Another season, another lottery and another draft where the Lakers hold no first round relevance. However, with this year’s draft class packed with uncertainties and no sure-fire picks, finding a diamond in the rough might not be such an arduous task for the Lakers, who currently possess four selections in the second round.
With that being said, here is version 1.0 of the LakersNation.com 2011 Mock Draft. (Keep in mind that this mock takes into consideration who I think will go where, but also who I would select if I were drafting for each team.)
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Clippers): Kyrie Irving – PG – Duke – Freshman: The fact that Irving only suited up for 11 games during his lone season at Duke is truly a testament to how awful this draft is setting up to be. It’s not that Irving is bad – he’s going to be a phenomenal point guard in this league – but with so many other, more experienced players on the board, it would be understandable to see him drop a few spots due to his very brief season in Durham, NC. With that being said, Irving might not be able to bring a championship banner to Cleveland, but he will certainly be the first piece of many for the Cavs, as they look to return to relevancy.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3pbLyHCOCo
2. Minnesota Timberwolves: Derrick Williams – F – Arizona – Sophomore: As much as I dislike this pick for the Timberwolves, their only other option is to trade down or out. Despite their stockpile of point guards, Irving would have been the best fit for them, while Williams simply duplicates a piece that they already possess (Michael Beasley). Williams is definitely more suited for a wing role than Beasley is, but even if they are able to make it work position-wise, their paralleling loose-cannon personalities have to raise some concern for the franchise.
3. Utah Jazz (from Nets): Brandon Knight – PG – Kentucky – Freshman: Out of John Calipari’s last four one-and-done point guards (Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and now Knight), Knight definitely needs the most work. He’s much more fitted for the shooting guard position, but at 6-foot-3-inches, that’s not an ideal situation for him moving forward. While he would be a fringe-lottery pick in any other draft (other than 2000), at No. 3, he’s the best value for the Jazz, who likely do not see Devin Harris as their point-man of the future.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Enes Kanter – PF/C – Turkey – 1992: Despite missing out on an entire season of basketball, Kanter’s stock did not take much of a hit during 2010-11. This is mainly due to two reasons: 1) GM’s and scouts are still salivating over his 34-point, 13-rebound domination of Jared Sullinger at the Nike Hoops Summit this past year. 2) In case you haven’t already heard 100 times, 2011 is an extremely weak draft. He’s Al Horford with a jump shot, and if he wows NBA personnel in workouts, he could move his way up into the top two picks.
5. Toronto Raptors: Jonas Valanciunas – PF/C – Lithuania – 1992: Kawhi Leonard or Jan Veseley could as easily be selected here; however, Toronto lacks a powerful frontcourt compliment to their former No. 1 pick, Andrea Bargnani. Valanciunas is exactly that – a big body with good post skills and a considerable amount of athleticism.
6. Washington Wizards: Kawhi Leonard – SF – San Diego State – Sophomore: Leonard led the Aztecs on a Cinderella run this past NCAA basketball season, and his stock has risen tremendously because of it. However, it is Leonard’s motor and athletic ability that has helped him maintain a steady incline on most draft boards. Pairing him with John Wall could be a scary duo on the break, and while he will never be a top scoring option on a championship team, he will most certainly be an integral part of one’s success.
7. Sacramento Kings: Kemba Walker – PG – Connecticut – Junior: From start-to-finish, Walker powered the Huskies to a memorable national title season. Although he might barely hit six-feet tall in shoes, Walker has never let his size become an issue for his success. Above everything he is a leader, and a good one at that. He may not possess the point guard skills of Irving, but he knows how to win, and the front-office management of any team can definitely appreciate that.
8. Detroit Pistons: Bismack Biyombo – C – Congo – 1992: Biyombo’s name was unheard of until recently, so it might be a stretch to see him rise this high, even if he does wow in pre-draft workouts. However, his resemblance to Ben Wallace will surely be tantalizing for the Pistons, who are in much need of a defensive-minded center to pair with Greg Monroe’s finesse style of play down low. With very few big man options at this position, Biyombo fills a need for the Pistons, and while he has the potential to be the next Wallace, he could as easily become the next Mohammed Sene.
9. Charlotte Bobcats: Jan Vesely – F – Czech Republic – 1990:
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Marcus Morris – F – Kansas – Junior: While Colorado’s Alec Burks is the name being packaged with Milwaukee, Morris fills a much bigger need for the Bucks, who already have John Salmons and Corey Maggette under contract for a while. Capable of playing inside or out, Morris is a perfect fit for the Bucks who need a true power forward. Morris is capable of playing on the wing, however, he will be most successful as a four, with the ability to stretch the floor with his shooting ability. Pairing him up front with Bogut will be a tough tandem to guard, and even without his twin-brother Markieff flaking his side, he’ll undoubtedly find success.
11. Golden State Warriors: Chris Singleton – F – Florida State – Junior: I saw Singleton play live this year, and truthfully, I’m not sure if he is as great as everyone is making him out to be. However, that was in December against a very weak Loyola Marymount team, so maybe it was just a reaction to his environment. But for the Warriors, Singleton fits in very nicely as a defensive-minded wing, who could really help propel the Warriors into the playoffs next season. He won’t score a lot of points, but his size, strength and knack for slowing his opponents down is exactly what Golden State needs among its plethora of trigger-happy guards and forwards.
12. Utah Jazz: Alec Burks – SG – Colorado – Sophomore: Assuming the Jazz take Knight at No. 3, it would be hard to justify drafting Fredette, and not a legitimate shooting guard with this pick. Burks is young and hasn’t been seen much on a national scale, but he possesses all of the tools to be an effective off-guard in the NBA, especially in slow-tempo offense ran by the Jazz.
13. Phoenix Suns: Jimmer Fredette – PG – Brigham Young – Senior: “The Jimmer” took the nation by storm this year – so much, that he had to enroll in online classes because his status as a celebrity was too distracting for other students at BYU. Sadly, his ceiling may not be much higher than JJ Redick, but he is much better at creating his own shot, and has considerably better point guard skills than the former POY does. Therefore, with the right teachings, he very well could become a legitimate starting point guard in this league. Given his celebrity status in the state of Utah, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see the Jazz select him with the pick before this.
14. Houston Rockets: Markieff Morris – PF/C – Kansas – Junior: As we saw with the Collins and Lopez brothers, it will be unlikely that the Morris twins continue their careers in the NBA together. While Marcus is the better player offensively, Markieff is a beast down low. He may be a little small to play the center position, but as a power forward, he will flourish. He can rebound, defend and block shots, and with a constantly injured set of big men in Houston, he will fill a much-needed void for the Rockets.
Next: Picks 15-20
15. Indiana Pacers: Kenneth Faried – PF – Morehead State – Senior: Markieff Morris would be the optimal choice at this spot for the Pacers, who need more strength up front. However, with him off of the board, the NCAA’s leader in rebounds is a viable option as well. He reminds me of a better version of Renaldo Balkman with a larger offensive skill set, so he has the potential to fit in nicely next to Indiana’s Roy Hibbert.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5dYqgjl-7M
16. Philadelphia 76ers: Tristan Thompson – PF – Texas – Freshman: I don’t really know what the Sixers need, and I don’t think they do either. They have their future guard in Jrue Holiday, they have two very good wings in Iguodala and last year’s No. 2, Evan Turner. Their front court is a motley crew comprised of youth and experience: Elton Brand, Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes and Marreese Speights. So, unless they trade Iguodala prior to the draft, their aren’t too many wholes they need filling right now, they just need to get older and more experienced. Thompson is somewhat of a replica of Young, however, he is a better big man than Young is – which apparently is what the Sixers are looking for this summer.
17. New York Knicks: Josh Selby – PG – Kansas – Freshman: Right now, the 13-25 range is the likely destination for Selby; however, don’t be surprised to see this kid rise rapidly up the boards prior to draft night. He’s lighting quick, has great athleticism and has the potential to develop great point guard skills if placed in the right offense with the right teachings. He’s got all the tools one needs to succeed in a point guard’s league, so he’s got major room to grow over then next month.
18. Washington Wizards (from Hawks): Klay Thompson – SG – Washington State – Junior: Who better to pair John Wall with than arguably the best shooter in college basketball? No not, Jimmer Fredette, but Klay Thompson – who was Washington State’s leading scorer this season. Athletically, he doesn’t come close to Wall, but for Wall to be an effective PG, the Wizards need to surround him with shooters – and Thompson will unquestionably provide that presence in Washington.
19. Charlotte Bobcats (from Hornets): Trey Thompkins – PF – Georgia – Junior
20. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Grizzlies): Jordan Hamilton – SG/SF – Texas – Sophomore: The Wolves are loaded at nearly every position, unfortunately, they have no star power outside of Kevin Love, nor do they have much talent. Hamilton is a big wing who likes to score, which is what Minnesota needs – someone who wants the ball in their hands and can lead a charge. He probably won’t become anything too special, but given what’s being provided in this draft, the Wolves have to take what they can get.
Next: Picks 21-25
21. Portland Trail Blazers: Darius Morris – PG – Michigan – Sophomore:
22. Denver Nuggets: Donatas Motiejunas – PF – Lithuania – 1990: He was projected as a no-brainer lottery pick last season, and is still in that area on some draft boards this year; however, Motiejunas fills a stereotype that GM’s are finally learning to stay away from. And that is, not all seven-footers from Europe, with a sweet jump shot, are going to be the next Dirk Nowitzki. Motiejunas has much more Andrea Bargnani in him than Dirk Nowitzki, and probably falls closer to Yi Jianlian more than anything.
23. Houston Rockets (from Magic): Reggie Jackson – PG – Boston College – Junior:
24. Oklahoma City Thunder: Tobias Harris – F – Tennessee – Freshman: Tobias Harris probably left school to early, but due to the weakness of this year’s draft pool, it won’t hurt him too much. At 6-feet-8-inches tall with great athleticism AND a jump shot, Harris has the potential to be a solid player in this league for years to come. If he is drafted by OKC, he will technically be the backup to Kevin Durant, however, given the two player’s versatility, pairing them on the floor together would never be an issue. Additionally, Harris is a capable defender, who could provide a tag-team defense along with Sefolosha, Perkins and Ibaka if the Thunder are looking to lock down their opponent.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AMHre4bKiI
25. Boston Celtics: Jordan Williams – C – Maryland – Sophomore: With [Kendrick] Perkins gone and both O’Neal’s essentially done with their basketball careers, the Celtics need to find some more muscle up front – and fast. While there isn’t much of that anywhere in this draft, Williams is a big body who has been working tirelessly since the season ended. He has good post skills and his work-ethic will truly fit in with the direction the Celtics are moving in.
Next: Picks 26-30
26. Dallas Mavericks: Tyler Honeycutt – SG/SF – UCLA – Sophomore: While they are winning games in the playoffs, and look to have a real shot at the NBA title this year, the Mavericks are old. They have no talented youth on the wings, and although they may be able to make it work this year, it’s going to be a whole lot more difficult next year without any young guns. Honeycutt fills that need for them – not completely, but enough to breath some life in this quickly peaking roster. He can run, score and given his athletic abilities, he can learn to be a good defender – which is exactly what the Mavs need moving forward.
27. New Jersey Nets (from Lakers): Marshon Brooks – SG – Providence – Senior: If the Nets want any chance of keeping Deron Williams in New Jersey past the next trade deadline, they need help offensively on the wings ASAP. They will not find that with this pick in this draft. However, as the nation’s second-leading scorer (behind Fredette), Brooks could be a great spark off the bench in the way that Marcus Thornton has been for the Hornets and Kings in recent years.
28. Chicago Bulls (from Heat): Travis Leslie – SG – Georgia – Junior: Athletically, there are not many more players in this draft above Leslie. To be frank, he’s a freak. When he’s on the court with Rose, teams are going to have an insanely difficult time containing the two, because there aren’t many backcourt pairs who can soar higher than those two.
29. San Antonio Spurs: Jeremy Tyler – PF – USA – 1992: It’s going to be a long-while before the Spurs ever find a legitimate replacement for Tim Duncan. But with him on his way out, the Spurs need some depth up front. While they do have Tiago Splitter and DeJuan Blair as viable candidates, they still need more raw talent, which Tyler brings to the table. He may be the love-child of Stephen Jackson and Michael Beasley (or Ty Crane from the movie “Coach Carter”), but insanity aside, the kid has talent – and the Spurs need that. Poppovich has proven to be an A1 candidate for dealing with headcases and making them effective players, so maybe he can do the same with a very egotistical, but very talented young kid.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaJcyVNju4k
30. Chicago Bulls: Nolan Smith – G – Duke – Senior: With reigning MVP Derrick Rose taking up a majority of time at the PG position, the Bulls aren’t in much need of anything at the point guard position. And with CJ Watson providing assurance as a reliable backup, there isn’t much need for that spot either. However, as a former NCAA champion, Smith brings a winning-pedigree into the league with him, and he would fill the role of the Bulls’ third point-guard perfectly. He will likely see few minutes at the point-spot, but he is capable of filling the other guard spot as well, which the Bulls often see inconsistency at.