Gold Dragon's 2016 Mock

[Gold Dragon]

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/161310/

This ranking is based more on talent and risk, focusing on those players I think will most likely be successful in the NBA. Sometimes that meant taking the safe low upside player over the boom-bust types. Team needs were not emphasized as much so some of the fits may not be great but many seemed to fit really well.

[skywalker33]

If the Nuggets are selecting Hield at #7, no need to pick Allen at #18 with Harris and Barton already on board. I'd take Baldwin there.

[Gold Dragon]

If the Nuggets are selecting Hield at #7, no need to pick Allen at #18 with Harris and Barton already on board. I'd take Baldwin there.

I agree. I tried not to give too much attention to fit and depth charts, but focused more who I felt was most likely to be a productive and useful NBA player. I figured the draft order will likely change quite a bit between now and then.

[Bjorpa]

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/161310/

This ranking is based more on talent and risk, focusing on those players I think will most likely be successful in the NBA. Sometimes that meant taking the safe low upside player over the boom-bust types. Team needs were not emphasized as much so some of the fits may not be great but many seemed to fit really well.

Suns won't take Murray at 3.

Knight, Booker, Goodwin and (possibly) Bogdanovic can play the 2.

Off course, there could be trades, but I don't see them selling low on Knight og casting of the new face of the franchise.

[Gold Dragon]

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/161310/

This ranking is based more on talent and risk, focusing on those players I think will most likely be successful in the NBA. Sometimes that meant taking the safe low upside player over the boom-bust types. Team needs were not emphasized as much so some of the fits may not be great but many seemed to fit really well.

Suns won't take Murray at 3.

Knight, Booker, Goodwin and (possibly) Bogdanovic can play the 2.

Off course, there could be trades, but I don't see them selling low on Knight og casting of the new face of the franchise.

I agree the Suns are unlikely to take Murray. They are currently third and Murray is the guy I see as the third most likely to be a highly successful NBA player in this class. As I said, fit was not my priority since the draft order is likely to be different when all is said and done. Ceilings of players and likelihood of hitting that ceiling were my priorities. Sometimes that also led to a good fit but many times it did not.

[skywalker33]

With March Madness coming, I'm interested in seeing what that'll have on your rankings for the draft

[Gold Dragon]

Pre-tournament rankings

Tier 1
Brandon Ingram
Ben Simmons

Tier 2
Jamal Murray
Kris Dunn
Jaylen Brown
Dragan Bender
Jakob Poeltl

Tier 3
Buddy Hield
Timothe Luwawu
Denzel Valentine

Tier 4
Marquese Chriss - if declares
Dejounte Murray - if declares
Deyonta Davis
Ivan Rabb
Demetrius Jackson
Henry Ellenson

Tier 5
Skal Labissiere
Damian Jones
Grayson Allen
Taurean Prince
Melo Trimble
Furkan Korkmaz
Wade Baldwin IV
Isaia Cordinier
Malik Beasley
Tyler Ulis
Juan Hernangomez

Tier 6
Damantas Sabonis
Stephen Zimmerman
Diamond Stone
Jonathan Jeanne
Jarrod Uthoff
Caris LeVert

[Gold Dragon]

My mid tourney big board. Not a mock draft as team needs did not factor into the picks. My priorities were NBA ceilings and floors and likelihood of reaching those ceilings and floors.

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/165142/

Bender and Brown will probably move up from here during the pre-draft process. Probably Skal as well.

[ZGendron317]

Pre-tournament rankings

Tier 1
Brandon Ingram
Ben Simmons

Tier 2
Jamal Murray
Kris Dunn
Jaylen Brown
Dragan Bender
Jakob Poeltl

Tier 3
Buddy Hield
Timothe Luwawu
Denzel Valentine

Tier 4
Marquese Chriss - if declares
Dejounte Murray - if declares
Deyonta Davis
Ivan Rabb
Demetrius Jackson
Henry Ellenson

Tier 5
Skal Labissiere
Damian Jones
Grayson Allen
Taurean Prince
Melo Trimble
Furkan Korkmaz
Wade Baldwin IV
Isaia Cordinier
Malik Beasley
Tyler Ulis
Juan Hernangomez

Tier 6
Damantas Sabonis
Stephen Zimmerman
Diamond Stone
Jonathan Jeanne
Jarrod Uthoff
Caris LeVert

Deyonta Davis - if declares


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[Gold Dragon]

Final four big board

Tier 1
Ingram
Simmons
Hield

Tier 2
Murray
Dunn
Bender
Brown
Poeltl

Tier 3
Luwawu
Chriss
Valentine
Dejounte Murray
Demetrius Jackson
Prince

Tier 4
Skal
Deyonta Davis - if declares
Rabb
Furkan
Grayson Allen
Ellenson
Sabonis

Tier 5
Bentil
Trimble
Ulis
Brice Johnson
Bembry
Cordinier
Malik Beasley
Damian jones
Wade Baldwin

Tier 6
Stone
Zubac
Jeanne
Thomas Bryant
Hernangomez
Zimmerman
Brogdon
Selden
Levert
Utoff
Hayes

[Gold Dragon]

An actual Mock where I tried to consider team needs and fit.

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/170510/

Compared to my big board, Bender went up, Poeltl fell and Ulis went higher because of fit. Otherwise most this followed my big board. The Bentil and Baldwin picks were not great fits consider players picked ahead of them but I felt the teams might want to have 2 gos at addressing a percieved need and they were next on my board.

[wildvikeswolves]

An actual Mock where I tried to consider team needs and fit.

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/170510/

Compared to my big board, Bender went up, Poeltl fell and Ulis went higher because of fit. Otherwise most this followed my big board. The Bentil and Baldwin picks were not great fits consider players picked ahead of them but I felt the teams might want to have 2 gos at addressing a percieved need and they were next on my board.

Jamaal Murray over Dunn for Wolves

[Gold Dragon]

An actual Mock where I tried to consider team needs and fit.

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/170510/

Compared to my big board, Bender went up, Poeltl fell and Ulis went higher because of fit. Otherwise most this followed my big board. The Bentil and Baldwin picks were not great fits consider players picked ahead of them but I felt the teams might want to have 2 gos at addressing a percieved need and they were next on my board.

Jamaal Murray over Dunn for Wolves

Yeah, I was having a hard time with that choice. I was trying to decide if the organization was sold enough on Lavine or Rubio going forward and decided that Rubio was the one they would want to move on from.

Is that not the case? Is Lavine still too much of a wildcard?

I just think with a lineup of Lavine, Wiggins and Kat, who are more finishers than creators, you would need more of a true PG like Dunn than Murray.

[MotownMadness]

An actual Mock where I tried to consider team needs and fit.

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/170510/

Compared to my big board, Bender went up, Poeltl fell and Ulis went higher because of fit. Otherwise most this followed my big board. The Bentil and Baldwin picks were not great fits consider players picked ahead of them but I felt the teams might want to have 2 gos at addressing a percieved need and they were next on my board.

Please let us get Skal that late

[Gold Dragon]

An actual Mock where I tried to consider team needs and fit.

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/170510/

Compared to my big board, Bender went up, Poeltl fell and Ulis went higher because of fit. Otherwise most this followed my big board. The Bentil and Baldwin picks were not great fits consider players picked ahead of them but I felt the teams might want to have 2 gos at addressing a percieved need and they were next on my board.

Please let us get Skal that late

Picks 15-20 will be a run on all the PF/C that don't belong in the lottery with A PG, likely Ulis, going to Utah.

I'm not really sure how teams will look at these guys and could see Boston, Denver or Indiana taking him before the Pistons pick. But he easily has the highest bust potential of the group. Drummond might be able to mask some of his deficiencies long term making it a worthwhile risk for them.

[SAKURABA216]

If Skal goes before our pick, maybe the Pistons can draft Thon Maker

[Gold Dragon]

If Skal goes before our pick, maybe the Pistons can draft Thon Maker

I think after pick 20 there are no wrong picks. Sure Thon may be a good gamble there. Personally I don't think he is worth the risk until the early second round but everyone after pick 20 is a pretty significant gamble especially with Grayson Allen out of the picture. I'm not sure going back will be a good move for Grayson. I guess we'll see.

[wildvikeswolves]

An actual Mock where I tried to consider team needs and fit.

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/170510/

Compared to my big board, Bender went up, Poeltl fell and Ulis went higher because of fit. Otherwise most this followed my big board. The Bentil and Baldwin picks were not great fits consider players picked ahead of them but I felt the teams might want to have 2 gos at addressing a percieved need and they were next on my board.

Jamaal Murray over Dunn for Wolves

Yeah, I was having a hard time with that choice. I was trying to decide if the organization was sold enough on Lavine or Rubio going forward and decided that Rubio was the one they would want to move on from.

Is that not the case? Is Lavine still too much of a wildcard?

I just think with a lineup of Lavine, Wiggins and Kat, who are more finishers than creators, you would need more of a true PG like Dunn than Murray.

Our needs are 3 point shooting and PF. Dunns inability to shoot really draws me away. Murray provides the shooting and the ability to run a little PG if need be

[Gold Dragon]

Updated Mock

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/174679/

[Gold Dragon]

Post coin flip mock if Brown and Rabb return.

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/draft_simulator/view/178286/