NBA Mock Draft 2004
Version 1.0
We're halfway home this season and everyone wants to talk about the playoffs.
Playoffs? You want to talk about playoffs?
Sorry, Jim Mora flashback. Anyways...
I'd much rather fast forward past the playoffs to this June and the NBA Draft. Using the present order of finish, we have put together a rough sketch of the names David Stern will be calling up to the podium. As we all know, this will change drastically, but isn't that why it's called a "mock" draft?
Some of the picks that were traded but are 'protected' (Top 3/15/20) will end up changing hands depending on the final standings. Who the Charlotte Bobcats take in the expansion draft -- June 22nd, two days before the rookie draft -- could change their needs as well as any team they take a player from. Plus, the top 3 picks are up for grabs between all 13 teams that miss out on the playoffs.
Enjoy! And be sure to keep a look out for Version 2.0 at the end of the regular season.
1. Orlando Magic - Dwight Howard PF/C (6-11/ 230) Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy (HS)
- If the Magic were one player away from turning their team around, I'd say Okafor would be perfect for them, but this team is far from contending and need to add Howard to the mix. Who better to mentor a young man making the transition from high school to pros than Tracy McGrady? Putting Howard on a team with McGrady, Reece Gaines (last years 1st rd. pick), ZaZa Pachulia, Keith Bogans and Drew Gooden gives Orlando a solid core of (big) players all under 25.
2. Chicago Bulls - Emeka Okafor, PF (6-9, 240) Connecticut
- No one is quite sure what the Bulls will do with their current roster, but after watching their duo of high school kids (Tyson Chandler/Eddy Curry) underperforming it's safe to assume they'll take another proven talent -- last year's #1 was Kansas senior Kirk Hinrich -- rather than gamble on potential. Okafor is a menace on defense and his offensive game keeps getting better. Think Ben Wallace with a nose for the basket.
3. Washington Wizards - Luol Deng, SF (6-8, 200) Duke
- Deng could have come out last year and he would've made the lottery, but a year of seasoning under Coach K makes him a top 5 pick. The Bobcats would love for him to fall to them so they can build around a Dukie, but Deng would be the perfect compliment to Wiz PG Gilbert Arenas. If not Deng, look for one of the big centers to go here.
4. Charlotte Bobcats - Josh Smith, SF (6-9, 210) Oak Hill Academy (HS)
- General Manager/Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff and the rest of the Bobcats will hope and pray Deng is there for them. If he's not they can take a kid from Georgia to build their team around. Smith has a solid inside/out game and is on the verge of having an NBA type body. His versatility will help this franchise get off the ground.
5. Phoenix Suns - Kosta Perovic, C (7-2, 240) Partizan Belgrade (Serbia-Montenegro)
- PG? Check. SG? Check. SF? Check. PF? Check. C? ... C? ... Anyone? This team is in desperate need for a legitimate center and Perovic could be the answer. Most people feel he's better right now than Darko. Not that Milicic is an established player yet, but it means he can step in and contribute to this very young team from the get go.
6. Atlanta Hawks - Pavel Podkolzine, C (7-5, 300) Varese (Italy)
- Anyone could go with this pick. Atlanta's new owners have to decide what -- if anything -- they plan to do with the Hawks. At 7-5, Pavel would be the biggest player in the East and at the very least would provide the Hawks with an inside presence. Even if he hasn't gotten past 'project' status yet, he'll still dwarf most of the conference.
7. Cleveland Cavaliers - Charlie Villanueva, SF (6-11, 230) Connecticut
- I'm overrating Villanueva at this point in the season, but I have no reason to believe he won't make me look like a genius once the dust settles from the NCAA tournament. He would provide match up problems every single night, something that would further help LeBron dominate a game, simply by giving him more options.
8. Miami Heat - Andre Iguodala, SG (6-6, 200) Arizona
- If the Heat can stay in the top 10, they would love to walk away with this specimen from Arizona. Iguodala can play three positions and absolutely soar. Has a great nose for the ball and will always play solid defense. Won't change the Heat's future, but would be a great fit in the 'other' Van Gundy's system.
9. Philadelphia Sixers - Jameer Nelson, PG (6-0, 190) St. Joseph's
- This makes too much sense not to happen. If they don't want to go homegrown, they could take Ben Gordon here. Keeping Nelson in Philly would not only help the team on the court but would be a great PR move. If GM Billy King keeps AI around, Nelson will keep their star happy by putting the rock in his hands.
10. Boston Celtics - Tiago Splitter, PF (6-11, 230) Tau Ceramica (Spain)
- An inside presence is needed no matter what direction Danny Ainge wants to take the team in this week. Sure, Raef LaFrentz will be around next season, but if Splitter can even somewhat resemble fellow Brazilian Nene this will be a bargain for the Celts.
11. Los Angeles Clippers - Ben Gordon, PG (6-2, 190) Connecticut
- The Clips have decisions to make about Quentin Richardson and Marco Jaric, but Gordon would make sense here if both or neither stay in LA. Gordon can hit from anywhere on the floor and has an incredible penetrating ability that allows him to setup teammates for open looks.
12. Golden State Warriors - Ha Seung-Jin, C (7-3, 300) Yongesi (South Korea)
- Dampier is on his way out the door in Oakland, so that makes the Warriors a center-needy club. Ha isn't believed to be as good as Yao, but he has a wider body and is showing a great work ethic during his current training sessions in the states.
13. Phoenix Suns (via New York) - Sebastian Telfair, PG (6-0, 175) Lincoln (HS)
- Who needs Stephon Marbury when you can have his cousin for a fraction of the price? Bassy becomes the first point to jump straight to the pros and could actually go higher than this. The Suns are happy with Leandro Barbosa running the club, but his inconsistencies are enough to bait them into the pick.
14. Portland Trailblazers - Shaun Livingston, PG (6-7, 175) Peoria (HS)
- If Telfair falls this far, look for the Blazers to snatch him up. If not, Livingston's a great second option at the point. At 6-7, his potential to play multiple positions will help him adjust to the NBA game once he puts on some weight. With their additions of Theo Ratliff and Shareef Abdur-Rahim and continued presence of Damon Stoudamire, they don't need their first round pick to make an immediate impact. If Portland feels a need to bring in a more experienced player, they could take Raymond Felton from UNC here and a 'project' player with their other pick later in the round.
15. Seattle Sonics - Hakim Warrick, PF (6-8, 205) Syracuse
- If Brent Barry doesn't come back to Seattle, then they might have to go in a completely different direction here. Even after drafting Collison last season, the Sonics need to know they will have the bodies to compete in the post and Warrick will give them an immediate presence.
16. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Toronto) - Ivan Chiriaev, SF (7-1, 240) St. Thomas Aquinas (HS)
- After taking Villanueva -- a player that can step in immediately -- the Cavs can afford to take a flyer on Chiriaev, who has an incredible ceiling. He draws comparisons to Dirk Nowitski and Mike Dunleavy, Jr. Cleveland will have the steal of the draft if he develops somewhere in the middle of the two.
17. Utah Jazz - Andris Biedrins, PF (6-11, 240) BK Skonto Riga (Latvia)
- With their two first round picks, the Jazz need to bulk up inside. When Curis Borchardt will be the only true center coming back next season, you need to add as many big men as possible to play alongside rising star Andrei Kirilenko so he can stop worrying about pulling down double digit rebounds every night.
18. Detroit Pistons (from Denver via Milwaukee) - Raymond Felton, PG (6-0, 190) North Carolina
- There aren't any gaping holes in the Pistons lineup, so adding Felton will help them with depth in the backcourt. With his outstanding shooting touch and ability to play off the ball, he could end up playing quality minutes filling in for Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton.
19. New Orleans Hornets - Christian Drejer, SF (6-9, 210) Florida
- Former Danish League Player of the Year decided against the NBA Draft in 2002 and then missed most of his freshman year to injury. After a healthy campaign this year, he should be ready to make the jump. Drejer would give the Hornets an insurance policy for Jamal Mashburn, which everyone knows they'll need when he gets hurt again.
20. Denver Nuggets - Kirk Snyder, SG (6-6, 225) Nevada
- This could be a bit early for him, but he's got great size and playing next to 'Melo could turn him into a scoring machine. The Nugges could go a bit bigger here if they know they'll be without Rodney White and/or Marcus Camby.
21. Utah Jazz (via Houston) - Kris Humphries, PF (6-8, 240) Minnesota
- The Jazz will happily call it a day if they can walk away with Andris Biedrins and Humphries with their two first round picks. Though it might be a stretch that Humprhies lasts this long. Jerry Sloan would love his knack for finding the basket (22 ppg) and ball (10 rpg).
22. Portland Trailblazers (via Memphis) - Al Jefferson, PF (6-9, 260) Prentiss (HS)
- General Manager John Nash and owner Paul Allen are reshaping the face of the franchise and can continue to do so with two high school kids. After taking Shaun Livingston earlier as their point guard of the future, they can add a young stud in the post. Jefferson has a chance to be just as good -- if not better -- than Zach Randolph.
23. New Jersey Nets - Wayne Simien, PF (6-9, 250) Kansas
- The Nets already need more power inside. If they can't keep Kenyon Martin then they'll have none. Simien would be a perfect fit for this team. He's polished enough to step right in and contribute. A solid run in the NCAA's could help him move into the top 15.
24. Detroit Pistons - Josh Childress, SF (6-8, 200) Stanford
- Could stay at school for his senior year, but is ready for the pro game now. Pistons would love to mold Childress into their first guard/forward off the bench. He has nice range on the offensive side and can thrive on defense under Larry Brown.
25. Los Angeles Lakers - LaMarcus Aldridge, PF (6-11, 225) Seagoville (HS)
- No one knows who will still be a Laker next season. Both Malone and Payton can opt out of their contracts and we already know Kobe is going to be shopping for a new team. So it's impossible to correctly guess where they'll go with their first round pick. No matter who stays/goes, Los Angeles has to start thinking about getting a hold of a young player for Shaq to mentor. Who better than a big high school kid? His main issue, if he decides to enter the draft, will be putting on more weight.
26. Boston Celtics (via Dallas) - Anderson Varejao, PF (6-10, 230) FC Barcelona (Spain)
- If they can pick up Tiago Splitter with their first pick, then they could very well go for a scorer here. Varejao can play either forward position and at 21, he's mature enough to help in the near future.
27. San Antonio Spurs - Predrag Samardziski, PF/C (6-11, 245) Partizan Belgrade (Serbia-Montenegro)
- The Spurs are another team that could go in many different directions. If he's still on the board, Samardziski would be the best available talent. Although he wouldn't be able to step in for a while, at 18 years old (at the time of the draft) he has plenty of time to develop under Tim Duncan.
28. Indiana Pacers - Chris Thomas, PG (6-1, 200) Notre Dame
- The point is still a problem for the Pacers and Chris Thomas -- as the best available PG -- can help ease the burden. If he does decide to enter the draft, he has to show that he can improve his shooting (38% FG/32% 3P).
29. Sacremento Kings - Jackie Butler, PF/C (6-10, 240) Coastal Christian (HS)
- Butler has already said he intends on entering the draft instead of honoring his commitment to Tennessee. A lot of it has to do with a recruiting scandal at Auburn that he is at the center of. He'll have to excel at the pre-draft camps to earn a first round slot, but the Kings can certainly afford to take a chance on him.
*The Minnesota Timberwolves forfeit their 2004 first round pick*
:: Ryan 12:27 AM
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NFL Season in Review
Last Week: 1-0 (1-0 o/u)
Season: 140-115-10 (145-119-3)
Around this time of year is when everyone this side of ESPN is claiming they predicted a Pats/Cats Super Bowl during training camp. I'm happy to say I was twenty five games over .500 for the season (even better with the over/under), but unfortunately my pre-season picks weren't quite as accurate. Here is a look at my predicted division, individual award and super bowl winners compared to what actually happened.
AFC
East
Predicted: Miami Dolphins
Actual: New England Patriots
-C'mon, one of these years the Dolphins have to learn how to play in December. I'll probably pick them next year too, figuring they're due. As for the Pats, I wasn't sold on them until halfway through the season. Shows how smart I am.
North
Predicted: Pittsburgh Steelers
Actual: Baltimore Ravens
- The Ravens looked to be one year away -- even in that division -- but ended up being the strongest team by far. The Steelers were one of the biggest tanks of the season.
South
Predicted: Tennessee Titans
Actual: Indianapolis Colts
- I was a tie-breaker away from having this one right. I picked both to make the playoffs, which was accurate. One MVP (Manning) had a bit more to work with than the other (McNair).
West
Predicted: Kansas City Chiefs
Actual: Kansas City Chiefs
- One out of four isn't horrible. Hell, if I was in the major leagues I'd be making a couple million dollars as a .250 hitter. Anyways. Dick Vermeil built one hell of a team, but in the end the defense was just too damn weak. Look for the same pick here next season.
Wild Cards
Predicted: Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos
Actual: Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos
- Hey, they both made it into the playoffs, just had the Colts and Titans flip-flopped. Don't expect the Broncos to be back if Portis decides to stage a Duce Staley-like holdout.
NFC
East
Predicted: Philadelphia Eagles
Actual: Philadelphia Eagles
- I'm happy to say I was one of the few people in the country that didn't jump off this bandwagon as the wheels were starting to come off. Of course if Brian Westbrook doesn't take a punt back 84 yards against the Giants in week 7 then who knows where they would've ended up. Desperate need for a receiver (or two) was exposed in the playoffs.
North
Predicted: Green Bay Packers
Actual: Green Bay Packers
- I still can't believe the Pack won this division. Or actually, I can't believe the Vikings
lost it. Thank you, Josh McCown. Who knew?
South
Predicted: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Actual: Carolina Panthers
- Be honest here. You didn't think the Panthers would beat the Bucs out either.
West
Predicted: St. Louis Rams
Actual: St. Louis Rams
- Three out of four ain't bad.
Wild Cards
Predicted: New York Giants, New Orleans Saints
Actual: Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks
- 0 for 2 is pretty poor. The Giants share the worst tank of the year award with the Steelers and the Saints could've been invited to the dance if they didn't lose to the Bucs and the Jags down the stretch.
AFC Champion
Predicted: Tennessee Titans
Actual: New England Patriots
- The Titans -- as they're accustomed to doing -- fell one play short.
NFC Champion
Predicted: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Actual: Carolina Panthers
- I know. Way off base.
Super Bowl Champion
Predicted: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Actual: New England Patriots
- Much more important than my horrible pick is that we ended up seeing one of the best Super Bowls ever (Janet Jackson's breast notwithstanding). I'll take that trade off any year.
Individual Awards
Coach of the Year
Predicted: Dick Vermeil
Actual: Bill Belichick
- Hard to argue with the selection of Belichick. Vermeil lived up to his end, but I would've given it to Marvin Lewis.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Predicted: Kyle Boller
Actual: Anquan Boldin
- If you want to try and say you predicted the Super Bowl matchup early on, okay I'll let you slide. But don't you dare say you knew Anquan Boldin would catch 100 passes.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Predicted: Terence Newman
Actual: Terrell Suggs
- Suggs had a great year, but Newman has a chance to be a shutdown corner in this league.
Offensive Player of the Year
Predicted: LaDainian Tomlinson
Actual: Jamal Lewis
- LT's great season (17 total TDs) got overshadowed by the Chargers horrible season and Jamal Lewis chasing the all-time rushing record.
Defensive Player of the Year
Predicted: Ray Lewis
Actual: Ray Lewis
- If it's even possible, he seems to be getting better. Lewis is in on almost every single stop. Amazing.
League MVP
Predicted: Ray Lewis
Actual: Peyton Manning/Steve McNair
- I could make an argument for Ray Lewis, but Manning and McNair were both deserving of the award. All three will fight for the award again next season. Mark it down.
Coming Soon:
NBA Mock Draft: Version 1.0
MLB 2004 Season Preview
:: Ryan 8:14 PM
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