2009 NBA Mock Draft - version 2.0
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Updated: June 13, 2009
Our 2009 NBA Mock Draft, version 2.0, was prepared by Kyle Baillargeon, our resident NBA Draft guru.
- You can see version 1.0 here, which was also prepared by Kyle.
Feel free to e-mail Kyle or discuss his mock draft in our free forums. Furthermore, we welcome and
encourage you to post your own mock draft in our Draft Forum.
Check back for additional updates as this year's NBA draft (June 25th at 7:00 p.m. ET) approaches. Ok, take it
away Kyle...
Less than two weeks away, let's see if any significant changes have occurred in our 2009 Mock Draft. Just try to
remember that should any trades happen, this, along with every other Mock Draft is null and void. Fantastic.
Moving along...
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Pick
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Team
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Player, School, Position, Year
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1
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Los Angeles Clippers
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Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, PF, So.
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This is the one pick that you can bank on. There's not really much else to analyze at this point regarding
the pick, other than to wonder what exactly the LA is going to do with its overinflated front court once
Griffin is in the fold. My guess is that Marcus Camby and his easier to swallow contract would be the
most likely to go.
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Discuss pick in our Clippers Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, PF, So.
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2
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Memphis Grizzlies
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Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, C, Jr.
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Thabeet still looks to be the pick here if Memphis keeps it. I still worry about Thabeet's long term value
in the NBA. The second pick should be a franchise changer, and Thabeet doesn't project as one to me.
That being said, the Grizzlies already have some very good young players, and if they keep the core
guys such as Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo, Thabeet could do a good job complimenting them on the
defensive side.
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Discuss pick in our Grizzlies Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, C, Jr.
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3
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Oklahoma City Thunder
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Jordan Hill, Arizona, PF, Jr.
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I still think this is the best way to go for OKC, having not won the first pick overall. Hill is a very talented
rebounder and if he continues to improve his game, will be a great addition to this young team. Many
are still projecting Rubio at thi pick, but with Russell Westbrook already at the helm at PG, why be
redundant? It makes no sense for a young team to continue drafting the same position when they can
draft at another need and let the core grow together.
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Discuss pick in our Thunder forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Jordan Hill, Arizona, PF, Jr.
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4
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Sacramento Kings
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Ricky Rubio, from Spain, PG
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No changes yet in this mock draft. The biggest concern here remains whether or not Rubio is willing to
buyout his contract to play for the Kings. NBA teams are limited in their ability to assist in contract
buyouts for foreign players, only being able to contribute $500,000. Rubio would either need some
tremendous endorsements or would have to use most of his first contract to pay for the buyout, which is
roughly $8 million this year. It would actually increase next year, making the buyout even stickier. Is this
all worth it to Rubio to play in Sacramento? Quite frankly, Rubio could slip tremendously in this draft
based on the buyout alone, or we may not seem him in the league for a few more years.
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Discuss pick in our Kings Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Ricky Rubio, from Spain, PG
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5
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Washington Wizards
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DeMar DeRozan, USC, SG, Fr.
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I still see DeRozan as a good pick up for this team. He helped himself in the combine with his great
showing of athletic ability. The Wizards are team that doesn't really possess great athleticism. They
have good, smart ball players with Butler and Jamison, and an elite, albeit injury prone talent in Gilbert
Arenas. But none of these players are greatly athletic and the very talented DeRozan would bring that.
It's also always good to add a new dimension to your starting squad, and DeRozan would do that.
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Discuss pick in our Wizards Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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DeMar DeRozan, USC, SG, Fr.
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6
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Minnesota Timberwolves
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Jonny Flynn, Syracuse, PG, So.
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Well then, that's a tremendous jump for Flynn compared to our last draft (Flynn went to Atlanta at 19).
Flynn has seen his stock increase with some very good combine numbers and apparently strong
word-of-mouth amongst GM's. Suddenly, Flynn is a top point guard prospect. On top of that, Randy
Foye is just not a point guard. He hasn't really been able to do the job so far, and he could move over to
shooting guard pretty seamlessly. Flynn to Jefferson could end up being a great combo for many years
in Minnesota.
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Discuss pick in our Timberwolves Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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James Harden, Arizona State, SG, So.
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7
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Golden State Warriors
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Stephen Curry, Davidson, PG, Jr.
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A lot of projections see Brandon Jennings with the Warriors, but Don Nelson would likely be more
inclined to take someone who can help a little bit sooner. That being said, Curry would fit the Golden
State system well. He's not quite a point guard yet, but he doesn't need to be a traditional point guard in
Golden State. His pure basketball skill and overall ability to score would translate to Don Nelson's
open court style well.
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Discuss pick in our Warriors Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Stephen Curry, Davidson, PG, Jr.
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8
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New York Knicks
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Brandon Jennings, from Italy, PG
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I'd feel a lot more comfortable with this pick if Isaiah Thomas were still the GM. Jennings is doing a
tremendous job of getting teams to not want him with his inability to show up to really any kind workout
camp, beit in Europe or America. That being said, I think the Knicks management will do their
due-diligence, realize the potential Jennings has, and make a splash in the draft by making him their
point guard of the future.
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Discuss pick in our Knicks Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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James Johnson, Wake Forest, PF, So.
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9
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Toronto Raptors
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James Harden, Arizona State, SG, So.
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The Raptors just traded away one of the best three point shooters in the league in Jason Kapono.
Harden has a great long range shot and can fill his roll and then some. He is also a great scorer, and
since the Raptors will also be losing Shawn Marion, the team really will be needing help.
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Discuss pick in our Raptors Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, PF, So.
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10
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Milwaukee Bucks
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Jrue Holiday, UCLA, PG, Fr.
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The Bucks will need a point guard with Ramon Session possibly bolting to a new team as a restricted
free agent. Jennings was the pick with the last mock draft here, but with him gone this time around,
Holiday looks to be the pick. His stock has risen since he started having workouts with other players
and thanks to his combine numbers. He has shown great ability at the point and great size.
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Discuss pick in our Bucks Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Brandon Jennings, from Italy, PG
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11
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New Jersey Nets
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DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, PF, So.
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The Nets are reportedly looking for a big man in the draft, and Blair fits the bill. He has been getting
some tough press lately due to teams looking into his knee injury history. Two torn ACL's in high
school is not something to sneeze at. I can see Blair sliding tremendously in this draft. He's peaked
and stayed healthy at the right time, but one never knows when his knees will go again. Consider Leon
Powe. He had a history of knee injuries but ended up playing well for a few years. Then at the end of
this past season his ACL went out again. Blair has tremendous talent, which is why I have him slotted
here, but you can't blame anyone for passing him.
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Discuss pick in our Nets Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Tyreke Evans, Memphis, SG, Fr.
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12
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Charlotte Bobcats
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Tyreke Evans, Memphis, G, Fr.
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Evans has shown great skill and great combine numbers. If he dropped all the way to Charlotte, they'd
have to consider taking him. He needs to work on his jumper, and who knows how much Larry Brown
might even play him, but a talent like Evans shouldn't slip this far in such a shallow draft.
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Discuss pick in our Bobcats Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Gerald Henderson, Duke, SG, Jr.
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13
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Indiana Pacers
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James Johnson, Wake Forest, PF, So.
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The Pacers are tough to peg. They could definitely use a point guard for the future, but they already have
a ton of point guards on the roster. They could use someone big and strong upfront, and although its a
bit of a reach, I like Johnson here. He's very athletic and can do alot of things on the offensive side. If
the Pacers coaching can reign him in a bit and teach him to be a little more controlled on offense and
better on defense, Johnson could end up being a very good player down the road.
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Discuss pick in our Pacers Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Jrue Holiday, UCLA, PG, Fr.
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14
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Phoenix Suns
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Earl Clark, Louisville, SF, Jr.
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Clark would be a very good fit with the Suns. The comparisons to Lamar Odom ring true, and Clark
could give the Suns a monster front court to go along with Shaq and Amare. The Suns very well could
take a look at a point guard as well, as per my last mock draft. But Clark really is a very good talent and
would be almost too hard to pass up here.
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Discuss pick in our Suns Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Ty Lawson, North Carolina, PG, Jr.
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15
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Detroit Pistons
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Eric Maynor, Virginia Commonwealth, PG, Sr.
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Rodney Stuckey is not a point guard. Get that thought out of your head! He's a combo guard at best;
even Pistons GM Joe Dumars said so at the end of the season. Thankfully, point guards are aplenty
this year, and Maynor is the best remaining in my eyes. He has a lot of talent and has shown up in big
spots time and again. His fearless attitude is something the Pistons were looking for when they traded
for the artist formerly known as Allen Iverson. Maynor and Stuckey are the backcourt of the future in
Detroit, and no I don't know why they signed Rip Hamilton to that extension.
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Discuss pick in our Pistons Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Earl Clark, Louisville, SF, Jr.
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16
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Chicago Bulls
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Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina, PF, Sr.
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The Bulls are always looking for big men who can play well, since that always seems to be their
deficiency. Hansbrough would be tough to swallow for Bulls fans, but we already know he can play, and
he's proven at the combine that he's actually much bigger and more athletic that was initially thought.
Athleticism and size were always considered his shortcomings, and now they can be stricken from the
record.
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Discuss pick in our Bulls Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Austin Daye, Gonzaga, SF, So.
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17
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Philadelphia 76ers
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Jeff Teague, Wake Forest, PG, So.
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Teague is a Jerryd Bayless-type, more of a scorer than a pure point guard. But the Sixers still need a
point guard for their future, and Teague can fit that mold. The real problem for Teague, however, is MCL
injury that slowed him down during work outs. There's a very good chance he could go back to school
and work to seperate himself from the pack and go very high next year.
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Discuss pick in our 76ers Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Eric Maynor, Virginia Commonwealth, PG, Sr.
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18
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Minnesota Timberwolves
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B.J. Mullens, Ohio State, C, Fr.
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The Timberwolves already got their point guard in Flynn, and with so many first round picks it makes
sense to take a shot at a legit seven footer with a lot of potential. Mullens may not be ready right away,
but with time and good coaching from McHale, he could end up having a very good career.
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Discuss pick in our Timberwolves Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina, PF, Sr.
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19
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Atlanta Hawks
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Ty Lawson, North Carolina, PG, Jr.
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In my last mock draft, I said, "The Hawks need a successor to Mike Bibby and Acie Law is terrible." That
statement hasn't changed. Lawson has a lot of speed and can keep up with the very athletic Hawks
team. He proved himself in the tournament and didn't disappear in those games. Lawson could very
well go ahead of this pick, so if he drops here the Hawks should feel grateful.
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Discuss in our Hawks Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Jonny Flynn, Syracuse, PG, So.
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20
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Utah Jazz
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Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech, PF, So.
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I really don't see much of a difference in need from the last mock draft. The team will likely have a
power forward need, unless both Boozer and Millsap stay, which has no chance of happening. So
they're going to need to reach a little bit. Lawal can rebound and hustle, not unlike Millsap.
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Discuss pick in our Jazz Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech, PF, So.
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21
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New Orleans Hornets
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Austin Daye, Gonzaga, F, So.
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I'm not a big supporter of Daye, but he is very athletic and very big. The Hornets could use that
combination. On top of that, he's also a big scorer, and quite frankly he has all the tools, he just needs
to show the heart and he absolutely needs to get bigger and stronger.
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Discuss pick in our Hornets Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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B.J. Mullens, Ohio State, C, Fr.
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22
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Dallas Mavericks
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Darren Collison, UCLA, PG, Sr.
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The Mavericks point guard of the future was traded to New Jersey a year ago. Their current point guard,
Jason Kidd, will be a free agent and it isn't a lock that he'll be back. Regardless of whether or not Kidd
will be back, Dallas needs to draft a point guard to groom. Collison has enough experience on the
college level that he could have more of an immediate impact as a rookie, which would be necessary
because Dirk is not getting any younger and the team needs to win now.
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Discuss pick in our Mavs Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Darren Collison, UCLA, PG, Sr.
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23
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Sacramento Kings
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DaJuan Summers, Georgetown, SF, Jr.
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The Kings will already be very happy if they do end up with Rubio, so this pick can be based more on
who is the most talented player available. Summers has a lot of talent and played very well in the tough
Big East for most of the season. The Kings are in a youth movement, so Summers could also get a lot
of playing time.
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Discuss pick in our Kings Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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DaJuan Summers, Georgetown, SF, Jr.
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24
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Portland Trail Blazers
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Patrick Mills, St. Mary's (CA), PG, So.
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Mills has shown up and then some in predraft camps and has really shown some great skill at the
point guard position. There will be the inevitable red flag because he didn't play with the big boys in
college, but that should stop the Blazers from (hopefully) getting it right at the point guard position.
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Discuss pick in our Blazers Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Jeff Teague, Wake Forest, PG, So.
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25
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Oklahoma City Thunder
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Chase Budinger, Arizona, SG, Jr.
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I've been on the Budinger to OKC bandwagon from the start. Budinger is a great athlete and could be a
great addition to the Thunder rotation. He won't be asked to be a starter on this young team, which
means he can come in and just play his game, which is mainly scoring and hopefully he'll use his
athleticism to be a better rebounder. Budinger could be a great spark plug off the bench for the Thunder.
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Discuss pick in our Thunder Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Chase Budinger, Arizona, SG, Jr.
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26
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Chicago Bulls
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Toney Douglas, Florida State, PG, Sr.
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The Bulls need Ben Gordon insurance. Enter, Toney Douglas. In fact, Douglas could end up being a
better defender than Gordon. He has a lot of the same offensive skills, but likely not quite the same
moxie as BG has. In any case, expect Gordon to be somewhere else and Douglas to slide into that role.
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Discuss pick in our Bulls Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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A.J. Price, Connecticut, PG, Sr.
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27
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Memphis Grizzlies
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Sam Young, Pittsburgh, SF, Sr.
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This team could use a little bit of leadership and Sam Young could actually help in that category. He
could contribute immediately, and his experience could be an asset on a team this young. He can also
play multiple positions. The only concern for the Grizzlies is that he may be off the board by the time
they get to pick, as he's been tremendous in predraft workouts and was outstanding in the tournament.
If he were 3 years younger, he'd be a lottery pick.
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Discuss pick in our Grizzlies Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Nick Calathes, Florida, PG, So.
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28
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Minnesota Timberwolves
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Nick Calathes, Florida, PG, So.
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But wait, didn't Nick Calathes sign to play in Greece? Why, yes he did. But this works out perfectly for
both sides. He is not required in his contract to pull out of the draft, and he'd be silly to consider it. The
Timberwolves already made two picks, and could use this pick to take Calathes, let him play a lot of
minutes overseas for a year or two, and then when the time is right for both sides, bring him over.
Paying three rookies can be tough, so this keeps their third first-round pick off the payroll for the time
being.
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Discuss pick in our Timberwolves Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Patrick Mills, St. Mary's (CA), PG, So.
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29
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Los Angeles Lakers
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Marcus Thornton, LSU, SG, Sr.
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The Lakers are currently against a Marcus Thornton-like player in Courtney Lee of the Magic. Thornton
is a very good player who is getting very little press, and if the Lakers get him it could be a steal. He is
explosive and could help in the rotation right away as a back up to the guard position.
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Discuss pick in our Lakers Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Sam Young, Pittsburgh, SF, Sr.
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30
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Cleveland Cavaliers
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Wayne Ellington, North Carolina, SG, Jr.
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Ellington could eventually replace Delonte West as the starting shooting guard and would be able to
contribute off the bench right away. Quite frankly, though, the Cavaliers have much bigger fish to fry, and
no draft pick at this point is going to help them. The possibility of LeBron leaving suddenly looms larger
ever since Cleveland was exposed in the playoffs.
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Discuss pick in our Cavs Forum
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Mock 1.0 Pick
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Wayne Ellington, North Carolina, SG, Jr.
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Honorable Mention (players who could go in the 1st - or early 2nd-round that could make solid contributions):
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Terrence Williams, Louisville, SG, Sr.: Sometimes Williams looks like he could be a special player,
with a lot of talent. But he's never really put it together, and may never do so. Considering some of the
performances he's had this past year, he very well could get drafted in the first round. All he needs is
one GM to be intrigued. But more and more, general managers in the NBA have gotten smarter about
not drafting guys who have a great upside but no drive.
Eric Devendorf, Syracuse, SG, So.: I'm just kidding, he's terrible.
Jeff Adrien, Connecticut, PF, Sr.: - Adrien has a great motor, is very aggressive and works very hard.
He's improved every year and although he is undersized as a power forward, he has a great wingspan
and is a terrific rebounder. On the right team he could come in and play fifteen minutes and be a great
energy guy.
Derrick Brown, Xavier, PF, Jr.: The draft is filled with point guards but very few power forwards. A team
like Utah could reach for Brown is they feel they could use his size and athleticism up front. He has all
the tools, but is still very raw. I'm sure there are a few teams who feel he's worth a flyer.
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