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2013 NBA Mock Draft
2014 NBA Mock Draft
Posted: Feb. 24, 2012.
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It is an annual tradition here during the NBA All-Star break to re-do the NBA Draft lottery from the previous year. Walterfootball.com’s NBA Draft Nerd, David Kay, and Peter Christian will alternate re-drafting the top-14 picks in the 2012 NBA Draft taking into account what we know about the rookies based on their performances so far this season. The new grades will factor in how each team’s roster looked at the time of the draft while David and Peter give their reasons as to why the selection would be made.
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New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky. 
Actual Pick: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
(David Kay) Davis was the obvious top pick in June and that hasn’t changed much despite the fact that he has battled nagging little injuries throughout the year. Davis still has the best chance to be a star at the next level of anyone in this draft class, though I did think about Damien Lillard for a brief second.
(Peter Christian) I wasn’t completely convinced that Anthony Davis was the consensus No.1-overall pick back in June. I’m more convinced now, but it’s more a result of the rest of the draft class not being as good as I expected. -
Charlotte Bobcats: Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State. 
Actual Pick: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
(PC) I’m a big believer in the philosophy that you draft the best talent available and you fill roster needs via free agency. That is why I take Lillard here even though the Bobcats already have Kemba Walker. Lillard has been fantastic this season and is my mid-season pick for the rookie of the year. Dude is definitely League and he will be for a while.
(DK) Kidd-Gilchrist is definitely the better fit for the Bobcats since they already have Kemba at the point, but it is hard to pass up Lillard since he is the Rookie of the Year thus far and has all the makings of being a legitimate lead point guard. It is the debate of best available versus need and I can’t really argue. -
Washington Wizards: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky.
Actual Pick: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida
(DK) Despite having Trevor Ariza and Chris Singleton, the Wizards have been forced to turn to Martell Webster as their starting small forward. Kidd-Gilchrist would bring some needed competitive fire and all-around ability to Washington.
(PC) I’m a Kidd-Gilchrist believer; I still think he’ll turn out to be a good NBA player. However, I don’t think Kidd-Gilchrist is the best fit for the Wizards; they need scoring. Kidd-Gilchrist isn’t a true wing scoring option; Harrison Barnes is. I’d go with him here. -
Cleveland Cavaliers: Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina. 
Actual Pick: Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
(PC) Waiters was drafted to be a shooter to open up space for Kyrie Irving. Waiters has struggled with his shooting, but has still found a way to score nearly 15 points per game (hat tip to Uncle Drew/Kyrie Irving on that one). Barnes is shooting better than Waiters and with Irving could easily see his scoring output surpass Waiters. These are good things for the Cavaliers.
(DK) I don’t think anybody mistook Waiters as a shooter (you know he is my boy, but even I was shocked he went this high.) I think Barnes, but I’d lean towards another capable outside threat like Bradley Beal. -
Sacramento Kings: Andre Drummond, C, Connecticut. 
Actual Pick: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas
(DK) Though still a huge work in progress, Drummond showed signs of being a true defensive presence at the rim before suffering a back injury that has sidelined him for 4-6 weeks. With the ongoing Boogie Cousins saga in Seattle … er, Sacramento, having a big man like Drummond would make Cousins expendable and provide a real shot-blocker inside.
(PC) Admittedly, I thought Drummond was going to be a joke of an NBA player. My bad. Drummond is a good pick here. -
Portland Blazers: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida. 
Actual Pick: Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
(PC) Without Lillard on the board, the Trail Blazers are screwed. It worked out really well for them on actual draft day because they got the best player available (maybe overall) and filled a desperate need. Now, with the redo, the luxury of getting the best of both worlds is gone. Reverting to my philosophy from earlier (see: 2nd overall pick) I take Beal because I think he’s the most talented player left.
(DK) Yeah, Portland struck gold on draft night with Lillard and with no point guard even close to worth taking this high, the best available theory seems logical. Waiters could maybe play the point, so I might lean toward taking him (man-crush aside), but probably stick with Beal. -
Golden State Warriors: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas. 
Actual Pick: Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina
(DK) Small forward was definitely the route to go for Golden State, but with Barnes off the board, the Warriors look elsewhere. They didn’t have Carl Landry or Festus Ezeli yet prior to this pick, so frontcourt depth was needed. I still think Robinson will be a good pro. He’s just stuck on a crummy team in Sacramento with no direction.
(PC) Oh dear, this draft is getting gross fast. Robinson is really the ONLY option left. The Warriors have surpassed expectations by finding a good mesh and having great chemistry. Robinson, by all measures, wouldn’t disrupt that chemistry with his floor minutes or his personality. -
Toronto Raptors: Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse. 
Actual Pick: Terrence Ross, G/F, Washington
(PC) Waiters was a bit of a reach to go No. 4 overall and plenty of people voiced their opinions about that fact. However, he hasn’t been a bust. Waiters has been a decent scoring option on a bad team, which is what Toronto is as well. By selecting Waiters, this likely means he’d be a combo guard to mesh with Jose Calderon and DeMar Derozan in multiple rotations.
(DK) Don’t forget about Kyle Lowry, too. The Waiters/DeRozen duo on the wing isn’t a great shooting combo, but Waiters can’t slide lower than this with the remaining guys left on the board. -
Detroit Pistons: John Henson, PF, North Carolina.
Actual Pick: Andre Drummond, C, Connecticut
(DK) I debated between Henson and Jared Sullinger, but Sullinger’s recent season-ending back injury raises a red flag, so Henson wins out in the end since he is healthy and provides the Pistons with a needed rim-protector.
(PC) Sullinger’s injury sucks because he would have been a good fit next next to Monroe … I think. Henson on the other hand is a good rim-protector, but he’s soft and easily pushed around by NBA big men. -
New Orleans Hornets: Terrence Ross, G/F, Washington.
Actual Pick: Austin Rivers, SG, Duke
(PC) If you were to rank the lottery disappointments from last season, Austin Rivers would be on the podium. He got thrown to the wolves a little bit to start the season with Eric Gordon out, but it was pretty clear he was not ready. Ross, meanwhile has been able to find his shooting stroke and just seems more comfortable on the floor. By the way, I don’t feel good about this selection.
(DK) I don’t think we’ll feel good about any pick from here on out. Ross appears to have a higher ceiling than Rivers from what we’ve seen early on, and New Orleans needed an option at the two guard since Gordon was a restricted free agent at the time of the draft. Plus, Ross could play some three alongside Gordon on the wing. -
Portland Trail Blazers: Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina.
Actual Pick: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
(DK) If there were a point guard on the board worth taking this high, I would do so – but there is nobody even close. I’ll stick with size, but avoid Leonard at all costs (though he has been more productive than I thought thus far.) This pick might make you vomit, and it’s definitely need over best available, but Zeller has been solid filling in at center in Cleveland for an injured Anderson Varejao and the Trail Blazers needed size with one of their picks.
(PC) Oh, my God. I don’t think I can live in a world where Tyler Zeller is a lottery pick. That said, thank God it’s not Meyers Leonard here. David, you are right Zeller has been solid. I can’t believe I just said those words. I think I’m gonna go puke. I feel like I just found out Santa Claus isn’t real. -
Houston Rockets: Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut.
Actual Pick: Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
(PC) This is really difficult because so much of Houston’s 2012-13 roster was assembled (or disassembled) after the draft. The Rockets still had Kyle Lowry, Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic on draft day and didn’t have Jeremy Lin, James Harden and Omer Asik. Positionally, Houston really needed a center (which would probably be Meyers Leonard) but going best available, I suppose it’s still Lamb. I mean Sam Presti took him back in the biggest trade he’s ever pulled the trigger on and Sam Presti is really, really, really smart.
(DK) Yeah, Houston is a difficult one … and you still get to make two more picks for them. Good luck with that. It is kind of sad that the 12th overall pick in our draft re-do has spent a good chunk of the season in the D-League, but the potential is there. -
Phoenix Suns: Austin Rivers, SG, Duke. 
Actual Pick: Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina
(DK) Marshall seemed like a terrific fit at the time since Steve Nash was heading for free agency, but the former Tar Heel has been a disappointed thus far, though he has been contributing more as of late. The Suns needed wing depth as well at the time of the draft and are in a re-building mode. Rivers has a lot of maturing to do but if he ever figures it out, should be decent.
(PC) Saying Rivers needs maturing is like saying that Lena Dunham shows unnecessary skin on “Girls.” No duh. Speaking of “Girls” and Dunham, hey Lena, we get it, you are comfortable with your body even though it’s an atypical Hollywood body. We get it. No really. We do. -
Milwaukee Bucks: Moe Harkless, SF, St. John’s. 
Actual Pick: John Henson, PF, North Carolina
(PC) In Aaron Afflalo’s absence, Harkless has seen his playing time skyrocket. He hasn’t been super consistent with the opportunity, but he’s shown glimpses of being a League ball player. I must also include that Moe Harkless is a sweet effing name.
(DK) I was a huge fan of Harkless heading into the draft, and to be honest, he probably should go higher than No. 14. When we look back in ten years, he will be one of the top-10 players to come out of this draft. - Philadelphia 76ers – Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt
- Houston Rockets – Jae Crowder, SF, Marquette
- Cleveland Cavaliers – Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
- Houston Rockets – Festus Ezeli, C Vanderbilt
- Orlando Magic – Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
- Denver Nuggets – Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure
- Boston Celtics – John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
- Boston Celtics – Royce White, PF, Iowa State
- Atlanta Hawks – Draymond Green, SF, Michigan State
- Dallas Mavericks – Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
- Memphis Grizzlies – Tony Wroten, PG, Washington
- Indiana Pacers – Evan Fournier, SG, France
- Philadelphia 76ers – Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky
- Oklahoma City Thunder – Perry Jones, SF, Baylor
- Chicago Bulls – Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina
- Golden State Warriors – Robert Sacre, C, Gonzaga
Just because we are huge NBA Draft nerds, we’ll finish the rest of the first round without our witty commentary (you’re disappointed about that, we know…):
Go to 2013 NBA Mock Draft
Go to 2014 NBA Mock Draft
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Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
Send Paul an e-mail here: [email protected].
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: [email protected]
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