Chad Ford Mock 9.0

[JasonThompsonFan]

With the 2012 NBA draft three days away, it's time to take our first full look at both rounds. While teams continue to narrow their draft lists, trade talk and last-minute workouts have plenty of things still up in the air. Here's our best stab, after talking to numerous NBA team sources, at how the draft will play out on June 28.

(The rest is a summary of Ford's picks for 1-5. Insider articles are copywritten and cannot be reprinted in their entirety... VF21)

1. New Orleans - Anthony Davis
2. Charlotte - Thomas Robinson
3. Washington - Bradley Beal
4. Cleveland - Harrison Barnes
5. Sacramento - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draf...ry?id=8092454&_slug_=nba-mock-draft-version-9

 

[hiero]

would love mkg

 

[gatoradeSD]

after seeing this im gonna be pissed if we trade our pick now. MKG is what we need right now. not some point guards and players we let go.

 

[Dime Dropper]

I have a hard time believing the Cavs take Barnes over MKG. I think MKG's floor is at number 4.

 

[kennadog]

after seeing this im gonna be pissed if we trade our pick now. MKG is what we need right now. not some point guards and players we let go.

I can't imagine GP making a deal in advance. I think we have to see who is available at #5and then decide whether we pull the trigger on a trade. What trade. Well, I'm pretty sure GP will be working the phones to see what options might be available at that point. Of course, we could potentially lose out on possible trade by waiting until the, If we take a deal in advace of draft day, then it better be darn near to great.

EDIT: I'm taking vacation leave time to be home in time to watch the draft. Does that qualify me as insane, lol?

 

[Kingster]

I have a hard time believing the Cavs take Barnes over MKG. I think MKG's floor is at number 4.

Irving needs an assist maker, and that could move Barnes over MKG. Barnes did very well when he had a pg to work with at NC.

 

[gatoradeSD]

I can't imagine GP making a deal in advance. I think we have to see who is available at #5and then decide whether we pull the trigger on a trade. What trade. Well, I'm pretty sure GP will be working the phones to see what options might be available at that point. Of course, we could potentially lose out on possible trade by waiting until the, If we take a deal in advace of draft day, then it better be darn near to great.

EDIT: I'm taking vacation leave time to be home in time to watch the draft. Does that qualify me as insane, lol?

lol my boss just asked if I could come in Thursday and I denied him.

 

[LWP777]

Here we go again. Could another solid Kentucky player fall to us???????

 

[rhythmless]

I have a hard time believing the Cavs take Barnes over MKG. I think MKG's floor is at number 4.

Barnes stock has been goign up after he checked in with the highest vert of lotto picks. If you have a 6'8 prototypical sf that has long range shooting and has very good athletic ability, you take him. Cats need an NBA ready difference maker. That's not MKG. Wiz are now set with their frontline, only need SG. That leaves CLE w/shooting or intangibles. They have Irving for a leader and intangibles. Barnes will be able to produce right away.

 

[Dime Dropper]

Barnes stock has been goign up after he checked in with the highest vert of lotto picks. If you have a 6'8 prototypical sf that has long range shooting and has very good athletic ability, you take him. Cats need an NBA ready difference maker. That's not MKG. Wiz are now set with their frontline, only need SG. That leaves CLE w/shooting or intangibles. They have Irving for a leader and intangibles. Barnes will be able to produce right away.

Barnes tested very well at the combine, but MKG is a better in-game athlete. Or at least has shown more of it thus far. Barnes is a better shooter, but MKG does far more things. I think this is a case of wishful thinking. I still think Cleveland will take MKG over Barnes. However, I really hope I'm wrong. I'd love it if MKG fell to us.

 

[Glenn]

Barnes tested very well at the combine, but MKG is a better in-game athlete. Or at least has shown more of it thus far. Barnes is a better shooter, but MKG does far more things. I think this is a case of wishful thinking. I still think Cleveland will take MKG over Barnes. However, I really hope I'm wrong. I'd love it if MKG fell to us.

That's ideal in my book. Well, 2nd best after Davis because both fill needs for our team. Barnes, Robinson, and Beal will have good careers but they are more offensive and WE DON'T NEED OFFENSE. Just my opinion of course but once you have a team that can score 110, what more can be added to that? We need to keep teams from scoring 115.

 

[rhythmless]

Barnes tested very well at the combine, but MKG is a better in-game athlete. Or at least has shown more of it thus far. Barnes is a better shooter, but MKG does far more things. I think this is a case of wishful thinking. I still think Cleveland will take MKG over Barnes. However, I really hope I'm wrong. I'd love it if MKG fell to us.

Thus far, yes. But James Harden was slightly criticized for not being a very athletic guy, yet he managed to pretty much match Tyreke Evans' combine results in every single category except wingspan. Finals debacle notwithstanding, we can see when Harden chooses to use his athleticism and when he doesn't. It's a plus because people were pegging Barnes as a guy who was not athletic, but the combine made people look twice. No one's suggesting that he's Gerald Wallace/Josh Smith, but the fact that he CAN do it makes his potential a little higher. Factor in his NBA ready contribution (3s) and good size, and lotto teams may opt for a safer pick than MKG, who, besides defense and motor, has a lot of question marks about how good he can be. If you're trying to turn a team around faster, have a great setup man (Irving), Barnes over MKG is a realistic proposition

It's a boon for us because he doesn't have to be very good to succeed in our team. Defend the crap out of everyone, hit the open 3, make plays that turn momentum. We don't need him to score.

 

[swisshh]

MKG is the rawest prospect of the top five picks. Like young Wallace, he often looks awkward out there on the court. Of course, he fits the Kings needs and doesn't need to worry about offense on this team, but his raw element may be why teams go with others before him.

 

[ParniValjak]

As much as I like MKG, I just can't see us keeping the pick even if he is there at 5.

There are a lot of teams out there who want to get into the top 10 but also a lot of teams in the top 10 open to moving the pick (Charlotte, Kings, Warriors, Toronto). Four out of ten teams are open to trade down which tells me that teams see this as an even draft and other than Davis and maybe Beal no all-star type talent. Drummond is a high risk, high reward type pick and I don't think we are in position to swing for the fences in hope of getting a home run. We need production and we need it yesterday.

We are a team with a number of areas to address but enough young talent to build around. It makes sense on many levels to use our pick and/or some tradeable assets to improve in all those areas. We are desperate on so many levels and we need another young kid as much as Maloofs need another loan repayment. If we can turn that pick 5 and even 36 to address a couple of needs then we should do it. The only issue I have with it is that I have lost a fair bit of trust in our front office to make a trade where we actually end up winners or at least break even. I am not against trading down as I believe that you can still pick a good young players in the teens that can be just as good as the player you pick from 2-12.

The strength of this draft is that is even and runs reasonably deep where you could well pick a better player in the mid to late 20s that you would in the top 10 (in the long run).

We got our stars and what we need to do is surround them with veterans that address the needs and balance out the roster.

 

[Sptsjunkie]

I have a hard time believing the Cavs take Barnes over MKG. I think MKG's floor is at number 4.

Other than sure fire superstars, there aren't a lot of hard floors in the draft. We've seen players like Pierce, Knight, Reggie Lewis and Rondo all fall well below where they were projected. Shoot, even Cousins and Rubio slipped lower than they were projected.

If I was the Cavs, I would take MKG. But there's certainly a real possibility he could slip to us.

 

[Sac.1989]

the Cavs need points and someone to star with Irving. Barnes and Irving are good friends it makes sense that they pick him over the more defensive oriented MKG

 

[KingsCitizen]

As much as I like MKG, I just can't see us keeping the pick even if he is there at 5.

There are a lot of teams out there who want to get into the top 10 but also a lot of teams in the top 10 open to moving the pick (Charlotte, Kings, Warriors, Toronto). Four out of ten teams are open to trade down which tells me that teams see this as an even draft and other than Davis and maybe Beal no all-star type talent. Drummond is a high risk, high reward type pick and I don't think we are in position to swing for the fences in hope of getting a home run. We need production and we need it yesterday.

We are a team with a number of areas to address but enough young talent to build around. It makes sense on many levels to use our pick and/or some tradeable assets to improve in all those areas. We are desperate on so many levels and we need another young kid as much as Maloofs need another loan repayment. If we can turn that pick 5 and even 36 to address a couple of needs then we should do it. The only issue I have with it is that I have lost a fair bit of trust in our front office to make a trade where we actually end up winners or at least break even. I am not against trading down as I believe that you can still pick a good young players in the teens that can be just as good as the player you pick from 2-12.

The strength of this draft is that is even and runs reasonably deep where you could well pick a better player in the mid to late 20s that you would in the top 10 (in the long run).

We got our stars and what we need to do is surround them with veterans that address the needs and balance out the roster.

Agree. I think all the Kings need is someone content enough to support Reke-DMC and not some guy who will force to get his numbers because he is top 5 pick. I'm getting more convinced that we will trade this 5th pick for 2 first round picks or maybe a package with a good vet.

 

[Gilles]

NBADraft.net always provided pretty crappy coverage during the year with ridiculous comparisons they gave out. But when drafts come they always knew who goes where - they had good sources. I think last year was the first when DX caught up to them.
They had pretty similar top-6, only difference was the order of Barnes and MKG at #4 and #5. Today they went the opposite directrions on Drummond:
ND moved him to #5 with Lillard at #6 and MKG at #7, DX slided Drummond down to Detroit at #9 with Kings taking Barnes. The only thing clear is top-3 and Lillard at #6.
Green Room Invitees were announced: Davis, T-Rob, Beal, MKG, Barnes, Lillard, Waiters, Rivers, Drummond, Lamb, Henson, Zeller, Leonard and Ross. Last year there were 16 and noone outside the room was drafted in the lottery with Chris Singleton drafted the last at #18.

 

[sterö]

As much as I like MKG, I just can't see us keeping the pick even if he is there at 5.

There are a lot of teams out there who want to get into the top 10 but also a lot of teams in the top 10 open to moving the pick (Charlotte, Kings, Warriors, Toronto). Four out of ten teams are open to trade down which tells me that teams see this as an even draft and other than Davis and maybe Beal no all-star type talent. Drummond is a high risk, high reward type pick and I don't think we are in position to swing for the fences in hope of getting a home run. We need production and we need it yesterday.

We are a team with a number of areas to address but enough young talent to build around. It makes sense on many levels to use our pick and/or some tradeable assets to improve in all those areas. We are desperate on so many levels and we need another young kid as much as Maloofs need another loan repayment. If we can turn that pick 5 and even 36 to address a couple of needs then we should do it. The only issue I have with it is that I have lost a fair bit of trust in our front office to make a trade where we actually end up winners or at least break even. I am not against trading down as I believe that you can still pick a good young players in the teens that can be just as good as the player you pick from 2-12.

The strength of this draft is that is even and runs reasonably deep where you could well pick a better player in the mid to late 20s that you would in the top 10 (in the long run).

We got our stars and what we need to do is surround them with veterans that address the needs and balance out the roster.

MKG is the ideal fit for our team. As you said, we don't neet another superstar, but we need a great, athletic defender with a big motor and intensity, who doesn't have to have the ball in his hands to be effective, and that guy is obviously MKG. Moreover he is a solid mid-range jumpshooter and can definitely improve his game from beyond the arc as well. So you wanna give up on such a player for let's say Sammy D who will probably walk away again after next season?

 

[ParniValjak]

MKG is the ideal fit for our team. As you said, we don't neet another superstar, but we need a great, athletic defender with a big motor and intensity, who doesn't have to have the ball in his hands to be effective, and that guy is obviously MKG. Moreover he is a solid mid-range jumpshooter and can definitely improve his game from beyond the arc as well. So you wanna give up on such a player for let's say Sammy D who will probably walk away again after next season?

If I can address more than one need and improve overall by trading pick 5 then I would do it in a heartbeat. MKG will never be a good shooter. I can't remember the last time I have seen uglier and more broke jump shot. That thing will get blocked on regular basis in the NBA.

Look I love the kid and if we are keeping the pick then he would be the player I want the most but if I can improve the overall talent level and address more areas of concern by trading the pick I would not think twice about doing it.

 

[mac]

If I can address more than one need and improve overall by trading pick 5 then I would do it in a heartbeat. MKG will never be a good shooter. I can't remember the last time I have seen uglier and more broke jump shot. That thing will get blocked on regular basis in the NBA.

Look I love the kid and if we are keeping the pick then he would be the player I want the most but if I can improve the overall talent level and address more areas of concern by trading the pick I would not think twice about doing it.

I fully understand where you're coming from, but I have 2 reservations.

#1 - I do not believe/am not confident that any of the mid 1st rounders can step in and contribute like MKG.

#2 - We tried the very same thing of addressing many needs at once last year, and it was a massive fail. Much easier to just take someone you know will fill a big hole in the team.

If MKG is gone then fine, trade the pick, cos theres no one else at #5 that fills a need like MKG. Otherwise you give up an excellent chance to finally solidify our SF problem that's plagued us for the last 4 years.