Writing the Pine

Seth Wenig/AP

The NBA Draft is this Thursday and there are numerous mock drafts out there speculating on who every team will take.  Well, I’m gonna take a little different spin on it and decide who every team should draft.  It’s basically if I was GM for every team, who I would take or what I’d try to do with the pick.  I got a lot of thinking to do so let’s get right to it.

UPDATED: A bunch of trades went down since I posted this so I will be making adjustments accordingly.

1. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
NEEDS: PF, to get rid of Zach Randolph, to trade B for someone who actually wants to be there, a new coach, new owner, the Lakers to start sucking, Bill Simmons to stop ripping on them so the rest of the nation doesn’t realize how bad they are. This could go on for a while…
SHOULD DRAFT: PF Blake Griffin – Oklahoma
COMMENTS: Well, it’s pretty obvious the horror show that is the Clippers should draft Blake Griffin. He is clearly the best player in the draft and the most able to help a team out right away. (For the record I believe he will be a better version of Amare Stoudemire.) The manchild from Oklahoma should start right away, but who knows how Zach Randolph would react to coming off the bench? He is, after all, the guy who was seen at a strip club while on bereavement leave. (For the record, I’m not sure what was worse: Grizzlies trading away Pau Gasol for nothing or the Clippers actually agreeing to trade for Randolph). Some have said the Clippers should trade their pick for multiple pieces. It’s an interesting thought. If they could get Stoudemire or Chris Bosh (and get them to sign extensions) and those teams’ first-round picks, then I’d do it. Otherwise, Griffin is the obvious choice.
OTHER OPTIONS: Trade for superstar

2. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
NEEDS: PG/SG, PF
SHOULD DRAFT: SG James Harden – Arizona State
COMMENTS: To be honest, the Grizzlies should trade out of this position. What they need is a power forward who will give them a low-post presence. A possibility would be to package this pick with some players to the Knicks for David Lee and the #8 pick (although I don’t know what the rules are with that since he can’t negotiate a new contract until July 1). They have Darrell Arthur at the 4 right now but aside from a few games early in the season, he failed to impress at all. But I’d give him another year to improve and not waste this pick on Jordan Hill as next year’s power forward crop seems to be loaded. So Memphis should shore up their backcourt and take James Harden. Harden doesn’t need the ball in his hands to make things happen. He can put the ball in the cup but I see him as more of guard version of Jeff Green. The Grizzlies can’t draft a guy who will dominate the ball and Harden is a smart player who can make plays without scoring. He has high basketball acumen and is willing to pass to make the best play. Jrue Holiday or Terrence Williams (defensive-minded guards) might be better fits but #2 is way too high to pick them. If they could trade down and grab one of those guys or even trade this pick for another pick next year, I definitely would. If not, Harden it is.
OTHER OPTIONS: Thabeet, trade down for Jrue Holiday, Terrence Williams, Gerald Henderson, trade for 2010 picks

3. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
NEEDS: PG/SG, PF, C
SHOULD DRAFT: C Hasheem Thabeet – Connecticut
COMMENTS: The Thunder have a gaping hole in the middle. Nenad Krstic is solid but isn’t a feared defender and not much of a rebounder. Hasheem Thabeet is both of those things. He will instantly upgrade the defense and will help Jeff Green and Kevin Durant on the glass. He doesn’t provide much in the scoring department but he won’t need to with KD and Russell Westbrook next to him. If anything, they’ll create easier scoring opportunities for him since so much of the defense’s attention will be focused on them. It’s likely Thabeet will find himself in constant foul trouble a la Greg Oden and Krstic will be able to fill in nicely when that happens. The Thunder could also play a big lineup with Westbrook at point, Durant at the 2, Green at the 3, and Krstic and Thabeet up front. That could be a scary team for years to come.
OTHER OPTIONS: Ricky Rubio

4. SACRAMENTO KINGS
NEEDS: PG
SHOULD DRAFT: PG Ricky Rubio – Spain/DKV Joventut
COMMENTS: Ricky Rubio will be a top point guard in the league when it’s all said and done. He’s a playmaker and will remind Kings fans of White Chocolate – except a billion times better. The Spanish sensation will excite the city with his breathtaking passes and the kid actually plays defense! (Remember the Olympics? He had six steals in two games against Team USA.) He’ll enter the league as one of the best defensive point guards. He’s not a dominant scorer but you have that with Kevin Martin. He’ll create easy buckets for Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes and make them look better than they actually are. Rubio definitely needs to work on his shot but that’ll get there.
OTHER OPTIONS: Jonny Flynn

5. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
NEEDS: PG/SG, C
SHOULD DRAFT: G Jrue Holiday – UCLA
COMMENTS: I would definitely trade this pick for a veteran that could come in and play right away. If not, I’d at least try to trade down and grab Terrence Williams or Gerald Henderson. The Wizards have plenty of scorers and with Gilbert Arenas coming back, he’ll take most of the shots. Williams and Henderson will provide some perimeter defensive help without needing the ball on offense. Holiday is similar. Despite what everyone says, I don’t believe Holiday is a point guard at all. He’s a combo guard and also the anti-Nick Young. He’s known for his defense and while he may be a little bit of a project, I think he can give 15-20 minutes of solid play at least on the defensive end.
OTHER OPTIONS: Trade for veteran, trade down for Terrence Williams, Gerald Henderson

6. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
NEEDS: PG, C
SHOULD DRAFT: PG Jonny Flynn – Syracuse
COMMENTS: How could you not be a fan of Jonny Flynn? He is tough, charismatic, a natural leader, and exudes confidence (remember that six-OT thiller?) Oh and he can play some ball too. Though small in stature, Flynn always seems like he’s the biggest guy on the court. He can give the Timberwolves some personality and be the one to bring all their other young talent together and lead them to the Playoffs. Flynn is a natural point guard, giving Minnesota what they’ve been lacking the last few years. Plus it would be great for Sebastian Telfair to go up against him everyday in practice. Maybe it’d spark something in him to unleash his potential.
Other Possibilities: Stephen Curry

7. GOLDEN ST. WARRIORS
NEEDS: PG
SHOULD DRAFT: PG Brandon Jennings – Italy/Lottomatica Roma
COMMENTS: The Warriors have plenty of guys who can handle the ball but none are a point guard in the traditional sense. Monta Ellis, Jamal Crawford, and Stephen Jackson are all scorers first before passers. Jennings seems like he is a willing distributor and his style of play will fit right in with Don Nelson’s run ‘n gun offense (although who knows how much longer he’ll be coaching. Regardless, whoever takes over should continue to run a fast-paced offense). Ty Lawson could also make sense for the Warriors but #7 is too high for him.  Stephen Curry could work also but I just don’t think there are enough shots to go around for everybody if they drafted him.
OTHER OPTIONS: Ty Lawson, Stephen Curry

8. NEW YORK KNICKS
NEEDS: A whole new team, LeBron, D-Wade, Bosh and/or Amare in 2010
SHOULD DRAFT: PG Stephen Curry – Davidson
COMMENTS: Dream scenario for the Knicks if Curry drops this low. His stock is on fire right now. If Curry was on the Knicks, he’d be Rookie of the Year next season over Blake Griffin. It’s feasible he’d score 17-20 ppg given his shooting ability combined with Mike D’Antoni’s offense. Although I believe he has the ability to play point guard, after reading 7 Seconds Or Less and finding out just how much responsibility Steve Nash had in D’Antoni’s system, I don’t think it’d be wise to put him there. He could be a much better version of Leandro Barbosa. Despite people saying he is unathletic, watching him play against Duke last year combined with his results from the draft combine have convinced me that he’s more athletic than everyone says he is. The Knicks could also try and trade up to #2 to draft Rubio. I feel like of all coaches, D’Antoni would be able to get the most out of Rubio and despite his shaky shooting skills, he’d be the best fit at point out of anybody in this draft for D’Antoni. Plus he’d be fun to watch. Lawson is also a fit but #8 is too high.
OTHER OPTIONS: Trade up for Ricky Rubio, trade down for Ty Lawson, Jordan Hill

9. TORONTO RAPTORS
NEEDS: SG, SF, C
SHOULD DRAFT: G Tyreke Evans – Memphis
COMMENTS: Shawn Marion never looked comfortable in Toronto and it’s unlikely he re-signs with them. It would give the Raptors a glaring hole at the wing and Evans is one of the two best pure scorers in this draft (along with Curry). I also don’t believe Evans is much of a point guard. He dominates the ball and loves to shoot, often times looking selfish (just watch the 2008 McDonald’s All-American Game). Just because someone is a good ball-handler doesn’t mean he is a point guard. Kobe and LeBron handle the ball beautifully but no one considers them point guards. It’s no knock on him but Evans is a scorer first and he’d give the Raptors someone who can score on his own without needing anyone to set him up. It’d open things up on the inside for Chris Bosh and the things Evans brings to the table could be enough to get Bosh to extend in Toronto.
OTHER OPTIONS: DeMar DeRozan

10. MILWAUKEE BUCKS
NEEDS: PG, PF
SHOULD DRAFT: PF Jordan Hill – Arizona
COMMENTS: With all the top point guards off the board, I wouldn’t take a point guard here at 10. Lawson is probably the next best one but you could probably get him lower. I’d go for Hill since re-signing Charlie Villanueva is no guarantee. If he bolted for another team, the Bucks would have absolutely no one up front with Andrew Bogut. Hill, rated in the top-5 earlier in the season, is a steal at 10 and the Bucks would do themselves well to pick him up. Hill averaged 11 rpg last year at Arizona and the Bucks are one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the league.
OTHER OPTIONS: Ty Lawson, Jeff Teague, Eric Maynor

11. NEW JERSEY NETS
NEEDS: SG, PF, backup PG
SHOULD DRAFT: SG DeMar DeRozan – USC
COMMENTS: Rod Thorne has stated that he wants a “moose” and supposedly Tyler Hansbrough is his guy. The Chicago Bulls are rumored to be interested in trading their #16 and #26 picks to move up to #11 to select James Johnson and the Nets should definitely do that. Hansbrough will be there at #16. But they have a big need at shooting guard and DeMar DeRozan is oozing with potential and has one of the highest ceilings of anyone in the draft. He has Vince Carter-like athleticism and who better to teach him how to harness that ability than Vince Carter himself (assuming he is still on the team)? The Nets are a young team who have a bit of a ways to go before they can be serious contenders but with Devin Harris, DeRozan, and Brook Lopez, that could be a devastating trio for the rest of the league to deal with.
OTHER OPTIONS: Gerald Henderson, Terrence Williams

12. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
NEEDS: SG, backup for every position
SHOULD DRAFT: SG Gerald Henderson – Duke
COMMENTS: Every mock draft has Gerald Henderson going to the Bobcats and I will agree with this. The only shooting guard on the roster is Raja Bell and he is in the last year of his contract. Although he’s a Dukie, G (as they like to call him in Durham) can do well under Larry Brown. He started to show signs of an emerging offensive game last year but he’ll really be able to step in and play some defense. He didn’t test too well at the combine, but anyone who’s seen him play knows he has super-athleticism (just ask Carlton Fay from Southern Illinois).
OTHER OPTIONS: Terrence Williams

13. INDIANA PACERS
NEEDS: PF, C
SHOULD DRAFT: SF Earl Clark – Louisville
COMMENTS: To be perfectly honest, I don’t really know who the Pacers should draft. They need a center pretty badly but there isn’t one to pick at this point in the draft. If they could somehow get Thabeet that would be great for them but that’s obviously unlikely. They could draft BJ Mullens but I’d rather play Roy Hibbert. I’ve read they might take a point guard here but they have $8.5 million invested in TJ Ford next year and he has a player option for the same amount in 2010-2011. They could use a solid backup at every position. This is probably a case where the Pacers should just take the best player available and that is Earl Clark. He is a do-everything kind of guy in the mold of Jeff Green. He may not be as good a playmaker or shooter as Green but he is a better athlete than him. He plays the same position as Danny Granger but the Pacers could slide him over to the 4 and put him down low. He has all the tools to be a solid power forward but the question is if he can put in the effort to constantly improve. But if I was Larry Bird I’d feature Clark so I could trade him for someone who would fit in better with the team.
OTHER OPTIONS: BJ Mullens

14. PHOENIX SUNS
NEEDS: PG, SF, PF, C
SHOULD DRAFT: PG Ty Lawson – North Carolina
COMMENTS: This season is the last hurrah for these Phoenix Suns. It’s entirely possible that Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and Shaquille O’Neal are all playing for different teams in 2010-2011. That scenario would land the Suns into the basement of the Western Conference and most likely, the entire league. It would be in their best interest to deal Stoudemire (maybe for Rudy Gay?) and Shaq and try to get some young pieces in return. They can continue to run their high-octane style and there isn’t anyone better to head that system than Ty Lawson. He was undoubtedly the key to North Carolina’s fast-paced offense and it was Lawson that led the Heels to a National Championship. Getting to the basket is a non-issue for Lawson but I question his ability to finish as he was probably one of the most blocked players in college basketball. He improved as the year progressed but he’s still got to get better. Watching tape of Chris Paul would probably help him with this.
OTHER OPTIONS: Austin Daye

15. DETROIT PISTONS
NEEDS: PF, C
SHOULD DRAFT: C BJ Mullens – Ohio State
COMMENTS: The Pistons have been arguably the most successful team of the decade. They’ve made the playoffs eight years in a row but this past season was the first time they didn’t finish above .500 and advance past the first round. I think it’s time for the Pistons to blow up their entire roster and start from scratch. They don’t have a franchise player to build around so there’s really no one on the team that’s untouchable. (This just exacerbates that decision to take Darko Milicic over Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.) They should trade up to draft a Tyreke Evans or DeMar DeRozan – a guy who could become that franchise player (Tayshaun Prince to the Wizards perhaps?) Or they could try and stockpile picks in next year’s draft as it looks to be loaded with talent. Rumor has it they’ve made a promise to BJ Mullens so I might as well put him here. Though at one point he was a highly rated prospect, he underachieved at Ohio State and I don’t see him becoming anything special in the league. Remember Chris Taft a few years ago? He was a highly-rated prospect as well, but his stock fell more than GM’s and never made it in the league. Mullens stock hasn’t fallen as much but I don’t think he’ll be much of a player. He’s lucky he’s 7 feet tall.
OTHER OPTIONS: Tyler Hansbrough, trade

16. CHICAGO BULLS
NEEDS: SG, PF/C
SHOULD DRAFT: PF DeJuan Blair – Pittsburgh
COMMENTS: As I mentioned previously, the Bulls want to move up to draft James Johnson. But I’m not really sure why. He’s an athletic dude with some skills but I don’t think he is much of an upgrade over Tyrus Thomas. If it makes any sense, he is an offensive version of Thomas. Johnson has more of an offensive game but won’t provide the same shot-blocking presence that Thomas does. Regardless, they are both finesse players and the Bulls roster seems to be filled with guys who define finesse. They need more physical guys who will get down and dirty and no one is more physical than DeJuan Blair. While I’m not ready to call him the next Charles Barkley, Blair is a much better version of Jason Maxiell. He’s only 6’7” but his enormous wingspan allows him to not only play, but dominate taller men. In one game against UConn, Blair dominated Hasheem Thabeet for 22 and 23 while holding the Connecticut center to 5 points and 4 rebounds. There are questions about Blair’s knees but he should be worth the risk at #16.
OTHER OPTIONS: Tyler Hansbrough

17. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
NEESD: PG
SHOULD DRAFT: PG Eric Maynor – VCU
COMMENTS: I like the makeup of the Sixers team. They have talent at just about every position and some depth also. Thaddeus Young emerged as a young star and Marreese Speights was one of the most efficient rookies in last year’s class. Now with Elton Brand coming back from injury, the Sixers will look to seriously challenge the East’s elite. But with Andre Miller now a free-agent, they need a point guard to set everybody else up on offense. Maynor is not your traditional playmaking point guard but he’s the best available one left on the board. The Sixers should hope Lawson falls to them at #17 and if not, Maynor is the way to go.
OTHER OPTIONS: Jeff Teague

18. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
NEEDS: PG, C
SHOULD DRAFT: SG Terrence Williams – Louisville
COMMENTS: After addressing their point guard need with the #6 pick, the T-Wolves can work on improving their depth. Terrence Williams is another do-it-all guy on offense but he’s also one of the best defenders in the draft. He is pretty athletic and has an NBA body already. He can be everything Corey Brewer was supposed to be before he tore his ACL. Williams is a natural 2-guard but can provide a few minutes at the 3 as well if the T-Wolves want to go small. Wherever he goes, I think Williams will be one of the most productive rookies next season.
OTHER OPTIONS: Chase Budinger

19. ATLANTA HAWKS
NEEDS: PG, PF
SHOULD DRAFT: PG Jeff Teague – Wake Forest
COMMENTS: The Hawks have needed a point guard since they passed on Chris Paul in 2005. But to be honest, I’m not sure a point guard would help much in Mike Woodson’s give-the-ball-to-Joe-Johnson-and-stand-around-and-watch-him-go-one-on-one offense. Maybe if he had a pass-first point guard he’d change his offense (unlikely). He has the talent and the size to be a solid player in the league but he’s really just another Mike Bibby. I think Darren Collison would be a better fit in the ATL but #19 is too high for him. But Teague has a ton of potential (see game against North Carolina) and he can grow into a second scoring option next to Johnson.
OTHER OPTIONS: Darren Collison

20. UTAH JAZZ
NEEDS: PF
SHOULD DRAFT: PF Tyler Hansbrough – North Carolina
COMMENTS: For some reason, when I think of Tyler Hansbrough, the first NBA team that comes to mind is the Utah Jazz. It’s probably just because he’s a white guy, but Psycho T has all the qualities Jerry Sloan looks for in his bigs. He plays hard, practices hard, is tough, and is willing to put his body on the line. The two seem to be a match made in heaven and dammit, I want this to happen. The Jazz frontline is likely to take a hit this offseason as Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap, and Mehmet Okur are all free agents. Boozer seems like he’s the odd man out and Hansbrough will be able to come in a reserve role as Millsap takes over the starting spot. The UNC product will fit in nicely in Sloan’s pick-and-roll system as he showed an improved mid-range game last year. He answered questions about his size and athleticism at the combine and I have no doubts that Sloan can turn him into a productive NBA player.
OTHER OPTIONS: James Johnson

21. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
NEEDS: SG
SHOULD DRAFT: SG Chase Budinger – Arizona
COMMENTS: Jeff Bower, the general manager of the Hornets has done a horrible job of managing contracts. The players they’ve gotten aren’t bad but the amount of money they’ve given them is awful. Without even taking into account their draft picks for this year, the Hornets are already in the luxury tax. That is pretty bad for a team that got blown out of the first round by the Denver Nuggets. Rumor has it that they want to sell this pick and it might be in their best interest to do so. I don’t see the Hornets getting any better than they were last year, despite having the best point guard in the league, Chris Paul. They have got to make some trades and if they keep this pick, I’d select Chase Budinger. He’s another guy who does a little bit of everything and is one of the most athletic guys in the draft. He’d be a perfect fast-break mate for Chris Paul and the two would definitely team up for some SportsCenter top plays. Plus if the NBA ever had a vollyeball tournament, the Hornets would own.
OTHER OPTIONS: Wayne Ellington, Austin Daye

22. DALLAS MAVERICKS
NEEDS: PG
SHOULD DRAFT: PG Patrick Mills – St. Mary’s
COMMENTS: Whether the Mavs re-sign Jason Kidd or not, they still need a point guard for the future. Jose Juan Barea is aggressive and constantly takes the ball to the hoop but he is the size of a Keebler elf. He has trouble finishing at the rim and can’t guard anybody. At this point, the Mavs have a choice between Mills and Darren Collison and I’d go with Mills. He is a super quick point guard who can get to the hole at will, create for his teammates, and play some solid D. He’s got experience playing against the big dogs as he was part of Australia’s National Team in the Beijing Olympics. He was the team’s leading scorer with 20 points in a 116-85 loss to Team USA. Coach K said Mills would definitely play in the NBA and judging from his virtuoso performance campaign in the Olympics and his solid sophomore campaign, I believe it too.
OTHER OPTIONS: Darren Collison, Austin Daye

23. SACRAMENTO KINGS
NEEDS: PG
SHOULD DRAFT: PF James Johnson – Wake Forest
COMMENTS: I don’t really expect James Johnson to fall this far down but hey, it’s just the way things worked out.  The Kings don’t have much of a need for him but he’s by far the best player available right now and they should take him even if they have Jason Thompson.
OTHER OPTIONS: Austin Daye

24. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
NEEDS: PG, SF, backup PF
SHOULD DRAFT: SF Sam Young – Pittsburgh
COMMENTS: I am not sure what to make of Sam Young. He’s classified as a small forward, measures in size and athleticism like an undersized power forward, can shoot outside, but can also bang down low. I am not sure how any of this translates to the pro game or how to explain it really. Basically he’s Paul Millsap but spends less time inside and more time outside. But he can still play inside. It’s confusing and I can’t even understand what I just said but the Grizzlies should take him. He could be productive right away and is a little bit bigger than the twigs the Blazers have at the 3 right now. The Blazers biggest need is for Greg Oden to get better. If he grows into the dominant force that we all thought he’d be, the Blazers would be serious contenders for the Larry O’Brien trophy. They’ve got solid players up and down the roster sheet with an elite talent in Brandon Roy leading the way. The two weak spots on this team are at point guard and small forward. They took Jerryd Bayless in the lottery last year and he should be given a chance to show what he can do.
OTHER OPTIONS: Darren Collison, Austin Daye, trade up for Ty Lawson

25. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
NEEDS: PG/SG, PF, C
SHOULD DRAFT: SG Wayne Ellington – North Carolina
COMMENTS: With Hasheem Thabeet on board, the Thunder would have possibly the best young core in the NBA. KD, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, and Thabeet would form a devastating quartet. The only thing missing is a shooting guard who could keep the defense honest. Enter Wayne Ellington. He might be the best pure shooter in the draft (yes, even better than Stephen Curry) and was arguably the best player on North Carolina for the last two months of the season. In that span, he showed a more versatile offensive game to go along with his wet jumper. He’s got every shot in the book: 3-pointer, pull-up, step-back, leaner, he’s got it all. He also improved on his ability to get to the basket. Ellington was also seemingly one of the most blocked players in college last year (along with Lawson) but showed surprising athleticism at the combine, telling me that he’ll be able to get even better at finishing at the cup. Ellington doesn’t have to start, but he’d provide instant offense when Durant is resting or having an off-night.
OTHER OPTIONS: Toney Douglas, Jermaine Taylor, Jodie Meeks

26. CHICAGO BULLS:
NEEDS: SG, PF/C
SHOULD DRAFT: SG Toney Douglas – Florida State
COMMENTS: If Ben Gordon left Chicago, the Bulls would be forced to play Kirk Hinrich or John Salmons at the 2-guard. I don’t have a problem with this but guard-depth WOULD be a problem for the Bulls. Gordon was the outside shooting threat for Chicago and what a threat he was. Do you remember him absolutely killing it in the Boston series? Gordon can be absolutely lethal from outside but it looks like he’ll be taking his game elsewhere. Chicago should hedge against this risk by taking Toney Douglas. Douglas, the runner-up to Lawson for ACC Player of the Year, is basically a beta version of Ben Gordon. His jumper is wet and can score at will but he’s only 6’2” and definitely not a point guard. In 17 of the last 19 games of the season, Douglas scored 20 or more points, including 28 and 32 point outbursts against UNC, and 27 and 28 point showings against Duke.
OTHER OPTIONS: Jodie Meeks

27. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
NEEDS: PG/SG, PF
SHOULD DRAFT: SF Austin Daye – Gonzaga
COMMENTS: The Grizzlies would be jumping with joy if Austin Daye fell this far. He was another prospect he was rated highly in the beginning of the year but dropped off as questions arose about his motor. If he reaches his ceiling, he could be a Rashard Lewis-type but it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll get there. He is extremely skinny (despite being 6’11” he isn’t even 200 lbs.) and weak (pathetically couldn’t even put up 185 lbs. once on the bench press). He also did not test very well at the combine and I’m not sure he has it in him to get better. If he bulked up and ever became strong enough to play power forward, it would be great for Memphis. If he reached his potential, the Grizzlies could be a very scary team.  (Notice all the “ifs” I used.  That’s because it’s not likely Daye ever reaches his potential.)
OTHER OPTIONS: Omri Casspi, Jonas Jerebko

28. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
NEEDS: PG, C
SHOULD DRAFT: SF Omri Casspi – Israel/Maccabi Tel Aviv
COMMENTS: Having three first-round picks is never a good thing. The Knicks had three first-rounders in the 1996 NBA Draft, one of the deepest in history, stayed put with all of them, and saw all their picks fail out of the NBA. The T-Wolves got two solid players in Flynn and T-Will and would be better off spending their third pick on an international player that could stay overseas for a year or two. I obviously know nothing about Omri Casspi except that he’s the second-best international prospect out there so why not use this pick on him?  Here’s a highlight video of him though.
OTHER OPTIONS: Jonas Jerebko

29. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
NEEDS: PG, backup PF
SHOULD DRAFT: PF Jeff Pendergraph – Arizona State
COMMENTS: When you’re the champs you usually don’t need much but the big question in Tinseltown this offseason is if the Lakers can keep Trevor Ariza and/or Lamar Odom. Both were integral parts in winning a championship and losing one would be a major blow to the Lakers’ chances of repeating. Regardless of which one they decide to keep, GM Mitch Kupchak will need to find a backup for Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The man to pick is Jeff Pendergraph. The big man out of Arizona State shot an astounding 66% from the field on his way to scoring 14.5 ppg. (I remember one play specifically in the NCAA Tournament against USC when he drop-stepped and dunked from about five feet out.  It was impressive.)  He’s not a great shot-blocker but he’s got a long wingspan and if he bulks up a little, he can hold his own in the post. Pendergraph is inconsistent but I’d still rather have him than DJ Mbenga.
OTHER OPTIONS: Derrick Brown, DeMarre Carroll, Taj Gibson, Jonas Jerebko

30. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
NEEDS: PF, C, big guard
SHOULD DRAFT: SG Danny Green – North Carolina
COMMENTS: The Cavaliers were badly exposed by the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. Their tiny backcourt was a major problem, especially when Mike Brown put Delonte West on Hedo Turkoglu. Their inability to matchup against Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis was also a problem. LeBron James, after all, is only one man. The Cavs stand to lose Ben Wallace and possibly Anderson Varejao (though he’ll probably come back) and also need to look into replacing Zydrunus Ilgauskus so they could use some more depth up front. But they would be better off addressing this issue in free agency (Charlie Villanueva possibly?) Selecting Danny Green would give them a big guard who could defend. He does everything – scores, shoots 3’s, rebounds, gets steals, and blocks shots. He’s not a great ball-handler or penetrator but when you have LeBron James you don’t need to be. Just play defense and be ready for the (wide) open 3-pointer. Green had a knack for hitting the big shot in college and the Cavs could’ve used him against the Magic.
OTHER OPTIONS: Derrick Brown, DeMarre Caroll, trade up for Chase Budinger or Terrence Williams