Post lottery mock draft. This is one of the only mocks on the net that you will not see Nerlens Noel one of the top two choices. In fact, I originally had him at number seven, but this is a very weak draft and someone who offers game changing defensive potential will not fall out of the top five.

 

This draft is not heavy on star power, but I think almost every player in the first and second round could find his way into an NBA rotation. This has the potential to be a very deep draft.

 

Enjoy!

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3. Washington Wizards (29-53)

SF/PF Anthony Bennett, Fr, UNLV

6'8, 240 lbs

Hometown: Brampton, Ontario, Canada

2012-2013 Stats: 16.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.2 bpg

Bennett came on strong during his freshman season, showing explosiveness and an ability to score on anyone. He slowed down a bit late in the season but was still one of the best players in college basketball. If he was two inches taller he would be the number one pick. He still could, though recent highly drafted tweeners like Michael Beasley and Derrick Williams have not fared too well in the NBA. Still, he is a very talented player with a nice all around game, and would presumably be a great fit with the Wizards. He is athletic and explosive, and should fit in very well with the up tempo back court of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Bennett could be what the Wizards thought they were getting with Jan Vesely. Washington is very high on him.

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4. Charlotte Bobcats (21-61)

SG Victor Oladipo, Jr, Indiana

6'4, 213 lbs

Hometown: Upper Marlboro, MD

2012-2013 Stats: 13.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.1 apg

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7. Sacramento Kings (28-54)

Michael Carter-Williams could not keep up his torrid pace once Syracuse entered Big East play, but that was to be expected. He displayed very nice ball handling skills and even some scoring ability at times. especially during the NCAA Tournament against Indiana. Unfortunately, his shooting regressed as a sophomore. He has the size to provide scoring against smaller guards, but his main job will be as a facilitator. He would be a very nice fit next to the smaller offensive minded Marcus Thornton.

8. Detroit Pistons (29-53)

SG/SF Shabazz Muhammad, Fr, UCLA

6'6, 222 lbs

Hometown: Las Vegas, NV

2012-2013 Stats: 17.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.8 apg

While Muhammad's stats look pretty good, he definitely had a disappointing lone year in Los Angeles. He did not do much for the Bruins other then score, and he wasn't terribly efficient at doing that. I think once he gets into an NBA rotation he won't be such a one dimensional ball hog, but it is troubling when you can't even average an assist per game. Then of course there is the news that he is actually a year older then thought. That will make scouts wonder how much his high school numbers were inflated playing against kids a year younger then him. His stock continued to slip with a weak combine showing. Maybe I am stubborn, but I still think he is a pretty safe bet to average 20 points per game at the NBA level and will be a very solid pro. Joe Dumars struck it rich with a similar player, Andre Drummond, last year. Muhammad would slide right into the vacant small forward spot for the Pistons.

 

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9. Minnesota Timberwolves (31-51)

SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, So, Georgia

6'6, 204 lbs

Hometown: Greenville, GA

2012-2013 Stats: 18.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.8 apg

 

Flip Saunders, the most successful coach in Timberwolves history, was brought in to try to un-David Kahn this roster. The first step would be to surround Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love with some athletes who can shoot the basketball. The last great scoring wing the Wolves had was probably Latrell Spreewell. After a slow start for the Bulldogs Kentavious Caldwell-Pope caught fire, and rode that wave all the way to the SEC Player of the Year award. He willed a bad Georgia team with bad coaching after ditching some of his early ball hog ways. He struggled some in the combine drills but he reminds me a lot of Terrence Ross, who was a top ten pick last year. Like size, shooting is always coveted in the draft.

 

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10. Portland Trail Blazers (33-49)

PF/C Cody Zeller, So, Indiana

7'0, 240 lbs

Hometown: Washington, IN

2012-2013 Stats: 16.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg

 

It is not often a player who averages 16.5 ppg and 8.1 rpg had a disappointing year, but you would have to quality Cody Zeller's sophomore season as under whelming. His college career culminated in a loss in the tournament to Syracuse, where he was really beaten up and pushed around. That game pretty much killed any chance he had in going in the top five. In fact, scouts were pleading that Zeller returned for his junior season to work on his strength and post game. But Zeller wisely saw how weak this draft was and threw his name into the hat. He has a lot of deficiencies, but he is a great scorer and a good athlete for a man his size, as evidenced by his very impressive combine showing. The Blazers have a pretty good starting five, but a very shallow bench, as the starters played the most minutes in the league. Zeller would be able to back up both positions and could beat out Meyers Leonard for the starting center spot.

 

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11. Philadelphia 76ers (34-48)

C Steven Adams, Fr, Pittsburgh

7'0, 255 lbs

Hometown: Rotorua, New Zealand

2012-2013 Stats: 7.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.0 bpg

 

The Doug Collins era is finally over for the Sixers. Like every other team that employed Collins, the players eventually grew tired of him and stopped playing. Philadelphia's season was over before it started after they traded three players for Andrew Bynum, who did not log one minute in Philly. Looking at the Sixers roster, I think they would like to add a young, tough big man to protect themselves if Bynum moves on, or to provide solid minutes if he returns. Adams tested very well during the combine, showing strong defensive potential and more offensive game then was on display at Pittsburgh. Couple that with height and weight that is already NBA caliber, and Adams looks like a lock for the late lottery.

 

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12. Oklahoma City Thunder (62-20)
(from Toronto Raptors)

PG/SG CJ McCollum, Sr, Lehigh

6'3, 197 lbs

Hometown: Canton, OH

2012-2013 Stats: 23.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.9 apg

CJ McCollum was on his way to National Player of the Year recognition when an injury ended his season. He is expected to make a full recovery in time for the pre draft process. Like most mid major stars, McCollum played point guard but was shouldered with most of the scoring responsibility. If he can show scouts that he has what it takes to play point guard, like Damian Lillard, he could shoot up draft boards. The Thunder are going to be looking for scoring off the bench if they do not resign Kevin Martin.

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13. Dallas Mavericks (41-41)

PG Dennis Schroeder, Germany

6'2, 165 lbs

Hometown: Braunschweig, Germany

2012-2013 Stats: 11.9 ppg, 3.3 apg

The Mavericks planned to reload during free agency last year but came up empty. Mark Cuban and company are hoping for the same result this year, so it looks like this pick will be traded or used on a foreign player who can be stashed to save some money. Schroeder used the Nike Hoop Summit to put his name on the map and he looks like a lock for the first round right now, especially with the point guard dominated NBA game. He is undersized and not a great finisher at the rim, but he is lightning quick and an amazing athlete. He really took charge during practices and then the game, and scouts are eager to see more. He could stay overseas for a year or if the Mavericks swing and miss again he could come over right away and provide competition for the under whelming Darren Collison.

14. Utah Jazz (43-39)

15. Milwaukee Bucks (38-44)

SG/SF Sergey Karasev, Russia

6'7, 205 lbs

Hometown: St. Petersburg, Russia

2012-2013 Stats: 16.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.4 apg

The Bucks could be set to lose two of their best shooters, Mike Dunleavy and JJ Redick, this off season. Unlike most foreigners in this mock, Karasev is a big time producer for his Euro squad. He is a great shooter and scorer and should be ready to come in right away and provide solid offense for Milwaukee off the bench.

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16. Boston Celtics (41-40)

PF Kelly Olynyk, Jr, Gonzaga

7'0, 234 lbs

Hometown: Kamloops, BC, Canada

2012-2013 Stats: 17.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.7 apg

The Celtics have put off gutting this team for the last few years, but now may be time. Boston has a few young players to build around and could get quite a bit for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. It is impossible to know which direction Danny Ainge will go, so I just gave Boston the best player available. That looks like Olynyk, though I am not as big of a fan of his as some. He will probably be a poor man's Andrea Bargnani, a good shooter with size who can grab a few rebounds.



The Hawks only have three players on guaranteed deals for next year, so needless to say things are going to look very different in Atlanta. I think the Hawks, like a lot of teams with multiple first round picks, would look to use one of their picks on a foreign player they can choose to save a few bucks on by stashing in Europe. Saric may be the most talented player in Europe, but he lacks a jump shot and elite athleticism, and might have to work on his body so he can play power forward at the next level. He is a very intriguing prospect, however, and has been compared to Toni Kukoc for his point forward ability.


Franklin is very athletic, a good rebounder and defender, and a solid ball handler. The only thing keeping him out of the lottery is his shooting. Scouts like to see their shooting guards....shoot. The Hawks roster is going to look vastly different next year, and Franklin and 2012 first round pick John Jenkins should get a lot of run as guards for Atlanta. Franklin's defense will mesh well with the shooting of Jenkins and Lou Williams.


The Cavaliers have four of the first 33 picks in this draft, so they can afford to use one of those selections on the potential of Gobert. Right now, he is extremely raw, and does not play a big role for his Euro team. There is a great chance he never really makes a dent in the NBA, but he can run the floor, block shots and possesses a monster wing span. His measurables during the combine were flat out eye popping. Best case scenario, he becomes a Tyson Chandler like defensive presence for the Cavaliers.


Dieng might not ever be a superstar, but I think he has the talent to be a solid starting center. He is a good shot blocker and rebounder, and can run the floor and even provide some offense. He put up a stinker in the Final Four against Wichita State, but rebounded with a tremendous all around effort against Michigan in the championship game. He would help improve Chicago's front court depth, and would be a big upgrade over Nazr Mohammed, who somehow is still earning NBA paychecks.


The Jazz have two first round picks, and I could see them double dip on point guards. Larkin struck while the iron was hot, using Miami's surprising season to propel himself into the first round of this draft. He is undersized, but is lightning quick and a good shooter. I do not know if he is a strong enough ball handler to become a starting point guard, but he would make a great backup to previous pick CJ McCollum.


The Nets chose to ignore their young players last season and go with washed up veterans like Jerry Stackhouse and Keith Bogans. That strategy did not work out very well, and the new coach needs to inject this overrated roster with some youth and energy. Crabbe is one of the drafts best shooters and can play both the shooting guard and small forward positions.



Tim Hardaway Jr. had a great combine and now looks to be a solid first round draft choice. He has good size and showed better then anticipated shooting touch. Lance Stephenson has been a revelation this year for the Pacers but they could use a backup for both wing positions.


The life of a senior in the NBA draft. Plumlee remained at Duke for all four years and improved his game every season. But he will likely see guys with a third of his production drafted ahead of him based on potential. Scouts worry that the 23 year old Plumlee beat up on 18 year old kids all season. He is what I have always thought he was when I had him in my mock drafts for the last four years. He should at the least be a solid big man off the bench who can rebound and score some buckets. He will be quite a steal here for the Knicks and should provide solid minutes right away.


Even though the Clippers are expected to retain Chris Paul, things are going to be very different in Los Angeles next year. The Clippers were composed of old veterans this year. Chauncey Billups, Grant Hill and Lamar Odom should be gone, and they might be forced to trade emerging and soon to be expensive point guard Eric Bledsoe. Los Angeles should use this opportunity to add some youth and explosiveness to the bench. Mitchell had a disastrous sophomore season, but offers plenty of talent and has some Josh Smith qualities. Some team will swing for potential late in the first round.


 Adetokoubo has raised eyebrows and gained national attention the last couple of months. Some scouts compare him to Scottie Pippen due to his all around point forward game. He is young and extremely raw, and is playing in a league that is comparable to Division III college basketball. He most likely needs a few years of seasoning but is a player to keep an eye on. He is rumored to have a promise from a team late in the first round, and it could be Minnesota. The Timberwolves have drafted overseas prospects well the past few years. Ricky Rubio, Alexey Shved and Nikola Pekovic are three of the teams best players, and all were European draft picks.


Ledo is the great unknown after not having played a game in over a year, but he has had very solid workouts and can be a good scoring combo guard if he pans out. A year in college and we could have seen him as a lottery pick. The Nuggets are very deep and can afford to stash him and coach him into a contributor in a year or two.



After two years of inconsistent minutes, the former top recruit Bullock finally got playing time, and responded with a very nice season. He is in the late first round mix with several other wing prospects. The Spurs always seem to get the most out of their players, and Bullock could be this team's next Danny Green. Bullock is a good shooter and scorer.


The Thunder have a ton of picks, and no room for all of these rookies, so they will most likely draft a stash guy or two. Nogueira is skinny and needs to continue to develop, but is very athletic and offers strong defensive potential. He would not give the Thunder the offense they are looking for down low, but would pair with Serge Ibaka to give Oklahoma City two great shot blockers. He is under contract with Estudiantes until 2014.


Like I said, the Suns need to add athletes to the roster. Snell's college stats are not overly impressive, but he is a solid defender and is very athletic. He has a very NBA friendly game and could be a late first, early second round steal.

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Round 2

31. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Orlando Magic) - PF/C Mike Muscala, Sr, Bucknell. Muscala tore up the combine and is doing just as well in workouts. There is a great chance he ends up a first round pick if he continues his pre draft success as a stretch four type, with the Spurs an obvious landing spot. The Cavaliers are looking for a front court player who can score.

32. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Charlotte Bobcats) - C Jeff Withey, Sr, Kansas. Withey fell out of the first round, and the Thunder would love to pounce on him here. He lacks the strength and scoring ability to be a starter, but could excel as a shot blocker off the bench.

33. Cleveland Cavaliers - PG Isaiah Canaan, Sr, Murray State. Like most smaller school guards, Canaan is more of a scorer then a distributor. He would make a solid backup for Kyrie Irving and stop the revolving door that has been the backup point guard position for the Cavs.

34. Houston Rockets (from Phoenix Suns) - SG Alex Abrines, Spain. Daryl Morey has quickly become one of the best GM's in the business. Abrines could be stashed for a couple seasons, but eventually should come to the NBA and provided solid scoring.

35. Philadelphia 76ers (from New Orleans Pelicans) - PG Lorenzo Brown, Jr, North Carolina State. The Sixers have been looking for a backup point guard for Jrue Holiday. Brown has nice size and is a pass first point guard. He could allow Holiday to play some minutes at the two.

36. Sacramento Kings - SF Andre Roberson, Jr, Colorado. Maybe it is because I am a Colorado native, but I think Roberson is going to be a steal for whoever drafts him in the second round. He cannot score a lick, but was one of the best rebounders in college. That skill usually translates pretty well to the NBA. He also has the potential to be a very good defender. Scoring sells in the draft, which is why some team is going to get quite a bargain in round two.

37. Detroit Pistons - PF Jackie Carmichael, Sr, Illinois State. Carmichael has been compared to guys like Udonis Haslem and Carl Landry, and should be able to carve out a role as a backup big man in the NBA. He is not great at any one thing, but is a hard worker who can score and rebound, and would give the Pistons a good big man backup.

38. Washington Wizards - SG Glen Rice, NBDL. The Wizards could lose Martell Webster, and will be on the lookout for wing depth. Rice has taken a unique path to the NBA and we could see more talented youngsters who are uninterested in college basketball taking this route to the league.

39. Portland Trail Blazers (from Minnesota Timberwolves) - SF/PF CJ Leslie, Jr, North Carolina State. Leslie is a very talented and explosive athlete, as he showed during the combine, but he really lacks a position and NBA game. He could carve out some minutes as an energy guy off the bench for a shallow Trail Blazers squad.

40. Portland Trail Blazers - PF Livio Jean-Charles, France. The Blazers are one of the best teams at drafting European talent, and with so many second round picks, they will probably go that route again. Jean-Charles used the Nike Hoop Summit to put his name on the map and looks like a very solid second round stash prospect.

41. Philadelphia 76ers - SF DeShaun Thomas, Jr, Ohio State. Thomas has the body of a 40 year old man and is completely allergic to defense, but he is one of the drafts most talented scorers and has 20 point per game ability. Philadelphia really struggled to find a consistent scorer other then Jrue Holiday and could find great value here with Thomas.

42. Memphis Grizzlies (from Toronto Raptors) - SF James Southerland, Sr, Syracuse. The Grizzlies need to find guys who can shoot. Southerland has nice size and a deep shooting stroke. He could be a James Jones type in the NBA.

43. Milwaukee Bucks - PG Myck Kabongo, So, Texas. The Bucks might want to protect themselves incase Brandon Jennings is able to bolt. Kabongo's Texas career was a catastrophe, but he was once considered a lottery pick thanks to his leadership and ball handling abilities. He could be a second round steal.

44. Dallas Mavericks - PG/SG Erick Green, Sr, Virginia Tech. The Mavericks like to draft successful college players in the second round, and Green certainly fits that bill after averaging 25 points per game as a senior. His lack of size and point guard abilities likely renders him a scorer off the bench, but there are minutes for him in Dallas.

45. Portland Trail Blazers (from Boston Celtics) - PG Pierre Jackson, Sr, Baylor. Jackson is a small, quick scoring point guard who has drawn comparisons to Nate Robinson. He will only be a third stringer in Portland behind Damian Lillard and Eric Maynor, but was the best player available.

46. Utah Jazz - PF/C Colton Iverson, Sr, Colorado State. Iverson had a great season for Colorado State and measured a legit 7 foot with a solid wingspan during the combine. He will be mid second round pick who could carve out a spot in an NBA rotation thanks to rebounding and toughness. The South Dakota native could be a fan favorite in Utah.

47. Atlanta Hawks - SG Archie Goodwin, Fr, Kentucky. Goodwin had a bad lone season for Kentucky, and things have not gotten much better during the combine, where his lack of shooting ability was on full display. It is unclear what type of player he is, but still should be drafted in the second round due to upside. The Hawks have a ton of picks and could gamble on whatever potential Goodwin possesses.

48. Atlanta Hawks - SG/SF James Ennis, Sr, Long Beach State. The Hawks are looking for athletes on the wing, and Ennis could be a future slam dunk champion. He is a high flying athlete without a ton of actual basketball skills.

49. Los Angeles Lakers - PG/SG BJ Young, So, Arkansas. Young is a talented scorer who fell apart as a sophomore, closing out the year on the bench. But he has good scoring ability and could work himself into a rotation eventually.

50. Chicago Bulls - PG/SG Seth Curry, Sr, Duke. The Bulls always seem to be on the lookout for shooting. Curry can definitely provide that. He is not nearly the all around player as his brother, but could be an Eddie House type off the bench.

51. Orlando Magic (from Golden State Warriors) - PG Nate Wolters, Sr, South Dakota State. It is unlikely the Magic find their point guard of the future this late in the second round, but Wolters is tough and a great scorer and could make the team as a JJ Redick type with more ball handling ability.

52. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Brooklyn Nets) - PF/C Mouhammadou Jaiteh, France. Jaiteh is a great athlete with coveted measurables, but he is several years from making an impact in the NBA. He will be a good stash prospect in the second round.

53. Indiana Pacers - PG Ray McCallum, Jr, Detroit. McCallum was once a highly regarded prospect who chose to play for his father at small school Detroit. He is a very good athlete and a solid ball handler and could carve out a career as a backup point guard.

54. Washington Wizards (from New York Knicks) - PF/C Marko Todorovic, Montenegro. Todorovic is 6'10 and has somewhat of a power game, and is a worthy flyer late in the second round.

55. Memphis Grizzlies - SG/SF DJ Stephens, Sr, Memphis. Stephens is an elite athlete and has the potential to be a Tony Allen type defender. So the team who has Tony Allen drafts him.

56. Detroit Pistons (from Los Angeles Clippers) - SG Carrick Felix, Sr, Arizona State. Felix raised his stock with solid combine workouts and measurables. He is a good shooter with size, and scoring is always coveted.

57. Phoenix Suns (from Denver Nuggets) - PF Grant Jerrett, Fr, Arizona. Jerrett was a high recruit for the Wildcats, who is entering the draft well before he is ready. He has talent and you can't teach 6'11, so this is a no risk pick for the Suns this late in the draft.

58. San Antonio Spurs - PG/SG Nemanja Nedovic, Serbia. Surprise, the Spurs grab a Euro stash guy late in the second round. Nedovic is a talented combo scoring guard who is playing big minutes for his Euro team.

59. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Oklahoma City Thunder) - PF Ryan Kelly, Sr, Duke. Kelly is this years Matt Bonner. A white guy with size who can shoot the three.

60. Memphis Grizzlies (from Miami Heat) - SG Vander Blue, Jr, Marquette. Blue really struggled shooting the ball during the combine and may go undrafted.