# Mock Draft #1 WOOOOOOOO



## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

I have a big competition every year with my friends to see who can get the most picks right and I'm the defending champion and pretty much the 50s Celtics of the league. Anyway here's what I'm thinking now.

*1. New Orleans - Anthony Davis*

*2. Charlotte - Bradley Beal*

I feel like Beal is shooting up boards while the other top 5 guys are just holding firm. Rumors that Cleveland and Charlotte will swap picks because MJ is looking to continue a very fine trend of drafting to sell tickets to Tarheel fans instead of the best player.

*3. Washington - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist*

They get traded over for Beal. Settle for MKG which is fine. Ariza can start at the 3 that's fine, but he's not a guy you plan around long term. MKG might be too raw to start next year anyway.

*4. Cleveland - Harrison Barnes*

Bobcats. Typical. I promised myself several years ago that I would no longer pretend the Bobcats drafted based on anything other than selling jerseys to local fans. Rarely has this system let me down.

*5. Sacramento - Thomas Robinson*

BPA. Think he works nice as a face up 4 next to Cousins' back to the basket game.

*6. Portland - Andre Drummond*

Could go a lot of directions, but Aldridge seems like the only for sure thing in their front court and needs a back to the basket center next to him.

*7. Golden State - Dion Waiters*

Shooting up draft boards. Good, athletic, yada yada.

*8. Toronto - Damien Lillard*

Need a point guard bad.

*9. Detroit - John Henson*

Totally a less skilled Charlie V part 2, but teams never learn.

*10. New Orleans - Kendall Marshall*

Got the Center, now the point guard.

*11. Portland - Jeremy Lamb*

*12. Milwaukee - Tyler Zeller*

Replacing Bogut.

*13. Phoenix - Austin Rivers*

Shot creating SG they need.

*14. Houston - Jared Sullinger*

Blah blah, stats moneyball, whatever.

*15. Philly - Terrence Jones*

They like the Joneses. Have a history of taking this kind of player. Always go BPA.

*16. Houston - Perry Jones*

Value.

*17. Dallas - Myers Leonard*

Size, gamble.

*18. Minnesota - Terrence Ross*

*19. Orlando - Andrew Nicholson*

Gotta pray Dwight stays, this is the kind of PF to put next to him.

*20. Denver - Arnett Moultrie*

Size.

*21. Boston - Mo Harkless*

Athleticism, potential.

*22. Boston - Royce White*

Promise?

*23. Atlanta - Draymond Green*

*24. Cleveland - Quincy Miller*

Big potential.

*25. Memphis - Marquis Teague*

Backup for Conley.

*26. Indiana - Fab Melo*

Backup, project.

*27. Miami - Jae Crowder*

They need smart players to play a role. I feel like Crowder can be that guy and play multiple positions and roles depending on the situation. Also, Marquette always manages to sneak a guy into the first round.

*28. OKC - Evan Fournier*

Roster is full.

*29. Chicago - John Jenkins*

Shooter. Deng out.

*30. Golden State - Festus Ezeli*

Need size, don't play Nelly ball anymore.


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## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

I don't think anyone has any idea what's going to happen with this draft. It's the least predictable draft since at least 2006. After Anthony Davis, the next 5 projected picks could fall anywhere in the top 10, and then everyone projected after pick 7 could fall anywhere from the mid-lottery to the low-mid 20's. After the top 10, I think you're better off picking random players to go to random teams than using actual analysis or following rumors.


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## Knick Killer (Jul 16, 2006)

Toronto needs a point guard really badly? I don't know about that. Sure Jose Calderon and Jerryd Bayless aren't the long term answers but thats a better duo than quite a few teams in the league. They need a small forward BAD.


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

Only SF I'm comfortable with is Barnes. If Toronto doesn't land him, we take Lillard.


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## roux (Jun 20, 2006)

Zeller? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


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## BlueBaron (May 11, 2003)

Nim, where do you see Doron Lamb ending up?


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

I hear that White's promise is actually from Milwaukee. :bsmile:


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

Also, if Drummond gets picked by Portland it's a lead pipe cinch that his career will be foreshortened by injuries.


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## roux (Jun 20, 2006)

E.H. Munro said:


> I hear that White's promise is actually from Milwaukee. :bsmile:


:chappelle:

He really doesnt fit best player available or really fill a need for us


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## BlueBaron (May 11, 2003)

E.H. Munro said:


> Also, if Drummond gets picked by Portland it's a lead pipe cinch that his career will be foreshortened by injuries.


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

BlueBaron said:


>


Dude, you need to look at the history, pretty much _every_ center they've ever drafted has suffered a career ending injury. Arvydas Sabonis thought he could cheat the system by refusing to sign with the Blazers but the curse hunted him down and killed him at a tournament in Europe. The only one with the power to resist the curse, temporarily, was Bill Walton. He held it at bay for a few years with the power of his beard.


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## BlueBaron (May 11, 2003)

E.H. Munro said:


> Dude, you need to look at the history, pretty much _every_ center they've ever drafted has suffered a career ending injury. Arvydas Sabonis thought he could cheat the system by refusing to sign with the Blazers but the curse hunted him down and killed him at a tournament in Europe. The only one with the power to resist the curse, temporarily, was Bill Walton. He held it at bay for a few years with the power of his beard.


I know the history. I just thought that it was an ironic picture is all.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2002)

Whoever gets Perry Jones is going to get the steal of the draft.


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## roux (Jun 20, 2006)

Tom said:


> Whoever gets Perry Jones is going to get the steal of the draft.


thats who i am hoping the bucks take at 12.. my short list right now is perry jones, john henson and jeremy lamb


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2002)

All of those guys would be great to get. All will be very good players. They all have a wider skill set than we have seen so far.


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

roux2dope said:


> thats who i am hoping the bucks take at 12.. my short list right now is perry jones, john henson and jeremy lamb


I guarantee all three are on the board when it's your pick and you take Leonard/Zeller instead.


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## roux (Jun 20, 2006)

Floods said:


> I guarantee all three are on the board when it's your pick and you take Leonard/Zeller instead.


Sadly that's exactly what i think is going to happen


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

John Henson is going to be a vast disappointment to whomever gets him. Seriously, I'd take his backup over him eight days a week. Zeller I'm not wild about, Leonard looks like a decent starting center to me. But if you guys draft Zeller I'll offer my condolences draft night.


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## roux (Jun 20, 2006)

E.H. Munro said:


> John Henson is going to be a vast disappointment to whomever gets him. Seriously, I'd take his backup over him eight days a week. Zeller I'm not wild about, Leonard looks like a decent starting center to me. But if you guys draft Zeller I'll offer my condolences draft night.


The Bucks director of scouting was on the radio the other day and when asked about zeller he basically called him a rotation big man with a low ceiling... which is probably true, but it terrified me that it was such a blatant smokescreen


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

E.H. Munro said:


> I hear that White's promise is actually from Milwaukee. :bsmile:


I get what you're trying to do, but the only reason I pay any attention to current NBA rosters is because of the draft. I really don't like the NBA. I'm a Bucks "fan", but fairweather would be a generous description of me.


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

E.H. Munro said:


> John Henson is going to be a vast disappointment to whomever gets him. Seriously, I'd take his backup over him eight days a week. Zeller I'm not wild about, Leonard looks like a decent starting center to me. But if you guys draft Zeller I'll offer my condolences draft night.


That's what I think about all of those guys. I actually screwed up my mock initially and had the Bucks taking Sullinger, which incidentally I think is the best pick for them, but I think they will pull a huge boner chasing athleticism and untapped potential.


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## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

Floods said:


> I guarantee all three are on the board when it's your pick and you take Leonard/Zeller instead.


John Henson won't be there at 12. He could go as high as 7 and Detroit won't pass on him unless Drummond falls. I actually think he can be a very productive pro, but then again, I thought the same thing about Larry Sanders. I'd have no issue looking for a solid role player later on in the lottery.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2002)

Detroit already has him so they shouldn't take him.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2002)

I'm not a huge AD fan so maybe, it is hard for me to judge. Is he just rated this high because of the lack of marquee players or would he always be top 3.


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## TucsonClip (Sep 2, 2002)

What makes Davis so special, which GMs and scouts are definitely factoring in, is that he is still growing into his body, yet dominated already at such a young and difficult stage in his growth/development. Lets not forget he grew 8 inches in a year and a half, and also didnt play AAU ball till he was a junior. The scary thing is doctors think he could still be growing.

I think its going to take him a few seasons to come around on offense as a threat with the ball, however he is truly dominant on defense already. The kid has guard skills, but really needs time to adjust to his body. Add it all up and factor in NBA condition and weight training and he could be scary good in a few years.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2002)

A lot of these guys biggest challenge will be to stay out on the floor. At this point Henson has more offensive game than him. He grew a lot as well and seemed to retain more. I guess I'm having trouble comparing him to anyone and that could be good or bad I guess. Howard atleast had Power which allowed him to stay on the floor and develop more.

They say a guy like Zellar will run the floor, but he won't be on the floor long enough to do so because he will get a whistle when he is 2 feet away from someone.


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## TucsonClip (Sep 2, 2002)

Are you saying Henson has more offensive game than Davis? I would actually say that Davis has a better offensive game already. He has handles that Henson wont have, which gives him the ability to put the ball on the floor from the wing/pinchpost and finish off pick and rolls.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2002)

I think he does...Not saying he is better by any means but he at least has an ok midrange jumper and can hit a jump hook and can show the ball. I worry that Davis is a just because I can player and might forget to actually do it. Obviously, I'm in the minority.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

I'm drawing a blank. Outside of the 2005 draft when did the Bobcats select a tarheel?


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## TucsonClip (Sep 2, 2002)

Jamel Irief said:


> I'm drawing a blank. Outside of the 2005 draft when did the Bobcats select a tarheel?


When they designed their new uniforms?


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

Nimreitz said:


> That's what I think about all of those guys. I actually screwed up my mock initially and had the Bucks taking Sullinger, which incidentally I think is the best pick for them, but I think they will pull a huge boner chasing athleticism and untapped potential.


I call it the Gerald Green factor. I watched the 2005 draft with a friend, and we both had limited G-2 exposure. We both agreed beforehand that the guy we wanted was Danny Granger, but when Green slipped to Boston we both got excited because we figured that if Boston could straighten the obvious flaws in his game then they'd have a hell of a player. Of course what we didn't know is that that his Hoops SQ was through the ****ing roof and that Boston couldn't even teach him to run set plays much less work out the kinks in his game. So he was a big disappointment even though we should have otherwise expected an 18 pick to provide very little aside from trade ballast.

And that's what's going to happen with Henson. Some team in the teens is going to draft him and they and the fans are going to get excited and he just won't deliver. And he'll end up a decent backup PF, but people will expect so much more from him.



Pacers Fan said:


> John Henson won't be there at 12. He could go as high as 7 and Detroit won't pass on him unless Drummond falls. I actually think he can be a very productive pro, but then again, I thought the same thing about Larry Sanders. I'd have no issue looking for a solid role player later on in the lottery.


God I hope so.



Tom said:


> A lot of these guys biggest challenge will be to stay out on the floor. At this point Henson has more offensive game than him. He grew a lot as well and seemed to retain more. I guess I'm having trouble comparing him to anyone and that could be good or bad I guess. Howard atleast had Power which allowed him to stay on the floor and develop more.


At best they're equal offensively. But Davis is younger and going to improve a whole lot more. Henson is what he is.


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2002)

I don't agree...that they are equal right now...but that is moot I guess.

I'm sure there is a decent video comparison somewhere.

Henson reminds me a bit of Jermaine O' neal.

Davis is the better player....let me be exceedingly clear.


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## Nimreitz (May 13, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> I'm drawing a blank. Outside of the 2005 draft when did the Bobcats select a tarheel?


Well, okay... point being its a franchise that looks for marketing first. But in terms of mocks, they did take Brandan Wright in 07 before trading him away, and Gerald Henderson in 2009, and in terms of marketability there's Ammo and Kemba.


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## Bogg (May 4, 2009)

Henderson's turned into a decent shooting guard. Nobody's noticed because he plays in Charlotte, but you can start him and he'll give you double-digit scoring, decent defense, and he rebounds well for a guard. Considering that he was taken #12, that was just a solid, if unspectacular, pick. Also, if Kemba ever winds up on a team with NBA talent where he doesn't have to go one-on-everyone, he's going to surprise some people.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Henderson played for duke. I feel like I'm missing something obvious?


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## E.H. Munro (Jun 22, 2004)

That Duke, NC State, and Wake Forest are also in North Carolina?


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## Tom (Jul 15, 2002)

Henderson is so important to that team with his size.


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