NBA Mock Draft

Well, I'm bored and decided to do my mock draft a couple days before the draft with hopes that not too many pre-draft trades happen. Anyways, let the fun begin.

1. Portland Trail Blazers: C Greg Oden, Ohio State University
No brainer. Blazers add a franchise big man that they hope can duplicate the success that Shaq, Hakeem Olajuwon and Tim Duncan have had in their careers.

2. Seattle Sonics: F Kevin Durant, University of Texas
Durant, the 1b to Oden's 1a in draft rankings will either come into Seattle to replace Rashard Lewis or wreck havoc with him and Ray Allen.

3. Atlanta Hawks: F Al Horford, University of Florida
As I told people all year, the best prospect of the Gators. Once he reaches his peak he could very easily become an Elton Brand/Carlos Boozer like player. The Hawks don't quite need a big like Horford more than a point guard like say Michael Conley Jr., but they take the most NBA ready of the players available.

4. Memphis Grizzles: F Joakim Noah, University of Florida
I don't agree with this pick, but if the Grizzlies don't move Pau Gasol (which I don't think they will) they will want someone NBA ready to put aside of him, which Noah could do. Noah will also give the Grizzlies a very recognizable name and they desperately need to put fans in the seats. Brandan Wright has a lot of upside, but the Grizzlies I don't think will want to wait on him. They also have a hole at point guard and Conley would fit there, but freshman point guards rarely make a big impact in their rookie season.

5. Boston Celtics: F Yi Jianlian, China
Ultimately this pick could be dealt in the Celtics attempts to put another All-Star next to Paul Pierce, but if they can't move it I expect the Celtics to go for Yi. I hear Ainge loves the Chinese big man and if is as good as they say, a Jianlian/Jefferson duo could be a very good one for years to come.

6. Milwaukee Bucks: G Michael Conley Jr., Ohio State University
This pick could be someone like Corey Brewer (who I believe is the best player on the board at this point), but if the Bucks don't have faith in their ability to re-sign Mo Williams, my personal favorite player in the draft (from his one season at Ohio State, Go Buckeyes) will be pushing for a starting job from his rookie season.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves: F Corey Brewer, University of Florida
Brewer has potential to be a superstar if he can improve his offensive game. He can step in immeadiately and help whether or not KG is still in a T-Wolve jersey. He may not be able score many points his rookie season, but his defense is second to none.

8. Charlotte Bobcats: F Brandan Wright, University of North Carolina
The Bobcats add another Tar Heel to their roster and finally make a decision to make an upside selection. With his athleticism Wright could make an impact that is similar to the one Tyrus Thomas made in Chicago.

9. Chicago Bulls: C Spencer Hawes, University of Washington
Although I'm unsure if Hawes can contribute right away, he fills a need of a low post scorer. He's also a very good passing big man. This pick could be dealt to a team like the Lakers to get Kobe. If Conley falls to here, the Bulls could take him and trade him to the Blazers for Zach Randolph which would make the Bulls probably the pre-season favorite for the Eastern Conference.

10. Sacramento Kings: F Jeff Green, Georgetown University
Best player on the board. He's somewhat of a combo forward who could fight for a starting spot with the rumors Ron Artest is on his way out.

11. Atlanta Hawks: G Acie Law IV, Texas A&M University
Javaris Crittenton would be a higher value pick since his upside is higher, but like the Horford pick and the Shelden Williams pick the year before, they go with the most NBA ready player on the board and finally taking a point guard after years of passing on players like Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

12. Philadephia 76ers: F Al Thornton, Florida State University
The Sixers need some front court help, but it doesn't appear they are willing to reach on someone (ex: Jason Smith). A potential duo of Thornton and Igoudala could be a very athletic, scary duo.

13. New Orleans Hornets: G Nick Young, University of Southern California
Chris Paul needs a running mate and he will get it in this years best shooting guard prospect, Nick Young. Young always impressed me when I was actually able to catch a USC game, which I guess they don't like airing Pac-10 games that don't include UCLA in the midwest. A nucleus of Paul, Young, Tyson Chandler, David West and the hopes that Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons progress, they could be a good team and a perennial playoff team in a few years.

14. Los Angeles Clippers: F Julian Wright, Kansas University
I'm not as high on Julian Wright as most are (although it seems the word is that his stock is falling due to poor workouts), but at 14 he could be a good value. The best I think Wright could possibly be is a second banana and with Elton Brand on the team he could possibly be that one day.

15. Detroit Pistons: G Rodney Stuckey, Eastern Washington University
A combo guard who (if the Pistons re-sign Chauncey Billups) can learn from Billups. Stuckey is the real deal and a potential multi-time All-Star. The Pistons are said to love him and I think it could be a mistake to go in any other direction.

16. Washington Wizards: F Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech University
The Wizards don't fill a need since they have Caron Butler in Young's spot, but it is never a bad idea to take the best player on the board. Had Young stayed one more year at GTech, he could have been a surefire lottery pick. Wizards could get a real steal here with Young.

17. New Jersey Nets: C Jason Smith, Colorado State University
One of the most intriguing prospects in the draft. I've never seen him play a live game, but has anyone outside the state of Colorado? Seems to be a Brad Miller clone by all accounts. From what I've read saw nothing but double and triple teams in college and could be a very good player. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Chicago Bulls trade down to take Smith.

18. Golden State Warriors: C Sean Williams, Boston College
Extremely tough one to predict especially with the Warriors relentlessness of trying to trade up to get Yi Jianlian, so I assume this pick would go in a package with Jason Richardson and others. So, at this point I'm just putting my best player available here. That within was a tough decision between Daequan Cook (who from what I've heard GM's are very high on) and Sean Williams (who should by talent alone by gone by this point, but off-court issues have him going lower then he probably should).

19. Los Angeles Lakers: G Daequan Cook, Ohio State University
Taking Cook here could be a planning for the future pick for the Lakers. As a Buckeye fan, it was frustrating to see Cook fall out of favor with Coach Thad Matta, as I fully expected Cook to emerge as my favorite player on the team. Could he have benefited from staying an extra year in the Buckeye state? Of course he could've. Could he have stayed locked in Matta's doghouse and see his stock fall?

20. Miami Heat: G Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech University
The Heat want a point guard so they play Dwyane Wade where they prefer to play him, at the 2. Crittenton could go as high as 11 to Atlanta, so the Heat getting him here could be huge. He's another player who had he stayed a year could've been a surefire lottery pick (just like teammate Thaddeus Young), but the 2008 draft could be insanely deep at point guard (future articles about this and mainly Derrick Rose will be coming around college basketball season). A Wade/Crittenton backcourt could wreck havoc for years.

21. Philadelphia 76ers: F Josh McRoberts, Duke University
The 76ers pick up versatile big man McRoberts here. McRoberts could turn out to a Chris Webber type (probably not as good, but hey, you never know). He has amazing passing skills for a big man (3.5 APG/2.4 TPG). Only Duke PG Greg Paulus had more assist per game then McRoberts (by a measly .3 APG). Had McRoberts come out as a freshman, he most likely would've went in the lottery. Falling into this Philly situation isn't bad though. This team with Allen Iverson was one of the worst in the league, when AI was dealt to Denver, they made a playoff push led by a core of young, athletic players. With 3 first rounders, this team could be making another playoff push in the 2007-08 season.

22. Charlotte Bobcats: G Morris Almond, Rice University
The Bobcats could use a shooter to replace Matt Carroll who could leave via free agency. My hope is that the Bobcats sell this pick to the Cavaliers and the Cavs select Morris Almond to be the beneficiary of LeBron drive and kicks. For either team it would be a good pick.

23. New York Knicks: F Wilson Chandler, DePaul University
Word on the street is that Chandler has a promise from the Knicks. As much as I'd like to criticize Isiah Thomas because he rarely knows what hes doing, he always seems to be a fairly talented draft evaluator. With the likes of Channing Frye, David Lee and Renaldo Balkman (I thought he was a good pick at the time, maybe early too early, but still a good pick) they have a foundation of young, athletic guys upfront. I hate the Knicks backcourt situation, but that's for another blog.

24. Phoenix Suns: G Rudy Fernandez, Spain
The Suns may not even have this pick, since they are in deep negotiations to move into the lottery (and last I heard the #1 team to get this done with was to move up to the #4 slot with Memphis). If this happens, it will make the draft more interesting and could mess my mock up, but that's how the draft is yearly. If the Suns keep the pick, I expect them to go foreign. Fernandez is a risky pick because he's getting big offers to stay in Europe, more then he can make as a rookie in the NBA. Rudy has made it known he wants to play in the NBA, but money is money to some people. If the Suns could keep Rudy in Europe for a season and bring him to Phoenix in the 2008-09 season, the Suns could find themselves with a lights out shooter.

25. Utah Jazz: G Derrick Byars, Vanderbilt University
Another one of my favorite guys in the draft. If he finds his way to Utah, he may find his way into a starting lineup. Byars is commonly referred to as one of the more NBA ready players (which is kind of surprising since he really wasn't a factor until his senior year of college). Put him alongside of Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko and Byars could fit in quite well. A Williams/Boozer/Byars core could be a dominant force in the Western conference for quite sometime.

26. Houston Rockets: F Nick Fazekas, University of Nevada-Reno
They drafted a player somewhat similar to Fazekas last year in Steve Novak. Novak doesn't have the post skills that Fazekas has. Fazekas has a tremendous skill set and if he were athletic, he'd be a Top 5 player in this draft. He's one of the best shooters in this draft and easily the best shooting big man. He's one of my favorite players in this draft and I think he's a steal at this point.

27. Detroit Pistons: F Tiago Splitter, Brazil
They could buy out Splitter's contract and have him in the NBA now or could wait a year and could help probably more. Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess and Dale Davis (if re-signed) are aging. That leaves them with undersized Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson for the future.

28. San Antonio Spurs: C Marc Gasol, Spain
Another spot the Cavs have been rumored to buy a pick and also pick up PG Beno Udrih. If the Spurs keep the pick, I see them adding front court depth and taking Marc Gasol.

29. Phoenix Suns: G Aaron Brooks, University of Oregon
Lightning quick point guard who was a tremendous player his senior year despite being undersized. Brooks could come in right away and be Steve Nash's backup. The thought of a backcourt with Brooks and possibly the quickest man in the NBA, Leonardo Barbosa would make the opposition winded.

30. Philadelphia 76ers: C Kyrylo Fesenko, Ukraine
Fesenko is a guy I don't really know anything about except that he's picking up steam on his draft stock. Supposedly a real aggressive post. The Sixers wouldn't have to bring him over yet and keep him off the payroll for a year or two.

Best Players Left:
F Jared Dudley, Boston College (Whom I love and hopes goes in the first)
G Gabe Pruitt, University of Southern California
F Glen Davis, Louisiana State University
C Kyle Visser, Wake Forest University
G/F Marcus Williams, University of Arizona
G Arron Afflalo, University of California-Los Angeles
G Taurean Green, University of Florida
G Zabian Dowdell, Virginia Tech
G/F Alando Tucker, University of Wisconsin
G D.J. Strawberry, University of Maryland
F Herbert Hill, Providence University
G Ramon Sessions, University of Nevada-Reno