Chip's Mock Draft

Since everyone else is putting their reputations on the line about today's draft I felt it only fair to allow people to laugh at what I think will happen tonight. Remember that I am not in touch with any team insiders about this draft and these are only my opinions.

Chicago: 1. Derrick Rose - University of Memphis
The smart pick. Rose is a hometown boy, he's the prototypical point guard at 6-3 with blinding speed and a desire to be the best and to make his team the best.

Miami: 2. Micheal Beasley - Kansas State University
Probably this pick will be traded but Riley would be foolish to not draft him here. Beasley has all-star potential. The drawbacks are his height (under 6-8 barefoot) and his mental attitude. Riley sees the game as a business and Beasley still sees the business as a game.

Minnesota: 3. O J Mayo - University of Southern California
McHale is seriously considering both Love and Lopez but he can't make another mistake. OJ Mayo fills a big need and is the smart pick at #3.

Seattle: 4. Brook Lopez - Stanford
Lopez is too talented to fall far despite his rather soft playing style. Seattle was thought to be leaning towards Bayless but the pathetic shape of their point guards is only surpassed by their pathetic centers. Big men are harder to find these days.

Memphis: 5. Kevin Love - UCLA
The pick may be booed by Memphis fans but once Mayo was gone Wallace had to hope Love wouldn't go to Seattle. This may eliminate the idea of a trade to Miami which will upset fans more than anything else but there is no guarantee that Miami would want to 5th pick if Mayo is off the table either.

New York: 6. Jerryd Bayless - Arizona
A super quick PG with a shoot first mentality, Bayless could be the steal of the draft someday in D'Antoni's offense. He will need to be a better distributor however to reach that potential.

LA Clippers: 7. Eric Gordon - Indiana
The Clippers need a point guard and Gordon thinks he can play that in the pros. More importantly, with Cuttino Mobley reaching mandatory retirement age soon, if Gordon doesn't work at the point there is a position open at the two guard.

Milwaukee Bucks: 8. Joe Alexander - West Virginia
This kid just keeps climbing the charts and Milwaukee may not be able to pass on him. He played PF in college but looks to be a SF in the pros. What does this mean for Charlie V and Yi Jianlian is anyone's guess. Russell Westbrook is another possibitlity here.

Charlotte Bobcats: 9. Russell Westbrook - UCLA
It isn't that Charlotte is unhappy with their backcourt but Westbrook is the best player still on the board and can back up Jason Richardson and Raymond Felton. He immediately becomes the best defensive backcourt player on the team and could combine with Gerald Wallace as defensive stoppers at the two biggest scoring positions in the game.

New Jersey Nets: 10. Danillo Gallinari - Italy
Why with Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter already on board? Because Gallinari is too good to drop any further and the Nets have been shopping Jefferson already and VC is getting very old very fast.

Indiana Pacers: 11. Darrell Arthur - Kansas
After DJ Augustine was slated for this spot Indiana pulls off a big deal and trades disgruntled PF Jermaine O'Neal for TJ Ford. With the PG spot temporarity filled Indiana takes a big to replace JO and Arthur fits the bill perfectly.

Sacramento Kings: 12. D J Augustine - Texas
Sacramento has to be pinching themselves with a top level PG falling to twelth. So long big risk players like Anthony Randolph and Marreese Speights. Sacramento has a super fast PG to combine with Kevin Martin to give backcourt nightmares to teams.

Portland Trailblazers: 13. Anthony Randolph - LSU
Randolph looks to be more of a project SF than a true PF but either way he should mix in well with the incredibly young and talented Trailblazers if Portland remains in this spot. The Blazers have 6 draft picks right now and can't keep all those players so a multi pick swap to move up has to be considered likely.

Golden State Warriors: 14. Donte Green - Syracuse
This pick will actually be made by Don Nelson since Chris Mullin stormed out of the room after Anthony Randolph got taken the pick before. Just kidding, no GM would actually do that! Green is tall and fast and plays offense. Golden St loves shooters.

Phoenix Suns: 15. Brandon Rush - Kansas
What's a bigger need, a future replacement for Shaq or Grant Hill? With DeAndre Jordan and Roy Hibbert on the board a center may be tempting but I think Phoenix goes with the all-around safery of Rush here.

Philadelphia 76ers: 16. Robin Lopez - Stanford
Thaddeus Young had a nice rookie season but he isn't the answer at PF. Lopez brings power and energy and can back up both Young and Dalembert.

Indiana Pacers: 17. Marreese Speights - Florida
Speights gets the opportunity to slide into Jermaine O'Neal's starting spot but he isn't ready for the job. He will be an interesting player to watch develop however.

Washington Wizards: 18. DeAndre Jordan - Texas A&M
Were people seriously thinking Jordan should go #5 to Memphis? Washington was patient with Brendan Haywood so they know how to let big men develop and if they can light a fire under Jordan he could be very good. A risk here but well worth it.

Cleveland Cavaliers: 19. Alexis Ajinca - France
Almost unheard of just a few weeks ago, I may be under-estimating where he gets drafted. He could go as high as 14 to Golden St. Ajinca has shown toughness, skill and a highly motivated work ethic. It isn't often people here European and tough in the same sentence but from what I hear it may be true of Ajinca.

Charlotte Bobcats: 20. Roy Hibbert - Goergetown
With the UNC three pulling out of the draft Charlotte has to reach up to DC to find a center compliment to Okefor. Hibbert is skilled, can play the high post allowing Okefor room to operate down low and should be a better pro than a college player under the restrictive offense of John Thompson.

New Jersey Nets: 21. Kosta Koufos - Ohio State
Kosta has been working out very well lately. New Jersey's GM loves European centers. Kosta isn't European but does anyone think the Net's GM realizes this?

Orlando Magic: 22. Courtney Lee - Western Kentucky
Orlando has reportedly promised Lee this spot if available and why not? He is more physical than either of the Magic's forwards and is an accomplished scorer. He should see a lot of open looks too teaming with Lewis, Hedo and Howard.

Utah Jazz: 23. Jason Thompson - Ryder
Strong solid big man who is fundamentally strong. Sounds like a perfect combination for the Jazz. They need an athletic Small forward but there aren't any good ones left.

Seattle Supersonics: 24. Mario Chalmers - Kansas
Seattle still ends up with a capable PG in this draft after passing on the shoot first Bayless. Chalmers is a capable shooter but his first thought is pass and that is what Seattle wants from their point guard.

Houston Rockets: 25. Chris Douglas Roberts - Memphis
Roberts will be a nice offensive player in the NBA but he isn't looking that talented and hasn't performed well in workouts. Just like Tracy McGrady when he got drafted. I am not saying he's another TMac but he would be solid backing up TMac.

San Antonio Spurs: 26. Serge Ibaca - Congo
San Antonio loves to draft Eurpoeans who aren't ready, stash them overseas for a couple of seasons and then bring them over to move right into the starting lineup.

Portland Trailblazers: 27. Nicholas Batum - France
Bad ticker is causing this talented frenchman to fall and Portland's Kevin Pritchard is a gambler who, if he still has this pick, is more than willing to take a risk.

Memphis Grizzlies: 28. Bill Walker - Kansas St
Is his knee permanently damaged or is it just a tweak? If it is just a tweak then Memphis gets a former sure fire lottery pick with the 28th pick.

Detroit Pistons: 29. J J Hickson - N C State
A reach here but Detroit's front line is getting old and Hickson has time to learn from some of the better players in the game.

Boston Celtics: 30. Ante Tomic - Croatia
Danny Ainge was supposedly offering everyone on his team last season for Pau Gasol. Now he can get Pau Gasol lite (scary thought isn't it) for the last pick in the draft. Why not?