James Ham's NBA Mock Draft (5.23.16)

NBA Mock Draft

The NBA Draft is set for June 23, 2016. The Kings sit at No. 8 overall and Insider James Ham forecasts the entire first round in his NBA Mock Draft...

30. Warriors -- Thon Maker, Sudan, Australia, Canada

At 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and 36.5-inch vertical, Maker has an NBA body, he just has to be taught how to use it. He’s a stretch at the end of the first round, but someone will gamble on the 19-year-old out of the Sudan. With Festus Ezeli and Anderson Varejao set to enter free agency, the Warriors are in the market for a big-bodied project to groom off the bench.

29. Spurs -- Patrick McCaw, UNLV

At 6-foot-7 and 181 pounds, McCaw has some work to do on his body to hold up to the rigors of the NBA. Slated to play shooting guard, the sophomore averaged 14.5 points, 3.9 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game last season. He’s not a great shooter, but he has plenty of upside. The Spurs like a good project. McCaw could pay huge dividends in a year or two.

28. Suns -- Dejounte Murray, Washington

An electric ball handler with flash, Murray has combo-guard written all over him. He has good size, measuring in at 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-9.5 wingspan, but at 170 pounds, he needs to gain major weight and strength to compete. He averaged 16.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists a game as a freshman at Washington. Phoenix has plenty of guards, but with the emergence of Devin Booker, they may look to move either Brandon Knight or Eric Bledsoe down the road. Murray would be a nice insurance policy in case they go that route.

27. Raptors -- Zhou Qi, Henan, China

Long. That is one way to describe Zhou Qi, who measures in at 7-foot-2 with a mind-boggling 7-foot-7.75-inch wingspan. He has good mobility and a high basketball IQ, but at 218-pounds, he is a long ways away from contributing at the NBA level. Zhou averaged 15.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in 34 minutes a night in the CBA. The Raptors could use a big man to work with on the bench or hide in China for another year or two.

26. 76ers -- Tyler Ulis, Kentucky

Call it the Isaiah Thomas effect, but teams are less inclined to shy away from undersized point guards these days. Ulis ran the show at Kentucky, finishing his sophomore season averaging 17.3 points and seven assists per game for coach Cal. Philly found success last season with Ish Smith, Ulis is in a similar mold.

25. Clippers -- Wade Baldwin, Vanderbilt

A true combo-guard, Baldwin has decent size, measuring in at 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-11.25 wingspan. He can shoot, break people down off the dribble and defend multiple positions. Jamal Crawford can’t play forever. If Baldwin slides down to the Clippers, they’ll have a tough time saying no.

24. 76ers -- Cheike Diallo, Kansas

The 19-year-old out of Mali left Kansas after just one season where he played just 7.5 minutes per game. At 6-foot-9, he has power forward size and his 7-foot-4 wingspan is jaw dropping. He’s a project, but one that might pay off bigtime if a team has the time and patience to teach him the NBA game. Philly loves a good project and Diallo is exactly that.

23. Celtics -- Ante Zizic, Cebona Zagreb

NBA teams are always looking for size. The 21-year-old Croatian averaged 13.4 points, eight rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 25.7 minutes per game last season in the Adriatic League. He’s mobile, has a soft touch and plays with energy. The 6-foot-11 center might be a perfect draft-and-stash prospect for a team like Boston that has eight picks on draft day.

22. Hornets -- Damien Jones, Vanderbilt

A giant of a man, Jones struggled with consistency throughout his three seasons at Vanderbilt. But 7-footers with 7-4 wingspans and 37-inch verticals don’t grow on trees. Is he a tall guy who plays basketball or a basketball player that happens to be tall? The Hornets have plenty of big men, but none like Jones. Spending time with associated head coach Patrick Ewing might be just what this kind needs.

21. Hawks -- Stephen Zimmerman, UNLV

Measuring in just under 7-foot with a 35-inch vertical and a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Zimmerman draws comparisons to Kings big man Kosta Koufos. He can score, rebound and block some shots. While he might not be a star in the making, he fits the Hawks style of play.

20. Pacers -- Malik Beasley, Florida State

Beasley showed flashes in his freshman year at Florida State, averaging 15.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game at the shooting guard position. He has athleticism and can shoot, but he struggles to create for others and he needs to get stronger. The Pacers have had great success developing players. Beasley has potential, he just needs time develop.

19. Nuggets -- Timothe Luwawu, Mega Leks (Adriatic League)

Standing 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, Luwawu is another 3-and-D prospect for NBA teams to clamor over. The Frenchman left home to play in Serbia where he averaged 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game for Mega Leks of the Adriatic league. The Nuggets are a young team looking to build around last years top pick Emmanuel Mudiay. Adding long defenders who can shoot will help.

18. Pistons -- Brice Johnson, North Carolina

In his final season at North Carolina, Johnson posted 17 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. He has nice size for the power forward position, measuring in at 6-foot-10.5 with a 7-foot wingspan. But at 209-pounds, he will need to add weight to compete in the post in the NBA. Stan Van Gundy is building a winner in Detroit and adding a player that posted 23 double-doubles in his senior season while helping to lead them to the NCAA finals would be a quality move.

17. Grizzlies -- Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame

The 6-foot-2 guard put on a show at the draft combine, posting an incredible 43.5-inch vertical. The junior point guard struggled with the 3-ball in his final season at Notre Dame, but he’s a capable scorer and passer. With the uncertainty of Mike Conley’s future in Memphis, adding a young athlete at a position of need would be prudent.

16. Celtics -- Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga

A high-IQ big who plays with passion, Sabonis is a wildcard in the draft. He’s not nearly as big as his father, Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis, but at 6-10, 238-pounds, he has the size to compete at the NBA level. He averaged 17.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game in his sophomore season at Gonzaga, before declaring for the draft. If Sabonis lasts this long, he looks like a perfect fit for Brad Stevens system in Boston.

15. Nuggets -- Taurean Prince, Baylor

A 3-and-D wing with great length and lateral quickness, Prince draws comparisons to the Raptors’ DeMarre Carroll. He improved his scoring all four years at Baylor and comes to the NBA with clear identity. With three first round picks, the Nuggets are going to load up on Michael Malone-type players.

14. Bulls -- Furkan Korkmaz, Turkey

The smooth-shooting wing out of Turkey has good size for an NBA shooting guard (6-foot-7). He has above average ball-handling and passing skills for his position and he does a nice job of creating space. The Bulls love to mine European prospects and this is a good one.

13. Suns -- Henry Ellenson, Marquette

A big man with a competitive spirit and good size, Ellenson might not be a star in the making, but he’ll contribute. While not a big-time athlete, he still managed to post 17 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game as a freshman. With multiple first-round picks, the Suns will target a variety of players. If they can land an athletic wing early, they will likely focus on size and potential later in the draft.

12. Jazz -- Denzel Valentine, Michigan State

Everyone needs another shooter. Valentine doesn’t have elite athleticism, but he fills up the stat sheet like very few college players can. The senior guard averaged 19.2 points per game at Michigan State while shooting 44.4 percent from deep. He added 7.8 assists and 7.5 rebounds in 33 minutes per game. Utah is set up front and could use another guard, especially one that can help right away.

11. Magic -- Deyonta Davis, Michigan State

A big, fluid athlete, Davis checks in at 6-foot-10, 240-pounds with a 7-foot-2 wingspan. He’s going to need time to develop, but after a year with Tom Izzo at Michigan State, he will likely earn minutes in Year 1. The Magic have plenty of athletes, but they could use another versatile big that can play both the center and power forward position.

10. Bucks -- Jakob Poeltl, Utah

A true 7-footer, Poetl can come in right away and play minutes. He’s a hustle big with a crazy motor and soft hands. He has plenty of room to develop, plus he’s got a great attitude and he’s coachable. Milwaukee needs more size and they could also use a few more character guys that bring their lunch pail to work every night.

9. Raptors -- Marquese Chriss, Washington

A prototypical power forward, Chriss has the size and athleticism, measuring in at 6-foot-10 with a 38.5-inch vertical at the combine. He played better than expected in his freshman year at Washington, but he may not be ready mentally for the grind of the NBA in Year 1. Toronto has the culture to support a young big man with tremendous potential. But they may need a more NBA-ready player with this pick.

8. Kings -- Kris Dunn, Providence

For teams looking for a floor general, this is the man. A big, athletic guard with pass first instincts and a 6-foot-9.5 wingspan, Dunn needs to refine his shooting stroke and decision making to reach elite status. He’s charismatic and plays defense, but his history of shoulder injuries might lower his value. With the uncertainty of Rajon Rondo’s return, Dunn would be a very nice compliment to Darren Collison in the point guard rotation in Sacramento.

7. Nuggets -- Skal Labissiere, Kentucky

A project big with huge upside, Labissiere struggled in his lone season at Kentucky. He’s athletic, can run the floor and has a smooth stroke on his jumper, drawing comparisons to Channing Frye. Michael Malone shows great faith in young players and loves defenders. This could be a great landing spot for a player who needs some TLC.

6. Pelicans -- Jamal Murray, Kentucky

Representing Canada in this year’s Top 10, Murray played primarily at the two at Kentucky, but he might be able to transition to the point at the NBA level. A slick shooter from the perimeter, Murray wowed at the combine with a 39.5-inch vertical. With shooting guard Eric Gordon heading into free agency, the Pelicans could use a shooter.

5. T-Wolves -- Buddy Hield, Oklahoma

Hield made a huge impact in the tournament and again at the NBA’s Draft Combine when he measured in at 6-foot-5 with shoes on and added a 6-foot-9 wingspan. Hield averaged 25 points per game as a senior at Oklahoma and shot an impressive 45.7 percent from long range. He’s an NBA ready shooting guard with a ton of confidence. Minnesota needs someone to open the floor and put pressure on the defense from the perimeter. Hield would be a nice fit alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

4. Suns -- Jaylen Brown, Cal

An aggressive high-flyer out of Cal that spurned the likes of Kentucky and Kansas. A Top 5 recruit out of high school, Brown can play the two and the three at the NBA level. Known for his strength, athleticism and high character, he’ll need time to polish his game, but he can contribute in Year 1. The Suns are packed in the backcourt, but Brown’s ability to shift to the wing in an uptempo style would come in handy.

3. Celtics -- Dragan Bender, Maccabi Tel Aviv

After Simmons and Ingram, the drop-off is steep. There is plenty of room for a late riser, but for now, Bender -- the Croatian 7-footer with stretch four skills -- is as good a guess as any at No. 3. He’s NBA ready at 18 years old, but his body still needs work to compete inside. The Celtics have solid depth everywhere, so adding a young big with potential makes sense. So does moving this pick for immediate help.

2. Lakers -- Brandon Ingram, Duke

Three years from now, Ingram could be the best player from this draft. A natural scorer, Ingram draws comparisons to Kevin Durant. But he’ll need to add major weight and strength to reach his potential. The Lakers want to improve right away, so don’t be shocked if this pick is shopped hard between now and June 23.

1. 76ers -- Ben Simmons, LSU

The Lakers would love to see Simmons slide to no. 2 and so would his agent. But Philly will stick with the safe play or make Los Angeles pay a steep price to swap spots. Philly has spent their last three picks on bigs, but this is a different type of player.