2015 NBA Draft Review

Normally, I would look to review the NBA Draft the day or two after it all happens. A lot of the analysis is based on what the team look likes, and where the new draftees might fit in, short- and long-term, so I figured it might make more sense to wait until most of free agency goes down to get a more accurate read on what rosters may look like, especially with so much movement this off-season.

As the usual, it’s tough to “grade” how guys who haven’t played an NBA minute will turn out, so analysis is based on my thoughts of the players’ games, along with the potential fit for each team.

Here is my take on how each team did in the 2015 NBA Draft:

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Atlanta Hawks

Round 1 – None (Traded to Washington in three-way deal with New York for Tim Hardaway, Jr.)

Round 2 – Marcus Eriksson, # 50; Dimitrios Agravanis, #59

Thoughts: I understand the Hawks’ desire to trade their first-round pick if it brought them back a veteran player who could contribute right away, especially with the prospect of losing Paul Millsap and/or DeMarre Carroll to free agency. I don’t understand Tim Hardaway, Jr. being that player. There was going to be plenty of talent left on the board at #15, including plenty of potential replacements for Carroll, including Sam Dekker or Kelly Oubre, Jr., who the Wizards eventually took in that spot. Even if they took the best player available approach, the player they could have gotten, for example, Bobby Portis, would have been better than Hardaway, Jr., who had a decent rookie year, but really didn’t look that good last season. Maybe getting out of New York will help revitalize Hardaway’s career, but that’s far from a given. Luckily, the Hawks were able to re-sign Millsap, and picked up Tiago Splitter in a trade, so the team should still be good, though likely not number one in the East good. Late in the second round, the Hawks picked up a couple of draft-and-stash candidates, though I’d be surprised if we ever see either in the NBA.

Boston Celtics

Round 1 – Terry Rozier, #16; R.J. Hunter, #28

Round 2 – Jordan Mickey, #33; Marcus Thornton, #45

Thoughts: While I didn’t get the pick of Rozier at #16, getting Hunter at #28 helps alleviate that a bit. It’s not that I think Rozier is a “poor” choice, but with a backcourt that already has Marcus Smart, Isaiah Thomas, and Avery Bradley all locked up at good salaries through 2018, I’m just not sure where Rozier fits in to the bigger plan. I like the pick of Hunter near the end of the first round, and I think he is already better than last year’s first-round pick, James Young, in almost every aspect. Jordan Mickey looks to be a steal early in the second-round, and instantly adds some rim protection to a team that really needs it. With the additions of David Lee and Amir Johnson, plus re-signing Jae Crowder, I like what Boston has done to upgrade their frontcourt. I also like the pick of Marcus Thornton in the middle of the second round. While he’ll play overseas early in his career, there’s enough talent, especially shot-creating ability, to keep an eye on his progress the next few years.

Brooklyn Nets

Round 1 – Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, #23; Chris McCullough, #29

Round 2 – Juan Vaulet, #39

Thoughts: The Nets had to give up Mason Plumlee to get him, but I like their pick of Hollis-Jefferson at #23. Obviously, his offensive skills need a lot of work, but his versatility on defense, plus his ability to crash the glass on both ends, will help the Nets in areas where they really need it. I also like the pick of McCullough, still recovering from ACL surgery, late in the first round. He was a raw prospect to begin with, but with the Nets able to take over his rehab, plus no immediate need for him, the team will be able to bring him along at a good pace. I would have liked the pick even more if the Nets had their own D-League team where McCullough could develop his game once he’s cleared to play. Vaulet wasn’t a bad acquisition from the Hornets at #39, though from what I’ve seen, he’s far from being an NBA player, and will need to stay in Argentina, or play in Europe, for at least a few more years.

Charlotte Hornets

Round 1 – Frank Kaminsky, #9

Round 2 – None (Traded to Brooklyn for 2018 and 2019 second-round picks)

Thoughts: I know a lot of Charlotte fans were down on the Kaminsky pick, especially since Justise Winslow was still available, but I think the Hornets did a good job by getting a guy who can instantly help an offense which certainly needs it. Kaminsky will give them a big man who can score inside and out, creating more space for Kemba Walker, etc. to get to the basket. With the recently acquired Spencer Hawes, the Hornets now have some versatility alongside Al Jefferson and Cody Zeller in the frontcourt.

Chicago Bulls

Round 1 – Bobby Portis, #22

Round 2 – None

Thoughts: The Bulls were one of the big winners in this draft, and they didn’t have to do much to get there. With some good luck, Portis, a top-ten talent in this draft, fell into their laps at #22. Portis is a high-energy, versatile scorer and defender who will provide a great spark off the bench early on for aging frontcourt players Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah. With Fred Hoiberg in as head coach now, Portis’ ability to run the floor and score inside and out will be even more valuable once gets acclimated to the NBA.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Round 1 – None (Traded to Minnesota for 2015 picks #33 and #36)

Round 2 – Cedi Osman, # 33 (via Minnesota); Rakeem Christmas, #36 (via Minnesota); Sir’Dominic Pointer, #53

Thoughts: Cleveland has accomplished most of what they needed to do this offseason with the re-signing of LeBron James and Kevin Love, plus adding Mo Williams. It’s easy to see why Cleveland would give up their first round pick to maximize cap space, and they ended up with a couple of decent second-round picks. Osman is an athletic wing who runs the floor well, can get to the basket, and create off the dribble. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Osman try to come over to the NBA in the next couple of years. I liked the pick of Christmas at #36, but the Pacers will be the beneficiary after Cleveland traded his rights to Indiana. It’s not often you find a useful player near the end of the draft, but Sir’Dominic Pointer can surprise over the next couple of years with his ability to defend multiple positions. Expect him to play in Canton this season for the Cavaliers’ D-League affiliate.

Dallas Mavericks

Round 1 – Justin Anderson, #21

Round 2 – Satnam Singh, #52

Thoughts: While the Mavericks’ adventure with DeAndre Jordan got most of the attention this offseason, the team quietly did very well in this year’s draft, getting a wing who is ready to help right away on both ends of the floor in Justin Anderson. Anderson showed great improvement as a long-range shooter last season at Virginia, and while there were some concerns if that would hold up, he looked good as both a shooter and slasher during Summer League. Add to that his ability to guard multiple positions and defend well on the perimeter, and the Mavericks may have gotten a steal with Anderson. Singh is an intriguing prospect; 7’2 and 290 pounds from India, he’s still a major work-in-progress, but he should get a lot of developmental work with the Texas Legends.

Denver Nuggets

Round 1 – Emmanuel Mudiay, #7

Round 2 – Nikola Radicevic, # 57

Thoughts: The relationship between Ty Lawson and the Nuggets was already strained pre-draft, so the Nuggets getting one of the top point guard prospects in Mudiay at #7 can be seen as a big win for them. With the trade of Lawson to Houston, the Nuggets are clearly going to be Mudiay’s team to run, if not from Day 1, very close to it. Now, I’m not as high on Mudiay as many seem to be; his perimeter defense and his jumper both need a lot of work, but he’s a big point guard who can get into the defense. The guess is Denver will let him play through early career struggles and then assess where they are with him. Radicevic is another young, big point guard who has played in Spain for the past few seasons. Expect him to stay there for another couple of years at minimum.

Detroit Pistons

Round 1 – Stanley Johnson, #8

Round 2 – Darrun Hilliard, # 38

Thoughts: I think the Pistons made the right move by looking to fill a need at the small forward position. I just think they took the wrong player if that was the direction they were intent on going. With Justise Winslow still unexpectedly on the board, the Pistons could have ended up with a player who is better than Johnson in just about every area. Now, it’s quite possible that the Pistons didn’t do all their homework on Winslow because many thought he would be gone, and Johnson had been a target of theirs since the beginning of the pre-draft process. Johnson will give the Pistons a solid two-way player, so the pick isn’t all bad; they just could have done better. I liked the pick of Hilliard in the second round, giving the Pistons a potential long-range shooter/defender on the perimeter, though he will likely be in Grand Rapids next season.

Golden State Warriors

Round 1 – Kevon Looney, #30

Round 2 – None

Thoughts: At one point, many irrationally thought Looney would be a lottery pick, but I think the Warriors got great value for him with the last pick of the first round, even with rumblings of a possible hip problem. While Looney is still incredibly young, and raw, he has good size and length, 6’9 with over a 7’3 wingspan, and can be a big help on the boards. Looney has the physical tools to one day be a good player, and I think the Warrior’s D-League team in Santa Cruz is the perfect place for him to start his career, especially since the defending champions really don’t have a spot him for right now.

Houston Rockets

Round 1 – Sam Dekker, #18

Round 2 – Montrezl Harrell, # 32

Thoughts: I think the Rockets did very well in this draft, picking up two guys who can be key rotation pieces a few years down the road in Dekker and Harrell. Dekker has great size and athleticism for the small forward position, and while he needs to become more consistent as a shooter, he has the makings a versatile scorer. Harrell is a steal at #32, with the Rockets getting a high-energy rebounder and defender who runs the floor well and tries to dunk every time he catches the ball. Both can give the Rockets some depth, especially after the team gave up some of their bench to land Ty Lawson, though Harrell will likely spend some time with the D-League team in Rio Grande Valley as he tries to work on areas of his game, like shooting.

Indiana Pacers

Round 1 – Myles Turner, #11

Round 2 – Joseph Young, #43

Thoughts: Once it became known that the Pacers were going to try and pick up the pace next season, it was clear to see that Roy Hibbert wasn’t going to be long for Indiana. Turner is the kind of big man who will fit the style of play Indiana wants right now, though he is likely a few years from being any real impact despite an impressive Summer League showing. Turner is a skilled offensive player, though he is much more comfortable right now on the perimeter than around the basket. Where he may be able to help more immediately is with his ability to block shots and protect the rim, though he still has a lot to learn about actually defending players one-on-one. Young was a solid middle-of-the-second-round pick just for his scoring ability. He’s a bit undersized for the shooting guard position, but he is very creative in finding scoring opportunities, and he should find ways to get points, even in limited minutes off the bench. The Pacers also added Cleveland second-round pick Rakeem Christmas via trade last week, which was another solid move for Indiana’s frontcourt. Tough, physical, and experienced, Christmas should be in a position to provide back-up minutes at both the 4 and 5 spots.

Los Angeles Clippers

Round 1 – None

Round 2 – Branden Dawson, #56

Thoughts: You never really expect teams to find much near the end of the draft, but the Clippers made a good choice in the Michigan State forward Dawson. A solid rebounder and defender, Dawson has thrived as an undersized power forward, though he will need to move to the wing as a pro. He’ll be worth keeping an eye on as the Clippers don’t have much of a need for him right now, but he should get some good developmental time in Bakersfield.

Los Angeles Lakers

Round 1 – D’Angelo Russell, #2; Larry Nance, Jr., #27

Round 2 – Anthony Brown, # 34

Thoughts: The Lakers has a great chance to pick up a likely future star in the league at #2, and blew it by taking Russell instead of Jahlil Okafor. This isn’t to say Russell will be bad exactly, but he’s just not a good pick when you have #2 overall. I know many get dazzled by the occasional highlight pass that Russell throws, but his decision-making is so poor right now, I’m not sure he’ll ever be an NBA point guard, at least not one you’ll be a winning team with. He does have the ability to slide over to the shooting guard spot, and I’m still convinced that’s where he’ll have his best chance of success, especially since he’s not really quick enough to get into the lane and to the basket consistently. Nance was a solid pick near the end of the first round, giving the Lakers an athletic power forward who scores well around the basket and can defend well around the rim. At #34, the Lakers got good value in shooting guard Anthony Brown. Brown has good size at 6’7, can knock down long-range jumper consistently, and defends well on the perimeter. No matter what I think of their pick at #2, the Lakers did improve their team in this draft.

Memphis Grizzlies

Round 1 – Jarell Martin, #25

Round 2 – Andrew Harrison, #44 (from Phoenix)

Thoughts: I thought the Grizzlies would look to target a shooter at #25, but Martin was a good value pick here, especially with Justin Anderson, a guy I thought would be prefect in Memphis, already off the board. Martin is an interesting prospect, a good athlete with some skill on the offensive end, but he’ll need to become a more consistent perimeter shooter if he wants to eventually get solid minutes on the floor. Getting Andrew Harrison from Phoenix in the 2^nd round was a nice deal for Memphis, giving them some potential depth in the backcourt in a few years, though after two years at Kentucky, I’m still not convinced he can be an NBA level point guard. He has good size, is aggressive going to the basket, and has a decent jumper, but I wouldn’t trust him running a team’s offense, and he’ll definitely have trouble defending in the NBA.

Miami Heat

Round 1 – Justise Winslow, #10

Round 2 – Josh Richardson, #40

Thoughts: It didn’t seem like the Heat were in a great spot at #10, but somehow Winslow ended up falling to them. While I’m not sure Winslow will be a star in the NBA, he does so many things well, that he will be able to help Miami on both ends of the floor, and should be a fixture on the wing for them for a long time to come. The Heat also did well at #40 with Richardson is a versatile guard with good size. He should be able to help them in a couple of years.

Milwaukee Bucks

Round 1 – Rashad Vaughn, #17

Round 2 – None

Thoughts: The Bucks needed some shooting, and they may have found a long-term answer in Vaughn. Just 18 years old, Vaughn has the ability to knock down long-range jumpers, as well as attack the basket off the dribble. He still needs to improve in most areas, but with a good, young core for the Bucks, Vaughn should be able to grow into his role over the next couple of years.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Round 1 – Karl Towns, #1; Tyus Jones, #24 (via Cleveland)

Round 2 – None

Thoughts: While I don’t think Minnesota could have gone wrong with the top pick choosing between Towns and Jahlil Okafor, I think they made a great choice based on where they hope the team will be in 3 to 5 years. With Andrew Wiggins established as the future of the franchise, Towns is a great complement as a versatile big man who can score inside and out, while also providing solid defense and rim-protecting abilities. I also like the trade of two second-round picks to get Cleveland’s first-round pick, allowing the Wolves to get a decent back-up point guard in Jones. There’s always a chance that Minnesota could look to trade Ricky Rubio, but Jones having the chance to play behind him will be a great learning experience for the young guard, and is a much better option than having Zach LaVine play the point.

New Orleans Pelicans

Round 1 – None

Round 2 – None

Thoughts: As a team on the rise, the Pelicans probably could have used their first round pick this year, but they gave it up to Houston in the deal for Omer Asik.

New York Knicks

Round 1 – Kristaps Porzingis, #4; Jerian Grant, #19 (via Washington)

Round 2 – Guillermo Hernangomez, # 35

Thoughts: Though there is still a lot that is unknown about how Porzingis’ will translate to the quicker, more physical NBA, I admire Phil Jackson swinging for the fences with this pick. If the 7’3 Porzingis even hits half of his potential, he should be a very good player, and give Knicks’ fans some much-needed hope for the future. Even better than the Porzingis pick, was the deal to get the #19 pick from Washington, giving up a mediocre Tim Hardaway, Jr. for the chance to draft point guard Jerian Grant. Grant is a big point guard with the ability to get into the lane and draw defenders, as well as a decent shooter from the perimeter. More importantly, he’s a better option at the point guard position than anyone currently on the Knicks’ roster. Hernangomez, a former teammate of Porzingis’ in Spain, is a decent draft-and-stash pick. A skilled big man, Hernangomez definitely needs some time still overseas to see if he really has what it takes to make it over here.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Round 1 – Cameron Payne, #14

Round 2 – Dakari Johnson, #48

Thoughts: For the past few months, I’ve thought that Payne was the best long-term point guard prospect in this draft, so getting him at #14 was fantastic for the Thunder. After just two seasons in college, Payne will have a great chance to learn behind Russell Westbrook and D.J. Augustin, with a chance to take over the back-up role with Augustin a free agent after next season. With no guarantee that Westbrook will stay when a free agent after the 2016-2017 season, and trading Reggie Jackson away at the deadline last season, investing in the future with Payne was the best move for the Thunder here. The Thunder also got good value for Dakari Johnson at #48. The raw seven-footer from Kentucky, Johnson will be a great project for the Thunder’s D-League team over the next few seasons, though the Thunder have plenty of young bodies in the frontcourt right now.

Orlando Magic

Round 1 – Mario Hezonja, #5

Round 2 – Tyler Harvey, # 51

Thoughts: Shooting was a priority for the Magic in this draft, and getting Hezonja definitely takes care of that. An athletic wing with NBA-range, Hezonja will be a great fit with the young core of Magic players, including Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Aaron Gordon, and Tobias Harris, and his shooting ability should open up the floor for his teammates to attack the basket. My one big question about Hezonja will be with his ego, how will he handle coming into the NBA and being a 4^th or 5^th option on the floor, at least right away? If he plays team basketball, his shots will come. The pick of Harvey , college basketball’s leading scorer last season, was a good one at #51. Also one of the nation’s top shooters, though undersized for the shooting guard position, Harvey will have the chance to work on his game in Erie over the next season or two.

Philadelphia 76ers

Round 1 – Jahlil Okafor, #3

Round 2 – Richaun Holmes, # 37; Arturas Gudaitis, #47; J.P. Tokoto , #58; Luka Mitrovic, #60

Thoughts: Last year, I thought the Sixers taking Joel Embiid, even though they had taken Nerlens Noel the year before, was a good move, and I thought the same about taking Jahlil Okafor at #3 this year, even before Embiid’s latest injury setback was known. When you are in a position like Philadelphia has been the last few years, the best move in the draft is to add the best talent you can and sort out any redundancies later on. Now, with Embiid out at least another season, Okafor will give the Sixers a young, talented big man who is already blessed with NBA-like offensive post skills. He has some issues on defense he needs to work on, and he’s very limited more than 10 feet from the basket, but at just 19 years old, there’s plenty of time for him to improve. Holmes was little-known by most coming out of Bowling Green, but he impressed many during the pre-draft period with his athleticism, skill, and hustle. He has the potential to be a versatile scorer at the power forward spot, and he should be able to find some minutes during his rookie season behind veterans Carl Landry and Jason Thompson, acquired from Sacramento along with Nik Stauskas. That deal sent the Kings second-round picks Gudaitis and Mitrovic. J.P. Tokoto is a good backcourt defender, and while not a great offensive threat, he does a good job creating for others off the dribble. He’s worth keeping an eye on if the Sixers keep him to play in Delaware next season.

Phoenix Suns

Round 1 – Devin Booker, #13

Round 2 – None

Thoughts: Phoenix added their fourth guard from Kentucky with Booker, though his consistent perimeter shooting sets him apart from Eric Bledsoe, Archie Goodwin, and Brandon Knight, though Knight has definitely improved his shooting the past couple of seasons. Booker has good size for the shooting guard spot, and his ability to knock down threes consistently will help a team that show just 34 percent from three-point range last year. The biggest concern will be making sure he gets quality minutes in a crowded backcourt.

Portland Trail Blazers

Round 1 – None (Traded to Brooklyn)

Round 2 – Pat Connaughton, #41 (via Brooklyn)

Thoughts: Portland is reshaping their team this offseason, with LaMarcus Aldridge, Robin Lopez, and Wes Matthews leaving in free agency, and Nic Batum traded to Charlotte for last year’s lottery pick Noah Vonleh and Gerald Henderson. The team will be built around Damian Lillard now, and instead of looking to add a first-round pick this year, they traded it to Brooklyn for Mason Plumlee, a nice upgrade at the center position for them. With Brooklyn’s pick in the second round, the Blazers added Pat Connaughton, who is giving up a shot at major league baseball for basketball. Connaughton is an athletic, tough shooting guard who could find some time off the bench with his shooting ability and smart play.

Sacramento Kings

Round 1 – Willie Cauley-Stein, #6

Round 2 – None

Thoughts: No one is sure what to make out of the happenings in Sacramento the past year, but aside from that, I really like the pick of Cauley-Stein at #6. Cauley-Stein will instantly upgrade the Kings’ defense, and his ability to guard multiple positions and cover a lot of ground quickly will help take a lot of defensive pressure off most of the team, including big man DeMarcus Cousins. Cauley-Stein’s offense is a mess, especially considering he played three years of college basketball, but he runs the floor as well as any seven-footer you can think of, and all his teammates need to do is throw the ball anywhere close to the rim, and he finds a way of dunking it home.

San Antonio Spurs

Round 1 – Nikola Milutinov, #26

Round 2 – Cady Lalanne, #55

Thoughts: The Spurs were a big winner this offseason, adding LaMarcus Aldridge and David West, re-signing Danny Green, and knowing Tim Duncan will be back for another year. With not much gone from last year’s team, there’s not much room for a rookie, so it makes sense for the Spurs to go with a draft-and-stash player in Milutinov in the first round, which also allowed them some cap room during free agency. Milutinov is a skilled offensive post player, though he’s at least a couple of years away from being NBA-ready, which isn’t a big deal for San Antonio. Lalanne was a great pick-up at #55. A long, athletic rim protector, Lalanne showed some improved offensive skill during Summer League, though he’ll likely be showing it off in Austin for the next year or two.

Toronto Raptors

Round 1 – Delon Wright, #20

Round 2 – Norman Powell, # 46

Thoughts: The Raptors looked like a mess in last year’s playoffs, so you knew the team was going to look to tinker with the roster this offseason. Wright was a bit of a stretch for the #20 pick, but he’s a big point guard who can get into the defense, as well as a versatile defender. However, with the signing of Cory Joseph to a deal to back up Kyle Lowry, there doesn’t seem to be much room for Wright right now to get consistent minutes, so expect him to move back and forth a lot between the Raptors and their new D-League squad. Norman Powell was a great pick in the middle of the second round. A great athlete and defender, Powell has also shown a bit of versatility to his offense, though he does need to work on becoming a better long-range shooter. Either way, both of these picks are better than last year’s disaster, Bruno Caboclo, at #20.

Utah Jazz

Round 1 – Trey Lyles, #12

Round 2 – Olivier Hanlan, #42; Daniel Diez, #54

Thoughts: The Jazz were one of the most improved teams in the second half of last season, and they added another nice piece at #12 in power forward Lyles. Lyles played just one year of college, mainly out of position on the wing, but that did allow him to show some very good offensive skill for his size. He should be a versatile scorer in the future with his ability to knock down jumpers and attack off the dribble, though he still needs to get stronger and add some range to his shot. I said earlier in the year that I wouldn’t be surprised if Lyles ended up the best pro from this year’s Kentucky class, which included the #1, #6, and #13 picks, so for the Jazz to get Lyles at #12 is tremendous. Hanlan was a good value pick at #42. A point guard with good size and scoring ability, he can turn out to be a nice change-of-pace behind Dante Exum in the future.

Washington Wizards

Round 1 – Kelly Oubre, Jr., #15 (via Atlanta)

Round 2 – Aaron White, #49

Thoughts: I like that the Wizards made a move up in this draft; I just don’t get the pick of Oubre in that spot, especially with more talented players still available. I understand Oubre’s length and athleticism are attractive, but he’s mediocre on both offense and defense, and while still young, he has a long way to go before being NBA-ready. I’ve mentioned Bobby Portis a few times, but he would have been a great pick for Washington to help their aging frontcourt, and he’s more ready to contribute than Oubre. The same goes for guys like Jerian Grant or Sam Dekker. I like the pick of White at #49, and I think playing in Germany next season will have him more ready to hopefully join the team the following year. White has good size, a great basketball IQ, and the makings of a decent jumper; all which could see him becoming a good stretch 4 off the bench.

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