Post by Jay Z on May 20, 2015 12:41:46 GMT
In the spirit of reading a bunch of mocks now that the draft order is out, i thought it be fun to write one up for D5 to go along with Ian and Jeremiah's. Shout out to Ian whose format i straight stole minus the colors.
1. Memphis Grizzlies - Karl-Anthony Towns
There's seems to be a consensus tier one of players, and KAT sits atop that tier. No shakeup here, Towns goes first.
2. Boston Celtics - Jahlil Okafor
You could make an argument that Boston may go a different direction (Ian already has), but there are still question marks for Bostons bigs. Joel Embid has just spent the entire season sitting on the bench, and how much stock can you put into half a season of Kanter. Okafor will be drafted in this spot one way or another, either to be paired with Embid, or by a team willing to move up to get him.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves (via ORL) - D'Angelo Russell
Walt has flexibility here with the way his team is built and can go in a couple of directions. He could go Russell/Mudiay to pair with Oladipo and let Rubio walk in a year/trade him. He could also go Porzingis here, who would complement either of his bigs well with spacing. The only route I don't see is sitting someone behind Batum who is an all-star player locked in for 3 more years. Personally, i like a Russell Oladipo back court, though both Mudiay/Porzingis are in play here.
4. New York Knicks - Justise Winslow
Draft by need or best player available. Best player could be murky here, as well see Mudiay go top 5 in a lot of mock drafts, but Winslow is no slouch. Winslow on the other hand is a definite need in New York, who could player either wing spot, and wont create any log jam at the PG spot like Mudiay would.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers - Kristaps Porzingis
Sakuragi has a choice between two players who, when all is said and done, might be looked at as the two best players in this draft down the line, but who also have a higher potential then most to bust. Everything I've read from Sakuragi shows hes confident in the Green's to get it done on the wings. Cleveland already has a young PG in Clarkson, and with no pick next year, i think We see Porzingis here.
6. Washington Wizards - Emmanuel Mudiay
Kareem has only one position solved currently, and that Horford at the 4/5. You go best available here and don't look back.
7. Atlanta Hawks - Mario Hezonja
Call it a smokescreen or misdirection, but this one is pretty easy. On my own big board, i have 7 players in the top 3 tiers, so with the 7th pick ill take whoever falls to me, and in this mock that's Henzonja.
8. New Orleans Pelicans - Willie Cauley-Stein
BPA and team need match up here. Brian needs someone to anchor his defense and that someone falls to him with the 8th pick
9. Boston Celtics (via SAS) - Stanley Johnson
Ian at this point has more draft picks then holes on his team. His team needs a wing and he goes out and gets one.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (via UTH) - Myles Turner
With Russell already in tow creating a back-court most teams would be envious of, Walt looks to make sure his front-court gets some love too, cause who doesn't want to look at Timberwolves and go "how the fuck did he get all those guys?" Turner compliments the bigs already in Minnesota with his ability to stretch the court, and theres not many players who could block a shot and hit a 3 on the other end of the court (Walt's already sitting on one such player in Butum). If we flip things around a bit, and Walt goes Porzingis with the 3rd pick, we could see a Cameron Payne pick up here.
11. Boston Celtics (via PHX) - Kelly Oubre
Boston's hole is at SF position, but I've already got Boston grabbing one just two picks before this one. Thankfully, theses players in real life will be on two different teams, fighting for completely different minutes. Ian just needs one of these two players to pan out to have his starting 5 all under contract on rookie wages. We may also see an attempt to package both 9th and 11th to move up for a Winslow or Hezonja, or whatever else Ian can conceive because he has way too many picks and why the hell not.
11. Detroit Pistons - Cameron Payne
I don't have a great feel on what Detroit might do here. They don't have there own pick next year so they may shy away from a project player. I'm sure Ghazny will do every thing he can to retain Monroe and keep a pretty impressive front court together, but there is nothing guaranteed on that front. It would be a real small back-court but i think Payne is the pick here. Johnson and Oubre are also in play if they fall.
13. LA Lakers - Kevon Looney
I wavered between Kaminsky and Looney here. With the real life Lakers most likely taking a big, Ryan Kelly's minutes will take a hit, and Kelly may never reach his ceiling (regardless of how high or low it was). I think a high priority will be placed on finding a front-court mate for Vuc. With Magic's recent attempted trade of Dragic (the better player now) for Kemba (potential down the line), we'll see that sentiment echoed here as he takes a project in Looney.
14. New Orleans Pelicans (via - CHA) - Devin Booker
The target here is for Brian to shore up his offense with arguably the best shooter coming out of college this year in Booker to compliment the defensive anchor he chose earlier in the draft with WCS.
1. Memphis Grizzlies - Karl-Anthony Towns
There's seems to be a consensus tier one of players, and KAT sits atop that tier. No shakeup here, Towns goes first.
2. Boston Celtics - Jahlil Okafor
You could make an argument that Boston may go a different direction (Ian already has), but there are still question marks for Bostons bigs. Joel Embid has just spent the entire season sitting on the bench, and how much stock can you put into half a season of Kanter. Okafor will be drafted in this spot one way or another, either to be paired with Embid, or by a team willing to move up to get him.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves (via ORL) - D'Angelo Russell
Walt has flexibility here with the way his team is built and can go in a couple of directions. He could go Russell/Mudiay to pair with Oladipo and let Rubio walk in a year/trade him. He could also go Porzingis here, who would complement either of his bigs well with spacing. The only route I don't see is sitting someone behind Batum who is an all-star player locked in for 3 more years. Personally, i like a Russell Oladipo back court, though both Mudiay/Porzingis are in play here.
4. New York Knicks - Justise Winslow
Draft by need or best player available. Best player could be murky here, as well see Mudiay go top 5 in a lot of mock drafts, but Winslow is no slouch. Winslow on the other hand is a definite need in New York, who could player either wing spot, and wont create any log jam at the PG spot like Mudiay would.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers - Kristaps Porzingis
Sakuragi has a choice between two players who, when all is said and done, might be looked at as the two best players in this draft down the line, but who also have a higher potential then most to bust. Everything I've read from Sakuragi shows hes confident in the Green's to get it done on the wings. Cleveland already has a young PG in Clarkson, and with no pick next year, i think We see Porzingis here.
6. Washington Wizards - Emmanuel Mudiay
Kareem has only one position solved currently, and that Horford at the 4/5. You go best available here and don't look back.
7. Atlanta Hawks - Mario Hezonja
Call it a smokescreen or misdirection, but this one is pretty easy. On my own big board, i have 7 players in the top 3 tiers, so with the 7th pick ill take whoever falls to me, and in this mock that's Henzonja.
8. New Orleans Pelicans - Willie Cauley-Stein
BPA and team need match up here. Brian needs someone to anchor his defense and that someone falls to him with the 8th pick
9. Boston Celtics (via SAS) - Stanley Johnson
Ian at this point has more draft picks then holes on his team. His team needs a wing and he goes out and gets one.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves (via UTH) - Myles Turner
With Russell already in tow creating a back-court most teams would be envious of, Walt looks to make sure his front-court gets some love too, cause who doesn't want to look at Timberwolves and go "how the fuck did he get all those guys?" Turner compliments the bigs already in Minnesota with his ability to stretch the court, and theres not many players who could block a shot and hit a 3 on the other end of the court (Walt's already sitting on one such player in Butum). If we flip things around a bit, and Walt goes Porzingis with the 3rd pick, we could see a Cameron Payne pick up here.
11. Boston Celtics (via PHX) - Kelly Oubre
Boston's hole is at SF position, but I've already got Boston grabbing one just two picks before this one. Thankfully, theses players in real life will be on two different teams, fighting for completely different minutes. Ian just needs one of these two players to pan out to have his starting 5 all under contract on rookie wages. We may also see an attempt to package both 9th and 11th to move up for a Winslow or Hezonja, or whatever else Ian can conceive because he has way too many picks and why the hell not.
11. Detroit Pistons - Cameron Payne
I don't have a great feel on what Detroit might do here. They don't have there own pick next year so they may shy away from a project player. I'm sure Ghazny will do every thing he can to retain Monroe and keep a pretty impressive front court together, but there is nothing guaranteed on that front. It would be a real small back-court but i think Payne is the pick here. Johnson and Oubre are also in play if they fall.
13. LA Lakers - Kevon Looney
I wavered between Kaminsky and Looney here. With the real life Lakers most likely taking a big, Ryan Kelly's minutes will take a hit, and Kelly may never reach his ceiling (regardless of how high or low it was). I think a high priority will be placed on finding a front-court mate for Vuc. With Magic's recent attempted trade of Dragic (the better player now) for Kemba (potential down the line), we'll see that sentiment echoed here as he takes a project in Looney.
14. New Orleans Pelicans (via - CHA) - Devin Booker
The target here is for Brian to shore up his offense with arguably the best shooter coming out of college this year in Booker to compliment the defensive anchor he chose earlier in the draft with WCS.