Todd Salem NBA Mock Draft – 5 June 2012
June 6, 2012 · Todd Salem
1. Anthony Davis 2. Michael Gilchrist 3. Andre Drummond 4. Bradley Beal 5. Thomas Robinson
| Round 1 | |||||
| 1 |  |
New Orleans | Anthony Davis | PF | Kentucky |
| Let’s not pretend this isn’t already decided. It’s an odd, almost insulting rule that NBA teams with the first pick need to keep their choice a “secret” prior to draft day. | |||||
| 2 |  |
Charlotte | Michael Gilchrist | SF | Kentucky |
| Charlotte needs help…everywhere. Andre Drummond is an interesting option in that he has a much higher upside than Kidd-Gilchrist but the question marks should scare away a team that needs a definitive player without the option of him not panning out and Gilchrist is the latter. | |||||
| 3 |  |
Washington | Andre Drummond | C | Connecticut |
| The Wizards traded away their talented yet frustrating big man a year ago. In Andre Drummond they have the chance to get an even more talented big man who could turn into someone even more frustrating to watch than JaVale McGee ever was. | |||||
| 4 |  |
Cleveland | Bradley Beal | PG | Florida |
| Bradley Beal was arguably the best shooter in the country coming out of high school. Although his freshman season at Florida was not ideal, and he ended up playing out of position a lot of the time, Cleveland would be drafting him more hoping for the player he was a year ago at this time. | |||||
| 5 |  |
Sacramento | Thomas Robinson | PF | Kansas |
| In the NBA draft, there are rarely times to pick high ceiling, high floor players. Most likely, a prospect with a high ceiling is raw and risky. Yet Thomas Robinson may be a little of both. He only has one real, full year of college ball under his belt, meaning there is certainly more room for improvement in his game. However, it seems evident that a team knows what they will get from him in the effort and rebounding departments regardless. | |||||
| 6 |  |
Portland (from BRK) | Jeremy Lamb | SF | Connecticut |
| Portland obtaining this pick is more thanks to some questionable tactics out in Brooklyn. But give the Blazers credit for taking advantage of another franchise like this. Teaming Jeremy Lamb, one of the purest and most effortless scorers in the nation, with LaMarcus Aldridge would give Portland a formidable one-two punch in the west. | |||||
| 7 |  |
Golden State | Harrison Barnes | SF | North Carolina |
| If it’s possible to be an All-Conference performer and a huge disappoint at the same time, Harrison Barnes achieved this. Many things were expected of Barnes and he never quite got there in his two years at Carolina. Nevertheless, he is an equipped scorer who will be hard to pass on at number seven. | |||||
| 8 |  |
Toronto | Jared Sullinger | PF | Ohio State |
| When NBA fans think of the Raptors, they imagine the European imports who have size but shoot threes. Jared Sullinger can change all that. He would bring some much needed strength, nastiness and scoring touch to the interior of the Raptors’ attack. | |||||
| 9 |  |
Detroit | Tyler Zeller | C | North Carolina |
| Teaming Tyler Zeller with the already established Greg Monroe would give Detroit one of the best interior combinations the eastern conference has to offer. Now hopefully they can find some better guards to take advantage of how well Zeller runs the floor. | |||||
| 10 | |
New Orleans (from MIN) | Kendall Marshall | PG | North Carolina |
| The Hornets have a new owner, a new big man (see pick one) and now a new point guard. If a healthy Eric Gordon returns, suddenly New Orleans has a bright future behind this young trio. | |||||
| 11 | |
Portland | Perry Jones | PF | Baylor |
| Not dominating collegiate foes does not necessarily mean Perry Jones can’t take another step at the pro level. Plenty of players have flourished upon leaving college and playing in the NBA. Jones’ motor is a question; the rest of his talent is not. | |||||
| 12 |  |
Milwaukee | Austin Rivers | SG | Duke |
| Opinions vary greatly on Austin Rivers. Some believe his game does not translate to the NBA. Others feel he can make the necessary adjustments to be as offensively dominant as he eventually became late in his freshman year at Duke. Milwaukee needs to take a chance on finding a future star. | |||||
| 13 |  |
Phoenix | John Henson | PF | North Carolina |
| An amazing defensive force, John Henson improved his offensive game vastly as a junior at North Carolina. Phoenix will hope it improves even more once he adds some weight and strength to his thin frame. | |||||
| 14 |  |
Houston | Tony Wroton Jr. | PG | Washington |
| Having been compared (favorably and unfavorably) to Rajon Rondo, Wroton Junior is a very hit or miss prospect. He has great size and court vision. He also has no signs of a jump shot whatsoever. | |||||
| 15 |  |
Philadelphia | Fab Melo | C | Syracuse |
| We’ve heard this story before. A team drafts a very raw big man who can defend the paint and they will hope his offensive game improves so he can at least remain on the court in late-game situations. Fab Melo got a lot better between his freshman and sophomore seasons yet still struggled to stay on the court. | |||||
| 16 | |
Houston (from NY) | Meyers Leonard | C | Illinois |
| An undersized roster after failing to acquire Pau Gasol a year ago, Houston should look to add a legit center. They may prefer Fab Melo but would have to settle for Leonard if things progress like this. | |||||
| 17 |  |
Dallas | Dion Waiters | SG | Syracuse |
| A sixth man in college, Dion Waiters is the epitome of bench scoring. Going to Dallas, he will have the opportunity of learning his trade from one of the very best sixth men the NBA has to offer, Jason Terry. | |||||
| 18 |  |
Minnesota (from UTAH) | John Jenkins | SG | Vanderbilt |
| John Jenkins is a great shooter and scorer. Although Vanderbilt was a bit disappointing this past season, it was not because of Jenkins. Minnesota has some nice pieces in place and can use a wing scorer like Jenkins to both spread the floor and take double teams away from Kevin Love. | |||||
| 19 |  |
Orlando | Damian Lillard | PG | Weber State |
| Perhaps a better overall talent than point guard Kendall Marshall, Damian Lillard suffers from the mid-major label. He did not play in a major conference game after game and thus, scouts can be critical of how accurate his results actually were. | |||||
| 20 |  |
Denver | Royce White | PF | Iowa State |
| One of the more versatile players in the nation, Royce White played an old-fashioned point forward for the Cyclones this season. Denver has a deep roster with some moving parts that White should fit into splendidly. | |||||
| 21 |  |
Boston | Draymond Green | PF | Michigan State |
| Draymond Green is a reliable scorer and rebounder with triple-doubles in his past. Adding him to an aging Boston team infuses the front court with some much needed energy behind Kevin Garnett and whoever else returns from injury. | |||||
| 22 | |
Boston (from LAC) | Terrence Ross | SF | Washington |
| An aging Boston front court is only matched by their aging backcourt. With the exception of point guard, the rest of the Celtics roster could use some youthful depth. Ross should be a scoring threat off the bench right from the start of his rookie season. | |||||
| 23 |  |
Atlanta | Terrence Jones | PF | Kentucky |
| Last year, Terrence Jones might have been selected in the lottery. This year, he will have no such luck after a somewhat disappointing season which saw him take a backseat to numerous Kentucky freshmen. He has a very impressive game…when he’s engaged and going well. He simply is not engaged often enough. | |||||
| 24 | |
Cleveland (from LAL) | Quincy Miller | SF | Baylor |
| Many felt that Quincy Miller could have used another year in school. Miller obviously felt otherwise. His wire-thin frame needs to be muscled up for him to have an effect on the glass as a rookie. | |||||
| 25 |  |
Memphis | Moe Harkless | SF | St. John’s |
| Carrying a major conference team in college basketball is nothing to raise your nose at, even if it was on a weak St. John’s squad. Moe Harkless was that team’s engine as a freshman. Memphis is already deep but they may be looking to deal Rudy Gay because of salary constraints and Harkless would help fill that void. | |||||
| 26 |  |
Indiana | Doron Lamb | SG | Kentucky |
| Doron Lamb ended up being the most reliable scorer for the National Champion Kentucky Wildcats. He is a smart player and good shooter. While the Pacers have good players, they could use someone who knows what to do with his minutes on offense. | |||||
| 27 |  |
Miami | Darius Johnson-Odom | SG | Marquette |
| Darius Johnson-Odom is a luxury in that he is not a big man or backcourt guard. He is just a basketball player. Not every team would be able to use their first round pick on someone who doesn’t fill an immediate need. Miami, on the other hand, can take who they deem as the best player, and hope he finds a niche on this roster. | |||||
| 28 |  |
Oklahoma City | Arnett Moultrie | PF | Mississippi State |
| After a transfer from UTEP, Arnett Moultrie excelled in his first season in the SEC. He put up big scoring and rebounding numbers and has the size and leaping ability desired out of an NBA power forward. OKC will hope he develops his offensive game even more to give them something inside that Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins still fail to deliver. | |||||
| 29 |  |
Chicago | Evan Fournier | SG | France |
| Great size and ball handling from the shooting guard position makes Evan Fournier an attractive prospect. He is also tremendous at penetrating the lane and getting to the rim. Although his outside shot needs some work, Fournier can dominate the ball for Chicago anytime Derrick Rose needs a breather. | |||||
| 30 | |
Golden State (from SA) | Jeffery Taylor | SF | Vanderbilt |
| Taylor can doing everything asked of him on a basketball court and probably should not drop this far in the NBA draft. Golden State would be ecstatic if he did. With their current stars known for being porous on defense, Jeffery Taylor had the speed and smarts to lock down opponents in college and should be a nice addition to the Warriors. | |||||
| Round 2 | |||||
| 31 | |
Charlotte | Marquis Teague | PG | Kentucky |
| The forgotten Wildcat, Teague improved greatly as his freshman season progressed. A jet quick talent, he needs to improve his shot and decision-making but could hopefully develop alongside Kemba Walker in Charlotte’s backcourt. | |||||
| 32 | |
Washington | Will Barton | SG | Memphis |
| Hoping to sneak into the first round, Will Barton would be a nice pick for Washington at the beginning of the second. His ability to handle the ball and penetrate would give the Wizards a capable guard alongside John Wall. | |||||
| 33 | |
Cleveland | Tu Holloway | PG | Xavier |
| A tumultuous season at Xavier slowed down Tu Holloway a little. However, he should still be considered one of the better point guard options available in round two. | |||||
| 34 | |
Cleveland (from NO) | Drew Gordon | PF | New Mexico |
| Not every skill translates from college to the NBA. Rebounding translates and Drew Gordon can rebound the basketball. | |||||
| 35 | |
Golden State (from BRK) | Festus Ezeli | C | Vanderbilt |
| One of the better defensive big men in the country, Festus Ezeli could begin to log the minutes that had been going to Andris Biedrins in the past. | |||||
| 36 | |
Sacramento | Kevin Jones | PF | West Virginia |
| One of the best players in one of the best conferences in the nation, Kevin Jones drops because of his lack of upside. There is nothing wrong with his game though. | |||||
| 37 | |
Toronto | Tyshawn Taylor | PG | Kansas |
| Tyshawn Taylor got much better during his four years at Kansas. Although still prone to lapses in judgment and inconsistency, Taylor has the measurables and defensive tenacity to play at the next level. | |||||
| 38 | |
Denver (from GS) | Orlando Johnson | SG | UC Santa Barbara |
| A sharp shooter who can get to the basket is a talent to examine whether he went to UC Santa Barbara or UCLA. | |||||
| 39 | |
Detroit | Kris Joseph | SF | Syracuse |
| If Joseph had been as good as he was a season ago, he would have been a first round pick. Instead, his game suffered a little with all the options at Syracuse. | |||||
| 40 | |
Portland (from Minn) | Jordan Taylor | PG | Wisconsin |
| A big point guard prone to taking big shots with below average quickness does not warrant a first round selection, whether his production says otherwise or not. | |||||
| 41 | |
Portland | Andrew Nicholson | PF | St. Bonaventure |
| At this point, Andrew Nicholson will certainly be the best player available on draft boards. With back to back picks, this is the time for Portland to pounce on such a player. | |||||
| 42 | |
Milwaukee | JaMychal Green | PF | Alabama |
| A power forward who can block shots and steal the basketball as well as defend multiple positions will get playing time for Milwaukee. | |||||
| 43 | |
Atlanta (from PHO) | Jae Crowder | SF | Marquette |
| The reigning Big East Conference Player of the Year is a tweener. Atlanta will hope they can find a place for him since he can certainly play ball. | |||||
| 44 | |
Detroit (from HOU) | Scott Machado | PG | Iona |
| Many people feel that Brandon Knight may not be a true point guard and Rodney Stuckey may not be the answer. Scott Machado may be able to fix both of those problems. | |||||
| 45 | |
Philadelphia | Renardo Sidney | PF | Mississippi State |
| Someone will take a chance on Renardo Sidney. Perhaps he doesn’t deserve one and would be better served fighting as an undrafted free agent but someone will take a chance. | |||||
| 46 | |
Washington (from DAL) | J’Covan Brown | SG | Texas |
| J’Covan Brown is not really a point guard and doesn’t have much depth to his game but he can score the basketball from many places on the court. Alongside a shooting-challenge point guard like John Wall, it seems like a nice fit. | |||||
| 47 |  |
Utah | William Buford | SG | Ohio State |
| The veteran Buford is a professional player and will immediately help a Utah team that is very inside-oriented but lacks guard talent. | |||||
| 48 |  |
New York | Furkan Aldemir | PF | Turkey |
| Furkan Aldemir should be able to compete right away both physically and on the glass. With New York’s deficiencies on defense, you can’t ask for much more from your second round selection. | |||||
| 49 | |
Orlando | Mike Scott | PF | Virginia |
| Much like Kevin Jones, Mike Scott produced wildly as a collegian but lacks upside because of his less than stellar athleticism. He drops because he is also not the rebounder Jones is. | |||||
| 50 | |
Denver | Hollis Thompson | SF | Georgetown |
| Coming from the slow-down offense at Georgetown, it was hard for Hollis Thompson to make his mark on the national landscape. Scoring 23 points on 8-15 shooting in the third round of the NCAA Tournament as his final performance wasn’t a bad attempt. | |||||
| 51 | |
Boston | Maalik Wayns | PG | Villanova |
| The only threat on a down Villanova team, Wayns is a scoring point guard. It is possible he could turn himself into Boston’s irrational confidence player off the bench. | |||||
| 52 | |
Golden State (from ATL) | Xavier Gibson | C | Florida State |
| After failing to acquire a quality center last year, Golden State is still searching. Gibson is good defensively but might not be the long term answer either. | |||||
| 53 |  |
L.A. Clippers | Jared Cunningham | SG | Oregon State |
| The Clippers definitely lacked production from the two-guard slot once Chauncey Billups went down. Though perhaps not as good a pure shooter as some of their returning options, Jared Cunningham could develop into a better overall option. | |||||
| 54 | |
Philadelphia (from MEM) | Darius Miller | SF | Kentucky |
| Darius Miller, the lone veteran voice on the young champs, proved he had some game. When Kentucky needed a play, even with all of their lottery picks, it seemed Coach Calipari trusted Miller to make it. | |||||
| 55 | |
Dallas (from LAL) | Henry Sims | PF | Georgetown |
| The departure of Tyson Chandler was much more critical than Dallas would have wanted to admit. Although Sims is not the defensive force of a Chandler, he can man the middle. | |||||
| 56 | |
Toronto (from IND) | Kim English | SG | Missouri |
| A scoring guard coming from a team filled with scoring guards, English separated himself a bit from his Missouri teammates on their way to a highly successful season. | |||||
| 57 |  |
Brooklyn (from MIA) | Khris Middleton | SF | Texas A&M |
| Scouts say that Khris Middleton has good court vision and a high basketball IQ. Sometimes these traits mask a player’s lack of overall talent but Middleton can also flat out shoot. | |||||
| 58 | |
Minnesota (from OKC) | John Shurna | PF | Northwestern |
| A big man with outside range, Shurna mirrors Kevin Love’s offensive game minus the offensive rebounding. He should help to spread the floor for the T-Wolves. | |||||
| 59 |  |
San Antonio | Ricardo Ratliffe | PF | Missouri |
| San Antonio always manages to steal a great player late in drafts. Ratliffe was an excellent rebounder and one of the most efficient scorers in the nation. | |||||
| 60 |  |
L.A. Lakers (from CHI) | Tomas Satoransky | SG | Czech Republic |
| A nice prospect with less than ideal experience, LA is still looking for a guard to complement Kobe Bryant. | |||||
