The season has been over for about a month and the lottery has taken place, so there is no more guessing who will pick where. Players have been to the NBA combine and have started individual workouts. As more information leaks out about these events my prediction may change, so this will be my second last mock draft before the actual draft happens on Thursday June, 26th. Like my previous mocks I am only going to do the top 10 picks. My mock is based on team needs not just on the best players available. I consider the team assets and needs as well as the players’ talent. There is a lot of movement in my draft based on the Cavaliers winning the lottery and selecting first. So let’s get to it:
NBA Mock Draft
1st [9th] Cleveland Cavaliers 33-49 – In my last mock draft I had stated that Lebron was not coming back to Cleveland; however, my opinion has wavered. After winning the lottery they can improve the roster in a dramatic way. That in turn might entice him back to his home state. I had them taking Zach LaVine in March, but that was when they were picking 9th. Now that they have the entire draft to choose from there is only one player for them to take if they are going to make a run at Lebron. That player is Joel Embiid C (Kansas). From everything I am hearing, his back is 100 percent. Earlier in the season, prior to the back problems, I had him getting drafted first. He is a prospect that is too good to pass on if he is healthy. The other two options at number one are both small forwards – so is Lebron.
2nd [1st] Milwaukee Bucks 15-67 – The Bucks held on to the top spot for every one of my mock drafts until the lottery happened. Luckily for them this won’t matter in the long run. There is more than one all-star in this draft. For all we know the lottery god’s may be saving them from a Greg Oden type situation. Even though Embiid’s back looks good today, he may become a chronically injured player. In my last mock draft they took Andrew Wiggins SF (Kansas) and there is no reason to think that this will change. He has special athleticism and is already an all-NBA defensive player. Also, the Bucks already have Larry Saunders, who plays center, and even though his career has taken a very bad turn he did not get a four-year, $44 million extension last off-season for nothing.
3rd [2nd] Philadelphia 76ers 19-63 – Like the Bucks, the 76ers are not affected by falling one spot in the draft because of the Cavs win. Their two building blocks are point guard Michael Carter-Williams and center Nerlens Noel. Jabari Parker SF (Duke) continues to make the most sense and is a safe pick at three. In taking Parker, the 76ers will really need Noel to be healthy because he is a below average defensive player at this point in his career. This team is so bad that even with this pick they will most likely be right back in the lottery next year.
4th [3rd] Orlando Magic 23-59 – The Magic have been targeting a point guard from the hop and that will not change, even though they have dropped in the order. Dante Exum PG (Australia) is a player that impressed almost every team at the combine with his all-around skills and athletic ability. Point guards can really change the fortunes of a team as they have the ball in their hands so much. It will be tough to take a back court player two years in a row, but Exum is too good to pass on.
5th [5th] Utah Jazz 25-57 – Utah are a team that might find some value in trading out of this spot. Julius Randle is the best player available here but the Jazz need wing help. The last two mocks I had them taking Gary Harris SG (Michigan State) and I see no reason for them to go elsewhere. I don’t think that they can draft him this high as most experts see him as a fringe top 10 guy. If they go for need and not the best available player, then he’s the pick. Even dropping back two spots to 7th, which is LA’s pick, would be perfect.
6th [4th] Boston Celtics 25-57 – Boston is the big loser in this whole lottery process and Embiid getting a clean bill of heath. Last mock they were the 4th team on the board and now they are 6th. They lose Embiid in this shuffle. This is not the first time they will come out of a tank season as losers. As I mentioned last time, they missed on Tim Duncan and Kevin Durant the other two times they were in this position. So where do they go? I see another trade here with possibly Minnesota. Minnesota gets to grab Randle and a few other parts and save the drama of the whole Kevin Love saga that we are all about to witness. If not, picking Marcus Smart PG (Oklahoma State) is a logical choice. This gives them the flexibility to deal Rondo; however, both guys, although undersized, are scrappy enough that they could even play together.
7th [6th] Los Angles Lakers 27-55 – I think that if the Lakers stay in this position they could end up with Julius Randle PF (Kentucky). He had a really good NCAA tournament leading Kentucky to the final. He also showed more athletic ability at the combine than most expected. He is one of the more ready to plug in and play guys in the draft. I would call him a more athletic better shooter than Zach Randolph and comes with a lot less baggage. I could see the Lakers being a bounce back candidate next season with him and Kobe in the fold full time. Now in saying all that, if the Lakers stay put and he is here this could be another trade with Minnesota for Love, which would make them even more likely to bounce back.
8th [7th] Sacramento Kings 28-54 – The Kings might be buying into Isiah Thomas as their starting point guard. I think they could really use a player that is a floor spacer and has a good head on his shoulders. The perfect fit would be Doug McDermott. Now as I write that I know that the Kings are not going to make that pick because they often don’t make the right pick. So, I see them taking another player with a tremendous upside and that would be Aaron Gordon PF (Arizona). Like Randle, he played well in the NCAA tournament and has athleticism abound. I could see him playing small forward in the NBA and turning into a bigger Scottie Pippen. He will take a couple years to develop an all-around offensive game and I am not sure Sacramento can develop anything in a player except an attitude.
9th [9th] Charlotte via Detroit Pistons 29-53 – Charlotte gets lucky in getting this pick from the Pistons and at this point there are still some good players left on the board. Besides Big Al and Kemba Walker, the team is full of role players that over achieved this past year. They need to bring in some athletes to help them compete with the Miami’s of the world. I would have had them taking sleeper Noah Vonleh had they not drafted Zeller last year; instead I have them taking Zach LeVine PG/SG (UCLA). He will bring a bigger body to the back court and a lot more athleticism. It will also allow Kemba to play some off the ball.
10th [NA] Philadelphia via New Orleans 34-48 – Philly has already had one pick in the top 10 and with this one will add a second player with all-star potential. Noah Vonleh PF (Indaina) has all of the makings of a skilled stretch power forward. This pick will be a little insurance in case Noel does not make a full recovery. He is also moving up draft boards and could very well be a top 5 talent in this draft.
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