2007 NBA Mock Draft

Deep at Forward; Shallow at Point Guard

© Phil Partington

Jun 19, 2007

With the San Antonio Spurs claiming another NBA title by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers, teams look to improve their rosters in the 2007 NBA Draft. After the top two picks, held by the Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle Supersonics, things get tricky as the talent pool is deep.

First, here are a some important things to remember about the NBA Draft.

• The Blazers and the Sonics will not trade their top picks. It would be ludicrous and extremely difficult to get matching value back with salary complications.
• The draft is based mostly off player work outs and camps. So, read the rumor mill closely.
• Don't forget about the x-factors. International contract complications, injury issues, work ethic, attitude all have an effect on when a player gets drafted.

For more on the 2007 NBA Draft, check out Suite 101's NBA Draft Guide.

Though this writer's mock draft is subject to change as rumors continue to spread like wildfire, here's a good look at what might happen at the June 28th draft.

1. The Portland Trail Blazers selects center Greg Oden from Ohio State University. This is almost a no-brainer. Some will argue that Durant should be the first pick and that argument truly has merit. However, centers like Oden come around maybe once or twice every ten years and though Durant's skills are impressive and apparent by his numbers, Oden is not as un-polished as some might think. Defensively, he's ready to carry a team on his back at the NBA level. More importantly, his offensive game is improving rapidly and he has unparalleled work ethic.
2. The Seattle Supersonics selects forward Kevin Durant from Texas University. There is talk that Sonic forward Rashard Lewis and Durant can't co-exist. Hogwash. With the right coach and the right system they can do just fine. Though, facing some of the larger power forwards of the Western Conference, such as Tim Duncan, Carlos Boozer, Kevin Garnett, Elton Brand and Pau Gasol could be a challenge. Still, the Sonics won 51 games under Nate MacMillan with Rashard Lewis and Vladamir Radmanovic pairing at the forward spots. Either way, the Sonics land themselves a star here.
3. The Atlanta Hawks selects forward Brandan Wright from the University of North Carolina. The rumors is that the Hawks will either trade this pick or select Al Horford, who may be one of the more NBA-ready players in the draft. Since they don't have much of a spot for Horford, they'll likely trade the pick altogether. Brandan Wright has unbelievable upside and is often compared to Chris Bosh. This pick will be made for another team.
4. The Memphis Grizzlies selects forward Al Horford from the University of Florida. Possibly the most NBA-ready player after Oden and Durant, Horford would bring toughness and defensive prowess to a team that badly needs it.
5. The Boston Celtics selects forward/guard Corey Brewer from the University of Florida. The Celtics need a point guard and could opt for Mike Conley, but with the late-season emergence of Rajon Rondo, the solid play of Delonte West and the (hopefully) healthy return of Tony Allen, the Celtics probably wouldn't pass on Brewer, who is one of the more NBA-ready player in the draft. Concerns about Brewer include his thin-frame. At 6-8, he's only 185lbs. He'll be asked to add strength, while maintaining his quickness. He is a versatile wing who plays excellent defense.
6. The Milwaukee Bucks selects forward Yi Jianlian from China. There are questions about Jianlian's age and even more questions about whether or not China will let him go. Still, his upside is tremendous. His game resembles that of Pau Gasol's and he has a high basketball IQ. If not for questions about his contract, Jianlian could go higher than this.
7. The Minnesota Timberwolves selects forward Jeff Green from Georgetown University. With Ricky Davis probably on the move, the Wolves could use some help at the small forward position. Green needs to develop an outside shot in the worst way, but he's very talented from 15 feet and in.
8. The Charlotte Bobcats selects center/forward Spencer Hawes. The Bobcats might also consider drafting either Joakim Noah or Julian Wright as Gerald Wallace is a free agent, which would make Wright a good insurance pick. However, the Bobcats badly need some help at the offensive end, and though Hawes has much more seasoning to go before becoming a star player, he may end up being the second best center in this draft behind Greg Oden. Skilled in the post or facing up, Hawes is also an exceptional passer. He could pair well with Emeka Okafor.
9. The Chicago Bulls selects forward/center Joakim Noah from the University of Florida. The Bulls might end up moving this pick and Noah could even slide past this point if he doesn't impress in draft workouts. He's very mobile as a 7-footer, but his skills are limited. Despite great defensive intensity, his ceiling isn't thought to be very high. However, if the Bulls keep this pick, Noah could fit their system well as he's active and long. They might also consider drafting point guard Mike Conley as insurance if they end up having to move Kirk Hinrich or Chris Duhon.
10. The Sacramento Kings selects forward Julian Wright from the University of Kansas. The Kings are officially rebuilding and may try to trade Mike Bibby and/or Ron Artest. With some young, up-and-comers like Kevin Martin, John Salmons and Francisco Garcia, the Kings might look to go big and draft Joakim Noah. However, Wright is the best player available in this scenerio and his versatility and athleticism could be a big help to a young Kings team. They might also consider drafting point guard Mike Conley as Mike Bibby is on the trading block.
11. The Atlanta Hawks selects point guard Mike Conley from Ohio State University. It is very likely that Conley gets selected higher than this pick, in which case the Hawks will likely move either their 3rd pick or this one to get a point guard. Conley has a great amount of upside, though he needs to work on his jump shot. He's incredibly quick, has great leadership ability and gets extremely low on defense (which, combined with his quick hands makes him adept at pick-pocketing opposing ball handlers). The Hawks would love it if Conley fell to this spot.
12. The Philadelphia 76ers selects forward Al Thornton from Florida State University. Thornton is an astounding athlete and could pair well on the wing with Andre Iguodala. Imagine Thornton in one lane on a fast break and Iguodala on the other with Andre Miller in the middle with the ball. Imagine the highlight reels! Thornton has some maturing to do, but this pick could make sense for Philadelphia.
13. The New Orleans Hornets selects guard Rodney Stuckey from Eastern Washington University. Stuckey is starting to get a lot of attention. The Pistons are strong candidates to pick him at 15. He's a bit undersized at the two guard, but he's athletic and has a nice looking shot. Look for his draft stock to continue to rise as the draft camps/workouts continue. With all the injuries the Hornets endured last season, they could use another talented combo-guard.
14. The Los Angeles Clippers selects forward Thaddeus Young from Georgia Tech University. The Players like Sam Cassell are getting a bit older and players like Chris Kaman and Corey Maggette can never seem to stay healthy. Young could add depth and athleticism to a team that seemed frail much of the time last season.
15. The Detroit Pistons selects guard Nick Young from the University of Southern California. The Pistons need depth off the bench and Young is a great fit for their system. He thrives at moving without the ball and shooting the mid-range jumper off screens. He's also a solid defender and could help give Richard Hamilton much needed rests. He needs to attack the basket more as he sometimes relies on jump shots too much, but would still be a good fit in Detroit.
16. The Washington Wizards selects forward/center Tiago Splitter from Brazil. The Wizards could go a few directions here. Center Brendan Haywood wants out, which would leave a bit of a hole in the middle since Etan Thomas is often in foul trouble. Splitter moves incredibly well for a guy his size and is an excellent shot blocker. He doesn't have much of an offensive game, but is still fairly young.
17. The New Jersey Nets selects forward Josh McRoberts from Duke University. The Nets reportedly love this kid. He's fairly versatile for a power forward, is a great passer and has good size. The Nets badly need a power forward to pair with up-and-comer Nenad Krstic and McRoberts could be a nice fit.
18. The Golden State Warriors selects point guard Javaris Crittenton from Georgia Tech University. Obviously, the Warriors aren't short on guards, but with Baron Davis' health constantly in question the Warriors might look to add another talented guard for insurance. Moreover, Crittenton is the best player available. They could opt for power forward Jason Smith, but he isn't ready to make major contributions right away like Crittenton. With good size and scoring ability, Crittenton could play either guard position, making him a viable weapon in Don Nelson's guard-heavy offense.
19. The Los Angeles Lakers selects point guard Acie Law from Texas A&M University. The Lakers have been searching for a point guard for a very long time and might have found a good fit in Law. He's still more of a scoring than a point guard, but with Kobe Bryant dominating the ball so much, that might not be a horrible thing. Law is NBA-ready and a big-time competitor. He's a knowledgeable player and should help his NBA team right away.
20. The Miami Heat selects guard/forward Derrick Byars from Vanderbuilt University. Byars needs to work on shot selection, but is a solid defender and terrific passer at the two spot. As a senior, he is more experienced and should contribute right away. The Heat need help on the perimeter as players like Gary Payton and Eddie Jones are getting older.
21. The Philadelphia 76ers selects guard Daequan Cook from Ohio State University. With three first round picks, the Sixers can afford to take a small gamble on Cook. His upside is unbelievable. He already has an NBA body and is extremely athletic. He needs to mature and can get trigger happy, but with Andre Iguodala already on the roster, the Sixers would not have to rush him. If Philadelphia adds Cook on top of Al Thornton (as is the case in this mock draft) they would have made their perimeter that much more athletic.
22. The Charlotte Bobcats selects forward Jason Smith from Colorado State University. Smith probably won't be a huge contributor right away, but he does have a lot of upside. At seven feet, he's incredibly mobile and runs the court well. His offensive game is more about facing up than posting, but he has the coordination to learn. With Sean May possibly on the trade block this summer and Emeka Okafor securing things in the middle, the Bobcats can afford to take a risk on Smith.
23. The New York Knicks selects guard Rudy Fernandez from Spain. This might not be a pick Isiah Thomas would make, but it makes the most sense. The Knicks need some perimeter shooting and Fernandez has a very quick release. Reminds some of a thinner version of Manu Ginobili. His biggest weakness is on defense and his body frame. He needs to add some muscle without losing much quickness.
24. The Phoenix Suns selects guard Marco Belinelli from Italy. A tremendous shooter who can play both guard positions; the type of player the Suns seem to be attracted to. Belinelli needs to work on his defense more.
25. The Utah Jazz selects guard Arron Afflalo from UCLA. Afflalo is the perfect fit for the Jazz. Sound defender, who isn't a tremendous athlete but makes up for it with his shooting/scoring prowess. The Jazz biggest weakness is at the two guard spot and Afflalo could be a nice addition.
26. The Houston Rockets selects forward Sean Williams from Boston College. Tremendous athlete with unbelievable potential. One of the best shot blockers in college basketball. The Rockets could use some help at the power forward position after trading Juwan Howard. The biggest question mark with him is his work ethic and off court issues.
27. The Detroit Pistons selects point guard Gabe Pruitt from the University of Southern California. Pruitt could go higher if Crittenton and Law are picked higher. Though he's more of a scorer than a true point guard, Pruitt has a lot of tools that could make him a steal. Extremely quick and a tough defender, he could provide energy off the bench for the Pistons.
28. The San Antonio Spurs selects forward Alando Tucker from the University of Wisconson. Tucker is an excellent athlete who should be able to contribute right away. More of a slasher type of scorer, Tucker is unselfish and could help beef up the small forward position as Bruce Bowen gets older.
29. The Phoenix Suns selects forward/guard Marcus Williams from the University of Arizona. It will be interesting to see what new GM Steve Kerr does in the draft. As an Arizona alum, Kerr might see the offensive-minded Williams as a good fit. Unless there's a big man available whom the Suns think will fit in their system, look for Phoenix to take the best player available and possibly make some off season maneuvers.
30. The Philadelphia 76ers selects center Marc Gasol from Spain. The younger brother of Memphis Grizzlies' star Pau Gasol, Marc doesn't possess the same athleticism or quickness. Instead, Marc is much slower, but also bigger. Able to hold position well in the post, Marc is an exceptional rebounder and could help boost the Sixer's interior.

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