June 2nd, 2010 - Mock Draft (full)

Alright, next up is the first full mock of the year.

Before this update, I had just done the first round, but I have now added the second round as I had time to read up and watch a bit more videos on the international prospects I wasn't too familiar with, while also seeing measurements and all that good stuff. This mock was done based on whatever news and rumors I have been come across about the stock of certain prospects, as well as what I think would make good sense where there hasn't been much news.

Going to save you from reading any more non-draft stuff. Remember to hit up the Big Board if you are curious about how I view a player.

Here it is:

Lottery:
1. Washington - John Wall (PG):
The Arenas era is over; the John Wall era has now begun. This pick is a lock.

2. Philadelphia - Evan Turner (SG/SF):
This pick could be moved so Philadelphia picks up more value as Turner and Iguodala duplicate each other’s strengths and weaknesses a little too much. I believe they would be almost equally as happy with Favors or Cousins, but right now Turner is the safer bet.

3. New Jersey - Derrick Favors (PF/C):
Lopez isn’t really a brutish player down low, but he’s a skilled offensive player who can step out and hit a jumper. Favors is a brutish player and he has the athleticism Lopez lacks. This is a spectacular fit.

4. Minnesota - DeMarcus Cousins (C):
This represents a BPA pick as DeMarcus has the potential to be dominant. It is also a pick which will drastically change the franchise as Al and Cousins likely cannot coexist, but Cousins is the larger and more talented of the two.

5. Sacramento - Wesley Johnson (SF):
This is a tough pick for the Kings, and don’t be surprised to see them move down. They need talent which fits next to Evans, but they would highly prefer it to be a big with defensive ability. However, as the value isn’t there, they instead go for BPA and take Johnson - even though they already have Casspi and Greene.

6. Golden State - Greg Monroe (PF/C):
The Warriors really don’t have a specific need besides being healthy and reorganizing their talent. Seeing as they already have athletes in the frontcourt, Monroe’s athletic and defensive deficiencies could be covered up and his skills could be maximized.

7. Detroit - Ed Davis (PF):
Detroit needs help just about everywhere, and as such they cannot afford passing up the potential Davis has on both ends of the floor. He’ll fill a huge hole in the Pistons rotation next year, possibly starting by year’s end.

8. LA Clippers - Al-Farouq Aminu (SF/PF):
Aminu fills a huge hole at SF for the Clippers, while also having the ability to play PF next to Griffin when they go small. This pick would leave them heavily reliant on the PG position for playmaking, but it could also create matchup nightmares for opponents.

9. Utah (from NY) - Cole Aldrich (C):
Gift wrapping Utah an NBA-ready defensive Center would be like an early Christmas, even if he isn’t the BPA. He doesn’t offer much upside, but it beats relying on Fesenko or Koufos to develop, while also being a decent fit with Millsap.

10. Indiana - Ekpe Udoh (PF/C):
This is a tough spot for Indiana. Do they go with upside or readiness? Athleticism or skill? Size or playmaking? They kind of get all of that here. Henry could get a look here as BPA, but Udoh makes more sense.

11. New Orleans - Xavier Henry (SG/SF):
Henry is the BPA at this point, and the Hornets love that he fell. Not only does Henry fill a gigantic hole in the Hornets rotation, but he also has the potential to be a plus player on both ends of the floor, and also has the length to play SF when Thornton is sharing the court with him.

12. Memphis - Paul George (SG/SF):
If they allow Gay to walk, then George would look like an excellent fit - and even if they do not, Mayo, George, and Gay could all play on the floor together and create huge mismatch problems with their athleticism and scoring ability.

13. Toronto - Patrick Patterson (PF):
Losing Bosh is certainly going to sting, but Toronto can’t panic. Patterson - while not a high potential player like the BPA Whiteside - could immediately come in and be a nice fit next to Bargnani.

14. Houston - Donatas Motiejunas (PF/C):
Upside pick that Houston can afford to take. Even if they make a play for Bosh or if they decide to keep Scola for another year; Donatas could learn on the bench in a system that seems like it would fit his strength. Whiteside could get a look here as BPA, but the red flags likely cause him to slip a little.

Rest of 1st Round:
15. Milwaukee (from CHI) - James Anderson (SG/SF):
Jennings needs a guy to play off his dominant ball-handling that can shoot and occasionally take it to the rim. Anderson brings that as well as decent playmaking and defense to the table for a team that could use the help on the wing immediately.

16. Minnesota (from CHA) - Hassan Whiteside (PF/C):
The Timberwolves really need help on the wing, but as three good wing prospects just went before them, they are left looking at tweener guards, tweener forwards, or the BPA in Whiteside. I think they choose Whiteside and see if a Love, Cousins, Whiteside rotation will work.

17. Chicago (from MIL) - Willie Warren (SG):
Warren has certainly fallen out of favor with the masses over the past year, but I still think he has the upside to be pretty good in the NBA. Working off more talented players, he could be a deadly sharpshooter with handles. It’s all about finding players to fit next to Rose and the FAs they bring in, I think Warren is what they’re looking for.

18. Miami - Avery Bradley (PG/SG):
Bradley isn’t currently ready to play PG in a traditional role, but the Heat don’t need that if they keep Wade. He can immediately step in and give them excellent defense as well as solid shooting in his limited minutes, while learning to become more of a playmaker.

19. Boston - Luke Babbitt (SF/PF):
Babbitt measured out better than almost everyone expected, and while I’m still not high on him, it will probably get him selected before the late-1st. I don’t think the Celtics could justify taking an athletic PF/C like Sanders when they have a bigger need for offensive production, so Babbitt gets the look here as one of the most skilled offensive players on the board.

20. San Antonio - Damion James (SF/PF):
They need toughness, length, and shooting at the SF spot since Jefferson clearly didn’t give them that. James brings those qualities and seems like a Popovich kind of player, so he’s the pick.

21. Oklahoma City - Daniel Orton (C):
I personally would dislike this pick if I were an OKC fan; however this is a mock, not my big board. Some team will reach for him early because of his size, athleticism, and thug-like nature on the court; and I think that team will be the Thunder as he is a hometown player who also fills a big need.

22. Portland - Gani Lawal (PF):
They were decimated by injuries last year, and will likely have Oden and Przybilla start off the year watching games in suits. Lawal style of play puts the ‘Power’ in Power Forward, and should prove to be a good bench player.

23. Minnesota (from UTA) - Devin Ebanks (SF/PF):
Minnesota likely moves up in the draft using this pick, but if not, I like Ebanks here. Sanders is BPA, but as they took two bigs already, they need to take a wing. Ebanks makes three picks for MIN in this mock with rumored attitude problems, but he also gives them a player with great role player potential especially on the defensive side, and seems like a good fit in Rambis’ scheme.

24. Atlanta - Larry Sanders (PF/C):
The Hawks need size and defense. Sanders brings great defensive ability as well as an excellent frame, but doesn’t have the bulk they’d be looking for. However, seeing that he’s put on about 15lbs of “good” weight in the past two seasons (he only has 4.6% body fat); I think he could eventually bulk up to 240-250 and be a menace for Atlanta.

25. Memphis (from DEN) - Eric Bledsoe (PG/SG):
Conley doesn’t seem to be a guy worth considering part of their core, even though he’s a decent player. As such, they go BPA here and go with Bledsoe who - even if Conley is kept longterm - can play a role as a comboguard off the bench that will give them a great defender and decent shooting.

26. Oklahoma City (from PHX) - Gordon Hayward (SF):
I don’t know if they keep both picks, but I’ll pick as they will. They already took Orton, so now they need to keep filling in role players around their star duo. Hayward, if he can be consistent in his stroke, would be a fine scorer on the wing to work off of Westbrook and/or Durant.

27. New Jersey (from DAL) - Terrico White (SG):
The Nets should use this pick to guess at the type of role player a star FA would want to surround him. You can never have enough role players who are very athletic as well as being decent shooters - and so even though they already have CDR on the bench, I think they go with White.

28. Memphis (from LAL) - Kevin Seraphin (PF/C):
The Grizzlies take him and then keep him overseas for a year until they have room. Once they bring him over, it seems like he and Gasol would work well together and he’d bring much needed athleticism combined with balanced skills.

29. Orlando - Darington Hobson (SG/SF):
Hobson is a decent athlete, can handle the ball, and shoot it from deep. While he doesn’t have the star potential on the wing which they seemed to need in the playoffs, he can fill a void off the bench and then eventually earn a starting spot and allow Nelson to work off him at times.

30. Washington (from CLE) - Solomon Alabi (C):
Could he slip all the way to the last pick in the 1st round? It’s possible, especially when a lot of teams don’t necessarily need a C at the end of the 1st in this mock. He gives the Wizards a legit C with good defense and budding skills, as well as a high character guy. I don’t know if he’ll ever be a big-minute player, but this is good value.

2nd Round:
31. New Jersey - Miroslav Raduljica (C)
32. Oklahoma City (from MIN) - Dominique Jones (SG)
33. Sacramento - Jerome Jordan (C)
34. Golden State - Quincy Pondexter (SF)
35. Washington - Stanley Robinson (SF)
36. Detroit - Artsiom Parakhouski (C)
37. Milwaukee (from PHI) - Trevor Booker (PF)
38. New York - Lance Stephenson (SG/SF)
39. New York (from LAC) - Jarvis Varnado (PF)
40. Indiana - Greivis Vasquez (PG/SG)
41. Miami (from NO) - Elliot Williams (SG)
42. Miami (from TOR) - Craig Brackins (SF/PF)
43. LA Lakers (from MEM) - Armon Johnson (PG/SG)
44. Portland (from CHI) - Pablo Aguilar (PF)
45. Minnesota (from HOU) - Nemanja Bjelica (SG/SF)
46. Phoenix (from CHA) - Brian Zoubek (C)
47. Milwaukee - Mikhail Torrance (PG/SG)
48. Miami - Robin Benzing (SF)
49. San Antonio - Jordan Crawford (SG)
50. Dallas (from OKC) - Derrick Caracter (PF/C)
51. Oklahoma City (from POR) - Alexey Shved (PG/SG)
52. Boston - Matt Bouldin (PG/SG)
53. Atlanta - Paulao Prestes (C)
54. LA Clippers (from DEN) - Lazar Hayward (SF)
55. Utah - Da’Sean Butler (SG/SF)
56. Minnesota (from PHO) - Vladimir Dasic (SF/PF)
57. Indiana (from DAL) - Latavious Williams (SF/PF)
58. LA Lakers - Dexter Pittman (C)
59. Orlando - Charles Garcia (PF)
60. Phoenix (from CLE) - Sylven Landesberg (SG)