2011 NBA Mock Draft: Kyrie Irving Goes First Overall in the Lottery

Make no mistake about it: The NBA Draft is a crapshoot. Potential can be a dirty, dirty word. For every can't miss talent like a LeBron James or a Derrick Rose, there are an equal amount of busts like Darko Milicic and Kwame Brown lurking on draft night, just waiting to set a franchise back for years to come.

It's really an inexact science, which explains why a player like Sam Bowie would ever be selected before Michael Jordan. There's just no clear cut way to evaluate prospects entering the league. Regardless, the NBA draft represents an opportunity for teams to get better every summer. Some will use their picks wisely and perhaps land a franchise player, while others will draft poorly and forever hate themselves. That's just the way the NBA draft works.

With that in mind, here's my mock draft for Thursday night's lottery.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: PG Kyrie Irving, Duke

A year after losing the fraud who was supposed to be the savior of both the basketball franchise and beaten down city of Cleveland, owner Dan Gilbert and company desperately need to capitalize on winning the lottery and landing the first overall pick. Welcome to Cleveland Kyrie Irving, who's a special talent that should immediately provide coach Byron Scott and the Cavaliers with the point guard—and foundation—to right the ship after the self-proclaimed Chosen One took his ring-less talents to South Beach.

Irving is not like recent number one overall picks of the draft in the sense that he does not display any particular talent that will blow you away, but he’s good at basically everything he does on a basketball court. In his abbreviated freshman campaign at Duke, which was cut short by a fluke toe injury, Irving demonstrated that he has the skill set, the leadership abilities and the competitiveness to develop into an elite PG at the NBA level.

Irving possesses great court vision and seems to see plays develop a second or two before everyone else on the court and demonstrated his potential to become a true scoring point guard at the next level. Despite not being super quick or super strong, Irving has the talent and ball handling abilities to get to the hoop at will, where he is a crafty finisher and particularly strong with his off-hand. In addition, Irving is already an above-average shooter with a compact stroke that doesn’t need too much work, which is in contrast to the recent elite point guards who have come into the league (Derrick Rose and John Wall). In his 11 games at Duke, Irving showed signs of an effective mid- and long-range game, having connected on 46.2 percent of his attempts beyond the arc.

This is the guy the Cavs need to build around in the post-LeBron era, and in my estimation, is perhaps the safest pick in this year’s draft.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves: C Enes Kanter, Turkey

Knowing Wolves President David Kahn, he’ll probably draft a point guard to add to his collection. All repetitive joking aside, I anticipate the Wolves will draft combo-forward Derrick Williams of Arizona with the second overall pick even though I kind of, maybe, believe 6'11" Turkish center Enes Kanter makes more sense—at least given the makeup of this Wolves’ team.

Now, don’t get me wrong:  I love Williams’ game just like everyone else does. He’s a tremendous, versatile athlete, and you can’t fault Kahn at all if he does select him with this pick because he has the potential to be a star at this level. However, given his “tweener” status, combined with the pieces the Wolves already have in place at the small forward and power forward positions (Michael Beasley and Kevin Love), I just think Kanter fills a bigger hole on this roster.

Kanter is a polished, skilled big man with solid post moves already in his arsenal and also has the skill and abilities to step out and knock down jumpers as a seven footer. He’s also very strong, very physical and a tough rebounder and would immediately serve as a serious upgrade for the Wolves at center over incumbent starter Darko Milicic. Along with Love, Kanter could be the Turkish half of a formidable, young low post duo in Minny for years to come.

3. Utah Jazz: SF/PF Derrick Williams, Arizona

I strongly doubt Derrick Williams makes it past the second pick; however, if for some Mormon miracle he is still on the board for Utah, there’s no way in spirit prison I’d be able to pass on him, especially not after losing both coach Jerry Sloan and point guard Deron Williams last season.

The simple truth is, the Jazz are in desperate need of a face for its franchise, and luckily for them, they’re in position to find that guy. Williams certainly has the superstar potential and superstar swagger to become the foundation of a new look Jazz squad.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Trade Up, Trade Down or SF Kawhi Leonard, SDSU

It’s critical for the Cavs to nail this pick if they’re to make good on owner Dan Gilbert’s half-baked promise that the franchise will win a ring before the King. OK, that’s probably not going to happen…but it would in a just, fair world. Still—after losing and lucking their way into the first and fourth pick of this year’s draft—the Cavs have the opportunity to instantly rebuild and rejuvenate their roster a year after the Frozen One elbowed his way out of town and left the franchise in ruins.  They’re just in a tricky, tricky spot here with the fourth pick in a relatively uninspiring draft.

I guess the first thing I would try to do with the fourth pick is everything in my power to trade up and draft Derrick Williams. Like Gilbert’s championship prediction, that’s probably not going to happen, either.  Regarldless, there’s not a single player on this roster that I wouldn’t trade to see if the combo of Irving and Williams could turn things around in Cleveland. But that’s just the dream scenario. And we all know dreams don’t come true in Cleveland.

If Minny or Utah weren’t interested, I’d then probably see if I could trade down. If no offers overwhelmed me, and I wasn’t in love with any particular player I could get later, then Commission David Stern held a gun to my head and demanded that I make the right pick or else, I GUESS I might take a stab at Kawhi Leonard of San Diego State even though it seems to be a bit of a reach with the fourth pick. Now, hear me out.

Other than Kanter, there’s really no big man I’d value this highly to select here. A lot of this year’s bigs appear to be more developmental type picks like Tristan Thompson, and I remain particularly skeptical of some of the top foreigners and their intentions. There’s no point in drafting a big man just for the hell of it with this pick. And you can’t really rationalize selecting another point guard here after picking Irving at one, unless of course, your name is David Kahn.  

So why not Leonard, who could provide fellow rookie Irving with an instant, athletic running mate on the perimeter. Leonard is a long (6'7"), energetic perimeter player that has the potential to do a lot of things well on both sides of the court at the NBA level. Offensively, he averaged 15.5 points a game his sophomore season at SD State and has the ability to become a guy that can convert in transition, score in the paint, and ultimately knock down a mid-to-long range jumper. He already has a nice turnaround jumper in his arsenal which combats his size disadvantage down low, and I truly believe his mid-range game (which is a question mark) is only going to improve with time and practice.

Defensively, Leonard also has the physical talents and instincts to do a lot of things well at the next level. He’s strong, long and athletic and has the versatility to guard perhaps three positions. When you consider the fact that he’s also an excellent and willing rebounder (10.6 at SDSU), there’s a lot of things to like about Leonard’s potential in the NBA.

Regardless, the Cavs really need to do something smart with this pick, and I do think they’d be getting value if they added Leonard to this team. It’s safer than drafting a questionable European, and it’s smarter than wasting this pick by drafting a developmental type big project.

5. Toronto Raptors: PG Brandon Knight, Kentucky

No ifs, ands or Euro-soft big men about it: The Raptors absolutely must select Brandon Knight of Kentucky with this pick, or at least they should if they’re serious about building a foundation for their team and ever excelling in a country in which hockey is annoyingly everything. If we’re honest, Knight might even be a safer pick over Irving since he demonstrated his talents over the course of a full season while Irving played in just 11 games as Duke.

Based on his stellar freshman campaign at Kentucky, there’s no denying that Knight has the potential to become a franchise caliber point guard in Toronto until he inevitably bolts for the States. A strong, big (6'3") guard, Knight is blessed with a ridiculous set of NBA ready skills already in his arsenal. Lightning quick, he can penetrate and get to the rim at will in addition to already possessing an effective mid-range game and a confident 3-point stroke. He also displayed his ability to lead a team after serving as the catalyst for an inexperienced Kentucky squad's run to the Final Four, a run which Knight showed his ability to hit big time shots in big time games.

Knight’s the answer for Toronto if he falls this far; at least if the Raptors want to get better and not potentially waste this pick with a hit-or-miss foreign big man.

6. Washington Wizards: PF Donatas Montiejunas, Lithuania

The Wizards stink and need help at every position other than point guard, where they have a future all-star in John Wall, who averaged 16.4 points and 8.3 assists last year as the number one overall pick. This is  unfortunate for the Wizards since there figures to be one or two good ones still available at six.

Still, Washington needs some talent to help Wall out heading forward. If they want instant help, they’ll play it safe and draft a guy like Chris Singleton or Marcus Morris, two guys that have the potential to be all around solid starter/rotation type players.  If they’re willing to wait—and gamble—on a developmental type big man, it’s between Czech Republic SF Jan Vesely, Lithuania C Jonas Valanciounus (6'9"), Texas PF Tristan Thompson or Lituanian PF Donatas Montiejunas.

To be honest, I'm not exactly sold on any of these prospects. Veseley reminds me of a very poor man's Andrei Kirilenko. If you watch his highlights, you'll see nothing but dunks and no sign of an offensive game. Thompson is just so raw. He could be this year's Ed Davis, which means it would come down to two Lithuanian big men, Valancious and Montijunas. Of those two, I guess I'd rather take a chance on the 20-year-old Montiejunas.

Montiejunas is a skilled, seven-foot lefty that has the potential to score from the inside or outside. I doubt he's the next Dirk Nowitzki, but hey, you never know.

7. Sacramento Kings: PG Kemba Walker, UConn

Walker is a versatile combo guard that would be a perfect addition on a Kings roster that already includes two young, talented players in PG Tyreke Evans and PF DeMarcus Cousins.

An explosive athlete and an expert ball handler, Walker is a dynamic scorer that can get you 30 points on any given night and in a variety of ways. He’s also an intense competitor who carried his Huskies to an NCAA championship and knows he belongs at the next level.

The bottom line is, Walker is too talented and too explosive a scorer for the Kings to pass on with this pick. An Evans-Cousins-Walker trio might not ever be considered a Big Three, but it’s certainly a young nucleus of talented players that can give Kings’ fans a legit reason to be optimistic about the present, because the future in Sacramento is a bit murky.

8. Detroit Pistons: SG Alec Burkes, Colorado

I’m half tempted to put everybody’s favorite Mormon—Jimmer Fredette—here, but I simply can’t imagine throwing him into the Pistons’ dysfunctional locker room even though they desperately need a scorer and a reason for fans to be excited again. It would just be unfair to Fredette and his future. 

The truth is, though, the Pistons need a lot of things to make them respectable again. In fact, they probably need a complete roster overhaul, but as of right now, they definitely need a scorer to build around going forward since Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince seem like they haven't been relevant in years.

One intriguing prospect is Colorado shooting guard Alec Burks, who averaged 20.5 points a game his sophomore season in Boulder. At a long 6'6", Burks is an explosive athlete who could immediately help out the Pistons on the perimeter. Burks is a fluid athlete with a very good handle. Due to his great athleticism and smooth offensive skills, Burks has the ability to create his own shot in addition to being a fairly good passer (2.9 assists per game) and a willing rebounder (6.5 rebounds per game). He also has the size, length and athleticism to guard multiple positions on the perimeter and could ultimately develop into a fairly good defensive wing player. The only knock on him is his poor outside shooting (29 percent), but even that shouldn’t be enough to scare the Pistons away.

9. Charlotte Bobcats: PF Marcus Morris, Kansas

If the Bobcats want to get immediate value with this pick, they’ll draft Marcus Morris, the better of the Morris twins at Kansas. Marcus is never going to be a star in the NBA, but he does have the potential to become a very nice rotation player for the next decade.

At 6'8", 230, Morris is a bit undersized for a power forward in the NBA, but he makes up for his physical limitations down low with his toughness, acute understanding of positioning and an effective turnaround jumper. In addition, Marcus has a fluid and effective mid-range game, which is a necessity for today’s NBA power forward.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: SG Marshon Brooks, Providence

The Bucks need help on the perimeter because John Salmons is always going to be John Salmons, so why not provide promising PG Brandon Jennings with a backcourt mate like Brooks, who can absolutely fill it up and shoulder some of the scoring load.

Brooks is maybe as dynamic a scorer as there is in this year’s draft after averaging 24.6 points a game on an efficient 48 percent shooting his senior season at Providence. Brooks is just an excellent shooter with NBA range and has the ability to create his own shot through a variety of change of pace and hesitation dribbles.

Some people are just born to put the ball in the hoop, and that’s Marshon Brooks. The Bucks need someone like that on their perimeter.

11. Golden State Warriors: SF Chris Singleton, Florida State

Shortly after being hired as head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Mark Jackson remarked that he wanted to turn the high-scoring Warriors into a committed  defensive team because as we all know, you have to be able to defend during the playoffs where it becomes almost a possession by possession game. If Jackson’s serious about bringing back the d in Golden State like he says, the Warriors' logical draft pick would be 6'9", small forward Chris Singleton from Florida State.

Singleton has the versatility and athleticism to become a lockdown perimeter defender in the NBA. He’s never going to be a great scorer, but that’s not the worst thing in the world considering the Warriors already have two scoring guards in Steph Curry and Monta Ellis. Singleton would be a smart addition for a team that already knows they can put the ball in the hoop. There’s nothing wrong with drafting a prospect solely for his defensive abilities if it improves your team and creates better matchups. This would be a positive step for Jackson in his quest to bring defensive legitimacy to Golden State.

12. Utah Jazz: PG Jimmer Fredette, Brigham Young

There’s no chance in spirit prison the Jazz should pass on Fredette if he falls to them at 12 and they didn’t already take Knight with their third pick. Fredette is a weapon on offense and could provide the Jazz with a dangerous scoring option in their backcourt, something they’ve desperately lacked since Deron Williams essentially forced himself out of Salt Lake City.

Fredette is just a terrific shooter and a crafty scorer with a ton of tricks in his arsenal. He can beat you behind the line (or sometimes way behind the line) and is an expert at off-balance shots. Fredette is also an excellent ball handler, which helps him create just enough space so he can get to his lethal pull-up jumper, which he can utilize from anywhere on the court.

Fredette is by no means a lock to ultimately become a starting point guard in the NBA, but he positively, absolutely has the skills and scoring potential to at least become the Mormon Ben Gordon off the bench.

13. Phoenix Suns: SG Klay Thompson, Washington State

I can’t imagine the Suns passing on Mychal Thompson’s 6'6", sweet shooting offspring considering they just waived the enigma that is Vince Carter and are now in desperate need of a perimeter scorer and shooter.

Thompson can immediately fill this void for the Suns and become the sharpshooter this team needs. Thompson has a silky, smooth stroke with a quick release and connected on 39.8 percent of his attempts (98-246) from downtown as a college junior. His shot is his meal ticket in the NBA, and Thompson should get his fair share of looks in Phoenix as long as point guard Steve Nash is still scampering around the desert handing out dimes.

14. Houston Rockets: PF Tristan Thompson, Texas

I doubt Texas power forward Tristan Thompson falls this far, but if he did, I probably wouldn't be able to pass on him if I was the Rockets. Still, I'd be scared to death and far from confident in this selection. Thompson is just so raw offensively and skinny. He's a gamble for sure, but the potential is there. Who knows?

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