Can Someone Post Chad Ford’s mock 7.1?

Editor’s note: This mock draft was updated at 2:34 p.m. ET to reflect the latest information we’re getting today.

Happy Draft Day. This year, I think the NBA has something really crazy in store for all of us. Yes, this draft class is one of the weakest we’ve ever had, but that’s led to some incredible parity between projections of players. Just as important to any draft night discussion, there’s a ton of trade talk going on right now.

Like every year, as late Wednesday night turned to early Thursday morning, a number of teams reported they were still debating between three or four prospects on their boards. Agents and players are wringing their hands right now. No one knows who’s going where.

So the draft should be fun. And the mock draft? It’s hard to pinpoint who teams will take when they haven’t decided yet, but we’re going to try. And then try again a little later in the day. And then try again right before the draft.

In other words, check back often for versions 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 as we continue to collect information on who will go where.

Here’s our best stab, after talking to numerous NBA team sources, at how the draft will play out Thursday night.
 

Analysis: I know there’s still some uncertainty out there. There always is. But all signs continue to point to Irving as the No. 1 pick. He has a chance to be special and, in this draft, that makes him worthy of going this high.

The Cavs may not love what’s left for them at No. 4, but at least they walk away feeling that they got the best player in the draft.

Analysis: The Wolves will work the phones until the last minute looking for a trade. If they keep the pick? They are considering Enes Kanter and started telling teams around the league on Wednesday that they’re leaning in that direction.

I can see the appeal of Kanter. He probably fits a need more. But Williams is the second-best talent in this draft and I think talent ultimately trumps need, so they’ll take Williams and sort it out later this summer.

Analysis: GM Kevin O’Connor is now issuing his famous "no comment" when asked about what the Jazz will do here. They are one of the most tight-lipped teams in the league. They aren’t leaking who they’ll take at No. 3.

So why did I change this from Brandon Knight to Kanter? Because it’s hard to get legit centers in the league, especially ones with Kanter’s upside. So are point guards, which is why Knight could be the pick. But as of very early Thursday, I think the Jazz will go with size and upside and Kanter.

Analysis: We had Valanciunas in this position last week. But on Monday we reported that Valanciunas’ buyout with his team in Lithuania would prohibit him from coming to the NBA next season.

The Cavs love Valanciunas, but do they love him enough to draft him even if he won’t be coming to the NBA right away? There are growing signals that they do. Valanciunas was in Cleveland on Tuesday meeting with Cavs brass. They conducted a physical and a workout as well which has seemingly calmed their fears. But another serious dark horse here is Tristan Thompson. As I reported on Wednesday, Thompson met with owner Dan Gilbert in Cleveland on Monday, and the Cavs are intrigued. As I gather more info, this is one spot where the mock could change in Version 7.1.

Analysis: GM Bryan Colangelo has been looking for defensive help, and I had been hearing over the past 24 hours that Bismack Biyombo and Kawhi Leonard had risen on the Raptors’ board. But if Knight slides this far, I don’t think they’ll pass.

Knight has tremendous upside, is a good defender in his own right and, alongside DeMar DeRozan, would give the Raptors an intriguing young backcourt.

Analysis: The Wizards need rebounding and would love it if Kanter was still on the board. They’ve also been huge fans of Vesely and would jump at the chance to take him here. His ability to run the floor would be a welcome fit alongside John Wall and JaVale McGee.

Tristan Thompson is the other player to watch here. The Wizards need help on the boards and Thompson is one of the best offensive rebounders in the draft.

Analysis: Walker wins this battle by process of elimination. In the past 24 hours, it sounds like the push for Jimmer Fredette, Kawhi Leonard, Alec Burks and even Klay Thompson has cooled. I’m told that ideally the Kings would like to find a way to trade this pick for a veteran.

But if they stay here, I’m reluctantly putting Walker here. If he does go to the Kings, he’s going to breathe a huge sigh of relief. From what I can gather, he’s in danger of sliding, and sliding far, if the Kings don’t take him here.

Analysis: The Pistons are likely going to add a player with size here. Thompson, Bismack Biyombo and Markieff Morris are all options. All three worked out in Detroit on Tuesday and played well. Morris may have been the best of the bunch, but this is a bit high for him.

I think the Pistons will seriously look at moving this pick to the Rockets for the 14th and 23rd picks. Kawhi Leonard is also a potential pick here. But if the Pistons stay at 8, I think Thompson has a slight edge over Biyombo. A darkhorse here is Valanciunas. If the Cavs take Tristan Thompson at 4, the Pistons are seriously considering taking Valanciunas and waiting a year.

Analysis: The Bobcats will be thrilled if Leonard is still on the board here. While Leonard isn’t the same player as Gerald Wallace, he brings much of the same intensity. Bismack Biyombo is also an option here, as are the Morris twins and Alec Burks. But I doubt the Bobcats could pass on Leonard.

Analysis: The Bucks are also listening to a number of offers for this pick. They could move down or totally out of the draft. If they keep the pick, I think it likely comes down to Thompson and Alec Burks. They play the same position but have different strengths. Thompson is a shooter; Burks is a slasher.

Since the Bucks are telling me pretty strongly that they’re holding on to Brandon Jennings as their point guard, and since the team is making a strong drive to get back to the playoffs, I think Thompson is a better fit.

Analysis: Warriors adviser Jerry West is a fan of Klay Thompson and would likely select him if he’s still on the board. Ditto for Jonas Valanciunas. But if they’re off the board, don’t be surprised if the Warriors grab Biyombo. They desperately need size and toughness in the paint and Biyombo can deliver from day one.

Analysis: I wonder … will crazed Jimmer fans rush to the streets of Salt Lake City and Provo if Fredette’s name is called here? He’s been a long shot for weeks because we’ve had the Jazz taking Brandon Knight.

But if Utah goes with Kanter, it’s likely they’ll select Jimmer here. I think it’s a good pick. Jazz fans probably think it’s the best pick in franchise history. We’ll see.

Analysis: I had Marcus Morris here in Mock 7.0 but I’m now hearing it’s his brother, Markieff, who is higher on the Suns’ board. Earlier this year, I wrote that some teams prefer Markieff to Marcus even though Marcus is more skilled.

Markieff has better size and is a better rebounder and shot-blocker. Meanwhile, Marcus is getting pegged as a tweener right now, which may cause him to slide. Iman Shumpert is also strongly in the mix here.

Analysis: The Rockets are talking to everyone — and I mean everyone — about moving up in the draft. Everyone from the Wolves at 2 to the Warriors at 11 have heard the pitch. I think someone ultimately will bite, and I think it could be Detroit.

But if not, the Rockets are likely to reach a little bit for some size in the paint. They are desperate for it, and Vucevic is the biggest man in the draft. Chris Singleton and Markieff Morris are also options.

Analysis: Under this scenario, the Pacers’ three biggest targets (Jimmer Fredette, Klay Thompson and Markieff Morris) are all gone. Burks didn’t work out for the Pacers, but they’ve done their homework. He’s probably the best talent left on the board, even if he does duplicate Paul George to a certain extent.

Marcus Morris, Chris Singleton and Marshon Brooks would also get looks here.

Analysis: The Sixers need size, but with Thompson, Vucevic and Morris all off the board, the only other big man worth taking here is Kenneth Faried. If Faried were a little bit bigger, I think they’d do it. Instead, I think the Sixers will prepare for the inevitable trade of Andre Iguodala.

It may not come on draft night, but most believe it will happen sometime before the season, and that’s why Hamilton is the pick. Donatas Motiejunas is another possibility here.

Analysis: The Knicks have a bunch of scorers. What they really need are defenders. Singleton will get looks as high as No. 9 to the Bobcats, but I doubt he will slide any further than here. Not only is he the best defender in the draft, he also has potential to be a spot-up 3-point shooter.

Iman Shumpert, Alec Burks and Marshon Brooks are also in the mix here.

Analysis: This would be a major slide for Marcus. But his insistence that he’s not really a power forward has hurt his stock a bit. Teams don’t believe he can be a 3 and now see him as somewhat of a tweener.

Still, at this point, he’s a good value and he could play some 3 and some 4 in Washington.

Analysis: The Bobcats, in this mock, get their defender with the No. 9 pick. That means they go pure offense 10 picks later. Brooks is one of the best scorers in the draft and would be a good long-term upgrade at the 2. Shumpert is also a possibility here.

Analysis: The Wolves added some serious offensive pop with the arrival of Ricky Rubio and, in this mock, Derrick Williams. Shumpert would give them a major defensive presence in their backcourt.

While he’s not the most offensively gifted player in the draft, his ability to guard both backcourt positions, combined with his elite athleticism, make him an interesting choice at No. 20.

Analysis: The Blazers fell in love with Faried last year before he withdrew from the draft. If they are fortunate enough to get a second chance at him this year, they’ll grab him. His relentlessness on the boards is a nice complement to LaMarcus Aldridge’s more offensive-minded style.

Markieff Morris, Tobias Harris, Iman Shumpert and Reggie Jackson are others to watch.

Analysis: I guess we can’t call Harris one of the more underrated players in the draft when he hasn’t moved off 22 in any of our mocks. He can play both the 3 and 4, and he has a very high basketball IQ and an NBA body. Harris doesn’t do any one thing at an elite level, but he is one of the most well-rounded players in the draft.

Iman Shumpert, Chandler Parsons and Tyler Honeycutt are other possibilities here.

Analysis: At this point in the draft, you quit worrying about draft needs and you draft according to talent. Motiejunas is a major talent. He’s got flaws, but at No. 23 you live with them. If the Rockets don’t trade the pick away, Jimmy Butler is a possibility here, as is Darius Morris.

Analysis: I don’t have Singler rated as a top-30 prospect. But I might be mistaken. A source said the Thunder are very high on Singler and believe he could be an Andres Nocioni-type player in the NBA.

He is tough, has a good motor and will be able to knock down open shots. If he plays that role in the NBA, he’s well worth the 24th pick. Reggie Jackson, Jimmy Butler and Nikola Mirotic are other possibilities here.

Analysis: If the Celtics are going to keep competing for a title, they need players who know their roles, can play without the ball in their hands and meld in. Butler brings toughness, defense and heart.

Butler epitomizes that approach with his game and would be a great fit with the Celtics as a player who can play multiple positions off the bench. Reggie Jackson is another strong possibility here, as is Norris Cole.

Analysis: The Mavs likely will stay primarily a veteran team. So they’ll work to add value wherever they can. Mirotic is a talented player who would go 10 spots higher if he weren’t stuck in Europe the next two or three years with a difficult contract to escape.

But the Mavs can afford to be patient with a talent like this and hope that in a few years, he’ll be ready to step in and play right away.

Analysis: Jackson hasn’t done any workouts, has a knee injury and isn’t sharing his medical records. Why would the Nets take a player like that? Well, they, along with a lot of NBA teams, believe that another team has shut down Jackson’s workouts with a promise to draft him.

That shouldn’t stop the Nets from grabbing Jackson anyway. Yes, they have Deron Williams. But he’s not a sure thing to stay in New Jersey after next season. Even if he does, Jackson would be a terrific backup and could play off the ball in certain situations. If Jackson hadn’t suffered a knee injury just as the draft prep began, he could have gone much higher. Norris Cole, Justin Harper, Josh Selby and Chandler Parsons also are possibilities.

Analysis: Harper was one of the best stretch 4s in college basketball last season. He also has size and is a pretty good athlete. The Bulls need perimeter shooting, and Harper should be able to give them some.

Charles Jenkins, Tyler Honeycutt and Jeremy Tyler are also possibilities.

Analysis: The Spurs have done a good job over the years of finding young international players and stashing them overseas for a few years until they’re ready.

Bertans showed he can be a big-time shooter at the Nike Hoop Summit and adidas Eurocamp, and he’s only 18 years old. So it’s worth taking a flier on him and seeing what he can accomplish after another year or two in Europe.

Analysis: The Bulls need scorers in their backcourt and ultimately need to find a backup for Derrick Rose at point guard. Smith isn’t the sort of player who really wows you with one thing. But he’s a winner, he’s versatile and he’s been a solid shooter in college. He’s a perfect backup guard.

Editor’s note: This mock draft was updated at 2:34 p.m. ET to reflect the latest information we’re getting today.

Happy Draft Day. This year, I think the NBA has something really crazy in store for all of us. Yes, this draft class is one of the weakest we’ve ever had, but that’s led to some incredible parity between projections of players. Just as important to any draft night discussion, there’s a ton of trade talk going on right now.

Like every year, as late Wednesday night turned to early Thursday morning, a number of teams reported they were still debating between three or four prospects on their boards. Agents and players are wringing their hands right now. No one knows who’s going where.

So the draft should be fun. And the mock draft? It’s hard to pinpoint who teams will take when they haven’t decided yet, but we’re going to try. And then try again a little later in the day. And then try again right before the draft.

In other words, check back often for versions 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 as we continue to collect information on who will go where.

Here’s our best stab, after talking to numerous NBA team sources, at how the draft will play out Thursday night.
 

Analysis: I know there’s still some uncertainty out there. There always is. But all signs continue to point to Irving as the No. 1 pick. He has a chance to be special and, in this draft, that makes him worthy of going this high.

The Cavs may not love what’s left for them at No. 4, but at least they walk away feeling that they got the best player in the draft.

Analysis: The Wolves will work the phones until the last minute looking for a trade. If they keep the pick? They are considering Enes Kanter and started telling teams around the league on Wednesday that they’re leaning in that direction.

I can see the appeal of Kanter. He probably fits a need more. But Williams is the second-best talent in this draft and I think talent ultimately trumps need, so they’ll take Williams and sort it out later this summer.

Analysis: GM Kevin O’Connor is now issuing his famous "no comment" when asked about what the Jazz will do here. They are one of the most tight-lipped teams in the league. They aren’t leaking who they’ll take at No. 3.

So why did I change this from Brandon Knight to Kanter? Because it’s hard to get legit centers in the league, especially ones with Kanter’s upside. So are point guards, which is why Knight could be the pick. But as of very early Thursday, I think the Jazz will go with size and upside and Kanter.

Analysis: We had Valanciunas in this position last week. But on Monday we reported that Valanciunas’ buyout with his team in Lithuania would prohibit him from coming to the NBA next season.

The Cavs love Valanciunas, but do they love him enough to draft him even if he won’t be coming to the NBA right away? There are growing signals that they do. Valanciunas was in Cleveland on Tuesday meeting with Cavs brass. They conducted a physical and a workout as well which has seemingly calmed their fears. But another serious dark horse here is Tristan Thompson. As I reported on Wednesday, Thompson met with owner Dan Gilbert in Cleveland on Monday, and the Cavs are intrigued. As I gather more info, this is one spot where the mock could change in Version 7.1.

Analysis: GM Bryan Colangelo has been looking for defensive help, and I had been hearing over the past 24 hours that Bismack Biyombo and Kawhi Leonard had risen on the Raptors’ board. But if Knight slides this far, I don’t think they’ll pass.

Knight has tremendous upside, is a good defender in his own right and, alongside DeMar DeRozan, would give the Raptors an intriguing young backcourt.

Analysis: The Wizards need rebounding and would love it if Kanter was still on the board. They’ve also been huge fans of Vesely and would jump at the chance to take him here. His ability to run the floor would be a welcome fit alongside John Wall and JaVale McGee.

Tristan Thompson is the other player to watch here. The Wizards need help on the boards and Thompson is one of the best offensive rebounders in the draft.

Analysis: Walker wins this battle by process of elimination. In the past 24 hours, it sounds like the push for Jimmer Fredette, Kawhi Leonard, Alec Burks and even Klay Thompson has cooled. I’m told that ideally the Kings would like to find a way to trade this pick for a veteran.

But if they stay here, I’m reluctantly putting Walker here. If he does go to the Kings, he’s going to breathe a huge sigh of relief. From what I can gather, he’s in danger of sliding, and sliding far, if the Kings don’t take him here.

Analysis: The Pistons are likely going to add a player with size here. Thompson, Bismack Biyombo and Markieff Morris are all options. All three worked out in Detroit on Tuesday and played well. Morris may have been the best of the bunch, but this is a bit high for him.

I think the Pistons will seriously look at moving this pick to the Rockets for the 14th and 23rd picks. Kawhi Leonard is also a potential pick here. But if the Pistons stay at 8, I think Thompson has a slight edge over Biyombo. A darkhorse here is Valanciunas. If the Cavs take Tristan Thompson at 4, the Pistons are seriously considering taking Valanciunas and waiting a year.

Analysis: The Bobcats will be thrilled if Leonard is still on the board here. While Leonard isn’t the same player as Gerald Wallace, he brings much of the same intensity. Bismack Biyombo is also an option here, as are the Morris twins and Alec Burks. But I doubt the Bobcats could pass on Leonard.

Analysis: The Bucks are also listening to a number of offers for this pick. They could move down or totally out of the draft. If they keep the pick, I think it likely comes down to Thompson and Alec Burks. They play the same position but have different strengths. Thompson is a shooter; Burks is a slasher.

Since the Bucks are telling me pretty strongly that they’re holding on to Brandon Jennings as their point guard, and since the team is making a strong drive to get back to the playoffs, I think Thompson is a better fit.

Analysis: Warriors adviser Jerry West is a fan of Klay Thompson and would likely select him if he’s still on the board. Ditto for Jonas Valanciunas. But if they’re off the board, don’t be surprised if the Warriors grab Biyombo. They desperately need size and toughness in the paint and Biyombo can deliver from day one.

Analysis: I wonder … will crazed Jimmer fans rush to the streets of Salt Lake City and Provo if Fredette’s name is called here? He’s been a long shot for weeks because we’ve had the Jazz taking Brandon Knight.

But if Utah goes with Kanter, it’s likely they’ll select Jimmer here. I think it’s a good pick. Jazz fans probably think it’s the best pick in franchise history. We’ll see.

Analysis: I had Marcus Morris here in Mock 7.0 but I’m now hearing it’s his brother, Markieff, who is higher on the Suns’ board. Earlier this year, I wrote that some teams prefer Markieff to Marcus even though Marcus is more skilled.

Markieff has better size and is a better rebounder and shot-blocker. Meanwhile, Marcus is getting pegged as a tweener right now, which may cause him to slide. Iman Shumpert is also strongly in the mix here.

Analysis: The Rockets are talking to everyone — and I mean everyone — about moving up in the draft. Everyone from the Wolves at 2 to the Warriors at 11 have heard the pitch. I think someone ultimately will bite, and I think it could be Detroit.

But if not, the Rockets are likely to reach a little bit for some size in the paint. They are desperate for it, and Vucevic is the biggest man in the draft. Chris Singleton and Markieff Morris are also options.

Analysis: Under this scenario, the Pacers’ three biggest targets (Jimmer Fredette, Klay Thompson and Markieff Morris) are all gone. Burks didn’t work out for the Pacers, but they’ve done their homework. He’s probably the best talent left on the board, even if he does duplicate Paul George to a certain extent.

Marcus Morris, Chris Singleton and Marshon Brooks would also get looks here.

Analysis: The Sixers need size, but with Thompson, Vucevic and Morris all off the board, the only other big man worth taking here is Kenneth Faried. If Faried were a little bit bigger, I think they’d do it. Instead, I think the Sixers will prepare for the inevitable trade of Andre Iguodala.

It may not come on draft night, but most believe it will happen sometime before the season, and that’s why Hamilton is the pick. Donatas Motiejunas is another possibility here.

Analysis: The Knicks have a bunch of scorers. What they really need are defenders. Singleton will get looks as high as No. 9 to the Bobcats, but I doubt he will slide any further than here. Not only is he the best defender in the draft, he also has potential to be a spot-up 3-point shooter.

Iman Shumpert, Alec Burks and Marshon Brooks are also in the mix here.

Analysis: This would be a major slide for Marcus. But his insistence that he’s not really a power forward has hurt his stock a bit. Teams don’t believe he can be a 3 and now see him as somewhat of a tweener.

Still, at this point, he’s a good value and he could play some 3 and some 4 in Washington.

Analysis: The Bobcats, in this mock, get their defender with the No. 9 pick. That means they go pure offense 10 picks later. Brooks is one of the best scorers in the draft and would be a good long-term upgrade at the 2. Shumpert is also a possibility here.

Analysis: The Wolves added some serious offensive pop with the arrival of Ricky Rubio and, in this mock, Derrick Williams. Shumpert would give them a major defensive presence in their backcourt.

While he’s not the most offensively gifted player in the draft, his ability to guard both backcourt positions, combined with his elite athleticism, make him an interesting choice at No. 20.

Analysis: The Blazers fell in love with Faried last year before he withdrew from the draft. If they are fortunate enough to get a second chance at him this year, they’ll grab him. His relentlessness on the boards is a nice complement to LaMarcus Aldridge’s more offensive-minded style.

Markieff Morris, Tobias Harris, Iman Shumpert and Reggie Jackson are others to watch.

Analysis: I guess we can’t call Harris one of the more underrated players in the draft when he hasn’t moved off 22 in any of our mocks. He can play both the 3 and 4, and he has a very high basketball IQ and an NBA body. Harris doesn’t do any one thing at an elite level, but he is one of the most well-rounded players in the draft.

Iman Shumpert, Chandler Parsons and Tyler Honeycutt are other possibilities here.

Analysis: At this point in the draft, you quit worrying about draft needs and you draft according to talent. Motiejunas is a major talent. He’s got flaws, but at No. 23 you live with them. If the Rockets don’t trade the pick away, Jimmy Butler is a possibility here, as is Darius Morris.

Analysis: I don’t have Singler rated as a top-30 prospect. But I might be mistaken. A source said the Thunder are very high on Singler and believe he could be an Andres Nocioni-type player in the NBA.

He is tough, has a good motor and will be able to knock down open shots. If he plays that role in the NBA, he’s well worth the 24th pick. Reggie Jackson, Jimmy Butler and Nikola Mirotic are other possibilities here.

Analysis: If the Celtics are going to keep competing for a title, they need players who know their roles, can play without the ball in their hands and meld in. Butler brings toughness, defense and heart.

Butler epitomizes that approach with his game and would be a great fit with the Celtics as a player who can play multiple positions off the bench. Reggie Jackson is another strong possibility here, as is Norris Cole.

Analysis: The Mavs likely will stay primarily a veteran team. So they’ll work to add value wherever they can. Mirotic is a talented player who would go 10 spots higher if he weren’t stuck in Europe the next two or three years with a difficult contract to escape.

But the Mavs can afford to be patient with a talent like this and hope that in a few years, he’ll be ready to step in and play right away.

Analysis: Jackson hasn’t done any workouts, has a knee injury and isn’t sharing his medical records. Why would the Nets take a player like that? Well, they, along with a lot of NBA teams, believe that another team has shut down Jackson’s workouts with a promise to draft him.

That shouldn’t stop the Nets from grabbing Jackson anyway. Yes, they have Deron Williams. But he’s not a sure thing to stay in New Jersey after next season. Even if he does, Jackson would be a terrific backup and could play off the ball in certain situations. If Jackson hadn’t suffered a knee injury just as the draft prep began, he could have gone much higher. Norris Cole, Justin Harper, Josh Selby and Chandler Parsons also are possibilities.

Analysis: Harper was one of the best stretch 4s in college basketball last season. He also has size and is a pretty good athlete. The Bulls need perimeter shooting, and Harper should be able to give them some.

Charles Jenkins, Tyler Honeycutt and Jeremy Tyler are also possibilities.

Analysis: The Spurs have done a good job over the years of finding young international players and stashing them overseas for a few years until they’re ready.

Bertans showed he can be a big-time shooter at the Nike Hoop Summit and adidas Eurocamp, and he’s only 18 years old. So it’s worth taking a flier on him and seeing what he can accomplish after another year or two in Europe.

Analysis: The Bulls need scorers in their backcourt and ultimately need to find a backup for Derrick Rose at point guard. Smith isn’t the sort of player who really wows you with one thing. But he’s a winner, he’s versatile and he’s been a solid shooter in college. He’s a perfect backup guard.