2016 NBA Mock Draft: Answering Clippers, No. 1 questions

Here’s our complete 2016 NBA Mock Draft (pre lottery edition), breaking down everything from who should go No. 1 between Brandon Ingram and Ben Simmons to who the Los Angeles Clippers need.

The reveal of the 2016 NBA Draft lottery order is rapidly approaching, with front offices and fans of each team anxiously crossing their fingers as they hope their team are lucky enough to land the first overall pick. The two names that immediately jump off any mock draft are Brandon Ingram and Ben Simmons, both possessing the potential to start turning around any struggling franchise hovering around the bottom of the league. However, for teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, patiently waiting till the end of the first round to make a pick, their targets are simply missing pieces to help a hopeful championship run.

So, before getting to the Clippers’ top target (hint: it will address their wing situation), we’ll go through every pick to see which players should be taken prior to knowing the actual lottery results.

Until the lottery is announced, the question of the 1st pick is something that has slid more to Ingram over recent months. Simmons’ rare combination of size and athleticism, vision and sheer gaudy stats seemed enough for him to be the obvious top pick, but with the Philadelphia 76ers’ crowded frontcourt, is an exciting wing like Ingram the better option? If they get to select first, that should be the case.

However, there are plenty more questions that we’ll address here, too.

Who will the Boston Celtics pursue in the lottery? How high will Buddy Hield go? Which hyped up European prospects should go earliest?

Let’s just get straight to it, breaking down every lottery pick before proceeding to the Clippers and other contenders nearer the end.

Next: 1st pick, Philadelphia 76ers