Jun
07
1) New Orleans: Anthony Davis PF Duh. The clear first pick, he’ll be the brow of the franchise in NOLA. Rebounding, shot-blocking, scoring, defense, he’s got it all. In the words of Jarrett Jack “Bring the BROWS to the BAYOU!!”
2.) Charlotte: Thomas Robinson PF The Bobcats need some fight following a heinous season. A tough and physical big, he’ll have and instant impact in reshaping Charlotte’s front court and give them a great young player to rally around.
3.) Washington: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist SF Commonly referred to as a “winner,” MKG will be a great fit for the struggling Wizards. Though he’s not the greatest shooter from the perimeter, his ability to attack the rim will make him a nice complement to John Wall. Not to mention the Wiz could use his toughness.
4.) Cleveland: Harrison Barnes SF Word on the street is the Cavs are drooling over Barnes just as they did during the draft last year. They’re going with his high basketball IQ and his ability to score from just about anywhere.
5.) Sacramento: Bradley Beal SG Though the Kings have a decent number of guards with strong upside Bradley Beal is the best player on the board at this point. His athleticism and ability to score and rebound will get him some play even with the current guards.
6.) Portland: Andre Drummond C There are two glaring holes in Rip City right now and center is one of them. At 6-11 and 275lbs Drummond is an intimidating presence in the middle. His shot blocking and rebounding abilities make him a good fit to shore up Portland’s front court. If the Trail Blazers are targeting a proven point guard in free agency or via trade, which I’m hoping for, you can bet Drummond is on his way to town.
7.) Golden State: Perry Jones PF A workout wonder, Perry Jones is increasing his stock with every workout he attends. Golden state has a glut of guards and need a big to ease the stress of injury-prone Andrew Bogut and high-minute David Lee.
8.) Toronto: Jeremy Lamb SG Toronto needs to strengthen their guard rotation and Lamb will do just that. A solid mid-range shooter and an athletic wing he’ll be a good option with Jose Calderon running the show. Picking up Lamb would also allow the Raps to move DeMar DeRozan to small forward where me may be better suited.
9.) Detroit: John Henson PF Detroit is in desperate need of another big to play alongside Greg Monroe. Henson is a smaller guy for that task but still his athleticism, rebounding and shot-blocking capabilities make him the best option for the Pistons.
10.) New Orleans: Damian Lillard PG With Jarrett Jack at the helm in NOLA Lillard will be a great back-up and potentially even tear the starting job from Jack. A strong scorer with range, his threats would be a great addition to those of Anthony Davis.
11.) Portland: Kendall Marshall PG Though I don’t think Portland will keep both picks, if we draft at 11 we’ll continue to address need while still choosing one of the best players available. Marshall’s strong passing ability is exactly what the Trail Blazers are looking for in a point guard. With the likes of scorers like LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews the need for a pass-first PG is perfect.
Check out my full mock draft here as well as those of other Trail Blazers broadcasters.