ASFN Mock Draft: Orlando is up at #1!

[elindholm]

For the last couple of years, we've done a group mock draft, with everyone voting on each pick to arrive at a consensus. In 2002, we came closer than a lot of other sites, including getting both Suns picks right (Stoudemire and Jacobsen).

It's hard to know how best to time it. If it's too early, there's not that much information available, but if it's too late, people don't have much time to get their votes in. It can be confusing if polls for multiple picks are running at the same time.

So I will start this one now, and someone else may want to start one later. It might be fun to compare the results of different approaches.

For this mock draft, we'll go one pick per day during the lottery, then two picks per day after that. It will finish at just about the right time. There will always be nine choices and a write-in option.

Usually I'll put up each new pick at about 9:00 p.m. (PDT/MST). For the #1 pick, I'll leave the poll open until 9:00 tomorrow (Wednesday) evening, to give everyone a chance to join in if they want. Not that there's much doubt about the #1 pick anyway....

Add your reasons to the thread for each pick, especially if you think trades will be involved.

 

[elindholm]

1. Orlando
2. L. A. Clippers
3. Chicago
4. Charlotte
5. Washington
6. Atlanta
7. Phoenix
8. Toronto
9. Philadelphia
10. Cleveland
11. Golden State
12. Seattle
13. Portland
14. Utah
15. Boston
16. Utah
17. Atlanta
18. New Orleans
19. Miami
20. Denver
21. Utah
22. New Jersey
23. Portland
24. Boston
25. Boston
26. Sacramento
27. L. A. Lakers
28. San Antonio
29. Indiana

 

[slinslin]

How about making the votes public?

 

[F-Dog]

This one's the easy one. Okafor is a big man who's proved he can play, and he should be ready to contribute right away--to me, he looks like a cross between Ben Wallace and Kenyon Martin.

None of the young players has shown nearly enough yet to move in front of Okafor.

 

[elindholm]

How about making the votes public?

Sorry, I didn't know how to do that. Is it too late to change it? I will look for the option for the later polls.

 

[arthurracoon]

How about making the votes public?

What does that mean?

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I went for Emeka.

However, if it becomes official that McGrady is going to force a trade this summer, then I expect the Magic to look long and hard at Howard.

Or perhaps that old rumor of Walker to the Magic for Hill and the #1 could materialize. If Orlando can clear that much salary, they will certainly jump start their rebuilding process since they are such a great FA destination.

 

[elindholm]

bump

 

[George O'Brien]

Can I put an * next to my vote. I don't know how Okafor is going to do when he takes the team physicals. If Orlando decides that T-Mac is going to be gone for sure and get real nervious about Okafor's health, Howard might be given some consideration. Okafor's main selling point is that he will contribute immediately. But if the Magic aren't going anyway, then that becomes less of an issue.

Still, it's probably Okafor.

 

[elindholm]

I'll close this a bit early, since the outcome is pretty clearly decided.

The Orlando Magic select Emeka Okafor!

Moderators, thanks for sticky-ing this thread. It can be released now. We probably won't need it for the other picks, since they'll be up less time.