Can someone with ESPNInsider post the NBA Mock Drafts? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Derwood · 06-27-2005, 10:19 AM

On the main page of ESPN.com there is an article that has a year by year "redraft" of the lottery teams, knowing what we know now, and how the stars would be on different teams. They allow everyone to see 1995 as a tease, but 1996-2004 are all "insider" only. Someone willing to post these for those of use who aren't members?

soccerchamp76 · 06-27-2005, 02:29 PM

Here is the mock draft:

Quote:

The deadline for withdrawing from the NBA draft passed on Tuesday with way too many underclassmen still making themselves available.

First-round hopefuls Martynas Andriuskevicius, Andrew Bynum, Yaroslav Korolev, Ike Diogu, Jarrett Jack, Randolph Morris, Roko Ukic, Ersan Ilyasova, Johan Petro, Mile Ilic, Linas Kleiza, Matt Walsh, C. J. Miles and Louis Williams all decided to roll the dice on the first round.

The good news is that the second round of this year's draft might be the strongest in the history of the draft. The bad news is that a number of those first-round hopefuls are going to be the players that make the second round so great.

There just isn't enough room in the first round for all of them.

Then factor in a new collective bargaining agreement that creates the NBA's first true minor league. In my breakdown Tuesday night of the new CBA, I wrote that the NBDL and age minimum could seriously alter this year's draft strategy for a number of teams – encouraging teams to draft younger players with big upsides because of the ability to develop players down the road.

Big-upside players such as Martynas Andriuskevicius, Andrew Bynum, Yaroslav Korolev and Ersan Ilyasova suddenly look much more interesting to teams than they did 24 hours ago.

Combine that with lots and lots of trade talk and rumors of promises, and the draft is still virtually impossible to mock just seven days before selection day.

Here's our best shot.

1. MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Andrew Bogut
UTAH | SOPHOMORE | CENTER
HEIGHT: 7-0 | WEIGHT: 250 | AGE: 20

A mock draft is supposed to tell you who the Bucks are going to take … not who they should take. I still believe that Marvin Williams should be the No. 1 pick in the draft, but all the chatter I'm hearing out of Milwaukee is that the Bucks are leaning strongly in Bogut's direction. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad pick. Bogut has the chance to be special and he's a low-risk player. But I'm still not convinced it's the right decision.

Scouting report on Andrew Bogut Insider

2. ATLANTA HAWKS
Marvin Williams
NORTH CAROLINA | FRESHMAN | SMALL FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-8 | WEIGHT: 230 | AGE: 18

There's talk that the Hawks want Deron Williams and are flirting with him at No. 2. He's a great point guard, but he's the wrong Williams at No. 2. If the Hawks really want Deron, they should swap with the Blazers or Hornets, both of whom would love to get their hands on Marvin. Otherwise you take Marvin and trade the other guys on the team that play the same position.

Scouting report on Marvin Williams Insider

3. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Chris Paul
WAKE FOREST | SOPHOMORE | POINT GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-1 | WEIGHT: 178 | AGE: 20

The Blazers won't take Paul at No. 3. If, for some reason, they own this pick on draft night, Gerald Green would be the guy. So why is Paul the pick here? Because it's now almost a foregone conclusion that the Blazers are going to trade this pick. It could be to the Hawks, Bobcats, Jazz, Raptors or Lakers … but the chances of Portland selecting at No. 3 seem very slim at this point. Anyone else in this position will be deciding between Paul and Deron Williams.

Scouting report on Chris Paul Insider

4. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
Deron Williams
ILLINOIS | JUNIOR | POINT GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-3 | WEIGHT: 210 | AGE: 20

The Hornets have a greater need at small forward. They'd love to move up and get Marvin Williams and they're flirting with swapping with Utah and taking Danny Granger. If they stay here, Williams is the guy. They think he's a big upgrade over Speedy Claxton and Dan Dickau. It's hard to argue with that.

Scouting report on Deron Williams Insider

5. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
Danny Granger
NEW MEXICO | SENIOR | SMALL FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-8 | WEIGHT: 225 | AGE: 22

The Bobcats are trying to move up in the draft to get their hands on Marvin Williams or Paul. If Paul, Marvin and Deron Williams are off the board, the team will choose between potential (Green) and immediate impact (Granger). Given Bernie Bickerstaff's track record last year, don't be surprised if it's Granger.

Scouting report on Danny Granger Insider

6. UTAH JAZZ
Channing Frye
ARIZONA | SENIOR | CENTER
HEIGHT: 6-11 | WEIGHT: 245 | AGE: 22

Call this a hunch. The Jazz still are trying to move up to get a shot at Paul or Deron Williams. If they're unsuccessful, they'll try to address their other need for a big, athletic shot blocker. For months they were high on Vazquez, but have cooled considerably in the last week. That leaves Frye as the most logical choice. He hasn't worked out for the Jazz, but that doesn't mean they won't take him. He'd be a good fit in Utah.

Scouting report on Channing Frye Insider

7. TORONTO RAPTORS
Gerald Green
GULF SHORES ACADEMY (Texas) | H.S. | SHOOTING GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 192 | AGE: 19

This is a dream scenario for the Raptors. Green could go as high as No. 3 and he'll get long looks from both the Hornets and Bobcats. If he falls here, the Raptors would get a potential star to pair with Chris Bosh. He reminds many scouts of Tracy McGrady and for good reason. He's a few years away from being that player, but the potential is well worth it. If he's gone, Raymond Felton, Fran Vazquez, Frye and Granger would all get serious consideration.

Scouting report on Gerald Green Insider

8. NEW YORK KNICKS
Fran Vazquez
SPAIN | POWER FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-11 | WEIGHT: 230 | AGE: 22

Sources claim that the Knicks made a promise to Frye and shut down his workouts. It may have been too little, too late. Other teams are on to Frye and the chances he makes it to the Knicks have now diminished. If he's not there, the Knicks will still look to go big. Vazquez is the other big guy who could come in and play right away.

Scouting report on Fran Vazquez Insider

9. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Ike Diogu
ARIZONA STATE | JUNIOR | POWER FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-8 | WEIGHT: 255 | AGE: 21

The Warriors want Frye or Granger, but if those two are off the board, they'll look for the next-best power forward. Sean May, Hakim Warrick and Chris Taft will all get looks here as well. Diogu gets the nod because of his length (he has the reach of a 7-footer, a la Elton Brand) and shot-blocking ability.

Scouting report on Ike Diogu Insider

10. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Martell Webster
SEATTLE PREP | H.S. | SHOOTING GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 235 | AGE: 18

There is talk, a lot of talk, that the Lakers have promised high school center Andrew Bynum that they'll take him if they keep their pick. Bynum sure looks like Shaq, and he's worked out well, but it's just a little too much to believe right now. It would be years before Phil Jackson would give him a whiff of playing time. Until we get to the bottom of the Bynum stuff, we're moving Felton out and Webster in. With Jackson running the show, the Lakers are going to need a big shooter. Webster is the best on the board. Think of him as a young Glen Rice.

Scouting report on Martell Webster Insider

11. ORLANDO MAGIC
Sean May
NORTH CAROLINA | JUNIOR | POWER FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-8 | WEIGHT: 260 | AGE: 21

The Magic like Webster as well, but also feel like they need a tough scorer and rebounder in the paint, and May should be a perfect fit. Though he's a little undersized to play his natural position (center) in the pros, he should be fine paired with Dwight Howard.

Scouting report on Sean May Insider

12. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Yaroslav Korolev
RUSSIA | SMALL FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-9 | WEIGHT: 215 | AGE: 17

We're torn. We've heard two names associated with the Clippers all month. One is Korolev, who Russian sources claim received a promise from the Clippers. The other is Antoine Wright, whom Dunleavy fell in love with early in the draft process. Whom to choose? Our Clippers source told us in Treviso that there were certain players they'd take in front of Korolev. Is Wright one of them? We're still sorting it out, but until we hear otherwise, we've got to go with Korolev here. Given the latest revelations about the new NBDL minor league, Dunleavy can bring him over and get him some valuable experience in the D league.

Scouting report on Yaroslav Korolev Insider

13. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
Raymond Felton
NORTH CAROLINA | JUNIOR | POINT GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-0 | WEIGHT: 200 | AGE: 20

This is a real steal for the Bobcats if they can land Felton here. The Bobcats need a point guard badly and he's a local kid to boot. He's the fastest point guard in the draft baseline to baseline, has improved his outside shooting and is an excellent floor leader. A major upgrade over what they have now.

Scouting report on Raymond Felton Insider

14. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Antoine Wright
TEXAS A&M | JUNIOR | SHOOTING GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 210 | AGE: 21

There are lots of different ways the Timberwolves could go here. Bynum, Joey Graham and Charlie Villanueva could also get looks. It will be tough for them to pass on Wright's versatility and perimeter shooting – especially with Latrell Sprewell heading into free agency.

Scouting report on Antoine Wright Insider

15. NEW JERSEY NETS
Hakim Warrick
SYRACUSE | SENIOR | POWER FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-8 | WEIGHT: 218 | AGE: 22

He's not Kenyon Martin, but he's long, athletic and runs the floor. Plus, he has the experience to contribute immediately. With Jason Kidd running the show, Warrick should get a lot of dunks.

Scouting report on Hakim Warrick Insider

16. TORONTO RAPTORS
Andrew Bynum
ST. JOSEPH (METUCHEN, N.J.) | H.S. | CENTER
HEIGHT: 7-0 | WEIGHT: 300 | AGE: 17

The talk is that he's going to either the Lakers or the Timberwolves. But if he falls this far, Raptors GM Rob Babcock will be tempted. The Raptors desperately need a big man with size and toughness. Bynum has that. He's blown people away in workouts with his skills, soft touch and intelligence. He may be a few years away, but landing two potential stars in Green and Bynum to team with Chris Bosh could completely turn the Raptors around in a couple of years. If Bynum's off the board, Croatian point guard Roko Ukic has turned a lot of heads in Toronto.

Scouting report on Andrew Bynum Insider

17. INDIANA PACERS
Martynas Andriuskevicius
LITHUANIA | POWER FORWARD
HEIGHT: 7-3 | WEIGHT: 230 | AGE: 19

The Pacers do need to find a replacement for Reggie Miller's shooting, but will likely try to do that with a veteran in free agency. Guys such as Francisco Garcia and Rashad McCants are possibilities, but neither would likely be able to crack the lineup next year. Andriuskevicius could go much earlier than this, based on potential, but it's been tough to find a place for a guy who physically is still a good two years away from being able to contribute. He needs a team willing to be patient. No one has a better track record of that over the years than the Pacers. Now that teams will be able to send players down to the D League, the risk is minimized. This is a long-term project for a team that doesn't have a lot of holes to fill.

Scouting report on Martynas Andriuskevicius Insider

18. BOSTON CELTICS
Joey Graham
OKLAHOMA STATE | SENIOR | SMALL FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 216 | AGE: 22

The Celtics were flirting with taking an international player (such as Ersan Ilyasova or Andriuskevicius) and stashing him overseas, but it's tough to see them passing on Graham, a big, physical small forward who tested out as the best athlete in Chicago. He could step in and immediately help the Celtics next season .

Scouting report on Joey Graham Insider

19. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Julius Hodge
NORTH CAROLINA STATE | SENIOR | SHOOTING GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 205 | AGE: 21

Hodge might not be the greatest shooter in the draft, but he has all the intangibles Jerry West loves in his players. He's tough and versatile, and he seems to want it more than most guys on the floor. The Grizzlies believe he'll be a point guard, at least part-time, in the pros. It looks as though they'll lose Earl Watson to free agency and wouldn't mind losing Jason Williams in a trade, so the position is a need. Hodge has earned good reviews in every workout and seems to have moved himself up with every one. West has a history of ignoring convention, which explains why a player like Hodge would go this high.

Scouting report on Julius Hodge Insider

20. DENVER NUGGETS
Ersan Ilyasova
TURKEY | SMALL FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-9 | WEIGHT: 220 | AGE: 18

With multiple picks, the Nuggets plan to leave at least one guy in Europe for a few years. Many believe Ilyasova was the best young prospect in Europe before a severe ankle injury kept him out most of the year. His workouts went well enough in Chicago to secure his place in the mid-first round.

Scouting report on Ersan Ilyasova Insider

21. PHOENIX SUNS
Johan Petro
FRANCE | CENTER
HEIGHT: 7-1 | WEIGHT: 250 | AGE: 19

Petro has the size and talent of a lottery pick, but he has been very slow to develop it, which has caused some NBA teams to worry. Petro is probably another year or two away from helping a team even if he does develop. However, if he ever gets it, he could be the perfect center in the Suns' system down the road.

Scouting report on Johan Petro Insider

22. DENVER NUGGETS
Francisco Garcia
LOUISVILLE | JUNIOR | SHOOTING GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 190 | AGE: 23

The Nuggets opt for upside with their first pick and go with need for their second. The team needs perimeter shooting badly, and Garcia can deliver. He's not the greatest athlete in the world, but he can stroke it and plays with the passion George Karl likes in his players. High school guard Monta Ellis is also a possibility here. The Nuggets love him, but would Karl ever play him?

Scouting report on Francisco Garcia Insider

23. SACRAMENTO KINGS
Rashad McCants
NORTH CAROLINA | JUNIOR | SHOOTING GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-4 | WEIGHT: 200 | AGE: 20

McCants might be the toughest guy in the draft to project. On talent, he's easily a top-10 pick, maybe top-five. But just about every team in the league has uncovered a number of red flags on the background check. He's going to have to prove to teams that whatever problems he had at North Carolina are behind him. If he does, he'll go higher. If he doesn't, he'll slip down to a team like the Kings, who need that help at the two and are willing to take the risk on such a talent.

Scouting report on Rashad McCants Insider

24. HOUSTON ROCKETS
Wayne Simien
KANSAS | SENIOR | POWER FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-9 | WEIGHT: 255 | AGE: 22

The Rockets could use a tough rebounder with experience, and Simien fits the bill. Concerns about injuries and size are the only things keeping him out of the lottery. He's one of the few guys who isn't afraid to go inside and bang, but also has a nice perimeter game. He has worked out really well just about everywhere.

Scouting report on Wayne Simien Insider

25. SEATTLE SUPERSONICS
Jarrett Jack
GEORGIA TECH | JUNIOR | POINT GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-3 | WEIGHT: 200 | AGE: 21

Jack could be off the board in the mid-first round, but it's conceivable he could slip all the way to here. He's a very good point guard prospect who just needs to cut down on his turnovers. With Antonio Daniels set to bolt in free agency, the Sonics will have a strong need for a backup point guard with size and toughness.

Scouting report on Jarrett Jack Insider

26. DETROIT PISTONS
Ryan Gomes
PROVIDENCE | SENIOR | SMALL FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-8 | WEIGHT: 250 | AGE: 22

Gomes is a skilled forward, an inside-outside scoring threat who reminds some scouts of Corliss Williamson. He started his career at the four, but played really well at the three this year. He's a good offensive rebounder, has extended his range to the NBA 3-point line and is a good passer. He also has a 7-foot-2 wingspan.

Scouting report on Ryan Gomes Insider

27. UTAH JAZZ
Roko Ukic
CROATIA | POINT GUARD
HEIGHT: 6-6 | WEIGHT: 218 | AGE: 21

He has had a great year in Croatia and wowed scouts at the Reebok Eurocamp. Could go as high as No. 16 to the Raptors and will get long looks from the Celtics and Nuggets. A little wild for Jerry Sloan's taste, but he's long, plays defense, and is very tough and experienced. If he could shoot, he'd be a much higher pick. Look for the Jazz to leave him overseas for another season or two.

Scouting report on Roko Ukic Insider

28. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Charlie Villanueva
CONNECTICUT | SOPHOMORE | POWER FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-10 | WEIGHT: 240 | AGE: 20

Villanueva has the skills of a lottery pick but proved to be a bit lazy and unreliable at UConn. He could go as high as the late lottery or he could slip all the way to San Antonio. He has all the offensive skills to be a perfect fit for the Spurs. And head coach Gregg Popovich is the right coach to motivate Villanueva to play some defense.

Scouting report on Charlie Villanueva Insider

29. MIAMI HEAT
Mile Ilic
SERBIA | CENTER
HEIGHT: 7-1 | WEIGHT: 240 | AGE: 20

Ilic surprised a lot of people by keeping his name in the draft. He's a young, talented, big man who has really come on of late. Recently had an impressive 24-point, 10-rebound, two-block performance in front of a number of NBA scouts during the Serbia playoffs. Apparently that sealed the deal. Ilic doesn't have a buyout this year, so he may not come over right away. The Nuggets and Knicks are other teams who have shown a lot of interest in him.

Scouting report on Mile Ilic Insider

30. NEW YORK KNICKS
Andray Blatche
SOUTH KENT PREP (Conn.) | H.S. | POWER FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-11 | WEIGHT: 240 | AGE: 18

Blatche has been under the radar all year, in part, because he's insisted on not playing like a 7-footer in order to show NBA scouts that he's versatile. Blatche has been referred to as a poor man's Kevin Garnett and he has enough skills to be an intriguing pick for the Knicks at 30. He runs the floor well, can handle the ball, has 3-point range on his jumper and is an excellent rebounder. He may be a year or two away, but eventually he and Vazquez could give the Knicks a much taller and more talented front line.

Scouting report on Andray Blatche Insider

kangaeru · 06-27-2005, 04:38 PM

1995 Lottery Picks

Pick Team Selection Our choice
Skinny

Golden State (Team)
Joe Smith (Actual pick)
Kevin Garnett (ESPN Pick) The most obvious no-brainer on this whole list, even more than LeBron James. Garnett is the only superstar from a draft with several good players and few great ones, but he lasted until the fifth pick because teams were wary of drafting a player straight out of high school. Thanks to him, that fear has vanished.

L.A. Clippers
Antonio McDyess
Rasheed Wallace Yes, the attitude in Portland was a problem. But even while 'Sheed was setting technical foul records and going out of his way not to post up smaller players, he was playing great D, scoring in the high teens and shooting a good percentage from the field. It's amazing that Wallace can rank this high while not coming close to using all his potential at the offensive end.

Philadelphia
Jerry Stackhouse
Antonio McDyess This was probably the best draft for power forwards in the past 20 years, and yet the Warriors got Joe Smith at No. 1. Go figure. McDyess had a higher peak than Wallace, but it's tough to rank him ahead when he a) missed nearly three years with injuries and b) is currently Wallace's backup.

Washington
Rasheed Wallace
Michael Finley Finley vs. McDyess is a tough call because Finley has been much more durable and has two All-Star trips to Dice's one. But two things weigh in McDyess' favor: His monster 1998-99 season (when the All-Star Game was cancelled by the lockout) and the fact that, right now, McDyess is again the better player.

Minnesota
Kevin Garnett
Jerry Stackhouse An outstanding scorer in his prime, Stackhouse's 29.8 per game average in 2000-01 is easily the best of any player from this draft. However, he has little defensive value, he's had a series of leg injuries and he's a career 41 percent shooter.

Vancouver
(Memphis)
Bryant Reeves
Damon Stoudamire It's kind of shocking to see players like Garnett, Wallace and McDyess and then realize that Mighty Mouse was the Rookie of the Year from this class, believe it or not, and the man he beat out wasn't even from this draft (Arvydas Sabonis, who came in second, was drafted nine years earlier).

Toronto
Damon Stoudamire
Brent Barry He's got a dunk title and a championship ring but amazingly has never won the 3-point contest. Actually, his shot deserted him for a couple seasons in mid-career, which is why he didn't become a full-time starter until he was 30.

Portland
Shawn Respert
Joe Smith He was one of the least productive No. 1 overall picks in history, but he still turned out to be a decent player. Smith's problem was that he was too lean to bang effectively against the meatier power forwards in the NBA, and it appears scouts overestimated his athleticism.

New Jersey
Ed O'Bannon
Theo Ratliff An amazing shot-blocker who led the league three times, Ratliff somehow was All-Defense only twice – and had to settle for second team each time. He'd rate higher if he did more offensively and on the boards, but his career averages of 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds make him a one-trick pony.

Miami
Kurt Thomas
Kurt Thomas The newest member of the Suns – assuming the Phoenix-New York trade goes through – missed two of his first three seasons with ankle injuries after leading the nation in scoring and rebounding in college. As a result, he didn't become a starter until his seventh season.

Milwaukee
Gary Trent
Corliss Williamson One of the first in a series of solid drafts by Sacramento in the mid-'90s, Williamson was the pawn the Kings eventually used to trade for Doug Christie. Big Nasty has been an effective scorer at either forward spot, earning the Sixth Man Award in Detroit in 2002.

Dallas
Cherokee Parks
Bob Sura Sura has had the misfortune of playing his best for horrible teams. He had a great year off the bench for a horrible Golden State team in 2001-02 and then came from nowhere to energize a moribund Hawks club in 2003-04.

Sacramento
Corliss Williamson
Alan Henderson Henderson won the league's Most Improved Player award in 1997-98 but couldn't shake the injury bug in subsequent seasons. The injuries started right after he signed a huge contract, which is one of many reasons the Hawks declined rapidly in the late '90s.

kangaeru · 06-27-2005, 04:39 PM

Pick Team Selection Our choice
Skinny

Philadelphia
Allen Iverson
Kobe Bryant In one of the great draft moves in history, the Lakers traded Vlade Divac to Charlotte for Bryant, who the Hornets had just selected with the No. 13 pick. Normally one would say L.A. overpaid by giving up Divac for a mid-first-rounder, but not in this case. Meanwhile, the Sixers passed up the chance to keep Kobe in his hometown.

Toronto
Marcus Camby
Allen Iverson Beats out Bryant in MVPs, scoring titles and jersey sales but lags well behind in the things that win games. Iverson's 41.8 percent shooting can't match Kobe's 45.2 percent, and Kobe's advantage in True Shooting Percentage is even greater.

Vancouver
(Memphis)
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Ray Allen The Bucks traded Stephon Marbury to get the "lesser" player in Allen, but I doubt they're upset about the trade. He's been a reliable All-Star-caliber performer but amazingly was only the third-best shooting guard in his class.

Milwaukee
Stephon Marbury
Jermaine O'Neal O'Neal's best seasons are slightly better than Allen's, but he's had far fewer of them because he was stuck on the pine in Portland for so long. Still, it's rare for the best big man in a draft class to be selected with the 17th overall pick, so kudos to the Blazers for that.

Minnesota
Ray Allen
Stephon Marbury Players No. 5 through 9 on this list may surprise you, because they run counter to how the players are perceived today. In general, it's best to understand the rankings not by asking "Who is better right now?" but rather "Who has been better to have since 1996?"

For instance, Steve Nash was undeniably better than Marbury last season. But for the first five years of his career, Nash was a secondary player while Marbury was a star. So would you rather draft Marbury and get 18 and 8 right away or take Nash and wait six years for him to become an All-Star? Marbury outrated Nash in his first five seasons, and in four of them the difference was enormous. His career PER still comfortably tops Nash, and he's been more durable, too.

Boston
Antoine Walker
Shareef Abdur-Rahim This may surprise you even more than the Marbury rating, but Abdur-Rahim produced immediately (18.7 ppg as a rookie), stayed at a high level (career averages of 19.8 ppg and 8.1 rpg) and, until last year, never got hurt. As a result, he has a higher career PER than all but the top three players on the 1996 list and ranks fourth from his class in minutes played. 'Reef takes a lot of unfair abuse for not making the playoffs, but he wasn't the one choosing his teammates.

L.A. Clippers
Lorenzen Wright
Steve Nash His past three seasons are better than anything that Marbury and Abdur-Rahim have done, but his overall contribution still falls short compared to theirs. If I were Minnesota and had today's salary cap rules on my side (so that Marbury couldn't have forced his way out so easily), I still would have preferred the immediate juice from Marbury to the long lag time with Nash.

New Jersey
Kerry Kittles
Peja Stojakovic From 1996 to 2001, a few smart teams realized they could draft international players in the first round and get huge talents at discount prices. Stojakovic, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Dirk Nowitzki, Andrei Kirilenko, Manu Ginobili, Primoz Brezec, Hedo Turkoglu, Marko Jaric, Pau Gasol and Vladimir Radmanovic were all obtained this way, but the trend suddenly careened off the tracks with the selection of Nikoloz Tskitishvili in 2002.

Dallas
Samaki Walker
Ben Wallace Big Ben went undrafted, but that was clearly an oversight. The three-time defensive player of the year could arguably rank higher – and probably would but for his miserable offensive output. Nonetheless, it's safe to say Dallas would have preferred Wallace at No. 9 to its actual pick – Samaki Walker.

Indiana
Erick Dampier
Zydrunas Ilgauskas Yet another All-Star-caliber player from the 1996 draft and the third star big man to be snubbed in the lottery. Ilgauskas went 20th overall to the Cavs in '96 and he wasn't even their favorite pick – Cleveland had taken Vitaly Potapenko at No. 12.

Golden State
Todd Fuller
Antoine Walker It's unusual for a three-time All-Star to only be the 11th-best player from a draft class. But then again, it's rare for a single draft to produce 11 All-Stars, and Walker is pretty clearly the worst of the 11.

Cleveland
Vitaly Potapenko
Marcus Camby On a per-minute basis, Walker can't light a candle to Camby. Unfortunately, Camby's availability has been an issue. Since the Raptors selected him with the second overall pick, Cotton Camby has barely played half as many minutes as Walker thanks to a stunning variety of injuries.

Charlotte
(New Orleans)
Kobe Bryant
Kerry Kittles The eighth overall pick, Kittles would have justified that selection in almost any other draft. He beat out several other quality players – including Erick Dampier, Malik Rose, Jerome Williams and Derek Fisher – to grab the final lottery spot in this exercise.

kangaeru · 06-27-2005, 04:40 PM

Pick Team Selection Our choice
Skinny

San Antonio
Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan Safe to say that if the Spurs could do it all over again, they'd pick the three-time Finals MVP again and not think twice about it.

Philadelphia
Keith Van Horn
Tracy McGrady Isiah Thomas has taken a lot of heat for some of his other moves, but this one was brilliant. As GM of the Raptors, Isiah made McGrady the ninth overall pick – behind guys like Tony Battie and Adonal Foyle – and T-Mac turned into one of the game's premier scorers.

Boston
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups The Celtics were wise to take Billups with the third overall pick but didn't have the patience to see it through. Billups would later join the Pistons and become the most anonymous Finals MVP in league history.

Vancouver
(Memphis)
Antonio Daniels
Keith Van Horn This draft starts nosediving after the top three players. Van Horn is easily No. 4, even though he never quite lived up to his billing coming out of Utah, because he's the only other player from this draft who could score in the 20s.

Denver
Tony Battie
Derek Anderson Knee injuries have basically destroyed his career, but he averaged double figures in his first seven seasons and played solid D to boot.

Boston
Ron Mercer
Bobby Jackson Jackson's career got off to a slow start in Minnesota, but he's become one of the league's best sixth men in Sacramento. Amazingly, he's never won the Sixth Man Award.

New Jersey
Tim Thomas
Brevin Knight The Cavs rebuilt their team in this draft by taking Anderson 13th and Knight 16th. While Knight has bounced around in recent years, he's had an extremely effective career for a 5-10 guard with no jump shot.

Golden State
Adonal Foyle
Danny Fortson And now we really start scraping the barrel. Fortson averaged a double-double twice and might be the best rebounder of the past decade, but his other contributions have been minimal.

Toronto
Tracy McGrady
Antonio Daniels The Grizzlies took Daniels with the No. 4 overall pick and quickly regretted it: A year later he was traded to San Antonio. His career seemed stalled but blossomed when he went to Seattle two years ago.

Milwaukee
Danny Fortson
Stephen Jackson A second-round pick of the Suns, Jackson played in just about every godforsaken town in North America before eventually sticking with the Spurs three years ago. If he has a couple more seasons like the last two, he should move up a few spots.

Sacramento
Tariq Abdul-Wahad
Tim Thomas Traded twice for Van Horn but hasn't been nearly as good a player. He's managed to score double figures in all but one season, but that 4.0 career rebound average is embarrassing for a 6-10 forward.

Indiana
Austin Croshere
Kelvin Cato The Mavs drafted Cato at No. 15 and immediately traded him to Portland for Chris Anstey. Oops. After Duncan, Cato is the best defender from this draft class.

Cleveland
Derek Anderson
Austin Croshere Croshere has done nothing terribly exceptional in his career, but nobody rated below him has either, and somebody has to be No. 13 on this list. Though he's never been a starter, Croshere did have a huge year off the bench for the Pacers' 2000 finalists.

06-27-2005, 10:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
Derwood Who You Crappin? Location: Everywhere and Nowhere	Can someone with ESPNInsider post the NBA Mock Drafts? On the main page of ESPN.com there is an article that has a year by year "redraft" of the lottery teams, knowing what we know now, and how the stars would be on different teams. They allow everyone to see 1995 as a tease, but 1996-2004 are all "insider" only. Someone willing to post these for those of use who aren't members? __________________ "You can't shoot a country until it becomes a democracy." - Willravel

06-27-2005, 04:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
kangaeru Crazy Location: on the road to where I want to be...	1995 Lottery Picks Pick Team Selection Our choice Skinny Golden State (Team) Joe Smith (Actual pick) Kevin Garnett (ESPN Pick) The most obvious no-brainer on this whole list, even more than LeBron James. Garnett is the only superstar from a draft with several good players and few great ones, but he lasted until the fifth pick because teams were wary of drafting a player straight out of high school. Thanks to him, that fear has vanished. L.A. Clippers Antonio McDyess Rasheed Wallace Yes, the attitude in Portland was a problem. But even while 'Sheed was setting technical foul records and going out of his way not to post up smaller players, he was playing great D, scoring in the high teens and shooting a good percentage from the field. It's amazing that Wallace can rank this high while not coming close to using all his potential at the offensive end. Philadelphia Jerry Stackhouse Antonio McDyess This was probably the best draft for power forwards in the past 20 years, and yet the Warriors got Joe Smith at No. 1. Go figure. McDyess had a higher peak than Wallace, but it's tough to rank him ahead when he a) missed nearly three years with injuries and b) is currently Wallace's backup. Washington Rasheed Wallace Michael Finley Finley vs. McDyess is a tough call because Finley has been much more durable and has two All-Star trips to Dice's one. But two things weigh in McDyess' favor: His monster 1998-99 season (when the All-Star Game was cancelled by the lockout) and the fact that, right now, McDyess is again the better player. Minnesota Kevin Garnett Jerry Stackhouse An outstanding scorer in his prime, Stackhouse's 29.8 per game average in 2000-01 is easily the best of any player from this draft. However, he has little defensive value, he's had a series of leg injuries and he's a career 41 percent shooter. Vancouver (Memphis) Bryant Reeves Damon Stoudamire It's kind of shocking to see players like Garnett, Wallace and McDyess and then realize that Mighty Mouse was the Rookie of the Year from this class, believe it or not, and the man he beat out wasn't even from this draft (Arvydas Sabonis, who came in second, was drafted nine years earlier). Toronto Damon Stoudamire Brent Barry He's got a dunk title and a championship ring but amazingly has never won the 3-point contest. Actually, his shot deserted him for a couple seasons in mid-career, which is why he didn't become a full-time starter until he was 30. Portland Shawn Respert Joe Smith He was one of the least productive No. 1 overall picks in history, but he still turned out to be a decent player. Smith's problem was that he was too lean to bang effectively against the meatier power forwards in the NBA, and it appears scouts overestimated his athleticism. New Jersey Ed O'Bannon Theo Ratliff An amazing shot-blocker who led the league three times, Ratliff somehow was All-Defense only twice – and had to settle for second team each time. He'd rate higher if he did more offensively and on the boards, but his career averages of 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds make him a one-trick pony. Miami Kurt Thomas Kurt Thomas The newest member of the Suns – assuming the Phoenix-New York trade goes through – missed two of his first three seasons with ankle injuries after leading the nation in scoring and rebounding in college. As a result, he didn't become a starter until his seventh season. Milwaukee Gary Trent Corliss Williamson One of the first in a series of solid drafts by Sacramento in the mid-'90s, Williamson was the pawn the Kings eventually used to trade for Doug Christie. Big Nasty has been an effective scorer at either forward spot, earning the Sixth Man Award in Detroit in 2002. Dallas Cherokee Parks Bob Sura Sura has had the misfortune of playing his best for horrible teams. He had a great year off the bench for a horrible Golden State team in 2001-02 and then came from nowhere to energize a moribund Hawks club in 2003-04. Sacramento Corliss Williamson Alan Henderson Henderson won the league's Most Improved Player award in 1997-98 but couldn't shake the injury bug in subsequent seasons. The injuries started right after he signed a huge contract, which is one of many reasons the Hawks declined rapidly in the late '90s.

06-27-2005, 04:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
kangaeru Crazy Location: on the road to where I want to be...	Pick Team Selection Our choice Skinny Philadelphia Allen Iverson Kobe Bryant In one of the great draft moves in history, the Lakers traded Vlade Divac to Charlotte for Bryant, who the Hornets had just selected with the No. 13 pick. Normally one would say L.A. overpaid by giving up Divac for a mid-first-rounder, but not in this case. Meanwhile, the Sixers passed up the chance to keep Kobe in his hometown. Toronto Marcus Camby Allen Iverson Beats out Bryant in MVPs, scoring titles and jersey sales but lags well behind in the things that win games. Iverson's 41.8 percent shooting can't match Kobe's 45.2 percent, and Kobe's advantage in True Shooting Percentage is even greater. Vancouver (Memphis) Shareef Abdur-Rahim Ray Allen The Bucks traded Stephon Marbury to get the "lesser" player in Allen, but I doubt they're upset about the trade. He's been a reliable All-Star-caliber performer but amazingly was only the third-best shooting guard in his class. Milwaukee Stephon Marbury Jermaine O'Neal O'Neal's best seasons are slightly better than Allen's, but he's had far fewer of them because he was stuck on the pine in Portland for so long. Still, it's rare for the best big man in a draft class to be selected with the 17th overall pick, so kudos to the Blazers for that. Minnesota Ray Allen Stephon Marbury Players No. 5 through 9 on this list may surprise you, because they run counter to how the players are perceived today. In general, it's best to understand the rankings not by asking "Who is better right now?" but rather "Who has been better to have since 1996?" For instance, Steve Nash was undeniably better than Marbury last season. But for the first five years of his career, Nash was a secondary player while Marbury was a star. So would you rather draft Marbury and get 18 and 8 right away or take Nash and wait six years for him to become an All-Star? Marbury outrated Nash in his first five seasons, and in four of them the difference was enormous. His career PER still comfortably tops Nash, and he's been more durable, too. Boston Antoine Walker Shareef Abdur-Rahim This may surprise you even more than the Marbury rating, but Abdur-Rahim produced immediately (18.7 ppg as a rookie), stayed at a high level (career averages of 19.8 ppg and 8.1 rpg) and, until last year, never got hurt. As a result, he has a higher career PER than all but the top three players on the 1996 list and ranks fourth from his class in minutes played. 'Reef takes a lot of unfair abuse for not making the playoffs, but he wasn't the one choosing his teammates. L.A. Clippers Lorenzen Wright Steve Nash His past three seasons are better than anything that Marbury and Abdur-Rahim have done, but his overall contribution still falls short compared to theirs. If I were Minnesota and had today's salary cap rules on my side (so that Marbury couldn't have forced his way out so easily), I still would have preferred the immediate juice from Marbury to the long lag time with Nash. New Jersey Kerry Kittles Peja Stojakovic From 1996 to 2001, a few smart teams realized they could draft international players in the first round and get huge talents at discount prices. Stojakovic, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Dirk Nowitzki, Andrei Kirilenko, Manu Ginobili, Primoz Brezec, Hedo Turkoglu, Marko Jaric, Pau Gasol and Vladimir Radmanovic were all obtained this way, but the trend suddenly careened off the tracks with the selection of Nikoloz Tskitishvili in 2002. Dallas Samaki Walker Ben Wallace Big Ben went undrafted, but that was clearly an oversight. The three-time defensive player of the year could arguably rank higher – and probably would but for his miserable offensive output. Nonetheless, it's safe to say Dallas would have preferred Wallace at No. 9 to its actual pick – Samaki Walker. Indiana Erick Dampier Zydrunas Ilgauskas Yet another All-Star-caliber player from the 1996 draft and the third star big man to be snubbed in the lottery. Ilgauskas went 20th overall to the Cavs in '96 and he wasn't even their favorite pick – Cleveland had taken Vitaly Potapenko at No. 12. Golden State Todd Fuller Antoine Walker It's unusual for a three-time All-Star to only be the 11th-best player from a draft class. But then again, it's rare for a single draft to produce 11 All-Stars, and Walker is pretty clearly the worst of the 11. Cleveland Vitaly Potapenko Marcus Camby On a per-minute basis, Walker can't light a candle to Camby. Unfortunately, Camby's availability has been an issue. Since the Raptors selected him with the second overall pick, Cotton Camby has barely played half as many minutes as Walker thanks to a stunning variety of injuries. Charlotte (New Orleans) Kobe Bryant Kerry Kittles The eighth overall pick, Kittles would have justified that selection in almost any other draft. He beat out several other quality players – including Erick Dampier, Malik Rose, Jerome Williams and Derek Fisher – to grab the final lottery spot in this exercise.

06-27-2005, 04:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
kangaeru Crazy Location: on the road to where I want to be...	Pick Team Selection Our choice Skinny San Antonio Tim Duncan Tim Duncan Safe to say that if the Spurs could do it all over again, they'd pick the three-time Finals MVP again and not think twice about it. Philadelphia Keith Van Horn Tracy McGrady Isiah Thomas has taken a lot of heat for some of his other moves, but this one was brilliant. As GM of the Raptors, Isiah made McGrady the ninth overall pick – behind guys like Tony Battie and Adonal Foyle – and T-Mac turned into one of the game's premier scorers. Boston Chauncey Billups Chauncey Billups The Celtics were wise to take Billups with the third overall pick but didn't have the patience to see it through. Billups would later join the Pistons and become the most anonymous Finals MVP in league history. Vancouver (Memphis) Antonio Daniels Keith Van Horn This draft starts nosediving after the top three players. Van Horn is easily No. 4, even though he never quite lived up to his billing coming out of Utah, because he's the only other player from this draft who could score in the 20s. Denver Tony Battie Derek Anderson Knee injuries have basically destroyed his career, but he averaged double figures in his first seven seasons and played solid D to boot. Boston Ron Mercer Bobby Jackson Jackson's career got off to a slow start in Minnesota, but he's become one of the league's best sixth men in Sacramento. Amazingly, he's never won the Sixth Man Award. New Jersey Tim Thomas Brevin Knight The Cavs rebuilt their team in this draft by taking Anderson 13th and Knight 16th. While Knight has bounced around in recent years, he's had an extremely effective career for a 5-10 guard with no jump shot. Golden State Adonal Foyle Danny Fortson And now we really start scraping the barrel. Fortson averaged a double-double twice and might be the best rebounder of the past decade, but his other contributions have been minimal. Toronto Tracy McGrady Antonio Daniels The Grizzlies took Daniels with the No. 4 overall pick and quickly regretted it: A year later he was traded to San Antonio. His career seemed stalled but blossomed when he went to Seattle two years ago. Milwaukee Danny Fortson Stephen Jackson A second-round pick of the Suns, Jackson played in just about every godforsaken town in North America before eventually sticking with the Spurs three years ago. If he has a couple more seasons like the last two, he should move up a few spots. Sacramento Tariq Abdul-Wahad Tim Thomas Traded twice for Van Horn but hasn't been nearly as good a player. He's managed to score double figures in all but one season, but that 4.0 career rebound average is embarrassing for a 6-10 forward. Indiana Austin Croshere Kelvin Cato The Mavs drafted Cato at No. 15 and immediately traded him to Portland for Chris Anstey. Oops. After Duncan, Cato is the best defender from this draft class. Cleveland Derek Anderson Austin Croshere Croshere has done nothing terribly exceptional in his career, but nobody rated below him has either, and somebody has to be No. 13 on this list. Though he's never been a starter, Croshere did have a huge year off the bench for the Pacers' 2000 finalists.