rebelsun 2010 ubermock
Posted: Mon Jun 7, 2010 6:43 am
So, here's my attempt at a mock. These are the picks I would make as each team, not as I think will happen in reality. This assumes no trades, although there will be several...
1. Washington - John Wall: no-brainer pick for any team; the most interesting point prospect since Iverson.
2. Philadelphia - Evan Turner: Favors' upside is intriguing, but Turner is extraordinarily polished and will be a plus-starter from the beginning; 09-10 PHI was one of those most underachieving teams I can remember; with Turner, there's no excuse to miss the playoffs
3. New Jersey - Derrick Favors: lot less risk and downside than Cousins and complements Lopez better; has some interesting upside; should be solid, or more, starter for a dozen years
4. Minnesota – DeMarcus Cousins: this is where things will get interesting; Cousins is a top-2 talent in the draft, but MIN is stocked in the paint; there will be significant interest in this pick to nab him; Johnson should be a decent starter, but they already have a SF in Brewer (who's not a true SG); if MIN does take Cousins, it would very likely piss off Darko enough to send him back to Europe for good; if they should end up keeping the pick, I would probably take Cousins and figure the rest out later; if Darko leaves, he leaves; worst case you have 3 very good post players to get 32mpg each; Kahn showed he wasn't afraid to take Rubio and figure it out later, so I don't think he'd be hesitant to take, by a goddamn country mile, the BPA here
5. Sacramento - Patrick Patterson: SAC already has 4 SFs under contract, so I'm wondering if they don't pass on Johnson, if available; Petrie isn't afraid to take his guy, though; the Kings are desperate for some toughness and finishing in the post, and Patterson might be the best solution; Udoh and Aldrich could be interesting here, too
6. Golden State - Wes Johnson: the Warriors need help everywhere but PG, and Wes is the most polished guy available; he's an athletic shooter and finisher and should fit very well in GS
7. Detroit - Greg Monroe: the Pistons are absolutely starving for any kind of post talent, and Greg's the best available by a decent margin; could make a very interesting 6'11 forward pairing of the future in he and Daye
8. LA Clippers – Ekpe Udoh: this is one that could go in any direction; they lack depth everywhere and could really be free to take the BPA; if I'm them, I would pass on Aminu here, to preserve that wide open SF spot for Bron; Griffin is injury-prone and there isn't a great-defending big on the roster, so I'll take Udoh's length, mobility, and defense to shore up the frontline
9. Utah - Ed Davis: Utah is desperate for post defense, and Davis gets the nod here over Aldrich; he can play both post positions, is effective in the post, and seems like he'd fit as a Sloan guy
10. Indiana - Willie Warren: easily the biggest surprise on the list; this IND roster has a pathetic level of talent in the backcourt; they need a lot help; Willie may have some issues, but he's also a natural scorer and can play both guard positions; Bird has positioned this thoroughly-mediocre roster for purgatory and needs to make some bold moves; this could be one of them
11. New Orleans - Daniel Orton: there are some interesting wings available, but NOH has plenty of wing depth while being thin in the post; Orton should be able to play some PF as well and could become the solid reserve post that neither Simmons or Armstrong was supposed to be; I like him a little more than Aldrich
12. Memphis – Avery Bradley: Aminu gets a long look here, but they already have plenty of SFs on the roster; PG depth is much more of a concern and Avery is probably the best available at the position; as Mayo can play some point, Avery's lack of said skills aren't much of an issue; Bledsoe gets consideration here, too
13. Toronto – Al-Farouq Aminu: this may surprise some that he falls this far, but I think he's the dreaded tweener combo-F in the worst sense; this is a situation where I actually like him because of the unorthodox positional needs of a Bargnani roster; they need rebounding and defense at SF, and Amini can provide this; Hedo apparently wants out and I'm not sure DeRozan or Weems are SFs; this would be excellent value for them; Damian James might be a sleeper pick here, as his game might complement Bargnani even better
14. Houston - Cole Aldrich: Morey seems to value defense and I wonder if he's produced an algorithm yet that concludes playing 6'6 Chuck Hayes at C will likely never win a playoff series; Anderson and Hill aren't real post defensive forces, and this gives them the best backup C, including a 63 y/o Mutombo, in the Yao era
15. Milwaukee - Paul George: their roster is pretty solid, without any massive weaknesses; Henry might be interesting here, but may be redundant next to Delfino; George is a very long and versatile wing that gives them a defensive look to complement all the shooters
16. Minnesota - Xavier Henry: this is why they shouldn't take Wes Johnson at #4, because an interesting SG, and not SF, should be available here; this is very solid value if he falls and gives them a legit starting SG to spread the D for all their post beasts; Rubio/Henry/Brewer/Jefferson/Cousins would be a very interesting potential future lineup; the additions of Henry and Cousins could entice Rubio to come over early
17. Chicago – Luke Babbitt: he might be redundant next to fellow combo-F James Johnson, but they do different things; this would especially be an interesting LeBron carrot, if he did indeed request the trade for his 'stretch 4' in Antawn
18. Miami - Eric Bledsoe: this just seems like a Miami pick - athletic and aggressive; Chalmers only has one year left and Bledsoe would provide needed depth at the point
19. Boston - James Anderson: BOS is facing a major lack of depth at the 2 and James is the most polished available; he's not a replacement for Ray Allen, but gives them decent insurance; Dominique Jones, who seems an awful lot like Tony Allen, might be interesting here as well
20. San Antonio - Elliot Williams: Finley is gone while Mason and Bogans are free agents, so I think they turn to SG; I think Williams is the most talented of this tier consisting of he, Jordan Crawford, and Dominique Jones
21. Oklahoma City - Kevin Seraphin: there doesn't seem to be a particular lack of depth anywhere; Collison isn't getting younger, while White and Mullens haven't been able to contribute yet; Seraphin gives them a beefier post off the bench, to complement pogostick Ibaka
22. Portland - Damion James: they're a little stocked on the wings, but I like James playing next to Aldridge; he's not a great rebounder for his size and having James on the floor would negate that immediately; if Rudy returns to Europe, Batum would play more 2 and Damian could split the SF time w/ Webster
23. Minnesota - Lance Stephenson: if they take Counsins and Henry, it solves a lot depth issues; I'll take Lance here to give them a strong, physical wing defender
24. Atlanta – Hassan Whiteside: he fell farther then I thought he would; the Hawks get a much needed talented post defender; he may not be able to help right away, but at least gives them some upside at the position; if available, I think he's too talented to fall any farther
25. Memphis - Devin Ebanks: Gay and Brewer are question marks going into the offseason and taking Ebanks would give them another interesting option at the wing; I'm not sure Carroll or Young are more than 10mpg NBA players; Ebanks has some work to do, but has some interesting upside as a long, Posey-like wing defender
26. Oklahoma City - Dominique Jones: OKC still doesn't have much weakness, so probably just go for BPA; Jones is a stat-stuffer that can play some point; seems like a Presti/Spurs-school pick
27. New Jersey - Stanley Robinson: the Nets don't have any glaring needs; they could use a SF defender - I'm not sure Terrence Williams can handle that full-time - so I'll take Robinson and his upside
28. Memphis - Jordan Crawford: after adding Ebanks and his wing defense, Crawford adds to backcourt depth and gives them a solid perimeter scorer
29. Orlando – Armon Johnson: Jason Williams isn't getting any younger and they need penetrators to create space for their shooters; Johnson is an elite athlete that is aggressive going to the hoop
30. Washington - Larry Sanders: Grunfeld has been enamored with long athletes in recent years, and Sanders may have the most upside left on the board; they need depth in the post and his length is enough to take him over Lawal, who may actually have a lower downside
1. Washington - John Wall: no-brainer pick for any team; the most interesting point prospect since Iverson.
2. Philadelphia - Evan Turner: Favors' upside is intriguing, but Turner is extraordinarily polished and will be a plus-starter from the beginning; 09-10 PHI was one of those most underachieving teams I can remember; with Turner, there's no excuse to miss the playoffs
3. New Jersey - Derrick Favors: lot less risk and downside than Cousins and complements Lopez better; has some interesting upside; should be solid, or more, starter for a dozen years
4. Minnesota – DeMarcus Cousins: this is where things will get interesting; Cousins is a top-2 talent in the draft, but MIN is stocked in the paint; there will be significant interest in this pick to nab him; Johnson should be a decent starter, but they already have a SF in Brewer (who's not a true SG); if MIN does take Cousins, it would very likely piss off Darko enough to send him back to Europe for good; if they should end up keeping the pick, I would probably take Cousins and figure the rest out later; if Darko leaves, he leaves; worst case you have 3 very good post players to get 32mpg each; Kahn showed he wasn't afraid to take Rubio and figure it out later, so I don't think he'd be hesitant to take, by a goddamn country mile, the BPA here
5. Sacramento - Patrick Patterson: SAC already has 4 SFs under contract, so I'm wondering if they don't pass on Johnson, if available; Petrie isn't afraid to take his guy, though; the Kings are desperate for some toughness and finishing in the post, and Patterson might be the best solution; Udoh and Aldrich could be interesting here, too
6. Golden State - Wes Johnson: the Warriors need help everywhere but PG, and Wes is the most polished guy available; he's an athletic shooter and finisher and should fit very well in GS
7. Detroit - Greg Monroe: the Pistons are absolutely starving for any kind of post talent, and Greg's the best available by a decent margin; could make a very interesting 6'11 forward pairing of the future in he and Daye
8. LA Clippers – Ekpe Udoh: this is one that could go in any direction; they lack depth everywhere and could really be free to take the BPA; if I'm them, I would pass on Aminu here, to preserve that wide open SF spot for Bron; Griffin is injury-prone and there isn't a great-defending big on the roster, so I'll take Udoh's length, mobility, and defense to shore up the frontline
9. Utah - Ed Davis: Utah is desperate for post defense, and Davis gets the nod here over Aldrich; he can play both post positions, is effective in the post, and seems like he'd fit as a Sloan guy
10. Indiana - Willie Warren: easily the biggest surprise on the list; this IND roster has a pathetic level of talent in the backcourt; they need a lot help; Willie may have some issues, but he's also a natural scorer and can play both guard positions; Bird has positioned this thoroughly-mediocre roster for purgatory and needs to make some bold moves; this could be one of them
11. New Orleans - Daniel Orton: there are some interesting wings available, but NOH has plenty of wing depth while being thin in the post; Orton should be able to play some PF as well and could become the solid reserve post that neither Simmons or Armstrong was supposed to be; I like him a little more than Aldrich
12. Memphis – Avery Bradley: Aminu gets a long look here, but they already have plenty of SFs on the roster; PG depth is much more of a concern and Avery is probably the best available at the position; as Mayo can play some point, Avery's lack of said skills aren't much of an issue; Bledsoe gets consideration here, too
13. Toronto – Al-Farouq Aminu: this may surprise some that he falls this far, but I think he's the dreaded tweener combo-F in the worst sense; this is a situation where I actually like him because of the unorthodox positional needs of a Bargnani roster; they need rebounding and defense at SF, and Amini can provide this; Hedo apparently wants out and I'm not sure DeRozan or Weems are SFs; this would be excellent value for them; Damian James might be a sleeper pick here, as his game might complement Bargnani even better
14. Houston - Cole Aldrich: Morey seems to value defense and I wonder if he's produced an algorithm yet that concludes playing 6'6 Chuck Hayes at C will likely never win a playoff series; Anderson and Hill aren't real post defensive forces, and this gives them the best backup C, including a 63 y/o Mutombo, in the Yao era
15. Milwaukee - Paul George: their roster is pretty solid, without any massive weaknesses; Henry might be interesting here, but may be redundant next to Delfino; George is a very long and versatile wing that gives them a defensive look to complement all the shooters
16. Minnesota - Xavier Henry: this is why they shouldn't take Wes Johnson at #4, because an interesting SG, and not SF, should be available here; this is very solid value if he falls and gives them a legit starting SG to spread the D for all their post beasts; Rubio/Henry/Brewer/Jefferson/Cousins would be a very interesting potential future lineup; the additions of Henry and Cousins could entice Rubio to come over early
17. Chicago – Luke Babbitt: he might be redundant next to fellow combo-F James Johnson, but they do different things; this would especially be an interesting LeBron carrot, if he did indeed request the trade for his 'stretch 4' in Antawn
18. Miami - Eric Bledsoe: this just seems like a Miami pick - athletic and aggressive; Chalmers only has one year left and Bledsoe would provide needed depth at the point
19. Boston - James Anderson: BOS is facing a major lack of depth at the 2 and James is the most polished available; he's not a replacement for Ray Allen, but gives them decent insurance; Dominique Jones, who seems an awful lot like Tony Allen, might be interesting here as well
20. San Antonio - Elliot Williams: Finley is gone while Mason and Bogans are free agents, so I think they turn to SG; I think Williams is the most talented of this tier consisting of he, Jordan Crawford, and Dominique Jones
21. Oklahoma City - Kevin Seraphin: there doesn't seem to be a particular lack of depth anywhere; Collison isn't getting younger, while White and Mullens haven't been able to contribute yet; Seraphin gives them a beefier post off the bench, to complement pogostick Ibaka
22. Portland - Damion James: they're a little stocked on the wings, but I like James playing next to Aldridge; he's not a great rebounder for his size and having James on the floor would negate that immediately; if Rudy returns to Europe, Batum would play more 2 and Damian could split the SF time w/ Webster
23. Minnesota - Lance Stephenson: if they take Counsins and Henry, it solves a lot depth issues; I'll take Lance here to give them a strong, physical wing defender
24. Atlanta – Hassan Whiteside: he fell farther then I thought he would; the Hawks get a much needed talented post defender; he may not be able to help right away, but at least gives them some upside at the position; if available, I think he's too talented to fall any farther
25. Memphis - Devin Ebanks: Gay and Brewer are question marks going into the offseason and taking Ebanks would give them another interesting option at the wing; I'm not sure Carroll or Young are more than 10mpg NBA players; Ebanks has some work to do, but has some interesting upside as a long, Posey-like wing defender
26. Oklahoma City - Dominique Jones: OKC still doesn't have much weakness, so probably just go for BPA; Jones is a stat-stuffer that can play some point; seems like a Presti/Spurs-school pick
27. New Jersey - Stanley Robinson: the Nets don't have any glaring needs; they could use a SF defender - I'm not sure Terrence Williams can handle that full-time - so I'll take Robinson and his upside
28. Memphis - Jordan Crawford: after adding Ebanks and his wing defense, Crawford adds to backcourt depth and gives them a solid perimeter scorer
29. Orlando – Armon Johnson: Jason Williams isn't getting any younger and they need penetrators to create space for their shooters; Johnson is an elite athlete that is aggressive going to the hoop
30. Washington - Larry Sanders: Grunfeld has been enamored with long athletes in recent years, and Sanders may have the most upside left on the board; they need depth in the post and his length is enough to take him over Lawal, who may actually have a lower downside