NBA Mock Draft (If I Ran The NBA)

This is what the draft would look like if I were picking for every team. It is assumed no trades happen. I will do another one of these right before the draft like I did last year.


1. Toronto - LaMarcus Aldridge (6'11'', PF, Texas, Soph.)
Best player in the draft can play center next to Bosh. Gay is an option but a Bosh and Aldridge front court is just too beautiful to pass up.

2. Chicago - Andrea Bargnani (6'11'', PF, Italy)
Chicago needs a scoring big man to play along side Chandler. Bargnani would make a great yin to Chandler’s yang. Chicago also has the money to get a guy like Drew Gooden to play until Bargs is ready to start.

3. Charlotte - Rudy Gay (6'8'', SF, UConn, Soph.)
Gay is the player with the highest talent ceiling in this draft and Charlotte is a team in need of a star player. Perfect match. Charlotte also needs a scoring wing and Gay’s defense and length make him a Bernie Bickerstaff kind of guy.

4. Portland - Adam Morrison (6'8'', SF, Gonzaga, Jr.)
Home town boy falls to a team that needs to stir up some fan support. Portland is a team with needs across the board but Morrison would bring a swagger that team desperately needs.

5. Atlanta - Marcus Williams (6’2’’, PG, UConn, Jr.)
Atlanta desperately needs a point guard and the best one in this draft falls in their lap. If I am their GM I would run my pick up to the commissioner. Williams isn’t Paul, but he is a good pass first PG who will set the table for the young studs.

6. Minnesota - Brandon Roy (6’5’’, SG, Washington, Sr.)
Minnesota seems to need a point guard and a center but really neither are an option here. They must take a guy who is ready now or KG will blow a gasket. Roy is the most ready to contribute player in this draft and even though he does not fill a need, he will be useful.

7. Boston - Tyrus Thomas (6’9’’, PF, LSU, Fresh.)
Boston has a prospect at every position, so here they get the BPA and also add an insurance policy incase Al Jefferson stays injury plagued. Even if he does not, Ty Thomas still brings a different dimension than Jefferson and you can never have too many bigs.

8. Houston - Shelden Williams (6'9'', PF, Duke, Sr.)
Williams is the perfect power forward to put next to Yao Ming. Williams is the banger that Houston desperately needs. Carney is a possibility as well.

9. Golden State - Patrick O’Bryant (7’0’’, C, Bradley, Soph.)
Golden State won’t be contending any time soon, so they can take a risk on a high reward true center. O’Bryant has the skill set required to become a top 5 NBA center…if he developes.

10. Seattle - Ronnie Brewer (6'7'', SG, Arkansas, Jr.)
Seattle is looking to cut down Ray Allen’s minutes, as he is not getting any younger. In Brewer they get that, as well as a guy who can be a defensive stopper off the bench who can also play PG and SF.

11. Orlando - Rodney Carney (6'6'', SF, Memphis, Sr.)
Orlando needs a SG who can defend and shoot three points. Carney gives them that as well as a big time athlete who could develop into a top 5 player from this draft.

12. New Orleans - Cedric Simmons (6’10’’, PF, NC State, Soph.)
Project big man with all the tools. With PJ Brown and David West, the Hornets can afford to take a guy who needs some time to develop. He is a good enough defender to play off the bench early on as well.

13. Philadelphia - Randy Foye (6’4’’, SG, Villanova, Sr.)
There is really no player here that is a perfect fit in Philly. Foye is however the BPA as well as a home town guy. His ability to play both guard positions is also a plus.

14. Utah - JJ Redick (6'4'', SG, Duke, Sr.)
Utah pretty much only needs a SG and preferably one who can shoot three points. Enter the best shooter in this draft. Redick is a particularly good fit because Deron Williams’ size and defensive ability will help counteract Redick’s lack of defense.

15. New Orleans - Tiago Splitter (6'11'', PF, Brazil)
Splitter will likely not stay in this draft due to his buyout issues, but if he stays in New Orleans should roll the dice on him here. Even if he can’t come over until next year.

16. Chicago - Mardy Collins (6'6'', SG, Temple, Sr.)
Chicago really has no glaring needs here, but a defensive SG would be a nice fit for when Gordon is simply too small or unable to defend guys like Kobe or Wade.

17. Indiana - Rajon Rondo (6'1'', PG, Kentucky, Soph.)
Tinsley is officially on the way out and Indy is in quasi rebuild mode. They could use a center here but there is not really one to take. Rondo is the pass first defensive point guard Indy really needs. He and Granger would be a nice young core.

18. Washington - Hilton Armstrong (6’11’’, PF, UConn, Sr.)
Perfect fit. This is a match made in heaven. Armstrong is the athletic young shot blocker Washington desperately needs.

19. Sacramento - Sergio Rodriguez (6'3'', PG, Spain)
Sacto is another team that has no glaring holes, so BPA is a good fit here. Sergio is flying up draft boards and he would be a good fit as a backup to Bibby or as a player they could trade who has some value.

20. New York - Shawne Williams (6’8’’, SF, Memphis, Fresh.)
New York is not going to be winnnig anything now, so they may as well take a young guy with some upside. They are pretty thin at Sf in general, so he meets that need as well.

21. Phoenix - Saer Sene (7’0’’, C, Senegal)
7 foot project goes to a team that can wait on him. Sene is a good athlete who can play in Phoenix’s up tempo style. He is extremely raw, but if he develops he and Amare could terrorize teams for years.

22. New Jersey - Jordan Farmar (6’2’’, PG, UCLA, Soph.)
Jason Kidd ain’t getting any younger and Farmar would be the perfect replacement. Fellow Pac10 PG with similar skill set will benefit greatly from studying under Kidd.

23. New Jersey - Alexander Johnson (6’9’’, PF, Florida State, Jr.)
The other think NJ needs is a PF who can rebound and block shots. There are not a ton of those in this draft, but Alexander Johnson may just be one. He clearly has the body and athleticism for it and is the best choice at #23.

24. Memphis - Kyle Lowry (6’0’’, PG, Villanova, Soph.)
Last of the true point guards with 1st round talent. Both Damon Stoudamire and Bobby Jackson are getting older and injury prone so PG makes a ton of sense here.

25. Cleveland - Quincy Douby (6’3’’, PG, Rutgers, Jr.)
Scoring PG in the mold of Arenas is just the kind of PG the Cavs need. The ball runs through LeBron, so a true point is not necessarily needed. Douby is a true scorer and deadeye jump shooter who will make people pay for doubling LeBron.

26. LA Lakers - Marcus Vinicius (6‘9‘’, SF, Brazil)
The Lakers hope one of the point guards fall here, but no such luck. A big man would also be an option, but really none of those fit here either. Vinicius is a multitalented player who can do a lot of things and is probably the BPA who is not a SG.

27. Phoenix - Richard Roby (6’5’’, SG, Colorado, Soph.)
Suns find their Barbosa replacement in Roby, a very athletic scorer who will excel in their system. He will take some time, but will be worth the wait.

28. Dallas - Rudy Fernandez (6'5'', SG, Spain)
Team with no true needs takes the BPA. He also gives them a security blanket in case Howard is pryed away in free agency after next year.

29. New York - Maurice Ager (6’5’’, SG, Michigan State, Sr.)
Another talented young guy to add to the Knicks young core. Now the Knicks just need to cut everyone who is not Nate Robinson, Ager, Shawne Williams, David Lee, and Frye.

30. Portland - Kevin Pittsnogle (6'11'', PF, West Virginia, Sr.)
Quality big who can shoot the three. He can play some center and Portland will need bodies if Pryzbilla bails in free agency. He and Morrison will bring winners mentality to a young team in search of direction.