I’ve spent the majority of the morning glued to ESPN, and as a result, have watched roughly 14 hours of coverage on the 2008 NBA Draft. I’ve heard the words “upside,” “intangibles,” and “project” about 1700 times. My eyes are now bleeding.
In other words, I should probably start actively pursuing a job.
I do feel like I have a very thorough understanding of how this year’s NBA Draft will shape up, leading me to believe that I can now complete Well Below the Mendoza Line’s first annual mock draft! I’m limiting myself to the top 10 picks – by the time I’m finished, there will inevitably be a few trades that screw everything up, thus my mock draft will be deemed completely irrelevant.
Warning: These opinions and perspectives may or may not be mine – I’ve been exposed to so many of Chad Ford’s thoughts today that my predictions could come out exactly the same as his. I can’t make any promises…
1. Chicago Bulls – Derrick Rose, Memphis, PG. The Bulls have a tough decision here – do they choose an elite point guard that has been compared to Chris Paul and Deron Williams, or a power forward, with a ton of scoring potential, who’s heralded at the next Derrick Coleman? To me, it’s a no-brainer. Rose is originally from Chicago, and has publicly stated that he wants to play there. He’s very unselfish, plays defense, and will be a successful point guard in the NBA barring injury. While Chicago may already have an established point guard in Kirk Hinrich, would the Bulls even be considering Rose if management felt that Hinrich is their future at that position? Hinrich’s numbers were down in nearly every category last season, and his name is constantly involved in trade rumors, so it appears that Chicago is looking to move forward without him. Rose is the safest choice here, and should be the top pick overall.
2. Miami Heat – Michael Beasley. While I’m not sold on Pat Riley’s interest in Beasley, it seems like the only logical move here. The NCAA’s top freshman in 2007 has undoubtedly proven he can score. He dominated the post in college, even though he was constantly facing double teams, and he can shoot the ball exceptionally well for his size. Beasley’s defense is questionable, but come on, we’re talking about the NBA here – No one plays defense anyway! Critics also bashed Kevin Durant before last year’s draft for his lack of defensive ability, but unlike Durant, Beasely at least has the build to guard NBA players. Plus, Shawn Marion’s presence should compensate for Michael’s potential flaws on the defensive end. Miami can’t afford to pass on a player as talented as Beasley, so when it’s all said and done, he will be chosen by the Heat.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves – O.J. Mayo. I like this selection here for Minnesota. Mayo is a HUGE upgrade over their current starting shooting guard, Marko Jaric, and will add some much-needed defense to Timberwolves’ lineup as well. He also shouldn’t be forced to play out of position at point guard, since Randy Foye is the team’s self-proclaimed future floor general. Mayo is a great shooter, and should also be able to take some of the pressure off Al Jefferson, who is the only Minnesota player that can consistently score. Mayo should be able to contribute immediately for the Timberwolves.
4. Seattle Supersonics – Jerryd Bayless. Currently running the offense for Seattle is none other than Earl Watson! Although Bayless may be projected as a shoot-first point guard, he’s a much better option than Watson, and the Sonics do need another scorer to complement Kevin Durant. Adding Bayless to the team would give Seattle a solid backcourt for years. Unfortunately the Sonics can’t possibly screw up this draft as bad as they usually do; after John Riek withdrew, there aren’t any foreign, overrated, 7-foot projects available anymore. However, they still do need a center – expect Hasheem Thabeet to be damaging the Key Arena backboards with his errant shots during the 2009/2010 season.
5. Memphis Grizzlies – Brook Lopez. Let’s face it, Darko Milicic has used up all of his chances in the NBA. He’s terrible and should move back to Europe where the leagues are much less competitive. That being said, Memphis desperately needs help in the front court. Deciding whether to start Milicic or Kwame Brown is like choosing between a 1988 Ford Taurus and a 1988 Mercury Sable – both vehicles are basically identical, and equally as shitty, so either way you’re driving a very unreliable car. The Grizzlies have shown interest in Kevin Love, but I can see him being a bust in the NBA. Love is small for his position, and doesn’t have the athletic ability to make up for the size that he lacks. He’s not going to be a competitive as a power forward, especially in the western conference. Brook Lopez is tall enough to be a center, he’s athletic, and can use a wide array of moves to score in the post. Through his success at Stanford, he proved he could play in one of the toughest conferences in the NCAA.
6. New York Knicks – Russell Westbrook. Rumor has it that Mike D’Antoni doesn’t like Danilo Gallinari, so it doesn’t look like Gallinari will be chosen with this selection. Derrick Rose would obviously be an ideal fit for D’Antoni’s system, so if I were the Knicks’ front office, I’d be shipping gallons and gallons of alcohol to Chicago, hoping Bulls GM John Paxson will get so intoxicated that he offers his number one pick to New York in exchange for Stephon Marbury and Zach Randolph. Since that scenario is highly unlikely to happen, the Knicks should select Russell Westbrook here. He’s extremely talented, plays great defensively, and unlike everyone else that’s currently on the roster, Westbrook has the ability to run the offense. By drafting Westbrook, New York will actually have… wait for it… a point guard!
7. Los Angeles Clippers – Eric Gordon. The Clippers would love it if Eric Gordon falls this far in the draft. He is the shooting guard that they have coveted all along, since Corey Maggette is likely to opt out of his contract. He’s also the best player available here. Gordon can shoot extremely well, but that’s not all he brings to the table – he’s also fast, a great finisher, and has the potential to be an excellent scorer in the NBA for many years.
8. Milwaukee Bucks – Kevin Love. Due to Bobby Simmons’ inexplicably forgetting how to play basketball after he left the Clippers, Milwaukee needs to add a small forward to the roster. However, if Kevin Love is still available, the Bucks should choose him with this selection. Love can allow Charlie Villanueva to play the 3, where he is more comfortable, and should be able to contribute next season – Kevin is smart, he can rebound, and he’ll immediately be one of the best passing big men in the league. Plus, Milwaukee can add another white starter to the roster, so Andrew Bogut doesn’t need to high-five himself each time he attempts a free throw.
9. Charlotte Bobcats – Kosta Koufos. I’m going out on a limb on this pick, since none of the draft analysts are predicting Koufos to be selected this high. If I’m right, there’s a good chance I’ll replace Chad Ford as ESPN’s basketball version of Mel Kiper. Charlotte needs size. Emeka Okafor is relatively small for the center position, and it would probably benefit both him and the Bobcats if he slid over to the power forward. Taking Koufos here, a 7-footer who performed exceptional in his pre-draft workouts, would allow Okafor to play the 4 on a daily basis. Kosta is very skilled in the post, which would complement Emeka’s weak offensive game. In a completely unrelated note, if there was a basketball god, Koufos would be selected by Seattle. This would allow him to be teamed up with Robert Swift, also an ugly, white, 7 foot center with a face full of acne, resulting in a Sonics practice filled with unintentional comedy.
10. New Jersey Nets – Danilo Gallinari. We’re over 1,300 words, are you still reading yet? If Gallinari is still available at this pick, the Nets will take him here. He’s expressed interest in playing in New Jersey (so he’s obviously never been there) and would fit in well with the team. Gallinari is supposedly the total package – he can shoot, he can pass, and he’s a slasher. Sure, he could always be yet another European bust, but experts don’t think it’s likely since he’s put up good numbers in one of the most competitive leagues overseas. I did find it interesting that Gallinari is being compared to Toni Kukoc. Does that mean his ceiling is a role player that averaged a mere 11 points per game over an injury-plagued career? Is that supposed to be considered a positive compliment?
My predictions are complete and there haven't been any big trades yet - I consider that a victory!
- Scottie
No comments:
Post a Comment