SB Nation User Blog: stneff70

Post Lottery Mock Draft

stneff70 — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:31:27 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Los Angeles Clippers president Andy Roeser poses for photographers after the Clippers won the NBA draft lottery, Tuesday, May 19, 2009, in Secaucus, N.J., giving the Clippers the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Surprised they didn't put Griffin on the jersey..

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Ladies and Gentleman,

Many people didn't really understand our Wednesday mock draft that it was what teams should do, rather than what they will do. Our resident draftologist decided to put together a post on what he thinks the teams will actually do. After the jump, enjoy/hate/whatev. Let Steve know what you think.

Scott

Changed Nick Calathes because he is withdrawing from the draft and signing in Greece.

1.Clippers- Blake Griffin PF (Oklahoma Sophomore)

Dunleavy already said they are picking him, so don't be mad about this one. Maybe Baron tries a little harder next year and the Clippers make the playoffs. They need to move Camby since they won’t be able to trade Zach Randolph. The Clippers will be much better next year, but need some perimeter defense which can be addressed in Free agency.

2. Grizzlies- Ricky Rubio (DKV Joventut, Spain)

Memphis tries the Spanish Connection again. First it was Juan Carlos Navarro to Pau Gasol and now it will be Ricky Rubio to Marc Gasol. Everyone thinks Rubio will be a stud so this is a no-brainer pick and they can trade Conley for a power forward. Rubio, Gay and Mayo will be fun to watch. Rubio might not end up in Memphis though because his agent, Dan Fegan, said he does not want to go there or Oklahoma City. Remember, Fegan was Yi’s agent who tried to get out of Milwaukee a few years ago.

3. Thunder- Hasheem Thabeet (UCONN Junior)

I might have been wrong on my lottery prediction but the Thunder still get a stud. Thabeet is exactly what they need. The Thunder are really high on him and hopefully he doesn’t turn out to be a bust like past Thunder lottery big men. See Saer Sene, Johan Petro, Robert Swift.

4. Kings- Brandon Jennings (Lottomatica Roma, Italy)

This is when the draft gets interesting. Beno Udrih doesn’t cut it for us and the Kings need an exciting Point Guard as they rebuild their team. Kings fans liked Jason Williams (White Chocolate) and they will like Jennings

5. Wizards- James Harden (Arizona State Sophomore)

The Wizards are looking to trade this pick but Harden is a good fit for them. I think they need better big men but Harden would fit well with their team and share minutes with Nick Young, another up and coming shooting guard.

6. Wolves- Demar DeRozen (USC Freshman)

Corey Brewer has been a bust for the Wolves so I'll give them DeRozen, a player who can maybe one day be their go to guy. He can jump outta the gym and, if he develops like he can, will form a good inside outside combination with Al Jefferson for many years to come.

7. Warriors- Tyreke Evans (Memphis Freshman)

Evans can flat out score. The Warriors love scorers. Evans has the build of a 2 but can play 1. Monta Ellis is built like a point guard but is more like a shooting guard. It works perfectly for this quirky backcourt.

8. Knicks- Stephen Curry (Davidson Junior)

Mike D’antoni likes shooters and Curry is the best one in this draft. He can develop his point guard skills but he is also friends with a certain person from Akron, Ohio.

9. Raptors- Gerald Henderson (Duke Junior)

Henderson can jump out of the gym and break guys down off the dribble. He'll bring a bit of tough juice, which is exactly what the soft Raptors need.

10. Bucks- Jordan Hill (Arizona Junior)

The Bucks will not resign Charlie “Twitter” Villanueva and Hill falls to them, because nobody else after five will be looking for a big. I think he is a bit overrated but the Bucks would be elated to get a guy like Hill to fall to them at 10.

11. Nets- DeJuan Blair (Pitt Sophomore)

New Jersey said they want to draft a “moose”. Who is more of a moose in this draft than Blair? No one and that is why he is the pick here and the Nets will have a solid frontcourt.

12. Bobcats- Jrue Holiday (UCLA Freshman)

Didn’t the Bobcats take D.J. Augustin last year? Yes they did but Holiday can still play the 2 since he is 6’4’’. Nice solid pick.

13. Pacers- Jonny Flynn (Syracuse Sophomore)

Flynn will be the Point guard for Indiana as he's able get the ball to the shooters on the wing. If he figures out how to shoot, watch out. Flynn's got upside.

14. Suns- Earl Clark (Louisville Junior)

The Suns are a tough team to project because I’m unsure what direction they are going to go. So, I did what was easy and took the best player on the board.

15. Pistons- Ty Lawson (UNC Junior)

The Pistons made a big mistake when they traded Chauncey Billups last season, but it should help them for the future. Stuckey isn't a true point guard, but Lawson is. Don’t be surprised if he gets the Pistons back atop the East, especially if they sign Boozer with their ample cap space.

16. Bulls- James Johnson (Wake Forest Sophomore)

Chicago traded Nocioni last season and probably missed him in the playoffs. Johnson plays similar to Nocioni and is a wide-body so the Bulls draft him. With them trying to move Tyrus Thomas, I think they're hoping Blair falls to them - but not in this case.

17. Sixers- Jeff Teague (Wake Forest Sophomore)

Andre Miller is probably leaving this summer so the Sixers need a PG. Teague is their man. I like his explosiveness.

18. Wolves- B.J. Mullens (Ohio State Freshman)

Minnesota hasn't had a true center in awhile and, if nothing else, Mullens provides that for the Wolves. Because the Wolves won’t be making the playoffs anytime soon, he has time to develop and turn into a solid big man, learning from the Jefferson and Love in the mean time.

19. Hawks- Eric Maynor (VCU Senior)

Mike Bibby's losing his mojo and Acie Law was a bust. The Hawks need a point guard and Maynor is a good leader.

20. Jazz- Tyler Hansbrough (UNC Senior)

Well, Neff put him here as well, so sorry Utah fans. Feel free to post your own mock draft in the Fan Post's with Hansbrough going 31st. -- Scott

21. Hornets- Austin Daye (Gonzaga Sophomore)

This pick will more than likely be traded. The Hornets are looking to save money but if they don’t trade it Daye is a big body that they could use. Many think he will go between 10-15 because of his potential but we are not sold.

22. Mavs- Terrence Williams (Louisville Senior)

The Mavs need toughness and athleticism. Williams gives them that and is already better than Antoine Wright, the Mavericks starting shooting guard this year.

23. Kings- Chase Budinger (Arizona Junior)

The Kings have their point guard in Jennings, they've drafted big men the last 2 drafts and Kevin Martin is their shooting guard. A small forward makes sense and Budinger is a good fit.

24. Blazers- Wayne Ellington (UNC Junior)

Ellington could be very valuable for the Blazers and give them another shooter. Help out on Roy and he'll just dish out to Wayne and 3 points for the Blazers.

25. Thunder- Patty Mills (St. Mary’s Sophomore)

The Thunder might not be sold on Westbrook as a point guard yet since he turns the ball over quite a bit. Move over RW0 and insert Mills. Sounds good to me.

26. Bulls- Marcus Thornton (LSU Senior)

Thornton is a good shooter who can hot quick.

27. Grizzlies- Gani Lawal (Georgia Tech Sophomore)

Lawal is an athletic 4. Third times the charm?

28. Wolves- Darren Collision (UCLA Senior)

Tough player but his lack of shooting will make him fall in the draft.

29. Lakers- Sam Young (Pitt Senior)

Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom are free agents so they'll have a need at SF. Young is the best available and he brings them toughness. He would be a steal for the Lakers.

30. Cavs- Omri Casspi (Maccabi Tel Aviv)

The Cavs don’t need anyone here so they pick an overseas player and if he develops it’s great for them.

First Round Bubble: Victor Claver, Marcus Thornton, Toney Douglas, Jermaine Taylor, DaJuan Summers

Poll

Grade this Mock Draft

A

16 votes

B

17 votes

C

20 votes

D

9 votes

F

14 votes

76 votes | Poll has closed

Steve Neff's Draft and NBA Lottery Preview

stneff70 — Mon, 18 May 2009 00:06:03 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Blake Griffin will most likely be the prize for the winner of the NBA lottery on Tuesday night.

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If you are a team looking for a big man, look elsewhere. This is a guard draft plain and simple. With big men like Patrick Patterson pulling out of the draft, there are very few big men that are solid first round picks (aside from Griffin, Thabeet and Jordan Hill). There are a ton of good point guards though - there will be alot of guys under 6'3'' getting drafted early in the 2009 draft.

The only big men after the Big 3 are Earl Clark (if you consider him a big man), DeJuan Blair (all 6'5'' of him), James Johnson and B.J. Mullens. Austin Daye is too skinny to be a low post threat in the NBA. So if your a Nets fan and you think the team needs a Big man do not be surprised if they draft Jonny Flynn. The talent belongs to the guards this year.

Tuesday night is one of my favorite nights of the year. The NBA Lottery. Is it fixed? Who knows, maybe.The prize for the winner of the lottery is Blake Griffin. He is a scoring and rebounding machine that everyone wants. The Kings have the best shot to get him. Don't be surprised though if he doesn't end up in Sacramento. The team with the greatest percentage to win the lottery actually rarely wins it. The Bulls won it last year with a 1.7 % chance! The lottery can completely change your team as shown by the Bulls, led by Derrick Rose, taking the defending champs, the Celtics, to 7 games.

The last four seasons the team with the best chance to win the lottery was the 5th worst team in 2006, Toronto. The sixth worst record has won it two of the past four seasons (so Memphis, you might be getting Blake Griffin.) The team with the highest percentage has only won the lottery twice since 1991. The last time the team with the worst record won the lottery was Orlando, in 2004, who got Dwight Howard and Cleveland, in 2003. You know who the Cavs got.

I think the team who will win the lottery is an up and coming team similar to Portland two seasons ago, the 2007 lottery winner. This team needs a big man and has a star on their team already who will be a great duo with Mr. Griffin. That team is... the Oklahoma City Thunder!!

Griffin is arguably the best player to ever come out of Oklahoma and they would sell out every single night with Griffin on the team. They might even sneak into the playoffs with Blake next year. Griffin and Kevin Durant would be very scary. I'm usually wrong with my Lottery predictions so I wouldn't be celebrating yet, Thunder fans, because this is supposed to be pure luck. Make sure to tune in Tuesday Night and see if the future of your favorite NBA team is changed forever.

Odds here. (H/T to NorskTroll)

Poll

Who will get the 1st pick in the NBA Draft?

Sacramento Kings- 25 %

27 votes

Washington Wizards- 19.9 %

35 votes

LA Clippers- 15.6 %

14 votes

OKC Thunder- 11.9 %

44 votes

Other

43 votes

163 votes | Poll has closed

Rookies that could end up in the 'D' next season

stneff70 — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:56:11 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Tyler Hansbrough will spend all his time in the NBA next year but Austin Daye will need some time in the D-League to hone his raw skills.

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Hey Ridiculous Upside readers, my name is Steve Neff and hopefully I’ll be making a couple of posts on this year’s upcoming draft in the next few months. With the D-league Finals now over, it will be a down time for minor league basketball so the blog posts will shift ocassionally the draft. Here is a short preview of some players in the draft who could have to go through the D-League to solidify a spot on an NBA roster, a la Von Wafer or Mike Taylor.

First, though, there are a few players that almost definitely won't be making the long bus rides from Dakota to Sioux Falls next winter. Next year’s presumable Rookie of the Year, Blake Griffin, will be too busy averaging 15 and 7 in the NBA to be sent down to hone his skills. Hasheem Thabeet is raw, but he doesn’t need the D-League - can't coach size and his blocking ability. B.J. Mullens from Ohio State is overly unpolished - you will almost certainly see him next year in the D-League. An NBA team will pick him because he is young and 7 feet tall but this guy is Patrick O’Bryant 2.0. Really, he can only dunk the ball, but scouts love his size and potentially ridiculous upside. Maybe he'll be able to develop after his NBA team sends him down to the D-League. Maybe.

Tyreke Evans from Memphis should not be playing in the D-League next year. Mark my words, Evans will end up being the best player in this draft when you look back 20 years from now. I felt he was a little under the radar because Memphis didn’t play on National TV often - Evans should be a Top 5 pick. People make James Harden out to be very good but I think he plays too slow. He will be a high pick, but I don't think he'll be great in the NBA.

Another player that'll more than likely get sent down to the D-League is Patrick Patterson from Kentucky. Patterson will be drafted later in the first round, ending up on a good playoff team where he won’t play as an undersized 4 - reminds a bit of Richard Hendrix. His teammate Jodie Meeks will probably end up being a 2nd round pick if he stays in the draft and could possibly be the leading scorer in the D-League next year, similar skill-set to Mo Almond of the Utah Jazz/Flash.

The UNC trio of Ty Lawson, Tyler Hansbrough and Wayne Ellington should not be going down to the D-League, either. Ellington will be the best pro of the 3 as he has the best all-around skills. We won’t be seeing Johnny Flynn, either. Some D-League fans should see Austin Daye however. The 6’11, 190 pound forward from Gonzaga will not be able to handle the NBA at first - way too skinny and should go back to Gonzaga but opted for the NBA.

There will be some players that will have to go through back doors to make the NBA and will use the D-League for that. Scouts don't love undersized power forwards like Jon Brockman and Luke Harangoudy, especially tho who don’t have amazing athleticism. Brockman should be in the D-League draft in October; Harangoudy will probably be a late second round pick and end up inthe D-League, averaging something like 16 and nine. Whether he can do that in the NBA is another question. Jeff Adrien out of UCONN is another small PF who should have success in the D-League.

The D-League has produced many good guards in recent years. These guards will be coming to a D-League city near you. Tyrese Rice from BC has a lot of potential - I expect him to get a few Gatorade call-ups next year and eventually stick with a team - if he isn't drafted. UMass PG Chris Lowe had to deal with a coaching change which stifled his development, though I expect him to do very well in the D-League next year - perhaps for D-League Springfield? He is extremely quick and has the skills to be a backup PG in the NBA. Ben Woodside from North Dakota State is underrated and could use the D-League to make it to the big leagues. If Chris Quinn can be in the NBA, Woodside definitely should be.

Other players who could be in the D-League because of their NBA potential are forwards Dante Cunningham from Villanova and Micah Downs from Gonzaga. Downs is versatile and can really jump - he is very similar to Matt Barnes (without the thuggish attitude). Also watch for Raymond Sykes from Clemson to do well in the D-League. He'll be a sleeper in D-League draft. He's big and is a hustler. He had a similar college career to Rod Benson - Benson, as you know, is a D-League All-Star and on the cusp of the NBA.

Thanks for reading and hopefully you have been informed on whom to look for in this year’s draft and next year in the D-League.