2009 NBA Mock Draft: Final Edition

It's finally here-there are less than 12 hours until the 2009 NBA Draft, and it would be a ridiculous understatement to say things are starting to heat up.

The Minnesota Timberwolves traded Mike Miller and Randy Foye for to Washington for the fifth pick. The Portland Trailblazers traded up two spots with the Dallas Mavericks for the 24th and 56th picks. 

If anymore trades go down, I will be sure to update the final edition of my mock draft to reflect them. I have also posted picks from ESPN's Chad Ford, DraftExpress, and NBADraft.net's under mine.

*12:39 PM PST: The Knicks have purchased the 29th pick from LA for $3 Million.

Here are the picks:


1. LA Clippers select Blake Griffin—Signed, sealed, and delivered. This is the one certainty of the draft.

ESPN: Griffin
DraftExpress: Griffin
NBADraft.net: Griffin

2. Memphis Grizzlies select Hasheem Thabeet—Nobody wants to play in Memphis, and nobody seems willing to pay their asking price for the second pick. If Rick Rubio is the pick, I expect him to be heading somewhere else.

ESPN: Thabeet
DraftExpress: Thabeet
NBADraft.net: Thabeet

3. Oklahoma City Thunder select James Harden—Rubio continues to get love here, but Harden makes the most sense. Oklahoma City is building a great young roster, and I don't expect them to trade out of their pick.

ESPN: Rubio
DraftExpress: Rubio
NBADraft.net: Harden

4. Sacramento Kings select Ricky Rubio—Sacramento got the most attention from Rubio. He seems to have some control over his future. Unless someone trades up to two, I expect Rubio to go off the board at four.

ESPN: Curry
DraftExpress: Flynn
NBADraft.net: Rubio

5. Minnesota Timberwolves select Tyreke Evans—Randy Foye is gone and Evans could fill his slot nicely. Minnesota will continue dealing, but they won't likely trade five and six. If not Evans, possibly a surprise pick in DeRozan.

ESPN:  Evans
DraftExpress: Harden
NBADraft.net: Curry

6. Minnesota Timberwolves select Stephen Curry—Curry was the one player the Minnesota said they didn't need to see at a T-Wolves workout to draft, making him the likely pick.

ESPN: Flynn
DraftExpress:
NBADraft.net: Evans

7. Golden State Warriors select Jordan Hill—Don Nelson took Hill to dinner, where Nelson apparently said they would take him if he's there. In court that’s hearsay. In the Draft that’s a promise.

ESPN: Hill
DraftExpress: Hill
NBADraft.net: Hill

8. NY Knicks select Brandon Jennings—In pre-draft interviews, Jennings said he won't be picked here and that they like Curry more. Curry should be gone, and I believe teams are being intentionally quiet on Jennings. If not, Flynn, Holiday, and DeRozan are all getting hard looks.

ESPN: Harden
DraftExpress: Evans
NBADraft.net: Jennings

9. Toronto Raptors select DeMar DeRozan—Toronto really needs a potential star they can count on to be there past 2010, and DeRozan is the best option at the ninth pick.

ESPN: DeRozan
DraftExpress: Holiday
NBADraft.net: Johnson

10. Milwaukee Bucks select Jrue Holiday - Sure, Richard Jefferson is gone, but Joe Alexander will fill that spot. Ramon Sessions and/or Luke Ridenour won't be there next year and the Bucks need a point.

ESPN: Holiday
DraftExpress: DeRozan
NBADraft.net: Flynn

11. NJ Nets select Earl Clark—NJ had Clark square-off against James Johnson in a one-on-one battle, and Clark seemed to have the edge. 

ESPN: Henderson
DraftExpress: Johnson
NBADraft.net: DeRozan

12. Charlotte Bobcats select Terrence Williams—Williams ditched his final workout in NJ. Was it on MJ's request?

ESPN: Williams
DraftExpress: Williams
NBADraft.net: Williams

13. Indiana Pacers select Jonny Flynn—Potentially a top five pick, the Pacers are ecstatic if he's there at 13. Indiana is also looking at bigs, but Flynn is too good to pass up.

ESPN: Lawson
DraftExpress: Lawson
NBADraft.net: Hansbrough

14. Phoenix Suns select James Johnson—There are lots of differing opinions here. Shaq looks to be on his way out, so they may rebuild with Mullens or take a risk on Daye. Johnson is the best size on the board.

ESPN: Clark
DraftExpress: Clark
NBADraft.net: Mullens

15. Detroit Pistons select Austin Daye—This is another place where Mullens could go and Blair is a candidate, but Daye has huge upside and can add value in 2009-10.

ESPN: Daye
DraftExpress: Mullens
NBADraft.net: Clark

16. Chicago Bulls select DeJuan Blair—The Bulls need a tough big man like Blair. He could go anywhere after the 10th pick. Mullens, Hansbrough, and Henderson will all earn serious consideration.

ESPN: Johnson
DraftExpress: Henderson
NBADraft.net: Blair

17. Philadelphia 76ers select Ty Lawson—The Sixers seem honed on a point guard to replace Andre Miller. Lawson is a true point and can also shoot the three.

ESPN: Maynor
DraftExpress: Jennings
NBADraft.net: Lawson

18. Minnesota Timberwolves select B.J. Mullens—This pick could be traded to a number of teams, including Oklahoma City. Mullens has huge upside, but is currently a project, which throws up a red flag.

ESPN: Mullens
DraftExpress: Young
NBADraft.net: Henderson

19. Atlanta Hawks select Jeff Teague—There is a good chance this pick will be traded to Golden State for Jamal Crawford, but if the Hawks keep him, they will be deciding between Teague and Henderson.

ESPN: Jennings
DraftExpress: Teague
NBADraft.net: Teague

20. Utah Jazz select Tyler Hansbrough—Psycho T is worthy of a higher pick, but he almost seems destined for Utah, where he will be very successful.

ESPN: Hansbrough
DraftExpress: Hansbrough
NBADraft.net: Maynor

21. New Orleans Hornets select Gerald Henderson—Surprised that Henderson is here? New Orleans should snatch him quickly. The Hornets are looking to deal Tyson Chandler but there aren't any worthy centers on the board.

ESPN: Young
DraftExpress: Blair
NBADraft.net: Budinger

22. Portland Trail Blazers select Omri Casspi—Portland moved ahead of Sacramento because they were eyeing Casspi, who was pegged to go the Kings.

ESPN: Blair
DraftExpress: Daye
NBADraft.net: Summers

23. Sacramento Kings select Sam Young—With Casspi off the board, Sacramento gets another tough wing. Young has less size but more offensive game than Casspi and the Kings were fans of his in a recent workout.

ESPN: Casspi
DraftExpress: Maynor
NBADraft.net: Casspi

24. Dallas Mavericks select Darren Collison—An upgrade from JJ Barea, Collison can really shoot and plays intense defense. Possibly pegged as the Mavs man since his May 20th workout, Dallas knew they could trade down and still get Collison.

ESPN: Teague
DraftExpress: Douglas
NBADraft.net: Holiday

25. Thunder select DeMarre Carroll—In need of more size and toughness, the Thunder will take a hard look at Carroll. If Oklahoma City happens to take Rubio or Thabeet at three, expect them to go with a wing here.

ESPN: Budinger
DraftExpress: Carroll
NBADraft.net: Ellington

26. Chicago Bulls select Chase Budinger—Chicago is trying to deal this pick. Somebody looking for a wing should be interested in Budinger.

ESPN: Calathes
DraftExpress: Casspi
NBADraft.net: Brown

27. Memphis Grizzlies select Eric Maynor—Mike Conley will get some more time to develop, but Memphis needs a back up. Maynor is one year older than Conley, and is one of the most experienced players in the draft.

ESPN: Carroll
DraftExpress: Gibson
NBADraft.net: Gibson

28. Minnesota Timberwolves select Jonas Jerebko—The consensus is that Minnesota has their sights on him and they won't have to bring him to the states this year.

ESPN: Jerebko
DraftExpress: Jerebko
NBADraft.net: Jerebko

29. New York Knicks select Toney Douglas—Reports are that the Knicks are high on Douglas and he should be there at 29 making him the pick.

ESPN: Douglas
DraftExpress: Calathes
NBADraft.net: Douglas

30. Cleveland Cavaliers select DaJuan Summers—I'm unsure if this will be a part of the Shaq trade. If not, Summers gives Cleveland an Orlando Magic-type player.

ESPN: Gibson
DraftExpress: Collison
NBADraft.net: Daye