2011 NBA Mock Draft: Full 1st Round , Will Cavaliers Turn Their Luck Around?
Now that we are two weeks removed from the NBA Draft Lottery, I feel like I can get back to some mock 2011 NBA Draft stuff, as the past week-and-a-half consisted of me texting back and forth about the possibilities of Cleveland trading for the number two pick to pair with their number one pick.
Then, when the news came out that they were actually pursuing the number two pick, I had convinced myself that my Cavs buddies and I were responsible, as one of our many messages somehow went awry and ended up appearing on the Blackberry of Chris Grant.
Alas, nothing has happened yet, and it probably won't happen until draft day, so to save myself from going insane or walking into oncoming traffic while looking down at my phone, I figured I would distract myself with a nice mock draft.
This should only be the 3,405,382th mock draft on the internet, but as with every other mock drafter (or draft mocker) out there, I feel like I have the mock draft of all mock drafts, so read mine and enjoy it, because I'm sure it's going to be 100 percent right...right?
1. Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving
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To me, right now, there is no question that the Cleveland Cavaliers will be selecting Kyrie Irving first in this year's draft.
It is best to build a franchise starting with a point guard, or at least that is the theory around the NBA these days, so the Cavs should scoop up Irving with the number one pick.
They are currently exploring other options, but it seems to me that means they are looking to see whether or not they want to trade with the Timberwolves to get the number two pick as well, and it seems they have decided they want to jump on someone at number two.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves, Derrick Williams
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Minnesota already has Michael Beasly, who is basically Derrick Williams with more experience and a more checkered past, so I don't know if they will end up drafting Williams.
Putting Williams second is basically my thinking that the T-Wolves will end up trading away the second pick for some young players or a lower pick and a young player. They may not end up shipping it to the Cavs, but it seems Cleveland has the biggest offer on the table for their pick right now.
3. Utah Jazz, Brandon Knight
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Word on the street is that Utah GM Kevin O'Connor fell in love with Brandon Knight at the beginning of the season and stayed infatuated throughout.
Knight would be perfect to replace the departed Deron Williams, as he has a bright future ahead of him, one that is seemingly brighter than that of Devin Harris.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers, Enes Kanter
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If Cleveland doesn't end up trading for the number two pick in the draft, and Enes Kanter is available at number four, you had better believe that they are going to be picking up the big Turk.
The biggest criticisms of Kanter as of right now are that he has had some knee troubles and that he hasn't played an organized contest in the NBA. Word is that he would be the consensus number one pick otherwise, so it's hard to see him falling farther than third or fourth in the draft this year.
5. Toronto Raptors, Jan Vesely
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The athletic Czech would give the Raptors a nice player full of potential at the small forward spot, something that they are a bit light in right now with James Johnson and Sonny Weems.
If they score a hit with Vesely, they can chalk it up to good scouting; if not, they can attribute it to the weak draft class.
6. Washington Wizards, Jonas Valanciunas
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Jonas Valanciunas is a year or two away from NBA ready, but he would be a good choice for a team drafting on potential rather than immediate impact, which should be the majority of the teams in this year's draft.
Valanciunas has nice size and a great wingspan to go along with a good jumper, but he needs to add weight to his frame before he can do much in the NBA.
7. Sacramento Kings, Kahwi Leonard
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Some people have Leonard going as high as number three, as he is a player that could make a good impact right away, but he doesn't have the highest ceiling of the players in the draft.
However, based on measurements alone, I would want him on my team. Leonard is 6'7" with shoes, perfect for the small forward position, but he has the arms of a center, with a 7'3" wingspan. Besides that, he has the second biggest hands of anyone measured at the combine, which come in at 11.3".
8. Detroit Pistons, Kemba Walker
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Kemba Walker is a bit small, but he measured taller than expected at the combine, cracking the 6' mark by an inch.
Walker is a born leader, as shown by his excellent run in the NCAA Tournament when he led UConn to a title, giving him a great case to be the starting piece of a rebuilding effort.
9. Charlotte Bobcats, Alec Burks
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Alec Burks is a great creator with the ball, something the Charlotte Bobcats could use with their lack of impact point guards.
Burks is very athletic for a shooting guard and is getting better every day, but if he lands on a team that is centered around a point guard, he will probably never be as good as he could be, unless he learns to move more efficiently without the ball.
10. Milwaukee Bucks, Tristan Thompson
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First, he is a lefty, which is a huge plus. Second, he is turning from a chubby teenager to a strong, cut guy in his 20s, putting all kinds of muscle onto his frame.
Tristan Thompson could give the Bucks some much needed depth at the power forward position and would work hard to compete because of his size.
His size may be a concern, as he is pretty much tethered to the low block, but is a bit short (6'9") to be there all the time in the NBA.
11. Golden State Warriors, Marcus Morris
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Here's something that may come as a surprise to most of you, but the Golden State Warriors could use some defense.
Shorter than his brother Markieff, Marcus Morris is a better player with a better jumper and much more awareness on the floor than his brother, who is clumsy and oblivious at times.
12. Utah Jazz, Bismack Biyombo
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The Jazz are on the verge of being in the depths of a rebuilding era, so why not go out on a limb early in the draft on a guy that could end up being something special in a few years.
Utah has Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson holding down the low post, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't take a chance on someone that could end up being a nice player.
Biyombo is a bit small for the center position, but his wingspan measures in at over seven-and-a-half feet, which should make up for his height.
13. Phoenix Suns, Klay Thompson
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Klay Thompson may be the only pure shooter in this draft, and if he puts together some defense to go along with that, he could be a pretty nice player in the NBA.
Thompson isn't a high-flier or someone that will wow you with athleticism, but he can flat-out shoot the ball, which still counts for something in the league.
14. Housotn Rockets, Donatas Montiejunas
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The other big Lithuanian that is turning heads in America is Donatas Motiejunas, who can shoot just like any other Euro-big.
Motiejunas has a nice mix of finesse, size and strength, which could make him killer down low, but he has to be willing to work hard, something he has had some trouble with in the past few years.
15. Indiana Pacers, Markieff Morris
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'Kieff is not my favorite player in this draft; in fact, he is one of my least favorite, but he has some size and skill, which should keep him in the top 20.
He is short for a guy looking to play power forward and has a bad jumper for a guy looking to play small forward, so why he hasn't been labeled a "'tweener" yet is beyond me.
However, 'Kieff is a physical and explosive guy down low who can score in bunches when he isn't busy fouling out.
16. Philadlephia 76ers, Tobias Harris
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I have gone on and on about how I can't wait for a guy named Tobias in the NBA; that way, some Arrested Development jokes actually make sense.
However, Harris will be more than just a person to poke fun at, as he is an exceedingly smart basketball player with the ability (though maybe not the size) to play either forward spot.
17. New York Knicks, Jimmer Fredette
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I really think Jimmer Fredette will end up falling out of the lottery picks, as there is almost a consensus around the league that he is a good bench player at best.
However, there is that slim bit of hope and possibility for some teams that he could end up being a dynamic player in the NBA, so he couldn't possibly fall out of the top-20.
With very few players at this point who would make an immediate NBA impact, the Knicks might as well go with the Naismith Award winner.
18. Washington Wizards, Chris Singleton
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Chris Singleton could end up being one of the league's best defenders in the next few years with some hard work.
Singleton is an absolute pest when he is on the ball, pressuring the handler with his great size, length and lateral quickness so that he is nearly impossible to get around. He is also tremendous in the passing lane and blocking shots down low guarding shooting forwards.
If a team is looking to bolster their defense in the lower half of the draft (which every team should look at doing; is there such a thing as too much defensive firepower?), then Singleton is definitely the way to go.
19. Charlotte Bobcats, Darius Morris
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Darius Morris is one of the best pure point guards in this draft outside of those that will likely be top-five picks.
Morris is strong, aggressive and tall for a point guard (6'4"), but he is also fast for a guy that is big enough that he should be a two-guard.
He will have to work on his defense some to make whatever team drafts him as happy as they possibly could be with a late first round draft.
20. Minnesota Timberwolves, Jordan Hamilton
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Jordan Hamilton has a nose for the basket, with the ability to score and knock down some impressive shots, and is full of some fancy finesse moves.
However, Hamilton has almost no defensive presence, as Texas was always trying to conceal him on the defensive end of the floor.
Hamilton could end up being a good NBA player down the line, but he is going to have to work hard to keep from being out of the league within the next five years.
21. Portland Trail Blazers, Taylor Honeycutt
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Taylor Honeycutt is built just like Tayshaun Price; plus, he plays pretty much exactly like the guy, so why not take a chance on a guy that is so similar to a current NBA player with a championship ring (and belt for that matter, thanks to Rasheed Wallace).
Honeycutt has long arms and is a great athlete, but he does need to work on his jumper and ball-handling before he makes a sizable impact on the NBA.
22. Denver Nuggets, Davis Bertans
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Davis Bertans will probably be the biggest stretch of the first round, but it's not without reason that a team is going to take him in the first round.
Bertans has Reggie Miller range on the floor, but he is more than just a three-point shooter in his current role. Once he catches the pass on the three-point line, he doesn't automatically shoot the ball because he's open; he'll look for the cutting player and do his best to get his team the best shot possible.
23. Houston Rockets, Marshon Brooks
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Marshon Brooks is a guy that a lot of teams are starting to look at as a possible impact player that should end up going in the latter half of the second round.
He measured something insane at the combine, with shooting guard height at 6'4", but center length with a wingspan of 7'1". Shouldn't his fingertips touch the floor?
Brooks is a shifty ball-handler with smooth moves and the ability to get to any spot on the floor regardless of who is guarding him.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder, Trey Thompkins
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Trey Thompkins is probably the most puzzling player in this draft, as he was a good jump-shooter two years ago and a bad post player. This year, he was a good post player with a bad jumper.
He has shown that he can score all over the floor, but he hasn't done it all at the same time, so he won't get a look very high in this draft, but he should get plenty of looks.
25. Boston Celtics, Kenneth Faried
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Boston needs big men who are physical and can rebound. Kenneth Faried is a physical big man who can rebound. Any questions?
Faried reminds me of a young Ben Wallace, an undersized big man who can rebound the hell out of the ball and defend as tough as anyone around the league coming out of a mid-major school with endless questions surrounding him and his height and the competition he played against.
Only time will tell if he ends up being anything like Wallace down the line.
26. Dallas Mavericks, Jordan Williams
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Jordan Williams could be the next Chuck Hayes, and I'm saying that as a compliment if that was unclear at all.
Williams is only 6'9", but hopes to be a center in the NBA, which seems like a long shot at best; that is, until Chuck Hayes finally figured out how to do it this year with the Rockets, using his low center of gravity to get position down low against taller, yet shakier, centers.
27. New Jersey Nets, Justin Harper
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Jordan Harper is the guy from Richmond who was one of the three most efficient scorers in the NCAA last season.
At the very least, Harper could turn into a good shooter in the NBA, as he shot 59 percent from inside the three point line last year and 47 percent from downtown.
If he figures out how to translate his game into the NBA nicely, he could be much more than just a good shooter.
28. Chicago Bulls, Lucas Noguiera
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The NBA's next version of Anderson Varejao, Lucas Noguiera has an endless amount of hustle and is a smart guy who just needs to work on his basketball skills.
Like Varejao, Noguiera is a Brazilian big man with hair transplants from Sideshow Bob, but he is even bigger and has better hair than Varejao, so naturally, I hope he falls to the second round so the Cavs can pick him.
However, Noguiera could turn into Varejao, but be better, and after seeing how valuable a guy like Varejao is to teams in terms of frustrating the opposition and psyching up the crowd, he shouldn't escape the first round.
29. San Antonio Spurs, Kyle Singler
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Speaking of hustlers (the way baseball players mean it, not the way Rick Ross means it), Kyle Singler is the typical white guy that could come off the bench and run hard every night.
Every team needs that white guy who knows he isn't as talented as the rest of the team, so he tries his hardest just to prove that he should be there. That is the type of guy that gets everyone else on the team running their hearts out in January, which should bleed over to May.
30. Chicago Bulls, Shelvin Mack
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Shelvin Mack is a point guard that could run the bench of a good team for stretches at a time, but fall just short of being able to hand with the starters.
Mack could be that guy that keeps your team afloat in the early second quarter or late third quarter when the starters are getting a rest and even extend the lead further.
