01. Bulls - Derrick Rose
6-3 195 PG Memphis Fr.
Paxon is going to appease the masses and go with the hometown hero. Look for the Bulls to move Hinrich for a veteran big that can score in the post. With Rose, they get an athletic floor general that will make his teammates better but is not afraid to take charge when the game is on the line.
Rose / Hinrich / Gordon / Sefolosha / Deng / Noah / Thomas / Nochioni
02. Heat - Michael Beasley
6-9 235 SF Kansas St. Fr.
He goes here even if it's part of a trade for the Heat to move down. Beasley is an impressive talent with a lethal combination of athleticism, skill, and nastiness. Marion and Beasley will make for a frightful, interchangeable SF/PF duo that will give defenses fits.
Wade / Wright / Beasley / Marion
03. Timberwolves - Brook Lopez
7-0 260 C Stanford So.
They are building their team around Jefferson and would be wise to select a center that would compliment his game perfectly. Brook as the prototypical center's game with more range on his shot to allow Jefferson to do his thing down low.
Foye / McCants / Brewer / Jefferson / Lopez
04. Super Sonics - O.J. Mayo
6-4 210 SG USC Fr.
Pair him with Durant and watch them lineup at the box office to witness one of the most electric backcourts in the NBA.
Ridnour / Mayo / Durant / Green / Wilcox / Swift / Sene / Petro
05. Grizzlies - Kevin Love
6-9 260 PF UCLA Fr.
They need a special player with leadership abilities, a unique skill set, and the will to win. Love's one of the best skilled bigmen coming out of college in a long time. Although undersized, he can do many things well and is a phenominal passer with an excellent perimeter game. He'll make everyone around him better and his ultra competitive drive will help him overcome most of his shortcomings. Love was the 2nd most productive player in the NCAA last year and will prove critics wrong by showing he can achieve greatness on the NBA stage as well.
Conley / Crittenton / Lowry / Miller / Gay / Love / Milicic
06. Knicks - Eric Gordon
6-4 220 SG Indiana Fr.
He's underrated because of all the turmoil he went through his freshman year, but make no mistake about it, this kid can play. He's among the most athletic in this year's draft class and has incredible range and scoring ability - perfect for Coach D'Antoni's brand of basketball.
Crawford / Gordon / Chandler / Lee / Randolph / Curry
07. Clippers - Russell Westbrook
6-4 187 PG UCLA So.
He's a defensive minded combo guard that has shown he's capable of making plays. Westbrook has good upside and the mentality to succeed at the next level. Look for the Clippers to bring in a veteran PG to help lead a promising lineup back to the playoffs.
Westbrook / Livingston / Thornton / Brand / Kaman
08. Bucks - Joe Alexander
6-8 230 SF West Virginia Jr.
He's a near perfect compliment to both Yi and Bogut. Yi's soft interior game is countered with Alexander's ability to play aggressively in the post. Bogut's lack of mobility is countered with Alexander's super athleticism. He has the tools and insane work ethic to reach his maximum potential.
Williams / Sessions / Redd / Alexander / Yi / Villanueva / Bogut
09. Bobcats - Darrell Arthur
6-9 230 PF Kansas So.
Jordan loves proven college talent and Arthur is no exception. He's agile, intelligent, active, athletic, and he's a winner with more room to improve. He would fit nicely between Okafor and Wallace, two excellent defenders and rebounders.
Felton / Richardson / Morrison / Wallace / Arthur / Okafor
10. Nets - Danilo Gallinari
6-10 220 SF Italy 1988
Promise or no promise, he is a good fit for them. His versatility and basketball IQ are coveted assets on a team that is looking to shed large salaried players like Richard Jefferson in preparation for the Summer of LeBron 2010.
Harris / M. Williams / Carter / Richardson / Gallinari / S. Williams / Krstic / Boone
11. Pacers - Jerryd Bayless
6-3 182 SG Arizona Fr.
He can't be passed up this low in the draft. Bayless is super quick and can score, but his lack of size and short wingspan will cause him to fall a little. But, at #11, he is a steal.
Bayless / Daniels / Granger / Dunleavy / O'Neal
12. Kings - D.J. Augustin
6-4 180 PG Texas So.
If they don't deal for a PG prior to the draft, look for them to address their need by taking the best pure point guard available.
Augustin / Martin / Garcia / Artest / Miller / Hawes
13. Trailblazers - Nicolas Batum
6-8 210 SG/SF France 1988
With the heart issues hopefully behind him, he could be the second coming of Scottie Pippen. He has an impressive array of skills, great size, and the potential to be a defensive stopper. Batum's a project that could be ready by the time the rest of the young roster is ready to compete at the highest level. It's a very risky pick considering his disappointing numbers last season and possible issues with his heart, but this could be a home run selection in the end.
Roy / Fernandez / Batum / Webster / Outlaw / Aldridge / Frye / Oden
14. Warriors - Marreese Speights
6-10 232 PF Florida So.
They are looking for an athletic, big body in the post and Speights gives them what they need. He rebounds, blocks shots, scores with his back to the basket, and has added a reliable midrange jumper to his game. He has the mass and length to improve even more on the defensive end and be a perfect backup (or starter depending on the match-ups) to Biedrins and Wright. He'll have to learn to be more aggressive in the post, draw fouls and finishing after contact. Speights is supposedly not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he will excel in a system with minimal plays and a lot of improvisation.
Davis / Monta / Azubuike / Belinelli / Jackson / Wright / Harrington / Beidrins / Speights
15. Suns - Brandon Rush
6-6 210 SF Kansas Jr.
He's the most NBA-ready talent outside of the lottery. Suns feel the pressure to win now with Nash, Hill, and Shaq not getting any younger. Rush is an immediate rotation player that helps in many ways and is fearless competitor. The only downside is the perceived lack of upside.
Nash / Barbosa / Rush / Diaw / Stoudemire / O'Neil
16. 76ers - DeAndre Jordan
7-0 250 C Texas A&M Fr.
Too much upside to drop any further. He has the potential to end up being the 3rd best player in the draft if he can put it all together. Jordan is the classic high risk, high reward pick. At the very least, he'll be able to rebound and defend within a relatively short amount of time.
Miller / L. Williams / Igudola / Young / Smith / Dalembert / Jordan
17. Raptors - Anthony Randolph
6-10 200 SF LSU Fr.
His stock has fallen significantly due to his poor workouts and mental testing results, but he's too good to pass up at #17. I could see them gambling on this 18 year old with tremendous upside and the ready built knack for rebounding and blocking shots. He is a project, but the Raptors have enough solid pieces to let him develop pressure-free.
Ford / Calderon / Parker / Moon / Randolph / Bosh / Bargnani
18. Wizards - Roy Hibbert
7-2 278 C Georgetown Sr.
He's been impressive in workouts and he fits needs for the Wizards. Hibbert is huge and plays smart basketball. He still has room for improvement, especially on the boards - but once he learns to use his size more to his advantage, he'll be a good one.
Arenas / Stevenson / Young / Butler / Jamison / Blatche / Pecherov / Hibbert
19. Cavaliers - Kosta Koufos
7-0 252 C Ohio St. Fr.
They love him in Ohio and could use help at the 4/5. Koufos gives them a versatile scoring big that excels in the half-court set. He needs to improve his toughness, but has great skill for such a young prospect.
West / Gibson / Pavlovic / James / Varajo / Wallace / Ilgauskas / Koufos
20. Nuggets - Mario Chalmers
6-2 170 PG Kansas
He's one of the most underrated players in this draft. He has good court vision, adequate ball handling, great shooting touch, and unbelievable intangibles. Chalmers is an outstanding defender leading this year's draft class in steals.
Chalmers / Iverson / Smith / Anthony / Kleiza / Nene / Martin / Camby
21. Nets - Donta Greene
6-10 226 SF Syracuse Fr.
They are looking to move Richard Jefferson, so taking the best available player happens to fill a void as well. He's a SF with PF length. He's got 3 point range and is athletic enough to finish strong at the rim. Greene needs to improve defensively and improve his shot selection, but he has tremendous upside.
Harris / M. Williams / Carter / Jefferson / Greene / S. Williams / Boone / Krstic
22. Magic - JaVale McGee
7-0 237 C Nevada So.
He has an impressive physic and physical capabilities, but his mental game and toughness are his big question marks. Scouts drool over his potential and it will take a few years to realize them if he puts in the work and he gets proper support from his team. What makes the Magic choose him over other big man prospects is his shooting range and the potentially good fit with Howard.
Nelson / Turkoglu / Lewis / Howard / McGee
23. Jazz - Robin Lopez
7-0 255 C Stanford So.
They need depth at center and he gives them most of the qualities Sloan looks for in a player - toughness, hustle, and court awareness. Right now, he's more of a defensive specialist, but he's shown glimpses of offensive potential late in his sophomore year.
Williams / Brewer / Korver / Kirlenko / Boozer / Milsap / Okur / Lopez
24. Super Sonics - J.J. Hickson
6-9 235 PF NC State Fr.
With Wilcox heading out the door, Hickson could step in as a throwback big that bangs in the post collecting rebounds, scoring in the post, and making life tough for opposing bigs. Hickson is a young, unusally strong PF. He's a little undersized, but his good timing, explosiveness, and long arms make up for his lack of height. His offensive ceiling is rather low and he needs to improve on his turnovers, passing, and decision making.
Ridnour / Mayo / Durant / Green / Wilcox / Hickson / Swift / Petro
25. Rockets - Jason Thompson
6-10 245 PF Rider Sr.
TMac and company are eager to win now and advance out of the 1st round so they should go for a big man that's ready to play right away. Thompson has the NBA body, is tough and can rebound and block shots. He's a good compliment to Yao.
Alston / McGrady / Battier / Hickson / Landry / Scola / Yao
26. Spurs - Chris Douglas-Roberts
6-7 200 SG Memphis Jr.
With the swingmen getting older, Spurs should look to address that area by selecting CDR. He can do many things well, including defend, shoot from midrange, and slash to the hoop. He's a fundamentally sound player that could fit right in with the Spurs veteran team.
Parker / Ginobli / Douglas-Roberts / Bowen / Duncan / Mahinmi
27. Trailblazer - Alexis Ajinca
7'1" 225 C France Intl.
The Trailblazers buy another pick and go with the freakishly long Frenchman Ajinca to secure the future spot at center. He's impressed many GM's and scouts with his versatility and surprising toughness in workouts. Ajinca will have to continue to put on weight and play even more physically to make it in the NBA. He's agile enough to play PF and has the range to work well with Oden. The Trailblazers could also combine this pick with others to move up in the draft or score veteran help.
Roy / Fernandez / Batum / Webster / Outlaw / Aldridge / Frye / Oden / Ajinca
28. Grizzlies - Courtney Lee
6'5" SG Western Kentucky Sr.
He's shot up the draft charts with strong workouts. He's a tough SG that rebounds well for his position and can score in a variety of ways. With Mike Miller one foot out the door, the Grizzlies need help at the 2, so this pick is a sound one at #27.
Conley / Crittenton / Lowry / Miller / Lee / Gay / Love / Milicic
29. Pistons - Serge Ibaka
6'10" PF Congo Intl.
They have a great veteran team, so they can afford to gamble on a player that projects to be a good PF/C in a few years. Ibaka is super athletic with great size and athleticism. He's a great rebounder and shot blocker with nice range. Ibaka could play overseas for a while before coming to the NBA.
Billups / Stuckey / Prince / Johnson / Maxiell / Wallace / Ibaka / McDyess
30. Celtics - DeVon Hardin
6-11 250 C Cal Sr.
Celtics need to get physical and athletic at the C position. Powe and Davis are undersized while Perkins is not athletic enough. Hardin is project, but has all the tools to succeed given the right coaching and time to develop. The Celtics have the luxury to be patient with all the veteran talent on their roster.
Rondo / Allen / Pierce / Garnett / Powe / Hardin / Perkins
6-3 195 PG Memphis Fr.
Paxon is going to appease the masses and go with the hometown hero. Look for the Bulls to move Hinrich for a veteran big that can score in the post. With Rose, they get an athletic floor general that will make his teammates better but is not afraid to take charge when the game is on the line.
Rose / Hinrich / Gordon / Sefolosha / Deng / Noah / Thomas / Nochioni
02. Heat - Michael Beasley
6-9 235 SF Kansas St. Fr.
He goes here even if it's part of a trade for the Heat to move down. Beasley is an impressive talent with a lethal combination of athleticism, skill, and nastiness. Marion and Beasley will make for a frightful, interchangeable SF/PF duo that will give defenses fits.
Wade / Wright / Beasley / Marion
03. Timberwolves - Brook Lopez
7-0 260 C Stanford So.
They are building their team around Jefferson and would be wise to select a center that would compliment his game perfectly. Brook as the prototypical center's game with more range on his shot to allow Jefferson to do his thing down low.
Foye / McCants / Brewer / Jefferson / Lopez
04. Super Sonics - O.J. Mayo
6-4 210 SG USC Fr.
Pair him with Durant and watch them lineup at the box office to witness one of the most electric backcourts in the NBA.
Ridnour / Mayo / Durant / Green / Wilcox / Swift / Sene / Petro
05. Grizzlies - Kevin Love
6-9 260 PF UCLA Fr.
They need a special player with leadership abilities, a unique skill set, and the will to win. Love's one of the best skilled bigmen coming out of college in a long time. Although undersized, he can do many things well and is a phenominal passer with an excellent perimeter game. He'll make everyone around him better and his ultra competitive drive will help him overcome most of his shortcomings. Love was the 2nd most productive player in the NCAA last year and will prove critics wrong by showing he can achieve greatness on the NBA stage as well.
Conley / Crittenton / Lowry / Miller / Gay / Love / Milicic
06. Knicks - Eric Gordon
6-4 220 SG Indiana Fr.
He's underrated because of all the turmoil he went through his freshman year, but make no mistake about it, this kid can play. He's among the most athletic in this year's draft class and has incredible range and scoring ability - perfect for Coach D'Antoni's brand of basketball.
Crawford / Gordon / Chandler / Lee / Randolph / Curry
07. Clippers - Russell Westbrook
6-4 187 PG UCLA So.
He's a defensive minded combo guard that has shown he's capable of making plays. Westbrook has good upside and the mentality to succeed at the next level. Look for the Clippers to bring in a veteran PG to help lead a promising lineup back to the playoffs.
Westbrook / Livingston / Thornton / Brand / Kaman
08. Bucks - Joe Alexander
6-8 230 SF West Virginia Jr.
He's a near perfect compliment to both Yi and Bogut. Yi's soft interior game is countered with Alexander's ability to play aggressively in the post. Bogut's lack of mobility is countered with Alexander's super athleticism. He has the tools and insane work ethic to reach his maximum potential.
Williams / Sessions / Redd / Alexander / Yi / Villanueva / Bogut
09. Bobcats - Darrell Arthur
6-9 230 PF Kansas So.
Jordan loves proven college talent and Arthur is no exception. He's agile, intelligent, active, athletic, and he's a winner with more room to improve. He would fit nicely between Okafor and Wallace, two excellent defenders and rebounders.
Felton / Richardson / Morrison / Wallace / Arthur / Okafor
10. Nets - Danilo Gallinari
6-10 220 SF Italy 1988
Promise or no promise, he is a good fit for them. His versatility and basketball IQ are coveted assets on a team that is looking to shed large salaried players like Richard Jefferson in preparation for the Summer of LeBron 2010.
Harris / M. Williams / Carter / Richardson / Gallinari / S. Williams / Krstic / Boone
11. Pacers - Jerryd Bayless
6-3 182 SG Arizona Fr.
He can't be passed up this low in the draft. Bayless is super quick and can score, but his lack of size and short wingspan will cause him to fall a little. But, at #11, he is a steal.
Bayless / Daniels / Granger / Dunleavy / O'Neal
12. Kings - D.J. Augustin
6-4 180 PG Texas So.
If they don't deal for a PG prior to the draft, look for them to address their need by taking the best pure point guard available.
Augustin / Martin / Garcia / Artest / Miller / Hawes
13. Trailblazers - Nicolas Batum
6-8 210 SG/SF France 1988
With the heart issues hopefully behind him, he could be the second coming of Scottie Pippen. He has an impressive array of skills, great size, and the potential to be a defensive stopper. Batum's a project that could be ready by the time the rest of the young roster is ready to compete at the highest level. It's a very risky pick considering his disappointing numbers last season and possible issues with his heart, but this could be a home run selection in the end.
Roy / Fernandez / Batum / Webster / Outlaw / Aldridge / Frye / Oden
14. Warriors - Marreese Speights
6-10 232 PF Florida So.
They are looking for an athletic, big body in the post and Speights gives them what they need. He rebounds, blocks shots, scores with his back to the basket, and has added a reliable midrange jumper to his game. He has the mass and length to improve even more on the defensive end and be a perfect backup (or starter depending on the match-ups) to Biedrins and Wright. He'll have to learn to be more aggressive in the post, draw fouls and finishing after contact. Speights is supposedly not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he will excel in a system with minimal plays and a lot of improvisation.
Davis / Monta / Azubuike / Belinelli / Jackson / Wright / Harrington / Beidrins / Speights
15. Suns - Brandon Rush
6-6 210 SF Kansas Jr.
He's the most NBA-ready talent outside of the lottery. Suns feel the pressure to win now with Nash, Hill, and Shaq not getting any younger. Rush is an immediate rotation player that helps in many ways and is fearless competitor. The only downside is the perceived lack of upside.
Nash / Barbosa / Rush / Diaw / Stoudemire / O'Neil
16. 76ers - DeAndre Jordan
7-0 250 C Texas A&M Fr.
Too much upside to drop any further. He has the potential to end up being the 3rd best player in the draft if he can put it all together. Jordan is the classic high risk, high reward pick. At the very least, he'll be able to rebound and defend within a relatively short amount of time.
Miller / L. Williams / Igudola / Young / Smith / Dalembert / Jordan
17. Raptors - Anthony Randolph
6-10 200 SF LSU Fr.
His stock has fallen significantly due to his poor workouts and mental testing results, but he's too good to pass up at #17. I could see them gambling on this 18 year old with tremendous upside and the ready built knack for rebounding and blocking shots. He is a project, but the Raptors have enough solid pieces to let him develop pressure-free.
Ford / Calderon / Parker / Moon / Randolph / Bosh / Bargnani
18. Wizards - Roy Hibbert
7-2 278 C Georgetown Sr.
He's been impressive in workouts and he fits needs for the Wizards. Hibbert is huge and plays smart basketball. He still has room for improvement, especially on the boards - but once he learns to use his size more to his advantage, he'll be a good one.
Arenas / Stevenson / Young / Butler / Jamison / Blatche / Pecherov / Hibbert
19. Cavaliers - Kosta Koufos
7-0 252 C Ohio St. Fr.
They love him in Ohio and could use help at the 4/5. Koufos gives them a versatile scoring big that excels in the half-court set. He needs to improve his toughness, but has great skill for such a young prospect.
West / Gibson / Pavlovic / James / Varajo / Wallace / Ilgauskas / Koufos
20. Nuggets - Mario Chalmers
6-2 170 PG Kansas
He's one of the most underrated players in this draft. He has good court vision, adequate ball handling, great shooting touch, and unbelievable intangibles. Chalmers is an outstanding defender leading this year's draft class in steals.
Chalmers / Iverson / Smith / Anthony / Kleiza / Nene / Martin / Camby
21. Nets - Donta Greene
6-10 226 SF Syracuse Fr.
They are looking to move Richard Jefferson, so taking the best available player happens to fill a void as well. He's a SF with PF length. He's got 3 point range and is athletic enough to finish strong at the rim. Greene needs to improve defensively and improve his shot selection, but he has tremendous upside.
Harris / M. Williams / Carter / Jefferson / Greene / S. Williams / Boone / Krstic
22. Magic - JaVale McGee
7-0 237 C Nevada So.
He has an impressive physic and physical capabilities, but his mental game and toughness are his big question marks. Scouts drool over his potential and it will take a few years to realize them if he puts in the work and he gets proper support from his team. What makes the Magic choose him over other big man prospects is his shooting range and the potentially good fit with Howard.
Nelson / Turkoglu / Lewis / Howard / McGee
23. Jazz - Robin Lopez
7-0 255 C Stanford So.
They need depth at center and he gives them most of the qualities Sloan looks for in a player - toughness, hustle, and court awareness. Right now, he's more of a defensive specialist, but he's shown glimpses of offensive potential late in his sophomore year.
Williams / Brewer / Korver / Kirlenko / Boozer / Milsap / Okur / Lopez
24. Super Sonics - J.J. Hickson
6-9 235 PF NC State Fr.
With Wilcox heading out the door, Hickson could step in as a throwback big that bangs in the post collecting rebounds, scoring in the post, and making life tough for opposing bigs. Hickson is a young, unusally strong PF. He's a little undersized, but his good timing, explosiveness, and long arms make up for his lack of height. His offensive ceiling is rather low and he needs to improve on his turnovers, passing, and decision making.
Ridnour / Mayo / Durant / Green / Wilcox / Hickson / Swift / Petro
25. Rockets - Jason Thompson
6-10 245 PF Rider Sr.
TMac and company are eager to win now and advance out of the 1st round so they should go for a big man that's ready to play right away. Thompson has the NBA body, is tough and can rebound and block shots. He's a good compliment to Yao.
Alston / McGrady / Battier / Hickson / Landry / Scola / Yao
26. Spurs - Chris Douglas-Roberts
6-7 200 SG Memphis Jr.
With the swingmen getting older, Spurs should look to address that area by selecting CDR. He can do many things well, including defend, shoot from midrange, and slash to the hoop. He's a fundamentally sound player that could fit right in with the Spurs veteran team.
Parker / Ginobli / Douglas-Roberts / Bowen / Duncan / Mahinmi
27. Trailblazer - Alexis Ajinca
7'1" 225 C France Intl.
The Trailblazers buy another pick and go with the freakishly long Frenchman Ajinca to secure the future spot at center. He's impressed many GM's and scouts with his versatility and surprising toughness in workouts. Ajinca will have to continue to put on weight and play even more physically to make it in the NBA. He's agile enough to play PF and has the range to work well with Oden. The Trailblazers could also combine this pick with others to move up in the draft or score veteran help.
Roy / Fernandez / Batum / Webster / Outlaw / Aldridge / Frye / Oden / Ajinca
28. Grizzlies - Courtney Lee
6'5" SG Western Kentucky Sr.
He's shot up the draft charts with strong workouts. He's a tough SG that rebounds well for his position and can score in a variety of ways. With Mike Miller one foot out the door, the Grizzlies need help at the 2, so this pick is a sound one at #27.
Conley / Crittenton / Lowry / Miller / Lee / Gay / Love / Milicic
29. Pistons - Serge Ibaka
6'10" PF Congo Intl.
They have a great veteran team, so they can afford to gamble on a player that projects to be a good PF/C in a few years. Ibaka is super athletic with great size and athleticism. He's a great rebounder and shot blocker with nice range. Ibaka could play overseas for a while before coming to the NBA.
Billups / Stuckey / Prince / Johnson / Maxiell / Wallace / Ibaka / McDyess
30. Celtics - DeVon Hardin
6-11 250 C Cal Sr.
Celtics need to get physical and athletic at the C position. Powe and Davis are undersized while Perkins is not athletic enough. Hardin is project, but has all the tools to succeed given the right coaching and time to develop. The Celtics have the luxury to be patient with all the veteran talent on their roster.
Rondo / Allen / Pierce / Garnett / Powe / Hardin / Perkins
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