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Chad Ford's Mock Draft, Version 1.1: Picks 1-30
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

The lottery results are in and the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics are the big winners this year. That means it's time for our first full mock draft of 2007.

At this point very little is set in stone. Expect this mock draft to fluctuate greatly over the course of the next five weeks.

The process of team workouts has just started. Over the next few weeks, the Orlando NBA predraft camp, the Reebok Eurocamp and hundreds of team workouts will dramatically alter the face of the draft.

But for now, here's our best stab, after talking to numerous NBA team sources, at how the draft might play out in June.

CHAD FORD'S MOCK DRAFT
1 Portland


Greg Oden
Position: C
Height: 7-0
Weight: 245
Age: 19
School: Ohio State

The skinny: Jackpot! The Blazers are a good fit for Oden. With Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy, the Blazers have an extraordinary young core and will be a playoff contender next year.

Durant may be a better fit, and GM Kevin Pritchard told me he's keeping his options open, but at this point I think Oden is just too good to pass up here.

2 Seattle


Kevin Durant
Position: SF
Height: 6-10
Weight: 190
Age: 18
School: Texas

The skinny: Durant should give the Sonics the ability to let Rashard Lewis walk when he hits free agency this summer.

But will Durant's presence save basketball in Seattle? He should draw the fans, but given all of the Sonics' weaknesses (defense, post play), will his presence translate into wins right away?

3 Atlanta


Mike Conley
Position: PG
Height: 6-0
Weight: 170
Age: 19
School: Ohio State

The skinny: The team may be devastated that they didn't get Greg Oden, but they score his teammate for the last six years, Conley.

After passing on Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Rajon Rondo in the last two drafts, it's time to take a point guard, right?

4 Memphis


Corey Brewer
Position: SG
Height: 6-8
Weight: 185
Age: 21
School: Florida

The skinny: While the lottery appears to have turned out disastrously for Memphis, Brewer does give them a long, athletic defender and scorer in the backcourt.

5 Boston


Yi Jianlian
Position: PF
Height: 7-0
Weight: 246
Age: 19
Country: China

The skinny: This is the worst-case scenario for the Celtics. With no chance to get either Oden or Durant in the fold, the Celtics seem further away from a title than ever.

Yi is a good fit in Boston, given his size and ability to score. But is he enough to save Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers?

6 Milwaukee


Al Horford
Position: PF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 235
Age: 20
School: Florida

The skinny: The Bucks need to add some toughness and defense in the paint and Horford looks like a great fit. Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva are great scorers, but Brian Skinner is the only tough guy they have on the team willing to do the dirty work. Horford's also one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft.

Another option here would be North Carolina's Brandan Wright.

7 Minnesota


Brandan Wright
Position: PF
Height: 6-10
Weight: 210
Age: 19
School: North Carolina

The skinny: The Timberwolves' biggest need is in the frontcourt. They have to get more size and athleticism, and Wright would be a steal if he falls this far. Many GMs have him ranked as the third-best prospect in the draft. He doesn't play with the intensity of Kevin Garnett, but he has a lot of similar tools.

They also could opt for point guard Mike Conley here. But if they take him, they'll have to clean up a pretty huge logjam in their backcourt.

8 Charlotte


Joakim Noah
Position: PF
Height: 6-11
Weight: 230
Age: 22
School: Florida

The skinny: Charlotte honchos Michael Jordan and Bernie Bickerstaff should be fans of Noah's energy and intensity. With Noah, Emeka Okafor, Sean May and Primoz Brezec, the Bobcats would have a number of different looks they can give you on their front line.

Also, Noah projects as one of the most marketable players in the draft, and the Bobcats are still searching for the face of the team.

9 Chicago
(via New York)


Spencer Hawes
Position: C
Height: 7-0
Weight: 230
Age: 19
School: Washington

The skinny: The Bulls desperately need low-post scoring, and Hawes may be the most offensively-gifted low-post player in the draft. He can score in a variety of ways around the basket and has the toughness Scott Skiles demands from his players. The main drawback is Hawes' lack of athleticism and strength.

The Bulls really want Yi, so don't be surprised if they try to move up a few spots in the draft to get him.

10 Julian Wright

Position: SF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 220
Age: 20
School: Kansas

The skinny: You can bet the Kings will have Ron Artest on the block this summer after he torpedoed the season in Sacramento.

Wright has Artest's athleticism and versatility, but without the attitude. He should be a great facilitator in their offense.

The team is also very high on Roy Hibbert if he stays in the draft.

11 Roy Hibbert
Position: C
Height: 7-2
Weight: 265
Age: 20
School: Georgetown

The skinny: There are still questions about whether Hibbert will actually stay in the draft.

If he does, the Hawks will have a hard time passing on him. The team needs a big man, and Hibbert has great size and passing ability. Hibbert's lack of athleticism and rebounding has many scouts wary, but at this point in the draft he isn't a huge gamble.


12 Jeff Green
Position: SF
Height: 6-8
Weight: 225
Age: 20
School: Georgetown

The skinny: The Sixers really need a power forward, but at this point, Green is clearly the best player left on the board. He's a much better prospect than the small forward the Sixers drafted last year, Rodney Carney. He also could play as a 4 in a small-ball lineup.

Green, like Andre Iguodala, has some serious point-forward skills and should provide more glue to a team that was starting to come together in the second half of the season.

13 Al Thornton
Position: SF
Height: 6-7
Weight: 210
Age: 23
School: Florida State

The skinny: With Desmond Mason hitting free agency, the Hornets will look for a swingman to play alongside Peja Stojakovic, if he can get healthy. Brewer is the ideal fit, but if he's gone I expect they'll decide between Thornton and Thaddeus Young.

Thornton is the more NBA ready of the two players, though it looks like Young has the higher ceiling.

14 Acie Law
Position: PG
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185
Age: 22
School: Texas A&M

The skinny: With Shaun Livingston's future up in the air, the Clippers need to seriously think about adding another point guard. Sam Cassell can't run the show forever, and Law would be a good replacement.

Like Cassell, he's a scoring guard who is fearless at the end of games. He should be able to step in and contribute immediately.

15 Rodney Stuckey
Position: SG
Height: 6-4
Weight: 205
Age: 21
School: Eastern Wash.

The skinny: Some may raise their eyebrows if Stuckey goes this high, and I don't have specific information that says Detroit would take him. He just seems like the type of player Detroit likes and would be an excellent fit.

Stuckey is a Randy Foye-type combo guard who can play some point but really excels by putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket. He would be a big upgrade over Flip Murray.

16 Thaddeus Young
Position: SF
Height: 6-8
Weight: 210
Age: 22
School: Georgia Tech

The skinny: Small forward isn't a huge need for Washington, but Young has too much talent and upside to pass on at this point. Wizards fans will just have to be a little patient with him.

The Wizards also like Brazil's Tiago Splitter, but they made a similar pick last year in Oleksiy Pecherov.

17 Nick Young
Position: SG
Height: 6-6
Weight: 200
Age: 21
School: USC

The skinny: This really shows how deep the draft is. In a normal year, Young's probably a top 10 pick, but this year he could slip this far. If he does, New Jersey has excellent insurance should Vince Carter bolt via free agency.

Like Carter, Young is a super-athletic 2 guard who can shoot the basketball and deliver the highlight-reel dunk.

18 Jason Smith
Position: PF
Height: 7-0
Weight: 230
Age: 21
School: Colorado State

The skinny: Smith is the perfect type of player for Nellie. He is tall and athletic, gets up and down the floor and can score from just about anywhere on the floor. He also plays with great energy.

Smith could be a real sleeper in the draft.

19 Javaris Crittenton
Position: PG
Height: 6-5
Weight: 180
Age: 19
School: Georgia Tech

The skinny: Phil Jackson loves big point guards and Crittenton, at 6-foot-5, has a lot going for him. He is an excellent athlete, can shoot and has enough ball-handling skills to play full-time at the point guard position.

Long-term, he's an upgrade over Jordan Farmar, though he may take a year or two to develop.

20 Tiago Splitter
Position: PF
Height: 7-0
Weight: 240
Age: 22
Country: Brazil

The skinny: Splitter has enough talent to go a few spots higher, but he won't be able to get out of his contract until the 2008-09 season, which should make him slide a bit.

Splitter is a Euroleague veteran with great size and good mobility. He's a tough defender, but his offensive game still needs some work.

With Shaq's career starting to taper off, along with Alonzo Mourning's, the Heat need to start thinking about adding another big man.

21 Philadelphia
(via Denver)


Josh McRoberts
Position: PF
Height: 6-10
Weight: 230
Age: 20
School: Duke

The skinny: Sixers GM Billy King loves Duke players, and McRoberts has a lot more talent than his box scores at Duke suggest. He's tall, athletic and very skilled, but he played most of his career out of position at Duke.

He's not a go-to type player, but he should be a better, more athletic version of Luke Walton.

22 Charlotte
(via Toronto)


Brandon Rush
Position: SG
Height: 6-7
Weight: 205
Age: 21
School: Kansas

The skinny: The Bobcats fill their need at 2 guard with one of the more underrated players in the draft.

Rush has great size for the position, is a good athlete, plays solid defense and has an excellent perimeter stroke. He's been a little passive at times at Kansas, but he's a hard worker who should be a good fit.

23 New York
(via Chicago)


Sean Williams
Position: C
Height: 6-10
Weight: 230
Age: 20
School: Boston College

The skinny: Williams was ranked as a late-lottery prospect by many NBA scouts before he was dismissed from Boston College at midseason. Everyone knows he has had off-court issues, but this late in the draft someone is going to pull the trigger on the best shot-blocker in the draft.

Knicks president Isiah Thomas seems like the perfect candidate.

24 Ante Tomic
Position: C
Height: 7-2
Weight: 237
Age: 20
Country: Croatia

The skinny: I wouldn't be surprised to see the Suns try to package this pick along with the No. 29 pick to move up a few spots in the draft or to facilitate a trade to get rid of Marcus Banks and/or Boris Diaw.

If they do keep it, I suspect they'll go international so they can keep the player in Europe and off the payroll. Tomic has great size and ability at the center position, but he needs to add strength and toughness.

25 Utah


Derrick Byars
Position: SF
Height: 6-7
Weight: 220
Age: 23
School: Vanderbilt

The skinny: Byars is a bit of a sleeper. He really didn't come on strong at Vanderbilt until his senior season.

The Jazz want to add a shooter who can play the 2 and 3 and play some defense. Italy's Marco Belinelli and Rice's Morris Almond are also possibilities here.

26 Houston

Marco Belinelli
Position: SG
Height: 6-6
Weight: 200
Age: 21
Country: Italy

The skinny: The Rockets could use some improvement in their outside shooting, and Belinelli has one of the best pure strokes in the draft. He also comes with great experience in the Euroleague and should be able to step in and help right away.

27 Detroit

Daequan Cook
Position: SG
Height: 6-5
Weight: 210
Age: 20
School: Ohio State

The skinny: The Pistons could really shore up their backcourt here with a young, athletic shooter who got limited opportunity at Ohio State this season.

Cook still needs to work on his handle and his defense, but he'd be an excellent fit coming off the bench in Detroit. A big man like DeVon Hardin is also a possibility here.


28 San Antonio

Gabe Pruitt
Position: PG
Height: 6-4
Weight: 170
Age: 21
School: USC

The skinny: Pruitt is a combo guard who has great size for the point, excellent athleticism and a beautiful stroke on his jumper.

His decision-making and leadership skills need to improve and he needs to add more strength, but he could be a late first-round steal for a team like San Antonio, which is looking for more depth in the backcourt.


29 Phoenix

Rudy Fernandez
Position: SG
Height: 6-6
Weight: 172
Age: 22
Country: Spain

The skinny: Suns will likely try to trade this pick, but if they keep it, they'll likely go international.

Fernandez had a breakout season in Spain this year. He's an excellent athlete with a good shooting stroke and the ability to play some point. His lack of strength and durability are the only things keeping his stock this low at the moment.

30 Philadelphia
(via Dallas)

Glen Davis
Position: PF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 290
Age: 21
School: LSU

The skinny: Davis has amazing skills for a big guy -- the problem is that he's just so big. If he can keep his weight down, he could end up being a steal this late. But that's a big if. Workouts will really matter for him.

Posted by Caseloads:

Can we get Phx's 24 or 29th??

I'd give them Frye for Both!

That is the trade I would propose. I would hate to give up Frye for two late lotto picks, but this draft is looking like you can grab a potential star player at the end of the draft. If Fernandez is lasting until pick 29, you have to try to get more picks in this draft even if it means sacrificing a Frye.

trading frye for 2 bottom 1st rounders? are you guys nuts?

this team is TRYING to make the playoffs this season. losing a frontcourt player, without replacing him does not help that cause.

frye, if traded, will be for a player, not late 1st round picks.

Posted by Anji:

^^^ NOt according to Enyspree????

That is a horrible mock draft. I don't care how many drafts you passed on a great point guard, the hawks are not passing up Wright/Horford........ Chad is an Idiot!!!!!

To clarify, some of the guys available at 23 would be lottery picks in other drafts. Just cuz their lottery does not make them immediate contributers if they even contribute at all.

Bringing me to channing. Who is channing gonna bring as far as ready to feed players? A late 1st rounder wouldn't be bad.

Frye is worth two late 1st rounder imo, and really is probably worth more because I think last year is not how he is going to play for the rest of his career. That being said, there are some good young players in this year's draft. If we can get three picks, we should be able to draft players with the potential to fill some of our holes. I am relying on IT's drafting ability to turn picks 23 and 29 into solid rotation players.