3) Atlanta- Mike Conley Jr., Ohio State- Is Conley Jr. the third best player in the draft? Probably not—but he is the best point guard and Atlanta is in desperate need of one. He won’t be available at No. 11 (Atlanta’s other 1st round pick) and Javaris Crittendon is not worthy of being selected that high. Al Horford would be the most logical selection at No. 3., but Conley Jr. can make every other player better, and he plays with a level of poise rarely seen by players his age.
[Note: This is contingent upon whether or not the rumored 3 way trade between the Hawks, T’Wolves and Suns occurs or not]

4) Memphis- Al Horford, Florida- With Memphis desperate for a PG, but Conley taken, Horford goes to a team already with plenty of big men. Expect some sort of deal here if Conley does go #3, as the Grizzlies may keep Horford and try to trade Pau Gasol, who seems to have lost his focus in Memphis. None of this however is reliable information, as newly hired general manager Chris Wallace has an innate ability to mess up franchises (example: Boston Celtics).

5) Boston- Brandan Wright, North Carolina- After the first four picks, there are about five players of equal talent, so teams needs play a significant role in who goes where. Many speculate that Corey Brewer will go to the C’s, but I don’t think he can have as much of an immediate impact as Wright can. The game seems to come easy to him, and he was surprisingly tougher down low than his frame would suggest. He’s very good in transition and could (could) make New Englander’s forget about not getting one of the top two picks.

6) Milwaukee- Jeff Green- Georgetown- With the back court of Mo Williams and Michael Redd solidified, Green could grow into a starting forward role and give the Bucks a young starting five along with Andrew Bogut. Green developed into a more polished player during the college season, and can do just about everything well but nothing great. Could be a better shooter for the small forward position he will probably fall into, but Redd is that go to scorer the Bucks will continue to count on

7) Minnesota- Yi Jianlian- China- If Kevin Garnett is traded, Jianlian is a good pick here. He plays like Garnett in that he is a 7-footer who can score inside and out. Scouts say it will take him awhile to develop however and, honestly, he won’t match Garnett’s career stats. But the T’Wolves need a new start, and a mysterious talent from the Far East might just be the answer on the court, and from a marketing standpoint as well.

8) Charlotte- Corey Brewer- Florida- I expect the Bobacts to trade this pick, but if not they’ll go with Brewer. Since their inception into the league in 2004, they have drafted high profile college players but really haven’t shown any true signs of improvement. They could use a proven veteran player, and using their 8th and 22nd picks as trade bait, it certainly is possible. Brewer, who improved his stock tremendously in this year’s tournament, would be best suited on a team looking to improve their defense. He won’t be a superstar, but he’s a steady all-around player that knows how to win. I expect him to become a solid role-player in the league.

9) Chicago- Spencer Hawes- Washington- With Ben Wallace hardly a threat on the offensive end, Hawes will provide that option in the low post for the Bulls. I have my doubts about Hawes toughness and the ability to handle 82 games getting bumped and bruised, but he’s legitimate on the offensive end, and will fill a need on the Bulls roster.

10) Sacramento- Acie Law IV- Texas A&M- If the Kings are looking for someone to come off the bench, provide an offensive spark and also spell Mike Bibby when needed, then they shouldn’t think twice about this pick. Javaris Crittenton is being given the “2nd Best Point Guard” title by many, but it’s Law. He’s older, wiser, and has a killer instinct that you just can’t teach.

11) Atlanta- Joakim Noah- Florida- At this juncture in the draft, Florida State’s Al Thorton will probably be No. 1 on Jay Bilas’ “Best Available”, but the Hawks don’t need another stellar athlete that doesn’t really fill a void on the roster. Noah, whose stock has dropped over the past year due to the depth in this draft, can still be a talent in the pros. As previously stated, this is completely contingent on whether or not the Hawks trade their two lottery picks and acquire Amare Stoudamire, but if that falls through, they will have found a point guard, and a post player with potential to become a starter.

12) Philadelphia- Al Thornton- Florida State- In the first full season without Allen Iverson, the Sixers are in the market for a player with scoring ability. Thornton certainly has that trait, and is an unbelievable athlete.

13) New Orleans- Nick Young- USC- Quietly, the Hornets are a franchise slowly putting together pieces that could make them a perennial playoff team in the West. Young makes sense here—a steady player with a great stroke who could compliment Chris Paul in the backcourt.

14) Los Angeles (Clippers)- Julian Wright- Kansas- A year ago, I would of said Wright is a top 5 pick in this draft, but he didn’t improve (dominate) like I thought he could of in the Big 12. He didn’t really show he can shoot consistently from the outside, but he is probably the best passing forward in the draft, and, like Thorton, is very athletic.

Four Up, Four Down

Overrated

Josh McRoberts- Duke- Was exploited last season when he wasn’t playing along side Shelden Williams. Seemed to lose assertiveness and was supposed to be the go-to-guy. Would certainly benefit being drafted to a playoff team that can allow him to develop and play in spurts

Thaddeus Young- Georgia Tech- Would of absolutely benefited from another season in college (I feel I’ve stated that multiple times). Don’t really know where he would fit on an NBA roster and be able to contribute like people are probably telling him. Great athlete with upside, just not polished yet.

Jared Dudley- Boston College- Great college player, too slow for the NBA. He’s not big enough to be a post player, and will struggle to create his own shot against quicker defenders.

Daquean Cook- Ohio State- Cook could be the next Corey Maggette—a college freshman on an elite college team that doesn’t get a lot of minutes, but leaves early to the surprise of many and makes a name for himself at the next level…. It’s possible, but I don’t see it.

Underrated

Rodney Stuckey- Eastern Washington- Haven’t heard of him? You’re not alone. He averaged 24.4 in two seasons with the Eagles, and attacks the basket better than anyone in the draft; a huge sleeper.

Alando Tucker- Wisconsin- There was POY talk on him during much of the college season, then after an early exit in the tournament, we haven’t heard a lot about Tucker. Scouts will point to his below average FT and 3-PG percentages, but the bottom line is Tucker can score, and develop from a back-up shooting guard into a starting role over time.

Sean Williams- Boston College- When Williams was dismissed from BC for unspecified reasons, he left as the country’s best shot blocker and interior defender. While he has many off-court issues, a team could get a nice return on him if he cleans up his act.

Glen Davis- LSU- After a Final Four appearance in 2006, Davis was the trendy prospect. Last season the Tigers underachieved and he seemed to fall off the map. Don’t forget, however, that he came into last season with a slimmer figure and has kept that weight off. He’s got a great body for a power forward, but height will certainly be an issue.

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Written by Nick Fasulo 

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