We will release three total mock drafts: This one, one in two weeks and one the night before the draft. As always, feel free to criticize accordingly. Just please be kind.
Without further adieu, here we go!
Howlin’ T-Wolf’s Mock Draft 1.0
May 26th, 2011
Without further adieu, here we go!
| Pick: | Team: | Player: | Analysis: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  |  Derrick Williams | While Irving may be the more popular pick for the number one slot, Cleveland is in desperate need of an impact player, and small forwards generally have a bigger impact than point guards, scoring-wise. Besides, with the 4th pick in the draft, the Cavs will almost certainly have another good point guard prospect available to them, if they decide that Baron Davis isn't the direction they want to go. - Tom Westerholm |
| 2. |  |  Kyrie Irving | Tom somehow lets the BPA fall, but it's only the first mock draft; he'll quickly learn the Cavs won't let him drop. For now, maybe Cleveland's brewing something up with their two top-4 picks but who cares? The Wolves are now left with a decision though: Do they keep Irving and ditch Rubio and the entire 2008 Draft, or turn around and trade Irving to a desirable seeker? I think they trade it, but the options are plentiful meaning the tide has turned in Minneapolis. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 3. |  |  Brandon Knight | By all accounts, the Jazz are (understandably) hesitant to place all their trust in the injury-prone Devin Harris, and want one of the premier point guard talents available in this draft. While Kemba Walker may have had more success than Knight in college, Knight's height advantage could push him up ahead of Walker, especially considering how enamored Utah's scouts have reportedly been with Knight's workouts. - Tom Westerholm |
| 4. | |  Enes Kanter | Building around Williams and Kanter could be a lot worse. Cleveland leaves the first round with two serious players with an emphasis on toughness. After being shown as weak and jealous when LeBron left, they turn things around and rebuild their team around some physically tough players. Kanter fits that mold and establishes their front court. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 5. |  |  Jonas Valanciunas | Valanciunas is a bit of a high-risk, high-reward prospect…a raw PF/C with lots of length and potential. He is (by all accounts) very good in the pick and roll offense, which will obviously help him immensely in the NBA game. He is also an excellent offensive rebounder. Whether Toronto regrets getting another thin, jumpshooting big man not known for his defense to run with Andrea Bargnani remains to be seen. - Tom Westerholm |
| 6. |  |  Kawhi Leonard | Chad Ford has Leonard going here in his mock, and so do I. Leonard will come in and immediately and hyperactively improve the Wizards' perimeter defense. He will also help out on the boards. The question-mark around Leonard is whether he can shoot or not. But a 15-minute session in Chicago revealed a new shooting stroke and more certainty that he doesn't fall out of the top 10. He goes 6th to the Wizards. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 7. |  |  Kemba Walker | Last season Sacramento was very high on talent and very low on maturity. Walker's incredible run to the NCAA championship demonstrated not only his superb athletic ability, but also his knack for helping a young, inexperienced team grow up in a hurry. Sacramento's roster needs a player like Walker the way peanut butter needs jelly. - Tom Westerholm |
| 8. |  |  Bismack Biyombo | Remember the glory days in Detroit? My, how the mighty have fallen. And fallen hard. The Pistons try to regain some of that bad-boy mentality back by grabbing Ben Wallace 2.0. Biyombo will anchor one of last year's softest interior defenses and bring some enthusiasm back into the Palace. You can only hope. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 9. |  |  Marcus Morris | While Charlotte could go any number of directions with this pick, the ultra-efficient Marcus Morris gets the nod here. While his height and wingspan are both concerns, his incredibly polished offensive game is enough to make Charlotte pull the trigger. In college, Morris shot 59.7% from the field, while shooting both jumpers and playing in the post, and he could be a good shot in the arm for Charlotte's often stagnant offense. - Tom Westerholm |
| 10. |  |  Jan Vesely | The Bucks need some help taking the pressure off of Brandon Jennings. They're aging perimeter isn't going to do the job any longer, so the Bucks take Vesely in hopes of revitalizing that perimeter. Vesely is an athletic and thunderous type player; he likes to dunk. He'll be able to give the Bucks an option running off of screens and taking it to the rim. Solid pick for a borderline playoff squad. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 11. |  |  Tristan Thompson | While there is much better talent than Thompson available still at this point, much of it is at positions where Golden State is already relatively well off. By picking Thompson, the Warriors get a combo forward who plays with a lot of energy; someone willing to go flying after loose balls on every possession…just what the doctor called for coming off the bench. - Tom Westerholm |
| 12. | |  Klay Thompson | With tons of options, the Jazz take Thompson here. They're going to need perimeter help with AK-47 and CJ Miles possibly leaving for free agency. They also don't have any pure shooting guards who can really shoot the ball. Thompson has Ray-Allen-esque accuracy and will spread the floor for Utah's bigs down below. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 13. |  |  Markieff Morris | While Channing Frye's ability to stretch the floor is undoubtedly useful, adding some toughness at the 4 would be an excellent idea for the Suns. Markieff Morris would add just that. Morris has been projected as a great one on one defender and a good rebounder at the NBA level, despite his relative shortness and lack of length. On offense, Markieff isn't as polished as his twin brother, but he can finish around the basket, and his spot-up jumper is reliable, if not spectacular. - Tom Westerholm |
| 14. |  |  Chris Singleton | Once again, the Rockets were the best non-playoff team in the league. What's going to push them over the hump? Yao Ming, not this pick. But Singleton will help bolster a mediocre defense at best and slide nicely into a role player behind Chase Budinger. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 15. |  |  Jimmer Fredette | We all know what Jimmer is and what he isn't, and that could be attractive to some teams, since this draft is full of unknown quantities. Indiana could use some instant offense coming off their bench, which Jimmer will provide, while giving Darren Collison a rest. Hell, they could possibly play together in some rotations. - Tom Westerholm |
| 16. |  |  Donatas Motiejunas | Elton Brand is an old, brittle man. And even though he's coming off a pretty good year, you can't deny the fact that he's already 32. The 76ers snap up the fourth international forward in the first 16 picks, and couldn't be happier. A near 7-footer with pro experience overseas will instantly improve their depth on the bench and give them a nice heir to Brand once he finally decides to hang things up. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 17. |  |  Alec Burks | Somehow, as Jonah and I made our picks, Burks slipped through the cracks until at 17 I realized "Wait a sec, Alec Burks is still available!" New York is hoping NBA GM's make the same mistake, as New York would benefit greatly from his presence. Burks' ability to score both off the dribble and from a catch-and-shoot situation make him very dangerous on the offensive end. In Mike D'Antoni's system, should New York hang on to him as a coach, Burks could flourish and average ridiculously inflated offensive stats; good for every party involved. - Tom Westerholm |
| 18. | |  Jordan Hamilton | Just when the Knicks thought they got a steal, the Wizards nab up Jordan Hamilton. One of the best pure scorers in the draft, he'll have a great season playing next to John Wall. His shooting ability gives him the chance to score from outside and certainly tall long enough to get to the rim. Wizards will score a lot of points next year, but it always comes down to defense and coaching. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 19. | |  Nikola Vucevic | Listen, if you are 7'0 tall and able to run the length of a basketball floor, there's a decent chance someone will spend a draft pick on you. Combine that with great touch around the basket and a decent jumpshot, plus a fairly weak draft, and you could be a top 20 pick! All of those factors are enough to push Nikola Vucevic into the arms of the Bobcats, who could desperately use a few good big man after spending most of a season starting Kwame Brown at center. - Tom Westerholm |
| 20. | |  Marshon Brooks | Brooks' stock is rising, perhaps beyond being picked this low. Regardless, the Wolves end up with a player that will space the floor with his driving abilities and has no fear of finishing at the rim. Wayne Ellington is a beloved player, but there comes a time when upgrades need to take place. This one is a must as the Wolves finally receive a true shooting guard with good potential. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 21. |  |  Reggie Jackson | Looking for someone to fill in for Brandon Roy on his annual trip to the injury list, Portland could do much worse than Reggie Jackson. At 6'3, Jackson boasts a 7'1 wing span and incredible athleticism, the combination of which is enough to have mid to late first round teams very interested. His three point shot and pull up jumper were both much improved this season at Boston College, as was his ball handling, meaning he could play point as well, should 61-year-old Andre Miller go down with an injury. - Tom Westerholm |
| 22. |  |  Tobias Harris | The Nuggets are going to go through some growing pains with their roster over the next couple of years. They have decisions to make on who to build around. I feel that, given they make some right moves like moving Al Harrington, Harris would be a great upside pick for them. He's a classic do-it-all player with a great head on his shoulders. It remains to be seen whether he's a 3 or 4, but it shouldn't matter. Nuggets reluctantly take him at 22. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 23. | |  Josh Selby | Drafting purely off potential, by drafting Selby, Houston would be picking one of the most frustrating college players of the past year: a talented scorer who doesn't always take good shots, and a talented passer who doesn't always pass. Injuries and a suspension badly hampered his game, and took him out of any rhythm he might have developed at Kansas. But he is undoubtedly talented at putting the ball in the basket. One of the big question marks in the draft, Selby could be worth a late first round pick for a team that can absorb an intrepid attitude and turn him humble. Under Kevin McHale, though, I have my doubts. - Tom Westerholm |
| 24. |  |  Kyle Singler | With only one pick in the 2011 Draft, I see the Thunder doing their best to find someone with the energy, hustle and toughness OKC is infamous for to backup star Kevin Durant. Coming from the pretentious program at Duke, Singler will fit the high character mold set in OKC. It may be viewed upon as a reach, but with no other chance to grab a player of his caliber, I think Sam Presti grabs him while he can. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 25. |  |  Kenneth Faried | There's a possibility the Celtics lose Glen Davis to free agency in the offseason, so they could use a big, hustling body coming off the bench. Lucky for Boston in this mock draft, Faried fell far enough to present them with just that. Faried's height (6'7) doesn't leap off the page for a power forward, but his athleticism, intelligence, and work ethic all bode well for his NBA future. - Tom Westerholm |
| 26. |  |  Davis Bertans | Even though the Mavs are in the midst of a championship run, come offseason time there will be no denying their lack of youth. Bertans is a lights-out shooter with size (Sound familiar?) He's fielding comparisons to the one and only Dirk Nowitzki. It's wrong to say Dirk's reign is over in D-town, but soon it will come. Bertans is a nice asset to stash away until that time actually comes. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 27. |  |  Tyler Honeycutt | New Jersey, being yet another team that needs talent at just about every position, is yet another team that's difficult to project. But at 27, New Jersey could do a lot worse than Tyler Honeycutt, who at 6'8 is a long, athletic small forward. His defensive game has impressed scouts throughout the season, as he is very active in the passing lanes with his long arms, and actually led the Pac-10 in blocked shots last season. His offensive game is still raw, but his passing ability is excellent, and his shot has great form and is still improving. - Tom Westerholm |
| 28. |  |  Nikola Mirotic | The Bulls are the real deal behind Derrick Rose. All they need are a couple of extra pieces. Mirotic has lottery talent but has a major buyout to deal with. The Bulls take him at 28 hoping, in a few years, he can join them and add more to the puzzle. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
| 29. |  |  Jeremy Tyler | The Spurs, at 29, are awarded the luxury of gambling on Tyler, who instead of playing in college for a year before entering the pros, decided instead to play abroad. Now eligible for the draft, Jeremy Tyler has been turning heads, and despite never having played a basketball game on the collegiate level in the US, is considered a likely early second round pick. But San Antonio could use an athletic 6'11 post, especially if he could come in behind Tim Duncan and learn from one of the best post players in history. Worth a shot, anyway. - Tom Westerholm |
| 30. | |  Travis Leslie | Leslie is one of the most athletic players in the draft; a human highlight film, if you will. Adding that alongside the most exciting point guard in the league could be a Sportscenter Top 10 duo in the making. Leslie also fills out the Bulls roster and their need for a shooting guard. - Jonah Steinmeyer |
May 26th, 2011
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