2013 NBA Mock Draft

Mock 2.0 Lottery Edition                           March 23rd, 2013

By Ryan Towles, DFWSPORTS.net

Broken brackets and shattered dreams be damned! Mock 2.0 is going down!

1. Charlotte Bobcats – Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

McLemore is widely considered the pick here but with Henderson and Gordon on the payroll and size always coveted in the league, I’m sticking with Noel. An elite defender.

2. Orlando Magic – Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State

Orlando has a lot of young pieces in place but need to find a long-term replacement for Nelson, enter Smart. If he declares.

3. Cleveland Cavs – Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown

Porter is flying up boards and is compared by some to being a Pippen-type player. Sounds like the perfect complement to Irving.

4. Phoenix Suns – Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

Explosive guard, has the star potential that Phoenix highly desires. Good pick-up here for the Suns if he slides to 4.

5. Detroit Pistons – Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA

6. New Orleans Hornets – Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

7. Minnesota Timberwolves – Cody Zeller, PF/C, Indiana

8. Sacramento Kings – Anthony Bennett, SF/PF, UNLV

9. Washington Wizards – Alex Len, C, Maryland

10. Oklahoma City Thunder – CJ McMollum, PG/SG, Lehigh

*Via Toronto Raptors

11. Philadelphia Sixers – James McAdoo, SF/PF, North Carolina 

12. Portland Trailblazers – Mason Plumlee, PF, Duke

13. Dallas Mavericks – Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

The Mavs have issues all over the place but when Collison loses his job in crunch time to newly added Mike James..you may wanna consider going PG here. Michael Carter-Williams could also be an option here as we get closer.

14. Utah Jazz – Glenn Robinson III, Michigan, SF

 

 

 

 

 

Mock 1.0   Lottery Edition               January 5th, 2013

By Ryan Towles, DFWSPORTS.net

For now let’s look at the could be lottery picks in this year’s NBA Draft. Most experts are predicting a weak draft, especially in terms of Superstars and franchise changers but they are plenty of guys coming out that have value.

1. Washington Wizards – Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

The Wiz needs a lot of help but Noel seems to be considered the best prospect on the board. They hope he’ll develop into a shut down defensive presence in the middle.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers – Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA

Cleveland moving in the right direction with Irving leading the way. They’ve drafted SG, PF, and C in the past two years with first round picks, Shabazz gives them a possible breakout player at SF.

3. New Orleans Hornets – Alex Len, C, Maryland

Zeller could be the pick here but with Davis and Anderson it seems more in NO’s best interest to bring in a true center.

4. Charlotte Bobcats – Cody Zeller, PF/C, Indiana

MJ stayed pat and took the best player on the board last year and should do the same here. Zeller should be a solid contributor for the Bobcats.

5. Detroit Pistons – Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

Detroit took a big in Drummond last year to pair with Monroe, this year they grab McLemore to pair with Knight. The Pistons are slowly putting together an impressive young core.

6. Phoenix Suns – Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky

Phoenix tried to sign Eric Gordon last summer and failed, now they draft Goodwin and hope he can be a big time scorer at the next level.

7. Sacramento Kings – Alex Poythress, SF, Kentucky

The Kings really need veterans but if they keep the pick, Poythress brings a lot of things to the table. Big motor, rebounder, defender and gets to the basket.

8. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto Raptors in James Harden trade) –  Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse

This pick is top 3 protected for the Raptors but certainly could be huge for the Thunder. I’ve got them taking Carter-Williams. This is not a team with a lot of holes, so they take the best point guard in the country and let him develop behind Westbrook.

9. Orlando Magic – Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV

Bennett may just be the best player on the board at 9 but he may not be here as the year goes on. He’s the best freshmen in the country and his stock is on the rise.

10. Dallas Mavericks – Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State

Hard to say what Dallas has up their sleeve this year but at this stage a point guard fills a big need for the Mavs. Smart is big at 6’4” and is seen by some as a combo guard at the next level but no one denies his talent. He could progress as a top ten pick.

11. Philadelphia 76ers – Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown

The Sixers have been a disappointment thus far this year and if they manage to get out of the lottery, the Heat will get their pick. In this spot, Porter makes sense. It’s a position of need and he’s the best player on the board.

12. LA Lakers – C.J. McCollum, PG/SG, Lehigh

Lakers will lose this pick to Phoenix if they climb out of the lottery, which they surely will…right?? McCollum would bring them an explosive combo guard who can shot it and give LA some much needed depth.

13. Utah Jazz – Dario Saric, SF, Croatia

He’s young, bit of a project but has a lot of size and handles the ball well. Has a unique skill set at 6’10”.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves – Rudy Gobert, PF, France

7’1” size at the PF position but needs to add strength. Gobert is a good runner and could pair well with Love in the front court.