NBA Mock Draft: Suns Trade For #10, Acquire Rudy Gobert From France

NBA Mock Draft Pick #10 -- Rudy Gobert, Center, France

We have a trade to announce:

SUNS TRADE:

MARCIN GORTAT

TRAILBLAZERS TRADE:

DRAFT SELECTION #10

JOEL FREELAND

Contributors from both SB Nation's Suns blog Bright Side of the Side and Blazers blog BlazersEdge explain the pick and the trade:

Dave King from Bright Side of the Sun explains why Phoenix wants this pick:

Phoenix needs to get younger - a lot younger - at every position. It's truly time to reboot, and you can't do that with a 29-year old center on the final year of his contract. So, Phoenix replaces Gortat with the longest guy in the history of "length". NBA Draft Insider Kris Habbas has Gobert ranked in the top 10 with a potential to defend the paint like the great Dikembe Mutombo once did. Gobert is a prospect, but the Suns have to try for the highest potential at a position so tough to fill on the basketball court: the center position.

Why Blazers did trade via BlazersEdge:

The Trail Blazers, on the other hand, need a veteran starting center. All the guys in this draft are too young and shaky to help immediately. This year's free agent market brings centers that are either old, unsuitable, or not affordable. The best of them are restricted free agents with their current teams likely to match. The Blazers don't have assets to trade for an established center either.

Marcin Gortat is the Applebee's of starting centers, doing a wide variety of things, none of them distinguished. But hey, he's moderately priced and you won't starve. Since the Blazers are starving at center, he fits the bill. Gortat played better when surrounded by good players, which he would be in Portland's starting lineup. The Blazers should be able to make more of him than the Suns did last year.

Just as importantly, the 2013-14 cap hit for Freeland and the 10th pick totals $4.8 million. Gortat's salary is $7.7 million. The Blazers get a capable starting center losing less than $3 million in cap space, keeping all of their core players in the process. Factoring in cap holds, this leaves the Blazers right around $50 million. They still have room for an $8+ million offer to a 6th man this summer. Adding a legit starting center and a legit 6th man using only $13 million total cap space isn't just a smart move, it's damn near wizardry. That's well worth the 10th pick in a flat draft.

SB Nation Scouting Report: Rudy Gobert

Updated 2013 NBA Mock Draft Board:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: NERLENS NOEL
2. Orlando Magic BEN MCLEMORE
3. Washington Wizards OTTO PORTER
4. Charlotte Hornets ALEX LEN
5. Phoenix Suns VICTOR OLADIPO
6. New Orleans Pelicans TREY BURKE
7. Sacramento Kings ANTHONY BENNETT (for Philly)
8. Detroit Pistons C.J. MCCOLLUM
9. Minnesota Timberwolves KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE
10. Portland Trail Blazers
11. Philadelphia 76ers
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Dallas Mavericks
14. Utah Jazz
15. Milwaukee Bucks
16. Boston Celtics
17. Atlanta Hawks
18. Atlanta Hawks
19. Cleveland Cavaliers
20. Chicago Bulls
21. Utah Jazz
22. Brooklyn Nets
23. Indiana Pacers
24. New York Knicks
25. Los Angeles Clippers
26. Minnesota Timberwolves
27. Denver Nuggets
28. San Antonio Spurs
29. Oklahoma City Thunder
30. Phoenix Suns