mitchweber's mock with plenty o' explanations

[pillwenney]

1. Bulls - Derrick Rose

In the end you have to go with the better prospect and Rose is that--not necessarily because of the talent level, which is basically about even, but Rose just seems to have a much better attitude than Beasley. Beasley may improve this later, but I know I'd rather go with the guy who really takes the game and himself seriously in Rose.

Rose\Gordon
Hinrich\Sefolosha
Deng\Nocioni
Gooden\Thomas
Noah\Gray

2. Heat - Michael Beasley

Regardless of any speculation, Beasley is still the pick here. It may be traded, but Miami would really have to be nuts to pass on Beasley here. The guy is supremely talented and fills a need for them.

Banks\Cook
Wade\Wright
Marion\Haslem
Beasley\A. Johnson
Blount\Anthony

3. T'Wolves - OJ Mayo

I'm still tempted to go with Lopez here, but I suppose Mayo makes some sense, and if nothing else, it should result in an interesting lineup for Minny.

Foye\Telfair\Jaric
Mayo\McCants\Snyder
Brewer\Buckner
Walker/Smith or Gomes?
Jefferson\Madsen

4. Sonics - Jerryd Bayless

One of the few consensus picks from the beginning, Bayless will be a good fit creating for Durant (when he learns to create) or playing off of Durant and gives them a dynamic back court player for the future.

Bayless\Ridnour
#24 pick\Watson
Durant\Wilkens\Marshall
Green\Wilcox\Swift
Petro\Collison\Sene

5. Memphis - Kevin Love

Part of me thinks that Wallace is dumb enough to trade down for Jordan, but otherwise, this is the pick. It's basically between Love and Lopez, and while Lopez is a center, Love should be the better player. He has shown that he has the potential to become a more athletic player and with that in mind, his skills give him the potential to really be a top player in this draft.

Conley\Lowry
Miller\Crittenton
Gay\Warrick
Love\Collins\Cardinal
Milicic\#28 pick

6. Knicks - Anthony Randolph

Decent value at the 6 spot and a great fit. Augustin may be the slightly better fit here, but Randolph's potential carries more value. He'll be a great fit at the 3/4 in a D' Antoni system.

Marbury\Robinson\Collins
Crawford\Richardson
Chandler\Balkman\Jeffries
Z. Randolph\A. Randolph\M.Rose
E. Curry\Lee\James

7. Clippers - Eric Gordon

They just generally need a back court player here. Gordon is the best of the pack so far here and he could be a good fit next to Livingston if he can come back healthy.

Livingston\Knight
Gordon\Mobley
Thornton\T. Thomas
Brand\Powell
Kaman\#35 pick

8. Bucks - Joe Alexander

They are reportedly deciding between Alexander and Randolph and Randolph is gone here. Alexander gives them some athleticism and a really different kind of player on the wing. He should fit in Milwaukee while also bringing some things they currently lack.

M. Williams\Sessions
Redd\Bell
Alexander\Mason
Yi\Simmons
Bogut\Villanueva\Gadzuric

9. Bobcats - Brook Lopez

Great value and a great fit. An absolute no-brainer pick here.

Felton\Carrol
Richardson\Morrison
Wallace\Dudley
Okafor\May\Harrington
Lopez\Mohammed\Davidson

10.Nets - Danilo Gallinari

Great value here and somebody that could give them flexibility with roster moves, play PF in a small-ball lineup, and just in general be a huge piece for them looking into the future.

11.Pacers - DJ Augustin

Solid value and the perfect fit here for a team that needs a new floor general. Makes a ton of sense.

Augustin\Tinsley?\Diener
Dunleavy\Daniels
Granger\S. Williams
JO\Diogu
Foster\Murphy\Harrison?

12.Kings - Darrel Arthur

Solid value and a great, great fit at 12. Speculation is that a promise may have been made here (that lead Arthur to canceling his other workouts), and since speculation is better than nothing, I'll go with it.

Salmons\Douby\#43 pick
Martin\Garcia
Artest\SAR\#42 pick
Moore\Arthur\Thomas
Miller\Hawes\S. Williams

13.Trail Blazers - Russel Westbrook

Whether or not some Portland fans like the idea this pick makes quite a bit of sense. Portland can afford to take a risk here, especially since Westbrook mostly just needs to work on his shooting to fit in here. He could take a lot of the pressure defensively and could help with athleticism in the back court.

Blake\Westbrook\Rodgriguez
Roy\Fernandez\Jack
Webster\Outlaw\J. Jones
Aldridge\Frye\McRoberts
Oden\Pryzbilla\LaFrentz

14.Warriors - DeAndre Jordan

The Warriors go for value here. Jordan still has a lot of tools and a lot of his weaknesses could maybe be covered in an up and down system like this. Speights is just kind of a reach here, really IMO. But even still, I'm not completely sold on this pick, it's more just hard for me to see Jordan falling too much farther.

Davis
Ellis\Belinelli
Jackson\Wright
Harrington\Perovic
Biedrins\Jordan

15.Suns - Brandon Rush

To me, this is a toss-up between Koufos and Rush. I picked Rush for two reasons--1) He reportedly had a great workout there and 2) I don't know how well Koufos and Shaq could play defensively. Rush adds another perimeter defender, athlete and outside shooter and should play a key role right away in Phoenix.

Nash\Strawberry
Bell\Barbosa
Hill\Rush
Stoudemire\Tucker
Shaq\Diaw

16.Sixers - Marreese Speights

Speights is exactly what Philly needs right now to improve with his post game, and the fact that he is still athletic enough to fit in there. This pick makes a lot of sense.

Miller\L. Williams?
Iguodola\Green
Young\Carney
Speights\Evans
Dalembert\J. Smith

17.Raptors - Nicolas Batum

They need a star wing player and Batum (who also happens to be foreign) gives them just that. He won't be at his full potential right away, but he'll be able to contribute.

Ford\Calderon?
Parker\Batum\Delfino
Moon\Kapono\Graham
Bosh\Garbajosa\Baston
Nesterovic\Bargnani

18.Wizards - Roy Hibbert

He could fit in right now and be their center of the future when Haywood gets older--and he fits well with their system while potentially giving them another defensive presence inside.

Arenas?\Daniels
Stevenson\Young
Butler\Songaila\MgGuire
Jamison?\Blatche\Pecherov
Haywood\Hibbert\Thomas

19.Cavs - Kosta Koufos

Good value pick here and he should be a great complement to Lebron for years to come and should be a good fit behind Z right now.

West\Gibson?\D. Jones
Szczerbiak\Pavlovic
James\J. Smith
Wallace\Varejao
Ilgauskas\Koufos

20.Nuggets - Donte Greene

This was a tough one to decide, but Greene gives them some outside shooting that they lack and can have a lot of his weaknesses covered by an up and down system like this one. He doesn't bring the help they need with perimeter D, but his shotblocking should fit into what they try to do, and if they continue with the system that they're currently using, he could be a nice fit at PF next to Melo.

21.Nets - Javale McGee

After selecting a surefire perimeter player at 10, New Jersey goes with a project big at 21 with a lot of potential whose athleticism fits with the rest of the team pretty well.

Harris\M. Williams
Carter\Hassel\Ager
Jefferson\Gallinari
Boone\S. Williams
Krstic\Swift\MgGee

22.Magic - Courtney Lee

They could go big here but instead get the perfect SG that fills their needs. Lee gives them a fine perimeter defender that can fit in with what they do right away.

Nelson\Dooling?
Lee\Redick
Turkoglu\Bogans
Lewis\Matron
Howard\Battie

23.Jazz - Robin Lopez

The Jazz can only hope that Robin falls to them, as he would be a perfect fit for what they need. If he pans out and if Ronnie pans out as the backup PG than I'd say that they really pretty much have their team completed.

Williams\Price\Hart
Brewer\Korver\Almond
Kirilenko\Harpring
Boozer\Millsap\Collins
Okur\Lopez\Fesenko

24.Sonics - Serge Ibaka

Still seemingly without a viable big man, Seattle takes another risk on a guy with acres of potential. Ibaka could flop or he could be their next Kemp. If he works out, he could be a very dynamic player for them.

25.Rockets - Chris Douglas-Roberts

To me, this pick makes a lot of sense because Houston needs somebody else that can really create his own shot, and CDR is that. Brooks may be that eventually too, but we'll have to wait and see. But CDR gives them a 6th man type right now that help them a lot.

Alston\Jackson\Brooks
MgGrady\Head\Francis
Battier\CDR\Novak
Scola\Hayes\Haluska
Yao\Landry\Mutombo

26.Spurs - Mario Chalmers

Chalmers can come in right now and be Parker's backup for a number of years. While he won't be an incredibly dynamic scorer, he should be a great fit either backing up or potentially playing along side Parker through stretches.

Parker\Vaughn
Ginobili\Chalmers
Bowen\Udoka
Duncan\Bonner
Splitter\Oberto

27.Hornets - JJ Hickson

The ideal wing player they're looking for isn't available here IMO, so they go with a big man that can contribute now with his finishing ability and be a decent backup to West for a while.

Paul\Pargo?\M. James
Peterson\Butler
Stojakovic\Wright
West\Hickson
Chandler\Armstrong\Ely?

28.Grizzlies - Alexis Ajinca

We all know Wallace loves athletes and Ajinca is that. If he reaches anywhere near his potential, he'll be a nice fit next to Love in the future.

29.Pistons - Devon Hardin

Supposedly is there guy, and it makes sense, because he's at least more ready to contribute than Ajinca and he's a full-sized center, which they could use.

Billups\Stuckey
Hamilton\Affalo
Prince\A. Johnson
Maxiell\McDyess
Wallace\\Hardin\Samb

30.Celtics - Jason Thompson

Thompson may be BPA available here and he gives them a more set-in-stone option at backup center. And his lack of defense may not be so evident in a Boston system that tends to improve players' D.

Rondo\House\Pruitt
R. Allen\T. Allen
Pierce\Posey\Scalabrine
Garnett\Powe\Davis
Perkins\Thompson