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Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert must have sold his soul to the devil. There is no other explanation for the Cavs to luck out two years in a row, and three out of the last four years, to get the number one overall pick in the NBA draft. If only Gilbert sold his soul for number one picks and the ability to do something with those picks–*cough* Anthony Bennett *cough.*
Now that the 2014 NBA draft order is set–barring any trades, which seem inevitable at this point–mock drafts will be coming in from left and right. With one of the most exciting draft classes in recent memory, the speculation will only rise until draft night, which is garnering just as much anticipation as the NBA Finals.
So instead of predicting what will probably happen, here’s what I think each lottery team SHOULD do with their first round picks. You would think that those two go hand-in-hand, but Cleveland has gotten three No. 1 picks in the last four years for a reason. And that reason isn’t good decision-making.
No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers: Joel Embiid, Kansas
Not Parker. Not Wiggins.
Cleveland needs to draft the 7-foot monster from Cameroon. The Cavs totally whiffed on their big man selection of Bennett last year, but Embiid should be a safe no-brainer at the No. 1 spot. Kyrie Irving has never had an above-average big man to dump the ball off to inside, but with Embiid, he’ll have an elite center who can dominate the paint on both ends of the floors.
Embiid needs to put on some weight and recuperate from a recent back injury, but there’s really no other knocks on his game besides that. He’s extremely fast for his size, already has a wide array of post moves, and will block shots with the best of them. Big men of this talent are rare, and Embiid could be a possible franchise changer for Cleveland. Let’s hope the Cavs don’t get too caught up in the Wiggins-Parker hype.
No. 2 Milwaukee Bucks: Andrew Wiggins, Kansas
The Bucks haven’t been good in a long time. They’re a perennial eighth seed in the East, which is the worst place to be in the NBA, and things need to change for this small market team to draw some fans. Who better to do that than Andrew Wiggins? He is perhaps the most recognizable name in this year’s draft, he left scouts in awe with his ridiculous 44-inch vertical jump at the NBA Combine, and many consider him to have the highest ceiling of any other player in the draft.
His abilities and basketball IQ are both raw, but Milwaukee coach Larry Drew is no scrub and should be able to form Wiggins’ tremendous talent into an all-star player and face of the franchise. Pair Wiggins with fan favorite, Giannis Antetokounmpo, AKA the Greek Freak, and a mature Larry Sanders, and you’ve got a pretty exciting team up there in Milwaukee.
No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers: Jabari Parker, Duke
Between Parker and Wiggins, there’s a general consensus that Parker is the more NBA-ready player, but has less upside. He’s also the bigger of the two and can be played at the three or four position, which brings the type of versatility many teams enjoy. That being said, it is very likely that Embiid, Wiggins and Parker will be the first three picks, we just don’t know in what order. That gives Philadelphia a relatively easy decision to make, since they’ll just need to grab whoever is left of the three.
And Parker is a pretty good player to have to settle for. He’s proven himself greatly on the offensive end, but his defensive abilities have been questioned. He’s kind of in between the SF and PF positions, as he isn’t quite quick enough on the wing and isn’t big enough to match-up with low-post players on the block. Despite those questions, Parker is by far the safest bet at No. 3 and has a bright future in front of him with Philadelphia’s already young and impressive core.
No. 4 Orlando Magic: Julius Randle, Kentucky
Many have the Magic taking Australian phenom Dante Exum at this spot because of their need for a facilitator, but I think it’s much smarter for them to gamble on Randle’s superior low-post ability. Randle is a beast on the block, and will be a double-double machine for the Magic right away. Orlando has no legitimate power forward worthy of a starting spot, so Randle will be the perfect pick to team up with center Nikola Vucevic, who can spread the floor with a decent mid-range game and is already an excellent rebounder in his own right.
I believe in Victor Oladipo and his quest to develop point guard skills, and if the Magic can keep veteran point guard Jameer Nelson around for one or two more years, Oladipo will have time to develop that game. Randle has the most raw ability at this spot in the draft and will add some serious muscle to an already very talented young group of players down in Orlando.
No. 5 Utah Jazz: Dante Exum, Australia
Dante Exum is one of the most unknown talents in this year’s draft, but most scouts know at least one thing: he’s good. He’s a 6-foot-6 guard who can spread the floor, attack the basket, bother other players on the perimeter with his long wing span and even handle the ball as well as a point guard.
The only problem with Exum is that barely anyone has seen him play and his sample size for scouts is very small. But for the Jazz, this should be a pretty smart gamble.
There are some other options at this spot, but they’re mainly at positions that Utah already has filled. Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter are the frontcourt of the future, and the Jazz are all-in with Trey Burke at point guard. Burke didn’t really dazzle anyone during his rookie season, however, so Exum could be a very serviceable back-up plan at point guard who can also be productive at SG if Burke holds down his spot at PG. Exum offers tremendous upside, attractive versatility and a winning attitude that the Jazz should not pass up on if the Magic already have.
No. 6 Boston Celtics: Aaron Gordon, Arizona
A talent like Aaron Gordon going No. 6 is a testament to how deep this year’s draft really is. Gordon was the key player on the nation’s best defensive team and has explosive abilities on both ends of the floor. He was by far the fastest big man at the NBA Combine and has athleticism parallel to the likes of Blake Griffin. He’s longer, faster, and plays better defense than Griffin, though, so he could be used at either SF or PF with success.
Boston has needs at pretty much every position except for PG, which could be vacant as well if they finally trade Rajon Rondo, so they can just grab the best available at the No. 6 spot. Gordon definitely looks like he will be one of the standouts of this draft and could be a key piece in the Celtics’ rebuilding efforts.
No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers: Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
The Lakers need a lot. They have no specific need, they just need everything. There are a couple paths they could take with the No. 7 pick, but taking Marcus Smart to be the long-term point guard seems like the smartest choice. Smart has one of the highest IQs in the draft, is a really tough kid, and is incredibly athletic, which helps him on both ends of the floor. He’s only 6-foot-3, but has a stocky build that helps him shut down opposing guards and muscle his way to the rim. He was a leader at Oklahoma State and looks to be a player that Kobe Bryant can immediately respect and trust with the ball. And let’s face it, what Kobe thinks is all that really matters.
No. 8 Sacramento Kings: Noah Vonleh, Indiana
The Kings have a very random, dysfunctional group of players that needs to be trimmed down in order for a potential stud like Noah Vonleh to have room to grow. DeMarcus Cousins isn’t going anywhere at the center position, but there’s a massive stopgap at PF, with five players who could get minutes at that position on the Sacramento roster. With Vonleh’s ridiculous length and cathedral-high ceiling, some of those players need to move over or pack their bags so this kid can get the minutes he needs to develop into an all-star big man.
Vonleh has garnered many comparisons to Chris Bosh because of his unique paring of shooting-ability and a strong low-post game. His 7-foot-4 wingspan will cause problems for opposing teams on the defensive end, and if you pair Vonleh’s potential talent with Cousins’ already established dominance, the Kings can be a scary team to face.
No. 9 Charlotte Hornets (from Detroit Pistons): Nik Stauskas, Michigan
The team formerly known as the Bobcats finally made it back to the playoffs this year and that was mostly due to the interior play of big Al Jefferson and the team’s gritty defense. The key piece Charlotte was missing was shooting and they’ll have a few options to provide that at the No. 9 spot.
Perhaps the best all-around shooter in the draft is Michigan shooting guard Nik Stauskas, who has made 44 percent of his three-point shots over the past two years and has good height at 6-foot-6. He is also a decent passer off the pick-and-roll and can create his own shot when he needs to. Stauskas should be a sure thing on the offensive end for a Charlotte team that desperately needs more perimeter offense to continue on their road to success that began in the 2013-2014 season.
No. 10 Philadelphia 76ers: Gary Harris, Michigan State
After already adding the savvy scoring Jabari Parker at the No. 3 spot, the 76ers will want to add some depth at any position to a very thin, D league-like roster. With Parker’s much-maligned defensive prowess, the Sixers should be thinking defense. They’ll have the imposing Nerlens Noel back from injury to lockdown the paint, so perimeter defense is the problem and it could be solved by the addition of Gary Harris.
Harris is widely known to be one of the most NBA-ready guards in the draft and despite being undersized for the SG position, he can become a premier perimeter defender as well as an excellent slasher on a team with a lot of playmaking from Michael Carter-Williams and Jabari Parker.
No. 11 Denver Nuggets: Zach LaVine, UCLA
The Nuggets do not have a bad roster. They were plagued by injuries to main pieces this past season, as well as first-year coach Brian Shaw’s slow adjustment to being an NBA head coach. So with the right pick at No. 11, Denver could be right back in the mix as one of the top teams in the West. And considering the talent already on their roster, the Nuggets could afford a risk by taking UCLA guard Zach LaVine.
LaVine is another lanky guard who can play either PG or SG and has all the intangibles to stuff the stat sheet on any given night. The Nuggets have one of the smallest backcourts in the league with two players under 6 feet, Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson, doing most of the ball-handling, so LaVine’s 6-foot-6 frame will be a much-needed change of pace off the bench for the Nuggets. If LaVine capitalizes on his raw abilities and develops his shot, the 19-year-old could be the starting SG on a Denver team that could very well be back in the playoffs in 2015.
No. 12 Orlando Magic: Tyler Ennis, Syracuse
This may be a bit high for a player who many think doesn’t have a huge upside, but I think it’s a great fit for the Magic. There are plenty of other skilled players they could take at this spot, but with how young and talented their roster already is, they’d be at risk of having an overcrowded roster similar to Sacramento’s. With Jameer Nelson in the twilight of his career, Ennis would be a near identical replacement, just much younger.
Ennis is an excellent playmaker and floor general who was top 10 in assist to turnover ratio in the country, which is exactly what this young Orlando squad needs to be exciting, yet efficient. He doesn’t have great athletic ability, but is pretty big for his position at 6-foot-3, and playing alongside Oldapido in the Magic backcourt will make up for any athletic disadvantages Ennis has. If the Magic can manage to add both Randle and Ennis with their lottery picks, they will be absolutely stacked with young talent and should be contenders after a few years of developing this young core.
No. 13 Minnesota Timberwolves: Adreian Payne, Michigan State
The T’wolves have been in the news a lot lately because of their star Kevin Loves’s inevitable departure, but they still need to focus and make a lottery pick this year, and as of now, it’s at No. 13. Minnesota should focus on finding Love’s replacement, which most logically comes in the form of Adreian Payne. Payne’s skillset should have him much higher in this draft, but teams want young players and Payne is one of the oldest at 23.
Regardless, he has a classic big man’s body with a 6-foot-10 frame and 7-foot-4 wingspan but can step outside and knock down 3′s consistently. Payne can also hit some fadeaway jumpers and get down on the block, which has garnered him some comparisons to Pistons great Rasheed Wallace. Payne should be a starter in the league for a long time and is an outstanding value pick for Minnesota at No. 13.
No. 14 Phoenix Suns: Rodney Hood, Duke
The Suns majorly overachieved this past season and barely missed the playoffs. They’re in a great position with an already quite invested fanbase, plenty of cap room, and two picks in the top 20 of this deep draft. With their first pick, Phoenix should address their need at small forward by drafting Duke standout Rodney Hood.
Hood will fit right in with Jeff Hornacek’s up-tempo offense and will also bring needed skill on the defensive end. At 6-foot-8, Hood has great size and could even slide over to the PF position when the Suns play small ball, which they should be doing a lot in the West. Hood’s talent was often overshadowed by teammate Jabari Parker, so the Suns could have themselves a sleeper pick at No. 14. At worst, he’ll be a sweet-shooting role player on a team headed for the playoffs in 2015.