One thing is clear, whatever player Philadelphia passes on will wear the LA Lakers “purple and gold” to begin their professional basketball career.
Boston is third and that’s where the intrigue should begin. With three selections in the first round and five of the first 35 picks, general manager Danny Ainge will likely package a few of these picks for a star veteran, a move that should move the Celtics up in the Eastern Conference power rankings before the start of next season.
This franchise can’t afford to use all these picks on young players, especially with the group of youngsters already on the roster. The latest rumors have Kevin Love and Jimmy Butler as the top two trade targets, but that could all change in the next few days.
Phoenix is another franchise with multiple picks in the opening round, but unlike Boston, the Suns need the young talent on a roster with plenty of depth issues. The front office will have a big decision with the fourth overall pick, take a player with plenty of upside or grab a youngster that proved himself on the college level.
Several mocks have the Suns taking International player Dragan Bender, mostly because the seven-footer has the size NBA teams need and good overall athleticism for a big man, but Marquese Chriss of Washington is climbing the latest player rankings and could sneak into this spot after a strong showing at the combine.
While not the deepest class in recent years, plenty of story lines will come out of this years two rounds, including a possible blockbuster trade or two and that alone will make for some must-watch TV and a solid start for the league heading into summer.
