2008 NBA Draft Preview

As always, I write my draft previews based on the picks that I would make, not those I think the General Managers will make. On that note:

1. Chicago Bulls: PG Derrick Rose, University of Memphis
The Bulls drafted Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas in the last two drafts, so Michael Beasley, while a better player than either, duplicates their position, size and skills. Nobody on the Bulls possesses the skills or physical attributes of Rose. I would draft Rose and watch Ben Gordon walk as a free agent rather than pay him anything close to 10-million per year. I would either move Kirk Hinrich to SG or trade him. I would move Rose into the starting line-up with Thabo Sefolosha in the back court and Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah in the front court and watch the young players develop, with Hinrich, Andres Nocioni and Drew Gooden supplying veteran leadership and shooting off the bench. The team still lacks a go-to scorer on the block, but Rose makes the game easier for everyone else and hopefully a new coach and a new system makes Thomas and Noah more productive.

2. Miami Heat: PF Michael Beasley, Kansas State University
The Heat gets a PF to team with Dwyane Wade as a perfect inside-outside combination. They can use Udonis Haslem as trade bait and make a run at a free agent point guard like Toronto's Jose Calderon. A Calderon-Wade-Shawn Marion-Beasley starting line-up would be a massive upgrade over the end of last season and enough to get back to the play-offs.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves, C Brook Lopez, Stanford University
Lopez adds a seven-footer to the rebuilding TWolves and provides another low post option, and a defensive presence, next to Al Jefferson. While Rose would have been the perfect pick, Lopez is a great addition for a team that lacked a good center.

4. Seattle, PF Kevin Love, UCLA
While this may be a little high to pick someone viewed as unathletic, he fits with the rebuilding Sonics. The Sonics drafted their wings last year with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. Now, Love gives them a true back to the basket and pick-and-pop threat at the power forward position. He has great hands and finishes with either hand around the basket. While the other freshmen received more hype throughout the season, almost nobody accomplished as much as Love. People knock Love as being "undersized," but he is listed as the same height as Beasley. One of the "other" point guards is certainly an option, but they have several point guards already, though they certainly need an upgrade. However, since none is a proven point guard, Love is the choice.

5. Memphis, SG Eric Gordon, Indiana
Memphis has several point guards and a potential star at small forward with Rudy Gay. They really need a PF, but the options are limited this early with Love, Lopez and Beasley gone. If they sign Marc Gasol, he can play center and Darko Milicic can play PF. With Mike Miller supposedly on the trading block, Gordon is an NBA-ready scorer who knows how to get to the free throw line and has NBA-range.

6. New York Knicks, PG/SG O.J. Mayo, USC
It would be fitting for Mayo to end up in NYC on the world's biggest basketball stage considering he has been in the spotlight since he was in 7th grade. He is a play maker and scorer who could play 2 positions for D'Antoni. He is similar in body type and skill set to Jamal Crawford, but at this point, the Knicks need talent wherever they can find it.

7. Los Angeles Clippers, PG/SG Jerryd Bayless, University of Arizona
The Clippers have a good front court with Al Thornton, Elton Brand and Chris Kaman, so Bayless gives the Clippers some back court versatility, as he can run the point next to Magette or be a scorer next to Shaun Livingston, if and when he returns.

8. Milwaukee, SF Joe Alexander, West Virginia
Another player picked a little high, but he just seems to me to be a Scott Skiles-type player. The Bucks' biggest weakness is at SF and Alexander is a freakish athlete with a developing skill set and high ceiling who can play next to Bogut and Yi on the front line.

9. Charlotte, SF Anthony Randolph, LSU
He probably ends up higher than this because someone will fall in love with his length and athleticism. But, for the Bobcats, he adds more length and athleticism as a PF playing next to Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace.

10. New Jersey, PF Darrell Arthur, Kansas
The Nets need some toughness and scoring on the inside, which is why I take Arthur over some of the longer players like DeAndre Jordan who have the "upside" everyone desires.

11. Indiana, PG Russell Westbrook, UCLA
The Pacers need a lot of different things. With Danny Granger, they are set at small forward and Jermaine O'Neal still has some juice left in the post. However, they are itching to end the Jamal Tinsley era, and Westbrook gives them a PG with upside, as he is one of the few players in the draft to near Rose in terms of athleticism and he loves to play defense. In fact, this is probably too low to pick Westbrook considering he outplayed Mayo and Bayless head to head and has more room to grow as he has not been in the limelight his entire career.

12. Sacramento, PG D.J. Augustin, Texas
The Kings need a PG to run the show and Augustin can be that guy. If Theus wants to go up-tempo, Augustin and Kevin Martin in the back court have some speed and skill to exploit in the open court.

13. Portland, SF Danilo Gallinari, France
Portland is deep, young and talented, so they can go in many different directions. They appear to be set at SG with Brandon Roy and Rudy Fernandez, PF with Lamarcus Aldridge and C with Greg Oden. They have two young, athletic wings in Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw and several point guards in Steve Blake, Jarrett Jack and Sergio Rodriguez. Gallinari will not last this long in the draft, but I have not seen him play to know where he fits. He would be a steal if he lasts until this pick, as Portland would have the option of signing him or leaving him in Europe for another season as they did with Fernandez.

14. Golden State, PF Donte Greene, Syracuse
Greene is a Golden State kind of player because he likes to bomb threes. With his size, he can play the PF position and create perimeter match-up problems for many posts who do not want to step-out and defend him at the three-point line.

15. Phoenix, C Brook Lopez, Stanford
The Suns need to improve their defense and the best way to improve team defense is to have someone to protect the basket. Robin Lopez is a great shot blocker and a very good low post defender. He is agile and moves well within the offense. Most people favor DeAndre Jordan, but I just was not as impressed with Jordan as I was with the other twin.

16. Philadelphia, C DeAndre Jordan, Texas A&M
They really need a scorer who can play power forward, but there really is not one available. Jordan has a ton of upside and may develop into the interior player they need and he has the athleticism to keep pace with the other Sixer flyers.

17. Toronto, C Kosta Koufos, Ohio State
Koufos is talented and has room to fill out. He fits well in the Raptors style of play and can play alongside Chris Bosh. I'm sure they would like to add an athletic scorer on the wing, but maybe they pull the strings on a rumored Richard Jefferson for Andrea Bargnani trade.

18. Washington, C Roy Hibbert, Georgetown
Hibbert fits the Wizards style of play as a high post center and he is a local player. He needs to add strength and toughness, but he can block shots, pass and shoot, which is a great skill set for someone with his size. People said Yao Ming would struggle because he was too weak. Hibbert does not have the same base as Yao, but if he adds some strength, he can still become a good pro.

19. Cleveland, SG Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis
Cleveland needs players right now, not projects. CDR is the type of cutter and off the ball player who will thrive next to James. As he develops a more consistent three-point shot, he could be the answer to the James' sidekick problem.

20. Denver, PG Ty Lawson, North Carolina
Denver is a funny team because on paper it is hard to see a lot of areas which need improvement, with Iverson, Anthony, Smith, Camby, Kleiza, Martin, Nene, etc. A true PG would help, which is why Denver takes Lawson to run the show.

21. New Jersey, SG Brandon Rush, Kansas
I already gave the Nets Arthur, and they are in the market for trades, so who knows what their personnel will be by draft day. They have two PGs of the future in Marcus Williams and Devin Harris and plenty of experience and scoring on the wings. I would take Rush to give more depth on the wing in the event they lose Bostan Nachbar or trade Jefferson. Another option is taking Alexis Ajinca and leaving him in Europe for another season to develop.

22. Orlando, PF Ryan Anderson, Cal
If Anderson was from Serbia, everyone would have him in the top 10. Orlando needs a PF to complement Dwight Howard and move Rashard Lewis back to the small forward. Next season, Tony Battie returns from injury and Fran Vasquez may join the team from Spain. However, Anderson, as he develops and gets stronger, is the perfect complement. Howard can protect the rim on defense. Offensively, Anderson can force the defense to spread the court like they did this season, leaving Howard isolated in the post. Robert Horry has had great value in San Antonio as a PF because he opens the post for Duncan. Anderson's shooting ability will do the same for Howard in Orlando.

23. Utah, PF Marreese Speights, Florida
Utah needs another athletic wing defender, a knock-down three-point shooter or another seven-footer inside to back-up Mehmet Okur and play with Paul Milsap on the second team. Speights isn't a seven-footer, but he is probably the best post player available, especially to fit in with the Jazz.

24. Seattle, PG Mario Chalmers, Kansas
Since I gave the Sonics Kevin Love with the first pick, Seattle picks Chalmers as a hopeful PG option.

25. Houston, SG Chris Budinger, Arizona
Houston needs another perimeter player with length to spell Battier and McGrady, especially with the emergence of Carl Landry and Luis Scola at PF. At this spot, Budinger is a very good pick as he can shoot the ball and is very athletic.

26. San Antonio, SG Nicolas Batum, France
The Spurs mainly need to get some young talent. They have Ian Mahinmi in the NBDL and Tiago Splitter overseas, so they have some young talent up front. They can draft Batum and allow him to develop overseas for another season or two.

27. New Orleans, SG Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky
The Hornets are actually in a spot where they can take the best player available and Lee adds some more athleticism and shooting off the bench for a season. With Julian Wright, the Hornets have the tools to compete now with Mo Peterson and Peja Stojakovic and the future with Lee and Wright.

28. Memphis, C JaVale McGee, NC State
I gave the Grizzlies Eric Gordon with their first pick, so they have to go big here. McGee has tremendous length, good genes and a big upside if he fills out and works hard. They could use more power in the paint, but hopefully Marc Gasol signs and delivers some polish and power inside while McGee develops.

29. Detroit, C Alexis Ajinca, France
The Pistons solidified their future in the back court last season with Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo. Ajinca will likely be picked higher, but I have not seen him play. However, the Pistons can afford to take a chance on a young seven-footer who they can leave in Europe for another season.

30. Boston, C Jason Thompson, Rider
Boston needs another longer post player off the bench, as their options currently are Glenn Davis and Leon Powe. Thompson must make a big jump from low DI player to NBA player, but he has some tools, size and length to work with.