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No chance they draft the other Zeller .. that would be just too much ..couldn't handle that
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@DraftDreams FYI @AnthonyBennett will have surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff-left shoulder w Dr. Altchek @HSpecialSurgery
@chadfordinsider Agent Jeff Schwartz confirms Bennett will be out up to 4 months. No draft workouts or summer league for Bennett
if there was a year you could get hurt and still go top 10 its this year.
but bennett better not get fat.
DJ, are you being sarcastic about the Wiz's pick?
2013 NBA Mock Draft 2.0
The NBA season is over. Lottery odds and draft orders are set. The early entry list is in. NBA teams finally are beginning the workout process.
That means it's time for the second edition of our first-round mock draft.
In drawing up our second mock draft, we've taken into account team needs, but very little is set in stone. Expect things to fluctuate greatly over the course of the next two months. The NBA draft combine in Chicago is a little more than a week away. Typically a handful of players will see significant movement in their draft stock based on the combine. Further, we won't know the results of the NBA draft lottery until May 21.
Thus, the mock draft order begins with the lottery teams that own the greatest possibility of winning the No. 1 pick (by percentage), then followed by the remaining teams in reverse order of the final regular-season standings. If you want to see what your team might do with their No. 1 pick, check out our Lottery Mock Draft Machine that features more than 2,000 scenarios.
1. Orlando Magic - Nerlens Noel
Analysis: I'm not sure there will be a Disney World parade down the streets of Orlando if the Magic win the No. 1 pick. According to sources, Orlando had its heart set on Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart until he broke its heart when he decided to stay in college. While the Magic need just about everything, point guard might be their biggest area of need. So, does Orlando roll the dice on Trey Burke or do they go after Noel, who gives the Magic something else they desperately need (shot blocking)? The Magic were tied for 24th in the league in blocked shots and could use an athlete in the paint next to Nikola Vucevic. While there will be a solid argument for Burke here, high-ceiling players like Noel are hard to come by.
2. Charlotte Bobcats - Ben McLemore
Analysis: The Bobcats need everything. With the possible exception of 2012's No. 2 pick, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the team requires upgrades everywhere. McLemore makes a lot of sense here. The Bobcats ranked 27th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage last season, and McLemore has a beautiful stroke. Anthony Bennett and Alex Len are other possibilities, though their recent injuries cast doubt on whether teams would take them this high.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers - Otto Porter
Analysis: Porter is the perfect fit for Cleveland, and according to sources he is the No. 2-ranked player on the Cavs' board right now. With two dynamic scorers in their backcourt and good size up front, they need a wing like Porter who can excel without having the offense run through him.
4. Phoenix Suns - Victor Oladipo
Analysis: Though the Suns just hired Ryan McDonough as the new general manager, the team still has many basketball needs. Right now its biggest problem seems to be character and drive. The Suns are a leaderless group that desperately needs toughness and energy. While Oladipo is far from a polished product, his lockdown defense, elite athletic abilities and super-high motor seem like the perfect antidote to the malaise in which Phoenix found itself this season. C.J. McCollum could be another possible pick at No. 4. He would give the Suns the pure scorer it lacked all season.
5. New Orleans Pelicans - Trey Burke
Analysis: Burke certainly will get a look as the potential No. 1 pick if the Magic draft there. The other team that seems to fit Burke are the Pelicans. Yes, Greivis Vasquez is coming off a breakout season, but Burke is a totally different player and could complement Vazquez coming off the bench early on. The Pelicans' other big need is at small forward. Shabazz Muhammad could get a look here. So could Croatia's Dario Saric. Sources say that the Pelicans are one of the two or three strongest suitors for Saric at the moment.
6. Sacramento Kings - Anthony Bennett
Analysis: The team is in flux right now as the NBA works out who is going to own the team and where it will be located. So any real inside information is pretty hard to come by. The team's biggest need probably is at small forward. However, adding a shoot-first player like Muhammad seems like a disaster waiting to happen, as much of the Kings' roster is populated by similar players.
Enter Bennett. While he also has a tendency to let it fly, there's an upside there that Muhammad lacks. Tuesday's news that Bennett will have rotator cuff surgery, which could keep him out up to four months, might give the Kings second thoughts about drafting him this high. But overall, I think Bennett's the best talent at this point in the draft.
7. Detroit Pistons - Shabazz Muhammad
Analysis: The Pistons have had a bit of luck the past few years in the lottery. Every year a player who is ranked very high at the start of the season seems to slide to them later in the draft and somehow fits a perfect need. First it was Greg Monroe in 2010. Brandon Knight slid in 2011. Last year it was Andre Drummond. At times, all three were ranked in the top five with Monroe and Drummond going as high as No. 2. Could it happen again this year with Muhammad? The Pistons clearly have a need for a shooter, and before the season began, many scouts had Muhammad as a top-three pick. He didn't look like one at UCLA, but draft prospects rarely shine in Ben Howland's system.
8. Washington Wizards - Alex Len
Analysis: Before last week's news that Len was undergoing surgery and would miss the NBA draft workouts, the combine and summer league, it seemed improbable that the 7-foot-1 big man would fall this low. Now, it appears that he's right within Washington's range. Len could be a steal at No. 8 and could fit a long-term need for Washington. He's one of the two or three most skilled big men in the draft and still has enormous upside.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves - C.J. McCollum
Analysis: McCollum is getting looks as high as No. 4 to the Suns, but if he falls to No. 9, it will be a coup for the Wolves. The team ranked dead last in the NBA in 3-point percentage, while McCollum shot a scintillating 51 percent from 3 this season. He could be a terrific backcourt mate for Ricky Rubio -- the Stephen Curry they should have had four years ago.
10. Portland Trailblazers - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Analysis: Right now, Caldwell-Pope is one of the fastest risers on NBA draft boards. He is a terrific shooter and a very good athlete. While the Blazers already have Wesley Matthews, adding Caldwell-Pope to the mix gives Portland great depth in the backcourt.
11. Philadelphia 76ers - Cody Zeller
Analysis: While there still are a few scouts clinging to the Zeller bandwagon, it's gotten less crowded over the past few months. While there are a few teams with which Zeller fits ahead of the Sixers' pick, this looks like the most obvious fit. With the exception of Spencer Hawes, the Sixers just don't have a lot of size. While I don't think Zeller is worthy of a top-five pick anymore, he's a good value here.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto Raptors) - Gorgui Dieng
Analysis: Really, Oklahoma City is set at every position. However, Dieng is the one player left on the board who probably could help them now. Not only is he physically ready for the NBA, he's a good shot-blocker, a solid rebounder and an excellent passer out of the high post. With the Thunder a little weak up front, I think Dieng could be a nice addition to their frontcourt.M
13. Dallas Mavericks - Dario Saric
Analysis: The Mavs will have a tough call here between Syracuse point guard Michael Carter-Williams and Saric. The Mavs want a player with big upside, and both Carter-Williams and Saric have it. But I'm hearing the Mavs, who have historically been on the cutting edge of drafting international players, feel Saric could be a star someday -- especially if he has a year or two of mentoring from Dirk Nowitzki.
14. Utah Jazz - Kelly Olynyk
Analysis: The Jazz's biggest need is at point guard, but I don't see the next point guard on the board -- Carter-Williams -- as a fit. The Jazz need their point guards to be able to shoot the basketball, and that's Carter-Williams' biggest weakness. The Jazz also will have needs in the frontcourt. With Al Jefferson most likely leaving this summer via free agency, they'll need big bodies. Olynyk was the most efficient big man in college basketball and would add another wrinkle to a bright up-and-coming tandem of Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors.
15. Milwaukee Bucks - Glen Rice Jr.
Analysis: We put Rice in our top 30 several months ago after he started getting more minutes in the D-League and broke loose. It wasn't a fluke. Rice led the Rio Grande Vipers to the D-League championship, scoring 25 PPG in the finals. He's a bit of a tweener, but he has NBA athleticism, can really shoot the basketball and is an excellent rebounder for his size. Most importantly, in the D-League he excelled at a high level among elite college players and former NBA rotation guys. He could help the Bucks right away next season.
16. Boston Celtics - Michael Carter-Williams
Analysis: With Rajon Rondo's future up in the air, Carter-Williams could be a very good pick here. The Celtics already are accustomed to having a long, athletic point guard who can't shoot. His size would allow him to share the backcourt with Avery Bradley. Some scouts have Carter-Williams ranked as high as No. 5 on their boards, so landing him at No. 16 would be a steal.
17. Atlanta Hawks - Robert Gobert
Analysis: Atlanta is in rebuilding mode and can afford to swing for the fences. Gobert's best attribute is a 7-foot-9 wingspan. He's played adequately in the French League this year, but he's still very much a work in progress. With most of the team heading into free agency, they need depth everywhere -- especially on the front line.
18. Atlanta Hawks (via Houston Rockets) - Jamaal Franklin
Analysis: Atlanta is somewhat set in the backcourt, but I think Franklin, who also can play some small forward, might be worth the gamble. His infectious energy and athletic ability should give the team a real shot in the arm.
19. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Los Angeles Lakers) - Steven Adams
Analysis: Cleveland still is rebuilding, so it can afford to take a gamble. Right now, scouts feel Adams has the most upside of the young bigs left on the board. Adams has the NBA body and toughness, but he remains incredibly raw offensively. With Anderson Varejao as a mentor, it seems Adams could be a good long-term fit.
20. Chicago Bulls - Mason Plumlee
Analysis: Plumlee had a terrific season at Duke, but he's struggling to convince NBA teams that he could put up similar numbers in the pros. He's big, athletic, a solid rebounder and runs the floor well. I'm not sure he falls this far, but if he does, the Bulls certainly will snatch him up. They could use another athletic body in their frontcourt. Sergey Karasev, a sharpshooter from Russia, also is a real possibility here.
21. Utah Jazz (via Golden State Warriors) - Shane Larkin
Analysis: The Jazz still need a point guard, and among the point guards still left on the board, Larkin could be the best fit for Utah. Yes, he's undersized. But he's a great athlete, sees the floor well and shot more than 40 percent from 3 this season. Look for Baylor's Pierre Jackson and Germany's Dennis Schroeder also to be in the conversation with this pick.
22. Brooklyn Nets - Sergey Karasev
Analysis: No, I'm not just placing Karasev here because he's Russian. Brooklyn is playing to win now, and there aren't a lot of players on the board who could step in and help the Nets right away. Karasev is putting up impressive numbers in Russia, and the Nets could use another sniper from beyond the arc.
23. Indiana Pacers - Dennis Schroeder
Analysis: Indiana is thrilled with George Hill's production but still hasn't found the right fit at backup point guard. Schroeder could be a steal for the Pacers here. He's super quick, has a 6-foot-7 wingspan and sees the floor really well. He wowed teams at the Nike Hoop Summit, and if he doesn't fall to the Pacers, I could see him going as high as No. 16 to the Celtics.
24. New York Knicks - Jeff Withey
Analysis: The Knicks have a strong front line but an aging one. Withey is one of the best two or three shot-blockers in the draft and could immediately help the Knicks' interior defense.
25. Los Angeles Clippers - Pierre Jackson
Analysis: The Clippers can't afford to keep Eric Bledsoe, so most likely he'll be traded this summer. The Clippers will need a cheap replacement, and Jackson could fill that need. Clippers fans will love Jackson, an elite athlete who plays with reckless abandon. He's got the potential to be another Nate Robinson.
26. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Memphis Grizzlies) - Giannis Adetokunbo
Analysis: The Timberwolves have an excellent international scouting staff, and with one lottery pick already in the books at this point, they can afford to take a huge gamble on Adetokunbo. Granted, he's playing against very poor competition in the second division of the Greek League, but the physical and basketball skills are undeniable. Minnesota can afford to wait and develop him overseas or in the D-League for a few years before trying him out in the NBA.
27. Denver Nuggets - Allen Crabbe
Analysis: Denver is one of the deeper teams in the league right now and might opt for an international player just to save a roster spot. However, Crabbe could be the one guy on the board who intrigues them. He's an excellent shooter with deep range. It's an area with which the Nuggets struggled all season and in the playoffs. Crabbe could be an inexpensive solution.
28. San Antonio Spurs - Alex Abrines
Analysis: Abrines actually is getting decent minutes for one of the best teams in Europe right now. He's a scorer who can get it going from wherever. Abrines is a major sleeper in my opinion, which is exactly the type of guy the Spurs always seem to find.
29. Oklahoma City Thunder - Richard Ledo
Analysis: Ledo was one of the country's best high school scorers in 2011-12, but he wasn't able to showcase his talents after being ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA. Still, a number of GMs believe he could be a late-first-round steal. With the Thunder going for a safe big man in Dieng at the top of the first round, it might not hurt to roll the dice in the second half.
30. Phoenix Suns (via Miami Heat) - Archie Goodwin
Analysis: This is a pure talent grab by the Suns. Goodwin has elite speed and quickness. But his wild shot selection and poor outside shooting contributed to Kentucky's woes this season. The Suns, however, can afford to be patient with him and wait to see if he develops.
6. Sacramento Kings - Anthony Bennett
Analysis: The team is in flux right now as the NBA works out who is going to own the team and where it will be located. So any real inside information is pretty hard to come by. The team's biggest need probably is at small forward. However, adding a shoot-first player like Muhammad seems like a disaster waiting to happen, as much of the Kings' roster is populated by similar players.
Enter Bennett. While he also has a tendency to let it fly, there's an upside there that Muhammad lacks. Tuesday's news that Bennett will have rotator cuff surgery, which could keep him out up to four months, might give the Kings second thoughts about drafting him this high. But overall, I think Bennett's the best talent at this point in the draft.
He won't make it past the T'Wolves at 9 (our probable pick).I am hoping he will slip to us
He won't make it past the T'Wolves at 9 (our probable pick).I am hoping he will slip to us
I think Len can be a solid big to have in a rotation...nobody on the terps knew how to throw an entry pass or they would forget they had a 7 footer down lowAfter watching the playoffs, it just confirms my feelings about Len. Size, especially athletic size can't be caught. I'd take him top 5 without thinking twice.
Him and Ant would be a problem down in NOLA together
LinkNBA teams dissect Muhammad, Zeller at combine
Soaked in sweat, former UCLA forward Shabazz Muhammad settled into a folding chair on Thursday morning and was immediately swallowed by a sea of cameras, digital recorders and notebooks. There were nearly a dozen other potential draft picks in the makeshift press room at Harrison Street Athletics Facility, site of the 2013 NBA Draft Combine, but most of the attention was devoted to Muhammad, the flashy, volume scoring swingman who is fast becoming the most debated player in the draft.
At 6-foot-6, 220-pounds, Muhammad already has an NBA body. He's powerful, rebounds well for his position and made strides as a halfcourt player in UCLA's system, which often required him to come off screens. And Muhammad believes the NBA's free flowing style will unlock even more of his offensive potential.
"The NBA is more up-tempo and spaces the floor," Muhammad said. "UCLA was great for me, I learned a lot and I loved Coach Howland as a coach, but there was a lot of structure. I can go right, I can take guys off the dribble. I can play pick-and-roll. I think I can score the ball in a variety of ways."
"I have a preference for playing the two-guard. I think I can be one of the tallest guys playing the two. I was out here with the three's today and I have some good size for that position but I think if I'm a two, I can do a lot of damage at the guard position."
Yet Muhammad has become something of an enigma. Many executives expressed concern that he is only effective going left. One exec cited the mechanics on his jump shot as an area of concern. Another raised Muhammad's one-dimensional game as a reason he could free fall in the draft.
"The analytics people don't like guys who only do one thing," said an Eastern Conference exec. "And in this draft, where there is so much parity out there, the analytics are going to play a big part."
Credit Muhammad for this: While Ben McLemore, Cody Zeller, Mason Plumlee and other projected high first-round picks sat out the drills portion of the combine, Muhammad came to work. He didn't shoot the ball particularly well, two executives remarked. But he played hard and was clearly eager to showcase a more rounded game. And despite battling through a controversial freshman season at UCLA -- one marred by accusations of selfishness, an NCAA suspension and a public dispute about his age -- Muhammad came to the combine ready and willing to address any issues teams had with him head on.
"I love the interviews," Muhammad said. "I knew there were going to be those questions. I wanted to get them out of the way. I was so happy to get to it. I was telling them everything, telling them the truth, letting them know I'm a good kid, I'm here to play basketball."
"I'm 20 years old. I have my license. I never declared that I wasn't 20. I don't know what [caused him to be listed at 19]. If someone asked me, I'm 20. My license says I was born in 1992. I can't deny it. I can't say I'm 19 and someone looks at my license and say I'm 19 if I was born in '92. Unless you can't count, you know I'm 20."
Muhammad -- who has met with Minnesota, Portland, Toronto and Houston, with more interviews scheduled for Thursday -- made it clear that after years of allowing others to speak for him, no one will anymore.
"I'm going to speak for myself now," Muhammad said. "I was a guy who used to play basketball and let some of my guys talk for me, family members. I think now I'm a more mature person and I'm just going to talk for myself. I think that's the right way to do it."
Got wingspan?
Wingspan. It's one of NBA executives' favorite measurements and a word Indiana's Cody Zeller is tired of hearing. Despite a productive sophomore season at IU, where the 7-foot Zeller averaged 16.5 points and 8.1 rebounds, much of the talk in the last few weeks has focused on Zeller's short wingspan, which according to multiple reports is 6-foot-8.
But here's the thing: Zeller -- who will be officially measured on Friday -- says reports of his short wingspan have been inaccurate. According to Zeller, his wingspan is 6-foot-10 3/4.
"It's still not good," Zeller said. "But it's better than 6-foot-8."
A projected top-three pick in November, Zeller's NBA stock slipped during the season as his numbers didn't significantly improve from his freshman year. Several NBA executives say Zeller plays small for someone his size. Still, Zeller says he considers his final year at Indiana a successful season.
"I thought we had a great year, individually and as a team," Zeller said. "We had high expectations for the season, and we would have liked to win a national championship. But we still won maybe the best conference in the country. And I thought I had a great year individually as well. My numbers went up since my freshman year and I had all the attention of double and triple teams, the numbers didn't [improve] too much but I feel like I improved a lot."
Zeller, who interviewed with Toronto, Portland, Houston and Boston, says he sees himself as a power forward in the NBA.
"There are a lot of comparisons to LaMarcus Aldridge," Zeller said. "I can catch in the mid-post and use my quickness. I didn't shoot it from outside as much this year. I think I have that ability. It [won't be] a huge adjustment for me, proving I can do what I already know."
McCollum looking to follow in Lillard's footsteps
Lehigh's C.J. McCollum and Portland's Damian Lillard, the recently crowned NBA Rookie of the Year, have a lot in common. Both were smallish, prolific scoring guards for mid-major schools. Both suffered fractures of the fifth metatarsal during their college careers. Neither ever made the NCAA tournament. And both came to the NBA with questions as to whether they could play point guard at the next level.
I think we're similar in terms of the demeanor, in the way he carries himself on the court," McCollum said. "Nothing fazes him. That's from playing four years in college. He has that experience, that mental edge, that push. That's one of the things we both have. When you come from a small school, you have to put in more time than the other guys."
Last January, McCollum's senior season ended with a foot injury. McCollum says he was fully cleared 2 1/2 weeks ago and that he is already "in game shape." He says he refused to have his foot put in a cast after the surgery to repair the injury, instead opting for a walking boot so he could begin his rehabilitation immediately. He shot from chairs and on one foot and took up boxing to keep his conditioning at a high level.
McCollum says he believes he can play either guard spot but when pressed said his preferred position was the point, where his offensive explosiveness (he averaged 23.9 points last season) can be more of an asset. At Lehigh, McCollum was put in plenty of pick-and-roll situations, one of the NBA's bread and butter plays. He says he has zeroed in on tightening up his ball handling but does not want to stray too far from what got him to this point. He cited San Antonio's Tony Parker as an example of a playmaker who can distribute but also come off of screens and be a scorer.
"You don't want to lose your strengths," McCollum said. "I don't think I'll ever be a pass first point guard because of the capabilities I have on offense. I have to embrace and accept that. When guys go under screens, you shoot it. And being a bigger point guard, running the show, it provides more of a challenge for opposing teams."
Interest in McCollum is high: On Thursday, McCollum said he was scheduled to interview with 15 teams, including Oklahoma City, Orlando, Denver and Cleveland.
Muscala studies Kobe
When you are an NBA prospect playing for a small school, every big, nationally televised matchup is important. So Bucknell's Mike Muscala knows just how badly he blew it when he posted nine points (on 4-of-17 shooting) against Butler center Andrew Smith in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
"It was really disappointing," Muscala said. "Coming from a small university, when you get on the big stage you want to play well. I was ready for the challenge. I had heard [Smith] did well against Kelly [Olynyk] and [Cody] Zeller. He did a really good job. It just didn't go my way. I thought I got good position, took good shots; they just wouldn't go in."
The Butler game was a bitter end to an otherwise productive career for Muscala, who led the nation in double-doubles (22) as a senior and was named the Patriot League's Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Muscala considers himself the ultimate student of the game, one who lifts the best from every player he watches on tape. He developed his midrange game after seeing how successful Pau Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge used it so effectively and has carefully studied Kobe Bryant's footwork.
Muscala, who interviewed with Sacramento and Atlanta, will likely slip to the second round. But he believes his ability to be a stretch-four will land him a roster spot.
"I think I'm a good outside shooter," Muscala said. "We do a lot of pick and roll and pick and pop at Bucknell in our offense. I'm used to that. I was doing that for four years. I can do it in the NBA."