Ford 7.0

[footey]

Murray 3
Dunn 4
Bender 5

Bender could drop a lot further, according to Chad.

Starting to hate this draft outside top 2.

[Eddie20]

Remember this is how he ranks the players based on feedback from teams. It's not a mock where team needs are taken into consideration.

[Tr1boy]

Murray 3
Dunn 4
Bender 5

Bender could drop a lot further, according to Chad.

Starting to hate this draft outside top 2.

Do you mind posting the full article? (;

[Evantime34]

This is his big board not mock, but it is interesting Bender is slipping.

Can not believe how low Luwawu is or how high Richardson from Cuse is.

[Who]

Starting to hate this draft outside top 2.

Yup, me too.

[walker834]

I think Chad Ford just randomly moves players around his mock. This is a guy who works for a major news source and is supposedly in the know too.   

[KG Living Legend]

Starting to hate this draft outside top 2.

Yup, me too.

 You guys are only saying that because there is no clear cut #3 choice which is normal. There are really good players available there, but it's probably a really good guard.

[walker834]

I think Chad Ford just randomly moves players around his mock. This is a guy who works for a major news source and is supposedly in the know too.

Hey, gotta have something to say or you won't generate those clicks.

Mike


Now that the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the 2016 NBA draft has passed, we have a new Big Board.

On Tuesday, the NBA released the official list with a whopping 117 college underclassmen and another 45 international players on the list.

That's dramatically more than in years past. By my count, 79 of the underclassmen who have declared, and virtually all of the international prospects, are testing the waters. College players have until May 25 to withdraw their names and still retain their college eligibility. International players have until June 13 to withdraw.

Only three players on our most recent Big Board -- Ivan Rabb, Thomas Bryant and Grayson Allen -- are definitely returning to school.

With the NBA draft combine and team workouts coming in May, there is still plenty of time for prospects to improve their stock. And with so many underclassmen declaring, inevitably some will begin withdrawing from the draft after they receive assessments following the draft combine.

Our board has the latest intel on how NBA teams see the top NBA prospects, based on conversations with NBA general managers and scouts.

1. Ben Simmons


Previous rank: No. 1
LSU
Freshman
Forward

Simmons has now held down the No. 1 spot on our Big Board seven straight times, but what used to be a consensus has strongly eroded. More and more scouts are jumping ship to Team Brandon Ingram as questions about Simmons' shooting, defense and drive abound.

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However, with draft workouts and interviews coming, at least one GM thinks he's about to get his mojo back.

"I think he's going to remind us how special he really is," one GM said. "I think he'll be a different player in the NBA. I love Ingram. Would love to have him on my team. But to my team, Simmons is the one guy in this draft that could be a superstar. I'm not sure how you pass on that."

2. Brandon Ingram


Previous rank: No. 2
Duke
Freshman
Forward

Can Ingram catch Simmons for the No. 1 pick? A lot will depend on how the ping-pong balls land on lottery night (May 17, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN/WatchESPN). He'd be a great fit in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Phoenix and New Orleans. Those teams may be tempted to take fit over upside.

Ingram's ability to stretch the floor is his most coveted commodity.

3. Jamal Murray


Previous rank: No. 4
Kentucky
Freshman
Guard

Murray continues to rise as the best guard prospect in the draft.

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Coming into the combine, the more teams I speak with, the more it seems like he now has the strongest case for the No. 3 pick in the draft after Simmons and Ingram are off the board.

While his lack of elite athleticism is troubling, Murray does everything else so well that scouts are willing to look the other way.

He's looking -- barring poor workouts -- to be a lock for the No. 3 to No. 5 range in the draft.

4. Kris Dunn


Previous rank: No. 7
Providence
Junior
Guard

Dunn is one of the most talented players on this list. He also can be among the most frustrating.

His size, athleticism and creativity are all attractive, but the turnovers and questionable shot selection at times are difficult to ignore.

5. Dragan Bender


Previous rank: No. 3
Croatia
Age: 18
Forward/center

Bender received the start in Maccabi's last game but played only 11 minutes and scored one point.

It has been a fairly frustrating ride for scouts the past few months. They love Bender in theory but have been given very little to go off of this year, and for the first time his draft stock is slipping a little for some teams.

He's no longer the consensus No. 3 guy and he could slide a little further if scouts can't get a closer look at him on the court over the next two months. Right now it's a toss-up between him and Ellenson for the first big off the board (not counting Simmons and Ingram).

6. Buddy Hield


Previous rank: No. 5
Oklahoma
Senior
Guard

Buddy Hield mania is beginning to wear off. Over the course of the past weeks, I've had enough scouts say that they think he might now be overrated and that they will have to take a closer look in workouts.

Still, Hield's shooting ability, athleticism and legendary work ethic are special qualities, and I think that will cause him to land in the No. 4 to No. 7 range.

7. Henry Ellenson


Previous rank: No. 6
Marquette
Freshman
Forward/center

Ellenson is another guy with mixed reviews from scouts. Some love him. Some aren't sure. But most agree that regardless, he's a top-10 pick.

Mobile big men who can stretch the floor and score in the paint don't come along every day.

8. Marquese Chriss



Previous rank: No. 8
Washington
Freshman
Forward

As with several other players in the No. 3 to No. 8 range, Chriss' upside is tantalizing, but there's are concerns that give pause. For Chriss, those are maturity and inconsistency.

On the other hand, the positives are compelling -- elite size, athleticism and skill for his position.

Of all the players in the top eight, he's the biggest boom-or-bust prospect. He has the talent to be the third-best player in the draft, but could also wash out of the league in a couple of years if he can't focus on the game.

9. Jakob Poeltl


Previous rank: No. 10
Utah
Sophomore
Center

It's a weak draft for centers, which is helpful for Poeltl. Some team in the top 10 is likely to want a center.

Poeltl is big and fluid. He has great hands, rebounds and protects the rim. He just struggles with strong, physical players. But there's hope that he'll put on the strength necessary to overcome that one real remaining weakness.

10. Jaylen Brown


Previous rank: No. 9
Cal
Freshman
Forward

Brown's last-minute decision to declare didn't surprise anyone. Top-10 picks almost always opt into the draft. Still, there was enough skepticism about his stock among NBA teams to explain why he paused.

While he looks the part of an NBA player, his decision-making and ability to create his own shot are considered weaknesses. And scouts seem to be significantly cooling on him as they dig deeper into his time at Cal.

11. Skal Labissiere


Previous rank: No. 15
Kentucky
Freshman
Center/forward

No one benefited more from Ivan Rabb's decision to return to Cal for his sophomore season than Labissiere. He hasn't played a game in nearly a month, yet his stock is on the rise.

His production for Kentucky was awful, but the raw tools are all there to be a terrific stretch-4 who can protect the rim. Someone will take a chance on him.

12. Domantas Sabonis



Previous rank: No. 14
Gonzaga
Sophomore
Forward

Sabonis is hard to place. Everyone likes him. No one really loves him.

The rebounding and basketball IQ will both translate. However, questions about which position he defends and his ability to stretch the floor make him somewhat out of step with NBA trends toward versatility and skill.

Nevertheless, he's starting to appear in the top 10 on some draft boards ahead of Jakob Poeltl.

13. Denzel Valentine


Previous rank: No. 13
Michigan State
Senior
Forward/guard

Valentine is a hot name right now as teams look more and more for playmaking wings and forwards who can shoot the 3 and play multiple positions. Versatility is a major attribute.

Valentine's ability to step right in and play right away might make him especially appealing to a late-lottery team hoping to make the jump into the playoffs next season.

14. Deyonta Davis


Previous rank: No. 11
Michigan State
Freshman
Forward

Davis is another guy who benefited from Rabb's decision. Now he's neck-and-neck with Labissiere.

Labissiere's ability to stretch the floor out past the 3-point line gives him the slight edge among some scouts. But Davis is a more explosive athlete and better shot-blocker.

If he can continue to improve on his range, watch out.

15. Furkan Korkmaz


Previous rank: No. 12
Turkey
Age: 18
Guard

Korkmaz's minutes have been in short supply lately, but scouts have seen enough this year at Efes to think he's the second-best international player in the draft and a potential steal late in the lottery or mid-first round.

That 42 percent from 3 in the Euroleague and 49 percent from 3 in the Turkish league are the numbers that catch everyone's attention.

16. Dejounte Murray


Previous rank: No. 20
Washington
Freshman
Guard

There's no consensus on Murray. Some teams love him. Some think he's a second-rounder.

His size, athleticism, passing ability and toughness are the major appeals. His decision-making and shooting need work, but there's a lot of talent to work with. If he has great workouts, he's not done rising. He has lottery-level potential.

17. Tyler Ulis


Previous rank: No. 16
Kentucky
Sophomore
Guard

He may be small at 5-foot-9, but he also may be the best pure point guard in the draft. Ulis can see the floor, score buckets in crunch time and get at it on the defensive end.

If he were four inches taller, he'd be a top-five pick.

18. Diamond Stone


Previous rank: No. 17
Maryland
Freshman
Center

Stone has his fans, though his lack of elite athleticism draws concerns from teams that wonder if the game is quickly passing players like him by.

But when you look at the skill level, length and hard work, it's not hard to imagine that Stone will find a place in the league.

19. Malik Beasley


Previous rank: N/A
Florida State
Freshman
Guard

NBA teams are hungry for shooters, especially athletic ones, and Beasley is a very attractive option. Not only did he shoot 39 percent from 3 during the season, but he's also a terrific, athletic finisher at the rim.

20. Malachi Richardson


Previous rank: N/A
Syracuse
Freshman
Guard

No one has seen their draft stock get a bigger bump the past few weeks than Richardson. Most scouts didn't see him as a one-and-done prospect, but after his strong performance in the NCAA tournament they've gone back to the film and seen one of the few wings in the draft who can create his own shot.

With a great combine he might not be done rising.

21. Ante Zizic

Previous rank: No. 21
Croatia
Age: 19
Center

Zizic is the hottest international name at the moment, with more and more teams telling me that he's now the third-best (and for some teams the second-best) international long-term prospect in the draft.

His size, athleticism and terrific rebounding numbers are especially appealing. So is the fact that teams can either bring him over now (he has a reasonable buyout) or leave him in Europe another year.

22. Ben Bentil


Previous rank: No. 26
Providence
Sophomore
Forward

At times last season Bentil looked more like a potential NBA star than his teammate Kris Dunn did.

He can score from everywhere and plays really hard. His measurements will be a key. If he's 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, then he's probably ranked too low. If he's shorter, he might be ranked too high.

23. Demetrius Jackson


Previous rank: No. 23
Notre Dame
Junior
Guard

By this point in the draft, many teams are just looking for rotation players who fill a niche, and Jackson seems like the perfect candidate to be a very good backup point guard.

He's a tough, athletic guard who can shoot and play defense. He doesn't do any one thing great but has very few weaknesses.

24. DeAndre Bembry


Previous rank: No. 24
St. Joseph's
Junior
Guard/forward

Bembry is a point forward who has the potential on both ends of the court, especially if he polishes his shot. He is big and athletic and can really pass the ball.

25. Jared Uthoff


Previous rank: N/A
Iowa
Senior
Forward

Uthoff's ability to stretch the floor, protect the rim and guard multiple positions has won him a lot of fans.

He's thin and he isn't always as aggressive as scouts would like, but he has earned enough supporters that he looks likely to land somewhere in the 20s.

26. Thon Maker


Previous rank: No. 19
Australia
Age: 19
Forward

Maker is currently working with Drew Hanlen in Florida on his skills and will soon make his way to P3 to begin athletic training.

Maker is smart, and intensive training could do wonders for his skill and athleticism. But workouts will reveal whether he has what teams are looking for.

If he excels, he can go higher than this. If he struggles, he could easily slide into the second round. For the moment, No. 26 is a fair spot for him.

27. Stephen Zimmerman



Previous rank: No. 28
UNLV
Freshman
Center

Zimmerman is a project -- a major one. But it would be tempting for some teams to take a flier on a mobile, athletic big who can stretch the floor and protect the rim.

He wasn't great as a freshman, but the raw tools are there.

28. Timothe Luwawu


Previous rank: No. 18
France
Age: 20
Guard/forward

Luwawu is generally considered an ideal 3-and-D prospect, though lately I've heard more and more teams come back a bit disappointed after scouting him overseas.

He may be on the underrated-then-overrated curve right now.

29. Brice Johnson


Previous rank: No. 27
North Carolina
Senior
Forward

It's tough in any draft for seniors to get love. Johnson, after three so-so years, is still trying to convince scouts he's better than they believed.

Teams have always loved his athleticism and how hard he plays. Last season, he became a legitimate rebounder and scorer. Lack of strength continues to be a significant issue.

30. Josh Hart


Previous rank: N/A
Villanova
Junior
Guard

Hart's stellar play in the NCAA tournament convinced a lot of scouts that he can be a Danny Green type of player at the NBA level.

He's tough and physical, he rebounds like a power forward and he can score from anywhere.

Next five in

Guerschon Yabusele, PF, France; Caris LeVert, G/F, Sr., Michigan; Taurean Prince, F, Sr., Baylor; Ivica Zubac, C, Bosnia; Isaiah Whitehead, G, So. Seton Hall.

This is the issue with Chad Ford though is he will give you a general consensus of where all the teams are valuing certain players but he doesn't have intel as far as how it fits what each team is really trying to do, which players teams secretly covet etc.  He is like a popularity contest.

He also doesn't tell you who is actually good. He'll hype up  guys like Cole Aldrich and players like that just  because that's what popularity says to do.

He'll put guys like the Zellers in the top 10 while better players are going later.  Big School hype and all of that. 

Ainge does his homework much more than that. 

A lot of the time who teams pick is very different as well. Who actually is good etc..  Not sure where Ford had Porzingis last year but he went 4th after the 2 main big man and Russell because Phil Jackson isn't a moron.

Edit: just looked his mocks last year and the draft sort of went ford's way but he didn't get one pick right except the 1st one.  He had us taking Kevin Looney.

He is not in touch at all with each individual team that way. 

[alewilliam789]

Trade it to the 76ers and let them gamble on a guard of their choosing.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Trade it to the 76ers and let them gamble on a guard of their choosing.

For Joel Embiid?

If there's another pick coming back, I'd really do this deal.

[Roy H.]

Starting to hate this draft outside top 2.

Yup, me too.

I think there will be 2 to 3 really good players, maybe even stars. Separating them from the busts seems extra difficult this year.

[PhoSita]

 Separating them from the busts seems extra difficult this year.

In other words, it's a weak draft.



I've accepted the fact that the Celts are probably going to end up picking 3-6, which means they'll get a prospect with a probable ceiling of solid starter / nice role player, unless they are able to trade the pick for somebody established.

It's not ideal, but hey, sometimes "strong" drafts -- like 2014 -- still yield mostly duds (or at least significantly flawed players) in the 3-10 range.



I'm glad to see Bender drop.  Taking a chance on a guy like that outside the top 10 is a no-brainer.  Taking him top 5 is playing fast and loose with your job, if you're a GM.

Murray, Hield, Dunn, Poeltl ... not "exciting" prospects, but any of those guys would help the Celts, I think.

[Rondo9]

 Separating them from the busts seems extra difficult this year.

In other words, it's a weak draft.



I've accepted the fact that the Celts are probably going to end up picking 3-6, which means they'll get a prospect with a probable ceiling of solid starter / nice role player, unless they are able to trade the pick for somebody established.

It's not ideal, but hey, sometimes "strong" drafts -- like 2014 -- still yield mostly duds (or at least significantly flawed players) in the 3-10 range.

If you want a weak draft go look at 2013 this years has better prospects.

[PhoSita]

 Separating them from the busts seems extra difficult this year.

In other words, it's a weak draft.



I've accepted the fact that the Celts are probably going to end up picking 3-6, which means they'll get a prospect with a probable ceiling of solid starter / nice role player, unless they are able to trade the pick for somebody established.

It's not ideal, but hey, sometimes "strong" drafts -- like 2014 -- still yield mostly duds (or at least significantly flawed players) in the 3-10 range.

If you want a weak draft go look at 2013 this years has better prospects.

2013 was pretty weak in the sense that very few players seemed to have significant upside.  I'd say that was counterbalanced somewhat by the fact that it was rich in role players.  Lots of  guys from the lottery of that draft have turned into useful contributors.


My biggest measure of whether a draft is weak or not is when it's really hard to say which players have the best chance of turning into something more than a role player and which ones have a better chance of being out of the league in 4 or 5 years.

[Rondo9]

 Separating them from the busts seems extra difficult this year.

In other words, it's a weak draft.



I've accepted the fact that the Celts are probably going to end up picking 3-6, which means they'll get a prospect with a probable ceiling of solid starter / nice role player, unless they are able to trade the pick for somebody established.

It's not ideal, but hey, sometimes "strong" drafts -- like 2014 -- still yield mostly duds (or at least significantly flawed players) in the 3-10 range.

If you want a weak draft go look at 2013 this years has better prospects.

2013 was pretty weak in the sense that very few players seemed to have significant upside.  I'd say that was counterbalanced somewhat by the fact that it was rich in role players.  Lots of  guys from the lottery of that draft have turned into useful contributors.


My biggest measure of whether a draft is weak or not is when it's really hard to say which players have the best chance of turning into something more than a role player and which ones have a better chance of being out of the league in 4 or 5 years.

From that measure then I say this year will have some strong players.