DC Pro Sports Report NBA Mock Draft 2.0

01. Chicago Bulls: PG Derrick Rose [Memphis]. I'm not sure this is the smart pick for Chicago. They desperately need a real point guard [Kirk Hinrich ain't it], but Michael Beasley is going to be a monstrously good player, better than Rose, I suspect.
02. Memphis Grizzlies: PF Michael Beasley [Kansas State]. Miami should stick and take Beasley [and be damn grateful they got the best player in the draft], but I think they'll move the pick once they can't get Rose. Memphis has got the most talent to move up so I think they do it. He's a different power forward than Pau Gasol, but in time he will be better.
03. Minnesota Timberwolves: OJ Mayo [USC]. This is a 'best player available' selection because Mayo certainly isn't a need pick. Watch out for another trade here.
04. Seattle Supersonics: PG Jerryd Bayless [Arizona]. A point guard is what this team needs to go with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green and Bayless might be the best one in the draft.
05. Miami Heat: PG Russell Westbrook [UCLA]. Miami gets the point guard it needs to play next to Dwyane Wade [and a few extra Memphis players, too].
06. New York Knicks: PF Kevin Love [UCLA]. Back-to-back Bruins go early in the draft after the Knicks fail to land OJ Mayo. Love is pretty close to a sure thing and should have a long and productive NBA career.
07. Los Angeles Clippers: G Eric Gordon [Indiana]. Corey Maggette is probably leaving and the Clips will need someone to replace him. They need a point guard even more, but I don't think they'll be able to move up to grab Bayless or Westbrook.
08. Milwaukee Bucks: QF Joe Alexander [West Virginia]. This is a bit of a risky pick with guys like Brook Lopez and Danilo Gallinari still on the board, but Alexander has worked out well and new Coach Scott Skiles should love his energy and athleticism.
09. Charlotte Bobcats: C Brook Lopez [Stanford]. Michael Jordan gets the guy he needs to move Emeka Okafor to power forward, where he belongs. No, Lopez will probably never be a big star in the NBA, but he can be a pretty good legitimate center and those are pretty valuable.
10. New Jersey Nets: F Danilo Gallinari [Italy]. A versatile, nice-shooting, nice-passing European point forward should help the Nets as they try to rebuild their team before moving to Brooklyn. Look for Richard Jefferson to be traded soon after the draft.
11. Indiana Pacers: PG DJ Augustin [Texas]. Augustin is the best point guard left in the draft and his ability to hit the outside shot and run an offense should make him popular in Indy. However, if the Pacers can move Jermaine O'Neal to the Raptors in exchange for TJ Ford before the draft, look for them to select someone like Anthony Randolph.
12. Sacramento Kings: PF Anthony Randolph [LSU]. The Kings might pass on Randolph, but I think they'd be crazy to do it. Randolph is definitely a top talent in this draft and getting him at 12 is very good value. Besides, the Kings need a real power forward to team with Center Spencer Hawes [last year's pick at 12] and star shooting guard Kevin Martin.
13. Portland Trail Blazers: SG/SF Brandon Rush [Kansas]. Don't be surprised if the Blazers move this pick, considering the amount of youth and talent they already have on the team. If they keep the pick, Rush seems the closest to a sure thing and would be a trade-able commodity.
14. Golden State Warriors: C Kosta Koufos [Ohio State]. The Warriors are tough to project because they've got key players looking at free agency [Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins] and could go in any direction. If Biedrins leaves, Koufos could step in and give the team more offense.
15. Phoenix Suns: QF Donte Green [Syracuse]. A month ago I thought Green might be a pretty good replacement for Shawn Marion and I still think that way. He's not a polished player yet, but he's got a lot of upside and the Suns must start thinking of the future.
16. Philadelphia 76ers: C Alexis Ajinca [France]. Philly needs low post size and Ajinca has got it in spades. His 7'8" wingspan could be an intimidating defensive presence in the paint. He needs to put on some weight and get stronger, but his workouts have been phenomenal and getting him at 16 might be a steal at this point.
17. Toronto Raptors: C DeAndre Jordan [Texas A&M]. Jordan should have stayed in the draft another year, become a more seasoned player and gone in the lottery. He came out after 1 year, though, so he's a raw, super-athletic talent who is a couple of years away. If the Raptors can work out the trade for Jermaine O'Neal, giving Jordan some time won't be a problem.
18. Washington Wizards: C Roy Hibbert [Georgetown]. This will be a popular choice locally and it also fits the bill. Contrary to reports, the Bullets are not going to lose PG Gilbert Arenas or PF Antawn Jamison. They need a real point guard to back up Arenas and a real center to back up Brendan Haywood. Etan Thomas lost all of last year with a heart ailment and might never be right again. Besides, he's not a real center and is a fairly large defensive liability. Since Andray Blatche and Oleksiy Pecherov are more power forwards than true pivots, Hibbert fills a need. Mario Chalmers would make some sense here, too.
19. Cleveland Cavaliers: C Robin Lopez [Stanford]. Robin is a banger, a willing defender and rebounder. He's not going to score a lot, but this team apparently doesn't consider scoring [unless it comes from Lebron James] to be a priority.
20. Denver Nuggets: PF Mareese Speights [Florida]. The Nuggets need size and Speights has got it, as well as a physical presence that would be useful. The key will be motivating Speights to reach something close to his formidable potential.
21. New Jersey Nets: C JaVale McGee [Nevada]. He's got great physical potential, but McGee hasn't wowed anyone in his workouts. He's a project and will need a few years, but he's got an impressive upside and he is, after all, 7 feet tall. Those guys don't grow on trees.
22. Orlando Magic: SG Courtney Lee [Western Kentucky]. Having struck out with JJ Redick, the Magic need a shooter in the worst way. The Magic could go for Chris Douglas-Roberts here, but if they want the superior shooter, Lee is their player. I think they want the superior shooter.
23. Utah Jazz: PF Darrell Arthur [Kansas]. It's a big and disappointing drop for Arthur, but his stock has not been soaring lately. Nevertheless, he's a talented player who can score in a lot of ways from all over the court. He's a tweener, but a real value pick at 23 that should be able to develop into a respectable NBA player.
24. Seattle Super Sonics: PF Serge Ibaka [Congo]. Two years from now he might have been a lottery pick, but Ibaka is in the draft this year and will slip well out of the lottery for good reason. He's physically impressive, but his game is far too raw for the NBA now. He'll ball in Europe for a couple of years before Seattle brings him over to play with Durant and Green.
25. Houston Rockets: SG Chris Douglas-Roberts [Memphis]. A slasher with a nice midrange touch, CDR can help Houston immediately off the bench.
26. San Antonio Spurs: PF Jason Thompson [Rider]. He played for a small school, but he's loaded with talent and athleticism and the Spurs need more of each behind the aging Tim Duncan.
27. New Orleans Hornets: QF Nicolas Batum [France]. Chris Douglas-Roberts would have been a nice fit here, but he's already gone so they go with the most talented player on the board. Batum is a bit raw, but he's a versatile swingman who looks like he'll be a jack-of-all-trades in the NBA.
28. Memphis Grizzlies: PG Mario Chalmers [Kansas]. A very nice value pick for the Grizzlies, who will need more bodies after trading up to get Michael Beasley. Chalmers will never be a star, but he could develop into a decent starting point guard or a very nice backup. He's a pesky defender and passable shooter, but lack of athleticism will always limit his production.
29. Detroit Pistons: PF JJ Hickson [NC State]. He's not exactly a high character guy, but perhaps the tight Detroit locker room can rein him in. His history makes him fall this far, but he's so talented that some team should use a first rounder on him. Needs to get stronger and develop a few low post moves.
30. Boston Celtics: QF Bill Walker [Kansas State]. Not a high need pick for the Celtics, Walker is an explosive player who can score. Injuries have knocked him this far, but he was once thought of as a lottery pick and could be a big steal with the last pick in the first round.