ASFN Mock Draft: Suns on the Clock #21

[PhxGametime]

1. Milwaukee Bucks: Andrew Bogut F/C Utah
2. Atlanta Hawks: Marvin Williams F North Carolina
3. Portland Trail Blazers: Chris Paul PG Wake Forest
4. New Orleans Hornets: Gerald Green G/F H.S
5. Charlotte Bobcats: Raymond Felton PG North Carolina
6. Utah Jazz: Deron Williams PG Illinois
7. Toronto Raptors: Fran Vasquez C Spain
8. New York Knicks: Channing Frye F/C Arizona
9. Golden State Warriors: Danny Granger F New Mexico
10. LA Lakers: Jarrett Jack PG Georgia Tech
11. Orlando Magic: Antoine Wright G/F Texas A&M
12. LA Clippers: Joey Graham F Oklahoma State
13. Charlotte Bobcats: Martell Webster G/F H.S
14. Minnesota Timberwolves: Rashad McCants G North Carolina
15. New Jersey Nets: Ike Diogu PF ASU
16. Toronto Raptors: Hakim Warrick F Syracuse
17. Indiana Pacers: Francisco Garcia G/F Louisville
18. Boston Celtics: Roko Leni-Ukic PG Croatia
19. Memphis Grizzlies: Charlie Villanueva F Connecticut
20. Denver Nuggets: Julius Hodge G/F North Carolina State

21. Phoenix Suns
22. Denver Nuggets
23. Sacramento Kings
24. Houston Rockets
25. Seattle Sonics
26. Detroit Pistons
27. Utah Jazz
28. San Antonio Spurs
29. Miami Heat
30. New York Knicks


Martynas Andriuskevicius, is the only Prospect that won't be available to Draft - I don't think it's fair. So what, we missed 1 guy this year, shoot we have Jarrett Jack going #10

 

[Chaplin]

Martynas Andriuskevicius, is the only Prospect that won't be available to Draft - I don't think it's fair. So what, we missed 1 guy this year, shoot we have Jarrett Jack going #10

I'm trying to figure out exactly what you mean. He's in the draft, why won't he be available to draft?

 

[devilalum]

Picked Ellis, maybe he'll be the PG of the future?

Maybe the Suns will put him in the new develpomental league for a year.

Taft sounds way too much like John Wallace.

 

[sunsfn]

I'm trying to figure out exactly what you mean. He's in the draft, why won't he be available to draft?

Either yesterday or this am I read where Jack was for sure withdrawing his name from the draft, and the writer and others were shocked.
This afternoon I read an article on ESPN where he is now staying in the draft.

That is the confusion about Jack.

 

[PhxGametime]

sunsfn got that part right but I don't think it's fair, to add Martynas now - he's a Lottery type Pick and to start adding him after 20 Picks? That happens to be right after the List was made of all who stayed in Draft - when the Suns Pick...


Maybe he does drop because of whatever reason (needs to stay overseas, contract, etc.) but the Suns were the 1st to Pick after the List of who's staying in Draft - it just didn't seem fair?


Every year, I'm sure the Mock Draft isn't going to be perfect...

If he needs to be added, after this Pick - I will but I just didn't think it was fair, maybe even regardless if it was the Suns.

 

[George O'Brien]

I find it interesting that we've left so many center prospect on the board: Taft, Petro, Blatche, Morris, and Andrew Bynum. I'm not sure any of them would be much help next season, but I'm also not sure that with so many teams needing centers that they would all drop this far. Also, I find it improbable that BOTH May and Simien would fall into the 20's.

 

[myrondizzo]

I find it interesting that we've left so many center prospect on the board: Taft, Petro, Blatche, Morris, and Andrew Bynum. I'm not sure any of them would be much help next season, but I'm also not sure that with so many teams needing centers that they would all drop this far. Also, I find it improbable that BOTH May and Simien would fall into the 20's.

looking back this mock looks pretty bad. i don't know how just about every center prospect outside of bogut, vasquez and fry have dropped this far. when is the next espn insider mock comming out? most of the ones outside of nbadraft.net and draftexpress havent been updated for a month or so. the funny thing is i really can pinpoint the mistakes in this mock. but i'm not upto speed on really any of the picks.

 

[tobiazz]

I find it interesting that we've left so many center prospect on the board: Taft, Petro, Blatche, Morris, and Andrew Bynum. I'm not sure any of them would be much help next season, but I'm also not sure that with so many teams needing centers that they would all drop this far. Also, I find it improbable that BOTH May and Simien would fall into the 20's.

If some of the players you mentioned are gone before 21, and I think at least 1 or 2 will, who may drop?

Jack, Hodge, Garcia, Diogu, Webster...

In other news, the only High School guys that interest me at all are Green and A. Bynum.

 

[Chaplin]

Either yesterday or this am I read where Jack was for sure withdrawing his name from the draft, and the writer and others were shocked.
This afternoon I read an article on ESPN where he is now staying in the draft.

That is the confusion about Jack.

The sentence I quoted was about Martynas, not Jack.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'll be honest. I don't have a clue other than the Suns need some big men and a back-up PG. The question is how do the Suns plan to obtain these players, through the Draft, FA or Trade. I voted other.

Since I have to make a decision, here's what I think today.

I believe the Suns may have their eye on Ike. If he is not there (as on this mock draft), I think they will trade down perhaps a few notches for an early second round (and a later first round pick in 2005 or a future first) and select PG Nate Robinson, who appears to be an Earl Boykins type of player. He appears to be a PG the Suns might like for their uptempo offense.

This is also considering Jack is off the board and the Suns do not covet Uric (sp) (if he is in the draft) or Ellis. I think Ellis might be a temptation for the Suns, but as previously pointed out, he is probably not ready to be our backup PG now and I'm not sure if the Suns can wait.

How's that for being controversial.

 

[fordronken]

I hope we don't end up drafting Taft. I just don't like the sound of someone who is called "Chris Wilcox with a motivation problem."

 

[tobiazz]

I'm trying to figure out exactly what you mean. He's in the draft, why won't he be available to draft?

What he's saying is that Andriuskevicius was not listed as a choice for most of our mock picks because it seemed like Andriuskevicius was going to pull out of the draft.

Now that Andriuskevicius is staying in the draft, it is too late to add him (after the 20th pick) since he probably would have gone earlier in the mock draft.

 

[Chaplin]

I hope we don't end up drafting Taft. I just don't like the sound of someone who is called "Chris Wilcox with a motivation problem."

In this mock draft, Taft is CLEARLY BPA right now. The attitude issues are certainly scary, but Taft has the potential to be one of the top 5 players to come out of this draft. I don't know how you can pass up on that.

 

[Joe Mama]

In this mock draft, Taft is CLEARLY BPA right now. The attitude issues are certainly scary, but Taft has the potential to be one of the top 5 players to come out of this draft. I don't know how you can pass up on that.

unfortunately I agree. Chris Taft can already play defense pretty well. He has the physical tools. I think he could find the motivation to work hard if he dropped this far. He would probably feel he had something to prove, and also he would have a chance on a very good team to actually get significant playing time.

Yesterday when I voted I had just read a blurb somewhere about Andrew Bynum that got me excited about him. Let me see if I can find it quickly.

Bynum was quite possibly the biggest snub for the physicals at the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, but has really put up some impressive numbers for a player of his size in his private workouts. “I measured out at 7’0 ¼ barefoot, I have a 7’6 wingspan, I have a 37 inch vertical off of one step and a 33 inch vertical from a standstill.” Andrew went on to say “I was never put on the bench for the bench press, so I’m not sure what my exact numbers are. I do know that my standing reach was 9’3 or 9’4.”

I'm sure some of these numbers are exaggerated at least slightly. However I don't think the Phoenix Suns could pass on a kid this big with so much potential. Of course when we redo this draft he should go much higher anyhow. Supposedly he canceled a workout with New Jersey (#15), and someone inside the New Jersey organization said he told them he had a promise from someone in the top 14.

Joe Mama

 

[Chaplin]

Should be an interesting draft--I don't remember one where every single team has question marks about who was going to go where, starting at #1.

 

[tobiazz]

In this mock draft, Taft is CLEARLY BPA right now. The attitude issues are certainly scary, but Taft has the potential to be one of the top 5 players to come out of this draft. I don't know how you can pass up on that.

Bynum, Blatche, Korolev, Simien and maybe even May, and Ellis may all end up being better than Taft. I read a few articles, especially from Pittsburgh papers, that say it is shocking Taft could be a lottery pick. The general consensus is that he has potential but has not done much yet.

I thought Taft sounded good at first but I'm not so sure any more. Anyone remember Rashard Griffith? He was expected to be a lottery pick in the 1995 draft but fell all the way to 38 due to his attitude. He ended up playing in Europe. He put up pretty good numbers in his two years of college (Google cache )

His college numbers even looked a little better than Taft's .

 

[tobiazz]

Should be an interesting draft--I don't remember one where every single team has question marks about who was going to go where, starting at #1.

Yeah, should be a good one. There _have_ to be a few trades, too. I'm far from a scout, but it looks like there could easily be several players that become very good. There don't seem to be any superstar candidates though. Maybe Paul, Green, Marvin Williams..?....

 

[Kolo]

Given the fact that we can farm our pick out to the NBDL, I hope we draft Blatche and let him develop there if he's not ready to contribute right now.

Here's Chad Ford's analysis--seems a perfect fit in our offense, and a fit w/ Amare in the post (Blatche is 6'11', 250#):

Draft Projection: Mid-to-late first round

Similarities: Rasheed Wallace minus the head issues.

Notes: Blatche averaged 24.4 points and 18.1 rebounds for South Kent Prep in Connecticut this season. Blatche was the MVP of the Jordan Classic dropping 26 points, and 16 rebounds on 12-for-17 shooting. Blatche had 13 points, 14 rebounds on 5-for-12 shooting at the EA Classic. He has declared for the draft and is unlikely to return to school.

Positives: Blatche has been somewhat of an enigma all year. He's got the size to be a dominating inside presence, but spent his senior season of high school trying to convince scouts that he was the second coming of Lamar Odom, hanging out on the perimeter and trying to handle the ball on the break. Blatche proved throughout the season that he can actually do those things pretty well.

Negatives: Scouts question how far those skills would take him without any semblance of an inside game. Blatche used the Jordan Classic to prove that he can play in the post. Sort of. What Blatche showed was that he has the athleticism and tenacity to get offensive rebounds, dunks and put-backs. Any moves he tried to show in the paint were still pretty raw.

Summary: He's kind of been under the radar most of the season as scouts have been turned off by his refusal to play in the paint. However, after his stellar performance at the Jordan Classic, the scouts Insider talked to after the game were all of the mind that Blatche was actually a pretty stellar prospect. He's long, athletic and very skilled for a big man. He's going to need a lot of work in the post, but eventually scouts believe he's got a shot to be a very good player in the NBA. He's been on the first-round bubble all season, but his performance in New York probably pushed him firmly into the first round.

 

[Chaplin]

Bynum, Blatche, Korolev, Simien and maybe even May, and Ellis may all end up being better than Taft. I read a few articles, especially from Pittsburgh papers, that say it is shocking Taft could be a lottery pick. The general consensus is that he has potential but has not done much yet.

I thought Taft sounded good at first but I'm not so sure any more. Anyone remember Rashard Griffith? He was expected to be a lottery pick in the 1995 draft but fell all the way to 38 due to his attitude. He ended up playing in Europe. He put up pretty good numbers in his two years of college (Google cache )

His college numbers even looked a little better than Taft's .

Totally disagree. Every one of the high school kids you mentioned are definitely bigger wild cards than Taft, at least talent-wise, and the Russian is still a European player, which means he is a crapshoot. I'm not too high on Simien either, who was on a good team, but played against pretty poor competition.

 

[F-Dog]

I chose Blatche, because I like him the best.

Seriously, if this is what's left when the Suns pick, it wouldn't surprise me if they drafted David Lee. I'm hoping things turn out better than this, though.

 

[Joe Mama]

Totally disagree. Every one of the high school kids you mentioned are definitely bigger wild cards than Taft, at least talent-wise, and the Russian is still a European player, which means he is a crapshoot. I'm not too high on Simien either, who was on a good team, but played against pretty poor competition.

I'm not that high on Simien either. Here are the guys I wouldn't mind for the Phoenix Suns. In no particular order...

Ike Diogu
Andray Blatche
Chris Taft
Roko Ukic
Francisco Garcia
Julius Hodge

Of course there are several other players I would like, but I don't expect any of them to drop to the Phoenix Suns.

Joe Mama

 

[Chaplin]

I also like Blatche. In fact, a month ago my top 2 picks were Warrick and Blatche. But if Taft is there, we'd have to at least consider it seriously.

 

[khilari]

I voted for Andrew Bynum C because I think he could help us out right away because of his wide body and could learn well from our coaching staff.

 

[hafey2]

I think the Sun's pick at 21 is going to come down to potential vs. production and where you fall in that debate. By that I mean, there will be a mix players with great potential but unlikely to contribute significantly next year, and players that will be able to give a solid 10-15 mins off the bench but possess a lower ceiling.
Personally, I think potential is a better bet at this point in the draft given the help of a more "polished" player here would be limited, in my opinion of course.

With that im mind, I would select Taft. He provides an intriguing mix of potential and the possibility of contributing next year. However I am very tempted by Bynum and a few of the Euros.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

In this mock draft, Taft is CLEARLY BPA right now. The attitude issues are certainly scary, but Taft has the potential to be one of the top 5 players to come out of this draft. I don't know how you can pass up on that.

this coming from the dude who's not high on drafting for potential. and i agree with chap 100%!!! in the event he turns his career around, we have a steal and a stud.