SoulMock #1: Oden, Durant and then the fun begins...
1. Portland Trailblazers: Greg Oden.
Obviously. 2. Seattle Supersonics: Kevin Durant.
His defense and playmaking skills weren't on display in college so there are still some question marks about just how great he will be but still, he is the obvious choice. 3. Sacramento Kings via Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford.
The biggest issue facing Hawks fans isn't just that Billy Knight is their GM, it's that Billy Knight is their GM and he needs the team to win immeidately to keep his job. Unfortunately for Billy, most impact players are going to cost more than he can offer. Josh Smith is a big talent and a bigger headcase. Marvin Williams, Shelden Williams, Josh Childress? Limited trade value if any. In the end, the only deal he might be able to pull off is the #3, Zaza Pachulia, and the expiring contracts of Ty Lue and Lo Wright for Mike Bibby and the #10 pick. With the pick, the Kings select Al Horford to give them the quality PF that they've been lacking since they dealt Chris Webber. 4. Philadelphia 76ers via Memphis Grizzlies: Brandan Wright
Heart-broken over missing out on Horford and unwilling to lower their demands for Pau Gasol, the Grizzlies decide not to reach for Mike Conley and instead move Brian Cardinal's deal and the #4 for three expiring deals (Kevin Ollie, Shavlik Randolph, Bobby Jones) and three picks (#12, #24, and #30 picks). The 76ers add the quality PF that they've been lacking since even before they dealt for Chris Webber.
5. Charlotte Bobcats via Boston Celtics: Corey Brewer
Heart-broken over missing out on Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, the Celtics deal the pick, along with Brian Scalabrine and the #32 pick, to Charlotte for the #8, #22, and Primoz Brezec. The Bobcats add defensive help in Brewer, who should be able to complement Matt Carroll and help new coach Sam Vincent from ever having to play Adam Morrison. 6. Milwaukee Bucks: Julian Wright
Heart-broken over missing out on Corey Brewer and Al Horford, the Bucks (who plan on breaking the Pistons' heart by signing free agent point guard Chauncey Billups) select Julian Wright so they won't have to break Charlie Villenueva's heart by telling him that he has to start playing defense. 7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Spencer Hawes
After McHale botches the KG trade, Hawes will remind Minnesota fans of Christian Laettner, a talented-yet-not-great white guy leading an expansion team.
8. Boston Celtics: Thaddeus Young
Doc probably wants his son's former teammate Jeff Green. Pierce probably wants them to trade the pick for veteran talent. Ainge probably wants Yi or Al Thornton. But I'd going with the athletic, intelligent, talented 18 year old. 9. Golden State Warriors: Yi Jianlian via Chicago Bulls
KOBE FALLOUT! The principals in the deal are: the Bulls get Kobe, the Lakers get Ben Gordon, Jason Richardson, Ty Thomas, and the Warriors (who need to dump salary to re-sign Biedrins and Ellis) deal Richardson and their later pick for Kwame Brown's expiring contract and the #9 pick. They add Jianlian who could be a great complement to Andris Biedrins in the frontcourt. 10. Atlanta Hawks via Sacramento Kings: Joakim Noah
With Mike Bibby in Hotlanta, starting center is now the greatest need for the Hawks and they boost their defense by adding Noah. 11. Atlanta Hawks: Javaris Crittenton
Billy Knight passed over Chris Duhon in favor of Royal Ivey and I think the same thinking comes into play here. Conley is a short point guard who can't shoot that well. Crittenton is a tall point guard who can score and could become a great complement to Joe Johnson. He's a project but the Hawks can afford that with Bibby holding down the fort. And he went to Georgia Tech which could convince a couple of people to actually attend a Hawks game this year. All things aside from talent considered, it makes sense. 12. Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Conley Jr.
Billy Knight taketh away, Billy Knight giveth. The Grizz couldn't move up to get Horford but Knight lets Mike Conley Jr. fall into their laps. If Marc Iavaroni wants to run the Suns-style offense in Memphis, he needs a top point guard which Conley could be. 13. New Orleans Hornets: Derrick Byars
The Hornets reach on Byars because of his defense, attitude, and readiness to play from Day 1. The team needs someone to help defend swingmen and Jeff Green might struggle to stay with quick small forwards, let alone shooting guards. Nick Young has talent but is very similar to J.R. Smith and might just end up in Byron Scott's doghouse so why invite the headache? 14. Los Angeles Clippers: Jeff Green
Mike Dunleavy Sr. gets a player with talent, athleticism, and a high hoops IQ. He's the best player available but that's not going to get the Clippers into the playoffs. 15. Detroit Pistons: Acie Law IV
While some will see this as a sign that the Pistons might not retain Chauncey Billups, the move is actually made because they are keeping him. If Detroit is going to invest long term, big money in Chauncey, they better find someone to spell him so he doesn't wear down midway through his new contract. 16. Washington Wizards: Tiago Splitter
The Wizards need size and defense and Splitter could become Arenas's Anderson Varejao. The froncourt of Splitter, Etan Thomas, Oleksiy Pecherov, and Darius Songaila is nicknamed the U.N., although the Wizards hope it's because of the mixed nationalities and not because they can't really stop anyone from mounting an attack. 17. New Jersey Nets: Al Thornton
Ainge cringes when a guy he loved falls to the Nets. Thornton could be a great pick as long as Kidd stays around. Kidd could make the 23 year old rookie look as good as he did Kenyon Martin. But if Kidd leaves, Thornton will end up looking absolutely lost, almost like a muscular Gerald Green. 18. Los Angeles Lakers via Golden State: Josh McRoberts
The Lakers have a couple of picks in a row so they roll the dice and add a talented yet underachieving PF alongside Bynum. 19. Los Angeles Lakers: Nick Young
The Lakers grab the best player available and placate the L.A. fans by grabbing a Trojan. Sportswriters across America search for the cleanest way of making a Trojan/Getting Fucked By Kobe joke. 20. Miami Heat: Petteri Koponen
The Heat realize that they need help at point guard but also realize that nobody at this juncture of the draft is going to be able to really step in and help immediately. They start investing in Dwyane Wade's future and grab the talented Finnish lead guard. 21. Memphis Grizzlies: Sean Williams
It's a roll of the dice but the Grizzlies wanted a big body to team with Pau Gasol and Sean Williams could be the perfect fit. A defensive monster, personal issues are why Williams is going to sink in the draft. The Grizzlies have a cautionary tale in Stromile Swift sitting on their bench and a former Jailblazer who could try to help Williams reform, or at least teach him how to balance smoking pot with a solid NBA career.
22. Boston Celtics: Jason Smith
A superb athlete, Smith could benefit greatly from working with Clifford Ray (and trying to guard Al Jefferson everyday in practice). A wild card, he could pan out to be a very nice complement to Perk and Big Al or he could live down to the inevitable Michael Smith comparisons. 23. New York Knicks: Daequan Cook
Cook has the most upside and the Knicks roster is so chock full of contracts that its unlikely anybody drafted this late would break the lineup in their first year anyway. Stuckey is an option but the last thing the Knicks need is an undersized, scoring minded 2 guard. The Knicks supposedly have a promise out to Wilson Chandler but Cook is probably a better guy to roll the dice on. 24. Phoenix Suns: Marco Belinelli
Belinelli is a young combo guard who could be a perfect complement to Leandro Barbosa in a few years. 25. Utah Jazz: Rodney Stuckey
Deron Williams has enough size to potentially defend shooting guards so he and Stuckey could work together perfectly. If Ronnie Brewer can emerge as a defensive stopper at the 3, the Jazz could have one hell of a backcourt for the future. 26. Houston Rockets: Glen "Big Baby" Davis
When trading Juwan Howard leaves a void at the power forward spot, you know you're hurting at the position. Davis could be the next Robert Traylor but he is worth the risk this late in the draft. 27. Detroit Pistons: Rudy Fernandez
International players haven't exactly panned out for the Pistons but Fernandez will help add scoring off the bench. 28. San Antonio Spurs: Morris Almond
The Spurs usually grab some foreign guy who will spend the next three years overseas but the team could use some depth next season, especially at the swingspots. Morris Almond seems like a good replacement for the aging Brent Barry. 29. Phoenix Suns: Kyrylo Fesenko
The Suns either sell this pick or get someone who won't come overseas for a few years. They go with the latter and get the Chad Ford special, a big man nobody really knows anything about. 30. Memphis Grizzlies: Marcus Williams
After scoring help at the point and in the paint with their first two picks, the Grizzlies take a flyer on Marcus Williams who was supposed to be a lotto pick before he had a disappointing college season.
Obviously. 2. Seattle Supersonics: Kevin Durant.
His defense and playmaking skills weren't on display in college so there are still some question marks about just how great he will be but still, he is the obvious choice. 3. Sacramento Kings via Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford.
The biggest issue facing Hawks fans isn't just that Billy Knight is their GM, it's that Billy Knight is their GM and he needs the team to win immeidately to keep his job. Unfortunately for Billy, most impact players are going to cost more than he can offer. Josh Smith is a big talent and a bigger headcase. Marvin Williams, Shelden Williams, Josh Childress? Limited trade value if any. In the end, the only deal he might be able to pull off is the #3, Zaza Pachulia, and the expiring contracts of Ty Lue and Lo Wright for Mike Bibby and the #10 pick. With the pick, the Kings select Al Horford to give them the quality PF that they've been lacking since they dealt Chris Webber. 4. Philadelphia 76ers via Memphis Grizzlies: Brandan Wright
Heart-broken over missing out on Horford and unwilling to lower their demands for Pau Gasol, the Grizzlies decide not to reach for Mike Conley and instead move Brian Cardinal's deal and the #4 for three expiring deals (Kevin Ollie, Shavlik Randolph, Bobby Jones) and three picks (#12, #24, and #30 picks). The 76ers add the quality PF that they've been lacking since even before they dealt for Chris Webber.
5. Charlotte Bobcats via Boston Celtics: Corey BrewerHeart-broken over missing out on Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, the Celtics deal the pick, along with Brian Scalabrine and the #32 pick, to Charlotte for the #8, #22, and Primoz Brezec. The Bobcats add defensive help in Brewer, who should be able to complement Matt Carroll and help new coach Sam Vincent from ever having to play Adam Morrison. 6. Milwaukee Bucks: Julian Wright
Heart-broken over missing out on Corey Brewer and Al Horford, the Bucks (who plan on breaking the Pistons' heart by signing free agent point guard Chauncey Billups) select Julian Wright so they won't have to break Charlie Villenueva's heart by telling him that he has to start playing defense. 7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Spencer Hawes
After McHale botches the KG trade, Hawes will remind Minnesota fans of Christian Laettner, a talented-yet-not-great white guy leading an expansion team.
8. Boston Celtics: Thaddeus YoungDoc probably wants his son's former teammate Jeff Green. Pierce probably wants them to trade the pick for veteran talent. Ainge probably wants Yi or Al Thornton. But I'd going with the athletic, intelligent, talented 18 year old. 9. Golden State Warriors: Yi Jianlian via Chicago Bulls
KOBE FALLOUT! The principals in the deal are: the Bulls get Kobe, the Lakers get Ben Gordon, Jason Richardson, Ty Thomas, and the Warriors (who need to dump salary to re-sign Biedrins and Ellis) deal Richardson and their later pick for Kwame Brown's expiring contract and the #9 pick. They add Jianlian who could be a great complement to Andris Biedrins in the frontcourt. 10. Atlanta Hawks via Sacramento Kings: Joakim Noah
With Mike Bibby in Hotlanta, starting center is now the greatest need for the Hawks and they boost their defense by adding Noah. 11. Atlanta Hawks: Javaris Crittenton
Billy Knight passed over Chris Duhon in favor of Royal Ivey and I think the same thinking comes into play here. Conley is a short point guard who can't shoot that well. Crittenton is a tall point guard who can score and could become a great complement to Joe Johnson. He's a project but the Hawks can afford that with Bibby holding down the fort. And he went to Georgia Tech which could convince a couple of people to actually attend a Hawks game this year. All things aside from talent considered, it makes sense. 12. Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Conley Jr.
Billy Knight taketh away, Billy Knight giveth. The Grizz couldn't move up to get Horford but Knight lets Mike Conley Jr. fall into their laps. If Marc Iavaroni wants to run the Suns-style offense in Memphis, he needs a top point guard which Conley could be. 13. New Orleans Hornets: Derrick Byars
The Hornets reach on Byars because of his defense, attitude, and readiness to play from Day 1. The team needs someone to help defend swingmen and Jeff Green might struggle to stay with quick small forwards, let alone shooting guards. Nick Young has talent but is very similar to J.R. Smith and might just end up in Byron Scott's doghouse so why invite the headache? 14. Los Angeles Clippers: Jeff Green
Mike Dunleavy Sr. gets a player with talent, athleticism, and a high hoops IQ. He's the best player available but that's not going to get the Clippers into the playoffs. 15. Detroit Pistons: Acie Law IV
While some will see this as a sign that the Pistons might not retain Chauncey Billups, the move is actually made because they are keeping him. If Detroit is going to invest long term, big money in Chauncey, they better find someone to spell him so he doesn't wear down midway through his new contract. 16. Washington Wizards: Tiago Splitter
The Wizards need size and defense and Splitter could become Arenas's Anderson Varejao. The froncourt of Splitter, Etan Thomas, Oleksiy Pecherov, and Darius Songaila is nicknamed the U.N., although the Wizards hope it's because of the mixed nationalities and not because they can't really stop anyone from mounting an attack. 17. New Jersey Nets: Al Thornton
Ainge cringes when a guy he loved falls to the Nets. Thornton could be a great pick as long as Kidd stays around. Kidd could make the 23 year old rookie look as good as he did Kenyon Martin. But if Kidd leaves, Thornton will end up looking absolutely lost, almost like a muscular Gerald Green. 18. Los Angeles Lakers via Golden State: Josh McRoberts
The Lakers have a couple of picks in a row so they roll the dice and add a talented yet underachieving PF alongside Bynum. 19. Los Angeles Lakers: Nick Young
The Lakers grab the best player available and placate the L.A. fans by grabbing a Trojan. Sportswriters across America search for the cleanest way of making a Trojan/Getting Fucked By Kobe joke. 20. Miami Heat: Petteri Koponen
The Heat realize that they need help at point guard but also realize that nobody at this juncture of the draft is going to be able to really step in and help immediately. They start investing in Dwyane Wade's future and grab the talented Finnish lead guard. 21. Memphis Grizzlies: Sean Williams
It's a roll of the dice but the Grizzlies wanted a big body to team with Pau Gasol and Sean Williams could be the perfect fit. A defensive monster, personal issues are why Williams is going to sink in the draft. The Grizzlies have a cautionary tale in Stromile Swift sitting on their bench and a former Jailblazer who could try to help Williams reform, or at least teach him how to balance smoking pot with a solid NBA career.
22. Boston Celtics: Jason SmithA superb athlete, Smith could benefit greatly from working with Clifford Ray (and trying to guard Al Jefferson everyday in practice). A wild card, he could pan out to be a very nice complement to Perk and Big Al or he could live down to the inevitable Michael Smith comparisons. 23. New York Knicks: Daequan Cook
Cook has the most upside and the Knicks roster is so chock full of contracts that its unlikely anybody drafted this late would break the lineup in their first year anyway. Stuckey is an option but the last thing the Knicks need is an undersized, scoring minded 2 guard. The Knicks supposedly have a promise out to Wilson Chandler but Cook is probably a better guy to roll the dice on. 24. Phoenix Suns: Marco Belinelli
Belinelli is a young combo guard who could be a perfect complement to Leandro Barbosa in a few years. 25. Utah Jazz: Rodney Stuckey
Deron Williams has enough size to potentially defend shooting guards so he and Stuckey could work together perfectly. If Ronnie Brewer can emerge as a defensive stopper at the 3, the Jazz could have one hell of a backcourt for the future. 26. Houston Rockets: Glen "Big Baby" Davis
When trading Juwan Howard leaves a void at the power forward spot, you know you're hurting at the position. Davis could be the next Robert Traylor but he is worth the risk this late in the draft. 27. Detroit Pistons: Rudy Fernandez
International players haven't exactly panned out for the Pistons but Fernandez will help add scoring off the bench. 28. San Antonio Spurs: Morris Almond
The Spurs usually grab some foreign guy who will spend the next three years overseas but the team could use some depth next season, especially at the swingspots. Morris Almond seems like a good replacement for the aging Brent Barry. 29. Phoenix Suns: Kyrylo Fesenko
The Suns either sell this pick or get someone who won't come overseas for a few years. They go with the latter and get the Chad Ford special, a big man nobody really knows anything about. 30. Memphis Grizzlies: Marcus Williams
After scoring help at the point and in the paint with their first two picks, the Grizzlies take a flyer on Marcus Williams who was supposed to be a lotto pick before he had a disappointing college season.
