RealGM

My name is ryan and i'm a pacerfan. At pacerland we are doing a mockdraft and i randomly have been picked to represent your sonics. I am drooling at the idea of selecting 6 times. Love it... You guys must be excited right now.

I'm here to gain valuable insight into what you think your team needs are. Also, who you guys are looking obtain.

Here was my thoughts so far...

#4 pick oj or bayless (whoever is left)

#24 in the following order; Marreese Speights, Roy Hibbert, Robin Lopez, Kosta Koufos, Nathan Jawai

#32 in the following order; Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush, Davon Jefferson, D.J. White

#46 in the following order; Bill Walker, Kyle Weaver, James Gist, DeVon Hardin

#50 & #56 not sure.

Thanks for your help.

I think you have it right if they stay where they are. A PG and a big for the middle are the priorities. The Sonics will not use all six picks. They will certainly trade up and consolidate some. Probably only 3 rookies will be added. Any others will need to go D League or Europe.

Yeah, I think Bill Walker and especially Brandon Rush will move up higher than the zones you have them pegged in.

50 Semih Erden
56 Nicola Pekovic

Pekovic wount be around at #56, he'll be gone late 1st early 2nd.

Since we have so many picks your goal should get 2 to 3 people to stash in Europe. Preferably bigs. I made a post about 'tiers' a little ways down.

Your first pick is spot on. Our 2nd pick, if we got OJ I would take
Ty Lawson otherwise I'd go Best Big or Wing available. My hope for #24 is either Kosta Koufos, Roy Hibbert, or a wing like Brandon Rush, or CDR.

At #32 I love the idea of Weaver (if you took a big at #24) or Hardin (if you took a wing at #24).

#46 if any of those guys are there you do backflips and take them. Otherwise, start picking guys from Europe and stashing them.

Pekovic has made it clear he does not want to play in the NBA. He has a big buyout. Anyone taking him is wasting their pick. That is why he may still be there at 56.

I've been shot down on realgm now for suggesting this but I think Randolph combined with Green and Durant would cause very real match-up problems no matter who we have at pg (and Watson is not really that bad). I also think Randolph could easily be a top 5er for the same reasons Bosh was.

You guys have made some good points. Thanks for the suggestions, i'll keep it all mind while i represent the sonics.

I wish i could trade picks, i also like the idea of acquiring Randolph, not sure about @ 4 though. Ty and CDR are good players, I'll have to take a hard look at them.

With the later picks to stash in Europe, who would you guys be targeting? So far I have seen Semih Erden and that's about it. People have different thoughts on Nicola Pekovic.

I'm sorry, I don't know much about Euro players. I'd be happy with an NBADL type pick and stash too. We could go with Jawai or Ibaka at 32. Also looking like an NBADL kind of player for a couple of years is Lester Hudson until he can learn how to stay under control.

Our biggest needs now are as follows: PG, C, SG.

Here's the interesting part of the Sonics this year though. Our ownership group is NOT looking to win and it's NOT looking to please our fanbase. I'm sure that Bennett will give Presti the OK to select the BPA at all our spots (if we don't trade) and if Presti sees a guy as fitting well with our core (Durant, Green and maybe Petro who is more a PF than a center) he might grab him despite position or need. This is why I suggest a guy like Randolph being a pick at #4.

Is Westbrook to big of a reach here? After a lot of thinking, I think he is the best pg in the draft (after rose). Would you be disappointed with him at the 4? What's others thoughts on Randolph here at the 4? What about Lopez at the 4? thanks again!

I like Westbrook a lot, but without trading I wouldn't target him. I'd LOVE to pair him and Bayless or him and Mayo together as I look at Westbrook as the perfect complimentary guard.

Randolph, No.
Lopez? I would need some plans to get a PG at 24 or higher to do that.

If the sonics had announced a trade of Wilcox for Etan + 18 then I would consider taking Lopez, so I could get Lawson at 18 and a SG at 24 like Lee or Rush or possibly Batum.

I also like Lopez at the 4. I'm not opposed at all to Lopez, Bayless, Mayo or Randolph. All would have a starting spot on our team in the near future and any (probably more than one) of them could be a legit star. I think Westbrook is too much of a reach because he has about as much experience at the point as Bayless and he's just not as good an all around player.

I have a thread about Randolph being on the Sonics here: http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic. ... 4&start=12

There's a couple of very good comments on the second page but keep in mind that none of the posters are Sonics fans.

Westbrook would be a big reach at #4. Lopez is as well, but big men that can actually contribute always go early. The Sonics have the luxury of being able to get another big at #24 and the PG's are will be gone. So, it is probably Mayo, Bayless or Lopez at #4.

The draft on the pacers board has started, Bla chose Bayless at #4 with Mayo going three... And then Nicolas Batum fell to him at 24, Lopez and Hibbert and Koufus were all already gone. Lets hope one of Ibaka, Asik, Ajinca, or Hardin are there at #32 for him.

One thing Bla if you're reading this, it's Sam Presti not Jim Presti.. I encourage you not to go over there and post, as it seems they are on track and running it really well. Just thought I'd point out what Bla has been doing with our team.

http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=797146

I just checked out that mock draft. If it turns out like that, and Batum falls, I wouldn't mind that pick at all. That is a pretty good pick at 24, all things considered.

heavyP - Thanks for the correction of sam versus jim... also thinks for updating my sonic picks for fellow sonic fans to see. i was waiting untill i made pick 31 to make an update for everyone, so here goes; sonic pics are bolded!

note: feel free to visit our site and check out who else has been going off the board. i'd love to hear more feedback about who you would like to me select with your later pics. make sue to post your suggestions on this post not the pacer ones (don't want our secret picks to get out). also give some feedback about how you feel i did representing your sonics.

so far i was very happy with the way the draft has gone for the sonics.

1 Bulls darkflashfox - Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis
2 Heat FreeRon - Michael Beasley, PF, Kansas St
3 Wolves Grang33r - O.J. Mayo, SG, USC
4 Sonics blaha112 - Jerryd Bayless, PG/SG, Arizona
5 Grizzlies darkflashfox - Kevin Love, PF, UCLA
6 Knicks dcbaseballer52 - Eric Gordon, SG, Indiana
7 Clippers PR07 - Russell Westbrook, PG/SG, UCLA
8 Bucks FreeRon - DJ Augustin, PG, Texas
9 Bobcats DGrangeRx33 - Anthony Randolph, PF, LSU
10 Nets PR07 - Brook Lopez, C, Stanford
11 Pacers mizzou - Marreese Speights, PF/C, Florida
12 Kings dcbaseballer52- Darrell Arthur, PF, Kansas
13 Blazers bballpacen - Danilo Gallinari, SF, Armani Jeans Milano
14 Warriors count55 - Joe Alexander, SF/PF, West Virginia
15 Suns ahartleyvu - DeAndre Jordan, C, Texas A&M
16 76ers ahartleyvu - Kosta Koufos, C, Ohio State
17 Raptors mizzou - Donte Greene, SF, Syracuse
18 Wizards cdash - Robin Lopez, C, Stanford
19 Cavaliers cdash - Brandon Rush, SG, Kansas
20 Nuggets count55 - Ty Lawson, PG, North Carolina
21 Nets PR07 - Chase Budinger, SG/SF, Arizona
22 Magic PacerPerspective - Javale McGee, C, Nevada
23 Jazz pacershereiam- Roy Hibbert, C, Georgetown
24 Sonics blaha112- Nicolas Batum, SG/SF,Le Mans Hometown
25 Rockets PP - J.J. Hickson, N.C. State
26 Spurs PP - Omri Casspi, SF, Maccabi Tel Aviv
27 Hornets Grang33r - Courtney Lee, SG, Western Kentucky
28 Grizzlies darkflashfox - Chris Douglas-Robers, SG, Memphis
29 Pistons DGrangeRx33 - Nikola Pekovic, C, Serbia
30 Celtics count55 - Mario Chalmers, PG, Kansas
31 Wolves Grang33r - Bill Walker, SF, Kansas State
32 Sonics blaha112 - Serge Ibaka, PF/C, LHospitalet

That is a great job drafting Bla, if Sam Presti is that successful I'll be very pleased. You should hope a banger downlow or Kyle Weaver is available with that next pick, and if not it's time to start stashing players in europe

In the second round, just stockpile a couple Euro big men. They can mature over there a couple years until they are ready. They look for outside shooting and the BPA. Good Job! I hope it goes that well.

I don't want to tell you how to run your draft BlaBla, but there is certainly a correct pick here at 46. Someone who was supposed to go about 15-20 picks earlier is still there and someone we have mentioned.