It has no consensus No. 1, four high schoolers who could go in the top 10 and college seniors who don't know where they'll go. Despite that, USA TODAY's Roscoe Nance will give his annual mock draft his best shot. 1. Washington: The Wizards need help at virtually every position except shooting guard, where they are stacked three-deep with Richard Hamilton, Courtney Alexander, Hubert Davis and possibly Michael Jordan. If Jordan comes back, he's likely to play small forward, which minimizes the need to use this pick on that position. If the Wizards don't trade down, they will concentrate on a power player. Pick: High school power forward Kwame Brown 2. L.A. Clippers: The biggest need of the Clippers, the youngest team in the league, is veteran leadership, which the draft doesn't provide. Shane Battier, a graybeard in this draft at 22, would be a good pick for leadership. But since the Clippers already have Lamar Odom at small forward, they will continue their youth movement. Pick: High school power forward Tyson Chandler 3. Atlanta: The Hawks' most glaring need is size at point guard, where Brevin Knight starts and Matt Maloney is the backup. No help is on the horizon in this year's crop of draftees. Jamaal Tinsley at 6-3 is the biggest point guard in the field, but he won't go this high. High school center Eddy Curry is tempting, but his game needs development. The Hawks, the league's third-youngest team, need someone who can contribute immediately. Pick: Duke small forward Shane Battier 4. Chicago: The Bulls are another young team that will go with youth. Curry's local, but they've been reluctant to draft local players in the past and general manager Jerry Krause is a creature of habit. Pick: Seton Hall small forward Eddie Griffin 5. Golden State: The Warriors need help in the middle. But do they go for another big man with this pick, their first of two in the round (No. 14 is other), or wait on Erick Dampier and Adonal Foyle to develop? Trading down is possible. Pick: Spanish forward Pau Gasol 6. Vancouver: The Grizzlies don't need help in any specific area, but they can use an upgrade at center, where Bryant "Big Country" Reeves excites nobody. They also can use a player who will create a buzz in Memphis, their future home. Pick: High school center Eddy Curry 7. New Jersey: The Nets, riddled with injuries last season, have myriad needs — the biggest being help at shooting guard. Kerry Kittles appears to be recovering from a knee injury, but there is uncertainty. Pick: Michigan State shooting guard Jason Richardson 8. Cleveland: The Cavs aren't in a rebuilding mode, but it's safe to say they'll be restructuring with new coach John Lucas and can use help at most positions. The only spot where they are well set is point guard with Andre Miller. Pick: Charlotte forward Rodney White 9. Detroit: The Pistons haven't had frontcourt muscle since their Bad Boys championship days of Rick Mahorn, Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman. But they have a bigger need at small forward. Pick: Arkansas swingman Joe Johnson 10. Boston: The Celtics need someone who can support Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce on the offensive end. Those two carried the Celtics all season and were the main reasons they made a pseudo-run at a playoff berth. Boston also has the No. 11 pick and might be willing to trade one of them. Pick: Notre Dame forward Troy Murphy 11. Boston: If no trade is made, the Celtics will go for more scoring. Pick: Junior college forward Kedrick Brown 12. Seattle: Following their failed fling with Patrick Ewing, the SuperSonics are desperate for a big man. Without one, they have no hope of being competitive in the West any time soon. Pick: High school center DeSagana Diop 13. Houston: Hakeem Olajuwon's future with the Rockets is uncertain. He is a free agent and likely to move on, leaving a gaping hole in the middle. However, none of the remaining centers is suited to Houston's style, so it will go with versatility. Pick: Yugoslav forward Vladimir Radmanovic 14. Golden State: If the Warriors keep this pick, they could address their point guard situation. Mookie Blaylock is getting on in age. Vonteego Cummings has shown some promise, but .... More than likely they'll go for a big man. Pick: North Carolina center Brendan Haywood 15. Orlando: The Magic traded draft picks like they were throwing confetti last year, swapping Keyon Dooling to the Clippers and Courtney Alexander to Dallas after picking them. With two first-round picks this year (they also have No. 22), the Magic might be busy again. Their biggest need is frontcourt muscle, which they are likely to address through free agency. But sometimes more is better. Pick: Arizona center Loren Woods 16. Charlotte: The Hornets are pretty well set in the frontcourt. But the backcourt is a different story. There isn't a lot behind starters Baron Davis and David Wesley, and swingman Eddie Robinson will be a free agent. Pick: North Carolina shooting guard Joseph Forte 17. Toronto: The Raptors can use help on the frontline, where Charles Oakley is old and not athletic and Antonio Davis might be leaving via free agency. Pick: DePaul center Steven Hunter 18. Houston: This is where needs go out the window and teams go with the best player. The Rockets, already loaded with athletic players, should land another if they keep this selection. Pick: Arizona forward Richard Jefferson 19. Portland: The best team money can buy is aging and desperately needs an injection of new blood. It's unlikely they will get a player who will help them any time soon at this spot. Pick: Michigan State forward Zach Randolph 20. Cleveland: The Cavs didn't frighten anyone but themselves with their outside shooting. Pick: Austin Peay shooting guard Trenton Hassell 21. Boston: It's unlikely the Celtics will keep this pick, the third of three in the first round. If they do, they can use it to fortify the point guard spot. Randy Brown finished the season as the starter, and Kenny Anderson has been injured and just average when healthy. Pick: French point guard Tony Parker 22. Orlando: Point guard isn't necessarily an area of concern, but Darrell Armstrong is approaching the danger zone in terms of age. If the Magic keep this pick, they'll get to the point. Pick: Iowa State point guard Jamaal Tinsley 23. Houston: The Rockets will seek another athletic type if they keep this pick. Pick: St. John's point guard Omar Cook 24. Utah: The Jazz never filled the void left at shooting guard when Jeff Hornacek retired. John Starks was a stopgap measure who was so-so. Bryon Russell was adequate but out of position. Pick: Southern Cal guard Jeff Trepagnier 25. Sacramento: The Kings need a physical big man but aren't likely to find anyone this late who will help them immediately. They also like mobile big men and will look in that direction. Pick: Greek forward Antonis Fotsis 26. Philadelphia: The Sixers need a perimeter scorer to take pressure off Allen Iverson and could use an upgrade at power forward. Pick: Southern California forward Brian Scalabrine 27. Vancouver: It is unlikely the Grizzlies will keep this pick. If they do, they will go for size again. Pick: Georgia Tech center Alvin Jones 28. San Antonio: The Spurs need to address point guard, where Avery Johnson and Terry Porter are interchangeable. Small forward also is a concern now that Sean Elliott's likely to retire. Danny Ferry started the last half of the season, but he's better coming off the bench. They aren't likely to get the help they need in this position. Pick: Alabama small forward Gerald Wallace ------------------ I voted YES!
If the Rocks take VRad at 13, they will not draft another three at 18 or 23. From this draft order, the Rocks would be much more likely to take a wide body like Zach Randolph. DeSagana Diop is so close to being available. I wonder if the Rocks have even seriously scouted him. ------------------
#23 for a PG??? We need that like we need a hole in the head...or is that just thier way of saying that were not using that #23? This will be skued if/when the VAN/ATL trade goes down. Battier will not go at #3. ------------------ In the end there will be no judges...only witnesses to my greatness.
Roscoe obviously has never heard of a guy named Steve Francis. Seriously, the idea of getting a back up point in the first isn't all that absurd as it would spell minutes and/or allow our best overall player to cross over and play a bit of 2. However, I think a 2nd rounder could do the job amply as well and we should let Cook be picked up by a team who needs a *starting quality* PG and go for an athletic wing at 23 instead. ------------------
Ever heard of a guy we call Moochie? He is an exellent back up point that spells our best player and sometimes allows him to move over to the two. ------------------
Although I'm not to big on Michael Bradley, I can't believe this draft has him falling out of the first round. I'd be willing to bet that the Rockets will take Bradley at 23 long before they consider Cook. ------------------
I agree about Randolph. He would give us everything at PF that Mo does not: back-to the-basket scoring, rebounding, and an immovable rock down low. If we can settle SF at 13, and Woods is not available at 18, I would take Randolph b/c all of the other centers will still be around at 23. ------------------
If we want another athletic type then why take Cook over Jeff Trepagnier? And why select Jefferson and Radmanovic? Both are listed at SF, the Rockets have other holes to fill. And if Randolph is available at 18, I would think they would take him over another SF. ------------------
why the hell would they draft omar cook? 13. Joe johnson or radman 18. loren woods (please not brenda) 23. who knows? and please never think of jefferson ------------------
