6/23 Update **Totally random, unlikely Mock top-20

[St.Nick]

My top-20 mock

1.LAC- Griffin
2. MEM- Rubio (traded)
3. OKC- Thabeet
4. SAC- T.Evans
5. WSH- Harden
6. MIN- Derozan
7. GS- Flynn
8. NYK- Curry
9. TOR- J.Hill
10. MIL- Lawson
11. NJ- E.Clark
12. CHA- T.Williams
13. IND- B.Jennings
14. PHO- J.Johnson
15. DET- BJ Mullens
16. CHI- D.Blair
17. PHI- Holiday
18. MIN- G.Henderson
19. ATL- Hansbrough
20. UT- W.Ellington

[Smills91]

Where's Rubio?

[St.Nick]

Where's Rubio?

In a meeting with his lawyers

[Smills91]

Where's Rubio?

In a meeting with his lawyers

Yeah, he's basically in this draft for good now. There's no way he goes back to DKV. Now whether he plays in the NBA next year or not, I guess that's up to Jason Levian!

[St.Nick]

Where's Rubio?

In a meeting with his lawyers

Yeah, he's basically in this draft for good now. There's no way he goes back to DKV. Now whether he plays in the NBA next year or not, I guess that's up to Jason Levian!

DKV and Rubio are finito. But that doesn't rule out European teams from paying a hefty part of that buyout and getting him on their team for a season.

If one of the behemoths paid the 6M Euro buyout, gave Ricky a salary of 3M Euros, then offered him a buyout of 2M Euro next offseason they are at 7M net loss. I think thats not a huge amount to spend to get one of the most hyped and most talented players in Europe. I don't know the finances in Europe, but perhaps that could be made back and then some.

But lets say that Ricky stays in the draft...what team do you think picks him with all of the risk involved? Would your Kings use the #4 pick on him?

[Smills91]

In a meeting with his lawyers

Yeah, he's basically in this draft for good now. There's no way he goes back to DKV. Now whether he plays in the NBA next year or not, I guess that's up to Jason Levian!

DKV and Rubio are finito. But that doesn't rule out European teams from paying a hefty part of that buyout and getting him on their team for a season.

If one of the behemoths paid the 6M Euro buyout, gave Ricky a salary of 3M Euros, then offered him a buyout of 2M Euro next offseason they are at 7M net loss. I think thats not a huge amount to spend to get one of the most hyped and most talented players in Europe. I don't know the finances in Europe, but perhaps that could be made back and then some.

But lets say that Ricky stays in the draft...what team do you think picks him with all of the risk involved? Would your Kings use the #4 pick on him?

Actually, I think that's the highest he goes if he's definitely waiting a year or maybe 2 to make it to the NBA.

I do think Petrie is the kind of GM that is willing to wait for his services, and with basically 3 1st rounder(#23 and #31) in this draft I could see him just grabbing him at #4 and letting him have one more year overseas.

The Kings are actually in a great position to select RUbio at #4, because by doing so, they could release the caphold of that pick and gain an additional 3 million dollars in cap space for the summer to go after a free agent with 10-11 million dollars as a base year price, rather than the 7-8 million that they're currently at factoring in that cap hold.

With all that said, I don't even know if Petrie is all that enamored with Rubio. There seems to be a lot of smoke coming out about Jrue Holiday. If Petrie thinks Jrue Holiday is everything he was suppose to be in college and more, he'll take him and let Rubio go to #5 who is probably another team, the Wizards, that would love to see Rubio stay overseas one year, save 3 million in salary and 3 more million in lux tax payment while getting one of the two players they originally wanted when they thought they could pick at 1 or 2 before the lottery.

So all-in-all. I don't think Rubio lasts past Sacramento OR Washington at 4 or 5 with all the hoopla surrounding Rubio with the contracts.

The Kings hiring Jason Levian last year is interesting, because he has a knack for working through finacky contracts like Rubio's. See Hedo Turkoglu in 2000. So I think the Kings are in an ideal situation to select Rubio and bring him over from Europe for THIS season. They have 1) The financial guru guy in Levian, 2) THey have the open PG spot and a young frontcourt that can run and catch Rubio passes well, 3) they have the market and location to appease Rubio(sacramento climate is VERY similar to most of Spain), 4) They have a legit star to take immediate pressure off of Rubio early in career as he'll most likely make tons of mistakes early on, 5) Having two spanish speakers - Garcia/Nocioni can't hurt either.

[john2jer]

Yeah, Wolves pass. No thanks.

[St.Nick]

Really? I thought I hooked the Wolves up...a scoring wing with DeRozan, a natural PG with Mills, SG depth with Ellington. Whats wrong with that?

[john2jer]

DeRozan doesn't have much of a game on his own. He needs someone to set him up. We need a perimeter player that can take over on their own. Mills, eh... Ellington's like a 6th SG for us. Not a 6th man, but like 6 deep at the 2-spot, which due to his size, the only position he can play.

Lawson to Washington is laughable, but I hope that's true. Collison to the Pistons? Again, laughable, but I hope it's true.

In your scenario the Wolves would prefer...

6. Holiday
18. Daye/Johnson
28. Casspi/Summers

[djthesonicsfan]

St Nick, you should change your name because you gave us a crappy present at #3.

[Dr Positivity]

Why would the Wizards take Lawson

[St.Nick]

Why would the Wizards take Lawson

Its just my personal opinion that they need a true PG more than any other position. Even if Arenas plays there for 28 minutes a night, it'd be good to have a guy that can handle the ball and defend like a true PG.

Lawson is better than the other prospects in this draft, even if he doesn't have the upside. But the Wizards have so much talent at their other positions that just having a guy who can do his job well and contribute immediately makes more sense.

[RTM]

Huh. You weren't kidding when you said random and unlikely. Lawson, Collison, Mills and Thornton are all way too high. If those teams wanted them, they'd trade down to grab some extra value, not waste a higher pick.

[TheNewEra]

I believe strongly Wizards go either James Harden to sure up the SG rotation. Split the mintues with Young and this is a very very dangerous team next season.

[St.Nick]

Just cuz I hate it when people don't post their updated mock at the bottom of the page...

1. Clips-- Griffin
2. Kings- Rubio (MEM trades #2, #27, Marko Jaric for Jason Thompson, #4, Kenny Thomas)
3. OKC-- Harden
4. Grizz-- T.Evans
5. Wiz-- S.Curry
6. Wolves-- Thabeet
7. Warriors-- J.Hill
8. NYK-- T.Lawson
9. Raptors-- D.Derozan
10. Bucks-- J.Holiday
11. Nets-- E.Clark
12. Bobcats-- B.Jennings
13. Pacers-- J.Flynn
14. Suns-- G.Henderson
15. Pistons-- T.Wiliams
16. Bulls- BJ Mullens
17. Sixers-- E.Maynor
18. Wolves-- P.Mills
19. Hawks-- Ja.Johnson
20. Jazz- Hansborough
21- Hornets-- J.Teague
22. Mavs-- D.Blair
23. Kings-- O.Cassipi
24. Blazers-- N.Calathes
25. OKC-- D.Collison
26. Bulls-- W.Ellington
27. Kings- V.Claver (Rubio's countryman)
28. Kings-- J.Heytvelt
29. Lakers-- C.Budinger
30. Cavs-- A.Daye

[Smills91]

Just cuz I hate it when people don't post their updated mock at the bottom of the page...

1. Clips-- Griffin
2. Kings- Rubio (MEM trades #2, #27, Marko Jaric for Jason Thompson, #4, Kenny Thomas)
3. OKC-- Harden
4. Grizz-- T.Evans
5. Wiz-- S.Curry
6. Wolves-- Thabeet
7. Warriors-- J.Hill
8. NYK-- T.Lawson
9. Raptors-- D.Derozan
10. Bucks-- J.Holiday
11. Nets-- E.Clark
12. Bobcats-- B.Jennings
13. Pacers-- J.Flynn
14. Suns-- G.Henderson
15. Pistons-- T.Wiliams
16. Bulls- BJ Mullens
17. Sixers-- E.Maynor
18. Wolves-- P.Mills
19. Hawks-- Ja.Johnson
20. Jazz- Hansborough
21- Hornets-- J.Teague
22. Mavs-- D.Blair
23. Kings-- O.Cassipi
24. Blazers-- N.Calathes
25. OKC-- D.Collison
26. Bulls-- W.Ellington
27. Kings- V.Claver (Rubio's countryman)
28. Kings-- J.Heytvelt
29. Lakers-- C.Budinger
30. Cavs-- A.Daye

YEAH RIGHT!

[St.Nick]

Come on, everyone knows you guys have wood for Rubio. What are you going to do, draft Thabeet or a combo guard like Tyreke Evans at #4?

Face it, you are going to have to pay through the nose to get Rubio. That means at the very least JT+ #4. At least you get Memphis' other first round pick in this deal.

[Smills91]

Come on, everyone knows you guys have wood for Rubio. What are you going to do, draft Thabeet or a combo guard like Tyreke Evans at #4?

Face it, you are going to have to pay through the nose to get Rubio. That means at the very least JT+ #4. At least you get Memphis' other first round pick in this deal.

Sure, but trading JT is like finding toilet paper your girl's nether regions. It makes you go limp instantaneously.

And Evans, Flynn and HardON, bring that wood back too!

I don't trade up, unless it's at MOST a future pick with protection, because options 1b, 1c and 1d are not a steep dropoff in talent IMO. So, paying a steep price for Rubio is a no-brainer, it's a NO!

[St.Nick]

So you are ready to live with Tyreke Evans/Beno as your PG tandem?

Is Jason Thompson that good? Or is he just another 13/9 guy that you can pick up in FA or the middle part of the 1st round from year to year?

[Smills91]

So you are ready to live with Tyreke Evans/Beno as your PG tandem?

Is Jason Thompson that good? Or is he just another 13/9 guy that you can pick up in FA or the middle part of the 1st round from year to year?

Oh HELL yeah! I'm vacilating between Rubio and Evans each day. I LOVE Evans' potential. While I think Rubio is a better 'fit' and more Petrie-like pick, I thin Evans brings a LOT to the table. Athleticism, versatility, defense and the abilty to attack the basket. I think he has the highest 'upside' in the draft.

If we want more 'convential' PG play, then Flynn IMO is almost as equally as appealing to me.

As much as the Kings COULD use, Rubio. The Kings COULD use Thompson and Evans/Flynn/Harden MORE.

Oh and just to clarify on Thompson, he received offers to Duke, North Carolina and UCLA, but turned THEM down, because he wanted to stay close to home.

He put up Bosh level rookie numbers. This year will be VERY indicative of what he'll become. I'll suggest he averages AT LEAST 16/8 this year. Had he gone to a MAJOR school, he'd probably had been a top 7 pick last year. Petrie knows talent and ignores the 'conventional' wisdom when it's wrong and it often is. His track record in the draft is almost flawless in this regard.