Looking Back At The 2015 NBA Draft
On June 25th, 2015, a special night was taking place in Brooklyn, New York. No, we weren’t celebrating Dell Curry’s birthday, we were watching the 2015 NBA Draft. The night where the next batch of talent entered the NBA.
But that was 6 years ago, so a lot has changed. Today, I am going to be looking back at the 2015 NBA Draft and seeing which teams did well and which teams didn’t.
I will look at Bleacher Report’s article which graded every single team’s draft night and I will be seeing what they got right and what they got wrong. Let’s get right into it.
Minnesota Timberwolves (Picks #1 and #24)
BR Overall Grade: A+
Pick #1: Karl-Anthony Towns
Pick #24: Tyus Jones
I would agree Bleacher Report, the Timberwolves had a pretty good 2015 NBA Draft. They drafted KAT #1 overall and that’s worked out really well, as Towns is one of the best offensive centers in the league. While the T-Wolves have done next to nothing success wise with Towns, he has been prolific. Here’s what he’s done in his career up to now;
22.9 ppg,11.6 rpg, 1.4 bpg – 53% FG, 39% 3-PT, 84% FT
Towns is a 2x All-Star and was an All-NBA member in 2017-18. He can score from all 3 levels and is one of the best scoring big guys in the league. Towns didn’t miss a game for his first 3 seasons in the NBA, playing and starting in them all. Injuries have kept the talented center off the court the past two seasons, but the T-Wolves made the right move in taking him.
Tyus Jones never really worked out with the T-Wolves. Not a bad player, but never averaged over 7 ppg with the T-Wolves. Has found success as a backup guard with the Grizzlies, but this pick really didn’t work out for the T-Wolves. But they still got KAT, so I guess things all worked out in the end.
My Grade: A+
Los Angeles Lakers (Picks #2 and #27)
BR Overall Grade: A
Pick #2: D’Angelo Russell
Pick #27: Larry Nance Jr.
I suppose I can give the Lakers props here, because these were both pretty good picks. The only problem is, both of these guys have had more success after leaving the Lakers, especially Russell.
Russell struggled in his first two seasons in LA, not shooting the ball well. He is best known for snitching on Nick Young for cheating, so it’s safe to say basketball in Hollywood for D-Lo didn’t go as planned. After being traded on 2017 draft night to the Nets, D-Lo became an All-Star in 2019, leading the Nets to the playoffs.
He’s currently on the T-Wolves, the starting PG for a team on the rise. Russell has blossomed since leaving the Lakers, which makes this pick painful for Lakers fans.
Larry Nance Jr. as a late first round pick was also decent. Nance is remembered best as a Laker for his monster dunk over Kevin Durant. After 2.5 seasons with the Lakers, Nance went to the Cavs. Nance has been a pretty solid defensive wing in Cleveland and while he’s not great or anything, he’s certainly been better in Cleveland than he was in LA.
The Lakers drafted two good players, but they have been good since leaving the Lakers.
My Grade: D+
Philadelphia 76ers (Picks #3 and #37)
BR Overall Grade: B
Pick #3: Jahlil Okafor
Pick #37: Richuan Holmes
Even Bleacher Report knew taking yet another center with a high draft pick was a mistake. They traded for Nerlens Noel in 2013 and they drafted Joel Embiid 3rd overall in 2014. While Embiid missed his entire rookie season with a foot injury, taking another non-floor spacing big didn’t make sense.
Okafor had a pretty good rookie season, but he was a post player and the NBA quickly shifted away from that type of skillset. Okafor fell behind quickly and was traded midway through his 3rd season. He played with Detroit this past season and is under contract for 2022. But he’s one of the bigger draft busts from this past decade.
With the 37th pick, the 76ers took yet another center. But Richuan Holmes has turned out to be a pretty good player, after leaving Philly of course. Holmes played a small role as a bench player in Philly for 3 seasons but showed real promise in 2019 with the Phoenix Suns. That led to a 2 year contract with the Kings where he broke out into being one of the best starting centers in the league.
This offseason, he got a 4yr/$55 million dollar contract to stay in Sacramento. At least Embiid turned out to be really good, because both these centers didn’t give Philly much success during their respective tenures.
My Grade: D-
New York Knicks (Pick #4)
BR Overall Grade: B
Pick #4: Kristaps Porzingis
This pick was not received well at the time, with Knicks fans booing Porzingis as he went up on stage to meet with Adam Silver. But the Latvian unicorn was quite good during his tenure with the Knicks. He was solid as a rookie but in the following two seasons, he was one of the few bright spots for the Knicks as they continued to be awful;
Porzingis From 2016-17 to 2017-18
20 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.1 bpg – 45% FG, 37% 3-PT, 79% FT
Porzingis was pretty good during his 2nd and 3rd years in the league. He was in All-Star during the 2017-18 season before tearing his ACL. We all know that he forced his way out of New York, but that too turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
In return for Porzingis, the Knicks got two future first round picks from Dallas. Those picks were in the years 2021 and 2023. It is currently 2021 and that pick ended up being #21. The Knicks traded down with that pick and eventually got Quintin Grimes, a promising two way player.
Not to mention the Knicks made the playoffs last year and they are on the rise. Meanwhile, Porzingis has been a disaster in Dallas, not the same since his ACL injury. So the Knicks got the best version of Porzingis and then got two first round picks for him. Sounds good enough to me.
My Grade: A
Orlando Magic (Pick #5)
BR Overall Grade: A-
Pick #5: Mario Hezonja
Yeah, this one didn’t work out well for the Magic. Hezonja was marketed a a versatile wing who could shoot, handle, pass, attack, and score well. I suppose he can do all of those things, but certainly not well enough to warrant this pick. He was considered extremely NBA-ready, but he just never panned out.
He played 3 seasons in Orlando where he got decent playing time, but never really played well enough to be a starter. He had a decent 3rd season with the Magic, but then spent 2019 with the Knicks. Had that cool block on Lebron, I guess. He played with the Blazers in 2020 and I can attest that he wasn’t good.
He was waived by Memphis before the 2021 season and didn’t play at all in 2021. He isn’t on a team currently, so it looks like his NBA dreams are on it’s last legs. Not the best pick in the world, to say the least.
My Grade: F
Sacramento Kings (Pick #6)
BR Overall Grade: B+
Pick #6: Willie Cauley-Stein
Cauley-Stein is a decent NBA player, but since he’s not on the Kings anymore, it’s safe to say things didn’t work out as planned. After a couple decent seasons with split time as a starter, Cauley-Stein had back-to-back solid seasons. Here’s what he did in that two-year stretch;
Cauley-Stein From 2017-18 to 2018-19;
12.3 ppg and 7.7 rpg – 53% FG
Cauley Stein started 139/154 games in that stretch and looked solid. But Richuan Holmes emerged and after 4 seasons with the Kings, he signed with the Warriors. But they traded him midway through the 2019-20 season to the Mavericks. He got decent minutes with the Mavericks in 2021, but it was nothing special. Another wasted pick for the Kings. Nothing new.
My Grade: C+
Denver Nuggets (Pick #7)
BR Overall Grade: B+
Pick #7: Emmanuel Mudiay
This pick did not work out at all. Mudiay’s time in Denver was forgettable. He struggled in his rookie season and in the 2016 Draft, Denver took another guard, Jamal Murray with the 8th pick. Mudiay didn’t really improve in his sophomore year and at that point, Murray had already eclipsed him.
Mudiay was traded to the Knicks midway through the 2017-18 season. His 2018-19 season was pretty good with the horrendous Knicks. He played 54 games with the Jazz in 2020 but he didn’t play at all in 2021. Meanwhile Jamal Murray and Denver have made multiple deep playoff runs. This pick was bad, but Denver hasn’t exactly been reeling ever since.
My Grade: F
Detroit Pistons (Pick #8)
BR Overall Grade: B+
Pick #8: Stanley Johnson
Stanley Johnson never worked out in Detroit. The defensive minded forward didn’t start much in his first two seasons. He saw a lot more playing time during his 3rd season in 2018, but it didn’t amount to much. Midway through Johnson’s 4th season, he was shipped off to New Orleans.
He’s spent 2020 and 2021 with the Raptors, where he’s a decent role-player. Detroit has gotten at drafting as of the past few seasons, but this pick wasn’t very good.
My Grade: D-
Charlotte Hornets (Pick #9)
BR Overall Grade: B
Pick #9: Frank Kaminsky
The Hornets have never really been good at drafting, much less anything else. Kaminsky was a great player in Wisconsin, drafted highly because he was a stretch big guy, something that wasn’t as common 6 years ago as it is today. Kaminsky was decent his rookie reason, but had two meh seasons back-to-back. Here’s how those seasons went;
Frank Kaminsky From 2016-17 to 2017-18;
11.3 ppg – 41% FG and 35% 3-PT
Kaminsky was never a starter in Charlotte, neither was he efficient. He spent his 4th season with the Hornets before signing with the Suns during the 2019 offseason. He was decent and ended up back on the team for 2021, where he was a role player on a team that went to the Finals.
He was a decent backup during the Suns Finals run and got another one-year contract to stay in the Valley for 2022. But at best, he’s a role player and he’s not even that with the Hornets anymore.
My Grade: D-
Miami Heat (Picks #10 and #40)
BR Overall Grade: A-
Pick #10: Justice Winslow
Pick #40: Josh Richardson
The Heat’s 2015 Draft could have been a lot better than it was. Winslow played all but 18 games in his 2nd season due to a shoulder injury. He had a decent 4th season with the Heat, but he played just 11 games in 2020. He was traded midseason to the Grizzlies and he didn’t play much in 2021 either. He’s currently with the Clippers, but injuries have derailed Winslow to this point.
Josh Richardson was a diamond in the rough for Miami in the 2nd round. In his 2nd season, he emerged as a solid scorer and defender. He became a full-time starter starting in 2017 and here’s what he did as a starter in Miami;
Josh Richardson From 2017-18 to 2018-19;
14.6 ppg and 1.3 spg – 43% FG and 37% 3-PT
His 2018-19 season was his best year, where he averaged 16.6 points per game. After that, he was traded to the 76ers as part of the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade. Things have gone down hill since that 2019 high note. He never fit in with the incredibly dysfunctional 2020 76ers and took a step back across the board.
He was traded to Dallas to try and add reinforcements defensively alongside Luka Doncic but that too didn’t work out. His shooting continued to struggle and he eventually fell out of the rotation. In the first round of the playoffs, from games 5-7, he played a total of 20 minutes.
Richardson is now with Boston, where the Celtics hope he can be a solid bench piece. But ever since 2019, he’s been on the move constantly and his game hasn’t been the same. But he was at his best with the Heat and they deserve credit for this pick. Not so much for the Winslow one, but they can pat themselves on the back for this pick.
My Grade: C-
Indiana Pacers (Pick #11)
BR Overall Grade: B
Pick #11: Myles Turner
Finally, a good pick. The Pacers selected Texas big guy Myles Turner, who has turned into an elite shot-blocking center in the NBA. Turner came in as a rookie and split time as a starter, making an immediate impact for Indiana. Turner became the full time starter in 2016 and he hasn’t looked back since;
Turner From 2016-17 to 2020-21;
13.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.4 bpg – 49% FG and 35% 3-PT
Turner has led the league in blocks twice in that span and he has been a great defender down low for Indiana. He can stretch the floor as well and is the Pacers franchise center. Turner has been a great selection for Indiana, who look to turn the corner with new coach Rick Carlisle in 2022.
My Grade: A+
Utah Jazz (Pick #12)
BR Overall Grade: B+
Pick #12: Trey Lyles
Lyles never really panned out in the NBA. He spent two years in Utah riding the bench, averaging around 6 points per game. He was traded on 2017 draft night to Denver as part of the Donovan Mitchell trade.
He spent two seasons in Denver where he was decent. He signed with the Spurs on a two year contract during the 2019 offseason and he was just average with the Spurs. He signed with the Pistons this offseason, but Lyles has just been average for his whole career.
Didn’t do much of anything in Utah, although he was part of the Donovan Mitchell trade, so I’m sure Jazz fans are completely fine with that.
My Grade: F
Phoenix Suns (Pick #13)
BR Overall Grade: B+
Pick #13: Devin Booker
Here’s another pick that was actually good. Booker was the youngest prospect in the draft and projected as an off the ball scorer. Bleacher Report said that Booker doesn’t project as a go-to option. Oh how things have changed.
Booker had a pretty good rookie season and since that, he’s exploded onto the scene as an elite shooter;
Booker From 2016-17 to 2020-21;
25.1 ppg and 5.1 apg – 46% FG, 35% 3-PT, 87% FT
Booker has had 3 straight seasons with 25.5+ ppg. He is a 2x All-Star and one of the best scorers in the league. In 2021, Booker helped the Suns finally make the playoffs where he was the best scorer on a team that made it to the Finals. He averaged 27 points per game during the 2021 postseason, the first of hopefully many deep playoff runs for Booker and the Suns.
Booker signed a 5 year max contract in 2018 and it looks like he’s going to be in Phoenix for a long time. Oh and he dates Kendall Jenner. Not bad for the 13th pick.
My Grade: A+
OKC Thunder (Pick #14)
BR Overall Grade: B+
Pick #14: Cam Payne
This pick didn’t work out for the Thunder, although OKC did succeed in giving Russell Westbrook his own personal hype man;
But Payne didn’t do much on the court in OKC. He was traded to the Bulls midway through his 2nd season. Things didn’t work in Chicago and Payne had to consider playing overseas in 2020 to continue his basketball dream.
But Monty Williams, who coached Payne in OKC, invited him to play with the Suns during their 8 games in the bubble. He played pretty well and the Suns and came back for 2021 where he was the backup behind CP-3. He was pretty good and had some great moments in the playoffs.
He had 4 double-digit games in the first round against the Lakers. He had 29 points in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Clippers. He was an important piece for a Suns team that made the NBA Finals.
All of his hard work paid off when he signed a 3yr/$19 million dollar contract this offseason to stay with the Suns. From almost playing overseas to this, Payne has had a incredible journey in the NBA. Too bad OKC had him for just 70 games where he primarily danced.
This is what the Chicago Bulls thought about Payne;
“We knew the second practice [after he was acquired] that he couldn’t play at [an NBA] level,’’ the source said, as quoted by the Chicago Sun-Times. “The only reason it took two practices was because we thought maybe it was nerves in the first one. Any [Bulls] coach who says differently is lying. . . . We got ‘Garred’ on that one.’’
My Grade: F
Boston Celtics (Pick #16)
BR Overall Grade: C
Pick #16: Terry Rozier
The Celtics had 4 picks in this draft, including 2 first round picks. This is the only pick who turned out to be anything, which is kind of sad. Even this pick was viewed as a reach at the time, but Rozier turned out to be a pretty good player.
Rozier didn’t play much as a rookie, but he got minutes as a backup in his 2nd season and showed promise. But in 2018, he really showed out. His scoring improved and he became a starter at times when Kyrie Irving was out with injury. In the playoffs he was the starting point guard for a team that went to the Conference Finals.
He had some pretty big moments during the 2018 Playoffs. He had 6 games with 20+ points, including 26 points and 9 assists in Game 7 of the first round against the Bucks. He was a major reason for that young and short-handed Celtics team being one game away from the Finals.
In the following 2019 season, where the Celtics were dysfunctional, Rozier wanted to be the starter. But with Kyrie Irving in the picture, that would never happen. That offseason, Rozier was shipped off to Charlotte as part of the Kemba Walker sign-and-trade. He wasn’t good in 2020, but this past season?
Rozier had a career year in 2021 and is the starting guard for a Hornets team on the rise. Rozier ended up being pretty good for the Celtics and he was the starting PG for a conference finals team. I think the pick was worth it for Boston.
My Grade: B-
Houston Rockets (Picks #18 and #32)
BR Overall Grade: B+
Pick #18: Sam Dekker
Pick #32: Montrezl Harrell
Sam Dekker wasn’t much in the NBA. He is best remembered for tripping on a fastbreak and having the ball hit him in the face, which certainly isn’t ideal. Dekker played two years with the Rockets before being traded to the Clippers as past of the CP-3 trade during the 2017 offseason. He last played with the Wizards in 2019 and has been playing overseas ever since.
He signed a contract with the Raptors this offseason, a chance for him to reappear in the NBA and redeem himself. But he didn’t do much in a Rockets uniform.
Neither did Montrezl Harrell, really. Harrell first broke out a sophomore in Houston, a high motor big guy with a knack for scoring around the rim. He too was involved in the CP-3 trade, but he broke out off the bench in LA. He was great in 2018-19, averaging nearly 17 ppg. He bumped that up to 19 ppg in 2020 and added a 6th Man of the Year Trophy.
But Harrell’s defense has held him back from making an impact in the playoffs. He signed with the Lakers for 2021, but he’s now with the Wizards. He was ok in Houston, but he’s made a much bigger name for himself elsewhere.
My Grade: D
Washington Wizards (Pick #15)
BR Overall Grade: B
Pick #15: Kelly Oubre Jr.
The Wizards moved up 4 spots in the draft to select Oubre 19th overall out of Kansas. It worked out ok at best. Oubre finally got minutes off the bench during his 2nd season and showed some promise. His 3rd season during the 2017-18 season was his best, where he averaged 12 ppg, primarily off the bench.
Midway through the 2018-19 season, he was traded to the Suns and finished 2019 on a hot streak. That was a sign of things to come as he averaged a career-best 19 ppg in 2020. His follow-up 2021 season with the Warriors was awful, as he took a step back offensively across the board.
But he’s since signed with the Hornets, looking to make an impact on a Hornets team looking to make the playoffs. But the Wizards didn’t exactly get the best version of him and they traded him Trevor Ariza, who was 33 at the time and didn’t do much for the Wizards.
My Grade: C-
Toronto Raptors (Picks #20 and #46)
BR Overall Grade: B+
Pick #20: Delon Wright
Pick #46: Norman Powell (via trade)
OG Anunoby (as future FRP)
The Raptors might have just had the best 2017 Draft Night out of any team. They had a solid pick in the first round and a trade gave them two gems.
With the 20th pick, the Raptors selected Delon Wright. Delon Wright was a solid guard at Utah and has had a good career. He really only made an impact during his 3rd year with the Raptors. Midway through the 18-19 season, he went to Memphis and played really well. He’s bounced around since them with multiple teams, but he’s set to be Trae Young’s backup in 2022, with certainly isn’t the worst job in the world.
Norman Powell was one of the steals of the draft. The athletic guard from UCLA was taken after the Raptors made a trade with the Bucks involving Greivis Vasquez. Powell was a bench player for his first 4 seasons, a decent scorer for the Raptors, a consistent playoff team. But in 2020, Powell took off.
He averaged 16 points per game on very good efficiencies and was a key part for the Raptors during the bubble. He had three 20+ point games in the playoffs and showed his first signs of being a great player in the NBA.
In 2021, he was even better. His shooting and scoring was so great and it led to him being shipped off to Portland during the March trade deadline. This offseason, he got a 5 year deal to stay in the Rose City. Powell was a great player for the Raptors, but that trade didn’t just give the Raptors Playoff Powell.
It also involved OG Anunoby. As part of the Vasquez deal, the Bucks sent the Raptors a 2017 first round pick, which turned into Anunoby with the 23rd selection.
Anunoby was a solid defender off the bench for the Raptors during his first two seasons, but he’s been excellent these last two seasons. 2021 was his best season yet, pointing to signs of him being an elite two-way player down the line;
OG Anunoby In 2021;
15.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.5 spg – 48% FG and 40% 3-PT
That Greivis Vasquez trade gave the Raptors Powell and Anunoby, two good players that the Raptors needed these past few seasons, with Anunoby being part of the future re-tooling. Delon Wright was also pretty good, but the Raptors had a really good 2015 draft night.
My Grade: A+++
Chicago Bulls (Pick #22)
BR Overall Grade: B+
Pick #22: Bobby Portis
The Bulls drafted a pretty good player in Portis. Too bad he was too busy punching people to make any lasting impact in Chicago. Portis was a decent backup for his first two seasons but emerged in 2018 as a solid scorer at the forward position. Not that the Bulls were any good in 2018, but Portis looked like a solid player.
Remember what I said about punching? Well in October of 2017, Portis got into it with Nikola Mirotic during a practice. Things escalated and Portis threw a punch. Mirotic broke two bones in his face and he also had a concussion. Portis was of course suspended 8 games, but his time in Chicago is best remembered for this incident.
Midway through the 18-19 season, the Bulls traded Portis to Washington. He bounced around a bit before finding a home with the Bucks this past season, helping them win a title while also becoming beloved by Bucks. Too bad he didn’t do much for the Bulls.
My Grade: D
Portland Trail Blazers (Pick #41)
BR Overall Grade: B
Pick #41: Pat Connaughton (via Trade)
Mason Plumlee (via BKN)
As a Blazers fan, it’s nice knowing that we didn’t completely screw over a draft for once. Pat Connaughton was a Brooklyn Nets 2nd round pick, but he came over with Mason Plumlee in exchange for Steve Blake and the 23rd overall pick.
Connaughton is an amazing athlete and a streaky shooter. He was used primarily off the bench for the Blazers, but he played in all 82 games during the 2017-18 season. He signed with the Bucks during the 2018 offseason and was very good in this year’s finals to help the Bucks win a ring. Decent pick, better hair.
Mason Plumlee was a much needed center at the time for Portland. The Blazers didn’t have Nurkic just yet and Plumlee was a 1.5 year rental. He started all 82 games in 2016 and was solid. He was traded midway through the 2016-17 season where he then became Nikola Jokic’s backup. He’s now in Charlotte where he should be a solid big guy in their rotation. But he was pretty good for the Blazers.
Not the worst draft night in the world. Got a decent role player off the bench and 1.5 years of a starting center who was then used to trade for Jusuf Nurkic. I think this was worth it.
My Grade: B+
Cleveland Cavaliers (Pick #31)
BR Overall Grade: B
Pick #31: Cedi Osman
The Cleveland Cavaliers 2015 NBA Draft didn’t net the much and it didn’t really need to. They made to the Finals in 2015 and then they of course won it in 2016. In 2015, not only did they draft Cedi Osman, they drafted Rakeem Christmas and Sir’Dominic Pointer. Perhaps the best named prospects ever.
After the 2017-18 season, when the Cavs started to rebuild, Osman has been a pretty good player. He had back-to-back solid seasons and while his 2021 was far from ideal efficiency wise (49% TS), he’s decent enough as a backup. Average pick.
My Grade: C
Brooklyn Nets (Pick #23)
BR Overall Grade: A-
Pick #23: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
The Nets traded with my Blazers to get this pick and with it they took Arizona forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Jefferson missed most of his rookie season with an ankle injury, but he showed promise in his 2nd season as a starter. But in his 3rd season, he was at his best. He averaged nearly 14 ppg and 7 rpg and was a really solid player.
But in 2019 his role was decreased significantly. The Nets elected not to keep him going forward and he spent 2020 with the Raptors. He signed a few 10-day contracts with the Blazers near the end of the 2021 season. He’s currently a free agent, but I’m sure some team will pick him up at some point for 2022. He’s a versatile forward, something that all teams could use.
Hollis Jefferson was decent, but the Nets obviously didn’t need him and now they have the almighty Big 3. Hollis Jefferson was decent, but things just didn’t work out for him in Brooklyn.
My Grade: C-
Golden State Warriors (Pick #30)
BR Overall Grade: B
Pick #30: Kevon Looney
This pick has worked out pretty well for the Warriors. In 2017 and 2018, when the Warriors were of course just so much better than everybody, Looney was a solid backup big guy. The Warriors never had a true center during their dynasty, but they employed guys like David Lee, Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli, and Kevon Looney.
Looney’s counting stats aren’t that good, but the Warriors were much better in 2021 with him than they were with rookie James Wiseman. He’s a solid rebounder and works well with Steph Curry. That’s really all the Warriors need him to be and he checks those boxes off well.
My Grade: A
What Are Your Thoughts From The 2015 NBA Draft? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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