NBA Mock Draft

With the 2009 NBA draft just a few days away, I figure it's only fitting to do a mock draft. Much like my NFL work, I'm focused on the best guy for the team, not necessarily who the team is leaning towards taking.

1) LA Clippers: Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma
- A slam-dunk pick here. Griffin has most of the tools, including an NBA-ready body and off-the-charts athleticism. The one thing he could stand to do is to add a mid-range jumper.

2) Memphis Grizzlies: TRADE DOWN
- Rubio won't play there, and Thabeet isn't crazy about it, either. The next most-logical pick is Jonny Flynn, but he's a reach at #2. Therefore, they trade the pick to a team that could use the high spot.

2b) New York Knicks: Stephen Curry, PG/SG, Davidson
- I'm not crazy on Curry's PG prowess at the next level, but there's no doubting that he can shoot the lights out. With the likely release of Nate Robinson in the near future, this fits if they can add the necessary trade material.

3) Oklahoma City Thunder: Hasheem Thabeet, C, UConn
- After Griffin, I thoroughly HATE this class of bigs. Thabeet has no offensive skill besides dunking, but OKC does need a guy to lock down inside on defense, and size and wingspan can't be taught. I still think he's a rail-thin Sam Dalembert, but that's good enough for the Thunder.

4) Sacramento Kings: Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse
- Flynn has an NBA body and the ability to carry a team on his back. Sacramento's needed a point guard ever since Mike Bibby left town, and Flynn is the guy that can fill that void.

5) Washington Wizards: Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain
- I'm not crazy on Rubio. After seeing some film, he looks like he's got fantastic court vision, but he looks awkward running the fast break and isn't very athletic. ESPN's Fran Frischilla calls him the next Steve Nash, but I think he tops out as this decade's Jason Williams. He'll be good, but there are definitely some holes there.

6) Minnesota Timberwolves: Brandon Jennings, PG, Italy
- Jennings could have been a top-5 pick had he declared for the draft last year. Minnesota is desperate for a point guard, and while they could take Jrue Holliday, I think Jennings is the better pick here due to his experience playing pro ball.

7) Golden State Warriors: Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona
- GS could go a lot of different directions here. Tyreke Evans is an option, as are Holliday and Arizona State's James Harden. However, Hill put up sneaky good numbers at Arizona, and with frontcourt depth at a real shortage, I think he's the pick.

8) Memphis Grizzlies (from NY Knicks): Jrue Holliday, PG, UCLA
- The Grizzlies have OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay, two viable scoring threats. However, they may not be convinced that Mike Conley is the guy to bring the ball up the floor in the near future. If Hill was available, I think he may have been the pick here due to suspect frontcourt depth, but they settle for the best pure PG available.

9) Toronto Raptors: DeJuan Blair, PF, Pittsburgh
- Blair's small measurements have scouts concerned, but do not forget that this is the same guy who made Hasheem Thabeet look like post-My Giant Gheorghe Muresan TWICE despite being a full nine inches shorter. He plays much bigger than he is, and with Chris Bosh likely skipping town after this coming season, he'll be appreciated here.

10) Milwaukee Bucks: James Harden, SG, Arizona State
- Milwaukee has a big backcourt problem. Fortunately, Harden slips here after being regarded by some as a top-5 prospect. He can pull up and shoot, as well as drive the lane, but questions have arisen as to just how much he'll improve at the next level.

11) NJ Nets: Earl Clark, SF, Louisville
- Clark is very athletic and poses a lot of mismatches at the small forward spot. He's got the intangibles to be a nice complement to Brook Lopez.

12) Charlotte Bobcats: BJ Mullens, C, Ohio State
- Charlotte has no depth behind Gerald Wallace and Emeka Okafor inside. Mullens is one of two 7-footers in this draft, and while he's far from a finished product, the Bobcats need to make the best of a TERRIBLE frontcourt situation here.

13) Indiana Pacers: Gerald Henderson, SG/SF, Duke
- The Pacers were REALLY banged up last year, yet still managed to win 36 games despite ten different players starting 14 or more games. This speaks to the team's commitment to depth and versatility, and Henderson, who played anywhere from the 1 to the 4 at Duke, would be a really nice fit here because of it.

14) Phoenix Suns: Tyreke Evans, PG/SG, Memphis
- Evans is sort of a tweener, but he does have great speed and the ability to play in transition. In Phoenix's go-go-go offense, he'd be a pretty valuable player.

15) Detroit Pistons: Ty Lawson, PG, UNC
- How some mock drafts have Lawson out of the first round is beyond me. His durability isn't great, but it shouldn't be a black mark on his incredible talent. There's no doubt AI is not the point guard Detroit wants, and he's getting older. They can take some time and groom Lawson to be the next Billups of this team, a defense-minded PG who can make clutch plays on the offensive end.

16) Chicago Bulls: Demar DeRozan, SG, USC
- The Bulls get lucky here, as the raw DeRozan drops to #16. He's very athletic, but needs some time to mature. Fortunately, Chicago should be able to give him that.

17) Philadelphia 76ers: Terrence Williams, SG, Louisville
- Williams is a perfect fit here despite some unsure reports about his true ceiling. He played an uptempo style in college, and the Sixers play that same style at the next level. He's also a terrific defensive player, which should help them tremendously.

18) Minnesota Timberwolves: Sam Young, SF, Pitt
- Young scores in bunches, and can do so from anywhere on the floor after starting his college career as more of an inside player and moving towards the wing. Chase Budinger fits as well, but Young's basketball IQ and aggressiveness win out.

19) Atlanta Hawks: Jeff Teague, PG/SG, Wake Forest
- He's not quite ready for prime-time yet, but Teague can play either guard position and has no problem creating his own shot. He'll have time to grow in Atlanta, which can only help him in the long run.

20) Utah Jazz: Tyler Hansbrough, SF, UNC
- A disciplined, hard-working player is available for a coach who loves them. Tough to imagine a better fit than this, despite Gonzaga's Austin Daye also being attractive at this spot.

21) New Orleans Hornets: James Johnson, SF/PF, Wake Forest
- Johnson is very much stuck in between positions. Fortunately, New Orleans could use frontcourt help most anywhere, so this is a decent fit for him.

22) Dallas Mavericks: Eric Maynor, PG, VCU
- Jason Kidd is far from a spring chicken these days, entering his 15th year in the league. Guys love playing with him, but it's time for Dallas to groom his successor. Maynor played at a small school, but his talent isn't a secret.

23) Sacramento Kings: Austin Daye, SF, Gonzaga
- I agree with fellow blogger Josh Canu; Sacramento should go for the best available player here. That's Daye, who some have in the lottery.

24) Portland Trail Blazers: Darren Collison, PG/SG, UCLA
- Portland's looking for a PG, and Collison is the best one left at this stage. They'll be thrilled if Teague or Maynor drop down.

25) Oklahoma City Thunder: Taj Gibson, PF, USC
- Just because they took Thabeet doesn't mean they'll stop drafting frontcourt players. They have a great nucleus to build around in the backcourt, and Gibson will see solid playing time in his rookie year given the shallow depth of the OKC frontcourt.

26) Chicago Bulls: Chase Budinger, SF, Arizona
- Budinger's drawn comparisons to Brent Barry for his shooting fundamentals, which are among the best in this year's draft crop. He could have gone eight picks sooner, and Chicago's happy to have him here.

27) Memphis Grizzlies: Wayne Ellington, SG, UNC
- This is a best-available approach. It wouldn't surprise me to see the Grizzlies trade up a little; they need frontcourt help badly and Taj Gibson could help. However, Ellington's a great shooter who can fill the role of the spot-up sixth man off the bench.

28) Minnesota Timberwolves: Danny Green, SG/SF, UNC
- Minnesota needs depth at the two-spot. His teammates got all the fanfare, but Green averaged 13 points per game last season and is an excellent defensive player as well.

29) LA Lakers: Patrick Mills, PG/SG, St. Mary's
- Mills is a low-risk, high-reward guy. Plus, LA's backcourt isn't getting younger (Fisher's entering his 14th year, and Kobe passed 1,000 career games played this season), and you have to think they don't have high expectations for Jordan Farmar.

30) Cleveland Cavaliers: DaJuan Summers, SF/PF, Georgetown
- Summers can play either the 3 or the 4, and he'll create mismatches in both spots. He's more suited for the latter, but with LeBron James's return in 2010 uncertain, it can't hurt to have a backup plan.