Mock Draft: Turner Should Go No. 2
Sean Deveney - SportingNews.com
Jun 21, 2010
Draft day is nearing and, in the coming days, NBA execs around the league will hunker down in their war rooms and start hashing out who's going where. Here's how things are shaping up:
1. Washington. John Wall, PG, Kentucky. Wall did his light workout for the Wizards and his fate is sealed -- he's off to Washington.
2. Philadelphia. Evan Turner, SG, Ohio State. There is still some debating here, and the trade of Samuel Dalembert could open the Sixers to taking C DeMarcus Cousins. But they'd probably trade down to do that. Turner should remain the No. 2 pick.
3. New Jersey. Derrick Favors, PF, Georgia Tech. The Nets, too, are considering Cousins, but Favors appears to have more upside.
4. Minnesota. Wesley Johnson, SF, Syracuse. If the Timberwolves stay in this spot -- they covet Turner -- they'll take either Favors or Johnson.
5. Sacramento. DeMarcus Cousins, PF/C, Kentucky. The Kings will go big with this pick, and there's a chance they go for Greg Monroe. But if Cousins is on the board, he'd make a good pairing with Dalembert.
6. Golden State. Greg Monroe, PF, Georgetown. There's a strong possibility that the Warriors will move this pick and look to shake up its too-young, too-raw roster.
7. Detroit. Ed Davis, PF, North Carolina. The Pistons would be thrilled to see Monroe or Cousins fall, and they're also looking at Epke Udoh and Patrick Patterson. But Davis is a solid defender and rebounder for a team that needs both.
8. L.A. Clippers. Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, Wake Forest. Small forward is the logical spot to address, and the Clippers have looked at Gordon Hayward, Paul George, Xavier Henry and Luke Babbitt. But Aminu's athleticism is too much to pass up.
9. Utah. Xavier Henry, SG, Kansas. The Jazz probably won't get the shot at Monroe that they'd like, and they're considering big men like Cole Aldrich, Udoh, Patrick Patterson and Ed Davis. But shooting is a need, and Henry's the best in the class.
10. Indiana. Ekpe Udoh, PF, Baylor. There's some speculation that the Pacers are working on a deal to move down, possibly to San Antonio's spot at No. 20. They've had Udoh in twice for workouts.
11. New Orleans. Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas. If the Hornets go big, the pick is expected to be either Aldrich or Patterson. Gordon Hayward could wind up here, too.
12. Memphis. Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky. The Grizzlies need to add depth to a thin bench, and Patterson is a reliable and versatile big guy who can contribute immediately.
13. Toronto. Paul George, SF, Fresno State. The Raptors have worked out just about every possible player heading into this week -- James Anderson, Gordon Hayward, Cole Aldrich, Daniel Orton, Ekpe Udoh, Hassan Whiteside, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, Paul George, Xavier Henry. George's potential makes him a logical choice, though.
14. Houston. Gordon Hayward, SF, Butler. The Rockets would like to get hold of George or Patterson, but if Hayward is still on the board, he's a nice consolation prize.
15. Milwaukee. Luke Babbitt, SF, Nevada. The Bucks will probably use this pick to shore up their small forward spot -- Paul George, Damion James and Babbitt are the likely possibilities.
16. Minnesota. Avery Bradley, G, Texas. Bradley is a solid combo guard who can help the Timberwolves' backcourt immediately. Of course, Minnesota remains a draft wild card.
17. Chicago. James Anderson, SG, Oklahoma State. Despite a need for big-man help, the Bulls have been focusing on perimeter players in workouts. They need some wing scoring, and Anderson can handle that role.
18. Miami. Eric Bledsoe, PG, Kentucky. With Mario Chalmers failing to progress, the Heat are still looking for point guard help, and they could go with Bradley or Bledsoe.
19. Boston. Hassan Whiteside, C, Marshall. The Celtics need bigs for their bench, which means Whiteside, Solomon Alabi or Daniel Orton will get consideration.
20. San Antonio. Damion James, SF, Texas. The Spurs would like to move up to get a solid wing player like Paul George or Xavier Henry but, failing that, James would help fill their small-forward need.
21. Oklahoma City. Daniel Orton, C, Kentucky. Orton has denied getting a promise from the Thunder, but his workout cancellations certainly have the scent of a promise.
22. Portland. Larry Sanders, C, VCU. The Blazers will look at moving up to the lottery to take George. If not, they will choose among players like Sanders, Dominque Jones, Gani Lawal and Samardo Samuels.
23. Minnesota. Solomon Alabi, C, Florida State. Again, the Timberwolves might not actually make this pick. But Alabi is the kind of long-range potential player they're looking for.
24. Atlanta. Jordan Crawford, SG, Xavier. The Hawks are looking for capable wing players who can play immediately. Crawford is a good fit, but Devin Ebanks and Quincy Pondexter are also possibilities.
25. Memphis. Terrico White, PG/SG, Mississippi. The Grizzlies will use this draft to help their very thin bench, and White is a multi-position player whose versatility will be valuable.
26. Oklahoma City. Devin Ebanks, SF, West Virginia. A lot of teams like Ebanks because he is a tough, smart player. He will fit in with the young Thunder very nicely.
27. New Jersey. Armon Johnson, G, Nevada. Johnson is a solid combo guard who has helped his stock in his workouts. He should sneak into the first round.
28. Memphis. Gani Lawal, PF, Georgia Tech. You can never have enough bigs. The Grizzlies might trade this pick, but they learned last year that size matters.
29. Orlando. Quincy Pondexter, SF, Washington. The Magic would like to address their backcourt, but their options will be limited. Pondexter is a versatile wing man, though.
30. Washington. Jarvis Varnado, PF, Mississippi State. The Wizards would like to start rebuilding with some defensive-minded players, and Varnado is an ace shot-blocker.
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