2015 NBA Draft Odds – A Night on the Towns

It was a truly dramatic result at the 2015 NBA draft lottery, as the worst team in the league, the Minnesota Timberwolves, were awarded the first overall selection. While that may sound like a ho-hum result, they were the first last-place team to get the No. 1 pick since the Orlando Magic in 2004. After trading for last year’s first overall pick, Andrew Wiggins, the T-Wolves will have their choice of the draft’s top two big men to complement the young Canadian.

While things are looking up in Minnesota, the Knicks went the other way on lottery night. New York fell out of the top three and now hold the fourth overall selection. Maybe that doesn’t matter too much, though. It’s easy to assume they would make the the worst choice possible regardless of draft position because, well, they’re the Knicks. But hey, there’s always free agency to fall back on!

Yes, this NBA Draft will no doubt have its share of busts as well as great value picks. But it’s not our job to forecast the futures of these prospects, that’s what scouts are overpaid for! Nope, we’re just telling you the likely places these kids will end up. If you’re reading this D’Angelo Russell, you’re welcome!

1st Overall: Minnesota Timberwolves

• Karl-Anthony Towns (4/7)
• Jahlil Okafor (5/3)

Towns and Okafor are neck and neck. Any other selection here would be reason for Milt Newman’s immediate dismissal. It sounds like Towns, the 7-footer from Kentucky, has the inside track.

2nd Overall: Los Angeles Lakers

• Jahlil Okafor (3/5)
• Karl-Anthony Towns (7/4)
• Field (60/1)

After Towns or Okafor is called to the stage first, the other will get to join Julius Randle in the Lakers’ front court while grabbing Kobe’s rebounds. Not a bad consolation prize.

3rd Overall: Philadelphia 76ers

• D’Angelo Russell (1/8)
• Field (13/2)

The best combo guard in the draft, many think the Ohio State product is the best player in the draft, period. After two straight years of tanking, Philly is finally getting a prize worthy of their awful record.

4th Overall: New York Knicks

• Emmanuel Mudiay (2/1)
• Mario Hezonja (4/1)
• Willie Cauley-Stein (9/2)
• Justice Winslow (7/1)
• Field (13/3)

The first real question mark, partly because of the unpredictability of the Knicks, who may even trade out of the spot. Mudiay is the most likely, though; the second-best guard spent the year in China and was limited by an ankle injury, but has great potential. He was even in the mix for No. 1 overall prior to the start of the season.

5th Overall: Orlando Magic

• Kristaps Porzingis (5/3)
• Justice Winslow (2/1)
• Mario Hezonja (7/2)
• Field (10/1)

With the young backcourt of Victor Oladipo and Elfrid Payton in place and Nikola Vucevic holding the fort at center, forward is the area the Magic need to address. Porzingis, a 7’1″ Latvian, is more of a project, but Orlando can afford to be patient.

6th Overall: Sacramento Kings

• Willie Cauley-Stein (1/1)
• Justice Winslow (9/2)
• Emmanuel Mudiay (6/1)
• Myles Turner (19/2)
• Field (9/1)

The other Kentucky big man, Cauley-Stein would bring excellent defense alongside DeMarcus Cousins, giving the Kings a front court to be reckoned with.

7th Overall: Denver Nuggets

• Mario Hezonja (3/2)
• Justice Winslow (7/3)
• Stanley Johnson (17/3)
• Field (5/1)

The Croatian shooter Hezonja has size to play the wing and should make a nice fit with the Nuggets. Winslow would make sense here too.

8th Overall: Detroit Pistons

• Justice Winslow (4/3)
• Kristaps Porzingis (5/2)
• Willie Cauley-Stein (6/1)
• Field (5/1)

And after appearing on almost every team’s list, “Justice” should finally be done by the Pistons. The Duke freshman showed some NBA ready skills during the Blue Devils’ championship run. The Pistons could go big here, too, if Winslow is gone.

9th Overall: Charlotte Hornets

• Stanley Johnson (5/3)
• Frank Kaminsky (10/3)
• Trey Lyles (9/2)
• Field (7/2)

Johnson is versatile and a safe pick at nine. Kaminsky, boosted by his NCAA Player of the Year award, could be a reach here. But then again, Charlotte doesn’t exactly have a great history of this whole drafting thing.

10th Overall: Miami Heat

• Myles Turner (3/1)
• Devin Booker (10/3)
• Kelly Oubre (4/1)
• Trey Lyles (9/2)
• Field (17/3)

Ah, selection No. 10, where the draft truly becomes a pick-em. Miami will have an opportunity to grab a solid big in Myles Turner or get a quality shooting guard in Booker to perhaps one day replace Dwyane Wade.

Check back on June 25 to see how we did!

(Photo Credit: bikeride from Canton, CT, USA (Flickr) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo has been cropped.)