Hebrews 11:1

Hey basketball fans, are you looking for a place to catch the NBA Draft on Thursday? If you live in the Toronto area swing by the Harbour Bar and Grille in Toronto as I’ll be there as well as some other writers from Hoops Addict and Raptors HQ.

Click here for more information on the Harbour Bar & Grille.

As we all know, the weeks leading up to the draft can make for an overwhelming flurry of inside scoops, conspiracy theories and rumors from all around the internet; this year appears to be no different. Read the rest of this entry »

During the NBA season the media is lucky if they can catch a glimpse of the last few minutes of a practice, but even then, at best they’ll catch players working on free throws or some other tedious or unintersting aspect. However, with the Raptors inviting the media to the Air Canada Centre this month for pre-draft workouts, the media is given the treat of watching over a hour of an actual practice and then have the benefit of interacting with the players. On Wednesday afternoon I was able to head to the ACC to watch Ryan Anderson, Kosta Koufas, Robin Lopez, Drew Neitzel, Jeremy Pargo and Jason Thompson try to impress the Raptors brain trust. Here are some notes from what I saw and heard:

* Without question the top player I saw this afternoon was Robin Lopez. He was able to control the glass, completely took away Kosta Koufas’ ability to drive, showed a ton of hustle and did a great job of boxing out whoever was near him. During the three-on-three part of the workout Lopez was able to put a body on Koufas on each defensive possession and on the offensive end he was able to seal his man and steal some offensive rebounds. Lopez has an endless motor in him and at 11:30 am when the rest of the players were soaked in sweat and grabbing their knees during breaks he was showing the signs of his great conditioning.

* Besides his heart and conditioning, what impressed me about Lopez is that he looks to already have an NBA ready body. A lot of the players today looked like they would need a season working closely with the strength and conditioning team of whatever NBA team they get drafted by but Lopez looks to have enough muscle mass to be able to play decent minutes his rookie season.

* Someone who pleasantly surprised me this afternoon me was Ryan Anderson. He was able to nail some daggers from deep during the three-on-three scrimmage and he didn’t show any fear going into the paint trying to hit some lay-ups or grabbing some boards. I think he may be a bit of a reach for the Raptors at the 17th spot but he could be a steal for an NBA team late in the first round.

* Drew Neitzel showed some promise this afternoon but teams could shy away from drafting him due to worries about his size (6’0”). Despite finishing fourth all-time at Michigan State in assists and posting a sizzling assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.8/1 last season a lot of teams aren’t sold on him as a point guard. There have been a lot of comparisons to Daniel Gibson and after witnessing him first hand this afternoon I think that’s a fair comparison. At one point he hit three straight shots to win the game for his team but he wasn’t able to get his teammates open looks, something point guards in the NBA need to do to secure extended minutes. For Neitzel to stick in the NBA he may need to play alongside a bigger point guard for him to fit as an under-sized shooting guard or combo guard. With the Raptors shipping out Juan Dixon last season, a similar player to Neitzel, I would be surprised to see them take a chance on Neitzel even if they were able to obtain a pick in the second round.

* Midway through the workouts I looked over at the sideline and I realized how intimidating this whole process must be for these players. For today’s workout they have former NBA players Sam Mitchell and Alex English, Mitchell who was the Coach of the Year in the NBA two season ago, Bryan Colangelo who is a two time Executive of the Year, Wayne Embry and Maurizo Gherandini who are basketball icons as well as Mike Evans who is an assistant coach. Talk about being placed in a pressure cooker for two hours.

* I wasn’t able to hear the exchange to know what was said, but Sam Mitchell and Robin Lopez had a talk near the end of the workouts and Lopez was able to get the normally ornery Mitchell to crack a smile.

* After the workouts Raptors head scout Jim Kelly talked with the media about how tough it is to get all these players together at one time in addition to sharing his thoughts on Robin Lopez’s showing today. Click here to listen to the audio clip of Jim Kelly’s chat with the media.

* During the post-workout media scrum Robin Lopez joked with reporters about some of the epic games of one-on-one he had with his brother Brook growing up. Click here to listen to the audio clip of Robin Lopez’s chat with the media.

* After the workouts I was able to secure exclusive interviews with Jason Thompson and Drew Neitzel. Look for those to be transcribed as well as posted in Podcast within the next few days.

* Fellow Hoops Addict writer Rashad Mobley will be attending some pre-draft workouts in Washington and I’m hoping to attend a couple more workouts in Toronto so keep checking back for more of these pre-draft workout notes from myself and Rashad.

The NBA Draft is just under a month away and still plenty of intrigue surrounds the top spot. Immediately following the Lottery it was suspected that the Chicago Bulls would take hometown hero Derrick Rose, but Rose’s Memphis teammate Joey Dorsey squashed that when he told reporters during pre-draft workouts that Michael Beasley would go in the top spot. There’s still a lot to be decided but here’s how things appear to be shaking out.

As we all know, the weeks leading up to the Draft can make for an overwhelming flurry of inside scoops, conspiracy theories and rumours from all around the internet; this year appears to be no different. Fortunately, Hoops Addict will be in attendance at pre-draft workouts all around the NBA to put it all in perspective, beginning this afternoon at the Air Canada Centre. Make sure to check back here for weekly updates leading up to the draft on June 26, 2008.

1. Chicago – Derrick Rose (Memphis): Personally, I feel Michael Beasley should be in this spot but from all the reports I’ve heard it looks like Rose is Chicago’s selection here. If the Bulls deal this pick for a veteran, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that team select Beasley with it.

2. Miami – Michael Beasley (Kansas State): There have been some hints coming from people who follow the team that Beasley isn’t a Pat Riley type of player, but there’s no way he falls out of the top two. If anything, look for Miami to deal this pick if they aren’t enamored with Beasley and Rose doesn’t fall to them.

3. Minnesota – Brook Lopez (Stanford): While Minnesota’s roster is littered with young prospects the one area they are lacking in is at center. Enter Lopez as the franchise starting center for the next decade.

4. Seattle – Jerryd Bayless (Arizona): Even though Luke Ridnour was invited to try out for the United States national team last summer, it’s clear, neither he or Earl Watson are the long term solution at the point for the Sonics. Look for the team to draft the top point guard left and that would be Bayless.

5. Memphis – O.J. Mayo (USC): This time last year there was talk about Mayo being the top pick this year and there’s no way Mayo slips out of the top five. While some doubts have surfaced after a season at USC, this is a case of people watching him too much over the past few years and over analyzing what Mayo can and can’t do. Look for Mayo to land in Gotham and become a superstar in the NBA.

6. New York – Danilo Gallinari (Italy): Gallinari and Mike D’Antoni would be a match made in heaven. The Knicks need some depth at shooting guard and small forward. Gallinari is young and is mainly a YouTube sensation, it looks like the Knicks could take a gamble on this young hoops prodigy due to D’Antoni’s European connections.

7. Los Angeles Clippers – Kevin Love (UCLA): There’s talk of Love being drafted as high as third or as low as at the end of the lottery. Personally, I see Love falling somewhere in the middle of the lottery and the Clippers would be an ideal spot because this is too high for the franchise to snag a point guard like D.J. Augustin or Russel Westbrook.

8. Milwaukee – Eric Gordon (Indiana): With a new general manager and coach in the mix it’s looking like Maurice Williams and possibly even Michael Redd will see a lot less minutes next season. Enter Gordon and a new guard for Milwaukee to build around.

9. Charlotte – DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M): Has Charlotte guaranteed Jordan they’ll select him with this pick? There’s plenty of rumors and speculation suggesting this is the case. Bobcats fans are hoping Jordan doesn’t become the next Shelden Williams.

10. New Jersey – Anthony Randolph (LSU): This is one of the relative unknowns in the lottery as there wasn’t a lot of buzz surrounding him this season. However, much like former LSU forward Tyrus Thomas, scouts are in love with his athletic ability and it looks like an NBA team will bite on him in the lottery because of his hops and height. This is also the kind of player that could climb or drop on draft night due to teams getting cold feed or getting excited over his personal workouts.

11. Indiana – D.J. Augustin (Texas): With Jamaal Tinsley breaking down look for Indiana to draft the top point guard available in either Augustin or Russell Westbrook.

12. Sacramento – Russell Westbrook (UCLA): With Beno Udrih entering the summer as a free agent and no depth behind him, the Kings would jump at the chance to snag one of the top point guards in the draft.

13. Portland – Joe Alexander (West Virginia): An area of need for Portland is the wing and Alexander fills the role of scorer off the bench to perfection. Some other players that could entice Portland include Darrell Arthur, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Brandon Rush.

14. Golden State – Darrell Arthur (Kansas): After a strong showing in the NCAA Tournament, combined with strong workouts in Orlando, Arthur is once again being talked about as a lottery pick.

15. Phoenix – Chase Budinger (Arizona) – 6’7″, 190 lbs.

16. Philadelphia – JaVale McGee (Nevada) – 7’0″, 237 lbs.

17. Toronto – Robin Lopez (Stanford) – 7’0″, 255 lbs.

18. Washington – Chris Douglas-Roberts (Memphis) – 6’7″, 200 lbs.

19. Cleveland – Brandon Rush (Kansas) – 6’7″, 211 lbs.

20. Denver – Nicolas Batum (International) – 6’8″, 214 lbs.

21. New Jersey – Marreese Speights (Florida) – 6’10″, 245 lbs.

22. Orlando – Kosta Koufos (OSU) – 7’1″, 245 lbs.

23. Utah – Roy Hibbert (Georgetown) – 7’2″, 272 lbs.

24. Seattle – Jason Thompson (Rider) – 6’11″, 250 lbs.

25. Houston – Ryan Anderson (Cal) – 6’10″, 240 lbs.

26. San Antonio – Shan Foster (Vanderbilt) – 6’6″, 205 lbs.

27. New Orleans – Mario Chalmers (Kansas) – 6’2″, 170 lbs.

28. Memphis – Bill Walker (Kansas State) – 6’6″, 250 lbs.

29. Detroit – Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky) – 6’5″, 200 lbs.

30. Boston – DeVon Hardin (Cal) – 6’11″, 250 lbs.

Last week the NBA Lottery took place and the Chicago Bulls hit the jackpot when they secured the top spot. While there is still a lot of discussion about who the Bulls will snag, it looks like Derrick Rose could be their man. However, trade discussion are heating up, so the next month will be interesting as Miami, Chicago and countless other teams look poised to move up or out of the first round of the Draft.

Due to all the new information becoming available make sure you check back here for weekly updates leading up to the draft on June 26, 2008.

1. Chicago – Derrick Rose: While many people feel Michael Beasley is the top player in the draft, the best fit for Chicago is Rose. Even if Beasley does turn out to be the draft’s top player, Rose can step into the Chicago backcourt and start immediately. A lot of general managers won’t draft based on need, but with questions surrounding Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon, look for John Paxson to draft the team’s point guard of the future. Rose, along with Hinrich and Larry Hughes has the potential to become one of the top backcourt trios in the Eastern Conference next season.

2. Miami – Michael Beasley: Pat Riley has a lot of tough choices to make this summer and the prominent one is what he’ll do with this pick. Will he trade it? Will he start to rebuild around Dwyane Wade and this pick? Is Shawn Marion trade bait? While the state of Miami’s franchise is up for discussion, it’s clear that Rose is the top pick and Beasley will go second.

3. Minnesota – Brook Lopez: While Minnesota’s roster is littered with young prospects the one area they are lacking in is at the starting center position. Enter Lopez, the franchise’s starting centre for the next decade.

4. Seattle – Anthony Randolph: This is one of the relative unknowns in the lottery as there wasn’t a lot of buzz surrounding Randolph this season. However, much like former LSU forward Tyrus Thomas, scouts are in love with his athletic ability and it looks like an NBA team will bite on him in the lottery because of his hops and height. This is also the kind of player that could drop on draft night due to teams getting cold feet. That, or he could go as high as this and form a dynamic duo with Kevin Durant that will terrorize teams for the next decade.

5. Memphis – Danilo Gallinari: The Grizzlies need some depth at shooting guard and small forward. Gallinari is young and is mainly a YouTube sensation, it looks like the Grizzlies could take a gamble on this young hoops prodigy.

6. New York – O.J. Mayo: This time last year there was talk about Mayo being the top pick this year and there’s no way Mayo slips below the sixth pick. While some doubts have surfaced after a season at USC, this is a case of people watching him too much over the past few years and over analyzing what Mayo can and can’t do. Look for Mayo to land in Gotham and become a superstar in the NBA.

7. Los Angeles Clippers – Jerryd Bayless: With Sam Cassell out of town and Shaun Livingston not a lock to return to full health, look for the Clippers to draft the best point guard available. They could also use Livingston and Bayless on the court at the same time for short spurts much like Toronto does with T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon.

8. Milwaukee – Eric Gordon: With a new general manager and coach in the mix it’s looking like Maurice Williams will see a lot less minutes next season. Enter Gordon, a new floor general for Milwaukee to build around.

9. Charlotte – DeAndre Jordan: Has Charlotte guaranteed Jordan they’ll select him with this pick? There’s plenty of rumours and speculation suggesting this is the case. Bobcats fans are hoping Jordan doesn’t become the next Sheldon Williams.

10. New Jersey – Kevin Love (UCLA): Exactly 10 years ago the Celtics had a huge steal with Paul Pierce at the 10th spot and the Nets have the same thing with Love. NBA teams are claiming that Love isn’t athletic enough but he proved this past year at UCLA that he can be the focal point of a successful team.

11. Indiana – D.J. Augustin (Texas): With Jamaal Tinsley breaking down, look for Indiana to draft the top point guard available in either Augustin or Russell Westbrook.

12. Sacramento – Chris Douglas-Roberts (Memphis): Douglas-Roberts told Draft Express this week that “I don’t see a point in going (back) to school”. With him being pegged as a lottery pick, that statement makes a lot of sense. However, if he does slide late in the first round, he may regret that comment. Look for the Kings to add Douglas-Roberts to provide some depth behind Ron Artest, Kevin Martin and John Salmons. Another nice pick for this spot is Russell Westbrook who could turn out to be the best point guard besides Derrick Rose from this draft class.

13. Portland – Roy Hibbert (Georgetown): Most mock drafts have Hibbert slipping out of the lottery but there’s no way a talented player like this should fall this far. If he does, look for Portland to land another stellar senior much like they did with Brandon Roy a couple years ago.

14. Golden State – Russell Westbrook (UCLA): Can you say insurance? With Baron Davis having the chance to opt out of his contract and Monta Ellis entering the summer as a restricted free agent, the Warriors would love to snag one of the top point guards in the draft.

15. Phoenix – Chase Budinger (Arizona) – 6’7″, 190 lbs.

16. Philadelphia – JaVale McGee (Nevada) – 7’0″, 237 lbs.

17. Toronto – Darrell Arthur (Kansas) – 6’9″, 215 lbs.

18. Washington – Joe Alexander (West Virginia) – 6’8″, 200 lbs.

19. Cleveland – Donte Green (Syracuse) – 6’10″, 220 lbs.

20. Denver – Shan Foster (Vanderbilt) – 6’6″, 205 lbs.

21. New Jersey – Marreese Speights (Florida) – 6’10″, 245 lbs.

22. Orlando – Brandon Rush (Kansas) – 6’7″, 211 lbs.

23. Utah – Robin Lopez (Stanford) – 7’0″, 255 lbs.

24. Seattle – Jason Thompson (Rider) – 6’11″, 250 lbs.

25. Houston – Ryan Anderson (Cal) – 6’10″, 240 lbs.

26. San Antonio – Nicolas Batum (International) – 6’8″, 214 lbs.

27. New Orleans – Bill Walker (Kansas State) – 6’6″, 250 lbs.

28. Memphis – Kosta Koufos (OSU) – 7’1″, 245 lbs.

29. Detroit – D.J. White (Indiana) – 6’9″, 251 lbs.

30. Boston – Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky) – 6’5″, 200 lbs.

Photo Credit: Icon Sports Media

Basketball fans are being inundated with Mock Drafts this week but I’m posting yet another Mock Draft for you to try to digest. Why would I do this? Because I was able to take part in “The Great Blogger Mock Draft 2007″ and I feel this rabid collection of hoop fans know what they are talking about. Jeff from Celtics Blog rounded up a motley crew of basketball bloggers and when things were finished I read through what I found to be one of the better mock drafts circulating around the ‘net this week. I also wanted to thank Jason over at Ball Hype for providing the platform that we conducted this Mock Draft in.

Take some time to read the Mock Draft below, check out the blogs of the writers who contributed and leave your comments on this post to let me know if you agree or disagree with the selections that were made.

1. Portland – Henry from True Hoop selects Greg Oden, by a whisker: Kevin Durant will punish the Blazers for a decade at least for this pick. He’s a beautiful thing to watch, and if Portland ends up taking Durant, I’m THRILLED. But I just got this GM job and I want to keep it, and I have a feeling that with Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden we’re going to be just fine.

2. Seattle – Chris from Sonics Central selects Kevin Durant: The top two prizes in the Draft are Oden and Durant so whoever Portland passes on the Sonics will gladly settle for sloppy seconds.

3. Atlanta – Ryan from Hoops Addict selects Al Horford: The Hawks are tempted to go with the PG they desperately need but GM McNeill decided to wait until the 11th pick in the hopes that Mike Conley Jr. is still on the board. If he’s not there, the Hawks will “settle” for the 2007 Bob Cousy Award recipient. Zaza Pachulia is a temporarily solution at best for the Hawks and they are looking for some beef up front to pair alongside Sheldon Williams. Williams is a bit undersized as a starting centre at 6’9″ but with a wingspan of 8’8″ he could be paired with Harford who is 6’10″ to provide a dynamic rebounding duo.

4. Memphis – Daily Basketball selects Brandan Wright: Making his final draft selection as GM of the Memphis Grizzlies, Jerry West decided to add another athletic big man to their roster. “The lottery this year is full of athletic big men, but we feel that Wright can step in right away (no pun intended) and contribute to our team. Wright has the potential to be a major star in this league.”

5. Boston – Jeff from Celtics Blog selects Yi Jianlian: Danny Ainge will be trading for immediate help so he can afford to take the best talent available. Danny thinks Yi is the best talent available.

6. Milwaukee – Jeff from Celtics Blog selects Mike Conley Jr.: If Conley lasts this long, he won’t last longer. He’ll either stay with the Bucks (who are losing Mo Williams) or he’ll be traded to someone that needs a point.

7. Minnesota – Sonia from I Heart KG selects Corey Brewer: While looking to build for the future, the team is also in the market for immediate help and Brewer fits the bill. A great defender with a demonstrated knack to be clutch, his work ethic and winning attitude will make him a welcome addition to the team.

8. Charlotte – Serena from Bobcats Bonfire selects Joakim Noah: The Bobcats will take Joakim Noah. Reason: This big man could be the next best thing for the Bobcats. He’s talented, athletic, and he knows the game. He will add a lot to what the Bobcats already have.

9. Chicago – Fanatical Pupil from Give Me The Rock selects Spencer Hawes: The Bulls really wanted Joakim Noah, but what can you do? Julian Wright was definitely a consideration, but without any trade proposals on the table (yeah, I know we didn’t do that), Hawes fills the need for the Bulls and is talented enough to warrant the number nine position. Wright probably is the more talented player overall, but with Deng and Tyrus Thomas already on the roster, he would have created a logjam at the 6-9 SF-wannabe-PF position. If Hawes can do what PJ Brown currently does, he was worth the pick.

10. Sacramento – Tom Ziller from Sactown Royalty selects Jeff Green: Green provides immediate help not only at small forward (should Ron Artest retire), but also for Sacramento’s underpowered frontcourt. Green can fill in immediately at power forward, and his passing ability should help take pressure off of Kevin Martin and Mike Bibby. With some youngish defensive specialists at SF already (John Salmons, Francisco Garcia) we went with Green over Julian Wright with a nod to offense and size.

11. Atlanta – Ryan from Hoops Addict selects Acie Law IV: Are you kidding me? Law’s still on the board? Atlanta would be all over him like a fat kid on a smartie. I thought for sure that not filling a need (point) would doom the Hawks but they lucked out by getting the Bob Cousy Award winner from last season. I remember last year the Raptors targeted Bargnani and there was talk they could trade down and still nab him – however BC was set on Bargnani as his man so he stuck with him for the #1 pick. I still believe the Hawks will pull something similar and nab Conley at #3 but if they are able to wait for a PG with the #11 pick and nab Law the Hawks may have a chance to be one of the East’s elite teams in a couple years. However, this is Atlanta we are talking about. Between adding a double-double candidate in Horford to pair with Sheldon Williams and Josh Smith in the frontcourt, the Hawks now have their backcourt tandem in Law and Joe Johnson and things are looking bright in A Town.

12. Philadelphia – Jon from Passion and Pride selects Julian Wright: His athleticism is off the charts and his game is still developing, but he can play both forward spots and will make an impact at the next level. The only question is his jumpshot, which can be worked out with practice. He will create all kinds of matchup problems with his quickness and length. He is best suited to the small forward position where he can overpower people, but his ability to outmaneuver power forwards is just as noteworthy.

13. New Orleans – Keith Dardis from SEConds to Victory selects Al Thornton: Chris Paul needs a mature, athletic running mate to dish the ball to. Chances are that the Hornets will lose Desmond Mason to free agency. Thornton can come in and contribute right away. He will most likely be put in the small forward slot, immediately making the Hornets a big team with David West and Tyson Chandler down low. Thornton creates matchup problems by being a 6’8″ forward with three-point range.

14. L.A. Clippers – Steve Perrin from Clips Nation selects Nick Young: With the 14th pick in the 2007 draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select Nick Young of the University of Southern California. Young is a terrific athlete who can get his own shot, and has good range on his jumper. His workouts have been impressive, displaying an ability to finish and shoot the NBA three as well. With Cuttino Mobley in his 30′s and Corey Maggette’s future uncertain, the Clippers need to add athleticism and shooting range on the wings, and Young does both. Plus, he’s an LA product who actually wants to play for the Clippers – seems like a perfect fit. The Clippers still need a point guard given the uncertain situation with Shaun Livingston’s knee and Sam Cassell’s age, but with the best two point guards already off the board and Javaris Crittendon a couple of years from helping, Nick Young on the wing is the best choice for the Clippers.

15. Detroit – Matt from Detroit Bad Boys selects Rodney Stuckey: Stuckey provides instant offense off the bench, something the Pistons have lacked in recent years. He can play both positions in the backcourt, filling Carlos Delfino’s void at the two and giving the team a semi-respectable backup at the point for the first time in years. (Sorry, Flip Murray.) Had he gone to a bigger school, he probably would have been gone already, so the proverbial chip on his shoulder is also a welcome addition to a frequently complacent team.

16. Washington – Pradamaster from Bullets Forever selects Derrick Byars: While the Wizards’ biggest need is probably an intimidating presence in the middle, that’s not going to be found with the 16th pick. Rather that draft another second-rate big to add to the cirque du soleil of second-rate bigs on the roster, the lack of depth on the wing should be addressed. Byars is the perfect fit for this Wizards team, having played in the Princeton offense while at Vanderbilt. He’s a solid all-around performer that, in addition to his scoring, plays excellent defense, which this team really needs. He’s also an excellent shooter, a strong ball-handler, and a fantastic passer for his position. I’m personally shocked that he isn’t getting more attention. The main criticism with Byars seem to be that he does a lot of things well, but nothing spectacularly. Hmm…sounds a lot like the 2006 Rookie of the Year, doesn’t it?

17. New Jersey – Sirnanzy from Hooplah Nation selects Tiago Splitter: Splitter is one of the few centers left in the draft who can score with his back towards the basket. He’s also a very proficient offensive rebounder, something the Nets needed to improve on immediately. And he’s very proficient in the open court, which is an important trait when you’re on the same team as Jason Kidd. He will definitely be a huge upgrade over Jason Collins – in fact, almost any center would be better than Collins.

18. Golden State – Golden State of Mind selects Thaddeus Young: Yes, Young is another project and the Warriors are littered with enough youth, but what’s a GM supposed to do this late in the draft? None of the trades the Warriors were mock-offered made any sense. Therefore you take the best player available even if he’s a project. The Dubs will need to swing some trades and make some key signings to take the next step to perennial playoff team in the loaded Western Conference and Young makes it easier to part with some of that youth. It’s a chess move that sets up an even bigger and more spectacular move this offseason. Young has the biggest upside of anyone left on the board and just a year ago if Stern didn’t institute that silly age limit he would have been a top 10 pick straight out of high school. That 2006 draft will go down as one of the worst in NBA history. Young is a better fit for the NBA than the college ball scene. He has all the tools and physical gifts to be an All Star small forward several years down the line. If he can contribute a few minutes off the bench playing Nellie’s brand of hoops this season it’s just icing on the cake.

19. L.A. Lakers – Don from With Malice selects Josh McRoberts: Surprising that McRoberts was still on the board, so this was a fairly easy choice for us to make. McRoberts has the tools to become a good NBA starter, and impact the team immediately. McRoberts is a fantastic addition for us.

20. Miami – Darren Heitner from I Want to be a Sports Agent selects Javaris Crittenton: The Heat were looking to upgrade the PF/C position with either Hawes (who went early) or Splitter. With Splitter being taken by the Nets at the 17th slot, the Heat decided to fill another hole by selecting a young, talented point guard out of Georgia Tech, Javaris Crittenton. The PF/C need should be addressed with the Heat’s newly acquired 2nd round pick.

21. Philadelphia – Jon from Passion and Pride selects Jason Smith: Smith is a great addition to the big man tandem of Sam Dalembert and Steven Hunter. He’s a relentless rebounder and highly skilled offensive player. His shot blocking ability in college might not translate as well in the pros, but he’s a solid defender as well. With this pick, the Sixers satisfy the need for some help in the middle and on the glass while providing another scoring option up front.

22. Charlotte – Serena from Bobcats Bonfire selects Marc Gasol: Gasol is young, talented, and he’s a true Center. The Bobcats desperately need to fill this position, and Gasol would be a great addition to the team. He may need some help on the defensive end, but I have faith that Sam Vincent can get that under control. And if not, well, we always have Gerald Wallace to lean on!

23. New York – Seth from Posting and Toasting selects Morris Almond: We’re desperate for another shooter on the roster, and Almond’s a guy who, at the very least, can fill it up from outside. He’s got the potential to grow into something more. Also, I took Sean Williams in the SB Nation Mock Draft, so I’ll mix things up. Almond it is.

24. Phoenix – Dan Hilton from Bright Side Of the Sun selects Rudy Fernandez: Mostly because he won’t come play yet and the Suns can keep him off the books regarding payment as well. I suspect the Suns will package the picks with some players to try and move up in the real draft.

25. Utah – UtesFan89 from Win Or Go Home selects Aaron Gray: He provides the Jazz with a back-up center (no, I don’t think highly enough of Jarron Collins to call him that) that is ready to contribute now. He’s a bit better defender than Visser, which is why I took Gray despite having Visser, and not Gray, in my top-10 prospects for the Jazz. If he can play some D, gather a couple of boards and score when the opportunity comes (a la Millsap), the Jazz will be fine. The wing-spot can be addressed in the 2nd round, as a wing drafted in the 1st probably won’t play much behind Brewer, Fish, Giricek, AK and Harp. Of course, a trade (of AK) changes all of this, but we’ll assume that that’s not happening.

26. Houston – Nick Fazekas: Uummm, just because that’s what a couple of mocks said. Apparently new GM Daryl Morey (a stat head) likes him.

27. Detroit – Matt from Detroit Bad Boys selects Sean Williams: The explanation for this pick is lost in cyberspace.

28. San Antonio – Matthew Powell from Pounding The Rock selects Gabe Pruitt: The Spurs most glaring weakness is backup PG. Jacque Vaughn, despite his tenacity, grit and hustle, is a crude stopgap at best. Pruitt brings youth, size and the ability to hit the long range j.

29. Phoenix – Dan Hilton from Bright Side Of the Sun selects Marco Belinelli: I really think the Suns will trade both of these picks but if they do keep them, the team will be looking for guys that can keep within the system Mike D’Antoni has set up. I don’t know much about Belinelli except that he is supposed to be a pure shooter so on that front he would fit into the Suns’ system nicely.

30. Philadelphia – Jon from Passion and Pride selects Arron Afflalo: The Sixers can go with best available here, draft a need, or select a foreign project for the future. Petteri Koponen, Kyrylo Fesenko, Glen Davis, and Dominic McGuire were all considered, but Afflalo is the best available and would give the Sixers a better option than Rodney Carney or Willie Green alongside Andre Iguodala on the wing.