2011 NBA Mock Draft: Predicting Every First-Round Pick, Is Kawhi Leonard Top 5?
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
While the NBA Finals are heating up, the real story for the fans of the other 28 teams is the upcoming NBA draft and what it means to their squads.
There are plenty of story lines to go around. Will Jimmer Fredette prove his detractors wrong and garner a lottery selection? Will there be more than five international players in the lottery? Which Morris brother will come off the board first?
And among all the questions about the draft, one of the most interesting is whether or not Kawhi Leonard can come off the board in the top five.
Well, without further ado, here is my second mock draft.
Enjoy!
1. Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke
1 of 30
Kyrie Irving really isn't improving his draft stock by sitting out workouts, but he still is the best point guard in a draft who is light on true blue talent.
Some are arguing that Cleveland will opt to take a big man like Enes Kanter and then look to grab a consolation point guard in Brandon Knight with their second lottery pick, but it would be hard to pass up this talented Duke product.
Irving can shoot, score and pass the rock. He has a small sample size to compare, but when he did play he was a game-changer.
Take the sure thing Cleveland, and don't look back!
2. Minnesota Timberwolves, Derrick Williams, F, Arizona
2 of 30
Initially, I had Minnesota picking Enes Kanter with this pick, but the more I think about it, the more likely the Wolves will go with a less risky pick.
Sure, Kanter is a beast, but he has only played one organized game in the last two years, and that was essentially an all-star game!
Williams is well known, tough, strong-minded and could be an immediate starter in Minnesota.
Sure, they would have to deal Michael Beasley, but maybe that would allow the Wolves to grab up another point guard in the deal since we know how much they love that position!
3. Utah Jazz, Enes Kanter, C, Turkey
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Utah had a tough year. They lost their iconic coach, their starting power forward and their star point guard. They also had a hobbled Memo Okur who is starting to look old despite his age.
This team needs a shot of adrenaline. Meet Enes Kanter.
Kanter is a beast. He has great size, strength and solid athleticism.
By drafting Kanter, this will open up the doors for Utah to manuever with some trades or they can develop Kanter slowly.They will have Al Jefferson, Okur and Millsap along with Kanter to essentially play two positions.
If Kanter pans out, he could be a staple up front for the Jazz for the next decade.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers, Jan Vesely, F, Czech Republic
4 of 30
Now that the Cavs have their star point guard, they will need someone who they can open up and run with.
Jan Vesely may not be the second most talented international player, but he may be the most exciting.
Vesely is a violent dunker capable of bringing the house down. In a lot of ways, he could do for Cleveland what Blake Griffin did for the Clippers.
Vesely still needs to bulk up, but with his athleticism you have got to like his upside.
5. Toronto Raptors, Brandon Knight, G, Kentucky
5 of 30
Knight is a very talented player who was compared to John Wall coming out of high school.
While he didn't live up to that billing in college, he did improve quite a bit and could be a very special player.
He is a combo type of guard capable of running the point. He has great quickness, he can score in bunches and he possesses one of the best shots in the draft.
The question will be whether or not he can play point guard at the next level. If he can't, No. 5 is a high draft pick for an undersized shooting guard.
6. Washington Wizards, Jonas Valanciunas, F, Lithuania
6 of 30
There wasn't a lot to cheer about for Washington fans this year.
This is a team in transition. Sure, they have a nice point guard and some talent up front, but this team needs some serious help.
Jonas Valanciunas might be the most talented international player in this draft. He has a great mix of size and touch, and very underrated offensive game, and the potential to get even bigger as he puts on bulk.
Initially, I had Washington taking Bismack Biyombo here, but I think the luster is wearing off a little bit on the Congo big, and Valanciunas is less of a risk here.
7. Sacramento Kings, Bismack Biyombo, C, Congo
7 of 30
Okay, this is a tough one to call.
On the one hand, Sacramento desperately needs a point guard, and Kemba Walker is still on the board.
On the other hand, the Samuel Dalembert experiment didn't work at center, and DeMarcus Cousins is anything but dependable.
Biyombo could be a force on the level of Ben Wallace in the middle. He is athletically gifted, strong, has great size and the wingspan of a condor.
He is super raw offensively, but then again so are a lot of these players.
8. Detroit Pistons, Kemba Walker, PG, Connecticut
8 of 30
Detroit needs a makeover and in a hurry. They have been a rudderless franchise for the last few years, and they need to make some serious changes.
They already have ditched their coach and have retained Joe Dumars as team president. Just what else could new owner Tom Gores ask for?
Walker fills a lot of needs for Detroit. He is a point guard, he can score and he is a natural leader.
He also is a winner, something that the Pistons seem to have forgotten how to do. If he is still here at eight, Detroit would be foolish not to grab him.
9. Charlotte Bobcats, Donatas Montiejunas, F
9 of 30
Donatas Montiejunas is dripping with talent. He has great size and quickness and has a nice lefty touch near the hoop.
Sure, he may remind you of Darko Milicic a little bit, but these two are wired totally different. While Milicic was a diva right off the bat, Montiejunas seems to be a lot more mature.
Charlotte could be getting a steal if Montiejunas lasts this long.
10. Milwaukee Bucks, Kawhi Leonard, G/F, San Diego State
10 of 30
This was a major disappointment for Milwaukee fans. Their Bucks were a playoff team just a year ago and poised to make a run at a very weak Central Division.
Instead, they took a big step back and ended up in the lottery.
So far, it appears the the John Salmons and Corey Maggette experiments have gone wrong.
Milwaukee needs a slasher, and it comes down to either Leonard or Alec Burks.
Burks may be a slightly better bet, as he played at a high level for a bigger school. But Leonard was one of the biggest surprises on one of the most underrated teams this year.
While I didn't like what I saw from him in the tourney, I think his overall body of work justifies his selection at 10.
11. Golden State Warriors, Marcus Morris, F, Kansas
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Okay, raise your hand if you have any idea what Golden State is planning. I mean in general, what is their plan?
Their guards are essentially the same player and they have spent a lot of draft picks on big men, most of whom are still projects.
Either they can go for a slashing type like Jordan Hamilton, or they can bring in a real pro as a small forward/power forward mix.
Morris can help the Warriors immediately. Also, he will help their interior toughness on both sides of the ball.
That being said, I really struggle in appraising what Golden State is planning.
12. Utah Jazz, Jimmer Fredette, PG, Brigham Young
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The second Utah lottery pick is a bit dicier to figure out.
On the one hand, they seem to be set at point guard. On the other hand, this team needs some good public relations, and Fredette would be a very popular choice.
Another player who could come off the board here is Alec Burks, who fills more of a need for this team. But would you want to be the general manager that passes on the most popular man in Utah?
13. Phoenix Suns, Lucas Noguiera, C, Brazil
13 of 30
Granted, this is a reach for a lot of people. Nogueira is immensely talented, big, athletic and could develop into a Nene type of player.
On the other hand, Phoenix has more pressing needs, and there are still some very good players on the board. If Jimmer is still on the board, Phoenix might take a shot at grooming their next point guard. They also might elect to snap up Alec Burks or Jordan Hamilton.
But in the end, the intriguing talent that is Nogueira may prove too much to ignore.
14. Houston Rockets-Jordan Hamilton, G/F, Texas
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Houston is dealing with what likely is the end of the Yao Ming era. They still have a very talented core group of players, but they also have holes.
If Nogueira falls to them or one of the talented Euro players, they might take him to add to their depth up front. But if Hamilton is still sitting here at 14, they will have to take a look.
Hamilton is a talented scorer. The question is whether he could play defensively at the three.
Indiana Pacers, Alec Burks, G,
15 of 30
Indiana could probably use a shooting guard and a point guard seeing as Darren Collison hasn't worked out nearly as well as everyone thought.
Since it is too early to take Nolan Smith or Darius Morris, Burks is the logical choice.
Burks is a high character kid who has a lot of facets to his game.
This pick will play well in Hoosier-land.
16. Philadelphia 76ers, Tristan Thompson, PF, Texas
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Thompson is probably the best big man available, and that is the biggest need for this Philly team.
With his huge wingspan and underrated low post game, Thompson could immediately challenge for minutes in Doug Collins' rotation.
17. New York Knicks, Kenneth Faried, F, Morehead State
17 of 30
The Knicks' biggest weaknesses were exposed in the playoffs. Namely, they are soft, and they can't play defense.
While a lot of that is owed to their coach's style, they are lacking tough personnel.
Kenneth Faried is a huge upgrade coming off the bench, and he will immediately help. Some have compared him to a poor man's Dennis Rodman, and I would be hard-pressed to disagree. I really only saw him play in the tournament, and he looked amazing.
Faried was everywhere, grabbing boards, contesting shots and even helping a bit on offense.
Personally, I like this kid a lot, and New York fans will too.
18. Washington Wizards, Tyler Honeycutt, F, UCLA
18 of 30
Honeycutt is an intriguing player. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of Stacey Augmon with his length and defensive ability.
He tends to vanish on offense, but he has the potential to really help this Washington team.
Let's face it, Honeycutt on the break with John Wall could be really exciting basketball!
19. Charlotte Bobcats, Reggie Jackson, PG, Boston College
19 of 30
Sure, they have D.J. Augustin, but do you really believe that Michael Jordan is sold on his point guard?
The fact of the matter is that Jackson is a push-the-tempo kind of guard who is tough as nails.
Also look for Charlotte to consider a big man, maybe a foreign player like Nikola Mirotic to help up front. If Hamilton or Burks fall to them here, all bets are off.
20. Minnesota Timberwolves, Trey Thompkins, PF, Georgia
20 of 30
Originally, I had Minnesota taking Darius Morris here, but with the Ricky Rubio news, that seems like a wasted pick. But who knows, they really do love their point guards.
A better bet would be Thompkins, who will immediately add size and strength to a front court that includes Kevin Love and a question mark at center.
He is a very good offensive player and could be a nice complement to K.Love.
21. Portland Trail Blazers, Nikola Mirotic, PF
21 of 30
Once upon a time, the Blazers were the envy of the NBA. They had a young superstar in Brandon Roy, they had just won the lottery and had selected Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge had the makings of a star.
Portland still has a good team, but Roy is battered and bruised and could be on the downside already, and Oden is the biggest question mark in sports.
Luckily, Portland has made some excellent moves and has a stud in Aldridge.
Now is the time to bring in a project big man.
Portland has few major needs, which allows them time to develop a project. Mirotic is a supremely talented player and could pay huge dividends in the years to come.
22. Denver Nuggets, Nolan Smith, G, Duke
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This was a feel-good story team last year, kicking out Carmelo Anthony and turning their season around.
Smith is an excellent fit in that he could be a super sub, coming off the bench and providing support at both shooting guard and the point.
This team needs high character guys, and Smith is a natural.
23. Houston Rockets, Kyle Singler, F, Duke
23 of 30
This is an easy pick for Houston. They need small forward depth, and Kyle Singler is a proven winner who brings a lot to the table at the three.
They could opt for Josh Selby if he falls here, or perhaps Klay Thompson for size. But Singler fits too well.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder-Josh Selby, G, Kansas
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Josh Selby would be a steal at this point in the draft.
In fact, the only reason that OKC would be able to justify another first-round pick on a shooting guard would be because of Selby falling to them here.
Selby could develop into a stud sub and a nice alternative to James Harden.
25. Boston Celtics, Chris Singleton, F, FSU
25 of 30
This would be quite the pickup if Singleton falls to them here.
Singleton is a natural fit in Boston with his willingness to mix it up on defense, along with his versatility.
Additionally, Boston doesn't have a lot of options as far as big men are concerned here, and that probably adds to Singleton's value.
26. Dallas Mavericks, Klay Thompson, G, Washington State
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One thing that the Finals is teaching us about Dallas is that they need more shooters, especially in the back court.
Thompson is a deadly shooter who could immediately find himself in the rotation in Dallas.
Obviously Dallas could use some size, especially if Tyson Chandler bolts. But there is more value here in Thompson.
27. New Jersey Nets, Markieff Morris, F, Kansas
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New Jersey has some talent on their squad, but they may very well lose Kris Humphries to free agency.
In that event, they will need a polished and cheap replacement for him.
Enter Morris.
The less-heralded Morris twin is no less important, and with his size and strength, he could be just what the Nets needed.
28.Chicago Bulls, Marshon Brooks, SG, Providence
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Chicago had very few weaknesses this year, but shooting guard was one of them.
In the postseason, the two guards put way too much pressure on Derrick Rose, resulting in a one-dimensional offense.
Sure, Chicago could add some size up front, but Brooks could help them immediately.
29. San Antonio Spurs, Darius Morris, PG, Michigan
29 of 30
Obviously the Spurs have Tony Parker and would be more likely to grab a big man to supply more depth up front, but Morris is just too good to let slip.
He is a natural, pass-first point guard that could be a very nice change of pace for the Spurs.
How he fits in with George Hill could be magical, with the smaller Hill moving over to an unconventional shooting guard and Morris handling the point. Could be a good second unit.
30. Chicago Bulls, Tobias Harris, F, Tennessee
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Even though the Bulls seem set at small forward with Luol Deng, Harris has too much talent to pass up at 30.
At the very least, this would allow the Bulls to deal for a shooting guard using Deng's salary, allowing Harris to step into his role.
Harris is a gamer, and while he is a bit of a tweener, he makes up for it with high basketball knowledge.
