2016 NBA Mock Draft: Sixers win the lottery, land Ben Simmons

66. <p>Unless Bender slips to Phoenix, this is a pretty disastrous position for the Suns. The best players on the board are guards, but that’s certainly Phoenix’s strength at this point. The Suns could select Cal’s Jaylen Brown to help fill their void at the small forward spot, but another route might involve improving the front court assuming Tyson Chandler and Alex Len are not long-term answers at center.</p> <p>Utah’s Jakob Poeltl returned to school for his sophomore season after being a potential lottery pick last year. He became the focal point of the Utes’ offensive attack, using 24.7 percent of their possessions, without former point guard Delon Wright in the fold. The increased focus on Poeltl resulted in a similar increase in output as he scored a full seven points more per 40 minutes as a sophomore. He is at his best offensively playing as a dive man in the pick-and-roll or with his back to the basket where he has an array of post moves to help him score efficiently in the paint.</p> <p>During his freshman season, Poeltl posted an impressive block rate of 8.6 percent, but that number fell to just 5.0 percent this year. There are likely multiple reasons for that drop off. First, he lacks the kind of long wingspan necessary to be an elite shot blocker. Poeltl’s 7-3 wingspan measured only two inches greater than his 7-1 height at last weekend’s draft combine. Second, he likely expended more energy on the offensive end of the floor this season playing as the teams primary scorer. Whether or not he can be an effective rim protector on the defensive end in the NBA will ultimately determine his ceiling as a two-way big man.</p> <p>The good news for a team developing a defensive scheme with Poeltl on its roster is that he is an impressively mobile big that should offer plenty of options when putting together pick-and-roll defenses at the next level.</p> <p>Given their lack of attractive options at this spot, don’t be surprised to hear rumors regarding Phoenix shopping this pick.</p> <p><em>To read more about Jakob Poeltl, <a href=. C. Utah. Jakob Poeltl . 4. player