1. POR- C Greg Oden- Should be a given; the Blazers don’t have a major need in the post but he obviously has the potential to be better than all of their current players down low. If Kevin Prichard passes up on this pick and go for Kevin Durant, they would be making a huge mistake.

2. SEA- F Kevin Durant- Seattle could really use Greg Oden but I don’t think that the Blazers will drop the ball and take Durant. For Seattle, KD can provide insurance in case Rashard Lewis departs and would essentially be the future at the small forward position for them. He doesn’t fill a need, but he will obviously be the BPA here and they could invest on a big man or a guard in the second round.

3. ATL- PF/C Al Horford- Word on the street is that Acie Law has gotten a promise from Atlanta at 11, so it looks like they won’t bother to take Mike Conley here. The Hawks could certainly use an NBA-ready big man like Al Horford (to stay away from their potential-based draft practices for once) who might as well be their starting center in a lineup next to Shelden Williams next season.

4. MEM- PG Mike Conley- Memphis might be the place where this guy ends up. Although the Grizzlies drafted Kyle Lowry last season to be their point guard, he wasn’t able to play for most of the season due to injury, hindering his maturation process as an NBA player. If they don’t feel confident they can secure Maurice Williams in free agency, they should go with this pick.

5. BOS- F Yi Jianlian- Lets face it- after their late-season failures, Boston needs to win now. But don’t expect that fact to influence Danny Ainge’s decision on draft day. Indications are showing that he likes Yi and Doc Rivers likes Jeff Green, both of whom will probably be available here. If Ainge wins, they go with Yi and the Celtics go by the wayside for another season. If Rivers gets what he wants, they take Green and anticipate making the playoffs next year. Let’s see how this unfolds.

6. MIL- F Jeff Green- Milwaukee can use a Jeff Green-type player to fill out the wing position for them, as Ruben Patterson is inadequate and Bobby Simmons has been a disappointment for them so far. Green’s under-control style will fit right in with their offense next season.

7. MIN- G/F Corey Brewer- The T’Wolves desperately need a solid wing player in their offense and right now they cannot afford to look for potential. Brewer will give them a defensive presence in the backcourt and at the 3 and should develop into a solid offensive player later on.

8. CHA- PF Joakim Noah- Why not? Charlotte could use an athletic big man to help jumpstart their young lineup, and can really do well off the bench as an energizing force. They could go with Brandan Wright here, but his stock is dropping and Charlotte needs somebody that can make an impact now more than later.

9. CHI- C Spencer Hawes- Chicago is looking for a big man to fill P.J. Brown’s shoes and to recreate depth in the post. Hawes is probably the most skilled center offensively next to Greg Oden; he has soft hands, excellent passing skills, and a jumper out to 18 feet. Hawes will give them that low post scorer that can only compliment Ben Wallace and still allow Tyrus Thomas to grow at the 4.

10. SAC- PF Brandan Wright- Wright’s stock has been falling steadily, so don’t be surprised if he ends up in the early teens. If Sacramento has this opportunity, they should take it to fill out the power forward position for the future.

11. ATL- PG Acie Law- If rumors aren’t unfounded, Acie Law will be going to the ATL at 11. Picking two relatively NBA-ready prospects is a must for the Hawks, and it looks like they’ll do it this year. Law will finally give them a solid floor general, one that can also score off the dribble and has made big shots in the past. This 6-3 prospect out of Texas A&M may end up being individually successful earlier than the rest of the point guards in this draft class and might actually be the key to finally tying together all of the Hawks’ young pieces.

12. PHI- F Al Thornton- The Sixers probably need a power forward more than anything right now, but they might be running out of luck here at 12. Thornton is a true 3 with great offensive skills, and has even shown that he can bang at the power forward position at FSU. His inside-outside abilities could be a plus for Philly, a team that will surely be desperate for scoring next season.

13. NO- SG Nick Young- New Orleans has no choice here- they need a 2 guard badly. Devin Brown is their current starter there with little to no depth on the bench behind him. Hopefully he doesn’t turn into another J.R. Smith in terms of work ethic and defense, as both of these aspects are questionable in his game.

14. LAC- PG Javaris Crittenton- The Clippers desperately need a point guard since their current future at the position may never recover from his injuries, and Sam Cassell will be 38 this November. Elgin Baylor may have learned from his mistakes and would probably cringe away from taking another young point guard like Crittenton (who is one year out of high school), but at 14 and with his potential, they almost have no choice. They may as well work on this guy’s skills while Cassell ages and while they pray for Livingston to return at full health. Let’s just hope Elgin keeps his mouth shut about who he is going to take this year.

15. DET- G Rodney Stuckey- Detroit could really use a solid player in the backcourt after Carlos Delfino failed to fulfill this need and was traded to the Raptors. Stuckey is a versatile combo guard that was known for his scoring prowess at E. Washington. His defense may not be fully up to the Pistons’ standards, but there is room to improve within this guy and he has really proven that he belongs in the first round.

16. WAS- SF Julian Wright- This guy shouldn’t fall this far, but with the way things are going he might as well do so. The Wizards desperately need a shooting guard to help out Gilbert Arenas and they could go for somebody like Derrick Byars, but when you have a spectacular athlete like Julian Wright fall to your lap, you have to pick him up.

17. NJ- PF Josh McRoberts- New Jersey could be getting a steal with McRoberts here at 17, whose athleticism and finishing skills is needed in the Nets’ post game. His back to the basket offense needs help, but his potential is great and his energetic nature would fit right in with the rest of New Jersey’s talent.

18. GS- PF Jason Smith- Smith’s solid perimeter game for a 4 would surely thrive in Don Nelson’s offense, and the Warriors have really needed a good big man for a while. He may not be your conventional post player, but why shouldn’t they fill that position and get another good perimeter player at the same time?

19. LAL- SF Thaddeus Young- The Lakers would probably do better by drafting a point guard or big man here, but they could use a solid forward with potential like Thaddeus Young, especially if he falls this far. Anything that can please Kobe, they must do, but at 19 there’s not a lot they can pull together.

20. MIA- SG Daequan Cook- Miami ended the season ranked 27th in the league in three point shooting percentage and could really use some extra shooting, especially if Jason Kapono bolts for a long term deal somewhere else. Cook can give them the deep shooting they need at the 2-guard position, all he needs to do is improve his ballhandling and defense.

21. PHI- SG Morris Almond- After trading Allen Iverson, Philadelphia needs more offense. Almond is one of the best offensive two guards in the draft and may end up being a huge steal.

22. CHA- SG Rudy Fernandez- Charlotte could fill their need at shooting guard by taking Fernandez here and hoping for some solid development.

23. NY- SF Wilson Chandler- There have been quite a few rumors about this pick, including one that the Knicks may actually be picking for someone else. Wilson Chandler won’t even be working out for them, but there have been hints that he will be going here.

24. PHX- SG Marco Belinelli- Belinelli’s jumpshot and offensive skills make for a perfect fit for the Suns’ offense. In their system, Belinelli might even be able to play right away and have the ability to put up big numbers for Phoenix.

25. UTA- SG Arron Afflalo- The Jazz really need a solid two guard in their system in order to be more competitive in the playoffs next season. Ronnie Brewer might end up being good offensively, but they can stand to add more depth there anyway. Afflalo plays solid defense, has a nice jumpshot, and is definitely one of the most NBA-ready 2 guards in this draft. He is a Jerry Sloan-type player and could give them what Jazz fans saw in Raja Bell a few years back.

26. HOU- PF Tiago Splitter- Since trading veteran Juwan Howard to the Timberwolves, the Rockets have created a huge hole at the power forward position. Down here at 26 they may have a hard time filling this need as Splitter is no guarantee to be here. If he is, expect them to snatch him up and hope he can play as soon as next season.

27. DET- G/F Derrick Byars- Detroit could just use this pick on a big man with potential, but they could also continue to build up their backcourt depth and take a guard/wing combo player like Derrick Byars. The guy has good size, plays defense, and his scoring is underrated. Byars is extremely polished and should have little to no trouble learning the Pistons’ system on both sides of the ball.

28. SAN- C Kyrylo Fesenko- Fesenko has been a quick riser this offseason, going from a potentially undrafted prospect to a first-round possibility. Look for the Spurs to continue their practices of drafting international players here, all the while filling their need at center for the future.

29. PHX- PG Gabe Pruitt- The Suns need a point guard to spell Steve Nash and Pruitt can run the floor with the best of them, making this a solid fit.

30. PHI- PG Ramon Sessions- Philly could use another point on their roster and Sessions has shown that he is one of the purest in the draft. He would have ample time to learn from Andre Miller before being worked more into the offense.

Leave a Reply