At last, the order of teams drafting in the NBA draft 2016 is now official and the Philadelphia 76ers will get the first overall pick and they are followed by the Los Angeles Lakers. It would be interesting to see if both teams will follow mock drafts and pick LSU's Ben Simmons and Duke's Brandon Ingram as top two.
With 25 percent chance to land the top pick, the Sixers just got what they wanted as they have the chance to draft a potential franchise cornerstone in Simmons or Ingram. In various draft boards, Ingram has finally taken over Simmons in the top spot as analysts are questioning Simmon's drive and competitiveness, plus he is one year older than Ingram which translates to the Duke product to have more upside, SB Nation reported.
Perhaps, the only question mark on Ingram is his current physique as he weighs only 88 kg., considering his height. Nevertheless, his potential to defend multiple position thanks to a 7'3" wingspan remain as one of his biggest selling points as well as the mismatch he can create in the offensive end.
Meanwhile, the Lakers will gladly pick who falls to their lap. Should it be Simmons, the freshman has showcased tremendous skill to handle the basketball despite being 6'10". The only question mark in his game right now is his perimeter shooting.
Meanwhile, analysts believe that after the top two pick, there will be a tremendous drop in talent, which means teams will likely draft depending on their needs. The Boston Celtics will pick third courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets. They got the team's pick in the Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce trade and now, the Celtics will reap the benefits of getting a young talent. Right now, the Celts are lacking in the PF position, which will likely be filled by Dragan Bender, whose game is likened to Knicks' rookie, Kristaps Porzingis.
The Phoenix Suns will be picking fourth and they may take a chance on freshman Jaylen Brown. He is a very intriguing prospect who is known for his explosive athleticism. However, his ability to create his own shot remains in question, Yahoo Sports reported.
Rounding up the top five are the Minnesota Timberwolves likely drafting a point guard in Jamal Murray or Kris Dunn. Both have been impressive in college basketball and the Wolves will probably look on someone with more experience and maturity to lead the young core of Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, which would likely be Dunn.
Here are some highlights of the recently concluded Draft Lottery.