2014 NBA Mock Draft – First Round Picks
The 2014 NBA Draft has been hyped as one of the most talented drafts since the much-heralded 2003 draft which featured such one-named stars as LeBron, Carmelo, Wade and Bosh. Now that the draft is finally here, it is safe to say that it has lost a little luster over the past season. Andrew Wiggins, the once can’t-miss prospect out of Canada must answer questions about his lack of a killer instinct. Jabari Parker, the highly-touted Chicago phenom once tabbed as the best high school player since LeBron, must now prove that his first round exit in the NCAA tournament was a fluke.
Last but not least is Joel Embiid, the most tantalizing big man prospect since Hakeem Olajuwon, must now prove that he is not the second-coming of Greg Oden and overcome foot and back injuries which have caused his draft stock to slide over the past couple days. That being said, I still expect this draft to produce a lot of impact NBA players who should have long careers given the right situations. Without further ado, here is my official FantasyCouch NBA Mock Draft 2014.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers – Andrew Wiggins, SF Kansas
There have been reports that Cav’s GM David Griffin prefers to take Jabari Parker here as he is the most NBA ready player in the draft and fills an immediate position of need. However, it has been widely reported that Parker does not want to be drafted by Cleveland and may have tanked his private workout with the Cavs in large part because he prefers to be drafted by Milwaukee (closer to his hometown Chicago). If this is indeed the case, I expect the Cavs front office to select Wiggins who has stated his eagerness to be drafted by Cleveland and be paired with two of his close friends from Canada, last year’s number one overall pick Anthony Bennett and former top pick Tristan Thompson.
2. Milwaukee Bucks – Jabari Parker, SF Duke
The injury to Kansas’ Joel Embiid has vaulted Parker into the top two picks of the draft and right into the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks. Word out of Parker’s camp has been that he would prefer to play for the Bucks due to its close proximity to his hometown of Chicago. If the Bucks land Parker, he will instantly provide them with a lethal scoring option who is the early favorite to put up Rookie of the Year numbers at the end of the season. Many experts have compared Parker’s game to the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Paul Pierce. If he reaches anywhere close to their level in his career, the Bucks franchise may finally be on the upswing.
3. Philadelphia 76ers – Joel Embiid, C Kansas
With the news of a stress fracture in his foot found by the Cleveland Cavaliers team doctors, Embiid goes from being the heavy favorite to be the top pick to a slide that could see him potentially land all the way down to number 7 overall with the Lakers. While Embiid has the highest ceiling and potential of anyone in the draft (he has only been playing competitively for four years), nothing scares NBA front offices more than a big man with foot and back problems (See Oden, Greg and Bynum, Andrew). If he eventually gets healthy, pairing Embiid with last years top pick Nerlens Noel could be a devastating defensive front court for years to come.
4. Orlando Magic – Dante Exum, PG/SG Australia
Exum is the ultimate mystery man of the draft but oozes with upside potential. Since he has played his entire career in Australia, few teams have seen him play outside of a handful of international tournaments, however those who have seen him swear that he is the real deal. At 6-7, Exum has the skills to play point guard in the NBA, though some experts believe he is more suited to play shooting guard. If the Magic land Exum, he has the potential to become the second coming of Penny Hardaway. Stay tuned.
5. Utah Jazz – Noah Vonleh, PF Indiana
Vonleh has the tools and size to be an all-star at the power forward position, with his enormous 7-3 wingspan and ability to consistently knock down the mid-range jumper and block shots. Vonleh also reported having the biggest hands at the NBA draft combine. If the Jazz draft Vonleh to pair with defensive specialist Derrick Favors and bring Turkish big man Enes Kanter off the bench, they will have a promising nucleus of big man who could do damage in the west sooner rather than later.
6. Boston Celtics – Marcus Smart, PG/SG Oklahoma State
Drafting an impact combo guard like Smart could ease GM Danny Ainge’s burden of potentially losing star point guard Rajon Rondo who has been the subject of rampant trade rumors and is looking to leave the rebuilding C’s. Smart is a tough, elite scoring guard who could develop into the second coming of Dwyane Wade.
7. Los Angeles Lakers – Julius Randle, SF/PF Kentucky
The Lakers have been rumored to be shopping this pick, potentially to the Warriors or T-Wolves in exchange for shooting guard Klay Thompson (his father Mychal was a number one overall pick of the Blazers in 1978 who then went on to play for the Lakers). If that deal falls through, I expect the Lakers to take the most NBA-ready front court player left on the board in Julius Randle. Randle is a rugged post player who does not shy away from contact and plays with a lot of demonstrative intensity similar to Zach Randolph. His versatility and toughness will make him an instant fan favorite in Los Angeles.
8. Sacramento Kings – Aaron Gordon, SF/PF Arizona
Gordon is an explosive athlete a la Blake Griffin (38 inch max vert at the combine), albeit without a true position. Gordon is somewhat of a tweener who does not shoot the ball well enough or have great ball skills to play the small forward position, and is undersized at 6-9 220 lbs to guard the elite power forwards in the NBA. What teams love about Gordon is his high motor and versatility which will allow him to be a tenacious rebounder and the perfect target for several alley oops highlights throughout the season. The one knock on Gordon is his terrible free throw shooting. That being said, the Kings would love to pair him with Rudy Gay on the perimeter to give Sacramento a high flying duo in transition for years to come.
9. Charlotte Hornets – SF Doug McDermott, Creighton
McDermott is a classic throwback player who spent all four years in college while playing for his father at Creighton. During that time, McDermott established himself as a lethal offensive weapon with elite shooting ability that will be able to translate right away at the NBA level. McDermott is also a consummate team player who has the potential to be a leader in the locker room down the line. Fun fact, McDermott was a high school teammate of Warriors forward Harrison Barnes, who he will likely match up against for years to come.
10. Philadelphia 76ers – Nick Stauskas, SG Michigan
Stauskas is an elite shooter with ideal size at 6-7, and reminds me somewhat of a poor mans Klay Thompson. Although Stauskas cannot defend as well as Thompson, his shooting is a deadly weapon that will help the 76ers spread the floor as Michael Carter-Williams penetrates and kicks to the open man on the wing.
11. Denver Nuggets – Gary Harris, SG Michigan State
Harris is a little bit undersize for the shooting guard position at 6-3, but most of his value lies in his ability to defend both backcourt positions and his high basketball IQ (Harris is the son of former WNBA player Joy-Holmes Harris). The fact that he also played for college basketball legend Tom Izzo, who typically produces high character, blue-collar players will likely help his case. Harris could blossom into a Monta Ellis-type player if put in the right situation.
12. Orlando Magic – James Young, SF Kentucky
Young possesses prototypical size and athleticism for the small forward position and is still only 18 years old. His talent may have been hidden a bit playing on a deep Kentucky squad where he was forced to blend in with the other players as opposed to being the star which would have been the case at most other programs. His ability to score and high ceiling for improvement will make Young a hot commodity come draft day.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves – Adreian Payne, PF Michigan State
Payne may be considered old for this draft, but he is a legit stretch four who can rebound and plays within the team concept. He also has good size for the position and could end up being the short-term replacement for All-Star Kevin Love who will likely be dealt to another team on draft day.
14. Phoenix Suns – Kyle Anderson, PG/SF UCLA
Anderson is one of the most intriguing players in the draft due to the fact that he is 6-9 with legitimate point guard skills. Although he is not going to wow you athletically, Anderson has a high IQ and can be a huge mismatch for defenses with his size and ability pass the ball. The Spurs have shown that players like Anderson (see Diaw, Boris) can be a valuable commodity if put in the right system. The only issue is who Anderson will be able to defend on the next level.
15. Atlanta Hawks – Rodney Hood, SF Duke
Hood had a breakout year for Duke after he was forced to sit out a season after transferring from Mississippi State. Paired with potential top pick Jabari Parker, Hood was a difference maker on offense as he shot 42% from three-point range and was voted as an All-ACC selection. The T-Wolves have missed on drafting several wing players over the past couple years and hope to end that streak by bringing Hood into the mix.
16. Chicago Bulls – Shabazz Napier, PG Connecticut
It appears that Napier has been rising up the draft board as of late, securing an invite to the green room which is usually reserved for lottery picks. The Bulls have a need for a seasoned scoring point guard that can serve as insurance in case D Rose goes down again with an injury.
17. Boston Celtics – Jusuf Nurkic, C Bosnia
Nurkic is only 19 years old but has tremendous size and soft hands for a young player. He is also a good free throw shooter and does not shy away from physical contact. With some seasoning, Nurkic could turn into the next Nicola Pekovic.
18. Phoenix Suns – Zach LaVine, PG/SG UCLA
No other draft prospect has helped his stock from workouts more than LaVine. His athleticism is off the charts and at 6-6 has the size to be a dominant point guard a la Russell Westbrook, another UCLA alum. Whether he can actually play the point guard position is up for debate, as LaVine only averaged 1.8 assists during his time in Westwood.
19. Chicago Bulls – Dario Saric, SF/PF Croatia
The Bulls may be looking to draft and stash and international prospect with upside, and no other player fits this need better than Saric who would have been drafted higher if he had not recently signed a three-deal to play professionally in Turkey. By doing so, the Bulls may have enough cap room to make a run at Carmelo Anthony or possibly even LeBron James who have both elected to opt out of their current contracts.
20. Toronto Raptors – Tyler Ennis, PG Syracuse
This may be the perfect fit for Ennis, who is Canadian and fills a position of need for the Raptors. With rumors that point guard Kyle Lowry may be looking elsewhere as a pending free-agent, it would be wise for the Raptors to take a gamble on the hometown kid who opened a lot of eyes during his freshman year at Syracuse, including vice president Joe Biden.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder – Jordan Adams, SG UCLA
Adams is a scorer with decent size but could have trouble on the defensive side of the ball. The Thunder need more scoring on the perimeter and would love to pair Adams with UCLA alum Russell Westbrook who play together frequently in the off season.
22. Memphis Grizzlies – T.J. Warren, SF N.C. State
Warren is a throwback player who can score from the inside out. He gives the Grizzlies added depth behind the 34-year-old Tayshaun Prince and should blossom into an impact wing player if the Grizz develop him right and give him the opportunity.
23. Utah Jazz – K.J. McDaniels, SF Clemson
McDaniels is a solid wing player who could provide insurance in case Gordon Hayward decides to leave after next season. He needs to improve his three-point shooting however, as he shot a pedestrian 30% from long range last season at Clemson.
24. Charlotte Hornets – P.J. Hairston, SG North Carolina/NBDL
The Tarheel connection could either hurt or help Hairston’s chances of landing with MJ’s team, but something tells me His Airness would love to have a scorer like this added to his backcourt. Hairston is a good long range shooter with an NBA-body. The fact that he played well last season in the D-League will only help his transition to the next level.
25. Houston Rockets – Jerami Grant, SF Syracuse
Grant has excellent size and athleticism for the wing position, something the Rockets could use in case Chandler Parsons decides to move on. He is not a great shooter however and could use a little weight to pack on to his slender frame. Grant runs the floor very well and could thrive in Houston’s uptempo system.
26. Miami Heat – Elfrid Payton, PG Louisiana Lafayette
The small school point guard has generated a lot of buzz during pre-draft workouts and his solidified his status as a first round pick with his recent invite to the green room. It is no secret that the Heat are looking for a cheap upgrade at the point guard position and could fill that need nicely by drafting Payton who is a legit playmaker capable of putting up big points.
27. Phoenix Suns – Clint Capela, PF/C France
Capela fits perfectly in the Suns uptempo system as he is adept at running the floor and finishing at the rim at his size. His defensive potential is also intriguing as he has quick lateral movement and extremely long arms. He is a little on the raw side however and should benefit from high-level coaching in the NBA.
28. Los Angeles Clippers – Mitch McGary, PF Michigan
McGary is a bulldozer in the paint and would provide excellent depth and size behind Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, a role that Big Baby filled this past season. McGary may have gone even higher in this draft if not for his season-long suspension for marijuana use which he recently admitted to.
29. Oklahoma City Thunder – Glenn Robinson III, SF Michigan
Robinson has the pedigree (he is the son of former NBA All-Star Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson) and athleticism to make an impact right away. Robinson plays more effectively in an uptempo system where he can run finish around the rim. Drafting Robinson gives the Thunder added depth and scoring on the perimeter.
30. San Antonio Spurs – Walter Tavares, C Cape Verde
The Spurs love drafting high upside international prospects who they can stash and develop overseas for a couple years. Taveres fits this description to a tee as he has recently signed three year deal to play for Gran Canaria in Spain.
Last year’s NBA draft was unpredictable and many mock drafts including our own 2013 mock draft reflected that. I have I hopes I will hit on a lot more picks in this NBA mock draft 2014.
