Mock Draft Part 1 (picks 1-10)

To start I need to explain my mock draft a little.

This is in no way meant to be a prediction of what the actual GM’s will do. They have their favorites, but that doesn’t mean I have to agree it’s the best choice. So I give you what I think each team should do.

I believe in leaning towards need over talent. In some cases this would lead the hawks to choose mike conley over Al Horford, but in general I think you need to take a player who fits your system and who fits your needs. People will also bring up Bowie over Jordan but I would argue when your only other talented player is a SF, taking a SG is filling a need as well, so I’d like to believe I draft Jordan in that situation. In general that will ensure the hawks aren’t looking for their pg of the future for the past 10 years and the bulls a low post presence for the past 20.

I also don’t favor any one position over another unless it matters for your specific team. Jordan, Bird, Shaq, Duncan, Magic have all been the crucial components to multiple championship teams in the past and all play vastly different styles and positions.

1) Chicago- Beasley

They already have hinrich at pg, and have been looking for low post scoring for at least 2 decades. If they can trade hinrich for value they can consider Rose, but moving Gooden and Thomas will be muuuuuch easier. I’ve heard knocks on Beasley that he’s not necessarily a low post scorer, but lets not confuse his ability to do other things well with a lack of post scoring. After having one of the best freshman seasons EVER in college he will be a dominant force down low for the bulls and is the perfect fit.

2) Miami- Rose

I’m putting Rose here because he’s too talented to fall past the two spot, but if I’m Miami I’m seriously looking to trade down at least one spot and take Mayo or someone else. As Chard Ford has pointed out in his mock drafts with Rose and Wade in the backcourt they’d have one of the worst shooting backcourts in the league allowing defenses to sag off them and play their drives. However Rose would look damn good running the break with Wade and Marion.

3) Min- Anthony Randolph

I doubt they’d have the balls to take Randolph here, but to me he’s by far the best fit. He’s extremely talented with a skill set that’s been compared to Chris Bosh, but most importantly from what I can tell he can defend. He averaged 2.3 blocks a year, and with Al Jefferson being an extremely talented offensive player and equally disinterested defender they need to pair someone like Randolph with him.

4) Sea- B. Lopez

With no real inside presence to write of offensively or defensively I like Lopez here. Seattle does need a PG so Bayless is an option, but i’d be looking at a Mario Chalmers or Ty Lawson with their second first round pick rather then using the first pick on Bayless.

5) Mem- Gordon

I like Conley at point, Gay at SF and Warrick at PF the grizzlies could use a SG or C. Gordon is by far the best talent at either position available. Mayo is definitely an option if available as Anthony Randolph would be, but I have Randolph off the board and I’m not sure Mayo is big or strong enough for 2 guard in the NBA.

6) Knicks- Bayless

While Mayo is probably too talented to pass up here, I have my doubt about his ability to run an offense and with D’Antoni you need a strong PG.

7) LAC- Mayo

Clippers run up to the podium and rejoice that LA’s own OJ Mayo falls to them. The clips need a PG and whether Mayo is the prototypical pg or not he will fit in with them just fine.

8) Mil- Westbrook

With Mo Williams being more of a scoring pg, I’d like to pair him with another combo guard who can defend. The bucks have competent players at every position, but not necessarily any stars anywhere, so I take the best player available, but I think Westbrook is the best fit.

9) Char- Love

If I’m charlotte I probably look at Darrell Arthur, Speights, or DeAndre Jordan as they all have much higher upsides. However knowing Jordans hard on for guys that produce in college as well Larry Browns complete lack of patience in developing young guys I take Kevin Love. At least Love will get some playing time and contribute.

10) NJ- Speights

With harris, carter and Jefferson the nets are set 1-3, they have Williams and boone to provide a defensive presence so the nets need to look at the best scoring low post option. After averaging 14.5 pts on 62% shooting and 8 boards per game in the SEC last year I think he’s their guy. In comparison to other choices Darrell Arthur’s numbers were 12.8, 54%, 6.3 and DeAndre Jordan’s were… 8, 61% and 6.

So You Want to Draft Mayo

Editors note: i wrote this a week or so ago, and its probably not one of my better entries, but i hope you found it somewhat interesting.

Let’s say you’re the Knicks… ok I won’t subject you to such a scary fate… let’s say you’re the Timberwolves. If that’s too scary as well, just pretend you’re some other lottery team, for these purposes it really doesn’t matter which team, but the key is you could use either a point guard or a shooting guard and you don’t have a top two pick. So you take a look at the prospect available to you; you review the game film, work them all out, etc and you rate that OJ Mayo is the most talented pg/sg available after Rose is off the board.

In my best Stephen A. Smith voice I say, HOWEVA, you know he’s got all this USC baggage accompanying him. There’s going to be an investigation which may be a distraction for him and it certainly will provide some negative press, so is it worth it? What does it say about his overall character and will he be an issue over the course of his career?

Well my opinion is… unfortunately... this doesn’t matter. He’s probably not going to face any criminal changes for this or anything that would affect his ability to be on the court. As for negative press, well if the guy scores 15 a game (for example) as a rookie you’re fans won’t care. What does it say about his overall character? Nothing you probably didn’t already know. He’s a bit of a diva, but he’s also not selling drugs, stealing laptops or having sex with 13 year olds.

As we all know sports teams are businesses and your business is to make money. Fans want a winner and the more you win the more money you’re going to make. So to the GM who drafts Mayo I say good luck, and hope he pans out as a player because lets be honest fans will most likely only remember whether he was talented or not.

Editors note: i wrote this a week or so ago, and its probably not one of my better entries, but i hope you found it somewhat interesting.