2005 NBA Mock Draft
We're about 3 hours away from the draft, so I have left it to the last minute to get the most accurate picture of guessing who is going where. Without further ado... I did mad lame colours for the first ten picks as well!
1. Milwaukee Bucks - Andrew Bogut - Pretty self-explanatory, should eventually become a dominant player.
2. Atlanta Hawks - Marvin Williams - The most physically talented, but creates a logjam with Harrington, Childress, and Josh Smith playing the same spot.
3. Utah Jazz - Deron Williams - No secret everyone wants the biggest PG with skills, it'll be interesting to see how he fits into Sloan's system.
4. New Orleans Hornets - Chris Paul - With Deron gone the Hornets settle for Paul who is quicker but questions about size remain.
5. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Green - Many have them taking Raymond Felton but there's no sense taking him this high when it's possible to get him as low as their next pick.
6. Portland Trailblazers - Martell Webster - Everyone's saying their interest in Webster is a smokescreen to let Green fall to them, but I think Portland is intrigued with the best shooting prospect to come out of high school in a long time. No small consolation prize.
7. Toronto Raptors - Danny Granger - Granger is an interesting pick, mainly because he is the safe choice here and the Raptors look like they'd like to do something other than play it safe, despite last year's debacle.
8. New York Knicks - Channing Frye - If he gets past the Raptors this is almost automatic.
9. Golden State Warriors - Hakim Warrick - Could slip down if not taken here, Chris Mullin takes popularity over potential.
10. Los Angeles Lakers - Raymond Felton - The need a PG, here's a very good one.
11. Orlando Magic - Joey Graham - Orlando doesn't see a big man they like, takes an athletic slasher.
12. Los Angeles Clippers - Andrew Bynum - Since Korolev's name has been mentioned ad nauseum at 12, I'm betting the consensus isn't true. Even with their improvements, the Clippers are going to screw up the development of this high schooler. Livingston last year was just too good to be anything but a no-brainer.
13. Charlotte Bobcats - Antoine Wright - Charlotte needs scoring and size, get both here.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves - Charlie Villanueva - They'd prefer more of a tweener like Warrick, will settle for an Odom in training.
15. New Jersey Nets - Sean May - Seen as more of a quicker fit than Fran Vazquez.
16. Toronto Raptors - Fran Vazquez - Many have them drafting Ukic here, but I'm not convinced they've given up on Rafer yet to draft a PG this high.
17. Indiana Pacers - Fransisco Garcia - Consistent scorer to make people forget about Reggie Miller.
18. Boston Celtics - Yaroslav Korolev - Not the best way to replace Paul Pierce (if the rumours are true), but very high upside here that Ainge won't be able to pass on.
19. Memphis Grizzlies - Roko Ukic - The final nail in Jason Williams' coffin. Not sure if Memphis keeps this pick, they'll be busy making moves to blow up their current lineup.
20. Denver Nuggets - Johan Petro - Giant in the middle with some size to him. Needs to avoid becoming Jerome Moiso.
21. Phoenix Suns - Rashad McCants - Another player who can run the floor on a team full of them.
22. Denver Nuggets - Jarrett Jack - Backup for Andre Miller.
23. Sacremento Kings - Chris Taft - Once a top 5 lock, concerns about attitude, effort have really hurt his stock.
24. Houston Rockets - Ike Diogu - Help up front for Yao, as long as his lack of size doesn't turn out to be a problem.
25. Seattle Supersonics - CJ Miles - Talented high schooler who can learn under Ray Allen. Note to Sonics: resign Ray Allen.
26. Detroit Pistons - Monta Ellis - This would be a strange pick, but they have lots of time to develop a young PG in the same vein as they have time to develop Milicic (still not a failure in my books.)
27. Portland Trailblazers - Martynas Andriuskevicius - Another huge drop, possibly Maciej Lampe all over again.
28. San Antonio Spurs - Julius Hodge - Underrated scorer, can play SF and SG.
29. Miami Heat - Wayne Simien - The player who will eventually cost Udonis Haslem his starting job.
30. New York Knicks - Andray Blatche - More size for the undersized.
As for the Raptors, if they can get at least one of Green, Webster, and Bynum they'll be happy, but outside of moving up or down, they're just in an awkward spot and cut their losses with a solid senior and the most NBA ready international player.
1. Milwaukee Bucks - Andrew Bogut - Pretty self-explanatory, should eventually become a dominant player.
2. Atlanta Hawks - Marvin Williams - The most physically talented, but creates a logjam with Harrington, Childress, and Josh Smith playing the same spot.
3. Utah Jazz - Deron Williams - No secret everyone wants the biggest PG with skills, it'll be interesting to see how he fits into Sloan's system.
4. New Orleans Hornets - Chris Paul - With Deron gone the Hornets settle for Paul who is quicker but questions about size remain.
5. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Green - Many have them taking Raymond Felton but there's no sense taking him this high when it's possible to get him as low as their next pick.
6. Portland Trailblazers - Martell Webster - Everyone's saying their interest in Webster is a smokescreen to let Green fall to them, but I think Portland is intrigued with the best shooting prospect to come out of high school in a long time. No small consolation prize.
7. Toronto Raptors - Danny Granger - Granger is an interesting pick, mainly because he is the safe choice here and the Raptors look like they'd like to do something other than play it safe, despite last year's debacle.
8. New York Knicks - Channing Frye - If he gets past the Raptors this is almost automatic.
9. Golden State Warriors - Hakim Warrick - Could slip down if not taken here, Chris Mullin takes popularity over potential.
10. Los Angeles Lakers - Raymond Felton - The need a PG, here's a very good one.
11. Orlando Magic - Joey Graham - Orlando doesn't see a big man they like, takes an athletic slasher.
12. Los Angeles Clippers - Andrew Bynum - Since Korolev's name has been mentioned ad nauseum at 12, I'm betting the consensus isn't true. Even with their improvements, the Clippers are going to screw up the development of this high schooler. Livingston last year was just too good to be anything but a no-brainer.
13. Charlotte Bobcats - Antoine Wright - Charlotte needs scoring and size, get both here.
14. Minnesota Timberwolves - Charlie Villanueva - They'd prefer more of a tweener like Warrick, will settle for an Odom in training.
15. New Jersey Nets - Sean May - Seen as more of a quicker fit than Fran Vazquez.
16. Toronto Raptors - Fran Vazquez - Many have them drafting Ukic here, but I'm not convinced they've given up on Rafer yet to draft a PG this high.
17. Indiana Pacers - Fransisco Garcia - Consistent scorer to make people forget about Reggie Miller.
18. Boston Celtics - Yaroslav Korolev - Not the best way to replace Paul Pierce (if the rumours are true), but very high upside here that Ainge won't be able to pass on.
19. Memphis Grizzlies - Roko Ukic - The final nail in Jason Williams' coffin. Not sure if Memphis keeps this pick, they'll be busy making moves to blow up their current lineup.
20. Denver Nuggets - Johan Petro - Giant in the middle with some size to him. Needs to avoid becoming Jerome Moiso.
21. Phoenix Suns - Rashad McCants - Another player who can run the floor on a team full of them.
22. Denver Nuggets - Jarrett Jack - Backup for Andre Miller.
23. Sacremento Kings - Chris Taft - Once a top 5 lock, concerns about attitude, effort have really hurt his stock.
24. Houston Rockets - Ike Diogu - Help up front for Yao, as long as his lack of size doesn't turn out to be a problem.
25. Seattle Supersonics - CJ Miles - Talented high schooler who can learn under Ray Allen. Note to Sonics: resign Ray Allen.
26. Detroit Pistons - Monta Ellis - This would be a strange pick, but they have lots of time to develop a young PG in the same vein as they have time to develop Milicic (still not a failure in my books.)
27. Portland Trailblazers - Martynas Andriuskevicius - Another huge drop, possibly Maciej Lampe all over again.
28. San Antonio Spurs - Julius Hodge - Underrated scorer, can play SF and SG.
29. Miami Heat - Wayne Simien - The player who will eventually cost Udonis Haslem his starting job.
30. New York Knicks - Andray Blatche - More size for the undersized.
As for the Raptors, if they can get at least one of Green, Webster, and Bynum they'll be happy, but outside of moving up or down, they're just in an awkward spot and cut their losses with a solid senior and the most NBA ready international player.
posted by David at 4:28 p.m.
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