Roth Regatta

 

Now that the draft order is set, here is my latest mock draft for the top 14 picks:

Washington Wizards – John Wall, Point Guard, Kentucky: The Wizards must be thrilled to have won the top pick, and will almost surely draft John Wall.  Wall will be able to sells tons of <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(’/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.stubhub.com/nba-tickets/”>NBA tickets</a> for the Wizards and gives them a re

al building block moving forward.  The team can now shop Gilbert Arenas heavily.

Philadelphia 76ers – Evan Turner, Shooting Guard, Ohio State: The Sixers don’t really need Turner, and they could look to trade down as a result, but I think they’ll take him if they stay at the two spot.  He would be a nice player to pair with budding point guard Jrue Holiday and could allow the team to shop Andre Iguodala.

New Jersey Nets – Derrick Favors, Power Forward, Georgia Tech: I think they’ll

be tempted to take DeMarcus Cousins for more immediate impact, but I’m not sure about Cousins’ ability to play with Brook Lopez and I think Favors projects as the better pro long-term.  If the team’s new owner is willing to be just a little patient, Favors will be the pick here.

Minnesota Timberwolves – Wesley Johnson, Small Forward, Syracuse: The Timberwolves really want Turner and could look to trade up to the two spot to get him.  They’ve got two other first-round picks to help them

get there, but I think they’ll take Johnson if they stay at four.

Sacramento Kings – DeMarcus Cousins, Power Forward/Center, Kentucky: I’m not sure if he’s a power forward or a center, but either way he’d be the best post player on the Kings.  If he matures and gets his act together, he could end up being a steal at five.

Golden State Warriors – Cole Aldrich, Center, Kansas: Aldrich has limited upside, but the Warriors desperately need a center after how badly things went with Andris Biedrins this past season.  Aldrich can defend the paint and rebound, which is exactly what Golden State needs.

Detroit Pistons – Ed Davis, Power Forward, North Carolina: The Pistons desperately need help inside and Davis would provide rebounding and defense from day one.  His offensive game needs a lot of work, but there is some potential there.  I think this would be a solid pick for Detroit.

Los Angeles Clippers – Al-Farouq Aminu, Small Forward, Wake Forest: Aminu has work to do on his shooting and ball-handling, but he’s got a ton of upside.  I think he’ll end up being a pretty big riser when teams get him in for workouts and see the kind of athlete he is.  He’s got bust potential, but he’s got serious upside.

Utah Jazz – Greg Monroe, Power Forward, Georgetown: Monroe would be an ideal fit for the Jazz.  He’s a skilled big man that can pass and has a high basketball IQ.  Jerry Sloan will love him and he’d be a solid backup for Paul Millsap with Carlos Boozer’s departure seeming imminent.

Indiana Pacers – Avery Bradley, Point Guard, Texas: Bradley might not be a true point in the end, but some people are touting him as a Russell Westbrook-type.  Westbrook’s success should help Bradley’s stock and the Pacers desperately need someone to run their offense.  He’s already a top-tier on-ball defender and has a nice outside shot.

New Orleans Hornets – Ekpe Udoh, Power Forward, Baylor: Udoh is already a defensive presence, but has shown signs of a developing offensive game.  The Hornets need size and he’s good value here.

Memphis Grizzlies – Patrick Patterson, Power Forward, Kentucky: Patterson didn’t play the biggest role for the Wildcats this past season but he’s got an NBA body, is a tough kid and can shoot the mid-range jumper.  I think he’s going to end up being a very good player in this league.  The Grizzlies need insurance in the event that Zach Randolph leaves after the 2010-11 season.

Toronto Raptors – Hassan Whiteside, Center, Marshall: The Raptors will likely look to rebuild if Chris Bosh leaves town.  Whiteside has a ton of potential, but will need time to develop.  He’s a true center and could enable Andre Bargnani to eventually slide over to his more natural position at the four.

Houston Rockets – Gordon Hayward, Small Forward, Butler: Teams are going to fall in love with Hayward as they get to know him more.  He’s a good character guy and a much more impressive physical specimen t