theScore's collaborative 1st-round mock draft
Tap here to view theScore's NBA offseason tracker, which includes the 2015 draft order, and latest transactions and rumors.
Get an in-depth look at the top prospects in this year's class, what each team needs to do with their picks, and more leading up to the 2015 NBA Draft, which takes place June 25 in Brooklyn.
Mock drafting is an inexact science. What teams will be thinking, how they evaluate their needs, and how they evaluate prospects are all a mystery. Even the best mock drafts are a series of educated guesses.
But they're fun. A lot of fun.
And so, after outlining the draft needs for all 30 teams, division by division, theScore staff decided to do a collaborative mock draft, with six writers each responsible for drafting for the teams in their respective division.
What follows are our educated guesses. Tap each player's name for a full scouting report.
Atlantic Division - Chris Walder
Southwest Division - Sam Morsy
Central Division - Joseph Casciaro
Northwest Division - William Lou
Pacific Division - John Chick
Southeast Division - Blake Murphy (written by William Lou)
Scouting Reports - Blake Murphy
1. Minnesota Timberwolves - Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky
Lou: Towns has everything: A gigantic NBA-ready frame, deft touch around the basket, natural shot-blocking instincts, and a silky smooth jump shot.
2. Los Angeles Lakers - D'Angelo Russell, PG, Ohio State
Chick: Once the Wolves take Towns, will Okafor's similarities to Julius Randle be an influence? Will it matter? The Lakers need help at point, and Russell has the tools to take the star mantle from Kobe.
3. Philadelphia 76ers - Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, International
Walder: Philly needs a PG for the future to pair with the Embiid/Noel frontcourt combo, so Mudiay - an athletic slasher who can be the leader the 76ers so desperately need - becomes the best option on the board with Russell gone.
4. New York Knicks - Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
Walder: Okafor doesn't cure what ails the Knicks defensively, but there's absolutely no way this potential No. 1 overall pick, with his All-Star potential and ability to work with his back to the basket, drops past New York.
5. Orlando Magic - Kristaps Porzingis, PF, International
Murphy: As much as Willie Trill may be a Scott Skiles dream, the Magic need an infusion of offensive upside and shooting, which Porzingis could provide in spades.
6. Sacramento Kings - Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky
Chick: Justise Winslow is a possibility here, but the Kings need size and a defender/rim protector like WCS. Would this move DMC to power forward? Rumor has it Cousins wouldn't have an issue with that.
7. Denver Nuggets - Mario Hezonja, SF, International
Lou: A rebuild looks inevitable for the Nuggets, so the play should be to draft the player available with the highest upside. Hezonja has the size, strength, skills, and confidence to blossom into an elite playmaker.
8. Detroit Pistons - Justise Winslow, SF, Duke
Casciaro: Detroit addressed some of their frontcourt depth issues - especially in the event Greg Monroe flees - with the acquisition of Ersan Ilyasova, and they could use a clear-cut answer at the point, but they're a perennial loser picking in the top 10. They have to grab the best talent available, and Winslow is that at No. 8.
9. Charlotte Hornets - Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
Murphy: The Hornets need shooting, and Booker's the best shooter available in this range. I'm skeptical he'll be more than that despite the combine results, and don't love drafting for need this early, but the fit just makes too much sense.
10. Miami Heat - Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona
Murphy: Another terrific fit. Johnson can fit into the Heat's current timeline, back up and defend multiple positions, and acts as a nice bit of Luol Deng insurance.
11. Indiana Pacers - Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
Casciaro: Payne gives the Pacers a nice option behind George Hill, who missed 39 games last season, and another desperately needed player who can create his own offense.
12. Utah Jazz - Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin
Lou: The Jazz are set for the future in the frontcourt with two spectacular defenders in Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert. All they need is a shooter with strong playmaking abilities. Enter Kaminsky.
13. Phoenix Suns - Myles Turner, C, Texas
Chick: Turner may still be a project in some ways, but without a fit for a Suns need - Booker's gone - Ryan McDonough goes for the best talent available.
14. Oklahoma City Thunder - Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas
Lou: Oubre is raw, but has upside in spades. He combines strong scoring instincts with plenty of athleticism and a massive 7-foot-2 wingspan.
15. Atlanta Hawks (from Brooklyn) - Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky
Murphy: The Hawks could go a number of directions at both forward spots. While it's unclear exactly what type of player Lyles will be at the next level, the talent is obvious and he's proven himself to be malleable - an important consideration for a Hawks team that values flexibility.
16. Boston Celtics - Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
Walder: Danny Ainge needs to shore up depth at power forward, especially with Brandon Bass and Jonas Jerebko entering unrestricted free agency. Portis is a sparkplug with fantastic length who can give the Celtics more defensively than what they've received from the position in the past.
17. Milwaukee Bucks - Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame
Casciaro: Grant has the versatility to log competent minutes at either guard position, and gives Jason Kidd an NBA-ready talent to add to an Eastern Conference up-and-comer.
18. Houston Rockets (from New Orleans) - Delon Wright, PG, Utah
Morsy: The Rockets are in need of a long-term solution at point guard. Patrick Beverley is entering the offseason awaiting a qualifying offer from Daryl Morey, while Pablo Prigioni is no spring chicken at 38 years old. The 6-foot-5 Wright is a decent long-distance shooter and a pesky defender - Beverley 2.0, essentially.
19. Washington Wizards - Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA
Murphy: With Portis off the board, the Wizards make more of an upside play for the future of their four-spot, which is fine, because Nene has a year left on his deal, putting less of a rush on Looney's development curve.
20. Toronto Raptors - Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville
Walder: Toronto has four bigs entering unrestricted free agency, including starting power forward Amir Johnson. Harrell can be an Amir clone with two healthy ankles, working hard on both ends without needing many touches to make an impact.
21. Dallas Mavericks - Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
Morsy: Rajon Rondo burned his bridge in Dallas. Raymond Felton's stock has never been lower. Devin Harris is 32. The Mavs need a floor general in a bad way, and Jones's championship pedigree may prove invaluable if he's given the keys in Dallas. He'll need to overcome size- and youth-related obstacles with haste - Dirk and company's window is rapidly closing.
22. Chicago Bulls - Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona
Casciaro: The Bulls could be looking for a small forward to replace UFA Mike Dunleavy, and while neither Hollis-Jefferson or Justin Anderson are a sure bet on offense - where Fred Hoiberg's focus will be - RHJ possesses NBA-ready defense and athleticism that could immediately help an East contender.
23. Portland Trail Blazers - Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin
Lou: The Trail Blazers can go one of two ways depending on LaMarcus Aldridge's free agency. If he returns, the Blazers will need an immediate contributor with tremendous two-way instincts to slot in as their multi-functional backup small forward.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers - R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State
Casciaro: Hunter gives the Cavs a scoring option off the bench, but one that also projects to have some decent defensive upside. He also addresses some of their issues with guard depth, particularly if J.R. Smith heads elsewhere as a free agent.
25. Memphis Grizzlies - Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia
Morsy: Anderson was not an unstoppable offensive force in college, but he was a much improved threat from beyond the arc in 2014-15 (45.2 3-point percentage). His knack for shooting could help bolster the Grizz's perimeter offense, currently led by a streaky Courtney Lee, an aged Vince Carter, the offensively-challenged Tony Allen, and Jeff Green.
26. San Antonio Spurs - Jordan Mickey, PF, LSU
Morsy: Assuming that LaMarcus Aldridge does not end up in San Antonio, the Spurs would benefit from additional post presence. Mickey's length and shot-blocking prowess was impressive in his lone year in college (3.6 BPG), plus he proved he could score (15.4 PPG) and rebound (9.9 RPG), as well.
27. Lakers (from Houston) - Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV
Chick: If he drops this far, the Lakers ought to snag him. While he's more of a two, the Lakers are weak on the wing. Plus he loves Kobe and wants to stay at his house.
28. Celtics (from L.A. Clippers) - Christian Wood, PF, UNLV
Walder: Wood will be a project, but Ainge can afford to play it slow with this pick if he elects to go big (which he should) at No. 16. Tons of upside to be had here.
29. Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta) - Anthony Brown, SG, Stanford
Walder: You can't teach an old dog new tricks (age 23, which Brown will be before the season, is old by rookie standards), but you can certainly expect more consistency and maturity than a younger gun. Brown will be stealing minutes from a relatively sparse group of wings at Barclays.
30. Golden State Warriors - Jarell Martin, PF, LSU
Chick: The priority for the champs is to keep Draymond Green, and given that that's likely, it's also likely David Lee is gone. Martin provides depth at power forward and at least has some potential as a stretch-four.