without further adieu, I post my later mock with a little rationalization.
- Cleveland Cavaliers- Joel Embiid, C, Kansas
I thought Cleveland would ultimately take Wiggins. I still think that's option 1B, but if they don't get a C now, when will they, bad back and all?
2. Milwaukee Bucks- Jabari Parker, F, Duke
Three man race here between Parker, Wiggins and Exum. Parker gets the edge because of how Milwaukee may plan on using him as a stretch 4 next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Parker's elite skill is his scoring and they still like Brandon Knight enough to pass up Exum.
3. Philadelphia 76ers- Andrew Wiggins, F, Kansas
BPA here. They could take Exum or even Julius Randle here, but this team is looking for superstar talent. Wiggins is not a finished product but the Sixers can buy him lots of time.
4. Orlando Magic- Dante Exum, G, Australia
It's a race between Exum and Marcus Smart. It could go either way. Exum worked out for Orlando today in an attempt to kinda sway management towards picking him. I think he'll ultimately succeed in getting picked here.
5. Utah Jazz- Doug McDermott, F, Creighton
I can't for the life of me shake this pick off. This pick makes too much sense. They may pick Noah Vonleh or Aaron Gordon (if Exum falls here, he's taken no questions asked), but McDermott allows them to figure out if they wanna keep Enes Kanter long term.
6. Boston Celtics- Aaron Gordon, F, Arizona
This pick may not be theirs as well know (if it gets traded it's Marcus Smart all the way), but Ainge is a big fan of his. Another option here would be Marcus Smart or Julius Randle, but perhaps Ainge feels Gordon might successfully adapt to SF in the NBA.
7. Los Angeles Lakers- Julius Randle, F, Kentucky
This pick may very well depend on who will coach (or what the team's direction will be) but with Pau Gasol on the way out, this team needs a 4 in the worst way. If his foot is indeed OK, this is a slam dunk selection. They could also pick Smart, but they should give Kendall Marshall a chance to show that his numbers aren't fluky.
8. Sacramento Kings- Marcus Smart, G, Oklahoma State
The Kings don't want any part of this pick, so this could very well be going to someone else, but if they stay here, it would benefit them greatly to upgrade the PG position and add more toughness to this team. The range in picks here is extensive. Rodney Hood, Elfrid Payton, Noah Vonleh, McDermott or Gordon if they fall, but Smart may be the most compatible with DeMarcus' Cousins volatile personality.
9. Charlotte Hornets- Gary Harris, G, Michigan State
The Hornets need lots of outside shooting, so naturally it's between he and Nik Stauskas. Harris gets the edge because while Stauskas may be a better pure shooter, Harris plays defense on a team which excels at it. That gives him the edge.
10. Philadelphia 76ers- Noah Vonleh, F, Indiana
A bit of a slide for him due to me placing McDermott at 5, but this works out well for the Sixers as they continue to accumulate talent. Vonleh and Noel make for a lanky yet imposing PF/C combo. Philly can then target shooters later.
11. Denver Nuggets- Nik Stauskas, G, Michigan
I almost decided to go with Dario Saric here because of the Danilo Gallinari coming back from his ACL injury, but Stauskas offers a long term solution at SG compared to Randy Foye and even Evan Fournier. Word is Denver wants to trade down to shore up more needs (good idea), but if they can't, Stauskas provides much needed firepower for the bench.
12. Orlando Magic- Dario Saric, F, Croatia
While I do believe Orlando could stand to bolster their outside shooting, Dario Saric is a very versatile player that can cause major mismatches. This team is still in the phase of collecting talent, but once they decide to put it all together, Saric is an easy player to move around.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves- Adreian Payne, F, Michigan State
I barely picked him over Rodney Hood, one of 7 finalists on Flip Saunders' list (the others supposedly being Gary Harris,Nik Stauskas, Zach LaVine, James Young and Kyle Anderson). This has very little to do with the Kevin Love saga and more to do with finding a backup PF to replace Dante Cunningham. Flip tried to hire Mich. St. coach Tom Izzo and definitely got insider information on what Payne can do. He doesn't have a high ceiling but can step right in and contribute, something Flip desires as he vows not to rebuild.
14. Phoenix Suns- Rodney Hood, G/F, Duke
The Suns have 3 picks and a plethora of options. Hood, for now gets the edge over Zach LaVine and James Young because I feel they can still be had at 18 where the Suns pick again. Hood might not. Arguably one of the best shooters in the draft, he can bolster Phoenix's bench scoring. I will say this. Hood to me could wind up being the biggest WTF player in terms of where he might go. He can go as high as #6 to Boston or as low as #24 to Charlotte. He has a very wide range as far as where he could go, so he's a major wild card.
I'll post the rest in a minute
