2010 NBA Mock Draft - Version 1.0
My first attempt at a 2010 NBA mock draft. I don't really know anything about many of these players yet, as I haven't followed recruiting very deeply. And we all know that's what you need to follow to be an expert for an NBA Draft. So don't take this one too seriously. We'll see during the next few months who's the real deal and who isn't. This order is based on my predictions, which I'll post a little later. I also did a lottery, the numbers in parenthesis are where the top three teams originally picked. Enjoy!
1. Milwaukee Bucks (1) - PG John Wall, Kentucky. The Bucks took Brandon Jennings in the first round last year, but they can't be stupid enough to pass on Wall, who is of course compared to Derrick Rose. The Bucks haven't had star power like him since Big Dog and Ray Allen in the 90's.
2. Utah Jazz (from New York Knicks) (5) - PF/C Donatas Motiejunas, Lithuania. Darko part 2? A playoff team who winds up with the second pick overall. The Jazz can take the chance on Motiejunas. He's only 19, but is thought to have some inside toughness. The Jazz have a great track record with foreign players.
3. New Jersey Nets (4) - PF Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech. The Nets have used a lot of lottery picks on big men, but only Brook Lopez has panned out. Sean Williams and Josh Boone shouldn't be part of the rotation, meaning there are plenty of minutes to go around. This draft should be loaded with young talented big men, the Nets could have their pick.
4. Sacramento Kings - PF Ed Davis, North Carolina. The Kings wind up with the fourth pick again. They have young players at every position, but they need to keep adding talent, no matter the position. They can't go wrong with anyone here.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves - PG/SG Willie Warren, Oklahoma. Ahh the Timberwolves. They might try to draft Ricky Rubio again. But they go with Warren, who has a Ben Gordon like game. The body of a big point guard, but a scorers mentality. He could go great along side Jonny Flynn and make Rubio an afterthought.
6. Golden St. Warriors - SF Devin Ebanks, West Virginia. Ugh, who knows where the Warriors will go. They have a boat load of young talent but really no idea how to construct a winning lineup. So they'll keep on drafting around this spot.
7. Charlotte Bobcats - C Cole Aldrich, Kansas. The Bobcats have had horrible luck in the draft in their existance, especially with drafting anyone but point guards. They could really use a guy who can get his own shot in the front court. The track record is not good for 7 foot white guys, so Aldrich has his work cut out for him.
8. Memphis Grizzlies - PG/SG Malcolm Lee, UCLA. The Grizzlies have a pretty strong starting five, so if they draft around here it will be for depth. Malcolm Lee could be the next little known UCLA guard to explode and end up in the top ten.
9. Houston Rockets - PF/C Greg Monroe, Georgetown. This is a no brainer. The Rockets need to draft some big men in the worst way. They have Luis Scola but not much else. Yao Ming just can not be counted on to stay healthy any more.
10. Oklahoma City Thunder - SF/PF Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest. The Thunder are finally starting to get talented enough that they can draft for depth. Aminu is a guy who can back up both Durant and Green.
11. Indiana Pacers - PG/SG Terrico White, Mississippi. The Pacers are getting more talented, but are still stuck in the "too good for a top pick but not good enough for the playoffs" role. So at this spot they just try to draft for depth.
12. Los Angeles Clippers - SG/SF Evan Turner, Ohio St. The Clippers have a nice starting five but could use some athleticism off the bench.
13. Miami Heat - C Solomon Alabi, Florida St. Alabi is a project, but the Heat have some serious issues as far as front court depth.
14. Philadelphia 76ers - SF/PF John Henson, North Carolina. The Sixers struck out on skinny big man Jason Smith, but they try again with Henson.
15. Detroit Pistons - PF Craig Brackins, Iowa St. The Pistons are in need of big men.
16. Chicago Bulls - SG/SF Paul George, Fresno St. The Bulls could use some more taller wing players. Sooner or later they will stop drafting big men, right?
17. New Orleans Hornets - PF/C Jan Vesely, Czech Republic. The Hornets bench is almost invisible. They could really use a backup big man and a wing player.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Phoenix Suns) - PF Patrick Patterson, Kentucky. Patterson is a hard nosed big man who may have limited success at the NBA level, but the Thunder could use a banger.
19. Atlanta Hawks - PF/C Larry Sanders, VCU. The Hawks are finally good enough that they can draft for depth.
20. Toronto Raptors - SF/PF Kyle Singler, Duke. The Raptors traded away Jason Kapono, so they could use a shooter.
21. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Utah Jazz) - PF/C DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky. The Wolves need some back up big men.
22. Washington Wizards - PF Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech. The Wizards are a very deep team now, so whoever they draft won't make an impact.
23. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Denver Nuggets) - SG Xavier Henry, Kansas. Timberwolves keep trying to add depth.
24. Portland Trail Blazers - SG/SF Tyler Smith, Tennessee. Portland really doesn't need to bring in a rookie, so this could be another foreign player.
25. New Jersey Nets (from Dallas Mavericks) - PG/SG Avery Bradley, Texas. The Nets could go with a young back court guy to back up both positions.
26. Boston Celtics - C Jerome Jordan, Tulsa. Jordan could be a shot blocking specialist in the NBA, the Celtics could carve out a few minutes a game for him.
27. Orlando Magic - C AJ Oglivy, Vanderbilt. The Magic are very deep, so they won't really have a need for a rookie.
28. San Antonio Spurs - SF Damion James, Texas. The Spurs could use a senior who can step in and provide a little something.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers - PG/SG Alexey Shved, Russia. The Cavs are going to try to save as much money as they can for LeBron.
30. Memphis Grizzlies (from Los Angeles Lakers) - PF Michael Washington, Arkansas. Depth
1. Milwaukee Bucks (1) - PG John Wall, Kentucky. The Bucks took Brandon Jennings in the first round last year, but they can't be stupid enough to pass on Wall, who is of course compared to Derrick Rose. The Bucks haven't had star power like him since Big Dog and Ray Allen in the 90's.
2. Utah Jazz (from New York Knicks) (5) - PF/C Donatas Motiejunas, Lithuania. Darko part 2? A playoff team who winds up with the second pick overall. The Jazz can take the chance on Motiejunas. He's only 19, but is thought to have some inside toughness. The Jazz have a great track record with foreign players.
3. New Jersey Nets (4) - PF Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech. The Nets have used a lot of lottery picks on big men, but only Brook Lopez has panned out. Sean Williams and Josh Boone shouldn't be part of the rotation, meaning there are plenty of minutes to go around. This draft should be loaded with young talented big men, the Nets could have their pick.
4. Sacramento Kings - PF Ed Davis, North Carolina. The Kings wind up with the fourth pick again. They have young players at every position, but they need to keep adding talent, no matter the position. They can't go wrong with anyone here.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves - PG/SG Willie Warren, Oklahoma. Ahh the Timberwolves. They might try to draft Ricky Rubio again. But they go with Warren, who has a Ben Gordon like game. The body of a big point guard, but a scorers mentality. He could go great along side Jonny Flynn and make Rubio an afterthought.
6. Golden St. Warriors - SF Devin Ebanks, West Virginia. Ugh, who knows where the Warriors will go. They have a boat load of young talent but really no idea how to construct a winning lineup. So they'll keep on drafting around this spot.
7. Charlotte Bobcats - C Cole Aldrich, Kansas. The Bobcats have had horrible luck in the draft in their existance, especially with drafting anyone but point guards. They could really use a guy who can get his own shot in the front court. The track record is not good for 7 foot white guys, so Aldrich has his work cut out for him.
8. Memphis Grizzlies - PG/SG Malcolm Lee, UCLA. The Grizzlies have a pretty strong starting five, so if they draft around here it will be for depth. Malcolm Lee could be the next little known UCLA guard to explode and end up in the top ten.
9. Houston Rockets - PF/C Greg Monroe, Georgetown. This is a no brainer. The Rockets need to draft some big men in the worst way. They have Luis Scola but not much else. Yao Ming just can not be counted on to stay healthy any more.
10. Oklahoma City Thunder - SF/PF Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest. The Thunder are finally starting to get talented enough that they can draft for depth. Aminu is a guy who can back up both Durant and Green.
11. Indiana Pacers - PG/SG Terrico White, Mississippi. The Pacers are getting more talented, but are still stuck in the "too good for a top pick but not good enough for the playoffs" role. So at this spot they just try to draft for depth.
12. Los Angeles Clippers - SG/SF Evan Turner, Ohio St. The Clippers have a nice starting five but could use some athleticism off the bench.
13. Miami Heat - C Solomon Alabi, Florida St. Alabi is a project, but the Heat have some serious issues as far as front court depth.
14. Philadelphia 76ers - SF/PF John Henson, North Carolina. The Sixers struck out on skinny big man Jason Smith, but they try again with Henson.
15. Detroit Pistons - PF Craig Brackins, Iowa St. The Pistons are in need of big men.
16. Chicago Bulls - SG/SF Paul George, Fresno St. The Bulls could use some more taller wing players. Sooner or later they will stop drafting big men, right?
17. New Orleans Hornets - PF/C Jan Vesely, Czech Republic. The Hornets bench is almost invisible. They could really use a backup big man and a wing player.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Phoenix Suns) - PF Patrick Patterson, Kentucky. Patterson is a hard nosed big man who may have limited success at the NBA level, but the Thunder could use a banger.
19. Atlanta Hawks - PF/C Larry Sanders, VCU. The Hawks are finally good enough that they can draft for depth.
20. Toronto Raptors - SF/PF Kyle Singler, Duke. The Raptors traded away Jason Kapono, so they could use a shooter.
21. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Utah Jazz) - PF/C DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky. The Wolves need some back up big men.
22. Washington Wizards - PF Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech. The Wizards are a very deep team now, so whoever they draft won't make an impact.
23. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Denver Nuggets) - SG Xavier Henry, Kansas. Timberwolves keep trying to add depth.
24. Portland Trail Blazers - SG/SF Tyler Smith, Tennessee. Portland really doesn't need to bring in a rookie, so this could be another foreign player.
25. New Jersey Nets (from Dallas Mavericks) - PG/SG Avery Bradley, Texas. The Nets could go with a young back court guy to back up both positions.
26. Boston Celtics - C Jerome Jordan, Tulsa. Jordan could be a shot blocking specialist in the NBA, the Celtics could carve out a few minutes a game for him.
27. Orlando Magic - C AJ Oglivy, Vanderbilt. The Magic are very deep, so they won't really have a need for a rookie.
28. San Antonio Spurs - SF Damion James, Texas. The Spurs could use a senior who can step in and provide a little something.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers - PG/SG Alexey Shved, Russia. The Cavs are going to try to save as much money as they can for LeBron.
30. Memphis Grizzlies (from Los Angeles Lakers) - PF Michael Washington, Arkansas. Depth
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