2011 Mock Draft Post-Notes
Jan 8, 2013 19:54:30 GMT -5
Post by alldaygb on Jan 8, 2013 19:54:30 GMT -5
Welcome, people, to the first mock draft of my gming stat here at BBS. Now before I begin, I want to lay down some of the rules before I get to how I think the draft will play out if the standings stay the way they are, and the lottery doesn't change anything. First and foremost, this will be a mock draft based around what teams need rather than just to point out the best player available. With that being said, if the best player available has more to offer than what the team needs, I wont hesitate to pick based off of that reason either. Notes will play a big part in what I do here as well, I may take away something different from the notes than you would. With all that said lets begin.
Record: 16-50
Key Prospects: OJ Mayo
What They Need: PG SF C PF
What They Dont Need: SG
Their Pick: Kyrie Irving
I'm not going to spend much time on this pick, as it's pretty easy considering the rest of the draft. To any team that lands the first pick in the draft, Kyrie Irving would be a really good starting piece to build off of. With no signs of turnover issues Kyrie seems to be one of the best PG prospects to come of the draft in a long time. To go along with his ability to score, this has to be considered a franchise changer pick for years to come. However to the team who lands Kyrie(Grizzlies having the best chance) they might want to surround him with some good defenders, because that seems to be his only flaw.
Record: 17-49
Key Prospects: John Wall, Patrick Patterson, Ty Lawson
What They Need: C PF SF
What They Dont Need: PG
Their Pick: Kenneth Faried
With the second pick in the draft, the Philladelphia 76ers, although they wouldn't mind having him, are probably the only team in the lottery who dont need Kyrie. With their recent trade of Dwight Howard, the 76ers set themselves up to really nice adding last years #1 pick John Wall to the equation. With the best player in the draft not being one of their needs, Philly wont be too heartbroken if their pick doesn't jump or falls down a slot or two. What Philly does need is what they just lost, a big man. Why not take the most intriguing player to replace one of the best rebounders in the league in Dwight Howard. Philly could however go in a variety of ways with this pick. Other players I see getting a look from their gm are Derrick Williams, Kwahi Leonard, and Jonas Valenciunas
Record: 16-49
Key Prospects: Demarcus Cousins, Ersan Illyasova
What They Need: SF PF PG
What They Dont Need: C
Their Pick: Kwahi Leonard
Now moving onto the Pacers, they seem to be one of the teams with one of the brightest futures in BBS, having already solidified one of the most important positions in the league, with Demarcus Cousins, surrounding him with several boom or bust projects. Their decision in the draft will be when they decide whether or not they want Illyasova to be a SF or PF, either way I see them going with the most ready player to come out of the draft. Leonard will provide them with someone who is going to create extra possesions, while also being that guy in their rotation who doesn't need to look for his shot to be effective.
Record: 18-52
Key Prospects: Tyreke Evans, Derrick Favors, Mike Conley
What They Need: SF PF
What They Dont Need: C SG PG
Their Pick: Derrick Williams
Cavalier lay in a position of being one of the teams who can make a move to contend any day now, however if they choose to continue to rebuild I think they will rely on the best player available route, I get a feeling that they would love Leonard to fall to them at 4, but considering I think Leonard is a top 3 talent, I think they will go for the scoring prospect of the SFs considering their lack of scoring outside of Tyreke, and Fernandez. With Conley becoming a free agent this offseason, I think they need a back up plan for if he bolts. That may put them in the argument for drafting a PG this year. Just my speculation.
Record: 36-29
Key Prospects: James Harden, Paul George, Jrue Holiday, Serge Ibaka
What They Need: C
What They Dont Need: PG SG SF PF
Their Pick: Jonas Valenciunas
Entering their first year of rebuilding, the Magic have set themselves up to compete several years into the future. They already have three of their positions locked up with four very good prospect, and assuming they trade Darko Milicic, I would guess they are about to add two more. This rebuild may end very quickly with one lucky TC. However the Magic will open a void in their team if they decide to trade Darko. Seeing as they have good prospects at the other four positions, I would assume they are looking to draft a C to replace Darko, that's where the C with the highest potential comes into play, a potential scoring/shot blocking big men who will enter the league with a lot of value. He's going to need to work on his offensive rebounding, but with his potential I think he can overcome that feat and at the vert least become a decent rebounder.
Record: 24-46
Key Prospects: Joakim Noah, Thaddeus Young, Danilo Gallinari
What They Need: PG SG C
What They Dont Need: PF SF
Their Pick: Brandon Knight
Now comes a more needy team in the San Antonio Spurs, they lack a true promising prospect on their roster. One could say they need everything, but I'm basing this off of what they have now and what they need most of. Now a player like Brandon Knight can do a few things for you, score the ball, and provide a new look face of your team if he pans out. With not many players to pass the ball to, to begin with, why would a GM look for a player who wont be aggressive on the offensive end? With minor conerns of his tos, citing that they can be limited with some help, Knight stands as the sencond best PG prospect in this draft.
Record: 23-43
Key Prospects: Greg Monroe, Alexey Shved
What They Need: PG PF
What They Dont Need: C SG SF
Their Pick: Iman Shumpert
The Boston Celtics are in the second year of their rebuild, right now they lack anything promising outside of Monroe, and Shved. That being said they can go in a number of different ways here, they could go with a defensive minded C or they can go defense on the wing here. My guess? They go with Iman Shumpert, Iman doesn't offer much on the offensive end, but by the looks of things he is very athletic and can shut down some of the best wing players in the game, hard to pass on a guy like that. If he ever gets his offensive game in order this guy can be really valueble to a winning recipe.
Record: 25-43
Key Prospects: Desean Butler, Gordon Hayward, Tiny Gallon
What They Need: PG C
What They Dont Need: PF SG SF
Their Pick: Kemba Walker
Now if the Wizards are lucky, they can aviod making the tough decision of drafting the risk player here. Based off what they have now, they would be looking to draft a C or a PG, and so have you the two most risky players at this pick are Enes Kanter, and Kemba Walker. While Kemba seems like the safer pick, his notes dont point towards him getting much better than he already is. There is lack of evidence leading me to believe he will become the starter the Wizards would need him to be. On the other hand, Kanter seems to have a chance to explode or become a dud. Either way this is not the decision the wizards would like to make especially with a couple of guys still on the board that they dont need who seem to be better prospects.
Record: 27-40
Key Prospects: Demar Derozan, Roy Hibbert, Ryan Anderson, Grevis Vasquez
What They Need: SG
What They Dont Need: PF C SF PG
Their Pick: Klay Thompson
I have a feeling this will be the easiest pick made come draft day, the Blazers have their eye on one specific spot in their line up and quite frankly I think they have their eye on one particular guy, Klay Thompson. Klay will give to the blazers exactly what they want, a shooter who is capable of putting up points. If Klay were to fall to the Blazers here, they may be in for one of the most exciting young teams to watch in BBS, with a fast paced/outside offense Klay can really flourish in his role. This couldn't be much more of a dream scenraio for them at this point.
Record: 25-43
Key Prospects: Desean Butler, Gordon Hayward, Tiny Gallon
What They Need: PG C
What They Dont Need: PF SG SF
Their Pick: Enes Kanter
Enes Kanter, lets just say if the draft started today, the Wizards would have the chance to have the best draft, or the worst draft. What I eluded to earlier as their decision of who to pick, well at this point it's no longer a decision. They have 2 picks in the draft and could end up with the two riskiest players in the draft. So either they will boom or they will bust if the draft comes down to this scenraio. However having two lottery picks is nothing to hang your head over, the wizards are still in good position after their first year of rebuilding.
Record: 31-35
Key Prospects: Johnny Flynn
What They Need: Youth
What They Dont Need: Elderly players
Their Pick: Chandler Parsons
This would be a weird franchise to be ahold of right now, aging by the day, and yet they still have guys that could help them contend now. Having guys like Allen Iverson, Amare Stoudimire, Rashard Lewis, and Carlos Boozer on your team you would think this team was actually trying to make the playoffs. Out of all the teams so far, this teams seems like the one with the least desire to be in their position. However this may be a blessing in disguise for them, they have the oppurtunity to add youth to a team that is by far lacking young players at the moment, however I wouldn't expect them to be back here next year unless they unload their talent.
Record: 20-49
Key Prospects: Sergio Llull
What They Need: Depth
What They Dont Need: Star Players
Their Pick: Greg Smith
Here you have the Knicks, when before their two most promising prospects this off-season, they were in position to have the thrird and twelfth picks in this draft. Fast forward a few days later and the Knicks have two of the most sought after stars in the league, Lebron James and Dwight Howard. That's where this pick comes in, although I dont think it stays here. The Knicks need depth, as I'd imagine they wont to win the title next year. I wont predict any trades happening so with that in mind, I'll say they pick the most under the radar player in the draft, Greg Smith. Smith comes with the ability to rebound and score in the paint. Drafting this guy will guy you a solid piece to fulfill the spot next to Dwight, along with the responsibility of not being asked much out of.
Record: 24-46
Key Prospects: Joakim Noah, Thaddeus Young, Danilo Gallinari
What They Need: PG SG C
What They Dont Need: PF SF
Their Pick: Nikola Vucevic
To close out the lottery, you have the other team with two picks in the lottery, the San Antonio Spurs, and with them fulfilling a spot on there back court, I would imagine they would look at there front court this time around. Although Vucevic plays the same position and seems to mirror the type of player Joakim Noah is, it's hard to imagine anyone else in this spot, maybe one of the Morris brothers? I just think they are too risky to go lotto. Spurs take the simple pick here and go for the safe pick and slide Joakim to the center spot.
All and all, this seems to be more of an interesting draft than I previously worried. It seems like a lot of good players could come out of this, but then again you never know until we see where everyone goes, hopefully you enjoyed my analysis.
