Mocking the Mocks

By: Scott Barkett

With all of the mock NBA drafts floating around the interwebs, we were feeling a little left out here at The Bottom Up. See, we do not have any sources or inside information, so it seemed a little above our pay grade to have a running mock over the past couple months. Then I thought about it a little bit more and realized if Sam Amico can make a mock draft while clearly having no real sources, then so can we!

I kid, I kid...we love you, Sammy.

Anyways, here's my hastily compiled mock draft. My method? Look at everyone else's mock drafts and try to deduce where the truth actually is. I'm like Gandhi, but better. Also, I only picked the top 6, since the consensus is that there are six players in consideration for the # 1 pick. Everything after that gets much more murky in a weak draft like this, and I expect there to be plenty of trades. Basically, I have stuff to do today and you heathens need to take these six picks and like them.



The Bottom Up NBA Mock Draft, Version .001a

1. Cleveland Cavaliers- Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

• There is too much Alex Len smoke here for me to believe that there is a fire. Having observed a few Chris Grant drafts, it just seems too easy to believe the way the rumor mill is leaning. Did any of us see Tristan or Dion coming? Last year, everyone thought the Cavs were trading up for Beal or MKG. If we are to believe Chris and Bryon's words after the draft, they really liked Waiters all along. Knowing this and combining it with Grant's fondness of advanced analytics makes for a pretty compelling case that all this Alex Len talk is a baloney sangawich. I like Len, but Noel drank his math milkshake. Then again, maybe Grant knows that I know that he is an extra sneaky GM? Maybe he expects us to expect that these Len rumors are lies?! Maybe he...stress fracture...ignore...happy place... *passes out*

2. Orlando Magic- Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana

• Last year the Magic drafted two bigs in Andrew Nicholson and Kyle O'Quinn. Nicholson had a nice rookie season and can shoot it in the pick and pop game. Their center, Nikola Vucevic also has nice range and was a great acquisition for them. While I do not think they would be opposed to adding a dynamic PF such as Anthony Bennett, I do think shooting guard is a more pressing need for them. But, Scott, they have Aaron Afflalo! Hush that noise, young blood. On every bad team, somebody has to do the scoring. Afflalo has yet to post a 15 PER in his career. This is a rebuild, and the 27 year old Afflalo should be nothing more than a temporary mercenary until a young prospect eclipses him. That prospect should be Victor Oladipo. GM's love this guy, I love this guy, my mom would love this guy. He is wild athletic, a Doberman on defense, and has the kind of work ethic that will thrust him into a locker room leadership role sooner rather than later. 

3. Washington Wizards- Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV

• I am probably getting too cute here. Everyone in the world has Otto Porter slotted to the Wizards with this pick. He fills a need, played his college hoops at Georgetown, and should be able to contribute from day one. Can't knock the hustle. I am a little skeptical of Porter's ceiling, though. In the games I watched him live, I was frustrated by his struggles to create his own shot. Maybe I just saw bad games. Regardless, the Wizards' young core of Wall and Beal (and Jan Veselololololol) makes for a beautiful back court long term. But their front court of Emeka Okafor and Nene seems as if it could use a top young prospect to join the rotation. Bennett is big time, in my opinion. I absolutely love this guy's game. Knowing that Cavs coach Mike Brown really liked him after seeing him play at UNLV makes me think the concerns about Bennett's defense are overblown. Heck, he might even be able to give the Wiz some minutes at SF, too. Is it riskier than Porter? Absolutely. Both would fill a need, although Porter at the SF is the more pressing need. But if I were building the Wiz, I would prefer to pair my young guards with a dynamic front court mate rather than another wing player. Rome wasn't built in a day, kids.

4. Charlotte Bobcats- Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

• The scuttlebutt for this pick has been all over the place, depending on what each mock thinks the Cavs will do at #1. If Len is on the board, many think that will be the Bornets™ pick. Some rumors say GM Rich Cho is higher on Cody Zeller than Len, but I cannot see that unless they trade down a few slots. I hate McLemore's fit here as a prospect and as a person. I think he could benefit much more from a situation with a more defined culture that he can slide into. Charlotte needs more players such as MKG who are capable of setting the right tone in a locker room. I question McLemore's chops in that regard. Naturally, I also imagine Charolotte will jump at him and completely ignore their cultural deficiencies. McLemore certainly fits a skill set need. MKG is not strong a shooter yet, and Kemba Walker would benefit greatly from an upgrade over Gerald Henderson in the back court. I think the need for scoring is going to outweigh Charlotte's front court needs, as will the fact that big men are usually slower to develop and contribute.

5. Phoenix Suns- Alex Len, C, Maryland

• I love Len's fit here. He would slot in as the natural successor to Marcin Gortat and be a nice fit next to Luis Scola when he does get minutes as a rookie. If Oladipo or McLemore are still on the board, then their need at SG is too high to pass on those guys. With them off the board, Len provides the Suns with a high ceiling, skilled big man who has the kind of fundamental foundation that can be built upon. He has clear, projectable NBA skills so his basement is pretty high as well. That stress fractured ankle is a major concern, but if he stays healthy the Suns probably land their C for the next decade here. Picking fifth in a middling draft makes that pretty darn good value.

6. New Orleans Pelicans- Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown

• If Porter slides past the Wizards at #3 and makes it to the Pelicans at #6, I think they jump at him without hesitation. Most of the mocks have one of the top point guards as their pick. If they move Greivis Vasquez on draft night, then I suppose that makes sense. To me, Vasquez is a legit NBA point guard and a nice partner for oft-injured SG Eric Gordon. I am never a fan of trading away a proven, good young player so that you can replace him with a dice roll in the draft. No need to reinvent the wheel, guys. With Anthony Davis and Robin Lopez making for an excellent young front court, I see the Pelicans biggest need as SF. In this mock that I am making up on the fly, the basketball gods reward the Pelicans with the selfless, skilled Porter. His ceiling might not be that high, but he will fit in perfectly on a roster that already has an Alpha Dog in Gordon, and a second in command in Davis.

So, there you have it. My guess at the first six picks in the 2013 NBA Draft. Feel free to throw me a ticker tape parade when they all come up aces tonight.