Mock Draft: Chicago is on the clock!

[elindholm]

1. Orlando -- Emeka Okafor
2. L. A. Clippers -- Dwight Howard
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

 

[elindholm]

It's pretty much wide open now. I'll be interested to see how this one falls. It will take me some time to make my own guess, that's for sure.

 

[F-Dog]

Just for clarity--this is who you think will be taken, not who should be taken, right?

 

[elindholm]

Right, exactly -- a prediction, rather than a recommendation.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I went with Deng.

The Bulls have a glaring weakness at the 3. Deng is considered the top SF in the draft right now, although Smith seems to be gaining on him.

Even if Smith looks like he is the better player, I think that Paxson will take Deng since he has a little more experience. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Childress jump this high though. Paxson is trying to get him in for a workout soon, and if he looks good I bet they will consder him. They struck it right with an older player before, why not again.

 

[elindholm]

Even if Smith looks like he is the better player, I think that Paxson will take Deng since he has a little more experience.... They struck it right with an older player before, why not again.

That's the same kind of thinking that led me to Iguodala. Deng just doesn't sound that interesting, and I think his stock will fall when he doesn't bring electricity to his workouts. If Iguodala shows that he can make a solid improvement in his shooting fairly quickly, I think he will jump up.

 

[F-Dog]

I went with Deng too--he's the safe choice, which seems to fit Paxson's style.

Childress would be my dark horse for this pick, because he's probably the smartest and the most ready to step in and contribute immediately at SF.

 

[Chaplin]

I have a feeling it will be Igoudala--reports are that he is having phenomenal workouts. That still doesn't mean I've changed my mind about the Suns drafting him, however...

 

[F-Dog]

Even if Smith looks like he is the better player, I think that Paxson will take Deng since he has a little more experience.... They struck it right with an older player before, why not again.

That's the same kind of thinking that led me to Iguodala. Deng just doesn't sound that interesting, and I think his stock will fall when he doesn't bring electricity to his workouts. If Iguodala shows that he can make a solid improvement in his shooting fairly quickly, I think he will jump up.

To me, the problem with Iguodala (from Chicago's perspective) is that he needs the ball in his hands. Drafting Iggy would make it pretty obvious that Jamal Crawford will be next out the door.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Drafting Iggy would make it pretty obvious that Jamal Crawford will be next out the door.

I thought that was already pretty obvious. I mean, he was their "PG of the future" so of course the Bulls would draft PGs 2 years in a row after that.

 

[Joe Mama]

I have a feeling it will be Igoudala--reports are that he is having phenomenal workouts. That still doesn't mean I've changed my mind about the Suns drafting him, however...

Who do you like for the Phoenix Suns? I know you don't want a point guard or Andre Iguodala.

Joe Mama

 

[F-Dog]

I thought that was already pretty obvious. I mean, he was their "PG of the future" so of course the Bulls would draft PGs 2 years in a row after that.

They moved Crawford to SG, though. And the PG they picked last year was drafted to replace the one they drafted the year before, not Crawford.

I would assume they'll let the market determine Crawford's worth as a RFA before they decide whether to keep him or dump him.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

They "tried" to move him to 2g, it never really worked well. I agree they will check his worth, but I doubt they will break the bank if he gets a decent offer this summer.

 

[Chaplin]

Who do you like for the Phoenix Suns? I know you don't want a point guard or Andre Iguodala.

Joe Mama

Well, my #1 choice is to use it for trading purposes--perhaps not as throw-in to pawn Jahidi off to the Bobcats, but definitely for trading. I also wouldn't mind us trading down.

Now, if we weren't going to trade it, my #1 for quite some time had been Biedrins. He sorta still is, even though he's starting to move up a little bit. Josh Smith has moved up in my mind a little bit, mostly for the things he can do that Andre Igoudala can't. Otherwise, I don't have much of an opinion on any of those guys. Smith and Igoudala are redundant, I'm not big on Gordon, as you know, because I don't believe point guard is our major problem.

Pavel has always intrigued me, however, but I admit I was definitely scared off when he kept braking bones and then we found out he has some pituitary problem that he could have fixed earlier this year with surgery, but didn't. If his health wasn't such an issue, I'd be willing to take a chance on him. Maybe I'll still think like that, because I haven't put too much value on the pick in producing us a player we actually need.

 

[George O'Brien]

I think the third pick will be Deng. He's a lot taller than Iggy and more athletic than Childress. Equally important, he is an East Coast guy that everyone basketball fan in Chicago has heard of. The other two are West Coast guys that most people back east have never seen. A key purpose of the draft is to help sell tickets, so taking a well known player helps.

 

[Joe Mama]

I think the third pick will be Deng. He's a lot taller than Iggy and more athletic than Childress. Equally important, he is an East Coast guy that everyone basketball fan in Chicago has heard of. The other two are West Coast guys that most people back east have never seen. A key purpose of the draft is to help sell tickets, so taking a well known player helps.

Deng is bigger than the Iguodala or Childress. However Iguodala isn't even being projected as a small forward. Deng is not more athletic than Childress. Deng is not very athletic at all.

I just read that Biedrinis is moving down on many of the draft boards because he isn't even close to being ready to compete in the NBA. They said that he needs to get quite a bit stronger before he is truly ready to contribute.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

Deng is bigger than the Iguodala or Childress. However Iguodala isn't even being projected as a small forward. Deng is not more athletic than Childress. Deng is not very athletic at all.

I just read that Biedrinis is moving down on many of the draft boards because he isn't even close to being ready to compete in the NBA. They said that he needs to get quite a bit stronger before he is truly ready to contribute.

Joe Mama

I read the same piece you did about Biedrins. If the Suns come to the same conclusion, I expect they would simply not take a big man. However, I take both glowing reports and sour reports with a grain of salt since GM's are TRYING to confuse people.

Deng and Childress are valued more for their skills and defense than their their athleticism. Personally I wouldn't want either for the Suns although I'm sure they would contribute.

BTW, the issue with Iguodala's heigth is that while Deng and Childress can play SG, it is less likely that Iggy would play much at SF. Everything else equal, bigger is better.

If it turns out that Biedrins is not physically ready to play in the NBA (how far away is another issue), then Iggy might be the next best choice - IF it is true that he made great strides with his outside shooting. Every draft profile says he is a super athlete, has very long arms, good passer and decent ball handler, etc. - but a terrible outside shooter. If he can shoot, he will get minutes because he has a good overall game.

 

[hcsilla]

If it turns out that Biedrins is not physically ready to play in the NBA (how far away is another issue), then Iggy might be the next best choice - IF it is true that he made great strides with his outside shooting. Every draft profile says he is a super athlete, has very long arms, good passer and decent ball handler, etc. - but a terrible outside shooter. If he can shoot, he will get minutes because he has a good overall game.

Did you mean that he learned to shoot since March?

 

[Sunshooter]

Should be Luol Deng

 

[elindholm]

I don't watch college sports, but Iguodala's shooting percentages were all much higher this year than last. I wonder whether some of the reputation that he "can't shoot" are left over from last summer's scouting reports. And then there is the fact that he has allegedly been working very hard on his shot since his season ended.

NBA shooting guards who aren't good shooters certainly aren't uncommon. Iguodala could become sort of a Desmond Mason type.

 

[George O'Brien]

I don't watch college sports, but Iguodala's shooting percentages were all much higher this year than last. I wonder whether some of the reputation that he "can't shoot" are left over from last summer's scouting reports. And then there is the fact that he has allegedly been working very hard on his shot since his season ended.

NBA shooting guards who aren't good shooters certainly aren't uncommon. Iguodala could become sort of a Desmond Mason type.

That is the comparison that HoopsHype uses.

HoopsHype Mock Draft

 

[elindholm]

That is the comparison that HoopsHype uses.

Heh, really? Now I'm embarrassed. I don't put much stock in that site, and now I've gone and inadvertently endorsed one of their comparisons.

 

[Joe Mama]

I believe that worst case scenario is that Iguodala ends up like Desmond Mason. He already is a better ball handler and distributor.

Joe Mama

 

[Chaplin]

I believe that worst case scenario is that Iguodala ends up like Desmond Mason. He already is a better ball handler and distributor.

Joe Mama

Geez!!

 

[elindholm]

Just to let everyone know, I'll be an hour or so late tonight getting the next poll up. But since it looks like Deng will most likely be the third pick, you can get a head start thinking about your predictions for #4.