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NBA Mock Draft First Round Projections: Final Take
On Thursday June 26th the 2014 NBA draft will be underway in Brooklyn, New York at the Barclays Center. For the 3rd time in 4 years the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA lottery and the right to draft the first name off the board on draft night.
Last year the Cavs held the #1 pick and no one had any idea who they were going to take. This year we know it will be either Jabari Parker or Andrew Wiggins. There is a lot of debate on who the Cavs should take between the two players, the polished player from Duke or the high-upside “project” from Canada. It’s a debate that will go on till 7PM on Thursday when the Cavs are on the clock.
But that’s not the only debate or headline for the 2014 NBA Draft. Kansas freshman Joel Embid was the consensus top pick before it was announced that the 7 foot center would be out 6 months due to offseason foot surgery. With Embid all but out of discussion as the #1 overall pick he could be drafted as high as #3 to the Sixers but wouldn’t fall past the Lakers at #7.
This should be a fun week for the NBA with news breaking (although not shocking), that Carmelo Anthony has opted out of his contract with the New York Knicks. Carmelo is now a free agent and while it was only a few years ago that it was thought that Carmelo was the Knicks savior, it’s not hard to imagine Anthony in another Jersey next year paired up with another potential superstar.
The Miami Heat is another team with a lot of unknown. For starters they have 7 players under contract for next season 4 of which had opt out clauses. Let’s be honest, it’s less about the team and more about LeBron. Now that LeBron has opted out, does he have a plan to join another player(s) not named Bosh or Wade? Could a sign and trade be in the mix before the draft?
There is a lot of speculation which means nothing except reading material for you and I. Without further ado, the Rotoballer 2014 NBA Mock Draft Version 2.0.
Mitch's 2014 NBA Mock Draft
| Pick | Team | How they got the pick? | Player |
| 1 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Winners of the 2014 NBA lottery, finished 22nd | SF- Andrew Wiggins, Kansas |
| 2 | Milwaukee Bucks | Lottery finish, finished 30th | SF- Jabari Parker, Duke |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | Lottery finish, finished 29th | G- Dante Exum, Australia |
| 4 | Orlando Magic | Lottery finish, finished 28th | C- Joel Embid, Kansas |
| 5 | Utah Jazz | Lottery finish, finished 27th | PF - Julius Randle, Kentucky |
| 6 | Boston Celtics | Lottery finish, finished 26th | F- Aaron Gordon, Arizona |
| 7 | Los Angeles Lakers | Lottery finish, finished 25th | PG- Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State |
| 8 | Sacramento Kings | Lottery finish, finished 24th | PF- Noah Vonleh, Indiana |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Ben Gordon trade, protected top 8 (Detroit finished 23rd) From Detroit, Ben Gordon trade, protected top 8 (Detroit finished 23rd) | SG- James Young, Kentuky |
| 10 | Philadelphia 76ers | From New Orleans, Jrue Holliday trade, protected top 5 (Nola finished 21st) | SF- Doug McDermott, Creighton |
| 11 | Denver Nuggets | Lottery finish, finished 20th | C- Kristaps Porzingis, Latvia |
| 12 | Orlando Magic | Dwight Howard. (NYK finished 19th) Originally owned by NY Knicks traded the pick to Denver (for Carmelo), who traded the pick as part of the "megadeal" that shipped off Dwight Howard. (NYK finished 19th) | F- Dario Saric, Croatia |
| 13 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Lottery finish, finished 18th | SG- Nick Stauskas, Michigan |
| 14 | Phoenix Suns | Lottery finish, finished 17th | PF- Patric Young, Florida |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks | PG- Tyler Ennis, Cuse | |
| 16 | Chicago Bulls | Tyrus Thomas trade From Charlotte, Tyrus Thomas trade | SF- Rodney Hood, Duke |
| 17 | Boston Celtics | Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry trade From Brooklyn, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry trade | G- Jordan Clarkson, Mizzou |
| 18 | Phoenix Suns | From Washington, Marcin Gorat trade | PG- Shabazz Napier, UConn |
| 19 | Chicago Bulls | C- Jusuf Nurkic, Bosnia | |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | PF- Clint Capela, Switzerland | |
| 21 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Originally owned by Dallas, traded the pick to the Lakers ( for Lamar Odem), who traded the pick to Houston, who traded the pick to OKC for Jams Harden. | SF- Kyle Anderson, UCLA |
| 22 | Memphis Grizzlies | SF- TJ Warren, NCState | |
| 23 | Utah Jazz | From Golden State, for salary cap space to sign Andre Igudala | SF- Cleanthony Early, Wichita State |
| 24 | Charlotte Hornets | Gerald Wallace trade From Portland, Gerald Wallace trade | G- Zach LaVine, UCLA |
| 25 | Houston Rockets | SG- Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia | |
| 26 | Miami Heat | C- Mitch McGary, Michigan | |
| 27 | Phoenix Suns | Luis Scola trade From Indiana, Luis Scola trade | G- Russ Smith, Louisville |
| 28 | Los Angeles Clippers | SG- Gary Harris, Michigan State | |
| 29 | Oklahoma City Thunder | SF- KJ McDaniels, Clemson | |
| 30 | San Antonio Spurs | SG- Mario Hezonja, Croatia |
*trade notes came from wikipedia.org
Other Potential First Rounders:
SG- PJ Harrison, UNC; SG- Jordan Adams, UCLA; PF- Adreian Payne, Michigan State; F- Damien Inglis, France; PF- Jarnell Stokes, Tennessee; F- James Michael McAdoo, UNC; SF- Jerami Grant, Cuse; SF- DeAndre Daniels, Uconn; C- Isaiah Austin, Baylor - Out, career ending medical condition
2014 NBA Draft & The Cleveland Cavaliers
(published Mid-May 2014)
In the 2011 NBA Draft Lottery the Cleveland Cavs had two lottery picks. Their own which had the second most chances at the #1 overall pick and the Los Angeles Clippers's pick which had a 2.8% chance at the #1 overall pick.
The Clippers won the lottery giving the Cleveland Cavaliers the #1 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Their own pick netted the 4th overall. The outcome of that draft was Kyrie Irving at #1 and Tristan Thompson at #4. From the 2011 draft class only 1 single player has made an All Star team, Kyrie Irving.
In the 2012 NBA Draft the Cavs took Dion Waiters with the 4th overall pick which they received in the lottery.
In 2013 the Cavs luck arrived yet again as they finished the season with a 15.6% chance at the first overall pick. It was not a huge chance and yet again Cleveland landed back at #1 in the NBA Draft. The selection was Forward Anthony Bennett. While the jury is still out on that pick, the Cavs were beat up for their selection.
Heading into the 2014 NBA Draft Lottery, the Cavs had just a 1.7% chance at landing a top 3 pick. And at pick #9 when everyone expected the Cleveland Cavs name to be called, it was the Hornets whose name was called, meaning one thing: the Cavs won a pick in the top 3. Moments later is was the Cavaliers who, yet again, won the NBA Lottery #1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Luck? Sure but winning the lottery doesn’t mean anything as we have seen in recent drafts. We have seen players picked in the top 3 not pan out including #2 pick Evan Turner in 2010, #2 pick Hasheem Thabeet in 2009, #2 pick Michael Beasley in 2008, #1 pick Greg Oden in 2007 and #1 pick Andrea Bargnani all who have failed to make an All Star team.
Winning the lottery is one thing, selecting the right player is another and the Cavs have options this year.
Mitch's 2014 NBA Mock Draft
| Pick | Team | How They Got The Pick? | Player |
| 1 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Winners of the 2014 NBA lottery, finished 22nd | C - Joel Embid, Kansas |
| 2 | Milwaukee Bucks | Lottery finish, finished 30th | SF - Andrew Wiggins, Kansas |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | Lottery finish, finished 29th | SF - Jabari Parker, Duke |
| 4 | Orlando Magic | Lottery finish, finished 28th | PF - Julius Randle, Kentucky |
| 5 | Utah Jazz | Lottery finish, finished 27th | F - Aaron Gordon, Arizona |
| 6 | Boston Celtics | Lottery finish, finished 26th | G - Dante Exum, Australia |
| 7 | Los Angeles Lakers | Lottery finish, finished 25th | SG - James Young, Kentuky |
| 8 | Sacramento Kings | Lottery finish, finished 24th | PG - Tyler Ennis, Cuse |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | From Detroit Ben Gordon trade, protected top 8 (Detroit finished 23rd) | SF - Doug McDermott, Creighton |
| 10 | Philadelphia 76ers | From New Orleans, Jrue Holliday trade, protected top 5 (Nola finished 21st) | PF - Noah Vonleh, Indiana |
| 11 | Denver Nuggets | Lottery finish, finished 20th | PG - Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State |
| 12 | Orlando Magic | Originally owned by NY Knicks traded the pick to Denver (for Carmelo), who traded the pick as part of the "megadeal" that shipped off Dwight Howard (NYK finished 19th) | PF - Patric Young, Florida |
| 13 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Lottery finish, finished 18th | C - Kristaps Porzingis, Latvia |
| 14 | Phoenix Suns | Lottery finish, finished 17th | F - Dario Saric, Croatia |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks | SG - Nick Stauskas, Michigan | |
| 16 | Chicago Bulls | From Charlotte, Tyrus Thomas trade | G - Jordan Clarkson, Mizzou |
| 17 | Boston Celtics | From Brooklyn, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry trade | SF - TJ Warren, NCState |
| 18 | Phoenix Suns | From Washington, Marcin Gorat trade | SG - Gary Harris, Michigan State |
| 19 | Chicago Bulls | G - Zach LaVine, UCLA | |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | SF - KJ McDaniels, Clemson | |
| 21 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Originally owned by Dallas, traded the pick to the Lakers ( for Lamar Odem), who traded the pick to Houston, who traded the pick to OKC for Jams Harden. | SF - Kyle Anderson, UCLA |
| 22 | Memphis Grizzlies | SF - Rodney Hood, Duke | |
| 23 | Utah Jazz | From Golden State, for salary cap space to sign Andre Iguodala | SG - Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia |
| 24 | Charlotte Hornets | From Portland, Gerald Wallace trade | G - Russ Smith, Louisville |
| 25 | Houston Rockets | C - Jusuf Nurkic, Bosnia | |
| 26 | Miami Heat | PG - Shabazz Napier, UConn | |
| 27 | Phoenix Suns | From Indiana, Luis Scola trade | C - Isaiah Austin, Baylor |
| 28 | Los Angeles Clippers | C - Mitch McGary, Michigan | |
| 29 | Oklahoma City Thunder | SG - Mario Hezonja, Croatia | |
| 30 | San Antonio Spurs | F - Damien Inglis, France | |
| *trade notes came from wikipedia.org | |||
Other Potential 1st Round Picks
SG - PJ Harrison, UNC
SG - Jordan Adams, UCLA
PF - Adreian Payne, Michigan State
PF - Clint Capela, Switzerland
PF - Jarnell Stokes, Tennessee
F - James Michael McAdoo, UNC
SF - Jerami Grant, Cuse
SF - Cleanthony Early, Wichita State
SF - DeAndre Daniels, Uconn
