Way Too Soon: Mock Draft

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With the first pick, the Philadelphia 76ers select Chris Mullin, Small Forward out of St. John’s

The 76ers made the jump and have every opportunity in front of them. They could easily go with Ewing to get a second big man next to the undersized Sam Perkins, but this is becoming a league of outside scoring. Mullin needs to develop some as a scorer, which allows for the 76ers to still be in the lotto next year with two key pieces on their team with Mullin and Perkins. With two young point guard prospects to pair with those two, this team is in the exact timeline to draft Chris Mullin first overall.

With the second pick, the Phoenix Suns select Karl Malone, Power Forward out of Louisiana Tech

With no need for a point guard, the only two options for Phoenix is Patrick Ewing or Karl Malone. The opportunity is too good to pass up. Picking Malone will pair him up with his IRL running partner John Stockton. Already a top PG in the league, Stockton will be able to share the ball with Malone once he develops. Although Ewing seems like he could be a top prospect, Malone’s intangibles allows for him to be an equally great player. His quickness at PF will make him a problem for anyone trying to defend both Stockton and Malone.

With the third pick, the Houston Rockets select Patrick Ewing, Center out of Georgetown.

The two big needs for Houston is point guard and center. However, they have a serviceable point guard they can bring back in restricted free agency. That leaves Patrick Ewing going to the Rockets with the fourth pick in the draft. Ewing can step in immediately at center and contribute next to Bird. With a lineup of Ewing, Bird, Pierce, Birdsong, and the brought back Frank Johnson at point guard, the Rockets could see an immediate change in record and be the most improved team next season.

With the fourth pick, the Boston Celtics select Xavier McDaniel, Small Forward out of Wichita State

Worst case scenario for the worst team in the game. Boston lost with a purpose last season to get the opportunity at Chris Mullin. Karl Malone would’ve been a suitable second choice that would allow AB to ship out Ralph Sampson not to Milwaukee. They have a good caliber point guard and a hole at small forward. With a star point guard on the board, this pick is a bit of a reach, but AB needs to start filling out a roster. The “A” part of AB is really happening at pick 4.

With the fifth pick, the Utah Jazz select Terry Porter, Point Guard out of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Hank McDowell will be coming back at PF, so that spot is secured. You have Jeff Lamp and Craig Ehlo who are big enough to move around between any of the three wing spots. At this point, the Jazz need a Center and an additional guard. They will start with a point guard. At the 5th pick in the draft, Terry Porter is a steal. He will fit perfectly at the point, and will be a contributor immediately and in the future.

With the sixth pick, the Jazz select Benoit Benjamin, Center out of Creighton

With back to back picks, the Jazz are set up for a good young core. With Terry Porter at the point, the empty spot in their rotation is now at center. Queue up Benoit Benjamin. By no means will he be a superstar in this league, but he will be a top rotational big that will give the Jazz solidity at the five. With A’s in Post Defense and Blocks, he will be able to be the anchor for the defense.

With the seventh pick, the Milwaukee Bucks select Michael Adams, Point Guard out of Boston College

The big hole on the Bucks is at center. Unfortunately, there isn’t a great center left on the board. But the rich gets richer and the Bucks can now select the best player available. Uber stacked at shooting guard, the next biggest need would be point guard or small forward. Undersized at point guard, Michael Adams will slide in directly to a backup spot on this team. Once developed, he will pack an offensive punch off of the bench that doesn’t have a significant drop in handling, passing and defense. Adams will add another layer of depth to an already loaded team.

With the eighth pick, the Dallas Mavericks select Charles Oakley, Power Forward out of Virginia Union

Already a starting five of blue/blues is a great way to make your lottery draft selection. If they bring back most of their other players from last year, the biggest hole is backup bigs. Not having the need of this rookie to score is super convenient for this team. Charles Oakley with A’s across rebounds and defense can just cause havoc for other teams. With a little bump in Post Defense, Oakley is playable immediately for a team bound for the playoffs next year.

With the ninth pick, the Cleveland Cavaliers select Joe Dumars, Shooting Guard out of McNeese State

It was rough for the Cavs to see Oakley go one pick before their own. He would’ve been exactly what the team needed. Unfortunately, he is gone, so let’s see what we can get. Without the ability to get a player that can play the four, Cleveland is going to go with potential. Joe Dumars can be a defensive stalwart, but has some room to grow. He will be a solid role player on a team that doesn’t need scoring. By the time he is in his prime, the team can be handed off to him with the current stars aging out of the league.

With the tenth pick, the Golden State Warriors select Detlef Schrempf, small forward out of Washington

Expecting that the Warriors will bring back Tom Chambers at power forward, the biggest position of need is small forward. Expect Detlef Schrempf to come off of the board. Good at a lot, but not great at anything, Schrempf will be a glue guy for this team. He won’t be able to carry the load in any singular category, but he will be a solid player for a team building for a championship. With John Long and Robert Parish carrying the scoring load, Schrempf will be able to slide right into the starting spot.

With the eleventh pick, the New Jersey Nets select Spud Webb, point guard out of North Carolina State

The Nets are a team that is very good and is going to bring back Herb Williams to solidify their starting five. This freedom in such a deep draft allows them to take the best player available. Not often do you have a blue potential player that can be grabbed at this spot. The diminutive Spud Webb is going to be a great depth piece. With already good defensive and point guard skills, Spud can be an immediate impact player at the end of the lottery.