Mock Draft 10.0: Final Mock as the Cavs are on the Clock

17. Shabazz Napier, PG, Connecticut, 6’1″, 180 lbs

Napier helped himself more than any other prospect in the Big Dance in leading his Huskies to a title. The star point guard showed flashes of another Huskies point man, Kemba Walker, carrying his team offensively down the stretch. Napier showed this season that he does it all. While he may not be a natural point, that is where he will wind up in the NBA. His ability to score, rebound and defend will be a commodity few teams this late can pass up on. The Celtics already have a PG in Rondo but are actively shopping him. Napier could be an excellent choice as Danny Ainge continues to retool the roster.

18. Zach LaVine, SG, UCLA, 6’5″, 185 lbs.

LaVine had a nice freshman campaign and looked like a reliable 3-point shooter with good athleticism for the Bruins despite being a reserve most of the season. Any team selecting LaVine is taking a chance on his upside as he must improve his strength to handle the wear and tear of the NBA. In Chicago, LaVine showed the type of length that teams need on the wing with a great shooting touch. Still LaVine is going to need time to develop, and the D-League might be a great option for him. This could turn into a nice selection for the Suns at this point in the draft. Armed with three first-round picks the Suns will be aggressive in exploring deals but there is already a lot of talk about the Suns and LaVine.

19. Adreian Payne, PF, Michigan State, 6’10”, 245 lbs.

There may not be another player who benefitted more from coming back for his senior season than Payne, who played himself into a first-round pick. I tend to see Payne’s range being between the late lottery and top 20. While Payne did many things for a Spartans team that fell short of its goals, his signature for NBA teams is being a stretch 4. Payne is a solid shooter with nice range who knows how to play defense. Combined with Joakim Noah, the Bulls would have a nice 1-2 combo in the front court and Payne could play off of Noah quite effectively. The Bulls are also enamored with Clint Capela.

20. Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse, 6’2″, 180 lbs

The Raptors are looking at PGs as they prepare for the possibility of losing Kyle Lowry in free agency. Ennis is one of the more under-the-radar prospects, having broken though as a freshman because of Syracuse’s impressive start. Ennis is not a Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook type of point guard; rather, he is a more conventional crafty lead guard. While Ennis does nothing flashy, he proved as a freshman he is a leader on the court and will put his teammates in position to succeed. With a draft as deep at power forward and small forward, teams might opt to go bigger in the lottery. Bringing home the Canadian product would be a nice storyline as well.

21. P.J. Hairston, SG, Texas Legends, 6’5″, 220 lbs

Hairston had a disappointing finish to his collegiate career, but as a prospect has teams salivating over his physical brand of play, ability to finish and deep range. A key with Hairston will be his conditioning and his off-court makeup, but certainly there will be teams willing to roll the dice on him. As someone who has already played in the D-League, Hairston might be more ready to contribute as a rookie next season. With that said, the Thunder are looking to upgrade their woeful bench production and tabbing Hairston as a James Harden-type 6th man could be effective. Very likely that the Thunder could opt for an international prospect.

 

22. Jerami Grant, SF, Syracuse, 6’8″, 210 lbs 

Grant is a prospect to watch as there will be teams in the late lottery that will give serious consideration to him on draft night. Explosive and long wings who play with Grant’s motor are hard to come by, and can be plugged into a rotation right away. While Grant is improving as a shooter, his defense, rebounding and ability to run in transition are what interests teams. Memphis could go big here but more likely selects a based on the depth and value they would be getting. Grant is the type of wing that could really flourish playing alongside Zach Randolph, Mike Conley and company.

23.  Kyle Anderson, SF, UCLA, 6’9″, 235 lbs 

There are teams that believe Anderson might be a lottery pick, but I tend to think he’ll go later in the first round. No doubt Anderson’s size creates a unique matchup opportunity for teams, but his lack of elite athleticism is what holds him back from being a top-10 pick. Anderson improved as a shooter this season but still hangs his hat as being a facilitator, and it’s hard to see some team in the teens passing on him come draft night. The Jazz could use Anderson as a SF or as a Shaun Livingston type of PG and a great compliment to Trey Burke. The Jazz may lose RFA Gordon Hayward this summer so drafting a SF would be wise. This could be a pick available on draft night for team wanting another late first-round pick.

(RELATED: THREE FIRST-ROUND PROSPECTS FROM UCLA POSE RIDDLE TO GMs)

24. James Young, SF, Kentucky, 6’7″, 205 lbs. 

A lot of the scouts I’ve spoken to have a high regard for James Young and believe that while not a great shooter yet, he will be one in time as he has a great stroke. During Kentucky’s impressive NCAA Tournament run, a lot of players stepped up, but Young might have been the player to shoulder most of the load. Young is a smooth athlete that can score by attacking the rim or stepping out beyond the arc. The Suns are armed with three picks in Round 1 and will be quite active in trade talks. Young was a creative scorer at Kentucky, and as he improves his shooting could be a great value.