The
draft is a few days away and just like any other sports site, I am obliged to
predict on what will happen in the 2011
NBA Draft. Last year, we saw John
Wall becoming a spectacle and Evan
Turner groping to form.
Did
anyone saw the production of Landry
Fields?
The
draft is a hit or miss event. For every Blake
Griffin... there is a Hasheem
Thabeet. I hope Thabeet makes up for his lackluster seasons now that he is
with the Houston Rockets because the
word “bust” should by now get on his nerves.
Anyway,
here are my predictions!
GAME
STARTS NOW!
1 KYRIE IRVING
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (FROM LAC)
PG – DUKE
Cleveland
needs a superstar and I believe they have it in Irving. The guy came from an
outstanding collegiate institution and the Cavs need a winning tradition more
than ever. I am a cynic in terms of getting small players in the top spot but
after seeing Allen Iverson and Derrick Rose plus the anomaly that is Kwame
Brown, I am now a believer.
2 DERRICK
WILLIAMS
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
PF – ARIZONA
I am
not sold in their backcourt and when Irving becomes available at this spot,
they should claim him. However seeing that he is almost a lock in Cleveland, they
might as well settle for Derrick Williams. Williams however will be joining a
crowded frontline. Although except for Kevin Love, all of the Wolves’
frontliners are expendable.
3 ENES KANTER
UTAH JAZZ
C – KENTUCKY
Critics
think that Brandon Knight will get a call but if I’m Utah, I’d pick Kanter.
Memo Okur was non-existent last season and if he’s not fit to play in the
coming season, then they need size more than guard depth. Sure, they have
Derrick Favors but I think it’s best for the Jazz to at least give Devin Harris
a free reign at the starting spot before abandoning on that thought.
4 BRANDON
KNIGHT
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
PG – KENTUCKY
I
think I’ll get flak with this pick but here’s the thing – if they can’t get
Kanter to play for their squad, they might as well get the best possible player
and use this said player as trade bait. They can either drop down and with cash
considerations or trade this pick as a combo for a rising star. Still, Knight
is no patsy. I wouldn’t freak out if he becomes a better player in the near
future.
5 JONAS
VALANCIUNAS
TORONTO RAPTORS
C – LITHUANIA
The
draft depth is lacking at the center spot which is why we suddenly have two
Euros at the top of the list. Canada would rather love Un-Americans because at
the sight of free agency they wouldn’t leave in a heartbeat. With that said,
the team is desperately in need of big men. Hopefully this international talent
can be a threat on the inside as much as he is on the outside.
6 KAHLI
LEONARD
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
SF – SAN DIEGO ST.
If I’m
going to call the shots for the Wizards, I will pick a player that can stabilize
their small forward spot. Leonard can play both slashing positions and I think
can suit the squad if they put Rashard Lewis as a 3 or a 4. Sure, Kemba Walker
is still available but with John Wall in the team, Walker will just languish on
the bench.
7 JAN VESELY
SACRAMENTO KINGS
C – CZECH REPUBLIC
With
Marcus Thornton now playing for the Kings, Sacramento must solve their
frontcourt woes. I have no idea what Vesely brings to the table but the Kings’
success rate with these Euro stars could happen again with this guy. Also, he
could easily give the team stability if and when the emergence of DeMarcus
Cousins fails to happen in the coming season.
8 KEMBA WALKER
DETROIT PISTONS
PG – CONNECTICUT
I
think the Rodney Stuckey push needs to end. He couldn’t lift the team to
greatness given the fact that he has 60 percent of the Detroit championship
starting lineup in his grasp. Sure, they are old and probably brittle, but this
also brings me to another point. It’s time to change the landscape of Motor
City. It will be either Walker or Jimmer Fredette. I don’t have any beef with
Stuckey but they need to revamp their quarterback spot.
9 BISMACK
BIYOMBO
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
PF – CONGO
At 18,
this Spanish League vet could pretty much be a project at best for Charlotte
but Michael Jordan and his henchmen are praying ardently for this player to
become a huge fraction of what was Dikembe Mutombo. Charlotte needs an inside
force desperately and if they can’t get it on the draft I will not be surprised
if they try to trade this for one.
10 DONATAS MOTIEJUNAS
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
PF – LITHUANIA
Milwaukee
deserves a big player who is not like Luc Mbah a Moute who is an undersized PF
or Ersan Ilyasova who is an oversized SF. Sure, they have Drew Gooden and Larry
Sanders but the team also needs another big man if and when their injury prone
main man Andrew Bogut gets injured. The problem when picking these Euro bigs
though is that you are not sure if they would play or stay in Europe.
11 TRISTAN
THOMPSON
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
PF – TEXAS
Thompson
will add bulk to a Golden State who is still in need of big time bigs. Now I
don’t know if they can solve their size with this 6’9 bruiser but the last
thing they need right now is to pad their already souped up roster. Although,
perhaps a guard is not a bad idea considering that they are reportedly trying
to trade Monta Ellis for hopefully a big time big man.
12 JIMMER
FREDETTE
UTAH JAZZ
PG – BRIGHAM YOUNG
While
I believe the Jazz should still trust on Devin Harris, I hope they select
Fredette. Fredette patterned his game to Jazz great John Stockton and the city
is trying to wipe the stench off a season that saw the nightmarish departure of
Deron Williams alongside Carlos Boozer and long-time coach Jerry Sloan. I guess
if Fredette turns into what the doctor ordered, this can serve as redemption
for the Jazz faithful.
13 MARCUS MORRIS
PHOENIX SUNS
SF – KANSAS
Morris
in some ways is something that Phoenix fans should revel. If not for my greed
to select centers and power forwards, he should at least be on the top ten. The
guy is a big and explosive forward for his size and he can probably give the
team offense that they lacked a season ago. He can become a crucial part of the
squad when they turn small ball.
14 ALEC BURKS
HOUSTON ROCKETS
SG – COLORADO
Yep.
The first real shooting guard of the draft enters near the middle of the pack.
While teams could claim him early, the Houston Rockets are in dire need for
scoring. Kevin Martin can’t do it alone and their depth is so lacking that
Chase Budinger has become the team’ sole fixture at the SF spot. Burks has the tendency
to explode and would do better if he can refine his outside scoring.
15 CHRIS
SINGLETON
INDIANA PACERS
SF – FLORIDA STATE
While
the team is in dire need to strengthen their frontline, I would rather have the
squad use the draft to boost their scoring. Singleton is a 6’9 small forward
that could beast up their scoring chances if he can take this to the next
level. Chicago took Indiana out in the first round but the games weren’t
lopsided.
So
there you have it. If I have the collective mind of all GM’s (or at least 14 of
them), this is how the draft should play out.
As for
my other favourites, I hope guys like Duke’s
Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler, Washington’s Klay Thompson, Texas’ Jordan
Hamilton, UCLA’s Malcolm Lee and Tyler Honeycutt, and Butler’s Shelvin Mack
would get selected in the first round (although the success rates of late first
round picks fares less than early second round selections).
Game
over!
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