RealGM Final Mock Draft: Rockets #8 - Brandon Roy, #32 - Mike Gansy

1. Andrea Bargnani
Power Forward. Italy (Benetton Treviso)

Unlike so many Euros that have come over to the NBA in year’s past, Bargnani actually has big game experience. He has the size and handle of a Dirk Nowitzki, but he’s a more capable shot blocker. His rebounding needs significant improvement. If he can learn the necessary techniques and capture the intense will to rebound, Toronto will not regret the selection.
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2. Tyrus Thomas
Power Forward. LSU

Chicago is faced with a tough decision: go with a 4/5 that has the tools to be very effective on both ends of the floor? Or go with the 4/3 that can be a dominating force without needing the ball on either end of the floor? They select Thomas, who will be eased into his potential as the defensive lynch-pin for the Bulls. Once he adds an offensive skill set that is beyond put-backs, alley-oops and the occasional open jumper, he projects as an All-Star.
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3. Adam Morrison
Guard/Forward. Gonzaga

It’s either Morrison or Gay, it has been ever since the night of the lottery. All-around scorer and clutch playmaker who lives to compete, or potential laden star who can do everything? Morrison would immediately ease the offensive load in a way that Gay won’t be able to match for several more seasons. More importantly for Morrison, he will not be exposed defensively, as Gerald Wallace is one of the finest perimeter defenders in the game and will get every tough cover.
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4. Rudy Gay
Small Forward. Connecticut

Draft Aldridge and pair him in up front with Randolph or draft Gay and have him replace the soon-to-be-dealt Darius Miles? While Aldridge has the tools, he’s had more injury problems than Gay has in the past. Gay is the all-around talent the Blazers have been pining for and a player with a ceiling like his doesn’t come around too often at number four. He can do everything but he doesn’t need the ball in order to do so. He also has a very underrated offensive game, which will be complemented nicely by Martell Webster on the opposite wing.
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5. Shelden Williams
Forward/Center. Duke

They could draft a point guard like Marcus Williams, but many people believe Shelden Williams has a promise to the Hawks. He wouldn’t take anything away from their offensive talent and would help Zaza Pachulia on defense. From speaking with Brandon Roy on Tuesday, I got the sense that he believes he will be drafted fifth, which would mean that he is likely heading to Houston, though the Rockets are surely not the only club interested in his services.
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6. Randy Foye
Guard. Villanova

He is the most complete offensive player in this draft, right along with Morrison. He can get by anyone with his strength and handle. He has everything Minnesota could use on offense and at the point. He’s not a pure PG, but he’s a significant upgrade and will play immediately on a team where the offense is run through Kevin Garnett.
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7. Marcus Williams
Point Guard. Connecticut

It is very hard to see Boston passing up Roy for Williams. Roy is a more complete and ready-now player, but Williams is the pure floor general that they covet. This pick is reportedly being held in discussions with Portland, but if the pick is not dealt, Williams can help lead the break and get everyone involved, like he did at Connecticut. He will need to get in better shape and will need to work on his shot selection.
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8. Brandon Roy
Shooting Guard. Washington

Definite steal of the lottery, as such complete players rarely slide this far, especially in a draft like this. He can do it all. He’s not superb at one thing, but does he have to be playing alongside Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady? He will become the third option that has been missing in Houston.

9. LaMarcus Aldridge
Power Forward. Texas

How did Aldridge slide? There may be some unreported health issues with Aldridge and those can always throw a monkey-wrench into a player’s stock. But going past Golden State? Unlikely and also might just be the best situation for him out of all the teams selecting in the top-10. He has the tools to be very effective on both sides of the ball. He loves to run and would be able to play on the perimeter alongside Ike Diogu and Andris Biedrins. Getting a chance to run and still have the time to fill out doesn’t come often, but Aldridge would have the chance to slowly progress.
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10. Cedric Simmons
Forward/Center. N.C. State

The Sonics could go with Ronnie Brewer here, who could have easily been drafted by Golden State. But since they could not pass up Aldridge, he slides to Orlando. The Sonics could use a shot blocker and a potential-type post player to go along with Chris Wilcox and the rest of the young frontcourt. He can rebound, block shots and has decent footwork. But he’s young and some things he has to think about. Once he pieces everything together, he can have the chance to be the Ying to Wilcox’s Yang in the run-n-gun offense.
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11. Ronnie Brewer
Shooting Guard. Arkansas

The Magic get their man. Brewer complements Jameer Nelson perfectly. He can play the point on offense, as he has the handle and basketball IQ to be successful as a secondary ball handler for the Magic. He may not be the pure shooter they want, but he has been surprising most teams with how well he does stroke it. Very few have his defense in this draft and has an excellent mental makeup.
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12. Patrick O'Bryant
Center. Bradley

O’Bryant has the tools and potential to be a solid center in the NBA. He is young but, after speaking with him on Tuesday, he said he was shocked at his vast improvement in his footwork. He did work out for Golden State on Tuesday, but no one knows what to make of it, yet. In New Orleans, he would get the chance to learn behind true veteran PJ Brown and would get the right amount of minutes a project rookie needs.
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13. Rodney Carney
Guard/Forward. Memphis

The Sixers are reportedly infatuated with Shawne Williams of Memphis, but they can work out a deal with the Knicks and their 20th pick, who could use another pick in next year’s draft in order to try and move up for a National Champion New Yorker who decided not to enter the draft. Philadelphia goes with the best player available, despite some overlap with AI2. He has lock down capabilities and can help with the outside shooting. As long as he keeps his head in the game and doesn’t coast, he’s a solid swingman. He would get the playing time for a team that wants to make the playoffs. With Carney, they are a lot closer because their defense will be better.
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14. Saer Sene
Forward/Center. Senegal (Verviers-Pepinster/Be

Apparently Karl Malone has a lot of clout in Utah. Everyone got on the Sene-to-Utah bandwagon after he said Sene is a hard worker and wants it. He has the intangibles to be a solid defender and shot blocker. He has a nose for the ball, but is a very long ways away. If he can show the improvement he has reportedly shown since he was in Treviso, Italy a couple of years ago, then the Jazz will like their pick. But he needs playing time and will learn to love the NBDL, an increasingly intriguing league that is tailor-made for projects like Sene.

28. Oleksiy Pecherov
Power Forward. Ukraine (Paris Racing)

He is supposed to be a solid rebounder yet have the offensive game of a typical European. If he has the strength of a typical European, then he may have a hard time keeping opponents boxed out. We’ll have to see about him, but he sounds like the type of power forward that could play alongside Nowitzki and fill the Keith Van Horn role.
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29. Kyle Lowry
Point Guard. Villanova

New York gets their PG. Questions about his knee and his shot, have teams a little wary, so he could slip here to the cusp of the second round. Lowry has the heart the size of Jerome James’ appetite for arriving late to New Year’s Day practices. He leaves everything on the court and that is what the Knicks need. He may never be an All-Star, but he’s the type of point guard who can stay in the NBA for a long time.
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30. Maurice Ager
Shooting Guard. Michigan State

The Blazers could do a lot of different things here and in Ager, they add even more depth to their backcourt and swing positions. He has the range to be an effective 3-point shooter. He has the slashing game and he has the defense despite being a little undersized. If he can prove he’s a little more unselfish than he may have showed at Michigan State, then he can become a potential starting shooting guard in the NBA, giving Portland another talented piece.
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Second Round

31. Paul Davis
Forward/Center. Michigan State


32. Mike Gansey
Shooting Guard. West Virginia


33. Yotam Halperin
Guard. Union Olimpia


34. Joel Freeland
Power Forward. England


35. Denham Brown
Shooting Guard. Connecticut