Chad Ford's Latest Mock

[skyhawk]

Updated: June 28, 2006

Chad Ford's Mock Draft, Version 5.0: Picks 1 to 30

By Chad Ford

Finally, NBA draft day is here. After weeks of uncertainty, we'll get resolution Wednesday night (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET) on one of the most unpredictable drafts in recent history.

How unpredictable?

"I've never seen a draft like this, never," Bobcats GM Bernie Bickerstaff told Insider on Tuesday night. "There's so much similarity between the players. We have nothing definitive. We have no conclusions. We're just waiting for the dominoes to fall like everyone else."

A half-hour later, Bulls GM John Paxson told Insider, "We're not totally sure what we're doing. There are several different scenarios based on what Toronto is going to do. We're down to three guys. We've still got three camps. It's time for me to pick the one that's most comfortable. Hopefully in the morning I'll know more."

Mock drafts are not an exact science. Less than 24 hours before the draft, the teams drafting at No. 2 and No. 3 still didn't know what they were going to do.

Here's our latest take, after talking to numerous NBA team sources, on how the draft will play out. Check back later on Wednesday for possible updates.

CHAD FORD'S MOCK DRAFTPICKTEAMPLAYERVITALS1

Toronto

Andrea Bargnani Position: PF

Height: 7-1

Weight: 248

Age: 20

Country: Italy

The skinny: I strongly believe that when David Stern reads the first name on Wednesday night, it will be Andrea Bargnani. We had Bargnani atop our first mock draft and we have left him there throughout this entire process, despite much disagreement from other quarters. Why? Because Toronto GM Bryan Colangelo isn't afraid to go against the grain, and no one in the NBA knows Bargnani better.

If for some reason Bargnani's name is not called, look for Rudy Gay to be the man.

2

Chicago

(via New York)

Tyrus Thomas Position: PF

Height: 6-8

Weight: 217

Age: 19

School: LSU

The skinny: Since the night of the lottery, we've predicted Bargnani would go to Toronto and Thomas would go to Chicago.On Tuesday night, I spoke with Bulls GM John Paxson, who told me that the choice was down to Bargnani, Thomas and LaMarcus Aldridge. Within the Bulls organization, the respective camps had made their pitches, and Paxson said, "Now I've got to go pick the guy I feel most comfortable with."

The word is that Paxson is a Thomas fan, but Thomas didn't endear himself to Chicago coach Scott Skiles with the two workouts he cut short.

Still, according to Paxson, he's making the decision based on who will be "the best player down the road and a guy who fits the character of the team."

That's Thomas.

3

Charlotte

Rudy Gay Position: SF

Height: 6-8

Weight: 222

Age: 19

School: UConn

The skinny: On lottery night, in our first full mock draft, we put Adam Morrison here. The thinking was that he made the most sense for Charlotte. The franchise is struggling with fans, Morrison is the most popular player in the draft and he would give the Bobcats the scoring punch they desperately need.

We changed our projection to Rudy Gay in the second mock draft after getting some feedback that GM Bernie Bickerstaff thought Gay has more upside than Morrison.

We went with Brandon Roy in Mock Draft 3.0 after getting word that new co-owner Michael Jordan preferred Roy to either Morrison or Gay.

Then we went back to Morrison in Mock Draft 4.0.

So how did we end up with Gay? It's just an educated guess.

Tuesday night, Bobcats GM Bernie Bickerstaff told me that the staff was still evenly split between Gay, Morrison and Roy. The Bobcats are still under construction, and if they're looking for upside, Gay is the guy.

4

Portland

LaMarcus Aldridge Position: PF

Height: 6-11

Weight: 234

Age: 20

School: Texas

The skinny: Would the Blazers really pass on fan favorite Adam Morrison?Tuesday night I learned that most of the Blazers' talent evaluators had Tyrus Thomas, Andrea Bargnani, LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy rated ahead of Morrison.

Clearly, choosing Morrison would be the most popular decision in Portland, but it looks like they want a long-term solution instead. Aldridge is a potentially dominant big man who will fill a need in the middle.

Blazers fans may storm the Rose Garden, but if the Blazers pass on Morrison and take Aldridge, give the brass credit for sticking to their guns.

5

Atlanta

Shelden Williams Position: PF

Height: 6-9

Weight: 258

Age: 22

School: Duke

The skinny: From all the evidence we can gather, GM Billy Knight has decided he wants Williams.If Roy were to slip this far, as he does in this scenario, the Hawks would have the option of selecting him for the Rockets and then trading him to Houston in return for the No. 8 pick and either Luther Head or a future No. 1 pick.

But there's a snag in that plan. The Hawks are concerned that the Timberwolves or especially the Celtics might take Williams before the Rockets can draft him at No. 8.

If Roy goes here, expect the Hawks to try to ship him to the Rockets.

6

Minnesota

Adam Morrison Position: SF

Height: 6-8

Weight: 198

Age: 21

School: Gonzaga

The skinny: The evidence suggests that Morrison will be the pick here if Tyrus Thomas is off the board, though the Wolves aren't an easy read.Common sense would suggest that Brandon Roy and Randy Foye would be ahead of Morrison on Minnesota's board. Roy and Foye fit a need, since Rashad McCants might be out for the season after having microfracture surgery on his right knee.

But from what I can gather, Morrison has caught Minnesota executive Kevin McHale's eye.

7

Boston

Brandon Roy Position: SG

Height: 6-6

Weight: 207

Age: 21

School: Washington

The skinny: The Celtics remain the hardest team to figure out. They've worked out just about everyone and could go in just about any direction. It's fairly likely they'll trade the pick. Portland is trying to get to this pick and might be willing to give up Sebastian Telfair and picks No. 30 and 31.

The Suns are also trying to move up and would love to get their hands on Roy. That could give the Celtics pick No. 21 and perhaps Leandro Barbosa.

The Magic are also after Roy and would be willing to give up Keyon Dooling or Carlos Arroyo to get a trade done.

Or the Celtics could keep the pick, play Roy at the two, put Paul Pierce back at the three and trade Wally Szczerbiak for more size in the middle.

The team also likes Randy Foye, making him a possibility at this pick.

8

Houston

Randy Foye Position: SG

Height: 6-3

Weight: 212

Age: 22

School: Villanova

The skinny: The Rockets are trying to move up and get their hands on Brandon Roy. Their best options for trade partners appear to be the Atlanta Hawks (drafting No. 5), the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 6) and the Boston Celtics (No. 7).If their efforts fail, the Rockets are hoping one of the top players in the draft fall to them.

Ending up with Foye would be their worst-case scenario. While Foye is a better version of Luther Head and could immediately step in and take over as two guard, he wouldn't fit a need as well as Roy or Tyrus Thomas would.

If the Rockets can't get someone they need more than Foye, they could end up trading the pick.

9

Golden State

Ronnie Brewer Position: SG

Height: 6-7

Weight: 220

Age: 21

School: Arkansas

The skinny: The Warriors don't have any glaring needs and aren't in love with anyone in the draft. So don't be surprised to see Golden State trade down -- a number of teams, including the Hornets and the Bulls, are after Brewer. If the Warriors draft and keep Brewer, they'll probably say goodbye to Mickael Pietrus this summer.

10

Seattle

Hilton Armstrong Position: C

Height: 6-10

Weight: 240

Age: 21

School: UConn

The skinny: The Sonics really would like to get their hands on Shelden Williams, but apparently he'll be off the board.So don't be surprised if Seattle looks to trade the pick. A number of teams, including the Phoenix Suns and the New Jersey Nets, are trying to move up in the draft.

In fact, it sounds like the Suns and Nets are after the same guy that the Sonics might settle on -- Armstrong.

11

Orlando

J.J. Redick Position: SG

Height: 6-5

Weight: 190

Age: 22

School: Duke

The skinny: The Magic have been trying to move up in the draft for the past several weeks to get Brandon Roy or Shelden Williams. But if those two are off the board, look for Redick to be the pick. While his off-court problems and back injury have cooled the interest of some teams, sources in Orlando insist that the Magic are in love with Redick and his shooting ability.

One alternative is Ronnie Brewer, but it looks like the Magic's focus is on Redick.

12

New Orleans/

Oklahoma City

Patrick O'Bryant Position: C

Height: 7-0

Weight: 249

Age: 20

School: Bradley

The skinny: After giving up Jamaal Magloire and losing Chris Andersen to a drug suspension, the Hornets need an athletic defender who can rebound and block shots. They're hoping O'Bryant, the best center in the draft, is still on the board.

O'Bryant is still very raw, but he has the size and athleticism to be a significant presence in the paint down the road.

Cedric Simmons and Hilton Armstrong, if available, would be options here as well.

13

Philadelphia

Cedric Simmons Position: PF

Height: 6-10

Weight: 223

Age: 20

School: NC State

The skinny: The Sixers have a lot of needs right now.They've been trying to move up in the draft to get Shelden Williams, but to no avail. If somehow the Celtics can get their hands on Williams at No. 7, they could deal him to Philly.

The talk is that the Sixers have fallen for two players, Simmons and Shawne Williams. Simmons reminds GM Billy King of a young Theo Ratliff. With Samuel Dalembert on the block, the Sixers might need another athletic, shot-blocking, rebounding presence.

Shawne Williams is not a perfect fit, but he has a very rare combination of size, athleticism and shooting ability.

The Sixers have the option of moving down in the draft a few spots and still being able to get him.

14

Utah

Mouhamed Saer Sene Position: C

Height: 7-0

Weight: 232

Age: 20

Country: Senegal

The skinny: The Jazz's first priority is finding a scoring two guard. Roy, Foye and Redick are at the top of the list, and under this scenario Redick is available.

The problem is that concerns about the long-term health of his back combined with his DUI arrest are scaring teams such as the Jazz and Magic, who tend to be more conservative. I'm not saying that they won't take him, but it's not a slam dunk the way it was two weeks ago.

So the Jazz might look at their other need, the center position. The team could use an athletic shot-blocker to help out Mehmet Okur and Carlos Boozer in the paint.

That means Mouhamed Saer Sene could be Utah's man. He's a project, but he is huge and physical, with great upside. And Karl Malone loved him when he came in for a workout.

15

NO/OC Hornets

(via Milwaukee)

Rodney Carney Position: SF

Height: 6-6

Weight: 204

Age: 22

School: Memphis

The skinny: The Hornets will be psyched if Carney is still on the board here. The team could use an athletic, sweet-shooting swingman and Carney has the experience to step right in and compete right away. Questions about Carney's toughness and desire are the only reasons he might slip this far.

If Carney is off the board, Thabo Sefolosha and Marcus Vinicius Vieira de Souza are possibilities.

16

Chicago

Thabo Sefolosha Position: SF

Height: 6-6

Weight: 215

Age: 22

Country: Switzerland

The skinny: If the Bulls address their frontcourt with pick No. 2, look for them to try to add a big two guard to fill their need in the backcourt. Ronnie Brewer and Rodney Carney would be likely targets if still on the board.

If they're not, the Bulls could turn to Sefolosha. He's long, athletic and experienced, with a balanced all-around game. Temple's Mardy Collins would be another option.

If the Bulls decide to go for Brandon Roy with the No. 2 pick, an athletic forward such as Alexander Johnson or a center like Mouhamed Saer Sene could be the guy, depending on who's available.

17

Indiana

Marcus Williams Position: PG

Height: 6-3

Weight: 215

Age: 20

School: UConn

The skinny: According to this scenario, the Pacers, once again at No. 17, would find themselves in a situation similar to last year's, with two potential lottery picks to choose from. In this case, Marcus Williams and Rajon Rondo are the guys. Both players could go as high as the mid-lottery but could also slip to here.

If neither Williams nor Rondo is on the board, the team has a number of other options. Shannon Brown has the potential to be a better version of Fred Jones. The Pacers also like Florida State's Alexander Johnson, a superathletic power forward who can play a little like Kenyon Martin. With Jermaine O'Neal constantly nursing injuries, and potentially on the trading block, finding someone to support or replace O'Neal is important. Olexsiy Pecherov and Quincy Douby also makes some sense here.

18

Washington

Olexsiy Pecherov Position: PF

Height: 6-11

Weight: 222

Age: 21

Country: Ukraine

The skinny: Pecherov is a Keith Van Horn clone (right down to the haircut) who can play both inside and outside. He's turned himself into an excellent rebounder in Paris this year and could be a nice long-term project for Washington.

19

Sacramento

Alexander Johnson Position: PF

Height: 6-10

Weight: 230

Age: 23

School: FSU

The skinny: We've had Sergio Rodriguez here for several weeks, but now we hear that the Kings are worried about his defense and lack of athletic ability. Besides, we're hearing that the Kings want to go big. Johnson's athleticism, toughness and game-readiness would be a great fit for the Kings.

Rajon Rondo and Olexsiy Pecherov could also be a fit here, if available.

20

New York

(via Denver)

Shawne Williams Position: SF

Height: 6-9

Weight: 227

Age: 20

School: Memphis

The skinny: Williams is a guy Knicks coach/president Isiah Thomas can love. He is long and athletic, plays multiple positions and can shoot. He really needs another year of school, but playing for the Knicks is like playing for the JV at this point anyway.Shannon Brown and Alexander Johnson are also options here.

Phoenix

(via L.A. Lakers)

Shannon Brown Position: SG

Height: 6-3

Weight: 190

Age: 20

School: Mich State

The skinny: The Suns have been trying to move up in the draft to get Brandon Roy, Hilton Armstrong, Rodney Carney or Mouhamed Saer Sene. If all are off the board when the Suns pick, they will have a tough choice between Rondo and Brown. Rondo would fit the need for a backup point guard, but Brown would be more ready to contribute now and would buy the Suns some insurance should they move Leandro Barbosa this summer.

22

New Jersey

(via L.A. Clippers)

Rajon Rondo Position: PG

Height: 6-2

Weight: 171

Age: 20

School: Kentucky

The skinny: If Rondo is available at No. 22, that means he took a major slide. But it could happen if he gets past Boston at No. 7, the Pacers at No. 17, the Wizards at No. 18 and the Kings at No. 19. It would be a great pickup for the Nets, who need a backup for Jason Kidd. Rondo's speed and defense would really boost the Nets' up-tempo attack.

23

New Jersey

Quincy Douby Position: SG

Height: 6-3

Weight: 175

Age: 22

School: Rutgers

The skinny: The Nets desperately need to upgrade their frontcourt and have been trying to package the No. 22 and No. 23 picks to get up to No. 10 or No. 12. If they stay here, they'll probably just go with the best backcourt player available. Douby is a fantastic shooter who could provide an instant scoring boost off the bench.

24

Memphis

Kyle Lowry Position: PG

Height: 6-0

Weight: 185

Age: 20

School: Villanova

The skinny: The Grizzlies have been searching for a center ever since Bryant Reeves retired. With Lorenzen Wright hitting free agency this summer, the need has never been greater. However, with Patrick O'Bryant, Hilton Armstrong, Mouhamed Saer Sene and Alexander Johnson likely to be off the board, there won't be many options left.

If they can't find anyone for the frontcourt, they'd be smart to grab Lowry. They have a pretty big question mark at the point. No one is sure whether Damon Stoudamire will return at 100 percent this season, and Chucky Atkins is a free agent.

Jordan Farmar, Sergio Rodriguez and Dee Brown are also options here, and Alexander Johnson is a candidate should he slide.

25

Cleveland

Jordan Farmar Position: PG

Height: 6-2

Weight: 171

Age: 19

School: UCLA

The skinny: Danny Ferry is praying that one of the top point guards -- Rajon Rondo, Kyle Lowry, Sergio Rodriguez or Jordan Farmar -- falls to him here. Eric Snow peaked years ago and it looks like Damon Jones is on the downslope of his career, too.

Farmar may be the best-case scenario for Cleveland. He's a pure point guard with great athleticism. He should be able to step in right away and contribute.

Another possibility is Texas' Daniel Gibson. He's not a pure point guard, but he would be fine alongside LeBron James and Larry Hughes on the perimeter.

26

L.A. Lakers

James White Position: SG

Height: 6-7

Weight: 202

Age: 23

School: Cincinnati

The skinny: White is the best athlete left on the board. He can jump out of the gym and he plays great perimeter defense. He's still working on his jump shot and his offensive game in general, but he's a sleeper who should be better in the NBA than in college.

Phoenix

Sergio Rodriguez Position: PG

Height: 6-3

Weight: 170

Age: 20

Country: Spain

The skinny: After Marcus Williams and Rajon Rondo, Rodriguez is the best pure point guard in the draft. He also has some big-time experience in Spain. At some point the team is going to need to rest Steve Nash, and Rodriguez is an intelligent point guard who can play the way Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni wants to play.

Michigan State's Maurice Ager and Texas' Daniel Gibson are also options here.

28

Dallas

Maurice Ager Position: SG

Height: 6-5

Weight: 203

Age: 22

School: Mich State

The skinny: The Mavs can always use a player who can stroke the ball, and Ager was that guy for the Spartans all year. His combination of athleticism, defense and shooting ability should make him a nice replacement for Jerry Stackhouse when Stack's contract expires in the summer of 2007.

29

New York

(via San Antonio)

Guillermo Diaz Position: SG

Height: 6-2

Weight: 190

Age: 20

School: Miami

The skinny: We've had UConn's Josh Boone in this spot for a month, but it's looking more and more like the Knicks didn't give him a promise.

Diaz isn't a fit, but don't worry, Knicks fans. Most likely, the Knicks will use the pick as bait for the Heat, who have been trying to move up to get Diaz.

30

Portland

(via Detroit)

Solomon Jones Position: C

Height: 6-10

Weight: 224

Age: 21

School: South Florida

The skinny: The Blazers are not exactly ready to contend, so don't be shocked if they take a flier on a kid who's still several years away. Jones is long and athletic, and he can rebound and block shots. His size should come in handy down the road.

[Johnnybravo4]

We agree about Roy except I think that we'd keep him.

[sinctybldh]

I would like to hope our GM has enough sense to keep him (Roy) if drafted.

[Yeti]

Me too. I just heard Chad Ford on the radio say that he expects Roy to be Rookie Of the Year (Roy is ROY?). So we are set up for Chris Paul Part II.

[Johnnybravo4]

Quote:

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Me too. I just heard Chad Ford on the radio say that he expects Roy to be Rookie Of the Year (Roy is ROY?). So we are set up for Chris Paul Part II.

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Yeah I want to call him Brandon Wah so bad...lol