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TheDagger40
dolla130Now that the NCAA’s date for underclassmen to withdraw from the draft (and retain college eligibility) has passed, it’s time to check back in with our third mock draft of the season. Remember, however, that the NBA allows players to declare for the draft up until April 29, so the NCAA can’t do anything to stop a player from changing his mind and declaring in the next few weeks. But we have our first clear look at who’s in and out of the draft. What follows is our best stab at a first-round mock draft after taking into account team needs.
(If you want to see what your team would do with the No. 1 pick, play our Lottery Mock Draft, which has more than 2,000 scenarios. Also check out our Top 100 list, which is a reflection of the consensus of NBA scouts and GMs about a player’s relative draft value.)
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Charlotte
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 220 pounds
Age: 19
School: Kentucky(The Bobcats have a 25 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: How bad do the Bobcats want Anthony Davis? They have lost 12 straight and got blown out of the water at home by the second-worst team in the league, the Wizards, on Monday night. Of all the players in the draft, Davis is the only one who could make a dramatic impact in Year 1. No team needs him more than the Bobcats
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Washington
Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 210 pounds
Age: 18
School: Kentucky(The Wizards have a 19.9 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: Kidd-Gilchrist, like the other Kentucky players, still hasn’t officially declared for the draft, but he will. The Wizards desperately need MKG’s leadership, toughness and work ethic. But I hear they also may be tempted by Brad Beal’s shooting and the upside of Andre Drummond. I think the Beal vs. Kidd-Gilchrist scenario is a toss-up. But after the Kwame Brown and JaVale McGee experiences, I would be surprised if Washington chased Drummond.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
New Orleans
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 237 pounds
Age: 21
School: Kansas(The Hornets have a 15.6 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: The Hornets have to consider Drummond here. He’s bigger and probably better defensively than Robinson. But if they’re trying to build a team around winners, then Robinson is their guy. He would bring toughness, physicality and energy to the paint for the Hornets.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Sacramento
Position: C
Height: 6-foot-11
Weight: 275 pounds
Age: 18
School: UConn(The Kings have an 11.9 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: The Kings have plenty of players who can score the basketball, but they could use some help on the defensive end. While Drummond has a long way to go offensively, he was an effective defensive player at UConn and seems like an ideal fit alongside DeMarcus Cousins.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Toronto
Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 195 pounds
Age: 18
School: Florida(The Kings have an 8.8 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: The Raptors already have DeMar Derozan in the backcourt, but I doubt they’d pass on the chance to land Beal. The Florida 2-guard has the ability to play point guard and would give Toronto a shooter with deep range — an ability that DeRozan lacks.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Cleveland
Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 210 pounds
Age: 19
School: North Carolina(The Cavs have a 5.4 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: Last year, the Cavs were praying that Barnes stayed in the draft so they could select him with the No. 4 pick. But Barnes decided to stay in school. This year, things may still work out for Barnes and the Cavs, who could really use a shooter and another scorer on the wing.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Portland (via Nets)
Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 185 pounds
Age: 21
School: Weber State(The Blazers have a 5.3 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: The Blazers grabbed this pick from the Nets as part of the Gerald Wallace trade. It’s top-3 protected, so the pick could revert to New Jersey if the Nets keep losing. The Blazers need help at both backcourt positions and at center. They could go a number of ways here, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them grab Lillard. He’s quick, he can score and distribute and he can play both backcourt positions.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Detroit
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 280 pounds
Age: 20
School: Ohio State(The Pistons have a 2.8 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: The Pistons need a center. They could reach a little and bring in Tyler Zeller. Or they can be content with Greg Monroe at the center position and add Sullinger to the mix. Sully doesn’t play above the rim, but he does rebound and has great hands. At this point, I think the Pistons would pass on trying to hit a home run and just get someone who could help a little.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Utah (via Warriors)
Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 188 pounds
Age: 20
School: North Carolina(The Jazz have a 1.7 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: The Jazz are set with talented young players at every position on the floor except point guard. Enes Kanter is the center of the future. Derrick Favors is set to take over at power forward. Gordon Hayward is doing his thing at small forward and the team is high on Alec Burks at the 2.
Enter Marshall. While I think the Jazz might prefer Lillard, in this mock he’s no longer on the board. Marshall is the best pure point guard in the group. He’s not a great shooter, nor is he an elite athlete, but he makes everyone around him better.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
New Orleans
(via Wolves)
Position: C
Height: 7-foot
Weight: 235 pounds
Age: 22
School: North Carolina(The Hornets have a 1.1 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: With their first pick we have the Hornets taking a power forward. Here they can add some help in the middle. Zeller doesn’t project to be a star, but he’s big, he runs the floor well and he has a soft touch around the basket. The Hornets can certainly use him.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Portland
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-11
Weight: 235 pounds
Age: 20
School: Baylor(The Blazers have a 0.8 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: Jones may be a risk if selected with one of the first picks in the draft. But later in the lottery, he becomes a bargain. His size, athletic ability and skill level are all sky-high. He doesn’t always play hard and really wants to be a wing more than a big, but at a certain point the reward outweighs the risk. A Portland team in rebuilding mode could be a really nice situation for Jones.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Milwaukee
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 244 pounds
Age: 20
School: Kentucky(The Bucks have a 0.7 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: Jones is one of the more unique talents in the draft. He can play multiple positions, can rebound and block shots and can step outside and hit a 3. The Bucks have always liked versatile players like Jones. If he matures and plays with more consistency, he could be a steal this low in the draft.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Utah
Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 185 pounds
Age: 19
School: UConn(The Jazz have a 0.6 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: Lamb has elite talent, but his laid-back demeanor has given scouts pause. Higher in the draft, he’s a bit of a risk. But down here he would be a good bargain for the Jazz as they continue to rebuild their backcourt.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Phoenix
Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 199 pounds
Age: 19
School: Duke(The Suns have a 0.5 percent chance of winning the lottery.)
Analysis: The Suns need a little bit of everything, but what they really need is star power. With Steve Nash possibly on the move this summer, someone has to sell tickets. If Rivers ever lives up to his potential, he could be a great get this low. He’s going to have to rein in his game and get comfortable with who he is at the NBA level, but the talent is definitely there.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Houston (via Knicks)
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 210 pounds
Age: 21
School: North CarolinaAnalysis: The Rockets lack long, athletic bigs, and Henson would give them a defensive presence who can guard both forward positions. He’s still raw offensively, but he has a little Andrei Kirilenko in his game.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Philadelphia
Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 190 pounds
Age: 21
School: WashingtonAnalysis: Jodie Meeks is the closest thing the Sixers have to a great 3-point shooter. Adding Ross would be an instant upgrade at the backup shooting guard spot.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Denver
Position: C
Height: 7-foot
Weight: 240 pounds
Age: 20
School: IllinoisAnalysis: Leonard is a bit of a project, but he’s big and athletic and he’ll play defense. He won’t be a stud in Year 1, but he brings quite a bit of upside at this point in the draft.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Dallas
Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 205 pounds
Age: 18
School: WashingtonAnalysis: The Mavs are going to have to start rebuilding this summer and could use some star power next to Dirk. Wroten has the ability to be one of the top five players in this draft if he matures and gets a passable jump shot. His size, scoring ability and court vision are NBA-caliber.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Nets (via Rockets)
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-11
Weight: 225 pounds
Age: 21
School: Mississippi StateAnalysis: The Nets could use size and athleticism in the frontcourt, and Moultrie could be one of the sleepers of this draft. He’s got an NBA body and athletic ability, and he produced for Mississippi State this past season. If he were a year or two younger, he’d be 10 spots higher on the board.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Boston
Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 240 pounds
Age: 20
School: Iowa StateAnalysis: White has as much talent as nearly everyone else in this draft. But there are questions about some off-court issues and an anxiety disorder that includes a fear of flying. I think Doc Rivers might be the perfect coach for him.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Orlando
Position: C
Height: 7-foot
Weight: 274 pounds
Age: 21
School: SyracuseAnalysis: It looks like Dwight Howard may be leaving sooner or later and, at some point, the Magic have to start thinking about his replacement. Melo is miles away from being Howard, but he is big, can block shots and can rebound. If he stays focused and in shape, he could be good value here.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Memphis
Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 225 pounds
Age: 22
School: VanderbiltAnalysis: Taylor is super athletic, can guard three positions and finally found a long-range jump shot this season. He’s a bit older than teams would like, but his potential on the defensive end would justify his selection here.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Atlanta
Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 215 pounds
Age: 20
School: SyracuseAnalysis: The Hawks traded away Jamal Crawford and lost that instant spark off the bench. Enter Waiters. He’s a pure scorer who always plays in attack mode. He could easily come in and average 15 points per game.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Boston (via Clippers)
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 206 pounds
Age: 20
School: NC StateAnalysis: Leslie is still trying to figure out if he’s going to stay in the draft. If he does, the Celtics could use a player like him, with both size and upside. He’s still a little raw, but Leslie is an elite athlete who is really starting to put things together.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Indiana
Position: PG
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 178 pounds
Age: 19
School: KentuckyAnalysis: Not only do the Pacers need more help at the point, but Teague is an Indy native who would be a great get here. He’s not the pure point guard the Pacers really need, but he can push the ball effectively, get to the basket and create problems as a defender.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Cleveland (via Lakers)
Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 190 pounds
Age: 18
School: St. John’sAnalysis: Harkless reminds me a little of Trevor Ariza. He’s a terrific scorer and defender who needs to get a more settled jump shot.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Miami
Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 235 pounds
Age: 22
School: Michigan StateAnalysis: The Heat need players with experience who excel in bringing out the best in their teammates. Green can be a point-forward type who does a little of everything. Think of him as a better-passing Udonis Haslem.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Golden State
(via Spurs)
Position: PF
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 222 pounds
Age: 22
School: St. BonaventureAnalysis: Nicholson has gotten dramatically better every season and has some David West to his game. He would be a good fit in Golden State as a backup to David Lee.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Oklahoma City
Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 206 pounds
Age: 19
School: FranceAnalysis: This draft is pretty thin on international players, with Fournier the only player with a serious shot at landing in the first round. He’s a scorer who is putting up impressive numbers in Europe at a young age, making him a nice pick-and-stash prospect for the Thunder.
PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS 
Chicago
Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 195 pounds
Age: 20
School: KentuckyAnalysis: The Bulls are always looking for shooters and would have a tough decision between Lamb and Vandy’s John Jenkins here. Both are lights out from long range, but I give Lamb the nod because he has a little more versatility than Jenkins.
Next Five In: John Jenkins, Festus Ezeli, Josh Smith, Tyshawn Taylor, Scott Machado
- Senior NBA Writer for ESPN.com
- ESPN Insider NBA Draft Analyst since 2002
- Writes ESPN’s NBA Draft Top 100 and Lottery Mock Draft
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Johnny Chill
Memphis Madness
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