1. Clippers- Blake Griffin

 

Reason- Obvious

 

2. Grizzles- Hasheem Thabeet

 

Reason- Obviously they are still mourning the loss of Pau Gasol from the team. Rubio is a choice here, but international players are always a big risk, so the great defensive player in

Thabeet goes #2. Majority of mocks have James Harden here.

 

3. Thunder- Ricky Rubio

Reason- If given this opportunity, I see the Thunder trying to trade out. They already have Westbrook at the SG position, Durant at SF, and Green at PF, all they need to finish out the starting lineup are a star PG and Center. With Thabeet already off the board, they go with the risky pick in Rubio.

 

4. Kings- Tyreke Evans

Reason- The Kings without a doubt need a PG. Evans has the ability to play the point. Throughout the season he improved his perimeter game, but still has a serious issue when it comes to his jump shot. Any team that drafts him needs to know that he is a project.

 

5. Wizards- James Harden

Reason- Harden has been projected going as high as #2, so for him to fall here should make Wizards fans happy. Averaging 20 ppg with nearly 2 steals a game at Arizona, he should come into the NBA and score at least 18 ppg.

 

6. T-Wolves- Jonny Flynn

Reason- It's no surprise that the T-Wolves need a PG. With Evans already off the board, Flynn is the obvious choice at this position. He was the true leader at Syracuse, with him averaging 17 ppg and nearly 7 assists per game, he should come in and have an immediate impact.

 

7. Warriors- Stephen Curry

Reason- At this spot in the draft, the Warriors are going to draft the best guard at this spot to work with Monte Ellis. Curry is the best player available at this spot, averaging nearly 29 ppg and improving his passing game this past season, he should have little trouble working the point, although it is still a work in progress and Warriors fans should expect a rough season from Curry.

 

8. Knicks- Jordan Hill

Reason- Stephen Curry is already off the board. The Knicks have a lot of issues, and they have wanted Curry for the last two years, I fully expect them to try and trade up to get him. If he is gone by the time they pick, Jordan Hill is the best player available, averaging 18 ppg at Arizona and getting a good 11 rpg. His hook shot and his mid range shot have improved throughout his time at Arizona, and should be a decent player at the NBA level.

 

9. Raptors- Brandon Jennings

Reason- Anthony Parker is going to be a free agent, and we know the Raptors aren't afraid to draft international players. Jennings has a good frame, 6'1, 170 lbs. He wasn't great in the Italian League, only shooting 35% from the field, but he had good command of the court and rarely turns the ball over while averaging 1.2 steals per game. Should take over as starting PG for the Raptors

 

10. Bucks- Jru Holliday

Reason- More than anything, the Bucks need to get an insurance player at the PG spot. Holliday didn't see the court much at UCLA, getting a decent 27 minutes a game, getting some decent numbers. His ability to block separates him from the rest of the PG's, averaging 0.5 blocks a game.

 

11. New Jersey Nets- Terrence Williams

Reason- they have a definite need at the PF position, and Williams is arguably the best defensive player in this draft. Averaging 2.3 steals a game as a PF is crazy, add to that the 12.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg and 5 assists a game and he is easily the most complete player in this draft.

 

12. Bobcats- Demar Derozan

Reason- The Bobcats current starting SG is Raja Bell. Enough said. Derozan didn't exactly live up to expectations, as he was expected to be a top 3 pick this year going to USC. He worked this year to improve his defensive game, and he improved each and every game this year. His offensive game is already there, averaging 14 ppg on 52.3% shooting. The big thing about Derozan is his upside, he has a great basketball IQ and has a great work ethic, give him the right coaches and he has massive potential.

 

13. Pacers- Eric Maynor

Reason- Pacers are hoping for Jennings at this spot, but settle for Maynor. Maynor was a great scorer at Virginia Commonwealth, averaging 22.4 ppg while giving out 6.2 assist a game. Maynor runs the pick and roll extremely well, and has a great vision on the court, rarely turning the ball over. His major issue is he tends to fade in big games, aka he chokes when their is true pressure. That is something that a coach can not truely teach, which makes this pick even more risky.

 

14. Suns- Earl Clark

Reason- Earl Clark is extremely fast for his size. His athleticism makes him a great pick here. At Louisville, he had 14.2 ppg and 8.7 rpg with a very good 1.4 blcoks a game as a Junior at Louisville. He still needs to work on his post up ability, but his ability to change directions in a flash, as well as his ability to play both SF and PF makes him a great commodity for any team, and with the Suns already having lost Barbosa and soon to lose Amar'e to free agency, they need a guy like Clark.

 

15. Pistons- B.J Mullens

Reason- This pick is a true mystery. They already have Rip and Stucky at the guard spots for now, and Price at the SF spot. What they need is an inside presence with Rasheed leaving for Free agency and McDyess gone. B.J Mullens stats are not going to light you up in any way, only 8.8 ppg, with 4.7 rpg and 1.1 bpg, but his 7 foot size and 260 lb frame makes his potential extremely high. Mullens shot 59.7% from the field, which is extremely high when facing Big 10 teams. He will have to add on some muscle, but he has a chance to be a good inside scorer, rebounds may never be as high as you would like.

 

16. Bulls- James Johnson

Reason- Easy pick here. James Johnson may not have had a huge year at Wake Forest, but he was a very good all around player with high expectations. He had very good numbers across the board, averaging 15 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg and 1.4 spg. Johnson was ok letting Teague taking most of the shots at Wake, but when he was needed he stepped up, especially during the NC State game. The Bulls don't have any real need other than a center, but with Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah still not having proved themselves, they may need to pick Johnson to build some competition within the team.

 

17. 76ers- Ty Lawson

Reason- If you watched the NCAA Tournament, you would know. He was a great ball handler for UNC during their title run. His three point shooting ability at 47% at UNC last year, add to that his average of 80% free throw shooting, and you would think why isn't he a lottery pick. Well, he has major durability issues, constantly injured at UNC, add to that he has a small frame and teams are going to shy away from him. The 76ers have Miller possibly leaving for free agency, and with no real 3 point threat, Lawson makes sense at this pick.

 

18. T-Wolves- Austin Daye

Reason- With this being their second pick in the draft, and already haven taken Jonny Flynn, they are going to focus on drafting a forward. Daye has good atheleticism. He definitely needs to bulk up, 190 lbs in the NBA will not cut it. His biggest plus is his blocking ability, averaging over 2 a game at Gonazaga. He even had a good 3 point shot, averaging 42% from the 3 point line, he seems to be best fit to play SF at the NBA. Don't be surprised to see this pick traded away to a team wanting to trade up.

 

19. Hawks- Dejuan Blair

Reason- At this spot, I see the Hawks debating whether they take Hansborough or Blair. Obviously they can do better than Williams at PF. I see Blair getting the nod simply because he is a much stronger and truer PF who plays like a center. At Pitt, Blair had nearly 16 ppg, with 12.3 rpg and 1 bpg and 1.5 rpg. Like many other PF in this draft, Blair is slightly undersized for the PF spot, but his 250 pound frame and toughness makes up for it. He will need to work on making the 15 foot jumper to succeed in the NBA, the same issue Big Baby had before this season.

 

20. Jazz- Tyler Hansborough

Reason- All rumors indicate they want Hansborough. Carlos Boozer is leaving this offseason, and they are going to have a void at the PF position. Hansborough may not be a prototypical PF, but he averaged 20.7 points a game at UNC, while he showed a good ability to fight for rebounds averaging around 8 rebounds a game. Hansborough may never be seen as a starter in the NBA, but if he can make the mid range jumper and continue being a good free throw shooter as he was in college, he could be an above average 6th man in the NBA.

 

21. Hornets- Jeff Teague

Reason- Currently the Hornets biggest issue is depth. PF is an option with Chandler's future still a mystery, but with still no real SG to work with Paul in the backcourt,and with the majority of PF's taken just earlier, Teague makes sense. Teague averaged 19 ppg, with low number of assists, but averages about 2 steals a game. He played point guard a lot at Wake Forest, but if he goes to New Orleans he can go to his natural position of SG, and take the mid range jumper he feels comfortable taking, and show if he can adjust to the NBA's three point line, where in college he shot 44.1% from 3's.

 

22. Mavericks- Darren Collison

Reason- Spent four years as the leader at UCLA. He is extremely quick, and his defense was his specialty, averaging 1.6 spg. He is one of the best free throw shooters you will find in this draft, and although he isn't projected to be a starter at the NBA level, the Mavericks have time to work with Collison with Kidd currently at the helm and still having a good 2-3 years left in him.

 

23. Kings- Sam Young

Reason- All reports lean to the Kings taking Young with this pick. Young was a premier scorer at Pitt, averaging 19.2 ppg last year with 6.3 rpg and about 1 steal and .8 blocks a game. He has a good ability to get past defenders and make his way to the basket. He was a very good defender at times, but he has been known to slack at times, and his outside shot is still a work in progress. Overall he could be a good player off the bench next season.

 

24. Blazers- Gerald Henderson

Reason- Henderson is projected to go anywhere from the the mid 1st to the early 2nd. With the Blazers having a true need at the PG position, Henderson is a good pick here. He averaged 16.5 ppg at Duke with 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals a game. He is a very good defender, and has nearly an automatic 20 foot jumper from right in the middle of the court. His biggest issue is he is inconsistant with the majority of his shots, very streaky, and tends to turn the ball over when its late in games.

 

25. Thunder- Chase Buddinger

Reason- With them already taking Rubio, getting a player who can possibly come in and give the Thunder the possibility to move Durant to the PF position is their next goal. Buddinger is an athletic SG/SF, having a successful career at Arizona, averaging 18 ppg and 6.2 rpg. He played good defense against some of college basketball's toughest offenses, and could be a good 6th man for the very young Thunder team.

 

26. Bulls- Marcus Thornton

Reason- Having already added Johnson at PF, the Bulls can grab the best available player on the board. Thornton at LSU averaged 21.1 ppg with 1.6 spg. His stats are impressive, but many scouts don't believe his game will be able to transition to the NBA game. He has a good frame, 6-4 205 lbs, but needs to improve his 3 point shooting if he wants to succeed in the NBA.

 

27. Grizzlies- Omri Casspi

Reason- There really isn't much info on Casspi. Played in Israel last year, shot over 50% from the field, and his 6-8, 225 pound frame will allow him to build an inside game. He has very good athleticism, which he uses to his advantage along with his size to get past defenders. He will need to bulk up and gain a good 20 pounds of muscle to get playing time next year.

 

28. T-Wolves- Wayne Ellington

Reason- Third pick in the draft, they are going to have to trade one of them. But if they keep them, they will take the best possible player, and I believe Ellington is at this pick. Ellington averaged 15.8 ppg and 1 steal at UNC. At 6-5, he has good size at the SG position, but he will need to improve upon his 41.7% 3 point shooting and continue his good mid range shooting from college in order to get a good amount of playing time next year.

 

29. Lakers- Patrick Mills

Reason- Defending NBA Champions, their really isn't any position they need if they decide to keep Odom and Ariza. Mills almost single handedly brought Saint Mary's to the tourney, averaging 18.4 ppg 2.2 spg. When healthy, Saint Mary's only lost 3 games with Mills in the rotation. Without him they lost 5 games, and they fell out of the tourney. In the NBA he will need to improve his passing ability and 3 point shooting in order to warrant any playing time on the Lakers.

 

30. Cavs- Taj Gibson

Reason- He won't be a big scorer in the NBA, but at USC Taj Gibson averaged 9 rpg and an amazing 2.9 blocks a game. He will come into games as a defensive specialist for the Cavs, and may help a little in losing Ben Wallace, who was the Cavs main blocker other than Lebron James.

 

 

Second Round will be posted tomorrow for all you Heat fans

i think the kings might go with flynn. during a point guard workout for the kings he outplayed jennings and holiday. although i think evans is the safte pick and will be able to produce immediately. i agree with the sam young pick. he reminds me of thaddeus young, a versatile forward that can play small and big.

Due to a mistake I made with the Raptors pick and not realizing that Parker was a SG, here are my revisions.

 

Raptors- Demar DeRozan

Bucks- Jru Holliday

Nets- Terrence Williams

Bobcats- Gerald Henderson

Pacers- Brandon Jennings

... rest same

Mavericks- Eric Maynor

Blazers- Darren Collison

 

the reasons are the same, team needs and the players ability.