2011 NBA Mock Draft: Will the Cavaliers Mess This Draft Up?
Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams, Brandon Knight, or Enes Kanter who would you select with the number one overall pick in the NBA draft?
Luckily for the Cavaliers they also have the number four pick in the draft as well, so he will end up with two of these four players. Question is which two players will he get?
The Timberwolves, if they don't trade their pick, have the second choice on June 23rd. They will likely select a big man either Derrick Williams or Enes Kanter rather than a point guard.
The Jazz have the third selection in draft and will either draft Kyrie Irving or Brandon Knight.
It all depends on who the Cavaliers select with the first pick of the NBA draft that will dictate how the rest of the draft will go.
1 Cleveland Cavaliers
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The Cavaliers select Derrick Williams.
Derrick Williams has worked harder than anyone else in this draft to get where he is today.
Coming out of high school as only a three star athlete Williams was picked as the worst player in the 2009 Arizona Wildcat recruiting class. He has had no choice but to work harder than anyone else just to see the floor for the Arizona Wildcats.
Because of his proven work ethic to become the best player he can be, I would choose Derrick Williams over Kyrie Irving. Irving may be a hard worker, but we don't know that for sure. We know Williams is a hard worker and has proven it by becoming the best player in the draft.
Hard work is what separates the best players from the great players in the NBA opposed to talent.
2 Minnesota Timberwolves
2 of 30The Minnesota Timberwolves select Enes Kanter.
The Timberwolves will select either Derrick Williams or Enes Kanter. If Derrick Williams is not selected by Cavaliers then the Timberwolves will select Derrick Williams.
I have Derrick Williams as the overall best player and therefore the number one pick in the draft. Kanter however is the number four best player in my mind but will still get selected second overall.
Kanter is in the same boat as Kyrie Irving in that we don't know how good his work ethic is.
Practicing with John Calipari, every player will be required to work hard or at least learn to work hard, but since he couldn't play how much time did Calipari spend with him?
Kevin Love and Knes Kanter could be the next twin towers of the NBA. I believe Kanter will be a great fit for the Timberwolves and his addition will help the Timberwolves finally close out games and make the playoffs.
3 Utah Jazz
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The Utah Jazz select Krie Irving.
The Jazz have to replace Deron Williams and with the third selection of the draft they have a good chance to do just that.
Brandon Knight played in college in a dribble drive offense and is mainly a shooter more than a distributor. The Jazz, if they continue with the style of offense that Jerry Sloan has ran for years, will run the pick-and-role offense.
Irving will be a much better point guard at running that offense than Brandon Knight will.
Either player will be a good pick up for the Jazz, but Irving should be a better player in the role as the Utah Jazz point guard
4 Cleveland Cavaliers
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The Cleveland Cavaliers select Brandon Knight.
Recently graduating from the John Calipari school of point guards, Brandon Knight could be the next best point guard in the league.
Could the tandem of Derrick Williams and Brandon Knight become the next great duo? The next Durant and Westbrook?
Keep in mind it has taken four years for the Oklahoma City Thunder to become a good team, so don't expect a deep Eastern Conference run in the next few years. They could easily be the team that five years down the road could upset an aging Miami Heat team.
Nothing else would make Dan Gilbert happier.
5 Toronto Raptors
5 of 30The Toronto Raptors select Jonas Valanciunas.
The Raptors didn't have as bad of a season with the departure of their former star Chris Bosh as the Cleveland Cavaliers did with their former star LeBron James leaving. But that doesn't mean they are one player away from competing for a championship.
The Raptors need to select the best player available and not worry so much about need right now. Having stars is what allows you to win in the NBA, Jonas Valanciunas could be the next foreign star in the league.
6 Washington Wizards
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The Washington Wizards select Kawhi Leonard.
Similar to what was said about Brandon Knight and Derrick Williams about being the next great duo in the NBA the Wizards could do the same with drafting Leonard.
John Wall is already an explosive point guard but needs help out on the wings, and more importantly help on the defensive end.
At 6'7" 225 Leonard can guard the two, three, and four positions as well as give the other team fits on the offensive end if he continues to improve on his jump shot. With the addition of Leonard there is another potential Westbrook and Durant combo in the league.
7 Sacramento Kings
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The Sacramento Kings select Kemba Walker.
With the realization that Tyreke Evans is not a pure point guard the Kings will select the best available point guard in the draft.
Not only is Walker a good point guard but he is a proven winner. Last year Kemba Walker never lost in a Tournament game. From the Maui Invitational to the NCAA tournament in March, whenever there was a do or die game for Walker he never died.
8 Detroit Pistons
8 of 30The Detroit Pistons select Bismack Biyombo
Is Biyombo a huge risk for the Pistons? Absolutely. No one has seen a great deal of tape on this player but with big risk means the possibility of a big reward.
If you watch the video you will see Biyombo coming out of no where to block shots and is great in his rotation defense.
Think of him as a much more athletic Dikembe Mutombo
9 Charlotte Bobcats
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The Charlotte Bobcats select Marcus Morris.
The Bobcats need a big man to help out in the front court. With two of the foreign big men already drafted that will leave the Bobcats to select one of the Morris twins.
10 Milwaukee Bucks
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The Milwaukee Bucks select Alec Burks.
The Bucks could use help at any position besides point guard and center which are occupied by Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut respectively.
Adding Alec Burks, an exciting shooting guard, will help the Bucks back court become one of the most explosive in the NBA.
11 Golden State Warriors
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The Golden State Warriors select Kenneth Faried.
With the hiring of Mark Jackson to be the new coach at Golden state there will be some new ideology about how to play the game of basketball in the Warriors locker room.
In an interview with ESPN after being hired Mark Jackson said something completely original, he believes that defense is what wins championships.
The warriors need a big man but couldn't get another Dirk Nowitzki-esque player that plays the kind of defense Mark Jackson wants. That's why Kenneth Faried goes much higher than anyone expected.
12 Utah Jazz
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The Utah Jazz select Chris Singleton.
The Jazz will need to replace Andrei Kirilenko who will be leaving the Utah Jazz to free agency.
The Jazz are entering a period of uncertainty. Jerry Sloan was the leader in Salt Lake City for so long that some of his players were born after he had became the head coach of the Utah Jazz.
Chris Singleton will step in nicely for the Jazz and will become a great running mate for which ever point guard the Utah Jazz end up selecting. If this Mock draft is correct then that will be Kyrie Irving.
13 Phoenix Suns
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The Phoenix Suns select Tristan Thompson.
The Phoenix Suns do not have any glaring needs that need to be fixed by next year. So what they need to do is get younger.
Tristan Thompson is the best player still left on the board and can add some defense to a team that desperately needs it. Also he can keep up with the quick offense that Steve Nash likes to run.
14 Houston Rockets
14 of 30The Houston Rockets select Jan Vesely.
Touted as the next Dirk Nowitzki this 6'11" power forward could be a great addition to the Houston Rockets. They could easily place him next to Yao Ming or if Yao Ming gets injured again the Rockets can probably move him over to the center spot.
What better way to try to stop Dirk Nowitzki than by putting the next Dirk Nowitzki against him. Since neither one of them can play defense very well they should both score at least 50 points each against each other.
The Houston versus Dallas rivalry will never look the same.
15 Indiana Pacers
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The Indiana Pacers select Jimmer Fredette.
The Pacers gave the number one seed Chicago Bulls a run for their money. Similar to the way the Oklahoma City Thunder did the year before against the L.A. Lakers.
Oklahoma City followed that up with a four seed in the Western Conference and then made it to the Western Conference finals.
Will the Indiana Pacers make it to next years Eastern Conference Finals? Nobody knows, but if they were to add Jimmer Ferdette and he is able to score close to the way he was able to score in college the Indiana Pacers will have a new dimension that will be tough for any team to defend.
16 Philadelphia 76ers
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The Philadelphia 76ers select Markieff Morris.
The other Morris twin will be going to the city of brotherly love.
Philadelphia needs a big guy to clog up the middle of the lane. Redirecting shots, getting rebounds, blocking shots, and playing good post defense. Markieff can do all of those things and more. This will be a great pick for the Philadelphia 76ers.
17 New York Knicks
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The New York Knicks select Josh Selby.
Selby did not have the best of times in Kansas. He felt he was limited as a player and not allowed to compete at his full potential. There is not a better place for Selby to go and spread his basketball wings.
Mike D'Antoni is a point guards dream coach. If Josh Selby cannot succeed in D'Antoni's offense then Selby will not be able to play basketball anywhere in the NBA.
Josh Selby wants to shine and be a star. Steve Nash won two MVP's under Mike D'Antoni's guidance, so could Josh Selby if he chooses to.
18 Washington Wizards
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The Washington Wizards select Marshon Brooks.
The Washington Wizards already selected Kawhi Leonard with the sixth pick of the draft. Adding this 6'5" shooting guard will complete a young but incredibly athletic back court.
As evidenced by the two teams in the NBA Finals this year, it is no longer necessary to have a dominant back to the basket type player on your team in order to win an NBA championship.
The Wizards may choose to take a page out of the Oklahoma City Thunder's play book and worry about getting a big guy later by trading a couple of their young players for an older veteran center. The Wizards had seven rookies last year, so they have plenty of young talent to spare.
Marshon Brooks was one of the best players in the Big East Conference last year. It was just unfortunate that he was also on one of the worst teams in the league as well.
19 Charlotte Bobcats
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The Charlotte Bobcats select Jordan Hamilton.
Hamilton will be a great fit for the Bobcats.
A 6'7" small forward who can shoot and play defense will be able to come in and make an immediate impact.
Dropping to the Charlotte Bobcats this late in the draft would be considered a steal for them. A player this good and fits an immediate need does not usually happen with the 19th pick in the draft.
20 Minnesota Timberwolves
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The Minnesota Timberwolves select Tyler Honeycutt.
If the Cavaliers do take Derrick Williams with the first pick of the draft the Timberwolves will be in need of a small forward. That's where Tyler Honeycutt comes in. Obviously not as good a player as Williams but he can still add a certain dynamic to the Minnesota offense.
Tyler will be able to stretch the floor to allow Enes Kanter and Kevin Love to dominate in the low post.
21 Portland Trailblazers
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The Portland Trailblazers select Klay Thompson.
Portland is in need of a point guard to run the show. Jason Kidd destroyed the blazers in the first round of the NBA playoffs because they did not have a comparable player.
At 6'6" Klay has a huge height advantage against most point guards in the league. Having long arms and and being able to tower over other point guards hinders them from being able to see the floor. Guards hate not being able to see the floor like they are used to and Klay will be able to keep most point guards from doing that.
22 Denver Nuggets
22 of 30The Denver Nuggets select Donatas Motiejunas.
A 7'0" power forward Motiejunas has more questions than answers. He can shoot the international three but it doesn't mean he can shoot it from the NBA three point line. He can rebound and block shots but can he replicate that in the NBA.
George Karl will be a great coach for him to grow and learn from.
Also having Danilo Gallinari, another foreign player, can help get him accustomed to the NBA game, Denver will be a good fit for Motiejunas.
23 Houston Rockets
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The Houston Rockets select Reggie Jackson.
Even though Reggie Jackson stands only at 6'3" his wing span is seven feet wide. Having a unique body with all the talents you could want in a point guard will make the Houston Rockets very happy with Reggie Jackson as their pick.
Sure Kyle Lowry had a great year last year but looking at the Dallas Mavericks it is not a bad idea to play two point guards at the same time. J.J. Barea and Jason Kidd start the game together and have been terrific on the floor together. So could Lowry and Jackson.
24 Oklahoma City Thunder
24 of 30The Oklahoma City Thunder select Jeremy Tyler.
Jeremy Tyler skipped his senior year of High school to go play over seas in Europe because he said all he did was get fouled because no one could actually guard him.
Tyler ended up not playing very well in Europe, after all he was a 17 year-old kid. But the ability to be great is still there. If Jeremy Tyler had gone to college he very easily could have been a lottery pick. He didn't and the Thunder taking him this early will be considered a risk.
It may however be the best risk the Thunder have ever taken.
25 Boston Celtics
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The Boston Celtics select Jordan Williams.
The Celtics need to address the immediate need of replacing Kendrick Perkins. Perkins is not the best player in the world, what was missed however, was the team chemistry that he was part of.
That's what Jordan Williams has to bring. Yes, he needs to play well and fill a big hole in the front court, but more importantly he needs to fit in to the Celtics locker room.
Jordan can do that, and if he can, the Celtics could give the Heat a little bit more trouble than just a five game series.
26 Dallas Mavericks
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Dallas Mavericks select DeAndre Liggins.
The Mavericks have not been able to stop Dwayne Wade in the NBA Finals. The reason they are losing is because Wade is torching them.
No one can stop him or attempt to stop him.
The solution to that problem is draft a player who's sole purpose is to play defense against the other teams best guard and shut him down. Also as a bonus it would be nice for that player to hit a set jump shot from behind the three point arc. E-harmony could not find a better match than Liggins for the Mavericks.
That player for the San Antonio Spurs that helped them win three championship was Bruce Bowen. I am not saying DeAndre Liggins is Bruce Bowen right now, but maybe he could be someday.
27 New Jersey Nets
27 of 30The New Jersey Nets select Davis Bertans.
The New Jersey Nets need a big guy to help out Brook Lopez. Bertans can shoot and has been compared to Dirk Nowitzki.
I wonder if every foreign big man that can shoot the ball well will forever be referred to as the next Dirk Nowitzki. Is this a fair comparison? Probably not, but it is as big of a story as determining who the next Michael Jordan is.
I wonder if everyone will hate the foreign player that is the next Dirk Nowitzki like everyone currently hates LeBron James because he is the next Michael Jordan?
28 Chicago Bulls
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The Chicago Bulls select Travis Leslie.
The Chicago Bulls need a shooting guard. One that can help Derrick Rose score so that Rose is not the only option when it comes down to the game winning shot.
Even if Rose ends up taking that final shot there's the threat of at least one other person on the floor for the Bulls that could take that final shot. During the Eastern Conference Finals the Miami Heat knew that the only person on the Bulls team that was going to take that final shot was Derrick Rose.
With Leslie out there the Heat can't put all their eggs in one basket to guard Rose. They will have to respect Leslie as well.
29 San Antonio Spurs
29 of 30The San Antonio Spurs select Lucas Nogueira.
The San Antonio Spurs have had a good string of success from foreign players. Manu Ginobili, who is the most decorated foreign player ever, Tony Parker who was the 2007 NBA finals MVP, and even Tim Duncan who at one time was living in the virgin islands.
Could Lucas Nogueira be that next great foreign player for the Spurs?
Lucas could immediately help out at the center position and at 6'11" it could be the twin towers 2.0 for the Spurs.
30 Chicago Bulls
30 of 30The Chicago Bulls select Charles Jenkins.
Jenkins has the ability to play either the point guard or the shooting guard roles. He could come in as a substitute for either Derrick Rose or the number 28 pick in the draft Travis Leslie.
Also Charles Jenkins is a scorer and the Bulls could potentially have Rose, Leslie, and Jenkins all on the floor for the last shot of the game. If LeBron guards Rose then they can simply give the ball to Leslie or Jenkins to try and score.
This could be the difference in the Chicago Bulls playing in the NBA Finals or not.
