Draft Thread Part 2

[DirtyDez]

Would the Suns unprotected pick next year plus the Suns pick this year plus another asset (Knight or another pick) be enough to move up to 1 or 2?

With the potential of next year's draft, someone might bite.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

If Hinkie was still in Philly it might've been a possibility. If LA trades out from 1-2 it will be to acquire a star-level player. Same with Boston IMO.

[TeamTragic]

Would the Suns unprotected pick next year plus the Suns pick this year plus another asset (Knight or another pick) be enough to move up to 1 or 2?

With the potential of next year's draft, someone might bite.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

If Hinkie was still in Philly it might've been a possibility. If LA trades out from 1-2 it will be to acquire a star-level player. Same with Boston IMO.

Neither LA nor Boston is getting a star-level player for a high pick in this draft class. It just isn't going to happen.

[TeamTragic]

Lakers 1, Pelicans 2, Celtics 3. Book it.

1. SUNS
2. Lakers
3. Sixers
4. Celtics
5. Wolves

Pretty Sure the Pelicans can't get the fifth pick

Fixed. I meant the Wolves.

[GMATCallahan]

Magic was the functional equivalent of a PG who just happend to be 6'9, Simmons is strictly a playmaking forward who can initate an half court offense as a secondary ballhandler but wil rack the lion shares of assists in transition. Sure he can make the flashy behind the back passes and thread the needle but he's not a floor general who dictates the pace. He is like a more cerebreal Blake Griffin with shorter arms and less athleticism but better vision who can be a nightly triple double threat

Magic was a pg. Plain and simple, not a functional equivalent. Simmons absolute highest ceiling might be that too, not that I would count on that. Like Magic, Simmons is going to pull down the rebound and run the break. He can fly down the court at great speed. I am not sure anyone really knows how Simmons game is going to translate to the NBA and what position he will play in the end--not that he will be exactly like Magic. His skill set coming out of college is similar though.

I originally thought that I would analogize Simmons to Lamar Odom, but Simmons seems like a better ball-handler than either Odom or Boris Diaw. As much as anything, the argument against him being a point guard per se is that today's NBA has become such a high pick-and-roll league, and running that play time and time again would not seem to suit him. A couple of years ago, Isiah Thomas (by far the best NBA studio analyst on national television in my opinion, with Kenny Smith a distant second and no one else really that worthwhile) suggested, quite adeptly, that if Magic Johnson were playing nowadays, he might not be a point guard—he might be a center instead—because of the high pick-and-roll nature of the current NBA. Magic could certainly run the pick-and-roll, but he did not run the play constantly or from that high on the floor, nor did he possess the type of nifty ball-handling of today's point guards. Magic possessed a secure handle, but he was not doing a lot of crossing over (and never, or virtually never, between his legs), nor did he employ in-and-out/out-and-in dribbles or behind-the-back dribbles. Instead, he possessed great footwork and strength and would continually drop-step and spin or curl his way to the basket.

Additionally, Magic struggled to defend smaller guards, and he would probably struggle even more in today's game with all the spread-floor high pick-and-rolls. The same would potentially be true of Simmons in terms of primary assignments, although he might be valuable in defensive switches.

In any event, the chances of Simmons being a Magic-style floor general are obviously slim, but he does not need to be a point guard. Simmons would just be a player, much like Draymond Green, who improves a team's flow, facilitation, and versatility. Danny Manning would make for another analogy, although his scoring game was more refined that that of Simmons (or Green). But if Simmons is another Manning or Green, that would really be something.

I wonder what Simmons' actual height happens to be; is he really 6'10"? Magic, for instance, was not really 6'9". He was 6'8" at the most, possibly even shorter than that (say, 6'7" and 3/4 or 6'7" and 1/2). Of course, most NBA heights are exaggerated by an inch or two, sometimes three.

Simmons would not need a clear-cut position, either. Danny Manning, for instance, would sometimes serve as the Suns' small forward, sometimes serve as their power forward, and sometimes serve as their center, while also sometimes defending shooting guards. And in today's NBA especially, where the wide court spacing encourages more switching (because help and recovery are more challenging, given that space equals time in basketball), positional versatility on defense is even more of a virtue.

[Mulhollanddrive]

The one stat that stood out to me is that Simmons averaged 9 FTA per 36.

Only Cousins and Harden average more at NBA level.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Would the Suns unprotected pick next year plus the Suns pick this year plus another asset (Knight or another pick) be enough to move up to 1 or 2?

With the potential of next year's draft, someone might bite.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

I'm not usually interested in giving up the farm for a top pick, but this year is different. We're well positioned to get a great guard with our top pick, but at the end of the lotto, there may not be any really great options for us. And we have a fairly high-end young player on our roster with a very good contract (Knight) for whom we have little or no use. And the #1 player fits our needs better than perhaps any other team in the league.

I'm usually not one for "Godfather" deals, but I'd throw the #5/6, #13 and Knight for Simmons. As for next year's protected pick... IDK. Some protection would be nice. If the counterparty isn't interested in that package with the protection, then why are they talking to us at all?

SIMMONS PLS.

[Lazy10]

Would the Suns unprotected pick next year plus the Suns pick this year plus another asset (Knight or another pick) be enough to move up to 1 or 2?

With the potential of next year's draft, someone might bite.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

If Hinkie was still in Philly it might've been a possibility. If LA trades out from 1-2 it will be to acquire a star-level player. Same with Boston IMO.

Neither LA nor Boston is getting a star-level player for a high pick in this draft class. It just isn't going to happen.

Pretty sure Bulls offered Jimmy B to Celtics for Nets 1st, #23 and Jae Crowder

[bwgood77]

Would the Suns unprotected pick next year plus the Suns pick this year plus another asset (Knight or another pick) be enough to move up to 1 or 2?

With the potential of next year's draft, someone might bite.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

I'm not usually interested in giving up the farm for a top pick, but this year is different. We're well positioned to get a great guard with our top pick, but at the end of the lotto, there may not be any really great options for us. And we have a fairly high-end young player on our roster with a very good contract (Knight) for whom we have little or no use. And the #1 player fits our needs better than perhaps any other team in the league.

I'm usually not one for "Godfather" deals, but I'd throw the #5/6, #13 and Knight for Simmons. As for next year's protected pick... IDK. Some protection would be nice. If the counterparty isn't interested in that package with the protection, then why are they talking to us at all?

SIMMONS PLS.

Well I don't think that's the farm. Anyway, I don't think anyone gives up the #1 pick in a draft. The last I remember was Webber for Hardaway and whatever else a LONG time ago. GMs don't want to be the guy who traded that guy who became a superstar. Not for Jaylen Brown, Deyonta Davis and Brandon Knight especially.

[ATTL]

When do workouts start?

[saintEscaton]

This is a really in depth statistical breakdown of prospects, strongly recommend for fellow geeks
http://www.deepishthoughts.com/kaisers-draft-notes-vii/

[jcsunsfan]

Would the Suns unprotected pick next year plus the Suns pick this year plus another asset (Knight or another pick) be enough to move up to 1 or 2?

With the potential of next year's draft, someone might bite.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

I'm not usually interested in giving up the farm for a top pick, but this year is different. We're well positioned to get a great guard with our top pick, but at the end of the lotto, there may not be any really great options for us. And we have a fairly high-end young player on our roster with a very good contract (Knight) for whom we have little or no use. And the #1 player fits our needs better than perhaps any other team in the league.

I'm usually not one for "Godfather" deals, but I'd throw the #5/6, #13 and Knight for Simmons. As for next year's protected pick... IDK. Some protection would be nice. If the counterparty isn't interested in that package with the protection, then why are they talking to us at all?

SIMMONS PLS.

I tend to agree. This might be the year to go all out for that top pick. I am just not sure which team that could get it would be inclined to trade it.

The Pelicans might. They are going to have lots of needs.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Would the Suns unprotected pick next year plus the Suns pick this year plus another asset (Knight or another pick) be enough to move up to 1 or 2?

With the potential of next year's draft, someone might bite.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

I'm not usually interested in giving up the farm for a top pick, but this year is different. We're well positioned to get a great guard with our top pick, but at the end of the lotto, there may not be any really great options for us. And we have a fairly high-end young player on our roster with a very good contract (Knight) for whom we have little or no use. And the #1 player fits our needs better than perhaps any other team in the league.

I'm usually not one for "Godfather" deals, but I'd throw the #5/6, #13 and Knight for Simmons. As for next year's protected pick... IDK. Some protection would be nice. If the counterparty isn't interested in that package with the protection, then why are they talking to us at all?

SIMMONS PLS.

I tend to agree. This might be the year to go all out for that top pick. I am just not sure which team that could get it would be inclined to trade it.

The Pelicans might. They are going to have lots of needs.

I would say the Sixers, but if they have the top pick, I expect they'll go Ingram. Same with Lakers, though. Maybe Simmons falls to #2, which may make it a bit easier to trade up for him.

[Walt_Uoob]

In the event that we can't make a big package trade for a superstar or a top-2 pick, and instead go the more likely route of keeping most of the roster together and simply tradinig a pick away, what do we think we can get?

One thing I've been thinking is we could use the fact that everyone has cap space to work a three-way deal where we send a pick or two to a team that doesn't have a pick this year and wants to get into the draft (Nets, Mavs, Blazers, Rockets, Knicks, etc.) or wants to add a second pick, that team sends a player to a team that has holes to fill and cap space to burn but isn't a big free agent destination (Grizzlies, Hornets, Pistons, Pacers, Bucks, Wizards, Jazz?), and that team sends us a 2017 or later pick.

Anything sound good along those lines? It sounded really good to me in theory but now I can't come up with an example that sounds great to all teams involved. Maybe Thaddeus Young to the Griz so they can convince Conley to stay, but they can't give us a pick before 2021. Or if the Mavs decide it's finally time to rebuild, they have useful pieces they could send to one of those teams and start fresh with one or more of our 2016 picks.

[bwgood77]

In the event that we can't make a big package trade for a superstar or a top-2 pick, and instead go the more likely route of keeping most of the roster together and simply tradinig a pick away, what do we think we can get?

One thing I've been thinking is we could use the fact that everyone has cap space to work a three-way deal where we send a pick or two to a team that doesn't have a pick this year and wants to get into the draft (Nets, Mavs, Blazers, Rockets, Knicks, etc.) or wants to add a second pick, that team sends a player to a team that has holes to fill and cap space to burn but isn't a big free agent destination (Grizzlies, Hornets, Pistons, Pacers, Bucks, Wizards, Jazz?), and that team sends us a 2017 or later pick.

Anything sound good along those lines? It sounded really good to me in theory but now I can't come up with an example that sounds great to all teams involved. Maybe Thaddeus Young to the Griz so they can convince Conley to stay, but they can't give us a pick before 2021. Or if the Mavs decide it's finally time to rebuild, they have useful pieces they could send to one of those teams and start fresh with one or more of our 2016 picks.

I think picks will probably be tough to trade for anything of value this year. Boston tried last year to unload 4 picks to take Winslow at 9, but Charlotte preferred Kaminsky over 4 picks.

This year is a weaker draft to last year. I think Boston will likely offer up more and better picks than us along with decent players to possibly get something and trump us if such a deal takes place.

I'd like to trade a pick this year for one next year though, and Boston probably won't want to deal for picks, but players. But I guess you'd have to figure who is likely picking in a valuable range next year and would that team give up that pick for the 13th pick? It's kind of a crap shoot about who will be bad next year and would ALSO want the 13th pick, because if they figured they would be bad, they probably shouldn't want to trade their pick. And if it's not a top pick, I think we will at least have the chance of getting a relatively decent potential prospect at 13 for PF this year, so it might not be worth it.

Now the 5th pick might be valued, and a team might be salivating over someone in that range, and if it's one or two of Brown, Murray, Hield or Dunn, and we can swap that for a guaranteed lottery pick next year...maybe even reverse protect it somehow, or better yet, trade it for a likely lotto pick with no reverse protection and player or another pick, or possibly their own lower pick this year.

Or, how about, we trade down 4-5 spots and in the process get the rights to a pick swap next year (though that could turn out to be worth nothing). If a team wants to move up, I'd probably ask for next year's first and let them reasonably protect it if they are only moving up a few spots, and limited or no protection if it is 10 spots or more.

But my guess is that with McD on the hot seat, he either parlays our picks into players or uses them now because he may not be around next year or future years if things don't turn around quickly.

He probably won't get a superstar for our pick (last year he only got Knight, who was a free agent, for a likely pretty high pick) so if he trades it, it may end up being for someone we are not terribly enthused about.

[rsavaj]

I think trading into the top 2 is well worth it. Despite his shortcomings, Simmons looks like a very high-ceiling prospect.

[Damkac]

The one stat that stood out to me is that Simmons averaged 9 FTA per 36.

Only Cousins and Harden average more at NBA level.

This convinced me I don't want Simmons on Suns. No way he gets so many calls on this team. Without love from referees he would struggle with scoring.

[saintEscaton]

The one stat that stood out to me is that Simmons averaged 9 FTA per 36.

Only Cousins and Harden average more at NBA level.

This convinced me I don't want Simmons on Suns. No way he gets so many calls on this team. Without love from referees he would struggle with scoring.

Yeah he won't have nearly the same size advantage in the NBA and won't benefit from beating up on overmatched non-conference cupcakes. He is great at taking defenders off the dribble for his position but he isn't the freak of nature that Lebron is or a crafty initiator who can draw and sell contact like Harden. But if you give him a head of steam he's an absolute freight train when pushing the break

[lilfishi22]

I think trading into the top 2 is well worth it. Despite his shortcomings, Simmons looks like a very high-ceiling prospect.

I would love to trade into the top 2. Even better if we move up in the lottery !

[Mulhollanddrive]

So just putting together consensus opinion on our first pick it seems to be down to a pool of 8 players:

Picking 1-2 Simmons, Ingram
Picking 3-7 Bender, Brown, Murray, Dunn, Hield, Chriss

[Saberestar]

Chad Ford 7.0 Big Board

Now that the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the 2016 NBA draft has passed, we have a new Big Board.

On Tuesday, the NBA released the official list with a whopping 117 college underclassmen and another 45 international players on the list.

That's dramatically more than in years past. By my count, 79 of the underclassmen who have declared, and virtually all of the international prospects, are testing the waters. College players have until May 25 to withdraw their names and still retain their college eligibility. International players have until June 13 to withdraw.

Only three players on our most recent Big Board -- Ivan Rabb, Thomas Bryant and Grayson Allen -- are definitely returning to school.

With the NBA draft combine and team workouts coming in May, there is still plenty of time for prospects to improve their stock. And with so many underclassmen declaring, inevitably some will begin withdrawing from the draft after they receive assessments following the draft combine.

Our board has the latest intel on how NBA teams see the top NBA prospects, based on conversations with NBA general managers and scouts.

1. Ben Simmons

Previous rank: No. 1
LSU
Freshman
Forward

Simmons has now held down the No. 1 spot on our Big Board seven straight times, but what used to be a consensus has strongly eroded. More and more scouts are jumping ship to Team Brandon Ingram as questions about Simmons' shooting, defense and drive abound.

However, with draft workouts and interviews coming, at least one GM thinks he's about to get his mojo back.

"I think he's going to remind us how special he really is," one GM said. "I think he'll be a different player in the NBA. I love Ingram. Would love to have him on my team. But to my team, Simmons is the one guy in this draft that could be a superstar. I'm not sure how you pass on that."

2. Brandon Ingram

Previous rank: No. 2
Duke
Freshman
Forward

Can Ingram catch Simmons for the No. 1 pick? A lot will depend on how the ping-pong balls land on lottery night (May 17, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN/WatchESPN). He'd be a great fit in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Phoenix and New Orleans. Those teams may be tempted to take fit over upside.

Ingram's ability to stretch the floor is his most coveted commodity.

3. Jamal Murray

Previous rank: No. 4
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard

Murray continues to rise as the best guard prospect in the draft.

Coming into the combine, the more teams I speak with, the more it seems like he now has the strongest case for the No. 3 pick in the draft after Simmons and Ingram are off the board.

While his lack of elite athleticism is troubling, Murray does everything else so well that scouts are willing to look the other way.

He's looking -- barring poor workouts -- to be a lock for the No. 3 to No. 5 range in the draft.

4. Kris Dunn

Previous rank: No. 7
Providence
Junior
Guard

Dunn is one of the most talented players on this list. He also can be among the most frustrating.

His size, athleticism and creativity are all attractive, but the turnovers and questionable shot selection at times are difficult to ignore.

5. Dragan Bender

Previous rank: No. 3
Croatia
Age: 18
Forward/center

Bender received the start in Maccabi's last game but played only 11 minutes and scored one point.

It has been a fairly frustrating ride for scouts the past few months. They love Bender in theory but have been given very little to go off of this year, and for the first time his draft stock is slipping a little for some teams.

He's no longer the consensus No. 3 guy and he could slide a little further if scouts can't get a closer look at him on the court over the next two months. Right now it's a toss-up between him and Ellenson for the first big off the board (not counting Simmons and Ingram).

6. Buddy Hield

Previous rank: No. 5
Oklahoma
Senior
Guard

Buddy Hield mania is beginning to wear off. Over the course of the past weeks, I've had enough scouts say that they think he might now be overrated and that they will have to take a closer look in workouts.

Still, Hield's shooting ability, athleticism and legendary work ethic are special qualities, and I think that will cause him to land in the No. 4 to No. 7 range.

7. Henry Ellenson

Previous rank: No. 6
Marquette
Freshman
Forward/center

Ellenson is another guy with mixed reviews from scouts. Some love him. Some aren't sure. But most agree that regardless, he's a top-10 pick.

Mobile big men who can stretch the floor and score in the paint don't come along every day.

8. Marquese Chriss

Previous rank: No. 8
Washington
Freshman
Forward

As with several other players in the No. 3 to No. 8 range, Chriss' upside is tantalizing, but there's are concerns that give pause. For Chriss, those are maturity and inconsistency.

On the other hand, the positives are compelling -- elite size, athleticism and skill for his position.

Of all the players in the top eight, he's the biggest boom-or-bust prospect. He has the talent to be the third-best player in the draft, but could also wash out of the league in a couple of years if he can't focus on the game.

9. Jakob Poeltl

Previous rank: No. 10
Utah
Sophomore
Center

It's a weak draft for centers, which is helpful for Poeltl. Some team in the top 10 is likely to want a center.

Poeltl is big and fluid. He has great hands, rebounds and protects the rim. He just struggles with strong, physical players. But there's hope that he'll put on the strength necessary to overcome that one real remaining weakness.

10. Jaylen Brown

Previous rank: No. 9
Cal
Freshman
Forward

Brown's last-minute decision to declare didn't surprise anyone. Top-10 picks almost always opt into the draft. Still, there was enough skepticism about his stock among NBA teams to explain why he paused.

While he looks the part of an NBA player, his decision-making and ability to create his own shot are considered weaknesses. And scouts seem to be significantly cooling on him as they dig deeper into his time at Cal.

11. Skal Labissiere

Previous rank: No. 15
Kentucky
Freshman
Center/forward

No one benefited more from Ivan Rabb's decision to return to Cal for his sophomore season than Labissiere. He hasn't played a game in nearly a month, yet his stock is on the rise.

His production for Kentucky was awful, but the raw tools are all there to be a terrific stretch-4 who can protect the rim. Someone will take a chance on him.

12. Domantas Sabonis

Previous rank: No. 14
Gonzaga
Sophomore
Forward

Sabonis is hard to place. Everyone likes him. No one really loves him.

The rebounding and basketball IQ will both translate. However, questions about which position he defends and his ability to stretch the floor make him somewhat out of step with NBA trends toward versatility and skill.

Nevertheless, he's starting to appear in the top 10 on some draft boards ahead of Jakob Poeltl.

13. Denzel Valentine

Previous rank: No. 13
Michigan State
Senior
Forward/guard

Valentine is a hot name right now as teams look more and more for playmaking wings and forwards who can shoot the 3 and play multiple positions. Versatility is a major attribute.

Valentine's ability to step right in and play right away might make him especially appealing to a late-lottery team hoping to make the jump into the playoffs next season.

14. Deyonta Davis

Previous rank: No. 11
Michigan State
Freshman
Forward

Davis is another guy who benefited from Rabb's decision. Now he's neck-and-neck with Labissiere.

Labissiere's ability to stretch the floor out past the 3-point line gives him the slight edge among some scouts. But Davis is a more explosive athlete and better shot-blocker.

If he can continue to improve on his range, watch out.

15. Furkan Korkmaz

Previous rank: No. 12
Turkey
Age: 18
Guard

Korkmaz's minutes have been in short supply lately, but scouts have seen enough this year at Efes to think he's the second-best international player in the draft and a potential steal late in the lottery or mid-first round.

That 42 percent from 3 in the Euroleague and 49 percent from 3 in the Turkish league are the numbers that catch everyone's attention.

16. Dejounte Murray

Previous rank: No. 20
Washington
Freshman
Guard

There's no consensus on Murray. Some teams love him. Some think he's a second-rounder.

His size, athleticism, passing ability and toughness are the major appeals. His decision-making and shooting need work, but there's a lot of talent to work with. If he has great workouts, he's not done rising. He has lottery-level potential.

17. Tyler Ulis

Previous rank: No. 16
Kentucky
Sophomore
Guard

He may be small at 5-foot-9, but he also may be the best pure point guard in the draft. Ulis can see the floor, score buckets in crunch time and get at it on the defensive end.

If he were four inches taller, he'd be a top-five pick.

18. Diamond Stone

Previous rank: No. 17
Maryland
Freshman
Center

Stone has his fans, though his lack of elite athleticism draws concerns from teams that wonder if the game is quickly passing players like him by.

But when you look at the skill level, length and hard work, it's not hard to imagine that Stone will find a place in the league.

19. Malik Beasley

Previous rank: N/A
Florida State
Freshman
Guard

NBA teams are hungry for shooters, especially athletic ones, and Beasley is a very attractive option. Not only did he shoot 39 percent from 3 during the season, but he's also a terrific, athletic finisher at the rim.

20. Malachi Richardson

Previous rank: N/A
Syracuse
Freshman
Guard

No one has seen their draft stock get a bigger bump the past few weeks than Richardson. Most scouts didn't see him as a one-and-done prospect, but after his strong performance in the NCAA tournament they've gone back to the film and seen one of the few wings in the draft who can create his own shot.

With a great combine he might not be done rising.

21. Ante Zizic

Previous rank: No. 21
Croatia
Age: 19
Center

Zizic is the hottest international name at the moment, with more and more teams telling me that he's now the third-best (and for some teams the second-best) international long-term prospect in the draft.

His size, athleticism and terrific rebounding numbers are especially appealing. So is the fact that teams can either bring him over now (he has a reasonable buyout) or leave him in Europe another year.

22. Ben Bentil

Previous rank: No. 26
Providence
Sophomore
Forward

At times last season Bentil looked more like a potential NBA star than his teammate Kris Dunn did.

He can score from everywhere and plays really hard. His measurements will be a key. If he's 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, then he's probably ranked too low. If he's shorter, he might be ranked too high.

23. Demetrius Jackson

Previous rank: No. 23
Notre Dame
Junior
Guard

By this point in the draft, many teams are just looking for rotation players who fill a niche, and Jackson seems like the perfect candidate to be a very good backup point guard.

He's a tough, athletic guard who can shoot and play defense. He doesn't do any one thing great but has very few weaknesses.

24. DeAndre Bembry

Previous rank: No. 24
St. Joseph's
Junior
Guard/forward

Bembry is a point forward who has the potential on both ends of the court, especially if he polishes his shot. He is big and athletic and can really pass the ball.

25. Jared Uthoff

Previous rank: N/A
Iowa
Senior
Forward

Uthoff's ability to stretch the floor, protect the rim and guard multiple positions has won him a lot of fans.

He's thin and he isn't always as aggressive as scouts would like, but he has earned enough supporters that he looks likely to land somewhere in the 20s.

26. Thon Maker

Previous rank: No. 19
Australia
Age: 19
Forward

Maker is currently working with Drew Hanlen in Florida on his skills and will soon make his way to P3 to begin athletic training.

Maker is smart, and intensive training could do wonders for his skill and athleticism. But workouts will reveal whether he has what teams are looking for.

If he excels, he can go higher than this. If he struggles, he could easily slide into the second round. For the moment, No. 26 is a fair spot for him.

27. Stephen Zimmerman

Previous rank: No. 28
UNLV
Freshman
Center

Zimmerman is a project -- a major one. But it would be tempting for some teams to take a flier on a mobile, athletic big who can stretch the floor and protect the rim.

He wasn't great as a freshman, but the raw tools are there.

28. Timothe Luwawu

Previous rank: No. 18
France
Age: 20
Guard/forward

Luwawu is generally considered an ideal 3-and-D prospect, though lately I've heard more and more teams come back a bit disappointed after scouting him overseas.

He may be on the underrated-then-overrated curve right now.

29. Brice Johnson

Previous rank: No. 27
North Carolina
Senior
Forward

It's tough in any draft for seniors to get love. Johnson, after three so-so years, is still trying to convince scouts he's better than they believed.

Teams have always loved his athleticism and how hard he plays. Last season, he became a legitimate rebounder and scorer. Lack of strength continues to be a significant issue.

30. Josh Hart

Previous rank: N/A
Villanova
Junior
Guard

Hart's stellar play in the NCAA tournament convinced a lot of scouts that he can be a Danny Green type of player at the NBA level.

He's tough and physical, he rebounds like a power forward and he can score from anywhere.

Next five in

Guerschon Yabusele, PF, France; Caris LeVert, G/F, Sr., Michigan; Taurean Prince, F, Sr., Baylor; Ivica Zubac, C, Bosnia; Isaiah Whitehead, G, So. Seton Hall.