NBA Draft: Early Thoughts on Top Five

Early thoughts on the NBA draft.

• Wolves have been directionless for years, drafting guys that didn't fit, signing players who made no sense. But a young trio of Towns-Wiggins-Lavine makes a lot of sense and finally gives Minny some direction. Along with vets like Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin, and Kevin Garnett, if these young guys play to their potential, Minny should be much more competitive next season

• Lakers are fortunate to have the luxary of picking whichever big man the Wolves do not choose. The #2 pick will be paired with Julius Randle who missed his entire rookie season with a broken leg. It will be interesting to see who the Lakers can lure to LA to absorb all that cap space. 

• Philly had no use for a top two pick since the two best players are centers and the Sixers have used their last two firsts on Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel. Those two pair with one of the PGs - D'angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay puts Philly in a position to succeed in the future. They'll still be a year or two competing for a playoff spot, but at least the nucleus and core would be in place...until they trade these guys away for first round picks.

• The Knicks have quite a few options. The preferred choice is probably to trade this pick, but the question becomes who wants Mudiay/Russell, Cauley-Stein, Portzingis, or Winslow enough to part with a star player to move up? If the Knicks keep it they can take the PG that Philly doesn't take (Mudiay most likely) or Cauley-Stein, given Phil Jackson's affinity for big men.

• With the top two big men and PGs off the board, that shouldn't worry the Magic given the pressence of Nik Vucevic and Elfrid Payton. Orlando could use some wing pay and Justice Winslow, Kristaps Porzingis, or Mario Hezonja could all be in play here.

• Pre-draft workouts are going to be so important to seeing which player goes where. A lot of guys in the mid-teens - early 20s range are similar type players and it will be important for these individuals to separate themselves. After Myles Turner, Frank Kaminsky, Sam Dekker, and Stanley Johnson, there will be a large glut of players looking to be drafted -
• Trey Lyles, Bobby Portis, Kelly Oubre, Cliff Alexander, Jerrell Martin, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Kevon Looney, Montrezl Harrell, Christian Wood