2011 NBA Mock Draft: Full 1st-Round Mock, What Will New York, Boston & More Get?
The 2011 NBA draft will occur on June 23 in Newark, New Jersey. It consists of two rounds, although this mock only predicts Round 1.
Meanwhile, the draft order is based on some trades that had previously occurred.
For example, Toronto received a 2011 first-round pick from Miami as part of the Chris Bosh trade. But that pick will now go to Chicago, as part of the James Johnson trade.
This results in the Bulls having two picks in the first round.
Other transactions affecting draft order:
- The Cavs get the first pick from the Clippers as part of the Mo Williams/Baron Davis trade
- The Jazz get the third pick from the Nets as part of the Deron Williams/Devin Harris trade
- The Wizards get pick 18 from the Hawks as part of the Kirk Hinrich/Mike Bibby trade
- The Bobcats get pick 19 from the Hornets as part of the Gerald Wallace/Joel Przybilla trade
- The Timberwolves have the 20th pick from the Grizzlies as part of the Ronnie Brewer trade
- The Rockets get the 23rd pick from the Magic as part of the Hedo Turkoglu/Vince Carter trade
- The Nets have pick 27 from the Lakers as part of the Terrence Williams/Sasha Vujacic trade
Let's run through the first round and prognosticate some draft picks, shall we?
1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke
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Irving is a true point guard—an excellent passer with exceptional court vision and a great burst.
The Cavs, one year removed from losing perhaps the best player in the NBA, need lots of help and drafting Irving is a solid start.
Did suffer from turf toe, causing him to miss a significant chunk of his freshman season and he seemed to be out of shape when he came back.
But assuming this was just a fluke injury and that he gets back into shape, he should return to form.
2. Minnesota Timerberwolves: Derrick Williams, SF/PF, Arizona
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I have seen Williams going to the T-Wolves at No. 2 on several mock drafts from respected sources, so who am I to doubt it?
But there is talk that they are looking to trade the pick, so this will be interesting to watch, and this makes sense because Williams is the consensus second-best pick in the draft, but as ESPN's Chad Ford points out, "The problem for the Wolves is that Williams plays the same positions as their best two players—Kevin Love and Michael Beasley."
Meanwhile, Williams is quick, with solid footwork and a big wingspan. He can play well with his back to the basket as well as facing up.
What he lacks in brute strength, he makes up in length and speed.
3. Utah Jazz: Kemba Walker, PG, UConn
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The Jazz are difficult to project as they are said to be looking at several options with this pick, including a trade. But of those options I expect them to go with Walker.
Walker is a "safe" pick as he's a guy that should be able to produce right away. He doesn't have the character issues that a couple other players do and has a freakish explosiveness about his game that is aggressive and powerful.
He is a bit undersized, and he played in a half-court offensive set at Connecticut, but he is like Derrick Rose in that he will be very difficult to guard with that speed.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Enes Kanter, PF/C, Kentucky
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No, you're not seeing double. This is the second pick that the Cavs have in the lottery portion of the draft, and they had better use it wisely. Well, taking this guy would be wise.
Kanter had a great combine, but there are questions about how his play will translate at the NBA level.
Still, I think the Cavs like him because he is so smart (in a basketball sense) and can do so many different things on the floor. With all of the needs that Cleveland has, Kanter could be a good fit for them.
Kanter is 6'11" and from Turkey. He is strong and is an excellent rebounder, and he can play both inside and out. The main question is whether his knees will hold up.
Photo: www.brandnewcool.com
5. Toronto Raptors: Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky
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Toronto is happy that Knight falls to them at No. 5, and they grab this big guard who can defend multiple positions.
Knight is very fast with a quick first step. He is an excellent passer and finisher. He put up the game-winning three-pointer at the 2010 McDonald’s All-American game.
6. Washington Wizards: Jan Vesely, SF/PF, Czech Republic
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Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld seems to be on the hot seat so he wants a player who can contribute immediately, and with Vesely, he gets just that.
Vesely is a really good athlete with great size and kind of reminds one of Dirk Nowitzki in that for a big man, he can hit the long jumper as well as run the court.
His post moves have improved, and he is a solid rebounder.
Photo: www.canishoopus.com
7. Sacremento Kings: Jonas Valanciunas, C, Lithuania
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Many believe that Valanciunas will end up being the best of the international players from this draft, though he may take a bit longer to fully develop.
He just needs time to fill out his body, and he may not even be done growing yet. He has tremendous upside and can run the floor well for such a big man.
Photo: www.eurohopes.com
8. Detroit Pistons: Bismack Biyombo, PF, Congo
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This is a big guy who can defend the paint. He is long and athletic, though he is somewhat of a mystery.
Biyombo is a terrific defender who is a monster shot-blocker. He has very long arms with an NBA-ready body. But his game is raw and scouts question his age (according to nbadraft.net).
Photo: www.roundballdirect.com
9. Charlotte Bobcats: Tristan Thompson, PF, Texas
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The Bobcats really want a big man, and this lefty has a huge wingspan to go along with a solid frame.
Thompson has such terrific length that he can be a very effective defender in the paint, so he should be a good match for Michael Jordan and the Bobcats.
His main drawback is that his jump shot needs work, so he's mainly a low-post, back-to-the-basket player who is more of a center at this point.
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Diego State
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The Bucks don't need a center or point guard, so Leonard would be a good fit for them.
Leonard had a good combine and is ready to produce immediately. Not only does he show an improving jump shot, but he appears to be a good defender at the NBA level.
Leonard is very agile with good length, but as a perimeter player at the next level, he will need to refine his play on the wing.
11. Golden State Warriors: Marcus Morris, PF, Kansas
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Since the Warriors have so many needs, the fact that Morris can play multiple positions should appeal to them.
Morris is a mature kid who can score on the perimeter and in the post. He has good range on his jump shot, though he is not long.
Overall, Morris should be ready to contribute right away though he lacks the upside of some other players.
12. Utah Jazz: Chris Singleton, SF, Florida State
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With their second pick in Round 1, the Jazz are set up to combine a speedy scorer in Knight with a 6'9" small forward who could replace Andrei Kirilenko, who is heading into free agency.
That small forward is Chris Singleton, a junior who can guard multiple positions and has excellent size and length for the position.
A great athlete with tremendous hops, Singleton has a strong upper body and is a good rebounder. The only knock against him is his lack of ball-handling skills.
13. Phoenix Suns: Alec Burks, SG, Colorado
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Burks is a bit of a project but has a lot of upside. According to nbadraft.net, Burks is a "late bloomer who displays a ton of promise."
He's a good scorer with excellent hops and has the athleticism to play above the rim, flashing some awesome dunks.
Burks is only 18 and needs to let his body develop, but once it does, he could be a beast.
14. Houston Rockets: Jordan Hamilton, SF, Texas
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The Rockets need a small forward, and Hamilton's shooting skills combined with his size make him the perfect fit for Houston.
Hamilton is strong on the glass and is good at pushing the ball in transition.
15. Indiana Pacers: Jimmer Fredette, PG, BYU
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I don't know if Jimmer has the athleticism to be an effective point guard at the next level, but he can shoot, and the Pacers need scoring. Plus, he should be ready to contribute early.
16. Philadelphia 76ers: Markieff Morris, PF, Kansas
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Morris is from Philadelphia and the Sixers need a big man, so this is a good match.
He can rebound, defend and block shots, but he also can hit the three-ball, shooting 42 percent from downtown.
He has an NBA body, and while he may not have the highest upside, he is a safe pick.
17. New York Knicks: Klay Thompson, SG, Washington State
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The Knicks need a point guard, but they may pass on Josh Selby due to his questionable character. So enter shooting guard Klay Thompson. We all suspect they are looking at signing Chris Paul anyway, right?
He is a good passer and as good of a shooter as there is in college. He may not be the best athlete, or the strongest guy, but he should fit in well on the Knicks.
18. Washington Wizards: Tyler Honeycutt, SG/SF, UCLA
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The Wizards could use another shooter to compliment John Wall. Honeycutt is a good shooter who can handle the ball.
He has long arms and can rebound well. And while he doesn't create well, Wall can get the ball to him, and Honeycutt can stretch the defense.
19. Charlotte Bobcats: Josh Selby, PG/SG, Kansas
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The Bobcats could use an aggressive scorer, and Shelby can do it all—handle the ball up-court, pass, score—and is a tough kid as well.
He is a bit of a gamble, but he has huge upside.
20. Minnesota Timberwolves: Donatas Motiejunas, PF, Lithuania
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ESPN's Chad Ford writes: "The Wolves have the best group of international scouts in the NBA." If that's true, then they'd probably welcome Motiejunas, who comes from Lithuania.
At 7'0" tall, he is certainly a big man, but he sometimes lacks focus and gets by on talent alone. He needs to add some bulk to his frame.
21. Portland Trail Blazers: Kenneth Faried, PF, Morehead State
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ESPN's Chris Ford writes that the Blazers wanted Faried last year, but he withdrew from the draft. Recognizing that, it makes sense that they would go for him here if he falls to them.
Ford goes on to write that "His (Faried's) relentlessness on the boards is a nice complement to LaMarcus Aldridge's more offensive-minded style."
22. Denver Nuggets: Tobias Harris, PF, Tennessee
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Both ESPN and nbadraft.net have the Nuggets taking Harris with this pick, and I'm not going to suggest I know better than they do.
The Nuggets like his versatility (he can play the three and the four) and while he isn't elite at any one thing, he is good at several things and has an NBA-ready body.
The main knock on him is his inconsistent shooting.
23. Houston Rockets: Reggie Jackson, PG, Boston College
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"Mr. October" is a clutch performer...wait, wrong Reggie Jackson.
Meanwhile, this Jackson is a classic modern point guard, who should be a good complement to Kyle Lowry.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder: Davis Bertans, SF, Latvia
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If the Thunder are willing to wait, Bertans could end up being a good one. Chad Ford says some scouts compare him to Dirk Nowitzki, high praise indeed.
He's a project, but he can shoot.
Photo: www.captfact.wordpress.com
25. Boston Celtics: Jeremy Tyler, PF/C, Tokyo Apache
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Boston needs size, and while they would need to be patient with Tyler, he could prove worthwhile in the long run. Good upside and got rave reviews at the predraft camp.
Tyler left high school to go to Israel and skipped college, electing instead to play in Japan. But he is a good athlete with a big body.
Photo: www.sportsagentblog.com
26. Dallas Mavericks: Nikola Vucevic, PF/C, USC
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Vucevic is a project, but Dallas will like his size and he had a good combine. He's a big, skilled post player who could really help the Mavs down the road.
27. New Jersey Nets: Justin Harper, PF, Richmond
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Harper is a big, strong forward and that's something the Nets could use. He can also shoot from long range.
He could use more strength and tends to fall in love with his jump shot, but he has good quickness.
28. Chicago Bulls: Marshon Brooks, SG, Providence
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If Brooks falls this far, the Bulls should snap him up quickly. They need a "2" to complement Derrick Rose, and while Keith Bogans can hit an occasional three-ball and plays good defense, Brooks would be a younger, cheaper alternative.
Brooks was a big hit at the combine, so he may be gone before the Bulls pick. He is the aggressive scorer the Bulls need.
29. San Antonio Spurs: Nikola Mirotic, SF, Serbia
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We don't know if Mirotic will stay in the draft, but if he does, expect the Spurs to be patient and draft this guy. After all, they have a track record of stashing players overseas.
Photo: www.euroleague.net
30. Chicago Bulls: Shelvin Mack, PG, Butler
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Mack can score, a trait the Bulls need, and he takes care of the basketball very well. He can create, and his length allows him to play bigger than his size (6'2").
Mack is more of a scorer than a point guard, so he should mesh well with Derrick Rose.
With the NBA Draft approaching, NBA Mock Draft season is here. Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for updated mock drafts, along with the latest NBA Draft news, analysis, rumors and predictions.
