Kyrie Irving Wears No. 1

Here's our first NBA mock draft of the year, so you can expect plenty of changes between now and the actual draft, taking place on June 23. The lottery will also likely end up causing a different order in the Top 14 than what we've got here.

1. Timberwolves - Kyrie Irving PG Duke

He's the best point guard in the draft and while he's not as fast as Derrick Rose or John Wall, he's quick enough to keep defenses honest. The Wolves may skip him if Ricky Rubio is really coming to the NBA next season, but they really don't need a big forward like Derrick Williams, either. David Kahn seems to have a thing for drafting point guards, and could easily do so again if they land the No. 1 pick. Jonny Flynn won't be back next season, and Irving would make sense to back up Luke Ridnour if that's the case.

2. Cavaliers - Derrick Williams F Arizona

Williams recently announced he was entering the draft and he could go No. 1, depending on who gets the pick. The Cavaliers would happily take point guard Kyrie Irving to back up Baron Davis next year, but if they don't have a shot at him, Williams is too good to pass up. Playing time would be an issue in Cleveland with J.J. Hickson and a healthy Anderson Varejao around.

3. Raptors - Kemba Walker PG UConn

He became a household name during the NCAA tournament and while his size is an issue (6-feet, 180 pounds), plenty of other small men have succeeded in today's NBA. Think Brandon Jennings. And with Jose Calderon always injured and Jerryd Bayless looking more like a permanent backup point guard, Walker makes sense in Toronto.

4. Wizards – Harrison Barnes SF North Carolina

Barnes will be able to play either wing position in the NBA and has a strong hoops IQ. With Josh Howard always hurt and Rashard Lewis on the downside of his career, Barnes makes sense in Washington and would be a nice addition to the rest of their young guns, which include John Wall, JaVale McGee, Andray Blatche and Jordan Crawford.

5. Kings – Brandon Knight PG Kentucky

Beno Udrih has done a serviceable job as point guard in Sacramento and even exceeded expectations. Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton are also already in the guard stable and the Kings' real need is a small forward. But Knight is going to be a pretty good NBA point guard and Paul Westphal might enjoy having someone with a more up-tempo game running his offense. If Harrison Barnes falls, the Kings would probably grab him, but if it doesn't happen, Knight could be their guy. The Kings will also probably give SF Jan Vesely a close look as well, while I could also see Knight end up getting drafted by the Jazz a pick later.

6. Jazz (via Nets) – Jimmer Fredette PG BYU

Gordon Hayward came on strong near the end of the season and the Jazz could try to grab a hot name that wouldn't be booed on draft day, as Hayward was. Fredette is a household name and while I have him higher than most other drafts I've seen, I don't see how he's going to fall out of the Top 10. Yes, he struggled in his final college game, but is a pure scorer, as well as a point guard, and the Jazz aren't exactly deep at either guard position. If they don't get Jimmer, Brandon Knight could be their guy.

7. Pistons – Jan Vesely SF Czech Republic

The Pistons are still hurting from their selection of Darko Milicic and might be a little gun shy about taking another European player so high in the draft. They also need a point guard, as it's become clear they don't really trust Rodney Stuckey in that position. Or, at least John Kuester didn't, but he won't be coaching the team next season. Jimmer Fredette could also end up here, along with nearly any other player listed in this column. The only place the Pistons are truly set is with Greg Monroe, who they can use at PF or C. Vesely's a 6-11 small forward who is a confident shooter, who will draw comparisons to Andrea Bargnani.

8. Cavaliers (via Clippers) – Enes Kanter C Turkey

Kanter was ruled ineligible to play for Kentucky after receiving more than $30,000 from his Turkish team, although the money was used mostly for furthering his education. Therefore, we haven't seen much of Kanter over the last year as he was serving as a student assistant coach at UK. Kanter is 6-11, 265, meaning he clearly has the size to play center in the NBA. The Cavs have Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson, but neither is a true center. Project or not, the 18-year-old Kanter has the potential to be a very solid NBA center and may not even fall out of the Top 5. And if he had played for Kentucky this year, he might even be the No. 1 overall pick, and I probably would have won my NCAA bracket pool with UK as my pick to win it all.

9. Bobcats – Jonas Valanciunas C Lithuania

The Cats seem to be set at PG (D.J. Augustin), SG (Gerald Henderson), SF (Stephen Jackson) and PF (Boris Diaw/Tyrus Thomas), but they start Kwame Brown at center. That's obviously a problem, although Kwame actually exceeded some expectations for the first time in his career in the second half of this season. Valanciunas is a skinny center, built in the mold of Andris Biedrins, but is also possibly the best on in the draft. We'll see if Michael Jordan will draft for need, or try to trade up to get his Carolina man – Harrison Barnes. He could also be drafted much higher than this if his workouts go well.

10. Bucks – Kawhi Leonard SF San Diego State

Leonard has had a pretty tough life thus far, but really turned heads with a great freshman year at San Diego State. He could be a tweener in the NBA, but several guys without a true position have found a home. I don't know if he'll really be a Top 10 pick, but if his workouts go well, I could see the Bucks taking a flier, as they don't really need guards or big men.

11. Warriors – Bismack Biyombo F/C Congo

Ekpe Udoh and Biyombo appear to have a similar skills set, but the Warriors are desperately hurting for big bodies. Biyombo is a bit of an unknown coming out of the Congo, but Chad Ford is on board, as are most of the other mock drafts I have seen. He's got points/rebounds/blocks triple-double potential and a relatively simple buyout from his professional team, clearing the way for him to play in the NBA once the lockout issues are resolved.

12. Jazz – Alec Burks SG Colorado

Burks is a true shooting guard and would fit in very well with the Jazz. He's one of the smoothest scorers coming out of college and most importantly, can create his own shot. He could end up being taken in the Top 10, but No. 12 feels right as of now.

13. Suns – Donatas Motiejunas F/C Lithuania

Motiejunas surprisingly pulled out of last year's draft and then tore it up in the Italian league this season. He's a great shooter, both from the floor and beyond the arc, and appears to be one of the more NBA-ready players in the draft. The Suns could use another power forward besides Channing Frye, and Motiejunas looks like a nice complement to Marcin Gortat. He's another guy I could easily have in the Top 10 in a future column.

14. Rockets – Jordan Hamilton SF Texas

Like Alec Burks, Hamilton is a smooth scorer and plays best when he's the main cog in a team's offense. That means it could take him a while to get going in the pros, but he might be the best pure shooter in the draft, and his quick release will be a key to his success in the pros. The Rockets have some needs at the wing and Hamilton makes sense – especially since he's already in Texas.

15. Pacers – Klay Thompson G/F Washington State

Thompson is another scoring wing player and would be a senior at Washington State this year if he stuck around. Shot selection could be an issue, and the Pacers don't need to hear that with Danny Granger firing up bombs with no conscience, but their biggest hole is still at shooting guard, as they have failed to draft one that could take over. The jury is still out on Paul George, who had a decent rookie season, but it would not be surprising to see them take another one this time around.

Here's our first NBA mock draft of the year, so you can expect plenty of changes between now and the actual draft, taking place on June 23. The lottery will also likely end up causing a different order in the Top 14 than what we've got here.

1. Timberwolves - Kyrie Irving PG Duke

He's the best point guard in the draft and while he's not as fast as Derrick Rose or John Wall, he's quick enough to keep defenses honest. The Wolves may skip him if Ricky Rubio is really coming to the NBA next season, but they really don't need a big forward like Derrick Williams, either. David Kahn seems to have a thing for drafting point guards, and could easily do so again if they land the No. 1 pick. Jonny Flynn won't be back next season, and Irving would make sense to back up Luke Ridnour if that's the case.

2. Cavaliers - Derrick Williams F Arizona

Williams recently announced he was entering the draft and he could go No. 1, depending on who gets the pick. The Cavaliers would happily take point guard Kyrie Irving to back up Baron Davis next year, but if they don't have a shot at him, Williams is too good to pass up. Playing time would be an issue in Cleveland with J.J. Hickson and a healthy Anderson Varejao around.

3. Raptors - Kemba Walker PG UConn

He became a household name during the NCAA tournament and while his size is an issue (6-feet, 180 pounds), plenty of other small men have succeeded in today's NBA. Think Brandon Jennings. And with Jose Calderon always injured and Jerryd Bayless looking more like a permanent backup point guard, Walker makes sense in Toronto.

4. Wizards – Harrison Barnes SF North Carolina

Barnes will be able to play either wing position in the NBA and has a strong hoops IQ. With Josh Howard always hurt and Rashard Lewis on the downside of his career, Barnes makes sense in Washington and would be a nice addition to the rest of their young guns, which include John Wall, JaVale McGee, Andray Blatche and Jordan Crawford.

5. Kings – Brandon Knight PG Kentucky

Beno Udrih has done a serviceable job as point guard in Sacramento and even exceeded expectations. Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton are also already in the guard stable and the Kings' real need is a small forward. But Knight is going to be a pretty good NBA point guard and Paul Westphal might enjoy having someone with a more up-tempo game running his offense. If Harrison Barnes falls, the Kings would probably grab him, but if it doesn't happen, Knight could be their guy. The Kings will also probably give SF Jan Vesely a close look as well, while I could also see Knight end up getting drafted by the Jazz a pick later.

6. Jazz (via Nets) – Jimmer Fredette PG BYU

Gordon Hayward came on strong near the end of the season and the Jazz could try to grab a hot name that wouldn't be booed on draft day, as Hayward was. Fredette is a household name and while I have him higher than most other drafts I've seen, I don't see how he's going to fall out of the Top 10. Yes, he struggled in his final college game, but is a pure scorer, as well as a point guard, and the Jazz aren't exactly deep at either guard position. If they don't get Jimmer, Brandon Knight could be their guy.

7. Pistons – Jan Vesely SF Czech Republic

The Pistons are still hurting from their selection of Darko Milicic and might be a little gun shy about taking another European player so high in the draft. They also need a point guard, as it's become clear they don't really trust Rodney Stuckey in that position. Or, at least John Kuester didn't, but he won't be coaching the team next season. Jimmer Fredette could also end up here, along with nearly any other player listed in this column. The only place the Pistons are truly set is with Greg Monroe, who they can use at PF or C. Vesely's a 6-11 small forward who is a confident shooter, who will draw comparisons to Andrea Bargnani.

8. Cavaliers (via Clippers) – Enes Kanter C Turkey

Kanter was ruled ineligible to play for Kentucky after receiving more than $30,000 from his Turkish team, although the money was used mostly for furthering his education. Therefore, we haven't seen much of Kanter over the last year as he was serving as a student assistant coach at UK. Kanter is 6-11, 265, meaning he clearly has the size to play center in the NBA. The Cavs have Anderson Varejao and J.J. Hickson, but neither is a true center. Project or not, the 18-year-old Kanter has the potential to be a very solid NBA center and may not even fall out of the Top 5. And if he had played for Kentucky this year, he might even be the No. 1 overall pick, and I probably would have won my NCAA bracket pool with UK as my pick to win it all.

9. Bobcats – Jonas Valanciunas C Lithuania

The Cats seem to be set at PG (D.J. Augustin), SG (Gerald Henderson), SF (Stephen Jackson) and PF (Boris Diaw/Tyrus Thomas), but they start Kwame Brown at center. That's obviously a problem, although Kwame actually exceeded some expectations for the first time in his career in the second half of this season. Valanciunas is a skinny center, built in the mold of Andris Biedrins, but is also possibly the best on in the draft. We'll see if Michael Jordan will draft for need, or try to trade up to get his Carolina man – Harrison Barnes. He could also be drafted much higher than this if his workouts go well.

10. Bucks – Kawhi Leonard SF San Diego State

Leonard has had a pretty tough life thus far, but really turned heads with a great freshman year at San Diego State. He could be a tweener in the NBA, but several guys without a true position have found a home. I don't know if he'll really be a Top 10 pick, but if his workouts go well, I could see the Bucks taking a flier, as they don't really need guards or big men.

11. Warriors – Bismack Biyombo F/C Congo

Ekpe Udoh and Biyombo appear to have a similar skills set, but the Warriors are desperately hurting for big bodies. Biyombo is a bit of an unknown coming out of the Congo, but Chad Ford is on board, as are most of the other mock drafts I have seen. He's got points/rebounds/blocks triple-double potential and a relatively simple buyout from his professional team, clearing the way for him to play in the NBA once the lockout issues are resolved.

12. Jazz – Alec Burks SG Colorado

Burks is a true shooting guard and would fit in very well with the Jazz. He's one of the smoothest scorers coming out of college and most importantly, can create his own shot. He could end up being taken in the Top 10, but No. 12 feels right as of now.

13. Suns – Donatas Motiejunas F/C Lithuania

Motiejunas surprisingly pulled out of last year's draft and then tore it up in the Italian league this season. He's a great shooter, both from the floor and beyond the arc, and appears to be one of the more NBA-ready players in the draft. The Suns could use another power forward besides Channing Frye, and Motiejunas looks like a nice complement to Marcin Gortat. He's another guy I could easily have in the Top 10 in a future column.

14. Rockets – Jordan Hamilton SF Texas

Like Alec Burks, Hamilton is a smooth scorer and plays best when he's the main cog in a team's offense. That means it could take him a while to get going in the pros, but he might be the best pure shooter in the draft, and his quick release will be a key to his success in the pros. The Rockets have some needs at the wing and Hamilton makes sense – especially since he's already in Texas.

15. Pacers – Klay Thompson G/F Washington State

Thompson is another scoring wing player and would be a senior at Washington State this year if he stuck around. Shot selection could be an issue, and the Pacers don't need to hear that with Danny Granger firing up bombs with no conscience, but their biggest hole is still at shooting guard, as they have failed to draft one that could take over. The jury is still out on Paul George, who had a decent rookie season, but it would not be surprising to see them take another one this time around.

16. Sixers – Terrence Jones SF Kentucky

The Sixers would love to see one of the top centers take a fall to 16 so they could get a possible replacement for duds like Spencer Hawes, Tony Battie and Marreese Speights, but a pick this low won't get it done – at least as of now. Andre Iguodala always feels a step closer to a departure out of Philly and Jones has the potential to replace him down the line. Many folks think Jones should stay at Kentucky for another year to develop, but he's got enough upside to be taken with a Top 15 pick now. A lot of where he's drafted will depend on how his workouts go, but No. 16 looks about right.

17. Knicks – Marcus Morris PF Kansas

The Knicks could use a center, but can also slide Amare Stoudemire there and play a real power forward. They've got one in Shelden Williams, but it's pretty clear he should not be starting in the NBA. Morris is ready for the NBA, is going to be a nice rookie and reminds me a bit of Greg Monroe, who was a very pleasant surprise this season. As of right now, No. 17 feels right for him, but I wouldn't be surprised if I have him in the Top 10 by Draft Day. The Knicks need a big man who can score besides Stoudemire and I think they will have a steal on their hands if they can get Morris this late.

18. Wizards (via Hawks) – Chris Singleton SF Florida State

The Wizards are set with three young guards and a couple solid big men, but as I stated earlier, are lacking at small forward. It wouldn't surprise me to see them use both of their first-round picks on that position. And Singleton has the potential to be another Josh Smith or Gerald Wallace, which I'm pretty sure would make John Wall and company happy. I think he's another potential steal for such a late pick in this draft.

19. Bobcats (via Hornets) – Nikola Mirotic PF Spain

This 6-10 big man can score, rebound, block shots and steal the ball, and the Bobcats need more bigs. He's been extremely efficient in Europe and while there's a chance he won't still be on the board this late, I think Michael Jordan would take the bait if he is.

20. Timberwolves (via Grizzlies) – Nolan Smith G Duke

Smith is a combo guard and it's still unknown whether he can be turned into a real NBA point guard given his turnover issues. But he was able to run Duke's offense when Kyrie Irving was out and played well enough last season to be a lock for a first-round pick. The Timberwolves have a thing for point guards, and if Ricky Rubio isn't coming to America, Smith is a guy they'll look at. The Wolves also have a bit of a hole at shooting guard, making him look like an even more logical choice with this pick.

21. Trail Blazers – Justin Harper PF Richmond

With all the Blazers' centers on the verge of their next knee surgery, LaMarcus Aldridge has been playing a lot more center than they planned on. Gerald Wallace is getting to old to play much more power forward, making Harper a good fit in Portland. While he's truly a power forward, he's one of the best shooters in this draft, if not the best, and his jumper, combined with his size and strength, are going to be NBA assets. His game also seems to suit what the Blazers need and he looks like a great fit.

22. Nuggets – Markieff Morris PF Kansas

The Nuggets are still looking to find a replacement for Carmelo Anthony, although Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler should have solid futures in Denver. Their true need is power forward, making Justin Harper and Morris solid options. Morris is not as good as his twin brother, Marcus, just yet, but he's not too far away. He's already got NBA size (6-10, 235) and is a physical rebounder, but can also knock down an 18-footer if left open. Kenyon Martin is (literally) on his last leg and Chris Andersen isn't getting any younger. Morris looks like a great fit in Denver.

23. Rockets (via Magic) - Jeff Taylor SF Vanderbilt

Taylor developed a 3-point shot in his junior season and is an amazing athlete, able to run the floor at will. He's another guy who might imitate Gerald Wallace and Josh Smith, and the Rockets could use someone who can run the floor with Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin. Chase Budinger will likely start at small forward, but they're certainly not deep at the position, making Taylor a nice fit.

24. Thunder – Travis Leslie SF Georgia

Leslie might be the best athlete in the draft and is a dunk highlight reel waiting to happen. There are questions about his outside shooting, and while the Thunder could really use someone to hit threes, Leslie would be an excellent replacement for Jeff Green, whom they traded to the Celtics this year. He won't see much playing time in OKC due to playing behind the guy who led the league in scoring for the second straight year, but given time to develop, could turn into a very solid (and exciting) NBA player at some point in the future.

25. Celtics – Reggie Jackson PG Boston College

Jackson showed an improved jumper last season and would make for a nice-sized point guard at 6-3. He has shown playmaking skills and is unselfish, while also able to play off the ball. The Celtics have many needs as one of the oldest teams in the league, but getting another guard who could play both spots makes sense.

26. Mavericks – Trey Thompkins PF Georgia

Dirk Nowitzki isn't getting any younger and the Mavericks would be wise to get a young PF they can start grooming for the future. Thompkins had a nice season at UGA, averaging 16.4 points, 7.6 boards and 1.7 blocks per game. The knock on him is that he isn't all that athletic and didn't show much improvement last year, but he's a guy that could stick in the NBA as he learns how to play the game.

27. Nets (via Lakers) – Kenneth Faried PF Morehead State

Faried has a great nose for the ball, is one of the best rebounders in college history and will dive for loose balls without hesitation. Hustle is a word that best describes him and the Nets could use a solid blue-collar guy to do the dirty work that Brook Lopez isn't capable of.

28. Bulls (via Heat) – Josh Selby SG Kansas

Selby has all kinds of potential but hasn't really lived up to the hype as of yet. The Bulls are lacking at shooting guard, which is really their only glaring need. They've got time to wait, as they certainly didn't struggle with a hole at the 2 during the regular season.

29. Spurs - Tobias Harris F Tennessee

At 6-8, 210 he's going to be an undersized power forward, but can shoot it well enough that he might be able to play some small forward in the NBA. Gregg Popovich doesn't seem to trust DeJuan Blair and they've got plenty of young talent in the backcourt. Richard Jefferson will have to be replaced at some point, and Harris wouldn't be a bad place to start.

30. Bulls – JaJuan Johnson, F/C Purdue

He was the best scorer in the Big Ten and was named the Big Ten Player of the Year. He averaged 20.5 points, 8.6 boards and 2.3 blocks per game and would learn a lot playing behind Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer. He may fall into Round 2, but I bet he performs well in workouts and ends up in the first round.