|
|
Jazzhoops Final Mock Draft. June 26,
2008.
With all the trades being made, I’m almost
tempted to toss the towel in and admit I
haven’t the faintest clue where anyone is
going. Quitting is not an option, however.
Here we go.
1. Chicago Bulls…….Derrick Rose PG…..$$$$......
6’4” 180. While Michael Beasley is likely
the best college freshman to come out in
years, perhaps even better than Kevin
Durrant of the Seattle Supersonics, the
Bulls are looking for a point, and here he
is. Rose is extremely explosive and will be
a fine point guard in the NBA. The only
caveat here is that to rise shoulder to
shoulder with Chris Paul and Deron Williams
of the Jazz, Rose needs to work on his jump
shot. Right now, he’s more akin to Mike
Conley of the Grizz than CP3.
2. Miami Heat ……Michael
Beasley….$$$$..... PF 6’9”, 235.
Guaranteed superstar in the NBA. Perhaps a
better talent than Kevin Durrant, which is
really saying something. Can do everything
on the basketball court, and do it supremely
well. Dynamite scorer, shooter, sometimes
takes naps on the defensive end. Surefire,
solid, look for Michael to be one of the
best in the league for a very long time. Pat
Riley is posturing and playing around with
taking other players, namely OJ Mayo. Forget
it, he’s trolling for suckers in a trade. It
would have to be a dandy for the Heat not to
take Beasley. Rookie of the Year, on the
All-Star team, and might become one of the
great superstars in the NBA. A very special
player.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves… OJ
Mayo….$$$$...... Combo Guard 6’5” 190.
Too good to pass up despite rumors. A
franchise player in the making? I think he
is. If Pat Riley can’t stir up a trade,
Minnesota is making a big mistake in not
drafting this kid. Great shooter, can play
some point, knows how to play the game.
Might battle Beasley for ROY.
4. Seattle Supersonics……Jerryd Bayless…..$$$....PG
6’3” 185. Tremendous athlete with point
guard skills. Perfect compliment to Kevin
Durrant and Jeff Green. Seattle is building
quite the nucleus. Rumor is suggesting that
Lopez will go here. I really like this
Bayless kid, and think Seattle couldn’t do
better than draft him here.
5. Memphis Grizzlies…. Kevin Love…$$$....PF
6’9” 250. Love has a flair for doing the
things that make a coach’s heart warm and
fuzzy….Like rebound, compete like crazy,
make the outlet pass a weapon instead of a
liability… He’s a fun player to watch, and
despite the naysayers will probably have a
fine NBA career despite his lack of height
and explosiveness. I hope Mr. Owner let’s
the GM do his job, and keep his nose out of
it.
6. New York Knicks…..Danilo Gallinari……$$$....SF
6’10” 220. I had Danilo here right after the
D’Antoni hiring, and should have kept him
here. Look for New York to pick up a point
somewhere else. Gallinari is a point forward
with brilliant creating and passing skills.
7. Los Angeles Clippers…Russell
Westbrook….$$$.... PG 6’4” 185. Similar
player to Bayless. Explosive, has point
guard skills. Clippers would love to have
Russell or a point guard out of this draft.
I would draft Eric Gordon in a heartbeat
here, but I’m not a GM. Thirty teams are
very glad I’m not.
8. Milwaukee Bucks……Joe Alexander……$$$$...SF
6’8” 230. Love this kid. Listen, it won’t be
easy for him to transition to SF in the NBA,
he’s been playing more of a post up role for
his college team, but if anyone in
basketball can do it, Joe can. He’s an
incredible physical specimen with supreme
tools, and an unmatched work ethic. I’ll
probably slit my wrists if the Jazz don’t
somehow figure out a way to get him, so look
for the medics at the ESA after another team
drafts him. That will be me.
9. Charlotte Bobcats……Eric Gordon……$$$....
SG 6’3” 230. Powerful slightly undersized
SG, who can and will take games over. MJ
will like that. Had a slight slump towards
the end of his college season, but new
surroundings should cure that, as his
shooting form is excellent. Quick, powerful,
very strong with all the tools a scorer
needs. He shouldn’t drop this far, but teams
might draft for need and pass the best
shooting guard prospect in the draft up. I
like this kid. A lot.
10. New Jersey Nets……..Brook Lopez….$$$...C
7’0” 260. Best center in the draft, perhaps
not a franchise player, but a solid
offensive player who will shore up the Net’s
front line.
11. Indiana Pacers….Anthony Randolph…$$...SF-PF
6’11” 210. Top five talent, a boom or bust
player. Has the speed and skills to be a SF,
isn’t big enough to bang right now. Still,
the kid has unreal potential, and Indiana
isn’t competing for the championship just
yet. Anthony has time to develop.
12. Sacramento Kings......D J Augustin…$$
PG 5’11” 180. I had DJ going to the Pacers
forever, but with the Pacers aquiring TJ
Ford, now is the chance for Sactoe to snap
up a point.
13. Portland Blazers….Donte Green….$$.....SF
6’10” 225. Say what? Look at the Blazers,
study their roster a bit. If they could get
one of the top points, they’d snap him up in
a heartbeat, despite having half the PG’s in
the Western Conference on their team.
Likely, that guy won’t be there. With Oden
and Pryz at C, Aldridge at PF, Roy at PG and
Fernandez at SG…….What’s left? I’m not sure
that Outlaw or Webster is the answer at SF,
and Green has special talents.
14. Golden State…..Darrell
Aurthur…..$$.... PF 6’9” 230. Warriors
need size and rebounding, here is the answer
with this smooth shooting big man. Remaining
big men don’t look like a fit with the up
and down Warriors.
15. Phoenix Suns…Brandon Rush…$$$....SF
6’7” 215. Proto swingman with all the skills
to be an excellent NBA talent. Smooth, great
shooter with lock down defensive potential.
Must learn how to be the guy. Sometimes too
satisfied with being a role player.
16. Philadelphia Sixers….Marresse
Speights…..$$$.... PF 6’10” 255. Very
long big man with immense physical talent,
Speights can play C as well as PF. Dalembert
and Speights form formidable front line.
17. Indiana Pacers….. Kosta Koufos…$$.....C
7’1” 260. A bit of a project, but the who
isn’t for a big man this far into the draft.
Great shooter, great size and skills for a
huge center.
18. Washington Wizards…..Jason
Thompson…..$$.... PF-C 6’10” 250.
Versatile big man who played for small
school. Averaged 20-10, very quick and
agile.
19. Cleveland Cavaliers…DeAndre Jordan….$$...C
7’0” 260. He could be a bust or he could be
all league in five years. David Thorpe had
the best line about him, he looks like
Dwight Howard and plays like Dwight Howard’s
sister. Heck, Dwight Howard’s sister could
probably kick his butt.
20. Charlotte Hornets…Roy Hibbert…$$$.....C
7’2” 280. Rumor has it that Charlotte moved
here specifically to get Hibbert. I really
like Roy, think he’ll be a solid if
unspectacular center in the NBA for a long,
long time.
21. New Jersey Nets… Robin Lopez….$$.....C
7’0” 255. More defensive oriented than his
twin, Robin is a force in the middle, who
needs to improve his rebounding to be a
solid NBA center.
22. Orlando Magic…..Courtney Lee….$$...SG
6’5” 200. Just a great basketball player and
an excellent scorer. Extremely
professional,, shoots the lights out, finds
a way to score. If the Magic don’t pick him
here, it’s because he’s gone.
23. Utah Jazz……Alexis Anjinca…$$$....C
7’1” 240. Extremely long and talented French
bigman, who seems to be a workout warrior.
Jazz really want a big man, would prefer
Hibbert, might have to settle for Alexis.
Nicolas Batum is a possibility here.
24. Seattle SuperSonics…. Nicolas Batum…$$$....SF
6’8” 220. Another French player, kid has
incredible talent and is extremely long.
Rumored heart problems have hurt his draft
stock.
25. Houston Rockets…….Chris
Douglas-Roberts..$$..SG 6’7” 200.
Memphis shooting guard with unique game is
simply a scorer, regardless of what it
takes. Houston needs some help at the SG
position. Bingo.
26. San Antonio Spurs....Ryan Anderson….$$..PF
6’10” 240. Limited athlete with wonderful
scoring skills, good rebounder. In a system
like the Spurs use, he could be valuable.
27. Portland Trailblazers….JaVale McGee...$$...C
7'0" 240. Great athlete, does he like to
play basketball? If so, he's worth a try.
Portland can afford to gamble.
28. Memphis Grizzlies…Nathan
Jawai…..$$...... C 6’10” 270. Big Aussie
can really play, has a surprisingly good
face up game with a nice mid-range shot. I
like this kid. Memphis is either a laughing
stock or the reason fights are started in
the NBA. Look directly at their owner for
the reason.. If Mr. Heisley let’s Chris
Wallace do his job, he’s a good GM who could
turn this around. I can’t see this happening
unless the franchise is sold, or moved to
Seattle. It’s a shame.
29. Detroit Pistons….DeVon Hardin….$$....
C 6’11” 250. Hardin will be a much better
pro than a college player. Pistons promised
him at 27 last year, Hardin loses money but
gains a year of education. I hope it was
worth a cool mil or so. I like Hardin, think
he’ll be a steal at the next to last pick,
much less below 20.
30. Boston Celtics…..Kyle Weaver….$$$....PG-SG
6’6” 210. Lanky point guard with tremendous
defensive skills, should be getting more pub
and will be a solid NBA player.
This is the last rendition of the 2008
draft, trades have made every mock an
exercise in futility. Should be very
interesting.
I’m throwing in a rating for each player,
where I think his eventual status as an NBA
player will be.
$$$$- Money player, likely to be an All-Star
or All NBA.
$$$- Solid Role Player
$$- Bench Hero
$- Five teams in four years.
I think this is a very deep draft, and most,
if not all of these players will buck the
odds and become at least contributors on an
NBA franchise. This is also one of the most
interesting drafts in years as well. One
thing to consider is the sheer depth of the
center position in this draft. Most years
there are only three to four centers taken
in the first round. If a couple of the PF’s
who can play center are considered, there
are 11 centers in this round by my
guesstimate. If teams get center hungry,
some of the more talented wings might start
falling, like Nicolas Batum.
|
|
