By: Stephen Patterson
It looks as though the first five selections in tonight's NBA Draft are starting to come together. It has been pretty much assured since the Washington Wizards won the lottery that Kentucky PG John Wall would be the top pick, but what about the other teams in the top 5? Most mock drafts have a concensus top 5 group of prospects, but the order of where they fall has slightly differed depending on which mock you look at. Well here are my predictions for where each team will look with their selections:
-- Washington Wizards: John Wall G Kentucky. This is an obvious choice for Washington. Sneaking into the top spot with a lot of lottery luck, the Wizards have a chance to draft a franchise changing point guard. The only real question here is how will Wall and troubled star Gilbert Arenas co-exist for the Wizards? Can they both be on the floor at the same time? If so, who's running the show? Arenas has always been a scoring guard, so handing over the point guard responsibilities to Wall shouldn't be an issue. Look out for a possible Arenas trade as well. While the Wizards aren't shopping Agent Zero, there have been rumors of a potential Arenas for Vince Carter deal discussed between Washington and Orlando.
-- Philidelphia 76ers: Evan Turner G Ohio State. Turner played three seasons with the Buckeyes and took home his fair share of awards for his performance last season. He will definitely be a great addition to the Sixers and certainly a player new coach Doug Collins looks forward to having on the floor next season. The only way the Sixers don't select Turner is if they make a deal to move Elton Brand. If they move Brand and his massive contract it is almost a certainty that the other team will want the 2nd pick included in the deal. I don't see many takers for Brand with most teams holding onto every dollar they can for free agency so look for Turner to be a Sixer next year.
-- New Jersey Nets: Wesley Johnson F Syracuse. The Nets were stunned when they found out they missed out on a chance to land Wall after having the leagues worst record last season, but Welsey Johnson is still a good prize nonetheless. This pick may be the most widely differed among mock drafts, with some thinking they will go the route of Derrick Favors. However, I think Johnson is the best fit for New Jersey based on the fact there will be several quality PFs availible in free agency (Bosh, Stoudemire, Boozer), while the only superstar SF certain to be on the market is LeBron James. The Nets' chances of landing James took a steep dive when they lost the chance to land Wall making this a wise choice.
-- Minnesota Timberwolves: Derrick Favors F Georgia Tech. This pick is probably the most likely of the top 5 to be dealt tonight. It's no secret the Wolves would love to land Wesley Johnson and they may look to move up to make something happen. There is also the possibility they could unload the pick along with Al Jefferson in an effort to rid themselves of his massive deal. The team greatly overvalues Jefferson however, so a deal including the pick is a long shot. David Kahn hasn't shown he really has a clue what he is doing in Minnesota so tonight will be a huge night for him. How would Favors fit in with Jefferson and Love already on the roster? This will be a tough question for Kahn to answer.
-- Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins C Kentucky. Widely viewed as the biggest gamble in this years draft, Cousins is also seen as one of the players with the most potential. There have been multiple reports over the past 48 hours suggesting the Kings have already decided upon Cousins, and I think they are a good fit for him. The expectations aren't too high for the team and he wouldn't have too much pressure on him with Tyreke Evans as a teammate. If Cousins can stay out of trouble off the court and work on maturity issues, he could be the best player taken in the draft and a franchise changing center.
