The 2014 NBA Draft this Thursday is one of the deepest in recent memory. From Andrew Wiggins to Jabari Parker to Marcus Smart, it has as many or more household names than any draft in the past ten years. Here are the picks I see each team making Thursday night.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers — Andrew Wiggins
The Cavs will take Kansas forward Andrew Wiggins with the first pick in the draft. Although his freshman season at Kansas was a bit of a disappointment, he possesses the talent to score from anywhere on the court and he already defends better than everyone on the Knicks and Sixers combined. He’ll be a starter from day one on a team that needs someone, anyone, with a post game.
2. Milwaukee Bucks — Jabari Parker
The Bucks are in desperate need of offense. Between Brandon Jennings’ laughably low field goal percentage and Larry Sanders’ inability to stay away from bar fights and suspensions, Parker gives the team a legitimate scorer from the wing for the first time since Glenn Robinson.
3. Philadelphia 76ers — Noah Vonleh
Noah Vonleh offers some of the best raw talent in the draft. At 6 feet and 9 inches and boasting a 7-foot-9 wingspan, he has the ability to stretch the floor from long range or bang down low and rebound as a solid starting power forward with the past year’s pick, center Nerlens Noel.
4. Orlando Magic — Dante Exum
Although they earned the third-worst record in the league this past year, the Magic are young and in the middle of rebuilding the franchise. Dante Exum, a 6-foot-6 point guard from Australia offers the playmaking ability to replace an aging Jameer Nelson at the point, and shows the distributing prowess to make plays for promising second-year man Victor Oladipo.
5. Utah Jazz — Joel Embiid
The Jazz need an inside presence, and Embiid has the potential to fill that role and then some. Although a foot injury and surgery caused his stock as a probable number one pick to evaporate, his talent as a scorer and an enforcer in the paint is rare and something the Jazz can’t afford to pass up.
6. Boston Celtics — Aaron Gordon
Danny Ainge and the Celtics have been high on Aaron Gordon since early June, and I don’t think that’s just deceptive pre-draft talk. They need inside defense and scoring badly, and Gordon provides both of those. His jumper is a train wreck, but down low he’s a force to be reckoned with.
7. Los Angeles Lakers — Marcus Smart
This pick is so Lakers, and it happens to be a perfect fit. Marcus Smart was polarizing in every way in a season which many believe he underperformed offensively and hurt his draft stock. But he’s still an elite defender and competitor and has the ability to drive and score.
8. Sacramento Kings — Julius Randle
Frankly, the Kings just need someone who can give an effort night-in and night-out. Randle provides just that, as a high-motor guy with the ability to score in the paint and rebound as well as anyone in the class. Who knows, maybe that work ethic could even rub off onto Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins.
9. Charlotte Hornets — Nik Stauskas
The Charlotte Hornets surprised everybody this past year by making the playoffs, but their lack of outside scoring led to them being swept by the Heat in the first round. Michigan’s Nik Stauskas has the best three-point stroke in the class and has an underrated ability to dish it out and rebound.
10. Philadelphia 76ers — Doug McDermott
He’s listed as a power forward, but McDermott has the skill set to serve immediately as a solid small forward for a young Sixers team without one listed on the roster. He averaged 27 points on 52-percent shooting in a system that ran the offense through him.
aknorth@indiana.edu
