PistonPowered Mock Draft Part Deux: Pistons end up with Bismack Biyombo and two players they can stash overseas

Last week’s mock draft was formatted to basically be my audition tape to NBA teams, letting them know I’m ready for a job in their scouting department. This time around, I’ll try and be a little more scientific, giving my best guesses at who we think each team is going to take based on the sea of information that’s out there and using, you know, actual logic and research this time.

This time, second round picks are after the jump after complaints from commenters nuetes and RandomGuy313, who both apparently hate to scroll down. Don’t say I’m not responsive to readers.

Also, now that draft day is here, let’s finally put to rest the notion that this is some sort of historically weak draft. It’s a draft that doesn’t have much star power, but there are plenty of guys who project to be very solid NBA players. Check out this tweet from Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey:

Our rankings have 22 1st round quality players in the draft. Normal range is 15-19.

Here are the latest mock drafts by Chad Ford, DraftExpress, NBADraft.net and Hoops Report. Dave Hogg of Fox Sports Detroit, Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press and Justin Rogers and Steve Kays at MLive also weighed in with their mocks today (although none of them were man enough to attempt to pick the second round as well as the first … step it up guys). Coverage of the draft starts at 7 p.m. tonight on ESPN. So, no more setup needed. Let’s dig in.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers – Kyrie Irving

The Cavs did their best to try and suggest they might take Derrick Williams over Irving. No one is buying it. Irving has been the guy since day one. The only concern was that he didn’t play a full season for Duke due to injury. But when he was healthy, he was the best player in college basketball and he has the most upside of any player in this draft.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves – Derrick Williams

As hilariously inept as every move David Kahn makes seems to be (the latest was firing his coach the night before the draft), whoever gets this job is going to inherit a pretty intriguing roster. That is, if the T-Wolves stop leaking fake trade rumors and simply do the right thing, which is pick Williams to be their third building block player, along with Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love.

3. Utah Jazz – Brandon Knight

I don’t think this is the right pick for Utah, and I explained why in the previous mock draft. Knight’s size and ability to play point guard might make him an intriguing prospect for a team that would like a long-term solution at the position, but I just don’t think Knight, though talented, is good enough to pass Jonas Valuncianas or Enes Kanter for. Still though, group think wins out, and virtually everyone who covers the draft has had Knight locked into this spot for weeks.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers – Enes Kanter

I think Valuncianas is a better player and prospect than Kanter, who has always looked a little slow-footed to me in the few clips of him actually playing basketball that exist out there. I trust that he’s talented. John Calipari doesn’t recruit players who aren’t talented. I think the active Valuncianas would be another energetic addition to an active frontcourt that includes J.J. Hickson and Anderson Varejao. Instead, Hickson and Varejao will make up for the presence less athletic Kanter, but he might turn into the back-to-the-basket presence they need.

5. Toronto Raptors – Kawhi Leonard

May have pegged Kemba Walker at this spot simply because there’s an assumption Bryan Colangelo, for once, might be staying away from foreign players in this draft. Walker doesn’t make much sense to me, though. They’d like a replacement for Jose Calderon, but Calderon is still serviceable offensively. Instead, they could take an athlete like Leonard, who several teams are coveting and trying to trade up for reportedly, and have a really active forward tandem with Leonard and Amir Johnson.

6. Washington Wizards – Jan Vesely

Grantland’s staff hilariously described both Vesely’s ceiling and cellar as Anthony Randolph. Unlike most Euro perimeter players, Vesely isn’t a particularly elite shooter, but his size and athleticism would make him a nice fit in the Washington lineup. He reportedly isn’t the strongest ball-handler yet, but John Wall should take care of that, creating shots for Vesely so he doesn’t have to do it himself.

7. Sacramento Kings – Klay Thompson

I really believe Thompson is going to be the surprising riser in this draft. He’s a shooting guard, but he’s big enough to play minutes at small forward as well, and he’s one of the better perimeter shooters in the draft. If the Spurs are reportedly trying to secure a lottery pick to take Thompson, then I trust that he’ll turn into a pretty good player. The Kings seem to be focused on taking a perimeter player. Kawhi Leonard is off my board, Kemba Walker is redundant to what they already have and Jimmer Fredette isn’t as big as Thompson.

8. Detroit Pistons – Bismack Biyombo

Yeesh, I really can’t imagine what the Pistons will do if they get to this pick and Valuncianas, Bismack Biyombo, Kemba Walker and Tristan Thompson are all still available. They’ve been linked to all of them and reportedly like all of them. I picked Walker in my previous mock because I love Kemba (hey … if people can support a coaching candidate simply because he’s so tough and leadery, why can’t I support drafting a player for that same reason?) and also because he seems like the kind of underdog-fight-for-everything type of guard that Joe Dumars likes. But I no longer believe they’ll take Kemba. I think the right pick would be Valuncianas. I think the wrong pick would be Thompson. So, unless they trade down (not a bad idea, honestly), I think Biyombo is the guy.

9. Charlotte Bobcats – Jonas Valuncianas

Rich Cho was hired in Charlotte to be the guy who is unafraid to be a yes man to Michael Jordan. MJ has had a tendency to hire his friends for key basketball ops positions, and I would be that those friends tend to think about things in the same ways that MJ does. Cho is an analytical guy, and I would bet if Valuncianas, undoubtedly one of the top three players in this draft, falls this far because of his buyout situation, Cho will make the case to take him here.

10. Milwaukee Bucks – Alec Burks

The Bucks have been focused on the shooting guard spot as most every draft analyst has Thompson or Burks going in this spot. Thompson is off my board, so we’ll go with Burks, although I think the Bucks would be wise to look at either Marcus Morris or Chris Singleton here. Depending on how serious they are about moving Brandon Jennings, they could also consider Kemba Walker at this spot.

11. Golden State Warriors – Marcus Morris

The Warriors have been shopping Monta Ellis hard and new coach Mark Jackson would like the team to be more defensive-minded. Those two things have led many to believe the Warriors would look for bigger shooting guards like Thompson and Burks in the draft. Unfortunately, those guys are off the board here. Morris does fill another need though, frontcourt depth. Anyone whose presence can take minutes from Andris Biedrins is a good thing for the Warriors.

12. Utah Jazz – Chris Singleton

The Jazz could lose free agent defender Andrei Kirilenko to free agency (finally … it seems like that dude signed a 15-year contract). AK was overpaid, but he was also versatile enough to defend multiple positions and bother players with his length. Singleton might not be quite the shot blocker AK was in his better days, but he’s arguably the best perimeter defender in this draft and at 6-foot-9, has good lenth himself.

13. Phoenix Suns – Tristan Thompson

Thompson has definite weaknesses — he’s a bit undersized and he’s really raw offensively. But the Suns could really use more athleticism in their frontcourt and Thompson is a good finisher. If the Suns really are serious that they are not shopping Steve Nash, Nash will find a use for a player who can run the floor like Thompson. If they are seriously shopping Nash, maybe they’d take Kemba Walker here.

14. Houston Rockets – Kenneth Faried

Reports indicate the Rockets would desperately like to move up higher into the lottery to have a shot at one of the bigger names in the draft. Morey’s tweet that I linked to in the intro, however, indicates that the team is confident it can find a solid player at this spot as well. Faried is the best rebounder in this draft, a stat that usually translates well from college to pro, and he’s a favorite player of stats-based bloggers everywhere. Morey is also the favorite GM of stats-based bloggers everywhere. This is a match made in heaven.

15. Indiana Pacers – Jimmer Fredette

Chad Ford has the Pacers picking Jimmer if they stay here. It seems like a totally Pacers thing to do. But they could actually use help at the shooting guard spot. They have been shopping Brandon Rush and Mike Dunleavy is a free agent. I don’t think Fredette is destined to be a starter in the NBA, but I think he’ll be a really solid rotation player and his shooting will fit well in Indiana’s lineup.

16. Philadelphia 76ers – Marshon Brooks

It’s no secret the Sixers are shopping Andre Iguodala at this point. They have a guy on the roster in Thad Young who needs more minutes. They could slide him into some of Iggy’s minutes and take a shooting guard like Brooks, who is big and strong and known for his scoring. But the best part about Brooks is his defense. He averaged over one blocked shot per game as a perimeter player. Doug Collins will like that.

17. New York Knicks – Kemba Walker

It hurts me to drop Walker this low. I don’t think there are 16 players better than him in this draft. But the problem is, if he drops past Detroit, and if Utah uses the third pick on Knight meaning they won’t be looking for a PG with the 12th pick, Knight could free fall because there aren’t many teams after those spots looking for PG help. The Knicks would love to draft him. He’s already a star, and they have Chauncey Billups back for at least one more season to start while Walker spells him off the bench.

18. Washington Wizards – Markieff Morris

Marcus Morris was viewed as the more polished and NBA-ready prospect of the Morris twins. Markieff, however, has impressed teams in workouts and might be viewed as the one with more upside. Detroit loved Markieff when he worked out with the Pistons, for example. Washington got small forward help by taking Vesely earlier and Morris will help bolster their frontcourt, particularly if they decide to move Andray Blatche.

19. Charlotte Bobcats – Jordan Hamilton

I have the Bobcats getting Valuncianas earlier, a player who might not help them this season. Hamilton, on the other hand, should contribute to their lineup pretty quickly. Some scouts think he’s the best wing scorer in this draft. Charlotte traded small forward Gerald Wallace last season for this pick, and Hamilton might be a guy who is able to replace Wallace at that position for them.

20. Minnesota Timberwolves – Nikola Vucevic

I think the rumors that the T-Wolves are thinking of taking Enes Kanter second overall instead of Derrick Williams are just lies. And if true, they’d be crazy to do it, partially because they can get an impact player like Williams early and then possibly add a really solid big at this spot in Vucevic. Vucevic was underrated because his college team wasn’t all that good, but he’s big, strong, a decent rebounder and he’s someone who at one time was considered a mid-second round prospect who has become a first round lock because of great workouts and combine performances.

21. Portland Trail Blazers – Reggie Jackson

Point guards like Iman Shumpert and Darius Morris have also been discussed here. Those guys are fine prospects, but I think Jackson is a much better prospect who might be undervalued some because an injury kept him out of the combine. If the Blazers are looking for a point guard, Jackson is the best of the bunch.

22. Denver Nuggets – Iman Shumpert

Four mocks (DE, NBADraft, Chad Ford and Hoops Report) have the Nuggets taking Tobias Harris here. His versatility would fit well with Denver’s roster full of versatile, fun-to-watch players. But the team might also need backup point guard help because it seems likely at some point, the Nuggets will trade Raymond Felton. Shumpert needs some refining of his skills as a PG, but he’s a great defensive player and a good athlete who could learn from two smart PGs in Felton and Ty Lawson.

23. Houston Rockets – Donatas Motiejunas

Motiejunas was a lock for the lottery last season before he pulled out of the draft. Scouts told him to work on getting bigger and stronger. He did get bigger and stronger. That also made him get a bit slower. Thanks a lot, scouts. His stock has fallen this year, but he’s still really young and talented and it’s hard to see Houston passing up a guy here who was considered a lottery talent in a draft that had more talent at the top last year than this year’s does.

24. Oklahoma City Thunder – Tobias Harris

Harris falling this far would be a great gift to OKC. Harris can play either forward spot, he’s smart and he’d be a nice option for some offense off the bench if the team needed to spell Kevin Durant for a few minutes. He’d also allow the Thunder to go small at times, play fast and fill the floor with potent offensive options.

25. Boston Celtics – Jimmy Butler

I’m assuming most of you read this amazing profile on Butler by Chad Ford. If not, take a few minutes. It’s one of the best things I’ve read in a while. That, combined with the fact that Butler is a hard-nosed, tough defensive player and decent scorer makes me hope he’ll last until the second round when the Pistons pick. He won’t. He’s exactly the kind of mentally tough, young wing player the Celtics could’ve used over the last two years or so in the playoffs.

26. Dallas Mavericks – Darius Morris

Most outlets have Morris falling to the second round. I don’t buy it. He’s a big, young point guard who in one college season improved from not even a starter on a terrible team to best player on a surprise NCAA Tourney team. I can’t think of a better situation for Morris, sitting behind a PG like Jason Kidd, getting better in practice and possibly giving the Mavs a PG of the future when Kidd decides to retire.

27. New Jersey Nets – Chandler Parsons

The Nets didn’t really get much out of last year’s “prize” free agent acquisition, small forward Travis Outlaw. Parsons is a smo0th-shooting small forward who, at 6-foot-10, has great size for the position. He was a decent rebounder in college for a perimeter player and, along with Anthony Morrow, would give the Nets two nice floor-stretching players for Deron Williams.

28. Chicago Bulls – Justin Harper

Harper, much like Parsons, is a tall yet slender forward with a nice shooting touch. The Bulls are obviously still going to be one of the best defensive teams in the league again next season, but they need more offensive firepower to compete with a team like Miami in the East. Harper would be a tough matchup off the bench because of his height and, along with Kyle Korver, should make it harder for teams to cheat off of their men to clog the lane on Derrick Rose.

29. San Antonio Spurs – Charles Jenkins

The Spurs are reportedly shopping both of their point guards, Tony Parker and George Hill. I don’t think they’ll trade both of them, but even if they trade just one, they could use a backup PG. Jenkins is exactly the kind of player the Spurs find in the draft. He’s an unknown because he played at a small school, but his shooting efficiency was amazing (50 percent overall/over 40 percent from 3) for a guard, especially considering he was the focal point of Hofstra’s offense, always facing multiple defenders.

30. Chicago Bulls – Tyler Honeycutt

The lesson Eastern Conference teams should learn after playing Miami: you can never have too many long, athletic defenders to throw at Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. The Mavs were able to beat Miami in the Finals primarily because they had a parade of active perimeter guys who were always fresh going at James and Wade. Honeycutt will need to get stronger, but he was extremely versatile for UCLA, a good passer and a long-armed defensive player.

(Second round after the jump) Continue reading →