2016 NBA Mock Draft: 6th Edition

Here is my sixth edition of my 2016 NBA Mock Draft.

1. Philadelphia 76ers- Ben Simmons, Power Forward, LSU: With their hodge podge of big men and Simmons with star potential with his ball handling and passing, he’s an obvious choice even as some executives favor Ingram for his shooting. Simmons isn’t a good shooter.

2. Los Angeles Lakers- Brandon Ingram, Small Forward, Duke: The Lakers needed a little bit of luck, and got it here. Not only were they able to keep the selection (it was top-three protected) and end up with the No. 2 pick in a two-player draft, but they're also in line to grab a guy whose skills perfectly complement the other pieces they already have. LA is still a long way away from competing for titles, but Ingram and D'Angelo Russell are good pieces to build around.

3. Boston Celtics- Dragan Bender, Power Forward/Center, Croatia: For all the talk about the possibility of the 76ers making trades, the Celtics are probably the best candidate of all as a team pushing to get in position for a long playoff run now. Veterans are more appealing than prospects. If they stay, though, the need for shooting, especially behind the arc, puts Buddy Hield in the mix for the top three. But some teams think Bender has a chance to be great and one GM said he could see the Croatian becoming the best player in the draft in time. Bender is not another Kristaps Porzingis no matter how many people want to make the comparison -- Bender is a better distributor, Porzingis has better range -- but the offense is very intriguing.

4. Phoenix Suns- Marquese Chriss, Power Forward, Washington: Like Boston, Phoenix also has multiple first-round picks, and may consider a deal here for the right player, but if not, getting a power forward who can stretch the floor could be a priority. Chriss is still somewhat raw skill-wise, and he doesn’t quite understand the game yet, but he is a high-level athlete who can run the floor, block shots, and knock down jumpers. He could turn into a good starter down the road.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves- Kris Dunn, Point Guard, Providence: With Tom Thibodeau in town, it's relatively easy to see why he would like a player like Kris Dunn. Dunn is about as good a defensive player as you'll find, plus is quite good offensively with great vision and athleticism. Yeah, he does overlap a bit with Ricky Rubio. But you need more than two guards in the rotation, and right now there's just not another trustworthy guy on the roster. Also, the Wolves could theoretically look to extract value for an excellent piece in Rubio.

6. New Orleans Pelicans- Jamal Murray, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Kentucky: The Pelicans’ backcourt is unsettled at the moment, with a dozen different players earning a starting nod at one point or another over the course of the season. Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holliday have all struggled with injuries and none is under contract past next season, which means New Orleans will look at all of the top guards available. Murray was one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball despite being a freshman.

7. Denver Nuggets (via New York Knicks)- Buddy Hield, Shooting Guard, Oklahoma: One of the stars of the college game in 2015-16, Hield is a versatile and explosive threat who can score in transition or as a catch-and-shoot guy in half-court sets. He gets to the rim and creates on the perimeter, with the added benefit of four seasons in a major program and being 22 years old. In short, Hield will be one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft. And the Nuggets finished 26th in 3-point percentage.

8. Sacramento Kings- Jalen Brown, Small Forward, California: Sacramento is lining up possibilities to trade down if each of their three or four realistic targets are off the board, but there is very little chance all will be gone. The Kings will likely spend No. 8, not deal it, if Brown -- or Hield, Murray or Dunn in the backcourt -- are still available. The Brown outcome would lead management to consider a Rudy Gay trade later in the offseason, if not outright putting Gay on the trade block with a successor in place.

9. Toronto Raptors (via Denver Nuggets)- Jakob Poeltl, Power Forward/Center, Utah: The Raptors will likely lose Bismack Biyombo to free agency this offseason, meaning Poeltl makes sense as a backup to start with for Jonas Valanciunas. They would probably like to take a stretch-four or potentially a wing in order to brace for if DeMar DeRozan leaves, but Poeltl is the best player remaining on the board and definitely fills a spot of need as the Raptors look to likely rebound next year back into the conference finals.

10. Milwaukee Bucks- Deyonta Davis, Power Forward, Michigan State: The Bucks tend to like long athletic players with a high upside, and Davis fits that billing. The 6-10 big man is a good defensive player already due to his ability to move his feet and protect the rim, plus he has potential shooting the ball out to around 15 to 18 feet at some point in his career. Davis still has a way's to go, but at the very least he'd give their frontcourt a bit of a different look, especially if they're seriously going to try the Point Giannis experiment.

11. Orlando Magic- Skal Labissiere, Power Forward/Center, Kentucky: Despite Labissiere's disappointing freshman season at Kentucky, his two skill sets – shot blocking and perimeter shooting – would be a nice fit next to Nikola Vucevic, even if he might be a bit risky.

12. Utah Jazz- Henry Ellenson, Power Forward/Center, Marquette: Ellenson is a big man with mobility to handle an up-tempo system and strength to play physical, a versatility on offense in particular that would fit well as a counter to the defense of the starting center, Rudy Gobert. Utah, improving on defense, would be making gains on offense by adding Ellenson's shooting after Trey Lyles and Rodney Hood in previous drafts.

13. Phoenix Suns (via Washington Wizards)- Timothe Luwawu, Shooting Guard, France: Luwawu made his big move last year playing in his native France, then built on that in 2015-16 against tougher competition with a varied offensive game of scoring and passing. His size would be an asset in the backcourt, with enough athleticism that he won't be a liability on defense against smaller, quicker shooting guards. With little experience before this season other than the lesser French leagues, not even as part of the national teams at a junior level, he has had to ease concerns about the jump in competition.

14. Chicago Bulls- Furkan Korkmaz, Shooting Guard, Turkey: Korkmaz is a scoring threat beyond the 3-point line and also a talented and willing passer, a nice combination for someone with good size for a shooting guard with the chance to keep growing. He needs to add bulk more than height, but is still only 18 and could fill out in time. And if he doesn't get stronger, Korkmaz could still make a big contribution as a shooter and facilitator.

15. Denver Nuggets (via Houston Rockets)- Domantas Sabonis, Power Forward/Center, Gonzaga: The son of Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis, a superstar in Europe before seven seasons with the Trail Blazers, was an intriguing prospect a year ago, in the same lottery territory as 2016, before returning for his sophomore season. Domantas moves well for a big and plays hard, a combination that produces good results on the boards. He does not have much of an offensive game, especially beyond close range.

16. Boston Celtics (via Dallas Mavericks)- Denzel Valentine, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Michigan State: The important part of the Final Four team in 2014-15 had a nice climb up draft boards last season with more experience and a larger role for an elite program. He could easily break into the lottery and maybe even the top 12. Valentine earned the centerpiece spot at Michigan State as a 22-year-old senior who is smart and versatile. He shot 44.4 percent behind the arc and also easily leading the team in assists, a testament to his ability to become a secondary ball handler in the pros as well as score.

17. Memphis Grizzlies- Demeatrius Jackson, Point Guard, Notre Dame: Memphis needs depth at point guard even if Mike Conley re-signs. Jackson has speed to play in the open court, leaping ability to play above the rim and a quick first step to create an opening. The physical advantages are especially important because he does have great size. He gives Notre Dame the chance to send a point guard into the first round for the second year in a row (after Jerian Grant went 19th last June).

18. Detroit Pistons- Damian Jones, Center, Vanderbilt: Detroit needs offense in general and especially 3-point threats, but there is no obvious answer here in the land of backup big men. Jones turns 21 the week after the draft, is more developed than many others in the class and could play behind Andre Drummond. Jones has NBA size and athleticism, the makings of being able to play up in an up-tempo system or a power game and become a shot blocker. The offense needs work.

19. Denver Nuggets (via Portland Trail Blazers)- Ivica Zubac, Center, Croatia: Zubac is a 7-foot-1 big man that many believe could have terrific potential in the pick-and-roll offensively and as a traditional paint defender defensively. He may or may not come over immediately.

20. Indiana Pacers- Wade Baldwin IV, Point Guard, Vanderbilt: The improbable rise from under-the-radar college recruit to the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team has taken him all the way to the edge of the lottery, and possibly into the top 14 with good workouts, after the sophomore campaign. He is a fiery, emotional leader who tries to take control, even as a freshman. With the extra attention from defenses, though, he went from 43.9 percent overall to 42.7 and from 43.9 percent behind the arc to 40.6.

21. Atlanta Hawks- Taurean Prince, Small Forward, Baylor: The Hawks really missed the toughness and versatility DeMarre Carroll brought to both forward spots, which could cause them to take a long look at Prince. He is a tough, perimeter-oriented combo forward who has an NBA-ready frame and can have a valuable role in today’s style of play with his ability to stretch the floor.

22. Charlotte Hornets- Ante Zizic, Center, Coratia: A high-energy player with nice athleticism for a big, he runs the floor well and handles the contact of playing inside. His offensive game is still limited, though. Zizic is 19, making him an ideal draft-and-stash pick for the end of the first round. With his intensity and with time, he could become a contributor for an NBA team.

23. Boston Celtics- Cheick Diallo, Center, Kansas: The Mali native who attended high school in New York state had a very choppy freshman season at Kansas, from missing two exhibitions and five games as the NCAA sorted through eligibility issues to undependable play once he was cleared. There were stretches when just staying on the court was a challenge, and he averaged 7.5 minutes. But athleticism, size and potential on defense makes him a very intriguing prospect. While it would not be a surprise if he dropped out of the first round, some team will be lured by the physical tools to invest intensive coaching and a lot of D-League time -- more likely a team making its third pick.

24. Philadelphia 76ers (from Miami Heat via Cleveland Cavaliers)- Dejounte Murray, Point Guard, Washington: Do I think there's any situation on planet Earth where I would select Murray over Kentucky point guard Tyler Ulis? No, I don't. But it's a pretty distinct possibility in the draft where Murray is seen as a solid potential guard who can really score it and pass well. However, he's still inefficient, can't shoot, can't finish around the rim, and makes poor decisions. There would be upside, but he has a ways to go to reach it.

25. Los Angeles Clippers- DeAndre' Bembry, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Saint Joseph's: Bembry would be the kind of wing that would really help a team that's contending early in his career. He's tough, he's smart, he competes, and he plays well within an offensive scheme. He needs to do a lot still in terms of proving himself as a shooter, but Bembry could easily become an excellent fit in between J.J. Redick and Blake Griffin if the team decides to not make any moves this offseason in terms of its core.

26. Philadelphia 76ers (from Oklahoma City Thunder via Cleveland Cavaliers/Denver Nuggets)- Malik Beasley, Shooting Guard, Florida State: With their third pick in the first round, Philadelphia could look to shore up one of their real needs, perimeter shooting. Beasley showed a consistent stroke and NBA-range as a freshman at Florida State, and is even a bit more versatile on offense than just a shooter.

27. Toronto Raptors- Diamond Stone, Power Forward/Center, Maryland: Again, size and athleticism are the Raptors' need and calling card, respectively, and Stone has both in spades. While he didn't have the season many expected at Maryland, the Raptors have the team and infrastructure in place to let Stone take his time, and hopefully develop into the player he's capable of becoming.

28. Phoenix Suns (from Cleveland Cavaliers via Boston Celtics)- Juan Hernangomez, Power Forward, Spain: This is Phoenix’s third pick in the first round, and I would expect them to take a player they can leave overseas for a bit longer. Hernangomez is a skilled power forward, with the ability to step away from the rim a bit, and he has played a good amount of minutes overseas already. He could be ready to come over in a year or two at the rate he is developing.

29. San Antonio Spurs- Brice Johnson, Power Forward, North Carolina: With Tim Duncan's future still up in the air, Johnson can at least add some athleticism to the frontcourt. While not the most skilled offensive player, he has improved a lot over the past few years, and his ability to run the floor and rebound could make him a very good value this low in the first round.

30. Golden State Warriors- Zhou Qi, Center, China: Zhou said he can make a smooth transition to the United States even if it is not in a city with a large Chinese population, so ending up in the Bay Area would simply be a bonus. Similarly, it would not be a marketing move by the Warriors. (Like they need one.) Zhou has to bulk up, but someone will probably invest a weightlifting regiment and patience near the end of the first round or the start of the second for a 7-2 prospect with agility. Golden State is looking for cap flexibility heading into free agency, increasing the chances of picking a player to stay overseas.