This article is part of our NBA Draft series.
When the build up to this year's NBA draft included DeMarcus Cousins trade speculation, Phil Jackson's esoteric beliefs on basketball, and seemingly hourly updates on Luke Ridnour's future whereabouts, organized chaos was expected to blitz the first round.
However, with precisely zero trades impacting the lottery, draft night went rather uninterrupted. In fact, if it were up to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, he probably could have revealed all the first-round picks within 45 minutes.
Still, plenty of takeaways from Thursday's action exist, especially when considering the fantasy implications that some draft selections may have.
While the Timberwolves' choice of Karl-Anthony Towns creates a potentially elite duo of No. 1 overall picks (with this guy, not this guy), the Lakers' selection of point guard D'Angelo Russell at No. 2 really sent the draft dominos in motion.
In taking Russell, the Lakers passed on Duke center Jahlil Okafor, possibly indicating the franchise's confidence in luring a big-name frontcourt player like LaMarcus Aldridge or Kevin Love to Los Angeles this offseason.
Under that scenario, Russell's supreme passing ability would work perfectly in setting up easy scoring opportunities for Kobe Bryant, the free agent big man and last year's first-rounder Julius Randle, who has reportedly improved a lot since being drafted. With a supporting cast to highlight his best attribute, as well as a lethal jumper to keep defenses honest, Russell could very well be the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year on a vastly improved Lakers squad.
Conversely, the perpetually tanking 76ers' selection of Okafor at No. 3 overall gives the reigning national champion zero teammates that complement his skill set. Besides petitioning for the NBA to raise the hoops to 12 feet, Philly general manager Sam Hinkie's next move will have to involve sorting out his center position.
Okafor and Nerlens Noel could make a nice offense/defense tandem, but where does that leave Joel Embiid? Sure, Embiid's ongoing foot issue could buy Hinkie some time, but ultimately, his bargaining power could be reduced by the Sixers' obvious cry for help.
Okafor was already expected by most to lead rookies in scoring this year, but given Philly's ragtag roster, it now seems even more likely. His points and rebounding numbers should make him a high-volume fantasy contributor from the get-go.
Unlike Okafor, the Knicks' subsequent selection of Latvian (YouTube) legend Kristaps Porzingis represents a pick that will require patience, something New York fans have been known to embrace. Oh wait.
Grown men cried and children booed as fears of the next Frederic Weis, Michael Sweetney, and Ronaldo Balkman were rolled into one with the Knicks' first-round pick of a seven-foot European with post skills and a high motor.
While few players will ever reach Weis' level of shame or Balkman's level of craziness, Porzingis should certainly subscribe to Sweetney's diet plan.
At a twiggy 230 pounds, the breeze from passing New York taxis could throw the 7-1 Porzingis off balance right now, but under the guidance of an NBA strength-training program, "Zinger" could ultimately blossom into a force on the court.
A player that models his game after Kevin Garnett, who also entered the league fairly thin at age 19, Porzingis boasts measurables that seem unfair for a player with his shooting range and mobility. Those tools should make him a seamless fit in the Knicks' triangle offense, where he'll be asked to score from the post and the perimeter with regularity.
Although Porzingis will inevitably face a bruising introduction to NBA life, the Knicks' bare roster should offer him plenty of playing time to learn on the fly and help fantasy owners in shooting, rebounding, and blocks, especially in dynasty leagues.
At No. 5, the Magic snagged Barcelona starlet Mario Hezonja, adding yet another ultra-athletic youngster to their ranks. However, unlike Victor Oladipo, Aaron Gordon, and Elfrid Payton before him, Hezonja can flat out shoot from anywhere on the floor, which could complement Orlando's penetrators as well as post-oriented big man Nikola Vucevic.
After Hezonja, the Kings went ahead and selected Kentucky center Willie Trill Cauley-Stein, who should help fantasy basketball owners in defensive categories and could prove valuable to fantasy wrestling owners if the tension in Sacramento ultimately leads to a five-way cage match between owner Vivek Ranadive, coach George Karl, vice president Vlade Divac, star player DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins, and the newly-drafted "Billie Trill".
The Kings' front office conundrum possibly played a factor in the Nuggets taking point guard Emmanuel Mudiay with the next pick, as Karl has reportedly been transfixed on acquiring Ty Lawson, who he previously coached in Denver.
With Lawson gone, Mudiay would undoubtedly become the Nuggets' starter, which would lend him excellent fantasy value as a rookie. At a chiseled 6-5, Mudiay already becomes one of the league's most physically imposing point guards, and he also carries professional experience having played in China this past season. Despite an injury-shortened campaign, Mudiay averaged 18.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists as an 18-year-old abroad, evidencing his mature character and on-court contributions.
From there, a pair of rugged wing players, Stanley Johnson and Justise Winslow, were chosen by the Pistons and Heat, respectively, with the Hornets opting for senior Frank Kaminsky in the meantime at No. 9. All three of Johnson, Kaminsky, and Winslow are perceived as NBA-ready players, but each comes with a different pathway to minutes.
In Detroit, Johnson should immediately take over small forward duties, where he could enjoy more offensive freedom than he was given at Arizona.
On the flip side, Winslow's NBA career will likely begin as a backup to a pair of All-Star-caliber players, Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng. However, given Wade's regularly scheduled rest games and Deng's seemingly exhaustive minutes odometer, Winslow could provide an attack-minded alternative to both veterans at either wing position. Moreover, if Deng opts out of his current contract, Winslow represents a ready-made replacement next to Wade in the starting lineup. Coincidentally, Winslow's coach at Duke, Mike Krzyzewski, has compared Winslow's game to Wade's, perhaps making him the steal of the draft at tenth overall.
In drafting Kaminsky, Charlotte continued its quest through the Big Ten in search of a productive stretch four. Michael Jordan and company have basically taken the same player three years in a row, after drafting Indiana's Cody Zeller fourth overall in 2013, fellow Hoosier Noah Vonleh ninth last year, and now Wisconsin's Kaminsky ninth this time around.
While Vonleh was shipped to the Blazers earlier this week, Kaminsky is coming off a sensational Player of the Year campaign and is far more multi-dimensional than Zeller. Along with his sweet outside stroke, Kaminsky's playmaking ability should earn him significant minutes, if not eventually a starting role, on a team looking to resurface in the playoffs.
Outside of the top 10, the following selections could impact fantasy leagues in various ways:
At No. 11, the Pacers took center Myles Turner, who seems well suited for president Larry Bird's intended shift to an up-tempo system. With possibly David West and Roy Hibbert destined to leave Indiana this offseason, Turner's floor-stretching and rim-protecting potential could kick-start the Pacers' philosophical transition.
The Thunder's choice of point guard Cameron Payne at No. 14 could allow Russell Westbrook to become even more aggressive offensively, which is a completely frightening proposition for opposing defenses when considering they'll likely face an eager-as-ever Kevin Durant as well.
With Sam Dekker in tow, the Rockets could give James Harden even more ball handling duties, as Dekker and Trevor Ariza could comprise a solid wing duo. Additionally, following three years in Wisconsin's methodical offense, it will be exciting to see Dekker's open-court athleticism unleashed while discovering whether he can thrive in a three-point-centric offensive scheme.
By trading for Notre Dame's All-American Jerian Grant, the Knicks received a lengthy, high-IQ guard with shooting and passing skills tailored toward their triangle scheme. At 22 years old, Grant is way further along than Kristaps Porzingis, giving New York a nice blend of draftees to integrate this season.
Virginia's Justin Anderson, who emerged despite playing in a Virginia offense that personified nails on a chalkboard, now gets to play for a Mavericks offense that ranked first in the league before regrettably acquiring Rajon Rondo last season. At 6-6, 230 pounds and with a 43-inch vertical, Anderson projects favorably as a "3-and-D" wing player and is seasoned enough to crack coach Rick Carlisle's rotation as a rookie.
