Every year, the NBA draft is a combination of teams simultaneously selling the hope and promise of a potential draft pick while trying to dampen the expectations placed upon the players they wind up selecting. But after the incredible production from the prospects from last year's draft, it seems almost inevitable this year's crop will disappoint.
There are two elite prospects in this draft - LSU's Ben Simmons and Duke's Brandon Ingram - followed by another group of four or five players with intriguing potential. After that, though, the draft turns into a muddled mess, with a large group of players that are far from sure things.
With that in mind, here's a first look at how the teams picking in the lottery - in the wake of Tuesday's NBA draft lottery drawing - could approach this year's draft, which will be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 23. Selections are based off a combination of reporting, talent of the prospects in question and needs for each individual team.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons / Power forward / LSU
The debate for the Sixers should come down to the clear-cut top two prospects in the draft: Simmons and Ingram. The two have varying strengths; Simmons is an outstanding passer and rebounder, while Ingram is a better shooter and defender. The lean here, at least for now, is to Simmons, who has a long relationship with Sixers Coach Brett Brown.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Brandon Ingram / Small forward / Duke
The Lakers simply having this pick is a win, as they would have been forced to send it to Philadelphia to complete an earlier trade if it had fallen outside the top three selections. Now that they have it, they'll have two choices: draft whoever falls between Simmons and Ingram, or trade the pick for an established star. Both seem very much in play.
3. Boston Celtics (from Brooklyn)
Kris Dunn / Point guard / Providence
This is where the intrigue begins. The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday night that Dunn's representatives won't give his medical info to the Suns and Celtics, instead hoping to get him to a team without a point guard. But the Celtics are on the hunt for a star, and could easily move this pick for one - and Dunn is an electric talent with a ton of upside.
4. Phoenix Suns
Dragan Bender / Power forward / Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel)
The Suns have a fleet of talented young guards in Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight and Devin Booker, as well as a young center in Alex Len who began to show signs of growth last season. Under newly installed Coach Earl Watson, Bender - a hugely talented power forward from Croatia - would be a nice fit as a long-term power forward in Phoenix after the Suns parted ways with Markieff Morris.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
Buddy Hield / Shooting guard / Oklahoma
Hield to the Timberwolves makes sense on several levels. Most importantly, he's a deadeye shooter from three-point range, which is exactly what this team needs on the wing. He also is a four-year senior, meaning he should be ready to play now - which is exactly what Tom Thibodeau will be looking for as he starts his new gig as coach and president of basketball operations.
6. New Orleans Pelicans
Jamal Murray / Shooting guard / Kentucky
Outside of Anthony Davis, there are no players in New Orleans that seem guaranteed to be there for the long term, giving the Pelicans the ability to go after the best talent they can find on the board. Murray is an intriguing player, having averaged 20 points per game at Kentucky last season, and could be an immediate replacement for impending free agent Eric Gordon.
7. Denver Nuggets (from New York)
Jaylen Brown / Small forward / California
Denver has a stable of young big men and spent last year's seventh overall selection on point guard Emmanuel Mudiay. That makes it appealing for them to grab a wing player here, and Brown -- who has tremendous potential defensively - has as much upside as anyone in this draft.
8. Sacramento Kings
Denzel Valentine / Shooting guard / Michigan State
The Kings have seemingly drafted an endless number of shooting guards in recent years, but that shouldn't stop them from considering Valentine here. There are a bunch of big men in this range in the draft, but the Kings already have several bigs on their roster. Meanwhile, Valentine is a consummate pro, and the often-chaotic Kings could use as many of them as they can get.
9. Toronto Raptors (from Denver via New York)
Deyonta Davis / Power forward / Michigan State
Toronto is in a pretty good position, having made the conference finals while also getting a top 10 pick as payment for trading away Andrea Bargnani in 2013. That gives the Raptors some flexibility in who they go after here, which is why Davis makes sense. He may be raw, but he's a big, physical athlete that could be a nice fit long-term next to Jonas Valanciunas.
10. Milwaukee Bucks
Jakob Poeltl / Center / Utah
This feels like a perfect marriage between need and talent. The Bucks need a shot-blocking big after the Greg Monroe experiment failed to pay off for them. And Poeltl, who averaged 1.5 blocks per game for Utah last year, should be able to step in and play right away.
11. Orlando Magic
Henry Ellenson / Power forward / Marquette
This pick still is fluid, as the Magic haven't determined who their head coach is going to be. However, one thing that Magic do need regardless of who becomes their next coach is shooting, particularly at a big spot. And Ellenson is touted as a big who can stretch the floor as well as hit the glass.
12. Utah Jazz
Skal Labissiere / Center / Kentucky
It was an uneven year for Labissiere, a 7-footer from Haiti, under John Calipari at Kentucky. After coming into the year expected to contend for the No. 1 pick in this draft, Labissiere struggled, averaging 6.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 16 minutes per game. But he's got loads of potential, and the Jazz are in a position to take a chance on his upside paying off.
13. Phoenix Suns (from Washington Wizards)
Marquese Chriss / Power forward / Washington
Chriss is the classic toolsy power forward, a 6-10 big with 7-foot wingspan and a 38-inch vertical. But unlike a lot of those players, he also produced in his lone year in college, averaging 13.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. Given where Phoenix is, and its lack of bigs, adding a second one with upside here makes sense.
14. Chicago Bulls
Timothe Luwawu / Small forward / Mega Leks (Serbia)
It's hard to know what direction the Bulls are going in, as this offseason has the potential for big change on their roster. But assuming the Bulls wind up keeping this pick, Luwawu is a pick that would make sense for them. Chicago could use a two-way wing to play alongside star Jimmy Butler, and Luwawu has the potential to be one.
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