RealGM

1. New Jersey Nets - John Wall
2. Minnesota Timberwolves - Demarcus Cousins
3. Golden State Warriors - Evan Turner
4. Sacramento Kings - Ed Davis
5. Detroit Pistons - Derrick Favors
6. Washington Wizards - Cole Aldrich
7. Indiana Pacers - Greg Monroe
8. Philadelphia 76ers - Willie Warren
9. Utah Jazz - Xavier Henry
10. LA Clippers - Wesley Johnson
11. Milwaukee Bucks - Al-Farouq Aminu
12. New Orleans Hornets - Stanley Robinson
13. Memphis Grizzlies - Patrick Patterson
14. Houston Rockets - Devin Ebanks

As much as i like cousins, and i love him a ton! As a wolves fan, we go Evan Turner. We badly need a SG, and he's a monster, could be another brandon roy type player, and he doesn't come with that potential attitude concerns of Cousins.

Don't get me wrong I think cousins is worthy of a #2 selection, but he'd fit better for the warriors or even jersey or Pistons. Twolves have Jefferson, love and a very good EURO Big in Pekovic coming over next year.

Clippers look to get a steal in Wes Johnson at #10 here.

I agree it's not an ideal fit, but I'm predicting by the draft Wall and Cousins seperate themselves from the pack as prospects for hype. Like how in the 08 draft every team in the league takes Beasley top 2 regardless of fit. The 'expert' opinion will be that Cousins is a franchise player prospect and Jefferson/Love aren't so if you get top 2 the question is what to do with the other guys. Like the Harris/Wall situation in NJ. If NJ gets Wall #1 he's more of a priority than Harris

As of now Cousins hype train is only beginning but it appears to be lining up

- Most productive college player
- Big man/C (VERY important - Big men and in particular centers are always overvalued in drafts)
- Freshman
- High media exposure, possible deep NCAA tournament run.

I expect by the draft Cousins is ranked closer to Wall than anyone else is to those 2 and it's possible Cousins goes #1, representing the inverse Rose/Beasley (Beasley was considered a lock #1 and had Wall hype at this point in 08)

If the Kings chose Ed Davis, I'd really have to question the Kings organization. My draft board for the Kings is:

Cole Aldrich
Derrick Favors
Greg Monroe
Xavier Henry.

Also explain what Willie Warren has done to warrent himself as a lottery pick. He has really knocked himself out of the lottery and is probably an early to mid 20 where he could be a steal.

I'm 100% on board with the Warriors getting Turner, but I don't think the Wolves pass him up at #2.

1. New Jersey Nets - PG John Wall
2. Minnesota Timberwolves - SG/SF Evan Turner
3. Golden State - PF/C Demarcus Cousins
4. Indiana Pacers - PF Greg Monroe
5. Washington Wizards - SF Wesley Johnson
6. Detroit Pistons - PF Derrick Favors
7. Philadelphia 76ers - C Cole Aldrich
8. Sacramento Kings - SF Al-Farouq Aminu
9. Utah Jazz - SG Xavier Henry
10. LA Clippers - C Hassan Whiteside
11. Milwaukee Bucks - PF Ed Davis
12. New Orleans Hornets - SF Quincy Pondexter
13. Memphis Grizzlies - PG/SG Willie Warren
14. Houston Rockets - PF/C Donatas Montiejunas

I'd like to see Favors or Johnson before Monroe for Indy. I'm just a little worries about the overall speed and versatility of a Monroe/Hibbert frontline.

For indy I would take Favors over Monroe. I don't see Henry or Warren being taken this high. I could see the Bucks taking Pondexter, since I don't see Ed Davis lasting to 11.

Willie Warren would be lucky to get drafted in the first round with the season that he had.

And no way Quincy Pondexter shoots up the draft boards like that.

I don't know what I'm missing with Pondexter. His athleticism and size physical tools screams lottery pick wing and he has a nice set of basketball skills. Aminu has no better physical tools and is the much less skilled player as of now, but is a top 8 pick. The elephant in the room is Aminu is a soph and Pondexter a senior, but should that be the difference between top 6-8 and out of the top 20? If Pondexter has used the extra years to develop the way Aminu is expected to, what's the difference?

I just think Pondexter would be a massive steal if he fell out of the top 20, he can be an impact, 16ppg+ player easily and at worst will be an athletic guy who defends and rebounds and can hit open shots. Does Wes Johnson have THAT much more going for him than Pondexter? Athleticism and size is close, skill is close, Wes is a junior Pondexter a senior, but Pondexter was arguably the better player this year.

Pondexter reminds me a lot of Andrei Kirilenko in how he plays. I don't think he's going in the lottery though.

Dr Mufasa wrote:I don't know what I'm missing with Pondexter. His athleticism and size physical tools screams lottery pick wing and he has a nice set of basketball skills. Aminu has no better physical tools and is the much less skilled player as of now, but is a top 8 pick. The elephant in the room is Aminu is a soph and Pondexter a senior, but should that be the difference between top 6-8 and out of the top 20? If Pondexter has used the extra years to develop the way Aminu is expected to, what's the difference?

I just think Pondexter would be a massive steal if he fell out of the top 20, he can be an impact, 16ppg+ player easily and at worst will be an athletic guy who defends and rebounds and can hit open shots. Does Wes Johnson have THAT much more going for him than Pondexter? Athleticism and size is close, skill is close, Wes is a junior Pondexter a senior, but Pondexter was arguably the better player this year.

I agree. I see some mocks have him going in the second round. No way that happens. He is the third best SF prospect in this draft. I can see why Aminu and Johnson are rated where they are, but Pondexter isn't far behind. I like him for the Bucks better than all the PFs available around 11. All the PFs have issues or don't fit what the Bucks are looking for. Chad Ford has Pondexter at 16 on his bigboard and DX has him at 23. He will probably end up somewhere between 10 and 18.

Warren won't be a lotto pick right now. He just didn't play well enough this year.

I like Favors as a Detroit pick, I'm just not sure he falls outside the top 5.

RTM wrote:Warren won't be a lotto pick right now. He just didn't play well enough this year.

I like Favors as a Detroit pick, I'm just not sure he falls outside the top 5.

Yes. I agree there's no chance that Favors falls out of the top 5.

Favors has the type of potential in this draft to truly be a steal at #5. i'm not expecting a super star or anything but certainly atleast an Okafor type guy.

Any team that takes Monroe over Favors will live to regret it in the same way Orlando would have if they took Okafor over Howard.

When you pick in the top 5, you should not be taking the safe, low upside approach.

Cammo101 wrote:Any team that takes Monroe over Favors will live to regret it in the same way Orlando would have if they took Okafor over Howard.

When you pick in the top 5, you should not be taking the safe, low upside approach.

I don't see it. Favors isn't a freak athlete like Dwight & there isn't a 3 year gap in age. I think it's more similar to Aldridge and Thomas in 2006. I'd rather have Favors but I wouldn't be shocked if Monroe was a better pro.

Favors IS a freak athlete. He's already got an NBA body. Monroe isn't overly athletic and plays below the rim.

You use the term 'freak athlete" pretty liberally if Favors fits your criteria.

1. New Jersey Nets - PG John Wall
2. Minnesota Timberwolves - SG/SF Evan Turner
3. Golden State Warriors - PF/C Demarcus Cousins
4. Washington Wizards - PF/C Derrick Favors
5. Detroit Pistons - SF Wesley Johnson
6. Sacramento Kings - PF/C Greg Monroe
7. Philadelphia 76ers - C Cole Aldrich
8. Utah Jazz - SG Xavier Henry
9. Indiana Pacers - PF/C Ekpe Udoh
10. LA Clippers - SF/PF Al-Farouq Aminu
11. New Orleans Hornets - SF Quincy Pondexter
12. Milwaukee Bucks - PF Ed Davis
13. Houston Rockets - SF Jan Vesely
14. Memphis Grizzlies - PG/SG Willie Warren