Dr. A's NBA Mock Draft
Here’s the first installment of my Mock Draft. With Ed Isaacson all over the college crew coming to the NBA, I haven’t spent as much time on the college players as I have in the past. Nonetheless, I still love trying to guess where guys may end up going, so enjoy Take 1.
1. Minnesota – Karl-Anthony Towns PF Kentucky
The Wolves could easily take Jahlil Okafor with the No. 1 pick and a lot of people think they should. I like Towns a little better for the Wolves given his ability to knock down a jumper as well as control the paint. Towns is going to be in foul trouble a lot, but he should also be able to block a lot of shots. And he should see a lot of playing time, or at least a timeshare with Gorgui Dieng.
2. LA Lakers – Jahlil Okafor C Duke
The Lakers need a center and Okafor is probably the best long-term prospect in the draft. He was the best player in high school, then the best player in college and now might end up being the best player in this draft. If he’s still there for the Lakers at No. 2, it’s a no-brainer.
3. Philadelphia – D’Angelo Russell SG Ohio State
The Sixers should be good to go with big men having Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid on board, and they are said to want Russell more than any player in this draft. And with Okafor and Towns nearly guaranteed to be gone by the time they pick, the Sixers should be able to get their man.
4. New York – Emmanuel Mudiay PG China
Mudiay already has an NBA body and you’d know exactly who he is had he played in college instead of China. The Knicks simply need the best player they can get at this point, and point guard fits a need as Jose Calderon’s career winds down, Shane Larkin struggles to look like an NBA starter. And as an added bonus, Mudiay also has some star potential.
5. Orlando – Justise Winslow SF Duke
Winslow’s coming off a nice career at Duke and could end up being a steal at No. 5. He’s a solid defender, has improved his shooting and should get plenty of 3-point attempts in the NBA. And it doesn’t hurt that Tobias Harris wasn’t exactly lighting it up at SF for the Magic last season.
6. Sacramento – Willie Cauley-Stein C Kentucky
Pairing Cauley-Stein with former UK star DeMarcus Cousins would be fun to watch, if nothing else, and should also result in a ton of defense. Cauley-Stein might be the top defender in this draft.
7. Denver - Kristaps Porzingis PF Latvia
He’s seven feet tall, but will need to add some weight to his skinny frame. He also looks like a bit of a project, but with the way the Nuggets have misused Kenneth Faried over the past couple seasons, I could see them bringing in some young competition to try and motivate him.
8. Detroit – Bobby Portis PF Arkansas
Greg Monroe is all but gone and Portis (or Porzingis) seem to be a couple of good power forwards the Pistons will be looking at. Portis was the SEC Player of the Year and his averages of 17.5 points and 8.9 boards last season for the Razorbacks looks very much like a convenient replacement for Monroe.
9. Charlotte – Mario Hezonja SG Croatia
Hezonja has nice size for a two-guard (6-8) and can shoot the ball. He’s also just 20 years old and the Hornets aren’t exactly stacked on the wings.
10. Miami – Stanley Johnson SF Arizona
Johnson can play both forward spots, as well as shooting guard, but he’s not a great shooter or finisher. But position versatility gives him some nice value and he still has time to work on his scoring prowess. And with Luol Deng up there in years, Johnson looks like a nice protégé, assuming they don’t go for a power forward, which is actually their greatest need.
11. Indiana – Myles Turner C Texas
Turner might not make much noise if he lands on a team with an established center, but Roy Hibbert has taken a nosedive in production and the Pacers might be ready to move on. Turner’s only 19, can shoot it and is seven feet tall, so It’s hard to see him falling out of the lottery, and the Pacers look like one of the teams that could use him.
12. Utah – Kelly Oubre Jr. SF Kansas
The Jazz are one of those teams that doesn’t have a guy like Kawhi Leonard or Nicolas Batum, and while Oubre might not end up being as good as either of them, the potential is certainly there for it to happen. This one looks like another great fit.
13. Phoenix – Frank Kaminsky C Wisconsin
Kaminsky was the national player of the year and should fit in perfectly well in Phoenix, as they continue to search for a center that can play big and effective minutes for them. I like this match for both player and team.
14. Oklahoma City – Cameron Payne PG Murray State
Payne’s going to be one of the better point guards in this draft and the Thunder are rumored to have given him a promise here. Payne has the potential to score and manage the offense, but will also need to add weight to his light frame, and would make a nice backup for Russell Westbrook, who had trouble staying healthy over the last couple of seasons.
15. Atlanta – Trey Lyles PF Kentucky
Paul Millsap’s future in the ATL is hanging in the balance so there’s a very good chance they’ll be looking for a PF in this draft. But even if Millsap leaves and Lyles is the best they’ve got at the position, expect them to work hard in free agency to find an experienced big man, and for Lyles to come off the bench for his first year or two.
16. Boston – R.J. Hunter SG Georgia State
Brad Stevens is from Indiana and became famous while coaching Butler, while Hunter’s dad, Ron, became famous while coaching IUPUI in Indy. He’s not a great defender, but we all saw his performance in the NCAA tournament and Boston could use some help at shooting guard. This looks like a good fit.
17. Milwaukee - Kevin Looney PF UCLA
Looney has a good handle for a big man and a developing shot, and is also a good defender. This matchup actually looks too good to be true, since Looney played his high school ball in Milwaukee. The question is, will he still be on the board this late?
18. Houston – Jerian Grant PG Notre Dame
Patrick Beverley is a great defender, but I’m not sure the Rockets love him as their starting point guard, at least where offense is concerned. Grant would provide a nice yang to Beverley’s yin as one of the most athletic guards in the draft
19. Washington – Justin Anderson SF Virginia
Paul Pierce is basically over the hill, despite his postseason heroics against the Hawks, and the jury is out on whether Otto Porter is the answer for the future (I still think he is). The Wizards are in the same boat at power forward with Nene, so they could take any forward at 19. Anderson’s a good athlete and defender, and would look good playing alongside John Wall, Bradley Beal and Porter.
20. Toronto – Montrezl Harrell PF/C Louisville
I could also see Harrell landing in Washington if the Wiz decide to go big, but the Raptors should also have a need for the Louisville big man. Amir Johnson and Tyler Hansbrough have done anything but live up to the hype and their time in Toronto appears to be approaching the end of the line.
21. Dallas – Tyus Jones PG Duke
There are plusses and minuses with Jones. His plusses are his basketball IQ, leadership, ability to run a team and a clear understanding of how to play point guard. The downside is that he’s just not a great athlete and is quite undersized in today’s NBA point guard world. His strengths outweigh his weaknesses, and he could get some early opportunities in Dallas if Rajon Rondo isn’t back (as expected).
22. Chicago – Sam Dekker SF Wisconsin
Dekker’s shooting is suspect and how it develops should tell the story of his NBA future. He’s also got an NBA body and is at least ready to play in the league. We just don’t know at what level.
23. Portland – Christian Wood PF UNLV
Wood is likely a boom-or-bust pick, showing crazy athleticism and raw talent as a sophomore at UNLV last year, while he’s got issues with his strength, fundamentals, physicality and maturity. With LaMarcus Aldridge’s future in Portland hanging in the balance, Wood could end up being an important pickup for them. However, I doubt he makes much of an impact in his first couple years in the league, either way.
24. Cleveland – Rondae Hollis-Jefferson SF Arizona
RHJ is a great athlete and can be a great defender in the NBA, and even while fantasy owners have been disappointed with the career of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, there’s always a place for guys like them in the NBA.
25. Memphis – Devin Booker SG Kentucky
While Booker might be the best young shooter in this draft, he also can’t play much defense. Wherever he lands, he’s going to become an immediate 3-point threat, while his coaches will likely focus on making him a better defender. The Grizzlies need a 3-point threat, but there’s a very good chance that Booker could be long gone by the time the Grizzlies pick at 25.
26. San Antonio – Delon Wright PG Utah
Wright is a pass-first point guard, which is probably fine with Gregg Popovich. Tony Parker’s career is starting to wind down, although the Spurs have never exactly had a lack of point guards around to back him up. I’m not sure there’s anything special about Wright, so we can likely add him to the list of Parker backups you don’t need to own. At least for the next two seasons.
27. LA Lakers – Robert Upshaw C Washington
There are plenty of red flags with Upshaw after being kicked off a couple teams in college, and the team that drafts him will have to be sure to surround him with a top-notch support system. But he’s also big enough and solid enough defensively that he should be able to find a spot in the league, assuming he can stay out of trouble.
28. Boston – Jordan Mickey PF LSU
Mickey had a great showing at the combine and could lead the league in shot blocking at some point in his career. He’s got plenty of weaknesses on the offensive end of things, but that’s the story of the draft at the end of Round 1.
29. Brooklyn – Terry Rozier PG Louisville
Rozier looks like a career backup point guard, but hustles and plays good defense. And every team has at least one of those guys on their bench.
30. Golden State – Rashad Vaughn SG UNLV
The Warriors love shooters and while Vaughn’s not currently a great one, he has the potential to grow. If he falls into Round 2, he makes sense for the Wolves, as he’s from Minnesota.
