Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated today: Who will be the first point guard off the board? There continues to be a divide among GM's over which point guard has the most potential. Trey Burke is the safer pick. The reigning National Player of the Year is a proven scorer and playmaker who led Michigan deep into the NCAA tournament, playing well against top competition. There is also a sense that Burke, who plays well in the pick-and-roll, will be able to make a more immediate impact. The Magic will give Burke a look at No. 2 and rival executives believe the Pelicans are very high on Burke at No. 6. But (Michael ) Carter-Williams continues to be a tantalizing talent. His length (6-6) is the obvious appeal, but team executives believe he is the more natural playmaker and that his skills will evolve outside of Syracuse's system. Carter-Williams is more of a project -- his jump shot is subpar and his high dribble will need work -- but these are problems executives believe can be corrected with some work.
looking at the odds to win the 2014 NBA Championship on Vegas.com, they have us in the bottom half of the league, and that shouldn't surprise anybody. but if you look at some of those other teams alongside us, most are also teams with the best young stars under 23 like us (we have 20-year-old Anthony Davis, Cleveland has 21-year-old Kyrie Irving, Washington has 22-year-old John Wall, Portland has 22-year-old Damian Lillard, Philadelphia has 23-year-old Jrue Holiday, and some might add Detroit's 23-year-old Greg Monroe, Sacramento's 22-year-old DeMarcus Cousins and 23-year-old Tyreke Evans, Milwaukee's 23-year-old Brandon Jennings, etc) 7/4 -- Miami 9/2 -- OKC 7/1 -- Chicago, San Antonio 15/1 -- Indiana, L.A. Clippers 20/1 -- Memphis, New York 25/1 -- Lakers, Houston, Golden State, Denver 40/1 -- Dallas, Boston, Brooklyn 50/1 -- Atlanta 100/1 -- New Orleans, Minnesota, Washington, Cleveland, Portland, Utah, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Toronto, Sacramento 300/1 -- Detroit, Phoenix 500/1 -- Orlando, Charlotte
USA TODAY mock draft by Adi Joseph ('09 Maryland grad) 1. Cleveland Cavaliers: SG Ben McLemore 2. Orlando Magic: C Nerlens Noel 3. Washington Wizards: SF Otto Porter Jr. 4. Charlotte Bobcats: PF Anthony Bennett 5. Phoenix Suns: C Alex Len 6. New Orleans Pelicans: SG Victor Oladipo 7. Sacramento Kings: PG Trey Burke 8. Detroit Pistons: PG Michael Carter-Williams 9. Minnesota Timberwolves: SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope analysis for the Pels: The Eric Gordon situation is a strange one, as no one is sure of the shooting guard's future. The Pelicans would be wise to move on, particularly with a playmaker of Oladipo's caliber available. He would take some of the pressure of Greivis Vasquez, who emerged as a reliable point guard last season, and run an explosive pick-and-roll with Anthony Davis. on Burke, he wrote: "The Kings haven't had a good point guard since Mike Bibby was at his peak nearly a decade ago. Burke should be as good or better than Bibby. He would have had a decent shot at going in the top five, but five of the top six teams already start young and talented point guards. Isaiah Thomas is a fine scorer off the bench, but he's not the future for the Kings. Burke could help lead that organization into a new era." on Carter-Williams, he wrote: "Brandon Knight is not a point guard. The Pistons found that out as they tried to use the 2011 draft's No.8 overall pick at the position last season. But Knight can be a valuable contributor, particularly if paired with a bigger point guard. Carter-Williams is the most gifted passer in this draft and, at 6-5, can defend shooting guards. He will open up things for big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe while gaining chemistry with Knight."
Jordan Schultz's mock for The Huffington Post, previously did the NBA mocks for the Los Angeles Times 1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Nerlens Noel 2. Orlando Magic: Ben McLemore 3. Washington Wizards: Otto Porter 4. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Bennett 5. Phoenix Suns: Victor Oladipo 6. New Orleans Pelicans: Alex Len 7. Sacramento Kings: Trey Burke 8. Detroit Pistons: C.J. McCollum 9. Minnesota T-Wolves: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
hoopsworld.com releases it's Final 2013 Consensus Mock (by a panel of four NBA sports writers): Nerlens Noel -- 1/1/1/3 Victor Oladipo -- 2/2/2/5 Otto Porter -- 3/3/3/7 Alex Len -- 1/4/4/6 Ben McLemore -- 2/4/5/5 Anthony Bennett -- 4/5/7/7 Trey Burke -- 6/6/6/7 C.J. McCollum -- 8/8/8/10
Rotoworld's Senior NBA Editor releases his Final Mock "this draft should provide for some good drama, as well as make a lot of us who have been mocking for a few months look silly." 1. Cleveland Cavaliers – Nerlens Noel C Kentucky 2. Orlando Magic – Victor Oladipo SG Indiana 3. Washington Wizards – Otto Porter SF Georgetown 4. Charlotte Bobcats – Alex Len C Maryland 5. Phoenix Suns – Ben McLemore SG Kansas 6. New Orleans Pelicans – Trey Burke G Michigan 7. Sacramento Kings – Anthony Bennett F UNLV 8. Detroit Pistons – Michael Carter-Williams PG Syracuse 9. Minnesota Timberwolves – C.J. McCollum G Lehigh 10. Portland Trail Blazers – Cody Zeller F/C Indiana on New Orleans: "The team I’ve seen Burke most associated with recently is the Pelicans. And while Greivis Vasquez had a surprisingly fine season last year, it also has a bit of a fluky feel to it. And Burke wouldn’t come in and demand a starting job, and could be given time to develop behind Vasquez. Burke tore it up for Michigan and was outstanding in the NCAA tournament. He’s considered to be an undersized point guard, but so is Chris Paul. I am still pulling for the Magic to take Burke at No. 2, but if that doesn’t happen (and I don’t expect it to), No. 6 to the Pelicans looks like a good fit. And if the Pelicans decide to pass on Burke and go for a player at a different position, don’t be surprised. They have needs across the board with the exception of power forward (Anthony Davis)." On Burke: "Personally, I think he could end up being the best player in this draft." his other notes on the guys he has going #3 thru #7: --"Otto Porter might be my favorite player in this draft." --"Alex Len has a very real chance of being taken by the Cavs at No. 1... He’s a big, athletic, two-way center and while he’s coming off ankle surgery, could make a run at Rookie of the Year if he lands a starting job." --"Ben McLemore might be the best two-way player in this draft, has serious shooting range, and I can’t think of many NBA teams who would pass that up" --"Anthony Bennett: I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Kings plug Bennett in at small forward and let him compete for Rookie of the Year."
Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers: Dan Gilbert @cavsdan 1h After much debate back and forth for 6 weeks, the Cavs will select # 1: NerLenthony McLottodipo. Hope that clears it up for everyone... Dan Gilbert @cavsdan 5d Ok @cavs fans, ... who do you like #1 & why? One of the toughest calls in NBA draft history.Let's hear your view...
Bobby Hebert has on been on the air since at least 3pm doing a draft special to take all the way until we pick (estimated 7pm), and he had the editor of the NBA's HOOP magazine on, and that guy was saying he loves the direction the Pelicans are headed, that in 2-3 years we'll be talking about teams with young stars like the Pelicans, the Cavs, etc as Top 10 teams in the league as the young guys get some experience under their belt and get closer to their primes. but for next year, he basically said the stars would have to align (no injuries, all our players on top of their game) for us to make the playoffs, pointing out how the West is so tough (Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Clippers, Grizzlies, Warriors, Rockets) that even the Lakers were a 7-seed in the last playoffs, and they have (34-year-old) Kobe, (27-year-old) Dwight Howard, (39-year-old) Steve Nash, (32-year-old) Pau Gasol, (33-year-old) Artest/World Peace
from Bourbon Street Shots, the Pelicans blog (part of the ESPN TrueHoop Network), that Bobby Hebert said he "respects a lot" and is having their writers come on air to give their opinions: --Otto Porter won the readers poll on who the readers want the Pelicans to take at #6 --a panel of writers for Bourbon Street Shots were asked the following: When asked who they didn't want us to take, they said: 4--Shabazz Muhammad (too one-dimensional) 2--Anthony Bennett (poor defense, injury prone, not a good fit) 2--Steven Adams (too raw) When asked who they think we take, they said: 2--Otto Porter 2--Trey Burke 1--Alex Len 1--Ben McLemore 1--no idea When asked who they would trade Anthony Davis for, they said: 3--nobody 1--LeBron James. That’s about it. 1--all 7 of the top overall picks in this draft 1--the 2013 #1 overall pick, the 2014 #1 overall pick, another top five 2013 pick, and the 2014 #2 overall pick
Michael McNamara, editor of Bourbon Street Shots: Michael McNamara @McNamara247 18m (The Pelican's) Board goes: Noel, Oladipo, Porter, Burke. Michael McNamara @McNamara247 34s Only Porter, Oladipo and Noel ahead of Burke on our board. Michael McNamara @McNamara247 59m 1.Noel, 2.Oladipo, 3.Porter, 4.Kings trade up for McLemore, 5. Zeller 6.Burke. My final, final mock and I am sticking to it! and this is his final mock that he published: 1. Cleveland Cavaliers – Nerlens Noel 2. Orlando Magic – Victor Oladipo 3. Washington Wizards – Otto Porter 4. Charlotte Bobcats – Anthony Bennett 5. Phoenix Suns – Cody Zeller 6. New Orleans Pelicans – Trey Burke --Our own Mason Ginsberg has good reason to believe that the only guys ahead of Burke on the board are Victor Oladipo, Nerlens Noel, and Otto Porter, Jr. Since they are all gone in this scenario, Trey Burke is the pick. --I have run this draft a hundred different ways and almost every time we come out with either Otto Porter or Trey Burke. There is a 1-in-100 scenario that could see Oladipo fall to six, but that is still so hard to imagine. Or, maybe Burke goes 2 and Porter goes 3, in which case the Pelicans would likely go with McLemore. --I know that whoever the Pelicans pick, unless it is Otto Porter, there will be a rush from readers to suggest trades involving players that play the same position as the draft pick. Please don’t overreact. Remember, this is a 19 or 20 year old that we are selecting. There is no rush, and there is no guarantee he will receive significant minutes. McLemore does not mean Gordon is gone, nor does selecting Burke mean that you waive goodbye to Vasquez to open up 35 minutes for a young point guard just two years removed from his high school graduation. The Pelicans are adding talent. That is it. Down the line, if all of that talent matures, yes they will likely move pieces that overlap for other pieces that fit holes. But they aren’t going to go out of their way to unload guys who have proven they can play in this league just because they drafted a young guy who might be good in a couple of years. --Honestly, nobody knows how this draft will shake out, and that is a great thing!
