CED

[Ced]

CED’S 2010 1ST ROUND MOCK – Based on Current Lottery Position
1 New Jersey Nets
John Wall PG
-No explanation needed.

2 Minnesota Timberwolves
Evan Turner SG/SF
-Minnesota are weak on the wings, and the triangle can always do with more passers.

3 Sacramento Kings
DeMarcus Cousins C
-This move really puts the heat on Thompson and Hawes. One of them has to be traded. Cousins and Landry would be beastly on the offensive glass. I have a funny feeling that teams will pass on him due to being a headache, but the talent is just too much for the Kings to pass up on.

4 Golden State Warriors
Wesley Johnson SF
-The Warriors have enough talent up front with Biedrins, Wright and Randolph. I see them drafting a do it all wing player who can play multiple positions. Ellis, Curry and Johnson would make for a lot of transition baskets from steals.

5 Washington Wizards
Cole Aldrich C
-Washington makes the unpopular choice of drafting Aldrich over Favors (the slider of the night). With Blatche in place for cheap, they have no need for Favours, who I don’t think can play center in the NBA. Aldrich makes up for a lot of his teammates defensive short-comings and is a great replacement for Haywood. Hopefully he would push McGee’s development along as well.

6 Phildaelphia 76ers
Derrick Favors PF
-The 76ers get the steal of the night. Favors and Holiday would give the 76ers a very bright future.

7 Detroit Pistons
Hassan Whiteside C
-The Pistons need a shot blocker. This Marcus Camby clone could learn so much from Big Ben.

8 Los Angeles Clippers
Al-Farouq Aminu SF
-I see this guy as a huge bust. I just don’t trust him to be able to ever develop anything close to a basketball IQ. I expect him to slide, but I can’t see who else the Clippers would take here. Bledsoe would be a reach.

9 Utah Jazz
Ekpe Udoh PF
-Udoh and Kirilenko… that’s a very scary thought for opposing teams. I think his game would translate well to the Jazz, and I have him going there assuming Boozer leaves. If not, then Orton would fit in nicely.

10 Indiana Pacers
Ed Davis PF
-A gritty rebounder at PF would be a great addition. He would have a year to play against Murphy and Hansborough in practice before getting any serious court time.

11 New Orleans Hornets
Greg Monroe PF/C
-He doesn’t really fit in with the Hornets due to being un-athletic, but he’s by far the best player on the board here. I could see him being traded if drafted by New Orleans.

12 Memphis Grizzlies
Donatas Motiejunas PF
-They’re rumoured to want him, and I don’t see him going higher with that skinny frame. GMs are going to be a lot more careful when drafting Skita-types.

13 Toronto Raptors
Daniel Orton C
-The perfect compliment to Barganani….. Raptor fans will have to wait a few years for him to make an impact though. Look how long it took Perkins.

14 Houston Rockets
Solomon Alabi C
-A great back-up for Ming, with a lot of potential for growth. He isn’t really a lottery talent due to his age, but he is the perfect fit for them. Hopefully this will spell the end of Hayes playing center.

15 Milwaukee Bucks
Patrick Patterson PF
-The Bucks get a workhorse power forward who will compliment Bogut’s game nicely.

16 Minnesota Timberwolves
Gordon Hayward SF
-The T-Wolves get another wing player, who will space the floor nicely for them. Turner, Brewer, Ellington and Hayward is a nice young wing rotation.

17 Chicago Bulls
James Anderson SG/SF
-A great complimentary player for Rose. Anderson will most likely start from day one, unless Chicago get’s a big name free agent two guard.

18 Miami Heat
Avery Bradley SG
-Bradley has the potential to be a nightmare defensively for opposing teams. Bradley and Wade would destroy a lot of backcourts with their defense. Bradley wouldn’t need to be the primary ball handler with Wade running the point on offense.

19 Boston Celtics
Eric Bledsoe PG
-Bledsoe would be a great understudy to Rondo, and he would provide the Celtics with a quality back up at one position.

20 San Antonio Spurs
Xavier Henry SG
-The Spurs need an injection of youth, and can always do with more shooters. Henry basically replaces Finley’s role on the team. Hopefully he can learn a thing or two from Manu.

21 Oklahoma City Thunder
Jerome Jordan C
-They need more height, and though he is nothing great defensively, he has the experience to be able to get a little playing time right off the bat.

22 Portland Trailblazers
Paul George SF
-George would be a great addition to the team, they don’t really have any holes, maybe at back-up power forward, but there’s no one worthy left on the board at power forward.

23 Minnesota Timberwolves
Stanley Robinson SF/PF
-This might be a reach… I see this guy as a second rounder who probably won’t last more than 5-6 years in the league at best.

24 Atlanta Hawks
Gani Lawal PF/C
-The Hawks need a replacement for the ghost of Joe Smith. They pick the local guy and he should act as a solid back up for Smith and Horford.

25 Memphis Grizzlies
Luke Babbitt SF
-They’re rumoured to have interest. Why? I don’t know. Usually if the Grizzlies are interested in someone, they get them. I see this pick as a huge reach. This guy won’t amount to much.

26 Oklahoma City Thunder
Damion James SF/PF
-He helps add quality depth to a flexible frontcourt.

27 New Jersey Nets
Larry Sanders PF/C
-They can always do with more size and toughness. Yi and Lopez don’t provide much.

28 Memphis Grizzlies
Devin Ebanks SF
-A versatile forward. They are probably overstocked at SF, but I don’t see Memphis drafting any combo guards like Warren or Williams.

29 Orlando Magic
Willie Warren SG
-Hello steal! Warren will be drafted here to replace Redick in the event that he leaves. Hopefully he can pattern his game around Joe Dumars. That’s who I see him being at best, with Miles Simon at worst.

30 Washington Wizards
Elliot Williams SG
-Best player available.

[babyjax13]

The Jazz take Monroe over Udoh in a heart beat.

[Foye]

Favors and Henry will each go a lot higher...

[bdownbear]

Favors and Henry will each go a lot higher...

Who knows.....Anyone could slip.

[gswhoops]

This is a 4 man draft at the top. No way any team in the top 4 passes on Favors unless they're trading down and picking up more value.

[RTM]

You overrate Whiteside a great deal. Besides, the Pistons don't really want a shot blocker so much as they want a physical big man who can man up on defense and score some inside. Whiteside is a good weakside shot blocker, but can't really bang, and has some major character issues. We already have one skinny project with work ethic issues, I don't think we'd want another.