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Finally the day has arrived. Will Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat skip Michael Beasley at the top 2 spots?
1. Chicago Bulls – Derrick Rose | 6’3 | PG | Memphis
Derrick Rose has rocked the United Center before. Almost every Windy City resident wants to see it again: at least 41-times a year. Derrick Rose is the type of talent and crowd-pleaser the Bulls have lacked for a decade now.
2. Miami Heat – Michael Beasley | 6’9 | SF/PF | Kansas State
Make no mistake about it. Michael Beasley is still thought to be the most talented player this draft has to offer and he has no shortage of suitors trying to trade for him. Miami could finish the night with either OJ Mayo or Jerryd Bayless as Dwyane Wade’s new backcourt partner.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves – OJ Mayo | 6’4 | PG/SG | Southern Cal.
OJ Mayo has quietly been making a push into the top tier alongside Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley. He’s close but Mayo just isn’t the transcendent athlete that Rose and Beasley are. Minnesota might be content to let either Beasley or Mayo fall to them at number three.
4. Seattle Supersonics – Russell Westbrook | 6’3 | PG/SG | UCLA
Sam Presti is playing his cards close to his chest. The Brook Lopez rumors are heating up and it seems that the Sonics may have their eye on the Stanford big, Jerryd Bayless or Russell Westbrook. If Brook Lopez is their guy, he could be picked up later on via a trade but Westbrook’s defense and upside is a good fit with the Seattle’s direction. The Clippers are also looking for one of Mayo, Westbrook and Bayless.
5. Memphis Grizzlies – Kevin Love | 6’9 | PF | UCLA
If Memphis can manage to get their hands on Beasley by trading with Miami, Jerryd Bayless is likely to be the guy Pat Riley is after as Mayo is almost certainly going to be gone by number five. Otherwise Kevin Love looks like the guy.
6. New York Knicks – Jerryd Bayless | 6’3 | PG | Arizona
Rod Thorn seems to think Danillo Gallinari is New York’s target. There is also talk going around that the Knicks aren’t in love with Bayless. However, they need a PG and Bayless offers that to go along with some star power.
7. Los Angeles Clippers – Brook Lopez | 7’0 | C | Stanford
If the Clippers are able to move up into the top five, it’s a good bet that Brook Lopez will be picked here for either Minnesota or Seattle. If the Clippers sit tight, Eric Gordon is likely to be the pick. Gordon has long been pegged at this spot but he’s not the top prospect on the Clipper’s draft board.
8. Milwaukee Bucks – Joe Alexander | 6’9 | SF | West Virginia
Anthony Randolph might be headed for a little tumble if the Bucks pass on him. Joe Alexander is the superior athlete and though his skill level isn’t on par with his physical abilities, he can step in and contribute from day one with his intensity which is second to none. Only Westbrook comes close out of the lottery prospects.
9. Charlotte Bobcats – Eric Gordon | 6’4 | SG | Indiana
If Gordon slips from the number seven spot, his wait shouldn’t last too much longer. He’s too good of an athlete and too good a shooter for too many teams to pass on. Michael Jordan can’t forget Eric Gordon utterly destroying his sons on national TV a little over a year ago.
10. New Jersey Nets – Danillo Gallinari | 6’9 | SF | Italy
Are the Nets shopping Richard Jefferson? Either way, the Nets aren’t looking for instant success; they want cap space for 2010 and a playoff team for Brooklyn. Gallinari will likely be the pick here if he isn’t snapped up earlier.
11. Indiana Pacers – Anthony Randolph | 6’10 | SF/PF | LSU
With TJ Ford in the fold, the Pacers will likely go big with this pick. Anthony Randolph is the best frontcourt prospect available and the one who offers the most upside. The Pacers are far away from playoff contention and can afford to wait for Randolph’s tremendous talent to develop.
12. Sacramento Kings – DJ Augustin | 6’0 | PG | Texas
The Pacers getting TJ Ford from Toronto could mean DJ Augustin stays on the board until number twelve where the Kings shouldn’t need all five minutes on the clock to decide that he’s the type of point guard they need to compete in the West.
13. Portland Trailblazers – Brandon Rush | 6’7 | SG/SF | Kansas
Will the Blazers package their two first round picks and move up? If the move up in front of Sacramento, DJ Augustin is likely their target but at thirteen, Brandon Rush is a very solid player who will deepen the rotation and contribute on a squad looking to make a splash in the playoffs.
14. Golden State Warriors – Jason Thompson | 6’10 | PF | Rider
The Warriors would love Brandon Rush but having missed out on Yi Jianlian last year, Jason Thompson could be the pick here. They have Brandan Wright already but the Warriors don’t have any major holes provided Baron Davis and Monta Ellis remain Warriors and Thompson is a good talent on par with other players available at this stage of the draft.
15. Phoenix Suns – Robin Lopez | 7’0 | PF/C | Stanford
Shaquille O’Neal is no spring chicken and time after time, they’ve come up short in the playoffs. Robin Lopez is a good defender who would give the Suns some much need frontcourt depth.
16. Philadelphia 76ers – Darrell Arthur | 6’10 | PF | Kansas
Is Thaddeus Young a SF or a PF? Either way, the 76ers are in the market for a big and if Darrell Arthur is still available, Philly will find it hard to pass him up. DeAndre Jordan is an option here.
17. Indiana Pacers – Alexis Ajinca | 7’2 | C | France
Ajinca has outplayed a number of American prospects in workouts and his stock is soaring such that it is very possible that he’s already gone by seventeen. The Pacers post-O’Neal will probably opt for some size with upside.
18. Washington Wizards – Marreese Speights | 6’10 | PF | Florida
Speights has the talent to be a lottery pick but his motor has been questioned. The Wizards will almost certainly go big and should have a number of names available at eighteen.
19. Cleveland Cavaliers – Kosta Koufos | 7’1 | C | Ohio State
Koufos could be gone by nineteen and should be near the top of the Cavaliers’ draft board. The sweet shooting big would help clear room for King James and serve as Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ replacement.
20. Charlotte Bobcats – Roy Hibbert | 7’2 | C | Georgetown
Hibbert makes Greg Oden look small and outplayed him in the Final Four fifteen months ago. Hibbert isn’t the fastest player around but he’s got a great skillset for a man with his size.
21. New Jersey Nets – DeAndre Jordan | 7’0 | C | Texas A&M
The high-upside, high-risk players are falling out of favor with GMs all over the league but at this point in the draft, the risk is far smaller than it would be picking in the lottery. The Nets can afford to gamble with this pick.
22. Orlando Magic – Mario Chalmers | 6’2 | PG/SG | Kansas
Mario Chalmers ability to stroke the ball and defend will keep the defenders from piling on Dwight Howard. Chalmers has good size for the point guard position and can slide over to the two.
23. Utah Jazz – JaVale McGee | 7’0 | C | Nevada
The Jazz want Roy Hibbert but with Charlotte dealing for Denver’s pick, Hibbert could easily be gone by this stage. JaVale McGee offers similar length but even more upside and could help the Jazz make the push into the finals if he develops accordingly.
24. Seattle Supersonics – JJ Hickson | 6’9 | PF | North Carolina State
Is Chris Wilcox the long term answer for the Supersonics? JJ Hickson isn’t the greatest athlete around but he’s strong bodied and given time, he would have been a lottery lock. The Sonics can afford to wait and see just how he’ll turn out.
25. Houston Rockets – Donte Greene | 6’9 | SF | Syracuse
Donte Greene’s stock is sliding with concerns that he’s nothing more than a good shooter. Green has a ton of talent but he’s a poor rebounder and defender. Still, at this point in the draft, he’s good value.
26. San Antonio Spurs – Nicolas Batum | 6’8 | SF | France
The Spurs often look internationally for their picks and this year may be no exception to the rule. Batum has some holes in his game and there are various concerns about him but the Spurs need an infusion of young talent on the wing especially since Bruce Bowen and Manu Ginobili aren’t getting any younger.
27. Portland Trailblazers – Ante Tomic | 7’2 | C | Croatia
The Blazers have too many young and talented players which is a problem that many teams would die to have. This pick might not be the Blazers by the end of the night but Tomic is a player that can be stashed overseas for a few years.
28. Memphis Grizzlies – Chris Douglas-Roberts | 6’7 | SG/SF | Memphis
CDR back in Memphis would be a good situation for both parties. The Grizzlies could go in a number of directions but if Douglas-Roberts is available, they’d find it hard to pass on him.
29. Detroit Pistons – Bill Walker | 6’7 | SG/SF | Kansas State
Walker’s untimely injury and questionable knees may cost him a spot in the first round but he’s one of the most talented players available.
30. Boston Celtics – Courtney Lee | 6’5 | SG | Western Kentucky
The Celtics may opt for some size behind Kendrick Perkins but Courtney Lee may be to good to pass up here if he’s still on the board.
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