Best bets for the Draft

[Raji]

The NBA Draft takes place on Thursday night, the offseason event that'll shape a team's future.

Covers.com offers its version of a mock draft via a two-pronged attack: NBA writer Tim Roberts assesses each lottery team's needs before NCAA basketball analyst Jason Logan determines the best fit for each team.

Use the picks wisely. Oddmakers have set lines for the Draft in a variety of ways. Sportsbook.com, for example, offers odds on when a specific player will be picked, while bodog.com asks bettors to select who'll be picked in a certain spot. Essentially the same question, but phrased distinctly enough to give bettors more options.

Here's the lottery order with corresponding picks from our analysts.

1. Portland Trail Blazers

Roberts: The Blazers will have a good backcourt for years to come. With LaMarcus Aldridge and Zach Randolph already occupying the blocks, the Blazers could use a small forward more than anything else. What they should do is dump Randolph and move Aldridge to the four to justify the pick of a center, but can they find a taker for Randolph’s salary?

Logan: A surprise could happen at No.1 - remember the Houston Texans? That said, the Blazers taking either Kevin Durant or Greg Oden doesn’t leave much room for error. Durant is an unmatched talent but players like Oden come around once every blue moon. His defensive timing and positioning is something you can’t teach while his offensive production improved each game he played.

2. Seattle SuperSonics

Roberts: Chris Wilcox and Nick Collison are better fits at power forward than at center, especially in the Western Conference. In all honesty, the first two picks would be absolute locks if the Northwest teams just flipped the order. As it stands, Rashard Lewis is likely gone, so a skilled forward couldn’t hurt.

Logan: I miss watching Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson play. And now after briefly watching Kevin Durant at Texas, I will miss him too. Thankfully, I can tune into Sonics games to catch the next chapter in what should be stellar pro career for the do-it-all forward. Durant will do what Rashad Lewis couldn’t in Seattle.

3. Atlanta Hawks

Roberts: The Hawks need a small forward, someone between 6-foot 7 and 6-foot-9 with versatile skills. Ha! Atlanta needs another 3 like Michael Bay needs more explosions in his movies. Point guard tops the wish list, followed by power forward. The Hawks are rumored to be using their No. 11 pick on the point, so look for the best available big man to go here.

Logan: While OSU’s Mike Conley is a tempting pick for the Hawks, Florida’s Al Horford is the smart one. The 6-foot-10 bruiser was the star of stars on the Gators, making the difference with his defense and rebounding. He already has an NBA body and, with a little work on his low-post offense, Horford can give Atlanta some much-needed toughness.

4. Memphis Grizzlies

Roberts: The Grizzlies need a point guard too. Memphis will be a lottery-bound team as long as Chucky Atkins and Damon Stoudamire are manning the 1. Then again, they did draft Kyle Lowry last year. If it’s not a point the Grizz are after, then a center or power forward could help Pau Gasol on the boards.

Logan: With point guards in short supply this year, a lot of teams are willing to risk an early pick on Mike Conley Jr. While there will be more talented players on the board, Conley’s late-season efforts at Ohio State make him a deserving No. 4. The freshman showed veteran composure in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments, picking up the slack when the Buckeyes’ upperclassmen stumbled.

5. Boston Celtics

Roberts: Boston trade rumors abound, so who knows what the Celtics’ roster will look like when it’s draft time? Al Jefferson isn’t going anywhere, so they’re set at power forward. If Paul Pierce stays, they’ve got an All-Star off guard too. They’ll hang onto Rajon Rondo for the point as well. A center would be ideal.

Logan: The Celtics can get by without a legitimate center in the Atlantic division – just look at Toronto. And just like the Raptors, Boston will get some international flavor from 6-foot-11 Chinese sensation Yi Jianlian. The big man’s versatility on offense should give the Celtics the boost they need to at least be competitive in the NBA's worst division.

6. Milwaukee Bucks

Roberts: Look at the Bucks roster, keeping in mind that Bobby Simmons is coming back. They’re the first team on this list with an eight-man rotation that could get them into the playoffs (albeit in the weaker Eastern Conference). Depth at forward makes the most sense, as the Bucks went to a three-guard rotation too often last season.

Logan: Brandan Wright didn’t get a fair shake at North Carolina. The 6-foot-9 forward with the 7-foot-2 wingspan was one of many options on the Tar Heels young, talented squad and was sometimes left out of the offense. With Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva's muscle under the basket, Wright’s athleticism and finesse complements Milwaukee’s frontcourt.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

Roberts: Like Boston, Minnesota’s needs could change drastically before draft day. If Kevin Garnett finally leaves and the Wolves don’t get a big-time rebounder in return, they’ll need help on the boards. And who’s playing the point? Randy Foye’s a good building block, but he’s a 2-guard.

Logan: Corey Brewers’ pro potential sky rocketed during the SEC and NCAA tourneys. He is a good enough shooter and ball handler to play on the perimeter while his height and quickness makes him effective around the basket. However with trade rumors the talk of the town in Minnesota, the 6-foot-9 small forward could be elsewhere by the end of draft day.

8. Charlotte Bobcats

Roberts: The Bobcats had a nice rotation going at the end of last season, a rare team set with big men. They have a nice point guard situation too, meaning they could put a talented swingman to use. Matt Carroll shouldn’t be starting in the NBA and drafting a 2 or a 3 might light a fire under Adam Morrison.

Logan: Hoyas fans can count their blessings after getting Roy Hibbert back for another year but can’t really fault Jeff Green for going pro. His efforts down the stretch made it possible for Georgetown to make the Final Four. Green is a great all around player with an underrated passing sense and will do the little things that win games for the Bobcats.

9. Chicago Bulls

Roberts: The Bulls made a nice run last season without a scoring presence on the blocks. Chicago’s set on the perimeter, but a big man who can score with his back to the basket would be a boon.

Logan: Scoring isn’t an issue with the Chicago Bulls, so when they select 6-foot-11 sideshow Joakim Noah on Thursday, they won’t ask him to put the ball in the basket. Noah’s stock was as erratic as his behavior heading into the draft but his energy and rebounding is a certainty. If he can develop a solid post game in the pros, Noah will carry over his success at Florida to Chicago.

10. Sacramento Kings

Roberts: Things aren’t great in the Californian capital and I don’t know if Reggie Theus can fix them. The Kings have talent at the smaller positions, so they have to go big with this pick. Brad Miller’s health is still a concern and there’s no way Shareef Abdur-Rahim should be playing center in the Western Conference.

Logan: There were a lot of questions surrounding Spencer Hawes’ decision to enter the draft after a ho-hum season at Washington. But people forget he was sick, injured and out of sync most of the year, and still managed 15 points and six rebounds per game. If it wasn’t for the NBA age limit Hawes would already be in the league. Now the Kings can steal a legit center at No. 10.

11. Atlanta Hawks

Roberts: As noted above, the Hawks have multiple needs with point guard and power forward topping the list. They should address whichever one they didn’t select at the No. 3.

Logan: The Hawks will bite the bullet with their No. 11 pick and take Georgia Tech point guard Javaris Crittenton despite better players available. Texas A&M’s Acie Law is also a possible selection but Crittenton provides more pure PG skills than Law, who is known more for his scoring. At 6-foot-4, Crittenton has the size and speed to create. His decision-making is in question but he did play on one of the youngest teams in the nation’s top conference.

12. Philadelphia 76ers

Roberts: A forward, preferably one who can rebound, has to be Philadelphia’s focus. Samuel Dalembert and Steven Hunter are athletic enough to make the center position a strength in the weak Eastern Conference. The backcourt and swingmen range from near-great (Andre Iguodala) to passable (Rodney Carney has to improve). Joe Smith and Shavlik Randolph at power forward won’t cut it.

Logan: No player in the draft personifies his future home like Al Thornton does going No. 12 to the Philadelphia 76ers. Thornton was a warrior at Florida State, playing hurt for the majority of last season but still averaging over 20 points and seven boards per game. His toughness and versatility will make him an instant fan favorite in the sports’ most hostile market. If Thornton isn't available, Kansas' Julian Wright could also be headed to the City of Brotherly Love.

13. New Orleans Hornets

Roberts: Desmond Mason is on his way out of town, by all accounts, so a shooting guard or small forward is the logical pick here, namely one who can shoot the 3-ball. That’s a nice luxury for the Hornets, as pure shooting is the skill that translates easiest from college to the NBA.

Logan: If Nick Young had stayed at USC for his senior year, the Trojans would be among the frontrunners for the national title. Young was the glue of that team, doing it all from scoring to rebounding to providing veteran leadership. He improved his outside shooting last year and will be a valuable part of the Hornets for a long time.

14. Los Angeles Clippers

Roberts: The Clippers need backcourt help and if Shaun Livingston’s knee doesn’t recover quickly, let’s be more specific and call for a point guard. L.A. was a poor 3-point shooting team, so that should be addressed too. But with Sam Cassell’s body creaking to a halt, someone to give valuable minutes at the point is key for the Clips’ playoff hopes in 2008.

Logan: No player in college was more thrilling to watch than Texas A&M’s Acie Law. It wasn’t how he was scoring but when that made Law a household name. He made countless big shots en route to over 18 points per game. Law is technically a point guard due to his size but played more like a two-guard for the Aggies. He needs to improve his playmaking ability at the pro level to crack the Clippers starting five. If Law goes earlier to Atlanta, Crittenton would be the logical pick for Los Angeles.


Raji