Updated at 3:30 p.m. ET Thursday."; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rowAlt = "#EEEEEE"; spt_nba_draft09_mock.appNavStyle = 6; spt_nba_draft09_mock.appLayout = 1; spt_nba_draft09_mock.copyMargin = 3; spt_nba_draft09_mock.copyBorder = 0; spt_nba_draft09_mock.sHedStyle = "color:#003366;font-size:24px;font-family:times;"; spt_nba_draft09_mock.sSubHedStyle = "color:#000000;font-weight:normal;padding-left:160px;text-transform:none;"; spt_nba_draft09_mock.cellBorder = "#FFFFFF"; spt_nba_draft09_mock.sColHedStyle = "background-color:000066;color:#ffffff;"; spt_nba_draft09_mock.aColWidths = new Array(155,140,40,40,40,200); i=0; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows = new Array(); spt_nba_draft09_mock.aColHeaderText = new Array("TEAM","NAME","POS.","HT.","WT.","COLLEGE/COUNTRY"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("1. Clippers","Blake Griffin","PF","6-10","251","Oklahoma"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "This is really the only thing we know at this point. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("2. Grizzlies","Hasheem Thabeet","C","7-3","263","Connecticut"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Thabeet to the Grizz is not a done deal, but it's the second closest thing to a sure bet in this draft. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("3. Thunder","Ricky Rubio","PG","6-4","190","Spain"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "They'll look at James Harden and Stephen Curry, which would fill a need a shooting guard, but the rumors that the Thunder might take Rubio and then trade him to the Knicks for David Lee are just too hard to ignore. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("4. Kings","Tyreke Evans","G","6-6","219","Memphis"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "The Kings are no longer said to have interest in Rubio, meaning they'll be looking at guards Evans, Stephen Curry and Jonny Flynn. Take your pick as to which one they take, but I'll go with Evans for now. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("5. Wolves (from Wizards)","Stephen Curry","SG","6-3","185","Davidson"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Washington traded this pick (and some other stuff) for Randy Foye and Mike Miller, and the Wolves now have some big holes in the backcourt. If they keep the picks, they'll decide who is taken fifth and who is taken sixth, but my guess is that they go with some combo of Curry and James Harden. Just don't be surprised to see them use one of these picks and No. 18 to get into the Top 3 for a chance to draft Rubio."; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("6. Wolves","James Harden","SG","6-5","218","Arizona State "); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "It doesn't look like Curry is going to fall to the Knicks, and Harden, Evans and Rubio shouldn't either. Harden is still a perfect fit in OKC, so there's still a chance they take him and leave Rubio on the board for the Wolves. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("7. Warriors","Jordan Hill","PF","6-10","235","Arizona"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Although point guard makes more sense in my mind, the Warriors are big fans of Hill's. Yes, they already have the future 4 locked up with Anthony Randolph, but Don Nelson likes to do things the unconventional way. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("8. Knicks","Jonny Flynn","PG","5-11","170","Syracuse"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Chris Duhon's second-half collapse is a concern and the Knicks would like to come out of the draft with a point guard. Flynn, Jrue Holiday and Brandon Jennings are all possibilities here, but everyone has Jennings falling out of the lottery, leaving Flynn and Holiday as the two best options. Then again, if the Knicks truly do have a deal in place to trade David Lee for Rubio, they could take a big man like Jordan Hill (if the Warriors pass on him), Earl Clark, DeJuan Blair, or even Tyler Hansbrough here. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("9. Raptors","DeMar DeRozan","SG","6-6","200","USC"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "The Raptors have to find a replacement for Anthony Parker and DeRozan looks like as good a choice as any at No. 9. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("10. Bucks","Jrue Holiday","PG","6-4","185","UCLA"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "The Bucks have Michael Redd, Luke Ridnour and Charlie Bell in their backcourt, but could lose Ramon Sessions to free agency. Their search for a power forward was helped when they landed Amir Johnson on Tuesday, so a point guard should be the target. If not Holiday, then Jonny Flynn or Jennings makes sense. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("11. Nets","Terrence Williams","SF","6-6","225","Louisville"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "With the jury still out on Ryan Anderson and Yi Jianlian, the Nets could take a swing at a forward here, but the latest chatter out of Jersey is that they're looking for guards. Williams has impressed in workouts and has rocketed up the board late. He's not a lock to the Nets, and the rumor of the minute says they are going to take Tyler Hansbrough with the pick. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("12. Bobcats","Gerald Henderson","SG","6-4","215","Duke"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "With Raymond Felton, D.J. Augustin and Raja Bell around, he might not make much noise as a rookie if he plays for Larry Brown. But he really came on in his junior season at Duke and should make for a solid pro. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("13. Pacers","Ty Lawson","PG","5-11","195","North Carolina"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "The Pacers are looking for some strength down low, along with a point guard. Lawson, Eric Maynor and Jeff Teague are all PG possibilities here, but they could easily go big with Tyler Hansbrough (who had great workouts over the last couple weeks), DeJuan Blair or Earl Clark here. I'm going to go with Lawson for now, but would not be at all surprised if Hansbrough is the pick. If Hansbrough falls, the Hawks probably won't let him get past them at 19. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("14. Suns","B.J. Mullens","C","7-0","260","Ohio State"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "The Suns can probably forget about finding Steve Nash's back up after trading Shaquille O'Neal, and with rumors still swirling that Amare Stoudemire is next, Mullens looks like a no-brainer for the Suns. If they don't like Mullens, Earl Clark, Tyler Hansbrough and DeJuan Blair are real possibilities."; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("15. Pistons","Austin Daye","SF","6-10","190","Gonzaga"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Detroit is said to love Daye here, but could also go Earl Clark, DeJuan Blair or Tyler Hansbrough. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("16. Bulls","Earl Clark","SF","6-9","225","Louisville"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "DeJuan Blair's knee concerns could be enough to stop him from being taken this high, while Clark would be a potential steal if he falls out of the lottery. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("17. 76ers","Eric Maynor","PG","6-3","175","VCU"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Andre Miller is as good as gone. Time to plan for the future at point guard. This is a point-guard heavy draft, and Maynor is the best one left. The 76ers would love to see Lawson available here."; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("18. Wolves (from Heat)","Tyler Hansbrough","PF","6-9","250","Arizona"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "The Wolves will take a couple guards early and should go big here. Hansbrough could be a lottery pick, but the Wolves will have trouble passing him if he's still available. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("19. Hawks","Brandon Jennings","PG","6-1","170","Italy"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "I’ve had Jeff Teague here since the beginning, but with the probable slide of Jennings, he could be an absolute steal here. It's possible Tyler Hansbrough could be the guy if he's still around, but, say it with me – the Hawks need a point guard. But when has that ever stopped them from drafting a forward? "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("20. Jazz","DeJuan Blair","PF","6-7","265","Pittsburgh"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Blair's knees are a concern, as he's had multiple ACL issues, but he is said to be healthy. The Pacers seem to like Blair as well, but it’s conceivable he could fall to the Jazz. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("21. Hornets","James Johnson","SF","6-9","245","Wake Forest"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "The shooting guard position was a disaster for the Hornets last season, but all indications are that they're looking for another forward. Johnson has some upside, but I'd rather see them fill a need and draft a shooting guard like Marcus Thornton here. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("22. Blazers (from Mavs)","Omri Casspi","SF","6-8","225","Israel"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "One thing the Mavs are not is \"tough.\" Drafting Casspi would help change that, although he may not even be brought over from Europe for a year or two. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("23. Kings (from Rockets)","Jeff Teague","PG","6-2","180","Wake Forest "); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Teague would be a steal this late and the Kings will likely still be looking for point guard help, as Tyreke Evans is not a lock to be an NBA point guard. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("24. Mavs (from Blazers)","Darren Collison","PG","6-0","170","UCLA"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Collison wasn't in my first mock, but appears to be a lock to be a late-first round pick. If not Collison, Patty Mills could be scooped up here by the Blazers. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("25. Thunder (from Spurs)","Sam Young","SF","6-6","220","Pittsburgh"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "If the Thunder take care of their shooting guard needs (or take Rubio) with their No. 3 pick, another forward makes sense here. They'd prefer to get a power forward, but all the good ones should be gone by this pick. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("26. Bulls (from Nuggets via Thunder)","Wayne Ellington","SG","6-4","200","North Carolina"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Ellington could be a one-dimensional player (shooter/scorer), but would look good in a Bulls uniform. I'm still not sure he won't go higher than this, but I also don't think he'll be picked around the time the Bulls make their first selection. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("27. Grizzlies (from Magic)","DaJuan Summers","SF","6-8","236","Georgetown"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "The Grizzlies will also take a look at Chase Budinger here, but with the recent talk that they may be planning to keep Hakim Warrick after all, Summers might be their guy. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("28. Wolves (Celtics)","Patrick Mills","PG","6-0","180","St. Mary's (Calif.)"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "You may be asking yourself 'Exactly how many point guards can the Wolves draft Thursday?' They've potentially got three picks coming before this one and they should use the final one on the best player available. Although some folks still don't have Mills going in the first round, I like him and think he would be an excellent choice this late. And the Wolves probably can't add too many guards to their roster at this point, after trading Miller and Foye."; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("29. Knicks (via Lakers)","Jack McClinton","SG","6-1","185","Miami (Fla.)"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "The Lakers sold this pick for $3 million and the Knicks are said to want the Eddie House clone. "; spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = new Array("30. Cavs","Chase Budinger","SF","6-7","218","Arizona"); spt_nba_draft09_mock.rows[i++] = "Budinger's future as an NBA player is still somewhat up in the air and he has volleyball to fall back on. But he should be taken late in the first round and we all know the Cavaliers can never have too many shooting guards. "; // END editorial data