NBA Mock Draft Lottery 1.0 3/10/2014
With the 2014 NBA season coming to close we have many storylines coming into play as we try to figure out the direction of all 30 teams intentions in the draft, free agency and trade negotiations. In what is said to be the most loaded draft since 2003, it looks like we might have ourselves a couple “franchise saviors” on the horizon this year if all goes according to plan.
This will also be the very first time the new NBA commish Adam Silver will be hosting this lottery throughout the first round. Is this the beginning of the end for the lottery? Will this be the shining white knight we've all been waiting for to free us from the evil emperor David Stern?
1. Milwaukee Bucks- Joel Embiid
With Milwaukee’s only untouchable asset supposedly being the 19 year old Giannis Antetonkounmpo, its safe to say they will go after the best overall prospect that doesn’t play the 3. Welcome to the frigid Milwaukee Joel Embiid! While pairing another “raw” prospect along side the Greek Freak, the Bucks will have a year or maybe two of rebuilding through the draft. Hopefully they can flip Larry Sanders into something nice.
2. Philadelphia 76ers- Jabari Parker
After flipping their all star point guard in Jrue Holliday last year and ending up with Rookie of The Year favorite Michael Carter Williams, the injured but very talented Nerlens Noel and financial flexibility the 76ers look poised to make this their last year in the lottery for quite sometime. Why not bring in the man who is the perfect counterpart for these two. Jabari Parker can space the floor and has shown hes ready to take the NBA by storm! What’s better than having a rookie of the year on a rebuilding team? How about having two back-to-back years?
3. Orlando Magic- Dante Exum
The Orlando Magic have been a curious bunch the last couple of years scouring the earth for a point guard. Before the 2013 draft they were supposedly sold on Marcus Smart as the second pick until he shockingly withdrew to return to Oklahoma State and they even tried to convert Oladipo into a full time point guard. With a plethora of young talent locked into cheap deals here comes the Aussie Dante Exum that’s truly too good to pass up on. A 6’6 combo guard who can bring Magic fans back to the 90’s to have a second shot at Penny Hardaway. Orlando gets the point guard they want and the backcourt of the future to go with a young athletic team.
4. Boston Celtics- Andrew Wiggins
Danny Ainge is truly an evil genius. He hires a good college coach in Brad Stevens, gets a recovering Rajon Rondo, what looks to be a top 5 pick in the draft and ample cap room. They have a gaping hole at small forward and would love none other than Andrew Wiggins to help carry the torch of Celtic Pride for the next decade. With both Rondo and another potential star or with more financial flexibility and other young assets, the Celtics look to have a promising future. Riggin’ for Wiggins might turn into how far will the potentially best player fall before he ends up in the right organization and makes him the steal of the draft?
5. Los Angeles Lakers- Marcus Smart
While the Lakers locked up Kobe for another couple years its becoming very apparent that this is his team and he’s not going down without a fight. He will help mold this pick into a future face of the franchise and why not give him the young energetic back court mate that he needs in Marcus Smart? Kobe’s obviously slowing down a step or two and playing him and Steve Nash together (when healthy) has been nothing but a gold mine for every team’s trigger-happy backcourt.
6. Sacramento Kings- Julius Randle
While “Boogie” Cousins is finally being recognized as the clear face of the franchise he is still in need of a running mate in the front court. Bring in the tough Julius Randle who is sick of being double-teamed in college. While Randle can hit the elbow jumper with ease, he doesn’t bring too much spacing as a stretch four that has taken off in the NBA but he does bring the toughness and physicality that other forwards bring on an every night basis. With Shaq in town I can guarantee you he has full faith in DeMarcus Cousins but he knows that all bigs need someone to rely on and be an enforcer with. Think Shaq/ Horace Grant, just a lot less Shaq…
7. Utah Jazz- Gary Harris
With some of the best strategic moves of late to gain financial flexibility in the future, the Jazz might have one problem, which is how their numerous past lottery picks will actually pan out. With Alec Burks being more of a combo guard than a true shooting guard, watch the Jazz draft Gary Harris to replace some of the scoring. While this draft position truly is no favor to the jazz that have a desperate need at small forward versus paying Gordon Hayward top dollar for 16-5-5 while shooting a shade below 41 percent from the field, they will simply miss out on their top targets of Jabari and Wiggins.
8. Denver Nuggets- Noah Vonleh
With it being no secret the Nuggets internally are not happy with the idea of Kenneth Faried long-term, they need to find a cheap replacement after wasting 11 million a year on the dumbfounded JaVale McGee. While Noah Vonleh is still considered very raw prospect he is the perfect fit to help the Nuggets forget about “The Manimal” and have a more defensive minded front court.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers- Jerami Grant
LeBron James will NOT be in a Cleveland Cavaliers uniform in 2014 or 2015. The King finally has an attractive Kingdom in Miami and has stars like Carmelo Anthony and others drooling at the idea of replacing the aging Dwayne Wade or the forgettable third wheel Chris Bosh. Here comes perhaps the most the athletic forward from the ACC in Syracuse’s Jerami Grant. Being a Syracuse native and watching every game its no secret he belongs in the NBA. He has the swagger and defensive prowess that the Cavs need at the small forward position. With Anthony Bennett coming along slowly but surely at the 4, Luol Deng ready to bolt in the summer and Tristan Thompson not putting up the defensive numbers you’d expect, it makes for a perfect storm to be the long-term answer at the 3.
10. Charlotte Bobcats- Rodney Hood
Now that Ben Gordon is finally off the roster its time to rebuild smartly MJ. Okay? You’ve been burned by a tall white shooting forward once before in Adam Morrison who was sold to you as a sure thing. You’re going to have to pass on McDermott even though he might be better than Morrison and I know he’s only the 8th player to ever score 3000 points in a career but still. Rodney Hood is flying below A LOT of radars right now and he’s more athletic. He should arguably go a couple slots higher but he’s playing behind Jabari! This might be a real steal at the 10th spot. He’s 6’8 he loves to shoot and can play off of other top players like Jabari Parker and deal with it because he knows his role. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist didn’t pan out yet like we all hoped, but we still have time to let him develop! Why not Let Rodney Hood come in and light a fire underneath him? You’d lose no athleticism and you get a guy who’s got potential to be more than a borderline starter/role player on a championship team! Did I mention you just lost a shooter and have a desperate need for athleticism?
11. Phildelphia 76ers- Doug Mcdermott
With Philly already having an all-around point guard in MCW, a defensive anchor in Nerlens Noel and more of a tweener than a pure 3 in Jabari Parker, here comes the shooter. The leading scorer in the nation isn’t playing for some ordinary small school. He is playing for a battle tested tournament team looking to make lots of noise after impressively knocking out teams this year like the #6 Villanova Wildcats by double digits TWICE. He is the real deal and is going to space the floor in the NBA and be a nightmare to leave an inch of space to. One of MCW’s favorite broken plays in college was to get it to the trailer/give a handoff to the shooter while bringing all the attention with him to set up for a wide-open three pointer over and over again.
12. Orlando Magic- Tyler Ennis
Even though there are rumors swirling around Syracuse that Tyler Ennis is staying another year to improve his draft stock, you can’t deny the man’s skill. Consider this a backup option for Dante Exum if he doesn’t pan out as a point guard or even just a pick to serve as depth. Tyler Ennis is a game manager, he is clutch and he knows when to take over. He is still a very scrawny point guard and will be pushed around like no tomorrow in the NBA by physical guards. Expect him not to come out of college this year but if he does he will surely land himself in the lottery.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves- Dario Saric
Who’s the first to win a trip out of David Kahn’s vice grip...oops I mean Flip Saunders’ self combusting Timberwolves, Ricky Rubio or Kevin Love? My money is on Kevin Love to NOT be a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves by the summer of 2015 at the latest. The Timberwolves can either try and get bang for their buck trading him to a rebuilding team, half his worth sending him to a contender or let him walk for nothing. With more potential lottery pick locks leaking of leaving the draft, the Timberwolves might find themselves in a bind on what direction they want to go. Drafting the best overall prospect might be their best bet, why not take another European player in Dario Saric? Fits their M.O and leaves him as a potential Kevin Love replacement and is a match made in heaven for the Timberwolves’ front office.
14. Memphis Grizzlies- Aaron Gordon
A couple months ago this would seem like a travesty to have one of the best players in college drop this low. Truth is he doesn’t have the offensive weapons we all hoped for yet. The Grizzlies would be a perfect jumping off point for Gordon. Bring him into a strong defensive minded team right away and watch him contribute.
