett showing him the ropes in Minnesota.
Grade: A
2: Los Angeles Lakers: G D’Angelo Russell
While Jahlil Okafor would have make a ton of sense to take with the second pick, Russell still is a logical choice considering that frontcourt players like Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMarcus Cousins are all linked to Los Angeles either via free agency or trade. It will be significantly easier to acquire a power forward or a center for the upcoming season than it will be to get a solid shooting guard. Russell will be able to play with Kobe, only increasing his chances of becoming a superstar with the Lakers.
Grade: A-
3: Philadelphia 76ers: C Jahlil Okafor
It’s hard not to like selecting a player who was thought just a couple of months ago to be the first overall pick in the draft, but with Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid already on the team, it’s hard to imagine how minutes will be distributed up front in Philly. While GM Sam Hinkie’s philosophy of taking the best player available is a solid strategy for a rebuilding team, in reality either Okafor or Embiid will be traded out of Philadelphia at some point. Maybe not this season, considering Embiid might not play at all due to injuries, but in the near future something will need to be done. On the court, the 76ers are getting an absolute offensive juggernaut that is sure to have an immediate impact from game one.
Grade: A-
4: New York Knicks: PF Kristaps Porzingis
Porzingis is not a bad selection, however he was a very unpopular pick on draft night. While it is frustrating that he may be a few years away from being a real factor in the lineup. A seven-foot player that can drain threes and is as athletic as a small forward really can’t be found in the NBA today. It’s unclear as to whether or not the Knicks could have traded down to select Porzingis, but he remains a great upside pick.
Grade: B
5: Orlando Magic: SG Mario Hezonja
Although taking Hezonja crowds the guard position in Orlando with Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Ben Gordon, Evan Fournier and Devyn Marble, Hezonja was a very underrated pick by the Magic. While teams tend to shy away from European or international players, Hezonja played in the Euroleague last season, averaging over 14 PPG per 36 minutes in the second best league in the world. He is more than ready to step in an contribute immediately to the team and is the anti-Kristaps Porzingis, who will need a few years to grow before getting significant starting minutes.
Grade: B
6: Sacramento Kings: C Willie Cauley-Stein
While Cauley-Stein is listed as a center, but he can play power forward should DeMarcus Cousins remain in Sacramento for the upcoming season. He gives the Kings a great defensive presence on the court, however his offense will likely take some time to develop. Drafting Cauley-Stein with the sixth pick is puzzling considering Mudiay is still on the board and the team doesn’t have a capable point guard.
Grade: C
7: Denver Nuggets: PG Emmanuel Mudiay
While this pick clearly isn’t popular with Ty Lawson, Mudiay gave the Nuggets incredible value with the seventh pick. Once thought to be in consideration for the first overall pick, the point guard out of China out of Texas out of the Congo was the best player available for a team that will likely need to rebuild after this season given the uncertainty surrounding the future of Ty Lawson, Wilson Chandler and Kenneth Faried.
Grade: A
8: Detroit Pistons: SF Stanley Johnson
Entering the draft the Pistons clearly needed to address the small forward position, which they did with Johnson. It’s odd that Detroit decided to take Johnson over Justice Winslow, but they might not have done their due diligence on Winslow expecting him to be taken before their pick. Johnson can give the Pistons a good shooter who has the potential to be a two-way player after developing further.
Grade: C+
9: Charlotte Hornets: C Frank Kaminsky
This pick seemed like a decent pick until one looks at the Hornets depth chart. At the 4 and 5 Charlotte has Cody Zeller, Al Jefferson and Bismack Biyambo, making one wonder where Kaminsky is going to get any minutes. Kaminsky isn’t a raw prospect that can take years to develop on the bench. He played four seasons at Wisconsin consistently progressing every year. He is, at least offensively, ready to play in the NBA. If he slides one more pick to Miami, he would fit much more cleanly.
Grade: D+
10: Miami Heat: SF Justice Winslow
Hands down, Winslow was the steal of the draft. A top five talent that slides to the tenth pick is about as good as it gets in the NBA, especially considering most picks out of the top 10-12 are total crapshoots. Winslow can play as the sixth man and be Luol Dengs’s backup in his rookie year. He can also play shooting guard, meaning that if Miami stupidly gives Goran Dragic $80M this season, effectively forcing Dwayne Wade out of Miami, that Winslow can be the starter in the place of Wade. From a player standpoint, Winslow has been described as the consummate teammate, team leader and is a two-way player that won’t be a defensive liability on the court.
Grade: A+
11: Indiana Pacers: C Myles Turner
The drafting of Turner with the eleventh pick likely means that the rumors about Roy Hibbert being traded out of Indiana are true, although trading a $15.5M salary will prove to be exceptionally difficult. Turner was elite as elite gets from a collegiate shot-blocking standpoint. The issue with Turner is concerns over his athleticism and his proneness to injury.
Grade: C+
12: Utah Jazz: PF Trey Lyles
Ideally Lyles can put on some pounds and have position flexibility at both center and power forward. Derrick Favors and Trevor Booker will make it difficult for Lyles to see minutes at power forward, but with half-season wonder Rudy Gobert at center, Lyles would have a better chance at immediately playing backing up the Frenchman.
Grade: C
13: Phoenix Suns: SG Devin Booker
Sun’s HC Jeff Hornacek denied rumors that SG Eric Bledsoe was made available for trade during the draft, however it has been rumored for a while that Bledsoe has wanted out of Phoenix. Booker can be the future replacement for Bledsoe while being a Kyle Korver-esque three-point shooter off the bench.
Grade: A
14: Oklahoma City Thunder: PG Cameron Payne
The selection of Payne was a great long-term move for the Thunder. Payne rose up draft boards late in the season due to his high potential and incredible athleticism, much akin to a 2014 Elfrid Payton. There are no concerns over his ability to shoot the ball, although he will need to bulk up and hit the weight room in order to be successful in the NBA. The Thunder and new HC Billy Donovan will be able to let Payne develop at his own pace behind the likes of superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Grade: B+
15: Atlanta Hawks: SG Kelly Oubre
[Oubre was later traded to the Washington Wizards]
After the departure of Paul Pierce, there is a gap to fill at small forward in the national’s capital. While Oubre is very talented, he still has plenty of development to do, meaning Otto Porter will likely win and keep the starting small forward job barring injuries or any moves in free agency. With the Wizards being a playoff caliber team, Oubre can provide depth for Washington in his rookie season.
Grade: B-
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