The 2015-16 NBA season is still a couple of months away but let’s face it: the championship is down to about six or seven teams. Already fans and experts are looking beyond this year to the summer of 2016 and the players that will be available both as free agents and in the NBA draft. The majority of the talk looking ahead to the summer of 2016 right now is centered on Kevin Durant’s free agent status and where he will end up but while one team will substantially upgrade their roster by signing KD, a number of teams will benefit from the opportunity to add a top prospect in next year’s draft. Here is a look ahead to the top prospects available at each position for the 2016 NBA Draft.
[related_post_one]
Point Guard: Jamal Murray, Kentucky
Murray will probably line up at the shooting guard position for Kentucky but he is a natural point guard and projects as the top player available at the position looking ahead to the 2016 NBA Draft. A 6’5’’ playmaker with excellent ball skills, Murray’s creativity and pure scoring ability make him an elite prospect heading in to his freshman season for the Wildcats.
Murray showed off his ability with a dominant 22-point performance in the fourth quarter of a Pan Am Games semifinal win over the United States, so it’s clear he is ready for the spotlight at Kentucky where he is ready for step in and perform at a high level right away this season. Providence’s Kris Dunn and Demetrius Jackson from Notre Dame also factor in among the top point guards looking ahead to the 2016 NBA Draft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwGQMhdItbQ
Shooting Guard: Furkan Korkmaz, Turkey
Korkmaz has built a reputation as a top NBA prospect while playing overseas in FIBA and other various international tournaments. Right now, he projects as the top shooting guard that will be available in next year’s NBA Draft. His 6’7’’ size will be an asset along with his athleticism and ability to create for himself and he is also an excellent three-point shooter. Mississippi State’s Malik Newman and Michigan’s Caris LeVert also project among the top shooting guards that will be available.
Small Forward: Ben Simmons, LSU
Simmons’ basketball vision and IQ are off the charts and while he might play mostly at the power forward spot for LSU next season, he projects as a small forward at the NBA level. At 6’9’’, 229 pounds, Simmons has the size to play both spots but his ball handling skills, vision and defensive ability could help him become an elite NBA small forward. Duke’s Brandon Ingram and California’s Jaylen Brown also project as high picks at the best position but Simmons projects as the best two-way prospect at the small forward position right now.
Power Forward: Skal Labissiere, Kentucky
The second Kentucky player on this list will play center for the Wildcats but projects as a power forward at the NBA level in big part because of his soft touch and shooting ability at the elbows. Labissiere also has tremendous defensive upside for the position and if he can add to his 7’1’’, 216-pound frame, he could very well be the first power forward off the board at the 2016 NBA Draft. Marquette’s Henry Ellison and Dragan Bender out of Croatia also rank among the top prospects at the four spot.
Center: Jakob Poeltl, Utah
The Utes sophomore already has the physical tools and defensive ability to be a first round pick at the center position. Whether or not he can improve on his scoring ability will be the key to his ability to become the top player at his position off the board. Poeltl is a massive physical specimen at 7 ft., but his mobility and athleticism have taken most experts by surprise. If he can develop his overall game, he will be a lock as a top-15 pick. Vanderbilt’s Damian Jones and Maryland’s Diamond Stone round out our list among the top prospects at the center position looking ahead to the 2016 NBA Draft.
