Mock NBA Draft 1- 35

This is the first of at least a couple mock drafts. I'm assuming everyone falls where they should in the lottery, which means Wolves pick 3rd.

1 Miami - PF Micheal Beasley
2 Seattle - PG Derrick Rose
3 Minnesota - SG OJ Mayo
4 Memphis - C Brook Lopez
5 LA Clippers - SG Eric Gordon
6 New York - PG Jerryd Bayless
7 Milwaukee - SF Danilo Gallinari
8 Charlotte - PF Anthony Randolph
9 Chicago - PG Russel Westbrook
10New Jersey - C DeAndre Jordan
11 Indiana - PF Darrel Arthur
12 Sacremento - PG Darren Collison
13 Portland - SF Donte Green
14 Golden State - SG Chase Budinger
15 *Phoenix - PG DJ Augustin
16 Philly - C Kevin Love
17 Toronto - SG Brandon Rush
18 Washington - C Mareese Speights
19 Cleveland - PG Ty Lawson
20 Denver - C Robin Lopez
21 Orlando - SG James Harden
22 New Jersey - PF Earl Clark
23 Seattle - C JaVale McGee
24 Utah - PF Tyler Hansbrough
25 Houston - C Kosta Koufos
26 San Antonio - SF Nicolas Batum
27 New Orleans - SG Courtney Lee
28 Memphis - SG Chris Douglas-Roberts
29 Detroit - PF JJ Hickson
30 Boston - SF Joe Alexander

31 Miami - C Hasheem Thabeet
32 Seattle - PF Joey Dorsey
33 Minnesota - C Roy Hibbert
34 Memphis - C John Riek
35 LA Clippers - PG Mario Chalmers
36 New York - SG Bill Walker

Fixing the T-Wolves - Part 10: The Second Pick

This year the Wolves will own a second round pick between 33-35. I don't usually put much stock in the second round, but the Wolves could actually find value this year. Last year's big winner was Boston who got Glen "Big Baby" Davis with the 35th pick. Big Baby was rated #20 by Chad Ford, but fell hard during the draft, and now he is considered the 10th best rookie player. The Wolves could use a success story like that with their second pick. Here are my thoughts (and prayers):

1 - C Roy Hibbert: At one point this year I was ready to use the 3rd pick on him. Last year it is likely McHale would have grabbed him at 7 if he had come out. Needless to say, Hibbert's stock has dropped like a rock. ESPN has him as the #27 prospect and nbadraft.net has him at #25. He could actually slip into the early second round and provide the Wolves a true big man that allows AlJeff to play his preferred position of PF - and he's not a ball hog so AlJeff can do all the scoring. The problem is I have a hard time believing he gets past Seattle at 32. I can make a case for 9 of the 14 picks between 18 and 32 before he drops to the Wolves at 33.

2 - C Robin Lopez: ESPN has him at #31 and draft.net has him #14. What I like about Robin is that he is the rebounding defensive specialist while his brother Brook does all the scoring. This is a nice match with AlJeff. You can make pretty much the same case for Robin from 18-32 that you can for Hibbert - and it would be extra cute if Memphis grabbed Brook at 4 and Robin at 26. I'd be very happy if he fell to the Wolves, but not likely, less so than Hibbert in my opinion.

3 - SF Brandon Rush: Excellent role player who was KU's goto guy when someone had to step up - but his preference is not too. Will probably make an excellent third option in the NBA and the Wovles are weak at SF (Gomes and Brewer, who should be a SG). Very unlikely he falls to the second round. ESPN pegs him at #25 and draft.net at #17.

4 - PF Tyler Hansbrough: Awesome college player, but NBA scouts hate him. My guess is he'll be pretty decent along the lines of Gomes. At the very least, he'd be a capable backup big. ESPN puts him at #29 and draft.net has him going back for his senior year. My guess is Utah or San Antonio will grab him late in the 1st round.

5 - SF Bill Walker: Played second fiddle to Beasley all year, but I'd be willing to bet a 2nd round pick that he's got what it takes to play on his own. ESPN only ranks him at #46 and draft.net says he takes a sophomore season at K-State to show what he's got when he's the man.

6 - SF Chris Douglas-Roberts: His stock is sky high after an incredible NCAA run. Draft.net has him pegged at #19 but ESPN only gives him a #32. The reason I take Walker over CDR is the 30 lbs he gives up - he's just too small too have the same potential as Walker. That being said, I'll take him. I wouldn't be surprised if Memphis uses their pick at 26 or 34 on him.

Some crazy thoughts:

Would San Antonio trading the 27th pick for Ryan Gomes be that ridiculous? Gomes seems like the kind of player with the right character to fit into San Antonio and split time with the ungracefully aging Bruce Bowen. Gomes doesn't have his defensive prowess, but maybe he could free up those minutes for Bowen when the Spurs really need him...

Crazier idea - How about trading Randy Foye, Sebastian Telfair and Antoine Walker (expiring contract to make the money work) for Philly's 17th pick and the last year of PG Andre Miller? Philly probably won't want to let Miller go, but they seem to have some infatuation with Foye. The idea of going young might appeal to them, then again, this is a stretch. Of course the Wolves don't even consider this if they get Rose or can pull off my trade for Conley.

Fixing the T-Wolves - Part 9: The First Pick

With 7 games to go, the Wolves will finish 3-5 in the ping pong ball race, so they are pretty much assured of picking 1-6. Knowing that, here are my top 6 picks for the Wolves.

1 - PF Micheal Beasley: He's still my first pick because he plays both sides of the ball, can rebound, and allows the wolves to play small as the 4 (AlJeff at 5) or play big at the 3 (AlJeff at the 4).
2 - PG Derick Rose: He is charging hard and making me rethink my pick of Beasley at 1. I'd be really happy with either guy, so here's hoping the wolves get some serious luck. The Final Four might push him to #1 in my book, we'll see.
3 - SG OJ Mayo: I've been back and forth on this guy. Even though the Wolves are silly with swing men (Foye, McCants, Jaric, Brewer), what tips me to OJ vs another position is that I believe his talent level is that much greater than anyone else available. Taking him and playing the best lineup would push the Wolves to something resembling Nellie-ball.
4 - PG Russel Westbrook: I admit that this is a reach since he only ranks as #10 at ESPN, but I don't believe in Jerryd Bayless or Brook Lopez.
5 - PG Jerryd Bayless: Ok I don't believe in him, but he fits better than anyone else left.
6 - C Kevin Love: He has really impressed me during the tournament and might be a good complementary big man to ALJeff.

Notable players agonized over:

C Brook Lopez - I think he's too soft and would be a bad fit on the Wolves. We already have one scoring big who doesn't play defense, adding another one looks suspiciously like the formula they have in NY with Randolph and Curry - yuck.

PG DJ Augustine - I really love this guy, but he's too damn small to be effective in the NBA. He'll make a nice back up PG in Phoenix learning from his idol Steve Nash.

SG Eric Gordon: I think Gordon is better than he played late in the season. I'm willing to bet the coaching turmoil in Indiana has more to do with his sinking stock than is being recognized. However, I don't think he could be a PG and I don't see him as a better prospect than Foye (whereas OJ is).

Picture this - Memphis wins the 2nd spot in the draft (currently sitting 4th), and after Beasley goes to the first pick (not the Wolves), Memphis is staring the best player in their building right in the face, but have a glut of PG talent already and can't possibly take a third! Enter the Wolves with their 3rd or 4th pick. The Wolves give Memphis this year's pick for PG Mike Conley. This allows Memphis to pick Rose and draft Brook Lopez to replace Gasol. Wolves win because they get a really good PG and don't have to reach or torture their lineup. Memphis wins because they get the hometown guy AND another high pick. Done deal, right?

Fixing the T-Wolves - Part 8: Corrections and Updates

Since my last post on the matter, the trade deadline has passed and the only significant update is that Gerald Green is no longer on the roster and no longer in the NBA. Thanks for the dunks. In return, Minnesota got Houston's 2nd round pick in 2009. More importantly, the Wolves did nothing with their more valuable pieces to pick up draft picks or expiring contracts, thus many of my scenarios are dead.

However, there is good news - I was wrong! I labored under the impression that the Wolves pick owed the Clippers was only top 3 protected this year and unprotected next year. Turns out that pick is top 10 protected for 7 years, before turning into a second round pick - I think in 2012. This is very good news for the Wolves and their fans, since their will be at least one new good player to watch next year, and maybe two... thus Parts 9 and 10.