1
Nerlens Noel
Cleveland Cavaliers
COLLEGE: Kentucky
AGE: 18
HT: 6-11
WT: 215
POS: C
Analysis: Noel might be the perfect fit for the Cavs. He could provide them with the type of defensive presence in the middle they really need going forward. And the Cavs can be patient. With Anderson Varejao and Tyler Zeller, they don't need Noel right away. Georgetown's Otto Porter probably is the second-best fit. Unless doctors come back with major concerns about Noel's knee, I think he'll go No. 1 to Cavs.
PLAYER CARD
2
Trey Burke
Orlando Magic
COLLEGE: Michigan
AGE: 20
HT: 6-1
WT: 187
POS: PG
Analysis: The Magic need a point guard but might have been reluctant to take Burke at No. 1. What about at No. 2? I think there's a good chance. He's a bit small for his position, but Orlando needs a leader, someone with moxie, and Burke seems like the best fit. Ben McLemore is a possibility here, too.
PLAYER CARD
3
Otto Porter
Washington Wizards
COLLEGE: Georgetown
AGE: 19
HT: 6-8
WT: 200
POS: SF
Analysis: The Wizards need help at the small forward position and Porter, who played his college ball in Washington, appears to be the perfect fit. With two super backcourt scorers such as John Wall and Bradley Beal, having a forward who's a facilitator like Porter feels just right. The other player to watch carefully for the Wizards is Anthony Bennett. Sources say the Wizards also are very high on Bennett and could opt for his potent offensive game to expand their options at power forward.
PLAYER CARD
4
Ben McLemore
Charlotte Bobcats
COLLEGE: Kansas
AGE: 20
HT: 6-5
WT: 195
POS: SG
Analysis: The Bobcats are the big losers, again, in the draft lottery. But if they land McLemore, they might get the player with the best upside in the draft. The team desperately needs outside shooting, and McLemore might have the best stroke of anyone in the draft.
PLAYER CARD
5
Victor Oladipo
Phoenix Suns
COLLEGE: Indiana
AGE: 20
HT: 6-4
WT: 213
POS: SG
Analysis: The Suns want to change the culture of the organization, and Oladipo is the perfect candidate to do it. He'll impact the game immediately on the defensive end. If he develops offensively? He could end up being the best player in the draft.
PLAYER CARD
6
Alex Len
New Orleans Pelicans
COLLEGE: Maryland
AGE: 19
HT: 7-1
WT: 225
POS: C
Analysis: The Pelicans got their power forward of the future with Anthony Davis. Could Len be their center of the future? He might be a perfect complement to Davis. He's more a skilled offensive player and should create a massive, young frontline for the Pelicans.
PLAYER CARD
7
Michael Carter-Williams
Sacramento Kings
COLLEGE: Syracuse
AGE: 21
HT: 6-6
WT: 184
POS: PG
Analysis: The future of the Kings has finally cleared up, and the good news for Sacramento fans is that the team is staying put. The bad news? Just about everything else. While there is plenty of talent on the Kings' roster, not much of it fits together. The team ranked 13th in offensive efficiency this year but a miserable 29th in defensive efficiency. Adding someone who can do something besides chuck up the basketball might help. The team's biggest need is probably at small forward.
However, unless they want to add another shoot-first, ask-questions-later player like Shabazz Muhammad, there probably isn't a small forward worthy of a pick this high. Enter Williams. While the Kings do have point guards on their roster, they don't have any that really make others around them better. Carter-Williams is a high-risk, high-reward player. He has elite size for his position, proved to be a terrific athlete at the NBA draft combine and sees the floor well. In addition, he's a rangy defender who averaged 2.8 steals per game last season.
Of the elite NBA prospects, only Marcus Smart averaged more. His lack of jump shot is the biggest concern. But if he develops, he could help the turn around in Sacramento.
PLAYER CARD
8
Anthony Bennett
Detroit Pistons
COLLEGE: UNLV
AGE: 20
HT: 6-8
WT: 240
POS: PF
Analysis: The Pistons' biggest need is at the three, and if Bennett falls this far, I could see Detroit convincing themselves that Bennett could make the transition. While Bennett looks like a power forward, he can really shoot and handle the basketball. He has enough talent to be the No. 1 pick, but his recent rotator cuff surgery has caused his stock to slide just a tad. He'd be a great fit in Detroit and give the Pistons, along with Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond, one of the best young front lines in basketball.
PLAYER CARD
9
C.J. McCollum
Minnesota Timberwolves
COLLEGE: Lehigh
AGE: 21
HT: 6-3
WT: 197
POS: PG
Analysis: McCollum didn't participate in the drills portion of the draft combine, but did show up for the athletic testing and put fears to rest that his foot wasn't 100 percent healed. He measured a 38.5-inch vertical and tested well in every category but the lane agility drill. The Wolves desperately need a shooter. The team ranked dead last in the NBA in 3-point percentage.
PLAYER CARD
10
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Portland Trail Blazers
COLLEGE: Georgia
AGE: 20
HT: 6-6
WT: 204
POS: SG
Analysis: Caldwell-Pope didn't have a great showing at the combine. His jump shot wasn't falling, and while he tested well in the speed category, his vertical jump wasn't particularly impressive. Nevertheless, multiple GMs told me they think he'll end up be a top-10 pick. He can shoot better than he showed at the combine, and he has prototypical size for the position.
PLAYER CARD
11
Cody Zeller
Philadelphia 76ers
COLLEGE: Indiana
AGE: 20
HT: 7-0
WT: 230
POS: C
Analysis: The Cody Zeller bandwagon is officially filling up again. All it took was an incredible display of athletic prowess at the draft combine to convince NBA teams who had soured on him to give him another look. Of course, we all knew Zeller was athletic, but few knew he was capable of what he did at the combine. Zeller is trying to make the transition to the 4 and seems like an obvious fit in Philly, a team without a legitimate 4-man on its roster.
PLAYER CARD
12
Steven Adams
Oklahoma City Thunder via Toronto Raptors
COLLEGE: Pittsburgh
AGE: 19
HT: 7-0
WT: 255
POS: C
Analysis: Adams might have been the big winner of the draft combine. Physically, he looked the part of a future NBA center and displayed a better than expected touch on his jump shot. He looked in terrific shape, hustled on both ends of the floor and reminded everyone why scouts saw him as a potential top-five pick going into his senior year of high school. He's raw and won't find any real minutes on the Thunder. But that's what the D-League is for.
PLAYER CARD
13
Dario Saric
Dallas Mavericks
COUNTRY: Croatia
AGE: 19
HT: 6-10
WT: 223
POS: SF
Analysis: I'm hearing quite loudly from multiple sources the Mavs are likely to trade this pick to save cap room for a run at Dwight Howard this summer. If they keep the pick, the Mavs are as high on Saric as any team in the league. They feel, along with a handful of other teams, Saric might have the highest basketball IQ of anyone in the draft and might be one of the two or three players who could be a star someday. While it's entirely possible the Pelicans or Trail Blazers grab Saric earlier, I don't think he slides past No. 13 if the Mavs hold on to their pick.
PLAYER CARD
14
Shabazz Muhammad
Utah Jazz
COLLEGE: UCLA
AGE: 20
HT: 6-6
WT: 222
POS: SF
Analysis: The Jazz's biggest need is at the point, but if Burke and McCollum are both off the board, they'll have to look elsewhere. Enter Muhammad. The Jazz also need an elite scorer, and Muhammad is one of the most gifted in the draft. His stock has slipped the past few months, but no one doubts that there still a lot of talent there. This would be an absolute steal for the Jazz if he's still on the board.
PLAYER CARD
Nerlens Noel
Cleveland Cavaliers
COLLEGE: Kentucky
AGE: 18
HT: 6-11
WT: 215
POS: C
Analysis: Noel might be the perfect fit for the Cavs. He could provide them with the type of defensive presence in the middle they really need going forward. And the Cavs can be patient. With Anderson Varejao and Tyler Zeller, they don't need Noel right away. Georgetown's Otto Porter probably is the second-best fit. Unless doctors come back with major concerns about Noel's knee, I think he'll go No. 1 to Cavs.
PLAYER CARD
2
Trey Burke
Orlando Magic
COLLEGE: Michigan
AGE: 20
HT: 6-1
WT: 187
POS: PG
Analysis: The Magic need a point guard but might have been reluctant to take Burke at No. 1. What about at No. 2? I think there's a good chance. He's a bit small for his position, but Orlando needs a leader, someone with moxie, and Burke seems like the best fit. Ben McLemore is a possibility here, too.
PLAYER CARD
3
Otto Porter
Washington Wizards
COLLEGE: Georgetown
AGE: 19
HT: 6-8
WT: 200
POS: SF
Analysis: The Wizards need help at the small forward position and Porter, who played his college ball in Washington, appears to be the perfect fit. With two super backcourt scorers such as John Wall and Bradley Beal, having a forward who's a facilitator like Porter feels just right. The other player to watch carefully for the Wizards is Anthony Bennett. Sources say the Wizards also are very high on Bennett and could opt for his potent offensive game to expand their options at power forward.
PLAYER CARD
4
Ben McLemore
Charlotte Bobcats
COLLEGE: Kansas
AGE: 20
HT: 6-5
WT: 195
POS: SG
Analysis: The Bobcats are the big losers, again, in the draft lottery. But if they land McLemore, they might get the player with the best upside in the draft. The team desperately needs outside shooting, and McLemore might have the best stroke of anyone in the draft.
PLAYER CARD
5
Victor Oladipo
Phoenix Suns
COLLEGE: Indiana
AGE: 20
HT: 6-4
WT: 213
POS: SG
Analysis: The Suns want to change the culture of the organization, and Oladipo is the perfect candidate to do it. He'll impact the game immediately on the defensive end. If he develops offensively? He could end up being the best player in the draft.
PLAYER CARD
6
Alex Len
New Orleans Pelicans
COLLEGE: Maryland
AGE: 19
HT: 7-1
WT: 225
POS: C
Analysis: The Pelicans got their power forward of the future with Anthony Davis. Could Len be their center of the future? He might be a perfect complement to Davis. He's more a skilled offensive player and should create a massive, young frontline for the Pelicans.
PLAYER CARD
7
Michael Carter-Williams
Sacramento Kings
COLLEGE: Syracuse
AGE: 21
HT: 6-6
WT: 184
POS: PG
Analysis: The future of the Kings has finally cleared up, and the good news for Sacramento fans is that the team is staying put. The bad news? Just about everything else. While there is plenty of talent on the Kings' roster, not much of it fits together. The team ranked 13th in offensive efficiency this year but a miserable 29th in defensive efficiency. Adding someone who can do something besides chuck up the basketball might help. The team's biggest need is probably at small forward.
However, unless they want to add another shoot-first, ask-questions-later player like Shabazz Muhammad, there probably isn't a small forward worthy of a pick this high. Enter Williams. While the Kings do have point guards on their roster, they don't have any that really make others around them better. Carter-Williams is a high-risk, high-reward player. He has elite size for his position, proved to be a terrific athlete at the NBA draft combine and sees the floor well. In addition, he's a rangy defender who averaged 2.8 steals per game last season.
Of the elite NBA prospects, only Marcus Smart averaged more. His lack of jump shot is the biggest concern. But if he develops, he could help the turn around in Sacramento.
PLAYER CARD
8
Anthony Bennett
Detroit Pistons
COLLEGE: UNLV
AGE: 20
HT: 6-8
WT: 240
POS: PF
Analysis: The Pistons' biggest need is at the three, and if Bennett falls this far, I could see Detroit convincing themselves that Bennett could make the transition. While Bennett looks like a power forward, he can really shoot and handle the basketball. He has enough talent to be the No. 1 pick, but his recent rotator cuff surgery has caused his stock to slide just a tad. He'd be a great fit in Detroit and give the Pistons, along with Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond, one of the best young front lines in basketball.
PLAYER CARD
9
C.J. McCollum
Minnesota Timberwolves
COLLEGE: Lehigh
AGE: 21
HT: 6-3
WT: 197
POS: PG
Analysis: McCollum didn't participate in the drills portion of the draft combine, but did show up for the athletic testing and put fears to rest that his foot wasn't 100 percent healed. He measured a 38.5-inch vertical and tested well in every category but the lane agility drill. The Wolves desperately need a shooter. The team ranked dead last in the NBA in 3-point percentage.
PLAYER CARD
10
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Portland Trail Blazers
COLLEGE: Georgia
AGE: 20
HT: 6-6
WT: 204
POS: SG
Analysis: Caldwell-Pope didn't have a great showing at the combine. His jump shot wasn't falling, and while he tested well in the speed category, his vertical jump wasn't particularly impressive. Nevertheless, multiple GMs told me they think he'll end up be a top-10 pick. He can shoot better than he showed at the combine, and he has prototypical size for the position.
PLAYER CARD
11
Cody Zeller
Philadelphia 76ers
COLLEGE: Indiana
AGE: 20
HT: 7-0
WT: 230
POS: C
Analysis: The Cody Zeller bandwagon is officially filling up again. All it took was an incredible display of athletic prowess at the draft combine to convince NBA teams who had soured on him to give him another look. Of course, we all knew Zeller was athletic, but few knew he was capable of what he did at the combine. Zeller is trying to make the transition to the 4 and seems like an obvious fit in Philly, a team without a legitimate 4-man on its roster.
PLAYER CARD
12
Steven Adams
Oklahoma City Thunder via Toronto Raptors
COLLEGE: Pittsburgh
AGE: 19
HT: 7-0
WT: 255
POS: C
Analysis: Adams might have been the big winner of the draft combine. Physically, he looked the part of a future NBA center and displayed a better than expected touch on his jump shot. He looked in terrific shape, hustled on both ends of the floor and reminded everyone why scouts saw him as a potential top-five pick going into his senior year of high school. He's raw and won't find any real minutes on the Thunder. But that's what the D-League is for.
PLAYER CARD
13
Dario Saric
Dallas Mavericks
COUNTRY: Croatia
AGE: 19
HT: 6-10
WT: 223
POS: SF
Analysis: I'm hearing quite loudly from multiple sources the Mavs are likely to trade this pick to save cap room for a run at Dwight Howard this summer. If they keep the pick, the Mavs are as high on Saric as any team in the league. They feel, along with a handful of other teams, Saric might have the highest basketball IQ of anyone in the draft and might be one of the two or three players who could be a star someday. While it's entirely possible the Pelicans or Trail Blazers grab Saric earlier, I don't think he slides past No. 13 if the Mavs hold on to their pick.
PLAYER CARD
14
Shabazz Muhammad
Utah Jazz
COLLEGE: UCLA
AGE: 20
HT: 6-6
WT: 222
POS: SF
Analysis: The Jazz's biggest need is at the point, but if Burke and McCollum are both off the board, they'll have to look elsewhere. Enter Muhammad. The Jazz also need an elite scorer, and Muhammad is one of the most gifted in the draft. His stock has slipped the past few months, but no one doubts that there still a lot of talent there. This would be an absolute steal for the Jazz if he's still on the board.
PLAYER CARD
i have no idea how that happen