New Mock Draft

[KB21]

01. Cleveland Cavaliers - Lebron James SG 6-8 240 St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School, Akron, OH

02. Detroit Pistons - Darko Milicic PF/C 7-1 253 Hemofram Vrsac, Serbia/Montenegro

03. Denver Nuggets - Carmelo Anthony SF 6-8 230 Syracuse

04. Toronto Raptors - Chris Bosh PF 6-10 220 Georgia Tech.

05. Miami Heat - Chris Kaman C 7-0 255 Central Michigan

06. Los Angeles Clippers - T.J. Ford PG 5-10 160 Texas

07. Chicago Bulls - Mikeal Pietrus SG 6-6 200 Pau-Orthez, France

08. Milwaukee Bucks - Kirk Hinrich PG 6-3 190 Kansas

09. New York Knicks - Maciej Lampe PF 7-0 240 Real Madrid

10. Washington Wizards - Leandrinho Barbosa PG 6-4 200 Bauru Tilibria

11. Golden State Warriors - Dwayne Wade SG/PG 6-4 210 Marquette

12. Seattle Supersonics - Michael Sweetney PF 6-8 265 Georgetown

13. Memphis Grizzlies - Pavel Podkolzine C 7-4 300 Metis Varese

14. Seattle Supersonics - Luke Ridnour PG 6-2 175 Oregon

15. Orlando Magic - Reece Gaines PG/SG 6-6 200 Louisville

16. Boston Celtics - Boris Diaw-Riffiod SF 6-9 200 Pau-Orthez

17. Phoenix Suns - Ndudi Ebi SF 6-9 197 High School

18. New Orleans Hornets - Jarvis Hayes SG 6-7 220 Georgia

19. Utah Jazz - Aleksander Pavlovic SF 6-7 210 Buducnost

20. Boston Celtics - Sofoklis Schortsianitis PF/C 6-10 287 Irakilis

21. Atlanta Hawks - Marcus Moore PG 6-6 205 Washington State

22. New Jersey Nets - Chris Thomas PG 6-0 170 Notre Dame

23. Portland Trailblazers - Maurice Williams PG 6-1 185 Alabama

24. Los Angeles Lakers - Nick Collison PF 6-9 260 Kansas

25. Detroit Pistons - Travis Hansen SG 6-6 210 Brigham Young

26. Minnesota Timberwolves - Rick Rickert PF 6-10 220 Minnesota

27. Memphis Grizzlies - Victor Khryapa SF CSCK Moscow

28. San Antonio Spurs - David West PF 6-9 230 Xavier

29. Dallas Mavericks - Brian Cook PF 6-10 240 Illinois

30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Marcus Banks PG 6-1 200 UNLV

31. New York Knicks - Zarko Cabarkapa SF 6-11 225 Buducnost

32. Los Angeles Lakers - Carlos Delfino SF 6-7 215 Fortitudo Bologna

33. Miami Heat - Troy Bell PG 6-0 175 Boston College

34. Los Angeles Clippers - Dahntay Jones SG 6-6 210 Duke

35. Milwaukee Bucks - Zaur Pachulia C 6-11 245 Ulker Sport Istanbul

36. Chicago Bulls - Tommy Smith SF 6-10 210 Arizona State

37. Atlanta Hawks - Josh Howard SG/SF 6-7 220 Wake Forest

COMMENTS ON HAWKS PICKS:

I think the players I have projected to Atlanta in this draft fit what Interim GM Billy Knight is looking to improve on this team. Before the Hawks get better, they have to get better defensively, and both of these picks bring the athleticism and defensive intensity the Hawks need.

Marcus Moore is a 6-6 pure point guard with long arms and good athleticism. He's not a very good shooter at this point, but he's a very good passer and can defend his man straight up. It is possible that Moore could be the back court mate to Jason Terry that the Hawks have been looking to get for a while now.

Josh Howard is an Ira Newble/Shane Battier type. He is extremely athletic, but he isn't going to wow anyone with his overall skills. He's going to work his butt off on the floor though, and he's going to do what it takes to win. He should make a good player to bring off the bench as he can play either the shooting guard position or the small forward position.

[DJ_Money]

Maybe it was just an oversight...

...but, Varejao nowhere in the top 37? If he's there at #21, [censored] right now, I'm taking this guy for the future.

[Guest]

no way. If he's a foreigner plummeting like this after being a potential lotto player last year, he's not worth the risk, not in this draft ~ there are too many other decent to solid role players that fit current needs and future needs too well. A bu pf to replace SAR isn't worth that, Reef's not old enough.

[DJ_Money]

I haven't been able to find a reason for his drop, and I doubt you have a good one, either. I think he still has lottery talent, but like others, is getting pushed back because of all the talent in this draft.

Let me put this out now, the players I want at #21, in order...

1. Gaines

2. Pavlovic

3. Varejao

4. Moore

I just can't really trust a guy coming off ankle surgery who can't seem to throw the ball in the ocean.

Other thoughts:

-Ebi at #17, with Outlaw nowhere to be seen? Honestly, I don't see much difference in either of these guys. Athletic, skinny, DerMarr Johnson types. I'd take either at #37.

-You really think Hayes will drop that low? I've heard rumors about him and Wade dropping. But, I don't think either drops past Memphis at #13.

-It will be interesting (especially for us) to see how the PG prospects who are on that 1st/2nd Round bubble do in workouts. Moore, Thomas, Williams, Banks, and Bell all have a chance to make the 1st. But, I can only really see Moore and Thomas making the cut.

-Brian Cook...just what the Mavs need. Another soft player on the inside.

-Being a Duke fan, I've watched Dahntay Jones play many, many times. He's likely the best athlete in this draft, and if teams get caught up in that, he could slip into the tail end of the 1st.

Now that RealGM has their Draft Sim up, it makes things much easier to do. I'll try to get another mock up today or tomorrow.

[Guest]

According to insider reports (I believe) from last week, he's dropped for reasons that I believe were stone hands, thinner frame, and lack of devl. of the offensive end of the court...but double check that if you truly want to, I think it was on one of last weeks' insider's.

[DJ_Money]

Yes, but those are the same things that have been said about him all along.

[Traceman]

Based on things I've been reading about the 2 of them over the past week or so, I think that Lampe is considered the superior talent. My mock draft looks like this through our pick:

01. Cleveland Cavaliers - Lebron James SG 6-8 240 St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School, Akron, OH

02. Detroit Pistons - Darko Milicic PF/C 7-1 253 Hemofram Vrsac, Serbia/Montenegro

03. Denver Nuggets - Carmelo Anthony SF 6-8 230 Syracuse

04. Toronto Raptors - Chris Bosh PF 6-10 220 Georgia Tech.

05. Miami Heat - Maciej Lampe PF 7-0 240 Real Madrid

06. Los Angeles Clippers - T.J. Ford PG 5-10 160 Texas

07. Chicago Bulls - Dwayne Wade SG/PG 6-4 210 Marquette

08. Milwaukee Bucks - Chris Kaman C 7-0 255 Central Michigan

09. New York Knicks - Leandrinho Barbosa PG 6-4 200 Bauru Tilibria

10. Washington Wizards - Kirk Hinrich PG 6-3 190 Kansas

11. Golden State Warriors - Mikeal Pietrus SG 6-6 200 Pau-Orthez, France

12. Seattle Supersonics - Michael Sweetney PF 6-8 265 Georgetown

13. Memphis Grizzlies - Jarvis Hayes SG 6-7 220 Georgia

14. Seattle Supersonics - Luke Ridnour PG 6-2 175 Oregon

15. Orlando Magic - Pavel Podkolzine C 7-4 300 Metis Varese

16. Boston Celtics - Reece Gaines PG/SG 6-6 200 Louisville

17. Phoenix Suns - Sofoklis Schortsianitis PF/C 6-10 287 Irakilis

18. New Orleans Hornets - Boris Diaw-Riffiod SF 6-9 200 Pau-Orthez

19. Utah Jazz - Nick Collison PF 6-9 260 Kansas

20. Boston Celtics - Anderson Varejao PF 6-10 230

21. Atlanta Hawks - David West PF 6-9 230 Xavier

We don't really need West as long as Dog and Reef are around but I think he will be the best player available at 21 and there is no guarantee that Dog and Reef will be here when the season starts.

[KB21]

I think Varejao, Outlaw, Villanueava, and Perkins will pull themselves out of the draft.

I think Ebi stays in, and I think he goes higher than Outlaw because he has better basketball skills at this point.

[Traceman]

Insider says that most scouts see him going between 17 and 26. If he's around at 21, maybe we should take a look. Word is that he's athletic and that he has a sweet J. Ballhandling skills need work but they are pretty good for a guy his size.

[DJ_Money]

Ebi is DerMarr Johnson Ver. 2.0.

He's a project. Skinny kid, great athlete, good J, needs ballhandling work.

We all thought DJ was going to break out this year, but unfortunately, we will never know how good he may have been. I see no problem with taking Ebi, and planning on him having his breakout year in his 3rd year...05-06, after the massive overhaul that should come in the Summer of '05.

Which is the question we have, picking at #21...

Do we pick for right now (Moore, Gaines if available) or do we pick for the future (Ebi, European player)?

[Boondocks]

Definitely future, hawks can get "now" players through FA and trades but should pick up prospects with high potential each time through the draft.

That's how we should work untill we have a solid young foundation with whom we think we can go very far, only then go for immediately producing players through the draft.

You see those that can contribute immediately, rarely ever wind up being anything more then a good role player.

[Diesel]

Interesting...

Grizz is said to make a trade with Chicago for Pietrus....

Something like Person and #13 for Pietrus and Filler.

I'm wondering how good could this guy be to catch Jerry West's eye and make him forget about Person?

One thing, I doubt that GS pass up a pure PG for Wade. It sounds crazy but if Ridnour is available he goes there.

Lastly... Lampe will probably be a Clipp.....

TJ Ford will probably be A Knick.

Heinrich might fall to GS.

Because The Bucks will probably take Podkolzine.

Cassell/Redd/Mason/Toni/Podkolzine.... We got NOW.