The Lottery and How it Should Shake Out: Mock 1.0

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Nerlens Noel

Why: Not only is he the best player on the board, but he will immediately upgrade the frontcourt. They were terrible at both rebounding and blocking shots. When healthy, Noel serves as a ELITE rim protector extraordinaire. Before getting hurt he averaged 4.5 blocks per game and 9.5 rebounds, two things that usually translate really well to the pro game. He is still raw offensively, but in time he will become a threat to score at will within 15ft of the goal.

Risk: He only weighs 206 pounds and he is hurt. If not for the injury he may have increased his weight to a respectable 220/225. In time he will put on the desired weight, but early on expect him to struggle against stronger opponents.

2. Orlando Magic: Trey Burke

Why: Without a doubt the best PG in the draft. He could serve as the final piece to the puzzle for a young team trying to put it all together. Burke was consensus NPOY in college this past season and led a young Michigan team to the NCAA Final. He has the ability to shoot from deep and create offensive for his teammates, which would serve both Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic well. He executes well in the half court and can finish in traffic, which has become a necessity in today’s league.

Risk: Burke didn't test well in the lane drills during the combine. He doesn’t appear to have the ELITE speed of a John Wall or the exceptional LEAPING ability of Derrick Rose. Will this be a problem and if so, can he still play at a high level? Will he be able to guard the big 5? Rondo, Rose, Williams, Westbrook or Parker. 

3. Washington Wizards: Otto Porter 

Why: Porter is ready for the Pro game right now. He has great size, length and can play at a high level. He has a higher than norm Basketball IQ for a late bloomer, that serves him well on defense and in isolations. Knows how to create offense and is a team player.

Risk: He may be the safest bet in the draft for any of the teams in the lottery, but he isn’t without flaws. His jumper needs work and he can put on more muscle.

4. Charlotte Bobcats: Ben McLemore


Why: If this shakes out, this will be an absolute no-brainer for MJ. He is a kid that can flat out score the ball. As a freshman McLemore led Kansas in scoring (16.4 ppg) while shooting 43.7 percent from 3. He can create his own shot off the dribble, has good size and he is a superb athlete. A backcourt of McLemore and Kemba Walker in tandem with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist could make for a great future. Let’s see if MJ gets it right.

Risk: The boy has a questionable heart. It could be the youth factor (Age 20) or the fact that he was a freshman on a senior team, but he has a tendency to vanish. He has a pretty high ceiling if he puts it together, but if he doesn’t develop the aggressive nature to play SG he may end up in bust territory.

5. Phoenix Suns: Anthony Bennett

Why: This kid can flat out score. If he is 2 inches taller he challenges Noel for top pick in the draft. Bennett has huge potential, huge hands, huge upper body, and huge upside. As a potential PF he could become a matchup nightmare on the wing because of his ability to shoot the ball. He is has long arms and a knack for hitting the boards. Phoenix needs all the help they can get and Bennett would fill several needs at once.

Risk: Bennett is a bit of a tweener. He can play both forward spots, but doesn’t appear to be a lock for either spot. He can shoot and create from the wing, but he doesn’t have the quickness to guard opposing small forwards. He can bang on the block with bigs and jump out of the gym, but only stands at 6'7.

6. New Orleans Pelicans: C.J. McCollum 

Why: This kid can shoot the ball. The Austin Rivers experiment failed and while he still has time to put it together, it may be smart to move on to someone that will be ready by October. McCollum will serve as a great SG in the NBA. He has a good handle, great size and an eye for the bucket. He spent half the year injured, but before the injury he was shooting over 50 percent from 3. He is a good athlete and should be able to hold his own against opposing players.

Risk: He is built more like a PG, but doesn’t have the ideal skill package to play the position. While his IQ is high, his handle and passing ability need work.

7. Sacramento Kings: Shabazz Muhammad 

Why: If the Kings allow Tyreke Evans to walk someone will need to pick up the slack. He has the ability to score the ball and he has a physical game. He could play well off of DeMarcus Cousins and provide that wing presence the Kings have lacked since the Peja days.

Risk: Maturity remains an issue with Muhammad. Once hailed as a potential number 1 pick, he got himself into trouble while at UCLA and couldn’t shake the issues. He has a questionable motor, unless he has the ball in his hands and may be a subpar defender.

8. Detroit Pistons: Michael Carter-Williams 

Why: Detroit has a great trio of young talent in Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight. MCW would be a great fit alongside Knight in the back court. He could bring the ball up on offense and defend the SG on defense. His lack of scoring could be covered down by Knight and Monroe. He has great length, court vision and is a good athlete. His size is his best weapon against opposing players.

Risk: His jumper needs work. He has odd mechanics on his shot, which in time could be remedied. He also needs to add strength and weight. He could be an easy target on defense because he will be placed in the post by larger shooting guards.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves: Victor Oladipo 

Why: Why not? The kid has a motor. A serious MOTOR! He would play great off of Ricky Rubio. He has long arms, huge hands; ELITE speed and loves to defend. He can get out in the open court and makes the right play more often than not.

Risk: He is raw offensively and will need time to work on his jump shot. His handle will need some work, but his work ethic will prevail.

10. Portland Trailblazers: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 



Why: This young man played for a bad team in Georgia, but put up quality numbers. He averaged 18.5 ppg and mostly off of shots he created for himself. Could be a much needed upgrade at the SG position for a team on the verge.

Risk: He played against subpar competition for most of the year and may not be tested. He has upside, but needs to improve 3pt shooting and work on adding muscle. Not a bad defender, but not a great one either.

 

11. Philadelphia 76ers: Cody Zeller 

Why: It’s only so long they can wait for Andrew Bynum and if they decide not to sign him they will have a nice insurance policy. Zeller tested out of this world at the combine and has a high motor. He can run like the wind and has a nice touch around the basket. High basketball IQ.

Risk: He has short arms and may not be physical enough to play against NBA big men. Could get labeled as soft. Had a history of being outplayed by aggressive big men in college.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Steven Adams 


Why: The young Kiwi put on a show at the combine. He proved he could shoot the ball and tested well. He would be a great project for the team that molded Serge Ibaka. This would give them more post scoring and a potential front court replacement for Kendrick Perkins.

Risk: He is a long term investment. The team that drafts him will need to be patient, but it could pay off in a major way. His development is slightly stunted from years of playing against lesser competition.

13. Dallas Mavericks: Dario Saric

Why: A 6'10 foreign prospect that can shoot, sound familiar? The most NBA ready foreign prospect could serve as an apprentice to Dirk Nowitzki. He can shoot the ball and is a pretty good athlete. He has a great feel for the game and touch from deep. In 2012 he was named MVP of the FIBA Under 18 championship after averaging 25 ppg and 10 rebounds. Potential is all you see.

Risk: So why does he fall out of the top 10? He may not come to the States. After being in the US for the last month, he has returned home and is considering forgoing the upcoming NBA season whether he is selected or not.

14. Utah Jazz: Shane Larkin

Why: The son of baseball great Barry Larkin had one heck of a year. He led is Miami Hurricanes to an ACC title and was named a Second Team All American. He is a freak athlete and has great speed. He can shoot the ball and will be a great floor leader in the NBA.

Risk: He is undersized. He will struggle against larger point guards and may need to be compensated for on defense. He may not be able to finish in traffic due to a lack of size.