My non mock draft mock draft

This is not a mock draft. This is what players I think would work well in each team who are in the draft. This only includes teams in the lottery. Although, the point of this exercise is in part to point out what players each team has a legitimate possibility of acquiring. Even though the Cavaliers could probably use Blake Griffin, they’re not going to be able to acquire him. I’ll propose trading possibilities, but not actual trades. Those are too hard to flesh out. I’ve done so before. I’ll do so again. Just not on this. Also, I would like to keep this under 5000 10000 words if I can.

1st overall pick

The Clippers have their choice of anybody being that they have the first overall pick. That player is likely to be Blake Griffin in all likelihood, and I also think that is one of his best possible destinations that he could have gotten despite all the talk that it is the CLIPPERS. Still, it makes more sene for LA to try and dump Zach Randolph for whatever they can get than trade Baron Davis. They aren’t terribly far away from being a competitive team, and dumping Randolph could help that by creating a guaranteed spot for Griffin in the starting unit.

Other players: Ricky Rubio is a possibility here, but as Henry Abbott noted, Rubio is likely going to need some time to adjust to the NBA. Why the Clippers would take him and rebuild AGAIN makes no sense. They just end up having as many holes. I don’t know that the Clippers could be a championship team, but the right mix with the right talent pulling it all together can make any team dangerous. The proof of this? How about the Denver Nuggets of 2009.

2nd overall pick

I think Memphis is the key here. They could want Rubio, but then again, as this suggests, maybe the Grizzlies should keep Mike Conley after all.

Do I think it’s possible? Maybe. There are multiple possibilities in which the Grizzlies that could do here. So I’ll offer some idea’s that I think are very possible.

Ricky Rubio is selected at 2nd overall, and traded to Phoenix. In return, Amare Stoudemire goes to Phoenix. He would be a type of player the Grizzlies could covet simply because they need a PF who can do things that Amare Stoudemire can do. It would also making going uptempo much easier. The only way Phoenix doesn’t consider this if they aren’t willing to blow it up. So here’s my proposition: The 2nd overall pick (presumably Rubio), Darrell Arthur and Darko Milicic for Amare Stoudemire and the 14th overall pick. Or something like that. Anything that cuts down the Suns salary while giving them a couple of players in return would be the idea. Cutting your losses while you’re rebuilding is always a good idea.

Except, that may not be the case.

I believe Minnesota would absolutely love to move up and get Rubio. I believe that with every inch of my heart, body, soul, and mind. However, I’m perplexed, beyond having the 6th pick, is what would get them to be able to move up.

Maybe they could trade a couple of future 1st’s along with the 6th overall pick. The only problem is they already owe a pick to the Clippers and giving one away to the Grizzlies would take some time. I’m not sure that would be enticing. And, remember, there is also the point that the Wolves were able to deal away Marko Jaric for Brian Cardinal and Mike Miller last year in the package for OJ Mayo and Kevin Love. I’m not sure that the Wolves would really want to offer the world for a 2nd overall pick and a player who may take at least 2 years before he really reaps the benefits.

In otherwords, I think Minnesota could move up, but only if Memphis wants a lot of draft picks, and perhaps cap relief from Jaric’s contract. (Is that legal to trade Jaric back to the team that traded him? Not from a CBA standpoint. I mean from a reality standpoint.)

Truthfully, thinking of another team is a bit hard. I suppose Golden State might be able to cobble up something, but I’m not really sure why.

I guess my question here is why would teams be slobbering all over themselves to trade up for a player that Memphis themselves may not consider that valuable? I think that’s part of the problem here for Memphis. If it was Kevin Durant sitting there, they wouldn’t bother. Teams would be hot to trot over getting that pick. Memphis keeps it and builds around Durant anyway. I don’t think Rubio is likely to be in that position because he is viewed with some skepticism.

Other players, in the draft, that will likely come into play here are Hasheem Thabeet and Jordan Hill. After those 2 players, it gets pretty dicey.

3rd pick in the draft

I think Oklahoma City is the most likely team to trade down in this draft. But, that doesn’t mean players in this draft won’t work for them.

I think the likelihood of them wanting Rubio is slim. I think the likelihood of them taking advantage of whatever chance there is that Rubio will be available is high. So, in the likelihood that Rubio is there at 3rd overall, I see Sam Presti, GM of the OKC Thunder, taking Rubio for a trade. OKC likely has no problem trading down in a draft particularly if there is opportunity to gain extra asset’s (extra 1st round picks are what he seems to go for).

I think the Knicks would be prime to give up an extra pick for Rubio. I’m not sure that’s the ideal scenario for him, but I think it could work. I wonder if New Yorkers would give Rubio time, but then again, I don’t really care what New Yorkers would do. I would just be pissed that the Kings couldn’t get Rubio when he was nearly available. (Unlike Jerryd Bayless whom I was not upset over.)

I also think Minnesota is in play here. But, for what? Maybe package all of their picks together so OKC could get extra players? That is possible. Minnesota does have extra 1st rounders, and it’s quite possible that they could be willing to package all of them together to move up in the 1st round. I think Presti would have to consider this if this was the case. After all, Minnesota has the 6th, 18th and 27th overall picks. (They also have the 45th and 47th overall pick’s, in the 2nd round.)

Players that I think OKC would have to consider if they move down and get multiple picks: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Jordan Hill, BJ Mullens, Derrick Brown, Gani Lawal, Patty Mills, Nick Calathes (especially at the end of the 1st round), James Johnson among others. That’s a huge chunk of the draft.

I think one guy that OKC will end up falling in love with is Curry because of his shooting, and passing. That’s something that they desperately need, and because Curry plays so well off the ball, it doesn’t mean that Westbrook has to play off the ball himself. The only negative here is that Curry would have to still defend PG’s, and Westbrook SG’s. Can Westbrook? Yeah, he can I imagine. Will he? Who knows? The one argument you can make for Curry is that it has happened in recent history that a shorter SG goes as high as 3rd in a draft (Ben Gordon in 2004). So, that could be something to look out for as well. A mock draft today is not necessarily a mock draft on, say, June 24th.

James Harden is another guy here who I think OKC will be heavily interested in. He does some of what Curry does, but is a bit taller. Not much, but a bit taller.

Mullens is the kind of guy I can see a bunch of teams being interested in because they could develop him in the NBDL, or if they have a terrific big coach, on the big club by sitting on the bench. Mullens has the physical talent, but not much else. He is athletic, but doesn’t have the skills to match quite yet. He’s 19, but is so raw that he will slip out of the lottery. One reason he is coming out because he’s from a family that doesn’t have any money. I think the last sentence is what really will scare teams off. If a player with a family like that doesn’t care about anything other than $$$$, it could be hard for any team to want to take a risk with Mullens at a high lottery pick. Still, Mullens is athletic, and 7 foot tall. You can’t teach that.

Sam Amick just put in a tweet that could see DeRozan go 3. (It’s mostly the idea that Rubio could drop. Until more happens, I won’t comment.)

4th overall pick

I’ve already discussed this ad nauseam. I won’t go into it anymore. Just lists. I promise. When I feel like finishing this sentence. Like, now.

Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, Ricky Rubio, Stephen Curry, Jrue Holiday, Ty Lawson, Jonny Flynn, and who knows what else is in play here.

Could the Kings trade down? Unlike OKC which has 3 terrific young talents, I don’t think the Kings can afford to trade down to get a player who might not be there, at say, 9 or 10. It’s frustrating that Memphis & OKC both finished ahead of the Kings because now they can control the whole nature of the draft.

I think Derrick Brown, James Johnson (if he slips which I doubt), Victor Claver, Gani Lawal, BJ Mullens (again if he slips) are all in play at the 23rd overall pick. I’ll expand on the Kings more, but not here. Moving on.

5th overall pick

I think a name that hasn’t popped up with Washington that I’ll be shocked if it’s not going to come up, is Ty Lawson. I think he’s a terrific fit for them. He brings them everything they could need in a backup PG, and given Arenas’ injury history, isn’t it wise to bring in at least SOME insurance?

I could see Washington trading down out of the lottery if they could get Lawson and extra asset’s. They’re likely to pay luxury tax unless they can find a team to take Etan Thomas for very little. That doesn’t seem to be the case.

I’m not sure what trade possibilities exist here. I think it would not be shocking to see Washington trade down to save money and still get a player like Lawson who will likely be at whatever pick they trade down to.

6th overall pick

Minnesota has this pick. We all know that. I can see a multitude of possibilities here. DeMar DeRozan possibly. Tyreke Evans. Brandon Jennings (although that’s lower on this list). I think Evans is the likeliest guy to go here. Especially if he drops.

7th overall pick

Golden State is in an interesting position. They need size, and ball handling. I imagine there will be a debate about whether they need a ball handler or size more. Either way, I would expect they would probably take Jordan Hill or Brandon Jennings.

I think they would take Jennings if they feel they have more useful talent up front. He’s an unusual talent, and he could be an excellent fit given how Golden State plays.

I think Golden State takes Jordan Hill because he gives them extra options in a multitude of ways up front. Maybe they’re looking to motivate Anthony Randolph or Branden Wright. Maybe they would be interested in getting Hill because he has enthusiasm.

I don’t think they would go Stephen Curry here if he was available. They might be convinced that Ty Lawson is the kind of player they could play with Monta Ellis or Stephen Jackson if he was available. I would not be shocked to see that type of pick either.

Golden State is one of those teams that could go 3 or 4 different ways.

8th overall pick

I think the Knicks have been locked into Curry if he’s there. If he is, I would suspect that Mike D’Antoni would do everything he could to convince Donnie Walsh that Curry is the guy.

I think Ty Lawson would be in play if he’s still on the board. Guards are in play, in otherwords. I imagine Jonny Flynn would also pop up here as well.

9th overall pick

With Toronto’s selection, I suspect they would love to get DeRozan. But, if he’s not there, I wonder if Terrence Williams will shoot up here. He’s an excellent defender, and can rebound well for his position. I think DeRozan or Williams are likely to be the 2 guys here. Since Williams isn’t likely to jump up higher than 9, it seems like a safe guess that he might go to Toronto.

Other options I guess could include DeJuan Blair, Ty Lawson, Jonny Flynn, and Earl Clark. Still, I would bet that Terrence Williams would be the kind of guy Toronto would be happy to have starting at it’s 2 guard next year.

10th overall pick

Milwaukee is in an interesting position. They have Charlie Villaneuva and Ramon Sessions both as Free Agents (restricted) that they need to re-sign. So the question is, who can they replace easier?

Possibles here: Jonny Flynn, Ty Lawson, Earl Clark, Terrence Williams (although it’s unlikely), DeJuan Blair, and who knows what else.

This pick may come down to whichever of Villaneuva and Sessions they can sign cheaper in the off-season.

11th overall pick

The New Jersey Nets are in an interesting position. I think they would be very likely to go PG or possibly SG/SF. All the potentials, including Blair even though he is a PF, could all go here.

I think one of the following is most likely if they are available: Jonny Flynn, Eric Maynor, Ty Lawson, Terrence Williams, James Johnson (he will be) and Jeff Teague.

Anybody from positions 1-4 could be in play here. Backup PG’s are always valuable to any team, and especially at a cheap price.

But, still, I think any of the above names could be available here.

12th overall pick

Charlotte is also in an interesting position. I think they could go backup PG here, SG, or a SG/SF here. I would be shocked if they took a Terrence Williams here (assuming he’s still available), and I would definitely not be shocked if they took a Gerald Henderson or James Harden if he drops here (and it’s very possible he may be one of the real droppers in this draft).

I think it’s very likely they would take Williams or Henderson here depending on whose available. If Harden is available here as well, than I could see that being a possibility too.

Of the PG’s, I could see them letting Raymond Felton walk and pick a Flynn, Maynor or even Jeff Teague.

I think the Bobcats will have a bunch of players predicted here, and to be expected, Draft Express currently has Gerald Henderson slotted here. I don’t have insider, but I would not be shocked if Chad Ford had Henderson, Williams or Earl Clark slotted there. It’s just so had to predict what they will do.

13th overall pick

Indiana is another team that I think would be interesting to watch.

I can see them going for the Flynn types, or the Maynor’s/Teagues of the world. I could also see them going Earl Clark or Terrence Williams too. (I could also see them be willing to trade for Zach Randolph. Guy is talented. Whether they consider him worth it is another matter.)

14th overall pick

Phoenix is in an interesting position. They could get a very good pick. They could not. It’s very hard to say.

In this decade here have been the 14th overall picks: Anthony Randolph (2008), Al Thornton (2007), Ronnie Brewer (2006), Rashad McCants (2005), Kris Humphries (2004), Luke Ridnour (2003), Fred Jones (2002), Troy Murphy (2001), and Mateen Cleaves (2000).

Now, what would Phoenix do here? First, I don’t know. Point Guard? Sure, perhaps. Any of those I’ve mentioned in the last few spots (Teague, Maynor, Flynn if he drops this far–which right now I doubt) are all possibilities here. Could Earl Clark go here? Yes, that’s possible too. I think Phoenix could go with whomever they want here.

So who do I think would be picked here? Ty Lawson if he’s here would be a player Phoenix should heavily consider. Ditto with Earl Clark. Gerald Henderson is a guy they could be interested in here. Another player they would likely have to consider if available is Jeff Teague. Earl Maynor is likely to get consideration here.

Anything is possible with Phoenix.

So I’ll say that I think Earl Clark will be the guy if he drops. And, he may. I’m going with Earl Clark here. He fits a need, he can play a position for them that they could use (SF and backup PF for Stoudemire), can handle the ball, rebound at a high rate, and simply be an all court player.

Summary

I don’t know if I touched on every need well, but hopefully I came up with some valid idea’s of what each player could represent to any team.

I don’t know that Washington would take Ty Lawson at 5th overall. But, I could see them swapping picks with New York and taking Lawson at 8th overall for instance.

I think Tyreke Evans is a near lock in Minnesota because he could fit every need they have.

I would not be shocked if DeRozan jumped up to 3rd as Sam Amick tweeted.

I would not be shocked if the Kings were able to take Hasheem Thabeet at 4th overall, and swap him for Ricky Rubio at 2nd overall.

I would not be shocked if Earl Clark drops to 14th overall, and then ends up being a real steal. Ditto with Terrence Williams at 9th overall. I would also not be shocked if either guy was a bust.

I think this draft is full of players who do certain types of things and a bunch of players at a need position (PG) are available. That will make drafting big (like if the Kings were 1st and could take Griffin) make drafting a PG at 23 very difficult.

It’s important to remember these details. OKC has picks 3 and 25. Minnesota has picks 6, 18 and 27. Sacramento has picks 4 and 23. Memphis has picks 2 and 27. That means each team will be looking at various possibilities for each position of need.

Hopefully this gives you an idea of what each team could be looking for. I always think teams try to look at Best Player Available (BPA), but I think needs will play a huge part here. Teams will simply reach for need if they think there is no discernible difference between 2 prospects. I greatly believe that.

Hopefully this helps. If not, oh well. Just another 5000 words wasted.