Before the Lottery, I was thinking to myself, what if the Cavs, for some reason, get the first pick again? I mean, it has been dubbed as the deepest draft ever since the 2003 draft, the same draft where the Cleveland Cavaliers chose their supposed savior, LeBron James. After all, the 2014 draft also has the supposed heir apparent to LeBron's position as Best In The World, Canadian Basketball Phenom, Andrew Wiggins. So, as part of my "mock" lottery, I decided to place Cleveland as the team to get the first pick.
If only I was luckier during March Madness this year.
It's been a couple of hours ever since the 2014 NBA Lottery ended, and guess what, the Cleveland Cavaliers actually got their hands on the 1st pick. That 1st pick not only proved that tanking isn't as effective as it seems (sorry 76ers and, well to some extent, Bucks), but it also put out the connotation that the Cavs have absolutely no excuse to not make the playoffs next season in a very weak Eastern Conference. That's for another article though.
Now, the question that looms is, how should the Cleveland Cavaliers use their pick, and if they actually choose to not trade it, then who should they choose?
For my version of the Mock Draft, I'll only fill out the Top 5 with analysis as opposed to the usual full first round analysis which most basketball websites do. I will, however, fill out the remaining lottery spots without any analysis.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (33 - 49 during the 2013 - 2014 season, 10th place in the East)
Needs: Depth at the 3 spot, someone who can invoke energy into the team
Mock Pick: Bobby Ray Parks
Because Cavs. Just look at Anthony Bennett. No I'm kidding. In all seriousness..
Mock Pick: Andrew Wiggins
This may seem like a dilemma for quite a number of people given the golden opportunity that the Cavs have with this pick, and with this golden opportunity comes a price. Just so happens that price is boom or bust for the Cavaliers. If the Ohio based squad wants some stability not only with their organization but also with their line up, might as well start with the man tagged as "Maple Jordan", Andrew Wiggins.
Many fans clamored for Wiggins to go to the 76ers, given the lack of pressure that will be placed on him in the squad, which many analysts believe can lead to his superstardom. I was also a believer of that, and I really wanted that for Andrew as a fan. A trio of MCW, Nerlens Noel and Andrew just seemed too perfect. It fit all their styles, and at the same time, they could grow as a core with no pressure at all. Well, from the looks of it, the trio Andrew is going to be a part of is one with Dion Waiters and Kyrie Irving.
One may ask, why not get Joel Embiid or Jabari Parker? I'll answer that question as briefly as possible.
The Cavaliers front court is actually pretty stacked as compared to their situation with their wings right now, and add the fact that Spencer Hawes might actually resign with the Cavaliers for the upcoming season justifies why Joel Embiid isn't a good fit with the Cavs.
For the case of Jabari, it's a little bit trickier. Yes, he does play the 3, but you should also consider, he is in the mold of a Carmelo Anthony, meaning he is a Combo Forward. He spends most of his time in the post, an area where Cleveland isn't exactly struggling in as of the moment. They have Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao doing the dirty work down there, plus, Anthony Bennett just might have something up his sleeve despite his atrocious laugh worthy rookie season. The Duke product's defensive struggles will also prove to be a factor, as Cleveland is in dire need of defense.
Given the offensive talent that Kyrie and Dion possess, Andrew won't have to carry the offensive load for the squad. What he will have to bring though is intensity in the defensive end, especially in the perimeter. Kyrie and Dion aren't known to be top notch defenders, and now it's going to be Andrew's job to help hide that weakness of the back court of the Cavaliers. Other than that, he will provide the Cavaliers with a go to option in transition, as his length and world class athleticism make him unstoppable in the open court. For both factors, the Cavaliers are ranked in the middle class of the league, and it's Andrew's job to make their average defense and transition offense, into good.
He'll be placed into a situation where he's expected to help lead a team to the playoffs, although good thing is that majority of the pressure won't be on him, it will be on management. Unless LeBron somehow returns as the prodigal son, it's boom or bust time Cleveland, you better make this work.
2. Milwaukee Bucks (15 - 67 during the 2013 - 2014 season, Last place in the East)
Needs: Length and athleticism in the back court, a go to scoring option
Mock Pick: Dante Exum
Hear me out on this one.
It's pretty obvious that most pundits will choose Joel Embiid or Jabari Parker for the Bucks. After all, their situation in the front court looks really bad, with Larry Sanders leading the charge. Despite that though, the promise of their front court, and the lack of length with their back court made me choose Exum over the two NCAA superstars.
First, the potential in the front court is there. Their front court is young, athletic, long, but also raw. Giannis Antetokounmpo (did I get his name right?) leads the charge as a 19 year old with a crazy long wingspan and huge hands, two qualities that top notch NBA defenders have. His length will create problems for front court players. What he has to work on, however is his lack of strength, and his polish with the game.
Second, their back court is really small. If their front court is young, athletic and long, well, their back court is essentially the opposite. It may not be that old, but lack of athleticism and length create problems for the Bucks. Brandon Knight and OJ Mayo just don't fit the bill.
Even though the Bucks ranked 11th in terms of Blocks Per Game, their Defensive Rating was a paltry 108.9 (the lower the better) which ranked as the 2nd worst in the league. The 18 year old presents exactly that. He's a 6'6 combo guard with amazing two way upside for a perimeter player which is only rivaled by Andrew Wiggins. Dante will give the Bucks length in the point guard position, and athleticism which this team badly needs.
3. Philadelphia 76ers (19 - 63 during the 2013 - 2014 season, 14th place in the East)
Needs: Scoring
Mock Pick: Jabari Parker
Well finally a pretty easy pick.
Obviously the 76ers would have preferred to get Andrew Wiggins to form a trio with MCW and Nerlens Noel, but that isn't the case as the Cavaliers ended up drafting him (remember, this is a mock draft), so Philly had to settle with the next best thing, and that's Jabari Parker. There's really not much explanation needed here. The 76ers badly need a scorer, and the stats back it up. They were DEAD LAST in the league in terms of ORTG (Offensive Rating), with a number of 96.8. That number is 2.5 points less than the 2nd worst in the league. Also to take note, that gap is the biggest between to corresponding teams. That's how bad the 76ers were. I don't even have to describe Jabari at this point. You can throw all the analysis about him, point is, he can score, and that's exactly what Philly needs.
4. Orlando Magic (23 - 59 during the 2013 - 2014 season, 13th place in the East)
Needs: Scoring, A point guard and a power forward
Mock Pick: Noah Vonleh
Back to the difficult picks it is.
As I said, Orlando needs a point guard and a power forward. They have two picks in the lottery, so they better play this well. Given the circumstances and the people still on the board, Noah Vonleh is the best option.
Earlier, I mentioned about a team that was 2.5 points better than the 76ers with regards to their ORTG. They also happen to be the 2nd worst team in the said statistic. That team is the Orlando Magic.
Most of the offense generated by the Orlando Magic came from their back court with Arron Afflalo, Jameer Nelson and Victor Oladipo leading the charge. Sure Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic also have their fair share of scoring, but that simply won't cut it for the Florida based squad. Enter Noah Vonleh.
Vonleh is a raw prospect, but he also presents amazing two way upside. Think of him as a Chris Bosh, Serge Ibaka hybrid. He has a raw offensive game, especially in the low post, but he is showing a lot of promise with the jumper he has been showing. Also, he has the tools to become an elite defender in the league. He has HUGE hands and he possessed the 2nd longest wingspan in the NBA Draft Combine. You have to take note though, the one with the longest wingspan (Isaiah Austin) is a center who is 7 feet tall, while the Hoosiers product is 6'9 - 6'11. But do the Magic actually need defense as well?
They do. In terms of NetRtg (Just subtract the ORTG and the DRTG of a team), the Magic ranked 26th in the league with a number of -5.5. To put things into perspective, only 6 teams in the league have a NetRtg of -5 and lower.
With regards to their point guard troubles.. I'll answer that question when I present by Full First Round Draft Board later on.
5. Utah Jazz (25 - 57 in the 2013 - 2014 season, Last place in the West)
Needs: Defense
Mock Pick: Joel Embiid
This may seem like disrespect to such a talent like Embiid, but remember, in the draft it's always team first, and Joel is exactly who the Jazz need.
Derrick Favors may have averaged 1.5 blocks a game last season, but that simply does not cover up the defensive woes of the Jazz. They ranked DEAD LAST in terms of DRTG in the league, getting a 109.1 number. In terms of NetRtg, they were an 8.4, good for 28th in the league, just above Milwaukee and the 76ers. Other than that, Utah gets a big who can run with Trey Burke in the fast break, and a solid low post option. He won't be expected to contribute in the offensive immediately given his status as a raw prospect, but his towering two way upside is just too tough to ignore in this situation, especially for a team like the Jazz.
NBA DRAFT 2014 MOCK DRAFT BIG BOARD
1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Andrew Wiggins
2. Milwaukee Bucks - Dante Exum
3. Philadelphia 76ers - Jabari Parker
4. Orlando Magic - Noah Vonleh
5. Utah Jazz - Joel Embiid
6. Boston Celtics - Marcus Smart
7. Los Angeles Lakers - Julius Randle
8. Sacramento Kings - Dario Saric
9. Charlotte Hornets - Doug McDermott
10. Philadelphia 76ers - Aaron Gordon
11. Denver Nuggets - Gary Harris
12. Orlando Magic - Tyler Ennis
13. Minnesota Timberwolves - Rodney Hood
14. Phoenix Suns - Jusuf Nurkic
If only I was luckier during March Madness this year.
 | |
| Kyrie and Dion must be jumping for joy right now. |
It's been a couple of hours ever since the 2014 NBA Lottery ended, and guess what, the Cleveland Cavaliers actually got their hands on the 1st pick. That 1st pick not only proved that tanking isn't as effective as it seems (sorry 76ers and, well to some extent, Bucks), but it also put out the connotation that the Cavs have absolutely no excuse to not make the playoffs next season in a very weak Eastern Conference. That's for another article though.
Now, the question that looms is, how should the Cleveland Cavaliers use their pick, and if they actually choose to not trade it, then who should they choose?
For my version of the Mock Draft, I'll only fill out the Top 5 with analysis as opposed to the usual full first round analysis which most basketball websites do. I will, however, fill out the remaining lottery spots without any analysis.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (33 - 49 during the 2013 - 2014 season, 10th place in the East)
Needs: Depth at the 3 spot, someone who can invoke energy into the team
Mock Pick: Bobby Ray Parks
Because Cavs. Just look at Anthony Bennett. No I'm kidding. In all seriousness..
Mock Pick: Andrew Wiggins
 |
| And the noise between these two is about to get even louder. Cue "The Decision" jokes. |
This may seem like a dilemma for quite a number of people given the golden opportunity that the Cavs have with this pick, and with this golden opportunity comes a price. Just so happens that price is boom or bust for the Cavaliers. If the Ohio based squad wants some stability not only with their organization but also with their line up, might as well start with the man tagged as "Maple Jordan", Andrew Wiggins.
Many fans clamored for Wiggins to go to the 76ers, given the lack of pressure that will be placed on him in the squad, which many analysts believe can lead to his superstardom. I was also a believer of that, and I really wanted that for Andrew as a fan. A trio of MCW, Nerlens Noel and Andrew just seemed too perfect. It fit all their styles, and at the same time, they could grow as a core with no pressure at all. Well, from the looks of it, the trio Andrew is going to be a part of is one with Dion Waiters and Kyrie Irving.
One may ask, why not get Joel Embiid or Jabari Parker? I'll answer that question as briefly as possible.
The Cavaliers front court is actually pretty stacked as compared to their situation with their wings right now, and add the fact that Spencer Hawes might actually resign with the Cavaliers for the upcoming season justifies why Joel Embiid isn't a good fit with the Cavs.
For the case of Jabari, it's a little bit trickier. Yes, he does play the 3, but you should also consider, he is in the mold of a Carmelo Anthony, meaning he is a Combo Forward. He spends most of his time in the post, an area where Cleveland isn't exactly struggling in as of the moment. They have Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao doing the dirty work down there, plus, Anthony Bennett just might have something up his sleeve despite his atrocious laugh worthy rookie season. The Duke product's defensive struggles will also prove to be a factor, as Cleveland is in dire need of defense.
Given the offensive talent that Kyrie and Dion possess, Andrew won't have to carry the offensive load for the squad. What he will have to bring though is intensity in the defensive end, especially in the perimeter. Kyrie and Dion aren't known to be top notch defenders, and now it's going to be Andrew's job to help hide that weakness of the back court of the Cavaliers. Other than that, he will provide the Cavaliers with a go to option in transition, as his length and world class athleticism make him unstoppable in the open court. For both factors, the Cavaliers are ranked in the middle class of the league, and it's Andrew's job to make their average defense and transition offense, into good.
He'll be placed into a situation where he's expected to help lead a team to the playoffs, although good thing is that majority of the pressure won't be on him, it will be on management. Unless LeBron somehow returns as the prodigal son, it's boom or bust time Cleveland, you better make this work.
2. Milwaukee Bucks (15 - 67 during the 2013 - 2014 season, Last place in the East)
Needs: Length and athleticism in the back court, a go to scoring option
Mock Pick: Dante Exum
 |
| Easily the most mysterious prospect in the planet as of the moment. |
Hear me out on this one.
It's pretty obvious that most pundits will choose Joel Embiid or Jabari Parker for the Bucks. After all, their situation in the front court looks really bad, with Larry Sanders leading the charge. Despite that though, the promise of their front court, and the lack of length with their back court made me choose Exum over the two NCAA superstars.
First, the potential in the front court is there. Their front court is young, athletic, long, but also raw. Giannis Antetokounmpo (did I get his name right?) leads the charge as a 19 year old with a crazy long wingspan and huge hands, two qualities that top notch NBA defenders have. His length will create problems for front court players. What he has to work on, however is his lack of strength, and his polish with the game.
Second, their back court is really small. If their front court is young, athletic and long, well, their back court is essentially the opposite. It may not be that old, but lack of athleticism and length create problems for the Bucks. Brandon Knight and OJ Mayo just don't fit the bill.
Even though the Bucks ranked 11th in terms of Blocks Per Game, their Defensive Rating was a paltry 108.9 (the lower the better) which ranked as the 2nd worst in the league. The 18 year old presents exactly that. He's a 6'6 combo guard with amazing two way upside for a perimeter player which is only rivaled by Andrew Wiggins. Dante will give the Bucks length in the point guard position, and athleticism which this team badly needs.
3. Philadelphia 76ers (19 - 63 during the 2013 - 2014 season, 14th place in the East)
Needs: Scoring
Mock Pick: Jabari Parker
 |
| Jabari ought to bring his offensive repertoire to the upstart 76ers. |
Well finally a pretty easy pick.
Obviously the 76ers would have preferred to get Andrew Wiggins to form a trio with MCW and Nerlens Noel, but that isn't the case as the Cavaliers ended up drafting him (remember, this is a mock draft), so Philly had to settle with the next best thing, and that's Jabari Parker. There's really not much explanation needed here. The 76ers badly need a scorer, and the stats back it up. They were DEAD LAST in the league in terms of ORTG (Offensive Rating), with a number of 96.8. That number is 2.5 points less than the 2nd worst in the league. Also to take note, that gap is the biggest between to corresponding teams. That's how bad the 76ers were. I don't even have to describe Jabari at this point. You can throw all the analysis about him, point is, he can score, and that's exactly what Philly needs.
4. Orlando Magic (23 - 59 during the 2013 - 2014 season, 13th place in the East)
Needs: Scoring, A point guard and a power forward
Mock Pick: Noah Vonleh
 |
| Probably the most gifted physical specimen in the draft. |
Back to the difficult picks it is.
As I said, Orlando needs a point guard and a power forward. They have two picks in the lottery, so they better play this well. Given the circumstances and the people still on the board, Noah Vonleh is the best option.
Earlier, I mentioned about a team that was 2.5 points better than the 76ers with regards to their ORTG. They also happen to be the 2nd worst team in the said statistic. That team is the Orlando Magic.
Most of the offense generated by the Orlando Magic came from their back court with Arron Afflalo, Jameer Nelson and Victor Oladipo leading the charge. Sure Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic also have their fair share of scoring, but that simply won't cut it for the Florida based squad. Enter Noah Vonleh.
Vonleh is a raw prospect, but he also presents amazing two way upside. Think of him as a Chris Bosh, Serge Ibaka hybrid. He has a raw offensive game, especially in the low post, but he is showing a lot of promise with the jumper he has been showing. Also, he has the tools to become an elite defender in the league. He has HUGE hands and he possessed the 2nd longest wingspan in the NBA Draft Combine. You have to take note though, the one with the longest wingspan (Isaiah Austin) is a center who is 7 feet tall, while the Hoosiers product is 6'9 - 6'11. But do the Magic actually need defense as well?
They do. In terms of NetRtg (Just subtract the ORTG and the DRTG of a team), the Magic ranked 26th in the league with a number of -5.5. To put things into perspective, only 6 teams in the league have a NetRtg of -5 and lower.
With regards to their point guard troubles.. I'll answer that question when I present by Full First Round Draft Board later on.
5. Utah Jazz (25 - 57 in the 2013 - 2014 season, Last place in the West)
Needs: Defense
Mock Pick: Joel Embiid
 |
| The Jazz BADLY need Embiid's shot blocking prowess. |
This may seem like disrespect to such a talent like Embiid, but remember, in the draft it's always team first, and Joel is exactly who the Jazz need.
Derrick Favors may have averaged 1.5 blocks a game last season, but that simply does not cover up the defensive woes of the Jazz. They ranked DEAD LAST in terms of DRTG in the league, getting a 109.1 number. In terms of NetRtg, they were an 8.4, good for 28th in the league, just above Milwaukee and the 76ers. Other than that, Utah gets a big who can run with Trey Burke in the fast break, and a solid low post option. He won't be expected to contribute in the offensive immediately given his status as a raw prospect, but his towering two way upside is just too tough to ignore in this situation, especially for a team like the Jazz.
NBA DRAFT 2014 MOCK DRAFT BIG BOARD
1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Andrew Wiggins
2. Milwaukee Bucks - Dante Exum
3. Philadelphia 76ers - Jabari Parker
4. Orlando Magic - Noah Vonleh
5. Utah Jazz - Joel Embiid
6. Boston Celtics - Marcus Smart
7. Los Angeles Lakers - Julius Randle
8. Sacramento Kings - Dario Saric
9. Charlotte Hornets - Doug McDermott
10. Philadelphia 76ers - Aaron Gordon
11. Denver Nuggets - Gary Harris
12. Orlando Magic - Tyler Ennis
13. Minnesota Timberwolves - Rodney Hood
14. Phoenix Suns - Jusuf Nurkic
Zach lavine, nik stauskas not in the lottery?
ReplyDeleteI'll be really honest, I had a really hard time filling in the spots for the Top 5, so what more the other 9 lottery picks. The draft this year is simply that deep. I was actually considering placing Stauskas with the Hornets pick, but I figured that McDermott makes more sense so that Henderson doesn't lose his spot. Although Stauskas can also be an option. Also, Nik can also fill out the Timberwolves pick over Hood.
DeleteFor Zach Lavine, I honestly forgot about him because he was known as a really raw prospect. Although now that I do think about it, he could make sense for the Nuggets over Gary Harris, given the length, size and athleticism that he presents. Both players are awesome talents though.
Mock Draft Boards will really vary especially with the positioning of players. That's how deep this draft is. Past draft boards had CJ Fair as a late first round pick, and all of a sudden some say he's 60th pick kind of guy. The only players sure of their spots at this point are Wiggins, Parker and Embiid (Top 5 more or less). The depth of the draft is also one reason why I'm against Ray Parks joining the Draft this year, I think the 2015 draft fits him more given the abundance of bigs in that class.
It's cool man...really interested on your full first round though.
DeleteI'm not that familiar with the international and Mid Major prospects who are around that range, so I'll familiarize myself with them first so I can give a fair mock draft. Also, I'm not too keen on the needs of some teams so that makes the job even harder. Also I'm a Thunder fan who's petitioning for Adreian (spelling? haha) Payne to get drafted by the Thunder so that Ibaka has a young back up, sooooo yeah haha
Delete