Chad Ford is out with his first 2016 mock draft ... 10 months before teams start selecting. Ford suggests that the Nets pick, which they have to give up as part of the Paul Pierce - Kevin Garnett trade, could be as high as third or fourth.
He projects the Celtics aren't likely to pick any lower than seventh and suggests they will take 6'10" Malik Pope out of San Diego State. He uses the recent ESPN panel projections of the Nets record --seventh worst-- to make his picks. Before arguing the merits of selecting Pope, Ford writes about the upside of the pick for Boston and the downside for the Nets.