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2016 NBA Draft: Rockets GM sees a lot of talent in draft class

By Steven Kubitza

Feb 28, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) gestures to the crowd during the first half of a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) gestures to the crowd during the first half of a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /
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Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey believes the 2016 NBA Draft is filled with more talent than some are saying.

The 2016 NBA Draft is less than a week away and speculation has already begun about the future potential of the draft class as a whole.

There are the players at the top, such as Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram and Buddy Hield who should make an impact right away, but this draft class features other players who may surprise fans this season.

Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey believes there will be many surprises with this draft class.

The 2005 draft saw Andrew Bogut get selected No. 1 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks, while Deron Williams was drafted No. 3 overall by the Utah Jazz and Chris Paul went No. 4 overall to the then New Orleans Hornets.

But that draft saw talent emerge outside the top-ten, as Danny Granger went No. 17 overall to the Indiana Pacers and Monta Ellis went No. 40 overall to the Golden State Warriors.

Getting a player like Ellis in the second round is a steal, compared to the new trend of stashing overseas prospects with second-round picks, many of whom never step foot on an NBA court.

Morey is absolutely right when he thinks this will be a deep draft. Players like Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine, Notre Dame’s Demetrius Jackson, Iowa State’s Georges Niang and Seton Hall’s Isaiah Whitehead are not projected to be lottery picks, but their individual experiences in college basketball made them assets to any NBA team right away.

It may be a stretch to say that there are 50 players in the draft who can make an impact in the NBA, but putting that number around 25-30 would not be a stretch, depending on one’s definition of the word “impact.”

The depth in this draft class comes because of the upperclassmen in the latter half of mock drafts. Bringing in a player who has experience and maturity can be a great decision for an older team, such as the Rockets, who do not have time to baby any younger players for a year or two.

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