[A Different] SBNation 2010 NBA Mock Draft
I've went around to every NBA team's blog on SBNation and polled the fans on who they would want to pick.
That's probably enough talk for now, let's get to the draft after the jump!
1. Washington Wizards- John Wall (90%), Cole Aldrich (3%), Evan Turner (2%)
John Wall is the top player of this year's draft. It would be crazy for them not to pick him even though there may be problems with the PG position having both John Wall and Gilbert Arenas. However, many fans over at BulletsForever think they can play together.
2. Philadelphia 76ers- Evan Turner (74%), DeMarcus Cousins (11%), Derrick Favors (10%)
jefu of LibertyBallers:
[Evan Turner is] one of the most NBA ready players. Most people agree that he is the best player at the #2 pick. He’s very crafty with the basketball and can create for himself as well as others. He could possibly be the "go-to" scorer this team needs. He’s big for his position and can also rebound well. He’s also a good defender, creating a strong back court with Jrue and Iguodala on the defensive end. He’s listed as a SG, which isn’t the primary reason for why he should be drafted, but it helps that the [Sixers] could use someone at this position other than Willie Green.
There is concern about his ability to play with Iguodala, but... Iguodala is versatile and can adapt his role to fit with Turner.
3. New Jersey Nets- Derrick Favors (73%), DeMarcus Cousins (18%), Wesley Johnson (4%)
Ryan243 of NetsDaily:
The Nets are one of the few NBA teams that have a legitimate franchise center to build around. Having the ability to add an athletic power forward to team with Brook, to provide rebounding, shot blocking and interior defense is not a luxury but a necessity. This team is not going to be competitive until we fill the PF position. Favors becomes even more desirable when you consider that he is not the type of PF who will demand the ball – but will be able to get points on put backs and garbage buckets, while having the ability to take his man outside and hit a 15 foot jumper. Combine this with Brook’s outside shooting touch and the high-low and pick and pop type plays that can be drawn up for Brook and Derrick will give most teams fits in covering. Especially since Derrick possesses game changing athleticism and strength the outside PFs who have replaced the physical PFs of the past will have major difficulties battling Favors down low for positioning. Picture Yi covering Amare. Not a pretty picture.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves- DeMarcus Cousins (74%), Wesley Johnson (15%), Al-Farouq Aminu (2%)
Mplax and Foul line (respectively) of Canis Hoopus:
[He] is going to be the last player left in the four player draft. He’s the BPA, the center we have been asking for since the franchise’s inception, and the franchise needs to draft more on talent than fit after winning 15 games. Also, his potential as a PnR and PnP partner with Rubio makes me drool.
Consider his rebounding ability coupled with Love’s and how great that could become.
5. Sacramento Kings- Wesley Johnson (45%), Al-Farouq Aminu (20%), Greg Monroe (15%)
Wes is likely the BPA at 5th pick and it makes sense that the Kings pick Johnson. Sacramento traded away Andres Nocioni to the 76ers (although this wasn't known when this poll was taken), which gives them an extra spot at small forward for Wesley Johnson. Wes would be a smart pick for Sacramento.
6. Golden State Warriors- Al-Farouq Aminu (39%), Greg Monroe (37%), Cole Aldrich (5%)
Al-Farouq brings defense to the defenseless "warriors". He's one of the top defenders in the draft, and that will help the team out a lot. Golden State will also have the best fast-break offense in the league with a speedy Curry-Ellis-Aminu backcourt.
7. Detroit Pistons- Greg Monroe (42%), Cole Aldrich (23%), Ekpe Udoh (11%)
Keith Langlois of Pistons.com:
Monroe’s size and unusual offensive skills make him the better projection... His passing skills would have John Kuester adding a new chapter to his playbook for the possibilities a 7-foot playmaker operating from the post would allow. In tandem with Wallace, an underrated passer himself who could help cover for whatever defensive shortcomings Monroe might initially possess, the Pistons would have a well-suited pair. He might be a shade less ready than Udoh to help immediately, but if the Pistons were fortunate enough to have Monroe get past Sacramento at five and fall to them, he appears to offer the best combination of short- and long-term bounce other than Cousins.
8. Los Angeles Clippers- Paul George (34%), Xavier Henry (13%), Ekpe Udoh (12%)
clippersince94 and Mr. Clip of ClipsNation (respectively):
The guy can shoot, has great size, and is just very smooth and natural on the floor. I think he would fit in perfectly.
Paul George will be a stud in the NBA. He has the size, athleticism, length to be a great defender, shooting touch, and drive. If you’ve been listening to his interviews, George conducts himself very well. George wants to continue to get better and work hard. With Blake Griffin on this team pushing George, the sky is the limit for him.
9. Utah Jazz- Cole Aldrich (32%), Ekpe Udoh (23%), Hassan Whiteside (23%)
Cole Aldrich fits one of the main needs for the Jazz: A solid, true center that can defend. Mehmet Okur is their top center, and he is neither really a true center or a great defender.
Their other centers; Kosta Koufos and Kyrylo Fesenko, are neither great defenders.
10. Indiana Pacers- Ekpe Udoh (24%), Xavier Henry (18%), Eric Bledsoe (13%)
gut19 of Indy Cornrows:
We need a big athletic PF to help out Hibbert in the paint and Troy Murphy’s days are numbered. Bird always says we’re going to take the best player available so don’t expect a real reach.
11. New Orleans Hornets- Patrick Patterson (30%), Hassan Whiteside (14%), Xavier Henry (12%)
Brian Ball of At The Hive:
Patterson is a reasonable fit for the Hornets. He's not a pick-and-roll whiz that could be easily paired with Chris Paul, nor does he provide an immediate upgrade in rebounding. But he would provide Monty Williams with flexibility in the post, since he can play multiple positions, spelling either Emeka or David West. An efficient role player would be very valuable for the Hornets, and he could be of great value to the Hornets in a playoff run next year.
12. Memphis Grizzlies- Xavier Henry (30%), Luke Babbitt (16%), Ed Davis (15%)
djturtleface of Straight Outta Vancouver:
[A] Mike Conley - Xavier Henry backcourt with O.J. Mayo playing 6th man to create his own offense might be the smartest roster configuration for the Grizzlies. Xavier would be a fine fit in this sense, especially if he can shoot above 38% from three with the NBA line. In this case, or if Rudy Gay leaves and Xavier platoons with Ronnie Brewer at forward, a contribution like James Harden or Wes Matthews could be expected.
13. Toronto Raptors- Daniel Orton (22%), Hassan Whiteside (22%), Ed Davis (16%)
RaptorsHQ - Franchise of RaptorsHQ:
You can never have enough agile, strong-rebounding bigs, just ask the Boston Celtics, and for a Raptors team that has had major issues on the glass the past few seasons, grabbing... an Orton for the long-haul, would be a big step in the right direction.
14. Houston Rockets- Hassan Whiteside (61%), Gordon Hayward (11%), Ed Davis (8%)
Hassan Whiteside fits in with the Rockets quite nicely as a backup to Yao. He can come into the game and allow Yao to rest enough. He has great upside and is already a natural shot blocker and defender.
15. Milwaukee Bucks- Ed Davis (45%), Luke Babbitt (14%), Gordon Hayward (12%)
With Ed Davis dropping all the way down to #15, the Bucks had to take him. They need help at the PF position especially after trading away Dan Gadzuric to the Warriors. Davis can help out the Milwaukee Bucks a lot in the future.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves- Luke Babbitt (39%), James Anderson (27%), Gordon Hayward (13%)
The Timberwolves need a shooter, and taking Cousins over Johnson at #4, Luke Babbitt is the choice here. He's a very good defender and is also a solid defender. This would be a smart pick for Minnesota.
17. Chicago Bulls- James Anderson (62%), Gordon Hayward (10%), Dominique Jones (6%)
Anderson fits Chicago's need at SG, and he's arguably the top shooting guard here, so the Bulls pick him at #17. The fans at Blog a Bull don't seem too enthusiastic about picking him, but they still think that he would be the best choice here.
18. Miami Heat- Solomon Alabi (37%), Eric Bledsoe (28%), Gordon Hayward (16%)
sherman r of Peninsula Is Mightier:
[The Miami Heat] need a backstop at center to legitimately put us in the Championship mix starting next season. Alabi is a great shot blocker already with tremendous upside.
19. Boston Celtics- Larry Sanders (42%), Gordon Hayward (20%), Damion James (15%)
Just going by the scouting reports + his interview where he sounded like he was committed to defense, that it was his first priority.
A guy like him with the athleticism he has + a commitment to defense + solid rebounding ... I find it difficult to believe that he won't be a good role player (at the very least) for the 10+ years in the NBA.
20. San Antonio Spurs- Damion James (36%), Stanley Robinson (24%), Elliot Williams (9%)
Gregg Popovich likes young hard-working basketball players and Damion James definitely fits the bill. He plays very good defense and hustles all the time. While being raw on the offensive end, he seems like a good pick for the Spurs.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder- Gordon Hayward (30%), Kevin Seraphin (24%), Avery Bradley (12%)
Hayward has the most star potential out of anyone left in the draft. This is why the Thunder take him. He can become a very good player in the NBA. He could switch to shooting guard and become a very good backup to James Harden and potentially start for Oklahoma City.
22. Portland Trailblazers- Kevin Seraphin (34%), Avery Bradley (25%), Eric Bledsoe (21%)
Drafting a Frenchman worked out well last time for the Trailblazers (Nicolas Batum, 25th pick); drafting another one won't hurt. The Blazers need a big man that won't get injured: could he be the one? Kevin Seraphin has good athleticism and speed, which can help Portland out tremendously.
23. Minnesota Timberwolves- Avery Bradley (34%), Devin Ebanks (17%), Dominique Jones (9%)
Mplax of Canis Hoopus:
[At] 23, it’s pretty much about taking whoever has the best chance of meeting their potential... or finding a guy who can contribute immediately on a good team. Bradley could be both just because of his defense.
24. Atlanta Hawks- Dominique Jones (13%), Jordan Crawford (13%), Quincy Pondexter (10%)
KB21 of Peachtree Hoops
[Dominique Jones] can beat anyone off the dribble and is one of the top guards in the country at getting to the free throw line. He could give the Hawks an interesting combo with Jeff Teague, who is also very good at beating guys off the dribble and getting to the free throw line.

25. Memphis Grizzlies- Eric Bledsoe (31%), Armon Johnson (13%), Terrico White (13%)
xangoir of Straight Outta Vancouver:
[The] Grizzlies have to come out of the summer with a backup PG. Bledsoe would be a nice addition to rotate with Conley and OJ. We kind of view him as a cheap Kyle Lowry replacement. The minutes will differ night to night but needless to say Xavier Henry and Sam Young aren’t going to play the 1 at all... plus he’s another shooter... might even play the 2 with Mayo.
26. Oklahoma City Thunder- Tibor Pleiss (26%), Craig Brackins (16%), Quincy Pondexter (11%)
Already taking a backup SF at #21 with Gordon Hayward, the Thunder take a center there, likely their biggest need. Tibor could go to Europe for a couple years or could immediately contribute for Oklahoma City.
27. New Jersey Nets- Jordan Crawford (36%), Lance Stephenson (11%), Stanley Robinson/Armon Johnson (8%)
The Nets are likely trading away Chris Douglas-Roberts to the Bucks, so Jordan Crawford could easily replace him. He can play both guard positions and can shoot really well. New Jersey should take him in this situation as they are in need of good shooters and he's one of the top players available at 27.
28. Memphis Grizzlies- Armon Johnson (27%), Terrico White (15%), Greivis Vasquez (12%)
The Grizz took Eric Bledsoe at 25, so it's unlikely that they keep both point guards unless they put 6'3 Johnson at shooting guard. However, Armon is definitely one of the top players left in the draft, and Chris Wallace already mentioned that the Grizzlies are probably going to draft the BPAs, so it's possible they take Johnson here.
29. Orlando Magic- Quincy Pondexter (46%), Greivis Vasquez (26%), Devin Ebanks (8%)
A couple great posts by GoMagicGo and bandrewg08 from Orlando Pinstriped Post (respectively):
Pondexter says it all. The name is pure win, in itself.
Quincy Pondexter a.k.a. Q-Pon... As in "coupon." Hopefully, he is the steal of the draft and we get him for great value… coupon.
30. Washington Wizards- Greivis Vasquez (20%), Devin Ebanks (20%), Stanley Robinson (15%)
ImFROMdc88 of Bullets Forever:
[Greivis] is a leader and a winner. Vasquez and Wall would be an awesome back court for the future!
Thanks to everyone who voted and commented on these SBNation Mock Draft polls!
This is a FanPost, not the work of the author of Ridiculous Upside. The People speak! Questions or comments about this post should be addressed in the comments. To issue a complaint about this FanPost, please email ridiculousupside (at) gmail (dot) com.
0 recs |
0 comments
| Add comment
Comments
Something to say? Choose one of these options to log in.
On Facebook? Use Connect to join SB Nation. Share insights with fans and friends.- » Create a new SB Nation account
- » Already registered with SB Nation? Log in!

by KGMN on 












