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Monday, June 20, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
2011 Top 50
Derrick Williams- SF (Arizona)
Kyrie Williams- PG (Duke)
Enes Kanter- C (Turkey)
Brandon Knight- PG (Kentucky)
Kemba Walker- PG (Connecticut)
Tristan Thompson- PF (Texas)
Jan Vesely- SF (Czech Republic)
Kawhi Leonard- SF (San Diego State)
Jonas Valanciunas- C (Lithuania)
Chris Singleton- SF (Florida State)
Jordan Hamilton- SG/SF (Texas)
Donatas Motiejunas- PF (Lithuania)
Jimmer Fredette- G (BYU)
Marcus Morris- PF (Kansas)
Alec Burks- SG (Colorado)
Bismack Biyombo- C (Congo)
Kenneth Faried- PF (Morehead State)
Markieff Morris- PF (Kansas)
Marshon Brooks- SG (Providence)
Darius Morris- PG (Michigan)
Nikola Vucevic- C (USC)
Klay Thompson- SG (Washington State)
Tobias Harris- SF (Tennessee)
Justin Harper- F (Richmond)
Davis Bertans- SF (Latvia)
Josh Selby- G (Kansas)
Tyler Honeycutt- G/F (UCLA)
Nikola Mirotic- SF (Serbia)
Iman Shumpert- PG (Georgia Tech)
Reggie Jackson- PG (Boston College)
Charles Jenkins- G (Hofstra)
Norris Cole- PG (Cleveland State)
JaJuan Johnson- PF (Purdue)
Jereme Richmond- SF (Illinois)
Nolan Smith- PG (Duke)
Trey Thompkins- PF (Georgia)
Shelvin Mack- PG (Butler)
Jon Leuer- PF (Wisconsin)
Travis Leslie- SG (Georgia)
Kyle Singler- SF (Duke)
Jeremy Tyler- C (USA)
Chandler Parsons- SF (Florida)
Malcolm Lee- G (UCLA)
Jordan Williams- C (Maryland)
Jimmy Butler- SF (Marquette)
Keith Benson- C (Oakland)
Demetri McCamey- PG (Illinois)
David Lighty- SG (Ohio State)
DeAndre Liggins- G/F (Kentucky)
Corey Joseph- PG (Texas)
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
2011 NBA Mock Draft v14
1) Cleveland Cavaliers (from LAC)- Kyrie Irving- PG (Duke)
Irving has a limited sample size, but appears to have the skills to be an above average point guard in a point guard-heavy league. I'm sure the Cavs like D Will also, but he might be too similar to J.J. Hickson.
2) Minnesota Timberwolves (for now)- Derrick Williams- F (Arizona)
Regardless of the Ricky Rubio situation, plan A for the T-Wolves is leveraging this pick into a veteran player who can contribute, especially on the defensive end. If they could manage to get Anderson Varejao and the #4 pick for the #2, they would be elated. Plan B is probably drafting Enes Kanter, but it seems more likely that someone picks Williams here.
3) Utah Jazz (from NJN)- Brandon Knight- PG (Kentucky)
Popular opinion has swung to the Jazz taking Enes Kanter here, but with a logjam in the frontcourt (Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors, Mehmet Okur), point guard is a much more immediate need, even with Devin Harris already on the roster.
4) Cleveland Cavaliers (for now)- Jan Vesely- SF (Czech Republic)
Kanter provides much better value, but Vesely is a better fit in Cleveland, and if the Cavs make the trade discussed above sending Varejao to Minnesota, Vesely becomes a better fit in Minnesota too.
5) Toronto Raptors- Enes Kanter- F/C (Turkey)
This is an absolute coup for the Raptors. Kanter is a great fit alongside a finesse big man like Andrea Bargnani, and he'll fit in well with Toronto's international-friendly cast of characters.
6) Washington Wizards- Tristan Thompson- PF (Texas)
The Wizards are reportedly very high on Thompson- a high upside big man who played consistently productive minutes in his only season in Austin. This pick would actually serve two purposes- adding a quality young talent and (hopefully) lighting a fire under Andray Blatche, who has wasted his talent in D.C. for too long.
7) Sacramento Kings- Kemba Walker- PG (Connecticut)
I hate the fit of Walker in Sacramento, but the Kings need a point guard, and they've shown that their draft strategy is to swing for the fences. Walker and Bismack Biyombo are the two highest upside picks on the board, and Sacramento has already invested in an ultra-long, athletic center in Hassan Whiteside.
8) Detroit Pistons- Alec Burks- SG (Colorado)
The writing is on the wall for Richard Hamilton, and the selection of Burks should highlight and underline it. The best shooter and pure scorer in the draft, Burks isn't a great value at this spot, but he's worth a bit of a risk at this point in a below average draft.
9) Charlotte Bobcats- Kawhi Leonard- SF (San Diego State)
Leonard is an athletic slasher in the Crash Wallace mold, so his services should fit in nicely in Charlotte. For some reason, I see the B-Cats making a pre-draft move, so this pick could change over the next couple of weeks, but Leonard provides a nice fit with the current group.
10) Milwaukee Bucks- Donatas Motiejunas- PF (Lithuania)
Motiejunas is a bit of an enigma. He has the talent and physical skills of a top 5 pick, and he had a good season in Europe, but for some reason he's still considered a fringe lottery pick. He fits well in Milwaukee next to Andrew Bogut, a physical back-to-the-basket big man.
11) Golden State Warriors- Marcus Morris- F (Kansas)
Morris isn't the best fit, but at this point the Warriors might be forced to draft BPA. I'm sure they'll also consider Jordan Hamilton, who is a much better fit but not as good of a value.
12) Utah Jazz- Chris Singleton- SF (Florida State)
Singleton is the premier defensive player in this draft class. He should be able to produce early and eventually constitute a good stylistic replacement for Andrei Kirilenko.
13) Phoenix Suns- Jordan Hamilton- SG/SF (Texas)
Hamilton is at his best in transition, but can also create his own shot and defend multiple positions, making him a great fit in Phoenix. Some question whether he has lottery-level talent, but he's higher on my board than Alec Burks, and in a draft like this you've got to gamble to win big.
14) Houston Rockets- Jimmer Fredette- G (Brigham Young)
Kyle Lowry had a great year in '10-'11 and seems to have established a hold on the starting job in Houston, but Fredette would be a great addition (in the Jamal Crawford role) for a promising '11-'12 Rockets' team.
15) Indiana Pacers- Markieff Morris- F (Kansas)
The Pacers could be a team on the rise if they can find one more piece. Morris arguably supplanted his brother as the better prospect by the end of the season and his work ethic will fit in nicely under Larry Bird and Frank Vogel.
16) Philadelphia 76ers- Darius Morris- PG (Michigan)
Philadelphia has some options at point guard, but they don't really have a true lead guard. Morris is that player. He's not a proficient outside shooter (one of the 76ers primary needs), but his transition skills will fit well with Philly's young core.
17) New York Knicks- Kenneth Faried- PF (Morehead State)
New York needs a hard worker who can produce right away, and no one fits the bill better than Faried. He's the all-time NCAA leader in rebounding, which is highly regarded as one of the most transferable NBA skills, so this could be a great value for the Knicks.
18) Washington Wizards (from ATL)- Tyler Honeycutt- G/F (UCLA)
Honeycutt is one of the premier defensive players in this draft, and his versatility is a huge asset for the Wizards. His skills are a bit raw and he'll need some time to develop, but Honeycutt should find his niche at the next level.
19) Charlotte Bobcats (from NOH)- Klay Thompson- SG (Washington State)
Thompson is essentially a specialist at the next level. A fantastic scorer who does little else, Thompson may struggle to stay on the court at first. Lucky for him, the object of the game is to score baskets.
20) Minnesota Timberwolves (from UTA)- Bismack Biyombo- C (Congo)
Biyombo is in line for a slide, and it could go farther than this. Minnesota will also consider a more polished prospect like Justin Harper or an electric guard like Norris Cole as well, but David Kahn needs to hit a home run.
21) Portland Trail Blazers- Norris Cole- G (Cleveland State)
Cole is a hybrid guard who can absolutely light it up. He's lightning quick and very dangerous driving to the basket. In other words, he's the polar opposite of Andre Miller. Sounds good to me.
22) Denver Nuggets- Lucas Noguiera- C (Brazil)
Denver has had good success with their other Brazilian center (Nene) and they have one of the deepest rosters in the league, making them an ideal landing spot for Noguiera, a seven-foot project.
23) Houston Rockets (from ORL via PHO)- Justin Harper- F (Richmond)
Harper is a very skilled big man who could be able to transition to the three at the next level. He should be able to contend for minutes right away, even on a deep roster like he'll find in Houston.
24) Oklahoma City Thunder- Marshon Brooks- SG (Providence)
One of the most dangerous scorers in the NCAA this past season, Brooks will be a scary addition to a Thunder team that contended for a Western Conference title in '10-'11.
25) Boston Celtics- Reggie Jackson- PG (Boston College)
A bit of a homer pick, but Jackson has legit first round potential and he's a good value at this spot. He also constitutes a pretty good fit for a Celtics team that has a lot of holes in the second team.
26) Dallas Mavericks- Davis Bertans- SF (Latvia)
Dallas doesn't have a ton of immediate needs and Bertans is the highest upside player on the board, so he seems like a pretty good fit here.
27) New Jersey Nets (from LAL)- Josh Selby- G (Kansas)
New Jersey has some pieces in place, but a quality two guard will really put Deron Williams over the top. Selby may be a bit undersized, but he's a good shooter with a lot of potential who could fill that role down the line.
28) Chicago Bulls (from MIA via TOR)- Nikola Vucevic- C (Southern Cal)
The Bulls had good luck drafting another Southern Cal big man in the late 20's when they took Taj Gibson in 2009. Vucevic measured out as one of the biggest prospects in the class, which gives him a legitimate shot at being drafted in the first round.
29) San Antonio Spurs- Nikola Mirotic- F (Serbia)
Mirotic is one of the most talented international prospects in this class, but his contract situation is very much in question. The Spurs showed a willingness to wait on Tiago Splitter and for the potential payoff of Mirotic, they may be willing to do it again.
30) Chicago Bulls- Tobias Harris- F (Tennessee)
Luol Deng has been discussed in the trade market for years now, but the Bulls have held on to him because they had no back up option. Harris may give them the flexibility to pull the trigger on a major trade during the upcoming season.
Irving has a limited sample size, but appears to have the skills to be an above average point guard in a point guard-heavy league. I'm sure the Cavs like D Will also, but he might be too similar to J.J. Hickson.
2) Minnesota Timberwolves (for now)- Derrick Williams- F (Arizona)
Regardless of the Ricky Rubio situation, plan A for the T-Wolves is leveraging this pick into a veteran player who can contribute, especially on the defensive end. If they could manage to get Anderson Varejao and the #4 pick for the #2, they would be elated. Plan B is probably drafting Enes Kanter, but it seems more likely that someone picks Williams here.
3) Utah Jazz (from NJN)- Brandon Knight- PG (Kentucky)
Popular opinion has swung to the Jazz taking Enes Kanter here, but with a logjam in the frontcourt (Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors, Mehmet Okur), point guard is a much more immediate need, even with Devin Harris already on the roster.
4) Cleveland Cavaliers (for now)- Jan Vesely- SF (Czech Republic)
Kanter provides much better value, but Vesely is a better fit in Cleveland, and if the Cavs make the trade discussed above sending Varejao to Minnesota, Vesely becomes a better fit in Minnesota too.
5) Toronto Raptors- Enes Kanter- F/C (Turkey)
This is an absolute coup for the Raptors. Kanter is a great fit alongside a finesse big man like Andrea Bargnani, and he'll fit in well with Toronto's international-friendly cast of characters.
6) Washington Wizards- Tristan Thompson- PF (Texas)
The Wizards are reportedly very high on Thompson- a high upside big man who played consistently productive minutes in his only season in Austin. This pick would actually serve two purposes- adding a quality young talent and (hopefully) lighting a fire under Andray Blatche, who has wasted his talent in D.C. for too long.
7) Sacramento Kings- Kemba Walker- PG (Connecticut)
I hate the fit of Walker in Sacramento, but the Kings need a point guard, and they've shown that their draft strategy is to swing for the fences. Walker and Bismack Biyombo are the two highest upside picks on the board, and Sacramento has already invested in an ultra-long, athletic center in Hassan Whiteside.
8) Detroit Pistons- Alec Burks- SG (Colorado)
The writing is on the wall for Richard Hamilton, and the selection of Burks should highlight and underline it. The best shooter and pure scorer in the draft, Burks isn't a great value at this spot, but he's worth a bit of a risk at this point in a below average draft.
9) Charlotte Bobcats- Kawhi Leonard- SF (San Diego State)
Leonard is an athletic slasher in the Crash Wallace mold, so his services should fit in nicely in Charlotte. For some reason, I see the B-Cats making a pre-draft move, so this pick could change over the next couple of weeks, but Leonard provides a nice fit with the current group.
10) Milwaukee Bucks- Donatas Motiejunas- PF (Lithuania)
Motiejunas is a bit of an enigma. He has the talent and physical skills of a top 5 pick, and he had a good season in Europe, but for some reason he's still considered a fringe lottery pick. He fits well in Milwaukee next to Andrew Bogut, a physical back-to-the-basket big man.
11) Golden State Warriors- Marcus Morris- F (Kansas)
Morris isn't the best fit, but at this point the Warriors might be forced to draft BPA. I'm sure they'll also consider Jordan Hamilton, who is a much better fit but not as good of a value.
12) Utah Jazz- Chris Singleton- SF (Florida State)
Singleton is the premier defensive player in this draft class. He should be able to produce early and eventually constitute a good stylistic replacement for Andrei Kirilenko.
13) Phoenix Suns- Jordan Hamilton- SG/SF (Texas)
Hamilton is at his best in transition, but can also create his own shot and defend multiple positions, making him a great fit in Phoenix. Some question whether he has lottery-level talent, but he's higher on my board than Alec Burks, and in a draft like this you've got to gamble to win big.
14) Houston Rockets- Jimmer Fredette- G (Brigham Young)
Kyle Lowry had a great year in '10-'11 and seems to have established a hold on the starting job in Houston, but Fredette would be a great addition (in the Jamal Crawford role) for a promising '11-'12 Rockets' team.
15) Indiana Pacers- Markieff Morris- F (Kansas)
The Pacers could be a team on the rise if they can find one more piece. Morris arguably supplanted his brother as the better prospect by the end of the season and his work ethic will fit in nicely under Larry Bird and Frank Vogel.
16) Philadelphia 76ers- Darius Morris- PG (Michigan)
Philadelphia has some options at point guard, but they don't really have a true lead guard. Morris is that player. He's not a proficient outside shooter (one of the 76ers primary needs), but his transition skills will fit well with Philly's young core.
17) New York Knicks- Kenneth Faried- PF (Morehead State)
New York needs a hard worker who can produce right away, and no one fits the bill better than Faried. He's the all-time NCAA leader in rebounding, which is highly regarded as one of the most transferable NBA skills, so this could be a great value for the Knicks.
18) Washington Wizards (from ATL)- Tyler Honeycutt- G/F (UCLA)
Honeycutt is one of the premier defensive players in this draft, and his versatility is a huge asset for the Wizards. His skills are a bit raw and he'll need some time to develop, but Honeycutt should find his niche at the next level.
19) Charlotte Bobcats (from NOH)- Klay Thompson- SG (Washington State)
Thompson is essentially a specialist at the next level. A fantastic scorer who does little else, Thompson may struggle to stay on the court at first. Lucky for him, the object of the game is to score baskets.
20) Minnesota Timberwolves (from UTA)- Bismack Biyombo- C (Congo)
Biyombo is in line for a slide, and it could go farther than this. Minnesota will also consider a more polished prospect like Justin Harper or an electric guard like Norris Cole as well, but David Kahn needs to hit a home run.
21) Portland Trail Blazers- Norris Cole- G (Cleveland State)
Cole is a hybrid guard who can absolutely light it up. He's lightning quick and very dangerous driving to the basket. In other words, he's the polar opposite of Andre Miller. Sounds good to me.
22) Denver Nuggets- Lucas Noguiera- C (Brazil)
Denver has had good success with their other Brazilian center (Nene) and they have one of the deepest rosters in the league, making them an ideal landing spot for Noguiera, a seven-foot project.
23) Houston Rockets (from ORL via PHO)- Justin Harper- F (Richmond)
Harper is a very skilled big man who could be able to transition to the three at the next level. He should be able to contend for minutes right away, even on a deep roster like he'll find in Houston.
24) Oklahoma City Thunder- Marshon Brooks- SG (Providence)
One of the most dangerous scorers in the NCAA this past season, Brooks will be a scary addition to a Thunder team that contended for a Western Conference title in '10-'11.
25) Boston Celtics- Reggie Jackson- PG (Boston College)
A bit of a homer pick, but Jackson has legit first round potential and he's a good value at this spot. He also constitutes a pretty good fit for a Celtics team that has a lot of holes in the second team.
26) Dallas Mavericks- Davis Bertans- SF (Latvia)
Dallas doesn't have a ton of immediate needs and Bertans is the highest upside player on the board, so he seems like a pretty good fit here.
27) New Jersey Nets (from LAL)- Josh Selby- G (Kansas)
New Jersey has some pieces in place, but a quality two guard will really put Deron Williams over the top. Selby may be a bit undersized, but he's a good shooter with a lot of potential who could fill that role down the line.
28) Chicago Bulls (from MIA via TOR)- Nikola Vucevic- C (Southern Cal)
The Bulls had good luck drafting another Southern Cal big man in the late 20's when they took Taj Gibson in 2009. Vucevic measured out as one of the biggest prospects in the class, which gives him a legitimate shot at being drafted in the first round.
29) San Antonio Spurs- Nikola Mirotic- F (Serbia)
Mirotic is one of the most talented international prospects in this class, but his contract situation is very much in question. The Spurs showed a willingness to wait on Tiago Splitter and for the potential payoff of Mirotic, they may be willing to do it again.
30) Chicago Bulls- Tobias Harris- F (Tennessee)
Luol Deng has been discussed in the trade market for years now, but the Bulls have held on to him because they had no back up option. Harris may give them the flexibility to pull the trigger on a major trade during the upcoming season.
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