As long as he doesn’t go Vin Baker on everyone, drinking beer and eating more than working out, he has the talent to be a twenty points, ten rebounds per game power forward in the NBA.
No. 17 Overall Selection (Toronto Raptors): Joe Alexander, Small Forward, West Virginia
Alexander is a great talent. Despite that, he is extremely raw and needs to develop his game more. He has a great mid-range jump shot and is athletic enough to finish at the basket in the NBA. Defensively, he could be decent, but he’s so young, it’s hard to tell whether he could master rotations at the professional level.
Alexander is worth the risk as a first round pick. The Raptors can keep him on the bench for a year, or play him right now in their system if they feel he is good enough offensively. Alexander is a very flexible selection for the Raptors, if nothing else, and has good potential for down the road as an NBA scorer.
No. 18 Overall Selection (Washington Wizards): Brandon Rush, Shooting Guard, Kansas
The Wizards are facing a very real possibility in this offseason. They could (and most likely will) lose Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison. It’s either both or none, as Arenas has said he will only return if Jamison does.
If that happens, the Wizards will start Andray Blatche at the power forward position. Blatche will be fine filling in, but the Wizards will have a huge need at guard. At this point in the mock, there are no point guards to take this high.
Brandon Rush is a solid and safe pick to make for the Wizards, as he will most likely start over DeShawn Stevenson at the two guard. The Wizards will also need to solve their need at point guard in the second round, because Agent Zero will most likely not be back. If you’re Washington, you have to prepare for the worst.
No. 19 Overall Selection (Cleveland Cavaliers): D.J. White, Power Forward, Indiana
The Cavaliers biggest concern at this point is keeping LeBron James happy and willing to stay in Cleveland. A project player is not even an option with this pick. Someone who can come in and help right away is the pick the Cavaliers should be making.
D.J. White is a strong post player who can rebound and play excellent defense. Ben Wallace looks very old, and Zydrunas Ilgauskus is above average; nothing more, nothing less. He is another one of those “more seasoned” rookies, and is better suited to play now.
Waiting around for a prospect to develop while LeBron goes to the new Brooklyn team in a year or two will put the Cavaliers back into the basement where they spent so much time pre-LeBron. Put White in a big rotation of Z, Big Ben, Side Show Bob, and Joe Smith, and youth will be effectively injected into that group.
No. 20 Overall Selection (Denver Nuggets): Anthony Randolph, Power Forward, LSU
The Denver Nuggets are a team in shambles. They play absolutely no defense, and are not on good terms with star forward Carmelo Anthony. In my opinion, Melo should be traded. He is a one-dimensional player, who can’t play defense to save his life.
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