OK my long awaited (LOL) first mock draft of the year!!

tear it up...I can take it!

June 17

1. Clev- Joel Embiid - Back issue become no issue for Cleveland picking a franchise Center

TRADE: I see Milwaukee trading #2 to Orlando for #4 and #12 picks
2. Orl- Andrew Wiggins- Orlando pairs Wiggins with Oladipo to give themselves a young pair of athletic future stars.

3.Phil- Jabari Parker- Orlando swoops in to get Wiggins ahead of Philly, but the sixers get the more ready player here with Parker.

4. Mil- Dante Exum- Word is Milwaukee really wants Exum, the trade allow them to get their man AND a #12 pick to boot.

5. Utah- Noah Vonleh- Utah gets another player to mix and match with Favors and Katner inside.

6. Bos- Aaron Gordon- If Ainge decides to stay the course a future front line of Sullinger, Olynyk and Gordon could be very good.

7. LAL- Julius Randle- Touch choice between Smart and Randle here, but I see the Lakers going with the potential 20pt/10 reb player.

8. Sac- Marcus Smart- the Smart pick here allows the Kings to let Thomas walk if he gets too big an offer. But they can also keep him and have a young three guard rotation of McLemore, Thomas and Smart.

9. Char- Doug McDermott- I can see this pick being traded for a vet player. But if not McBuckets fills a need as an outside shooter here.

10. Phil- Gary Harris- Philly continues to build through young talent. With Parker and Harris joining Carter-Williams and Noel, they have nice young nucleus.

TRADE: I have Denver trading pick #11 to Phoenix for picks #14 and #18.
11. Pho- Nik Stauskas- the suns need another shooting Guard and with three picks in the first round they can make this move. For some reason I just see Stauskas playing for Hornacek.

12. Mil- Rodney Hood- With the additional pick acquired from Orlando Milwaukes picks a wing player who can be a big time scorer.

13. Minn- Adreian Payne- even if Loves stays (unlikely) they could use depth at PF behind him. When Love is gone, Payne can help fill the void.

14. Den- Zach LeVine- The Nuggets move down and get an athletic player who could team up with Lawson to form an imposing backcourt in the future.

15. Atl- Dario Saric- a possible Toni Kukoc clone would be a good fit for the Hawks.

16. Chic- James Young- The Bulls need depth at both Guard spots, young is BPA here.

17. Bos- Kyle Anderson- Could develop into a Boris Diaw type of NBA player.if so you fins a position for him if/when he does.

18. Den- Jusuf Nurkic- With only Mozgov and the problematic McGee at center, Denver can use the additional pick they got for a Euro project here.

19. Chic- Tyler Ennis- The Bulls continue to draft depth for their backcourt here.

20. Tor- Elfrid Payton- Raptors need a back up at the point, even IF Lowery stays as an UFA.

21. Okl- Clint Capela- they have 11 players under contract with only Sefolosha as Free agent, but they have a later pick in this draft. Perkins is on his final year of his deal and Capela could be a possible draft and stash for a year.

22. Mem- TJ Warren- Prince is on his final year of his deal and is old at SF. Warren might be able to step in as a starter in his second year.

23. Utah- Jordan Adams- Jazz can address the depth problem at off guard with this pick.

24. Char- Patric Young- I see Young rising into the first round late and is a perfect fit for Charlotte. With Jefferson and McBuckets on the front line SOMEONE has play defense after all.

25. Hou- PJ Hairston- This pick will probably be traded in an effort to g et a third all –star. But if they keep it, they need depth behind Harden at SG and Hairston has the body to play the three position some also.

26. Mia- Shabazz Napier- Chalmers is likely gone and Napier’s age/experience may allow him to get minutes there.

27. Pho- Jerami Grant- Another athletic young player for Hornacek to groom.

28. LAC- Mitch McGary- Clippers have no depth inside on their roster right now. But since Doc doesn’t like to play rookies I can see the pick being traded.

29. Okl- KJ McDaniels- Sometimes things just DO work out. McDaniels looks like a solid replacement for Sefolosha.

30. SA- Walter Tavares- Typical Spurs draft and stash here. This assumes that both Duncan and Ginobili play another year and that Diaw resigns as well.

Anderson would be good to get at #17.  It seems as though he could play three positions and could be of immeasurable (no pun intended) in creating favorable matchups.

Sam

kdp,


Wow.  You really worked hard on this one, even including draft day trade ups and downs.  Good job.

First, unless LeBron's agent is whispering sweet nothings in Dan Gilbert's ear about the Return of the King, I see them taking Wiggins with the #1 pick and trying to trade Dion Waiters.  I think Embiid's back scares the dickens out of them, especially after the Anthony Bennett fiasco last year.  Two years of picking damaged goods would NOT be good for the franchise. Not that anything ever turns out really good for that franchise.  Picking Wiggins or Parker gives them a shot at LeBron 2.0, especially Wiggins.

I could see Danny taking Gordon over Smart, especially with Wallace coming back from surgery and a question mark, but that would hinge completely upon what changes he has envisioned for the roster via trades.  For example, if he has a tentative deal struck with Morey for Asik, that will create roster holes as players head to Houston and that will change his drafting (e.g. if Bradley is part of the package, then Smart is the better pick assuming that the #6 pick isn't earmarked for Houston or Minny).  IF he does not have a deal with Morey (or doesn't feel good about getting one) then I don't see him passing on Nurkic for Anderson ESPECIALLY if he's taking Gordon at #6.  We need depth at just about every position but those two plus Sully, Bass and Kelly is significant overkill and Nurkic and Tavares (a projected early 2nd rounder but could sneak into the 1st round as a draft-and-stash.  I wonder how leery SAS is with those type of deals after the Scola fiasco) are the only other true centers other than Embiid.

With Porzingis pulling out I could see OKC taking Capela.  He's their type of gazelle.


9 more days, 9 more days...



bob



.

thats was my thinking at #17 Sam, when he was still on the board at that pick I had to snag him. More of a SF, PG, even maybe SG to me early in his career.


you could very be right about Cleveland Bob. But if that back checks out, how can they pass on him?

SA drafted the SF from France last year in the first, he got injured in his euro stash-away year, so not sure if he is slated to play for SA this year or not.

they don't have many spots on the roster and IF Duncan plays one more year, Tavares is a sneaky good pick at #30 to me.

so no one saw I snuck Patric Young into the first round?

  

kdp59 wrote:thats was my thinking at #17 Sam, when he was still on the board at that pick I had to snag him. More of a SF, PG, even maybe SG to me early in his career.


you could very be right about Cleveland Bob. But if that back checks out, how can they pass on him?

SA drafted the SF from France last year in the first, he got injured in his euro stash-away year, so not sure if he is slated to play for SA this year or not.

they don't have many spots on the roster and IF Duncan plays one more year, Tavares is a sneaky good pick at #30 to me.

so no one saw I snuck Patric Young into the first round?

  

kdp,


Never heard of Patric Young. He's 6'10", 247# and almost undrafted (except by you)? That's odd. What do you see about him?



bob



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Young is supposed to be beast of a PF/C who has legit size.

more of a rebounder and defensive presence from what I have read. Most mocks have him in the second round (If they have one).

I wouldn't be surprised if he sneaks in the late first somewhere.

here's some web info on him:

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/patric-young

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Patric-Young-5746/

http://www.freep.com/article/20140610/SPORTS03/306100047/nba-draft-detroit-pistons-patric-young


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/blogs/swamp-things/os-gators-patric-young-tells-nba-teams-hes-going-to-be-a-pro-20140515,0,5775546.post

I like Patric Young better than Reggie Evans, but that's the type of player that comes to mind. He's a tough dude with a nose for the ball but limited offensive ability. I like him, but I'm not sure whether he'll stick in the league.

kdp, thanks for the links.  Young seems like a good character guy and is as much of a defensive presence as someone 6' 9" or possibly 6' 10" can be.  It wasn't rewarding to read that opposing bigs can go over him.  Free throws may be a problem.  All-in-all, he seems to define the term "project" and could possibly stand some time in the NBDL or overseas refining his defensive rebounding skills and developing some rudimentary offensive moves.  Pound-for-pound, though he seems to be an explosive hulk.

Sam

LOL...hey guys I am not sold on Young being a first rounder, he could also go undrafted.

I was looking at PF's who might fit for Charlotte, since that is a big need for them and his named popped up as one of the next ones.

I could have picked I. Austin or D. Powell, but I went with the top defensive option there left.

I pointed out that he was in my mock as a lark kinda, a player not expected.

now if he gets picked late in the first round I will say I had inside info!!!
LOL.