| The Sports Xchange's Mock Draft (updated 6/25) |
| By Jeff Reynolds, Senior Editor -- Special to CBS SportsLine.com |
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While Atlanta contemplates moving down as teams angle to grab the third overall pick and select Al Horford, the Hawks aren't the only team in the top three that should be considering a move.
Don't be surprised to see the Sonics help the Blazers make a choice between Greg Oden and Kevin Durant a lot easier.
Seattle has the pieces to make a play for the top pick, ensuring it gets the player it prefers -- Oden or Durant. Portland might sit tight with a chance to lock up a franchise center, but has to consider any serious offer from the Sonics in what would appear on the surface to be a no-lose situation.
There is great uncertainty in the middle of the lottery. Boston is begging for a team to dangle a veteran and take the fifth pick, Minnesota could go any which way at No. 7 and the logjam of talent makes it a definite that one or more players pegged as lottery picks will slide into the 'teens. |
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| 1. Portland | Greg Oden, C, Ohio State |
| Word of potential medical red flags surrounding Oden amount to picking nits, and the Blazers don't seem concerned about the wrist and back issues. Oden is a future All-NBA defensive anchor with the offensive potential to develop into a 20-10-5 guy. |
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| 2. Seattle | Kevin Durant, F, Texas |
| A pre-draft deal might be in the offing should the right offer for Ray Allen arrive, but the Sonics surely won't move this pick and miss out on the best offensive player in the lot. Durant is an all-around difference-maker and, if he learns that defense counts, too, he's a cinch as a franchise cornerstone, wherever the Sonics might end up. |
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| 3. Atlanta | Al Horford, PF, Florida |
| Horford is the best player on the board at this point. Could the Hawks move down a spot or two without losing out on an elite player? That's the word, but the Hawks would be foolish to slide down unless they get a starting point guard with NBA experience in return. |
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| 4. Memphis | Mike Conley, PG, Ohio State |
| With Damon Stoudamire and Chucky Atkins, the Grizzlies are long overdue to make a move beyond the journeyman point men. The decision comes down to Conley, Yi Jianlian and Joakim Noah. |
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| 5. Boston | Corey Brewer, SF, Florida |
| Danny Ainge wants to force the action to land a veteran who can play wingman to Paul Pierce. Already the Timberwolves were tempted to trade Kevin Garnett to Beantown, but Garnett vetoed that deal. If Ainge can't find a match -- Phoenix and Shawn Marion was a rumor -- he'll keep the pick and go "safe" with Brewer over Yi Jianlian. |
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| 6. Milwaukee | Joakim Noah, PF, Florida |
| The Bucks could slot Noah alongside Charlie Villanueva and Andrew Bogut to form a respectable frontcourt. Or, they could decide the risk involved in drafting projects Yi Jianlian or Brandan Wright is worth the potential reward. Wright has been rumored to be in good favor in Milwaukee, but he's physically a year away from serious minutes at this level. |
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| 7. Minnesota | Spencer Hawes, C, Washington |
| Hawes can pass and he's a high-percentage scorer from point-blank range. He has athletic limitations but is not without upside. General manager Kevin McHale would prefer a veteran or a point guard, making a move down a handful of spots a real possibility. |
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| 8. Charlotte | Brandan Wright, F, North Carolina |
| What, MJ pass on a highly regarded Tar Heel? Wright needs a basket of biscuits and a Bowflex, but there's no denying his natural gifts. He has the smooth shooting mechanics to morph into a scary Nowitzki-like wing player, but needs to improve his handle. |
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| 9. Chicago (from N.Y.) | Al Thornton, SF, Florida State |
| The Bulls might part with the pick if it means luring a frontline starter to Chicago. They're amenable to making this choice for another team to facilitate a deal down the line, too. Thornton is highly skilled on both ends of the court and can fill it up, giving Chicago another perimeter weapon but failing to satisfy its greatest need: interior scorer. |
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| 10. Sacramento | Yi Jianlian, F/C, Guangdong, China |
| A new coach -- Reggie Theus -- brings a new philosophy. It doesn't change the needs of the Kings. Mike Bibby can opt out of his contract and who knows what Ron Artest's future holds. Jianlian, described as a workout wonder by some, gives the Kings a draw at the gate while rebuilding begins. |
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| 11. Atlanta (from Indiana) | Jeff Green, F, Georgetown |
| No, Green doesn't fit the jumping-jack type of player the Hawks tend to collect, but he's a versatile "three" and owns the characteristics of the proverbial glue player who can bond the locker room and make all of the pieces fit together on the court. |
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| 12. Philadelphia | Julian Wright, F, Kansas |
| An explosive leaper and energetic rebounder to pair with Andre Iguodala, Wright is too good to fall beyond the first dozen picks. The Sixers add him to a core that could be special in two seasons. |
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| 13. New Orleans | Thaddeus Young, SF, Georgia Tech |
| The closest thing to a bruising big man left on the board is Colorado State's Jason Smith. But the Hornets are in need of a wing athlete to replace Desmond Mason. Mixing Young, Peja Stojakovic and David West gives the Hornets scoring aplenty. |
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| 14. L.A. Clippers | Javaris Crittenton, G, Georgia Tech |
| Because of Shawn Livingston's knee injury, the Clippers have to find an insurance policy to pair with Sam Cassell, who is a candidate for a dramatic falloff and thus a possible trade piece because of his expiring contract. Crittenton has size and can score in the paint. |
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| 15. Detroit (from Orlando) | Nick Young, G, Southern California |
| The Pistons would be pressed to find a better fit for their system than Young. He's ready for backup minutes immediately and won't lag on defense. |
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| 16. Washington | Jason Smith, F, Colorado State |
| The center position remains a weak link for Washington, which isn't all that far away from juggernaut status on the scoring side with Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler. Adding a skilled 7-footer to the offense would open the court for the perimeter power play to expand. |
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| 17. New Jersey | Rodney Stuckey, G, Eastern Washington |
| The Nets need "bigs," but the uncertainty surrounding the future of Jason Kidd and Vince Carter, a free agent, prescribe shooting guard as a remedy to Rod Thorn's offseason of indigestion. The Nets can find size in the second round, but Stuckey's scoring and defense are first-round quality. |
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| 18. Golden State | Acie Law, G, Texas A&M |
| Baron Davis is hardly made of steel -- he played 63 regular-season games in 2006-07, the most since he played in 67 games in 2003-04 -- and could be effective with another ballhandler in the mix. Law, like Davis, is a scoring point guard who fits the Don Nelson system. Nelson wouldn't be afraid to pull the trigger on Brazilian forward Tiago Splitter if his Spanish contract snafu is resolved before draft day. |
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| 19. L.A. Lakers | Derrick Byars, F/G, Vanderbilt |
| The Lakers aren't easy to peg given the tumultuous offseason of in-house rip jobs and trade demands. A point guard makes the most sense with Kobe Bryant, but the quality at that position is diluted after Law. Byars fits in either scenario -- Keep Kobe or Dump Kobe -- because of his athleticism, experience, versatility and the expectation that he would be ready to play, if not start, right away. |
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| 20. Miami | Morris Almond, SG, Rice |
| Almond, a supreme scorer with terrific range, can move to the point if the Heat chose to move Dwyane Wade off the ball. Any number of international players are legitimate options here. |
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| 21. Philadelphia (from Denver) | Josh McRoberts, F, Duke |
| McRoberts can run and shoot for a 6-11 forward, but he's no board-beating goon. Some believe McRoberts could be used as a point forward at times, but he's more of a half-court passer than point man. |
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| 22. Charlotte (from Toronto) | Marco Belinelli, SG, Italy |
| Belinelli would need to adjust to being a role player. He's a streaky, perimeter-oriented guard who can get to the line and add another bullet to the expanding Charlotte arsenal. |
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| 23. New York (from Chicago) | Wilson Chandler, F, DePaul |
| Promises, promises. Draft promises are a reality and, apparently, Chandler got one from the Knicks. Chandler made some highlight-reel dunks for the Blue Demons last season but he needed another year at DePaul to refine his game. The Knicks have said this pick is a luxury and that they signed their first-round pick earlier this year when Kentucky's Randolph Morris came on board. |
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| 24. Phoenix (from Cleveland) | Rudy Fernandez, SG, Spain |
| Fernandez, a pure shooter with in-the-gym range, has been linked to Phoenix for months. One reason the Suns might lean toward Fernandez: he's not quite ready for the NBA, meaning his salary won't count against Phoenix this season. |
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| 25. Utah | Sean Williams, F, Boston College |
| The Jazz will be wary, as are most teams, of Williams' off-court issues. He was booted off the BC team, but not everyone believes Williams, who stands 6-feet-10 and has a knack for blocking shots, has gone astray. |
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| 26. Houston | Nick Fazekas, PF, Nevada |
| Fazekas can shoot the rock, but he won't win a foot race and there are similar concerns about his defense and strength when matched up against players with elite quickness or power at the forward spot. |
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| 27. Detroit | Daequan Cook, F/G Ohio State |
| Taking Cook is a luxury the Pistons can afford. Joe Dumars isn't likely to dip into the international pool for Tiago Splitter, a power forward who might soften the blow if the Pistons deal Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess leaves as a free agent. Cook's shooting ability, size and untapped potential give the Pistons a potential bomb squad of deep threats. |
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| 28. San Antonio | Tiago Splitter, F/C, Tau Vitoria, Spain |
| Rich get richer? The last four first-round picks executed by the Spurs came at this spot (28). Ian Mahinmi(2005), Beno Udrih (2004), Leandro Barbosa (2003) and Tony Parker (2001) isn't a bad haul for the bottom of the first round. The foreign path has been kind to San Antonio, and Splitter was once regarded by some teams as a lottery talent. |
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| 29. Phoenix | Arron Afflalo, G, UCLA |
| Afflalo had the ball in his hands a lot for the Bruins. He has a mid-range game and can run and defend, making it likely he plays right away in Phoenix. |
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| 30. Philadelphia (from Dallas) | Stephane Lasme, PF, UMass |
| A shot-blocker who broke records set by Marcus Camby for the Minutemen, Lasme gives everything he has and will find a niche as a defensive specialist. |
