Kerry Eggers' NBA mock draft

By Kerry Eggers

The Portland Tribune, Jun 18, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (6 Reader comments)

Georgia Tech power forward Gani Lawal, 6-8, 230 pounds, could be among the players available to the Trail Blazers if they use their No. 24 draft pick.

KEVIN C. COX / GETTY IMAGES

Here's a look at what could happen in the first round of the June 25 NBA draft:

1. Los Angeles Clippers

Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma: What this means is the Clippers will be looking to move one of their three interior players from a year ago — most likely 7-foot Chris Kaman, who missed 51 games due to injury last season and is not in their plans. Zach Randolph is a serviceable offensive weapon, and veteran Marcus Camby can serve as a mentor to Griffin.

2. Memphis

Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain: The Grizzlies would prefer to move this pick, and if they keep it, the man could be Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet. But it’s more likely to be Rubio, if he stays in the draft. Memphis GM Chris Wallace and coach Lionel Hollins visited Spain last week to watch the 6-4 Rubio play in the Spanish pro league playoffs. Afterward, Rubio and his father met with Wallace, Hollins and Grizzlies center Marc Gasol — a Spanish native — for 90 minutes.

3. Oklahoma City

Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut: Point guard and center are at the top of Oklahoma City’s needs. Word is the Thunder like Davidson guard Stephen Curry, but it would be surprising to see them pass on the 7-3 Thabeet, who didn’t participate in drills at the Chicago combine.

4. Sacramento

James Harden, SG, Arizona State: Sacramento has a great shooting guard in Kevin Martin, but Kings’ brass feels they may be able to play in the lineup together. Harden is a southpaw who can create for himself off the dribble and score with either hand going to the basket.

5. Washington

Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona: Hill is sliding in the minds of some NBA scouts, but there are so few big men in this draft. The Wizards say they’ll take the best player available regardless of position, which might mean they’ll take one of the bevy of good shooting guards, but they can use help at power forward.

6. Minnesota

Tyreke Evans, SG, Memphis: The Timberwolves’ best talent is up front, so they’d prefer to get help in the backcourt. The 6-6 Evans is a good-scoring shooting guard who doesn’t shoot all that well from afar (.274 as a freshman from 3-point range).

7. Golden State

DeMar DeRozan, SG, Southern Cal: DeRozan’s star is rising, and he could go as high as No. 3. The Warriors are said to like Evans and Davidson’s Curry, but the 6-7, 205-pound DeRozan impressed them in a personal workout last week.

8. New York

Stephen Curry, PG, Davidson: Rumor has it that the Blazers are snooping around about this pick. The Knicks would love to move up and land Thabeet. If that doesn’t happen, Curry, who averaged 28.6 points as a junior and is one of the nation’s top shooters, is the type of player who could flourish in coach Mike D’Antoni’s up-tempo offense.

9. Toronto

Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse: The Raptors have a fine point guard in Jose Calderon, but this is a case of taking the best player available in a draft full of capable point guards. Flynn, who topped all candidates at the Chicago combine with a 40-inch vertical, is one of the best athletes in the draft.

10. Milwaukee

Jrue Holiday, PG, UCLA: Holiday didn’t have big numbers as a freshman for the Bruins, but he’s a prototypical point guard with long arms, a strong basketball IQ and excellent defensive promise.

11. New Jersey

Earl Clark, PF, Louisville: GM Kiki Vandeweghe says the Nets will keep the pick, and a power forward seems the biggest need. That would probably mean the 6-9 Clark, a Rahway, N.J., native who is kind of a combo forward with length and impressive physical ability.

12. Charlotte

Gerald Henderson, SG, Duke: Henderson was impressive in a workout with the Bobcats last week. A strong defender and rebounder, he had the lowest body fat (4.4 percent) of any player at the Chicago combine.

13. Indiana

Brandon Jennings, PG, Italy by way of Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., by way of Compton, Calif.: Jennings, who turns 20 in September, opted to play in Italy rather than a year of college last season. He averaged only 5.5 points and 2.3 assists in 17 minutes, but is blessed with great potential as a left-handed point guard with wheels and great court vision.

14. Phoenix

James Johnson, SF, Wake Forest: The Suns may be looking for a young point guard as an eventual replacement for Steve Nash, but they also need somebody to replace free agent Grant Hill as soon as next season.

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit