Insider Mock 2 - can someone please post

I posted a few days about under the Subject Insiders new Top 25

Insider's Mock Draft II


With annual NBA trade rumor and second-round draft pick convention in Chicago finally over, it's time to revisit the mock draft.

Mike Dunleavy is still the wild card that throws a severe wrench in everything. If the Rockets continue to experience trouble with Yao, Dunleavy understands that there's a good likelihood that he could be the No. 1 pick in the draft. That's something that's impossible next year thanks to LeBron James.

I talked to Dunleavy on Saturday and it was pretty clear that the chance that he could be the No. 1 overall pick and the risk of injury were what were pushing him to declare.

James suffered his broken wrist after we talked, but you have to believe that the incident will have an impact. There are no guarantees in basketball.

"I know everything can change tomorrow," Dunleavy said. "An injury, a disappointing season and my stock plummets. You can't help but think about it . . ."

Here's our second mock draft, although to quote Dunleavy, everything can change tomorrow.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers
Insider's Pick: Drew Gooden, F, Kansas
No. 2: Chris Wilcox, F, Maryland
Sleeper Pick: Maybyner "Nene" Hilario, F, Brazil
The Skinny: Gooden may be going higher, but if he's around here the Cavs will likely bite. He may not be the most athletic prospect in the draft, but he's very polished, has shown great strides every year, is very versatile and, most importantly, can help the Cavs out right now. Wilcox will also get a look here, but Wilcox may be a little raw for the Cavs' purposes. The Cavs have also been keeping close tabs on Nene, but you wonder, with DeSagana Diop already in the fold, whether they really need another raw international big man. If GM Jim Paxson is going to save his job in Cleveland, he can't wait around for another long-range prospect to develop.

7. New York Knicks
Insider's Pick: Chris Wilcox, F, Maryland
No. 2: Curtis Borchardt, C, Stanford
Sleeper Pick: Dajuan Wagner, G, Memphis
The Skinny: Knicks president Scott Layden wants Yao, but he doesn't have enough assets to work out a trade. Wilcox, if he's available here, would give the Knicks a young, strong and explosive power forward they've been looking for. Lots of folks have Borchardt projected here just because he's a big man. The problem is that the Knicks still believe in Marcus Camby as a center. There are a lot of rumors about Wagner and the Knicks floating around New York, but they're mostly hype. Unless Layden can find a way to move Charlie Ward or Mark Jackson, he just can't afford to put another guard on the roster.

8. Los Angeles Clippers (from Atlanta)
Insider's Pick: Maybyner "Nene" Hilario, F/C, Brazil
No. 2: Curtis Borchardt, C, Stanford
Sleeper Pick: Qyntel Woods, F, Northeast Mississippi CC
The Skinny: If the Clippers keep this pick, then expect them to shore up the middle and draft either Borchardt or Hilario as insurance in case Michael Olowokandi decides to bolt. The fact that teams are beginning to project Hilario as a center could make him a smart pick for L.A. However, the Clippers have been working the phones trying to move their picks and several teams are interested. The Blazers are trying to sneak into the top 10 so they can select a big man (either Nene or Amare Stoudemire). But perhaps the biggest story is the Lakers last minute attempt to get into the mid to late lottery. Insider exclusively reported that the Lakers have their eye on Qyntel Woods and have scheduled a secret workout with him in New York this week.

9. Phoenix Suns
Insider's Pick: Nikoloz Tskitishvili, F, Georgia
No. 2: Maybyner "Nene" Hilario, F, Brazil
Sleeper Pick: Amare Stoudemire, F, HS Senior
The Skinny: The Suns love Wilcox and may be willing to trade up to get him. If they can't they'll have a tough decision among three raw fours. Tskitishvili is the most fundamentally sound and the most versatile. But, he'll have to add another 30 pounds to his frame to be effective in the low post. If Hilario is around, he'd be hard to pass up. Nene already has the NBA body, but doesn't have much of an offensive game. Still, the Suns could use his shot blocking a rebounding. No one is sure exactly what you'll get with Stoudemire. He too has an NBA body and plays with a lot of determination. But he is very raw on both ends of the court -- no one is sure exactly what he can do besides dunk. Still several teams told Insider that with the proper coaching (Stoudemire bounced around a lot in high school) he could be the best power forward in the draft.

10. Miami Heat
Insider's Pick: Jared Jeffries, F, Indiana
No. 2: Nikoloz Tskitishvili, F, Georgia
Sleeper Pick: Qyntel Woods, F, Northeast Mississippi CC
The Skinny: Pat Riley has pined for a tall small forward in the mold of Lamar Odom for the last few years. There really isn't a player in this draft who fits the description exactly. He'd love to get his hands on Butler, but he'll like have to part with Eddie Jones to do it (see above). Jeffries may be the closest, but doesn't have the athleticism that Odom does. Considering he was recruited by Bob Knight, however, means he must have the discipline that Riley covets. Tskitishvili has the versatility of Odom, but doesn't play defense -- a big, big no-no for Riley. It's doubtful he'll be around here anyway. Woods is the athlete Riley has searched for, but his off-the-court issues will likely scare the Heat away.

16. Philadelphia 76ers
Insider's Pick: Dan Dickau, G, Gonzaga
No. 2: Marcus Haislip, F, Tennessee
Sleeper Pick: Melvin Ely, F, Fresno State
The Skinny: Multiple league sources continue to insist that the Warriors have acquired a mid-first round pick and all signs point toward it being the 76ers'. We won't know until draft night, (league rules prohibit the Sixers from dealing this pick to the Warriors before the draft because they already owe a pick to Boston), but if Golden State does get a hold of this, they'll grab a point guard. Dickau and Illinois' Frank Williams are in the running. Williams has already worked out for the team alongside Jay Williams. Dickau will be in this week. If the Sixers do keep the pick, expect them to add more size. Haislip and Ely will be the best power players still on the board.

17. Charlotte Hornets
Insider's Pick: Jiri Welsch, G, Czechoslovakia
No. 2: Melvin Ely, F/C, Fresno State
Sleeper Pick: Marcus Haislip, F, Tennessee
The Skinny: The team struggled when Baron Davis was out. Welsch is getting rave reviews and his ability to play three positions is appealing. He's tough, has a great outside jumper and can relieve both Davis and David Wesley in the backcourt. The team could also use more frontcourt help. Ely and Haislip are the best big men still left on the board.

18. Orlando Magic
Insider's Pick: Melvin Ely, F/C Fresno State
No. 2: Marcus Haislip, F, Tennessee
Sleeper Pick: Frank Williams, G, Illinois
The Skinny: The Magic were really impressed with Stoudemire and may try to trade up a few slots to get him. If he's gone, Ely and Haislip are the closest things to him. Ely is a more polished low-post player and could help the Magic at both the four and the five. Haislip is more athletic, but he's much more raw. Williams would give them a bigger, defensive-minded point guard to help out Darrell Armstrong. Of course, the Magic thought they drafted that guard last season when they grabbed Jeryl Sasser. If the Magic are serious about winning next year, Ely, one of the few seniors in the draft, might be the best choice.

19. Utah Jazz
Insider's Pick: Jason Jennings, C, Arkansas State
No. 2: Marcus Haislip, F, Tennessee
Sleeper Pick: Casey Jacobsen, G, Stanford
The Skinny: Go ahead, start screaming Jazz fans. He didn't play particularly well in Chicago, but two different sources at the camp told Insider that the Jazz were leaning hard toward Jennings. A private workout later this week should solve the issue. Clearly neither Greg Ostertag nor John Amaechi is the answer in the middle, but the 7-foot-1 Jennings may only be marginally better. They also need to start thinking about replacing Karl Malone. If Haislip falls this far, he might be too good to pass up. He's raw and still doesn't have a position, but he's also the strongest player in the draft, can jump out of the gym and could give the Jazz a new look once Stockton and Malone head out to pasture. Jacobsen is a long shot here, but he's probably the best shooter in the draft and the Jazz still miss Jeff Hornacek.

20. Toronto Raptors (from Seattle)
Insider's Pick: Mladen Sekularac, G, Yugoslavia
No. 2: Frank Williams, G, Illinois
Sleeper Pick: Jiri Welsch, G, Czechoslovakia
The Skinny: They signed Alvin Williams to a long-term deal last summer, but clearly he isn't the answer at point guard. They need a floor leader and Dickau could be a slam dunk here if he is still around. If Welsch were to fall this far, he'd be hard to pass on. Williams is another possibility, but the early word is that they aren't impressed. They also need to fill the void left by Chris Childs and Dell Curry. Sekularac is a scorer who could give Vince Carter a blow or two during the season.

26. San Antonio Spurs
Insider's Pick: Zaur Pachulia, F, Georgia
No. 2: Lazarous Papadopolous, F/C, Greece
Sleeper Pick: David Andersen, F, Australia
The Skinny: The Spurs are another team that would be willing to take a chance on Gadzuric, but he probably won't last that long. Instead, they'll continue to mine Europe, this time for a big man. This may be a bit high for Papadopolous, but he impressed the Spurs' brass when he dominated Andersen in the Euroleague Finals. Papadopolous is still a big project, but so are most of the players still left on the board. They'll also take a long look at Andersen here. He's more polished than Papadopolous and could play in the NBA right away. To make things sweeter, Andersen is a teammate of Emmanuel Ginobili, the Argentinean shooting guard the team wants to bring over to the NBA this season. But in the end, if Pachulia is still in the draft, he has the raw upside to really be special. The Spurs can keep him overseas for another year and then use him for insurance should Duncan bail.

27. Los Angeles Lakers
Insider's Pick: Tayshaun Prince, F, Kentucky
No. 2: Chris Jefferies, F, Fresno State
Sleeper Pick: Casey Jacobsen, G, Stanford
The Skinny: Free agency could hit the Lakers hard this summer. The team is especially anxious about the possibility of losing small forward Devean George. If they can't get their hooks in Woods, Prince may be a nice consolation prize. He shoots and handles the ball well and should be a great fit in the triangle offense. Jefferies is the type of athletic scorer who would go higher had he played for a different program. The Lakers love to capitalize on those type of guys. The Lakers love Jacobsen's shooting range and could use someone to stretch defenses. Still, there may be enough questions about his athleticism and defense to keep him out of the first round.

28. Sacramento Kings
Insider's Pick: Nenad Kristic, C, Yugoslavia
No. 2: Zaur Pachulia, F, Georgia
Sleeper Pick: Carlos Boozer, F, Duke
The Skinny: The Kings can go any direction here. They're still kicking themselves that they let Jerome James slip through their fingers. Don't be surprised if they take a chance on Kristic. While few people know him in the U.S., he plays for a team that Vlade Divac owns in Yugoslavia. One scout described him as the best young true center in Europe. He's Vlade's best player and you can bet that he's sold the Kings on Krisitc as an eventual replacement once he retires.


Other players on the first-round bubble: Carlos Boozer, F, Duke; Freddie Jones, G, Oregon; David Andersen, F, Australia; Dan Gadzuric, C, UCLA; Sam Clancy, F, USC; Chris Jefferies, F, Fresno State; Juan Dixon, G, Maryland; Casey Jacobsen, G, Stanford; Rod Grizzard, F, Alabama; Roger Mason Jr., G, Virginia; Lubos Barton, F, Valpo; Ryan Humphrey, F, Notre Dame;Ronald Murray, G, Shaw; Lazarous Papadopolous, F/C, Greece; Fatih Solak, C, Turkey; Luis Scola, F, Argentina; Predrag Savovic, F, Hawaii; Steve Logan, G, Cincinnati; Matt Barnes, F, UCLA; Kei Madison, F, Okaloosa-Walton (Fla.) CC.; Jamal Sampson, F, Cal; Smush Parker, G, Fordham; Marcus Taylor, G, Michigan St.; Darius Songaila, F, Wake Forest; Vincent Yarbrough, F, Tennessee; Lenny Cooke, G, HS Senior; DeAngelo Collins, F, HS Senior; Aaron McGhee, F, Oklahoma; Randy Holcomb, F, San Diego St.; John Salmons, G, Mia mi; Lee Benson, F, Brown Mackey College (Kan.)