2015 NBA Draft

Update On Traded 2015 First-Round Picks

January 22nd, 2015 at 10:59am CST by Chuck Myron

NBA teams are just about at the midway point of their 82-game schedules, so the sample size is plenty large enough to reasonably project where those clubs will end up in the standings. The playoff picture is starting to come into focus, and the same is true of the draft order.

Half of the 30 picks in this year’s first round have been promised via trade, though in most cases, those picks carry protections that put conditions on whether they’ll be conveyed this year. It’s already safe to assume that the Sixers won’t give up their pick to the Celtics, since Philadelphia, which owns the league’s third-worst record, would have to make the playoffs for that to happen. Conversely, the Rockets would have to miss the playoffs to avoid ceding their first-rounder to the Lakers. Still, there are other protected picks that could easily go one way or another.

Here’s an update on the likelihood of each protected pick changing hands:

Tossups

Team: Lakers (12-31)
Pick traded to: Suns
Protection: Top 5
Current position: 4th

Team: Kings (16-26)
Pick traded to: Bulls
Protection: Top 10
Current position: 9th

Team: Thunder (22-20)
Pick traded to: Nuggets
Protection: Top 18
Current position: 14th

Team: Heat (18-24)
Pick traded to: Sixers
Protection: Top 10
Current position: tied for 15th

Traded picks likely to change hands:

Team: Pelicans (21-21)
Pick traded to: Rockets
Protection: Top 3 and 20-30
Current position: 13th

Team: Rockets (29-14)
Pick traded to: Lakers
Protection: Top 14
Current position: tied for 24th

Traded picks likely to stay put:

Team: Timberwolves (7-34)
Pick traded to: Suns
Protection: Top 12
Current position: 2nd

Team: 76ers (8-34)
Pick traded to: Celtics
Protection: Top 14
Current position: 3rd

Team: Mavericks (30-13)
Pick traded to: Celtics
Protection: Top 3 and 15-30
Current position: 26th

Team: Grizzlies (30-12)
Pick traded to: Nuggets
Protection: Top 5 and 15-30
Current position: 27th

Additional notes:

The Clippers will send their first-round pick to the Celtics regardless of finish, since there’s no protection on the pick. It’s the No. 23 selection as it stands now.
The Hawks have the right to swap picks with the Nets, and they likely will, since Brooklyn’s pick is tied for No. 15 and Atlanta’s is at No. 29.
The Bulls will have the right to swap picks with the Cavaliers, unless Cleveland somehow fails to make the playoffs. Chicago’s record is better by four games, but that margin is still too close to suggest it’s likely that the Bulls will take the Cavs’ pick.
The Heat’s pick stands five spots away from the top 10, the protected range that would allow Miami to keep the selection, but they’re only a game and a half better than the Pistons, who currently occupy the 10th spot in the lottery order. So, that’s why Miami’s pick is in the Tossups category.

And-Ones: Russell, Malone, Covington

January 20th, 2015 at 8:58pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell is quickly becoming a potential top five pick in the upcoming NBA draft, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required). Scouts believe that Russell has the tools to excel at both guard positions in the NBA, and he could be the next guard selected after Emmanuel Mudiay, who is a likely top three pick, Ford notes. “There’s so much to love about his game,” an NBA GM told Ford regarding Russell. “Even when he has a bad game, it looks like a good one because every time the ball leaves his lands, it looks like it’s going in. He plays with such great confidence and has a terrific feel. I think he could be a James Harden-type player at the next level. That’s what kind of scorer and playmaker he could be.” Russell is currently ranked No. 9 in the Hoops Rumors 2015 Draft Prospect Power Rankings.

Here’s more from around the league:

Michael Malone‘s stint as a special observer with the Wolves is ending, but the former Kings coach will be visiting other teams in the near future, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reports (Twitter link).
A number of NBA teams have made trade inquiries regarding the Sixers‘ Robert Covington, but Philadelphia intends to hold onto the forward, Shams Charania of RealGM reports. The 24-year-old Covington is averaging 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 27.2 minutes per game this season, and he is a core part of the franchise’s long-term plans, Charania notes.
The Russian team Krasny Oktyabr has decided to part ways with DeAndre Liggins, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando reports. Liggins signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Heat last season, but he only appeared in one game for Miami. Liggins averaged 6.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in Russia this season.
Former Sixers swingman James Anderson, who is playing for Lithuania’s Zalgiris Kaunas, was asked in interview with Erildas Budraitis of RealGM about what it was like to be a part of Philadelphia’s alleged tanking last season. Anderson said, “With the players and the coaches, we had the same mindset all year. Who likes to lose? We were not going out and trying to lose on purpose. We had a lot of close games actually that we should have won. It was the same mindset; our coach [Brett] Brown did a great job of keeping everybody together and keeping the locker room close. Everybody continued to improve. We just could not get over the hump for a while. It was tough but it was not a mindset of trying to lose.“

And-Ones: Onuaku, Jackson, LeVert

January 19th, 2015 at 7:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Six NBA teams have shown interest in power forward Arinze Onuaku, reports Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Onuaku, who was briefly with the Pelicans and Cavs last season and spent camp this past fall with the Pacers, recently turned down an offer to play in the Philippines as he continues his dialogue with NBA clubs, Kennedy adds (Twitter links).

Here’s more from around the league:

Reggie Jackson is open to signing his qualifying offer this summer in an attempt to align his unrestricted free agency with the summer of 2016, USA Today’s Sam Amick reports. Most league executives reportedly assume the salary cap will surge to around $90MM. Jackson is on pace to invoke the starter criteria, which would lift the value of his qualifying offer from to nearly $3.223MM to almost $4.434MM.
Michigan’s Caris LeVert will miss the remainder of the season after injuring his foot during Saturday’s contest against Northwestern, the university has announced. The junior is scheduled to undergo surgery this week to repair the damage. This will be the second such procedure on LeVert’s left foot, as he had a similar injury last May. LeVert is currently the No. 14 ranked prospect by DraftExpress.
ESPN’s Chad Ford (Twitter link), who has LeVert slotted No. 30 in his draft rankings, still projects the guard to be a late first round to early second round pick come this June, provided LeVert is healthy in time for his pre-draft workouts.
Former Kings coach Michael Malone isn’t expected to remain with the Wolves past Wednesday’s game against Dallas, Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune reports (Twitter link). Malone has been acting as a special observer with the Wolves, but Flip Saunders, Minnesota’s president of basketball operations, doesn’t see Malone having a role with the team past this stint, Zgoda notes.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Jeff Adrien To Play In China

January 18th, 2015 at 7:19pm CST by Chuck Myron

Jeff Adrien has reached agreement on a deal to play in China for the rest of the season, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link). Adrien is headed to Guangdong, Charania says, and it appears as though that’s the Guangdong Southern Tigers rather than the Guangdong Foshan Dralions, since Charania also tweets that he’ll be joining Will Bynum, who plays for the Tigers. There’s no word on specific financial details, but it’s a lucrative arrangement and his salary is guaranteed, according to Charania.

Adrien’s addition to the Tigers would be an ominous sign for marquee draft prospect Emmanuel Mudiay, who also plays for the team. Teams in the Chinese Basketball Association are allowed to have only two healthy American players. Mudiay has been planning to remain in China all season as he works his way back from a sprained ankle that he suffered in November, but it appears Guangdong isn’t going to wait on him as the Chinese playoffs approach.

Adrien was drawing interest from NBA teams before agreeing to the Chinese deal, Charania reports. The Timberwolves waived Adrien earlier this month, shortly before his prorated minimum salary would have become guaranteed for the rest of the season. The Aaron Mintz client is poised to go back on the market after his Chinese team is eliminated, and thanks to the accelerated Chinese schedule, that should happen with enough time left for him to attract NBA teams looking to bolster their rosters in the final weeks in the regular season.

And-Ones: Stephenson, Thomas, Hezonja

January 17th, 2015 at 12:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Mario Hezonja, a projected lottery pick in the 2015 NBA draft, is still undecided if he will enter the NBA next season or play another year overseas, David Pick of Basketball Insiders reports. Hezonja, who is currently ranked No. 7 by Draft Express, and who I have slotted as the No. 12 best prospect, believes he’d be a surefire top pick if he had attended school at Kentucky, Pick notes. “If I was in college I’d probably be the No. 1 pick,” Hezonja told Pick. “I had an offer from Kentucky. I’m European and I need to work harder to break into the U.S market.”

Here’s more from around the league and abroad:

Tyrus Thomas made his return to the court Friday night, playing in a D-League game for the Iowa Energy, Memphis’ affiliate. Thomas is attempting to catch the eyes of an NBA team, and has missed being a part of the game since he was waived using the amnesty provision by the Hornets back in 2013, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports writes. “After I was amnestied, I felt I was left for dead, as far as the NBA world was concerned,” Thomas said.
The Hornets need to trade Lance Stephenson, but it’s more about what a poor fit his game is for the team than how Stephenson affects Charlotte’s chemistry, Tom Sorensen of The Charlotte Observer writes. The Hornets need a wing who can stretch the floor with his outside game and who doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective like Stephenson does, Sorensen opines.
The Knicks had expressed interest in signing D-League big man JaMychal Green, whom the Spurs are reportedly inking to a 10-day deal, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. In the same article, Berman also notes that the Knicks are doing special research on why Andrea Bargnani has been unable to play more than two games this season due to injuries.

And-Ones: Malone, Blatche, Walker

January 16th, 2015 at 7:44pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Michael Malone‘s reputation among NBA executives remains high in spite of his firing from the Kings, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News hears. He may have to wait a while for a job, since few teams seem ripe for a coaching change, Deveney writes. The Timberwolves are one of those few, according to Deveney, and Malone has been tagging along with Minnesota as an observer at the request of coach/executive Flip Saunders, as Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune notes. Saunders, who has a deal to coach the team that’s open-ended in length and Glen Taylor haven’t spoken about whether Saunders, who also serves as the team’s president of basketball operations, will continue to coach next season. All of this doesn’t mean that Malone is in any way a candidate to become the next coach of the Wolves, as it’s simply my own dot-connecting, but it’s worth keeping an eye on. Here’s more from around the league:

There has also been some talk linking Malone to the Cavaliers, Deveney notes. With the Cavs not meeting expectations thus far this season, rookie coach David Blatt could be the one who takes the blame, Deveney adds. Malone was an assistant in Cleveland under former coach Mike Brown, which was during LeBron James‘ first stint with the Cavs, notes Deveney. James is a fan of Malone, which certainly wouldn’t hurt Malone’s chances should Cleveland decide to make a coaching change, the Sporting News scribe adds.
Andray Blatche, who is currently playing in China, will become a free agent in February and is drawing interest from NBA teams, Jorge Sierra of Hoops Hype reports. “Top teams in both the Eastern and Western conference playoff race have begun the recruiting and courting process,” Andy Miller, Blatche’s agent, told Sierra. Blatche appeared in 73 games for the Nets last season.
Florida sophomore Chris Walker considered entering the 2014 NBA draft but wisely decided to return for another season in college, Chris Mannix of SI.com writes. “I needed to get stronger, and I needed to learn the game,” Walker said of his decision. “When I go to the NBA, I want to go and actually play. I don’t want to sit or play in the D-League.” Walker, who is currently ranked No. 39 by DraftExpress, could use another season in school before jumping to the pros, Mannix adds.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Draft, Martin, Jazz, Nets, Europe

January 15th, 2015 at 11:32am CST by Chuck Myron

Jahlil Okafor‘s Duke team is faltering, but the center’s grip on the top spot in the 2015 draft isn’t any looser, as he tops the latest Big Board from Chris Mannix of SI.com and the updated top 100 prospect list from Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. Ohio State combo guard D’Angelo Russell is up to No. 4 on Givony’s list, while Mannix has him at No. 8, still a leap from his No. 11 position in Mannix’s last rankings. Russell’s also in the top 10 in the latest Hoops Rumors Draft Prospect Power Rankings. Here’s more from around the NBA:

Kenyon Martin went unsigned this season before he joined the Bucks on a 10-day contract last week, but he admits that his recovery from ankle surgery wouldn’t have allowed him to be ready for training camp this past fall, Newsday’s Al Iannazzone tweets.
Jazz draft-and-stash prospect Ante Tomic still has aspirations of making the NBA, as he tells David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter links). FC Barcelona Regal, his Spanish team, holds a team option for next season and “anything is possible,” Tomic said. The 27-year-old center was the 44th overall pick in the 2008 draft.
Possible bidders for the Nets include former Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, investor David Bonderman and hedge fund manager David Einhorn, as Josh Kosman and Tim Bontemps of the New York Post hear, though it’s unclear if any of them are indeed poised to bid. Entertainment mogul David Geffen has been interested in the team in the past, an insider told Robert Windrem of Nets Daily.
Commissioner Adam Silver envisions four teams in Europe some day, but he admits the league has a long way to go to get there, notes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, who adds that the NBA seems to keep pushing the idea farther into the future.
Magic coach Jacque Vaughn‘s job security appears to be in doubt, but Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel believes GM Rob Hennigan should be feeling the heat, too.
Quincy Miller, whom the Clippers nearly signed a 10-day contract, Spurs camp cut JaMychal Green and one-year NBA veteran Seth Curry are among the potential NBA signees to watch at the D-League showcase, which begins today. Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports look at those three and others who’ll be angling for NBA jobs.

And-Ones: Cavs, Prince, Ferry, Draft, Taylor

January 13th, 2015 at 11:31am CST by Chuck Myron

David Blatt believes his comment questioning whether Kevin Love is a max player was “misunderstood or misconstrued” by many, but Love says he and the Cavs coach are on the same page, as Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group relays.

“Kevin Love for me is a player of the highest order,” Blatt said. “Whether you want to define that by max contract or any other thing, he’s one of the best players in the NBA and that’s the way we value him.”

Love can hit free agency this summer if he turns down his player option, but tonight he’ll hit the floor against the Suns and seek to help Cleveland avoid dipping below .500. There’s more on the Cavs amid the latest from around the league:

The Cavs would be interested in Tayshaun Prince if he and the Celtics strike a buyout deal, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Cleveland apparently had interest in trading for Prince prior to Monday’s swap that sent him to Boston. Prince and Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge are set to discuss the forward’s situation, and a buyout is on the table, as Chris Mannix of SI.com reported Monday.
Al Horford would welcome Hawks GM Danny Ferry back from his leave of absence, as the center tells Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). Ferry has appeared unlikely to return in the wake of racially charged comments he made about Luol Deng.
Fringe first-round draft prospect Chris McCullough will miss the rest of the season for Syracuse after tearing the ACL in his right knee, the school announced Monday (Twitter link). The freshman power forward is No. 29 in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress prospect rankings and comes in 31st with Chad Ford of ESPN.com. NBA teams saw him as a long-term project even before the injury, Givony tweets.
Russia’s Dynamo Moscow has let go of former Nets point guard Tyshawn Taylor, the team announced (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). Taylor appeared in 23 games for Brooklyn last season, making three starts, but has been out of the NBA since the Pelicans waived him shortly after the Nets traded him to New Orleans nearly a year ago.

2015 NBA Draft Prospect Power Rankings 2.0

January 10th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2015 NBA draft is still a long way away, and the remaining three months of NCAA action will play a major part in determining the fates of the 20 players whose names appear on the list below, as well as those who haven’t made the cut just yet. Still, front offices and scouting departments throughout the NBA are already hard at work trying to determine which players they will pin the future of their franchises on, and Hoops Rumors will be doing the same all the way up until June’s draft.

Keep in mind that this list includes both underclassmen and players from overseas, neither of whom are guaranteed to declare for the draft. But just like the NBA scouting departments, we’ll need to be prepared for the possibility that all of these players will be available to hear their names called by commissioner Adam Silver in what will be his second opportunity to be on the stage during the first round.

Here are my current top 20 players in descending order with last month’s ranking in parentheses:

1 (1) Jahlil Okafor-C (Duke/Freshman)

-6’11”, 272 pounds

–DraftExpress Rank: No. 1

–ESPN Rank: No. 1

–Stats: 18.9 PPG, 8.9 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. .681/.000/.566.

Okafor continues to live up to the hype that surrounded him before he set foot on Duke’s campus. A true center, he has shown excellent athleticism and remarkable polish on the offensive side of the game. He has an NBA-ready body and will continue to develop into an absolute monster down in the paint. His defense is still a work in progress, which isn’t at all uncommon for a young big. His potential is off the charts, and only a significant pre-draft injury, or a team falling in love with Emmanuel Mudiay, will prevent him from being the first name called on draft night.

2 (2) Karl-Anthony Towns-PF/C (Kentucky/Freshman)

-7’0″, 250 pounds

–DraftExpress Rank: No. 3

–ESPN Rank: No. 3

–Stats: 8.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 2.2 BPG. .518/.333/.714.

Towns could end up being a better player in the long run than Okafor, but with the way Okafor is dominating competition it’s unlikely he’ll be selected over the Duke big man. I wrestled with placing him or Mudiay in this slot, and depending on how the ping-pong balls drop in the draft lottery, Towns could slip to the third overall pick. I place more value on a big who has the athleticism of Towns, since guards with Mudiay’s talents are more common, which is why I placed Towns at number 2. His college stats aren’t that impressive, but that’s because of Kentucky’s ridiculous depth this season. “You put Towns on any other team in college basketball, maybe with the exception of Duke, and everyone is talking about him as a legitimate player of the year candidate,” one NBA GM told ESPN’s Chad Ford. “His stats, or lack thereof, aren’t an issue of talent, it’s an issue of so much talent on the floor that he can take a back seat.”

3 (3) Emmanuel Mudiay-PG (Guangdong)

-6’5″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 2

-ESPN Rank: No. 2

-Stats: 18.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 6.3 APG. .493/.321/.586

Mudiay, despite not having played in over a month due to an ankle injury, is by far the most talented guard in the draft, and his size and speed are NBA-ready. Not playing college ball didn’t hurt Dante Exum prior to the 2014 draft, and Mudiay is a more NBA-ready prospect than he was, and it wouldn’t be a complete shock for him to go No. 1 overall, depending on the team selecting first and its needs (ie: the Sixers). Mudiay is almost sure to dazzle in his pre-draft workouts, and he’ll definitely go in the first three picks.

4 (4) Justise Winslow-SF (Duke/Freshman)

-6’6″, 221 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 6

-ESPN Rank: No. 6

-Stats: 12.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 2.3 APG. .462/.388/.627.

Winslow has seemingly recovered from his uninspiring run to end November, and is once again putting up solid numbers and displaying his wide range of skills and fantastic athleticism. His three-point shooting has improved, which was a big question mark in his game entering the season. NBA teams have little use for wings who can’t spread the floor, and if Winslow can keep it up he’ll secure a spot in the top seven picks. Numerous scouts and draft projections have Kristaps Porzingis going ahead of him, but I haven’t drunk the Latvian’s Kool-Aid just yet, and would select the surer thing in Winslow at this slot.

5 (5) Stanley Johnson-SF (Arizona/Freshman)

-6’7″, 237 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 8

-ESPN Rank: No. 11

-Stats: 14.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 1.8 SPG. .482/.425/.684.

Johnson is an absolute man-child with an NBA-ready body and excellent strength. He reminds me a bit of Larry Johnson (no relation), though he is nowhere near as polished on the offensive end as the elder Johnson was coming out of UNLV. What will continue to make Johnson a question mark is his limited outside game, which to his credit, has been steadily improving as the season wears on. His individual workouts will make or break him as a top 10 pick, but I love his aggressiveness, defense, and rebounding. Out of my top five ranked players, Johnson is the likeliest to slide lower on the list as the season progresses.

6 (10) Willie Cauley-Stein-C (Kentucky/Junior)

-7’0″, 244 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 4

-ESPN Rank: No. 7

-Stats: 9.9 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 1.9 BPG. .588/.000/.571.

Few players are rising up the draft boards this season quicker than Cauley-Stein, whose decision to return to Kentucky for his junior season is paying off handsomely for him. He is an absolute defensive monster, and can step into an NBA rotation immediately. He is still limited offensively, and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. I project Cauley-Stein to produce similar numbers to Tyson Chandler, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Some mock drafts have him in the top five, which I think is a bit high for such a one-dimensional player. But he’ll almost certainly be a top 10 selection, and should pay immediate dividends for a franchise looking for a rim protector.

7 (6) Kristaps Porzingis-PF (Baloncesto Sevilla)

-7’0″, 220 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 5

-ESPN Rank: No. 4

-Stats: 8.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 1.1 BPG. .435/.371/.750.

Porzingis is a likely top five pick, but I remain unimpressed with his game. He has excellent athleticism, and is a talented three-point shooter, but Porzingis hasn’t necessarily dominated in European competition yet, which raises all kinds of red flags with me. There have been plenty of European players who have entered the league with high expectations based on their physical skills, only to turn out to be draft busts. Porzingis is a project with an extremely high upside, but I would think twice about taking him in the top five. My first instinct was to rank him outside the top 10, but it’s almost assured that some team will take a gamble on him near the top of the draft.

8 (7) Kevon Looney-PF (UCLA/Freshman)

-6’9″, 220 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 11

-ESPN Rank: No. 5

-Stats: 12.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. .444/.273/.644.

Looney is still rising swiftly up the draft boards despite a brutal four game stretch where he averaged only 6.8 PPG, all Bruins losses. But he did have a monster 27 point, 19 rebound showing Thursday night against Stanford that will hopefully get him back on track. Looney’s a bit of a tweener, similar to Aaron Gordon a year ago in that respect, but has a far more polished offensive game than Gordon did at Arizona last season. I’ve continued to be impressed with his ball-handling and passing, and both are skills that will translate well to the pros. Looney might not crack the top five selections, but if that is the case, whichever team he falls to could be getting a steal.

9 (11) D’Angelo Russell-SG/PG (Ohio State/Freshman)

-6’5″, 176 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 10

-ESPN Rank: No. 12

-Stats: 18.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 5.2 APG. .470/.458/.786.

Though he plays shooting guard at Ohio State, NBA scouts are now viewing Russell as a potential NBA point guard, which will only serve to increase his draft stock. Russell is already a polished scorer with a lethal outside touch. The lefty has excellent ball-handling skills, and he’s very effective off the dribble, though he needs to improve upon his ability to finish at the rim if he wants to be an effective pro. The two main knocks against Russell are that he needs to get stronger and that he has a tendency to disappear for long stretches during games and coast. He has a nice upside and should turn into a solid NBA player in a few short seasons.

10 (19) Kelly Oubre-SF (Kansas/Freshman)

-6’6″, 204 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 9

-ESPN Rank: No. 9

-Stats: 7.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 0.7 APG. .440/.438/.643.

Oubre’s draft stock had taken a hit since the beginning of the season when he looked lost during the limited playing time he was receiving. But the freshman recently notched 23 points against Lafayette and 20 versus Kent State, which showed what kind of potential this tremendously athletic player has. But he tempered the excitement those outings generated with a 3 point outing against Baylor where he only hit one of his seven shots. Oubre needs quite a bit of polish, and would greatly benefit from another year in school, but that scenario is highly unlikely. He’ll likely figure things out a bit better by season’s end, and if he stars in the tournament and his pre-draft workouts, Oubre should end up being taken in the top 10 come June.

11 (8) Myles Turner-C (Texas/Freshman)

-6’11”, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 12

-ESPN Rank: No. 8

-Stats: 11.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 2.7 BPG. .487/.364/.893.

Turner is a project, but he’s one who could pay dividends for a patient team. He’s a good scorer with range out to the three-point line, but he lacks aggressiveness. Turner is a solid shot blocker, but he needs to improve as a rebounder if he wants to be more than just a rotation player in the NBA. There are also some legitimate concerns regarding his knees due to his odd way of running. Big men tend to break down faster than players at other positions, so long-term health is a definite concern with Turner. His production has tailed off in recent weeks, but his upside is too high for him to slide too far down the draft boards.

12 (12) Mario Hezonja-SG (Barcelona Regal)

-6’7″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 7

-ESPN Rank: No. 10

-Stats: 4.1 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.3 APG. .464/.290/.500.

Hezonja is a projected lottery pick, but I’m not sold on his long-term future in the NBA. He’s a possible draft-and-stash pick, which could benefit him since he needs quite a bit more development before making the jump to the NBA. Hezonja is very athletic and can light it up from the outside when he’s “on,” but he’s a poor defender, which doesn’t help his value. He also isn’t putting up eye-catching numbers overseas, which doesn’t bode well for his NBA fortunes. There have also been some red flags raised about his attitude, ability to accept coaching, and overall maturity. These concerns could serve to lower Hezonja’s draft stock around the league.

13 (13) Montrezl Harrell-PF (Louisville/Junior)

-6’8″, 243 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 15

-ESPN Rank: No. 15

-Stats: 15.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG, and 1.1 APG. .597/.240/.592.

It was surprising to see Harrell return to Louisville for his junior season, but the move will likely reward him with a higher draft selection than he would have garnered in 2014. There’s a lot to like about Harrell’s game, but he bears the dreaded tweener tag. He’s neither a true power forward nor a classic small forward. He can score from almost anywhere on the floor and has a high motor. He’s also a very good rebounder and a physical defender. But Harrell lacks a defined NBA position (ie: Derrick Williams and Thomas Robinson), which could end up lowering his draft stock as well as his ceiling as a player.

14 (9) Cliff Alexander-PF/C (Kansas/Freshman)

-6’9″, 254 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 17

-ESPN Rank: No. 25

-Stats: 8.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. .529/.000/.727.

Alexander is a bit undersized for his position, but he makes up for it with his 7’3″ wingspan. He possesses a tantalizing mixture of strength and athleticism, and can be a rampaging beast in the paint. Alexander lacks a mid-range game, and he also doesn’t have a great grasp of the game’s nuances yet, which will slow his learning curve down a bit. But he has a ceiling similar to that of Lakers rookie Julius Randle, without the concerns on the defensive end that followed the Kentucky product into the NBA prior to his season-ending injury. Alexander’s stock has taken a bit of a dip thanks to a decided lack of production over Kansas’ last six contests, where has only logged 5.8 PPG and 4.0 RPG. He still has time to figure things out, but Alexander is in danger of slipping out of lottery consideration.

15 (-) R.J. Hunter-SG (Georgia State/Junior)

-6’5″, 185 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 24

-ESPN Rank: No. 13

-Stats: 20.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 3.7 APG. .405/.302/.804.

Hunter is shooting up the draft boards quite rapidly, and could become a possible lottery pick by season’s end. He’s not an elite athlete, which could limit his potential. But this kid can flat out shoot, both off-the-dribble and spotting up, and is deadly from long range. He’s also a very good passer, but his ball-handling needs work for him to be an effective pro. Hunter will have difficulty guarding the quicker twos in the NBA, but he has the potential to be a valuable contributor as a sixth man. Hunter is one of the players most likely to surprise on draft night with how high he is taken.

16 (15) Rondae Hollis-Jefferson-SF (Arizona/Sophomore)

-6’6″, 212 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 19

-ESPN Rank: No. 27

-Stats: 11.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 1.7 APG. .545/.267/.690.

There’s a lot to like about Hollis-Jefferson’s game and draft potential. As a player, he reminds me of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and not just because of the hyphenated last name. Hollis-Jefferson is extremely athletic, exciting in transition, a good rebounder for his size, and a solid defender. But he does come with limitations similar to Kidd-Gilchrist’s, mainly in his lack of a reliable outside game. While he boasts a decent mid-range jump shot, he makes his living attacking the basket, an aspect that doesn’t always translate to the NBA, thanks to the far superior athleticism college players face when making the jump to the pros. His stock is beginning to slip, mainly due to Stanley Johnson becoming the focus of Arizona’s offensive attack.

17 (-) Jakob Poeltl-C (Utah/Freshman)

-7’0″, 230 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 18

-ESPN Rank: No. 14

-Stats: 9.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 2.1 BPG. .652/.000/.443.

Poeltl is another freshman who is playing his way up the draft boards. The Austrian is an excellent defender, can rebound very well, and has a fluid and effective mid range game. His stats aren’t eye-popping, but bigs with his combination of size, skills, and athleticism will always have a place in the NBA. His post game needs quite a bit of work, and Poeltl will need to bulk up to be effective in the NBA paint, but don’t be surprised if he ends up becoming a top 20 pick.

18 (16) Frank Kaminsky-C (Wisconsin/Senior)

-7’0″, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 14

-ESPN Rank: No. 17

-Stats: 16.9 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 1.9 BPG. .529/.364/.747.

Kaminsky isn’t likely to become a star in the NBA, nor even an effective starter. But he’ll be able to contribute on the offensive end immediately for whichever team selects him. Kaminsky reminds me quite a bit of the Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk offensively, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Unfortunately, he also shares Olynyk’s weaknesses as a rebounder and defender. As a mid first-rounder, Kaminsky will be a solid pick, though he will have a limited ceiling thanks to his athletic shortcomings.

19 (17) Caris LeVert-SG (Michigan/Junior)

-6’7″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 13

-ESPN Rank: No. 29

-Stats: 14.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 3.8 APG. .430/.418/.800.

LeVert has tailed off after an excellent start to the season, and he has only managed to score in double figures in two of Michigan’s last six contests. LeVert reaped the benefits of Nik Stauskas having departed Michigan for the NBA in 2014, having a green light to fire away, but that only helps if he’s nailing his shots. If he doesn’t turn things around, and soon, LeVert is looking more and more like he’ll be taken in the mid to late 20s.

20 (20) Tyus Jones-PG (Duke/Freshman)

-6’1″, 184 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 22

-ESPN Rank: No. 23

-Stats: 10.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 5.2 APG. .434/.395/.855.

The 18-year-old Jones has shown remarkable poise as a freshman, and he reminds me quite a bit of Tyler Ennis, another player I was extremely high on heading into the 2014 draft. Jones lacks elite athleticism, needs to work on his outside shot, and won’t be ready to play significant minutes his rookie season. But his court vision and basketball IQ will make him a valuable rotation piece in a couple of seasons. Jones is the type of player whose value doesn’t always show up in the box score, and he is overshadowed by Okafor and Winslow on a talented Duke squad. But this kid has the potential to be an effective pro, and a mid first round gem for a patient team.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

And-Ones: Cooley, Ford, Upshaw

January 8th, 2015 at 10:22pm CST by Eddie Scarito

ESPN.com draft guru Chad Ford (Insider subscription required) opines that two tiers of talent appear to be forming in the lottery portion of the upcoming NBA draft. The upper tier includes Jahlil Okafor, Emmanuel Mudiay, Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis, all of whom are currently projected as top five selections, Ford notes. The second tier consists of Kevon Looney, Justise Winslow, Willie Cauley-Stein, Myles Turner, Kelly Oubre, Mario Hezonja, Stanley Johnson and D’Angelo Russell, and they will make up the likely No. 5 to No. 12 overall selections, Ford adds.

Here’s more from around the league and the college ranks:

Ford has also released his most recent “Big Board,” which has Oubre cracking the top 10, and has Jerian Grant of Notre Dame making a big leap from No. 27 to No. 19.
A league source told Gino Pilato of D-League Digest (Twiitter link) that there is a lot of NBA interest in Jack Cooley, and there is a strong possibility that he could be inked to a 10-day contract shortly. Cooley currently plays for the Idaho Stampede, the Jazz‘s D-League affiliate.
Former Pistons assistant GM George David was hired as director of basketball operations for Wasserman Media Group, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports (Twitter link).
One college player starting to catch the eye of NBA scouts is Washington’s Robert Upshaw, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes. “I would agree that he was a sleeper to start this season, maybe,” one league scout told Deveney. “He is not a sleeper anymore.” The 7’0″ center is averaging 11.1 points and 7.8 rebounds so far this season, and he is drawing interest as a potential first-rounder, Deveney notes.
The Warriors have assigned Ognjen Kuzmic to their D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the team announced in a press release. This will be Kuzmic’s fourth trek of the season to the D-League.

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