Whether we like it or not, the 2011 NBA Draft could be the weakest collection of potential draft picks since the famously-awful 2000 Draft, due largely in part to an impending league-wide lockout. Had likely Top-5 picks Jared Sullinger of Ohio State, Perry Jones III of Baylor, and Harrison Barnes of UNC opted to stay in the draft, the Lottery would be a lot more exciting and meaningful for everyone involved. Instead, Cleveland may end up with the consensus top two most talented prospects in the draft, a rarity that may still not be enough to turn the NBA’s most hard-luck franchise around. Few, if any, of these prospects outside of the top 5 have a chance at becoming perennial All-Star’s anytime soon, with the influx of unknown international talent and marginal college stars diluting this top-heavy draft pool. A record 5 international prospects could end up cracking the Lottery, making this one of the most mysterious drafts in recent memory.
*Indicates potential trade scenario
1. Cleveland Cavs: Derrick Williams, 6-8, 248, SF/PF, Arizona – By picking the athletic (albeit self-absorbed) scoring machine over the pre-draft consensus number one overall pick Kyrie Irving from Duke, the Cavs organization gives themselves much more flexibility and value. If Cleveland fails to make a widely speculated three-team trade with Detroit to acquire Minnesota’s number two pick-and settle for keeping their slot at four- then they give themselves a chance to land the second highest-rated point guard in the draft-Kentucky’s Brandon Knight- giving them two potential cornerstones for the post-‘Decision’ era. Cleveland could also pick Irving number one overall and then take Williams with the second pick which they are looking to acquire.
2. Minnesota T-Wolves*: Kyrie Irving, 6-3, 191, PG, Duke – With the pending arrival of 2009 5th overall pick Ricky Rubio in the team’s immediate plans, it would make sense for GM David Khan and his brain trust to pass on this slot and ship the pick to Cleveland in order to accumulate more picks or expiring contracts. Turkish big man Enes Kanter could be a potential candidate if Minnesota decides to stay put, as he is a young and talented true center to pair with rising All-Star Kevin Love. If Cleveland indeed makes a move to swap slots with Minnesota, they will likely pick Irving to give the Cavs the two highest rated prospects in the draft.
3. Utah Jazz: Enes Kanter, 7-0, 260, C, Turkey – Despite being unable to play the entire past season due to NCAA violations, the Turkish center is a legitimate 7-foot post player with a polished back to the basket game and solid mid-range jumper. The transition would be made easier due to the fact that the Jazz already have former All-Star and Turkish compatriot Mehmet Okur on the roster. The Jazz desperately need to take the best player available, after a rollercoaster season in which they lost their Hall-of-Fame head coach Jerry Sloan and future Hall-of-Fame point guard Derron Williams, if they are to return to respectability.
4. Cleveland Cavs*: Brandon Knight, 6-3, 177,PG, Kentucky – If the Cavs indeed decide to stay put and not trade up for the second overall pick and the chance to take Irving, expect them to take the second best floor general available-Kentucky’s Brandon Knight. Knight possesses good size, is a blur in the open court, and can score in a variety of ways. He has a quick-release which allows him to get his jump shot off at any time. He does not have elite athletic ability like a Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook, but will likely be a starter in the league in a year or two.
5. Toronto Raptors: Kawhi Leonard, 6-7, 227, SF, SDSU – With Spanish point guard Jose Calderon and converted shooting guard Jerryd Bayless already entrenched in the lead-guard role; it would make sense for the Raptors to pass on Knight if he is available here and pick the more NBA-ready Leonard or Euro-import Jan Vesely with their top pick. Leonard gives Toronto another athletic swingman to pair with the gravity-defying DeMar DeRozan, making them a nightly contender for SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays.
6. Washington Wizards: Jan Vesely, 6-11, SF/PF, Czech Republic – This high-flying almost 7-foot forward could use another season or two to bulk up, but his versatility and potential are undeniable. He is ultra-skilled with the ability to shoot three’s from the perimeter, finish alley-oops with ease (look out, John Wall), and handle the ball extremely well for a player of his size. Vesely maybe the most unknown commodity out of all the top prospects, but possesses the talent and unique skill-set to be the best player in the entire draft if given the time to develop. Pass on Vesely if you dare.
7. Sacramento Kings: Kemba Walker, 6-0, 184, PG, UCONN – Anyone who watched UCONN’s exciting run to the NCAA Championship knows that Walker is an electric scorer who can break down defenses with his elusive quickness and end-line to end-line speed. Easily the most clutch-shooter in college last year, Walker would instantly provide Sacramento with much needed depth at the point guard position, while allowing face of the franchise Tyreke Evans to play off the ball at his natural position-shooting guard. With immensely-talented yet immature big man DeMarcus Cousins in the mix, the young Kings could follow the blueprint of Western Conference powerhouse Oklahoma City and compete sooner rather than later.
8. Detroit Pistons*: Jonas Valanciunas, 7-0, 240, C, Lithuania – The Pistons may be hesitant to pick another foreign center (has anyone seen Darko, lately?) to bolster their offensive-minded frontline, but the 19-year old from Lithuania is simply too good to pass up. Valanciunas is a legit 7 foot center with great agility and ability to run the floor with ease. He has extremely long arms which allow him to alter shots, and has shown he can knock down the mid-range jumpshot on pick and pop situations.
9. Charlotte Bobcats: Tristan Thompson, 6-8, 227, PF, Texas – Owner Michael Jordan has the tendency to draft known college commodities (Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison, Texas’ DJ Augustin and Duke’s Gerald Henderson in the last few years) rather than taking chances on international mystery men who are all over the draft board. If Charlotte opts to take the undersized (he measured at 6-7 without shoes at the combine) but talented Thompson, they will get an energetic worker who will rebound and block shots from the weakside due to his excellent wingspan.
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Alec Burks, 6-6, 193, PG/SG, Colorado – The 6-6 guard put up big numbers in his short career in Boulder. Burks owns a wide array of offensive moves and above average athleticism, but is still very young and slender compared to the Kobe and D-Wades of the League. Despite his wiry-frame, Burks has the potential to be picked even higher due to the fact that he is far and away the top prospect for teams in the market for a shooting guard. If he goes to Milwaukee, he could be the heir apparent to Michael Redd, who has missed several games over the last few seasons due to injury. Pairing him in the backcourt with flashy, yet effective point guard Brandon Jennings could make the ‘Young Bucks’ a team to watch.
11. Golden State Warriors: Bismack Biyombo, 6-9, 243, C, Congo – It is no secret that the Warriors’ brass is in the market for an athletic, defensive presence to bolster one of the League’s perennially awful defenses. The undersized (his 7’7” wingspan helps) and extremely raw Biyombo is not the prototypical center that Golden State covets, but in this draft, selecting a player who fills a glaring need should be their top priority. The Warriors could be looking for a future replacement for incumbent center Andris Biedrins, who lost his starting spot to rookie defensive specialist Ekpe Udoh midway through the season. Based on potential alone, Biyombo could turn out to be the second coming of Ben Wallace or Serge Ibaka. If newly hired advisor Jerry West has any input, Colorado’s Burks could be the pick, due to his uncanny scoring ability and ideal size for the shooting guard position.
12. Utah Jazz: Jimmer Fredette, 6-3, 197, PG/SG, BYU – In what might be the most logical pick, both in talent and financial value, in this year’s draft, BYU’s senior scoring sensation is simply too good of a story to pass up. With his over the charts popularity and NBA-ready shooting stroke, Utah would be hard-pressed to find a better way to infuse a much-needed shot of energy into their organization. A match made in basketball heaven.
13. Phoenix Suns: Marcus Morris, 6-8, 230, SF/ PF, Kansas – The more offensively-gifted Morris twin, Marcus has the ability to play both forward spots at the NBA-level. His solid athleticism and smooth shooting touch will add another layer of depth to the Sun’s already potent offense, in need of a young big man to fill the shoes of former fan-favorite and desert defector Amare Stoudemire.
14. Houston Rockets: Donatas Motiejunas, 6-11, 224, PF, Lithuania – A best-case scenario for this uber-versatile Lithuanian is Dirk Nowitzki-Lite. He is a fluid almost-7 foot power forward with a smooth shooting stroke from three-point range and adept passing ability. Motiejunas is still a couple years away from making a significant impact in the NBA, but his high overall skill-level and effortless scoring potential make him too good of a project, ahem prospect, for the Rockets to pass up.
NBA Draft 2011 Loterry Picks Ends
15. Indiana Pacers: Klay Thompson, 6-7, 206, SG, Washington St. – We all know how much GM Larry Bird loves shooters, and this 6-7 guard can shoot the lights out. His stock may have suffered from a midseason arrest for marijuana possession, but Thompson- son of former NBA player Mychal Thompson-is a prolific outside threat who will be a solid role player for the up and coming Pacers.
16. Philadelphia 76ers: Chris Singleton, 6-9,230, SF/PF, Florida St. – Singleton is an intriguing wing prospect with the ability to play both forward positions. He is known for his exceptional athleticism and shot-blocking prowess.
17. New York Knicks: Kenneth Faried, 6-8, 225, PF, Morehead St. – Many scouts consider Morehead State’s Faried as the second coming of Hall of Fame bad boy Dennis Rodman. Faried can clean the glass unlike anyone in the college ranks the last two seasons while leading his team to a first round upset of Louisville in the NCAA tournament.
18. Washington Wizards: Markieff Morris, 6-9, 241, PF, Kansas – The “other” Morris twin is not as offensively talented as younger brother Marcus, but is bigger, stronger, and more athletic. Although he lacks the upside of his sibling counterpart, he is still a solid pick for a young team not getting much production from recently acquired forward Yi Jianlian.
19. Charlotte Bobcats: Jordan Hamilton, 6-8, 228, SG/SF, Texas – This Stephen Jackson clone has enough size and shooting ability to play both the two guard and small forward positions for the Bobcats. Will provide much needed depth and could eventually take over for Captain Jack with the right tutelage.
20. Minnesota T-wolves: Tyler Honeycutt, 6-8, 187, SF, UCLA – The rail-thin Honeycutt did a little bit of everything while playing for the Bruins, however this jack of all trades has the tendency to become a non-factor during stretches in games far too often. However, his potential alone will allow him to get drafted to a team looking for a prototype wing player with above average athleticism.
21. Portland Trail Blazers: Josh Selby, 6-3, 195, PG/SG, Kansas – Once considered a top prospect coming out of high school, Selby’s stock has been hit by a tumultuous freshman season in which he was forced to sit out the first 9 games while nursing a foot injury. That said, Selby is still an extremely athletic scorer who can break down defenders with his deadly crossover and great strength for a guard.
22. Denver Nuggets: Marshon Brooks, 6-5, 195, SG, Providence – This wiry scoring machine lit up the Big East to the tune of 23 ppg this season as a senior, elevating his stock dramatically in the process. Brooks can score from anywhere on the court with a vast repertoire of offensive moves and Durant-like arms for a guard. Would make a great back up for mercurial shooting guard J.R. Smith, who may be on the outs.
23. Houston Rockets: Tobias Harris, 6-8, 223, SF/PF, Tennessee – Harris is a high-flyer with size similar to the Atlanta Hawks’ Josh Smith. Since the season ended, he has trimmed down his body weight in order to make him a more explosive athlete at the next level.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder: Trey Thompkins, 6-10, 239, PF, Georgia – This highly-skilled big man will not ‘wow’ you with his athleticism, but is a solid post player with good size for the position. Thompkins would be a great compliment to the more defensive-minded Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison at the power forward spot.
25. Boston Celtics: Malcolm Lee, 6-5, 198, PG/SG, UCLA – This once highly-touted guard could learn a lot from veterans Paul Pierce (also an L.A. native) and Ray Allen. His hands on tutelage from Bruin head coach Ben Howland will give him a chance to stick on the defense-first Celtics.
26. Dallas Mavericks: Jeremy Tyler,6-11, 262, PF/C, Japanese League – Tyler is the ultimate high-risk, high-reward prospect who infamously left high school after his junior year to play professionally overseas in Israel. Tyler left the team midway through the season in 2010, but managed to land in the Japanese League for the entire 2011 season. With enough coaching and seasoning, Tyler could be the center of the future for the Western Conference champion Mavericks.
27. New Jersey Nets: Nolan Smith, 6-3, 189, PF/SG – The reigning ACC Player of the Year is more of a shooting guard than true point guard; however with Kyrie Irving out most of the season proved he could hold his own as a passer. Look for Smith to provide insurance for All-Star Derron Williams in case he gets injured or decides to bolt for greener pastures.
28. Chicago Bulls: Kyle Singler, 6-9, 228, SF, Duke – The Blue Devil connection will be full in-effect next season with Duke Alums Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer already on the roster. Singler will give the Bulls another shooter to spread the floor while providing important spot minutes behind Deng at small forward.
29. San Antonio Spurs: Davis Bertands, 6-10, 211, SF/PF, Latvia – The Spurs have a tendency to take international prospects with high-upside and stash them away in Europe for a couple years (see: Ginobili, Manu and Splitter, Tiago) until they are ready to contribute. This draft looks to be no different as the aging Spurs will decide to roll the dice on this slender, sharp-shooting teenager.
30. Chicago Bulls: Nikola Vucevic, 7-0, 260C, USC – With the last pick of the first round, the Eastern Conference chance pick Vucevic to provide even more depth at the center position behind Joakim Noah and Omar Asik. Vucevic is a solid center prospect with long arms and the ability to score, rebound, and block shots at the next level.
That concludes the first round of the Fantasy Couch NBA Mock Draft 2011.
