2007 NBA Mock Draft Picks 3-5

While it is all but a certainty that Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will be off the board when the Atlanta Hawks are on the clock with the 3rd pick of the NBA Draft, almost nothing else is a certainty. Almost anybody could be selected by almost any team from the 3rd pick on in the draft. It seems that no team has really settled on a player that they definitely want and no team has said that they are not willing to trade there pick. On to the picks:

3. Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have been rumored to have a couple of different players in mind with this pick. Early reports were that the Hawks were very interested in Ohio State point guard Mike Conley, Jr., but they may have backed off of that. There reason might be that they think they can get him at pick 11 or they are waiting for next year's great group of point guard prospects (Atlanta probably fully expects to be in the lottery again, as does any casual basketball fan). Reports are that the Hawks worked out Florida PF/C Al Horford and really liked him. I see the Hawks taking Horford, who has great experience and could be ready to come in and help right away. It is hard to find a tall, strong power forward who is ready to play like Horford is and I do not see the Hawks passing up on him, especially with the great point guard crop coming into the league next year. Will the Hawks pass on a top point guard prospect like they did when they passed on Chris Paul? I say yes.

4. Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies may or may not be selecting when the 4th pick is on the clock. Along with most teams the Grizzlies are rumored to be contemplating moving this pick. If the Grizzlies do select with the 4th pick in the draft I see them also passing on a point guard and taking North Carolina PF/SF Brandan Wright. Wright has a great set of skills that you don't see very often. He is tall (6'10") and he can play on the perimeter. He will probably remind the Grizzlies of Pao Gasol, who they may be looking to move this off season. Even if the Grizzlies keep Gasol, Wright and Gasol could play alongside each other with Wright playing the power forward position. The Grizzlies will probably jump all over Al Horford if the Hawks take Conley, Jr. and Horford is still on the board.

5. Boston Celtics.

I fully do not expect to see the Celtics picking with the 5th pick in the NBA Draft. There are a lot of rumors circulating around including Rumors to obtain Shawn Marion, Jason Richardson, Rashard Lewis and even Kobe Bryant. The Celtics do not like too many of the players in the draft to help them out right away and full could be looking to move this pick. If the Celtics do select here there are a number of options. Yi Jianlian is widely discussed with this pick but I do not think that the embattled Danny Ainge will go that far out of the box for a prospect. Ainge will make the safest pick left on the board and select one of the players who could help out right away. Jeff Green from Georgetown will be the number 5 pick should the Celtics keep it. Green could fit in well with some great size (6'10"). He could play the power forward position for the Celtics when they play their up tempo game. Adding Green to a team that already has Al Jefferson, Paul Pierce and Gerald Green could make the Celtics a lot better next season. The Celtics would jump on Al Horford if he were still available, but with the Grizzlies and Hawks picking before them the likelihood at that is very slim.

The 3-5 picks are:

3. Atlanta Hawks - Al Horford, 6'11" PF Florida
4. Memphis Grizzlies - Brandan Wright, 6'10" PF/SF North Carolina
5. Boston Celtics - Jeff Green, 6'10" SF Georgetown