Washington Wizards- John Wall- PG (Kentucky)
Wall doesn't find a perfect fit in Washington, but unless there's a trade at the top, he'll find himself in a Wizards uniform next fall.
Philadelphia 76ers- Evan Turner- SG (Ohio State)
There has been minimal discussion about the 76ers going a bigger direction with this pick, but the likelihood is that Turner is picked here, either by Philadelphia, or perhaps by the Timberwolves, who are reportedly very high on Turner.
New Jersey Nets- Derrick Favors- PF (Georgia Tech)
Favors is and always has been the best fit for New Jersey, so slipping back to number three can't be too devastating for the re-building Nets.
Minnesota Timberwolves- DeMarcus Cousins- C (Kentucky)
Wesley Johnson is the trendy pick at this spot, but I think David Khan will realize that Cousins has too much value to pass over. Even if he never plays a game for Minnesota, Cousins has to be the pick here.
Sacramento Kings- Al-Farouq Aminu- SF (Wake Forest)
Sacramento would love to land Cousins, but if not they'll take their pick between Aminu and Wesley Johnson. I think Aminu's versatility will be the deciding factor, because Johnson isn't a clear cut upgrade over Francisco Garcia or Donte Greene at this point.
Golden State Warriors- Greg Monroe- PF (Georgetown)
Golden State will likely undergo a culture shift when their new ownership group takes the reigns, so I expect Nelly ball to be a thing of the past. Monroe is a big man who can score on the block and get all of the Warriors' shooters involved.
Detroit Pistons- Cole Aldrich- C (Kansas)
I think the Pistons will end up with Monroe very high on their wish list, but they'll settle for Aldrich, who is perhaps the most NBA-ready big man in this draft.
Los Angeles Clippers- Wesley Johnson- SF (Syracuse)
This is a no-brainer for the Clippers, which means they'll probably find some way to screw it up. With that said, Johnson should be the pick here because of his athleticism and ability to stretch the floor.
Utah Jazz (from New York)- Ed Davis- PF (North Carolina)
Utah badly needs to address their lack of depth up front, even if Carlos Boozer re-signs this summer. Davis has a lot of potential, but he isn't quite as big of a risk as Hassan Whiteside.
Indiana Pacers- Ekpe Udoh- PF (Baylor)
If Indiana finds themselves in position to either draft a power forward (for the second straight time in the lottery) or reach for a player of need, Udoh would make sense. His value is still high at this spot, and his skill set is very different than the players the Pacers already have on their roster (Troy Murhpy and Tyler Hansbrough, specifically).
New Orleans Hornets- Hassan Whiteside- C (Marshall)
Like Utah, the Hornets could use some frontcourt depth at any cost. Whiteside has as much upside as anyone in this draft, but his maturity is a serious concern. Playing behind a seasoned shot blocker like Emeka Okafor would be about the best fit imaginable.
Memphis Grizzlies- Luke Babbit- SF (Nevada)
Memphis is reportedly very high on Babbit, who can shoot and rebound, but lacks a natural position. Some scouts feel that his intensity and hustle will make up for his physical shortcomings, but others think he could be the next Joe Alexander.
Toronto Raptors- Avery Bradley- SG (Texas)
Bradley's stock is already on the rise, but I expect it to really explode once we enter the one-on-one workouts. Bradley is a stifling defender who should give most of the point and combo guards in this class a very tough time.
Houston Rockets- Paul George- SF (Fresno State)
Darryl Morey is one of the most savvy GMs around, so I expect him to make a great pick at the 14th spot. George has undeniable scoring ability and his athleticism is certainly NBA-caliber.
Milwaukee Bucks (from Chicago)- Patrick Patterson- PF (Kentucky)
Milwaukee would be very pleased at this spot. They have their choice between two second tier power forwards (Patterson and Donatas Motiejunas) and two second tier shooting guards (Xavier Henry and James Anderson), which are their two biggest need positions. In the end, they choose Patterson, who has too much value to bypass at #15.
Minnesota Timberwolves (from Charlotte)- Xavier Henry- SG (Kansas)
After selecting Cousins at #4, Minnesota still has some serious needs on the perimeter. Lucky for them, Henry and James Anderson are still both on the board here. Anderson is the more polished, but Henry has the most upside, which appeals to the re-building Timberwolves.
Chicago Bulls (from Milwaukee)- James Anderson- SG (Oklahoma State)
I've been saying it for months- this is too perfect of a fit for it not to happen.
Miami Heat- Eric Bledsoe- PG (Kentucky)
Miami lost confidence in Mario Chalmers in his sophomore season, and although Miami has plenty of cap space to work with, the pickings at point guard are very slim. They would be smart to add a point through the draft and focus their energy elsewhere during free agency.
Boston Celtics- Damion James- SF (Texas)
Boston needs to address their lack of scoring off their bench. James is a versatile player, who can score and rebound from either forward spot.
San Antonio Spurs- Gordon Hayward- SF (Butler)
I've been on this one pretty regularly as well. Hayward's high basketball IQ and winner's mentality make him a perfect fit with Los Spurs.
Oklahoma City Thunder- Daniel Orton- C (Kentucky)
Orton is a very polarizing prospect, but I really can't seem him landing in the lottery. Aside from that, Milwaukee and Boston are possibilities, but slipping to the Thunder seems more likely.
Portland Trail Blazers- Donatas Motiejunas- PF (Lithuania)
Portland gets a top 10 talent all the way down at number 22, and Kevin Pritchard and company get another highly touted foreign prospect to boot.
Minnesota Timberwolves (from Utah)- Kevin Seraphin- PF (France)
Drafting Cousins likely means that Al Jefferson is on his way out of Minnesota, so drafting a power forward makes some sense. However, with five picks in this draft, selecting a foreign prospect makes even more.
Atlanta Hawks- Gani Lawal- PF (Georgia Tech)
This is another pick that I fell in love with months ago. Lawal is a local product and would give the Hawks bench an infusion of youth and toughness, which they badly need.
Memphis Grizzlies (from Denver)- Willie Warren- PG (Oklahoma)
After a bit of a reach for Babbit, the Grizzlies to it again with Warren. He was a projected lottery pick, with some (myself included) projecting him in the top five early in the season, but his play didn't justify those projections. Selecting Warren at this point in the draft would be a calculated risk and a leap of faith, but he is very talented.
Oklahoma City Thunder (from Phoenix)- Larry Sanders- C (Virginia Commonwealth)
Oklahoma City will probably look to target a point guard at some point in this draft, and going center-center doesn't make the most sense (Unless you're David Khan. Zing!), but Sanders's value is too much to pass up at #26.
New Jersey Nets (from Dallas)- Elliot Williams- SG (Memphis)
With Favors added to the roster, the Nets should have their long-term frontcourt all but figured out. Jordan Crawford is the best shooting guard option, but Williams and Dominique Jones are better suited for a combo-guard role, which the Nets could use behind Devin Harris and Courtney Lee.
Memphis Grizzlies (from LA Lakers)- Craig Brackins- PF (Iowa State)
Memphis will probably move on of these picks, but if not, Brackins would be a nice fit because of his ability to stretch the floor from the four spot.
Orlando Magic- Jordan Crawford- SG (Xavier)
This is basically a dream scenario for the Magic, who get a very talented player who could eventually be a replacement for the recently over-the-hill Vince Carter.
Washington Wizards (from Cleveland)- Solomon Alabi- C (Florida State)
Alabi isn't the most skilled big man, but size sells in the NBA draft, and at 7'1", Alabi has plenty of it.
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