Mock draft: One final time, before the clock starts ...
This is it. The final mock draft is always the worst one. The gut feelings are all gone because, well, there are no guts left.
It has been tweaked and finessed and touched up, and every time it seems to fit just right, another call comes in to mess it up.
 | |
| LeBron James won't land the Cavs in the playoffs next season, but he will bring them attention.(AP) |
The chance of serious contribution to a winning season by any of these 29 players is not very likely.
LeBron James ranks right there with Lew Alcindor, Albert King and Rick Mount as one of the great high school players ever. There was no chance of him not going first overall in the draft, but he will not alter the Cleveland Cavaliers enough to transform them from a 17-win team into a playoff contender next season. What he will do is make the Cleveland franchise worthy of serious attention for the first time in 10 years.
Darko Milicic has been the rage of this draft as a special, young 7-footer, but is he the guy that will take the Pistons from a regular-season overachiever into the NBA Finals next season? Don't count on it, but he will bring fire and a different look to the table.
Carmelo Anthony could be the second coming of Magic Johnson's personality, and do the Denver Nuggets ever need that. But they're still the young Nuggets and a long way from making a move toward the playoffs in the West.
So maintain perspective. Understand that T.J. Ford is a special little point guard who can't shoot, and maybe that Maciej Lampe is a gifted 7-foot teenager who speaks five languages. These will all be good marketing tools and make the draft in and of itself interesting.
It is a fascinating science to see how these players are gleaned in the weeks leading up to the draft, and how the teams arrive at their conclusions. Because of the trend toward much younger and international players, there is even less chance of teams really gaining an impact from these players within the first two years.
Sometimes they hit it just right, and other times they make woeful mistakes.
The first three picks are locks and so is Chris Bosh at No. 4 -- even if Toronto trades the pick.
That doesn't mean all four players are guaranteed to be stars.
The teams hope so. The players, the fans and everybody close to them hope so, but hope is really all they have right now. In Seattle, Vladimir Radmanovic just finished his second season after being the 12th pick in the draft. He is a marvelously gifted shooter, agile and stronger than he appears on a 6-10 frame. But does he fit with the Sonics considering they already have a slim shooter on a 6-10 frame in Rashard Lewis? Are they giving up on him too soon if they trade him because he is uncomfortable at power forward in the rugged Western Conference?
It just shows the draft is more of a crapshoot than ever before. The dice have been rolled and this is the final mock draft from this corner.
Thank goodness.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James, 6-8, 240, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary
A no-brainer here. If nothing else, King James saves the franchise for a couple of years and if he becomes the real deal, nobody will call them the Cadavers for a generation.
2. Detroit Pistons: Darko Milicic, 7-1, 250, Serbia
Joe Dumars needed a big man, and his magic wand somehow landed them the second pick in the lottery. He's a young talent with some nasty built-in. Perfect fit.
3. Denver Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony, 6-7, 230, Syracuse
The Nuggets needed some kind of marquee talent and they got it with the 2003 hero of college basketball. The bonus is the personality to match the talent.
4. Toronto: Chris Bosh, 6-11, 230, Georgia Tech
The long and short of it is the Raptors may just go with the size, but could go for 5-11 guard T.J. Ford. NBA history says it's better to gamble on the big guy.
5. Miami Heat: Maciej Lampe, 7-0, 240, Poland
An amazingly mature and impressive teenager, his gentle touch and growth potential is too vast to pass up for the talent-starved Heat.
6. Los Angeles Clippers: Dwyane Wade, 6-4, 215, Marquette
On a team that so often is in such disarray, here's a focused player, capable of taking over games and winning them without childish distractions.
7. Chicago Bulls: T.J. Ford, 5-11, 160, Texas
In the wake of Jay Williams' motorcycle accident, they go for the most natural point guard and hope he learns how to shoot because he sure can't grow.
8. Milwaukee Bucks: Kirk Hinrich, 6-3, 190, Kansas
The Bucks are in transition in all phases, and a quality point guard like Hinrich is a nice safe place to start with the new ownership and management.
9. New York Knicks: Chris Kaman, 7-0, 250, Central Michigan
People have backed off of Kaman because of his quirky personality and questionable work habits. One thing we know, he's a legit 7-footer and has skills. The Knicks need him.
10. Washington Wizards: Jarvis Hayes, 6-7, 220, Georgia
This pick doesn't have a lot of logic because he's so one-dimensional as a perimeter shooter, but it's a need and they absolutely love the guy.
11. Golden State Warriors: Reece Gaines, 6-6, 210, Louisville
If they're going to lose Gilbert Arenas to free agency, they may as well draft the player who is the most similar in size and skills. Gaines is that guy.
12. Seattle SuperSonics: Mike Sweetney, 6-8, 260, Georgetown
The Sonics will hold their breath for Sweetney, a slightly undersized but tenacious interior player that they have sorely needed for years.
13. Memphis Grizzlies: Mickael Pietrus, 6-6, 200, Guadeloupe, France
The Grizzlies need talent and the "Euro-Jordan" can presumably step in and provide a variety of skills and instincts this young team pines for.
14. Seattle SuperSonics: Luke Ridnour, 6-2, 175, Oregon
The Sonics need a point guard to develop and this native of the Pacific Northwest perfectly fits their needs -- but he might already be gone.
15. Orlando Magic: Leandro Barbosa, 6-4, 185, Brazil
A steal at 15 with long arms, phenomenal quickness and a surprisingly sweet shooting touch, he reminds some of Gary Payton. But he doesn't speak English.
16. Boston Celtics: Nick Collison, 6-10, 255, Kansas
This is low for Collison, but he's a tough fit because of his strength and skill limitations in the NBA. But he's smart and has great instincts for the game.
17. Phoenix Suns: Brian Cook, 6-11, 235, Illinois
They need more size and shooting, and Cook fits the criteria for both, as the Suns turn to Jerry Colangelo's alma mater for a catch-and-shoot big guy.
18. New Orleans Hornets: Aleksandar Pavlovic, 6-7, 210, Serbia
A versatile talent, who is the big shooting guard the Hornets lack with the relatively diminutive 6-1 David Wesley playing next to 6-3 Baron Davis.
19. Utah Jazz: Zarko Cabarkapa, 6-11, 240, Serbia
As the Jazz refocus, they realize more height will be mandatory and Cabarkapa is a terrific talent they sorely need up front.
20. Boston Celtics: Marcus Banks, 6-2, 200, UNLV
This is the other side of the Celtics' need, a point guard who can penetrate and dish and also hit the jumper. But does he really see the floor as a point?
21. Atlanta Hawks: Boris Diaw-Riffiod, 6-8, 200, France
A big ballhandler who distributes it well, it allows the Hawks to look into the future with Jason Terry and not worry about whether he's a point guard or not.
22. New Jersey Nets: Carlos Delfino, 6-6, 230, Argentina
An athletic, baseline-to-baseline type, Delfino provides the Nets with the kind of full-court player who fits their style -- provided Jason Kidd sticks around.
23. Portland Trail Blazers: Sofoklis Schortsanitis, 6-9, 255, Greece
Without any pressing needs, the Blazers can't go wrong with this wide-body, who can give them some additional help inside against the big teams in the West.
24. Los Angeles Lakers: David West, 6-9, 225, Xavier
West is the best player available and the Lakers will be thrilled to find a player this size and fundamentally sound at this spot in the draft.
25. Detroit Pistons: Travis Hansen, 6-6, 210, Brigham Young
Hansen hustles until the game is over. He can shoot from all angles and will body up people.
26. Minnesota Timberwolves: Troy Bell, 6-1, 180, Boston College
Nobody helped himself at the Chicago camp more than Bell. He shoots from all angles and delivers the basketball -- both big needs for the 'Wolves.
27. Memphis Grizzlies: Josh Howard, 6-6, Wake Forest
Howard is a 'tweener size-wise, but more important, he's a player. He can run, handle and shoot from all angles, providing the Griz with another athlete.
28. San Antonio Spurs: Luke Walton, 6-8, 245, Arizona
In an epiphany, the Spurs realize the thought of Walton moving the ball with Tim Duncan will make their offense function even more smoothly with easy shots.
29. Dallas Mavericks: Ndudi Ebi, 6-9, 195, Houston
The help they need isn't going to come here, so they grab the prep guy not far from home, surround him with personalized coaches and stars, and hope he develops.
