Tuesday, June 5, 2012

NBA Mock Draft 2.0

The Order is Set
By: Brian Sanchez @SportsReportDU



1. New Orleans Hornets- Anthony Davis, PF/C Kentucky
The obvious pick here.  Is the Draft Lottery really random or is it crooked?  I said it was rigged on the show, but I'll let you think what you want.  The Hornets will be positioned to compete for the 8th seed. Jack, Gordon, Ariza, Aminu, Landry, Davis, Okafor and another lottery pick?  Not bad.  


2. Charlotte Bobcats- Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF Kentucky
It is highly unfortunate for the Bobcats that they won't be getting Anthony Davis.  Now the team that is supposed to go No. 1 has only kept the pick 2 out of the last 14 times.  They don't get Davis but they do get MKG.  He is a defender, competitor, leader, warrior, and winner.  He is a good start to the rebuilding process in Charlotte.


3. Washington Wizards- Bradley Beal, SG Florida
The Wizards have a solid line up going in to this season.  They like Chris Singleton at the 3 and have Seraphin and Nene down low with John Wall running the point.  They need scoring on the perimeter and especially at the SG spot.  Beal struggled from 3 last year (33%) but has NBA range and projects out to being a good perimeter scorer.


4. Cleveland Cavaliers- Harrison Barnes, SF North Carolina
It looks like Kyrie Irving will be very good for a long time.  He needs help on the perimeter.  Jeremy Lamb would be a huge stretch here and so would Dion Waiters.  As long as Harrison Barnes is on the board he is the 3 point shooting SF that the doctor ordered in Cleveland.


5. Sacramento Kings- Thomas Robinson, PF Kansas
This would be ideal for the Kings.  They have Cousins at Center but need someone to work next to him.  Robinson might be the perfect fit.  He's an athletic, hard working, high character, high effort, good rebounding PF.  He may not have ideal size but he makes up for it with strength and hustle.  He will be a very nice compliment to Cousins down low in a division where there are some pretty good 4/5 combinations.  


6. Portland Trailblazers- Andre Drummond, PF/C UConn
The Blazers want a big to pair with Lamarcus Aldridge down low and they get one of the biggest bigs in the draft.  Drummond has the ability to become one of the leagues top Centers, the only question is will he have the drive to make it happen?  He's worth the risk to the Blazers because at the very least he will be an athletic big body.


7. Golden State Warriors- Arnett Moultrie, PF/C Mississippi St.
The Warriors get to keep their pick and would prefer to be able to fill their hole in the starting line-up at SF, but with Barnes gone that isn't happening.  Then it comes down to needing depth at guard and Forward.  They need a combo guard type who can back up both PG and SG with some energy.  That puts Dion Waiters and Austin Rivers on the short list.  While they got good starters down low in Lee and Bogut all they have behind them is the young and still unready Jeremy Tyler and the awful Andris Biedrins.  Moultrie can back up at both the 4 and the 5.  Bogut has had injury issues so the Warriors might want someone better suited to start at Center than Biedrins or Tyler.  Moultrie is an athletic big who rebounds very well.  He was a SF for a year in college so he has good ball handling skills and a face up game.  He has been labeled as a draft sleeper so taking him at No.7 wouldn't start a riot.  If Terrence Jones shows well in his pre draft work outs I will most likely put him here.  


8. Toronto Raptors- Damian Lillard, PG Weber St.
A lot of people have Jeremy Lamb going here but I don't think the Raptors will be comfortable moving Derozan to the SF position.  What they do need is a PG.  Lillard is lightning quick and a good scorer.  They need potent players like Lillard in Toronto especially because they are one of the least likely teams to attract a good offensive PG in free agency.  Lillard would add a dynamic aspect to the Raptors.


9. Detroit Pistons- John Henson, PF North Carolina
I am not convinced that this is the right move, but I am pretty convinced that this will be what the Pistons do.  Greg Monroe has been awesome at Center for Detroit but they need someone who can actually defend down low.  Henson is unbelievably skinny but can block shots with the best of them.  They hit on a defensive but skinny player before in Tayshaun Prince, maybe they'll do it again.  


10. New Orleans Hornets- Kendall Marshall, PG North Carolina
Marshall is a pure pass first PG who has the leadership to run a team.  The Hornets are thin at PG and with Lillard off the board Marshall is an easy selection if they decide they want a PG.  Marshall could develop in to a great team leader as the Hornets take a huge leap forward here in this draft.


11. Portland Trailblazers- Dion Waiters, PG/SG Syracuse
The Trailblazers already addressed their need at Center with Drummond and their other big need is at the point.  Both of the top PG's in the draft are gone so they will settle for a combo guard who can run the point as a back up.  Waiters is only 6'4" but he is a bulldog and a very good scorer.  He likes to get inside and is working on his game as a PG.  I think his versatility and toughness are two attributes that could help in Portland.  


12. Milwaukee Bucks- Tyler Zeller, PF/C North Carolina
After trading big for small and getting Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut the Bucks need more big bodies. They have Larry Sanders, Ekpe Udoh, and Luc Richard Mbah Moute but those guys are more 4's than they are 5's.  Zeller can play the 5 and provide offense.  He has good moves in the post and a nice little jumper from 10 feet.  


13. Phoenix Suns- Jeremy Lamb, SG UConn
The Suns need a scorer at the 2 and they get a good one here at pick 13.  It looks like they have post players in Lopez and Morris as well as a good wing man in Jared Dudley.  Both PG's are off the board so they can not draft the eventual replacement for Steve Nash.  Lamb is a phenomenal shooter, especially from 3.  He is more than that though, he is a total scorer who will probably start right away.


14. Houston Rockets- Austin Rivers, SG Duke
The Rockets have committed so many top picks to post players that they need to spend picks on perimeter scorers.  Rivers is going to be a dynamic scorer and he'll even be able to handle some time at the point.  He'd probably be a top 5 pick next year, but since he came out this year it works to the Rockets advantage.  


15. Philadelphia 76ers- Perry Jones III, SF Baylor
Perry Jones has the abilities of a top 5 pick.  His motor has been questioned and people wonder whether or not he'll work hard enough to put it all together and realize his potential.  With the depth on the wings for the 76ers and the lack of options down low at this spot the 76ers could take Jones III and sit him behind Iguodala and Thad Young which should help his development.  This is one of the better equipped teams to deal with the potential bust of Perry Jones III.



16. Houston Rockets- Meyers Leonard, C Illinois 
The Rockets need a Center despite spending so many picks on post players.  Leonard is very, very big and has shown some raw abilities (especially on defense).  He has good athleticism for his size and has the strength to hold his own as a starter who can rebound and defend right away.  


17. Dallas Mavericks- Terrence Ross, SG/SF Washington
The Mavericks need help on the perimeter and especially help with 3 point shooting.  Ross will provide all of that and more.  At 6'7" he can play both the SG and SF and is one of the best 3 point shooters in this draft.  He is very similar to First Team all rookie SG Klay Thompson but with a little less game going at the rim.  Still a good comparison and a very good pick at 17.  


18. Minnesota Timberwolves- Jared Sullinger, PF Ohio St.  
The Wolves really, really need a SG but there just isn't one available who is a viable option.  Sullinger could easily be taken higher so the Wolves should take him just because he's here.  Stock piling talent is the name of the game for Minny.  Sully could be used in a draft day trade or used as a future trade option.  He would also be great if any of the Minny bigs go down.  


19. Orlando Magic- Terrence Jones, SF/PF Kentucky
The Magic may very well be losing Dwight Howard but if they want to keep him they need to add as much talent as possible to convince him to stay.  Jones is a tweener and fell this far because of his lack of a jump shot and the fact that he doesn't play with full intensity all the time.  He could be a good piece whether it's in addition to Dwight Howard or all the players they get in a trade.


20. Denver Nuggets- Marquis Teague, PG Kentucky
The Nuggets have no real needs right now.  They could just take the best available in Harkless, but they have so many players who can play the SF.  The most iffy spot on the bench is at PG.  Andre Miller is expected to return but he is incredibly old.  Teague gives them another PG option especially if Miller does not return.  If Andre does come back, they can groom Teague for the future.  


21. Boston Celtics- Moe Harkless, SF St. Johns
Boston needs a whole lot off the bench and Harkless is a heck of a value pick here.  He is an athletic SF who is a good defender.  He can find time on the court right away because of his athleticism.  Pierce and Allen are getting old so the Celtics need to take good young wing players.


22. Boston Celtics- Fab Melo, Center Syracuse
Melo should have been a lot higher of a pick but his commitment to being great was highly questionable in college and he appeared to have no motor.  He has re-committed himself this summer and is much better shape and looks focused.  Because of the Celtics dire need for a Center, they are going to take the chance and hop Doc Rivers can get him to play to his fullest.


23.  Atlanta Hawks- Tony Wroten Jr., PG Washington
Wroten is an intriguing PG prospect for a team that needs depth at the point.  Wroten is big (6'5") and has the ability and athleticism to attack the rim.  He has a terrible jump shot and has a reputation as a bad teammate, but the Hawks need PG help and Wroten Jr. has too much upside to pass up.


24. Cleveland Cavaliers- Quincy Miller- SF Baylor
Quincy Miller came in to his freshmen year as a potential top 10 pick, but after an ACL injury he never really got in to a rhythm.  He apparently hated the thought of learning so much that he entered the draft anyways.  This is a pure potential pick for the Cavs.  They already have Barnes so Miller doesn't have to start, but he could grow in to his game at the pro level.  He is worth a shot here based on his upside.  


25. Memphis Grizzlies- Evan Fournier, SG France
Chad Ford of ESPN reported that the Grizzlies are looking to stash a pick over seas this year.  Fournier is by far the best international prospect in a thin international class.  He has the ability to score and it looks like it'll be able to translate to the NBA.


26. Indiana Pacers- Doron Lamb, SG Kentucky
The Pacers are a solid team with few holes.  It looks like they may be losing the shooting of Leandro Barbosa during free agency.  Doron Lamb is one of the top 5 3-point shooters in this draft.  He is a good option to have coming off the bench for just his shooting.


27. Miami Heat- Draymond Green- PF/SF Michigan St. 
The Heat need players who are ready to contribute now.  Green is a do everything big man, yes he is a tweener but with his intangibles he is still worth it.  Green can shoot, rebound, and pass well and will give a champions effort on defense.  He is a guy who makes everyone around him better, he would be Miami's Glen Davis.


28. Oklahoma City Thunder- Jeffrey Taylor, SF Vanderbilt
Taylor is an elite athlete who can defend and has good range on his jumper.  There is a very good chance that he moves up from this spot, but if he is there for the Thunder they will jump on him.


29. Chicago Bulls- John Jenkins, SG Vanderbilt
The Bulls need shooters and Jenkins may just be the best one in the draft.  He is a small SG but he has NBA range with a quick release and a surprising ability to finish at the rim.  He would be a very nice piece for this team to add.



30. Golden State Warriors- Royce White, SF/PF Iowa St.
White has the ability to go much higher than this.  He also has an anxiety disorder that leaves him deathly afraid of flying.  This means it will be hard for him to fly on road trips and may leave him losing sleep because he is scared.  This is what caused him to fall off the court.  On the court he is a do it all SF.  He can rebound very well and score inside.  At this late of a pick he is an amazing value for the Warriors.  The reward outweighs the risk by a mile on this one.  

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