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Andrew 0 Comments 541 Read Jun 25, 2009


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Well, here it is, my final mock draft. Unfortunately, with my schedule tomorrow, I most likely won't have a chance to post another one, so this is pretty much going to serve as my set of picks. Like I promised, I'll go through all 60 picks this time around. I'm also planning on submitting this mock to nbadraft.net's mock draft contest. It's free and you could win a Playstation 3, so why not? As always, comments, questions, etc. are not only welcome, but encouraged. Enjoy the draft everyone.

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin, F, Oklahoma (Previous pick: same) - Everyone who does a mock draft this year is guaranteed to at least start the night 1-for-1. Moving on...

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet, C, UConn (Previous pick: same) - A number of teams, including the Timberwolves, are trying to trade up for this pick. But Memphis is asking a lot. From everything I've read, if they can't trade it, they will grab Thabeet.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain (Previous pick: Jordan Hill, F, Arizona) - I think Hill would be a good fit, but it's looking more and more like Rubio is the guy.

4. Sacramento Kings - Tyreke Evans, PG, Memphis (Previous pick: Rubio) - Evans has really impressed lately and I don't think the Kings will pass him up, though Jonny Flynn is actually a possibility. I think that would only happen if Evans is off the board though.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves - Stephen Curry, G, Davidson (Previous pick: same, but to Wizards) - Here's where things get cloudy. My T'wolves acquired this pick from Washington with, from what I've read, the hopes of packaging it for Thabeet or Rubio, or using it outright on Evans. In this situation, however, all three are gone, so I think they'll opt for Curry's scoring ability.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - James Harden, SG, Arizona State (Previous pick: Evans) - This depends on whether Minnesota thinks Curry can handle playing the point. If he can, and they pair him with Harden, they get a dynamic, young backcourt duo. Still, part of me doesn't see this happening. I think either No. 5 or No. 6 gets traded.

7. Golden State Warriors - Jordan Hill, F, Arizona (Previous pick: Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse) - After Golden State reportedly picked up a pair of point guards tonight, it looks pretty obvious that they won't go for a guard. That makes the athletic Hill the logical choice.

8. New York Knicks - Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse (Previous pick: Harden) - I think the Knicks would be very, very happy with Flynn, who has spent his whole life in New York.

9. Toronto Raptors - Gerald Henderson, SF, Duke (Previous pick: same) - I've had Henderson here since the first mock draft and I'm keeping him here. I think he fits perfectly.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - DeMar DeRozan, SF, USC (Previous pick: Ty Lawson, PG, North Carolina) - The trade of Richard Jefferson to the Spurs suddenly creates a glaring hole at small forward. Milwaukee will likely start off the young DeRozan behind the veteran Bruce Bowen.

11. New Jersey Nets - Earl Clark, F, Louisville (Previous pick: same) - Like Henderson, Clark is a logical selection at this slot. If the Nets don't grab Clark, they will still likely go for frontcourt help.

12. Charlotte Bobcats - Tyler Hansbrough, PF, North Carolina (Previous pick: Chase Budinger, F, Arizona) - Hansbrough is quickly climbing draft boards simply because of the safety involved in selecting him. Teams know exactly what they're getting when they take him – a scrappy, hard-working banger down low.

13. Indiana Pacers - DeJuan Blair, PF, Pittsburgh (Previous pick: DeRozan) - I keep reading that, like Hansbrough, Blair is climbing draft boards. Indiania, in particular, will take a long look at Blair, who would add needed muscle down low.

14. Phoenix Suns - Jrue Holiday, PG, UCLA (Previous pick: Patty Mills, PG, Saint Mary's) - I'm not a huge fan of Holiday, but for whatever reason, he seems a lock to come off the board in the top 20 picks. Phoenix will probably be looking for a point guard to groom behind Steve Nash.

15. Detroit Pistons - B.J. Mullens, C, Ohio State (Previous pick: same) - Aside from Thabeet, Mullens is the only other center with true first-round talent. Detroit seems to have their eye on him, so he's the pick.

16. Chicago Bulls - Wayne Ellington, SG, North Carolina (Previous pick: James Johnson, SF, Wake Forest) - The Bulls could really go in any direction here, but my suspicion is that they will grab a taller guard, just to play it safe in case they lose Ben Gordon.

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Chase Budinger, F, Arizona (Previous pick: Ellington) - Budinger could probably play either shooting guard or small forward, so his versatily would be a nice addition to Philly.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves - James Johnson, SF, Wake Forest (Previous pick: Terrence Williams, F, Louisville) - If they hang on to the two top-10 picks (and go with a pair of guards), a forward makes sense here.

19. Atlanta Hawks - Brandon Jennings, PG, Oak Hill Academy/Italy (Previous pick: Omri Casspi, SF, Israel) - After dumping a pair of point guards, I suspect Atlanta would be quite happy to see Jennings still on the board.

20. Utah Jazz - Ty Lawson, PG, North Carolina (Previous pick: Blair) - I still think the Jazz could benefit from a big body down low, but at this point they wouldn't reach for a lesser forward with so many top guards available.

21. New Orleans Hornets - Terrence Williams, F, Louisville (Previous pick: Hansbrough) - Williams, like Budinger, can play both shooting guard and small forward. That kind of flexibility would be a bonus for the Hornets.

22. Portland Trail Blazers - Omri Casspi, SF, Israel (Previous pick: Jeff Teague, PG, Wake Forest, but to the Mavericks) - Portland traded up for this pick and my guess is that it's for Casspi. Portland is a team that could afford to wait a year or two for Casspi.

23. Sacramento Kings - Sam Young, SF, PIttsburgh (Previous pick: same) - My guess is that Austin Daye will also be in play here. The Kings will grab whoever they feel is the best player.

24. Dallas Mavericks - Jeff Teague, PG, Wake Forest (Previous pick: Boban Marjanovic, C, Serbia, but to the Blazers) - Dallas, having moved back, still gets a backup point guard, and a good one at that.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Austin Daye, F, Gonzaga (Previous pick: Eric Maynor, PG, VCU) - Having taken Rubio earlier, the Thunder could opt for the athletic, but raw Daye.

26. Chicago Bulls - Derrick Brown, SF, Xavier (Previous pick: Dionte Christmas, SG, Temple) - I'm still a big Christmas fan (and not just the holiday). But I think Brown could be the pick. He's probably a better all-around player.

27. Memphis Grizzlies - Eric Maynor, PG, VCU (Previous pick: Holiday) - This pick, if Memphis keeps it, will probably be a guard.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Jonas Jerebko, SF, Sweden (Previous pick: Taj Gibson, PF, USC) - Tough call here, especially if Minny keeps all four first rounders. They most likely don't want to bring on four first-round picks (and salaries) next year, so they could take a European and stash him away for a year or two.

29. Los Angeles Lakers - Toney Douglas, PG, Florida State (Previous pick: Darren Collison, PG, UCLA) - I've had Collison here for a while, but I'm warming to the idea of Douglas. He seems like a good fit for a team in need of a young point guard.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Dionte Christmas, SG, Temple (Previous pick: Jennings) - My man Christmas sneaks into the first round as the final pick.

Second round (Going to just go quick here, it's getting late)

31. Sacramento Kings - Taj Gibson, PF, USC

32. Washington Wizards - Josh Heytvelt, PF, Gonzaga

33. Portland Trail Blazers - Victor Claver, SF, Spain

34. Denver Nuggets - Patty Mills, PG, Saint Mary's

35. Detroit Pistons - DaJuan Summers, SF, Georgetown

36. Memphis Grizzlies - DeMarre Carroll, SF, Missouri

37. San Antonio Spurs - Darren Collison, PG, UCLA

38. Portland Trail Blazers - Marcus Thornton, SG, LSU

39. Detroit Pistons - Rodrigue Beaubois, PG, France

40. Charlotte Bobcats - Jermaine Taylor, SG, Central Florida

41. Milwaukee Bucks - Nick Calathes, PG, Florida

42. Los Angeles Lakers - Danny Green, F, North Carolina

43. Miami Heat - Jodie Meeks, SG, Kentucky

44. Detroit Pistons - Jeff Pendergraph, PF, Arizona State

45. Minnesota Timberwolves - Dante Cunningham, F, Villanova

46. Phoenix Suns - Vyacheslav Kravtsov, C, Ukraine

47. Minnesota Timberwolves - Jerel McNeal, SG, Marquette

48. Phoenix Suns - Robert Dozier, SF, Memphis

49. Atlanta Hawks - Curtis Jerrells, PG, Baylor

50. Utah Jazz - Jeff Adrien, PF, UConn

51. San Antonio Spurs - Sergeii Gladyr, SG, Ukraine

52. Indiana Pacers - Tyrese Rice, PG, Boston College

53. San Antonio Spurs - Sergio Llull, PG, Spain

54. Charlotte Bobcats - Leo Lyons, SF, Missouri

55. Portland Trail Blazers - Chris Johnson, PF, LSU

56. Dallas Mavericks - Vitor Faverani, C, Brazil

57. Phoenix Suns - Courtney Fells, SG, NC State

58. Boston Celtics - A.J. Price, PG, UConn

59. Los Angeles Lakers - Wesley Matthews, SG, Marquette

60. Miami Heat - Henk Norel, C, Netherlands



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Biography
Andrew Lovell is a sports writer/copy editor for the New Britain Herald in New Britain, CT. A 2008 graduate of Ithaca College, Andrew is an avid sports fan who enjoys all aspects of sports writing. He has worked for a handful of other newspapers, including The Ithaca Journal and Auburn Citizen, and has covered everything from the Hudson Valley Renegades (Single-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays) and Cornell University athletics to an NHL conditioning camp and high school football. Andrew's work has also appeared on d3football.com and his favorite sports writer is Gary Smith. Andrew is also not afraid to cry over sports, which he did for way too long after the Seahawks lost Super Bowl XL. When you can't find Andrew blogging, he'll most likely be watching ESPN or reading something about sports. You can contact him at andrewclovell@gmail.com ... unless you're a Steelers fan. Yes, he is still, and will probably always be that bitter.

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