The Prospect Post: Mock Lottery 1.0

Welcome to the first NBA mock lottery of the year. I will be using teams' current lottery odds to determine the draft order while also noting the traded picks; apologies to Nets, Knicks and Wizards fans. Also, this is not a reflection of my personal big board, it is just a prediction of how things would unfold if the draft was today.

1. Philadelphia 76ers (8-49)

Ben Simmons, LSU, SF/PF, 19 years old, 6-foot-10, 239 pounds

Of all the teams in the lottery, the Sixers are the last team I would expect to take Brandon Ingram over Simmons. They need a superstar, and have probably viewed Simmons as that guy for a year now. Ingram could be a superstar too, but the Sixers could run their offense through Simmons from Day 1, and he could essentially play point guard for them as a rookie if they wanted to go that route. They could also use him as their Draymond Green, but they lack the supporting cast for that to work well. There are two aspects of Simmons' game that would make most teams think twice: his lack of a jump shot and his questionable motor, specifically on defense. The Sixers wouldn't think twice here, however.

2. Los Angeles Lakers (11-48)

Brandon Ingram, Duke, SF, 18 years old, 6-9, 196 pounds

Ingram would fit in perfectly with the Lakers' young core, slotting in at small forward and offering floor spacing that would complement Julius Randle's paint game. Of course, the rumors are growing louder that Kevin Durant might choose to sign with the Lakers either this offseason or next, and that would be a pretty unfortunate development, as Ingram and Durant have very similar games, which would limit Ingram, much in the same way that LeBron James limits Kevin Love's potential on the Cavaliers. Either way, he and Simmons are the only two "prizes" in this class.

3. Phoenix Suns (14-43)

Jaylen Brown, Cal, SF, 19 years old, 6-7, 222 pounds

After the top two, the order of the next 12-15 picks is completely fluid and should remain so up until draft day. If the Suns go best player available, it could be any number of options, but if they decide not to take a point guard, shooting guard or center, based on the makeup of their roster, then Brown makes some sense. He's not a top-5 college player in this class in my opinion because his shot is suspect and he's basically a slasher and dunker, with the potential to be a great defender. But in a league that is moving more and more toward players who are very skilled in multiple areas on offense, Brown may not fit. He reminds me a bit of Gerald Wallace.

4. Boston Celtics via Brooklyn Nets (15-42)

Dragan Bender, International (Maccabi Tel Aviv), PF, 18 years old, 7-1, 216 pounds

Bender could go as high as three, considering teams may just be looking to take the best upside play they can find, and he fits the bill. He's not as good of a shooter as Kristaps Porzingis, nor is he as physically ready to handle the NBA. but Porzingis' success will convince a team to roll the dice on Bender in the top seven.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves (18-40)

Henry Ellenson, Marquette, PF, 19 years old, 6-10, 231 pounds

Ellenson will go pretty early in the draft because of how skilled he is offensively. He can shoot the lights out and is also a capable playmaker. The pairing with Karl-Anthony Towns would be excellent, as Ellenson can stretch the floor and allow Towns to dominate the post. Despite the fact that I have him going in the top five, Ellenson is a role player long term, and may not be that interesting in fantasy.

6. New Orleans Pelicans (22-34)

Kris Dunn, Providence, PG, 21 years old, 6-4, 205 pounds

The Pelicans should be looking to do anything they can to trade Tyreke Evans and Omer Asik this summer -- the latter of whom may prove impossible. Either way, Anthony Davis is the only player on the roster they should consider as being part of their three-year core. Dunn's jump shot is a major concern, but in this draft the rest of his skills are enough to make him appealing from both a floor and a ceiling standpoint. It would also allow the Pelicans to be less reliant on Jrue Holiday to play big minutes.

7. Denver Nuggets (23-35)

Jamal Murray, Kentucky, SG, 19 years old, 6-5, 201 pounds

Murray has a lot of supporters among casual college hoops fans. The fact that he is the best scorer on Kentucky leads people to assume he'll be a good pro. He has a fairly high floor as a scoring guard off the bench, but I look at him as Dion Waiters with better makeup. In a sense, he can be a bit of a chucker. That's a useful player, but by no means a star, or even a starter on a good team. That said, he could be an upgrade over Gary Harris in a year or two.

8. Toronto Raptors via New York Knicks (24-35)

Ivan Rabb, Cal, PF, 19 years old, 6-10, 215 pounds

One of my personal favorites in this class, Rabb should climb up boards after the draft combine and individual workouts. The Chris Bosh comp is obviously the extreme best-case scenario, but it properly encapsulates his current skills compared to what Bosh was as a rookie, and illustrates what his long-term upside is, as his shot could eventually stretch behind the three-point line. He doesn't get much publicity, but Rabb will be a player to watch in dynasty leagues, especially if he goes somewhere where he can contribute right away.

9. Milwaukee Bucks (24-33)

Buddy Hield, Oklahoma, SG, 22 years old, 6-4, 214 pounds

Hield is the No. 3 player on my board right now, but his age will push him down. I could see a team like the Celtics grabbing him in the top five, but for him to go that high it would require a GM who was very comfortable thinking outside the box. Hield is not a great athlete, but he is a good enough athlete to play the two in the NBA, and he is the best shooter in this draft class. Those guys typically end up doing OK (see Devin Booker). The Bucks would be a perfect fit, as Khris Middleton may be the only player who is even semi-competent on next year's roster with O.J. Mayo and possibly Jerryd Bayless moving on.

10. Sacramento Kings (24-32)

Denzel Valentine, Michigan State, SG, 22 years old, 6-6, 223 pounds

This just seems like something the Kings would do. They'll think they're being clever, scooping up their Draymond Green-esque player who brings versatility on the floor and leadership in the locker room. He has the potential to be an offensive hub at the two -- something that very few coaches would be able to figure out how to use. It is unclear if he can be a good on-ball defender against two guards, let alone handling multiple positions like Green does for Golden State. I don't mind Valentine late in the first round on a team like Dallas or Boston that could figure out how to use him properly. I hate him in the lottery going to a dysfunctional franchise, but I have the feeling one of those dysfunctional franchises will fall in love with him.

11. Orlando Magic (25-30)

Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame, PG, 21 years old, 6-1, 194 pounds

This is not only a need pick, but a best available (on my board) one. Elfrid Payton is really rough to watch, and Jackson could offer a way for the Magic to move on. Victor Oladipo can handle guarding big guards, so Jackson's size wouldn't be a big issue. Jackson is also a lot longer and athletic than one might think just by looking at his measurements. All of the point guards in this draft (including Dunn) are flawed, but Jackson has the potential to be a middling starter, and in this draft that's an awfully nice find late in the lottery.

12. Phoenix Suns via Washington Wizards (26-30)

Jakob Poeltl, Utah, C, 20 years old, 7-0, 235 pounds

He had to go somewhere. I am probably the low man on Poeltl, but the bar to clear to be a net positive as a traditional big man in today's game is pretty high, and the smart money's on him falling short. That said, if he makes it, there is a ton of fantasy potential as a potential 18 and 10 guy with an excellent field-goal percentage. We probably won't know how good he'll be though if he gets taken late in the lottery, as all of these teams have established centers.

13. Houston Rockets (28-29)

Diamond Stone, Maryland, C, 19 years old, 7-0, 255 pounds

The Rockets love to roll the dice on guys who are boom or bust, and Stone fits the bill, in a sense. He won't wash out of the league, but he could prove to be the type of guy who maxes out as a 20 minute-per-game player. However, if he maxes out his upside, Stone could be scary. He could be a 20-plus points and 10-plus boards a night type of big, with a field-goal percentage that pushes 60 percent, tlthough the defensive numbers could be a little lacking.

14. Detroit Pistons (29-29)

Skal Labissiere, Kentucky, PF, 19 years old, 7-0, 216 pounds

At this point in the draft, Labissiere's bust potential doesn't really matter. What does matter is he could give Stan Van Gundy the stretch four he was denied when the Donatas Motiejunas trade fell through. Contrary to the belief of many, Labissiere has to come out this year, even after he didn't come close to meeting expectations, because if he returns to Kentucky and busts again, he could fall to the second round next year. It's also entirely possible that he won't even get minutes if he goes back for a second year.