2009 NBA Mock Draft 2.0

Well, it's June 25th. Since the last mock draft we've learned a lot...right? We know Blake Griffin is going first, but after that it's basically anyone's guess. Here's a final version of our mock draft.

First Round

1. Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin (Oklahoma) [PF, 6-10, 245 lbs, 20 yrs] - The only question here is how the Clippers can modify their roster to accomodate Griffin. Sharing the frontcourt with Zach Randolph, Chris Kaman, and Marcus Camby isn't exactly ideal.

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut) [C, 7-3, 265 lbs, 22 yrs] - Memphis really needs a power forward more than a center, but supposedly the Grizzlies are pretty high on Thabeet and they may not be prepared to draft a point guard and effectively give up on Mike Conley. It's hard to imagine Thabeet and Marc Gasol playing together (Thabeet would probably be his backup), but the Grizzlies just need size in general right now.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder: James Harden (Arizona State) [SG, 6-4, 215, 19 yrs] - Many mock drafts have Ricky Rubio going here, but with Russell Westbrook already in the fold, I can't picture Rubio suiting up for the Thunder next season. That said, it's entirely possible that OKC drafts Rubio and then trades the pick. Harden gives the Thunder a natural 2-guard with a nice three-point stroke. Another option would be Stephon Curry.

On a side note, there's been a lot of Ricky Rubio talk surrounding the Thunder lately, despite there being obvious reasons for them not to draft him. My theory is that this is all deliberate on the part of the Thunder and GM Sam Presti, as they want to create the illusion that they will draft Rubio so that a team like Minnesota or the Knicks will trade up for the pick.

4. Sacramento Kings: Tyreke Evans (Memphis) [SG, 6-6, 220 lbs, 19 yrs] - Hard to believe the Kings would pass up on Rubio if he fell to them, but from all reports they were unimpressed with his workout. Instead, they could take Evans, who excelled at the point for Memphis this past season. While he is by no means a natural point guard, he can clearly play the position and, with his size and athleticism, he could provide some matchup problems for opponents.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves: Ricky Rubio (Spain) [PG, 6-4, 180 lbs, 18 yrs] - The Timberwolves would have to be beside themselves if they were able to land Rubio with the fifth pick. While Rubio is not much of a scorer at this point, he's a brilliant distributor and is arguably the most NBA-ready, considering he's been playing professional basketball since he was 14.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Stephen Curry (Davidson) [PG/SG, 6-3, 185 lbs, 21 yrs] - Pairing Rubio and Curry would make for one of the most intriguing backcourts in the league, if a bit undersized. Minnesota might be better off with a more natural shooting guard, after taking Rubio 5th, so they could look to trade down with this pick, perhaps looking to land DeMar DeRozan, Gerald Henderson, or Terrence Williams. However, the Rubio-Curry comparison might be too tempting to pass up.

7. Golden State Warriors: Jordan Hill (Arizona) [PF, 6-10, 235 lbs, 21 yrs] - A point guard seems like the way to go, but Monta Ellis is dead-set on remaining the starting point guard, so instead the Warriors could grab a versatile power forward in Hill. With his athleticism and shooting touch, he should be a good fit in Don Nelson's system.

8. New York Knicks: Jonny Flynn (Syracuse) [PG, 6-0, 175 lbs, 20 yrs] - Flynn would be a very popular pick in New York, having bolstered his reputation at MSG during the Big East Tournament. A great distributor with a good all-around offensive game, he should look good in Mike D'Antoni's system.

9. Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan (USC) [SG, 6-6, 200 lbs, 19 yrs] - As one of the best athletes in the draft, DeRozan is considered to have as much upside as just about anyone out there. However, with mediocre shooting numbers in his one year at USC, there are questions about how he'll fare in the NBA. He also rated exceptionally poorly in John Hollinger's draft rater, but, as Hollinger admitted in the article, his draft rater struggles to predict players with a small sample size of data.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: James Johnson (Wake Forest) [PF, 6-9, 245 lbs, 22 yrs] - After trading Richard Jefferson, the Bucks have likely cleared enough salary to re-sign both Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva, so they can opt for the best player available here, rather than drafting out of need. That player would likely be Johnson, who is a versatile combo forward.

11. New Jersey Nets: Gerald Henderson (Duke) [SG, 6-4, 215 lbs, 21 yrs] - This picks likely comes down to either Henderson or Terrence Williams. Williams is probably the better overall prospect, but Henderson is a better shooter and a more refined player, making him a better fit in New Jersey.

12. Charlotte Bobcats: Terrence Williams (Louisville) [SG, 6-6, 220 lbs, 21 yrs] - According to reports, Williams wowed the Bobcats during his workout, outperforming Henderson, though the Bobcats are still very interested in Henderson as well. They will probably take whichever of the two is available, with Williams taking precedence.

13. Indiana Pacers: Jrue Holiday (UCLA) [PG, 6-4, 200 lbs, 18 yrs] - The Pacers are in need of a point guard and Holiday is probably the best available here. He had a so-so freshman year at UCLA, but that can be attributed to playing out of position and in a primarily halfcourt offense. Ty Lawson is another option here, but Holiday's size and defensive ability make him a better fit in Indiana.

14. Phoenix Suns: Eric Maynor (VCU) [PG, 6-3, 175 lbs, 21 yrs] - The Suns need a backup for Nash and Maynor should excel in that role. He is perhaps the most NBA-ready point guard in the draft, which makes this a sensible pick, especially if the Suns think they can still compete in the West. However, after trading Shaq to the Cavs, the Suns may be in full-scale rebuilding mode and could opt for more of a project player, like Brandon Jennings or even B.J. Mullens.

15. Detroit Pistons: DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh) [PF, 6-7, 250 lbs, 20 yrs] - As it is, Detroit will likely lose Rasheed Wallace to free agency and they will need to shore up the frontcourt. It's hard to say if Blair will ever be much more than a potent rebounder in the NBA, but his girth and inside scoring could make him a good fit, when paired with Jason Maxiell.

16. Chicago Bulls: B.J. Mullens (Ohio State) [C, 7-1, 260 lbs, 20 yrs] - Mullens may be a few years away from being a valuable contributor, but his size and scoring ability should be an asset to the Bulls, who are currently using defensive-minded big men like Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas.

17. Philadelphia 76ers: Brandon Jennings (Italy) [PG, 6-2, 165 lbs, 19 yrs] - The Sixers would have a very tough call here between Jennings and Ty Lawson. Lawson is accustomed to playing in an uptempo offense and has to be considered more NBA-ready than Jennings, but Jennings has more sizzle and upside. What this decision might come down to is the perceived status of Andre Miller. If Miller re-signs and sticks around for a few more years, he could mentor Jennings until he is ready to take the reigns, but if they think they will lose Miller, they could take Lawson, hoping that he can play major minutes at point guard as a rookie.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves: Earl Clark (Louisville) [SF, 6-9, 200 lbs, 21 yrs] - With four first round picks, it's hard to imagine that Minnesota will keep all of them. That said, they might want to hang on to Clark, who is one of the most intruiging prospects in the draft, as a 6-10 swingman who can play both forward positions, plus a little point forward.

19. Atlanta Hawks: Ty Lawson (North Carolina) [PG, 5-11, 195 lbs, 21 yrs] - Atlanta would be fortunate to get Lawson this low. He seems like an ideal fit to run their offense and would be a good long-term replacement for Mike Bibby. With Lawson and Jamal Crawford joining Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and Al Horford, the Hawks could be a very dangerous team next year.

20. Utah Jazz: Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina) [PF, 6-9, 250 lbs, 23 yrs] - With Carlos Boozer most likely on his way out, Utah will need power forward depth. Hansbrough doesn't have a great deal of upside, but he should be a solid contributor right away and would be a good fit under Jerry Sloan.

21. New Orleans Hornets: Sam Young (Pittsburgh) [SF, 6-6, 215 lbs, 24 yrs] - Young should give New Orleans some much-needed help on offense and, at 24 years old, he should be one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft. The Hornets need a guy who can provide an instant impact. Another posibility here could be Chase Budinger.

22. Portland Trail Blazers: Nick Calathes (Florida) [PG, 6-5, 185 lbs, 20 yrs] - Portland could use an upgrade at point guard, but they are looking more for veteran help than a rookie, at this point. Calathes is set to play in Greece next year, so this gives Portland a very promising point guard prospect who can join the team in a few years after getting some valuable experience in Europe.

23. Sacramento Kings: Jeff Teague (Wake Forest) [PG, 6-2, 180 lbs, 20 yrs] - The Kings can further shore up their backcourt with this pick. Neither Teague nor Evans is a pure point, but the combination of the two should significantly improve the Kings' point guard play.

24. Dallas Mavericks: Darren Collison (UCLA) [PG, 6-1, 165 lbs, 21 yrs] - Dallas could use another point guard, especially if they don't think they can re-sign Jason Kidd. Collison is a bit undersized, but his defense and three-point shooting should make him a useful role player in Dallas.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Austin Daye (Gonzaga) [SF, 6-10, 190 lbs, 20 yrs] - Daye is a very difficult player to project, but the upside is definitely there and, this late in the draft, he's worth a look. If nothing else, he should be able to provide some shooting and shot-blocking. If he can add some muscle and toughness, he could be a very good pro.

26. Chicago Bulls: Toney Douglas (Florida State) [SG, 6-2, 183 lbs, 23 yrs] - The Bulls are probably losing Ben Gordon this off-season and adding Douglas should help to off-set that loss. He won't start as a rookie, but he could be a solid role player off the bench.

27. Memphis Grizzlies: Patrick Mills (St. Mary's) [PG, 5-11, 175 lbs, 20 yrs] - Memphis could use a backup point guard and Mills has shown flashes of being a very good one. He's considered a scoring point guard, but that should make him a solid compliment to Mike Conley off the bench, who better fits the pure point guard mold.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Chase Budinger (Arizona) [SG, 6-7, 205 lbs, 21 yrs] - As previously mentioned, one has to think Minnesota trades one of its first round picks, but they would be hard-pressed to if they could land Budinger here. Budinger hasn't improved at Arizona the way many had hoped he would, but he's still an excellent athlete and a very talented scorer, although he leaves much to be desired on the defensive end.

29. New York Knicks: Derrick Brown (Xavier) [SF, 6-9, 225 lbs, 21 yrs] - Brown is an excellent athlete with a much-improved three-point stroke and should be a good fit in the Knicks' run and gun offense.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers: Danny Green (North Carolina) [SF, 6-6, 210 lbs, 21 yrs] - Green hasn't gotten much draft-day hype, but he's proven to be a winner and a very solid role player. He's a good three-point shooter and defender and should be an asset to the Cavs.