1997 Mock Draft - Part I (Lottery)
Apr 25, 2020 15:51:58 GMT
Post by mgtr81 on Apr 25, 2020 15:51:58 GMT
1. New Jersey Nets - Tim Duncan (Wake Forest) PF / 6'11" / 250 lbs / 21 years old
The Nets need talent. It is being a long rebuild in New Jersey, where there has not been a winning season since 1992-93. Bryant Reeves has not developed as expected, although he is still 24 years old; upcoming free agent Bobby Hurley has shown great playmaking skills, but little else; the veterans are starting to decline. Now enter Tim Duncan into the equation and suddenly you have a two-way big man surrounded by shooters in Dennis Scott, Wesley Person and Keith Askins. Duncan will raise the Nets to relevance again: he is that good. He can score, defend, rebound and is a very smart young player. This is one of the most talented classes ever in the GAH, at the level (or close to) 1977, 1984, 1985 or 1987, but there is still a clear top player and that is Tim Duncan.
2. Denver Nuggets - Ray Allen (Connecticut) SG / 6'5" / 205 lbs / 22 years old
The once mighty Denver Nuggets enter a rebuild situation, with only four players under 30 years old on their roster: two wings and two post players. With Jim McIlvane as the projected rim protector for the next decade and the raw but filled with potential Yinka Dare coming off a tough rookie season, Ray Allen seems to be the best choice. The shooting guard from Connecticut is an elite shooter who could become a new Reggie Miller in the GAH. He is one of the smartest players around, and while his defense needs a lot of work, he is going to be hard to stop from scoring the ball.
3. Philadelphia 76ers - Keith Van Horn (Utah) PF / 6'10" / 220 lbs / 22 years old
Although listed as a power forward, Van Horn's game is actually a hybrid one: he can step out to the perimeter and hit the three and his rebounding is more typical of a small forward than that of a true big man. But his selling card is his ability to score. It remains to be seen if he will be able to keep his NCAA scoring averages in the GAH, but in his favour, unlike other scorers he can actually play some man-to-man defense. The 76ers have their biggest hole at the three spot, and a frontcourt with Van Horn, Pervis Ellison and Arvydas Sabonis could be a great one if the two veterans can stay on the floor.
4. Boston Celtics - Antonio McDyess (Alabama) PF / 6'9" / 220 lbs / 23 years old
The Celtics only have four players under contract for next season: Derek Fisher, Clyde Drexler, Xavier McDaniel and Walter Palmer. With Drexler and McDaniel well over 30, Boston has practically an empty canvas. There are a lot of options very close in talent, but McDyess could be a great player to build around. He can bang inside to score and grab rebounds, has a nice mid-range jumper and can play defense. He makes good decisions with the ball on his hands and his game can complement very well with a point guard like Fisher.
5. Golden State Warriors - Brevin Knight (Stanford) PG / 5'10" / 173 lbs / 22 years old
This may come as a surprising selection, but the Warriors need a point guard and Knight is probably the best one in this draft. A pass-first point guard with quick hands on defense, some compare him with Muggsy Bogues. He may not be featured in the highlights, but next to Jalen Rose, Corliss Williamson and Theo Ratliff could be a perfect fit.
6. San Antonio Spurs - Marcus Camby (Massachusetts) C / 6'11" / 220 lbs / 23 years old
The Spurs are another team in need of a point guard, but after Knight there is an important drop-off in talent at the position. With Camby San Antonio adds a defensive big man who will anchor the team's defense for years to come. A great shot-blocker and rebounder, Camby has also good hands for a big man and is light enough to play also at the power forward spot. There have been question marks about his durability, but the talent is there.
7. San Diego Clippers - Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Lithuania) C / 7'3" / 238 lbs / 22 years old
The Clippers have a very solid young core with plenty of talent. With Vin Baker and Gheorghe Muresan on the market for a new contract, they probably opt to play a safe card and draft a big man. If they go that route, then Ilgauskas would be a great option for San Diego. A very smart player who both scores and defends, he will also bring more size to an already big sized Clippers roster. He is also one of the best offensive rebounders in the class.
8. New York Knicks - Adrian Griffin (Seton Hall) SF / 6'5" / 217 lbs / 23 years old
Another unexpected selection here, but it is one that makes a lot of sense for New York. The Knicks have already a competitive core in place with players at or over 30 in Kevin Johnson, Mitch Richmond, Derrick Coleman and Duane Causwell. Their fifth starter, David Benoit, is a free agent and the Knicks do not have bird rights on the forward selected in the second GAH all-defensive team. That means he may have multiple suitors, so the Knicks could opt to draft Griffin to fill that void. The small forward from Seton Hall is a defensive specialist who knows his role and does not try to get fancy.
9. Charlotte Hornets - Jerry Stackhouse (North Carolina) SG / 6'6" / 218 lbs / 23 years old
The Hornets made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, where they lost in six games against the eventual GAH champions, the Chicago Bulls. As a result of the Brad Daugherty trade to the Vancouver Grizzlies they draft in the Top 10. With such a talented team and with the only key player hitting the market in Terrell Brandon, who they are likely to bring back (or at least try their best to), the Hornets may opt to bring in Stackhouse, a physical scorer from North Carolina. While he is a streaky shooter goes to the line at will and converts over 80 % of his free throws. Whether he will be as successful at the pro level remains to be seen, but if there is a team in the Top 10 that can allow such a thing that is Charlotte. His defense is another story.
10. Houston Rockets - Rasheed Wallace (North Carolina) PF / 6'10" / 225 lbs / 23 years old
Back to back Tar Heels to close out the Top 10. The up-and-coming Rockets have their backcourt set with Sam Cassell and Jason Kidd and the post well covered by upcoming free agent Larry Johnson, Elden Campbell and Kurt Thomas. A player like Wallace can be a good fit in Houston with his ability to play both inside and outside. He scores and defends at a high level and understands the game perfectly. His lack of rebounding for his size may not be an issue for the Rockets.
11. Cleveland Cavaliers - Austin Croshere (Providence) PF / 6'9" / 235 lbs / 22 years old
The Cavs barely missed the playoffs last season. They are ready to compete and with John Stockton making plays, Roy Tarpley and Nick Anderson scoring the ball and a deep rotation of defensive centers, a role player like Croshere seems a good fit. The Providence forward is more comfortable playing on the perimeter, where he can show his solid outside shot and his good man-to-man defense. He lacks the footwork to score inside and is not a great rebounder, so Cleveland could be a great landing spot for him.
The Nets need talent. It is being a long rebuild in New Jersey, where there has not been a winning season since 1992-93. Bryant Reeves has not developed as expected, although he is still 24 years old; upcoming free agent Bobby Hurley has shown great playmaking skills, but little else; the veterans are starting to decline. Now enter Tim Duncan into the equation and suddenly you have a two-way big man surrounded by shooters in Dennis Scott, Wesley Person and Keith Askins. Duncan will raise the Nets to relevance again: he is that good. He can score, defend, rebound and is a very smart young player. This is one of the most talented classes ever in the GAH, at the level (or close to) 1977, 1984, 1985 or 1987, but there is still a clear top player and that is Tim Duncan.
2. Denver Nuggets - Ray Allen (Connecticut) SG / 6'5" / 205 lbs / 22 years old
The once mighty Denver Nuggets enter a rebuild situation, with only four players under 30 years old on their roster: two wings and two post players. With Jim McIlvane as the projected rim protector for the next decade and the raw but filled with potential Yinka Dare coming off a tough rookie season, Ray Allen seems to be the best choice. The shooting guard from Connecticut is an elite shooter who could become a new Reggie Miller in the GAH. He is one of the smartest players around, and while his defense needs a lot of work, he is going to be hard to stop from scoring the ball.
3. Philadelphia 76ers - Keith Van Horn (Utah) PF / 6'10" / 220 lbs / 22 years old
Although listed as a power forward, Van Horn's game is actually a hybrid one: he can step out to the perimeter and hit the three and his rebounding is more typical of a small forward than that of a true big man. But his selling card is his ability to score. It remains to be seen if he will be able to keep his NCAA scoring averages in the GAH, but in his favour, unlike other scorers he can actually play some man-to-man defense. The 76ers have their biggest hole at the three spot, and a frontcourt with Van Horn, Pervis Ellison and Arvydas Sabonis could be a great one if the two veterans can stay on the floor.
4. Boston Celtics - Antonio McDyess (Alabama) PF / 6'9" / 220 lbs / 23 years old
The Celtics only have four players under contract for next season: Derek Fisher, Clyde Drexler, Xavier McDaniel and Walter Palmer. With Drexler and McDaniel well over 30, Boston has practically an empty canvas. There are a lot of options very close in talent, but McDyess could be a great player to build around. He can bang inside to score and grab rebounds, has a nice mid-range jumper and can play defense. He makes good decisions with the ball on his hands and his game can complement very well with a point guard like Fisher.
5. Golden State Warriors - Brevin Knight (Stanford) PG / 5'10" / 173 lbs / 22 years old
This may come as a surprising selection, but the Warriors need a point guard and Knight is probably the best one in this draft. A pass-first point guard with quick hands on defense, some compare him with Muggsy Bogues. He may not be featured in the highlights, but next to Jalen Rose, Corliss Williamson and Theo Ratliff could be a perfect fit.
6. San Antonio Spurs - Marcus Camby (Massachusetts) C / 6'11" / 220 lbs / 23 years old
The Spurs are another team in need of a point guard, but after Knight there is an important drop-off in talent at the position. With Camby San Antonio adds a defensive big man who will anchor the team's defense for years to come. A great shot-blocker and rebounder, Camby has also good hands for a big man and is light enough to play also at the power forward spot. There have been question marks about his durability, but the talent is there.
7. San Diego Clippers - Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Lithuania) C / 7'3" / 238 lbs / 22 years old
The Clippers have a very solid young core with plenty of talent. With Vin Baker and Gheorghe Muresan on the market for a new contract, they probably opt to play a safe card and draft a big man. If they go that route, then Ilgauskas would be a great option for San Diego. A very smart player who both scores and defends, he will also bring more size to an already big sized Clippers roster. He is also one of the best offensive rebounders in the class.
8. New York Knicks - Adrian Griffin (Seton Hall) SF / 6'5" / 217 lbs / 23 years old
Another unexpected selection here, but it is one that makes a lot of sense for New York. The Knicks have already a competitive core in place with players at or over 30 in Kevin Johnson, Mitch Richmond, Derrick Coleman and Duane Causwell. Their fifth starter, David Benoit, is a free agent and the Knicks do not have bird rights on the forward selected in the second GAH all-defensive team. That means he may have multiple suitors, so the Knicks could opt to draft Griffin to fill that void. The small forward from Seton Hall is a defensive specialist who knows his role and does not try to get fancy.
9. Charlotte Hornets - Jerry Stackhouse (North Carolina) SG / 6'6" / 218 lbs / 23 years old
The Hornets made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, where they lost in six games against the eventual GAH champions, the Chicago Bulls. As a result of the Brad Daugherty trade to the Vancouver Grizzlies they draft in the Top 10. With such a talented team and with the only key player hitting the market in Terrell Brandon, who they are likely to bring back (or at least try their best to), the Hornets may opt to bring in Stackhouse, a physical scorer from North Carolina. While he is a streaky shooter goes to the line at will and converts over 80 % of his free throws. Whether he will be as successful at the pro level remains to be seen, but if there is a team in the Top 10 that can allow such a thing that is Charlotte. His defense is another story.
10. Houston Rockets - Rasheed Wallace (North Carolina) PF / 6'10" / 225 lbs / 23 years old
Back to back Tar Heels to close out the Top 10. The up-and-coming Rockets have their backcourt set with Sam Cassell and Jason Kidd and the post well covered by upcoming free agent Larry Johnson, Elden Campbell and Kurt Thomas. A player like Wallace can be a good fit in Houston with his ability to play both inside and outside. He scores and defends at a high level and understands the game perfectly. His lack of rebounding for his size may not be an issue for the Rockets.
11. Cleveland Cavaliers - Austin Croshere (Providence) PF / 6'9" / 235 lbs / 22 years old
The Cavs barely missed the playoffs last season. They are ready to compete and with John Stockton making plays, Roy Tarpley and Nick Anderson scoring the ball and a deep rotation of defensive centers, a role player like Croshere seems a good fit. The Providence forward is more comfortable playing on the perimeter, where he can show his solid outside shot and his good man-to-man defense. He lacks the footwork to score inside and is not a great rebounder, so Cleveland could be a great landing spot for him.