2016 NBA Mock Draft: Every Team’s Ideal Fit

31. Boston Celtics (via 76ers): Paul Zipser, Bayern Muenchen

• The Boston Celtics have an abundance of picks, which makes drafting for, “Need,” relatively obsolete. With the first pick in the second round, however, Boston goes for a player at a position of minimal depth: small forward. Paul Zipser is generally viewed as a potential role player, but he contributes across the board. He’s a selfless contributor who has improved his jump shot and has NBA-caliber physical gifts at the 3.

32. Los Angeles Lakers: Ivica Zubac, Mega Leks

• The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Brandon Ingram in the first round, thus rounding out the core of scorers and playmakers. What the Lakers lack is a big-body center who can make an impact in the paint. That player can be Ivica Zubac. Zubac is a 7’1″ and 265-pound big man who just turned 19 in March. He’s not particulary explosive, but his size and strength is uncanny. The proper development could make him a standout player.

33. Los Angeles Clippers (via Nets): DeAndre Bembry, Saint Joseph’s Hawks

• The Los Angeles Clippers found an athletic and positionally versatile guard who can get out in transition in the first round with Dejounte Murray. In the second round, Los Angeles targets a weakness by finding a player who can definitely play the 3: DeAndre Bembry. Bembry is a lackluster shooter, but he’s a shot-creator. He’s an excellent passer who plays selflessly and has the athleticism to finish in the paint. Bembry could sneak into the first round, but in this scenario, the Clippers get a player with the potential to start at No. 33.

34. Phoenix Suns: Juan Hernangomez, Estudiantes

• The Phoenix Suns had a surplus of draft picks in the first round. Now in Round 2, the Suns can continue to target upside with Juan Hernangomez. Hernangomez, one of my Top 30 prospects, is a face-up power forward with range beyond the 3-point line and the fluid athleticism to run in transition. He could potentially play the 3 in the same manner that Nikola Mirotic has for the Chicago Bulls, which creates rotational flexibility. If nothing else, he can be what Markieff Morris was—is?—supposed to be.

35. Boston Celtics (via Timberwolves): Caris LeVert, Michigan Wolverines

• The injury concerns are overwhelming, but this is Round 2. When you’ve had as many draft picks as the Boston Celtics, you can—and should—gamble on the few players with genuine star potential. Caris LeVert certainly fits the bill as a positionally versatile player—he could run point, play shooting guard, and work the 3—with 6’7″ size and a lottery-pick skill level. He can space the floor, facilitate the offense, and even create penetration. LeVert has star potential if he can stay healthy.

36. Milwaukee Bucks (via Pelicans): Petr Cornelie, Le Mans

• The Milwaukee Bucks could go in a number of different directions here, but Petr Cornelie makes the most sense. He’s a 7’0″ power forward with an efficient stroke from 3-point range and a stunning 7’1″ wingspan. He moves smoothly without the ball, gets himself open, and spaces the floor. Milwaukee certainly needs to shoot better than it currently does, which makes Cornelie an easy selection. He’s also a player who could one day start alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker.

37. Houston Rockets (via Knicks): Zhou Qi, Xinjiang Flying Tigers

• This is all about upside. Zhou Qi is a tantalizing talent who will have trade value in the very near future. The worst case scenario is the Houston Rockets spends a second-round draft pick on a 7’2″ center who can shoot jumpers, but can’t play inside due to his incredibly thin frame. There isn’t much risk come Round 2—especially not in a market with as vast an Asian fanbase as Houston.

38. New Orleans Pelicans (via Nuggets): Stephen Zimmerman, UNLV Rebels

• Stephen Zimmerman is one of the Top 25 prospects in the 2016 NBA Draft. It simply cannot be overstated how few teams need a center in the Top 35. Thus, the New Orleans Pelicans hit the jackpot and land Zimmerman at No. 38. Zimmerman, a floor-spacing 7’0″ center who can block shots and excels on the defensive glass, could be the perfect complement to Anthony Davis.

39. Milwaukee Bucks: Melo Trimble, Maryland Terrapins

• With a second pick in four spots, the Milwaukee Bucks have to go point guard. Jason Kidd said that Giannis Antetokounmpo would run point in 2016-17, and Michael Carter-Williams contested it, but Milwaukee still needs depth. If MCW isn’t the answer, and signs point to him not being so, the Bucks will need a more well-rounded offensive player to anchor the second unit. Melo Trimble can be that guy. Trimble’s not an elite shooter, but his midrange game is lethal, his penetration skills are quite impressive, and his outside shot is far better than Carter-Williams’.

40. New Orleans Pelicans (via Kings): Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia Cavaliers

• The New Orleans Pelicans already took Jamal Murray, who could play both the 1 and the 2. That doesn’t mean their search for depth in the backcourt is over. That’s been far too critical an issue during Dell Demps’ tenure. Thus, the Pelicans select yet another player who fits Alvin Gentry’s structure: Malcolm Brogdon. Brogdon is a 3-and-D wing who has the potential to play lockdown defense at the next level. He may not become a star, but he can be a consistent rotational plug.

Next: Round 2, Picks 41-50