The 2015 NBA Draft is just under three full weeks away, as we’ll finally learn where college basketball’s top prospects will play professionally on June 25th. With that date drawing closer, NBA Draft rumors are starting to swirl like crazy, with many of the biggest names being involved in all kinds of draft talk.
Who will the Minnesota Timberwolves take with the first overall pick? Will the Los Angeles Lakers trade their pick? Where will all the big names go? We won’t lay out our final 2015 NBA mock draft just yet, but in an effort to better understand everyone’s value and possible landing spots, let’s peruse the latest NBA rumors and see what just might stick come draft night.
Minnesota’s Potential Pick
There haven’t been any obvious rumors regarding the Timberwolves, who almost certainly have to have their pick down between the draft’s two best bigs – Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor. There is also an odd rumor that Minnesota could be interested in point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, but considering they already have Ricky Rubio (who they just signed to a big deal) and Zach Lavine, that doesn’t make much sense. That is, unless they want to move on from Rubio and think they have a good trade coming their way. The odds still rest with one of the big men, as Towns has the physical presence and upside and Okafor is probably the more polished scorer with better footwork. Either way, Minnesota probably can’t miss here.
Laker Options
Los Angeles is a tough team to gauge right now, because they probably aren’t trading their pick (although they haven’t said no to the idea), and they could be stuck just taking whatever big man the Timberwolves don’t. That’s not a bad thing, though, as both Towns and Okafor are NBA-ready bigs who can make a significant impact right now and also have bright futures as potential superstars. The odds suggest Okafor would fall into their laps at the two spot right now, but the team has also met and worked out Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell. Russell has been talked up as a lead guard or a shooting guard (probably more ideal) and perhaps the Lakers view him as the long-term replacement for Kobe Bryant, who is expected to retire after the 2015-16 NBA season.
Knicks Eyeing Justise Winslow?
The Knicks are all over the map, which makes them one of the more interesting cases to follow during draft season. They really could use talent in any position and despite rumors that they’ll just abandon ship and trade down, the #4 pick could still get them a very solid player. They’ve been linked to Justise Winslow, who could be a great wing player at the two or three. If they plan on using Carmelo Anthony at the four then Winslow would be a great find at the three spot, although he seems to have the ability to play shooting guard if need be, as well.
Winslow is probably their best option at four, as he carries the highest upside, but they have reportedly also been linked to Kentucky big man Willie Cauley-Stein. That’s another move that makes plenty of sense, since the Knicks have absolutely nothing to speak of down low at the five spot. New York has also been tied to another Kentucky player in Trey Lyles, while point guard Emmanuel Mudiay would also deserve serious consideration.
Of course, they also have been tightly tied to Murray State point guard Cameron Payne, which could (and should) involve them trading down. Picking Payne at #4 would be insane considering he’s a mid-round prospect, at best, and the Knicks could acquire other assets by moving down in the draft. New York could have something else up it’s sleeve, but the latest buzz suggests them trading down is a real possibility.
OKC Likes Stanley Johnson?
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a weird lottery team, as they have a talented enough roster (when healthy) to make a championship run, yet they can load up with some more talent with the 14th overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft. They just might if they can find a way to get their hands on Arizona swing man Stanley Johnson, who they are reportedly smitten with. The main problem is he’s far too talented to slide to the 14th pick, which means they may have to consider making a move up in the lottery. Johnson could serve as a great scorer off the bench the way James Harden used to, while he could also project as a decent long-term replacement should Kevin Durant leave in free agency next year.
Got a hot NBA Draft rumor to add to the list? Let us hear it in the comments below!
