Rest of 1st round mock draft (ESPN Insider)

Insider Mock Draft, Part II
by Chad Ford
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Also Below: Rockets thinking big with No. 1 pick | Draft rumors: Are the Wizards trying to move up? | Draft Workout Update | Writers Bloc: Do the Celtics have Kidd's number?

Inside the NBA Draft: Lottery Mock Draft

NBA playoffs: Four more questions you were afraid to ask





Tuesday, we took a quick hit through the top 13 picks in the draft. There seems to be some consensus already about who the top 15 players are. But once you start getting into the late first round, there are literally 35 players who could wind up in those final seven slots.

Workouts, team interviews, team needs and a certain amount of luck will make the difference between a first-round guaranteed contract and a second-round nightmare. But another factor is making it more and more plausible that proven college stars like Juan Dixon, Tayshaun Prince, Casey Jacobsen and Steve Logan could drop into the second round on draft day.

Blame it on the Euros.

In this case, there's no vast conspiracy against college seniors. It's simple economics that are driving these teams to book international flights. Several teams drafting late in the first round are leaning toward drafting international players who are still under contract with their European team. Call it the Kevin O'Connor plan.

In the last few years, the Jazz have drafted young international players with upside (like Andrei Kirilenko and Raul Lopez) even though the players were signed to long-term contracts. The Jazz had enough veterans to fill out the roster and didn't want the first-round pick taking valuable cap space. Instead, the Jazz's plan was to keep the players overseas, let them get playing time and wait for a roster slot to open up before bringing them over.

It worked wonders for Kirilenko. Nuggets assistant GM Dave Fredman was working for the Jazz when they drafted the 18-year-old Kirilenko. He told Insider that the team really didn't know what it had. "We had three first-round picks that year and the truth of the matter was we didn't have enough room for all three," Fredman said. "We drafted Kirilenko mostly based on some grainy film we had of him. We honestly weren't really sure what we had, but decided that his upside was worth the risk. He wouldn't have gotten any playing time in Utah, so his long-term contract with the club in Russia was a good thing. He got game experience over there, and he developed rapidly."

The Jazz had just discovered an NBA luxury tax shelter.

David Bauman, an agent for SFX who represents players such as Peja Stojakovic, Hidayet Turkoglu and Vladimir Radmanovic, says the strategy is encouraging foreign players to put their names into the draft. Agents will now take a player when he is 18, put his name in the draft, shop him around to teams drafting late in the first round and hope someone bites. If the agent can get a promise from a team, the player stays in the draft. If he can't, the agent will pull his name just before the deadline and try again next year. Several of the top international players in this year's draft -- Bostjan Nachbar, Boris Diaw, Lazarous Papodopolous -- declared for the draft last year, but were uncomfortable with their draft status.

Bauman told Insider that teams are finally cluing in. "You're able to get more bang for your buck by drafting an international kid late in the first round. You save cap room, avoid the luxury tax, and you're putting the player in a better developmental position. Most teams drafting this late in the first round have no room for a rookie anyway. It's a win-win situation."

It's also a coup for teams already stocked with talent. Lottery teams can't afford to draft a kid who might not be able to even show up for a couple of seasons. They need help now. Meanwhile, veteran playoff teams are able to rebuild while still remaining competitive. By the time the Jazz's aged duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton is ready to call it quits, a new generation of players will be in place to carry the torch.

That's why Insider's mock draft shows eight international players, an NBA record, sneaking into the first round this year.

Here's our take on the rest of the first round. For Insider's Lottery mock draft, click here.

14. Indiana Pacers
Insider's Pick: Chris Marcus, C, Western Kentucky
Number Two: Melvin Ely, F/C, Fresno State
Sleeper Pick: Kareem Rush, G, Missouri
The Skinny: The Pacers don't have any glaring holes. They're young, but have solid players at every position. They could always use help in the middle. Brad Miller has only one year left on his contract and if Marcus is on the board, he'll be hard to pass up. Marcus' stock has slipped from the high lottery to the bubble based on a lackluster end to his senior season. If he gets in shape and works out well, he'll go much higher. The team also likes Rush. Eventually it'll need to figure out how to replace Reggie Miller. Rush may be a steal if he falls this low. He's one of the more polished players in the draft. He can shoot the NBA three, is silky smooth taking the ball to the hole and has nice size at shooting guard. If neither player is around, Melvin Ely may be the next best big man available.

15. Houston Rockets (from Toronto)
Insider's Pick: Bostjan Nachbar, F, Croatia
Number Two: Marcus Haislip, F, Tennessee
Sleeper Pick: Jiri Welsch, G, Czechoslovakia
The Skinny: The team owes the Grizzlies a pick either this year or next. The Rockets tried to send this pick to the Grizzlies before they grabbed the No. 1 pick. However, the Grizzlies wanted to wait until next year. Expect the Rockets to address their need at small forward with pick No. 5. The best small forward left on the board is Nachbar, a sharp shooting 6-foot-8 forward who also has the athleticism to take it the basket. Earlier this year, Nachbar was virtually unstoppable for his team, Benetton Treviso. He leveled off toward the end of the year and his stock slipped just a bit. Teams compare him to the Sonics' Vladimir Radmanovic. At 22, he will be able to contribute right away.

16. Philadelphia 76ers
Insider's Pick: Amare Stoudemire, F, HS Senior
Number Two: Marcus Haislip, F, Tennessee
Sleeper Pick: Melvin Ely, F, Fresno State
The Skinny: The Sixers are high on Nachbar, but there's a good chance he's gone by here. Stoudemire might be a steal at No. 16. Larry Brown loves players who work hard and play with high energy. Stoudemire, despite his youth, has the work ethic and raw potential to become a star someday. At some point, the Sixers need to begin thinking about the future. Bringing in Stoudemire now won't provide any immediate benefits. But down the road, he could be the team's power forward of the future.

17. Charlotte Hornets
Insider's Pick: Jiri Welsch, G, Czechoslovakia
Number Two: Melvin Ely, F/C, Fresno State
Sleeper Pick: Marcus Haislip, F, Tennessee
The Skinny: The team struggled when Baron Davis was out. Welsch is getting rave reviews and his ability to play three positions is appealing. He's tough, has a great outside jumper and can relieve both Davis and David Wesley in the backcourt. The team could also use more frontcourt help. Ely and Haislip are the best big men still left on the board.

18. Orlando Magic
Insider's Pick: Melvin Ely, F/C Fresno State
Number Two: Marcus Haislip, F, Tennessee
Sleeper Pick: Frank Williams, G, Illinois
The Skinny: The Magic were really impressed with Stoudemire and may try to trade up a few slots to get him. If he's gone, Ely and Haislip are the closest things to him. Ely is a more polished low-post player and could help the Magic at both the four and the five. Haislip is more athletic, but he's much rawer. Williams would give them a bigger, defensive-minded point guard to help out Darrell Armstrong? Of course, the Magic thought they drafted that guard last season when they grabbed Jeryl Sasser. If the Magic are serious about winning next year, Ely, one of the few seniors in the draft, might be the best choice.

19. Utah Jazz
Insider's Pick: Marcus Haislip, F, Tennessee
Number Two: Sam Clancy, F, USC
Sleeper Pick: Casey Jacobsen, G, Stanford
The Skinny: If last year's pick, Raul Lopez, is able to wiggle his way out of his contract, the Jazz's point guard problem will be solved. Shooting guard/small forward will be a bigger problem. They also need to start thinking about replacing Karl Malone. The team loved Sam Clancy's game last year and despite a dislocated knee cap, they could take a chance on him here. But if Haislip falls this far, he might be too good to pass up. He's raw and still doesn't have a position, but he's also the strongest player in the draft, can jump out of the gym and could give the Jazz a new look once Stockton and Malone head out to pasture. Jacobsen is a long shot here, but he's probably the best shooter in the draft and the Jazz still miss Jeff Hornacek.

20. Toronto Raptors (from Seattle)
Insider's Pick: Dan Dickau, G, Gonzaga
Number Two: Frank Williams, G, Illinois
Sleeper Pick: Jiri Welsch, G, Czechslovakia
The Skinny: They signed Alvin Williams to a long-term deal last summer, but clearly he isn't the answer at point guard. They need a floor leader and Dickau could be a slam dunk here. With the success of Steve Nash, teams will be looking for clones. While Dickau isn't as quick as Nash, he's a better shooter, is tough as nails and has experience. Williams is another possibility, but the early word is that the Raptors think Dickau's the man. 21. Portland Trailblazers
Insider's Pick: Dan Gadzuric, C, UCLA
Number Two: Jason Jennings, C, Arkansas St.
Sleeper Pick: Nenad Kristic, C, Yugoslavia
The Skinny: This is a very difficult pick to call. Several league sources told Insider that the Blazers have been making calls to lottery teams, trying to move up. The team is looking for help down low and there isn't much left this far down in the draft. Gadzuric has the most upside. His workouts for teams have been phenomenal, but with Gadzuric you never know. Was it bad coaching at UCLA or is Gadzuric a talented athlete who just doesn't understand the game? Teams are struggling to figure that out, but it might be worth the gamble for the Blazers. If they're not convinced that Gadzuric is worth the risk, they could go foreign with a big man like Kristic or Zaur Pachulia and just wait them out. They've had luck with international centers in the past and have been scouting heavily in Europe this season.

22. Phoenix Suns (from Boston)
Insider's Pick: Sam Clancy, F, USC
Number Two: Frank Williams, G, Illinois
Sleeper Pick: David Andersen, F, Australia
The Skinny: Call it a guilt pick. Clancy dislocated his left knee cap in Phoenix, meaning he won't be able to work out with any other teams before the draft. He's undersized at the four, but he's a leader, has an inside-outside game and would give the Suns the toughness they're looking for in the paint. Williams is another possibility here. With the loss of Tony Delk this winter, the team doesn't have an adequate backup for Stephon Marbury.

23. Detroit Pistons
Insider's Pick: Frank Williams, G, Illinois
Number Two: Roger Mason Jr., G, Virginia
Sleeper Pick: Juan Dixon, G, Maryland
The Skinny: Williams may not be around when the Pistons pick, but if he is, he'll be a steal here. The team needs an upgrade at the point. Williams already has the defense that coach Rick Carlisle demands and has shown flashes of offense at Illinois. He has nice size at the position, has NBA strength and has shown good leadership skills. However, he can be woefully inconsistent and struggles with his outside jumper. If he's gone, either Mason or Dixon might not be a bad consolation prize. If Dixon can show teams that he can run the point, he'd be very hard to pass up here.

24. New Jersey Nets
Insider's Pick: Fred Jones, G, Oregon
Number Two: Casey Jacobsen, G, Stanford
Sleeper Pick: Juan Dixon, G, Maryland
The Skinny: The team is pretty set at every position but could use a more consistent long-range gunner for Jason Kidd to drive and dish to. They thought Brandon Armstrong was the answer last year, now they're not so sure. Jacobsen is probably the best shooter in the draft. Jones isn't nearly the shooter Jacobsen is, but he's still pretty good and will be phenomenal on the break. With the type of motion offenses that coach Byron Scott likes to run, Jones may be a better fit. Dixon might be able to come in and play combo guard for the Nets, something they could always use.

25. Denver Nuggets (from Dallas)
Insider's Pick: Boris Diaw, G, France
Number Two: Zaur Pachulia, F, Georgia
Sleeper Pick: Nenad Kristic, C, Yugoslavia
The Skinny: The Nuggets will either address their backcourt needs with Dajuan Wagner or their small forward needs with Caron Butler at No. 5. With their second pick, don't be surprised to see them take a chance on a foreign player who they can develop overseas for a few years. That's why Diaw looks like a real possibility here. Of all of the international players, he plays like an American. He can run the floor, jump out of the gym and slashes to the basket. He won't be able to play in the NBA next season, but the Nuggets don't mind. If he's gone, Pachulia or Kristic could eventually give them some size down low.

26. San Antonio Spurs
Insider's Pick: David Andersen, F, Australia
Number Two: Lazarous Papadopolous, F/C, Greece
Sleeper Pick: Juan Dixon, G, Maryland
The Skinny: The Spurs are another team that would be willing to take a chance on Gadzuric, but he probably won't last that long. Instead, they'll continue to mine Europe, this time for a big man. This may be a bit high for Papadopolous, but he impressed the Spurs' brass when he dominated Andersen in the Euroleague Finals. Papadopolous is still a big project, but so are most of the players still left on the board. They'll also take a long look at Andersen here. He's more polished than Papadopolous and could play in the NBA right away. To make things sweeter, Andersen is teammates with Emmanuel Ginobili, the Argentinean shooting guard the team wants to bring over to the NBA this season.

27. Los Angeles Lakers
Insider's Pick: Chris Jefferies, F, Fresno State
Number Two: Predrag Savovic, F, Hawaii
Sleeper Pick: Casey Jacobsen, G, Stanford
The Skinny: Free agency could hit the Lakers hard this summer. The team is especially anxious about the possibility of losing small forward Devean George. Jefferies is the type of athletic scorer who would have gone higher had he played for a different program. The Lakers love to capitalize on those type of guys. Savovic isn't the athlete that Jefferies is, but his shooting skills have him pushing Jacobsen as the best long-range shooter in the draft. The Lakers work out Jacobsen this week. They love his shooting range and could use someone to stretch defenses. Still, there may be enough questions about his athleticism and defense to keep him out of the first round.

28. Sacramento Kings
Insider's Pick: Nenad Kristic, C, Yugoslavia
Number Two: Zaur Pachulia, F, Georgia
Sleeper Pick: Carlos Boozer, F, Duke
The Skinny: The Kings can go any direction here. They're still kicking themselves that they let Jerome James slip through their fingers. Don't be surprised if they take a chance on Kristic. While few people know him in the U.S., he plays for a team that Vlade Divac owns in Yugoslavia. One scout described him as the best young true center in Europe. He's Vlade's best player and you can bet that he's sold the Kings on Krisitc as an eventual replacement once he retires.

 

Here ya go DC...

Draft rumors: Are the Wizards trying to move up?

Last year, Michael Jordan and the Wizards used their No. 1 pick on high school phenom Kwame Brown. What are they planning to do this year?

The team is focusing on small forwards and point guards.

The Wizards have already arranged workouts for small forwards Jared Jeffries and Qyntel Woods. They plan to arrange workouts for point guards Frank Williams, Steve Logan and Dan Dickau before the NBA pre-draft camp in Chicago June 4-7.

Apparently, the Wizards already have a player in mind and are worried that he won't be there when they draft at No. 11. The Washington Post reported that the team had preliminary discussions about trading up to the No. 8 spot, which the Clippers, who also have the No. 12 pick, are making available