Mock Drafts For Fun Part 1 of 2

Alright let's take a shot at the first ever 2008 Mock Draft, maybe in the entire world (UPDATE: Nope, Chad Ford is WAY ahead of us all, as usual). I'm not big on doing these, you know, because they are meaningless, but they are fun so whatever. This will be the last until the day of the draft, I would imagine.

1. Chicago Bulls- Michael Beasley
The Rose/Chicago thing is fine and dandy but they need a frontcourt scorer in the worst way. Chicago will certainly shake things up this offseason (Luol Deng might be gone) but right now it has a ton of different line-up options for whoever the hell its new coach will be. This puts them back into serious contention within two or three years. Rats.

2. Miami Heat- Derrick Rose
It gives them one of the best backcourts in the league, a terrifying transition team and even more players that are pretty tough to keep out of the paint and off the line. They too will be back in contention soon if they can turn Shawn Marion into a decent big man (Elton Brand?). Pat Riley will be coaching again by mid-November.

3. Minnesota T'Wolves- OJ Mayo
They need a perimeter scorer badly to go with Al Jefferson and Mayo fits pretty well, even if he is a sure bet to befriend some party-boating Vikings. This would give them Foye, Mayo, Brewer, McCants as a solid backcourt core for awhile and only their coach, management, fans, market and history in the way of contending again. Good times.

4. Seattle Sonics- Brook Lopez
Beasley or Rose would have been perfect but I guess they have to go Lopez here. I'd try and trade down to be honest. They need some kind of a big man that isn't Robert Swift, Johan Petro or Mohammed Sene, all past lottery picks that are simply lucky for the Sonics to be a franchise. Lopez is basically all of those guys, except good and stuff.

5. Memphis Grizzlies- Darrell Arthur
Someone does not want Memphis to keep their franchise. Their poor lottery luck continues to kill the franchise. Arthur might be a bit surprising, but it's 15 minutes after the lottery ended, give me a break. I really like Arthur and think he could fly up draft boards once teams see him out of that balanced Kansas attack where he didn't play as much as the other prospective lottery guys. Plus Memphis is pretty set at the 1-3 and would get a perfect, athletic PF to accommodate an up tempo system.

6. New York Knicks- Jerryd Bayless
This would give them four scoring guards in a point guard's body but Bayless is the best player available and there is no guarantee that anyone on that roster besidese David Lee will still be there come late October. He's got a lot of polish and strength for a 19-year-old guard, plus he can run, shoot and penetrate in D'Antoni's system. Eric Gordon might be an option as well, for many of the same reasons.

7. Los Angeles Clippers- Russell Westbrook
Again, Gordon is an option and again, who knows who will be on this team next year. I have a minor man-crush on Westbrook (scroll down) so he gets the edge here. Plus he's a UCLA guy. As a combo guard, Westbrook would work well if Shaun Livingston can locate his knee and can provide some scoring in the half court for an awful offensive team because of his penetration ability and strength.

8. Milwaukee Bucks- Eric Gordon
I really don't care what Milwaukee does. Honestly. They are a soulless basketball team. But Gordon is the best player available and would be a semi-steal at No. 8. The Bucks have a new GM, who will certainly be getting rid of a good deal of their young, frighteningly mediocre players, so Gordon is a good backcourt guy to build around. They could also take one of the Anthony Randolph/DeAndre Jordan/JaVale McGee overrated big man trio, fitting with past draft strategies.

9. Charlotte Bobcats- Anthony Randolph
Let me make one thing clear. I don't believe in Anthony Randolph. But he would work pretty well here I guess. With Big Fat Sean May coming back and Okafor still plodding along, Randolph would be a nice inside-outside, fleet-footed option. Larry Brown being the coach kind of clouds things because he hates youth and anyone associated with "potential." In that case Kevin Love, who is basically a better version of May, would be a serious option.

10. New Jersey Nets- DeAndre Jordan
Let me make one thing clear. I don't believe in DeAndre Jordan. BUT, this is the 38th consecutive year the Nets will be looking to draft a big man, specifically one that can average more than 2 points per game. Jordan is a project, but could provide at least 3 points per game. Plus they have Nenad Krstic and Sean Williams for the future as well, so Jordan can ease his way in. He was pretty disappointing at Texas A&M, but, like, you can't teach size or something.

11. Indiana Pacers- DJ Augustin
I'm not as big on DJ as other folk but Indiana needs a point guard who is not fat and a center who is not Jeff Foster. No centers worth taking are there so Augustin it is. Somehow Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger are pretty decent scoring options so Augustin would be more of a distributor than he was at Texas. This would be a good fit for Indiana and a tough break for Augustin.

12. Sacramento Kings- Kevin Love
If you look at him in the Chris Webber/Vlade Divac role, the few Kings fans left should be thrilled with this. The problem is he is very similar to Brad Miller and Spencer Hawes, who aren't too encouraging. But put Love on the high post with Kevin Martin and Ron Artest slashing and posting and this could be a pretty solid halfcourt offense. But then you get rid of Brad Miller immediately.

13. Portland Trailblazers- Danilo Gallinari
I don't know enough about the Euros yet, so that's why this character is down here. The Blazers are pretty set at all spots and have another Euro, the outstanding Spaniard Rudy Fernandez coming in. So I fully expect them to look to move this pick for a point guard, none of which would be available right here. This guy would be a nice scoring option off the bench for a team low on outside shooters. A low post banger like Marrese Speights would work for them too.

14. Golden State Warriors- Chris Douglas-Roberts
Who knows what the Warriors will look like next year with Baron Davis' uncertainty and probable realization that you can't win while completely ignoring defense. CDR would finally give them a perimeter defender so the perimeter scorers in the West don't continue their 40 points per game average against them. Plus he can run and handle, which we all know Nellie loves. Kosta Koufos would be interesting here because he's basically a young, cheap Al Harrington.

15. Phoenix Suns- Brandon Rush
16. Philadelphia 76ers- Marrese Speights
17. Toronto Raptors- Robin Lopez
18. Washington Wizards- Kosta Koufos
19. Cleveland Cavaliers- Donte Greene
20. Denver Nuggets- Joe Alexander
21. New Jersey Nets- Nicolas Batum
22. Orlando Magic- JaVale McGee
23. Utah Jazz- Serge Ibaka
24. Seattle Sonics- Davon Jefferson
25. Houston Rockets- JJ Hickson
26. San Antonio Spurs- Ty Lawson
27. New Orleans Hornets- Ryan Anderson
28. Memphis Grizzlies- Nathan Jawai
29. Detroit Pistons- Chase Budinger
30. Boston Celtics- Jamont Gordon