An early projection of the NBA draft lottery
With the lottery over and the draft order set, the only thing left to decide is that little matter of who goes where. With that in mind, we're taking an early stab at how the lottery may shake out.
1) Portland Trail Blazers -- Greg Oden, C, Ohio State
In just two years, the Trail Blazers have now managed to stockpile a very impressive lot of young talent. The thought of pairing Oden with LaMarcus Aldridge down low, not to mention Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy in the backcourt, has to have Blazers fans absolutely salivating. They'll take a few years to reach their peak, but Oden and Aldridge could turn into the NBA's newest twin towers.
Here's a thought: Considering Oden's wish to play alongside high school teammate Mike Conley Jr. in the pros, could the Blazers consider dealing Zach Randolph in an attempt to garner another lottery pick? Randolph will still be just 26 years old next season, and, if you can deal with his character flaws, is a proven post player. Packaged with a future pick, Randolph could be enticing to a lottery team.
2) Seattle Supersonics -- Kevin Durant, SF, Texas
With Rashard Lewis likely out the door this summer, Kevin Durant is the perfect replacement. He offers the same type of athleticism and across-the-board skill set as Lewis, but has an even higher ceiling than the veteran. The only question is, will Kevin Durant's star power be enough to keep the Sonics in Seattle? He could be the answer to Seattle's prayers both on and off the court.
3) Atlanta Hawks -- Yi Jianlian, PF, China
The Hawks are loaded with wing-type players like Marvin Williams, Josh Smith and Josh Childress. Paired with Shelden Williams, the seven-foot Jianlian would bring some needed inside toughness to Atlanta, but also possesses the athleticism and shooting touch that won't slow down the Hawks' up-tempo attack.
4) Memphis Grizzlies -- Brandan Wright, PF, North Carolina
With Pau Gasol's future in Memphis uncertain at best, the Grizzlies need an inside presence to fill his shoes. They may prefer the taller Jianlian, but Wright, along with Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick, would give them a very athletic frontcourt for the future. Roy Hibbert could be an option in the middle, as could Mike Conley Jr. to solve their point guard issues, but either could be viewed as a bit of a reach at No. 4.
5) Boston Celtics -- Roy Hibbert, C, Georgetown
Hibbert's not the center Celtics fans were hoping for in this draft, but he would still provide an immediate strong defensive presence inside, and could form a very strong frontcourt alongside Al Jefferson. Given Danny Ainge's apparent affection for Kevin Durant, Cory Brewer could also be an option to add to the athletic core Ainge has built. Either way, the sting of losing the lottery will likely last a while in Beantown.
6) Milwaukee Bucks -- Mike Conley, Jr., PG, Ohio State
With T.J. Ford now in Toronto and Mo Williams set to hit the open market, the Bucks are suddenly in need of a point guard and Conley is the best one available. Conley has the potential to instantly improve the Bucks. Williams is a Bucks captain, but Conley is a better ball distributor as opposed to Mo's score-first mentality. If Bobby Simmons and Charlie Villanueva can stay on the court next season alongside Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd, Conley will have a lot of toys to play with.
7) Minnesota Timberwolves -- Corey Brewer, SF, Florida
If Kevin Garnett is indeed traded this summer, the Wolves would likely be in the market for a power forward like Al Horford or Joakim Noah. Assuming that Garnett stays put though, Brewer would be a nice long-term fit alongside him. Long and athletic, Brewer could help push the tempo for the Wolves along with Garnett and Randy Foye. He'd give Minnesota a great defensive frontcourt and could ease the offensive load on KG as well.
8) Charlotte Bobcats -- Julian Wright, SF, Kansas
Al Horford and Joakim Noah would be the best players left on the board at this point, but with Emeka Okafor firmly entrenched at power forward in Charlotte, both Florida forwards would seem like poor fits for the Bobcats. The Bobcats have plenty of cap space, but with Gerald Wallace eligible for free agency Wright would slide right into his spot at small forward.
9) Chicago Bulls (from New York) -- Al Horford, PF, Florida
This is lower than many project Horford to go, but the Bulls wouldn't complain if he dropped. Chicago's lack of an offensive post player was bandied about all season. Horford has the toughness and more polished offensive game to go nicely with Ben Wallace's defensive tenacity and Tyrus Thomas' pure athleticism.
10) Sacramento Kings -- Joakim Noah, PF, Florida
Amazing how in just one year Joakim Noah could easily fall from being the consensus No. 1 overall pick all the way to No. 10. Sacramento, would, though, be a great fit for him. Joakim Noah would be a big upgrade from Kenny Thomas and Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and he and Ron Artest could bring a lot of excitement out of the forward positions. Considering Mike Bibby's uncertain status, Acie Law IV could also be an option for the Kings.
11) Atlanta Hawks (from Indiana) -- Acie Law IV, PG, Texas A&M
The Hawks still get criticized for missing out on Chris Paul and Deron Williams two years ago. Now, with Law, they could finally get their point guard. Moving Joe Johnson to shooting guard would do wonders for both him and the Hawks offense, freeing him up as a scorer rather than a playmaker. Had the Pacers moved up into the top 10 and the Hawks stayed put at No. 4, they would have come away with no lottery picks. Now, they'll have two, and a good chance to come away with a haul like Jianlian and Law.
12) Philadelphia 76ers -- Spencer Hawes, C, Washington
Despite their late season run of success, the Sixers really need help just about all the way across the board. They should be looking to take the best player available, and that player at this point would be Hawes, the athletic freshman center out of Washington. Samuel Dalembert just signed a new contract a year ago, but Hawes likely wouldn't be ready to start immediately anyway. The Sixers could also look at Jeff Green or Al Thornton for help at forward. Mainly, they need to stockpile talent.
13) New Orleans -- Nick Young, SG, USC
With David West and Tyson Chandler emerging up front and Chris Paul running the point, what the Hornets need most is a wing scorer, which happens to be exactly what Young is. Peja Stojakovic struggled to stay on the floor, missing almost all of the season following back surgery. Young provides a younger, more athletic scoring option.
14) Los Angeles Clippers -- Al Thornton, F, Florida State
Given Shaun Livingston's knee injury and Sam Cassell's age, what the Los Angeles Clippers need most is a point guard. However, Conley and Law may not be around at 14, and Javaris Crittenton would likely be a reach at this point. That leaves Thornton, who as a power forward out of the Elton Brand mold could step right into the Los Angeles Clippers system and provide quality frontcourt depth, as well as a potential replacement for Elton Brand down the line.
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