NBA Mock Draft 2016: Latest Pre-Lottery Projections for 1st-Round Action

Even though Tuesday’s lottery will transform the whole first round, there is still time for one more NBA mock draft to provide a reference point for the changes.

The recent NBA Draft Combine in Chicago has led to shifts in stock throughout the draft, even if many of the top prospects didn’t take part in the workouts. Players who took advantage of the opportunity will be rewarded for their efforts and could even hear their names called in the first round on June 23.

As far as the top of the first round is concerned, most of the shifts will take place after the order is set. The players won’t get better or worse, but the needs for each organization will be different. Still, the latest mock draft reflects how things are at the moment before the lottery creates more chaos.

Rising Prospects

Malachi Richardson, SF, Syracuse

You don’t want to overrate the NCAA tournament when it comes to evaluating a prospect, but Malachi Richardson took as much advantage of the spotlight as almost anyone in the country.

The freshman was a star for Syracuse on its surprise run to the Final Four, most notably scoring 23 points against Virginia in the Elite Eight. This put him on the map for NBA scouts, and they have liked what they’ve seen in recent weeks, according to ESPN’s Chad Ford (via Brent Axe of Syracuse.com):

“No one has seen their draft stock get a bigger bump the past few weeks than (Malachi) Richardson” @chadfordinsider

— Brent Axe (@BrentAxeMedia) April 27, 2016

Mike Waters of Syracuse.com later reported his official decision to sign an agent and remain in the draft.

Richardson already has the tools to be a quality guard or small forward at the next level, showcasing a great …

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