Here is Version 6 (and hopefully the final version) of my NBA Mock Draft, posted on Wednesday, June 23. The draft is tomorrow and the big news is that
Wesley Johnson may very well be going at No. 3 to the Nets, as they think it will help them land
Carlos Boozer since the two share the same agent.
DeMarcus Cousins is the biggest question mark as a player in this draft, while the Timberwolves, and what they will do with their 27 or so draft picks, is the biggest team question mark, as no one knows what David Kahn might have up his sleeve, or should we say, in the toilet.
1. Washington Wizards – John Wall PG Kentucky Two words: Done deal.
2. Philadelphia 76ers – Evan Turner SG Ohio StateThe
Derrick Favors rumors have been put to rest and Turner is nearly a lock to go at No. 2. Thankfully, I never wavered on keeping him here.
3. New Jersey Nets – Wesley Johnson SF Syracuse Long story short: Johnson and
Carlos Boozer share agent Rob Pelinka. The Nets think they can get Boozer if they hook Johnson/Pelinka up with a Top 3 selection. If they have Boozer, they don't need
Derrick Favors or
DeMarcus Cousins. They could still
easily take Favors here, but it does sound like they are leaning toward Johnson now.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves – Derrick Favors PF Georgia Tech Favors is at least a year or two away from developing into a stud, while the same can be said for
Ricky Rubio. Put the pair together in 2013 and you might have something special. The drafting of Favors or
DeMarcus Cousins would also mean that
Al Jefferson or
Kevin Love will likely be moved this summer. And I still think the chances of the Wolves moving this pick are about 50 percent.
5. Sacramento Kings – DeMarcus Cousins C KentuckyThere were reports that Cousins didn't want to play for the Kings, but he has disputed them. There are a million questions out there about his work ethic and attitude, and his conditioning could easily become a concern if he slacks off at some point. But the size and talent are there, and if he falls past the Kings at No. 5, the Warriors will be taking him at No. 6. Either way, it's not likely he'll go later than No. 6 in this draft. The Kings probably have more of a need at small forward, so
Al-Farouq Aminu makes a lot of sense, as does a shooter like
Gordon Hayward. Number 5 sounds too high for Hayward, and Aminu might be off the board, so they could also be looking to trade down a bit if they don't want to take another big man.
6. Golden State Warriors – Al-Farouq Aminu SF Wake Forest The Warriors were hoping to see Cousins here, but it should not happen.
Greg Monroe then becomes an obvious choice, but the Warriors still have plenty of big men on their roster. With the trading of
Corey Maggette on Tuesday, a wing player makes more sense than it did a couple days ago. They could easily take Monroe, but Aminu seems to be a slightly better fit with the Warriors. Flip a coin here, and if the Warriors don't draft Aminu, the rest of my mock is going to be a mess. In other words, this could be considered a reach, as Aminu is not the popular pick for the GSW.
7. Detroit Pistons – Greg Monroe PF Georgetown I had
Cole Aldrich going here, and still feel that way if Monroe and Cousins are both off the board. But something tells me the Pistons are
finally going to get some good luck and Monroe will fall. If it doesn't happen, Aldrich or
Ed Davis should be the pick.
8. Los Angeles Clippers – Gordon Hayward G/F ButlerHayward, whose stock continues to rise, could be the pick, as it's been said that the Clips will take a shooter.
Luke Babbitt is another possibility, while they would jump on Monroe if he slips. Hayward's hype is real, and for the first time I'm sending him somewhere other than the Pacers. And if the Clips go there, it's going to be quite a gamble.
9. Utah Jazz (from Knicks) – Luke Babbitt SF NevadaThe Jazz will likely need a replacement for free agent
Kyle Korver, as well as some insurance for oft-injured
Andrei Kirilenko. Babbitt is a sharp shooter whose stock has risen over the last couple weeks.
Ed Davis is also a real possibility, as are any players listed above who slip through the cracks.
10. Indiana Pacers – Ed Davis F North CarolinaThis is the first of six mocks where we haven't had Hayward landing in Indy. It's still very possible Larry Bird could draft the hometown hero, but he could easily be gone before they pick. If the Pacers don't trade the pick, which is a real possibility,
Ed Davis can play both forward spots and the Pacers could use a rebounder – especially with
Tyler Hansbrough still hurting. They took a Tar Heel last year, and might be ready to do so again this time around – if Davis is still on the board at No. 10.
11. New Orleans Hornets – Paul George G/F Fresno StateThe Hornets are set at point guard with
Chris Paul, have a promising young shooting guard in
Marcus Thornton,
David West at power forward and
Emeka Okafor at center. Small forward is a serious need due to the age and injury history of
Peja Stojakovic, and If Davis, Babbitt or Hayward falls this far, the Hornets are going to throw a party. If they're all gone, George is the guy who makes the most sense, and could end up being the steal of the draft.
12. Memphis Grizzlies – Ekpe Udoh PF BaylorIt sounds like the Grizzlies really fell in love with George, but the Hornets, or another team, could easily swoop in and steal him.
Zach Randolph isn't going to be around forever and
Darrell Arthur hasn't exactly knocked anyone's socks off. Udoh averaged 14 & 10 at Baylor, but will probably be more of a role player in the NBA.
Patrick Patterson is also a real possibility here.
13. Toronto Raptors - Cole Aldrich C KansasChris Bosh seems good as gone in Toronto, while
Andrea Bargnani is a center only on paper. Additionally,
Hedo Turkoglu wants out and the team is shopping
Jose Calderon. Pick and position in Toronto, and there's likely a hole to fill. We had
Daniel Orton going here for a minute, but his stock is falling faster than BP's. We also had Aldrich going much higher in the previous version, and while he could still land in Detroit, Toronto feels more likely to happen at this point.
14. Houston Rockets – Xavier Henry G KansasThe Rockets have
Aaron Brooks and
Kevin Martin, but also don't really need any more big men who aren't centers. Henry's draft position is up in the air and he could easily go 10 picks later than this, although we have a feeling his stock is rising.
15. Milwaukee Bucks (via Bulls) – Patrick Patterson PF KentuckyPatterson reminds us of guys like
Carl Landry,
DeJuan Blair and
Jason Thompson, and could end up being a double-double machine. The Bucks have needs at several positions, and could really go in any direction here. They are said to like Henry with this pick, but we've got him off the board to the Rockets. Patterson's stock has been all over the board, but it seems like he'd be a good fit with Scott Skiles and his overachieving squad of guys many casual fans have never heard of.
Here is Version 6 (and hopefully the final version) of my NBA Mock Draft, posted on Wednesday, June 23. The draft is tomorrow and the big news is that
Wesley Johnson may very well be going at No. 3 to the Nets, as they think it will help them land
Carlos Boozer since the two share the same agent.
DeMarcus Cousins is the biggest question mark as a player in this draft, while the Timberwolves, and what they will do with their 27 or so draft picks, is the biggest team question mark, as no one knows what David Kahn might have up his sleeve, or should we say, in the toilet.
1. Washington Wizards – John Wall PG Kentucky Two words: Done deal.
2. Philadelphia 76ers – Evan Turner SG Ohio StateThe
Derrick Favors rumors have been put to rest and Turner is nearly a lock to go at No. 2. Thankfully, I never wavered on keeping him here.
3. New Jersey Nets – Wesley Johnson SF Syracuse Long story short: Johnson and
Carlos Boozer share agent Rob Pelinka. The Nets think they can get Boozer if they hook Johnson/Pelinka up with a Top 3 selection. If they have Boozer, they don't need
Derrick Favors or
DeMarcus Cousins. They could still
easily take Favors here, but it does sound like they are leaning toward Johnson now.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves – Derrick Favors PF Georgia Tech Favors is at least a year or two away from developing into a stud, while the same can be said for
Ricky Rubio. Put the pair together in 2013 and you might have something special. The drafting of Favors or
DeMarcus Cousins would also mean that
Al Jefferson or
Kevin Love will likely be moved this summer. And I still think the chances of the Wolves moving this pick are about 50 percent.
5. Sacramento Kings – DeMarcus Cousins C KentuckyThere were reports that Cousins didn't want to play for the Kings, but he has disputed them. There are a million questions out there about his work ethic and attitude, and his conditioning could easily become a concern if he slacks off at some point. But the size and talent are there, and if he falls past the Kings at No. 5, the Warriors will be taking him at No. 6. Either way, it's not likely he'll go later than No. 6 in this draft. The Kings probably have more of a need at small forward, so
Al-Farouq Aminu makes a lot of sense, as does a shooter like
Gordon Hayward. Number 5 sounds too high for Hayward, and Aminu might be off the board, so they could also be looking to trade down a bit if they don't want to take another big man.
6. Golden State Warriors – Al-Farouq Aminu SF Wake Forest The Warriors were hoping to see Cousins here, but it should not happen.
Greg Monroe then becomes an obvious choice, but the Warriors still have plenty of big men on their roster. With the trading of
Corey Maggette on Tuesday, a wing player makes more sense than it did a couple days ago. They could easily take Monroe, but Aminu seems to be a slightly better fit with the Warriors. Flip a coin here, and if the Warriors don't draft Aminu, the rest of my mock is going to be a mess. In other words, this could be considered a reach, as Aminu is not the popular pick for the GSW.
7. Detroit Pistons – Greg Monroe PF Georgetown I had
Cole Aldrich going here, and still feel that way if Monroe and Cousins are both off the board. But something tells me the Pistons are
finally going to get some good luck and Monroe will fall. If it doesn't happen, Aldrich or
Ed Davis should be the pick.
8. Los Angeles Clippers – Gordon Hayward G/F ButlerHayward, whose stock continues to rise, could be the pick, as it's been said that the Clips will take a shooter.
Luke Babbitt is another possibility, while they would jump on Monroe if he slips. Hayward's hype is real, and for the first time I'm sending him somewhere other than the Pacers. And if the Clips go there, it's going to be quite a gamble.
9. Utah Jazz (from Knicks) – Luke Babbitt SF NevadaThe Jazz will likely need a replacement for free agent
Kyle Korver, as well as some insurance for oft-injured
Andrei Kirilenko. Babbitt is a sharp shooter whose stock has risen over the last couple weeks.
Ed Davis is also a real possibility, as are any players listed above who slip through the cracks.
10. Indiana Pacers – Ed Davis F North CarolinaThis is the first of six mocks where we haven't had Hayward landing in Indy. It's still very possible Larry Bird could draft the hometown hero, but he could easily be gone before they pick. If the Pacers don't trade the pick, which is a real possibility,
Ed Davis can play both forward spots and the Pacers could use a rebounder – especially with
Tyler Hansbrough still hurting. They took a Tar Heel last year, and might be ready to do so again this time around – if Davis is still on the board at No. 10.
11. New Orleans Hornets – Paul George G/F Fresno StateThe Hornets are set at point guard with
Chris Paul, have a promising young shooting guard in
Marcus Thornton,
David West at power forward and
Emeka Okafor at center. Small forward is a serious need due to the age and injury history of
Peja Stojakovic, and If Davis, Babbitt or Hayward falls this far, the Hornets are going to throw a party. If they're all gone, George is the guy who makes the most sense, and could end up being the steal of the draft.
12. Memphis Grizzlies – Ekpe Udoh PF BaylorIt sounds like the Grizzlies really fell in love with George, but the Hornets, or another team, could easily swoop in and steal him.
Zach Randolph isn't going to be around forever and
Darrell Arthur hasn't exactly knocked anyone's socks off. Udoh averaged 14 & 10 at Baylor, but will probably be more of a role player in the NBA.
Patrick Patterson is also a real possibility here.
13. Toronto Raptors - Cole Aldrich C KansasChris Bosh seems good as gone in Toronto, while
Andrea Bargnani is a center only on paper. Additionally,
Hedo Turkoglu wants out and the team is shopping
Jose Calderon. Pick and position in Toronto, and there's likely a hole to fill. We had
Daniel Orton going here for a minute, but his stock is falling faster than BP's. We also had Aldrich going much higher in the previous version, and while he could still land in Detroit, Toronto feels more likely to happen at this point.
14. Houston Rockets – Xavier Henry G KansasThe Rockets have
Aaron Brooks and
Kevin Martin, but also don't really need any more big men who aren't centers. Henry's draft position is up in the air and he could easily go 10 picks later than this, although we have a feeling his stock is rising.
15. Milwaukee Bucks (via Bulls) – Patrick Patterson PF KentuckyPatterson reminds us of guys like
Carl Landry,
DeJuan Blair and
Jason Thompson, and could end up being a double-double machine. The Bucks have needs at several positions, and could really go in any direction here. They are said to like Henry with this pick, but we've got him off the board to the Rockets. Patterson's stock has been all over the board, but it seems like he'd be a good fit with Scott Skiles and his overachieving squad of guys many casual fans have never heard of.
16. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Bobcats) – James Anderson G/F Oklahoma StateThey've got
Jonny Flynn (and eventually (maybe)
Ricky Rubio) to run the point, and
Corey Brewer at shooting guard. Anderson looks like an NBA swingman, and while he won't be a great player, he is a very good shooter – and Minnesota could certainly use one of those.
17. Chicago Bulls (via Bucks) – Eric Bledsoe G KentuckyHe can play either guard spot and would make for a nice backup for
Kirk Hinrich and
Derrick Rose. He's primarily a shooting guard, although he's undersized and struggled in the NCAA Tourney.
18. Miami Heat – Avery Bradley G TexasThe Heat are obviously desperate for a point guard, so they may throw Bradley out there and see if he sticks – if he's still available. He loves to shoot and isn't the fastest guy around, but should be able to have a decent NBA career. It's possible Bradley could end up going much higher, but for now, our guess is the Heat would love to get their hands on him. He could also go much earlier, if the Pacers decide they want to draft a point guard.
19. Boston Celtics - Solomon Alabi C Florida StateAlabi averaged 9.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and a school-record 2.1 blocked shots in 77 games for the Seminoles. The Celtics now have to worry about the knee of
Kendrick Perkins and the retirement of
Rasheed Wallace, so this pick may make more sense than any others outside of the Top 5.
20. San Antonio Spurs – Hassan Whiteside PF MarshallWhiteside will be a bit of a project, but is still a possible lottery pick. His wingspan is huge and he's been impressive in workouts. He should become a defensive specialist, somewhat like a junior version of
Marcus Camby. But it could take him a few years to develop and the Spurs could use some young big men. Whiteside qualifies, and there aren't many guys with as much upside as he has.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder – Daniel Orton F/C KentuckyNew reports have Orton falling out of the first round, but I am still not sure I believe it. He's got size and talent, as well as some Cousins-like concerns about his behavior, maturity and conditioning. But now that we're talking about a pick outside of the Top 20, you can throw 'risk vs. reward' out the window. The Thunder still need a young center they can develop, and Orton looks like just that.
22. Portland Trail Blazers – Kevin Seraphin PF FranceThe Blazers have never been afraid to roll the dice on European players, although Kevin Pritchard won't be calling the shots much longer. The Blazers are long on centers, but not too deep at power forward, and might be willing to stash Seraphin for a year or two.
23. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Jazz) – Quincy Pondexter SF WashingtonIf the Wolves follow my script, they may not need a small forward like Pondexter here. But
Ryan Gomes may not be the long-term answer at SF for the Wolves, and Pondexter will surely be in play here. He's aggressive and quick, and could become a solid bench player for the Wolves. He could also fall into the second round.
24. Atlanta Hawks – Gani Lawal PF Georgia TechLawal not only went to high school in Atlanta, but college as well. He also had a good workout for the Hawks recently and fits a need in their frontcourt. Ideally, the Hawks would like to get a true center, but picking this late, Lawal might be the best thing they're going to get.
25. Memphis Grizzlies (via Denver) – Damion James F TexasRudy Gay is a free agent and
Zach Randolph is entering the last year of his contract, so the Grizzlies might need a small forward ASAP. James may not be around at No. 25, but would be the pick if he falls. James seems to have all the tools to be a quality combo forward in the NBA, but will need to improve his jump shot.
26. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Suns) – Larry Sanders PF VCUFirst of all, I love
Larry Sanders, the fictional talk show host, and his sidekick Hank. But I also kind of love the
Larry Sanders who played at VCU last year. He plays great D, rebounds and blocks shots. The Thunder could use another big body to complement
Russell Westbrook,
Kevin Durant,
Jeff Green and
James Harden. Hey now…
27. New Jersey Nets (via Dallas) – Jordan Crawford SG XavierCrawford is mostly famous for dunking on
LeBron James last year, but he's quickly making a name for himself with dynamic workouts for NBA teams. He's starting to look like a sure bet to go in the first round, and the Nets might take the bait. They're a little heavy already at shooting guard with
Courtney Lee and
Chris Douglas-Roberts, but neither of those players is really guaranteed to play their way into being must-starts for the Nets. And if the Nets end up with Favors at No. 3, they're going to want a player who can step in and go right away.
28. Memphis Grizzlies (via Lakers) – Craig Brackins PF Iowa StateZach Randolph is in the last year of his contract and Brackins' stock is on the rise. He's got a high basketball IQ and is a team player in every sense of the word.
Darrell Arthur doesn't look like the answer, but Brackins might be.
29. Orlando Magic – Terrico White SG MississippiWhite is freakishly athletic and has as much potential as any player outside of the Top 5. He is inconsistent and might lose concentration at times, but with
Vince Carter's future in Orlando (and the NBA) running out of steam, taking White here makes sense.
30. Washington Wizards (via Cleveland) – Dominique Jones G South FloridaJones is a combo guard out of South Florida who could slide into Round 2. He can create his own shot and looks like he'll play shooting guard in the NBA. The Wizards need all the help they can get, and Jones could be a solid NBA player, backing up Arenas.