[HitsterParticipant]

As always I wait until the draft lottery has been done before finally committing to my mock draft. Anyway here is my first round picks with reasons given for each pick. Feedback will be gratefully received.

 1.New Orleans – Anthony Davis – He is the clear number one pick so NOH take the best player in their draft and get a key building point to help put them back into the play off scene in the next couple of seasons.

2.Charlotte – Thomas Robinson – Having considered this pick long and hard, I’ve gone for perhaps the most NBA ready guy of the batch of players behind Anthony Davis. Drummond and Biyombo together did not sit well with me and Charlotte already have a decent SF in Gerald Henderson so I went for Robinson’s power and athleticism instead of MKG or Barnes. Robinson will play hard and has a winning attitude which Charlotte needs.

3.Washington – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – MKG gives Washington another excellent young option at SF alongside Singleton and Vesley and he can also help fill in at SG alongside John Wall if needed.

4.Cleveland – Andre Drummond – Cleveland have holes at SG and SF WHICH Harrison Barnes or maybe a trade down or reach for Bradley Beal or Jeremy Lamb can fill. But Drummond’s potential is too much to pass on, he can play behind Thompson and Varejo for a year or two whilst he develops and with a young PG like Irving to feed him, he is in a good situation.

5.Sacramento – Harrison Barnes – Barnes will be an excellent addition to a young roster providing a lot of the intangibles around the other younger guys and helping to make them better players going forward.

6.Portland – Damian Lillard – With Felton never having quite convinced, Portland take a young PG to compliment the likes of Batum and LMA. He can play around and behind Felton for a year before he takes up the reigns.

7.GSW – Jeremy Lamb – Having traded Monta Ellis, GSW take a replacement scoring option. He can play alongside Curry and Klay Thompson with the option of Thompson switching to SF when required.

8.Toronto – Bradley Beal – Although a PG or an SF may be a greater need, Toronto cannot pass on someone like Beal in the draft so either maybe look to move DeRozan to SF in due course or more likely trade down or trade the pick.

9.Detroit – Myers Leonard – Detroit need a legit big man and after measuring out well at the combine, Leonard is the best fit for them. As a big who runs the floor well, he’ll be a nice fit alongside Greg Monroe and will give Detroit a frontcourt where both guys are above average ball handlers and will cause match up issues going forward.

10.New Orleans – Terence Ross – With the chance that Eric Gordon may walk, NOH take an insurance policy in Terence Ross. Who even if Gordon stays can easily play around him and Ross’s size gives an SF option if needed.

11.Portland – Tyler Zeller – Although the guy doesn’t have a huge wingspan, Portland need depth in the frontcourt and with LMA set at PF then Zeller is the best C available at this stage of the draft. The alternative is they perhaps look to trade down the 6th pick to 7 or 8 and take Leonard or reach for him at 6.

12.Milwaukee – Jared Sullinger – having traded Udoh and with issues over Bogut’s durability, the Bucks take a guy who should be able to contribute from day one.

13.Phoenix – Austin Rivers – The Suns need freshening up and taking Rivers helps this process along, he will be highly coachable and with perhaps Nash and Hill to guide him will be in a good situation.

14.Houston – John Henson – Houston need some length in the frontcourt and so draft Henson to play around Scola. He could have Dalambert and Camby to learn from and will give the team options when they want to go smallball in both frontcourt positions.

15.Philly – Arnett Moultrie – With Brand in the last year of his deal, Philly need some more depth in their frontcourt and Moultrie will provide this and compete for minutes with their other younger bigs.

16.Houston – Dion Waiters – He has perhaps fallen a bit too far perhaps so Houston take him to play around Martin and to compliment them taking a big with their other pick.

17.Dallas – Marquis Teague – With Jason Kidd turning 40 next year, the Mavericks need a new PG and regardless of what FA moves they make, they take a nice prospect in Teague who has NBA pedigree in his family and comes off an NCAA Championship season.

18.Minnesota – Perry Jones – With Michael Beasley seemingly moving on and Darko out of favour PJ III gives the T-Wolves length and options at both SF and PF. His athleticism will be a good fit on a young exciting team.

19.Orlando – Terence Jones – The team is likely to go into rebuild if D12 moves on so they start this by taking another member of Coach Cal’s NCAA championship team. He can play behind and learn from Turko initially.

20.Denver – Andrew Nicholson – With Nene having been traded and McGee’s future still uncertain, a team with a proven record for developing big men take Nicholson who can help to fill roster minutes around Faried.

21. Boston – Fab Melo – Boston needs some younger faces and a 7ft guy gives them options in the frontcourt, hopefully KG returns so he can help mentor him.

22.Boston – Kendall Marshall – Coming from a strong college team, Marshall can fit into the Celtics mindset from the go. He will help Rondo to reduce his minutes going forward and provide another backcourt option.

23.Atlanta – Mo Harkness – Mo gives them SF options alongside Marvin Williams and provides useful bench depth and extra height at SF is useful for a team lacking true height.

24.Cleveland – Quincy Miller – The Cavs need help at SF and take a gamble on Miller’s size and potential. They have early 2nd rounders where they can maybe take a fallback guy in case Miller doesn’t come off.

25.Memphis – Royce White – they take a big body at SF which gives them a nice compliment to their current swingmen and the option to go for a larger line up when required.

26.Indiana – Doron Lamb – We all know that Larry Bird and Kevin Pritchard like well heeled college guys, so they take another member of the NCAA championship team. He provides extra depth to an already strong bench.

 27.Miami – Tony Wrotten – Miami decide to add some young blood around their current line up, Wrotten can play some PG and help D-Wade watch his minutes at SG as well as provide some additional bench scoring.

28.Oklahoma – Jeffrey Taylor – A college senior so he will have decent experience help the Thunder to fill minutes around KD.

29.Chicago – Festus Ezeli – The team decide to add another younger big to help fill the frontcourt minutes and as an insurance in case Asik moves on.

30.GSW – Khris Middleton – Gives the Warriors the option to play a larger man especially at SG and can cover minutes at SF if required.

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

This is a little hard to read. And I have a hard time believing Beal goes after Jeremy Lamb let alone 8th pick. That seems a little low for someone who had such a great combine. I believe are starting to realize that Lamb is just a role player while Beal can be a #1 option. I’d say the lowest Beal could go is 6 while Lamb could go late lottery.

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

Okay disregard the first thing I said, you fixed it. But Beal is still not going 8th.

[FUNKYBUNCHParticipant]

 Yeah I don’t think Beal will slide to 8 either. And I think Waiters is somewhere in the lottery. I do however liked following your logic behind the comments. thanx!

[ChewyParticipant]

I don’t like Drummond at 4 when the Cavs just used last years #4 pick on Thompson. They still have Varajao who is a solid center. I would use this pick on any of Barnes/Beal/MKG.

I like MKG to Washington, but I would like to throw out that Vesely is more of a 4 man and Singelton (while good) should probably be a back up.

I like Leonard going to DET. He is a project but how nice would it be to have an athletic 7 footer at the 5 w/ Monroe at the 4.

Don’t think Waiters is falling that far. J Lamb is the likely SG to drop.

I don’t think Teague is going to get taken before Marshall, but Teague has the POTENTIAL to be the best pg in this draft so it’s not impossible.

I think Moultrie is a really good fit for Philly.

Finally, if the Bulls take Ezeli over John Jenkins I’m going to be pissed. They have Noah and Asik who could man their 5 spot for the next 6-10 years. Asik is a RFA and the Bulls will match anything. They need a young SG and Richard Hamilton’s injuries are going to increase along with his age.

 

[BasterdInABasketParticipant]

"12.Milwaukee – Jared Sullinger – having traded Udoh and with issues over Bogut’s durability, the Bucks take a guy who should be able to contribute from day one."

I think you’re confusing the Bucks with the Warriors. I dont think that is a terrible pick if Leonard and Ross are off the board though.

[HitsterParticipant]

 Thanks for the feedback, I typed this straight off the top of my head, the 12th pick would still be Sullinger but the notes would read:- With Bogut having been moved, the Bucks perhaps need an extra frontcourter, Sullinger compliments Udoh’s high energy defensive game and he will have a good mentor in Drew Gooden.

As regards Beal, Lamb, Lillard, I agree that Lillard seems a strong pick to go at 6 and with Leonard not likely to go to GSW nd certainly not Toronto, then it was a toss up who goes at 7 or 8. As I did not really like Beal as a fit for Toronto, I put the trade down provision having put Lamb at GSW. 

With any mock draft if you can get the picks after the top 5 within a couple come draft night, I alays feel we have done well.

I’ll do a second round draft near draft night if I have time and can put worthwhile comments as often we end up with "European Stasher/Long Term project/D-League bound" etc

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