RealGM

1. Kings - Blake Griffin, Oklahoma PF
Notes: CONSIDER RUBIO, BUT ULTIMATELY GO FOR UNANIMOUS #1

2. Wizards - Ricky Rubio, DKV Joventut PG
Notes: POSSIBLE TRADE SCENARIO WITH ETAN THOMAS. PORTLAND COMES CALLING.

3. Clippers - Tyreke Evans, Memphis SG
Notes: WITH NO SURE #3 DUNLEAVY LOOKS TO MOTIVATE, POSSIBLY TRADE, BARON DAVIS

4. Thunder - Gerald Henderson, Duke SG
Notes: PRESTI IS TOO SMART TO FALL FOR THABEET, TAKES HIS GUY AND SURPRISES ONCE AGAIN

5. Wolves - DeMar DeRozan, USC SG
Notes: NEW WOLVES BRASS SWINGS FOR THE FENCES AFTER DEROZAN DOMINATES WORKOUTS

6. Grizzlies - Jordan Hill, Arizona PF
Notes: WITH 4 OF 5 STARTERS IN PLACE GRIZZ MAKE NO-BRAINER PICK

7. Warriors - Brandon Jennings, Lottomatica Roma PG
Notes: NELSON ENVISIONS JENNINGS RUNNING THE BREAK, LOOKS TO MOVE ELLIS FOR FRONT COURT HELP

8. Knicks - James Harden, ASU SG
Notes: RAPTORS FANS CRUSHED, KNICKS FANS REJOICE, HARDEN FALLS TO 8

9. Raptors - Hasheem Thabeet, UCONN C
Notes: RAPTORS FANS PERPLEXED, BOSH TRADE RUMORS GET LOUDER

10. Bucks - Dejuan Blair, Pittsburg PF
Notes: BUCKS RESIGN SESSIONS, GRAB ANTI-VILLANUEVA IN BLAIR

11. Nets - Earl Clark, Louisville PF
Notes: NETS JUST MISS OUT ON THEIR MAN (BLAIR), SETTLE FOR CLARK

12. Bobcats - Jrue Holiday, UCLA PG
Notes: BOBS' HOPES OF KEEPING FELTON IS ALL TALK (TOO MUCH $), GET BROWN'S FAVORITE IN HOLIDAY AS REPLACEMENT BACKUP COMBO GUARD

13. Pacers - B.J. Mullens, Ohio State C
Notes: PACERS GRAB ANOTHER PROJECT BIG TO MIX WITH HIBBERT

14. Suns - Terrence Williams, Louisville SG/SF
Notes: KERR GRABS WILLIAMS, LOOKS TO BE OPENING DAY STARTER AT SF.

15. Pistons - Ty Lawson, UNC PG
Notes: DUMARS PONDERS-- ON SECOND THOUGHT, MAYBE STUCKEY ISN'T THE ANSWER AT POINT GUARD AFTER ALL

16. Bulls - Patrick Patterson, Kentucky PF
Notes: BULLS HOPE PATTERSON CAN PROVIDE SOME MUCH NEEDED TOUGHNESS INSIDE

17. Sixers - Stephen Curry, Davidson PG/SG
Notes: SIXERS HOPE CURRY IS THE ANSWER TO TEAM'S OFFENSIVE WOES

18. Wolves - Eric Maynor, VCU PG
Notes: EVEN AT 18, WOLVES STILL ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY UPGRADE AT THE POINT

19. Hawks - Jeff Teague, Wake Forest PG/SG
Notes: HAWKS GO LOCAL, HOPE BIBBY CAN TEACH HIM THE ROPES

20. Mavericks - Johnny Flynn, Syracuse PG
Notes: CUBAN DEVOLOPS NEW STATISTICAL FORMULA THAT PROVES FLYNN IS DRAFTS BEST PLAYER

21. Jazz - James Johnson Sam Young, Pittsburg SF/PF
Notes: JAZZ GRAB PF INSURANCE FOR MILLSAP/BOOZER IN VERSATILE JOHNSON

22. Hornets - Sam Young, Wake Forest SF
Notes: HORNETS FIND THEIR DAY 1 STARTER AT THE 3

23. Kings - Nick Calathes, Florida PG
Notes: PETRIE OPTS FOR STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE, TAKES CALATHES OVER COLLISON

24. Trailblazers - Gani Lawai, Georgia Tech PF
Notes: WITH A STACKED DEPTH CHART AT NEARLY EVERY POSITION, PRITCHARD LOOKS TO TEAMS' ONE AREA OF WEAKNESS-- BIG MAN DEPTH

25. Thunder - Tyler Hansborough, UNC PF
Notes: WITH STARTERS IN PLACE, PRESTI TAKES DRAFT'S MOST FAMOUS FUTURE ROLE PLAYER

26. Chicago - Chase Budinger, Arizona SG
Notes: WITH GORDON'S FUTURE UNCLEAR, PAXSON GETS SOME SHOOTING INSURANCE

27. Grizzlies - Wayne Ellington, UNC SG
Notes: WITH ENOUGH YOUNGSTERS IN TOW, WALLACE SELECTS PLAYER CLOSEST TO CONTRIBUTING FOR NEEDY GRIZZ

28. Wolves - Austin Daye, Gonzaga SF
Notes: WOLVES CAN AFFORD TO BE PATIENT, ROLL THE DICE WITH THIRD FIRST ROUNDER

29. Lakers - DaJuan Summers, Georgetown SF
Notes: AFTER CHAMPIONSHIP RUN ARIZA PRICES HIMSELF OUT OF LAKERS PLANS, KUPCHAK GRABS REPLACEMENT BEST SUITED FOR TRIANGLE

30. Cavaliers - Danny Green, UNC SG
Notes: GREENS TOOLS (DEFENSE, 3 PT SHOOTING) MAKE HIM BEST SUITED TO PLAY OFF OF LEBRON

You win. Flawless Victory. Seriously though, nice mock, ballsy.

PeeDee wrote:You win. Flawless Victory. Seriously though, nice mock, ballsy.

Thank you kind sir.

This mock is a mess.

I might not agree with a lot of your picks but I always enjoy a different angle and your justifications are solid.

Good work.

Cammo101 wrote:This mock is a mess.

Your room's a mess and your mom wants you to clean it. OH BURN!!! SELF-HIGH FIVE!

Ok that was dumb, and I'm done...

Back to the mock...

DeRozan, Maynor, and Daye for the Wolves? I kind of like it. That's long term answers at the 1, 2, and 3. Daye, when he's a finished product, becomes the AK47 type of SF we need to protect Love and Jefferson's help-side on defense. DeRozan's a strong, athletic SG that can play great defense on the perimeter, and throw down to get us on SportsCenter again. Maynor's a big point guard who knows how to score.

I see what you did with Evans, Holiday, and Mullens, though. I can't complain about the Wolves passing on them if they go before us. Very wise because my approval means everything.

Both Henderson and Harden disappointed in the Tournament, so I don't see how they flipped. Also, Thabeet is a lock to be a top 5 pick. I can't see the Wolves passing on him.

I know all about Thabeet and I don't buy it. I think everyone is saying he's top 5 but everyone wants somebody else to take him. I think he'll slide. The majority of Wolves fans wants a back court player as we see Love and Jefferson holding down the starting front court spots for the next ten years.

Also, I understand Harden and Henderson have seen their stock go down, Henderson's apparently from one bad game. I just think Presti opts for someone who can be a defensive minded glue guy. There's only so many shots to go around with Durant/Green/Westbrook already. I'm rolling the dice on that one. .

So Pesti is going to pass on Thabeet for Henderson because of Henderson's superior defense? Wow.

No, he passes on Thabeet b/c Krstic is better, and because he looks to acquire a C via trade, perhaps by reacquiring Chandler.

I don't like Thabeet, but he dosen't fall past OKC I don't think. Defense stopper on a team that admittedly already has a ton of offense seems to make sense.

Obviously this mock defied some convention, but overall I really like it. Would love to see someone gamble on Evans that high (I have a man crush on him), but I think the Clipps get a guy ready to put up solid numbers from Day 1 at PF, Jordan Hill.

I like this, it's different and still makes some sense, but....

Henderson is just way too high, I'm sorry, not seeing it.
I think Blair is too high as well and NJ would much rather have Clark anyway, but Blair is not a good fit for Milwaukee either. Him and Bogut will get in each other's way and clog up the lane so no one can slash or dribble drive. Doesn't allow good floor spacing.

Jazz need a backup point guard, so I don't see them taking Young, and I don't like Henderson that high, but the ideas in this mock are pretty neat.

god I hope a scenario like this plays out where Harden drops to the Knicks. I really can't see anyone taking Henderson over Harden though. That is the type of decision that gets GM's fired.

vincecarter4pres wrote:I like this, it's different and still makes some sense, but....

Henderson is just way too high, I'm sorry, not seeing it.
I think Blair is too high as well and NJ would much rather have Clark anyway, but Blair is not a good fit for Milwaukee either. Him and Bogut will get in each other's way and clog up the lane so no one can slash or dribble drive. Doesn't allow good floor spacing.

I completely agree with your criticisms here. In previous mocks I've had Henderson always going to the Bobcats. But then I took a good look at the Thunder, and I really think Henderson is the best fit for them. All the other SG prospects have their downfalls and I'm convinced Presti is too smart to draft Thabeet. So basically I am gambling early here that Henderson will improve his stock in work outs. There is some precedent here too. Westbrook was projected to go 9th by Draftexpress last year (http://www.nba.com/draft2008/board/mock.html), before ultimately going 4th. As for Thabeet there is also precedent. Last year Lopez was widely projected by everyone to be a top 5 pick and fell to 9th.

Regarding Blair, he is a player I am convinced is going to go much earlier than people think. There's just too many teams in the late lottery to mid first that could use a bruising forward. Bogut is good out of the high post, so although it's not an ideal pair, I don't think spacing will be too much of a problem.

babyjax13 wrote:Jazz need a backup point guard, so I don't see them taking Young, and I don't like Henderson that high, but the ideas in this mock are pretty neat.

The Jazz are going to need more help than that. With possibly either Boozer or Milsap leaving their should be more time open at SF with Kirilenko getting some minutes as a PF. Young is a player who should be ready to contribute right now on both ends of the floor.

As for a backup PG, something like a 2nd rounder for a player like Anthony Johnson could be worked out.

Dr.Krapinsky wrote:No, he passes on Thabeet b/c Krstic is better, and because he looks to acquire a C via trade, perhaps by reacquiring Chandler.

+1 for sure, although the Chandler ship has unfortunately sailed. Still think it's going to be Harden.

Dr.Krapinsky wrote:As for Thabeet there is also precedent. Last year Lopez was widely projected by everyone to be a top 5 pick and fell to 9th.

If you wanted to take it one step further you could mention DeAndre Jordan, who was once touted as a potential #1 over all, then a top 5, then a top 10 lock dropping all the way to the 2nd round.

djthesonicsfan wrote:

Dr.Krapinsky wrote:No, he passes on Thabeet b/c Krstic is better, and because he looks to acquire a C via trade, perhaps by reacquiring Chandler.

+1 for sure, although the Chandler ship has unfortunately sailed. Still think it's going to be Harden.

Harden and Henderson are easily interchangeable, and I reserve the right to swap them at a later date. My worry with Harden though is that there wouldn't be enough shots to go around, so OKC might be better off shoring up their D.